that bread wherewith the bodie is satisfyed and be ye desirous of that heauenly bread whiche geueth eternall lyfe This bread is receiued by fayth and fayth is to be obteyned of god the father be ye well assured thereof that whosoeuer hath affiaunce in me thesame hathe already eternall lyfe for so muche as he hath the fountaine of immortalitie ¶ I am the bread of life your fathers did eate Manna in wildernes and are dead This is that breade whiche cummeth down from heauen that a man maie eate therof and not die I am that liuing bread whiche came downe from heauen If any manne eate of this breade he shall liue for euer And the breade that I will geue is my fleshe whiche I will geue for the life of the world I am that very bread whiche geueth not a bodily and a transitorye life but the lyfe of the soule and eternall lyfe Althoughe ye haue me presente yet neuerthelesse ye desyre Manna as a woondrefull thyng And albeit Manna whiche youre auncestours didde eate and feede vpon for a certaine tyme in the wildernesse didde cum from heauen as you suppose yet it dyd theim no ferther pleasure then wheaten or barlye breade woulde haue dooen It putte awaye for a whyle the hunger of the bodye whiche shortelye after woulde returne agayne and require more meate but it coulde not geue them immortalitie For though your forefathers were neuer so happye yet dyd as manye of them dye as dyd feede of that Manna This breade whiche I speake of descended out of heauen in veraye deede and it hath receiued of god celestiall strengthe to make hym that eateth of it to liue in bodye and soule euerlastynglye and neuer to bee subiecte vnto deathe Ye neede not therefore aske importunately any Manna from heauen when as ye haue very heauenly breade presente and ready prepared for you whiche geueth eternall lyfe in case ye wyll receiue it by fayth For I my selfe am that bread the grauÌ„ter of immortall lyfe who alone came down from heauen whome you beeyng offended with the infirmitie of this bodye take and thynke to be nothyng els but the sonne of Ioseph and Marye Truely I am the very woorde of god the father whiche whoso beleueth shall haue immortall lyfe If any man wyll conueye and digeste this heauenlye bread into the inwarde partes of the soule he shal bee quickened and growe into eternall lyfe And yf you beyng but carnall do not yet vnderstande spirituall thynges I wyll shew you a more a plain and grosser matter and a thyng that is more apperteinyng vnto the fleshe Euen thys fleshe whiche you see and loke vpon and whiche I shall bestowe and geue vnto deathe for to redeme the lyfe of the whole worlde is the liuyng breade Beleue eate it and lyue By thys sayyng our Lord Iesus did sumwhat after an obscure sorte open vnto them the misterie of his godhed whereby he was alwaye with God the father and of his death also by the whiche he should deliuer and sauethe worlde from the tyrannye of deathe Finallye he did insinuate herein vnto them the priuitie of hys mysticall bodye whereof he that is not a membre and by fayth annexed therevnto and so styll cleaue and sticke fast vnto it as the branche dooeth cleaue vnto the vyne he shall not haue life in hym And Iesus knewe well enough that at that tyme the Iewes dyd not vnderstande his saiynges but yet for all that he was assured that in tyme to cum it should cum to passe howe that these sedes and as ye would say norishmentes of misteryes beeyng shutte and closed vp within the myndes of good men should growe vp and bryng forth plenteouse fruite The Iewes therfore stroue among theimselfes saiyng howe can this felow geue vs that flesh of his to eat Then Iesê° said vnto theÌ„ vâ—raily veraily I saie vnto you except ye eat the fleshe of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye haue no life in you Whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloude hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last daie For my fleshe is meate in dede and my bloude is drinke in dede He that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloude dwelleth in me and I in hym Therfore wheÌ„ as these thynges semed to them very incoÌ„uenient and to folish to be spokeokeÌ„ durst not talke homely familiarly with yÌ„e lord himself there arose a great discorde in opinions amoÌ„g them diuerse of them diuersly interpretyng the thyng that was spoken For euen as Nicodemus vnderstode not Iesus when he spake of a newe heauenlye birth nor the woman of Samaria knewe what Iesus ment in his darke speakyng of the water that should flowe into euerlastyng life so this rude grosse people coÌ„teÌ„ded how it could be brought to passe that a maÌ„ should geue hys flesh to be eaten of other and that in suche sorte as it should suffyse al men to perpetual lyfe For he dyd bid inuited all meÌ„ to eate heauenly bread sayd moreouer that his flesh was bread How shall we say they eate the flesh of a liuyng maÌ„ne And again Iesus beeyng not ignoraunte about what matter they contended dyd not declare vnto them by what way meanes that flesh might be eaten in steade of breade but here now confirmeth the thyng to be nedeful a very necessarie thyng which they iudged but a vayne thing and a plaine absurditie and that it could not be doen. Take this for a veray suertye saieth he excepte ye receiue me whole that is to saye vnlesse ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man in steade of breade and in the place of wyne drinke his bloud ye shall not haue life in you On the contrarye syde whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath by eating and drinking therof eternal life Neyther shall the soule alone liue blessed most happy by reason of this meat drinke but also after the resurreccion of the bodye the whole man bothe bodye and soule shall haue with me the fruicion of euerlastyng lyfe For like as mans naturall meate beeyng conueyed downe into the stomake and after it bee digested is conueyed thence throughout all the membres of the bodye so turnethe into the substaunce of the bodye so that then the meate and the man that eateth it is al one in lyke maner on the othersyde he that hath eaten me shal be spirituallye transformed and turned into me Furthermore forsomuche as I am the chefe auctour of the resurreccion I wyl not suffre my membres to bee disseueted and pulled awaye from me but whosoeuer is surelye ioyned to me by thys meate and drinke I shall rayse hym vp agayne in the last day that because the whole man hauyng bothe bodye and soule beleued me the whole man no we also maye liue with me euerlastynglye Bodelye meate woorketh not this effecte neyther yet Manna wherein ye reioyce but the eatyng of my bodye and the
drinkyng of my bloude bringeth this thyng to passe And therefore my flesh is truelye meate whyche geueth immortalitie and my bloude is truely drynke which doeth procure eternal life not only to the body but to the whole man both bodye and soule And as the lyfe of the bodye whiche is nourished with dayly sustenaunce lest it shoulde perishe before the tyme is common to all the membres of the body by reason of the indiuisible felowshippe that all the partes of the bodye hathe togetherwardes in so muche that though the membres of the bodye be diuerse and sundrye yet there is but one bodye because that one soule geueth lyfe to euerye parte of the bodye so he that eateth my fleshe and drynketh my bloude is in suche sorte coupled and ioyned to me that neither can I be seperate from hym nor he from me For I am in hym by my spirite by whoÌ„ I wyll geue lyfe to hym And he is in me as a membre in the bodye and as the braunche is in the vyne by suche a participacion as cannot bee dissolued ¶ As the liuing father hath sente me and I true for the father Euen so be that eateth me shal liue by the meanes of me This is the bread which came downe from heauen not as your fathers did eate Manna and are dead He that eateth of this breade shall liue euer These thinges sayed he in the sinagogue as he taught in Capernaum Many therefore of his disciples when they had heard this sayd this is an hard saiyng Who can abide the hearing of it The father that sent me is the principall fountaine of al life Whosoeuer is ioyned to hym is made partaker of life And therefore as the father is in me geueth me life and also power to geue life vnto other euen likewyse to him that eateth me and is so annexed to me by reason of that misticall eatyng and drinkyng that he is made one with with me doe I geue lyfe not to endure for a shorte tyme but eternall life What thyng soeuer is of earthly nature thesame dooeth continue but for a time and is of small efficacie Manna whiche stylled downe from heauen for you then beyng vnder Moses tuicion and conductyng because it was foode pertainyng to the bodye it coulde not geue eternall lyfe to your elders for whereas all men did eat therof they neuertheles dyed neyther did any one of so great a numbre remain vndead yea more part of theÌ„ died also in soule because they prouoked god manye waies to wrath But certes this bread that vndoubtedly came downe from heauen hath a celestiall vertue in it and geueth eternall lyfe to the eater thereof The Lorde Iesus did instruct the ignorant and grosse multitude with such wordes very desirous to stirre them vp from the loue of vysible and corporal thynges to the loue and desire of heauenly and eternall thynges And he spake these woordes in the Sinagogue amoÌ„gest a great assembly of people exercising the office of a teacher Howebeit the grosse people was so farre of from the capacitye of these heauenlye mystiries that a great sorte of his disciples also beyng offeÌ„ded herewith wer about to fall from theyr maister murmuryng amongest themselfes and whisperyng this saiyng This is an harde cruell saiyng saye they concernyng the eatyng of a lyuyng mannes fleshe and drinkyng his bloude whose eares can abyde to heare such doctryne Iesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it he said vnto them doeth this offend you What if ye shal se the sonne of maÌ„ asceÌ„d vp thither where as he was before It is yâ— spirit that quickeneth the flesh â—rosueth nothing The wordes that I speake vnto you are the spirit life But there are sum of you yâ— beleue not For Iesus knew froÌ„ the beginning which thei wer yâ— beleued not who should betraie him And he said Therefore said I vnto you that no man can cum vnto me excepte it wer geueÌ„ vnto him of my father Iesus vnderstandyng what they murmured at secretly among themselfes labored to remedie the thing that they were offeÌ„ded with geuing knowledge beforehand vnto them that they shoulde see greater thinges with their iyes then that they heard hym at this tyme speake of hymselfe And he shewed them that the wordes whiche he had spoken as touchyng the eatyng of his fleshe and to drinke his blood was no incoÌ„uenieÌ„t thing nor to be abhorred but a right pleasaunt graciouse and fruitfull saying in case it were taken and vnderstande not after their course and grosse intelligence but after a spirituall sence Nowe therfore being turned towardes his disciples whom it had behoued to haue further consydered and to haue been wyser then the base sorte of people by reason of the acquaintance and familiaritie whiche they had with Iesus and also for the myracles which they had seen hym worke Iesus I say loking vpon his disciples rebuked theyr dulnes in this wyse saying Doeth it offend your eares to heare me saye that I am the breade which came out of heauen to geue lyfe to the worlde whether is it a greater difficultie after the grosse vnderstandyng of mannes wit to haue descended from heauen or to ascend vp into heauen What then yf hereafter ye do see the sonne of man whom ye nowe see to haue the natural body of a man ascende into heauen where he was before he came downe thence and before he had this mortal bodye This is doen and graunted by reason of your senses not that ye shoulde bee alwaye carnall and vnderstand all thinges fleshly but that ye shoulde leaue the fleshe and go forwarde to the spirite The spirit descended from heauen and was incarnate the fleshe beeyng now made spirituall shal be carryed awaye vp into heauen leste ye should all waye loue the fleshe and be carnall but yet beeing first instructed by the flesh ye ought to profit and go forward toward heauenly thinges For the flesh alone of himselfe profiteth nothing it is the spirite that geueth life For what is bodily substance of men if the spirit lacke euen so my woord carnally vnderstand shall not geue life vnles ye take it as an heauenly thing and vnderstaÌ„d it spiritually By my fleshe and blood I meane my doctrine and so I tearme it whiche doctrine yf ye do by true faith receiue it desyrously and effectuously and than conueigh it into the bowels of your minde and retaine it there it will quicken and make your mindes liuely and cause you and me to be al one so that ye shal through my spirite liue euerlastingly like as the membres of one bodye lyueth by one common spirite so long as they do adhere and cleaue fast together And I shall leaue vnto you my fleshe and blood as a hid secret mystery and mistical token of this copulacion and felowship which selfe thing although ye do receiue it yet will it not profit you vnles ye receyue it spiritually Therfore do not
perishe Be ye not aâ—earde litle flocke for yours is the kyngdome of heauen Paule hathe meate wherewith he coumforteth and cherisheth suche as are but newlye conuerted to Christe that they maye not fal agayne into diseases forasmuche as they are yet weake he hath also sounde and substanciall meate that maye kepe theim in perfeicte strength growyng forewarde from daye to daye vnto the measure of the fulnesse of Christe Those persones had gathered perfeict strengthe of whome it is thus wrytten in the actes of the Apostles They went reioycyng oute of the sight of the counsell in that they had been reputed worthie to suffre reproche for the name of Iesus That man also had gathered perfeicte strength whiche layed I can dooe all thynges in hym that maketh me strong And for this consideracion the Lorde Iesus in the ghospell exhorteth menne to the eatyng of the breade that was come from heauen the eatyng whereof geueth immortalitie He exhorteth men to the eatyng of his fleshe and to the drinking of his bloude meanyng vndoubtedlye of his doctrine whiche beyng as breade to the soule dooeth make thesame lustie and strong and as effectuall strong wyne doeth inebricate men and bryng them in a godly kynde of drounkennesse euen to the contempte of this worlde in lyke maner as fleashe hath sound nourishemente for the bodye and lyke as bloude hath a vertue and effecte vnto lyfe And though all the scripture of god haue a medicinable vertue and power in it yet hath it none a more effectuall electualye or receipt then that pertaineth to the ghospel One and thesame spirite it is that is in all the Scriptures of God but yet in the ghospell especiallye his pleasure was that the thyng â—â—ould remaine wherin he might speciallye shewe foorth his owne power because there shoulde appere some difference betwene the seruauntes and the maister betwene the puddels or litle gutters and the spryng or fountaine And truely it is a labour well bestowed to considre how great a thyng the vertue of this medicine is Euerie common weale is as ye woulde saye a certayne body The pestilent diseases and sickenesses of a common weale are euil maniers Againste whiche diseases such men as haue excelled others in wysedome haue in soondrye regions or deyned and set lawes as it were certayne medicines and remedies for thesame as for exaumple emong the Atheniens Solon made lawes emong the Lacedemonians Lycurgus emong the people of Crete Minos emong the Romaynes the tenne Commissioners called in theyr toungue Decemuiti Yet not one of all these men was hable to bryng to passe that other nacions also would enbrace and receiue the lawes that he had made No neither dyd any of them so muche as attempte such a thyng leste besides spendyng of labour in vayne he shoulde also haue wonne an opinion of a shamelesse acte in his so doyng Solon was faâ— to liue tenne yeares a banished man for thrustyng his lawes into the citie of Athens alone to be vsed there Plato a man so well learned and so eloquent coulde neuer bryng the people of Athens in mynde to receyue his lawes And yet is there no doubtes to bee made but that euerye one of theim perswaded theimselues that the lawes whiche they hadde made were true and that they wisshed yf it myght possibly haue been brought to passe that all the world should haue enbraced and receyued thesame No nor the lawes of Moses neither were iprâ—d abrode or receyued any ferther then within onely one nacion although in dede the Pharisets did with great highe suyt hunte to wynne and geat vnto them a fewe proselites that is to saye foreyns and aliens wonne to their religion Fynally not the violent autoritie of the Emperours neither was hable by vyolence or compulsion to obteyne that theyr lawes might haue weight and force with all nacions And the thyng whiche all the sayed persones by the lawes that they made did endeuour to bryng about thesame did also the Philosophiers attempt by theyr morall rules and lessons with great iudgement and with incomparable diligence and labour wryten and published Of al which neuerthelesse not one hath there been so eloquente or so well learned that he hath been hable to bryng any one nacion in the mynde that he woulde haue theim in so werishe and vneffectuall was the vertue of the medicine of phisicke which they broughte Onelye the trueth Euangelicall dyd in processe of a fewe yeares possesse perswade and ouercome all nacions of the worlde full and wholle drawyng vnto it the Grekes and the barbarous peoples the learned and the vnlearned the inferiour common people and kynges and all So pithâ—hy and so effectuall was the electuarie of this trueth that so many thousandes of people forsakyng the lawes of their owne countreyes renouncyng the religioÌ„ that theyr forefathers had vsed â–ª leauyng aswell the sensuall pleasures and vices whiche from their cradels they had been accustomed vnto they enbraced a new and a forein doctrine and out of diuerse toungues and ordinaunces of contrarie sorte they did consente to the receyuyng of a certaine lowe and basse philosophie especiallye at suche a tyme as neuer was there any of the lyke sorte furnished nor armed either with the maintenaunce and supportacion of learnyng and eloquence or with the power and autoritie of princes and at suche a time ferthermore whaÌ„ al the worlde with al the strengthe that it had fought against the trueth of the ghospel beeyng vnarmed and naked yet neuerthelesse it could not possiblye bryng to passe but that the sayed trueth after that it firste â—ntred possession vpon the countrey of Grece inuaded also the citie of Rome and the veraye courte of Nerâ— and foorthwith spred it self abrode throughout all and singular the prouincies of the Empire of Rome euen vntill the Isles called Gades lying in the ferthest parte beyonde Spaigne and vnto the Indians vnto the peoples of Afrike and the Scithians and the Isle of Britannia now called Englande beyng a countrey vttrelye diuided and cutte of from all the rest of the worlde These nacions and peoples dyd verye muche differ one from another in theyr languages lawes rytes vsages ordeynaunces Goddes religion and facions and anon beeyng from suche great discorde broughte to a generall vniformitie they begonne to syng all one song extollyng with laudes and prayses Iesus Christe the onely lorde and salueour of the worlde And all this while the spoylyng of their goodes their banishementes empriesonynges tormentes deathes were none other thing but good procedyng and goyng forewarde of the ghospell What persone hath there euer been founde that hath been content to suffre death for the lawes of Solon or the morall preceptes of Zeno But for the simple and playne doctryne of Christ how many thousandes of men both olde young how many thousandes of matrones and vyrgins haue willyngly offered and holden out their neckes to bee chopte of And yet how muche more wondrefull and more abhorryng from commune reason are the thinges
