walked by the Sea of Galile he sawe Symon and Andrewe his brother casting nettes into the Sea for they were fyshers And Iesus sayd vnto them Folowe me and I wyll make you to become fyshers of men And streyght waye they forsoke theyr nettes and folowed hym And when he had gone a litle further thence he sawe Iames the sonne of zebede and Iohn his brother whiche also were in the shyppe mending theyr nettes and he anon called them and they left their father zâ—â—ede therein the 〈◊〉 the hyred seruauÌ„tes and folowed hym After the Lorde Iesus had with suche wordes moued and styrred vp the myndes of the Iewes to receiue the newe Phylosophy and doctrine of the ghospell he lykewyse began after the ensample of Iohn to gather certaine disciples but fewe in number and suche as were vnlettered persones and of lowe degree to the entent that when he had through theyr ministery conuerted all the whole worlde it shoulde plainly appeare how this kyngdom was the very kyngdom of God and not a worldly kyngdom Therefore as he trauayled on a daye by the lake or sea of Galile he ispied Symon and Andrewe his brother labouryng together and aboute to caste their nettes into the water For they were fishermen and by this occupacion gat their lyuyng The basenes of theyr crafte made for the aduauncyng of goddes glory The concorde of the two brethren sygnified the consent and agremente of the churche The crafte of fyshing bare the figure of the ministracioÌ„ of the ghospell which by vertue of Goddes worde plucketh vp into the lyght of veritie and loue of heauenly thynges suche as are drowned in the darkenesse of ignoraunce and the fowle stinkyng puddell of worldly cares And thus fyrste of all fyshed he for these two fyshers Come ye ê™ he and folowe me for I will make you begynne from this day forwarde to fyshe after men Assone as the Lord Iesus had spoken the word the two brethreÌ„ leauing theyr nettes euen as they were folowed him without any tarying For Iesus voice hathe in it a certaine heauenly charme or inchauntment And goyng thence a lytle forwarde he sawe other two that is to were Iames the sonne of zebede and Iohn his brother who were also trymmyng and mendyng theyr nettes in the shyppe and makyng themselues ready to go a fyshyng And these two notwithstanding their myndes were bent another waye he sodeinly spake vnto callyng and commaundyng theÌ„ to folow hym Now that thou mayest know young men of an euangelike faith they made no tarying but leauyng their father zebede with his hired seruauntes in the shyp streyght wayes folowed theyr caller Thus beganne Christe to gather the ciefe prelates and ministers of his Churche cleane refusyng the priestes and Phariseis of IerusaleÌ„ with all their pompe and pryde ¶ And they came into Capernaum and streyghtwaye on the Sabboth dayes he enterd into the Synagoge and taught and they were astonyed at his learnyng For he taught theÌ„ as one that had authoritie and not as the Scribes And being accompanyed with such a felowshyp he came vnto Capernaum This Capernaum was a citie muche florishyng in substaunce but no lesse proud vngodly and vicious than it was welthy Here byanby he beganne to playe the parte of an Euangeliste or preacher of the ghospell For vpon the sabboth daye he entred into the Sinagoge and taught the Iewes openly not the vayne fables of the Phariseis but declared vnto them the very true meanyng of the lawe which was in dede spirituall and not carnall And the people perceiued him to be a newe teacher his doctrine also to be of a new sort Thei sawe he was a maÌ„ of lowe degre that suche as accoÌ„panied him were but fewe in numbre very rascals men of no reputacion yet wondered they greatly at his wordes for that they breathed a certaine godly vertue For he did not after the maner of the Scribes teache triflyng coÌ„stitucions of men or olde wyues tales of genealogies and pedegrewes but his wordes were pithâ—hy and of authoritie and the wonderfull great miracles he wrought caused those verities that he spake to be beleued What thyng soeuer is humayne and worldly the same is of litle price and estimacion when Goddes power begynneth once to put furth his strength and efficacie ¶ And there was in their synagoge a man vexed with an vncleane spirite and he cryed saying Alas what haue we to do with the thou Iesus of Nazareth Arte thou cum to destroye vs I knowe the what thou arte euen the holy one of God And Iesus rebuked him saying holde thy peace and cumme out of the man And whaÌ„ the vncleane spirite had torne him and cried with a loude voyce he came out of him and they were all amased insomuche that they demauÌ„ded one of another among themselues saying What thing is this What newe doctrine is this For with authoritie commaunded be the foule spirites and they obeyed him And immediatlye his fame spred abrode throughoute all the region bordering on Galile And lo byanby there was occasion ministred for him to worke a myracle For in that assembly was there a certaine felowe whiche was vexed with an vncleane spirite This wicked spirite coulde not abyde the heauenly spirite speakyng in Christ. For he beganne to clatter agaynst his heauenly doctrine crying aloude and saying O Iesus of Nazareth what hast thou to do with vs Arte thou cumme to destroye vs before the tyme I right well knowe who thou arte Certes the selfe same holy one whiche the prophete Daniel promysed long sithens whom God hath singularly sanctified aboue al other The lorde Iesus eyther because the tyme was not yet cumme that he should openly confesse who he was or els because he was not pleased with this confession beyng vndoubtedly true but yet made â—hroughe constraint of feare and of a wicked spirite who sythe he is of hymselfe a lyer and delighteth to deceiue man was not to be hearde in the presence of the people when he spake the trueth lest any manne woulde haue taken occasion there by to beleue hym afterwardes when he had lyed the lorde Iesus I saye rebuked hym and sayed Holde thy peace and departe out of the man and so shalt thou better declare who I am And furthwith at the lordes coÌ„maundemeÌ„t the vncleane spirite forsoke the maÌ„ But at his departure he tare him cryed out with a loude voyce so that it euidently appeared thereby how he fled awaye not wyllingly but by force and constraint of Gods power And here was shewed the fygure of a manne possessed with the spirite of the deuyll Is not he vexed wyth the worste cruellest of all the deuils whiche is wholly possessed with ambicion couetousnes rancour malice hatred pleasure of the body suche other lyke deuilishe lustes and appetites Suche as are vexed with these spirites canne in no wyse abyde to heare the gospell preached but yell and crye oute agaynst it as the deuill dyd saying what
of my kyngdom is attayned I will open you the waye and yf the same do lyke you then trust ye verely to haue the glory that you desyre saue alonely that it shall be a true glory and not suche a one as you dreame vpon and imagine it to be Can you drinke of the cuppe I now make my selfe ready to drynke of Can ye be baptysed with the baptisme that I shall ere it be long be baptised withall They of a gredy desyre to haue theyr peticion graunted as they folyshly desyred this preeminence euen so did they rashly promyse for theyr behalfe and saye they could notwithstanding as yet they knewe not themselues â—righte Neyther did the moste gracious Lord rebuke theÌ„ for this their great foly forasmuch as the tyme was not yet cum that they shoulde be receiuable of these mysteries As yet whatsoeuer they heard they heard it as it were in a dreame and yet did he with neuerthelesse diligence teache instruct them euer attempering his wordes to theyr weakenesse because they beyng afterwardes as a man would say wakened out of their slepe and manifestly perceyuing the truth by the holy ghoste shoulde with more entire affeccion loue theyr Lord who beyng suche a one as he was would so iently beare with suche maner of disciples also because they being once growen to more perfeccion should agayne folowe his ientlenes in bearyng with the weaknesse of theyr euen christen whom they should happen to instruct hauyng alwayes in theyr remembrauÌ„ce how ignoraunt howe forgetfull and how dull they also themselues sometime were This was an ambicious saying Let vs sit nexte the in thy kyngdome It was vnaduisedly spoken when they sayd we can doe it For it was spoken of theÌ„ who would soone after deny theyr Lord maister for feare But suche error as springeth not of malice or obstinate euylues but of symplicitie must either be rured or els borne withall for a season Therfore Iesus answered Truely ye shal drinke of my cuppe shall be baptised with the baptisme that I am baptised with but in tyme to cum For as yet ye are not able to do the thyng whiche ye beleue ye can do Therfore prepare your mindes hereunto but leaue all the iudgement of your rewarde to god the father Let your only endeuoyr be to counterfaite me folow my trace He hath for euery maÌ„ his peculier rewardes already prepared and will distribute thesame as it shal please him For this matter is not so ordred in the kingdome of heaueÌ„ as it is in princes courtes wheras he is not alwayes chief in dignitie whiche deserueth so to be but he whome the prince or kyng chiefly fauoureth Sumtimes he fauoureth the naughtyest person of all But with my father there is no regarde of person Neither is it your parte to regarde the measure or multitude of your merites and deseruinges sith you are able to do nothyng of your selues nor to considre how far ye passe other You must only do your endeuoyr accordinge to the power that God hath geuen you to folowe me Ye shall not be defeated of your reward although you thinke not theron at all For he that fighteth for the rewardes sake and would not els fight vnlesse he thought he should be rewarded for his labour cleane disapointeth himselfe of the reward Let no man be his owne iudge but do what he can and then remitte the whole iudgement vnto god ¶ And when the ten heard it they began to disdayne at Iames Iohn But Iesus wheâ— he had called them to him sayd vnto them ye knowe that they which are sene to beare rule among the people raygne as lordes ouer theÌ„ And they that be greate among them exercise auctoritie vpon them neuertheles so shall it not be among you But whosoeuer of you wyll be greate amoÌ„g you shall be your minister And whosoeuer of you will be chief shall be seruaunt of all For the sonne of man also â—ame not to be ministred vnto but to minister and to geue his life for the redempcion at many And loe howe one euill sprang of another The simplicitie of these two disciples bewrayed a greater rudenes and ignoraunce of the rest For after it was cum to the others knowledge what the two brethren althoughe theyr request was not graunted them had desyred of the Lorde they all in maner disdayning hereat were angry with them and in theyr toppe because not regarding theyr simplenes and meane estate they presumed to desyre the first or chief place which was rather due vnto them There was none of them all but hoped he should haue had that preferment himselfe accordyng as eche of them fauored his owne gyftes and desertes Doubtles these are the very affeccioÌ„s of suche persons as leade theyr lyues in princes courtes Euery man there highly estemeth hymselfe euery man warraunteth hymselfe the moste honorable aduauncementes and hath great heart burning and disdayne at others preferment saue that the ambiciâ—n of courtiers is spiced with malice where as the disciples ambicion was nothyng els but mere ignorance and symplicitie And whyles they straue thus for the preeminence and primacy they had cleane forgotten the wordes that Iesus had spoken of the least and greatest in the kingdom of heauen and of the imitacion and folowyng of the lytle one If any man aske the question why the Lord suffered so great ignoraunce so long while to continue in his disciples by whose ministerye he purposed to haue the doctrine of the gospell preached taught throughout all the whole worlde truely the chiefe cause was because he would by litle and lytle cleane weede out of theyr mindes this and suche other naughty affeccions and therfore doeth he suffre them so oft to fall againe into the same affeccion that is to say into ambicion or desyre of dominion prefermeÌ„t euen as if a maÌ„ be soone delyuered of an ague he soone forgetteth bothe his disease and also the benefite of the physician that cured him Agayne if he ofte tymes recidiuyng and fallyng into the same disease agayne be at the length with muche a doe rid healed therof theÌ„ doth he the more hate his disease and also the more knowledge the benefite of his healing and shall better knowe how to cure other that are lykewise diseased Therfore Iesus perceiuing that the fonde peticion of the two and the disdaynfull wrathe of the other yssued bothe out of one well called them all vnto him because he would ministre phisicke vnto them all with one medicine As oft sayth he as ye heare me speake of the kyngdome of heauen whiche verely is a spirituall kyngdome differeth no lesse from this worldly kyngdom then the yerthe differeth from heauen do not you by vayne and phantasticall ymaginacion fayne such a likenes an apparaunce of thinges as you see here in yearthlye kyngdomes For ye knowe that those whiche seme to be â—hiefe rulers among the heathen people of his world play
succeded as it was to be wondred at ¶ Whau Simon Peter sawe thys he fell downe at Iesus knees saiyng Lorde goe from me for I am a synfull man For he was astouned all that were with him at the draught of fishes whiche they had taken and soe was also Iames and Iohn the sonnes of zebedee whiche were parteâ—ers with Simon And Iesus sayde vnto Simon feare not from heare-foorth thou shalte catche men And they broughte the shippes to lande and forsoke all and folowed hym Simon therfore when he sawe the matter to goe not by mannes power or by casualty but onely by the godly vertue of Iesus dyd eftsons geue a lesson by exaumple of hymselfe what ought to bee doen of hym that is a preacher of the Apostles doctryne yf his laboure of preaching doo at any time luekely come to passe For althoughe the bote was hys owne althoughe it was his owne nette that he had caste and althoughe himselfe was the beste manne that had sette handes to drawyng of the draught yet taketh he vnto himselfe no thanke at all therof but by the greatnesse of his lucky spedyng was striekeÌ„ with the more humilitye He falleth downe at the knees of Iesus and putteth ouer vnto him the whole glory of al thissame acte For his owne parte he confesseth hymselfe to be naught els but a synner and a persone vnworthye to bet any ministre or instrumente of his diuine power Maister sayeth he now and neuer afore dooe I acknowelage mine owne vnworthinesse whan I considre thy hygh maiestie Goe thou hence awaye from me for I am vnworthy of thy compaigny Albeit it was not any desire or wyll of hym to departe oute of the lordes compaignye that enforced Petur to speake these woordes for he loued Iesus singularely aboue all others but a certayne earnest merueilyng of his power ferre surmountyng the power of the worldly meane Neyther were Simons felowes of anye other mynde or affeccion than Simon hymselfe was of For a certayne vncredible wondreyng at this dede had possessed the hertes of them all full and whole but not somuche as one of theim tooke to his owne prayse any parte at all of the doyng thereof For they acknowelaged euerye one of them that the laboure in dede was theirs but the lucky spede of takyng so muche fishe at a draught was his onely who had bidden them caste their nette And what manne would not bee astouned yf he consider how that through the preaching of a fewe men beeyng but poore creatures of byrth and