woulde the depeliet fasten this doctrine in the mindes of his disciples he added a similitude very fit for the purpose When I shall forsake you sayeth he so demeane your selues as faithful and wyse seruauÌ„tes woulde do vnto whom the Lord being about to make a voyage into a strauÌ„ge couÌ„trey hath geueÌ„ auctoritie to ordre and guide his house and hathe assigned to eche of theym his worke and office Furthermore he hath commaunded the porter to watche for feare of nyght theues These seruauntes because they be vncertaine of theyr Lordes returnyng home do still endeuoyre themselues to do theyr office and dutye that whensoeuer it shall chaunce him to cum home agayne he may finde theym watching It is more certaine that I shall cum againe to you then that theyr lord shall eftsones returne vnto them There maye sum chaunce befall that he miscary whiles he is from home in the straunge countrey But as sure as God is in heaueÌ„ I will cum againe albeit the daye when be to you vncertaine Therfore do you as good and thriftie seruauntes are wont to do Euer watche loke after my retourning You cannot tell when the Lorde will cum at euen or at mydnyght whethre at the Cocke crowyng or in the dawning of the daye lest yf he cum sodainlye as he wyll cum in verye dede he fynde you sleapyng and slacke or negligent in doyng of your duetie That I speake to you I speake by you to all that shal be borne vntill the worlde be at an ende watche you Euerye man muste watche that will be saued Euery man must do the worke that the Lorde hath committed vnto hym but especially and aboue all other it behoueth the porter to watche who watcheth for the safegard of the whole familie And although the people doe sumtymes take a nappe yet hath the shepeherde no leasure to slepe Nowe is all this present lyfe wherein is no certaine differeÌ„ce betwene good thinges and bad and wherin is exceding muche ignoraunce or blyndnesse and very litle lyght all this lyfe I saye is in comparison of the lyfe to cum nothing els but nyght And albeit that in th ende of the worlde the Lord will cum once for all to all men generally yet commeth he also to euery man seuerally at the houre of death Therfore euery man particularly ought to watche against this his cumming because it is euen as vncertaine as the other For he cummeth vnto sum late in the euenyng as in growyng age to sum at mydnyghte as when they are in their flowers and beste lykyng to other sum at the Cockecrowyng that is to wete in olde age Ye muste neyther truste to youre strength nor to your age The tyme and houre of death is lyke vncertaine to all menne The .xiiij. Chapter ¶ After two dayes was Easter and the dayes of swete bread and the hie priestes and the Scribes sought howe they might take him by crafte and put him to death But they sayeâ—â— not in the least daye leaste any businesse aryse amonges the people NOwe that moste holye and solemne feaste of Easter drue nyghe that is to say of Phasc whiche worde signifiethe in the Hebrue tongue a passing ouer on the whiche daye yâ— holy bloud of the vnspotted lambe should delyuer vs from the vengeaunce of the sleying swerde and beynge brought out of Egipt through the red sea and wildernesse of this world bring vs vnto the heauenlye Hierusalem into a countreye flowing with milke and honye For the Iewes passeouer whiche they yearelye celebrate and kepe moste highe and holye was nothing els but a figure and shadowe of this sacrifice like as was this ceremony that they did on these daies forbeare leauened breade exhorting vs hereby to suche puritie and cleanesse of lyfe as becummeth a professour of the gospel After two dayes expired the daye that they called the preparyng daye should be But as the chiefe priestes and Sâ—ribes deuoutly prepared and made themselues readie to celebrate this corporall passeouer so did they like vnwise felowes wickedly make haste to offer vp thatsame trewe lambe whiche that solemne sacrifice had so many hundred yeares figured For nowe were they at a full poynt to slea Iesus but because they durste not openly do it for feare of the people they thought good to laye handes vpon hym and put hym to death by gyle treason And for this their purpose that daye of all other was moste conuenient to th entent the thyng of the newe testament shoulde agree with the fygure of the old They themselues dyd not chose this day but it was foreapointed vnto this sacrifice by the eternall decree and ordinaunce of the father For they counseylyng to gether how to slea Iesus saied Not on the feaste daye leste there arise any busynesse and hurly burly among the people Doubtlesse it is a Iewyshe feare to stande in awe of menne and all this whyle nothynge to dreade god at all Iesus knowyng the tyme was cum in the whiche it was the fathers wyll to haue that same euerlasting sacrifice to be made departed not from Ierusalem leste he shoulde haue semed to haue fayled at the place foreapointed vnto this businesse ¶ And when he was at Bethania in the house of Symon the leper euen as he sat at meate there came a woman hauyng an alabaster boâ—e of oyntment called Narde that was pure costly and she brake the boâ—e and powred it on his heade And there were sum that were not contented within themselues and sayed what nede this waste of oyntmente For it myght haue bene sould for more then three hundred pence and haue bene geuen vnto the poore and they grudged against her When he therfore feasted at Bethany with his frendes in the house of Symon surnamed the leper one of the geastes that feasted with hym was Lazarus Thys house presenteth vnto vs the agreyng and frendly felowshyp of the churche the whiche being vncleane he washed purified with his preuous bloude and beyng dead through sinne and vnrighteousnesse he made alyue againe by his death and passion With suche persones Iesus loueth to sit at table rather then with the priestes phariseis who thought themselues â—leane and alyue notwithstandyng they were suche in soule as Symon and Lazarus were in bodye As they thus feasted there came in a certaine womaÌ„ hauing and alabaster boxe full of pure good and precious oyntement called the oyntment of ryght Narde whiche brake her boxe and powred al the ointment vpon the Lordes heade as he sate there at the table Iesus who was neuer delited with the pleasures and delicacies of this worlde loueth to be anoynted with suche manoure of oyntment after the spirituall meanyng The churche is lauishe and prodigall in bestowing this oyntment vpon her dere and welbeloued spouse What precious thing soeuer she hath thesame reserueth she not to herselfe but powreth it vpon Iesus heade vnto whom all honour and glory is due The house of the churche
death without a cause they thoughte to honour the remembraunce of him with a magnificente buiriall Wherupon they laied the corpse in a toumbe which stoode in a garden platte therby heweÌ„ out of a whole piece of rocketstone eueÌ„ as it grew in the whiche there had been neuer any body buryed before These thinges wheras at that present they semed to bee dooen by mere chaunce were yet altogether dooen by the prouidence and ordeynaunce of God that the Iewes might not quarel or make any cauillacions that the toumbe hauing an hole made in it the body had been taken a way or chaunged And that day was the preparyng of the Sabboth and the Sabboth drewe on The womeÌ„ that folowed after whiche had cum with him from Galilee beheld the sepulchre and how his body was layed And they returned and prepared swete odours and oyntmentes but rested on the Sabboth day accordyng to the commaundement Whan these thinges were in doyng it was the day of preparacion that is to saye the eane of that high Sabboth and it was called with them parasceue because that vpon that day they prepared al thinges which were necessary the to solemne kepyng of the Sabboth daye that shoulde bee on the morowe to the entent they might not bee compelled by doyng of any bodily labour to breake the reste of the Sabboth daye Now the women whiche had a farre of loked vpoÌ„ Iesus on the crosse folowed him to his buirial because they would not be ignoraunt where the body of Iesus was layed and in what place or with what maner of orderyng it was layed to the ende that they might knowe it whan they should come to it again These thynges beeyng diligently vieued and marked thei returne home again and prepared spices odours and oyntementes wherewith they myght afterward dresse the bodye of the Lorde although it had been nowe already soso as it myght be anoynted ouer with myrthe by Nicodemus But the Godly deuocion of the women minded to put some other more precious thyng to the lordes corpse But the lorde therefore had before suffered an allabastre of precious oyntemente to bee powred vpon hym beecause he woulde nottary for these womens swete oyntementes now at this tyme whose deuoute diligence neuerthelesse auayled to confirme the belefe of his resurreccion For whan they seke hym as dead to bee anoynted and spyced they haue due knowelage that he is alyue Nowe after the sunne sette of thesame day vntill the eauenyng of the nexte day folowyng they had rested accordyng to the prescripcion of the lawe because it was not standyng with Goddes precepte that they shoulde doe any bodily labour on the Sabboth daie Than after the sunne was sette they finished that they had begoonne before in preparyng of the oyntementes and spices It the selfsame tyme also the Lorde kepte his Sabboth restyng in his graue after that he had before on the sayd day of preparacion executed and accomplished the woorke of our redempcion because we should vnderstande that mankynde was restored by thesame manne by whom it had been created He finished the makyng of the worlde on the sixte daye and on the seuenth day he rested from his worke thesame lorde finished the redempcion of the world on the sixt daie which is the parasceue day rested in the graue He rested from working as touchyng his humain body vntill the eight day dyd shyne the which eight daye the Iewes knowe not but the Christians doe wurshippe The eight daye is the daye of iâ—mortalitie in the which reste and werinesse weorke and idlenesse shall not by course enterchaungeably the one succede the other but they shal be in euerlastynge gladnesse neyther shall the daye folowe the night and the night the daye agayne by course but continuall and euerlastyng light shall shine to the iyes of the godly The .xxiiii. Chapter But vpon the firste daye of the Sabbothes veray erely in the mornyng they came vnto the sepulchre and brought the swete odours which they had prepared and other women with them And they foundâ— the stone rolled awaye from the sepulchre and they went in but they fâ—und not the body of the Lorde Iesus And it happened as they were amased therat behold two men stoode by them in shynyng garmeÌ„tes And as they were afrayed and boughed dowâ— theyr faces to the yearth they sayed vnto them Why seke ye the liuing emong the dead He is not here but is arisen Remembre howe he spake vnto you whan he was yet in Galile saying that the sonne of man muste be deliuered into the haundes of synnefull men and be crucified and the thyrde daye aryse agayne THat the selie weomen rested from doyng any weorke was a thynge geuen to the solemnitie of the Sabbothe But assoone as it was lawfull to returne agayne to workynge the diligence of the weomen bestowed the tyme in watchyng after sunnesette aboute a deuoute piece of woorke but yet a woorke that as than neded not For on the daye that was first nexte of all folowyng after the Sabbothe that is to saye on the eight daye whan all the Sabbothe daye was fully ended euen veray erely in the firste breake of daye they make haste vnto the graue carrying with them the spieces and swete sauours whiche they hadde purposely prepaired certes to bestowe this same as the laste poynte of honour that euer they shoulde shewe vnto hym beeyng now dead whom they had tendrely loued whyle he was aliue wheras yet neuerthelesse they had no truste nor hope that euer he shoulde aryse agayne to life Now was the mouth of the sepulchre stopped and shut fast vp with a mightie big stone suche an one as might vneath be remoued awaye of a good many of men There was also a seale set theron and that was a thyng prouided and doen by the Phariseis and the Scribes leste some felowe mighte priuely haue stolen awaye the dead body and so sprede abrode an vntrue rumoure that he was arisen to life agayne in that he coulde nowhere be found There were kepers moreouer set there of the Lorde lieutenauntes men Then the weomen whyle they carefully looke round about how the stone might be rolled asyde they see it soodainlye remoued awaye and a way to come to the sepulchre lying wyde open for them They tooke hertes to them to entre in deuocion and loue towardes God had geuen them boldenesse euen weomen as they were Whan they were entred in they fynde not the bodie of the Lorde Iesus there Whan this matier had soore dismayed them and in manier killed theyr veraye hertes because that whan the stone was remoued they had conceyued a veraye good hope and yet on the other syde againe they wer in a great meruayle how it was possible that the graue should bee emptie whiche they hadde but euen byanby afore seen shutte and sealâ—d vp soodaynly there stande harde by them twoe Aungels in fourme and lykenesse of twoe young menne with gladsome and