take vpon hym the profession and teachyng of heauenlye doctrine muste renounce and clearelye forsake all worldlye or carnall affeccyons bothe of father and mother and also of kinsfolkes Theyr hope therfore beyng beguyled in sekyng Iesus here emong hys kynsfolkes nowe that carefulnesse for theyr childe did somewhat more earnestely pricke vexe theyr stomackes as in tender parentes it wil doe backe they wente agayn to Hierusalem deming and supposing it to bee possyble enoughe that he had there remayned styll in the house of some frende or acquayntaunce of theyrs But whan the chylde was in vayne sought here also emong theyr acquayntaunce and kynsfolkes after three dayes space it chaunced that hys parentes whan they had no suche hope at all founde hym in the temple not ydle nor playing thys or that childishe toye but sitting still in the middes emong the doctours whome he being but a childe did by course bothe heare teachyng and also did appose and being by course opposed of them agayne did make aunswere not for that it was nedefull for hym to demaunde of any mortall creature what to learne but to the ende that by wisely ministring his opposicions he might rightely enstructe and teache them that professed the perfecte knowelage of the lawe wheras in dede they knew not the strength the pith and the effecte of the lawâ— and all vnder one enflamyng vs vnto an earneste zeale to take good instytucyons and also geuyng a good lesson that no age is ouer younge or ouer soone putte to the learnyng of suche thynges as maye auayle or serue towardes godlye perfeccion For some artes and occupacyons there bee whiche euerye age is not apte but ouer young to learne onely deuocyon and godlynesse is to bee learned by and by from the cradle and the earneste dilygence in applying the same not to bee slacked or releassed at any tyme vntyll the veraye laste daye of a mannes lyfe For there is in it higher degrees and hygher to growe vnto as long as a mannes life dooeth endure And as for Iesus although he were vnknowen bothe to the doctoures and also to the people that stode about yet did he make them all to merueyle at hym that beyng a chylde of a smal age and stature he coulde in his sayinges aunswers shewe furth a certayne woonderfull wysedome yea and ferre excedyng the wysdome of sage olde menne They sawe the age of his bodye to bee tender and ferre vnrype to haue any great wisedome and they hearde a young chylde with singular humilitie and sobrenesse vttering furth and speakyng such thinges as the great doctoures of auncyente yeres and they that semed now to be as high in wisedome as any menne myghte bee thoughte not tedyouse to learne And yet all the while there was in hym no pryde ne haultenesse there was in hym no malapertenesse of cockyng or geuyng tauntes there was in hym no mannier hosting or vauÌ„nting of himselfe which vices are not wont to lacke in boyes whose wittes are rype beefore theyr tyme. But he woulde question with them as one desyrouse and fayne to learne and beyng demaunded anye questyon he woulde aunswere with all possible sobrenesse yea and also with most excellent wisedome And on thys mannier taughte he them without anye spyce or semblaunce of arrogancie that is to saye of presumpteouse takyng of autoritie vpon hym And by these thynges it came to passe that as well the doctoures with whome he disputed as also the partyes that stode rounde about were witnesses of the same disputacion were veraye muche astouned not onely for respect of the chyldes wisedome being suche as had not afore bene hearde of whiche he in demaundyng any questyon and in shapyng any aunswere dyd playnely declare but also for the â—â—re and syngulare sobrenesse of his countenaunce of hys gesture and of hys tongue whiche thynges gaue a more ferther grace of acceptacyon vnto hys vnderstandyng And yet is not thys poyncte neyther withoute a fruictfull mysterye that Iesus who coulde not with any seking be founde emong his familiare acquaintaunce kynsfolkes after the fleshe was sodaynelye founde by chaunce at Hierusalem within the temple For the sayde citie of Hierusalem being of greate name and fame by reason that the worlde had conceyued an opinyon that god was serued there beste of all places did represent aswell the churche militaunte on yearthe as also triumphaunte in heauen For this same Hierusalem is our countrey that we make all our sighyng to bee at forasmuche as we dooe well vnderstande that here in thys transytorye worlde we lyue but as it were in a place of exile or banyshemente not hauing a citie wherin to dwell for euer Whersoeuer therefore all goeth by carnall affeccyons of manne wheresoeuer the earneste studie of the minde is applyed vnto such thynges as perish and dye with this worlde in suche a place neyther is Hierusalem whiche Hebrue woorde is to say in Englishe the sighte of peace neither a temple dedicated to the Lorde And therefore is not Iesus in any suche place to bee soughte who is altogether heauenlye But wheresoeuer is a brest and an herte whiche despyseth tho thinges that pertaine to the carnalytie of fleashe and bloude and panteth for haste that he maketh towarde that same blessed tranquilitie and quietnesse of mynde whiche the bounteouse goodnesse of god dooeth through the faythe of the ghospell assure and warraunte euen here in this presente life and maketh perfecte in the heauenlye Hierusalem aboue in suche a place is Hierusalem in suche a place is the temple that Iesus is delited with in suche a place there is bothe propounyng of questyons and aunsweryng enterchaungeablye not concerning howe a rounde circle maye be made iust fower square not of that whiche in Aristotles philosophie is called Maâ—eria prima as if ye shoulde say in Englishe the first originall stuffe wherof and out of whiche all thinges in the worlde are produced and made nor of that that the same Aristotle and other doe call primum mobile whereby they meane hym that gouerneth the worlde and rolleth the skye aboute without begynning or ending not naming it god but estemyng it to bee some other naturall thyng of it selfe of all whiche thynges a manne may be ignoraunt and yet come to heauen well enough but in suche place as we speake of the opposycyons and aunsweres are concernyng the knowlage of holy scripture by the which god sheweth vnto vs the way wherby we may attayne euerlasting saluacion In suche a place are slayne hostes and sacrifices moste acceptable vnto god that is to wete carnall luste enuie wrathe desire of worldely auauncemente and auarice In suche a place there is with all godlye peticyons and with pure prayers contynuall burnyng of swete sauoures and incence to the moste hyghe contentacyon and pleasyng of god It is therfore the parte of euery body to see and prouyde that he haue Hierusalem within hys owne breste and that he there make readye a temple mete
repugne and refuse my saying though being still carnal ye do not rightly vnderstande it nor take it as it ought to be taken but rather labour for the true vnderstanding therof For the woordes which I haue spoken vnto you are not carnall as you interpretate them but be spirite and lyfe and whye Uerely because they beeing spiritually vnderstand do conferre and geue lyfe to the soule He that receiueth these woordes rightly and truely eateth my fleshe and drinketh my blood being coupled to me gayneth thereby euerlasting lyfe But he that willingly refuseth them continueth in death thorough the synnes of his former lyfe and doubleth his owne damnacion of eternall death by reason of infidelitie And all they refuse this bread when it is offered them which beleue not my woordes And I knowe that these thinges are spoken al in vaine to sum folkes being right wel assured that there be sum among you which dooeth not credite my woordes and therefore reiectyng life when it is offered them they be cause of their owne vtter destruccion And for that cause our Lorde Iesus spake these thynges who was ignorant in nothyng yet he knewe well ynough or euer he spake these woordes whiche of his disciples woulde geue faith vnto hym And moreouer he coulde tell this also that euen amongest the twelue Apostles whom he so surnamed for honour sake and whome hee dyd also choose specially to bee aboute hymselfe as most sure frendes He knewe I say that there should be one of theim whiche woulde betraye hym to the Iewes that shoulde put hym to death Therefore to note them whiche though they dyd heare all one woorde and saying with the reste and though also one of the twelue should eate of thesame bread and drinke of the same cup which his felowes shoulde eate and drinke of yet shoulde not they obtaine lyfe thereby because they tooke and receiued that heauenlye bread not spirituallye but carnally Iesus added more and sayde for this cause I tolde you a litle before that no man coulde cum vnto me excepte it were geuen him so to do from heauen of my father To haue heard this my voyce is nothing to haue seen and felte this body is nothyng except the father of heauen haue geuen withall the iyes of fayth with the whiche I am loked vpon to the beholders health and vnles he shall geue therwith heauenly eares of the mynde with the whiche I am heard fruitefully and to the hearers commoditie From that tyme many of his disciples went backe and forsooke hym and walked no more with hym Then sayed Iesus to the twelue wyll ye also go awaye Then Symon Peter answered hym Lorde to whom shall we goe thou hast the woordes of eternall lyfe and we beleue and are sure that thou arte Christe the soonne of the lyuing God Iesus answered them Haue not I chosen you twelue and one of you is a deuill He spake of Iudas Iscarioth the sonne of Simon for he it was that should betraye hym beeyng one of the twelue These wordes of Iesus beyng full of the doctrine of saluacion dyd not descende doune into theyr myndes whose mindes were occupied with earthly desyres and couetousnesse who also vnderstood no heauēly thinges besides the grosse and carnall religion as they vsed it of Moses lawe Therefore after that Iesus had this communicacion among them the more parte not onely of the common people but also of his owne disciples fell awaye from theyr maister and thereby are made wurse whereby they myght haue been muche better in case they had taken all thinges well and receiued hym accordynglye and they so muche forsooke hym that they withdrewe themselfes from his cumpany and from eating and drinking with hym as men that by that facte woulde condemne his doctrine But Iesus to shewe euen now the maner and way how that preachers of the ghospel should behaue themselfes doeth neyther make to humble and vile suite to haue them tarie styll with hym leste he shoulde seme to dooe the thing that other are wounte to dooe that is to shew himselfe to stande in nede of their cumpany Neyther doeth he speake to the reproche of theyr goyng awaye leste therein he myght haue been thought to haue more sought his owne prayse and glory then theyr saluacion and yet he doeth not vtterly put them away from hym because they myght perchaunce afterwarde haue been better aduised but to declare that through their owne faute they were offended and so without any occasion geuen thē went awaye and that his saying shoulde not altogether lacke fruite although that sum made themselfes through infidelitie vnworthie any heauenly gifte Iesus I saye vpon these skylles tourning him towardes the twelue Apostles whom he had admitted and taken vnto hym to be the speciall witnesses and bruters abrode of all the thinges that he wroughte did so get out of theim the open confession of theyr belefe that he neyther retaineth these with flatterye as thoughe he had gonne about his owne buisinesse rather then theyrs neither did he to much feare theym with threatening and chiding leste they shoulde seeme to folowe Iesus rather compelled then with their owne consent perswaded For no man is to be compelled vnto the fayth of the ghospell And Iesus had leauer men should openly forsake him then to haue a disciple colourably aud fayuedly And therfore whiles other were departing from him Iesus saieth to the twelue And will ye also goe away from me ye maye tarye styl and ye lust vnlesse ye thinke it more your commoditie to departe Uerely I doe desyre that it might be euery mans lucke to haue this heauenly gyft by me but it is neither to be geuen to theim that refuse it for they dooe not deserue it nor any manne can attaine to cum by it excepte he be desirouse of it And yet it is the gift of the father that any man doeth couet and earnestly desyre it Here nowe doeth Simon Peter a man alway of a plaine and ardent faith towardes Iesus representyng in his person the whole churche and in the name also of other maketh aunswer cherefully and with great courage saying O Lorde God forbyd that we should forsake the for considering that we be muche desyrous of eternal saluacion and also knowe right wel how bare and vnpleasaunt how colde and vnprofitable those thinges are which the Phariseis teache and seing also that we haue hearde Iohn testifying of the whither els and to what other man should we go from thee ▪ for thou alone speakest the woordes which bring with them euerlasting lyfe Thou that receyuest euery one that will cum shalt not driue vs from the whom thou hast once admitted to thy seruice neyther do we desyre to chaunge our lorde and maister for we shoulde change for the wourse what new maister soeuer we shall choose For we not only trusting vpon thy woordes beleue thee but also wee knowe by the very dedes that thou doest and haue certainlye
chylde And she shall beare a sonne not for the but for the worlde In the meane season thou shalt be called his father and thou shalt be the keper of the mayde rather than the housbande When the chylde is borne thou as the father shalt geue it a name not a name after thine owne fantasie but that name that God agreably vnto the thyng dyd destinate and appoynt vnto hym before the creacion of the worlde And thou shalte call his name Iesus that is to say sauioure for this is that same Messias desired loked for so many yeres who accordyng to the sayinges of the Prophetes shall deliuer all his people from theyr synnes not by the sacrifice of beastes but throughâ— his owne bloude And he wil not onely be content to geue freely this so great a benefyt but whan we are purged froÌ„ the synnes of our former lyfe he will geue vs also very perfect and eternall saluacion All this was doen that the thyng myght be fullfylled whiche was spoken of the Lorde by the Prophet saying thus Beholde a mayde shal be with chylde and shall bring furthâ— sonne and they shall call his name Emanuel whiche is by interpretacion God with vs. And surely none of all this matter is brought to passe by chaunce or fortune but by the decree and prouidence of god For the thyng that we shewe to bee doen the same in tymes past the lorde himselfe promised that he woulde do it speakyng by the mouthe of his prophete Esay and setting furth in fewe wordes bothe the straunge newnes and the greate fruite and profit of this concepcion Beholde sayeth he a virgin shall conceyue and bryng furthe And this is the straungenes of it for when was it euer hearde a mayden to haue borne a chyld without blemish of hir virginitie Nowe herken what is the fruite profite And his name shal be called sayeth he Emanuel which soundeth in Hebrue God with vs. For this only one shal reconcile his prople vnto god and where as he was offended and displeased he shall make hym fauourable and mercifull and beyng conuersaunt emong men he shall powre the moste aboundant goodnes of god in them and at last they hauyng knowledge and experience of his effectuall doctrine of the might of his miracles of his present efficacy and strength and of the vehemencie of his diuine spirite showyng it selfe after a new sorte in them that shall beleue they shall crie and not without a cause God is with vs. If thou acknowledge the prophecy as truely thou doest acknowledge geue attendaunce and honour to this mystery and kepe close this secrete priuitie Now whan Ioseph awoke out of slepe he dyd as the Angell of the lorde â—ad him and toke his wife vnto him and knewe her not tyl she had brought furth hir first borne soonne and called his name Iesus Whan the messinger of the hygh God had spoken these thynges Ioseph waking from slepe both merely and cherefully dyd obey the oracle He setteth aparte al his purpose of discorde and taketh his wife more nerely vnto hym that no man might suspecte any discorde or disagrement to be betwene theÌ„ And now he perceyuing that she was wholly dedicated vnto god of heauen doeth honoure in hir the godlye mistery nor dareth not touche hir whome god had taken onely to hymselfe He is diligent in seruice but he forbeareth to company with hir as hir husbande In the meane reason that heaueÌ„lye fruite waxeth ripe in the holy woumbe of the virgin whiche cummyng furthe at his time of his mother the virgin toke not away the integritie of his parente but did consecrate and sanctifye the same Further Ioseph as he was commaunded of the angell bearing the countenaunce of a father hitherto gaue a name to the chylde Iesus whan after the fashion of the countrey he was circumcised the â—yght daye The .ii. Chapter Whan Iesus was borne at Bethleem a towne is Iewrye in the tyme of Herode the Kyng beholde there came Magians from the Easte to Hierusalem saying Where is â—e whiche is borne the kyng of the Iewes For we sawe his starre in the Easte and are cum to wurship him HItherto ye see howe many thynges do accorde and agree with the godly sayinges of the prophetes He is borne of the same auncetours and of the same tribe and familie that the prophecy promised he should be borne Also the supputacion and counte of the wekes when Daniel prophecied that he shoulde cum dothe consente and agree Also the strange Natiuitie dothe agree in that that he was borne of a virgin without helpe of man And the name doth agree A Sauiour was promysed a Sauiour was loked for Iesus signifieth a Sauiour Furthermore the name of the countrey and of the towne doth answere to the fayth of the Prophetes for he was borne not farre from Hierusalem in a litle towne called Bethleem and that in the countrey of Iewry for there is a towne in Galile also of this name in the tribe of zabulon and he was borne in the time when Herode an Idumean by birthe and not a Iewe obteyned the Kyngdom ouer the Iewes that no man neded for to doubte but that now was the time that Messias should be borne the whiche Iacob the Patriarche many yeres before prophecied should cum to passe saying The scepter shall not be taken from Iuda nor a ruler from his thighe till that he cum which should be sent Truely this is he the holyest of all at whose entring all the anoynting of the Iewes ought to haue ceased and geue place Nowe ye shall vnderstande by what wonderfull meanes he began by litle and litle to be knowe to the world For he would be manifest open vnto all whiche came to saue all that bothe he might be knowen vnto good men to theyr saluacion that he myght take awaye from the wicked all excuse of ignoraunce He was promised chiefely to the Iewes he was borne of them he was firste preached vnto theÌ„ of the Angels syngyng glory on high vnto God and in the yearth peace emong men of good will The shepherdes beyng taught by the voyce of the same Angels told of the childe that was borne offered the first fruites of fayth at the maunger where the babe was borne By the secrete inspiracion of the spirite he was knowen of Elizabeth of Simeon Annâ— the prophetisse Firste of all he shewed himself vnto poore humble persones whom he knew to be most presâ—â— redy to receaue fayth For the proud woulde not lightly receyue him beeyng huÌ„ble nor the riche him being poore nor the stoute him beyng meke nor they that wer intangled with the desyres of this worlde woulde receyue him that was heauenly And because he was promised not to the Iewes only but also to the Gentiles yea to al the nacions of the world he would euen at the very entery of his begynnyng be knowen of them also to thinâ—ent he might declare and