degree beyng also priuate persones neither of any learning nor yet in any office it was within a fewe yeres perswaded to so manye thousandes of people that settyng cleane aparte all affeccions of their kinsefolkes settyng at naughte all losse or decaye of their goodes and substaunce nothyng regarding the threattenynges of prynces despisyng al punishementes and tormentyng yea and finally deathe it selfe they coulde fynde in their hertes to folowe the playne homely doctrine of Christ beleuing such thinges as by mans naturall reason cannot possibly bee proued and hopyng on suche thynges as after the power and strength of nature are playnely to bee despaired of A bisshope therfore muste of duetye bee ready and cherefull to caste the nette that he may earnestely apply hymselfe to winne veray many vnto Christ and he shal looce the nette abrode not to his owne glorye not to bee a gayner thereby not at the pleasure and appetite of princes not for any worldly affeccion but at the pleasure and bydding of Christe who commaundeth not the net to be caste abrode but to the healthe and saluacion of theim that are fished for and to the magnifiyng of Goddes goodnesse For this and none other is the Apostles manner of fishyng And such fishyng although it be executed by the ministerie or seruyce of mans voice and of his diligente laboure yet the whole summe of all the prayse is to bee referred vnto Christe onelye whose luckye settyng on at the fyrste looceth the tongue to speake whose spirite dooeth put in the herte of the speaker what to saye and whose secrete power drawethe vnto hym the myndes of the hearers And standyng the case that it maye bee in the teacher euen of his due ryght to take some piece of praise vnto himselfe In this behalf yet is it a more poynte of safetye to referre all the whole vnto hym withoute whose ayde and helpe nothing that man attemptethe dooeth succede or proue to folkes saluacion He can no skill to take away that himselfe hath geuen he can no skylle to enbraied any man with that that he hath frankely sente of hys bounteous largesse So muche the rather will he bee contented to leate any thyng bee thyne owne yf whatsoeuer myght by any waye haue semed too bee thyne thou bee of the mynde that the same shal be his He wyll be wel contented that the commoditye and profite redounde to the but as for the glory and praise he will not suffer to be geuen to any other but to God onely And in case we haue a luste to glory we shal more safely glorie in him But whan the meruaylyng at this acte of Iesus made all them styll to continue astouned that had been associate with Petur at the takyng of the fyshe emong which coumpaignie were Iames and Iohn the sonnes of zebedee and felowes with Symon in fishers crafte and whereas for merueyling at the vertue and power of hys godhed they durste not be so bolde as to approche any thing nere vnto Iesus the Lorde gaue them woordes of veray greate coumfort and to Petur in whome he was muche accustomed to set foorthe the paterne of anye thyng that he would haue to bee enpriented in the hertes of al the reste thus he said Simon there is nothyng why thou shouldeste bee afearde Thou dooeste acknowelage thyne owne weakenesse and an experimente thou haste hadde of the power of god And this power of god is to bee loued not to bee dreded For what it is hable to dooe it dooethe shewe furthe not to oppresse the weakenesse of synners and to trede it vnder foote but to lifte vp and set it vprighte there is nothyng els required but that thou bee obediente vnto my byddynges and not to weigh what it is that thy strengthe is hable to dooe but what it is that I wyll haue dooen Nothyng shall come ill forwarde if thou put thyne affiaunce in me Thou doeste greately meruaile that the matter came so luckilye to passe in the takyng of fishe but this is but a lyghte matter A thyng of muche greatter woondre shall prosperouslye goe forwarde with the whan thou shalte beegynne to take men with thy fishing And to such a kynd of fishyng haue I specially chosen out bothe the and thy felowes Enough now for thys tyme of thys fishyng that ye haue hytherto vsed From henceforth thou shalt apply thyselfe not to fyll thys bote of thyne with
the maliciouse imaginacions of the same vnto the people but by demaunding a question touched and hit theyr conscience throughly home saying I woulde with all my hearte learne of you that professe the knowlage of the lawe whether it bee leefull to helpe the neighboure with dooyng him a good turne on the sabboth daye or elles to leaue the neyghbour destitute of succour in his woe and distresse whoÌ„e a man is able to helpe And whether is it lawfull to saue a mans lyfe on the sabboth daye or els to caste awaye the same For he playnely casteth away an other mans lyfe that whan it lyeth in his power to saue it doeth not saue it And whan the lorde had caste his iyes round about and no man there was that would make any aunswere he sayd vnto the man holde furth thy hand And immediatly he stretched furth his hande at libertie whiche afore was lame and shrounken together and in such case that it could not stiere a whit So great was the vertue and power of Iesus bidding him to stretche it furth What shoulde the Scribes and Phariseis in this case doe The miracle was more euidente then that it coulde bee denyed and veray common reason did allow that a godly thing it was at any manyer tyme to helpe to the preseruacion of men but hauing been long accustomed to the olde soureswig of Moses lawe they coulde not awaye with the muste of euangelicall charitie Wheras of these actes theyr duetie had bene to acknowlage the power of the Godhead and to acknowlage the autour and firste maker of the lawe they are turned into starke staring madnesse And now euen out of hande they enter a consayll emong themselues of commyttyng murder what way they might destruie Iesus bring him to his death This was with those ioyly captaynes of religion a thing lawfull to dooe on the sabboth day wheras to the same it was a mattier of conscience to geue helth to a man being in extreme miserie on the Sabboth daie And it fortuned in those daies that he went out into a mountaine for to praye and continued all night in prayer to god And assoone as it was daye he called his disciples and of them he chose twelue whome also he called Apostles Simon whom he also named Peter and Andrewe his brother Iames and Iohn Philip and Bartholomewe Mathewe and Thomas Iames the sonne of Alpheus and Simon whiche is called Zelotes and Iudas Iames sonne and Iudas Iscarioth the same that was the traytâ—ur The lorde Iesus eftesons departing from the cities and from the greate resorte of people sequestred himselfe and went vnto a mountayne to pray and all the same night did he passe ouer in deuoutly praying vnto god teaching vs a lesson thereby in case we shall bee willyng to beginne any thyng whiche we woulde fayne haue to be luckie and prosperouse in the proceding of it that we than beginne of making our earneste prayer that it maye please God handesomelye and fauourably to sende the good ayde of his spirite vnto the thinges that we goe about to enter And whan it was brode day lighte he called vnto him his disciples whome he had now as perpetual companyons witnesses of those thinges whiche he wrought Out of them he pieked out a certayne nouÌ„ber of special persons whome for this only coÌ„sideracioÌ„ he named apostles because he entended to send them abrode shortelye after as ambassadoures of the gospel throughout all the worlde and theyr office to be nothing els to do but what they had in commission froÌ„ him The names of the said Apostles are these first Symon who afterwarde had his name geuen him in the Sirians tongue and was called Cephas in Greke petros in Latine saxum in Englysh a stone for none other cause verayly but for his sound constant professioÌ„ by the which whaÌ„ the people were in a wauering maÌ„mering what he was Peter being as the voyce of all thapostles together pronouÌ„ced the sentence that Iesus was the soÌ„ne of the liuing god Unto Peter was Andrew his own brother associate as a felowe Then Iames and Iohn Philip and Bartholemewe Mathewe and Thomas Iames the sonne of Alphei and Simon surnamed zelotes Iudas the sonne of Iames and Iudas Iscariothe who afterward betrayed Iesus whome Iesus chose not vnaduisedly as one that wist not what he did but by prouydence to the entente that he woulde by exaumple of this Iudas teache all creatures what an horrible mattier it is to abuse the fauourable goodnesse of oure salueour towarde vs. Yea and in all the whole noumber of the Apostles was there not so muche as any one that was a man eyther of power or of rychesse or of learnyng not one that was eyther a Pharisee or a Scribe or a bishop He pieked them out vnlearned and rawe or grene in cunning euerye one of them to the ende and purpose that he might poure newe wyne into newe bottels And he came downe with them and stode in the plaine fielde and the compaignye of his disciples and a great multitude of people out of all Iewrie and Hierusalem and from the sea coaste of Tyre and Sydon whiche came to heare hym and to bee healed of theyr diseases and they that were vexed with foule spirites and they were healed And all the people pressed to touche hym for there went vertue out of him and healed them all These Apostles thus chosen vnto hym he came downe from the mountayne vntil he were come into a certayn plaine that was able to receiue a great multitude of people For suche thynges as require purytie of moste perfeccion are to be dooen in the mountayne Emong thynges of moste hyghe perfeccion deuoute prayer hath the firste place the next place hath the special chosing out of them to whome the despensacion and stewarding of goddes word is to be committed There were presente also the residue of his disciples and a veraye great noumber of all sortes of the people besides which had come thither out of all Iewry yea and from Hierusalem selfe too and also from the cities of Tyrus and Sydon lying on the sea coast For the hounger of hearing the gospell preached had drawen thither many folkes euen out of ferre parties and many the hope to receiue bodely health had semblably allured For euery one that came Iesus deliuered from all kindes of diseases or impedymentes that they were holden with Yea and they also whiche were vexed of vncleane spirites were made whole And all this geare was doen of hym so lightly and so easily that some with a mere woorde of bidding were restored to theyr helth and others he healed in a moment sodainly with the onely touching of his garmente that he ware For there was in him the fountayn and fulnesse of the effectual vertue and power of God which proceded from hym none otherwise then light doth from the sonne or heate from the fyer and so brought he health vnto all persones
crosse And in dede they hearde a speakyng of death but it was as it had been half in a dreme nothyng well vnderstandyng what the thyng ment whiche was spoken and yet durste they not demaunde anye questions of hym what these woordes might mene hauyng freash in theyr remembraunces that Petur whan he was somewhat ouer bolde and buisye with Iesus had hearde Iesus saie vnto hym auaunt out of my sight thou Satan thou haste no saueryng of those thynges that appertein to God but altogether of such thinges as appertein to yâ— world ¶ And there entred a thought emong them whiche of theim should bee greatest whan Iesus perceiued the thought of their hertes he tooke a chylde and set hym harde by him and sayed vnto them whosoeuer receiueth this childe in my name receiueth me And whosoeuer receiueth me receiueth hym that sent me For he that is least emong you al the same shal bee greatest After al this same Iesus wente to Capernaum And so it was that forasmuche as the disciples wer yet carnal because they had seen the glory of weorking of many miracles and because they had hearde the maiestie of the kyngdome of God promysed and because theimselfes too had dooen many woondrefull thynges aboue nature at the name of Iesus a certayn worldly thought entred into theim which at laste braste out thus ferre that as they were going on the way they reasoned together one with an other whiche of them shoulde sute highest in the kyngdome of heauen For they dreamed that such a like order shoulde bee in the kyngdome of heauen as they had seen in the courtes of worldely princes or in ryche folkes houses in whiche he that is more proude and quicker or bolder spirited then an other is he is the more Iolier felowe Than Iesus althoughe he knewe well enoughe what it was that they had emong theimselfes kept disputacions of yet as soone as he was come into the house he demaunded of theim what the matter was that they had so hardelye disputed and reasoned of by the waie And they all plaiyng mum and not hauyng a woorde to saie because they wer halfe ashamed of the matter Iesus to shewe that their thoughtes and their priuie talkes behynd his backe wer not hydden ne vnknowen to hym toke a litle innocente childe in his hand and set hym hard by his syde and callyng the twelue together vnto hym he sayed ye dispute of greatnesse whiche of you shal bee greatteste The greatteste with me are those that are moste inferiours What is more playne without fraude or guyle then this litle chylde or what thyng more lowe Euen veray suche muste ye become if ye will be chiefe in the kyngdome of the ghospel The kyngdome of feith and charity knoweth none ambicion it is not acquainted with plaiyng the Lorde it can no skill of tirannye whatsoeuer persone receiueth vnto him suche a childe as this in my name receiueth me myselfe and whosoeuer receiueth me receiueth hym that hath sent me If I haue plaied the Lorde towardes you than reason you also who shal be the chiefe emoÌ„g you but if I haue rather vsed my self as a willing and a readye seruaunte to the commodities of all persones knowe ye that he shal bee a great man emong you all who in contemnyng of glory in humilitie and submission and in feruent affeccion to bee as a seruaunte to dooe all creatures good shal bee the least and moste inferiour of all men ¶ And Iohn aunswered and saied maister we sawe one castyng out deuils in thy name and we forbad hym because he folowed not with vs. And Iesus saied vnto him forbid ye hym not For he that is not against vs is with vs. And because they had hearde hym saye that litle ones are to bee receiued in the name of Iesus it came into Iohns mynde that they had excluded and debarred a certayne man from the fraternitie of ministring the ghospel He therefore is in a doubte whether that lyke as all men were to bee receiued vnto the felowship of the saluacion of the ghospell so in lyke manier all men wer to be admitted to the ministracion of preachyng the ghospell and to the weorkyng of miracles And in this poyncte was hydden a litell spice of a certaine secret pangue of enuye God had tofore geuen power vnto the twelue onely to caste out deuils and to heale diseases Thys dignitie they thoughte not meâ—e to bee made common to any others And therefore Iohn saied maister at the tyme whan beeyng sent foorth by thee we executed the office of preachyng the ghospell abrode we sawe a certaine man casting out deuils in thy name though he bee none of the noumbre of vs twelue no nor dooeth not soe muche as folowe thee neyther This man as one beyng a straunger to our brotherhood we forbadde that he shoulde no more so dooe Than Iesus although he would in no place suffre hymselfe to be preached of by the wicked spirites yet teacheth that men of what sorte soeuer they bee are not to bee forbidden from hauyng to do in the ghospel although they do thesame of no veray sincere hert so that saith he the thyng that they doe they doe it in the name of Iesus and doe thesame thyng that ye dooe For whosoeuer is not an aduersarie vnto vs doeth euen in that veraie poynte make on our syde that he doeth not against vs. To such a thyng as is straunge and by all possible waies to be euerye where published abrode al fauour doeth auaile The miracle is not his that doeth it but Goddes who sheweth his power by man as by his ministre and instrument Therfore whatsoeuer persone sheweth any miracle by callyng vpon my name dooethe publishe and spred abrode my glory and debarreth himself of al title to speake 〈◊〉 of me from thensforth whose name he hath found so effectual ful of power ¶ And it fortuned whan the tyme was come that he shoulde bee receiued vp he sette his face to go to Hierusalem and sent messagiers before him And they went and entred into a city of the Samaritanes to make ready for him And thei would not receiue him because his face was as though he would gooe to Hierusalem Whan hys disciples Iames and Iohn sawe this they saied Lord wilt thou that we commaund fyer to come down from heauen and consume them euen as Helias dyd Iesus turned about and rebuked them saiyng ye wotte not what manier spirite ye are of For the sonne of manne is not come to destroy mennes lyues but to saue theim And they went to an other â—owne And so it befell that the time beeyng nowe veraye nere at hande when Iesus leauyng the yearth should be receiued vp into heauen the Lorde had already entred his iourney and shewed eueÌ„ plainly by his countenaunce that he was bounde towardes Hierusalem as one that purposely minded to be in the way agaynst the occasioÌ„ of his death should come He
