of manne whome ye nowe see humble and lowe and very shortly shall see more abiect then all other shall appeare in the fathers maiestie with all his holy Angels and chosen disciples Neyther is that tyme so farre of For there be some here in this companie whoe or euer they dye shall perceiue that the kyngdome of God is already come with power Therfore let euery man make himselfe redy to th entent he maye be founde worthy to be of the same kyngdome These wordes that the Lorde spake the Apostles themselues as then vnderstode not because there was in them double vnderstanding For after his death resurreccion and ascencion and after the sending doune of the holy ghoste from heauen then that vertue of the corne of musterdsede that is to saye of the Euangelike doctrine began to shewe and putte furthe it selfe ¶ And after sixe dayes Iesus taketh Peter and Iames and Iohn and leadeth them vp into an hye mountayne cut of the waye alone and he was transfygured before them and his rayment dyd shyne and became very whyte euen as snowe so whyte as no fuller can make vpon the yearthe And there appered vnto them Hely as with Moyses they talked with Iesus And Peter answered and sayd to Iesu Mayster here is good beinge for vs. Let vs make also three tabernacles one for thee and one for Moyses and one for Helyas as â—or he wyste not what he sayd For they were afrayde And there was a cloude that shadowed them and a voyce came out of the cloude saying This is my beloued sonne heare hym And sodaynly when they had loked rounde aboute they sawe no man more then Iesus onely with them Nowe because the disciples should put no doubtes but he woulde once perfourme what he promysed concerning the maiestie of his second comming his pleasure was to geue them some taste thereof and that before their death so farfurthe as mannes nature was able to receiue or awaie withall Wherfore after syxe dayes Iesus toke vnto him three of his twelue specially chosen disciples as the chiefe and worthyest persons vnto whom his pleasure was to shewe this fight because thei woulde make no wordes thereof tyll the time were come that thei might lawfully disclose it These were Peter Iames and Iohn Them onely he toke awaye with him into a very highe mountaine For thei muste be farre from all carefulnes of lowe and yearthly thinges whome Iesu vouchesafeth to shewe suche a syght vnto He dayneth euen in these daies to geue by secrete inspiracion vnto certaine elect persones enhauÌ„ced to the mountaine of pure contemplacion some taste and syght of the euerlasting blissefulnes The people whiche abyde benethe in the plaine knowe nothing therof and if a manne tell them they beleue not When the Lorde and his disciples were come to the toppe of the mountaine fyrst of all they fell to theyr prayâ—rs For prayer is the thynge whiche chiefly prepareth the iyes of the heart and maketh them meete to beholde suche a sight And loe as Iesus was in his prayers the shape of his body was sodaynly chaunged For his face whiche before semed not to diffre from the common physnamy of other shone as bright as the sunne Then did his clothes glister with whytenes surmountyng the whytenes of the snowe suche as no fuller can by any crafte make the like vpon clothe Neyther was Iesus sene thus alone but with hym Hely and Moyses talkyng together It was Moyses office to talke with God And we rede howe Hely was taken vp and caryed into heauen with a fyery charyot Doubtles theyr communicacion with Iesu signifieth the agrement of the lawe and the Prophetes For the lawe shadowed and drewe out Christe with misticall fygures and the prophetes shewed before by theyr prophecies howe Christe shoulde come suche a one and lyke in all poyntes as Iesus came and yet the Iewes woulde not beleue The matter wherupon they talked was his gloryous death departing whyche he shoulde in shorte space after fulfill at Ierusalem vpon the crosse so that here the mencion of deathe dyd lykewise assuage that excedynge greate pleasure wherof mans mynde was in no wyse receyuable Peter being rauiâ—hed with this vnspeakable syght and therfore not well able to rule his affectes brake theyr communicacion begonne of deathe saying Maister speake nomore of Ierusalem Here is good beinge for vs. Therefore lette vs make .iii. tabernacles in this place one for thee another for Moyses and the thyrde for Hely These wordes of Peter partly proceded of the feare of death whiche was depely soncken into his minde partly of the great pleasure he had in beholdyng of his sight wherewith he was as it were dronken For lyke a man besyde hymselfe and rauyshed of his wyttes he wyst not what he sayde So great was the feare wherewith these mortall menne not yet receyuable of the diuine maiestie were astonied Therfore because they should not be ouercome with this passyng great bryghtnes there arose a cloude whiche ouershadowed them and tempred that vnsufferable light so as they might awaie with it This taste of the diuine maiestie was geuen to theyr corporall iyes There was also somewhat geuen vnto theyr eares For there sounded out of the cloudes the fathers voyce being likewise full of maiestie whiche sayde This is my moste dearly beloued sonne geue care vnto hym Nowe howe for very shame dooe the Iewes to this present daye speake agaynst Christ sith bothe Moyses and Hely whiche are of greatest authoritie among them beare hym wytnesse sith the father whom they woulde bee sene deuoutly to serue and worshyp gaue by hys voyce the whole authoritie to his onely begotteÌ„ sonne The Apostles were delighted with this glory but let hym that wyll come therunto heare Iesu whan he exhorteth to the imitacion of his crosse O Peter doe not thou from henceforthe rebuke thy Lord doe not thou go before Gods determinacioÌ„ Thou heardest the fathers voyce which said heare him who is my dearely beloued sonne as who say hitherto you haue heard Moyses the Prophetes prophecying of Christ they haue nowe played theyr partes He is alredie cum whom they promysed Hereafter geue no eare vnto suche as promise thinges to cum but heare you him that is present and speaketh my wyll and pleasure No man shall speake truer thinges Whatsoeuer disagreeth with his wordes that vtterly refuse you Anone as this voice of the father was hearde all thynges were sodenly chaunged agayne into another shape and lykenes for when they loked reuÌ„de aboute them like menne awakened out of theyr slepe they sawe not one iote of al that euer they sawe before saue alonelye Iesus whoe was present with theÌ„ againe hauing the selfe same shape that he was wonte to haue He shewed them his greatnes onelye through a cloude and they were not able to behold it What would they haue done if he had shewed them his very hyghnes and maiestie euen as it is
coÌ„maunded me Both the time prouoketh the promptenes of mens mindes to the faith of the ghospell do also require the diligence of preachers If you whiche doe so muche care for the welth and commoditie of the bodies know that haruest is at hande fower monethes after that seede tyme is past how muche more ought we to regarde the tyme of our spirituall harueste And as when the corne beginneth to grow yealowe it dooeth as it were require a fyckle and the diligence of reapers so yf you wyll lyfte vp your iyes and behold the corne that groweth in mens mindes yea euen in them emonges the Samaritanes and Heathen which make haste to the doctrine of the ghospell ye shall perceyue the regions and countreyes on euery syde to be as it wer reapyng rype to the haruest of the ghospell and to require our labour and dilygence But yf the hope of yearthly fruite dooeth soone prouoke the reaper to his labour howe muche more ought we to be forwarde to gather this harueste to our father whiche bothe shall obteyne for the reaper a ryghte large rewarde in heauen and shall gather for God not wheate into the barnes but the soules of men into euerlastyng lyfe And so it shall come to passe that bothe the sowier and the reaper shall reioyce together For that thyng happeneth to you whiche is woont to be spoken in a common prouerbe one soweth and another reapeth there is more payne and laboure aboute the tilling and sowing then in the haruest and reapyng The grounde muste be plowed the cloddes muste be broken with the harowe the fielde must be dunged the sede muste bee sowen couered with earth attended and kept the cokle also muste be weeded out but after wheÌ„ the corne is ripe there is not so great a do about the reapyng therof and the fruite beyng ripe and ready doeth mitigate the tediousnesse of the laboure but in this spirituall haruest it happeneth muche otherwyse then in the bodily haruest for there accordyng to the common prouerbe as often as the fruite and commoditie of the haruest cuÌ„meth to another then to hym that soweth the reaper in dede reioyceth but the sowier is grieuosly vexed In this spirituall haruest it is otherwyse for both the sowier and the reaper reioyseth and neyther of them lacketh theyr fruite and commoditie I haue sent you to reape the corne in sowyng wherof ye bestowed no labour The prophetes haue tilled the grouÌ„d with their trauaile and haue with theyr doctrine prepared to the ghospell the world beyng as at that time vntractable ye nowe succede and entre vpon their labour and goe about a thyng prepared to your haÌ„de by reason that the world nowe applyeth it selfe to receyue willyngly heauenly doctrine and men goeth about to prease into the kyngdome of heauen in manner by violence ¶ Many of the Samaritanes of that citie beleued on hym for the saying of the woman whiche testifyed that he tolde her all that euer she dyd â–ª So wheÌ„ the Samaritanes were come vnto hym they besought hym that he woulde tary with them and he abode there two dayes And many menne beleued because of his owne woordes and sayed vnto the woman Now we beleue not because of thy saying for we haue heard him our selues and knowe that this is euen Christe the sauiour of the worlde Whiles our Lorde with the sayinges doeth exhorte his disciples towardes the buâ—sines of the ghospell the thing it selfe doeth declare that to be true which he had spoken of the corne waxing white and rype towardes the haruest For in the citie many Samaritanes dyd beleue that Messias was come whereas that woman had testified nothyng els of Iesu but that he had opened and declared vnto her the secrete shamefull deedes of her life time As yet they had neyther heard him speake nor seen him doe any miracle So readye was yea euen their beliefe which semed to be farre from the promisses of the Prophetes Therfore a multitude of the Samaritanes came renning out of the citie to see him whom the foresayed woman had so earnestly commended and sette furthe vnto them Neither doeth his presence diminishe their opinion of hym neither be they offended with his homely and course apparell ne yet with his slendre trayne of his simple and vnlearned disciples whereas the Iewes after that they had seen so many of his miracles hearde so many of his sermons and receyued so many commodities and benefites at his hande did eyther falselye accuse hym openly rebuke hym or els chased him awaye with castyng stones at hym In conclusion the Samaritanes vpon a womans reporte and witnesse goe foorth to mete with a manne whiche was not of theyr owne nacion whome as yet they had neuer heard speake of whom they had neuer seen any notable thyng doen and yet do they require and desire him to bee contented to take a lodging in theyr citie But what did moste gentle Iesus he knew the enuie of the Iewes he knewe what hatered they bare to the Samaritanes and yet the tyme was not come that the ghospell should be taken from them beeyng reiected for theyr inuincible lacke of beliefe and shoulde be preached to the Gentiles Therfore he so tempered the matter that he neyther gaue by apparaunt profe any occasion to his owne countrey men the Iewes to complaine that they were despised of him and the Samaritanes preferred before theÌ„ consideryng the Prophecie promised that Messias should come to them neither yet would he vtterly disapointe the godly beliefe of the Samaritanes For in that he went through Samaria he did euen of very necessitie And at theyr request to tary there but two dayes was good maner and gentlenes wherewith no manne of right coulde fynde faulte And nowe when they had heard Iesus many moe there dyd beleue and theyr beliefe was stablished which vpon the reporte of one woman had conceyued a notable opinion of Iesu. And nowe they beare a full witnesse of Iesu and suche a testimonie as was ryght semyng for a very true Iewe saying to the woman Thou haste reported lesse of him then the thing requireth For we nowe doe beleue hym to be Messias not by the perswasioÌ„ of thy woordes but we our selfes doe assuredly knowe by his woonderful communicacion that he is the very true Messias which was loked for of the Iewes who shall bryng saluacion not only to them but to the whole worlde With this so cherefull and so full a witnesse the Samaritanes did both declare theyr owne beliefe and therewithall reproued the wicked vnbelefe of the Iewes After two dayes he departed thence and wente awaye into Galile For Iesus hymselfe testified that a Prophete hath none honour in his owne countrey Than assone as he was come into Galile the Galileans receyued hym when they had seen all thynges that he did at Ierusalem at the daye of the feast for they went also vnto the feast daye Therfore Iesus because he would geue no occasion