he was circumcised and purified Egypt was happy of so noble a geast Nazareth maye well glory of his brynging vp For this was the countrey of his mother in the whiche she conceyued her sonne a base and a poore vyllage of Galile a countrey not regarded but dyspised of the Iewes but it was a secrete corner so muche more meete for the child against the crueltie of Archelaus And this pointe herein god doth teache vs that there is no nede of helpes riches power partetaking or nobilitie of birth in those thinges which are doen by the wyll of god Nay these thinges annexed and put vnto rather obscure and darken the glory of God among men For that this thyng came not to passe by fortune it maye appere in that the prophecie long before declared that the Messias should be called a Nazarene the whiche to be doen euen the tytle doeth declare which Pilate ignoraunt of the prophecie commaunded to be set vpon the crosse Iesus of Nazareth the kyng of Iewes And at this daye they that professe Christ be therfore of many called Nazarenes And the worde it self hath his mistery Nazareth among the Hebrewes hath his name of a floure because that that godly and swete floure the sanctifier of all virginitie was borne of a virgin lyke as Bethleem signifieth vnto the Hebrewes the house of breade out of the whiche came that heauenly breade which whoso eateth shall lyue euerlastingly He therfore â—yued certaine yeares as one vnknowen with his mother and his foster father Ioseph whose sonne he was thought of all menne vntyll the tyme he came vnto mannes state and then he shewed hymselfe vnto the worlde by doctryne miracles death and resurreccion beyng knowen or notable in nothing nor excâ—lyng other menne but that he went forwarde dayly and encreased in all kynde of honestie and heauenlye giftes that euery man loked for some great and notable thyng in the chylde He was also in the meane season a diligent obseruer of the lawe because he would geue none occasion vnto the euyll wyllers of euyll saying or backe bytyng but satisfye all men in all thynges He had rather for a tyme by kepyng of the lawe to bring the Iewes to more perfeccion than by despysyng it to alienate and withdraw theyr myndes cleane from hym Onely once he shewed himselfe at Hierusalem beyng twelue yeres of age at what tyme he priuely leauyng his parentes was founde in the temple sitting emong the doctours hearing them and by course questioning with them insomuche that he was a wonder to them all Euen than his godly disposicion had a desire vnto those thinges for whiche he was sent into the worlde but as this was a praise of a redy mynde so it was the example of moderation and obedience to tarry the tyme prescribed of his father The .iii. Chapter ¶ In those dayes came Iohn the Baptiste preachyng in the wylhernes of Iewry and saying Repent ye of your former lyfe For the kyngdome of heauen is at hande For this is he of whome the Prophete Esay spake whiche saieth The voyce of a crier in the wildernes prepare the waye of the Lorde and make his pathes strayght And this Iohn had his garment of Camels heere â–ª and a gyrâ—cii of a sky 〈◊〉 about his loynes Further his meate was Locustes and wylde houye Than went out to hym Hierusalem and all Iewrye and all the countrey round about nere to Iordane and were baptised of hym in Iordane confessyng theyr spunes NOwe is it worthy the hearyng to know how our Lord Iesus Christ begaÌ„ and entred with the matier that he came for He thrust not in sodeÌ„ly to men vnawares when they thought not vpon it First he woulde that all mennes myndes shoulde be prepared and made in a redines by his vssher and messenger Iohn the sonne of zacharie a man knowen and allowed of the Iewes themselues to th entent that the thyng whiche euer should be beleued might by lytle and lytle be stilled and put into the hartes of men Therfore whan the tyme drewe nere in the which it was decreed by the eternall ordeynaunce of God that the whole worlde shoulde be renewed through the doctrine of Christ Iohn came furth the sonne of a priest and of a prophetisse whiche Iohn was iudged afterward to be more than a Prophet by the testimonie of Christ who also euen in his byrthe and beginning had made men to conceyue great hope of hym And he came not out of kinges courtes or out of commoÌ„ resortes of meÌ„ but out of wildernes where from his chyldhode he led an aungels lyfe beyng contente with a most simple common diet clad with a garmeÌ„t woueÌ„ of Camels heres girded with a letheren girdell His dyet was agreable vnto his apparell For he lyued with course meate and easy to be gotten which he found in the wildernes that is to saie with locustes and wilde hony Suche dyet suche apparell suche a place was moste mete for a preacher of penaunce Whose wonderfull holynes so amased all mens myndes that many supposed that he was Christ chiefly when many were perswaded the other which was thought to be Messias to haue perished in the number of the infantes of Bethleem But he did not chalenge vnto him the glory of others insomuche that he shewed Christ openly to al men and sayed that he was not worthy to leuâ—e the latchet of his shooes And yet he rushed not furth of his owne swinge to preache but whan he was admonished from heauen that now was the tyme to playe the preacher For he came not by chaunce to his office of preaching or by the sendyng of man but this was he of whom Esaye prophecied so many yeres before both that he should vtter openly in wyldernes the voyce of his preachyng and also that he should be seÌ„t before to prepare the hartes of men to receyue the doctrine of Christ because he perswading repentaunce of the former lyfe should make them able to receyue the grace of Christe who by baptisme shoulde pardon all men of theyr sinnes And that the course of thynges beyng sodeynly chaunged they that were puffed vp before by the vayne iustice of Moyses lawe and by the folysh wisedom of this worlde should haue their combes cut and be brought lowe And finally that thei which before semed vyle abiect and vnprofitable because of theyr ignoraunce and huÌ„blenes should nowe be made liuely and strong through the doctrine of the ghospell and ryche with heauenly ryches and those thynges whiche by the rigoure of the lawe semed hard and intricate throughe faythe grace of the gospel should be made right and easy and that this health and saluacion should be opened and publyshed not onely to the Iewes but also to all nacions of the worlde All these thynges prophecied Esay the most assured Prophet of the Lord. And this is the prophecie A voyce of the cryer in deserte prepare ye the waye of the lorde
the other or els leaue to the one and dispyse the other Ye cannot serue god and Mammon Therefore I saye vnto you bee not careful for your lyfe â–ª what ye shall eate or drinke nor yet for your body what garment ye shall put on Is not the life more worth than meate and the body more woorth than â—ayment Beholde the fowles of the ayer for they sowe not nor reape not nor cary into the barnes and your heauenly father fedeth them Are ye not muche better than they Thinke not those men woorthy to bee hearde whiche deuide themselues betwene God and men betwene yerthe and heauen and so folowe thinges eternal that they wil not dispise thinges temporall For they doe nothing els but where as they woulde catche bothe they obteine neyther of bothe Thys heauenly Philosophie like as it doeth promise great rewardes so it doeth require the whole man And emong men a man shal not find two of such geÌ„til coÌ„dicions that one seruauÌ„t can be hable to please both So it cuÌ„meth to passe that th one must be forsaken or els neither can be satisfied And if the maisters be of contrary appetites and do square within theÌ„selues by some greuous debate it must nedes be that the seruaunt if he wil please the one must not onely forsake thother but also sticke vnto the one hate the other whome he hath forsaken And if he wil go from this againe vnto thother he must nedes translate and tourne his loue and seruice vnto him onely and dispise thother whome he hath forsaken And who be so contrary one to an other as God and Mammon how can one 〈◊〉 two whan they commaunde so diuers thinges God commaundeth thee to geue of that thou hast to the neady Mammon coÌ„maundeth the to take away other mens by right and by wrong God commaundeth the to prouide for thy brother which is in danger Mammon coÌ„mauÌ„deth the to liue to thyself God commaundeth sobrenes Mammon teacheth excesse and ryot Wherefore ye flatter your selues in vayne if ye beleue that that thing may be doone whiche is vnpossible that is to serue both God and Mammon His seruauÌ„t is eche man to whome he is wholly geuen Ye see howe riches doâ—e possesse them full and whole which do trauaile for it with so great tumult busines which defende them and kepe them with so great carefulnes whiche forgoe theÌ„ with so great griefe for these they suffer all thinges for these they dooe all thinges Whoso hath bound himselfe to this seruice can not be the seruauÌ„t of god he requireth the whole manne and cannot abide the feloweship of so fowle and filthy a maister nor can not abide a dimy seruant which is partaker with his aduersary But the common sorte of ryche men are wont to excuse the sore of auarice by the pretence of mans necessitie They say by these thynges men prouyde for against hunger and nakedness â–ª So speake they which doe not depend wholy of god but put their trust in their owne defence and ayde My wil is ye should be voide from this carefulnes leste it withdrawe you from the desire of better thinges The necessitie of nature is content with very litle euery where it is to be had that may suffice for such as I wil my seruantes to be For either 〈◊〉 liberalitie of good menne alwaies ready shal suffice or elles diligence and laboure shall prouyde that thyng whiche may ease necessitie Fynally yf none of these helpe the father wil not forsake those that be his for he that geueth the greater thynges will caste the smaller thynges to them whiche with all theyr hartes desyre after heauenly thinges although they be not carefull for the worlde Therefore lay not vp nor hoorde not for a long tyme bee not vexed with carefulnes of meate without whiche ye cannot liue neyther with carefulnes of apparell that couereth youre body and kepeth you from colde Is not the lyfe more precyous than meate Is not the body more precyous than the garment He that hath geuen these better thynges and hath geuen them to suche as were not careful shall it greue him to nourishe and preserue that which he hath geuen with these thinges of lesse valewe and estimacion If ye desire an exaumple looke vpon other lyuyng thynges whiche the maker of all thinges hath made for youre sake Hath he not prouyded a lyuyng for al thinges that he hath made Consider the birdes of the ayer they sow not they reape not they lay not vp in barnes carefull for tyme to come they liue from day to day without all carefulnes whatsoeuer they get they take it ioyfully yet the heauenly father geueth meate vnto them all And wil he disapoynte you whome he estemeth farre aboue the byrdes And if he be carefull ouer you as he is in dede is not your carefulnes in vayne If he forsake you what shall youre carefulnes preuayle As he hath geuen a body after his owne deuise so will he geue a liuing after his owne deuise ¶ Whiche of you by carefull thoughte can adde one cubitâ— vnto his stature And why care ye so taymente Coâ—syder the â—â—llies of the fyelde howe they growe They labour not they spinne not And yet I say vnto you No not Salomon in all his royaltie was apparayled lyke one of these Wherefore yf god so appaâ—ayleth the grasse of the fielde whiche standing this day to morow is cast into the furnace shall he not much more doe the same for you oye o◠〈◊〉 sayth Wil ye se how vnprofitable the carefulnes of the minde is about such thinges What man is there be he neuer so carefull that can adde one cubite to the stature of his body But euery mannes body though he thynke nothyng vpon it groweth with certayne increase vnto a quantitie appoynted of god If thou cast away all care thy body shal be nothing the shorter If thou be vexed with care thy body shall bee nothyng the hygher Therefore he that maketh the body bigge and strong without thy carefulnesse he will prouyde liuyng for thee without thy carefulnes who doeth withdraw thee from care of those thinges whiche be not gotten without our diligence It is great folishnes therfore to feare leste ye should lacke foode for as much as ye see that birdes be prouided for sufficiently And now leste ye should be careful for prouision of apparel for the body consider the lilâ—es whiche doe spring and growe in the fieldes without the care of any man They labour not nor spinne not and who doeth prouyde them of apparell as semeth good to hym who but the heauenly father And he doth so prouide that neyther Salomon the notable ryche gay king was euer so apparelled whan he chiefely did â—et foorth the glory of his riches as one of these poore lilies smally regarded and set by which grow not onely in gardens wher man bestoweth some labour and diligence but grow also in medowes of
moue the hartes of all menne ¶ But wherunto shall I lyken this generacion It is lyke vnto children whiche sitte in the market places and call vnto theyr felowes and saye We haue pyped vnto you and ye haue not daunsed we haue mourned vnto you ye haue not sorowed For Iohn came neyther eating nor drinkyng and they saye he hath a deuyll The sonne of manne came eatyng and drynkyng and they saye beholde the glutton and the wyue bibbet a frende to the publicants and to the synners And wysedome is iustified of her children And yet I see many so obstinatly vnbeleuyng that neyther afrayed by the austeritie of Iohn nor allured by my curtesye and well doyng wyll receyue the thyng whiche they haue loked for nowe so long tyme by the promyse of the Prophetes What maner of generacion shall I call this Or by what comparison may I set it furth It is lyke vnto children sytting in the market place whiche with a common song crye thus to theyr felowes a farre of we haue song you plesaunt thinges vpon our pypes and ye haue not daunced we haue song you sorowfull thinges and ye haue not wayled We haue proued assayed one thing but diuers waies Neither waie hath been profitable vnto the vnbeleuers sower and vntractable Iohn minding to styrre vp this nacion vnto penaunce as it were with a sorowfullâ— song came furth with great austeritie hardnes of lyfe fasting abstayning from all delicate meates forbearyng wyne and drynkyng water And some lette not to saye that he is possessed with the deuill so farre they be from folowyng of him The sonne of man came furth minding to styrre vp this nacion to the loue of the heauenly doctryne as it were with a more merye song of the pypes â–ª and that he mygâ—t allure them the more with his gentilnes he hideth not himselfe in deserte places nor weareth no notable rough garment nor vseth no notable sower meates but framing hymselfe to all men and despising the cumpanye of no man eateth all maner of meates and drinketh whatsoeuer is set before hym and â—gayne they picke quarels falsely to reproue hym saying Beholde the great eater the wyne bibber the frende of the publicanes and synners They that be not moued with austeritie and roughnes he wont to be wonne by fayre speaking and gentilnes But this nacion by euery occasion is made wurse turneth euery remedy and medicine into a matter of greater disease and sickenes But by the moe wayes they be prouoked to health and saluacion the more euident it shall be to all men that they perishe through theyr owne malice and the wysedome of God by whose councell all these thynges be doen shall haue the prayse of righteousenesse emong her children when they shall see them that appered great menne and iust menne before the world to be repelled from the kyngdome of heauen for theyr vnbelefe contrarywyse when they shall see sinners Publycans harlottes heathen people humble and abiect to be receiued into euerlastyng saluacion for the redines of theyr fayth Than began he to vpbrayde the cities in whiche mostâ— of his miracles were doen because they repented not of their sinnes Woe vnto thee Chorazin Woe vnto thee Bethsaida For yf the miracles whiche were showed to you had been doen in the citie of Tyre or Sydon they had repented of theyr synnes long agene in sacke clothe and asshes But I say vnto you it shal be better with Tyre and Sydon in the daye of iudgement than with you And thou Capernaum whiche arâ— lift vp vnto heauen shalt be brought downe to hell For yf the miracles whiche haue been doen in thee had been shewed in Sodome they had remayned vntyll this daye But I saye vnto you that it shall better with Sodome in the daye of iudgement than with thee Here Iesus musyng in maner at the inuincible malyce of certayne people for the feare and example of others began to rebuke the cities whiche where as he had shewed many miracles and healed men taught so many thynges yet they were not styrred to repentaunce of theyr former lyfe saying Woe be to the Chorazin woe be to the Bethsaida for yf the wonders which haue been shewed in you had been seen in Tyre Sydon whiche cities ye abhorre as heathen and wycked long ago they beeyng contryte would haue doen penaunce in heerclothes and ashes And in the meane time ye stand in your owne conceyte because ye be of the flocke of Israel because ye sacrifyce not vnto Idolles because ye be not geuen to riot and excesse so opeÌ„ly and loocely because ye wurship one God because ye be the chyldren of Abraham because ye haue the lawe and the Prophetes but vnlesse ye repente you all these thynges shall turne into the heape of your damnacion For this I assure you in the daye of goddes iudgement when euery man shal be iudged of God not after opinion and hearesaye but accordyng to his diserte Tyrus and Sydon shall be more gentely handled than you They shal be the more easely punyshed because they were not styrred to repentauÌ„ce as ye be And thou o Capernaum which nowe standyng in thyne owne conceyte art in courage as high as heauen shalt than be plâ—cked downe to hell Thou reioysest with thy selfe as though thou were ryghteous and doest abhorre the dwellers of Sodome whiche in tyme paste were horriblye punished for theyr synnes but in the daye of iudgement theyr daÌ„nacion shal be more easy than thine For if those miracles had been wrought in Sodome whiche haue been shewed in thee they would haue satisfied by penaunce God that was offended with them and theyr cities had stande vnto this daye At that tyme Iesus answered and sayed I thanke the o father o Lorde of heauen and yearth because thou hast hyd these thynges from the wise and prudent and hast shewed them vnto baâ—es Uerely father so it was thy good will â–ª â—â—â—dinges are deliâ—ered vnto me of my father And no man knoweth the sonne but the father nor no man knoweth the father but the sonne and to whomsoeuer the sonne will reuele hym And when the disciples were returned vnto Iesus from theyr preachyng and told him cherfully that the matter came well to passe he teaching vs that whatsoeuer we do prayse worthy ought to be ascribed vnto God lifting hys iyes vp to heauen saide I thanke thee o father which art Lord of heauen and yerth and by whose wysedome all thynges be gouerned because thou haste hyd this heauenly philosophie from them that be high mynded and puffed vp with pryde through an opinion of theyr worldely wysedome and polycie and haste opened it to the litle ones to the meke and to fooles after the worldes iudgemente Truly so it is father for so it is thought best vnto thy gentilnes to teache that thou art not pleased with the stout and such as trust vnto their owne iustice and wisedome and that they be
blynde Myne opinion is that battaile for the moste part springeth of vayne wordes or titles as it were inuented to nourishe maÌ„s pryde vayne glory as who saie there were not ambicion ynoughe in the worlde vnlesse we fed maintened this naughtie vice with newly inuented titles the whiche vice of it owne propre nature groweth to fast in vs. These and suche other lyke rootes and chief causes of battaile beyng once cut awaye then should it be easie to coÌ„clude and establishe a peace among christian princes with such lawes and condicions that woulde neuer suffre suche ruffling businesse and hurly burly to begyn agayne By this meanes should the princes encrease in richesse now beeing common bytwene them by reasâ—n of amitie and frendship and the christian people should lyue in louely peace and tranquilitie vnder their moste wealthye princes So would the lorde Iesus that true king of the whole worlde be fauorable vnto vs and cause all thinges to prosper goe forwarde with vs. So should we be feared of the enemies of Christes religioÌ„ againste whom we haue much a do at this daye to defend our owne much lesse than are we able to discoumfite them and chase them away far from vs Albeit I had rather haue them refourmed of their misbeliefe then by force of armes chased away and put to flyght But howe is it possible for vs to reforme other yf our selues be I had almoste sayed worse and more vicious in our conuersacion then they are For I dooe not here esteme christian menne by the articles of the fayth whiche we professe with mouthe but by theyr maners and lyning Wheresoeuer ambicion couetousnes pryde wrathe reuengemente and a desyre to hurte reigneth there say I lacketh the faythe of the ghospell Nowe albeit this pestilence haue infected euen those vnto whose office it chiefly apperteined to see a remedy for the decay of christen religion yet haue I some good hope of reformacion because I see the bookes of holy scripture but specially of the newe testament so taken in hande and laboured of all men yea euen as much as of the ignoraunt and vnlettered sorte that many tymes suche as professe the perfyte knowledge of Goddes woorde are not able to matche them in reasonyng And that there be very many readers of the bookes of the newe testament this one thyng maketh me to beleue because notwithstanding the printers do yerely publishe and put forth so many thousande volumes yet all the bookesellers shoppes that be are not hable to suffice the gredâ—â—es of the byers For nowe a dayes is it well solde ware whatsoeuer a man attempteth vpon the ghospell This so strong a medicine once receiued and dronken canne not but worke and put forth his strength Wherfore me thynketh the worlde is in case lyke to a maÌ„nes body vexed with greuous diseases after it hath receyued an herbe called Ellebore or some other strong purgacion For then is it all together distempered and out of quyet and fareth as though it woulde yelde vp the ghoste And God sende grace that this euangelike Ellebore after it haue once searched and entred into all the veynes of our soule maye so come vp agayne that the sedes of vices beyng therby cast out and auoyded it maye restore vs made whole and purged of all our synnes vnto Iesu Christe and maye also after this greate rufflyng and almoste vncurable diseases of the worlde bryng agayne vnto all menne that ioyefull and muche desyred tranquilitie And verily I would hope better that the common prayers of all good men to that ende and purpose shoulde not be made in vaine if the chiefe estates of the worlde woulde lyke trustie and faythfull physycians do theyr endeuour to helpe the worlde in this euill case that is to saye yf the princes in whome it chiefly lyeth to rule the worlde as they wyll would call vnto theyr remembraunce that they shall shortlye for what thing is there in this present lyfe of any long continuaunce gyue an accoumpt vnto that moste soueraigne and high prince how they haue gouerned their dominions Agayne yf the bishoppes diuines and all ecclesiasticall persones woulde likewyse remember howe they haue not succeded in the places of Annas Caiphas or of the Scribes and Phariseis who whyles they wickedly defended theyr owne kyngdome wente about to oppresse the kyngdome of the ghospell whyles they vphelde and defended theyr owne glorye dyd theyr endeuour to bury and ouer whelme Christes glorye and finally whiles they laboured to approue theyr owne righteousnesse made God vnrighteous but rather in the place of the Apostles who had a pleasure euen with the leesyng of theyr owne bloude and liues to defende Christes kyngdome Christes glory and Christes righteousnes Christe hath once suffered once arysen agayne from death to lyfe and neuer wyll dye agayne But he suffereth thesame passion afreshe so oft as the truethe of the ghospell is condemned beaten spytte vpon crucified and buried To be short he reckeneth done vnto hymselfe whatsoeuer euell or displeasure is done vnto his membres Peraduenture moste Christian kyng I haue spokeÌ„ here more frankely and more at large then it became me to do howbeit the great loue I beare towarde your grace hath made me both lauishe of my woordes and also more bolde to vtter my minde vnto your highnesse I beyng a Christian man do wishe well vnto all Christian menne generally but yet haue I a certaine speciall loue and affeccion to the moste noble and florishyng realme of Fraunce I beseche Iesu thimmortall kyng of the whole worlde vnto whome the heauenly father hath geuen all power in heauen and in yearth to geue his holy spirite both to the people and also to the princes and rulers to the princes that they may haue grace happely to passe ouer theyr lyues in mutuall amytie and concorde vnder theyr common kyng and prince Iesu vnto the other that they maye lyue in reste and peace vnder their moste godly and wealthy princes and the ende of all to be this that christian vertue and godlinesse beyng well planted among vs maye be enlarged and spred abrode as muche as is possible to be not by inuadyng or wasting of others dominions or countreys for so our enemies become the porer but neuer the better and more godly but by preaching euery where the doctrine of the gospell syncerely and truely by theyr ministery that haue in them the spirite of the ghospell and by ordering our liues after suche sorte that verye many may be allured to professe our religion euen by the swete smell or sauour of our good lyuing So be ganne the christian empire so encreaced it so was it greatly enlarged so was it established and by the contrary we see how it is now almost at a point and come to nothing if we considre the greatnesse of the whole worlde Wherfore loke by what aydes it first beganne by what meanes it was encreaced and established by the same must we repaire it beyng decaied