therfore sent messagers afore hym twoo or three of the Apostles to prepaire him some harbourgh and place of soiourneyng within a certaine citie of the Samaritanes throughe whiche his iourney laye And whan they came the tounesmen had shutte the gates of the citie against them because they coniectured by the veray facions and couÌ„tenaunce of the Apostles that they were gooyng towardes Hierusalem For the Samaritanes in consideracyon that all theyr woorshyppyng of God was in a mountaine of their owne hated and abhorâ—ed all such as went to HierusaleÌ„ in the way of deuocion to worship God there Upon this Iames and Iohn who hadde been sente on the sayed message when they sawe the vncourtesie of the inhabitauÌ„tes there whiche woulde not suffre them so much as to come within the precincte of their towne walles beeyng euen all out of pacience sayed to the Lord Maister is it thy pleasure that we bidde fier to come downe from heauen as Helias ons dyd whiche may consume these felowes But Iesus because he woulde shewe howe great the mildenes of a teacher of the ghospell ought to bee bridleed their wrathefulnesse with a sharpe rebuke saiyng Take ye not the dede of Helias for your exaumple He beyng led with the spirite brought the wicked people of that tyme to confusion But as for ye doe not yet vnderstand what spyrite ye ought to bee of That same spirite of the ghospel is more meke then so There shall hereafter come a time of redresse and vengeaunce But vntill that daye the sonne of man is come not to cast awaie mennes liues or soules but to saue them They that do now at this presente kepe vs out of their towne wil peradueÌ„ture an other day hereafter take vs in They are therefore to bee saued that they maie bee in case to repent emende And so leauyng the towne they turned an other waye to an other litle towne By these wordes Iesus toke out of theyr stomakes al desirefulnesse of doing vengeaunce and taught vs to vse fauourable bearyng towardes suche as at the firste begynnyng woulde exclude and kepe out the doctrine of the ghospel from theim allegeyng that it was enough to leaue such for a season vntil they might at a tyme of occasion bee conuerted to a better mynde And it chaunced that as they were walkyng in the waie a certaine man saied vnto him I will folowe the whither soeuer thou goe Iesus saied vnto hym Foxes haue holes and birdes of the ayre haue nestes but the sonne of man hath not where to laie his head Againe it fortuned as they wente that a certaine man of his own voluntarie mynde sayed vnto Iesus I will folowe the whithersoeuer thou shalt goe And Iesus myndyng to shewe that suche as broughte not with them myndes mete for suche a weighty matter were not to bee admitted to the fraternitie of preaching the ghospel for that better it were not to take the matter vpon theÌ„ then to geue it ouer again after it were once taken in hande sayed vnto him Foxes haue holes of theyr owne in the earth and birdes of the aier haue theyr nestes in the trees but the sonne of man hath not anye place where to put hys head in Suche an one therefore as hathe anye thing in this worlde whereon to sette hys delite or whereon to set his ful reste and quiet is no mete folower of the sonne of man He muste renounce all thynges that will folowe me And he saied vnto another folowe me And thesame saied Lord suffre me first to go and buirie my father Iesus saied vnto hym leat the dead buâ—rie their dead But go thou and preache the kyngdom of God An other saied Lord I wil folow the but leaâ—e me first go bid them farewel which are at home at my house Iesus saied vnto him No man that putteth his handes to the plough and looketh backe is apte to the kyngdome of God Againe whan he had cast his iye on a certaine other man he saied vnto hym folowe me But he made this aunswere Maister geue me leaue fyrste to buirie my father But Iesus geuyng a bywoorde that the cause of saluacion is to bee preferred before all poyncâ—es of carnall duetye sayed vnto hym Leate the dead buirye theyr deade but gooe thou and shewe abrode the kyngdome of God By thys exaumple dyd the Lorde forfende the excuses of suche men whiche vnder the colour of naturall affeccion and dutie dooe putte of and delaye the care and earneste appliyng of eternall saluacion And yet a wurse â—orte of menne then those are they whiche vnder the colour of fyndyng stoppes and lettes about the affaires of theyr housholde do prolong drieue of fro morowe to morowe the matter of saluacion whiche oughte euen at the first occasioÌ„ streight way to be gone through withal For there came an other man to hym who beeyng commaunded to folowe him aunswered Maister I will come after thee doe nomore but suffre me to goe bidde my familiar frendes and my housholde farewell Than saied Iesus whosoeuer hath ons put his hande to the plough and than afterwarde loketh backe again is not apte for the kyngdome of God This matter of the ghospell is an high matter and an hard to come to whiche whoso hath ons enterprised thesame must with a peâ—pertuall appliyng of it procede stil and goe forwarde to thynges of more and more perfeccion and neuer turne his mynde awaye to the vyle cares of transitorye thynges of this worlde The .x. Chapter After these thinges the Lorde appointed other seuenty also and sent them two and two before him into euerie citie and place whether he himself would come Therfore he saied vnto them the haâ—uest is great but the labourers are fewe Praie ye therefore the lord of the haruest to send forth labourers into the haruest Goe your waies Behold I send you forth as lambes emong woulfes Beare ye no wallet neither scrip nor shooes and salute no maÌ„ by the waie Into whatsoeuer house ye entre first sate Peace be to this house And if the sonne of peace be there your peace shall teste vpon hym yf not it shall turne to you againe And in the same house tarrye styll eatyng and drinkyng suche as they geue For the labourer is woorthye of his rewarde AFter these thinges the Lord chose and toke out of the noumbre of his disciples other seueÌ„tie also as he had tofore chosen his twelue Apostles and sent them two and two before hym into euerye citie place whether he himself had determined to come to the end that by theyr preaching teaching before thei might prepare and make ready the myndes of the people against the cumming of the Lord. These dyd he euen so enstructe howe to preache and teache his ghospel as he had before taught the twelue and he shewed and opened the cause why he had so encreased the noumbre of preachers saiyng The harueste is greate but the labourers are fewe praye ye
vp on hyght a cloude receyued him vp out of their sight And while thei loked stedfastly vp toward heauen behold two men as he went stode by theÌ„ in white apparell whiche also sayed ye men of Galâ—le why stande ye gasyng vp into heauen The same Iesus which is take vp from you into heauen shall so cum euen as ye haue sene him go into heauen These were the last wordes that our lorde Iesus spake to all his disciples beyng gathered together into one place at Bethany After which wordes wheÌ„ he had blessed them in syght of them al caryed he was vp on hygh so long vntil that a bryght cloude toke the bodie of him cleane out of syght For thaÌ„ was it full tyme for theym to truste no longer vnto his bodely presence that they might were the more spiritual and myght behold Iesus none otherwise than with the iyes of theyr fayth And for this cause when Iesus was taken vp on hygh the disciples stode with their iyes stedfastly fyxed towarde heauen So hard a thing was it to pul them from him whoÌ„ they loued excedyngly though beyng yet but weake They loked also whether that any miracle should be shewed them from aboue Therfore sodenly two messagers frome heauen appered in mannes likenesse in white garmentes the verye fourme caused them not to feare the bryghtnesse of theyr garmentes was conuenient for the messengers of hym that than hastened to his glory These two did with frendly wordes asswage the disciples sorow that they had conceyued by the departure of their lord and called them backe againe from theyr gasing vp which profited them nothyng vnto theyr vocacion saying ye men of Galile why stande ye here loking vp towardes heauen This same Iesus whiche is nowe taken from you to heauen is returned whence he came as ye haue often heard of hym that he came from his father and that he woulde leauyng you in the worlde returne to his father againe He is not taken vp into the ayre as Helyas was but he is receyued into his fathers Palayce and there shall sitte at hys right hande as partener of the kingdom of heaueÌ„ You sawe him going to heauen with a visible body and yet immortall And likewise in tyme to cum shal he returne that they which would not whiles he was here knowledge him to bee theyr sauiour shal than feele hym to bee a iudge He shal not cum againe to you poorely but from on high shal he shewe himselfe to the iyes of al men with greate glory But a fewe of you sawe him goyng vp but euery manne shall see him at his seconde comming Albeit ye must not loke for him immediatly to returne He himselfe shewed you that the gospel of god should fyrste be preached throughout the world Nowe therfore endeuour youreselues rather to do that For ye were not bidden tarye here but to continue at Hierusalem to the ende that after ye haue there receyued the holye ghoste ye maye luckely take in hande this heauenly businesse Than returned they vnto Hierusalem from the mount that is called Oliuete Whiche is from Hierusalem a sabboth dayes iourney And when they wer cum in they went vp into a parlour where abode both Peter and Iames Iohn Andrewe Phylip Thomas Berthelmew Mathew Iames the sonne of Alpheus Symon zelotes Iudas the brother of Iames. These euery one continued with one accorde in prayer supplicacion with the women and Mary the mother of Iesu and with his brethren The numbre of the names that were together were about an hundred and twentye The disciples than obeyed these wordes departyng from the mount called Olyuete whiche our lorde before his death was so delyted with that veraye often he resorted vnto it and vpon the whiche he last also stoode when he was ready to returne vnto heauen repayred to Hierusalem That hyl is from Hierusalem as farre as it were a lawful iourney on the Sabboth daye that is to saye almoste two myles From this hill went he to suffer that shamefull death of the crosse and froÌ„ thence lykewyse he went to glorye within the sight of this hill is Hierusalem situate and sittyng thereupon had he Prophecied with weping teres the distruccion of thesame Citie In this cytie whiche was a murtherer of the prophetes the lorde willed first the lyght of the gospell to sprede partely for because it was so foresaid by prophetes partely that they should haue no pretexte ne cloke lefte them for their excuse whiche otherwise through theyr owne infidelitie woulde vtterly haue perished Chapostles were more desirous to looke vpward to heauen whither their lorde went before theim but we for profite of our neyghbour must often come doune to thinges which bee rather necessary then pleasaunt When they came to Hierusalem they went vp into a certaine parlour where those discyples abode that were emong the reste moste famylyar with Christe that is to saye Simon Peter and Iohn Iames and Andrewe Philippe and Thomas Bartholomewe and Mathewe Iames the soonne of Alpheus and Simon zelotes whiche in Hebrewe was called Cananeus and Iudas by sirname called Thadeus or Lebbeus brother to Iames the yonger Certayne women besydes tarryed in the same parloure whiche of a deuoute loue folowed the Lorde in hys waie rydyng to Hierusalem and had serued him with their goodes Among those was also Marye the mother of Iesus with certayne other hys kynsâ—olkes whome the Hebrues called his brethren Marke me here a litle the beginning of the churche which was than as young borne They were delyted with the cytie Hierusalem whiche signifieth with the Hebrues the sight of peace But suche that take this worlde for theyr cuntrey dwell not in Hierusalem neither attayne they to the quietnesse of an heuenly lyfe Neyther they that haue their myndes troubled with worldlye desyres dwell in Hierusalem The holy ghoste cutteth not into such hertes They were also delited to be in a parloure whiche is an high place of the house For shoppes or worke houses are wonte to occupye the lower partes of houses But he that maketh himselfe readye to bee a dwellyng place for the holy goste must be vtterly voide of all vile cares This is that holye congregacion whiche oure Lorde Iesus chose among all others This parlour was the first house wherin that godly churche dwelled Nowe marke what was here done They spent not the tyme in brablyng or in idle tales but continued all together of one mynde in holye prayer Christes church is not there where is not agrement and concorde Theyr prayers God accepteth not whiche loue not brotherly Neyther is he woorthye to be heard the prayeth not instantly The holy congregation prayeth al one thyng Where one prayeth for riches an other wisheth the deathe of his enemye an other for long lyfe another for promocion an other an other thinge there is no praier mete for Christes congregacion The reste also of the disciples resorted to the