neyther why any should be enuiouse at an other mannes dignitie for who can enuye him whiche studieth no nother thynge but to do an other man good and that if nede be with the losse of hys lyfe Also if honour be geuen vnto them they take it not vnto themselues but yelde it vnto God And when they departed from Ierico muche people folowed hym And beholde two blinde men sitting by the way whan they heard that Iesus passed by they cryed sayinge O lord the sonne of Dauid haue mercy on vs. And the people rebuked them that they should holde theyr peace But they cryed the more saying Haue mercy on vs o lorde the sonne of Dauid And Iesus stoode still and called them and sayde What will yeâ— that I shall do vnto you They say vnto him Lorde that our iyes maye be opened And Iesus had compassion on them and touched theyr iyes and immediately theyr iyes receyued sight and they folowed him And whan he went with his disciples out of Ierico a great multitude of men folowed him And behold two blind men sate by the wayes side whiche wheÌ„ they perceyued by the noyse that it was a great multitude and askynge what it shoulde be knew that it was Iesus whiche passed by wheÌ„ they could not see him and if they had sene him coulde not go vnto hym for the multitude they spake vnto Iesus with a loude voyce saying Lord Iesu the sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon vs. Iesus made as though he hearde them not to thintente that theyr faythe and feruentnes might be the more manifeste to all men The people seyng that Iesus made no aunswere at their crying and suppossing that it was paynefull to him that twoe blinde common beggers made such a clamoure at his eares rebuked them and bad them holde theyr peace But they through a constante truste in Iesus whom they heard saye to be beneficiall towardes all men cried out louder and sayde agaâ—ne Lorde the sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon vs. Iesus therfore when he had sufficiently declared theyr fayth to them all had taught vs by theyr exaÌ„ple that we should beate at the eares of God feruently and constantly yf we will obtayne anye thynge stode still for they could not folow but onely with crying and commaunded theÌ„ to cum to him At his worde they cum Iesus askethe them what they would with theyr great crying and what they woulde that he shoulde do for them Iesus was not ignoraunte what they desired but he would that the disease that they were troubled wyth should be knowen to all menne by theyr owne confession that the faythe of the miracle mighte be the more certayne Lorde ê™ they we desire that oure iyes maye be opened by your helpe They speakyng these thynges with a great affeccion declare that blyndnes was a great griefe vnto them And he is nexte vnto light whiche is very wery of his blindenes Than Iesus shewyng his pietifull affeccion both in countenaunce and iyes with whiche affeccion euery gospeller ought to bee sory for other mens harmes touched theyr iyes and forthwith their iyes beyng opened they saw and with others they folowed Iesus So Iesus with his touching healeth the mynde blinded with worldly desyres and lighte is geuen to this ende that we maye folowe his steppes The .xxi. Chapiter And when they drewe nye vnto Hierusalem and came to Bethphage vnto mounte Oliuete Then sent Iesus two disciples saying vnto them Go into the towne that is oâ—ce agaynst you and anone ye shall fynde an asse bounden and a colte with her looce them and bring them to me And if any man saye ought vnto you saye ye The lord hath nede of them and streyght waye he wyll let them go All this was done that it might be fulfilled whiche was spoken by the Prophete saying Speake ye to the doughâ—er of Syon beholde thy kyng cummeth vnto the meke sitting vpon an asse and a colt the fole of the asse vsed to the yoke THerfore Iesus goyng forwarde to HierusaleÌ„ laboured about this diligently with his disciples to fasten in theyr mindes that he went to his death wittingly and willyngly and that no man shoulde hurte him yf he woulde resiste Therfore he beate it into them so often that he must go to Hierusalem and there suffre death And wheras sumtyme he semed to wythdrawe himselfe from perill it was not for feare but to kepe himselfe vnto the tyme apoynted of the father The whiche when it was than at hande he dyd not onely not hyde hymselfe but willyngly put furthe hymselfe and so putte furth himself that with the noueltie of his pompe he styrred the mindes of the whole cytie againste him and in the meane season he ceaseth not from myracles he ceaseth not from preachyng of the trueth also he reproueth the lyfe of the Phariseis more frely or frankely he casteth the marchauntes out of the temple by the whiche thinges he knewe that all theyr myndes woulde bee the more vehemently styrred against him Whome because he had prouoked against him with well doyng he made them not vnfaultie but gaue them lybertie that they might do the thing that they would do Therfore now being nere to the citie of Hierusalem he came into the mount of Oliues where he thought good to frame a new maner of pompe of his cumming by the which in maner he mocked the pryde of this worlde and by this spectacle he somewhat comforted his disciples beyng yet but weake that they might the more quietly beare the death of theyr Lorde Therfore from this hill he sente two of his disciples saying go ye into the village that is ouer agaynste you and as soone as ye enter in there ye shall fynde a female Asse tyed and her fole with her whereon neuer hath any manne yet sitten looce them bothe and bring them hither vnto me And if any manne saye any thing vnto you demaundyng why ye looce them whither or to whom ye leade them make none other aunswere but that the Lorde hath nede of them At this worde they will suffer them furthwith to be brought These thinges were doen partlye because they shoulde vnderstande that nothing is to hym vnknowen and that he hath power to commaunde whom he will and what he will if he woulde vse his power partely that the Iewes might know at lest wise by this very token that he was Messias because they sawe this strauÌ„ge kinde of entring prophecied in tyme paste by the Prophete Zacharie For thus he did prophecie Saye ye doughters of Syon beholde thy kyng cummeth to thee meke and humble sitting vpon a she asse and vpon a colte the fole of a yoked beaste The disciples went and did as Iesus commaunded them and brought the Asse and the â—olt and put on them theyr clothes and set him theron And many of the people spred theyr garmentes in the waye And other cut downe â—oughes from the trees and strawed them in the waye Ferther the
that the paâ—tie whiche is the begger maye be worthie to haue the more benefite And in moste diepe derkenesse do suche people lye which wurship stockes and stones in stede of God to whome theyr moneye to whome their bealye is their god who are bondeseruauntes to ambicion to leacherie and suche as set the world in an vproare through furious rageyng warres Suche persones if they cannot yet come to approche nere vnto Iesus because they cannot see yet at lestewise at the noyse of suche as doe throughoute the whole worlde preache the glorie of Iesus leat them aske what matier is this And whan they shall knowe that Iesus is passyng by leat them not suffre the presente occasion to slippe away but leat them with pieteous criyng wery his eares And in case the priuie conscience of their naughty and eiuil dedes afore past counsail theÌ„ to kepe silence leat the clamoure of the faythfull beleuyng herte so muche the more instauntly knocke at the dores of his eares Iesus is not deafe ne harde of hearyng to any body that asketh with faithful trust in hiÌ„ he is of power hable to geue that is asked He ceâ—ies passeth by but he wil not go very ferre paste if one strayne his voyce And happy is the begger that euer he was born at whose voice Iesus stayeth on his way And what meruaill if he stayed at the voice of one speakyng vnto him sence he vouchsalued to cuÌ„ so ferre a iourney vnto a shepe that was lost But more happy is the blind man after he is brought vnto Iesus For now is he very nere to his health Neither caÌ„ he loÌ„g be blind whoso hath approched to the fountain of al light Thatsame lord beyng the fountain of all glory doeth not put away the begger from him man being a sinner disdaineth the neighbour After that thou art cum in preseÌ„ce afore Iesus after that thou art gon away froÌ„ thy selfe there is no nede of any long praiyng no more but speake the woord what thou wouldest haue but speake it with a perfite faith and affiauÌ„ce coÌ„ceiued not on thine own merites but on his great power and no lesse goodnes And immediatly shal thy sight cum again and saluacioÌ„ both together For at once assone as Iesus had said Loke thou vp he had his sight and of a beggar became a folower of Iesus traine and an open declarer of gods goodnesse Yea and moreouer the people also whan thei had seen so notable a miracle gaue laude and praise vnto god The .xix. Chapter And he entered in and went through Hiericho and behold there was a maÌ„ named Zacheus whiche was a rewler among the Publicanes and was riche also And he sought meanes to see Iesus â–ª what he should be and could not for the presse because he was litle of stature And he ranne before and clymed vp into a wild figgetter to see him for he was to cum that way And wheÌ„ Iesus came to the place he loked vp and saw him and said vnto him Zachee cum doune at once for to day I must abide at thy house And he came doune hastily and receiued him ioyfully And whan they sawe it they all grutched saiyng he is gon to tarry with a man that is a sinner And Zacheus stode forth and said vnto the Lord behold Lord the half of my goodes I geue to the poore And if I haue doen any man wrong I restore him fower folde Iesus sayed vnto him this day is health happened vnto this house because that he also is becum the chylde of Abraham For the sonne of man is cum to seke and to saue that whiche was lost ANd this same blynde man to whome the Lord restored the vse of the light doeth in a figure not vnaptly signyfie the people of the Gentiles For as for the Iewes the lawe gaue sum piece of lyghte vnto them But the Gentiles laye in moste diepe derknesse of ignoraunce in so muche that among thesame a greate manye there were whiche verily beleued that there was no God at all and some others beleued that there were Goddes innumerable but thesame more full of mischief and abominacion then the very men selfe Againe sum thought that God tooke no care for the gouernaunce of worldly thinges Yea and sum also there were which reputed and vsed the soÌ„ne the moone oxen dogges apes yea and lekes and oynioÌ„s for Gods Among the Gentiles there were that knewe no laweful ne determinate bandes of matrimony but fulfilled the lust of the body in going together one with another after the maner of bruit beastes Sum there were also with whom it was accounted a naturall thyng to haue killed theyr parentes whaÌ„ they were aged Others again there were among whom it was a thyng lawful and vsuall to eate mans fleashe Sum there were with whom it was an highe poynte of deuocion and of seruyng God to kyll their mooste derely beloued children for a sacrifice to this or that deuil What caÌ„ there be more lamentable then this blyndnesse And yet this blynd man beeyng poore and destitute of all vertues perceiued Iesus whan he passed by whoÌ„ the nacion of the Iewes put away whan he came to them he streyned his voyce of fayth criyng aloude Thou sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon me He coÌ„strained Iesus to stay in his goyng he deserued to be asked what he would haue doen to hym he confessed his blindnesse he shewed the desire of his hert lord that I may haue my syght he receiued that he plainely in fewe woordes craued Of a wurshipper of monstreous thynges he was made a wurshipper of Iesus of a bondseruaunt to deuils and to all maner vices he was made a disciple and a folower of Iesus of a common beggar and crauer of a miserable almes he was made a publisher of the power of god And many a tyme more then once or twise are exauÌ„ples of this kinde laied in the lappes of the Iewes to the end that either thei should ameÌ„d froÌ„ their vnbelefe orels they should make it open manifest for the time to cum that they were worthilye cast of as meÌ„ that would not be made whol And this figure certes was shewed at the enterauÌ„ce of the citie of Hiericho but an other more euident exauÌ„ple sheweth it self anon after within the citie selfe For as the lord beiÌ„g entred into Hiericho was goyng along through the middes of the citie encouÌ„paced on euerye side with an exceadyng thicke presse of the multitude of all sortes there was a certain man zacheus hauyng his name of the thing and propertie that was in him that is to wete a man feruent in the earnest loue and desyre of righteousnesse whereas in dede he was an head man among the publicans yea and riche withall and whereas neither the kynde or trade of his liuyng ne the paÌ„pering of fortune did very well agree with suche an hert And holdeÌ„ he was with a great desire to see Iesus to the entent
god dooeth not drawe hym to this deiuelishe acte but he is ledde thereunto of his owne inordinate couetise This saying of Iesus sore dismayed all theyr hertes and caste them in a great passion and they begon to aske and serche emong themselues who it shoulde be of whome Iesus had spoken Not one of them knew hymself culpable in his conscience besydes Iudas Iscarioth onely and yet durste not one of them truste his owne selfe in the matter Notwithstandyng Iesus bewrayed not his betrayer but oftentymes pricked his conscience to th entent he shoulde emende And he knewe well enough that Iudas would neuerthelesse continue stil in his madnesse teachyng vs therewhyle to vse the moste fauoure possible towardes synners forasmuche as we cannot be sure whether thesame parties maye one daye come to themselues agayne or not And there was a striefe emong them whiche of them shoulde seme to be the greatest And he sayed vnto them The kynges of nacions reigne ouer them and they that haue autoritie vpon them are called gratious Lordes But ye shall not be so But he that is greattest emong you shal bee as younger and he that is chiefe shall be as he that dooeth ministre For whether is greater he that sitteth at meat or he that serueth Is it not he that sitteth at meate But I am emong you as he that ministreth ye are they whiche haue abidden with me in my temptacions And I appoynt vnto you a kyngdome as my father hath appoynted vnto me that ye maye eate and drynke at my table in my kyngdome and sitte on seates iudgeyng the twelue trybes of Israell Nowe because the Lorde Iesus had in the supper tyme made mencion of the kyngdome of god there eftesones befell a contencion emong the disciples beyng yet weake and hauyng yet still in some behalfe a smatche of the fleashe which of them should after the lordes death haue the primaâ—ie and supremitie in the kyngdome of God For in holdyng forth the breade and the cup vnto theÌ„ he semed to make them all eguall one with another saying deuide ye this emong you But Iesus although he had at sondrie tymes afore also called them backe from suche affeccion yet beyng now veray nere towardes his death he repeateth thesame and beaâ—eth it into theyr heades saying Doe not ye imagine any suche lyke thing in the kyngdom of heauen as ye see in worldly kingdomes It is a ferre other sorte of reygnyng for it standeth by benefites and not by force of armes it is kept and defended by spirituall fence and not by violence it is dilated and enlarged in circuite by perswasion of wordes and not by forceable compulsion For the prynces of this worlde doe exercise a lordelye power ouer suche people as they haue the gouernement and rewle of for they doe not vse perswasion of woordes to make them loue honest wayes but they feare them from euill doynges by terrour of punishemente and of their subiectes they require to haue honour and reuerence doen vnto them though they bee not worthie thereof Yea and the nerer they drawe to the poynte of tyrannie so muche the more obedience and subieccion dooe they require to haue of theyr commons and all the whyle are they honoured of thesame people with titles and styles of estate and royaltee They haue names and styles geuen them to be called prynces fathers to theyr countrey sauers and defendours and consuls because by theyr power they kepe theyr inferiours vnder subieccion Of this sorte forsothe is the reygnyng of the heathen nacions But emong you whom I frame and breake to the kyngdome of the ghospell there shall bee a ferre other trade The greater that euerie one shal be emong you so muche the lesse shall take vnto hym of violent power or of glorie For he shall not haue an iye to oppresse or ouertrede his inferiours with the good giftes and qualities whiche he hath receyued of god but how to dooe his inferiours good therby and how to relieue them neyther shall he take the laude and prayse vnto hymselfe but refer thesame entierly vnto god And yet I speake not this as though there shal not be any ordre in this kyndome but because that he whiche is chosen to the preeminence of beyng a guide vnto others towardes godlynesse shall so greatly serue the commodities of all persones that he maie seme to be a minister and a seruaunt rather then an head He shal make no sekyng ne suite for fauour but his good herte and mynde beyng moste quicke and readie to doe good vnto all persones shall deserue iustely to haue it And as for his autoritie his perfeccion of lyuyng shall mainteine it and not his proude disdeynefull looke or stately porte and countenaunce And let it not greue truely to perfourme and shewe thesame humilitee emong yourselues whiche I haue throughly shewed vnto you whereas of my due right I might haue taken vnto me the state of Lordely power and dominion For considre and pondre ye this in your myndes whether of the twoo semeth the greatter man he that serueth at the table orels he that sitteth at the table is serued doth not he that sitteth seme the greatter maÌ„ Not for that whosoeuer sitteth doune is in dede the greatter man but he rather which enterteineth others with makyng them a feaste is euen for this very respect the greater of dignitie because he dooeth good to many And yet suche an one for courtesy and good maners sake whan the others whom he hath called to his feaste dooe sitte at the table goeth about the house froÌ„ place to place careful and diligent to see that no persone lacke any thing in the feaste and so the carefulnesse of hym alone prouideth for the satisfiyng and well beeyng of all the coumpanye And haue not I vsed my self lyke suche an one among you Haue not I in suche sort been conuersaunt among you as though I wer the seruaÌ„t of you all mynystryng to you of that that was myne owne and takyng care my selfe alone for you all How muche more ought ye to bee ferre from al tirannye and ambicion which in condicion and state are all eguall one with an other whiche ministre vnto others of my thynges and not of your own and whiche haue one maister egually indifferent vnto you all Ye haue receiued the same high and holy caucion or token and pledge of euaÌ„gelical concorde that with what entier loue I haue embraced you with thesame loue ye shoulde embrace one another among your selfes And where reigneth ambicion there cannot concorde bee at any sure staye In the meane tyme honoure must bee willyngly deserued but not vsurped or taken as a thyng of duetie and right For the princes of this worlde although they dooe their offyce rightlye yet because thei require homage and fealtie of their subiectes therfore they shal not haue any reward at all for it before god But as for ye puttyng away al care