and kepyng of mans ceremonies Iohn as a meane betwene the old law the new weÌ„t about to myngle together two sundry doctrines For he durst not commit this liuely philosophy pure and vnmengled as it was vnto them that were weake of mynde Nowe all is weake that is humayne carnall And contrarily that is full of lyfe vertue and strength whatsoeuer is godly spirituall and heauenly Wherfore vnto my disciples whome I chose rude and ignoraunt to the entent I myght the soner enstruct them in this strong and pithful Philosophy I prescribe none of these thinges folowyng Eate these meates forbear these now rest now labor vse suche apparel touch not this thing handle not that And the cause is for feare leste they woulde alwayes continewe weake if they once learned of me theyr maister to put any trust in suche corporall thynges It is a thyng very vnprofitable to ioyne thynges together whiche disagree one with an other ¶ No man also seweth a piece of newe clothe vnto an olde garment els taketh he away the new piece therof from the olde and so is the rent wurse And no man poureth newe wyne into olde bottels els the newe wyne doth burst the bottels and the wyue runneth out and the bottels are marâ—ed But newe wyne must be put into newe bottels For there is no man so farre from reason that if he be disposed to amende an olde garment wil sewe therunto a patche of newe clothe And why so certes for that he perceyueth yf he should so do he shoulde bothe lose his new cloth also make the hole of the olde garment bigger then it was before For beyng offended with the notable diuersytie betwene the piece of cloth sewed on and the yll mended garmente he strayght wayes plucketh of the piece that he sewed to and so the hole of the same garment gapeth fowler then it dyd before Neyther is there any man so folysh as to put newe wine in olde bottels And why because he seeth that he should sustain double losse therby For the new wyne wurketh so feruently through the vehemencie of the fumes therein enclosed that it breaketh the bottels beyng weake by reason of age all to pieâ—es and so are bothe bottels and wyne cleane lost and spilt Howe doeth he then prouide bothe for the safetie of the one and the other Trulye he putteth the newe wyne into newe bottels Euen so they whose mindes haue of long time been accustomed to the naughtie wine of Pharisaâ—call supersticion can in no wyse away with the newe wine of heauenly spiritual doctrine but lothe and abhorre thesame stylle callyng after a taste of the wurse wine that hath been theyr accustomable drynke And that Iesu spake the truthe herein the Phariseis them selues many tymes declared by theyr deedes ¶ And if chaunced again that he went thorow the corn fieldes on the Sabboth dayes and his disciples began by the waye to plucke the eares of the corne And the Phariseis sayd vnto hym Beholde why do they on the Sabboth dayes that whiche is not lawfull And he sayed vnto them haue ye neuer read what Dauid dyd when he had nede and was an hungred both de and they that were with hym howe he went into the house of God in the dayes of Abiathar the hye priest and dyd eate the shewe bread whiche is not lawfull to eate but for the priestes onely and gaue also to them whiche were with hym And he sayed vnto them the Sabboth was made for man and not man for the Sabboth therefore is the sonne of man Lorde also of the Sabboth For as it chaâ—nced on a certaine season that his disciples trauayled thorough a corne fyeld and that vpon the Sabboth daye on the whiche day it was a matter of conscience among the Iewes to doe any maner of weorke they wente before and Iesus theyr mayster followed And anon prouoked by hunger they beganne to plucke the eares of the corne and with the chasyng of theyr handes to rubbe once the corne and eate it Nowe heare howe the olde bottels were offended with the newe wyne of the libertie of the ghospell calling after the olde wyne of kepyng the Sabboth that hadde cleane lost his verdure For the Phariseis who as menne very righteouse in theyr owne conceyptes folowed Iesus beholdyng what the disciples dyd wrongfully blamed the Lorde in them For lyke as the vertuousnesse of the schollers is a great commendacion to the mayster euen so theyr mysbehaueoure and lewde taches are reproched and layed vnto those that instructed them They tolde the lorde and poynted vnto his disciples as thoughe they had doen a greuouse offence for that they brake the Sabboth daye to the ende that he shoulde cause them to leaue worke and by that meanes approue the pharisaicall supersticion orels yf he woulde not so do then myght they take some occasion to piâ—ke a quarell or surmise some matter agaynst hym The Lorde so defended his disciples that he disproued the learned in the lawe of Moses by the auctoritie of the lawe and of his gentlenesse vouchesafed to teache them the true meaning therof whiche in dede deserued shaperly to be rebuked With what face ê™ he do ye accuse my disciples for that thorough constraint of hunger they plucke a fewe eares of corne beeyng by chaunce in their waye for theyr reliefe and sustenaunce sithe there is expresse mencion in the very lawe it selfe wherof you professe your selues to be teachers howe Dauid when he was in lyke necessitie dydde a thyng whiche soundeth muche more to the breache of the lawe then this For he beyng almost famished and in great daunger to perysh for lacke of foode fled for succour vnto the house of God and although he were a laye man was not afrayed to desyre Abiathar then chyef of the priestes to geue him those moste holy loaues called the shewe bread the whiche it was not lefull for any man to eate of but the priestes onely â— and that but duryng the litle whyle they were within the precinct of the Temple occupied about makyng of sacrifice Abiathar was not here ignoraunt what the lawe had commaunded and yet feared not he to deliuer vnto Dauid and his trayne the sayed holy loaues to be eaten in the holy place If you knowe not that this is scripture orels yf you haue it not in memory howethaÌ„ for shame dare you professe the knowledge that of law If you know and remembre it why doe you in a lyke ease quite Abiathar and Dauid yea and allowe theyr facte and yet accuse my disciples as giltie of an heynous trespasse If the rigorousnes of the lawe did then geue place vnto the necessitye of the neyghboure when the lawe was of mooste force strengthe howe muche more then standeth it nowe with reason that the ceremonies of the same lawe geue place therunto whensoeuer charitie moueth a man to help his euen Christen Moreouer it is lykewyse commaunded in the lawe
one that had a very naturall bodye of man subiecte to all suche passions as oures are subiect vnto But he was not ignoraunt what would betyde He wyste well there would a tempest aryse He knewe that the Apostles would be sore afrayed and waken him out of his slepe He could not more effectuallye teache them that nothyng is to be drad of those that stedfastly beleue in him The disciples therefore pinched hym as he slepte and when they had awakened hym sayde Maister slepeste thou so soundely whyle we perishe and thynkest thou that it maketh no matter to the yf we be drouned It was an argumente of faythe that when they were in daunger of death they fled vnto Iesu for succour But of an vnperfite faythe for as muche as they beleued that they were not in sufficiente safegarde as long as the Lord was aslepe When Iesus was wakened bicause he woulde by dede declare that he was the Lorde of all the elementes he rebuked the wyndes and commaunded them to cease Then he saide vnto the sea peace be still These two elementes whiche are obediente to no mortall man knewe the voyce of theyr maker And by and by the wynde alayed the waues and fourges of the water left their ragyng and fell downe and there folowed a greate calme Then the Lorde tourned hym vnto hys disciples and rebuked them for their vnbelefe Why ê™ he are ye so afrayed haue you not yet after that you haue sene me worke so many miracles confydence in me Nowe when the disciples and the other that were wyth hym in the shyppe sawe thys straunge wonder how the sea beyng a dumme and an vnruly element and the wynde likewyse a violente elemente forthwith as he had rebuked theÌ„ ceased from further ragyng and were still perceiuyng that it was a thinge passynge the state and condicion of manne sayde one of them to another Who is this whose coÌ„maundementes not onely diseases and the diuils but also the dumme elementes obey vnto He that was the soÌ„ne of man as touchynge the naturall appetites of man had not in this worlde where to reste his head For eueÌ„ dying on the crosse wheÌ„ he hadde nothynge to laye his headen he caste it downe and so yelded vp the Ghoste But here in the shyp he dyd not onelye take his reste but also layed a pilowe vndernethe his heade and slepte theron and anon a storme arose because we shoulde knowe what great daunger hangethe ouer the churche so oft as Christ sleapeth in vs. He slepethe verily when the shepeheardes pastours of Christes flocke delited wyth the coÌ„modities and pleasures of this worlde are in a sounde slepe so that yf a man pynche them or crye vpon them â—â—â—er so muche yet can they not be wakened Howe fast aslepe are those Byshops who beynge altogether geuen vnto sensualitie dronken wyth an vnlefull desyre to rule and playe the lordes and wholy set to heape vp money neyther take anye care for the flocke to them committed nor haue anye remembraunce of theyr owne soule health nor yet are moued any whit at all with the coÌ„mon peryll to awake out of theyr slepe and thinke thus with themselues What do I mad man that I am The Lordes flocke is coÌ„mitted vnto me to be fed and shortely muste I cume to the iudgyng seate of the euerlasting iudge who shed his precious bloud for these shepe whiche he put me in â—ruste withall What answere shall I than make hym I shoulde with ensample of good lyuyng haue caryed lighte before them to euerlastynge saluacion and by my naughtye sinnefull lyfe I haue bene theyr guyde to hell and damnacion I shoulde haue fedde them with the doctrine of the gospel and dyd not feede them a whit but plucked of their woolle by the rootes but spoyled them of that they hadde but slewe them In stede of a father I behaued my selfe lyke a tiranâ—t for a Byshope I was a wolfe and a robber And in the meane whyle the tempest disordereth all thynges and maketh a greate confusion Iesus who is the true heardman of the churches and congregacions slepethe dissemblynge the matter and sufferyng the storme to aryse but he slepeth so that he streighte wayes a wakethe at the crye and calling of his The shyppe that Christe as pertainynge to the body is caried in is one but she hath mo accompanyinge her There is one catholike or vniuersall churche and agayne there be manye churches Christe is lykewyse in them all And as manye as do cleane vnto the same heade beâ—ne congregacion No shyp is drouned that foloweth Christe Be they neuer so muche tossed with the waues of the water neuer so much in ieopardie of drownyng yet haue they at the lengthe good ariuall and cum safe vnto the hauen But all this while the tempeste and nyghte do plainly teache vs that we can haue no maner of ayde and succour of our owne strengthe and that all hope of saluacion is in Christ onely if a man with full hart and minde put his trust in him The deuel causeth oftetymes suche tempestes priuately to aryse in euery mannes soule For after that the nighte doth once darken our myndes wyth errours after the light of faith doth faile and the strength of theuangelike spirite be as ye would saye a slepe laid to rest in vs then do the windes of naughtye lustes arise and greatly disturbe the calme of the mynde The soule selfe is now in great hasarde there is no helpe neyther in rowing nor in sayles There is no remedie but it muste nedes perishe and go to wrecke yf Christe be not wakened out of his slepe by feruente and importune prayers If he heare not streight waies when he is called on yet cease thou not but pricke and pinche hym tyll he be a wake By him onely the calme and quietnes of the mind shall in continent be restored ¶ The .v. Chapter ¶ And they came ouer to the other side of the sea into the countrey of the Gaderenites and when he was cum out of the shyppe immediatly there mette hym out of the graues a man possessed of an vncleane spirite whiche had his abidyng amoÌ„g the graues no man coulde bynde hym no not with chaines because that when he was often bounde with fetters and chaynes he plucked the chaynes asunder and brake the fetters in pieces neyther coulde any man tame hym And alwayes night and daye he was in the mountaynes and in the graues crying and beating hymself with stones But when he had spyed Iesus a far of he ranne and worshypped hym and cryed with a loude voyce and sayed what haue I to do with the Iesus thou sonne of the moste hyghest God I requite the in the name of God that thou tourmente me not For he sayed vtuo hym come oute of the man thou foule spirite And he asked hym what is thy name And he aunswered and sayed vnto hym my name is Legion for we are many And he prayed hym
strength and force to this ende and purpose that by one waye or other he myght hindre and lette the redempcion of mankynde But no crafte is hable to take place or effecte againste the wysedome of God whiche in suche sorte tempered and ordred all her doynges that it dyd not onely subdue and conquier that same our moste subtile and craftie enemy but also defeacted hym of his purpose by his woordes leauyng hym in as muche doubte and vncertayntie as he was before By the infirmitie of the fleashe he mocked and disapoynted hym of his purpose through the stoutnesse and puissaunce of the spirite together with the sure fence of holy scripture he vanquished and subdued hym so that hauyng the foyle ouerthrowe to his great shame he was drieuen awaye and departed in as muche vncertayntie whether this were the sonne of God or no as he was before at his first cummyng Satan therfore layed agaynst Iesus that same effectuall darte and artillerie that he firste vsed agaynst the firste parentes of mankynde Adam and Eue and therewith ouerthrewe them albeit he onely enticed them with the lure of a faire apple that laughed vpon them but here in Iesus case houngre also beyng an euill that no manne can endure withall was a strong helper forwarde to the thyng that the temptour wente aboute Esau bieyng compelled with hounger solde the title and interest of his birtheright that he should haue had by eldership he solde it for a messe of pottage And the Lorde Iesus yf it had been his pleasure myght through his diuine power eyther haue kept awaye hounger from cummyng to hym or els haue drieuen it awaye whan it was come Neuerthelesse he woulde not so doe but it was his full pleasure and wyll to lay a baite for the temptour to vse wherwith thesame tēptour should bee taken his owne selfe The weakenesse of his bodie beeyng suche as other men had was laied in Satans waie as a secrete baite to vse for his purpose but the temptour stumbled hit on the hooke of the power of his godhead He sawe the body of a man witheryng and drying clene awaye with hounger to be in great affliccion and paine and none other lyke but shortely to be in the ieopardie and perill of death And men playnly affirme that there is no kynde of death more peinfull then to be famyshed to death He sawe hym in the wildernesse ferre from any towne or village from whence any meate myght bee gotten or ministred vnto hym for his susteinaunce Takyng therfore a boldenesse of these thynges the spirite of wickednesse assaileth the Lorde Iesus beyng replete with the spirite of holynesse he biddeth bace and begynneth firste with hym of whom he was to be subdued he biddeth hym come furth who was so strong and valiaunte for hym to matche withall he attempteth to take in the snare one ferre wyser and more warie than hymselfe What nedest thou sayeth Satan to bee thus tormented with houngre If thou bee that same sonne of God whiche was promised to bee sente to redeme the worlde commaunde that this stone turne into breade for thy behoufe and that wyll bee an euidente token where by for the to declare that thou art the sonne of God in dede For thy father vndoubtedly wyll not in this behalfe geue a deafe eare to his sonne beyng thus in distresse and ieoperdie of death through houngre And seeyng that he created all thynges of naught it should bee an acte of no great matter if the Sonne of God turne a stone into breade But Iesus beeyng not ignoraunte what the temptour herein hunted for so tempered his aunswere that he neyther consented to the temptours counsayle nor yet disclosed the nature of his godhead to his enemy who nowe by a newe and a straunge conueighaunce was through the infirmitie and weakenesse of Iesus bodye both to bee beguiled and also to bee conquered He denyeth not but the Sonne of God had power to turne stones into breade ne disalloweth to asswage the houngre of the body with meate whiche was ordeyned therfore but by the autoritie of the holy scripture of God he plainly sheweth that there is a lyfe of the soule muche more to bee regarded then the lyfe of the bodye and that there is a spirituall meate whiche is more requisite to be desired then the meate that for a shorte tyme prolongeth the bodily lyfe whiche lyfe neuerthelesse must of necessitie perishe within a shorte space afterwarde eyther by meanes of sickenesse or of age or of some other casualtie For the meate of the spirite geueth lyfe for euer to endure and this meate is the woorde of God This firste assaulte therfore of the deuyll Iesus auoyded with this aunswer It is wrytten sayeth he in the booke of deuteronomie Manne liueth not by breade onely but by euery woorde that procedeth out of the mouthe of God And for this purpose doeth the Lorde nowe take the woorde of the diuine scriptures for his staigh first to teache vs humilitie and sobrenesse that we ought not precisely to affirme any thyng without the autoritie of Scripture geuen vnto vs from God Secondly he declareth vnto vs that there is no weapon of more effectuall strength agaynste all the instinctes and mocions of wicked deuils then the autoritie of the holy Scriptures Out of the sayed Scriptures is the true meate of the soule to bee sought and gotten if a manne be of mynde and will to lyue to god warde to whom warde whoso liueth not thesame is already but a deadman yea although to the iye he appeare to bee alyue The first parentes Adam and Eue did eate they died for their labour That yf they had geuen the temptour that same aunswere whiche the Lorde Iesus here at this present tyme gaue him and had more regarded the Lordes commaundemente the due kepyng wherof geueth lyfe euerlastyng then the appetite and lust of that mortall apple they had not endaungered both themselues and all their succession after them to death and damnacion And thus much ferther doeth the exaumple of our salueour teache that miracles are not to bee shewed for the lust or pleasure of men but at suche tymes onely whan the glorye of Christe doeth call for it or els charitie and loue towardes our brother doeth necessarily require it For eyther to worke or to feigne sightes of woondres for a vainglorious boastyng as who shoulde saye this can I doe or to satisfie the curious lust and pleasure of the lookers on whereby neyther goddes glorye is aduaunced nor any profite groweth vnto our neyghbour is nothyng els but the propertie and condicion of witches and Iuglers as for ensaumple a brennyng fyer brande to bee diepped into the water and not quenched therwith or the fearefull lykenesse of Hector or Achilles to bee made appeare to the sight or the rushes and strawes to goe crallyng aboute the house seemyng to bee snakes Iesus at no tyme shewed any miracle but