is called by that name And they made signes to his father howe he would haue him named Iohn is his name And immediatly was hys mouthe opened and his toungue also And he spake and praised god And al they that hearde the same layed them vp in theyr hertes c. And the hanâ—e of the Lorde was with him In the house of his seruaunte Dauid c. The teâ—te â–ª Whiche wer sens the world began c. And remeÌ„bre his holy couenaunt c. gene xxii That we deliuered oute of the handes of our enemies c. In such holines and righteousnesse as are accepted before God For remission of synnes Throughe the tender mercie of our god c. And in the shadowe of deathe â–ª c. And was in wildernes Untyll the daye came when he should shew himself vnto the Israelites there went oute a commaundemeÌ„t from Augustus the Emperour And this taryng was the first and executed whan Quirinus was Lieutenaunte in Syria c Because he was of the house and â—â—nage of Dauid c. And she brought forth her first begotteÌ„ sonne And layed hym in a maungier because there was no roume for them in the inne For vnto you is borne this daye in the citee of Dauid a saueour which is Christ the Lorde Praysyng God c. Glorye to god on high And peace on the yearth and to men good wyll The shepeherdes said one to another Let vs goe now eueÌ„ vnto Bethlem and see thyâ— thyng c And whan they had sene it c. And al they that hearde it c But Marie kept al those sayinges c. Gene. xvi v His name was called Iesus c. Math i And whan the tyme of theyr purificacion c They brought him to Hierusalem to preseÌ„t hym to the Lorde Exod. xiii a xxii d. Nume viii b. Leuit. xii a. Exod. xiii a. And the same man was iuste godly c. And the holy gost was in him c. And he came by inspiracioÌ„ into the teÌ„ple Than toke be hâ—m vp in his armes and sayed Lorde now leaâ—â—este thou thy seruaunte departe in peace For myne iyes haue seen thy saluacion c. A light to lighten the GeÌ„tiles c. And for a signe which is spoken against c. That the thoughtes of manye hertes may bee opened c. And there was a prophetisse one Anna. c. Whiche was of a greate age And she had liued with an houseband seuen yeres from her virginitie Whiche departed not froÌ„ the teÌ„ple c. And she came furth the same houre c. Psalm xix Into Galilee to theyr owne citie Nazareth And the child grewe c. And was filled with wisedome And whan he was twelue yeres olde they wente vp to Hierusalem The childe Iesus abode still in HierusaleÌ„ And whan they found him not they wente c. And it fortuned that after three dayes they founde him in the temple c. And al that hearde him were astouned at his vnderstanding and aunswers SoÌ„ne â–ª why hast thou thus delt with vs And he said vnto them howe is it that ye soughte me Luc. viii Math. xii Matt. iii. Wist ye not that I must goe aboute my fathers businesse And they vnderstoode not that saiyng whiche he spake vnto them But hys mother kept al these sayynges together in her herte And Iesus prospered in wisedome and age And in fauour with god man And he cam into all the costes about Iordan c. And he said to the people c. And begyn not to saye with youre selues wee haue Abraham to oure father God is able of these stones to ceise vy children vnto Abraham Nowe also is the are layed to the rotes of the trees Euery tree therfore c He that hathe twoo coates c. And he said vnto theim hurte ye no man I baptyse you with water But one stronger theÌ„ I shall cum after me c And the chaffe shall he burne Upon hym â–ª And a voice came from heauen Thou arte my beloued soÌ„ne in the do I delite And Iesus himself began to be of thirtie yeres of age So that he was supposed to be the sonne of Ioseph Which was the sonne of Heli. Returned from Iordan And was ledde by the spirite into wildernesse And in those daies did he eate nothyng And whan they were ended he afterwarde houngred Gen. xxv v If thou bee the soÌ„ne of God commauÌ„de this stone that it be bread It is wrytten Man shall not lyue by bread onely but by euerye woorde of God Deut. vii a And the deiuill toke hym into an high mountayne c. All this power will I geue the. c. If thou wilte fall downe before me c. Deu. vi c. x d. Thy Lorde God shalte thou wurship c. He shall geue his Aungels charge ouâ—e thee c. Psal. xxi c Thou shalt not tempte the Lorde thy God And as soone as al the temptation was ended the deiuill departed froÌ„ hym And Iesus returned by the power of the spirite into Galile And he tâ—uâ—he in theyr Synagoges And was commeÌ„ded of all men And stoode vppe for to reade And there was deliuered vnto hym the booke c. And when he had opened the booke c. And sate downe This daie is this scripture fulfilled in your eares And albate hiÌ„ witnesse and wondered at the gracious woordes whiche proceded out of his mouthe Whatsoeuer we haue heard doen in Capernaum c No prophet is accepted in his owne countraye And manye lepres weriÌ„ Israel in the tyme of Heliseus iiii Reg. v. But he departed through c. They were astouned at his doctrine For his preachyng was with power There was a maÌ„ which had an vnclene spirâ—â—e What hast thou so doe with vs thou Iesus of Nazareth And Iesus rebuked hiÌ„ And sayed holde thy peace cum out of hym And feare came vpon them all And the fame of him was sored abrode And immediatlye she arose and ministred vnto them And he layed hys handes on euery one of them And deiuilâ— also came out of many Whan the sunne was downe all they that had And kept hiÌ„ yâ— he shoulde not departe from them for therfore I am sent He stoode by the lake of Genezareth And he saw two dippes stand by the lanes syde And he sate downe and taughte the people oute of the shyp Neuerthelesse at thy commaundemente I will looce foorth the nette Whan Simon sawe this he fell downe at Iesus knees Lorde goe from me for I am a sinful manne And so was also Iames and Iohn c. And Iesus sayd vnto Simon feare not From hens foorth thou shalt catche men Beholde there was a man ful of leprosie c. Lorde yf thou wilt thou canste make me clene And he stretched furthe hys hande And he charged him that he shoulde tell no man Leut. xiii a And offre for thy clensing c. And gaue him selfe to prayer Whiche were come out of al the
recken one was brought vnto hym whiche ought hym ten thousand talenies but forasmuche as he was not able to pay his lord commaunded him to be sold and al that he had and payment to â—e made The seruaunt fell doune and besought hym saiyng Sir haue pacâ—â—ce with me and I will pay the all Tâ—an had the Lord pitie on the seruaunt and looâ—e him forgaue hym the det After that Peter had hearde these thynges diligentlye supposyng that all that Iesus had reasoned of condemnyng and assoylyng pertayned chieflye vnto hym he conceyued in his mynde a certayne doubte because that Iesus saying after the thyrde reprouyng let hym be vnto thee as an Heathen or a Publican semed to appoint a certain nuÌ„bre which who so passed although he that had offended did repente yet he should not bee receyued vnto grace Therfore to be more exactly taught in this thyng he went vnto Iesus lord ê™ he how often shall I pardon my brother if he offend me and after what numbre of faultes shal he be repulsed from pardon After the seuenth fault This noumbre Peter dyd propose as greate ynoughe wheras Iesus made mencion but onely of the thyrde reprofe Than Iesus shewyng that in these thynges whiche be doen against vs we must be very gentill and easie in forgeuenes I doe not saye ê™ he that ye must forgeue vnto the seuenth faulte but vnto the seuenty times seuen shewing that no noumbre ought to be prescribed to a christian forgeuyng but as often as he that hath offended doeth repent so often euen with the hart his offence is to be forgeuen vtterly pluckyng out from a christen mynde all desyre to reuenge And leste that any maÌ„ should thynke it hard and vniust Iesus teacheth it to be very equall and iust by a similitude For this is not so muche a clemeÌ„cy as a recoÌ„pence For whaÌ„ we offende sumtyme agaynst our neybour but muche more both oftner and more greuously against God whoÌ„ as often as we offend the more greuously we sinne the greater that he is against whom we sinne And the greater benefites that we receyue of hym the more vnworthy we be to obteyn pardone either of our neybour or of God who doth pardon him that sinneth a thousand tymes yf that he repent if we thinke it muche to pardon our brother offendyng much lesse chiefly sith god doeth forgeue vs our trespasses on this condicioÌ„ that we moued by his example should be gentle and easie to be intreated towardes our neybour Therfore ê™ he the kyngdome of heauen is lyke a riche and a myghtye man who hauyng a great familie thoughte to take a count of his seruauntes And whan he began to counte he founde one that ought hym ten thousande talentes And whan the sum was greater then the detter was able to pay the lord commaunded both him and his wyfe and children and al that he had to be sold that the creditour might be coÌ„tented with the money that was made But the seruaunt falling doune with meke suite at the lordes knees I pray the ê™ he to graunt me sum respite and in processe of tyme I wil pay the al. And the lord hauyng compassion of the seruaunte whiche humbled himselfe before hym graunted more than he desyred For he did not onely not bringe hym into the lawe but forgaue hym the whole summe The same seruaunt wente out â–ª and founde one of his felowes whiche ought him an hundreth denaries and he layed hande on hym and wrythyng his necke drew him and sayde paye that thou owest And his felowe fell doune and besoughte hym saying haue pacyence with me and I will pay the all And he would not but went â—nd caste him into prison tyll he shoulde paye the dette So when his felowes sawe what was doen they were sorâ—e and came and tolde vnto theyr Lorde euery thyng that was doen. Than his lorde called hym and sayd vnto hym O thou vngracious seruaunte I forgaue the all that det whan thou deâ—â—redst me shouldest not thou also haue had compassion of thy felowe as I had pitie on the And his lorde was wrothe and deliuered him to the tormentoures till he payed all that was due vnto hym So lykewyse shall my heauenly father doe also vnto you yf ye from your hartes forgeue not eueryone his brother their trespasses But that seruaunt beyng now free and at libertie whan he was goen out of his maisters sight by chauÌ„ce met with one of his felow seruauÌ„tes which oughte hym a lyttle money that is an hundreth denaries he forgettyng his maisters clemency toward hym forthwith layed hand vpon hym and â—egaÌ„ to plucke the miserable man saying â–ª pay thy det This felow seruaÌ„t fallyng doune at the knees of his felow seruauÌ„t beseched hym with as many wordes as the other besought his lord maister deale paciently with me and I wil pay you al. But the creditour would not be intreated but repelled the humble sutour and plucked him into prison tyll he had payed his det Now the other felow seruauntes whiche had seene the meruaylous clemency of their maister toward the seruaunt whan they saw so great crueltie of their felow seruaunt moued with great grief and sorow declared vnto their maister all the matter toward his felow ThaÌ„ the maister stirred with anger called vnto him his seruaunt whom he had pardoned al. Thou naughty seruaunt ê™ he dyd not I beyng thy maister forgeue the suche a great summe for none other cause but that thou madest humble suite vnto me was it not mete therfore that thou beyng a seruaunt shouldest forgeue thy felow seruauÌ„t a litle moneye and haue compassion vpon the humble sutoure lyke as I had compassion on the Surely so great gentlenes of mine towarde thee oughte to teache the gentlenes toward thy felow seruaunt And now the maister being sore angrye deliuered him to the tormentours to be kept in prison vntyll he repayed the whole sum that was forgeuen before After this example your heauenly father wyll deale with you Euery of you is in det vnto him much more whom euery man often doeth offende Men also do trespasse agaynst men but yet farre lesse But vnlesse euery man forgeue his brother and that with all his harte lighter offences doen against hym the father wyll not only not forgeue you the greater trespasses doen against him but also wyll reuoke and call backe those whiche he had forgeuen The .xix. Chapter ¶ And it came to passe that when Iesus had finished these saiynges he departed from Galile and came vnto the coastes of Iewry beyonde Iordan and muche people folowed hym and he healed them there AFter that Iesus with this communicacion had instructed framed his disciples vnto well doing towardes the simple and vnto gentlenes toward the offenders he lefte Galile and went ouer Iordane into the coastes of Iewrye as goynge towardes his death to cum which the Phariseis secretly went about And thither also folowed many flockes of people bearyng
Iames the sonne of Alphe and Thaddeus and Simon of Canaan and Iudas Iscarioth whiche also betrayed hym Therfore Iesus who had oftimes before because to allure manye vnto this doctrine humbled himselfe euen to the basenes of the common people shewing therby that the teachers of the ghospell ought to do the lyke Iesus I say now calling furth to the highnes of euangelike perfeccion wente vp into a mountaine and called vnto hym not euery rascal of the multitude but suche as it pleased hym and those that he had specially chosen and sorted out before for this office and ministery For he called not men of greate substauÌ„ce head rulers great estates not priestes Phariseis or Scribes but poore men vnlearned persons suche as were of lowe degree For these were mete to folowe him to go vp to the mountayne from whence whatsoeuer this presente worlde hathe in it worthy admiracion is contemned from whence as oute of a nighe place the voyce of the father of heauen is heard and to be short from whence the glory of immortalitie and euerlasting lyfe is beholden They that were called obeyed and came to Iesus beyng on high No man can mounte vp to this hill except Iesus call him For himselfe is the mountaine vnto whome no man cummeth vnles he drawe hym This that king of kynges and Lord of rulers did chose out twelue head officers and deputies the whiche as loyall and faythfull garders of his personage shoulde neuer depart from his person to the intent that when the affayres of the ghospell so required he might sende them out as legates for the body to preache suche thinges as they had learned of him theyr kyng and publish abrode theyr princes commaundement throughout the whole world Now for as muche as they were vyle fishers vnlearned persons pooremen and suche as in outwarde apparaunce shewed no poynte of kinglines notwithstanding they promysed the kyngdome of God our sauiour leste theyr aucthoritie shoulde haue ben nothing regarded gaue them a power that no princes of this world can geue theyr ambassadoures the whiche power was that they shoulde in the name of Iesu heale all maner of diseases and also put to flight vncleane spirites The first of these legates or messingers was Simon whose name he chaunged and called him Cephas the which worde implieth as muche as this latine name Petrus that is to say a rocke or a stone to the intent that we should learne by the name selfe how the chiefe groundwarke and foundacion of the doctrine of the ghospell is an vnmouable stedfastnes of fayth The second was Iames the sonne of zebede with his brother Iohn To these he gaue also newe names and they bothe were called Boanarges whiche is as muche to saye in the Syrian tongue as the sonnes of thundre so that theyr name was a very prophecye to declare that they shoulde in tyme to cum send out of that euangelike hill into all the worlde the thunder of the preaching of the ghospell whiche shoulde moue and styrre vp all mens mindes to the desyre of heauenlye thinges For lyke as thunder soundeth from an high so the preacher of the ghospell soundeth and preacheth nothing that is low and carnall but all that he speaketh is high and heauenly Be you penitent the kingdome of heauen is at hande This saying is a thunder clap For assone as this word is spoken euery man feareth the daunger of lightninge but there folowethe a shower and that is Beleue ye the gospell and you shal be safe The fourth legate and messinger was Andrew brother vnto Peter the fifth Philip the sixte Barthelmewe the seuenthe Mathew the eyght Thomas surnamed Didimus the ninth Iames the sonne of Alphe the tenth Thaddeus the eleuenth Symon of Canaan the twelfth Iudas Iscarioth the whiche betrayed the Lord. By these few basely borne vnlearned and weake persons it pleased the Lorde to renewe the whole worlde leste that mannes wisedome or power shoulde chalenge any prayse in this heauenly busynes ¶ And they came into the house and the people assembled thither agayne so that they had no leasure so muche as to eate bread and when they that belonged vnto him heard of it they went out to laye handes vpon him for they sayde he is mad And the Scribes whiche came downe from Ierusalem sayed he hath Beelzebub and by the chiefe deuill casteth he out deuils and he called them vnto him and sayd vnto them in parables These thinges thus doen in the mountayne to monishe vs that in chosyng the ministres of the ghospell we ought in no wiâ—e to be moued led with low and priuate affeccions Iesus came downe with his elect head officers and they all together came into a house as nowe the familiar frendes and of shoulde with God This exaumple was shewed to teache vs howe the teachers of Gods word should not grutche to descend from theyr highnes or perfeccion and abase them selues euen to the lownes of the weake therby to winne very many to theyr Lorde Let vs also folow Iesus into the house for this intent that we may perfectly know what they ought to hope after and wherunto to prepare theyr mindes who take vpon them syncerely to preach the heauenly gospell The multitude went not vp to the mountayne For that thing pertayneth to them only whom the lorde hath chosen out for that purpose But assone as Christ and his disciples were cum downe lower al the whole rablement of people resorted vnto hym again so importunately crying and calling vpon him partly for to heare his doctrine and partly to be deliuered of theyr diseases that the Apostles had no leasure so muche as to eate theyr meate There can be no pleasaunter syghte vnto the teachers of the ghospell then when the people being desyrous to learne do disquiet the priestes then when a great multitude of christen nouices sytteth round about the churche doore then when there is not roume ynough in the Churches to receyue all maner of folkes that resorteth vnto the bishopes sermon After that all these dedes were through the great bruite therof brought to his kinsefolkes and cosens eares who knew right well thinfirmitie of his fleshe wheras for grossenesse of vnderstanding they could not suppose any thyng of his godly might and power after I say they heard tell how he wandred vp and downe with a sort of rascall slouens and vile felowes folowing him at the heles and heard say also howe he caused muche people to folowe him taughte newe learninges and suche as had not bene hearde before put away diseases and caste out deuils they ascribed all to fury and madnesse because being offended with the weakenesse of his body they could in no wise referre these thinges vnto his godly power They knew his father and mother they knew his house and all his family they knewe that in all other thinges he differed nothyng from other and perceyued also howe all that was reported of hym
in vaine striued and wrastled to suppresse it And verayly euen thesame thyng also had our Lorde spoken afore and prophecied whan I shall be lifted vp from the yearth sayed he I shall drawe all thinges to my selfe Suche autours and auouchers of thinges and the growyng of thesame thynges to suche an ende and proufe as afore is sayd doth not suffre vs to doubte neither of tho thynges that haue passed before our tyme ne yet of suche thynges as for many hundredes of yeres to come are promysed Whatsoeuer had of long tyme afore been foresayed by the godlye sayinges of the prophetes Iesus at his cummyng into the worlde did perfourme and fulfyll and whatsoeuer thyng Christ toward his departure from heÌ„ce vp to heauen sayd afore to thapostles that it should come to passe hath in dede come to passe neither is it to be doubted but that he will with semblable vprightnesse and trueth accomplishe all other thynges whiche he hath differred vnâ—yâ—l his second coÌ„ming to bee perfourmed concernyng the resurreccion of our bodyes and concernyng the rewardes of the godly persones and of the wicked Therfore as for the ordre and processe of the gospell matiers I haue with earnesse studie throughly bouâ—ted out of the mouthes of suche whose woordes are vndoubted and certain to write vpon And out of these haue I pieked suche pointes as semed to be moste effectuall and moste helpyng to the fayth and to the deuout godlynesse of the gospell not geuyng it but a litle touche here and there as it were at nouers and as men gather floures here and there one at aueÌ„ture as they come to hand but folowyng the ordre of the tyme and the due course or processe of matiers I haue diligently compyled the storye yea euen somewhat ferre fettyng the matier from the firste grounde that is to wete from the concepcion of hym whiche went before the commyng of our salueour lyke as in byrth so in preachyng also and in death And than furthermore I treate of the straunge concepcion of Christ within the wombe of the virgin of the byrthe of the childe of his circumcision of the puriâ—icacion of Marie of soÌ„drie prophecies spoken vpon the childe of certayne tokens of godly towardnesse whiche euen very than already did like certaine litle sparkes appere in the chylde of whiche thynges the other Euangelistes that with vpright trueth and certaintie wrote before had touched almoste nothing at all After al this how Iohn baptised and preached and than of the baptising of Iesus of his beyng teÌ„pted of his doctryne of wondres that he wrought of his death of his beeyng layed in graue of his arisyng again froÌ„ death to lyfe and of his returnyng vp into heauen These thynges well set in an ordre eche in his moste conuenient place I shall in another treatise adde howe he sente the holye ghoste and what were the firste rudimentes and principles of the primitiue churche whan it firste came vâ— and begonne and also as it grewe from time to tyme greater and greater what the chiefe Apostles Peter Iames Paule and Barnabe didde what they taughte by what myracles and by what affliccions they glorifyed the name of oure Lorde Iesus not for that I suppose that these thynges wyll bee strange vnto thee moste honest Theophilus but partelye to the entente that thou mayest eftesones peruse in an ordre tho thynges whiche thou haste by piecemele learned of others and partelye to th ende that thou mayest of a more perfecte and assured credence throughly perceyue by my wrytyng thesame thynges whiche thou haddest hearde of others afore tymes by theyr liuelye voyce and woorde of mouthe and mayest refuse the fablinges of a great sorte whiche dooe at this present vnder the false counterfeicte name of the ghospell set out theyr owne peynted sheath and not thou alone o Theophilus for we dooe not wryte these thynges to any one sole person onelye but also all other personnes either at this presente tyme beyng or hereafter to come whiche either be or shal be the same in dede that thou arte called in name that is to wete the louers of god whiche renouncyng and vttrely geuyng vp the deuyll dooe with prest readinesse of beleuyng and with godlye applying theimselues sue to the frendeship of god and the whiche despising aswell the eiuilles as also the good thynges of this transitory world do bend al their desyre to those thynges that are euerlastyng and heauenly The fyrst Chapter WHan the tyme by the purpose and appoyntemente of God prefixed and by soondrye sage sawes of the Prophetes aforâ—tolde and promised and by the space of so many hundred yeres greatly wished for of holy and deuout people was now come that the sonne of God shoulde take vpon hym the nature of manne for to redeme mankynde by his death and aswell by his doctrine as also by his exaumple of doyng for to enstructe vs towardes the knowledge of the trueth and the earnest loue and desyre of the godlye trade of the ghospell and finally by his promyses for to set vp oure hertes towardes the hope of the lyfe euerlastyng in heauen for because all this same that was to bee doen was straunge nor the lyke heard of in any age or tyme afore the wysedome of god by secrete wayes and meanes ordreyng all thynges there was leate passe no poynte at all of any tokens or euident signes whiche mighte to a matier of it selfe incredible purchase credite and cause it to bee beleued among men For who hath euer heard a man to haue been borne of a woman on earth which should for euermore reigne God in heauen The histories euen of the Gentiles also be full of straunge thinges that haue happened against the coÌ„mon course of nature In the bokes of the olde testament we learne that fyer hath been cast downe from heauen we learne the sea to haue opened and deuided it selfe into twoo partes water to haue been gotten foorth of a drie stone by touchyng it with a long rodde and deade menne to haue been restored agayne to lyfe But who hath euer hearde a virgin to haue brought foorth a chylde without mans helpe Yet in dede the chiefe article of our saluacion it was that this same point were to all persones throughly perswaded that is to wete Iesus to be thesame Messias whose cummyng all foretellynges of the Prophetes had promysed and whom all the lawes of Moses had by waye of a shadowe expressed and of whome onely all persons muste hope and truste to haue theyr saluacion ¶ There was in the dayes of Herode the kyng of Iewry a certayne prieste named Zacharie of the course of Abia and his wyfe of the doughters of Aaron and her name was Elizabeth Wherfore by the high wysedome and prouidence of god there was one prepared the whiche beyng for his owne parte also borne into this worlde after a woonderfull straunge sorte shoulde goe before the heauenly chylde bearing of the virgin Marie and
goe in peace and this my benefyte bee with the for euer with this saying he touched and nipped the pharisees and Scribes who put more hope in their owne workes then in the goodnesse of God ¶ While he yet spaâ—e â–ª there came one from the rewlees of the Synogogues house whiche sayed to him thy daughtâ—r is dâ—ade disease not the mayster But whan Iesus hearde that woorde he aunswered the father of the damosell feare not beleue onelye and she shall bee made whole â—nd whâ—n hâ— came to the house â–ª he suffered no manne to go in with hym saue Peter Iames and Iohn and the fathâ—r and the mother of the marden Euery body wepte and folowed for her And he sayed wepe not The damosell is not deade but slepeth And they laughed hym to skorne knowyng that she was dâ—ade And he thruste them all oute and caught her by thâ— hande and cryed saying mayde aryse And hir spirite came agayne and shâ— aroâ—est reyghâ—waye And he commaunded to geue hir meate And the father and the mother other hir were astouned But he warned them that they should tell no man what was doen. The lorde Iesus had not yet ended speakyng these woordes whan one of the mayster of the Synagogues house came rennyng and sayed Sir neuer trouble ne disease ye the Lorde any feâ—ther who is now lyke to come in vayne for thy daughter is already dead The felow that brought this worde thought ne had no greater ne higher opinion or beliefe of Iesus then of some other especiall good phisician who coulde haue holpen her beeyng sicke and alyue but to reyse her agayn beeyng dead that were he by no meanes hable to dooe Whan Iesus sawe Iairus deadly astouned and amased at this newes he conforted hym saying be not afrayed onely haue thou a feithfull beliefe and the gierle shal be safe Whan they were come to the Maister of the Sinagogues house Iesus woulde not suffre any moe of the multitude to goe in at the doores with hym but Peter Iames and Iohn and with them also the father and mother of the gierle Whan he came in he found the house all full of mourning For the dead mayden was wept for and bewayled of all her frendes and kinsfolkes whiche dewtie and office of mournyng is commonlye dooen to the great ryche folkes at theyr deathes for a pryde and honour more then for any sorowe For they do make and appoynte certayne for the nonce to make lamentacion to syng doulfull songes of mourning and to shewe an outwarde countenaunce of sorow by wepyng and wryngyng of theyr handes and beatyng or tearyng themselues All this pompe and vayne shewe did Iesus refreigne and forbid saying make none of you no wepyng for the mayden is not deade but she slepeth And they had hym in derision for his so saying because they knewe certaynely that she was dead in dede Than Iesus entreyng with a veraye fewe persones into the Inner chambre where the dead corpse of the mayden laye he toke her by the hande muche like as though he should but awake her out of her â—lepe saying with a good loude voyce mayden arise And what folowed No creature a liue doeth more lightlier awake from slepe at the voyce of any that calleth him vp then this mayden arose agayne from death to lyfe as soone as Iesus spake vnto her For not onely her soule and lyfe retourned agayne into the tabernacle of hir body from whens it had tofore departed but also she arose vp and walked about the house as mery and lustie as euer she was before And Iesus to th entent that it shoulde bee a more certayne and euident declaracion of life perfectely restored vnto hir wylled meat to be geuen vnto hir whiche thyng whan the father and mother of the gierle saw they wer greatly astouned And Iesus gaue them a great charge that they shoulde make no wordes to no creature of the thyng that had happened as though he had been veray fayne that this miracle shoulde bee knowen but to a fewe partelye to teache vs that we ought not to hunte for the glory and prayse of our well dooynges at the handes of men and partely to signifie by this figure and exaumple that in light faultes a rebuke secretely geuen may be sufficient For the gierle beeing deade dooeth betoken a man throughe weakenesse and frailtie fallen into syn The deathe was yet freashe the corpse had not come abrode into open fight Therfore the multitude beeing shut without doores the matier was al ended and but a fewe persons made priuie vnto it But happie and blissed are they whome Iesus doeth so vouchesalue to take by the hande The .ix. Chapter Iesus called the twelue together and gaue them power and autoritie ouer all deiuils and that they might heale diseases And he sent them to preache the kyngdome of God and to heare the sicke And he sayed vnto them Take nothyng to your iourneye neyther staffe nor scâ—ip neyther breade neither money neither haue two coates And whatsoeuer house ye entre into there abyde and thence departe And whosoeuer wyll not receiue you whan ye goe out of that citie shake of the veray dust from your feete for a testimonie agaynst them And they departed and went through the tounes preachyng the ghospell and healyng euery where ANd hitherto did Iesus execute and administre the office of preachyng the ghospell in his owne persone framyng by all the meane space and traynyng his twelue apostles many soondrye wayes as men that should after the receiuing of the holy ghoste succede him in tyme to come in the office of preachyng And for that veâ—aie cause it was that he would in any wyse haue them continuall witnesses of his actes and preachyng But to the entent that in the meane season they themselues also might shewe some paterne and saumple of themselues towardes the executing of so great an office and euen the lord beyng yet alyue they might assaye and proue how well they coulde dooe he called them euery one together into one place for a lesson and token that there ought to bee no discorde ne disagreyng emong them in theyr preachyng And to thentente that the preachyng of suche poore meane felowes and vnlearned persones shoulde not vttrely altogether lacke autoritie he gaue vnto them moreouer the vertue and power to cast out all kynde of deuils and to heale al kynde of diseases For it was mete that they whiche shoulde preache the kyngdome of God should haue power ouer wicked deuils the enemies of god and also that suche as shoulde be preachers of that doctrine whiche healed al diseases of the mind should not lacke vertue to heale all manier diseases of the bodye yea and ferthermore conuenient it was â–ª that the people should be allured and woonne to the profession of the ghospell by good turnes and benefites rather then by thynges of terrour Accordyng to the exaumple sayeth he that my selfe haue geuen you