But all those came of Goddes liberalitie and not of his owne nature that was geuen hym at the firste yet he was chosen and sente of God for this purpose that accordyng to the prophecie that was prophecied of hym before he myght beare witnes of that godly lyght whiche being couered with his manhed was conuersaunt in the worlde not as who say that he whiche was God and so declared before by the voice of the father shoulde nede mannes witnes but to thintent he might by all manier of meanes cause hymselfe to bee had in credit with the people he woulde that Iohn shoulde bee the goer before the lyghte as the day sterre appearing before sheweth the rysyng of the sunne to the woorlde And also that by his preachyng he shoulde prepare mennes mindes to receyue that lyght whiche shoulde immediatly come after And because synne is the lâ—t wherby the heauenly lyght is not admitted and receyued Iohn dyd allure and call all people to penaunce proclaming openly that the kyngdome of heauen was at hande for the firste degree or step to the lyghte is that men shoulde hate their owne darkenes And this Iohn was of so great auctoritie emonge the Iewes for the excellente holines of his liuinge that many toke him for Christe himselfe whereby Christ would the rather bee coÌ„mended to the Iewes by his witnes as that time required to thintente that litle by litle as men do commonly vse he might crepe into the mindes of the people for otherwise the meaner person is alwaye wount to bee commended by the witnes of the greater And Esay had promised that at Christes cuâ—ming there shoulde a certaine excellente lighte arise and springe vp to theym whiche did liue in darkenes and in the shadowe of deathe and for that cause before that Christe was notable by his miracles many suspected Iohn to haue been the light whiche was promised of the Prophete But Iohn was onelye the publisher before of the true lighte and not the light it selfe Therefore Christe as the oportunitie of that time serued did as ye woulde saye abuse both the errour of the Iewes and the auctoritie of Iohn to prepare the mindes of all men to the faithe of the gospell Truely Iohn was a certaine light that is to saye a burninge candle and geuinge lighte feruently burninge in godlines and geuing light by holynes of life neuertheles he was nor the lighte whiche should bring life to the whole worlde but the woord of God whereof wee doe speake at this presente was that true light euer proceding from God the father the fountaine of all light from whence what soeuer is lightsome in heauen and earth boroweth his lighte what sparke of witte what knowlage of trueth what light of faith soeuer there be either emong men or Angels all the same cummeth from this fountaine ¶ That lyght was the true light which lighteth euery man that cummeth into the world As this worlde is blind without the sunne so all thinges are darke without this light The worlde also was full of darkenes on euery syde because sinne and abhominable errours did reigne in euery place And in the tyme of this darkenes there did often tymes shine foorth men excellent in holynes of lyfe as a lytell sterre in the moste darkest nightes and gaue some lyght as it were thorow a cloud howbeit they dyd it but to the Iewes only or to the borderers of Iewry but this true light geueth lyght not onely to one nacion but to all men that come into the darkenes of this worlde The Iewes went about to challenge this lyght seuerally to themselues because they thought it to be promised to theim onely for asmuche as touchyng the fleshe it dyd spring of theim and emonge theim but that light came to geue lyght to the hertes of all nacions of the whole world thorow the faith of the gospel Neither Scithian Iewe Spaniard Gothian Englisheman kynges nor bondmen be excluded from this lyght The lyght came to geue light to al men asmuche as lay in it but if any continue in their darkenes the faute is not in the lyght but in hym that frowardely loueth darkenes and abhorreth the lyght For the lyght shineth to al meÌ„ because none might pretend any excuse when willingly wittingly he perisheth thorow his owne faute As if a man shoulde get a knocke at noone daies because he woulde not lyfte vp his iyes ¶ He was in the world and the world was made by hym and the world 〈◊〉 hym not This woord of God was alwaies in the worlde not as who say that he whiche is without measure can bee contayned in any circuite of place but he was so in the world as the deuise of the workeman is in his woorke and as the ruler is in that thing he ruleth Also at that tyme this lyght dyd shine in the worlde sumwhat opening the godly power wisedom and goodnes therof by these thinges which were wunderfully creat by it and by this meanes it did then after a sorte speake to mankinde But many putting their felicitie in the visible thinges of this worlde whome for that cause of good righte our lorde Iesus did accustome to cal by the name of the worlde when he taughte them eternall thinges they beinge blinded with earthly affeccions did not acknowleage their maker The darkenes of mindes was so greate that the worlde knewe not the maker thereof but did wurship serpentes oxen goates lekes oynions yea that whiche is more vile then all these stockes stones dispising him of whome they had receiued both that themselfes were and all that they had ¶ He came emong his owne and his owne receiued him not They being accustomed to darkenes did abhorre the light and being blinded with sinne did enbrace deathe in stede of life yea and whan he did shewe himselfe more familiarly to the worlde being conuersaunt liuing in his manhed emonges men he was not knowen of them whiche had dedicate themselfes wholy to this worlde Neither is it any meruail though the gentiles beeynge woorshippers of ydols measuring all thinges by the commodities of this life being also ignorant of the prophetes and the lawe did not acknowleage him whiles he liued here in the shape of a man This is more to be meruayled at â–ª that when he came specially to his owne people to whome Messias had ben promised by so many prophecies of the prophetes to whom he had bene shadowed with so many figures of whom he had ben loked for so many hundreth yeares before which saw him do miracles heard his teaching yet they wer so far from receiuing of him that with fierce mindes they wente about his destruccion whiche came specially to saue them And procured that innocentes death who frely brought life to his enemies They sawe did not see heard and did not heare hauing intelligence did not vnderstand whiche thorow a froward study of the lawe did rise against him whom the
foūde and tried out therby that thou arte verie Christe and the anointed sonne of God of whom onlye all men ought to hope for eternall health and saluacion But Iesus did neither shew himselfe muche to wounder at this stoute saying of Peter wherby Peter did so hielye reporte of Christe lest he should seme to take pleasure in mens praisyng of him nor he did not vtterly refuse it lest he shoulde so haue denied the truth but exhortyng all men to perseuer in that faithfull confession which Peter had made in all their names he did sumwhat disclose that one of those fewe shoulde bee suche one as shoulde not only go from hym as other disciples had doen but should also couenaunt with his aduersaries and betraye him euen to deathe And his pleasure was to sygnifye that thing couertly because he would not bewray Iudas lest any man shoulde thinke that Iudas beyng with suche a rebuke prouoked did worthely reuenge hymselfe vpon his maister and Iesus minde was also to cause euery man with this saying to beware leste through theyr owne faulte they fal into so wicked a dede And he sayeth what is the cause ye do meruaill that already sum of my disciples are gone awaye from me haue not I chosen you as moste excellent out from amongst all other And yet one of so small a numbre and so specially chosen is a very diuell and shal accuse and betraie him whose bodie he hath eathen whose bloud he hath dronkē carnally but not spiritually whom he hath hearde also preache and seen doe miracles Therfore do not shrinke from the thing that you haue begonne as they haue doen whom ye haue seen go awaye but perseuer and waxe alwaye better and better vntill ye maye wurthelye cum to be suche as can spiritually eate the foode of my heauenly doctrine and beyng thereby as it were conuerted into me ye shall obtaine euerlasting lyfe The .vij. Chapter ¶ After these thinges Iesus went about in Galile for he would not goe about in Iewry because that the Iewes sought to kill hym The Iewes feast of tabernacles was at hande His brethren therfore sayed vnto hym Get the hence and goe into Iewry that thy disciples also maye se thy workes that thou doest For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret and he hymselfe seketh to be knowen openly If thou do suche thinges shewe thy selfe to the worlde For his brethren beleued not in him BUt after that our Lorde Iesus went about was muche cōuersaūt in Galile forsomuch as by reason of his wordes whiche did implie certayne heauenly thynges and thynges of greater importaunce than mans reason coulde reache and also through the miracles that he wrought he gat him self muche enuie amōgst his own disciples who had him in more contēpte because he was knowen vnto thē by beyng in house among them and verely the basenes of the house and parentes that he came of made their hatred more bitter and vengeable againste hym For he could not now lyue in Iewry with suretie of his lyfe because the Iewes had a good while sought wayes to kyll him yet Iesus went not out of Iewrie for fear of death or that he had not power to slyde awaye out of the middest of theyr wilie traines as ofte as he list but shewing himselfe very man he layed before his disciples as it were an image and portrature of thinges that shoulde folow to whom it should chaunce that through the maliciouse infidelitie of the Iewes he should be cōpelled to go from them to the Gentiles But the Iewes very feastful hye and solemne day which is emong the Grekes called Scenopegia in Englishe the feast of tabernacles was at hande And this feast had that name scenopegiam to call to remembraunce the olde Patriarches and their wayes whiche led theyr lyfe in pauilions and tentes many times remouyng from place to place euen so at that tyme declaring by a figure what maner of lyfe their 's ought to be which professe the doctrine of the gospel And because a great mayn companye of folkes came now against this holy tyme hye feast out of all Syria and other countreis whiche border therupon thicke and threfold vnto Hierusalem for the solemnitie of the temple the holynes and religion wherof was had in reuerence euen among the heathen people Iesus kynsfolkes all ignorant and subiect as yet to worldly desyres and affeccions hauing affiaunce in the title of theyr kinred more boldly than was mete exhorte hym as if he had ben desyrous of fame and glory but yet they toke hym to be timorouse and of lesse audacitie than behoued hym and for that cause they moue him that if he thought himselfe well inough ayded and durst trust therto that he would not lurke and hide himselfe amongst the aliens of Galile but woulde woorke and perfourme at Hierusalem in the full syght and euen in the middest of the people that was resorted thither those thinges whiche he had so hiely spoken of hymselfe The great day and solemne feast saye they is at hande leaue Galile therfore whereas thou hast to long tyme kept thy selfe close and go into Iurie the most florishing part of the whole kingdom so bring thyselfe to Hierusalem the chiefe citie and head place of all the Iewish nacion thou maiest there get many disciples if they all once looke vpon thy doynges No man that would be extemed doeth those thinges priuely in corners wherby he maye get a name amongst men If thou be cum from heauen in dede and canst do so great thinges as thou sayest thou canst do so that thou mayst be knowen to the world But let no mā meruail at this carnal presumptuouse very vngodly saying of the lorde Iesus kinsfolkes For of trueth at that time they that were his nye kinsmen and therfore called his brethren knit to him by a straight familiaritie did not beleue on him of whō sum for all that being afterward of the numbre of his Apostles did most constantely setfurth Christes glory in theyr preachinges ¶ Then Iesus sayd vnto them My tyme is not yet cum but your tyme is alwaye readie The worlde cannot hate you but me it hateth because I testifie of it that the woorkes therof be euill Go ye vp vnto this feast I will not go vp yet vnto this feast for my tyme is not yet full cum Whan he had sayd these woordes vnto them he avode styll in Galile But as soone as his brethren were cum then went he also vp vnto the feast not openly but as it were priuely Then sought hym the Iewes at the feaste and sayd where is he And muche murmuring was there of hym among the people For sum sayed he is good other sayed nay but he deceiueth the people Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Iewes Iesus therfore according to his singular modestie gentilnes did blame the boldnesse of his familiar frendes easely and
Emperour is not a teacher of the gospell but the defendour of it I graunte that but in the meanwhyle mete it is not to be ignoraunt what maner thyng it is for whiche one taketh armour to defende it And forsoth whaÌ„ I consider that herte and mynde of yours in suche wise to bee geuen vnto religion and to godly deuocion that to Bishops Abbottes it may towardes the studie of godlinesse bee aswell a rule as also a spurre me seemeth I can not dedicate this gifte vnto any man more conuenientlye then to youre maiestie So that the thyng whiche I myght aptly haue dedicated to any Christen prince and more aptlye to a Christen Emperoure I doe moste aptly of all dedicate vnto you Charles Muche lesse apte thynges doe they bringe vnto you that geue you great gyftes of precious stones that are gayson to bee found of lustie fierce horses of houndes of riche hanginges that come oute of farre straunge countreyes And moreouer forasmuche as the Euangelistes haue writen the gospel vnto all folkes no persone excepted I do not see why it shoulde not of euery man bee read And I haue so handled it that it maye bee vnderstanded euen of suche also as are vnlettered And surely it shall withe excellent good fruite be read if euery bodye shall take it in his handes of the only mynde and entent to bee made thereby a better man then he was afore and not apply scripture of the gospell to his owne affeccions but contrarywyse refourme and correct his lyfe and his desyres according to the rule and prescripcion therof I haue in this present worke chiefly folowed Origenes beyng singularly aboue others experte in diuinitie and Chrisostome and Hierome of the catholique writers most best allowed That Lorde and Prince of heauen giue and graunte vnto you Charles Emperour most emperiall suche thinges to minde and to go about as are of the principall beste sort the same lord well prosper your endeuours in that behalf to the ende that the moste noble Empier whiche ye haue hitherto had without bloudshed of maÌ„ ye maye semblably aswell enlarge and amplifie as defende and maintayne And this poinct in the meane while it maye please your merciful graciousnes froÌ„ tyme to tyme to haue in your remembraunce that no warre there is vpon so iust lawfull causes taken in hande nor with so good moderacion executed that draweth not after it an huige heape both of abominacions and also of miseries yea and remembre also the greatest porcion of all the harmes to light in fine vpon persones bothe giltles and also vnworthy thesame Yeuen at Basile on the Ides of Ianuarie in the yere of our Lorde a thousande fiue hundred twentie and two ¶ The lyfe of sainct Matthew writen by Hierome one of the auncient doctours of the Churche MAtthew whiche was other wyse also called Leui beyng of a Puplican made an Apostle first of all others composed and wrote in Iewrye the ghospell of Christe in the Hebrue tounge for theyr behoufe and cause whyche beyng of the circumcision had beleued whyche ghospell what person did afterwarde translate into Greke it is not verai certaynly knowen But truely the verye Hebrue selfe is had euen vntill this presente daye in the librarye of Lesarea whyche librarye Pamphilus the martyr did with all possible studiousnes set vp and make And I my selfe also had the same ghospell of Matthew in Hebrue