shewyng a poincted shieth to the iyes of the worlde vnder the counterfeicte pretence of ryghteousnesse whereas within foorth they are vexed with more grieuous eiuels and haue diseases a great deale more vncurable then they whose sickenesse is open to bee perceyued Forasmuche therefore as I am a phisician it is not mete that menne beyng as they thynke themselfes righteous should take indignacioÌ„ at me if I kepe no coumpaigny with them seeing that whole soules haue no nede of a leache And trulye suche as are righteous in verai dede ought not to haue enuy or grutch at sinners endeuouryng to emende to a better lyfe That if they doe than are they no lesse worthie to bee condemned reproued therefore then if one that is whole should take indignacion at a phisician visityng a sicke persone to helpe hym in his sickenesse For as concerning the cause of the foule he is no whole maÌ„ himselfe the enuieth health vnto an other beeyng sicke and himselfe is not vnholden with a disease that whan he may doeth not release his neyghbour of his sickenesse With thissame aunswere so ientle and so well to bee allowed the Lorde Iesus bothe played the parte of an aduocate for his disciples who were not as yet sufficiently armed to dampe and choke the malicious capciousnes of the Phariseis and of the Scribes also did plainly teache the said Phariseis that his curteous demeaning of hymselfe towardes sinners was mercy and not fauouryng of vnrighteousnesse and thirdelye he dyd with couerte woordes but yet sharpely rebuke theyr presumpteous takyng vpon them in that they dyd with a great solemne countenaunce despyse other persones whereas themselfes were euen for this veraye poynte vncurably wicked enemies of God that they stoode in their owne conceiptes vpon a false and a countrefaict title of holinesse ¶ And they saied vnto him why dooe the disciples of Iohn fast often and praie and the disciples of the Phariseis also but thyne eate and drinke He sayed vnto them Can ye make the children of the wedding faste while the bridegrome is with them The dayes will come when the bridegrome also shall bee taken awaie from them then shall they faste in those daies He spake also vnto theym a similitude No man putteth a piece of a newe garmente into an olde vesture For if he doe then breaketh he the newe and the piece that was taken out of the newe agreeth not with the olde And no man poureth nâ—we wine into olde bottels For if he dooe the newe wine will burste the bottels and renne oute it selfe and the bottels shall peryshe But newe wyne muste bee putte into newe bottels and both are preserued No man also that drinketh old wyne strayght waye can awaye with newe for he saieth the old is better But one slaunderous querell comethe on an others necke And it fyrste arose partely of certain that had bene disciples of Iohn For Iohn where he was as a marching border betwene the lawe that shoulde afterwarde cease and the liberty of the ghospell shortely after to aryse he gaue certaine tradicions which dyd not vtterly disagree from the Phariseis ordeinaunces whereas Christe who was by the opinion of many thoughte muche inferiour to Iohn did vse his disciples with more sufferaunce and tendernesse especially in such thinges as to bodily obseruaunces doe aparteyne of which sorte are fastes and prayers for by these two thynges moste speciallye did the Phariseis purchase to theimselfes a fame of holines emong the people But Christe though in hys owne persone he prayed often yet dyd he teache hys dysciples that praying ought to be both in fewe woordes and also priuely in places secrete Neither did he pricisely require any fast yea and at certain thinges would he winke in whiche the prescripcions of the lawe did partely seeme to bee neglected whan he dyd in the meane while after a nother facion frame theÌ„ to higher stoute matters whiche dyd more speciallye apparteyne to euangelicall stoutnesse For a muche more higher poynte of stoutenesse it is from the botome of the herte to forgeue a displeasure or a wrong dooen vnto vs to dooe good euen to veraye those that haue harmed vs and to susteyn the losse of our owne lyfe for sauyng of oure neyghbour then to forbeare eatyng of a litle meate tyll it be towardes nyght or to humme out a fewe psalmes with the toungue The Phariseis made woonderous muche hygh seruyce about that that might be outwardly seen and that myght bee doen by hipocrisie neglectyng in the meane while and icaâ—tyng goe suche thynges as are matters of true and perfeict vertue in dede But these Phariseis beyng felowes more shamelesse then the Scribes boldelye presumed to chop logike euen with the Lorde hymselfe saiyng vnto him What is the cause why Iohns disciples dooe often times faste and are a great long while together in their prayers and thy disciples eate and drinke at their own lustes ne are not after the lyke sorte seen much in prayer Iâ— thou constauntly allowe the holinesse of Iohn why dooeste thou varie from his institucion and ordeinaunce Unto this surmuised chalenge the Lorde because it touched himself and no man els aunswered ciuillye and nothing impaciently saiyng I dooe not saye that praiyng and fasting are naught but in these twoo thynges I dooe in the meane time suffer my disciples to doe as they lust themselues that I may after an other facion bring them forwarde to more hygher matters of stoutenesse In those thynges whiche concerne the bodye and come somewhat nere to the ceremonies of the lawe my traynyng of theim is somewhat with fauour and ientilnesse but in such matters as perteine to the soule it is a greate waye streighter and sharper The thynges that ye esteme for the hyghest degree of holinesse my seruauntes shall of theyr own voluÌ„tary willes readilye dooe yf the case shall at any tyme so require Dooe not ye in the meane time enuy my disciples The endes of thinges shal shewe whethers institucion of Iohn or me shall be of more efficacie vertue Iohn in hys moste gloriyng protested hymself to be a frende of the bridegroomes not the bridegroome selfe And veraily it is not coâ—uenient that those which doe familiarly remain stil about the bridegrome and bee conuersaunt with him in the spousal chambre where reason would that all thynges should be ful of mirth and iocoundnesse shoulde be compelled to abstinence from eatyng and drinking They are yet but tendre and they depende altogether on the bridegrome And hym shall they not haue anye long tyme emong them But a tyme shall come whan they shall be depriued of the spouse And than beeyng made more firme and stable they shall not onely of their own accorde willingly faste but also to death and into prieson shall they be contente to goe as often as charitie shall earnestelye require it Fastyng of it selfe is neyther good nor ill Therfore they that faste onely for to faste dooe no greate
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
goe in peace and this my benefyte bee with the for euer with this saying he touched and nipped the pharisees and Scribes who put more hope in their owne workes then in the goodnesse of God ¶ While he yet spaâ—e â–ª there came one from the rewlees of the Synogogues house whiche sayed to him thy daughtâ—r is dâ—ade disease not the mayster But whan Iesus hearde that woorde he aunswered the father of the damosell feare not beleue onelye and she shall bee made whole â—nd whâ—n hâ— came to the house â–ª he suffered no manne to go in with hym saue Peter Iames and Iohn and the fathâ—r and the mother of the marden Euery body wepte and folowed for her And he sayed wepe not The damosell is not deade but slepeth And they laughed hym to skorne knowyng that she was dâ—ade And he thruste them all oute and caught her by thâ— hande and cryed saying mayde aryse And hir spirite came agayne and shâ— aroâ—est reyghâ—waye And he commaunded to geue hir meate And the father and the mother other hir were astouned But he warned them that they should tell no man what was doen. The lorde Iesus had not yet ended speakyng these woordes whan one of the mayster of the Synagogues house came rennyng and sayed Sir neuer trouble ne disease ye the Lorde any feâ—ther who is now lyke to come in vayne for thy daughter is already dead The felow that brought this worde thought ne had no greater ne higher opinion or beliefe of Iesus then of some other especiall good phisician who coulde haue holpen her beeyng sicke and alyue but to reyse her agayn beeyng dead that were he by no meanes hable to dooe Whan Iesus sawe Iairus deadly astouned and amased at this newes he conforted hym saying be not afrayed onely haue thou a feithfull beliefe and the gierle shal be safe Whan they were come to the Maister of the Sinagogues house Iesus woulde not suffre any moe of the multitude to goe in at the doores with hym but Peter Iames and Iohn and with them also the father and mother of the gierle Whan he came in he found the house all full of mourning For the dead mayden was wept for and bewayled of all her frendes and kinsfolkes whiche dewtie and office of mournyng is commonlye dooen to the great ryche folkes at theyr deathes for a pryde and honour more then for any sorowe For they do make and appoynte certayne for the nonce to make lamentacion to syng doulfull songes of mourning and to shewe an outwarde countenaunce of sorow by wepyng and wryngyng of theyr handes and beatyng or tearyng themselues All this pompe and vayne shewe did Iesus refreigne and forbid saying make none of you no wepyng for the mayden is not deade but she slepeth And they had hym in derision for his so saying because they knewe certaynely that she was dead in dede Than Iesus entreyng with a veraye fewe persones into the Inner chambre where the dead corpse of the mayden laye he toke her by the hande muche like as though he should but awake her out of her â—lepe saying with a good loude voyce mayden arise And what folowed No creature a liue doeth more lightlier awake from slepe at the voyce of any that calleth him vp then this mayden arose agayne from death to lyfe as soone as Iesus spake vnto her For not onely her soule and lyfe retourned agayne into the tabernacle of hir body from whens it had tofore departed but also she arose vp and walked about the house as mery and lustie as euer she was before And Iesus to th entent that it shoulde bee a more certayne and euident declaracion of life perfectely restored vnto hir wylled meat to be geuen vnto hir whiche thyng whan the father and mother of the gierle saw they wer greatly astouned And Iesus gaue them a great charge that they shoulde make no wordes to no creature of the thyng that had happened as though he had been veray fayne that this miracle shoulde bee knowen but to a fewe partelye to teache vs that we ought not to hunte for the glory and prayse of our well dooynges at the handes of men and partely to signifie by this figure and exaumple that in light faultes a rebuke secretely geuen may be sufficient For the gierle beeing deade dooeth betoken a man throughe weakenesse and frailtie fallen into syn The deathe was yet freashe the corpse had not come abrode into open fight Therfore the multitude beeing shut without doores the matier was al ended and but a fewe persons made priuie vnto it But happie and blissed are they whome Iesus doeth so vouchesalue to take by the hande The .ix. Chapter Iesus called the twelue together and gaue them power and autoritie ouer all deiuils and that they might heale diseases And he sent them to preache the kyngdome of God and to heare the sicke And he sayed vnto them Take nothyng to your iourneye neyther staffe nor scâ—ip neyther breade neither money neither haue two coates And whatsoeuer house ye entre into there abyde and thence departe And whosoeuer wyll not receiue you whan ye goe out of that citie shake of the veray dust from your feete for a testimonie agaynst them And they departed and went through the tounes preachyng the ghospell and healyng euery where ANd hitherto did Iesus execute and administre the office of preachyng the ghospell in his owne persone framyng by all the meane space and traynyng his twelue apostles many soondrye wayes as men that should after the receiuing of the holy ghoste succede him in tyme to come in the office of preachyng And for that veâ—aie cause it was that he would in any wyse haue them continuall witnesses of his actes and preachyng But to the entent that in the meane season they themselues also might shewe some paterne and saumple of themselues towardes the executing of so great an office and euen the lord beyng yet alyue they might assaye and proue how well they coulde dooe he called them euery one together into one place for a lesson and token that there ought to bee no discorde ne disagreyng emong them in theyr preachyng And to thentente that the preachyng of suche poore meane felowes and vnlearned persones shoulde not vttrely altogether lacke autoritie he gaue vnto them moreouer the vertue and power to cast out all kynde of deuils and to heale al kynde of diseases For it was mete that they whiche shoulde preache the kyngdome of God should haue power ouer wicked deuils the enemies of god and also that suche as shoulde be preachers of that doctrine whiche healed al diseases of the mind should not lacke vertue to heale all manier diseases of the bodye yea and ferthermore conuenient it was â–ª that the people should be allured and woonne to the profession of the ghospell by good turnes and benefites rather then by thynges of terrour Accordyng to the exaumple sayeth he that my selfe haue geuen you
allowe the wicked actes of your forefathers whiche actes of theyrs ye doe not onely folowe but also earnestly labour to passe and to go beyond them So often hath the goodnesse of God called you backe to emendment and at all tymes haue ye wickedly shewed more extreme crueltie against them that layed the trueth euen in your lappes whiche trueth was vnto you for none other cause odious sauing that it contraried your naughtie lustes and desyres Wherfore the wysedome of God whiche ordreeth all thynges by suche prouidence as cannot in wordes be expressed before it wil punishe the obstinate malyce of this nacion hath determined to leaue nothyng vnassaied whereby they maye bee conuerted to better wayes But after that aswell the botomelesse goodnesse of God as also the peruersenesse of them not possible to be woonne to goodnesse shall once bee declared to all creatures so muche the more greuous tormentes shall they endure howe muche the longer space they haue been suffred and with how muche greater benefites they haue been prouoked and occasioned to repentaunce Wherfore thus spake the wysedome of God within it selfe what shall I doe more then I haue dooen to this vnrewly nacion I sent Moses vnto them I sent many prophetes of olde tyme. I sent Iohn the Baptiste Against Moses there was conspiracie wrought the prophetes euery one they either slewe orels plagued with affliccion no nor Ihō neither would thei not heare though he were more then a prophet neither did he escape scotfree for geuing good aduertisement The sonne of man is come and to hym do they woorke destruccion and death I shall hereafter sende vnto them the last prophets of all who shall ghostely expound the lawe vnto them I shall sende the apostles that shall haue great vertue in workyng miracles that shal freely doe good to all people that shall bryng vnto al folkes saluaciō with excedīg smal charge to be bought that is to wete with faith And yet will they not heare these neither but wil persecute them tormēt thē driue them awaie yea and sum of them wyll they slea so farre shal their malice excede the goodnes of god At laste whā their malice shal be so ferre growen that they shall not onely matche but also excede and passe the abominacions of all ages past than shall the vengeaunce of God fall sodaynely vpon them and than shall bee required at their handes the bloud of all the prophetes which hath been shed sens the first creaciō of the worlde that is to wete from the bloud of Abell who was firste of all men slaine by his brother Cain beyng enuious against him vnto the bloud of Zacharie the prieste sonne of Ioas who callyng backe the people to better aduised wayes was stoned to death by sedicion of the people betwene the temple and the aultare And the sayd zacharie euen at the momente whan he departed from this life bothe testifiyng his own innocencie and theyr wickednesse sayed The Lord see this and require it And euen now approcheth the tyme of this vengeaunce One nacion shall as ye would say bee punished for al the hainous dedes of their forefathers because it hath gone beyond all the malice that euer hath reigned in them all It shall cum to passe vndoubtedly that the wisdome of god hath sayd afore shall cum to passe The Iewes of these daies because they excede the rebellion the peruersenesse and the crueltie of all that in olde tyme haue been shall in suche greuous sorte bee punished as though they alone had accomplyshed and dooen all the yll partes that euer their auncestours haue in soondrie ages wickedly played Woe vnto you lawiers for ye haue taken away the key of knowlage ye entre not in your selues and them that came in ye forbad Whan he thus spake vnto them the lawiers and the phariseis began to were buisy about him and capciously to aske him many thinges laiyng wait for hym and sekyng to catche sum thyng out of his mouth wherby they might accuse hym Woe vnto you lawiers and woe again who openly professyng the knowelage of the lawe whiche is ghostly and takyng into your handes as due vnto you the keies of science and cūning whiche ought to haue opened a way into the kyngdome of heauen yet neither haue ye intred in thither your selfes but others that wer willing to haue gon in ye haue kept out For while ye peruersly expound the lawe ye do as one might say lay battrey against that whiche is the principall chefe foundacion of al the lawe At these maner woordes of Iesus beyng in dede halfe bitter by reason of so plain speakyng of the trueth but yet workers of hearth if suche as thei wer spoken to had been willing to receiue the medicine wer both the Phariseis and also the lawiers sore offēded but because they knew priuely in their owne consciences that the thinges whiche wer spoken wer euen very true they would make no countenaūce at it before the people but yet in the meane tyme they lay sure awayt to all the saiynges of Iesus huntyng and serchyng if any thyng might procede foorth of his mouthe wherupon they might grounde or make a foundacion of sum surmised matter against him to the end they might seme to persecute him not of a certain priuate hatred but of zele to religiō and of a loue towardes god For this propertie also hath pharisaical hypocrisie that it worketh ne attēpteth none so wicked an acte whereon it layeth not a fayre glose of loue and duetie towardes God The .xii. Chapter As there gathered together an innumerable multitude of people in so muche that they trode one an other he began to say vnto his disciples first of all beware of the leauen of the Phariseis whiche is hypocrisy For there is nothyng couered that shal not be vncouered neither hid that shall not be knowen For what thynges ye haue spoken in derkenes shall be hearde in the light And that whiche ye haue spoken in the eare euen in secrete places shal be preached on the top of the houses I say vnto you my frendes Be not afrayed of them that kyll the bodye and after that haue no more that they can do But I wyll shewe you whom you shall feare Feare him whiche after he hath kylled hath power to cast into hell Yea I say vnto you feare hym Are not fiue sparowes bought for two farthinges And not one of them is forgotten of god Also euen the very heares of your head are all noumbred Feare not therfore ye are more of value than many sparowes ANd because the Lorde Iesus knewe the malice of the Pharyseis the Scribes and the lawiers to be vncurable it was his pleasure openly to notifie and publishe theyr hypocrisye to the ende no creature mighte vnawares be deceiued by their cloked counterfaytyng and so many coumpanyes of people euen than standyng round about in so thicke presse that they trode one vpon an others heles he began to