The high priestes and the rewlers of our people pursued him to death before the lieutenaunt in conclusion nailled him on the crosse Nowe we had conceyued a certayne maruaylous hope of hym that he should haue redemed the people of Israel as men beyng vtterly in beliefe that he had been the Messias which was long agon promised by the Prophetes But his death which was bothe vndoubtedly true also full of open worldely shame hath taken away this hope from vs. Ye there had no smal hope been put in our heades that it would so come to passe that he would after thre dayes haue returned agayne to life but wheras he was condemned crucified and buried this veray present daye is the thirde daye sence all these thinges fortuned to be doen and yet doe not we see any whitte the more of assured hope sauyng that certayn wemē of the fraternitie of his disciples haue by the reportyng of certayn straunge newes suche as neuer was heard of made vs yea more astouned then we were afore For where these same wemen went furth before sunrisyng to the Sepulchre they say playnly they founde not the body there and affirme moreouer that certayne Aungels appered vnto them sayed that he is aliue And whā no man gaue credite to theyr reporte certayne of our coumpany went also to the graue to proue whether the fond wemens tale had any trueth in it And as concerning the graue selfe they found the matter to goe euen so as the wemen had made relacion For they found it opē and emptie the pieces of linnen also and the other thynges which the corpse had cast of they found within the graue layed vp together in one of the corners But as for hymselfe they found hym not any where at all And he sayed vnto them o fooles and slowe of herte to beleue all that the Prophetes haue spoken Ought not Christe to haue suffred these thynges to entre into his glorie And he began at Moses and all the Prophetes and enterpreted vnto them in all scriptures which were wrytten of him And they drewe nigh vnto the toune whiche they wente vnto And he made as though he would haue gon ferther And they constrayned him sayinge abyde with vs for it draweth towardes nyght and the daye is farre passed And he wente in to tary with them Whan these two disciples had by this tale tellyng simply declared howe greatly they wauered in theyr myndes howe lytle hope they were in of the Lordes promisses than Iesus in dede doeth not yet suffre hymselfe to bee knowen but like some one of Iesus disciples better enfourmed enstructed in the matter chydeth their dulnesse of capacitie rebuketh their vnbeliefe O ye hard witted felowes sayeth he vnapte to bee taught to the vnderstanding of scriptures and of an hard herte slowe to beleue so many holy sayinges of the Prophetes which they haue wrytten of Christ. Why doe these thynges nowe appere straunge vnto you when they bee wrought and doen already seeyng that the prophecies of the Prophetes dyd so many hundred yeres past tell aforehande that they should afterwarde bee doen Why doe ye not conferre and compare theyr foretellynges with the thinges that haue nowe been wrought and executed doe not the scriptures which haue by the inspiraciō of God been written teache howe that it so pleased the prouidēce of God that Christ should suffre these thynges whiche he hath suffred and should after such sorte by an vncouthe conueighaūce restore lyfe by meane of death should by meane of the crosse recouer his kyngdom through open shame of the worlde should enter into his glory This world hath it glory but it is neither true glory in dede nor yet perpetual to endure for euer And suche persons as acquire and get thesame they get it by vaine petigrewes tytles rychesse bounteous geuyng stately porte ruffleyng in the worlde yea and many tymes they get it from men whether they will or no by extorte power But Christ shall by ferre vnlyke waies and meanes recouer winne vnto him emong men his owne glory that he had before the creacion of the worlde because he will shewe vnto all mortall men by what pathway they ought stoutely to breake a passage vnto true glory that shall neuer dye Where Moses hath of this matter taught so many lessons where the Prophetes haue foretold so many thinges are ye yet stil of so grosse a minde and vnderstanding that ye looke for your Messias to be some captaihn wiche shall vsurpe vnto himselfe the kingdom of the world and entre the possessiō therof with charyottes horses elephauntes wilde asses armed hostes of men with gunnes crossebowes ingiens fyer sweorde and bloud Doe ye not yet fele the scripture to be spirituall and the power of Messias not to consiste in garrisons or fortresses by meanes of whiche the princes of this worlde doe either get into theyr handes orels enlarge their temporall kyngdomes but contrariwyse to consiste in vertue and power celestiall Why doe ye not rather serche and try out the scriptures which haue already foreshewed many thynges of Christe and conferre thesame with those thynges which Christe foreshewed of hymselfe vnto his disciples and the which haue come to effect accordyng as he had foreshewed them By that meanes it shall come to passe that neither any thyng of all these matters which haue of late be fallen shall seme vncouthe or straunge and of the thinges which he promised should afterwarde come there shall be no matter that ye will conceyue mystrust of After that the Lorde had with this lytle fitte of chidyng made them more earnest to geue better hede eare to the matter he declared vnto them all the scriptures which openly foreshewed that the thing should so come to passe in Christe which had nowe of late fortuned shewyng that there did so many prophecies figures effectes of thinges in facte cūmyng to passe so iustely accorde in time to gether that it must nedes bee on the one syde a token of a certaine exceding great dulnesse not to espie and marke the same and on the other syde of notable mystrustefulnesse not to belieue it And all his processe he begonne out of Moses and out of the Prophetes and after that gatheryng out of euery booke of holy scripture some one poynte or other which might both enforce the credite of the thinges that had to fore already happened and also purchace credite aforehand to the thinges which were afterward to come And all these places of scripture did he in such sorte conferre one with an other that the matter appered clere and euident Happy were they that euer they were borne who were thought worthy to heare that heauenly teacher with liuely voice expouning thesame thinges at large which he had afore caused to be writtē by the Prophetes hauyng the instinct of his owne holy spirite I because I am not sufficient to
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
carnall loue of weomen plucked awaye from God and drawen euen vnto idolatrie Consider ye nowe in what sorte the woordes of Nathan doe agree with the woordes of Esai Thou shalt saieth Esai be called the citie of the ryghteous man and the faithfull citie And of all meÌ„ that euer were there hath been none besides only Christe alone who myght be called purely righteous not only free from all corrupcion or infeccion of synne but also suche an one that by and through him all men are iustified and made righteous And what doeth Christe require of his seruauntes but fayth And for thesame consideracion did he call his churche which caÌ„not skill of the workes of the lawe the faithfull citie wholly altogether staighyng and trusting on him alone Whan ye heare that this citie shal be redemed in iudgement ye see the confidence and trusting on the ceremonies of the lawe to bee taken awaie For God iudgeth not man of his workes but of his fayth not of meate or drinke not of the garment or of solitarie quiete liuing but of the godlynesse of mynde And the iudgement is this that suche persones as shal beleue in Christe shall through the death thesame Christe who suffred peines and tormentes for all creatures be redemed from theyr synnes and shal be iustified through his righteousnesse yf they folowe goe the steppes of their head and captaine Ye heare nowe and knowe the spirituall citie and teÌ„ple which caÌ„not be shewed ne pointed vnto with mens fyngers as neither the kyng and workemanselfe can be poynted vnto according to the lesson here folowing which himselfe taught whaÌ„ he was heare liuing whan they shall saye Beholde here is Christe beholde yonder he is beleue ye them not The Iewes glory in the mounte of Sion whiche beareth the temple But after this there shal be a ghostly Sion bearing vp the myndes and soules of them that beleue froÌ„ the couetous desire of thynges earthly to the study of thynges celestiall of whiche the Prophete Esai prophecied vnto you saying And there shal be in the last dayes an hill prepared the house of the lorde in the top of mountaines it shall be lifted vp aboue all hilles And all nacions shall flowe vnto him there shall many peoples goe and shall saye Come ye let vs clyme vp to the mountaine of the lorde to the house of the God of Iacob and he shall teache vs his wayes we shall walke in his pathes for forth of Sion shall the lawe come and the woorde of the lorde forth of Hierusalem Dauid also doeth ofttymes make mencion of this spirituall mounte They that trust in the Lorde as the mounte of Sion shall not be moued for euer whiche dwelleth in Hierusalem And of this materiall temple of whiche the Iewes are nowe proude howe it shall shortely be cast downe euen Christe also prophecied Your house saieth he shal be leaft deserte waste vnto you And that the selfesame thyng should euen so come to passe God had before that tyme threatened vnto Salomon as ye reade in the third booke of the kynges And the temple whiche I haue poynted marked out to my name I shall cast out froÌ„ my sight Israel shal be into a prouerbe into a common talkyng stocke to all peoples this house shall be into an exaumple Euery body that passeth by it shall be astouned for woondres and shall hisse at it and shall saye wherfore hath the Lorde thus doen to thissame lande and to thissame house And they shal aunswer Because they haue forsakeÌ„ the Lorde their God For this is thatsame house the prouoker with whom God doth by his Prophetes so often tymes chyde and bralle and whiche so ferre forth fell froÌ„ their God that his only sonne they hoighced vp nayled on the crosse Yea and moreouer in stede of a people carnall and stifnecked the Prophete doeth promise a people peaceable obedient euen vnto death For in maner folowyng doeth Esai speake and they shall forge theyr swordes into plugh shares their speares into sithes and sicles One nacion shall not lift vp the sworde against an other nacion neither shall they any ferther forth be exercised to fightyng in battayle Ye house of Iacob come ye and lette vs walke in the light of our God Are not these woordes consonaunt and agreable to the woordes of Christe in whiche he promised that he would of the very stones reiâ—e vp children vnto Abraham and whan he called himselfe the lyght of the worlde whom whoso folowed should not walke in derknesse whan he cast at them this saying of the Prophete Esai This people honoureth me with their lippes but their herte is ferre from me And as for a newe people he promiseth vnto hymselfe by the Prophete Oseas a people not makyng vauntes and braggues of theyr workes but acknowlageyng the mercy of God And it shall be in a place where it shall be saied vnto theÌ„ Ye are none of my people it shal be saied vnto theÌ„ the children of the liuing God And again And I shall haue mercy on the same people whiche was destitute of mercy signifying the people of the Gentiles who wheras it hath hitherto serued idolles shal shortly receiue the doctrine of the ghospell which the Iewes hath refused forsaken of whom the Psalmiste Dauid also hath prophecied tofore A people whom I knewe not hath serued me in hearing of the eare hath it obeied me Did not the woordes of Christe agree with this prophecie whaÌ„ he saied I haue other shepe too which are not of this folde euen them also must I nedes bryng home Forsouth the priesthood and the kyngdome restored and made newe again dooeth make all thinges newe And as for a newe priest the holy writte of the Prophetes had promised aforehande For the misticall psalme renneth in manier and forme folowyng The Lorde hath sworne and it shall not forthynke hym thou art a prieste for euermore after the ordre of Melchisedec Melchisedec beeyng bothe a priest and a kyng the priest of the highest god for he was not instituted by the lawe and the kyng of Salem that is to saye the kyng of peace signified Christe who neither hath had begynning ne neuer shal haue endyng Thissame Christ not through the bloud of calfes or of goates but through his owne bloude entreth into the high holy place to make intercessioÌ„ for the synnes of all the whole worlde And this sacrifice he executed in the altare of the crosse offreyng himself a moste pure sacrifice vnto God the father Suche a prieste certes had god long agon promised vnto Helias whan he was readie to dye I shall sayeth he reise vp vnto my selfe a feithfull prieste who shall doe after myne owne herte and after myne owne mynde and I shall builde vp vnto him a feithfull house and he shall walke before myne enoynted people al dayes for euer And veraily this is