frendely countenaunce and theyr garmentes glitteryng in maner of clere brightnesse or lightning Thissame veray lightnesse and sight of the Aungels had been an open semblaunt of the triumph of an arysing agayne to lyfe And whan the weomen beeyng throughly afrayed with this straunge syght cast their countenaunce and iyes downe vpon the grounde and durst not loke streight vpon the maiestie of the visioÌ„ being a thing aboue the reache of mans nature the sayed Aungels with mylde and amiable speakyng vnto them doe ease and recoumforte the hertes of them beeyng astouned with that soodayne feare O ye weomen saye the Aungels why doe ye seke hym in the graues of the dead which is a liuesman In dede here was he layed whan he was dead but nowe forasmuche as he is reuiued agayne he is not in graue where the dead doe reste but he is arysen agayne from death to life and walketh a liuesman emong the lyuing He had by his owne woordes foreshewed that dye he should he had foreshewed the tyme also the kynde of his death but thesame had also foreshewed that he would on the third day returne to lyfe againe Ye belieue hym to bee dead because ye sawe it belieue ye also that he is arysen againe to life For he will not in this pointe deceyue you whiche on the other parte tolde you trueth Hath sorowe and trouble of mynde made you to forget all thynges that he tolde you of aforehande Lette it come to your remembraunce againe howe that of all these thynges whiche haue nowe been dooen he leafte not any one poynte vnspoken of or vntolde aforehande whan he was yet in Galile For he tolde you afore that it was so decreed by the wysedome and ordeynaunce of his father that for the redempcion of mankynde the sonne of man should be deliuered into the handes of synners and that he should bee accused should be beaten and should be setfurth to receyue al kyndes of mocking skorning and finally that beyng hoighced vp vpon the crosse he should be put to death but yet that he thesame man should on the thirde daye returne to lyfe agayne Call ye the tyme well vnto your knowlage He was taken downe from the crosse well towardes the euentyde of the preparacion daye and layed here in thissame graue that daye is rekoned for the firste daye from his death All the whole Sabboth day he rested in his sepulchre Nowe is this the dayspring of the third day which third day himselfe arising together with thesame hath willed to be gladsome and prosperous to all the whole worlde After these woordes spoken the Aungels vanished awaye from theyr sight ¶ And they remembred his woordes and returned from the sepulchre and tolde all these thynges vnto those eleuen and to all the remnaunt It was Mary Magdalene Ioanna and Mary Iacobi and other that were with them which tolde these thynges vnto the Apostles And theyr woordes semed vnto them feigned thinges neyther beleued they them Than arose Petur and ran vnto the sepulchre and loked in sawe the linen clothes layed by themselfes and departed woondreyng in himselfe at that whiche had happened Than the wemen through the Aungels bringyng them in remembraunce doe call to memorie the Lorde Iesus woordes by the whiche he had tolde aforehand vnto his disciples aswell his death as also his resurreccion Whervpon leauyng the monumente they make hast to the eleuen Apostles and the other disciples who for feare of the Iewes lay in secrete places here some and there some gathered together and had euen themselues too forgotteÌ„ in maner all thinges that Iesus had tolde them and wer now in manier in despayre and to them doe the weomen bryng newes what they had seen and what they had heard of the Aungels The first weoman Eue beeyng deceyued by the serpent allured her housebande Adam to doe amysse these deuoute weomen beeyng taught by the Aungels doe moue and exhort men to promptenesse of beleuing Therfore because the weomen kynde shoulde not euermore without any ende continue in slaunder and oblique for death that had issued out of them into men the moste gladsome tidinges of lyfe restored agayne doethe therehence procede from whence the occasion of death hath first issued Now the weomen whiche brought the fyrst newes of the premisses vnto the Apostles were Marie Magdalene the systur of Lazarus Ioanna the wyfe of Chusa Herodes agent and factour Mary the mother of Iames the younger whiche was also called the systur of Mary the Lordes mother and many other weomen whiche in coumpany of these were woont to goe with Iesus where euer he wente But for the vncredible matâ—er that they brought newes of the weomen beyng estemed to bee vessels sumwhat fraile founde no suche regarde as to bee credyted emong the Apostles whom the Lorde for suche consideracion suffred to bee the slacker to beleue that the assured trueth of hys resurreccion myghte by the moe euidente proufes and tokens bee confyâ—med Therfore what the sayed weomen reported of soodayne seeyng of the aungels of the stone in a momente remoued from the mouth of the sepulchre semed to the Apostles and disciples to bee some poynte of dotage suche as reigneth in weomen because that thys sexe of woman kynde hauyng the conceipte of their imaginacion somewhat infected and corrupte through the weakenesse of reason and of good iudgemente in them doe many times belieue themselfes to see that thei see not and heare that they heare not And although they did not belieue it to be a mattier of trueth that the weomen reported yet dyd theyr earnest affirmyng of it and standynge therin thus muche auayle that Peter arysyng from the place where he sate ran furth to the monument and puttyng hys head in and lokyng afore hym he fyndeth not the body but the pieces of linnen in whiche the body of Iesus had been wound vp he seeth liyng there aside in a place by themselfes And yet not so neyther dyd he belieue that the Lorde was arisen agayne from death to lyfe so diepe forgetfulnesse had there taken hym of the thynges which Iesus had sayed but awaye he went from the sepulchre meruaylyng with himselfe what had befallen and doubtyng whether any body had taken awaye the bodye out of the monument and castyng many soondry thynges in his minde by whom or of what entent and purpose thatsame poynte had been dooen that the body taken awaye he sawe the linen pieces leafte behynde as thynges laysurely taken of from the body whiche could not without some buisinesse haue been plucked of and for that he sawe thesame linen pieces not cast aboute at auenture here one and there one but handesomely layed vp in theyr place and ordre the kerchefe wherwith the head and face of Iesus had been couered beyng layed by it selfe aparte from the rest ¶ And beholde twoo of them went thatsame daye to a toune called Emaus whiche was from Hierusalem aboute three
certaine thinges omitted by the other euangelistes because they semed not vnworthy to be knowen But the especiall cause why that he wrote this gospel men suppose was to set forth confirme the godhead of Christ against the heresye whiche euen in those daies as euill weedes emongest good corne begun to spring and namely against the heresye of the Cerinthians and Ebeonites the whiche besyde other erroniouse doctrine preached that Christ was nothing els but man only nether that he was in any wise before he was borne of the virgin Marie Now it was very necessarie that the worlde shoulde knowe and beleue Christe to be bothe very god very mā of which twoo the former article doeth principally helpe to inflame the loue of man toward him for the better we knowe a thing with the better wil we do loue it secōdarily it doth cause vs to haue more feruēt courage to folowe the steps of him For who will attēpt to folow coūterfait that thing which is doen of an aungell by a vision apperaunce only not in very dede furthermore like as it is hard to obserue the thinges which he cōmaundeth euē so the thinges be excedyng excellēt that he promiseth it was therfore requisite also that his godhed should not be vnknowen to th entent that we might haue cōfydence that he vndoubtedly would helpe his seruaūtes whō he after such sort did loue neither will defraude them of his promise that which is able with a becke to do what him list The Euāgelistes that wrote before S. Iohn made in maner no mencion of the diuinitee of Christe For I thynke this to bee the wysedome which s. Paul vsed to speake emōgst the perfit emōgst the rest professing himself to know nothing els but Iesus Christe him to be crucified Mafortune as then the time did not suffer so inexplycable a misterie to be put in wryting to al mens knowledge lest it should be had in derisiō of the wicked because they could neither beleue it neither vnderstand it For in other matters also the olde aūcient auctours as oft as they make mēcion of heauēly thinges doe vse to speake both very seldome and very reuerently therof beeyng more copious in suche thynges as doe more profite and appertaine to godly lyuing The Apostle S. Iohn was constrayned therfore by the vndiscrete boldenes of the heretikes more plainly euidently to affirme both the natures to be in Christe like as by the bolde presumpcion of the Arians the catholyke fathers were inforced more precisely to discusse certaine thinges as touching thesame matters wher as they would rather not haue medled with the diffinicion of suche matters whiche both doeth greatly passe the capacitie of mannes wittes and cannot be determined without great daunger and perill But as for this matter not without consideracion it was reserued for S. Iohn so wel beloued of Christ and so well worthy whome as he that is the well of all wysedome dyd loue aboue the reste more feruētly so is it to be beleued that thesame did more plentifully reuele and open certain secretes and misteries vnto hym if I maye so cal him his so wel beloued dearlyng Him therfore so derely beloued of Christ let vs all profoundly and groundely vnderstand that we for our part may be the louers of Christ. Well of this one thing and no more I will put the reader to acknowleage that in this present Paraphrase I folowe the mynde of moste allowed olde autours but not in euery place neyther in euery thing for they themselues do often discent emong themselues yet do I alway sincerely and faithfully declare and bring forth that the which me thinketh is the most true sence meaning for as muche as I dyd perceiue that the olde auctours contendyng against the opinion of heretikes haue wrested some places something violently to their purpose yet it is not my mynde that any manne geue more credence to this my Paraphrase then he would geue to a commentarye if I had wrytten one vpon it notwithstandyng a Paraphrase is a kynde of a commentarie As for allegories in the whiche I perceiue the olde auctours to haue been very scrupulously and supersticiously diligente haue I not medled withal but very seldome neyther more copiously then me thought conuenient Farewell redoubted prince with all your endeuour fauour and sette foorth the glory of the gospell so almightie Christ of his part graciously assist you in all your desyres Yeuen at Basile the yere of our Lord. M.D.xxiii the .v. daye of Ianuarye ¶ Saint Iohns lyfe Wrytten by Saynt Ierome IOhn the Apostle whom Iesus loued tight well beyng the sonne of Zebedeus and Iames the Apostles brother whom after the Lordes deathe Herode had beheaded wrote his ghospel last of all the rest being desired thereto by the byshops of Asia both agaynst Cerinthus and diuers other Heretickes but principally agaynste the opinion of the Ebeonites whiche euen than arose which Ebeonites auouche that Christe was not before Marie by reason wherof he was enforced to shew euen his diuine natiuitie They saye that besydes this there was an other cause of his wrytyng because that whan he had red the volumes of Matthewe Marke and Luke he well allowed the texte of the story and affirmed that they had sayd the trueth but had only made their stor◠of one yeres actes in whiche after the imprisonmente of Iohn Christe suffered Wherfore omitting that yeres actes whiche were sufficiently entreated of all three he shewed such thynges as were doen before Iohn was imprisoned Whiche thyng may euidently appeare to suche as shall diligently reade the volumes of the fower gospels the whiche thing also doeth take awaye the disagreyng that semeth to be betwene Iohn and the rest He wrote besides the premisses one Epistle which beginneth thus That which was from the beginnyng which we haue heard which we haue sene with our iyes c. The other two which begin The elder to the welbeloued Lady and her chyldren c. And the elder to the best beloued Caius whom I loue in the trueth c are affirmed to haue been written of Iohn the priest whose seuerall toumbe is at this daye to be sene at Ephesus and many suppose that there are two memorials of this same Iohn the Euangelist of whiche matter we will entreate after we shall by order come to the lyfe of Papias his scholler In the fowertenth yere than at what tyme Domicianus after Nero styred vp the seconde persecucion Ihon being banished into the Isle of Pathmos wrote the reuelacion which is entitled the Apocalipsis which Iustine the martir and Hireneus doe make commentaries vpon But after Domician was stayne and all his actes reuoked by the Senate because of his ouer muche crueltie he returned to Ephesus in the tyme of prince Nerua and continuyng there vntill the tyme of the Emperour Traiane he instituted and gouerned all the churches of Asia and there continued tyll he was impotente for