and creping on a man a vice neuer voide of pensifenesse and care which being once suffered to enter into the minde leadeth him out of the right way vnto all kinde of dishonestie Yea and vneath may it possibly be eschewed except that euen those very thinges whiche we doe possesse of our owne good right be possessed of vs after an vnearnest sorte and with suche contempt that we can set them at naught when it is expedient so to doe But suche people as doe in suche sorte put theyr trust and affiaunce in theyr richesse that they sette a certain great staygh and assuraunce of mans felicitie in the same doe veraye sore deceiue themselues For abouÌ„daunce maketh not to felicitie but rather to pensife carefulnesse yea and on the other side to the contempte of the thynges whiche onely and none other are to be sought and acquired For the necessitie of nature is appeaced and satisfied with a litle And because he woulde more diepely empriente thesame in the hertes of the grosse people the Lorde added therto a parable by the whiche euerye manne myghte trye and examyne hys owne affeccion There was sayeth he a certayne ryche felowe whose lande had broughte exceding aboundaunce of fruictes and profytes as the fruitefulnesse of the yeres are not all lyke but some yeres better then some The manne hauyng all the whyle no mynde at all of relieuyng the extreme pouertie of the neighboures but in sorte as though that that had growen hadde bene brought furth to the behoofe of himselfe and no moe toke care for laying it vp in store and not for bestowyng anye parte thereof to the nedye in the waye of alines or liberalitie For he sayd within himselfe in his hearte What may I beste doe The plenteouse aboundaunce of my corne and other fruictes is ouer greate for all the barnes I haue to laye vp in store the thynges that haue come of this yeres groweth If he hadde taken charitie to bee of counsayle with him whan his herte thus boyled charitie woulde haue sayde vnto hym looke well aboute howe manye there bee that lacke the thynges which thou haste superfluitee of Acknowelage and remember to whome thou arte beholdyng and whome thou arte bounde to thanke for thys fortunate luckienesse of this yere of thine God hath of a speciall greate tendrenesse towardes thee geueÌ„ thee a stocke of goodes wherof thou maiest gather great increase and gayne of godlye weorkes Make thou an exchaunge of Goodes traÌ„sitory for goodes that shall euermore kepe at a staygh of yearthly goodes for heauenlye of humayne goodes for dyuyne so shall thy lyberalitie bee a gayne vnto thee But because he had more mynde to take folye and vnbethinking to bee of his counsayle he did by the instinct and mocion thereof say within himselfe I will downe with myne olde barnes and I will make larger and in them will I lay vp in store all the whole increase of thys yeres growyng and the reste of my goodes that nothyng maye decaye of miscarrie And whan all thinges are fully stablyshed and all thing sette in good safetie thaÌ„ taking thoughte ne care for nothing I wil say to myne own soule Soule great abound aunce it is that thou hast of thynges layed vp in store for thee euen enoughe to serue thee for a greate maynye of yeres take thyne ease take thy fil of eating and drinking and make as mery as thou canst This dreame of most fortunate state long to endure whan the sayde riche manne did thus caste in hys mynde there came sodaynely vnto hym the voyce of God saying Thou foolish man where thy veray life is vncertayn to thee why dooeste thou hoorde vp thynges in store for manye yeres to come seeing thou canste take no fruicion of the thinges whiche thou layest vp any longer then while thou arte in thys lyfe whiche lyfe no man is assured of so muche as for one dayes space Why dooeste thou promise thyselfe many and many yeres This same veraye nyghte shall they require to haue thy lyfe and soule awaye And these thynges whiche thou haste prouided whose shall they than bee Certes they shall bee none of thyne Thou must of force leue them vnto an heyre of thyne owne or to an other if any will enter to take possession of them But ghostlye rychesse whiche by bestowyng thy richesse in almes thou myghtest haue gotten would haue gone with thee whan thou haddest bene dead too Thou hast nowe heard the exaumple and state of a man whiche hoordeth vp the richesse of this world to his owne vse and is ryche to his owne behalfe onely is not ryche to wardes god who would fayn be refreshed and cherished in his membres by suche persones as haue more then will serue them and muche more blisfull are they ryche that after suche sorte dooe growe to pouertie ¶ And be spake vnto his disciples Therfore I say vnto you Take no thought for your life what ye shall eate neyther for the bodye what ye shall put on The lyfe is more then meate and the body is more then rayment Consider the rauens for they neither sowe ne reape which neyther haue storehouse nor bâ—tus and god fedeth them Howe muche more are ye better then fethered foules Whan the lorde had thus muche sayde to the multitude of al sortes degrees anon turning to his disciples whome it was requisite not only to be fer from alauarice but also to bee voyde of al carefulnesse of thys lyfe to th entent that nothing might hinder or put backe theyr myndes from the charge of teaching the ghospell for this cause quod he as I haue already afore thys time sayde vnto you euen so repetyng the same agayn and agayn I shall warne you Be ye nothing carefull concerning the lyfe of your bodies as folkes in perplexitie and feare lest ye shoulde want meate drinke no nor yet about the incommoditie of youre bodye lest it shoulde wante clothes For youre heauenly father who hathe geuen you that is the better will also geue you that is lesse of valour The soule life is better then meate although in the mean time without meat it endureth not in the tabernacle of the body and the body is more precious then the garmente dooe ye thynke that your father being no lesse bountifull then riche will suffer that seeing he hath of his bounteous liberalitie geueÌ„ lyfe there shall lacke meate wherewith the life must be continued or seing he hath geuen the body he will so doe that the body shall want wherwith to be couered where the prouidence of god dooeth not slacke that thing in beastes whiche are brute and of no price will it trowe ye bee slacke in you whome he hath specially chosen and deputed to so high a matier Consider ye the raueÌ„s â—â—owes they neyther sowe corne ne reape they neyther haue storehouse ne barâ—â— and yet god dooeth prouyde also for them concernyng theyr foode as one that neglecteth
to gyue a dyner or a supper call thou not thy frendes whiche haue no nede of thy liberalitie or suche as haue doen thee some great good turne afore leste thou maiest seme either to make a recompense for a benefite receyued or els to seke to haue some benefite by them whome thou doest call or els to call them for very shame that thou mayest not seme vnthankfull neyther call thou thy brethren that is to saye menne of thyne owne bloud and kinred or els thy neighbours whiche dwell about thee leste thy benefite maye seme to be a thyng dooen for the onely respect of kynred and not for any good herte and zele to dooe a good dede ne call thou not thy riche and welthie neighbours leste the thanke of the feast that thou hast made maye perishe and be vttrely loste For truly it wyll perishe and be loste in dede if they bidde thee agayne and a diner either as good as thyne was or els a fyner and deintier be geuen thee again For thy benefite beeyng so recompensed or payed for they shall ough thee no thanke at all But in case thou be mynded well to bestowe a diner or supper wherby there may come backe agayne to thee a veraye large rewarde not from men but from God call thou the poore the weake and the feble the blynde and the lame In refreshyng of these doe thou refreshe God Thou wilt peraduenture saye In suche one 's shal both my labour and my cost be lost For they haue nothing to recompense me agayn and they be alwaies in nede of another whan one is paste Euen in this veray poynte shalte thou bee blissed that they haue nothyng to geue thee agayne But they haue an incomparable riche patrone who will suffre all to bee imputed as doen to hymselfe whatsoeuer shall be bestowed on them He wyll for these transitory thynges repaie euerlastyng Dooe thou not ouer hastely aske recompense It is one of perfecte true dealyng to whom thou lendest it He will vndoubtedly make recompense if not in this life albeit he will here also recompense it yet at leastewyse at the resurreccion of the iust And truely this parable of the Lorde dyd concerne not onely refreashing of the poore with foode of meate and drincke but also relieuyng of all manier necessitie of the neyghbour whether he bee to be taught or to bee tolde of his faulte or to bee coumforted or by whatsoeuer other ientyll poynte of charitie to bee ferthered towardes his health of bodye or of soule And al these thynges are to bee reputed as dooen to god and not to the man Whan one of them that sate at meate also heard these thinges he said vnto him Happye is he that eateth bread in the kingdom of god Than said he vnto him A certain man ordeined a great supper and bidde many and sent his seruaunt at supper tyme to say to them that wer bidden Cum. For all thynges are now ready And they all at once began to make excuse The first sayd vnto him I haue bought a ferme and I must nedes goe and see it I praye thee haue me excused And an other said I haue bought fiue yoke of oxen and I goe to proue them I pray thee haue me excused And an other said I haue married a wife and therfore I cannot come And the seruaunt returned and brought his maister woord again therof Then was the goodman of the house displeased and said vnto his seruaunt goe out quickely into the stretes and quarters of the citie and bring in hither the poore the feble and the halt the blinde And the seruaunt said Lord it is doen as thou hast commaunded and yet there is roume And the Lord said to the seruaunt goe out vnto the high wayes and hedges and compel thē to cum in that my house maye bee filled For I say vnto you that none of those men whiche wer bidden shall taste of my supper Whan Iesus had spoken the premisses as well concerning the wedding feast as also concerning the resurreccion of the iuste one of the geastes at the table being as it wer half in a dreame touched with the desire of the celestiall feast whiche Iesus had made mēcion of said blessed is that man whiche shal haue the happe to eate bread in the kingdome of god whiche he spake as ye would say geuing half a watche woord that fewe there should bee to whose lotte that same felicitie should cum and as though not euery bodye withoute excepcion should be receiued to the feast but the Iewes onely or the head mē of the Iewes But Iesus by meane of a parable whiche he propouned vnto them taughte them that in dede the Iewes were called in the first place to the ende they might not complayne or fynde faulte that they were naught set by but for as muche as they beeyng wedded to the affayres of the worlde refused to cum whan they were called as menne that sette more by goodes whiche should afterward perishe then by the lyfe euerlastyng all nacions indifferently should be called to the ende that the noumbre of Christes church and congregacion myght be made complete the parable was this here folowyng A certayne oute ryche manne had appoynted to make a sumptuous greate supper And to this supper had he bidden a righte greate coumpanye And whan the tyme of supper was euen at the verye poynte of the houre he sente a seruaunte of his to geue knowelage vnto all the bidden geastes that the supper tyme was nowe verye nere to warde and that they should therefore cum with spede He had bydden theyin long afore by the Prophetes he eftsones geueth theim woorde thereof by Iohn and by the soonne of manne cum your wayes sayeth he for nowe are all thynges in a readinesse In this case whereas they myghte at their pleasure haue had full fruicion of the supper long tyme looked for they beginne euerye one to make theyr excuses together one by one coulour and an other by an other For the fyrst of theym beeyng a manne whollye bente to encreacyng of his substaunce and settyng more by the gaining of worldly possessions then of euerlasting blisse made this aunswere to the seruaunte beeyng earneste with hym to haue hym cum awaye I haue boughte a piece of lande in the fielde here and I muste remedilesse goe thyther to see that I haue boughte I praye thee lette thy maister hold me excused Then went he to the second And he being sicke of a lyke dysease aunswered I haue bought fiue yoke of oxen I muste therfore nedes goe to proue them whether I haue made a good mercate in biynge of them or not I praye thee cause thy maister to haue me excused For I would with all my very herte come if I might Than wente he vnto the thyrde And he also made an excuse saiyng I haue maryed a wyfe thou knowest what a buisie matter that is how many cares it bringeth with
raiserable synagogue that it was whiche loste a geaste of Iesus and O happie house of the churche that it is which through hir good promptnesse did prouoke Iesus the authour and geuer of all heauenly blisse to come vnto it Well thus nowe thou seest the original begynnyg of the churche beeyng gathered together of the gentiles Nowe consider well a saumple and paterne of the Iewishe enuie The people whan they sawe Iesus so muche enclined towardes the fauour of the Publicane that of his owne voluntarie mocion he had bid hymselfe as a geaste into his house made a murmouryng because he had gon to soiourne with a felowe that was a synner O righteousnesse foule stayned and odious before god whiche coulde rather mynde to disdeigne then to bee healed could rather mynde to grutche at the neighbour then to leat thesame haue any parte with it To a felowe ê™ they that is a synner and as though it wer not the principal sinne of al other to haue enuie at the neyghbour and as though suche an one maye bee an honest man which grutcheth that his brother should bee in the state of grace Why staÌ„deth thou without the doores of the congregacioÌ„ thou enuious Iewe It is open for the to entre in also if thou wilt That in case thou refuse so to do yet hath Iesus determined to abide in zacheus house The Gentiles are not a litle proude of suche a geaste whom they had neuer looked for And so muche the better welcome it is because it hath so happened not onelye without any theyr deseruyng but also contrary to their expectacion And euen as murmouryng was made nowe at this presente agaynste Iesus so was there a great murmouryng made afterwarde agaynst Peter for Cornelius the Centurion whan it was sayed vnto hym wherfore haste thou gon in vnto men vncircumcised but what is here doen all this while Zacheus contemnyng the murmouryng of the people Iudaicall standeth before Iesus maketh suit also to bee taken into the noumbre of his disciples shewyng thereby how ferre he had growen and proceded forwarde For he sayeth vnto Iesus behold O Lorde I geue away halfe of my gooddes emong the poore and in case I haue defrauded any man of a ferthyng I here promise to geue hym fower tymes as muche agayn for it Hearest thou this thou Pharisee Zacheus maketh no rehearsall of his oblacions or sleaghyng of beastes in sacrifice not choyse of meates not fastynges not holydayes not solemnysyng of sabbothes not washynges he maketh no vauntes ne braggues of his vesture or of his secte of religion but he bryngeth with hym the workes of charitie In these poyntes the synner is better then the iust persons and the Publicane passeth suche as glorye of their owne holynesse For the sayde Pharisee beeyng a setter foorth of his owne manyfold good dedes he gaue but only the teÌ„th parte of his gooddes to the poore this man gaue the one halfe and gaue it not of his pollyng gaynes but if any peny hath been gotten with falsehood he restored thesame with thencreace of fower tymes double so muche again And moreouer of his gooddes that he had iustely and truely come by he gaue the one moite in charitie vnto the nedie O the course of thinges meruailously turned in and out What was withinforth in the Pharisees thesame was replete with rauine and guyle and of Zacheus we haue an vpright true dealyng man and a liberall whereas he is a man not onely ryche but also a Publicane yea and an head manne of this trade wherby he was so muche the more abhorred emong the Iewes But the Lorde passeth not of mennes titles or styles he beholdeth the mynde of the manne and estemeth hym by his dedes yea of suche dedes I saye as dooe procede foorth of feith and charitie Neither did Zacheus speake the premisses on hymselfe in the waye of makyng any vaunt or boste in sorte as the foresayde Pharisee did beyng as a trumpe of his owne righteousnesse and a scorner of the Publicane Zacheus doeth not sette his own righteousnesse before another parties righteousnesse but as a man bothe a synner and a Publicane he openeth in playne woordes without dissimulacion that he had an earnest mynde and desire to the exercise of righteousnesse yea euen before he had any sight of Iesus of whome he is desyrous to bee enstructed whether he did well or no and what was ferther to bee dooen for the geattyng of euerlastyng lyfe For so was it expediente that these woordes of Zacheus shoulde bee hearde of the enuious Iewes and should bee allowed of Christ in the hearyng of thesame Iewes For it was not possible for hym more piththily and effectuallye to laye vnto the Iewes theyr pollyng facions theyr auaryce and theyr catchyng of other mennes gooddes who did not only geue out nothyng of theyr owne vnto the neyghboure beyng in nede but also vnder the colour of godlynesse defrauded the parentes of the succour due vnto them at theyr childrens handes Iesus therfore turnyng to the murmouryng Iewes sayed This I playnly affirme vnto you that health is come to this house this present daye forasmuche as thesame also perteyneth to Abraham as beeyng father vnto it in whome is all your glorying that he is the fyrst founder of your generacion For whatsoeuer persone doeth in feith in sinceritie of lyfe and in godly deuocion resemble Abraham thesame is the soÌ„ne of Abraham and free partaker of the blissing in old tyme promised vnto Abraham The stocke of this man beeyng of an other bloud from the stocke of Abraham is no lette vnto hym nor his sorte and trade of lyfe hauyng heretofore been passed ouer in sinfulnesse but whatsoeuer persone conuertyng and emending from his former lyfe doeth enbrace the doctryne of the gospell whosoeuer folowyng the steppes of Abraham doeth ensue true righteousnesse thesame is the chylde and true heyre vnto Abraham For of suche wyll not the soonne of manne thynke disdeigne who came into the worlde for the veray purpose to seke that was goen a straygh and to saue that was lost Suche synners as this are more acceptable vnto God then these that swell in a false persuasion of righteousnesse As they heard these thynges he added therto a parable because he was nigh to Hierusalem and because they thought that the kyngdome of God should shortelye appeare He sayed therfore A certayne noble man went into a ferre countrey to receyue hym a kyngdom and to come agayne And he called his tenne seruauntes and deliuered them tenne pounde saying vnto them Occupye ye tyll I come But his citezens hated hym and sente a message after hym saying We will not haue this man to reygne ouer vs. And it came to passe that whan he had receyued his kyngdome he returned and commaunded these seruauntes to be called vnto hym to whome he had geuen the money to weâ—e how muche euery manne had dooen Than came the first saying Lord thy pounde
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