call againe the lyfe after it was once past as to kepe thesame in the body when it was ready to go out therof Therfore Iesus without rebuking the rulers fayth sheweth by the dede it selfe that he can doe much more then the ruler trusted that he could doe I nede not sayth he for this cause go to Capernaum Go thy waie thy sonne whom thou diddest leaue at the poynte of death is now aliue and in helth The rulers faith was somewhat stayed by this saying for he trusting to Iesus woorde maketh haste homewarde And as he was goyng thyther his seruauntes mette with hym to bryng the father good tidinges of his childe that is to saye that he whiche was a litle before at poynte of death was sodeinly recouered that he should not trouble Iesus of whose helpe they had no nede for they supposed that the childe had recouered his health but by hap as men that were ignoraūt what was doen betwene the ruler and Iesus In this poynt verily the rulers lacke of full trust being mixte with some hope caused the miracle to be better beleued For the ruler desirouse to knowe the trueth certaynly whether his sonne was restored to helth againe by chaunce or by the power of Iesu enquired of his seruaūtes at what houre his sonne began to amend Yesterday say they at the seuenth houre that was about one of the clocke at after none the feuer sodeinly lefte hym and byanby your sonne was whole The father knewe that euen at that very houre Iesus sayed vnto hym go home thy sonne lyueth and than he was well assured that his sonne was reuiued not by chaunce but through the power of Iesus And though this miracle was wrought vpon an heathen man yet muche fruite came therof for not only the ruler himselfe beleued that Christ was Messias but also by his perswasiō and exaumple his whole housholde beleued thesame which must nedes haue muche people in it considering that he was ryche and a manne of high autoritie wheras Iesus after he had wrought many miracles amongst his owne countreymē and kinsfolkes had muche a doe to wyn a fewe to the gospell This is the second miracle that Iesus wrought when he was come out of Iewry into Galile to the entent that he myght confirme agayne the former miracle whiche he had wrought in Cana with doyng an other that was greater then it and by the example of a prophane and heathen manne might prouoke his owne countreymen vnto fayth and did euen than by that occasion as it were pronosticate and signifie bothe that the Iewes should be repelled for theyr incredulitie and the Gentiles through faith receyued to the grace of the ghospell ¶ The .v. Chapter ¶ After this was there a feast daye of the Iewes and Iesus went vp to Ierusalem And there is at Ierusalem by the slaughter house a poole which is called in the Hebrue toungue Bethsaida hauing fyue porches in which lay a great multitude of sicke folke of blynd halt and withered waiting for the mouyng of the water for an Angell wente downe at a certain season into the poole and stired the water whosoeuer then first after the stirring of the water stepped in was made whole whatsoeuer disease he had AFter that Iesus had in this wyse begunne his matters among the Samaritanes and the people of Galile he goeth again to Ierusalem euen about the feast of Penthechost intendyng there by reason of the great resorte of people to declare setforth his autoritie to many and to reproue the Phariseis of their infidelitie whiche swelled in pryde through false perswasion of holines and knowledge whom nowe the Samaritanes heathen did so muche excell At Ierusalm verily there was a poole or a certayne depe lake of water whiche the Grekes calleth probatica takyng that name of cattell because the priestes were wonte there to washe the sacrifices that were to be offered and of a lyke reason it is called in Hebrue Bethsaida as a mā would say a slaughter house or an house of cattel This lake hath fiue porches ouer it In these porches lay a great numbre of men that were sicke of diuerse bodily diseases and besydes that there was a great multitude of folkes that were blynde that halted and were lame abiding and lokyng for the mouyng of the water for the Angell of the Lorde went downe at certaine times into the poole and therwithall the water was moued who so than after the Angell had stiered the water stepped first into the poole he was made whole were he sicke or whatsoeuer bodily mayme he had And euen at that tyme was this a figure of baptisme wherby the filthines and diseases of our soules be they neuer so deadly are washed away at once so often as the office of the baptiser Gods operacion from aboue be concurrant with the element of the water There is no doubte but by this occasion muche people at that time were in that place either of such as were gathered together there to beholde and see what was doen or els of them whiche dyd attende vpon the sicke folkes that lay in the fyue porches And a certayne man was there whiche had been diseased .xxxviii. yere when Iesus sawe hym lye and knewe that he nowe long time had been diseased he sayeth vnto hym wylt thou be made whole The sicke man aunswered him Syr I haue no man when the water is troubled to put me into the poole but in the meane time while I am aboute to come an other steppeth downe before me Iesus sayeth vnto him ryse take vp thy bedde and walke And immediately the man was made whole and toke vp his bed and walked And because the miracle myght be the more notable Iesus did chose out from among all the sicke folke one whiche was of them all furthest frō hope of recouery whose disease was dangerouse and almoste incurable and had also holden hym a long tyme finally the saied manne moste of all lacked the helpe and succour of other men was so poore that he was not able to prouide any man by whom he might at due tyme be caryed downe into the water Nor any one of the multitude was cured but only he whose chaūce was first to goe downe into the water This mans great misery must nedes setforth the greatnes of the miracle and thesame mans faith helped muche to the example of other For the palsie had vexed him .xxx. yeres together to teache vs that there is no disease of the soule so deadly and of so long cōtinuaunce but that baptisme and faith in Iesu may easily take it awaye Therfore when that moste mercifull Iesus had beholden this sicke mā of the palsey whom euery body pitied lying withall his membres looce shakyng by reason of that disease also perceyued that sickenes so muche the more to be dispayred of for that it had holden already the miserable creature thirtie yeres together
yet was he the more knowen through the fame of the late doen miracle it was not vnknowen abrode that Iesus was at Bethania And an on verie many came thither out of the citie thicke and threfolde partely to see Iesus whose fame and renowne the myracle that was so notable dyd muche encrease partly also they came to see Lazarus whom they hearde to be raysed from death to lyfe The curiositie that is naturally geuen to man caused them thus to doe Moreouer enuy and despite against Iesus had so blinded the myndes of the priestes and the Phariseis that it did not suffice their malice to put Iesus to death but they fel in deuice also howe to make Lazarus away against whom they coulde lay no colour or likelyhood of any fault They had cast out of theyr Synagogue the blinde man because he did boldly defende Iesus glory among thē nowe their enuy was growen to suche malice that they were in mynde to kyll Lazarus a mā of great estimacion and power of whom they were neuer by any woorde or dede prouoked and offended and against whom they coulde not imagine any thing and kill him would they for nothing els but because many Iewes being moued with so manifest a myracle did fall awaye from the Phariseis conspiracie and beleued in Iesus On the nexte daye muche people that were come to the feast when they heard that Iesus should come to Ierusalem toke branches of palme trees and went forth to mete him and cried Hosanna blissed is he that in the name of the Lorde cummeth kyng of Israel And Iesus got a yong asse and sat theron as it is written feare not daughter of Sion beholde thy kyng cummeth sittyng on an asses coite But the daye folowyng when as a great route of men which were assembled at Ierusalē because of the feastfull day had knowledge that he would leaue Bethania and come to Ierusalem to doe him honor came they to mete him with branches cut of from the palme trees wherwith they strawed the waie that he should goe by For of this tree were theyr garlandes made that gate victorie and it was a tree perteyning to triumphes alwaie grene long and hye hard to be climed vpon but of a pleasante swete frute and by a certayne peculiar power of nature it riseth vp againste the weight and burden that is layed vpon it And that saying whiche is written in the Psalmes Osanna prayse and honor be to him that being loked for of vs cummeth in the name of the Lorde was cried vp aloude like as the people is wonte to publishe and witnes a common ioy Iesus also euer before this tyme bearyng a full lowe sayle and a contemner of worldely glory was than contente to come to Ierusalē with a newe solemne portely shewe For after he had gotten vnto him an asse he rode vpō her wheras before he was wount to walke his iourneyes on foote partly to teache his howe vaine is the honor of this worlde partly to ratifie that whiche Esay prophecied of him for it is written Feare not daughter of Sion beholde thy kyng cummeth to thee meke gentle sitting vpon the colte of an asse Suche a pompe certainly becummeth well the kyng of the spirituall Ierusalem whiche is the churche ¶ These thinges vnderstode not his disciples at the first but whan Iesus was glorified then remembred they that suche thynges were written of hym and that suche thynges they had doen vnto him The people that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his graue and raysed him from death bare recorde Therfore mette him the people also because they hearde that he had doen suche a miracle The apostles verily at that season vnderstode not these thinges supposyng thē to be doen by casualtie but after that Iesus through death through his resurreccion by sending downe the holy gost was glorified than cōferring the thing that was doen with the wordes of the Prophetes they wel perceiued that the wordes whiche the people cried out a loude also the thing that he thus cummyng did was written of hym For there were some whiche loked for suche a kyng as worldly kinges be Christes pleasure was to haue those mens expectacion decided declaring that the kyngdome of the ghospell doeth not consist and stande in the aide and defenses of this worlde but in mekenes and heauenly doctryne This great and notable affeccion that was in the people came of those mens stirryng and prouocacion which had of late been presente a litle before at Bethania when the Lord raysed Lazarus out of his graue and so they made relacion of that thyng whiche they sawe with theyr iyes to other And therof came it that suche a preace of people came foorth to mete Iesus because they had learned of them that sawe it how that this wonderous miracle suche one as had neuer been hearde of since the beginnyng of the worlde was wrought by hym And accordyng as the thyng broughte with it in open apparaunce a certain godly power so had he suche honour geuen vnto him as was neuer geuen to any prophete The pharisees therfore sayed among themselues perceyue ye howe we preuayle nothyng Beholde al the whole world goeth after him There were certayne Grekes amonges them that came to wurship at the feast thesame came therfore to Philip whiche was of Bethsaida a citie in Galile and desired him saying Sir we woulde faine see Iesus Philip came and tolde Andrewe And agayne Andrewe and Philip tolde Iesus That thing droue the myndes of the priestes and phariseis almost into desperacion neyther do they repent them of theyr wicked enterprise but there was a spitefull mutteryng emong them and they sayed ye perceiue that with all our crafty policies and deuices against him we go nothyng forwarde in oure purpose but the more we do resist the more doeth his autoritie florishe the more earnestly doeth the people fauour hym Before this he had but fewe disciples beholde nowe the whole world falleth from vs to hym in somuche that nowe it is sumwhat daungerous for vs openly to arest him The vngraciouse phariseis had this communicacion to thintent thei might thereby stirre and prouoke eche one another to set on and sodainly to come vpon the lord Iesus with more succour and greater guiles wherfore thei did not atchieue and accomplishe this mischieuous acte before they had the graund consent of the Phariseis the scribes the priestes and the auncient rewlers the people also as in dede theyr mynde is vnconstant beyng inflamed with thesame fury and wicked mynde yea and with Pilate the viceroyes auctoritie neyther yet withoute deceytfull craft brought in withall by Iudas the traytour The people notwithstanding did that tyme so fauour Iesus that the Gentiles also whiche for religion sake came to Ierusalem there to praye muche desired to see Iesus The reuerence of that temple was so great that out of farre countreies many went thither of deuocion to serue god and for
presente my selfe vnto you aliue for this kynde of deathe shall not alienate vs in sundre nor kepe me out of youre syghte for I shall liue agayne yea after that I bee deade and I shall not onelye liue but there withall bryng to you lyfe euerlastyng and notwithstandyng the tyme of myne absence I beeyng alyue shall fynde you aliue and I will so spende my life for you that you shall be in health and safegarde Then shall you vnderstande more fully that as nothyng can pull my father from me nor me from my father so am I bothe to you and you agayne to me ioyned by mutuall charitie together that death can not disioyne vs let your onely care be that by youre owne faulte ye bee not vncoupled and let lewse The obseruyng of my commaundementes shal try true charytie nor he loueth not in herte that neglecteth the preceptes of his Lorde It is not sufficiente to haue accepted my commaundementes vnlesse a manne retayne them in mynde Nor it is not inoughe to remembre theym excepte they bee kept he that doth accomplishe and kepe these is he that truelye loueth me For to bee tormented in mynde for my departure is no proufe of veraye trewe loue I that truely do loue my father do kepe all his commaundementes and will kepe theym vnto death of the crosse And there is no cause why my commaundementes of sufferyng iniurye pacientelye of beatyng the crosse quietely shoulde muche putte you in feare as seuere and grieuous commaundementes and why for charitie shall sweten and make them all easie and there shall not lacke coumforte at my hande for surely whoso loueth me he shal be bothe loued of my father and I also wyll loue hym and neuer leaue him succourlesse but will see hym againe and will openlye shewe my selfe vnto hym to bee looked vpon to make it more certain that I doe not vtterly perishe by suffryng deathe of the crosse Nowe I geue my selfe to bee seen of all folke but than no manne shall see me excepte he abyde constantly in frendeshyppe Of trueth our Lorde Iesus spake these thynges sumwhat darkelye not onely signifiyng that he beeyng reuiued agayne would often after his death come among his frendes to bee seen but that he would also by the holy ghoste his spirite secretely place and wynde himselfe into theyr myndes and that finally he woulde come in the glorye of his father in the open sight of all folke ¶ Iudas saieth vnto him not Iudas Iscarioth lorde what is done that thou will shewe thy selfe vnto vs and not vnto the worlde Iesus aunswered and said if a manne loue me he will kepe my saiynges and my father will loue him and we will come vnto hym and dwell with him He that loueth me not kepeth not my sayinges And the worde which ye heare is not mine but the fathers whiche sent me These thinges haue I spoken vnto you beyng yet present with you but the comforter whithe is the holy ghost whome my father will send in my name he shall teache you al thinges and bring all thinges to your remembraunce whatsoeuer I haue sayed vnto you Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you Not as the worlde geueth geue I vnto you Let not your hettes be greued neyther feare ye haue hearde how I sayd vnto you I goe and I come againe vnto you If ye â—haâ—â— me ye woulde verely reioyce because I sayd I goe vnto the father For the father is greater than I. Now than where as Iudas not he verely that is called Iscarioth which was absente at this sermon but the other Iudas whose surname was Lebbeus did not fully vnderstande our lordes saiyng but beyng