it was euen so Than sayd they it is hys â—ungell But Peter continâ—ed knocking and when they had opened the doore and saw hym they were astoâ—ied And whan he had beckened vnto them with the hand that they myght holde their peace he tolde them by what meanes the Lorde had brought hym out of the prison And he sayed goe shewe these thynges vnto Iames and to the brerâ—râ— And he departed and went into an other place Then Peter lookyng about hym and perfectly knowyng in what part of the citie he was cummyng to hymselfe sayde Nowe I perceyue it is no dreame that is done but the Lorde pytiynge those that be hys hath sente hys Aungell and hath delyuered me out of the handes of Herode whiche had decreed to put me to deathe and hath disappoynted bothe the cruell kyng and also the earnest expectacion of the multitude Than as he was in consultynge and deuising with hymselfe whither he myghte mooste safely goe thynkyng that he woulde make hys dysciples and felowes to be partakers of thys hys ioyfull chaucne wente to the house of Mary that was the mother of Iohn not the same Iohn that was brother to Iames but that was otherwise called Marke in whose house many were assembled praying wyth one assente for the delyuery of theyr pastoure And whan Peter knocked at the wicket of the gate whyche was towardes the streate syde a lytle mayden came foorthe softely to harken what the matter was Her name was Rhoda Whome Peter perceyuyng to come to the doore wylled her spedely to open the doore Whan she heard Peters voice beeyng halfe amased for sooddayn ioye did not open the doore but runnyng backe agayne into the house broughte theym woorde that Peter was at the doore But they beeyng well assured howe safe Herode had caused Peter to bee kepte aunswered to the mayden Surely thou arte peuyshe But whan shee contynued styffely affirmyng that it was true that shee had sayed some of theym sayd it is not Peter but his ghoste or angell that speaketh lyke him For they were of this opinion that euery man hath an Angell to be hys keper and guyde whiche often tymes woulde take mannes lykenes vpon hym But when as Peter styll knocked they opened the doore and whan they sawe Peter come in they woondred at hym But Peter hearyng the greate noyse of those that reioyced that he was come agayne beckened to theym with his hande that they shoulde holde theyr peace and harken wythoute noyse what he woulde saye leste that any manne shoulde perceyue the matter that had chaunced by so straunge and vnaccustomed noyse that they made Whan sylence was made he shewed theym all the matter as it had chaunced in ordre howe the Lorde had broughte hym out of the pryson by the guydyng of his aungell And looke sayde Peter that Iames the brother of the Lorde be certified hereof he was than bysshope of Hierusalem and the reste of the brethren that they maye bee partakers with vs of thys ioye In thys wyse the good God dooeth myxte sadnesse with myrthe and myrthe wyth sadnesse that we shoulde not vttrely despayre After Peter had spoken these woordes he forthwith departed thence and went into an other place wheras he myghte more safely bee hydde for feare leste Herode whose contynual endeuoure in crueltie he had experyence of shoulde agayne espie him out Assone as it was daye there was no lytell to dooe emong the souldiers what was becum of Peter Whan Herode had sought for him and founde him not he examined the kepers and commaunded them to bee had away And he descended from Iewry to Cesarea and there abode Herode was dyspleased with them of Tyre and Sydon But they came all with one accorde and made intercession vnto one Blastus the kinges chaumbers sayne and desired peace because their countrey was nourished by the kynges prouysion But as sone as it was daye the souldiers to whose custody he was committed seeyng the chaynes remayne whole and that the prysoner was escaped the doores beeyng shutte were sore amased maruaylyng what was become of Peter And Herode whan he had sente for Peter to thyntente that he myght bryng him foorth beefore the people and so to condemne hym to death and founde hym not in the pryson after examynacyon hadde of the kepers commaunded them to warde that he myghte at laysure put theym to execucion But God euer mercyfully tenderyng those that loue hym restrayned Herodes rage aswell prouydyng for the safetye of the Apostles as also of the souldiers For it was not sytting that the safegarde of Peter shoulde be occasion that the innocentes shoulde suffer the paynes of death And in the meane space it it befel that Herode had occasion to take hys iourney to Cesarea a citie of Palestine He was offended with thinhabitours of Tyre and Sydon and dyd euen than purpose in his mynde to wage battayll agaynste theym But they hearyng of that repaired wyth one accorde vnto hym and fyrste desiryng the fauoure of one Blastus whyche was chyefe of the kynges priuie chaumbre and obteyning the same sued for peace forasmuche as they thought it expedient for them to haue the frendshyppe of hym beyng a kynge that dwelte so nere theym Because that their ryches and welthynes in Tyre and Sydon stoode moste by marchaundysynge and therefore it was theyr commoditie and vauntage to bee at league wyth the countreys that adioyned nere vnto them and that they could not wage battell without theyr great hynderaunce hauyng not free passage for occupiers to cary out and bryng in marchaundises ¶ And vpon a day appoynted Herode arayed him in his royall apparell and set hym in his seate made an oâ—acion vnto them And toe people gaue a shout saying it is the voice of a God and not of a maÌ„ And immediately the angel of the Lord smoâ—e hym because he gaue not God the honour and he was eaten of wormes gaue vp the gost And the woord of God grew and multiplied And Barnabas and Paule returned to Hierusalem when they had fulfilled their office and toke with them Iohn whose sirname was Marke After these matters were pâ—acibly ended whan as vpon a certayne solemne feaste or high daye that was by vowe kepte holy for the health of the Emperour by occasion whereof the chiefe rulers of the whole countrey were assembled thither the seconde daye that the playes were kepte for they continued many dayes Herode was speakyng vnto the people out of an hyghe place or pulpet before the people hauyng on hym a gorgeous garmente that was very richely and coningly wouen and enbrodered with bothe syluer and also gold when that the brightenes of the Sunne beames shyning on the laâ— and bosome of the kinges garment by reason of refleccioÌ„ glistered vpon euery mans iyes that no man might abyde the bryghtenes thereof euen as it had been lyghtening the multitude with flattery made a shout thereat praysyng hym sayd
in this matier For they beyng muche desyrous of their maysters auauncement and to wynne moe vnto him feared lesâ—e that many of the Gentyles myndes woulde be alienated and turned awaye from Christe because they coulde not abyde the lawe And againe they thoughte it not expedient to geue a iuste cause to the Iewes to forsake the ghospell as thoughe it were dysagreeyng from the holye lawe forasmuche as they were so earnestlye rooted in the lawe whyche they had receiued of theyr forefathers and had at that tyme in great reuerence that they mighte not sodainly be plucked from it And when there was muche dâ—sputing Peter arose vp and saide vnto them ye menne and brethren ye know how that a good while ago God did choose emoÌ„g vs that the Gentiles by my mouth should heare the word of the gospel and beleue And god which knoweth the hertes bare them witnesse and gaue vnto them the holy ghost euen as he did vnto vs and put no difference betwene vs and them seyng that with faith he purified their hertes Now therfore why tempte ye god to put on the disciples neckes the yoke which neither our fathers nor we are able to beare But we beleue that through the grace of the lorde Iesu Christ we shal be saued as they do Than all the multitude was pleased and gaue audience to Barnabas and Paule whiche tolde what sygnes and wunders God had shewed emong the Gentiles by them Wherfore bothe parties beyng in earnest disputacion and reasonyng and bothe parties allegyng testimonies out of scriptures and groundyng theyr argumentes vpon thesame Peter arose vp and spake vnto them in this wise Brethren wherefore call ye this matter into controuersy or disputacion as though it were doubtfull and as who sayth that it were in mannes arbitrement to allowe or dysailowe that thing that god hath already allowed Your selues do knowe that fewe yeares since it chaunced me to haue the practyse of suche a lyke thing in Iewry as ye finde fault withal emong all the Gentiles nowe For whan ye likewyse grutched that Cornelius his householde were Christened I shewed vnto you all the whole matier howe that I toke my iourney to Cesarea not of myne owne heade but by the commaundemente of God to preache his ghospel to the Gentiles also that they throughe faythe in hym might obteyne saluacion And where as they that hearde me than preache the gospell were vncircumcised and free without bondage of Moses law yet neuerthelesse god who estemeth not man of his apparel or outwarde furniture but of the inwarde affeccion of his herte whiche he alone doeth knowe gaue vs manyfest tokens that he approued theyr faythe forasmuche as he whiles they harkened vnto vs powred on them his holy ghoste yea so plentifully that they spake diuerse languages as well as we and that also before they were christened so that he put no dyfference as concernynge the gracious fauour that cummeth by the gospell betwene them whiche were not circumcised and vs that are Iewes For their hertes be clensed through fayth playnely declaring to vs that thys fauour doeth not consist in the power of the lawe to geue it vnto men but in fayth whiche maketh man acceptable in the syght of God For God geueth not his holy spirite to the vncleane And they had nothing els but eueÌ„ a playne beliefe whan the holy ghost came downe vpon them Wherefore nowe seeyng that God hath expressed his mynde and will that the Gentiles shoulde bee receyued to the ghospell and shoulde bee partakers therof throughe onely faith without the burden of the lawe why than dooe ye prouoke and tempte God whiles that contrary to his will ye go about to lay vpon the disciples neckes this so heauy a yoke of the lawe whiche they were neuer hitherto vsed vnto and the whiche neyther our forefathers nor yet we oure selues that wer borne vnder the lawe coulde euer bee hable to beare For whyche of vs all euer kepte the lawe as it oughte to bee kepte Wherfore there remayneth no hope for vs to attayne vnto saluacion by kepynge of the lawe but we truste to bee saued by the grace of oure Lorde Iesus Christe beeyng in this behalfe nothynge better then the Gentiles vnto whome he willed thys gyft to bee frely communicate and parted as he freely gaue it vnto vs also By these woordes of Peter the contencious disputacion betwene the Pharisees and those that were of opinion contrarye was ceassed And so afterwarde the multitude quietly harde Barnabas and Paule shewing by howe sondrye myracles and woonders whiche had by theyr handes bene wroughte amonge the Gentiles God had witnessed that his will was that the Gentyles shoulde bee made partakers of the ghospell without kepeynge of the heauy burden of the lawe accordyng as he had declared his mynde beefore to Peter whan he was preachyng Christe in Cornelius house by sendyng downe the holy goste vpon them ¶ And when they helde theyr peace Iames answered saiyng Men and brethren herken vnto me Simeon tolde how god at the beginning did visit the Gentiles to receiue of them a people in his name And to this dooe agree the wordes of the prophetes as it is written After this I wil returne and will buylde vp agayne the Tabernacle of Dauid whiche is fallen downe and that whiche is fallen in decaye of it wil I build again I wil set it vp that the residue of men myght seke after the lorde and also the Gentiles vpon whome my name is uained saith the lord which doeth al these thinges knoweÌ„ vnto god are al these his workes froÌ„ the beginning of the world Wherfore my senteÌ„ce is yâ— we trouble not them which from among the Gentiles â–ª are turned to God But that we write vnto them that they abstayn themselues from filthynes of ymages and from fornicacion and from strangled and from bloude For Moses of olde tyme hathe in euerye citie them that preache him in the synagoges whan he is read euery Sabboth day Whan they had ended their communicacion Iames whiche otherwyse was called Iames the iust or Iames the good and was commonlye named the brother of our lorde to whom the apostles had than coÌ„mitted chiefe autoritie arose and approued their sayinges in this wise Brethren for asmuche as ye haue quietly heard the other that spake vnto you I pray you heare me also whiles that I shew you my conceite what I thinke best to bee doen in this matter Symon Peter declared euen now that thinge whiche all we knowe to be very true how that first it pleased god whiche had great pitie vpon mankynde seeyng in what distresse and extremitie of peryll and daunger to be lost the Gentyles were and how they were all gyuen to worshyppinge of idols to chose hym a people euen of those also that semed to bee none of his people a people that shoulde be well accepted with him and call on his name as wel as we And that same thinge whiche
weÌ„t in with vs vnto Iames. And all the elders came together And whan he had saluted them he tolde by order all thinges that God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministracion And so whan we had taryed a fewe dayes at Cesarea we made readye oure selues to take our iourney towarde Hierusalem And some of the disciples folowed Paule and went in cumpany with vs from the citie of Cesarea bringing with them a certaine man named Muason which was a Ciprian borne with whome we shouldâ— hoste at Hierusalem For he was knowen to bee a good and godly man for he had than of longe tyme beleued the ghospell and had persisted and continued in the sincerite of the faythe But whan we were come to Hierusalem the brethren gladly and ioyfully receyued vs. And Paule the nexte day takinge vs with him went to Iames his house the iuste whiche was called the brother of the Lorde For he was instituted of the Apostles byshop of Hierusalem And thyther assembled all the elders Whome as soone as Paule had euerychone saluted he rehearsed to them in ordre what God had wrought emong the Gentiles by his ministerye emonge whome he had nowe a good sorte of yeares preached the ghospell And when they heard it they gloryfied the Lorde And sayed vnto him Thou seest brother how many thousande Iewes there are whiche beleue and they are all earnest folowers ouer the lawe And they are infourmed of the that thou teachest al the Iewes whiche are among the Gentiles to forsake Moises and saiest that they ought not to circumcise their children neyther to lyue after the customes What is it therfore The multitude must nedes come together For they shall heare that thou art come Do therfore this that we saye to the. We haue fower men whiche haue a nowe on them Them take and purifie thy selfe with them and do coste on them that they maye shaue their heades and all shall knowe that those thinges whiche they haue heard concernynge the are no thing but that thou walkest and kepest the lawe Whan they heard all the matter they glorifyed the Lorde that had also powred his grace vpon the Gentyles But forasmuche as Paule was accused to many of the Iewes to be one that abhorred Moyses law and that he in settyng furth the benefyte that came by the ghospell yelded lesse to the obseruacioÌ„ of the lawe then he ought to do to the entent that a remedy myght be founde for this inconuenience also they sayed vnto hym brother Paule sayed they thou seest howe many thousande Iewes be heâ—e that beleue the ghospell and all these are muche affeccionate to the lawe of Moses And a rumour there is come to their eares whiche we knowe to bee false that thou teacheste the Iewes which are among the Gentyles to forsake and renounce Moyses law so that they neyther circumcise theyr children ne kepe the trade of theyr forefathers as concerning choyse of meates kepyng of the Sabbothe dayes washyng and suche other thinges as the Iewes whiche are not conuersaunte with the Gentyles do with great deuocion obserue and folowe These men beyng restrayned by an acte made of their forefathers are indifferently contented that the Gentiles be not burdened with the lawe But that those which are Iewes borne shoulde be led awaye from the obseruacion of the lawe to the Gentiles kynde of lyfe they can in no wyse abyde Wherfore we must take here good hede that no sedicion be made about this matter What remayneth thaÌ„ to be doen First it cannot be chosen but that the multitude must be called together For it wyll soone be knowen that thou art come Wherfore to the entente that thou mayest bee out of this suspicion folowe our counsell Here be among vs fower men whiche accordynge to the custome of the Iewes haue taken a vowe on them ioyne the with them and fulfyll together all solemne ceremonies as they do that desyre to be purified and made holy after theyr vowe and yf there be any thing besydes that is to be bestowed on sacrifice or offeringes bestowe lyke coste as they do vntyll suche tyme that they haue shauen their heades And in so doyng euery man shall knowe for a suertie those thinges to be false that be rumoured abrode of the and they shall also perceyue that thou in suche forte besydes doest preache the gracious benefite of the ghospell that it is without reprofe of those that kepe the