lente me to copye it out of the Nazarites whyche in Beroea a citie of Syria doe vse thesame booke Wherin is to be noted and obserued that whersoeuer this Euangeliste eyther in his owne person orels in the person of our sauiour doethe vse any allegacions of the olde Testamente he doeth not folowe the auctorite of Septuaginta that is to saye of the thre score and ten translatours but of the Hebrue Of whyche sorte are set these two citacions here ensuyng Out of Egypt haue I called my soonne and For a Nazarite shall he be called The Paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Gospell of saincte Matthew ¶ The firste Chapter IF men so gredely embrace a booke which is set foorth by the industrie of man concernyng the preseruacion or restoryng of health or the waye to increace worldely substaunce or touchyng any other facultie whiche maketh only for worldly commodities with howe muche more feruent loue and desyer ought this boke to bee receyued of all men whose profyt and coÌ„moditie belongeth indifferently to all men This boke promiseth not worldly commodities whiche laste but a whyle but it teacheth all heauenly wysedome delyuered vnto mankynde from the heauenly doctour Christe Iesus And it promiseth alâ—o a wonderfull rewarde not ryches nor kyngdome nor pleasures but true and euerlastynge felicitie vnto the whiche felicitie this booke sheweth the moste ready and easye way for all men It shewethe also the author meane through whome euery man hath health and saluacion and without whome no man maye hope for healthe and saluacion What man woulde not be moued and prouoked with a sure hope of suche a good thynge be he neuer so barbarous or vnlettred And thys wundrefull saluacion whiche neyther mannes indeuour nor the paynfull labour of the Philosophers nor the supersticious religion of the Gentiles nor the diligent obseruacion of Moyses lawe coulde fully perfourme or geue God the maker the preseruer the ruler and restorer of all thynges visible and inuisible dyd shewe and declare in tymes paste by the sayinges of all his Prophetes beyng replenished with his heauenly spirite vnto all the worlde but moste specially to the people of the Iewes whyche at that tyme wer a figure of Christes churche whiche shortly after shoulde be enlarged throughout all the world signifiyng shewyng before by dyuers dark figures shadowes whatsoeuer he hath now plainly made open vnto the world by his sonne Iesus Christe who was the messinger of this free felicitie beyng ambassadour in yearth of God his father in suche wyse that he was also the teacher of the holsome philosophy he was the example he was both the pledge the promiser and the author of the euerlastyng rewarde For God by his secrete counsell whiche mannes wit is vtterly vnhable to serche oute hath suffered mankind beyng of disposicion lyke his first parent and proâ—e to all vice to be entangled with false religions with sondry vices of life and naughtie desyres to the intent that in this time of al times most to bee desired and wished for the whiche Goddes wisdome the orderer of all thinges had appoynted to it selfe al men shoulde with the more desyrous agreable myndes enbrace this philosophie beyng bothe very holsome and of marueylous efficacie after that they haue once perceyued that neyther by those commodities and healpes whyche the worlde promyseth here to be chyefe nor by so many fine exquisite preceptes of the phylosophers nor by so many sortes of religions nor by the scrupulous obseruacion of Moses lawe they coulde actayne vnto true godlynes
this token ye shall knowe them that is to saye of the fruites which yf ye fynde in them to be euyl ye shall remoue them from the cure of the flocke and shall not receyue them into the kingdome of heauen nor couÌ„te them for Christians but for enemyes not to thintent to hurte them but to beware leste they hurte the flocke beyng myngled among them For there is nothinge more daungerouse than vngodlynes if it getteth faythe and authoritie thoroughe the false coloure of holynes ¶ Not euery one that sayethe vnto me Lorde lorde shall enter into the kyngdome of heauen but he that doeth the wyll of my father whiche is in heauen Many wyll saye to me on that â—aye Lorde Lorde haue we not prophecied in thy name and haue we not cast out deuils in thy name and doen many miracles in thy name And than wil I confesse vnto them I neuer knewe you departe from me ye that worke iniquitie All they that professe me onely with woordes shall not be counted worthie the kingdom of heauen for it is not the tytle that maketh a Christian man but the lyfe And I will not furthwith knowledge them for my disciples whiche saye vnto me religiousely Lord Lord when in dede they serue diuerse other lordes that is to saye Mammon and ryches the belly and ambicion Whom therfore shall I thinke worthy the kingdom of heauen Them that haue vtterly refused worldly desyres and hartily do obey the will of the father which is in heauen whose will I preach vnto you For whatsoeuer I teache you it cummeth from him And truly my name shal nothing profite them which lacke my spirite and workes specially in that daye whan rewardes shall be appointed accordyng vnto euery mannes desertes not by mans iudgement whiche oftentymes dothe fayle but by the iudgement of god and the shepe shal be secluded from the goates so that those thynges shal not profite them whiche nowe seme amongest menne a certaine godly thing and passing the doinges of manne For than when they shall see euerlastyng life prepared for them whiche folowyng the doctryne of the ghospell haue declared themselfes to be my true disciples and agayne when they shall see euerlasting punishmente prepared for them that shall be remoued from the companie of the godlye many beeyng sore aferde shall come and desire nowe to be knowen of God where as they haue counterfeited before menne the chiefe and moste excellent disciples of Christe and preachers of the ghospell and they shall saye vnto me Lorde knoweste thou not vs thy seruauntes Haue not we prophecied in thy name haue not we chased a waye diuels in they name haue we not reised vppe dead menne in thy name haue we not put awaye poysons and diseases in thy name haue we not wrought other wonders in thy name and by these dedes glorified thy name we haue declared vs to be thyne by so many argumentes and tokens nowe doeste thou not knowe vs Than shall they heare this answere of me Truely I neuer knew you no not than when ye dyd these thinges I hearde you say lorde lorde but I neuer perceiued in you the harte of faithfull seruauÌ„tes I heare muche speakyng of my name but I neuer felt my spirite in you I heare of myracles whiche wer doen in my name but I heare not of those speciall fruites by the whiche the true disciple of Christ is knowen Wherefore seyng that than when ye did set furth your selues amongest menne in my name ye were not myne in dede but vnder the coloure of my professyon ye serued the â–ª dyuell departe nowe awaye from me and goe vnto hym whose spirite ye haue receiued and whose wyll ye dyd obey What title or name soeuer they have yf they weorke vnrighteousnes they shall not be partakers of my kyngdome ¶ Euerye one therefore that heareth these wordes of me and doeth thesame I wyll lyken hym to a wyse man whiche buylt his house vpon a rocke and a shower of rayne fell and the floudes came and the windes blewe and berie vpon the house and it was no ouerthrowen because it was grounded vpoÌ„ the rocke And euerye one that heareth of me these wordes and doth them not shall be likened vnto a folyshe man whiche builte his house vpon sande and a shower of rayne fel and the floudes came and the windes blewe and bette vpon the house and it was hurled downe and the fall of it was great But lyke as the fruyte of the tree can haue no good taste vnlesse the roote haue good iuyce So the buyldyng be it neuer so gorgiouse high and galaunte outwardelye shall not be sure vnlesse it be stayed vpon a sute and sounde foundacion He that hath my spirite that is to saye a sincere affeccion regarding nought elles but the glorie of God he is a tree of a good roote So he that stayethe not vpon the vayne thynges of this worlde but vpon the true good thynges of the mynde and doeth continue constantly in the same he verye polytikely buildeth the buyldyng that neuer shall falle Therefore whosoeuer heareth my woordes not heareth onely but reposeth them inwardly in his harte to thintente he maye expresse in his deedes that that he hath learned I saye that he is lyke a manne both wyse and politike who to thintente he maye buylde a sounde and sure buyldyng firste of all he deuiseth and loketh for a sounde and a sure foundacion whereupon he maye sette his buyldyng to endure agaynst all tempestes of wethers For in a calme wether euery buyldyng standeth safely but the winter proueth the soundnes of the buyldyng Some tyme aboundaunce of rayne falleth downe and beateth vpon it Sometyme the fluddes increased with rayne all to shake it with greate violence Sometyme the burlyng of the wyndes beateth agaynste it and beeyng beaten and layed at by so many wayes it standeth styll and moueth not Why so Because it standeth vpon a sure foundacion The buylder dyd foresee all these thynges and therfore he sette it vpon a sounde rocke throughe whose ayde it neded nothynge to feare all those assaultes Agayne whosoeuer hearethe my woordes and hearethe them onelye and dothe not repose them in his hearte nor expresse them in his dedes is lyke vnto the rechellesse buyld whoe not foreseynge the stormes and tempestes settethe hys buyldynge vpon the sande whyche is a foundacion euer fletyng and fayling and nothyng trusty Afterwardes falleth aboundaunce of rayne the violence of ryuers runneth vpon it the storme of windes runneth agaynste it and the house is leused and plucked vp from the foundacion and fallethe downe with a great crashe Why so Because the buyldynge was goodly and gaye to see to but it stode vpon an vnprofitable foundacion Therefore your principall chiefe care and consideracion must be of your foundacion fasting almesse prayer simple apparell finally myracles be lyke a gay building But if the minde of hym that dothe them loke after vaine praise of men
but rather be the teachers of errours They shall not be only furnished with craftes and a false cloke of holynes but also they shall counterfeyte my power with woonders and magicall meruailes and they shall take vpon them my person with so many marueylouse iuglynges that the electe also yf it were possible shoulde be brought into errour Ye therfore being monished beware for I haue told you before to the intent ye should beware Than if they say Christe is in the deserte goe not out loe he is in the inner parlers goe not in loe he is here or there beleue it not The seconde cuÌ„ming shall not be after such sorte as ye see this that is to say softe milde and humble but sodayne compassing the whole world with the sodayne light of maiestie For lyke as the lightnyng shynyng furth flasheth sodaynely from the East to the west so shall be the cummyng of the sonne of man And ye nede not to feare that he shall not be with me in suche a confusion and hurly burly of thinges Whersoeuer the body shal be thyther shal the Egles flocke and gather The head shall not lacke his membres ¶ Immediatly after the tribulacion of those dayes the sonne shal be derkened and the moone shall not geue her light and the sterres shall fall froÌ„ heauen and the powers of heauen shal be moued And than shall appeâ—â— in heauen the token of the sonne of man and than shall all the kyneedes of the earth mourne and shall see the sonne of man cumming in the cloudes of heauen with great power and glory And he shal sende his angels with a great voyce of a trumpet and they shall gather together his chosen froÌ„ the fower wyndes from the highest parte of heauen vnto the endes of them The heauenly bodyes also shall feele the greatnes of this calamitie For both the sonne shall be darkened and the sonne beeyng darkened whereof the moone borowed her lyght the moone shall shewe no lyght The starres shall fall from heauen and the powers of heauen shall shake beeyng in daunger of fallyng Than among the great and thycke darkenesse the signe of the sonne of man shall shyne from heauen the signe I saye wherby he ouercame Sathan and consumed al his tyranny the signe wherby Sathan craked in vayne that he had the hygher hande The which once seen the nacions of the whole worlde shall strike theyr brestes when the Iewes shall see whom they haue offended when the Gentyles shall see the maiestie of the crosse whiche they laughed to skorne For they shall see the sonne of man whom they nowe despise humble simple cummyng on hygh in the cloudes of the ayer with a great army of aungels with a wonderfull maiestie and glory Than he shall sende furthe his aungels to gather together with a sounding trump all his elect from the fower wyndes from the high toppe of heauen to the vttermoste coaste of the same Learne a similitude of the figgetree Whan his boughes be yet tendre and the leaues sprong out ye knowe that Summer is nigh So lykewyse ye when ye shall see all these thynges be ye sure that it is nere euen at the doores Uerely I saye vnto you this generacion shall not passe vntyll all these thinges be doen. Heauen and yearth shall passe but my woorde shall not passe But of that day and houre no man knoweth no not the angels of heauen but my father onely But at what tyme these thinges shall come to passe it is not in me exactly to determine But yet of those aduersities whiche I haue recited as of certayne preambles and tokens before ye maye gesse that the tyme is not far of Lyke as the figgetree doth declare before by certayne tokens that Summer is at hande as whan at the blowyng of the westerne wynde the boughes begyn to were reÌ„der and the buddes spryng fuâ—h the leaues desire to sprede abrode so ye also whan ye shall see all these thynges whiche I haue spoken of knowe ye well that the cummyng of the sonne of God is at hande I assure you this generacion shall not passe but that all thynges whiche be spoken before shall come to passe Heauen and yearth shall perishe rather than my woorde shal be vayne Therfore it is inough for you to knowe the signes whiche do portende and shewe the daye of my cummyng leste it come vpon you vnwares But it is not your parte to searche out exactly the daye or houre whan the sonne of man shall come forasmuche as the knowledge of these thynges is not geuen to the aungels of heauen no the sonne of man knoweth them not The father hath reserued this vnto hymselfe alone And so it is expedienâ—e for you to the â—â—uente ye may be alwaye in a redines ¶ But as the dayes of Noe were so shall also the cummyng of the sonne of manne be For as in the dayes that went before the â—lud they did eate and drynke marry and were maryed vntyll â—he daye that Noe entred into the ship and knewe not tyll the flud came and toke them aâ— away so shall also the cumming of the sonne of man be Than shall two â—e in the fielde the one taken the other refused Two women shal be grynding at the mâ—l the one receiued the other refused Two in a bed the one shal be receiued the other refused That day shall cum sodaynly and vnwares vnto others Lyke as in the tyme of Noe whan the fludde was tolde them certayne yeares before yet they thinkyng that it should not cum to passe dyd eate and dryncke and married furthe theyr doughters and marryed wyues vntill the last day in the whyche Noe entred into the arcke and beleued not that the fludde shoulde cum to passe vntill they sawe it nowe at hande wherewyth all they were destroyed who by example of Noe woulde not prepare themselues agaynst that day Lyke as than a fewe that were taken into the arcke were preserued the other whyche were leste without peryshed euen so at that tyme when the sonne of manne shal cum they that shall peryshe shall sodainly be deuided from them that shall be saued There shall be two labouring in one field felowes in worke wages of whom the one shall be taken and the other shall be forsaken There shall be two grynding in one myll whereof the one shal be taken the other shal be forsaken Yea and of two that lye in one bed the one shal bee taken the other shal bee forsaken For it is not the woorke or the place or the manner of lyfe but the affeccion and good desyre shal make man blessed Watche therfore for ye knowe not what houre your Lorde wyll cum Of thys yet be sure that if the good man of the house knewe what houre the theâ—e would cum he would surely watche and not suffer hys house to be broken vp Therfore â— be ye also ready for in suche an houre as ye thynke not wyl the