throughe sorowe and feare very sore troubled dyd suppose that our Lorde shoulde in suche wyse appeare to his frendes as terrible spirites phantastical sightes shewe themselfes many tymes in the darkenesse of the nyght or as certain visions appeare in dreames rather to the feare of men then to mennes coumforte This Iudas therfore saith Lorde what hath chaunced that when now thou maieste be seen of all folke thou shalte not than appeare to the worlde but onely to vs And howe canste thou be one that may be seen of vs yf thou be such one as other cannot see But Iesus because he knewe that his disciples were not yet able to vnderstande the misterie howe that the same bodye whiche hadde been deade and buiried but nowe made spirituall and hable to dooe as it lyste shoulde ryse agayne Iesus I saye knowyng this dyd not playnely answere to the thyng that was asked but turned his saiyng to that thyng whiche was more necessarye to bee imprinted in theyr heartes whereby they shoulde nowe bee prepared spirituallye to haue his presence for as muche as that presence whiche shoulde bee exibited vnto theim after his resurreccion coulde not long endure with theim Therefore Iesus sayed I will not presente my selfe to the worlde because it loueth me not neyther dothe it kepe my commaundementes If one loue me truely he wyll not testifie his loue with sorowe but by kepyng my commaundementes and hym wyll I loue semblablye and whome I shall loue hym wyll my father loue and we shall neuer bee pulled awaye from hym nor I wyll not onelye see hym agayne that hath my commaundementes in remembraunce but there withall my father and I wyll by the spirite whiche is common to vs both come vnto hym and we will not only come forthwith to departe againe but we will dwell with him and neuer go away from him That which is doen after the spirite is both perpetuall and effectuall bodilye ioynyng together muste nedes haue an ende euen for because ye shoulde sette at naught transitorye thynges and inure your selfes to loue eternall thinges and where ye as yet cannot come to vs we will come to you inuisible but effectually to dwell in the temple of your hertes We be three in deede but so ioyned and conuerte together that he whiche loueth one muste loue all and he that hath one of vs lacketh none of vs. Only on your behalfe let charitie be presente and that couenaunte kepte whiche I made with you of late That shal so couple you and vs together that neyther life nor deathe can vncouple vs. If membres maie bee disseuered from the heade we maie be disseuered There bee many whiche boaste themselfes to loue God the father and seme to obserue the commaundementes of the lawe but none dooeth truelye loue God yf he hatâ— and contemne his soonne and he verelye contemneth the soonne whosoeuer kepeth not my commaundemente whosoeuer neglecteth my preceptes he neglecteth withall the preceptes of God for in good sooth the thyng that I haue taught you is not so my peculiar doctrine that the same is not my fathers but is rather my fathers than myne from whome cummeth whatsoeuer I can or doe teache doyng nothyng but by his autoritie from whome I was sente into the worlde to teache these matters whiche
becummeth not you to be ignoraunt of my fathers wyll verely I shall than speake vnto you whishtlie and without wordes but I shall speake assured and manifeste thinges if so bee ye aske them yea and than also the holy ghoste shall incense you what to aske and howe to aske in my name whiche in case ye so do surely though it were a great matter and a thing of difficultie yet shall the father for my sake not deny it you askyng it And I doe not nowe speake this as if ye shall obtaine your requeste by my mediacion in suche sorte as men doe sumtime at a kinges hande that is but a maÌ„ obtaine their requeste at the desyre and suite of sum one that is in fauour with the kyng whiche peticion the kyng woulde not els haue graunted but that he was content to geue it for his sake whiche did commende set forward the suters supplicacion but as for my father althoughe he loueth to bee asked of by his sonne by whome his will hath beene to graunte all thynges to menne yet that notwithstandynge he wyll otherwise consente to your desyres not onlye for the loue that he beareth towardes his sonne but whiche he hath also towardes you for he loueth not his sonne so that he loueth not you but whomsoeuer the sonne loueth those the father loueth also Therefore he loueth you not for your workes sake but for that ye loue me semblablie and beleue that I am cum out from hym for this is to loue the father euen to loue his sone and to beleue the father is euen to beleue the sonne He of trueth dooeth not beleue whiche denyeth the sonne to haue cum from the father and not to haue sayed and doen all thyng euen by the fathers auctoritie I was already with the father before I came into the worlde euen for to cary you vp takyng vnto me this mortall body that ye se but for your cause came I into the worlde euen for to cary you vp into heauen Now than the thynges beyng once doâ—n whiche the father gaue me in commaundemente I doe euen for your sake leaue the world as touchyng bodily presence and returne again vnto the father and truely whatsoeuer is or shal be doen here it is and shall bee doen to bryng you to saluacion ¶ His disciples sayed vnto hym lo nowe â—alkeste thou plainly and speakeste no prouerbe Nowe are we sure that thou knowest all thynges and nedest not shal any man should aske the any question Therfore beleue we that thou camest from god Iesus aunswered them Nowe ye do beleue beholde the houre draweth nye and is already cum â–ª that ye shal be scattered euery maÌ„ to his owne and shall leaue me alone And yet am I not alone for the father is with me These wordes haue I spoken vnto you that in me ye mighte haue peace For in the worlde shall ye haue tribulacion but be of good there I haue ouercum the world The disciples beynge boldened with these sayinges begunne sumwhat to stande in their owne conceite and as though they had of theyr owne strength beene able to abide and heare their lordes death that was at hande they answere on this wyse loke saye they euen now at this present doest thou fullfill the selfe thynge whiche thou promisedâ—t afterwarde to doe for nowe withoute any darkenes of parables thou speakeste plainly out what thou wilte do neyther nedeth it to aske the any further question For thou knoweste all thynges and with thy good wordes hast deliuered our hertes from sorowe so that we nede no further communicacion why we nothinge doubte but that through hope of thy ioye to come wee shall boldly and paciently suffre the thynge that is imminent and cumming towardes vs and we do therfore finallye and verily beleue that thou art cum out from god because thou seest throughly the very botome and secrecie of our hertes And than the Lord Iesus whose maner was euery where sharply to controll and restraine whatsoeuer humayne and worldely arrogancie ambicion or selfe affiance he perceiued to arise in his discyples heartes that they mighte plainely learne to distruste their owne strength and vertue whereby they myghte dooe nothyng and wholly to depende vpon the hande of God the father The Lorde Iesus I saye dyd thus abate and acoole that arrogancie whiche was suche that thoughe they yet vnderstoode not what he sayed thoughe they had no true belefe and as yet were not meete for the stormes that wer cummyng vpon theÌ„ for all that they tooke on hande the thing that was to be asked of God by prayer And he aunswereth them after this sorte What dooe I heare the thynge whyche I promyse to geue you hereafter whan ye shal be made stronge and be staied by my doctrine and by the inspiracion of the holy ghost ye now proudely take on hande before due time as if ye might do at least sumwhat by the helpe and assistence of maÌ„s owne power and vertue when as rather the tyme is full nyghe that ye shall declare howe strengthelesse yeare of your selfes For ye shall not onely bee vnable to go through the instante tempeste but leauing me alone in the handes of the sergeauntes catchpolles whiche shall violently draw me to the deathe of the crosse ye shall run awaye eche one a â—ere waye through feare so amased that ye shall not one beare cuÌ„pany with another to your succoure and comforte whyles euery one shall feare other leste by any others telling he mighte be bewrayed and come in daunger albeit in dede I nede not your aide and helpe I shall of trueth be forsaken of all my frendes but yet shall I not be desolate because the father shall neuer leaue me Therefore I do speake these thynges vnto you that distrusting your owne strength ye maye reste and staye your selfe in me The worlde shall make greate commocioÌ„ and fiercely rise againste you as it doeth agaynst me but bee bolde and shrynke not remeÌ„bryng that I haue conquered the worlde ye shall take exaumple at me and shall trust to be holpen by me ye shall also haue victorie but through me beyng of youre owne nature very weake and yet when tyme and occasion shall require ye shal be throughe my spirite stronge and vnuanquished The .xvii. Chapter ¶ There wordes spake Iesus and lift vp his iyes to heauen and sayen father the houre iâ— cum â–ª glorifie thy sonne that thy sonne also may glorifie the. As thou haâ—â— geueÌ„ him power ouer all 〈◊〉 that he should geue eternall lyfe to as many as thou hast geuen him This is life eternall that they might know thee the only true god and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sente AFter that Iesus had with this kynde of talke partelye comforted his disciples and partely taughte them and geuen them also instruccion againste the daungerouse storme that was imminence and cumming vpon theim than for so muche as he had by woorde of mouthe aduertised
ignoraunt that Iudas woulde come thither with a bande of harueysed men to attache hym because Iudas that betrayed hym knewe full well that our Lorde Iesus was wonte often to gette hymselfe Secretely thither late in the night with his disciples to praye They tooke the night tyme for this cause leste the company that Iesus had with him shoulde make resistence and let them to take hym For Iudas that was of a disciple become a traytoure and of a cumpanion to hym that was a redemer made a capitaine of theuishe souldiers came into the gardeyne where the lorde beyng with his disciples prayed with the bād of men whiche he had taken vnto hym by the appoyntmente of the Bishoppes and Phariseis with whome he had couenaunted to betraye Iesus and bryng hym into theyr handes And verily they brought with them fierbrandes and lanternes by meanes whereof he might be discerned and knowen in the night Nor they came not withoute sweardes and staues agaynste the force and violence of Christes disciples yf percase any would haue profered to defende their lorde Howbeit Iesus knowyng all thynges that were wroughte and dooen agaynst him to teache playnly that hymselfe wittingly and willingly did suffer al that he suffered not tarying for theyr cumming went forward to mete them as they were cumming towardes him and of his owne mynde vnforced asked them whom they sought leste for lacke of knowledge they myght haue layed handes vpon some of his disciples And when they had answered hym Iesus of Nazareth he sayed boldely vnto them I am very he whom ye seke There was then also Iudas Iscarioth present and his bande of mē with him whiche Iudas had a litle before betrayed Iesus with a kysse vnder a false pretended frendeship ere the Lord had spoken these woordes Yet did Iesus neither in the meane time bewray him of whom he was betrayed nor spake any rough rebukefull woordes against the souldiers that were hyred to attache him because he would styll euen tyll all were fully ended shewe his disciples exaumple of gentlenesse and modeste mekenesse But as soone as Iesus had sayed vnto them I am he the bande of men beyng soore afrayed went backwardes and fell to the grounde not able to sustayne and abyde the violence of the Lordes voice Then asked he them agayne whom seke ye They sayed Iesus of Nazareth Iesus answered I haue tolde you that I am he If ye seke me therfore let these goe their way that the saying might be fulfilled which he spake of them whiche thou gauest me haue I not lost one After that they were come to themselfes againe and made ready to set vpon Iesus the secound time the Lord asked them once againe whom they did seke And when they had nowe answered as before saying they sought Iesus of Nazareth he made them a lyke bolde answer as he had doen before and sayed I toulde you euen very nowe that I am thesame manne ye looke for And if ye seke me I do lycence you to medle only with me suffer ye therfore these to go theyr waye against whom I geue you no interest at this present The cause why Iesus did thus was to declare by a manifest tokē that he could not haue been apprehended except he had permitted himselfe to be taken in that he had once with one woorde put backe and cast downe to the grounde both a desperate and an armed multitude of souldiers and Iudas selfe too that shameles traitour Moreouer lyke as he gaue thē leaue to take himselfe so on the other syde he restrayned them from hauyng power ouer his disciples because he had tolde beforehande that the fiercenesse of that storme should for that presente time light vpon his owne head alone and as for the rest although they were somewhat ouerthrowen deiect yet should they be safe without hurte vntill he should see them agayne herein declaring hymselfe to play the parte of a good shepeherde which redemeth the health of his flocke with the losse of his owne life Then Symon Peter hauing a swerde drewe it and smote the hye priestes seruaunt and cut of his right eare The seruauntes name was Malchus Therfore Iesus sayeth vnto Peter Put vp thy swerde into thy sheathe shall not I drinke of the cup which my father hath geuen me Then the cumpany and the captayne and ministers of the Iewes tooke Iesus bounde hym and led hym away to Aunas firste for he was father in lawe to Cayphas whiche was the hye priest thesame yere Cayphas was he whiche gaue councell to the Iewes that it was expedient that one man should dye for the people Nowe then Symon Peter whiche bore a notable ardente loue towardes his Lord because he had made a great braggue of himselfe no lesse then that he would be content to dye to saue his Lordes lyfe seing the armed band of men to lay hand vpon Iesus forgat what the Lorde had sayed vnto hym And so beyng in a sodayne rage drewe out a swerde not tarying to bee commaunded of his Lorde to doe it stroke the Byshops seruaunt whose name was Malchus but the stroke light not as he would haue had it he onely stroke of the felowes right eare euen accordyng as the Lorde did staye his hande to the entent he should geue but a small wounde Howbeit Iesus did forthwith of his owne gentlenesse heale the man againe And in dede the Lorde suffered him that should be a ruler of his churche to fall of a godly zeale truely into this errour for that he might afterward more surely and more effectuously put awaye all desire to doe vengeaunce and shake of altogether priuate reuenging and vse of weapons since he had once rebuked him whiche as yet hauing no contrary commaundement did of very deuocion and of a godly affeccion goe aboute to defende his moste vertuouse godly Lorde against the wicked So then Iesus verily put awaye by his diuine power the force of the men of warre from Peter but yet withall he chideth Peter as a disciple when he seeth hym hotely set to fyght out the matter and sayth Peter what doest thou Hast thou forgotten what thou hast heard of late whiles thou diddest exhorte me not to dye that is to witte howe thou wast called Satan and commaunded to folowe behynde To what purpose is thy swerde drawen because thou wouldest hynder my death whiche I goe to suffer willingly and apoynted so to doe by my father It becummeth the to folowe and not to repell my crosse Therfore put thy swerde into thy sheath Matters of the ghospel are not so to be defended It thou wilt succede me as my vicar thou must fight with no other swerd than of Gods woorde whiche cutteth away sinnes and saueth the men Shal not I drinke of this cuppe of death whiche my father hath geuen me to drinke How shall it come to passe all we to be one according as I prayed to my father excepte that like as I doe obey