ceremonies of the lawe whiche God deliuered them and other tradicions of their elders whaÌ„ they see thee do the same which some had reported the to disproue And by this meanes shall the Iewes cease to speake euyll of the whiche are so manye in numbre that they must nedes be had inestimacion and not neglected ¶ But as concernyng the Gentiles whiche beleue we haue wrytten and concluded that they obserue no suche thing saue onely that they kepe them selues from bloud and from thinges offered to ydolles and from strangled and from fornicacion But as for the Gentyles that are conuerted to the fayth we haue writ but of late vnto them as it was agreed vpon and decreed by the apostles and the whole cumpanye of dysciples that they shall not be compelled to kepe Moses lawe sauyng onely that they absteyne from that fleshe that is sacrificed vnto ydolles from bloude from strangled beastes and from aduoutry ¶ Then the nexte daye Paule toke the men and purified himselfe with them entred into the temple declaryng that he obserued the dayes of the purificacion vntil that an offeryng shoulde be offered for euery one of them And whan the seuen dayes wer now almost ended the Iewes whiche wer of Asia when they sawe him in the temple moued all the people and layed handes on him crying men of Israel helpe This is the maÌ„ that teacheth all men euery where against the people and the law and this place He hath also brought Brekes into the temple and hath polluted this holy place For they had seen with him in the citie one Etophimus an Ephesian whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple And all the citie was moued and the people swarmed together And they toke Paul and drue him out of the temple and forthwith the doores wer shut Than Paul dyd after this councell of Iames and of the brethren and takyng vnto hym those fower persones whiche had solemnely made a vowe wente into the temple and there professynge that his dayes of purifying wer finyshed he omitted ne let passe no ceremonye vntyll that sacrifyce was offred vp for euery one of them All this required seuen dayes space for the accomplyshement therof Whiche beyng almoste expired certayne Iewes that beleued not whiche before had seen hym in Asia and there raysed commocion agaynste him whan as they sawe Paule in the temple they stirred vp the people and laied handes on Paul crying Ye meÌ„ of Israel helpe this is he whom you haue by reporte hearde of that hath wandered ouer
people mocked him and reuyled him he gaue health vnto others nowe he cannot preserue himselfe If he be the king of Israel as he woulde appere let him declare now what he can doe let him come downe from the crosse and we will beleue hym He trusted in god whome he craked to be hys father if he loue him let him nowe deliuer hym And that of euery side the most innocente Iesus mighte be arayed with reuylynges the theues also felowes with hym in punishmente in lyke manner rebuked hym The whiche all Iesus suffered with stiffe and strong pacience to bring to passe and offer for all meÌ„ that healthfull sacrifice He kepte still the diuine power and sette furthe the whole nature humane to al maner of paynes and tormentes And he did not requited or reuenge so cruell reuylyng bestowed vpon hym as he was dying beeyng more bitter then the crosse it selfe insomuche that he prayed vnto hys father for the souldyers and the Iewes that skorned hym and one of the theues repentyng himselfe he receyued into his paradise From the sixt houâ—e was there darkenes ouer all the lande vntill the .ix. houre And aboute the .ix. houre Iesus cryed with a loude voyce saying Hely Hely Lamazabathanye that is to saye my god my god why haste thou forsaken me Some of them that stoode there when they hearde that sayde This man calleth for Helias â–ª And furthwith one of them ranne and toke a sponge and whan he had filled it full of vyneâ—ce he put it on a reede and gaue it hym to drinke But other sayde let be let us see whether Helias will come and delyuer hym Iesus when he had cryed agayne with a loude voyce yelded vp the ghost The very Sonne felte the punyshment of the innocente and coulde not abyde to beholde so wycked a dede He couered hys face with a blacke cloude and all that countreye was couered with darkenesse from syxe of the clocke vntyll nyne And yet in the meane season the darkenesse of the Iewes hartes coulde not bee shaken of Further aboute nyne of the clocke Iesus cryed with a greate voyce saying thys sentence oute of the psalme Hely Hely Lamazabathany my God my God why haste thou forsaken me And certayne that stode by and hearyng afarre of Hely and supposyng that he had called to Hely for helpe sayde Thys felowe calleth for Hely Let vs see whether he wyll helpe hym Than Iesus to shewe that it was a true deathe whiche he suffered for all menne cryed I am athirste For thys is wonte to folowe vpon woundes and sheding of bloude whiche oftentymes is a punyshemente more sore and paynfull than death And one runnyng to hym put vnto his mouth as he hanged a sponge full of vineger putte vpon the toppe of a reede Iesus thirsted sore for the health of menne but the Iewes offered hym nothyng but vinegar and gall Therefore he dyd forbeare from it when he had tasted saying It is consummate and fynyshed sygnyfying that nothyng was omytted whiche did pertayne to the manner of the sacrifyce And anone to declare that he lefte his life of hys owne accorde after that he had commended hys spyryte vnto the father he cryed with a loude voyce and bowing down his head died And beholde the vayle of the temple did rente in two partes from the top to the bottom and the earthe quaked the stones dyd rente and graues dyd open and manye bodyes of saynctes whiche slepte arose and went oute of the graues after hys resurreccyon and came into the holy citie and appered to many Whan the Ceâ—â—â—urion and they that were with him watching Iesus saw the earthquake and those thinges whiche happened they feared greatly saying Truely thys was the sonne of god And furthwith all thinges dyd testifye the effectuall death of the lorde Iesus For the vayle of the temple whiche deuyded the holye place from the other parte of the temple of his owne accorde was cut in two partes declaring that the shadowes of Moyses lawe hereafter shoulde vanyshe awaye at the bryght light of the ghospell Furthermore the earth did quake and the stones brake a sunder reprouing the Iewes for theyr inuyncyble hardnes of hearte The graues did open and many bodyes of holy menne whiche were dead did reuyue and liue agayne and goyng out of the graues after the resurreccyon of Christe came into the holye citie of Ierusalem and appered vnto many beeyng the preachers and folowers of the resurreccyon of Iesus Furthermore the Captayne and hys seruauntes whiche were there to keepe Iesus perceyuing the earthquake the darkenesse the breakyng of the stones and other wonders were greatly afeard saying Truely this was the sonne of god ¶ And many women were there beholdyng a farre of whiche folowed Iesus from Galile mynystryng vnto hym among whiche was Marie Magdalene and Marie the mother of Iames and Ioses and the mother of the chyldren of Zebedee When the euen was come there came a riche man of Aramathia named Ioseph whiche also was Iesus disciple He wente vnto Pylate and begged the holy bodye of Iesus Than Pylate commaunded the body to be deliuered And whan Ioseph had taken the body he wrapped it in a cleane clothe and put it in his new toumbe whiche he had hewen out of the rocke and rolled a great stone to the doore of the sepulchre and departed And there was Marie Magdalene and the other Marie sitting ouer againste the Sepulchre There were also many women lookyng a farre of vpon the thynges that were doen whiche had folowed Iesus from Galile minystryng vnto hym necessaries among whome there was Marie Magdalene and Marie the mother of Iacob and Ioseph and also the mother of the sonnes of zebedee and diuers other with them And when the nyghte drewe nere a certayne ryche Captayne of Aramathia called Ioseph who also was the dyscyple of Iesus wente vnto the presidente askyng of hym the body of Iesus Pylate marueyling if that he were dead a man of lustie age and not hauyng hys legges broken as soone as he knew certaynely of the captayne that he was dead he commaunded the body to be geuen vnto him He receyued it and wrapped it in a cleane shete and layde it in a newe graue the whiche he had grauen in an whole stone And rollyng a greate stone to the doore of the graue he departed away And thys was done by the prouidence of God that they shoulde vse no crueltie vpon the dead karcas or that no man shoulde dygge vp the graue and steale hym awaye And when the other were departed Marie Magdalene and an other woman contynued there syttyng ouer against the sepulchre and markyng the place where they layde the body that at conuenient time they myght doe the dutie of annoynting to it and the lorde had styrred vp theyr great dilygence to this intente that the beliefe of his resurreccion might be more certayne ¶ The nexte daye that foloweth the Parasceue â–ª the hyghe priestes and Pharisâ—is came
together vnto Pilate saying Sir we remember that this deceyuer sayde while he was yet aliue â–ª after three dayes I will rise agayne commaunde therefore that the sepulchre bee made sure vntyl the thyrd daye leste his disciples come and steale him away and say vnto the people he is risen from the dead And the last errour shall bee wurse then the firste Pilate sayde vnto them Ye haue a watche goe your waye make it as sure as ye can And they wente and made the sepulchre sure with watche men and sealed the stone But the daye after the Parasceue whiche is the daye of preparacion agayne the heades of the priestes and the pharisâ—is come vnto Pilate confirming the trueth of the resurreccion whiles they goe about to lette it and they saye vnto the president Sir we remember that this deceiuer being yet alyue sayde that he woulde rise agayne after three dayes Therfore commaunde the sepulchre to be kepte vnto the thyrde day leste his disciples come and steale away hys body and perswade the people that he is risen agayne Which if it come to passe we shall preuayle nothyng but the latter erroure shal be wurse then the fyrste Pylate sayeth vnto them ye haue a watche goe and kepe as ye knowe But they whiles they goe about to stoppe hym that woulde ryse agayne they encrease the miracle and the faythe of the resurreccyon They sette kepers and made sure the sepulchre they sealed the stone also whiche dyd shut the mouth of the Sepulchre leste there mighte be any deceyte in the kepers also The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon ¶ The .xxviii. Chapter And vpon the euen of the Sabbothes whiche spryngeth in the first day of the Sabbothes Marie Magdalene and the other Marie came for to see the Sepulchre And beholde there was a greate earthequake For the Aungell of the Lorde came downe from heauen and came and rolled downe the stone from the doore and sat vpon it And hys countenaunce was like vnto the lightening and his garment white as snowe And for feare of him the kepers were astonied and were made as dead men ANd when the euen of the firste Sabbothe daye was come after the ende of the whiche was the mornyng of the daye folowyng whiche was the fyrste daye of the weeke next ensuing Marie Magdalene and the other Marie theyr swete spices prepared ouer night went agayne in the mornyng to the Sepulchre to see what was dooen and to enbaulme the bodye of Iesus And there was a great yearthquake And whan the women deuysed emong themselues howe they mighte remoue the stone from the doore of the graue for it was to greate to bee remoued by the strength of women beholde the aungel of the lorde came downe from heauen and remoued the stone from the doore of the graue and than sate vpon it And the countenaunce of the aungell was lyke vnto the lyghtening and hys garmentes shinyng as white as snowe The kepers of the Sepulchre loking vpon him were afrayde and so amased that they laye astonied like dead men And the aungell made aunswere vnto the women and sayde Feare ye not For I knowe that ye seke Iesus whiche was crucified he is not here for he is risen as he sayde Come see the place where the Lorde was layde And go quickely and tell his disciples that he is risen agayne from deathe And beholde he goeth before you into Galile there ye shall see hym Loe I haue tolde you But the aungell comforted the women saying These men worthyly be amased at the glory of the resurreccion whiche doe perseuer and continue styll in theyr vnbeliefe But feare not ye for I know that ye seeke Iesus who was crucifyed Nowe he hath left hys sepulchre and hath perfourmed that he promised to do This is the morning of the third day Therfore he is risen Come and see the place whiche beyng voyde of the bodye hath yet a sygne where the body laye It hath also the apparell of the bodye the lynnen wherein he was wrapped Lette these thynges make you beleue yf ye beleue not me But spedely departe hence and tel these thinges that ye haue sene to the other discyples being sadde for the deathe of the lorde that he is rysen agayne Whome if ye desire to see beholde he will goe before you into Galile like as before his death he promised There ye may see hym alyue for whome ye mourned when he was dead Loe I haue tolde you before And they departed quickely from the sepulchre with feare and great ioye and did runne to bring his disciples worde And as they went to tel his disciples beholde Iesus met them saying Al hayle And they came and helde his feete and wurshipped him Than Iesus sayd vnto them be not affrayde goe and tel my brethren that they goe into Galile and there they shall see me And whan they had looked in the voyde graue whiche they had founde shut spedely they returned partely fearefull for the greatnes of the miracle partely rauyshed with greate ioye for the desyre and hope to see theyr Lorde alyue agayne and they runne to communicate thys ioye to the dyscyples of Iesus And as they wente Iesus met them that they myghte tell the more certayne tidinges And to encourage them being fearefull he sayde All hayle They seyng and knowing the lorde went vnto him and embracing his feete wurshipped him Agayne Iesus to take from them all feare that they mighte the better perceiue the thynges that shoulde be spoken he sayeth feare not goe and tell my brethren the thinges that ye haue seene and bid them go forward into Galile there they shall see me ¶ Whan they were gone beholde some of the kepers came into the citie and tolde the chiefe of the priestes all thynges that had happened And they assembled together with the elders and tooke counsell and gaue muche money to the souldiers saying Saye ye that hys discyples came in the nyghte and stole hym awaye whan ye were aslepe And if thys come to the presidentes eares we wyll perswade him and saue you harmelesse But they tooke the money and did as they were taught and this saying is noysed amoÌ„g the Iewes vntil this day And when they were departed to thintent the trueth of the resurreccyon myght be confirmed also by the testymonie of the aduersaries certayne of the kepers leuing the Sepulchre went vnto Ierusalem and tolde the heades of the priestes what thinges had bene dooen howe the sepulchre beyng shut and sealed the body was not founde And howe the aungelâ— being of merueilouse beautie remoued the stone and of the earthequake and howe they were amased for feare And how they hearde the aungell talking with the women Whan the priestes hearde these thinges of the kepers they went to counsel agayne with the Seniours forasmuche as the thyng was to manyfeste to bee doubted they bye a lye of the kepers for money lyke as before they boughte the helpe of the traytour for