sonne of man cummeth in hys glory and all hys holy angels with hym than shall be sit vpon the seate of hys glory and before hym shall be gathered all nacions And he shall separate one from another as the sheperde doeth seperate the shepe from the goates and shall set the shepe on the ryght hande but the goates on the lefte hande The whyche thyng he dyd also farre more manifestly and clerely in his last narracion where he layeth before theyr lyes bothe the maiestye of his cummyng and the separacion of the good from the yll whyche nowe lyue in the churche mixte together and also the dyuerse desertes and rewardes of bothe partes shortly he setteth before theyr iyes the whole maner of the latter iudgemente knowyng and consyderyng that the day of his deathe was nowe at hande to the intente his disciples being instructed with so many lessoÌ„s should in no case discourage theyr hartes for the shamefull death of the crosse but should comforte and solace this present affliccion and shame with the consideracion of the felicitie and glory to cum And also that thei should not go aâ—out or withe any vengeaunce to the yll and wicked men forasmuche as they knew that according to theyr desertes in that iudgemente they shoulde bee punished eternally When the sonne of man ê™ he whome ye shall see shortely most low and abiect shall cum in his maiestie the companies of al angels gardyng him than he shall sit as iudge ouer all in the seate of hys maiestie and al the nacions of the whole worlde shal be called before hym For no man be he high or low can escape that iudgemente Thys shal be done not by mans coniectures but by the exact iudgemente of god vnto whose iyes all thynges be open And first he shall seperate the good from the yll lyke as the sheperde when he numbreth hys flocke dothe shed the shepe from the goates And he shall sette the shepe that is the innocentes and well doers on the ryght hand and he shall set the goates that is the hurteful and yll doers on the lefte hand And so the whole number of men deuided into two rayes or sortes as a iust iudge he wil shewe vnto bothe a iuste cause of his iudgemente that the good maie know by what well doynges they haue attained vnto so great felicitie and the yll may heare with what offences they haue deserued euerlastyng punishemente Then the kyng shall saye vnto those that be on hys ryght hand Cum ye blessed of my father possesse ye the kyngdome prepared for you from the begynnyng of the worlde for I was an hungred and ye gaue me meate I was athyrste and ye gaue me drinke I was harbouâ—lesse and ye toke me in I was naked and ye clothed me I was sicke and ye visited me I was in prison ye came to me Than the iuste shall answere saiyng Lorde when dyd we see the hungry and fed thee or athyrst and gaue the drynke And whan did we see thee harbouâ—lesse and tooke thee in or naked and clothed thee or whan dyd we see thee sycke or in prison and came vnto thee And the kyng answeryng shal saye vnto them verely I saye vnto you in asmuche as ye haue done it vnto one of the leaste of these my brethren ye haue done it to me And salutyng the sorte on the ryght hande with a mylde and a merye chere shall saye Cum my frendes whome the worlde tooke for vyle and execrable but whom my father taketh for honourable and prayse worthye Now for the illes and displeasures whych ye haue suffered for my sake take the inheritauÌ„ce of the heauenly kyngdome whiche by the diuine prouision and counsell was prepared for you of God the foreknower of all thynges before the world was made With this so great rewarde it is thought good to recompence the workes of your greate loue towarde me leste ye myght thynke that they were lost For in tymes paste when I was hungrye ye gaue me meate whan I was thyrsty ye gaue me drynke whan I was a straunger and nedye of harboure ye toke me into your houles whan I was naked ye couered me whan I was sycke ye dyd visite me whan I was in prison ye came to comforte me ye gaue me youres suche as they were nowe I on the othersyde do communicate and geue vnto you my whole kyngdome whiche is common to me and my father Whan these thynges shal be hearde of the iust menne whiche doethe so vse the workes of charitie that in maner they knowe not that they haue dooen them they shall aunswere hym saiyng Lorde when sawe we thee hungrye and fed thee thrysty and gaue thee drynke Whan saw we thee a straunger brought the into our house or whan dyd we couer the beyng naked Whan dyd we visite thee beyng sicke Whan dyd we cum vnto thee beyng in prison Than the kyng shall saye openly that he would it to be accounted doen to hym what soeuer is geuen to any one of them whome the worlde despiseth for theyr pouertye and lownes yet he despyseth them not insomuch that he did vouchsafe to honour them with the name of brethren Certaynely shall he saye I saye vnto you althoughe I haue no nede of mans helpe whiche am lorde ouer all yet whereas ye haue doen these thynges for my sake to anye of these my poore litle brethren ye haue doen them to me ¶ Than shall he saye to those that shal be on the lefte hand Depart from me ye cursed into tyeâ— euerlastyng whyche is prepared for the deuill and hys angels For I haue hungered and ye haue not geuen me meate I haue thyrsted and ye haue not geuen me drynke I haue bene harbourlesse and ye haue not taken me in I haue been naked and he haue not clothed me I haue bene sicke and in prison and ye haue noâ— visited me Than shal theâ— also answere to hym and saye Lorde when did we see thee hungrye or thirsty or harbouâ—les or naked or sycke or in prison and did not minister vnto thee Than shall he answere vnto them saiyng verely I saye vnto you in as muche as ye did if not to one of the least of these ye dyd it not to me And they shal go into euerlastyng punishement but the iust into life euerlastyng Than with an horrible loke turnyng to them that shall stande on the lefte hand he shall geue a terrible sentence Goe awaye from me ye whome the worlde flattered and praysed but exectable and cursed of my father and me go into the fyer that neuer shall bee quenched whiche was prepared from the begynnyng of the worlde for the deuill and his angelles vnto whom ye hadde rather sticke then vnto me For whan I was hungrye ye gaue me not meate whan I was thyrsty ye gaue me not drynke I wandred and lacked harbour ye toke me not in I was naked ye couered me not I was sicke and in prison and ye did
haste thou to do with vs Iesus Arte thou cumme to destroye vs For so many as the spirite of this world possesseth thinke themselues vtterly forlorne whensoeuer they are constrayned to forsake those thinges wherein they haue sette theyr false felicitie Wherfore theyr myndes are sore troubled and as you would saye tugged and haled into sondrie pieces whylest on the one syde feare of eternall damnacion moueth them to vertue and goodnes on the other syde the venimous◠swetnes of such vices as thei haue of long time accustomed vnto holdeth them fast and withdraweth them from theyr godly purpose But yet no manner of deuill taketh so faste holde but he wyll at the commaundement of Iesu flye awaye It is a muche greater myracle to make of an ambicious man a temperate of a fyerce felowe a pacient of the lecherous persone a chast liuer of the extorcioner or one that liueth by pollyng and pyllyng a lyberall man than to delyuer a mannes body from a wycked spirite But yet men wonder more at this then at the other not because it is more wonderfull and meruailous in dede but for that it is seene with bodely iyes Therfore when he had thus chased awaye the vncleane spirite by commaundement onely then the Iewes greatly wondered at it insomuche that they demaūded one of another saying What new thing is this we haue not read that euer the Prophetes dyd the lyke castyng out deuyls by bare worde of mouth onely Or what new kynde of doctrine is this that hath so great vertue and power folowing it He preacheth the kyngdome of god and putteth furthe Gods power in that he treadeth vnder foote and subdueth the power of the deuill Neyther is it by sorcery or inchauntment or by makyng of long prayers vnto god nor yet by any other laborious meane that he thus putteth to flyght the wycked fendes But he commaundeth them with worde onely as theyr lorde and conquerour and they incontinēt whether they wyll or no obey hym Of this wonderful facte a great fame of Iesu was spred abrode throughout all the countrey of Galile And because it shoulde appeare that in him is the well spring of godly power whiche can neuer be consumed one miracle dyd streyght wayes succede and folowe another ¶ And furthwith when they were cumme out of the synagoge they entred into the house of Symon and Andrew with Iames and Iohn But Symōs mother in lawe laye sicke of a feuer and anon they tell hym of her and he came and toke her by the hande and lyfte her vp and immediatlye the feuer forsake her and she ministred vnto them And at euen when the Sunne was downe they brought vnto hym all that were diseased and them that were vexed with diuels and all the citie was gathered together at the doore and he healed many that were sicke of diuerse diseases and cast out many deuils and suffered not the deuils to speake because they knewe hym For anon as they were departed out of the synagoge they came into the house of Symō and Andrew whither also Iames and Iohn folowed Now Symons mother in lawe as it thē fortuned laye sycke was sore vexed with an ague Assone as Iesus was by them aduertised therof he went to the bedside toke the woman by the hande lyfted her vp forthwith the feuer forsoke her euē as she was sodainly so was she perfectly made whole For she was sodaynly made as lusty and strong as she was before insomuche that she did her accustomed office in the house ministring vnto Iesu and his disciples He lyeth sycke of a perilous disease whose mynde burneth with the loue of carnall pleasures who by reason of superfluitie and excesse leadeth an ydle and a sluggishe lyfe It is a woman that lyeth sycke And at the beginning the fyrst woman deceiued with the pleasaunt alurement of an apple began to be sycke of this ague Our fleshe that alwayes lusteth agaynste the spirit is our Eue. But happy are they whome Iesus with the touche of his moste holye spirite lifteth vp to the loue of heauenly thynges that he whiche before tyme serued ydlenesse riotous liuing and vncleannes maye sodeynly recouer his olde strength and lustynes and being made a newe manne hereafter becum the seruaunt of clennes chastitie sobernes For these are the meates whiche Christe is refreshed and delyghted withall Now ymagine that the house of Symon sygnifieth the churche of Christ in the whiche it is not conuenient that there be anye feble and weake in spirite but suche as are full of euangelyke strength and lustines And yet many tymes Peters mother in lawe that is to saye the synagoge lyeth sicke in the same For he is a membre of the synagoge vnto whose corrupte tasting the vnsauery and weryshe letter yet sauoreth who tasteth well the water of the Pharisaicall vnderstanding and can in no wyse tast the wyne of the spirite and true meaning of the ghospell They that were in the house with the Lorde Iesu desyred him to lyfte vp the woman that laye sycke in her bedde In semblable wise let vs all who are mēbres of the churche desyre his mercyfull goodnes with most humble praiers that he wyll vouchesafe to put out his holy ryght hand and therwith to lifte vp also those timerous persons whiche clening only to the letter of scripture and wholy geuen to the supersticious obseruacion of ceremonyes dooe of a certaine vnright iudgement greatly desyre those thynges that are hurtfull noysome and contrarily hate and abhorre suche thinges as are onely to be desyred to lyfte them vp I saye to the fredome of the ghospell whiche serueth not for this purpose that we should with more libertie committe sinne at pleasure but to the intent we should gladly and with right good will dooe the workes of Euangelike or christian charitie and cherishe Iesus in his membres The Lorde is alwayes ready to heale the soule yf he be desyred and called vpon He loueth those that call vpō hym call they neuer so importunatly and out of season It was nowe late in the euening and the sunne was set so that it might be thought a great point of importunitee to cal vpon the physycian at that time But the great desyre of healthe had the vpper hande of shame They brought vnto him a very great numbre of suche as wer diseased with all kyndes of infirmities and among them also some whiche were vexed with vncleane spirites The whole citie of Capernaum came thicke and threfolde to the gate of the house to see this syght Iesus without excuse healed very many of them of sundry diseases and cast out many deuils He was a quicke and a readye physycian who with worde cured diseases Moreouer he put to silence the deuils who cryed with a loude voyce that he was Christ vtterly despysyng the testimonie of his enemyes and of them with whome he woulde that his shoulde in no wyse haue to do He suffered the