them Children haue ye any meate They aunswered him no. And he saieth vnto them Cast out the net on the right hande and ye shal fynde Nowe than because they lacked theyr Lordes helpe by whom they were woonte to be fedde of the mere fre bounteousnes of frendes Peter wente in hande againe with his olde facultie to get his lyuinge with his owne handes lest he should be burdenouse to any man or to be fed by any others lyberalitie in idlenesse For then he might not preache and he thoughte it was no right that he whiche serued not the ghospell should lyue of the ghospell Therfore in the twie lyght because they shoulde haue goen abrode vpon theyr peryll in the daye Peter saieth I go a fishyng The reste than saied vnto him We also wyll go a fishing with the. And so goyng foorth a doores togetherwarde they entred into the shippe And they fished all that night in vayne For they gaâ—e neuer one fishe to the intente that waye shoulde be made for a miracle and therwith as in a misterie to be signified that the labour of an Euangelist is all in vayne vnles Christe do prosper the mannes endeuour But now when it waxed daye Iesus stoode on the shore but the dysciples knewe not it was he partely for the distaunce that was betwene him them and partely because it was scant daye also partely because the Lorde woulde not furthwith be knowen Therfore Iesus spake vnto them from the shore saying Children haue ye any meate They than forasmuche as they knewe not the Lorde by his voyce but supposed him to be some other manne whiche came to the sea to bye fyshe made aunswere that they had none that they could selle him because they had taken nothing Iesus than to declare litle and lytle who he was sayed vnto them Caste out the nette on the righte syde of the shyppe and ye shall fynde that ye coulde not hytherto They caste out their nette and anon they were not hable to drawe it for the multitude of fishes Then sayed the disciple whom Iesus loued vnto Peter It is the Lord. WheÌ„ Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord he girded his coate vnto him for he was naked and sprang into the sea The other disciples came by shyppe for they wer not farre from lande but as it were two hundred cubites and they drew the nette with fishes They dyd as he bad them for through werynesse of their vaine laboure and of a great desire to take some fyshe they conceiued some hope byanby so great a multitude of fyshes was taken that the net was laden withall and coulde vâ—neth be drawen vp to the boate And wete ye well this was euen a resemblaunce of the multitude of men whiche afterwarde by the preachynge of the apostles should be brought and ioyned to the churche out of the whole world of what language or countrey soeuer they were By the noueltie of the thing that disciple whome Iesus loued was moued to be more attentyfe and to marke the thing and so knewe Iesus And incontinently aduertysed Peter who was altogether busye aboute drawynge vp the nette that it was the Lorde whiche standyng on the shore commaunded to looce and caste oute the nette Peter beyng alway one man and lyke himselfe did forget both the nette and the fishe and toke his shyrte for before he was naked and coulde not abyde but sprang into the sea and so came he first of all to the Lord. The other disciples came to him by shyp for they were not very farre of the shore but as it were two hundred cubites and they altogetherward drewe the nette full and laden with fyshe Assone as they were come to lande they sawe hotte coales and fishe layde theron and breade Iesus saieth vnto them bryng of the fyshe whiche ye haue now caught Symon Peter went vp and drewe the nette to landeful of great fyshes an hundred and thre and fiftie And for all there were so many yet was not the nette broken And when they wer come to lande they sawe vpon the bancke hotte coales and fishe layed theron and breade withall Therfore Iesus commaunded theÌ„ also to bryng of their fyshes whiche they now caught Than Peter returned againe to the shippe and drewe the nette to land full of great fishes in noumbre an hundred and thre and fyftie This also made it seme the greater a myracle that when there was so great a multitude and that of great fishes yet was not the nette broken in sundre with the weight therof The thynge dyd represent the humble churche and as to the worlde weake and narrowe yet suche a thing as shall embrace all the nacions of the worlde the Lorde Iesus beyng the head and chefe gouernour therof Iesus saieth vnto them come and dyne And none of the disciples durste aske hym what art thou for they knewe that it was the Lord. Iesus than came and tooke breade and gaue them fyshe lykewyse This is now the third tyme that Iesus appered to his disciples after that he was raysed againe froÌ„ death So wheÌ„ they had dyned Iesus saieth vnto Symon Peter Symon Ioanna louest thou me more than these He sayed vnto hym Yea Lord thou knowest that I loue thee He sayeth vnto hym Feede my lambes Furthermore to shewe a more certeintie that he was verye manne and no ghoste he therfore approuyng the veritie of his body by beyng sene with meÌ„s iyes heard with their eares and handled with handes would also eate meate with them He therfore inuited his disciples to the dyner which was there ready for theÌ„ The disciples sate downe but all whus ht and spake no wordes for the maiestie of the immortall bodye toke from them their accustomed boldnes In dede they knewe hym to be the Lorde but nowe he appeared after a more high and gloriouse sorte as one of great noblenesse and excellencie Therfore none durste aske hym who arte thou and yet of the very thynge it selfe they knewe hym to be the Lorde although the shewe and semblaunce of his bodye was chauÌ„ged Iesus therfore came to the feast and as his maner was brake bread with his owne handes and gaue it to them and fishe likewise by exauÌ„ple and dede teaching his whome he had specially chosen to bee shepeherdes of the churche to fede his euangelicall flocke with holy doctrine But yet suche as hymselfe had taught them And this is now the thirde time that Iesus appeared certayne spaces betwene to his disciples for he was not in theyr company continually After dyner was doen the lorde Iesus in maner declaryng by worde of mouthe the thyng whiche in his facte he signified committed his shepe to Peter that he should feede theÌ„ but he first thrise required loue of him to the entent he mighte powre into the mindes of his disciples that no man is a fitte shepeherde of an euangelicall flocke excepte he whiche beareth suche loue towardes them that he is put in truste withall
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
made a benche or a fourme to sit on whiche thinge is not onelye nothyng lyke god who hath no body but also besydes the outward shape of the body hath nothyng lyke a manne no not one iote of that parte whereby manne is lyke vnto god ¶ And the tyme of this ignoraunce God regarded not But nowe byddeth all men euery where repent because he hath appoynted a day in the which he will iudge the worlde with rightwisenes by that man by whoÌ„ he had appoynted and hath offered faith to all men after that he had raysed hym from death Whiche reprochefull iniury though it be haynous before God yet he of his greate fauoure and loue that he beareth to man hath not reuenged himselfe but hytherto hath wynked at mans ignoraunce vntyll the tyme was cumme that he had determyned to open hymselfe to all men and to caste cleane awaye all darke and blynde errours which menne haue so long bene conuersaunt in Whiche tyme is now present wherin he monisheth all meÌ„ to leaue their old errours and turne to him For hys wyl is that those that repent shal haue forgiuenesse whiche they that wil be stubberne shal not in time to cuÌ„ haue for because he hath appoynted a daye whan he will iudge the whole worlde and that with a iuste and streight iudgement which no man shal escape And therfore he sendeth his messangers to warne men lest any man myght pretende ygnoraunce in these thinges for his excuse profereth remyssion of synne to them that wil repent lest any should say that god were not merciful For both these purposes chose he Iesus of Nazareth an excellent person whom he sente into the worlde for this cause that al men by his meanes might be conuerted to wurshyp the true god and hathe geuen him power to iudge the vnfaythfull and such that wyll resyste thys doctrine And this is he whome he promysed by the mouthes of his prophetes many yeres past that he shoulde cum to bee bothe a saluiour and also a iudge And loke what he promised he hath hitherto perfourmed very certainly For he was so borne so taught eueÌ„ so troubled with vexacioÌ„ and so slayne and in conclusion so arose he frome deathe to lyfe as it was before prophecied that he shoulde And there is no doubte but that he will as surelye perfourme all other thinges that remayne behynde ¶ Whan they heard of the resurreccion from death sum mocked and other sayd we wil heare yâ— agayne of this matter And so Paul departed froÌ„ among theÌ„ Howbeit certaine men cleued vnto him and beleued among the which was Dionisius a Senatour a woman named Damaris and other with them Whyles Paul spake these woordes certayne that stoode by gyuyng good eare to all other thynges that were spoken whan they had hearde mencion made of arysyng from death to life they mocked at it as an vnlyke thing and a thyng that were not to be beleued because that no Philosopher had holden any suche opinion before though there were summe whiche sayed that the soules remayned on lyue after the death of the body and sum other also whych sayed that the soules entred out of one bodye into an other But others that were not of so rashe a iudgement sayed We wyl heare the agayne an other tyme of this same matter And in this maner Paule dimissed that coumpany Yet sum ther wer among them that wer perswaded and ioyned themselues with Paule emong whom was Dionisius a Senatour which afterward was bishop at Athens instituted by Paule a certayne woman whose name was Damatis and besydes these dyuerse others The .xviii. Chapter After this Paule departed from Athens and came to Corinthe and found a certaine Iewe named Aquila borne in Pontus lately cuÌ„ froÌ„ Italy with his wife Priscilla because that the Emperoure Claudius had commaunded al the Iewes to depart froÌ„ Rome and he drewe vnto them because he was of the same craft he abode with theÌ„ wrought theyr craft was to make tentes And he preached in yâ— Synagoge euery Saboth daye settynge forth in the meane whyle the name of the Lorde Iesus and exhorted the Iewes and the Gentyles WHan Paule had gotten thus muche gaynes litle and slender thoughe it were of encreasyng and auauncyng the ghospel of Christe at Athens a cytye of very corrupte manners he wente thence to Corinthe whiche is the chiefest marte towne in all Grece and as it was the welthiest so was it by reason of ryot incontinencie and pryde very vicious There he by chaunce met with a man whose name was Aquila which obserued the Iewes religion but was borne in Pontus whiche Pontus is a part of the lesse Asia bendyng towardes the North. This person as God would was cum thyther but of late afore from Italye with his wife Priscilla forbecause that the Emperour Claudius had coÌ„mauÌ„ded al Iewes that were in Rome as there wer a great number to auoyde the citie And because these wer of the same crafte that Paule was he lodged in one house togyther with them for he would not be alone labouryng as they dyd wyth hys handes leste he shoulde burthen any manne And theyr crafte was to sowe together skynnes to make tentes wythall And lyke as Peter was not ashamed to returne to hys crafte of fyshyng as often as nede compelled him so the greate Apostle Paule whiche valiauntlye had sustayned and borne manye stormes for Christes sake was nothynge ashamed to take in hande agayne sowyng of skynnes whiche for to further the Gospell he had for a tyme layed asyde Yet in thys meane whyle ceased not he to preache the gospel disputing in the sinagoge euery sabboth day both with the Iewes and also with the Gentiles When Sylas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia Paule was constrayned by the spirit to testifie to yâ— Iewes yâ— Iesus was very Christ. And when they sayd contrary and blasphemed he spoke his â—ayment sayd vnto them your blode be vpon youre owne heades froÌ„ henceforth wyl I go blamelesse vnto the Gentiles And he departed thence entred into a certayne mans house named Iustus a wurshipper of god whose house ioyned hard to the Synagoge Howbeit one Cryspus yâ— chiefe ruler of the sinagoge beleued â—n the lorde with all his householde mauye of the Corinthians when they gaue audyence beleued and were baptised In the meane season Sylas and Timothee whome Paule willed to folowe him to Athens came frome Macedonie This dooen Paule because he was muche sorie that he had dooen veary lytle good there was constrayned by the spirite neuerthelesse to preache yet dylygentlye Iesus of Nazareth to the Iewes afâ—yrmyng that he was Messias whome the Prophetes hadde before promysed that throughe hym onelye and none other man shoulde obtayne saluacion But whan they clamoured agaynste hym yea in so much that they were not afrayde blasphemouslye and slaunderously to speake agaynste Iesus and Paule he hauyng in remembraunce what the gospell in that case