he had caryed tofore sayed vnto them Why dooe ye yet feare me as the sight of a ghoste seeyng that ye playnly beholde me with your iyes and knowe my fauour of olde and seeyng that ye heare my voyce beyng acquainted and familiar vnto you yet neuerthelesse dooe thoughtes of vnbelief mystrustyng aryse yet still in your hertes euen suche like as are woont to come commonly in mēnes myndes Satisfie ye euery one of your senses vieu and beholde you my hādes my feete they haue manifest prientes of the nailes touche handle ye my syde it hathe the gashe of the speare fele ye my bodye come nerer me with your iyes leaue ye suspectyng of any spirite For a ghoste hath neither fleashe nor bones as ye see that I haue That I entred in hither the doores beeyng shutte that whan my wyll is I am seen and whan my will is I am inuisible it is not any blyndyng of mennes iyes by any sleyght but the gifte of the body beyng now made immortall And euen suche lyke shal your body also be after the resurreccion Whan the lorde had by suche woordes as these taken awaye the feare from thē and had put them in a comforte he shewed foorth vnto them his handes and his feete to be viewed he opened his side that they might handle the manifest dientes of the woundes For it was the lordes pleasure to reserue thesame to the entente that by those euidēt tokens he might than emong his disciples perfectly auouche the trueth of his humain bodye and also that he maye in tyme to come at the laste daie of iudgement enbraide to the Iewes their vnbelief accordyng to the prophecie which sayeth They shall see in whom they haue perced and made holes Nowe wheras some there wer yet still which did not plainly belieue it to bee thesame bodye that they had seen dead but were in case that a certain inebriacion as ye would saye of drounkenship or gladnesse did so holde theyr myndes that they did neither perfectly beleue theyr owne iyes nor theyr eares nor theyr handes for oft tymes we be afeard to belieue the thyng whiche we doe rather then our liues wishe to be true as men fearing leste we should caste our selues into some fooles paradise or false ioye wherof to bee anon after depriued again Iesus vouchesaluyng with all tokens of euidence to bee a Phisician to their vnbelief because there should no spiece of the lyke mistrustfulnesse remaine in vs saied Haue ye any thyng here that maie be eaten For none there is a more vndoubted token or prouf of a man to be aliue then yf thesame take meate And therfore Iesus willed meate to be geuen to the damisell whā she was called again to life sembleably also vnto Lazarus not that we shall fele any hūger after that we be reised agayn to immortalitie but because he woulde as that presēt tyme requyred confirme and make euidente vnto his disciples the veritie of his humain body There wer present at that tyme in the same place a good nūber of his disciples and yet was there but veraye small prouision of viandrye Therfore that that they had they bryng foorth whiche was a morsell of fishe that had been bruiled and a honey combe Than Iesus in the sight of them al eate parte of the thinges whiche were set before hym And he sayed vnto them These are the woordes whiche I spake vnto you whyle I was yet with you that all must nedes be fulfilled whiche were written of me in the lawe of Moses and in the Prophetes and in the Psalmes Than opened he theyr wittes that they might vnderstande the scryptures and sayed vnto them Thus it is written and thus it behoued Christe to suffer and to aryse agayn from death the thyrde day and that repentaunce and remissyon of sinnes shoulde bee preached in hys name emong all nacions and muste beginne at Hierusalem And ye are witnesses of these thynges And beholde I will sende the promisse of my father vpon you But tarye ye in the citie of Hierusalem vntyll ye bee endowed with power from on high And whan he had nowe made all theyr senses perfectely to belieue that he was no sighte of any ghoste but a verai and a liuyng man euen thesame whō they had tofore seen bothe liuing and also dying he taketh recourse vnto the holy scriptures wherunto there ought credite to bee geuen although the sēses of man should neuer so muche crye against it Ye ought not sayeth he to meruaill at the thynges whiche ye see to haue been doen. The scripture cannot lye forasmuche as it hath been wrytten by the inspiracion of the holy ghoste Whatsoeuer thyng hath hitherto been doen thesame had been foreshewed and prefigurate afore in the bokes of Moses in the prophetes and in the psalmes For euen I am veray he whom the figures of Moses lawe did signifie I am the man of whom the holy prophetes promised so many thynges and it is I whose first springyng vp whose progression or goyng foreward and whose cōsummacion the misticall psalmes doe describe And with no lesse trueth shall all the rest of thynges also bee perfourmed which haue in thesame scriptures been foreshewed concernyng my returnyng into heauen concernyng the spirite of God to be sent who after that this bodye of myne shal be taken awaye from you shall make you the more stedfast concernyng the ghospell to bee spredde throughout the whole vniuersall worlde and concernyng the laste ende of this worlde These are the thynges whiche I did so many tymes labour to beate into your heades whan hauyng yet a mortall bodye subiect vnto death I lyued conuersaunt emong you beeyng also mortall At that tyme had not the premisses setled in your hertes now can ye not any longer doubte whan ye see my sayinges to agree with the misticall scriptures and the cummyng to passe or sequele of thynges to agree with them bothe Hitherto as the tyme hath required I haue tendrelye borne with the weakenesse of your fleashe and I haue with grosse proufes laied the trueth of matiers before you From hensforthe growe ye forewarde to a spiritual vnderstandyng of the scriptures There shal ye frō henceforth see me there shall ye heare me And because the misticall bokes are not vnderstanded excepte God open our mynde and reason Iesus opened vnto them the iyes of theyr herte that thei might reade belieue and vnderstād that was written in the scripture For no man doeth vnderstande scripture but he that dooeth beleue it In this ordre sayed Iesus it hath semed good vnto my father to restore mankynde And the thyng whiche he had decreed hath ben set forthe by his inspiracion in bookes of holy scripture The selfe same thyng hath been foreshewed by me before it was doen neither was it possible that it should any otherwyse come to passe because the determinacions of God are immutable and the holy scriptures can as litle
had rowen about a xxv or xxx furlonges they sawe Iesus walkyng in the sea and drawyng nighe vnto the shippe and they wer afraied But he saieth vnto them it is I be not afrayed Then would they haue receiued him into the shippe and immediately the shippe was at the lande whither they went The lake was so great that they called it the sea which the nyght made more terrible And to make it moe waies daungerous then one they hadde the windes so outragious agaynste theim that the lake was exceadyng rough withall yet neuerthelesse the disciples were so desirous of theyr mayster that they dydde aduenture to rowe vpon the water Nowe therefore when they were farre from the lande and hadde rowed vpon a fyue and twenty or thyrtie furlonges being almoste in despaire of theyr liues oure Lorde Iesus was cumme nighe vnto theym vnlooked for notwithstandyng the darkenesse they se hym goyng on foote vpon the sea as thoughe he had troden vpon the harde grounde to declare hymselfe thereby lorde not onely of the yearth but of all elementes also And of trueth the charitie of the ghospell hath iyes and can see â—uen in the darke neyther is there anye nyght where Iesus is presente nor anye deadly tempeste whereas he is nygh that maketh all thinges clere and caulme But nowe when our Lord was cum nighe vnto the shyppe the disciples were sodaynly aferde and because they could not well see and perfectly diâ—cerne in the darke they nowe suspect the thyng to be but as it were a vision in the nyght a ghoste or suche lyke as the vulgar people beleue many to bee seen of theym that sayle by nyght Neuerthelesse to put theym out of all feare with speakyng vnto theym in his owne propre voyce whiche they knewe and were well accustomed therewith Iesus sayd vnto them it is I bee not afraied signyfiyng thereby that such as haue the assistence of our Lorde Iesus oughte not to bee afrayed of worldly trouble bee it neuer so great and necse All they truelye whiche in simplicitie and plainnes of heart do constaÌ„tly and faythfullye depende vpon hym hath hym presente euen to the worldes ende Now the disciples being boldened at the voyce of theyr maister were desirous to take hym into the shyppe for euen they verily were sumwhat afrayed whose truste and hope yet was bothe weake and vnconstant But to thintent that our Lord Iesus myght declare to his disciples the whole thing that was doen to be wrought by his diuine power and that the storme was not swaged and ceassed by casualtye the shippe which incontinentelye before was tossed hyther and thyther â— ferre of from the shore did sodainly ariue to the lande whereunto they entended to goe The disciples whose faythe was to be framed and confirmed by all the wayes that could be possible by these proues and tokens dydde more diligentelye imprinte in theyr myndes this myracle The base folowing when the people whiche stoode on the other side of the sea sawe that there was no ship there saue that one wherin his disciples wer entred that Iesus went not in with his disciples into the ship but that his disciples wer gon awaie alone howebeit there came other ships from Tiberias vnto that place where they did eat bread after the Lord had geuen thankes When the people sawe that Iesus was not there neyther his disciples they also tooke shipping and came to Capernaum seeking for Iesus And in dede the people were not altogether ignoraunt of this straunge thing and myracle for the nexte daie after these thynges were dooen when the multitude whiche remayned styll on the other syde of the water sawe that none other shyppe was there saue that one wherein the disciples went ouer whom when they sawe shootyng on the shore they were well assured that Iesus wente not with his disciples into the shippe but that they went awaye alone The people I saye meruailed to what place he hadde secretelye withdrawen hymself for so muche as not withstandyng the multitude whom he had fed the day before dyd muche desire and long for hym yet in the mornyng dydde he no where appeare But yet supposyng that he woulde not be very long absente from his disciples whiche were alreadye gon ouer euen these folkes also were determynyng to rowe ouer the water to proue yf they could fynd hym on the other side And there was presente at the same tyme certayne shyppes which had cum not from Capernaum but from Tyberias a câ—tie also standyng by the sea syde â—igh vnto the place where they had been fedde and eaten their fil with .v. barly loaues wherewith beyng satisfied they gaue thankes to god whiche had sente to his people suche a prophete Therefore when these shyps were in a readinesse to carrye ouer the people and Iesus that was muche soughte for coulde no where bee founde the people tooke shippyng there to â—eke Iesus because he had there a restyng place and because they also knewe that the Apostles were sailed ouer thyther And when they had found him on the other side of the sea â–ª thei said vnto him Rabbi when camest thou hither Iesus answered them and saide Uerelye verely I saie vnto you ye seke me not because ye sawe the myracles but because ye did eat of the loaues wer filled Labour not for meate that perysheth but for that whiche endureth vnto euerlasting life whiche meate the sonne of man shall geue vnto you For him hath god the father sealed When they had founde Iesus here and sawe that he had passed ouer the lake and knowyng righte well that there was no shippe to conueigh him ouer muche meruailyng by what meanes he coulde passe ouer the water asked of him saiyng Maister when cameste thou hyther desiring to gather by the very time howe he hadde passed ouer For they supposed euen this thing also to bee doen by myracle lyke as he had the day past fedde a vey great multitude But the feruencie whiche they had the daye before whereby the other daye they went about to force him to a kingdome euen agaynste his will was now well cooled And leste Iesus should seme to auaunte his owne power he maketh no aunswere to these thynges to the intente they shoulde be moâ—e crediblye enfourmed of the myracle by his disciples and also by euidente 〈◊〉 thereof But Iesus dyd sore rebuke and earnestely reproue the affeccion of the multitude as not onely vnconstaunte but also rude and grosse and farre vnmete for the doctryne of the ghospell because that albeit they hadde seene greatter myracles whiche dyd more proue his diuyne power yet neuerthelesse one plenteous diner dyd more stirre them then the desire of eternal saluacion And they sette more by bodily susteinaunce wherewith that thyng is now and then and but for a time releued whiche within a whyle after shall perishe then they dydde hungre after that meate without whiche the soule do the euerlastingly perishe Finally he didde correcte
bee taken downe Then came the souldiers and brake the legges of the first and of the other which was crucified with him but whan they came to Iesus and sawe that he was dead already they brake not his legges but one of the souldiers with a speare thrust him into the syde and furthwith came there out bloud water And he that sawe it bare recorde his recorde is true he knoweth that he sayeth true that ye myght beleue also for these thinges were doen that the scripture should be fulfilled Ye shall not breake a bone of him and agayne another scripture sayeth They shall looke on hym whome they pearced But it is a sporte an a wonder withall to heare now againe in this case the peruerse religion of the Iewes so farre out of course and mysordred The Iewes vpon a myscheuous malice and by wicked meanes brought with violence vnto the crosse an innocent and one that had bene beneficiall vnto them beyng nothing abashed with the relygion of the feastfull daye to do so cruel and so vngraciouse a dede but they were very supersticiouse and made muche a do about taking the bodies of frō the crosse They came vnto Pilate and besought him the by his commaundement the legges of them which were crucified might be broken to th entent they might the sooner be deade and then their corpses be taken downe and had out of the waye lesse beyng sene they shoulde violate and breake the feastfull daye That daye was a solemne greate daye whiche of the great apareylyng and fournature of holy adournmētes and dyuine seruice is called of the Grekes Parasceue that is to saye a preparacion And their holy and solemne Sabbothe daye was nye at hande vpon whyche daye to worke was a detestable thing For at this season the men beeynge ye wote well very precise in their relygion after they had finished and accomplyshed so horryble an acte as thoughe the thinge had been well doen they bente their myndes to celebrate the sacrifice that was to be offered by Moyses lawe solemnely and purely not knowyng that the very true Easter lambe was already offered vp in sacrifice Suche a poyson and so pestiferouse a thing is holynesse that consisteth in outwarde and bodily thinges and hath not holynes and godlynes of herte and mynde ioyned and annexed vnto it Nowe therfore Pilate grauntyng them their request the souldiers brake bothe the theues legges whome they found yet aliue And then when they were come to Iesus because they saw him alreadye deade and therefore thought it a vayne and superfluous thynge to breake his legges they lefte them whole vnbroken For to this ende and purpose were the legges broken that those whiche hung vpon the crosse shoulde the sooner gyue vp the ghoste But among the souldiers stoode a certaine man whiche for the more certeintie of the Lorde Iesus death opened his syde with a speare and immediatly out of the wounde there gushed forth bloude and water in a great misterye declaryng that his death shoulde washe and cleanse vs from synne and the same also geue to vs euerlastinge lyfe and saluacion For baptisme standeth in water and with water are we baptised And the lyfe of a manne is in the bloude But it is againste the course of nature for water to runne out of a bodye that is wounded Howbeit he that sawe the thing with his iyes testified and beareth witnes hereof And we knowe his recorde to bee true And leste any of you shoulde stande in doubte whether ye maye or no beleue the thing whiche els mighte seme incredible I assure you that Iesus himselfe knewe that witnes to tell trueth And althoughe these thinges semed to be doen by chaunce or casualtie that is to saye that in stede of breakyng his legges as the others were his chaunce was to haue his side thruste thorowe yet for all that were they doen by the foresight and prouidence of God and as his diuine councell disposed that in this pointe also theffecte and conclusion of the thing myght aunswere and agre with the prophecies of the Prophetes For among other rites and customes wherwith Moses teacheth in Exodus that the paske or passouer ought to be obserued and celebrate he had prescribed euē that thing specially by name that is to wete that lambe which was sacrifised should be so slaine that no bone of it should be broken euen thereby notyng and declaryng that Iesus was the very true phase or passeouer the figure whereof that Mosaicall lambe did beare resembled thesame For the bloud of this true lambe Iesus saueth them that beleue in hym from death And the spirituall eatyng of this lambe conueyeth vs beeyng made free from the seruitude of Egypte that is to saye from the sinfull lustes of the worlde and from the tyranny of sinne into an heauenly region And againe the holy ghoste speaketh thus by Zacharye They shall see hym whom they pearsed For he shall once come with thesame body wherwith he hong on the crosse though it be alreadye a gloryouse body yet shall he shewe the printe of the wounde to all folke and he shall shewe the vnfaythfull to theyr rebuke the fountayne that was open all in vayne to them that would not beleue with the flowyng and streames wherof they might haue been cured After this Ioseph of Aramathia which was a disciple of Iesus but secretely for feare of the Iewes besought Pilate that he might take downe the body of Iesus And Pilate gaue hym licence he came therfore and tooke downe the body of Iesus And then came also Nicodemus which at the begynning came to Iesus by night and brought of myrthe and aloes mengled together aboute an hundred pounde weyght Then tooke they the body of Iesus and wounde it in lynnen clothes with odours as the maner of the Iewes is to bury And in the place where he was crucified there was a gardeyne and in the gardeyne a newe sepulchre wherin was neuer man layed There layed they Iesus therfore because of the preparyng of the Sabboth of the Iewes for the sepulchre was nye at hande And so nowe his death beyng already certayne and himselfe founde dead by the experience of many it behoued furthermore that his buryall should many wayes confyrme the belefe of the resurreccion And as Christe would perdie his whole life to be base and of a lowe porte so he would that his buriall should be honorable and of a great maiestie not intendyng therby to teache vs to be carefull of a sepulchre but to th entent that those thinges once accomplyshed whiche concerned the abasyng of hymselfe and the whole ministery thereof he might make a waye to the honour and prayse of his resurreccion And in very dede the honour whiche is geuen to a manne alyue is not without either suspicion or daunger but the honour whiche voluntarily we geue to the dead is a sure wytnes of prowes goodnes and vertue Nowe therfore Ioseph beyng a manne of