and kepyng of mans ceremonies Iohn as a meane betwene the old law the new weÌ„t about to myngle together two sundry doctrines For he durst not commit this liuely philosophy pure and vnmengled as it was vnto them that were weake of mynde Nowe all is weake that is humayne carnall And contrarily that is full of lyfe vertue and strength whatsoeuer is godly spirituall and heauenly Wherfore vnto my disciples whome I chose rude and ignoraunt to the entent I myght the soner enstruct them in this strong and pithful Philosophy I prescribe none of these thinges folowyng Eate these meates forbear these now rest now labor vse suche apparel touch not this thing handle not that And the cause is for feare leste they woulde alwayes continewe weake if they once learned of me theyr maister to put any trust in suche corporall thynges It is a thyng very vnprofitable to ioyne thynges together whiche disagree one with an other ¶ No man also seweth a piece of newe clothe vnto an olde garment els taketh he away the new piece therof from the olde and so is the rent wurse And no man poureth newe wyne into olde bottels els the newe wyne doth burst the bottels and the wyue runneth out and the bottels are marâ—ed But newe wyne must be put into newe bottels For there is no man so farre from reason that if he be disposed to amende an olde garment wil sewe therunto a patche of newe clothe And why so certes for that he perceyueth yf he should so do he shoulde bothe lose his new cloth also make the hole of the olde garment bigger then it was before For beyng offended with the notable diuersytie betwene the piece of cloth sewed on and the yll mended garmente he strayght wayes plucketh of the piece that he sewed to and so the hole of the same garment gapeth fowler then it dyd before Neyther is there any man so folysh as to put newe wine in olde bottels And why because he seeth that he should sustain double losse therby For the new wyne wurketh so feruently through the vehemencie of the fumes therein enclosed that it breaketh the bottels beyng weake by reason of age all to pieâ—es and so are bothe bottels and wyne cleane lost and spilt Howe doeth he then prouide bothe for the safetie of the one and the other Trulye he putteth the newe wyne into newe bottels Euen so they whose mindes haue of long time been accustomed to the naughtie wine of Pharisaâ—call supersticion can in no wyse away with the newe wine of heauenly spiritual doctrine but lothe and abhorre thesame stylle callyng after a taste of the wurse wine that hath been theyr accustomable drynke And that Iesu spake the truthe herein the Phariseis them selues many tymes declared by theyr deedes ¶ And if chaunced again that he went thorow the corn fieldes on the Sabboth dayes and his disciples began by the waye to plucke the eares of the corne And the Phariseis sayd vnto hym Beholde why do they on the Sabboth dayes that whiche is not lawfull And he sayed vnto them haue ye neuer read what Dauid dyd when he had nede and was an hungred both de and they that were with hym howe he went into the house of God in the dayes of Abiathar the hye priest and dyd eate the shewe bread whiche is not lawfull to eate but for the priestes onely and gaue also to them whiche were with hym And he sayed vnto them the Sabboth was made for man and not man for the Sabboth therefore is the sonne of man Lorde also of the Sabboth For as it chaâ—nced on a certaine season that his disciples trauayled thorough a corne fyeld and that vpon the Sabboth daye on the whiche day it was a matter of conscience among the Iewes to doe any maner of weorke they wente before and Iesus theyr mayster followed And anon prouoked by hunger they beganne to plucke the eares of the corne and with the chasyng of theyr handes to rubbe once the corne and eate it Nowe heare howe the olde bottels were offended with the newe wyne of the libertie of the ghospell calling after the olde wyne of kepyng the Sabboth that hadde cleane lost his verdure For the Phariseis who as menne very righteouse in theyr owne conceyptes folowed Iesus beholdyng what the disciples dyd wrongfully blamed the Lorde in them For lyke as the vertuousnesse of the schollers is a great commendacion to the mayster euen so theyr mysbehaueoure and lewde taches are reproched and layed vnto those that instructed them They tolde the lorde and poynted vnto his disciples as thoughe they had doen a greuouse offence for that they brake the Sabboth daye to the ende that he shoulde cause them to leaue worke and by that meanes approue the pharisaicall supersticion orels yf he woulde not so do then myght they take some occasion to piâ—ke a quarell or surmise some matter agaynst hym The Lorde so defended his disciples that he disproued the learned in the lawe of Moses by the auctoritie of the lawe and of his gentlenesse vouchesafed to teache them the true meaning therof whiche in dede deserued shaperly to be rebuked With what face ê™ he do ye accuse my disciples for that thorough constraint of hunger they plucke a fewe eares of corne beeyng by chaunce in their waye for theyr reliefe and sustenaunce sithe there is expresse mencion in the very lawe it selfe wherof you professe your selues to be teachers howe Dauid when he was in lyke necessitie dydde a thyng whiche soundeth muche more to the breache of the lawe then this For he beyng almost famished and in great daunger to perysh for lacke of foode fled for succour vnto the house of God and although he were a laye man was not afrayed to desyre Abiathar then chyef of the priestes to geue him those moste holy loaues called the shewe bread the whiche it was not lefull for any man to eate of but the priestes onely â— and that but duryng the litle whyle they were within the precinct of the Temple occupied about makyng of sacrifice Abiathar was not here ignoraunt what the lawe had commaunded and yet feared not he to deliuer vnto Dauid and his trayne the sayed holy loaues to be eaten in the holy place If you knowe not that this is scripture orels yf you haue it not in memory howethaÌ„ for shame dare you professe the knowledge that of law If you know and remembre it why doe you in a lyke ease quite Abiathar and Dauid yea and allowe theyr facte and yet accuse my disciples as giltie of an heynous trespasse If the rigorousnes of the lawe did then geue place vnto the necessitye of the neyghboure when the lawe was of mooste force strengthe howe muche more then standeth it nowe with reason that the ceremonies of the same lawe geue place therunto whensoeuer charitie moueth a man to help his euen Christen Moreouer it is lykewyse commaunded in the lawe
length proued and right wel knowen of you by sure argumentes and profes go your waye into all the world and preache this gospel to all the nacions therof For I dyed for all men and lykewyse for all men haue I risen agayne It is not nowe nedefull to kepe the ceremonies of the olde lawe It is not nedefull to vse any mo sacrifices and burnt offeringes to pourge synnes Whoso beleueth the gospell whiche thorowe my death offreth to all that beleue in me free remission of all synnes and beyng washed with water receyueth a signe or token of this grace thesame shal be saued Who so beleueth not the gospel there is not why he should truste to the obseruacion of Moses lawe or heathen learning and philosophie the same shal be damned This waye is open for euery manne to go to saluacion by but it is but one waye onely And these tokens shall folow them that beleue In my name they shall caste out diuels they shal speake with newe toungues they shall dryue awaye serpentes and if they drinke any deadly thing it shall not hurt them They shall laye theyr handes vpon the sicke and they shall recouer And leste your preaching shoulde not be beleued there shal be ioyned therunto a power to worke myracles so that there lacke not in you an Euangelike faith and so that the thing selfe do require myracles The chiefe power and vertue of the Euangelyke grace lyeth hyd in mennes soules but yet when for the aduauncyng of the gospell there shall nede any miracles thesame shall not lacke for the weakes sake They that will beleue in me shal cast out diuels not in their owne name but in mine they shall further speake with newe tongues and dryue awaye serpentes and yf they drynke any deadly thyng or poyson it shall not anoye them They shall laye theyr handes vpon the sicke and they shall be whole When these thinges are wrought and done in mennes soules then is there a muche greater miracle wrought but thesame is hid and not sene Couetousnesse pleasure of the body ambicion hatred wrath and enuy be very poysons and deadly diseases of the soule These diseases shall they cure and put awaye in my name and that continually But for the weakes sake suche as are harde of belief the other miracles shall also be oft times wrought to th entent the grosse sorte of people maye perceyue that in my disciples is a spirite more puissaunte then all mannes strength and power So then when the lorde had spoken vnto them he was receyued into heauen and is on the right hande of god And they went foorth and preached euery where the lorde workyng with them and confyrmyng the worde with myracles folowyng When the Lorde Iesus had spoken these and other mo wordes to his disciples he ascended vp into heauen where he sitteth on the righte hande of god the father The disciples after they had receyued the holy ghost preached as they were commaunded not only in Iewry but also in all other regions and countreys and the matier went forwarde notwithstanding the world resisted and was bent against them the Lorde Iesus puttyng furthe his mightye power by his holy spirite and theyr ministery and euerywhere confirmyng with ready miracles whatsoeuer they promysed to do with wordes FINIS To the most vertuous Ladie and most gracious Quene Katerine wife vnto the most victorious and moste noble prince Henry the .viii. Kyng of Englande Fraunce and Irelande c. Nicolas Udall wisheth prosperous health and long continuaunce with grace peace and all ghostely coumforte in our Lord Iesus Christ. LYke as our maister Christ in the ghospell moste gracious Quene Katerine whan the woman that had liued wickedly beyng now by his grace called froÌ„ hir sinnefull life to perfite repentauÌ„ce and amendmeÌ„t came vnto him sittyng at his repastein the house of Simon the lepre and washed his feete with the teares of hir iyes wyped thesame with that heare of hir head poured forth vpon his head a precious swete oyntment and also anointed his feete therewith did so well allowe hir deuocion hir earnest zele and hir tendre coÌ„passion whiche she had to â—oumforâ— him that he did not onely among all the cumpany declare hir preseÌ„t â—â—mfort in forgeuyng hir euen there all hir offences wickednes afore paste but also promised that she should not lese the condigne reward of renoume for hir teÌ„dre gentilnes to him shewed in so muche that afore all the preseÌ„ce he openly protested that wheresoeuer throughout al the world the gospel wer afterward preached there should she in suche wise at al occasioÌ„s he had in mind that the remeÌ„braunce of hir good hart thankefulnes towardes him should neuer dye nor be forgotten So Luke the euangelist Paule with the otheâ— apostles of Christ did in their holy writinges not onely make meÌ„cioÌ„ of sucâ— men preachers as were faithfull workers or ministers in Christes vyneyard but also by whatsoeuer good matrones and deuout wemen they sawe and fouÌ„d eyther that god was glorified his honour adâ—auÌ„ced or the ghospell preferred the word of god furthered â–ª the preachers of the same mainteined the yonglinges in the faith cherished the true chriâ—â—iaÌ„s in their pouertie refreshed the nede of the faithfull releued or the vnfâ—â—â—ed beleuers in aduersities coÌ„forted succoured to suche godly wemen they did not forget ne let passe to geue loude praise and coÌ„mendation aswel for the due reward of the parties selues as also for the good ensauÌ„â—le and encouragyng of others to doe the lyke For this cause doeth Luke in his gospel more theÌ„ once make meÌ„cion of Marie Magdalene of IohaÌ„na the wife of Chusa of SusaÌ„na Marie the mother of Iames. And in the actes he neyther forgetteth ne omitteth to coÌ„mend Priscilla Tabitha Lydia Damaris For this consideracion Paul coÌ„meÌ„deth vnto the Romains Phoebe Marie Eryphena Tryphosa Persis others For this respect did Hierome waite a whole treatise entytled of noble famous wemeÌ„ whose nobilitie also renoume he estemeth measureth by none other thyng but by their godlines deuocioÌ„ zele and endeuour to setforth Christes holy ghospell and by theyr godly conuersacion ioyned with moste studious diligence in readyng the scriptures Wherfore most gracious ladie although here nowe to renewe the memory and prayse of the manifold most excellent vertues and ardent zele of your highnesse towardes the promotyng of the knowelage of gods holy word and ghospell bee a thyng more due to your moste worthy deâ—erâ—es than easy for my rude penne to expresse them and more apperteineth to my duetie then it standeth with myne habilitie and power accordingly to sette them forth yet so to do at this present I haue thought partely a thyng nedelesse because your excellencie doeth so ferre sâ—â—â—ounte and passe all praises whiche my slendre vtteraunce is hable to geue you that I shoulde therein seeme to do a much lyke thyng as if I would bring forth a smouldring smokie