discouraged by the malice of the Iewes who for the settyng foorth and magnifying of the lawe doe withstande the gospell nor yet dryuen from it by the fiercenes of the Gentiles whiche do so stiffelye vpholde and maynteyne the supersticion whiche they haue receyued of theyr forefathers For thatsame affliccion and persecucion in whiche I was here dyd moue me rather because I sawe that the cōgregacion was in some daungier leste any man beyng offended with mine aduersitie might be alienated and turned awaye from the ghospell then because that I passed for the shame that I was put to or for the sorowes or woe whyche I suffred and endured And in case I did at any tyme eschewe perill or daungier I dyd it rather for your pleasure to satisfye your appetites hauyng respecte to your profit then because I cared or passed any thyng for the losse of myne owne lyfe ¶ And now beholde I go bound in the spirit vnto Hierusalē not knowyng the thynges that shall come on me there but that the holy gost witnesseth in euerye citie saying that bondes and trouble abyde me But none of these thynges do moue me neyther is my life deare vnto my selfe that I might fulfyl my course with ioye the ministraciō of the word whiche I haue receiued of the lorde Iesu to testifye the ghospell of the grace of god And I am very glad that I haue so done Yea and nowe thoughe I bee free in bodye and not in any bandes yet beyng in spirite or mynde as it were in holde I take my iourney towardes Hierusalem where I am not verye certeyne what wyll become of me but onely because that the holy ghost in euerye citie partely by mouthes of the prophetes and partely in myne owne mynde doeth sygnifie vnto me that it shall come to passe that I shal be bothe fettered and tormented Whiche thing though I bothe beleue and knowe certaynelye shall chaunce vnto me yet none of al these thinges make me afrayed to execute the dutie of an apostle whiche I am called vnto though I shoulde be assured to abyde the paynes of death for my labour For it is not this lyfe that I so muche regarde whiche cannot perishe beyng vnder the tuicion of Christe but more do I esteme my maysters commaundemente then my lyfe and that I may ende this my course in preachyng the ghospel as cherefully as I haue hitherto ioyfully abyden it Nothing is there that more deliteth me then that the ghospell maye be furthered by my affliccions I haue delite in nothyng els but styll to runne forwardes in the race of the gospell wherein the lorde hath set me vntyll that I come to the marke beyng well assured that I shall accordyngly be rewarded at his handes whyche is mayster of the game whan he shall see tyme at his owne pleasure who is without deceite I auaunced not my selfe vnto this office but the lorde Iesus set me in this roume for to preach aswell to the Iewes as also to the Gentiles these mooste gladsome tydynges whiche is that it hath pleased god frely to saue euery man by beleuyng in the ghospell Wherfore willyngly and with all my herte wyll I nowe fulfyl this my vocacion not regardyng whether I lyue or dye And now behold I am sure that henceforth ye all thorow whom I haue goen preaching the kyngdōe of god shal se my face no more Wherefore I take you to recorde this daye that I am pure frō the bloud of all men For I haue spared no labour but haue shewed you al the counsel of god Take hede therfore vnto your selues to all the flocke among whō the holy gost hath made you ouersears to rule the congregacion of god whiche he hath purchased with his bloud As long as I conueniently myght I was present with you and holpe towardes your saluacion teachyng admonishyng exhortyng comfortynge rebukyng as I sawe occasion with ofte recourse to see you But nowe am I certayne by inspiration of the holye ghoste that ye shall neuer more see me in this worlde agayne neither ye Ephesians nor yet any others that are inhabitours of the lesse Asia vnto whom I haue already preached the kyngdome of God I haue done my duetie with all diligence and vprightly Wherfore seyng that I muste departe from you without any hope of returne this do I proteste before you all that yf any man peryshe eyther by hys owne or els by others defaulte I am not gylty of theyr death I haue shewed euery man the true way to euerlastyng lyfe I haue opened vnto you the wyll of God howe he is mynded to saue mankynde and what they muste do that continue in stedfast belefe towarde oure lorde Iesus in suche wise that no man can saye for excuse of himselfe that he knewe it not I my selfe haue gyuen you ensaumple both doyng and also sufferyng al that I myght to haue you continue in puritie of the gospell No mannes death can be imputed to me And nowe it ariseth not of my free wyll that I muste hence departe frome you nor yet do I for feare of anye persecucion conuey my selfe awaye but wittingly and willyngly goe I to vndoubted daungier of my lyfe beeyng so wylled by the spirite of Christ. Wherfore what ye cannot come by through my presence that muste ye supplye wyth youre owne dylygence See that your owne hertes fayle you not or els that your foote slyde not backe from those thynges that ye haue well entred into but ye that are the elders and vnto whom I haue cōmytted cure of this flocke watche partely for your own behalfes lest ye be seduced by false apostles and partely for the flockes sake whyche ye haue taken in hande to feede I haue vprightly executed myne office that was assygned and deputed to me of oure lorde Take ye lyke care and thought and with semblable good wyll and vprightnes of behauiour for the flocke that the holy ghost hath made you bisshoppes of that is to saye ouerseers to take diligent hede that Christes shepe lacke no holsome foode and not to playe the partes of woulues but of faithfull shepeherdes towarde goddes owne congregacion whiche ye muste not neglygently looke vpon forasmuche as god did set so muche store by it that he purchased it by the bloud sheddyng of his onely begotten sonne Ye must therfore beware that in no wyse the ware whiche god hath so derely boughte maye perishe or miscary through your negligence ¶ For I am sure of this that after my departyng shal greuous woulues enter in among you not sparing the flocke Moreouer of your own selues shall mē arise speaking peruerse thynges to drawe disciples after thē Therfore awake and remēbre that by the space of iii. yeares I ceased not to warne euery one of you both night and day with teares I do not warne you of these thynges aforehande so earnestly for nothyng For tight certaynly assured I am that you shall not still haue Paules wyth you
Iesus therfore beyng delited in the great desyre of the woman doeth now with a knowen familier voyce speake vnto her and calleth her Marie At this knowen voyce the woman sodainly turnyng herselfe for euen at this very presente she had bowed downe herselfe agayne towardes the angels so muche was she by sodayne mocions of mynde stiered to loke this waye and that waye the woman I saie knewe Iesus and rauished with a sodayne ioye she a disciple speaketh to the master and calleth hym Rabboni whiche worde in the Syrians tonge signifieth Master And withal she falleth flatte downe to the grounde and would haue kissed his feete hauyng yet in remembraunce theyr olde familiaritie But Iesus knowyng that as yet she thought no great excellente thyng of hym although she loued him sincerely and ardently did prohibite her to touche his bodye For Marie sawe well that he was aliue agayne but she thought that he was reuiued for none other cause but as he did before to liue familiarlye with his frendes beyng now a man aliue where as before he was dead and ignoraunt she was that he now caryed about with hym an immortall body which was to be handled with muche greater reuerence whiche bodye the Lorde did neuer exhibite or present to the wicked nor suffered it to be handled of euerye man to th entent he might litle by litle altogether withdrawe them from the loue of the bodye Touche me not sayeth he it is thesame bodye whiche hong vpon the crosse but it is nowe beautified and adourned with the glory of immortalitie But truely thine affeccion is yet somedeale carnall because I haue not yet ascended vp to my father whiche thyng once doen I shall sende vnto you the spirite that is the comforter and he shall make you perfite and wurthy to haue the spirituall felowship of me In the meane time content thy selfe with that thou hast seen me and heard me speake and specially now go thou to my brethren whiche are throughe my death comforteles and foorth with make them partakers with thee of the ioye and comforte whiche thou haste receyued by the sight of me and vpon these my wordes shewe them that to this ende I am rysen from death to lyfe euen that after I haue taried a certayne dayes among them I maye leaue the worlde and ascende vp to my father who is also your father and thesame is both your god and mine common to bothe Let them therfore put away earthly affeccions and rectifie their mindes applying thesame to spiritual and heauenly thinges Mary Magdalene came and tolde the disciples that she had seue the lorde and that he had spoken suche thynges vnto her Thesaâ—e daye at night whiche was the firste daye of the â—abbothes when the dores were shâ—t where thâ— disciples were assembled together for feare of the Iewes came Iesus and stoode in the middes and sayeth vnto them Peace bee vnto you And whâ—n he had so sayed he sheweth vnto them his handes and his syde Then were the disciples glad when they sawe the lorde Now than Mary did as he bad her and returnyng againe to the disciples shewed them that she had seen the lorde and tolde them the thynges whiche he had commaunded to be made relacion of in his name and this was doen that they should take right great comforte of that he nowe called them his brethren and prepare also theyr myndes to the loue and desyre of eternall and heauenly thynges for as muche as the preseÌ„t vse of his body should not endure long with them After that with these and certayne other apparicions the lord Iesus had litle by litle lift vp theyr myndes to quicknesse of spirite and to the hope of the resurreccion already past the selfe same daye that was the morowe after the sabboth daye whiche next to folowed the sabboth of Easter when it was nighte and the disciples secretelye gathered together whiche for feare of the Iewes durste not assemble together in the daye tyme. Iesus went in to them when the doores were shut and standyng in the middes in the sight of them all to take awaye al feare from them he saluted them amiably and full gentlye saying with a voyce well knowen vnto them Peace with you And lest they shoulde suspect it to be a ghost or another bodye he sheweth vnto them the printe of the nayles in his handes and the scarre of the wounde whiche the souldier hadde made in his side with a speare With this salutacion and sight the fayth of his disciples was confirmed the sorowe takeÌ„ awaye and theyr myndes muche recreate and made ioyouse For Iesus had promised them before that thus it shoulde be that within a shorte tyme he woulde see them agayne and after they hadde seen hym and theyr sorowe put awaye that he would make their hertes gladde and merye And therewithal he tolde them this also should folow that in the world they should haue sorow and heuinesse but in hym they shoulde haue peace and quietnesse Then sayed Iesus to them agayne Peace be vnto you As my father sent me euen so sende I you also â–ª And when he had sayed these woordes he brethed on them and sayeth vnto them Whosoeuers sinnes ye remit they are remitted vnto theÌ„ and whosoeuers synnes ye retayne they are retayned But Thomas one of the twelue which is called Didimus was not with them when Iesus came The other disciples therfore sayed vnto hym We haue seen the lord But he sayed vnto them Excepte I see in his handes the printe of the uayles and thruste my hande into his syde I wyll not beleue Therfore to confirme the Apostles in theyr ioye and coumforte the more he once agayne saluteth them with good lucke of peace saying Peace with you And at the same tyme withal he hiely auctoriseth them and commaundeth theÌ„ to preache the thinges whiche they had seen and sayeth As my father sent me so do I sende you I haue truely and faithfully glorifyed my fathers name and you agreyng amoÌ„g your selues shal with lyke trueth and faithfulnesse preache my fathers name and mine Prepare your mindes to this fuÌ„ccion and office for asmuche as I nowe that I haue doen diligently the thyng that I had in commission to do go agayne to my father and from thence I shall sende vnto you more plentie and more power of the holy ghost In the meane while shall I also make you partakers of the holy ghost accordyng to your capacitie and euen as he was thus speakyng he brethed on them and gaue them the spirite with auctoritie to forgeue all men theyr sinnes that woulde be ioyned to hym by profession of the ghospel and by baptisme and that woulde forthinke their former life and be eftsones amended where they haue erred Whosoeuers synnes ye remit sayeth he they are remitted vnto them and whosoeuers ye retayne they shall abide subiecte to theyr synnes When these thinges were doen the residue of the disciples were assembled together Thomas onely
except that than was absent whiche name Thomas signifieth in the Greke tongue Didimus and in the Latin Geminus in Englyshe doubtefull For he was one of the twelue whoÌ„ the lorde did specially and peculiarly choose to the office of preachyng the gospell Therfore after that he was come in to them the disciples that could scant stande for ioye shewed openly vnto him that they had seen the lorde Thomas supposyng them to be deceyued and illuded by some vision or spirite denyed to beleue vnles he might see hym with his owne iyes and not to beleue his owne iyes as sufficient witnesse except he might see withall the printe of the nailes euen freshe in his handes yea and with putting his owne handes into Iesus side perceyue by felyng the wounde that the speare made And trulye this incredulitie of the Apostle by the dispensacion of God as he shall dispose didde muche good to the confirmacion and stablishement of our fayth ¶ And after eyght dayes agayne his disciples were within and Thomas with them Then came Iesus when the doores were shut and stoode in the middes and sayed Peace be vnto you After that sayed he to Thomas Bryng thy fynger hither and see my handes and reache hither thy hande and thrust it into my syde and be not faythlesse but beleuyng Thomas aunswered and sayed My Lorde and my God Iesus sayeth vnto hym Thomas because thou haste sene me thou haste beleued blessed are they that haue not sene and yet haue beleued And many other thinges truly did Iesus in the preâ—â—ce of his disciples which are noâ— written in this boke These are written that ye might beleue that Iesus is Christe the sonne of God and that in beleuyng ye might haue life thorowe his name Therfore eyght dayes after when the Apostles met together agayne by stealthe and at this tyme with the reste Thomas was in coumpanye whiche hitherto woulde not beleue that Christe was rysen the Lorde came in to them where they were the gates beyng hard faste shut and standyng in the middes of them he saluted them after his vsuall and well knowen maner and facion saying Peace with you And turnyng hym by and by to Thomas whose vnbelefe he knewe that was ignoraunt in nothyng whiche lacke of beliefe because Iesus knewe it came not as the phariseis infidelitie did that is of malice but of mans infirmitie he vouched safe to heale it He sayeth thus to hym Thomas sayeth he forasmuche as it dooeth not suffise the to haue hearde of many that I was rysen to lyfe agayne whiche hath seen me and hearde me except thy senses mighte feale and perceyue thesame bring hither thy finger and feele the woundes of the nayles and see that I truelye carye the very true markes therof Put thy hande into my syde and handle the wounde whiche the speare made and hereafter be not vnfaythful and harde of belefe in other mattiers but after thou haste nowe seen this thing proued certainly true whiche persemed to thee incredible see thou geue fayth to my promises howe incredible soeuer they seme to the common sence and iudgement of men After that Thomas had seen and felte knowyng bothe the face and accustomed voyce of the Lorde he than conceyued a full fayth and spake aloude My Lorde and my God For as he was more harde of belefe so no body did more clearlye confesse Iesus to be God and man for because the handlyng of the body which late before hong dead vpon the crosse witnessed that he whiche was rysen to lyfe agayne was a very man in dede and the knowleage of hidde secrete thynges proued well his godhead So than of trueth Iesus did well accepte and embrace Thomas his confession but yet withall he did reproue his hardnesse of belefe saying Thomas because thou hast seen me hearde me and handled me thou beleuest but blessed shall they be whiche though they see not will yet beleue Verely the Lorde Iesus declared vnto his disciples his diuine power and godheade by many other tokens whiche are not written in this booke but some thynges are reported and declared by other Euangelistes and some thynges also were reported and tolde by worde of mouthe and euen they were the tellers therof which bothe sawe and hearde the thynges themselues For to set out and write all thynges whiche woulde haue bene a worke that for the greatnes it coulde not haue been measured was not cared for but yet it was thoughte necessarye to write of some thinges that thereby ye mought come to the beliefe that Iesus was the sonne of God Whiche thyng yf ye do in dede ye shall haue that full blisse and beatitude whiche our Lorde Iesus promised to them that when they see not beleue For lyke as he suffered death and liueth immortal so shall ye also by profession of his name in true faythe obtayne eternall lyfe The .xxi. Chapter ¶ Afterwarde did Iesus shewe himselfe againe at the sea of Tiberias And on this wyse shewed he hymselfe There were together Symon Peter and Thomas whiche is called Didimus and Nathanael of Cana in Galile and the sonnes of Zebedei and two other of his disciples ANd verely to confirme more and more the faythe of his disciples Iesus oft times appeared vnto them and talked with them sometyme also eate meate in theyr company leâ—te any suspicion shoulde setle in theyr myndes that it was but a delusion or some ghoste whiche they had sene neyther was he therwhiles continuallye for all that present in their company as he was wont before his death nor so familiarly handled himself among them nor yet was seen of all menne because he hadde sayed before that he would appere to his and not to the world nor to his neyther but euen when he list For nowe immortalitie shewed a certaine semblaunce full of maiestie that was to be had in reuerence to th entent that their faith beyng full stayed and establyshed he might withdrawe from them altogether the sight of the body and spirituallye to be now amongst his And so now therefore he appered and shewed himselfe againe to his disciples at the depe lake called Tyberias And he presented himselfe vnto them on this wyse The disciples which before that tyme kept theÌ„selues secrete in Hierusalem to be in sauetie out of the Phariseis daunger repayred againe into Galile there was a good sorte of theÌ„ together euen no fewer thaÌ„ Simon Peter and Thomas called Didimus also Nathanael of Cana a citie of Galile where Iesus turned water into wine And besides these the two sonnes of zebedei Iohn Iames the greater with these was two other disciples ¶ Symon Peter saieth vnto them I wyll go a fishyng They saye vnto him We also wyl go with the. They went theyr waye and entred into a shippe immediatlye and that night caught they nothing But when the mornyng was nowe come Iesus stoode on the shore neuerthelesse the disciples knewe not that it was Iesus Iesus sayeth vnto