apostles doctrine and feloweship and in breaking of bread and in prayers And feare came ouer euery soule and many woonders and sygnes were shewed by the apostles at Ierusalem And all that beleued kept them selues together had all thinges in common and sold their possessions and goodes and parted them to al men as euery man had nede and they continued dayly with one accorde in the temple brake bread from house to house and did eare their meate together with gladnesse singlenes of herte praysing God and had fauour with al the people And the lorde added to the congregacion dayly suche as shoulde be saued Than such as kept themselues in company with the disciples folowed on continually the apostles teachinges for thereby came moste profite and lykewyse continued still in receiuing a token of a couenaunte that shall neuer bee broken which they called communion That token of couenaunt which the lord taught and committed to vs of trust was doen in this maner The bread was broken and dealed to euery man a pece thereof they in their practising of this in a remembraunce of the lordes passion gaue thankes to god for his bountifull goodnes that had clensed them from sinne by the innocent bloud of his owne sonne alone had chosen them for the deathes sake which he suffered on his parte vndeserued to enherite life euerlasting They offered vp also their prayers with clenes of herte whose peticion was that the kingdome of Iesus mighte bee made to spreade euery daye further abrode than other that his glory might throughout all the worlde bee knowen that his wyll euery where might bee folowed that suche as had once professed the fayth of the gospell might through the holy woorde and grace celestiall profit euery day and procede better and better and so might liue in concorde one with an other eche one in peace with his brother forgeuing all iniuries if any faute were doen by mans frayltie being at one with god whiche is mercifull to them that bee mercyfull to theyr neyghboure and that they beeyng dayly strengthned by the goodnes of god myght stedfastly abyde all the assautes of Satan vntill they myght after long bickering with the sayde Sathan at laste receiue eternall rewarde These were than the sacrifices that christen men vsed This wonderfull miracle of tongues Peters exhortacion so liuely made the sodaine mutacion of so many men so great puritie an clennesse of lyfe of the same menne wrought suche an effect in all theyr myndes whiche were giltie and priuie to theyr owne offences that they were sore afrayed of some eiuell to come towarde them For they sawe playnely that this thing was not broughte about by mannes conspyracy but by some celestiall power And for because thapostles did not alonely speake in all mennes languages but wrought also at Hierusalem many wonderfull miracles at thinuocacion of Iesus name in healyng diseases in putting deiuils to flyght in reising the dead to lyfe This tremblyng feare that they were in encroched and grew stil more and more vpon theim This was some beginning in the people towardes theyr amendement But the celestiall spirite wrought in theyr hertes whome secretly he inspired aboue all other thinges in mutuall good wyll and concorde For this truely is the very cognisaunce that Iesus woulde haue his disciples knowen by And as many as beleued the gospell assembled vnto a place ordinately together for theyr consolacion exhorting one an other in mutuall communycacions They were than many in numbre and men of al sortes were admitted without accepcion of persons young olde menne women free bonde poore and ryche The loue of Christe beeyng planted in theyr hertes dyd in so greate conformitie of myndes and mutuall concorde knyt and ioyne together them all beyng otherwise so ferre odde eche to other that all thinges were common emōgest them whiche is a thing seldome sene yea emong brethren that came all out of one belly And to thintent that eche of them might the better departe somewhat of that he had to an other suche as had manoures of theyr owne or other possessions solde them and of the money or prise thereof made a common dole as euery mannes nede required so that neyther they wanted whiche had noughte of theyr owne nor they had more than was sufficient whiche before had muche in possession And so made they theyr dole not as it were of theyr owne proper goodes but as of thinges in common For perfite charytie chalengeth no goodes as her owne and emong them whiche bee all of one mynde no man is accoumpted a lorde of his owne goodes and where eche man is content with litel thereit wyll bee harde to find lacke of thinges necessary But the distribucion of the common was made to euery man accordinge to his necessitie and not to his sensualitie The apostles prescribed none of all these thynges for them to doe but charitie did more among them without compulsion than any lawe of Moyses durst require And euery day were they also in the temple in muche vnitie of minde stedfast in prayer rendryng thankes to god and exhortinge theimselues together and entising other to that peace of conscience whiche the gospel requireth all that euer they were hable to coumpace Moreouer whan they had thus spent the whole daye in suche godly excercises they brake in euery house theyr breade and eate their meate together with ioy that herte cannot thinke and eche one with other in perfecte clenlynes of herte gaue prayse to god through whose goodnes they had gotten them so muche loue and fauour They were in fauour and good estimacion with all the people For who is he that woulde not loue suche persons that hurt no man and be ready to do euery man good in whom also appered manyfestly so muche godly power so great sobrenesse and mekenes withall Here mayest thou well marke Theophilus howe the churche had at her beginning by reason of ioy in mens hertes and vnitie with all luckie tokens well to prosper There muste nedes bee conformitee of myndes and vnitie where that spirite is whiche is the pacifier of all troubleous hertes there cannot be but ioy and gladnes where is a cleane conscience without any dystruste of the promises whiche are made in the gospell But as the bishopes Pharisees Scribes and chiefe auncientes or head men among the people wer euery where alwayes redy to slea Iesus so here at the luckye beegynnynges of this young churche no mencion is made of theim Noe persone was enforced to come to this feloweship no violente authoritie kept theym together in league Suche as thither came abode there still with other of theyr owne ientle courage and the lorde allured to theim whom he had appoincted to bee saued euery day more and more whyle the smale musterd-seede was by litell and litell springyng whiche shoulde afterwarde spreade his braunches abrode through al the worlde The .iii. Chapter ¶ Peter and Iohn
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
c. We speake as we doe knowe c. No manne asceÌ„deth vp to heauen As Moses lyfted vp the serpent He gaue his one â–ª ye begotten sonne He that beleueth on him is not condemned Because he hath not beleued Men loued darkenes more then lyght Because theyr woorkes were euill For euerye man yâ— euill doth hateth the light He taried with them and baptised and Iohn also baptised c. There was muche water c. And there arose a question c. And they came vnto Iohn All men come to him A man can receyue nothiÌ„g excepte it be c. Ye your selues are witnesses c. I am not Christ but am sent before hym He that hathe the bryde is the brydegrome What he hath seen heard that he testifieth The father loueth the sonne c. He that beleueth not the sonne shall not see lyfe For it was so that he must nedes go thorowe Samaria Than he came to a citie c. And it was about the sixt houre His disciples were goen awaie vnto the toun to bye meate â–ª The womaÌ„ saieth vnto hym c. Sir I perceyue that thou art a prophete our father 's wurshipped in this mouÌ„tayne And ye saye that in Ierusalem is the place where men oughte to wurship Ye wurship ye wâ—â— noâ— what we know what we wurshippe c. I knowe yâ— Messias shall come â–ª whiche is called Christe Iesus sayeth vnto her I that speake vnto the am he I haue meate to eate that ye know not c. Iesus saith vnto them my meate is to do the will of hym that hathe sent me Say not ye there are yet .iiii. monethes end than cummeth haruest And herein is the saying true that one soweth and an other reapeth And he abode there ii dayes The ruler sayeth vnto hym Iesus sayeth vnto hym goe thy waye thy sonne lyueth Then he enquired of them the houre whaÌ„ he began to amende So the father knewe c. And he beleued and al his houâ—holde This is the seconde miracle And there is at IerusaleÌ„ by the slaughter house apoole c. Whan Iesus sawe him lye c. He sayed vnto hym wylte thou bee made whole Sir I haue no man c. And thesame daye was the Sabboth c. Tha asked they hym what man is that c. The man departed tolde the Iewes that it was Iesus Because he doeth these thynges on the sabboth daye Therefore the Iewes soughte the more to kill hym The sonne can doe nothyng of himselfe c For the father loueth the soÌ„ne c Neyther iudgeth the father any man He that honoureth not the sonne c. The time shall come and nowe it is c. For as the father hath life in hymselfe c. Maruailâ— not at this c. I can of mine owne selfe do nothyng yf I should beaâ—e wytnesse of my selfe But I receyue not the recorde of man c. He was a burnyng a shynyng light But I haue greater witnes theÌ„ the witnesse of Iohn for the workes whiche my father hath geuen me to finishe c. Ye haue not hearde his voyce at anye tyme nor seen his shape Ye haue not the loue of god WheÌ„ce shal we by bread that these maye eate Iesê° saieth make the people sitte downe And Iesus toke the bread Labour not for the meate which perisheth This is the worke of God that ye beleue what signe shewest yâ— then I am the bread of life For I am cum downe from heaueÌ„ This is the wil of him that seÌ„t me And they shall bee al taughte of God I am the liuing bread Excepte ye eat the flesh of the sonne of manne This is the bread whiche came down from heauen c. What and yf ye shall see the soÌ„ne of man c. Will ye also go away c. Thou hast the woordes of eternal life c. We are sure that thou arte Christ. c. His brethren therfore sayed vnto hym There is no man that doeth any thyng in secrete c. For his brethreÌ„ beleued not in hym My time is not yet cum c. The worlde cannot hate you I will not go vp to this feast c Howbeit no maÌ„ spake â—penly of hym c. For feare of the Iewes How knoweth be the scripture If any man will be obedient vnto his will He that speaketh of himselfe seketh his owne praise The people aunswered and said thou hast a deuill Who goeth about to kil thee And ye on the Sabboth day circumcise a man Iudge noâ— after the vtter apperance c. Then cried Iesus in the temple c. And I am not cum of myselfe but he that sent me is true And him ye knowe not Ye shall seke me and shall not finde me c. Than sayd the Iewes among themselues whither wil he goe c. If any man thirst let him cumme vnto me and drinke Doeth any of the rulers or of the Phariseis beleue on hym Searche loke for out of Galile a riseth no prophete And the Scribes and Phariseis brought vnto hym a woman taken in aduoutrie Let hiÌ„ that is among you without sinne cast the firste stone at her He said vnto her woman where are thyne accusers Go synne no more I am the light of the world c Thou bearest recorde of thy selfe But ye can not tell whence I am I iudge no man and yf I iudge my iudgemente is true If ye beleue not that I am he ye shall dye in your sinnes Thei vnderstoode not that he spake of his father If ye coÌ„tinue in my woorde c. And the truâ—th shall make you free Whosoeuer committeth sinne c. But if theâ—â— sonne make you free c I speake that whiche I haue seeÌ„ c. Yf ye were Abrahams children c. If god wee your father He that is of god heereth Gods wordes I seke not myne owne prayse c. What makest thou thy selfe It is my father which honoureth me c. Than toke they vp stones to caste 〈◊〉 hym He sawe a man which was blind I am the lyght of the worlde Is this your sonne c. Geue God prayse We are Moses disciples I am come iniudgemeÌ„t c. If ye were blynde ye should haue no sinne I am the good shepehearde I geue my life for the shepe c. I put my life froÌ„ me that I might take it againe Yf thou bee Christ tel vs playnly My father c. is greater than al. c. Lazarus is dead and I am glad for your sakes c. Iesus wept Excepte the wheat corne faâ—l into the ground and dye Lord doest thou washe my feete If I washe yâ— not thou hast no part with me For I haue geueÌ„ you an example Now I tel you before it come One of you shall betray me That he shoulde geue some what to the poore A new commauÌ„dement geue I vnto you that ye loue together Before the cocke crow c. In my
falleth from the table of God than shall ye wishe that ye mighte haue but one droppe of water caste vpon your tongue to coole your mouthe whan ye shall lye in burning heate of fyer vnquencheable Then shall ye wyshe that ye had in this lyfe houngred the ryghteousenesse of God whan ye shal se the litle poore ones plenteously saciate with the aboundaunce of al felicitie and glory in heauen whome in this world ye accoumpted miserable and so muche the more despised because ye saw theÌ„ in penurie and houngre destitute of al reliefe and coumfort and lacking foode and susteynaunce necessarie for the bodye Woe vnto you that nowe laugh For ye shall waille and wepe Woe vnto you that doe now make much good mirth and laughing as folkes pleased euen to youre owne mindes with the prosperous luckinesse of thinges transitorie and as men made drounken with sweete fortune for within a litle shorte space all thinges turned contrarie ye shall wayle and wepe and youre plesaunce that lasted but a moment shal be turned into peyne and torment for euer to endure Doe vnto you when all men prayse you for so dyd theyr fathers to the false propheces Take ye no high conceyte ne pride in your selues whan the world vpon a counterfeicte likenesse of being happie and fortunate doe eyther in woordes or by any other tokens shewe themselues to reioyce on your behalfes as persons not knowing what true felicitie and blisfulnesse is whan they highly extolle and praâ—â—e tho thinges which are abominably and wickedly doeÌ„ of you geuyng vnto deiulishe persecutyng of the truethe of the ghospell the name of zâ—le towardes the lawe the affliccion also and slaughter of good men they call deuour seruice doen vnto god This same most false praise shal not deliuer you from the vengeaunce of god but shall make you worthie of double grieuous punishemente for that ye haue not onely not bene ashamed of dooyng manye wieked dedes of mischiefe but also haue sought laude and prayse for your eiuil doynges And they that shall prayse your wicked doynges the forefathers of the same persons did in lyke manier shewe muche tokens of hygh fauoure long agone to the false prophetes that rebelled agaynste the prophetes of the lorde and vtterly stiered vp aswel the princes as the people to the sleaghing of the same But the prophetes of the lorde did not seke to haue vengeauÌ„ce against theyr persecutours and yet neyther haue the godlye lacked theyr condigne rewarde nor the wieked shall lacke theyr punishmente according And ouerlate shall it than bee for suche to repent theyr extreme hainous offences as at this presente doe nothyng regarde the gener of better aduertisement But I say vnto you which heare loue your enemies doe good vnto them which hate you blisse them that curse you and pray you for them which wroâ—gfully trouble you And vnto him that smiteth thee on the one cheke offer also the other And hym that taketh away thy gowne forbid not to take thy coate also geue to euery man that asketh thee And of him that taketh away thy gooddes aske them not agayne And as ye woulde that men shoulde doe vnto you doe ye also vnto them likewise But choose them hardylye what they are woorthy to haue whiche for good dooen vnto them dooe rendre mischiefe But vnto you that geue eare to my sayinges I geue this new lesson rewle as muste of the mightie strong verdure of the ghospell Not onely requite ye not an eiuill turne dooen to you with an eiuil turne again but also loue ye your enemies doe ye good to theÌ„ that doe eiuill to you For rayling and reprochefull woordes rendre ye frendely woordes agayne and suche woordes as may be for the others welth and benefite Praye ye for them that surmnise false accusacions agaynste you that through youre prayers they maye bee reconciled to God and haue theyr true crymes clerely forgeuen whiche detecte you of false crimes afore men And be ye in any wise so ferre from all hertes desyre to doe a displeasure agayne for a displeasure doen to you that in case a bodie geue thee a blow on the one cheke thou rather offer foorth the other cheke to be strieken too then thou wouldest auenge the first And in case any shoulde attempte to take away thy cloke from thy backe suffer him rather to take awaye thy cote too then thou to come into contencion for the wrong dooen vnto thee The other in this case hath had the displeasure in very dede that did the displeasure and contrariewise he that to his owne damage and losse of the thing hath seene to the keping of peace and tranquilitie hath had aduauntage and gayne thereby and not damage Lette your earneste endeuour bee to doe good vnto all folkes and to hurte no body If any other bodie shall dooe you harme ye haue God to be a redressour and auenger therof If ye shall dooe any manne good in any behalfe ye are sure to 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 the same 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 yourselues 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 a assured coumforte 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 vnto 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 lyfe 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 falleth from the table of God than shall ye wishe that ye mighte haue but one droppe of water caste vpon your tongue to coole your mouthe whan ye shall lye in burning heate of fyer vnquencheable Then shall ye wyshe that ye had in this lyfe houngred the ryghteousenesse of God whan ye shal se the litle poore ones plenteously saciate with the aboundaunce of al felicitie and glory in heauen whome in this world ye accoumpted miserable and so muche the more despised because ye saw theÌ„ in penurie and houngre destitute of al reliefe and coumfort and lacking foode and susteynaunce necessarie for the bodye Woe vnto you that nowe laugh For ye shall waille and wepe Woe vnto you that doe now make much good mirth and laughing as folkes pleased euen to youre owne mindes with the prosperous luckinesse of thinges transitorie and as men made drounken with sweete fortune for within a litle shorte space all thinges turned contrarie ye shall wayle and wepe and youre plesaunce that lasted but a moment shal be turned into peyne and torment for euer to endure Woe vnto you when all men prayse you for so dyd theyr fathers to the false prophetes Take ye no high conceyte ne pride in your selues whan the world vpon a counterfeicte likenesse of being happie and fortunate doe eyther in woordes or by any other tokens shewe themselues to reioyce â—n your behalfes as persons not knowing what true felicitie and blisfulnesse is whan they highly extolle and praise tho thinges which are abominably and wickedly doeÌ„ of you geuyng vnto deiulishe persecutyng of the truethe of the ghospell the name of zâ—le towardes the lawe the affliccion also and slaughter of good men they call deuout seruice doen vnto god This same most false praise shal not deliuer you from the vengeaunce of god but shall make you worthie of double grieuous punishemente for that ye haue not onely not bene ashamed of dooyng manye wicked dedes of mischiefe but also haue sought laude and prayse for your eiuil doynges And they that shall prayse your wicked doynges the forefathers of the same persons did in lyke manier shewe muche tokens of hygh fauoure long agone to the false prophetes that rebelled agaynste the prophetes of the lorde and vtterly stiered vp aswel the princes as the people to the sleaghing of the same But the prophetes of the lorde did not seke to haue vengeauÌ„ce against theyr persecutours and yet neyther haue the godlye lacked theyr condigne rewarde nor the wieked shall lacke theyr punishmente according And ouer late shall it than bee for suche to repent theyr extreme hainous offences as at this presente doe nothyng regarde the geuer of better aduertisement But I say vnto you which heare loue your enemies doe good vnto them which hate you blisse them that curse you and pray you for them which wrongfully trouble you And vnto him that smiteth thee on the one cheke offer also the other And hym that taketh away thy gownâ— forbid not to take thy coate also geue to euery man that asketh thee And of him that taketh away thy gooddes aske them not agayne And as ye woulde that men shoulde doe vnto you doe ye also vnto them likewise But choose them hardylye what they are woorthy to haue whiche for good dooen vnto them dooe rendre mischiefe But vnto you that geue eare to my sayinges I geue this new lesson rewle as muste of the mightie strong verdure of the ghospell Not onely requite ye not an eiuill turne dooen to you with an eiuil turne again but also loue ye your enemies doe ye good to theÌ„ that doe eiuill to you For rayling and reprochefull woordes rendre ye frendely woordes agayne and suche woordes as may be for the others welth and benefite Praye ye for them that surmuise false accusacions agaynste you that through youre prayers they maye bee reconciled to God and haue theyr true crymes clerely forgeuen whiche detecte you of false crimes afore men And be ye in any wise so ferre from all hertes desyre to doe a displeasure agayne for a displeasure doen to you that in case a bodie geue thee a blow on the one cheke thou rather offer foorth the other cheke to be strieken too then thou wouldest auenge the first And in case any shoulde attempte to take away thy cloke from thy backe suffer him rather to take awaye thy cote too then thou to come into contencion for the wrong dooen vnto thee The other in this case hath had the displeasure in very dede that did the displeasure and contrariewise he that to his owne damage and losse of the thing hath seene to the keping of peace and tranquilitie hath had aduauntage and gayne thereby and not damage Lette your earneste endeuour bee to doe good vnto all folkes and to hurte no body If any other bodie shall dooe you harme ye haue God to be a redressour and auenger therof If ye shall dooe any manne good in any behalfe ye are sure to haue GOD a rewarder of the same In hys handes leat the care of al bothe remayne Bee thou prompte and readye to geue if any body shall desyre any thyng of thee for by suche meanes is mutuall loue of one to an other purchaced and knitte together That if any persone take awaye from thee any thyng of thyne by fraude or by strong hande leatte hym rather haue it then thou to come to make strife or businesse for it Better it is for one to lese his money his house or any piece of his lande then for recoueryng of these thynges wilfully to forsake better And in any wise leat all false guile bee awaye from all youre lyfe but what euerye one woulde with hys good will haue dooen of others towardes himselfe if the case shoulde so require thesame leat him doe towardes his neyghboure and what he woulde not with his good will haue doen to himselfe the same leat him not labour to doe agaynst another For that is to loue the neighboure as one loueth himselfe ¶ And if ye loue them that loue you what thanke haue ye for sinners also loue their louers And yf ye dooe good for theim whiche dooe good for you what thanke haue ye for synners also do euen thesame And if ye lende to them of whome ye hope to receiue what thanke haue ye for sinners also lende to sinners to receiue such like agayn But loue your enemies and doe good lende loking for nothing again and your rewarde shal be greate