do not for any suche purpose wryte paraphrases because I would shake or strike the gospell out of mennes handes but to thentente it maye be read the more commodiouslye to a mannes mynde and with the more fruite lyke as meates are sauced to the ende they maye be taken with the better will and the more delectacion Yea and of one ferther poynte also must I here warne a reader that is somewhat grosse of vnderstanding whiche is that it bee not myne owne woordes that I do any where speake in the paraphrase leste the thyng whiche vnder the persone of the Euangeliste is humbly and truely spoken maye seme to bee arrogauntlye spoken vnder myne owne persone The lord Iesus geue his spirite vnto you moste noble kyng to the ende that vnder your proteccion beeyng a true Christian Prince in dede the veritie of the gospell maye from daye to daye more and more reigne and flourishe Yeuen at Basill the .xxiii. daye of August in the yeare of our Lorde M.D.xxiii The life of saynt Luke written by S. Hierome LUke a phisicion and borne in Antioche was not ignoraunte of the Greke toungue as his wrytynges do shewe he was a folower and disciple of the Apostle Paule and a companion of all his peregrinacion He wrote a volume of the ghospell of whome the same Paule sayeth in this maner We haue sent with him a brother whose praise is in the ghospell throughout all the congregacions And agayne to the Colossians Moste dere Luke the phisicion greteth you And to Timothie Luke is with me alone Be sette foorth also anotheâ— speciall goodlye booke whiche is entitled the Actes of the Apostles the storie wherof came euen full to Paules tyme beeyng and tarying two yeares at Rome that is to saye vntill the fourth yeare of Nero the Emperour there Whereby we do well perceyue that the sayde booke was made in the same citie Therfore as for the circuites of Paule and of Tecla the virgin and all the tale of Leo by hym baptised we rekon emong the scriptures that are called Apocrypha For what manier a thyng is it that a companion whiche neuer went from his elbowe shoulde emong his other matâ—ers bee ignoraunt of this thyng alone Tertullian whiche was nere vnto that tyme reporteth that a certayne priest in 〈◊〉 beeyng an affeccionate fauourer of the Apostle Paule was coÌ„uicte before Iohn for beeyng authour of thesame booke and that the priest confessed him selfe to had 〈◊〉 the thyng for the loue that he bare to Paule and the booke by reason therof to had escaped hym Some wryters deme that as often as Paule in his Epistles saieth accordyng to my ghospell he signifyeth of the woorke of Luke and that Luke learned the ghospell not onely of the Apostle Paule who had not been conuersaunte with the Lorde in the fleshe â—ut also of the rest of the Apostles whiche thyng Luke himselfe also declareth in the begynnyng of his owne worke saying As they haue deliuered them vnto vs whiche from the beginning sawe themselues with their â—yes and were ministers of the thynges that they declared The gospell therfore he wrote as he had hearde but the Actes of the Apostles he composed as he had seen He liued .lxxxiiii. yeares not hauyng any wife Buried he was at Constantinople vnto whiche 〈◊〉 his bones were remoued and conueyed out of Achaia together with the bones of Andrewe the Apostle in the .ix. yere of Constantius the Emperour The Paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Ghospell of S. Luke The prologue ¶ For asmuche as many haue taken in hand to sette foorth the declaracion of the actes that are come to passe emong vs lyke as they deliueâ—ed them vnto vs that first sawe them themselues and were ministers of the woorde I thought good also now that I had gotteÌ„ the knowlege of all thynges from the begynnyng to wryte theÌ„ diligentlye vnto the in ordre good Theophilus to the ende that thou mightest knowe the trueth of those woerdes of the whiche thou art enfourmed IN the histories of worldly affaires vpon consideracioÌ„ that not a lytle aswel delectacion as also profite is takeÌ„ of the knowlege of thynges there is customably required an vpright trueth of reporting thesame But muche more oughte this vpright trueth to be in makyng relacion of the Ghospell the whiche not onely doeth muche delite the mynde hauyng litle els to do or is very commodious and profitable vnto this transitory lyfe but also is necessary vnto true godlinesse without the which no man atchiueth eternal saluacion and the blisse that neuer shal decaye of the lyfe euerlastyng For it were no matier of daungier thoughe a manne did not knowe what man Hannibal was or Alexander what actes Epaminondas or Scipio hath doen what matâ—ers Solon Lycurgus or Draco haue writen what doctrine Socrates Plato or Aristotle taughte albeit the knowleage of these thynges also after the rate of mans state and case in this world hath their fruite But whatsoeuer person shall not knowe the father the sonne and the holy ghoste whosoeuer shall not learne what actes the soonne of God Iesus Christe hath dooen on yearth for the saluacion of mankynde what he hathe taught what he hath promised vnto suche as doe constauntely cleue to the doctrine of the ghospell what he hath threatned vnto suche persones as doe either litle regarde or els doe playnely despise thesame suche an one shall not possibly bee hable to auoyde but that beeyng excluded out of the coumpanye of Gods children and shut out from the ioyes of the heauenly lyfe he shal bee adiudged with the wicked to the tormentes of the diepe pitte of hell whiche neuer shall haue ende And in dede at the first by meane of thapostles beeyng therunto chosen of our Lorde hymselfe and by the residue of his disciples beyng enspired with the holy ghost the ghospell in dede by liuely voice and by mouth onely but yet with moost vpright certaintye and assured trueth is begonne to bee spred abrode throughout all coastes and countreyes of the worlde and dooeth daylye yet still ferther and ferther renne abrode Yet forasmuche as the synceritie of reportyng the whiche goyng from man to man by mouth onely issueth successiuelye to a great noumber is more lightlye corrupted then suche reporte as is sette out and left from one to another in writyng therefore Mathew the Apostle one of the twelue whom our Lorde Iesus beeyng yet coÌ„uersaunte on yearthe had specially appointed and chosen to this office and also Marke the disciple of Peter the Apostle were by inspiracion of the holy ghoste admonished to put the summe of the whole story of the ghospell in writyng not myndyng ne goyng about by preuencion to take awaye from others any libertie to write of the same matiers but rather leste any person beyng craftilye deceiued by false Apostles shoulde folowe the Iewes facions or fonde fables in stede of the gospell Notwithstandyng lyke as not euery manne did at that tyme with eguall synceritie and
was of Camelles hydes not of silkes or veluettes hys gyrdle was of an hearie thong of leather hys communicacion was continually with God And forsouth suche a lyfe was comely for hym that was ordeyned to be a preacher of repentaunce And the place which he pieked out did accordyngly agree with the prophecy that calleth him the voice of one criyng in wildernes In thys place did he kepe himself out of knowelage by the space of manye yeres here did he lyue in silence to the ende that whan hys due tyme should be he might shewe himself and speake with the more authority He did not of hys owne head hastily steppe forth to the office of a preacher but at such tyme as the spirite of God had putte in hys minde to shewe forthe his lyghte and to open vnto the people of Israel howe greate a man he was then dyd he streight waies begynne to dooe the parte of a foregoer with no smal autority The seconde Chapter ¶ And it chaunced in those dayes that there went out a commaundement from Augustus the Emperoure that all the worlde shoulde bee taxed And this taxyng was the fyrste and excuted whan Syremus was lieutenaunte in Syria And euery man went vnto hys owne ciâ—ie to bee taxed And Ioseph also ascended from Galile out of a citye called Nazareth into Iewrye vnto the citye of Dauid whiche is called Bethleem because he was of the house and linage of Dauid to be taxed with Marychys spoused wyfe whiche was with chylde THus haste thou hearde the woonderfull birthe of Iohn whiche was as a foregoer to Christe and as a messagier afore hys cummyng nowe shalte thou heare the muche more woonderfull birthe of Iesus Christe hymselfe who shoulde afterwarde bee the onely Prynce of all the whole worlde and shoulde moue all nacions on the yearth to the profession of his name not by meane of threatening or putting theÌ„ in feare but with benefites and with holsome doctryne By the workyng therefore and prouâ—sion of God it was so conueighed that vnder the Emperoure Augustus who at that tyme was Lorde of manye countreyes and realmes in all parties of the worlde and all thynges beeyng euery where in perfeicâ— peace and tranquilitie held and gouerned the Empire of the Romaines al the prouinces and couÌ„treyes as many as helde of the Empire of Rome shoulde be surueighed and nouÌ„bred by the polles to thentente they myght acknowleage Augustus for their Lord king and that as we cal it here in Englande they myght be sworne to be true liegt people to themperoure Augustus to his successours Emperours of Rome Whyche thyng god wroughte euen of purpose that it myghte appere howe much wyder in circuite and larger the dominion of Christ did reache then the dominion of Ceasar and howe muche more quiete and ientle Christes manier of reignyng ouer men is who taketh nothyng awaye from vs yet geuethe vs heauenly thynges too then the reignyng of Ceasar who although it lye not in hys power to geue heauenly thynges yet neuerthelesse catcheth awaye our worldly commodities by extort power enforceth men to take hym for theyr kyng whereas the heauenly Emperour Christe doth ientilly allure men vnto hym by hys beneficiall goodnes towardes them That they are regystred or booked emong the subiectes of Ceasar what other thyng dooe they but acknowlage a verai state of seruitude and bondage and daily find their worldly substaunce pared away and diminished But they that registre themselues as seruauntes to this newe prince do receiue perfecte freedome with a sure waraunte of euerlastyng saluacion And fewe woordes to make the Emperoure Octauius Augustus althoughe he was emong all the Emperours of Rome a manne of moste good policie and conueighaunce in passing all his affayres yet many nacioÌ„s there wer which he could not subdue for al his great armies and for all hys valiaunt men of warre where as oure capitayne Christe hathe without any force of armes without anye garrisons of worldlye puissaunce gathered together into one churche as into one kyngdome all the whole vniuersall worlde so many sundry languages so many sundry rites so many sundry sectes of seruyng this god and that god of mens owne deuisyng and soe manye barbarous nacions liuyng in sundrye priuie corners But nowe to goe forth in our matter for the executyng of this general surueighe and taxe that shoulde be taken in the countrey of Syria there was sent aswell by thautoritie of Ceasar Augustus as also by a decree of the whole Senate of Rome one Quirinus the rewler and lieutenauÌ„te of that prouince And this was euen the veray fyrst taxe that euer this rewler toke in Syria for diuerse and sundry others were taken afterwarde in thesame prouince within the tyme of thesame maÌ„nes being lieutenaunt there At the coÌ„maundement thaÌ„ of Ceasar whiche this Quirinus had caused to be euerye where proclamed all persoÌ„s take theyr iourney and goe euery one to theyr owne tribe and kynred that they came of and to the citie that proprelye belonged to thesame tribe And thither resorted they euerye one to acknowlage Augustus the Emperoure of Rome for theyr Lord and head gouernour on earth as the custome was to do And so it was that Ioseph the spouse of the virgin Marye whereas he was of the tribe of Iuda and hys wyfe Marye of thesame trybe also yet neuerthelesse dwelled in Nazareth whiche was a poore litle citye in Galile Ioseph therfore shuttyng vp hys doores leauyng his house resorted towarde his owne tribe that is to wete into Iewrye towardes a litle preaty citie called Bethleem of kyng Dauids buildyng because yâ— bothe Ioseph also the virgin Marye did not onely belong to the tribe of Iuda but also were by liniall descente come of the progeny and stocke of Dauid of whose seede it was promised that Christ should be But of al these thynges was there no one poynt that chaunced by mere casualtye but euery whit of it was procured and purposely dooen by the prouidence and determynacion of god to thentente that th ende and conclusion of alltogether shoulde in euery behalfe agree with the holye saiynges of the Prophetes whiche diuided the glory of so great and so high a matter betwene two cities that is to were the kyng of the worlde to be conceiued and bred vp in Nazareth and thesame king to be borne in Bethleem according to the prophecie To the same place than dyd the virgyn Marye also beeyng great with childe and nowe euen veray nere her time accompaignie her spoused houseband Ioseph This virgyn thoughe she had a greate bealye yet refused not to trauaill suche a great iourney with her houseband she forbore not to be or to come in the sight of men knowyng herselfe in her owne conscience to bee clere from all spotte of synne she thought not scorne to be obedient and seruiceable to her houseband though the tyme was at hande whan she should be
enioyned that euery seuenth yere it should bee rested from tillyng of the yearth ▪ neyther any thyng to bee requyred of thesame sauyng what it woulde bryng forth of it owne selfe He gaue ferthermore a tradicion of a yere called the restorer of the fyrste state of libertie vnto whiche of the propertie of the thyng was geuen the name of Iubilee emong the Hebrewes This yere of Iubilee came about in course agayne after vii tymes seuen yeares and was euermore the fyftieth for seuen tymes seuen maketh x.ix And this yere of Iubilee was moste hertely to bee wished for of all the Israelites that eyther with bonde seruice or els with debte were any thyng oppressed But like as the sabboth of Moses refreshed mennes bodies onely with beeyng at reste and quiete so did the seuēth yere onely prouide for the resting of the yearth from tillage But nowe there is shewed vnto your knowelage a perpetuall sabboth neuer to bee interrupted or broken in whiche the mynde and soule beyng free vacant from all troublous vnquietnesse of eiuil desyres ought wholly to attēde to the quiet applying and exercise of heauenly thynges and not now with pensife earefulnesse to prouide altogether for yearthly thynges forasmuche as to them that loue God no manier thyng at all is wantyng Yea and moreouer the Iubilee of Moses did not helpe any others but onely the Israelites it gaue neither free deliueraunce ne yet full deliueraunce yea and thatsame veray thyng whiche it did geue extēded no ferther then to the bodye and enduted but for a shorte tyme. But this yeare of the Lorde dooeth vnto all persones whosoeuer are endebted to the deuill through synne whosoeuer bee as bonde seruauntes subiecte to euill spirites whosoeuer through ignoraunce of the trueth are blynde whosoeuer bee in all kyndes of naughtinesse so farre paste that they are vnhable to euery good worke vnto all suche dooeth this Iubilee of the Lorde bryng perfecte free remissiō deliueraunce or libertie sight health and complete perfeccion in euery behalfe So muche the more therfore ought ye with prompt zeles and endeuoures to enbrace that is offered For the thyng that ye haue hearde promised by the prophecie ye maye now if ye wyl in the dede selfe fynde to be true Ye haue hearde it with your eares but ye haue nede of readie and desyrefull hertes yf ye wyll bee apte to receyue so great a blissefulnesse It is euen the highest thing that possibly maye bee wherof this free offre is made vnto you But woe vnto them that shall despyse the bountifull gracious goodnesse of God so wyllingly offreing it selfe vnto them It is the yeare of Iubilee freelye offreyng deliueraunce and saluacion vnto all suche as with mekenes of submission and with readinesse of beleuyng shewe theimselfe wylling to bee taught and apte to receyue healing But after this yeare of Iubilee must succede and folowe the yeare of retribuciō and redresse which shal adiudge and ministre euerlastyng peynes in hell vnto all suche as shall haue refused the goodnesse of God By these woordes dyd the Lorde Iesus in an humble and