God begon by Peter he hath enlarged by Paule and Barnabas And what we heard was doen by them the same long sence was prophecied and shewed afore by the prophetes that it shoulde come to passe And amonge the reste of the sayde prophetes Amos speaketh in the person of god in this wyse After this wyll I returne and repayre the tabernacle of Dauid that is fallen in decaye and I wyll buylde vp againe his ruines and falles and set them eftsons vp that all men whiche are on lyue shall seke the lorde and all gentiles that haue taken my name on them sayeth the lorde that doe accomplyshe these thinges Whatsoeuer promyse god maketh he wyll vndoubtedly perfourme For before the creacion of the worlde he had appoynted what he would doe from time to tyme. And whatsoeuer he hath ordeyned muste nedes bee wondrefully wel doen. Nowe therefore seeing that we perceyue that it is come to passe whiche he promysed I thinke it not expedyent to resist the wyll of God nor to speake ought againste them that of heathen are become wurshyppers of the true god neyther yet to charge them with the obseruing of the lawe forasmuche as faith through the gospel is sufficient for the saluacion of all men But let them onely haue this monicion that for their sakes whiche be weake in faythe and can not yet bee perswaded that an Idoll is of no pryse and that there is no dyfference beetwene the fleashe that is sacrificed to Idolles and any other fleashe that is solde in the market and because of suche persons likewise as thinke whordome to be none offence forasmuche as it is commonlye vsed and permitted without any punyshment appoynted by mans lawe they absteyne from fylthinesse of Idolles that is to say that they neyther sacrifice to them nor eate of that whiche is sacrificed and that also they abstayne from whordome Againe because of certaine Iewes that be somewhat supersticious and can not yet be perswaded that all thinges are pure and clene vnto them that bee pure and clene theyr selues let them abstayne from strangled beastes and from bloude not because these thinges pertaine any whit to the healthe of the soule but because that charitie so prouoketh vs to doe that for a tyme we beare with certayne of our brethren whiche be weake vntyll suche tyme that they maye attayne to more perfeccion and in the meane time let euery manne beare one with an other and so nouryshe concorde betwene you doynge eche for other as louing brethren Neyther nede the Iewes to feare lest Moyses shoulde bee abrogate or decay for he hath certaine and hath had this many yeres that speake of hym in the Synagoges where he customably is read euery sabboth day ¶ Than pleased it the Apostles and elders with the whole congregecion to sende chosen men of theyr owne cumpany to Antioche with Paule and Barnabas They sent Iudas whose syrname was Barsabas and Silas whiche were chiefe men among the brethren and gaue them letters in their handes after this maner Whan Iames had this sayde and euery man had allowed his saiynges thapostles and seniours and the whole congregacion thought it expediente that certayne shoulde be chosen oute of that noumbre to goe wyth Paule and Barnabas to Antioche And so they chose a couple that wer knowen to be men of good credite th one was Iudas whiche for hys godlye behauioure was otherwyse called by syrname the Iuste and Silas which both were accoumpted to bee of moste vpright liuyng among all thother brethren To these they gaue certayne messages to doe and deliuered them an epistle to carye the tenour whereof was this ¶ The Apostles and elders and brethren sende gretynges vnto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioche Siria Cilicia For asmuche as we haue heard that certaine whiche departed frō vs haue troubled you with wordes encumbred your mindes saiyng ye must be circumcised kepe the law To whom we gaue no such cōmaundement We therfore thought it good whē we wer cum together with one accorde to send chosen men vnto you with out welbeloued Barnabas Paul beyng men that haue ieoperded theyr liues for the name of our lord Iesus Christ we haue sent therefore Iudas Silas which shal also tel you the same thynges by mouth For it semed good to the holy gost and to vs to charge you with no more then these necessarie thinges that is to say that ye absteyne from thynges offered to ymages frō bloud and from strangled from fornication From which yf ye kepe your selues ye shall do well So fare ye well The Apostles and elders with the other brethren also whiche of Iewes are becum christen men sende gretyng vnto those of the Gentiles whiche are conuerted to Christe and are nowe abydyng in Antioche Siria and Cilicia Forasmuche as we vnderstande that certayne of the Iewes which came from hence as though they had bene sent of vs haue troubled you wheras before theyr cummyng ye were quiet and continued in vuitie together lyuyng after the trade of ghospell and forasmuche as the sayde persones so cummynge to you haue peruerted your myndes with theyr newe doctrine in that they wylled you to be circumcised and to kepe the lawe where as we gaue them no such thyng in commission we haue now thought good and expedient by the assemblye of the whole conuocacion that certaine amongest vs purposely chosen shoulde be sent vnto you with Paule and Barnabas whome we not without good cause dooe fauour and greatly tendre forasmuche as they haue auentured theyr lyues for the settyng furthe of the name of our Lorde Iesus Christe Wherfore we haue sent Iudas Silas men whō we know to bee very godlye faythfull by whose reporte ye maye certaynlye haue knowledge of those thynges that we wryte The whole summe wherof is this that foloweth It hath pleased the holy ghoste and through his mocion vs all with one consent not to burden you with any more then wyth these thinges which we thoughte very nessarye to be obserued that is to saye fyrste that ye absteyne frome that that is sacrificed to Idolles leste that yf ye should eate of it ye myght seme to fauoure the same supersticion whiche ye haue once renounced and forsaken Secondly that ye eate no beastes bloude or any beast that is strangled which are vnlawfull meates and forbydden by the lawe Fynally that ye absteyne from whoredome whiche the Gentiles supposed to be lawfull If ye absteyne from these thynges ye shall do well And thus fare ye well Whan they therfore were departed they came to Antioche and gathered the multitude together delyuered the Epistle Which whan they had red they reioysed of the consolacion And Iudas Silas beyng Prophetes exhorted the brethren with much preachynge and strengthened thē And after they had taried there a space they were lette go in peace of the brethrē vnto the Apostles Notwithstandyng it pleased Sylas to abyde there
〈◊〉 but Iudas departed alone to Hierusalem Paule and Barnabas continued in Antioche teaching and preaching the worde of the Lorde with other manye After this done they were dismissed with the letters and message whan they came to Antioche they delyuered the letters to the congregacion Which whan they were in audience of them al rehearsed the whole multitude reioysed with great comforte because the Apostles and elders and commons of Hierusalem had vouchesafed by theyr authoritie to staye theym in that opinion whiche they had already conceyued in theyr myndes And than Iudas and Sylas hauyng the gyfte of expoundyng scriptures satisfyed euerye man in those thynges that were not namelye expressed in the letters accordyng to the commission of the Apostles And as large they exhorted the brethren and made them stedfaste in theyr mynde wyllyng them to contynue in that that they had begonne And whan they had taryed there a good sorte of dayes they were dimissed of the brethren in peace and were permitted to returne vnto theym that hadde sente theym And forasmuche as Sylas thought it best to tarrye there Iudas returned alone to Hierusalem In the meane space Paule also and Barnabas remayned at Antioche teaching indifferentlye bothe Iewes and also Gentiles preaching saluacion vnto euery manne to be obteyned yf they woulde beleue the Gospell that is to saye the worde of God ¶ But after a certayne space Paule sayde vnto Barnabas Let vs go agayne and visite out brethren in euery citie where we haue shewed the worde of the Lord and see how they do And Barnabas gaue couÌ„sel to take with theÌ„ Iohn whose sirname was Marke But Paule would not take him vnto theyr cuÌ„pany which departed froÌ„ theÌ„ at Pamphilia and went not with theÌ„ to the worke And the contencion was so sharpe betwene them that they departed asonder one from another and so Barnabas toke Marke sailed vnto Cipres And Paule chose Silas and departed beyng coÌ„mitted of the brethren vnto the grace of god And he went through Syria and Cilicia stablyshyng the congregacions TheÌ„ came he to Derba to Listra coÌ„maunding them to kepe the preceptes of the apostles elders And after a good space Paule became carefull for the disciples that he hadde lefte at Cypres and in Pamphilia Than he sayde vnto his cumpanion Barnabas Let vs go visitte our brethren that be abrode in all cities wheras we haue preached the woorde of God and see how they do Barnabas allowed hys sayinges but hys mynde was to haue Iohn whiche otherwyse was called Marke to go with them whom they before had brought out with them whan they toke theyr iourney thytherwardes In whiche matter Paule dissented or disagreed from hym thynkyng hym not mete to be receyued in parte of that businesse seeyng that he before tyme of hys owne accorde had forsaken them before they had finished that businesse whiche they had taken in hande and had sayled backe from Pamphilia to Antioche And they were so earneste in disputing or reasonyng this matter that where as none woulde gyue place to other one departed from the cumpany of the other Not because that anye greuous displeasure was arysen betwene so greate apostles but because that both contended to bryng to passe that they thought expedient for setting furth the Gospell And we haue here example lefte vs not streyght wayes to esteme euyll whatsoeuer disagreeth with our opinion It is no matter to be of a dyuerse opinion so that mennes myndes do agree in furtheryng the ghospell And god also prouyded this that by the dissencion of the Apostles whan two chiefe capitaynes wer disseuered the ghospell should sprede more at large then yf they had continued together in one companye as they had done before And then Barnabas taking Marke with him sailed into Cypres whiche was hys natiue countreye And Paule takyng to hym Sylas whiche as god woulde had remayned at Antioche euen as it had bene for the nones and of a purpose that Paule shoulde not be destitute of a sad man to beare him cumpanye and a manne that â—as in good estimacion beyng dimissed of the brethren and committed to the grace of god toke his iourney whither euer he had any token of hope that the gospel should haue increase So he went ouer to Syria and Cilicia wheras he hymselfe was borne and echewhere stablyshinge the cumpanyes of suche disciples as he before had gotten there and encreasyng also the number of them as his purpose before was coÌ„maunded them to kepe those thinges that the apostles and elders had decreed at Hierusalem as concerning eschewinge the cuÌ„pany of such as were wurshyppers of Idolles and eschewyng whoredome strangled beastes and bloud and that they were none otherwyse bound to kepe Moses lawe Whan all these thinges were done in Cilicia he returned againe to Derba and after to Listres The .xvi. Chapter And beholde a certaine disciple was there named Timotheus a womans sonne which was a Iewesse and beleued but his father was a Greke Of whom reported well the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium Hym woulde Paule that he should goo forth with him and tooke circumcised him because of the Iewes whiche wer in those quarters For they all knewe that his father was a Greke ANd beholde there was a certaine disciple whose name agreed with his dedes and was called Timothie as a man woulde saye in estimacion with God who was borne of Parentes that were of sondry sectes For his mother beyng nowe a widowe was a Iewe borne and had of late bene conuerted from the faythe and peruerse beliefe of the Iewes vnto the true faith of Christe And his father was a gentile This Timothie for hys vertuous disposicion and lyuing was muche spoken of among all the brethren that were at Listres and also at Iconium And so Paule desiring nothyng more than by all meanes dayly to enlarge the boundes of the gospell searched out in euery corner suche as might serue his turne euen as ambicious kinges are accustomed to do whiche beyng wholy gyuen to enlarge theyr dominions care for nothynge more then to get mete capitaynes and rulers to whome they may commit their affaires But it is not sufficient for him that is captayne or guyed in matters of the ghospell to haue meane qualities nor yet to be of an vpright behauioure but he muste haue commendacion of all good men leste that an euil name going on him thoughe it be false may hurte the furthering of the gospel Wherfore Paule was desyrous to haue Timothie to beare him cumpany in his iournies because he was good and estemed also of all good men to bee good and vertuous And whan he had obteined hym to ioyne with hym he circumcised him not because he thought he myght therby obteyne saluacion whiche onely fayth coulde doe but leâ—te the Iewes shoulde make any commocion of whome there was no small noumber in those partes he vouchesafed rather to suffer Timothie to lese a lytle piece