sobre manier signifie hymselfe to bee thesame man of whom the Prophecie of Esaie did make promysse whereas the mooste parte belieued the sayed place of the Prophete not to concerne Messias but to concerne Esaie hymselfe For whan Iesus was in baptisyng the holye ghoste slydyng downe from heauen in the visible likenesse of a doue and lighting vpō his heade did all the people to wete that thissame was euen veraye he whome the prophecie had ment of Enoyntyng betokeneth a certayne mylde and ientill still thyng For there is nothyng more ientill supple or caulme then oile wherof was euen that name Messias geuen him which is in Greke Christon in Latine Vnctum in Englyshe the enoynted For as for the preachyng of Iohn it was sharpe and soure and full of threatyng but Christe did with mildenesse with courteous familiaritie and with beneficial good turnes continually moue and praye the people to receyue saluacion Whan Iesus dyd with moste highe auctoritie and no lesse myldenesse speake and treate of the premisses many had him in great estimacion therfore and merueyled at his talke beyng veray ferre vnlyke to the talke of the Pharisees that is to wete caulme mylde and meke amiable poudred with muche grace hauyng in it no spice of haultnes or pryde no poynte of soure looke or presumpteous takyng vpon hym and yet neuerthelesse of suche sorte that it conteyned in it condigne auctoritie For the woordes of the Pharisees because they issued foorth from an hearte corrupted with ambicion with auarice with enuie and with many other naughtye affeccions did moste tymes smacke of the spryng that they gushed out of But the wordes whiche proceded from the mouthe of Iesus because they welled foorth from a brest replenished with the heauenly spirite of God were not onely amiable and swete vnto all good folkes but also piththy and effectuall towarde saluacion Yet neuerthelesse some there were emong these Nazareans in whose myndes and opinions the meanesse of Iesus kynred and familie that he came of to the outwarde acceptacion of the worlde made the auctoritie of the heauenlye doctrine to bee the lesse regarded For in consideracion that they euery one dyd yet all this while beleue hym to bee the sonne of Ioseph and Marie and that the slender habilitie and substaunce aswell of Ioseph and Marie bothe as also of theyr aliaunce and kynsfolkes was not vnknowen in consideracion also that they hadde seen hym many yeares euen from his chyldehood to had learned at noue other schoole sauyng onelye his fathers occupacion of carpentrie ne at any tyme to had haunted the schooles of the Pharisees and of the experte lawiers who taughte the misteries of the holye scripture bookes with muche highe solemnitie and haultenesse of countinaunce they did muche meruayle where and how he had soodaynly gotten so great vertue and power whiche he had to fore shewed foorth in other cities by diuerse and soondrye myracles they mused where he had gotten that same wondrefull knowlage of diuinitie bookes they wondred where he had gotten so great eloquence to speake after that sorte with auctoritie For they did not yet vnderstād of how muche more power and effecte the enoyntyng of the spirite of God is then the doctrine of the Phariseis Estemyng hym therefore by the thynges whiche they knew in him after the fleshe they sayed Is not this same felowe the sonne of Ioseph the carpenter for they knewe not the heauenly father who than wrought by his soonne And because that Iesus wrought ferre fewer miracles in the citie of Nazareth then he shewed in other cities certayne of his kynsfolkes beeyng halfe in a fume and indignacion therewith detracted and reproued hym as thoughe that eyther he had not his power ready to serue hym euery where or els that he oughed his owne kynsfolkes suche despite that he woulde shewe no myracles emong theim
that the paâ—tie whiche is the begger maye be worthie to haue the more benefite And in moste diepe derkenesse do suche people lye which wurship stockes and stones in stede of God to whome theyr moneye to whome their bealye is their god who are bondeseruauntes to ambicion to leacherie and suche as set the world in an vproare through furious rageyng warres Suche persones if they cannot yet come to approche nere vnto Iesus because they cannot see yet at lestewise at the noyse of suche as doe throughoute the whole worlde preache the glorie of Iesus leat them aske what matier is this And whan they shall knowe that Iesus is passyng by leat them not suffre the presente occasion to slippe away but leat them with pieteous criyng wery his eares And in case the priuie conscience of their naughty and eiuil dedes afore past counsail theÌ„ to kepe silence leat the clamoure of the faythfull beleuyng herte so muche the more instauntly knocke at the dores of his eares Iesus is not deafe ne harde of hearyng to any body that asketh with faithful trust in hiÌ„ he is of power hable to geue that is asked He ceâ—ies passeth by but he wil not go very ferre paste if one strayne his voyce And happy is the begger that euer he was born at whose voice Iesus stayeth on his way And what meruaill if he stayed at the voice of one speakyng vnto him sence he vouchsalued to cuÌ„ so ferre a iourney vnto a shepe that was lost But more happy is the blind man after he is brought vnto Iesus For now is he very nere to his health Neither caÌ„ he loÌ„g be blind whoso hath approched to the fountain of al light Thatsame lord beyng the fountain of all glory doeth not put away the begger from him man being a sinner disdaineth the neighbour After that thou art cum in preseÌ„ce afore Iesus after that thou art gon away froÌ„ thy selfe there is no nede of any long praiyng no more but speake the woord what thou wouldest haue but speake it with a perfite faith and affiauÌ„ce coÌ„ceiued not on thine own merites but on his great power and no lesse goodnes And immediatly shal thy sight cum again and saluacioÌ„ both together For at once assone as Iesus had said Loke thou vp he had his sight and of a beggar became a folower of Iesus traine and an open declarer of gods goodnesse Yea and moreouer the people also whan thei had seen so notable a miracle gaue laude and praise vnto god The .xix. Chapter And he entered in and went through Hiericho and behold there was a maÌ„ named Zacheus whiche was a rewler among the Publicanes and was riche also And he sought meanes to see Iesus â–ª what he should be and could not for the presse because he was litle of stature And he ranne before and clymed vp into a wild figgetter to see him for he was to cum that way And wheÌ„ Iesus came to the place he loked vp and saw him and said vnto him Zachee cum doune at once for to day I must abide at thy house And he came doune hastily and receiued him ioyfully And whan they sawe it they all grutched saiyng he is gon to tarry with a man that is a sinner And Zacheus stode forth and said vnto the Lord behold Lord the half of my goodes I geue to the poore And if I haue doen any man wrong I restore him fower folde Iesus sayed vnto him this day is health happened vnto this house because that he also is becum the chylde of Abraham For the sonne of man is cum to seke and to saue that whiche was lost ANd this same blynde man to whome the Lord restored the vse of the light doeth in a figure not vnaptly signyfie the people of the Gentiles For as for the Iewes the lawe gaue sum piece of lyghte vnto them But the Gentiles laye in moste diepe derknesse of ignoraunce in so muche that among thesame a greate manye there were whiche verily beleued that there was no God at all and some others beleued that there were Goddes innumerable but thesame more full of mischief and abominacion then the very men selfe Againe sum thought that God tooke no care for the gouernaunce of worldly thinges Yea and sum also there were which reputed and vsed the soÌ„ne the moone oxen dogges apes yea and lekes and oynioÌ„s for Gods Among the Gentiles there were that knewe no laweful ne determinate bandes of matrimony but fulfilled the lust of the body in going together one with another after the maner of bruit beastes Sum there were also with whom it was accounted a naturall thyng to haue killed theyr parentes whaÌ„ they were aged Others again there were among whom it was a thyng lawful and vsuall to eate mans fleashe Sum there were with whom it was an highe poynte of deuocion and of seruyng God to kyll their mooste derely beloued children for a sacrifice to this or that deuil What caÌ„ there be more lamentable then this blyndnesse And yet this blynd man beeyng poore and destitute of all vertues perceiued Iesus whan he passed by whoÌ„ the nacion of the Iewes put away whan he came to them he streyned his voyce of fayth criyng aloude Thou sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon me He coÌ„strained Iesus to stay in his goyng he deserued to be asked what he would haue doen to hym he confessed his blindnesse he shewed the desire of his hert lord that I may haue my syght he receiued that he plainely in fewe woordes craued Of a wurshipper of monstreous thynges he was made a wurshipper of Iesus of a bondseruaunt to deuils and to all maner vices he was made a disciple and a folower of Iesus of a common beggar and crauer of a miserable almes he was made a publisher of the power of god And many a tyme more then once or twise are exauÌ„ples of this kinde laied in the lappes of the Iewes to the end that either thei should ameÌ„d froÌ„ their vnbelefe orels they should make it open manifest for the time to cum that they were worthilye cast of as meÌ„ that would not be made whol And this figure certes was shewed at the enterauÌ„ce of the citie of Hiericho but an other more euident exauÌ„ple sheweth it self anon after within the citie selfe For as the lord beiÌ„g entred into Hiericho was goyng along through the middes of the citie encouÌ„paced on euerye side with an exceadyng thicke presse of the multitude of all sortes there was a certain man zacheus hauyng his name of the thing and propertie that was in him that is to wete a man feruent in the earnest loue and desyre of righteousnesse whereas in dede he was an head man among the publicans yea and riche withall and whereas neither the kynde or trade of his liuyng ne the paÌ„pering of fortune did very well agree with suche an hert And holdeÌ„ he was with a great desire to see Iesus to the entent
talke obteined a mitigacion almoste of the wholle taxe whiche the sessours had afore agreed vpon and appointed vnto the weomen to contribute These exaumples of eloquence in weomen lyke as they are but verye fewe in noumbre so are they thynges of no suche highe excellencie to be meruailed at For what great matier of woondre is it that emong so many thousaÌ„des three or fower should be founde hable to speake before a iudge in open audience or what strauÌ„ge case is it to be reputed if some one or two weomeÌ„ haue ben fouÌ„d wittie or learned in the Latine toungue beeynge their owne natiue language which euerie carter and handicraftes man than spake though not al thinge so finely as the learned men and Oratours dyd what high matier of praise and commendacion is it if a few weomen being either wines or daughters to excellent fine Latine men could in continuaunce of a greate manye yeares speake Latine well â–ª yet are these weomen specialy chronicled in histories as notable yea and syngulare exaumples worthy perpetuall fame and memorye for their wytte learnyng and eloquence After these heathens Hiereme in his Epistles writeth speciall high praises and commendacions of Eustochium the mother Paula the daughter and Blesilla the daughters daughter of whiche euerye one were passyng well sene not onely in holy scryptures but also in Latyne Greke and Hebrewe whiche toungues they learned exactely in a veray shorte tyme excelled in the same The like testymony he geueth of Marcella a veray noble woman in Rome whome he reporteth to had in his time so well profyted in the knowleage of holy scriptures that after his departure from Rome yf there were any doubtefull question or any poynte of difficultee concernyng scripture all folkes woulde resorte to hir as to a iudge hable and also sufficient to decise any matier of controuersie or ambiguitee that happened emonge them But this knowleage extended no ferther then to the priuate edifyinge of theyr owne selues with a very fewe others and thesame in suche places where Latine was their mother toungue and their natiue language But nowe in this gracious and blisse full time of knoweleage in which it hath pleased almighty god to reuele and shewe abrode the lighte of his most holy ghospell what a noumbre is there of noble weomen especially here in this realme of Englande yea and howe many in the yeares of tender virginitie not onely aswell sene and as familiarlye traded in the Latine and Greke tongues as in their owne mother language but also bothe in all kyndes of prophane litterature and liberall artes exactly studyed and exercised and in the holy scriptures and Theologie so ripe that they are able aptely cunnyngly and with muche grace eyther to endicte or translate into the vulgare toungue for the publique instruccioÌ„ and edifying of the vnlearned multitude Neyther is it nowe any straunge thing to heare ientle weomen in stede of moste vaine communicacion aboute the moone shynyng in the water to vse graue and substanciall talke in Greke or Latine with their housebandes of godly matiers It is now no newes in Englande to see young damysels in nobles houses and in the Courtes of princes in stede of cardes and other instrumentes of idle trifleing to haue continually in theyr handes eyther Psalmes Omelies and other deuoute meditacions or els Paules epistles or some booke of holy Scripture matiers and as familiarlye both to reade or reason therof in Greke Latine Frenche or Italian as in Englishe It is nowe a common thing to see young virgins so nouzeled and trained in the studie of letters that they willingly set all other vayne pastimes at naught for learninges sake It is nowe no newes at all to see Quenes and Ladies of moste highe estate and progenie in stede of Courtly daliaunce to enbrace vertuous exercises of readyng and wrytyng with moste earneste studie both erely and late to applye themselues to the acquiring of knowlage aswell in all other liberall artes and disciplines as also moste specially of God and his moste holy worde wherunto all christen folkes of what estate or degree so euer they be ought to the vttermoste of their possible powers moste principally and moste earnestly themselues to geue dedicate But what a great cause of publique reioycyng o lorde maye it be that in this time of Christes harneste euerie good bodye moste busily applyinge the worke of his vocacioÌ„ towardes the inning of the lordes corne some by instructyng the youth some by teachyng scholes some by preachyng to their simple flockes some by godly inducing of their families some by wrytyng good and godly treatises for the edifying of suche as are willing to reade and some by translating good bokes out of straunge touÌ„gues into our vulgare language for the helpe of the vnlearned the most noble weomen of bloude and estate royall are no lesse diligent trauaillours then the best in any of the aboue named offices mete for their sexe ne take any manier skorne or disdeigne in the labour of drawing this haruest home to bee ioyned as yâ—kefelowes with inferiour persons of moste lowe degre and condicion Howe happie art thou o England for whose behoufe and edifying in Christe Quenes and Princesses spare not ne ceasse with all earnest endeuour and sedulitee to spende their tyme their wittes their substaunce and also their bodyes And in this behalfe lyke as to your highnesse moste noble Quene Katerine aswel for composyng and setting foorth many goodly psalmes and diuerse other contemplatiue meditacions as also for causyng these paraphrases of the moste famous clerke and moste godly writer Erasmus of Roterodom to bee translated into oure vulgare language Englande can neuer bee able to render thankes sufficiente so may it neuer bee able as her desertes require enough to praise magnifye the moste noble the moste vertuous the moste wittye and the mooste studious Ladye Maries Grace daughter of the late moste puissaunte and moste victorious Kyng Henry the eyght of moste famous memorie and moste derely beloued systur to the king our soueraigne lorde that now is it maye neuer bee able I saye enough to prayse and magnifie hir Grace for takyng suche great studie peine and trauaill in translatyng this paraphrase of the said Erasmus vpon the gospel of Iohn at your hyghnesse speciall contemplacion as a noumbre of right well learned men woulde bothe haue made courtesie at and also would haue brought to wurse frame in the doyng O how greatly maie we all glory in suche a pierlesse floure of virginitee as her Grace is who in the middes of Courtly delices and emiddes the enticementes of worldly vanities hathe by her owne choice and eleccion so vertuously and so fruictefully passed her tendre youth that to the publique comforte and gladfull reioycing whiche at her byrth she brought to all Englande she doeth nowe also conferre vnto thesame the vnestimable benefite of fâ—rtheryng bothe vs and our posteritee in the knowleage of Goddes worde and to
playne blasphemous because he beyng a mortall man semed to take vpon hym the eternalitie a thyng for God only cōuenient they coulde not withholde theyr handes but toke vp stones and wente in hande to ouerthrowe and presse hym with stones But Iesus professyng hymselfe to be God to declare hymselfe to be a very man also gaue place to their fury not because he feared theyr forcible violence whiche he had power to kepe of but to teache vs by the waye that when time requireth that the trueth of the ghospell should be preached valiantly and boldely and again that when we had once executed our duetie the fury of euill men should not causelesse and in vayne be prouoked and exasperate for our Lorde Iesus knewe that it coulde not haue been beate into the heades I will not say of the grosse and ignoraunte multitude but not of his disciples and they to be brought to belefe therof in case he had openly preached himselfe to be both God man and thesame to be all at once both mortall as touching his manhed and also immortall as touching his deitie and as perteyning to the fleshe to be a man borne of a virgin in time as touchyng diuine power to haue been alwaye before all time God of God Surely this so secrete a misterie was rather to be at time conueniente perswaded to the worlde by miracles death resurreccion ascendyng to heauen and by the inspiracion of the holy ghoste then before due tyme to be brought in and vttered in open playne woordes to them that would not belue it Therfore Iesus withdrewe hymselfe from them geuyng place to theyr fury and wente secretly forth of the temple by that acte declaryng beforehande that afterwarde the light of the ghospell beyng repelled of the wicked and voluntary blynde Iewes should be put ouer to the Gentiles their house left to them desolate which only thought themselfes the true seruauntes of God and obseruers of true religiō And so Iesus which is the author of true godlines wente to an other place The .ix. Chapter And as Iesus passed by he sawe a manne whiche was blynde from his byrth and his disciples asked him saying Master who did sinne this manne or his father or mother that he was borne blynde Iesus sayed neyther hath this manne sinned nor yet his father and mother but that the workes of God should be shewed THerfore our Lorde Iesus did now for a while geue place to the fury of them whom as yet he sawe incurable and falleth in hande with miracles to declare his Godly power whiche he coulde not all this while dryue into theyr headdes by any perswasion of woordes And loe there fel forthwith a matter in his waye not vnlike those thynges which were doen in the temple For of trueth much a doe was there with the blynde But suche as were blynde in soule not in body whiche is the moste vnhappy kynde of blyndnesse And so muche also the wurse as that although they were more then blynde yet they thought themselues quicke sighted so that they were not only miserable but also vnworthy to be cured For somuch as miser was not that blynde man whom Iesus sawe as he passed by whiche man lacked onely bodily sight and was borne blinde so that it was a maladie aboue the Phisicions cure but yet coulde Christe heale it This man had an inwarde sight sawe with iyes of the soule when Iesus therfore sawe the man and had compassion on him much pitying his misery the disciples which called to their remembraunce that Christe had sayd to the man that was healed of his palsey Go and hereafter sinne no more leste some wurse thing come vpon the supposing that euery blemishe of the body had come of some faulte of the soule axed Christe of the blinde man and sayed through whose sinne chaunced it that this man should be borne blinde for where as none coulde sinne or he were borne whosoeuer is borne with any sickenes or impediment of body is to be thought punished for some other mans faulte which thyng should yet seme against equitie the disciples therfore sayed Maister whēce came so great euill to this felowe that he should be borne blinde Whether came it of his owne or of the sinne of his parentes Iesus aunswered Neyther did this man through his owne sinne deserue to be borne blinde who coulde not sinne when as yet he was not nor his parentes For as the lawe teacheth God punysheth not the chyldren for the faultes of theyr parentes excepte the children folowe the sinnes of theyr parentes But blyndnesse chaunced to this man vpon a casualtie and not through any mans sinne as in the course of mans life many thinges chaūce to many folke This mans misery lacke of sight was not prohibit but suffered to chaunce vnto hym because that by hym the mightie power and goodnesse of God whom the blinde Iewes so obstinately cryeth out vpon should be declared to mē The more vncurable the disease is the more famous and commendable shall be the healing of thesame I must worke the worke of hym that sent me whyle it is daye The night cummeth when no manne can worke As long as I am in the worlde I am the light of the worlde Assoone as he had thus spoken he spatte on the grounde and made clay of the spettell and rubbed the clay on the iyes of the blynde layed vnto hym Goe washe the in the poole of Siloe which by interpretacion is asmuche to saye as sent He wente his waye therfore and washed and came agayne seeyng For this cause was I sent into the worlde euē to procure the glory of God with suche dedes as should cause the vnfaythfull to beleue my woordes to be true and to thintent also that those whiche will beleue should be cured of their blindnes I must doe this commaundement diligently while it is daye for yf menne haue any worke in hande they be wonte to doe it in the day The night perdy is vnhansome to worke in Therfore in the meane tyme whyle prensent day geueth vs leaue to worke we may not cease For the night shall come when as men all in vaine would worke and cannot As long as I am in the worlde I am the light of the worlde If men make spede to finishe the worke which they goe about for some commoditie of this life before night how muche more behoueth it euery man to labour that while they haue me with them they may go thorowe with the busines of the eternall saluacion In fauour wherof whatsoeuer in the meane season I doe in this worlde I doe it for that thing sake and to further saluacion For what other thing doe I then that all folke should through iyes of faith see and acknowlege God and his sonne whom he sent into the worlde I shall within a while departe hence than shall those that haue nowe had no will to worke desyre lyght in vaine The Lord
protector gouernour no man shall be hable to take them awaye from me What thyng soeuer the worlde shal goe about the same shall be commodiouse to the shepe and turne to my fathers glorye We will not fyght agayne with weapons or with poyson we will not counter with them and geue rebuke for rebuke but without suche defence we shall yet by a new way haue the victorye That defence alone whiche my father hath geuen me to defende my shepe withall is greater and of more force than all the wepons wherewithall the world shal ryse agaynst me and myne Neyther will my father forsake me nor I my shepe The same thyng that lyeth in me to doe lyeth also in my father to doe And because there is no power of the world that can force any thing out of his handes whiche can dooe all thynges with a nodde neyther can any thyng pull that out of my handes which he hath taken me to kepe As there is an exact companionship of power betwene my father and me so there is a full consent of will We be throughly one all one in power all one in will and nill Then the Iewes agayn toke vp stone to stone him withal Iesus aunswered them many good woorkes haue I shewed you from my father for which of them doe ye stone me The Iewes aunswered him saying For thy good weorkes sake we stouâ— thee not but for thy blasphemie and because that thou being a man makest thy selfe God The Iewes being sore moued with these sayinges not content with so often namyng hys father by whose defence he promised so great thynges tooke vp stones again to stone Iesus But yet no maÌ„ set vpoÌ„ him because his time was not as yet come in whiche he had determined to dye for the saluacyon of mankynde but he assayeth to assuage mitigate theyr furie with gentle woordes The people are accustomed to take vp stones in theyr handes sayth he and so openly to punishe euil doers and common malefactours I haue doen nought els but bestowed benefites on you of my fathers liberalitie I haue better enstruct them that erred I haue comforted them that were in affliccion I haue fedde the hungrie I haue restored the one handed to both I haue made cleane the leprouse I haue healed the sicke I haue driuen away deuils from menne I haue set them on foâ—e that were diseased of the palsey and such as had their â—nowes shrounken I haue put awaye feuers and all diseases and maladies I haue called the dead to lyfe agayn the whole power and auctoritie which my father hath geueÌ„ me hath bene bestowed to succour you it hath bene frely employed to your coÌ„moditie In al these thinges now which is that one thing that ye thinke worthy stoning If he that is good and liberall be stoned what is to be doen to naughtie folke to them that be harmful The Iewes being brought in conclusion to this poynte that eyther they muste bring furthe some faulte agaynste hym or clies aknowlage theyr owne folye leste they shoulde haue no pretext to hyde theyr furie withall we say they are not wont to stone any man for his good weorkes sake but we count thee woorthy to bee stoned for an horrible crime of all other moste greate euen blasphemye And in thys thyng we folowe the auctoritie of the lawe which commaundeth such should be ouerthrowen with stones Who can suffer any longer that thou being a man makest thy selfe God hauyng eftsones god thy father in thy mouthe as though we al were not the children of god and as though thou were by some newe and peculiar waye Gods sonne that thou and thy father may be parteners in all thynges Is not this to take a certayn godhead vpon thee But forasmuche as there is but one God what manne so euer therefore taketh vpon him to be felow with god in power is iniurious to Gods maiestie a rebel Iesus aunswered them is it not written in your law I sayd ye are Gods If ye cal theÌ„ Gods vnto whome the worde of God was spoken and the scripture cannot be broken coÌ„cerning him whome the father hath sanctified and sent vnto the worlde doe ye say that I blaspheme because I sayd I am the sonne of god If I do not the workes of my father beleue me not but if I doe and if ye beleue not me beleue the workes that ye may knowe end beleue that the father is in me and I in him The Lorde Iesus dooeth with suche moderacion make aunswere vnto thys faulte which was layed to his charge that he clearelye auoyded from him the sinne of blasphemie and that also he did not with any terrible woordes more engreue theyr frowardnes and yet he did with great sobrietie defend that his due whiche he ought not to denye because he woulde not haue it vnknowen to vs You sayth he lay blasphemie to my charge because I name God to be my father Is there not a greatter thing than that writteÌ„ in your lawe euen in the Psalmes I haue sayd ye are al gods sonnes of him that is hie If god himselfe geue prayse of the dignitie of his name to them vnto whome the woorde of God was spoken not onely calling them the children of God but gods too and yet was not the maiestie of one god harmed nor that thing can be vntrue whiche is declared in holye scripture howe can ye stretche to me the faulte of blasphemie that doe say I am the sonne of God whome the father hath only sanctified sent vnto the world that by the sonne al should obteine holynesse If coÌ„municacion had betwene God and man make of men gods and the chyldren of God is it not a thing to be borne with if I say that I am gods sonne whiche am the woorde of God it selfe and who was with god before I came into the worlde and am he that hath coumpany with him in all thinges It is no presumpteouse thyng that I take vpon me in my woordes a thyng verely that beseemeth many other by the aucthoritie of scripture But it were more conuenient to iudge by the selfe dedes what name I ought to haue If my dedes dooe not proue me to be aboue a man if they haue not the proofe of godly power beleue not that I am the sonne of God and that God I agree throughly in al poyntes But if ye see God the father shew furth his power in me though algates ye will geue no faithe to my wordes yet at least beleue the dedes that ye see with your iyes and take me for arrogant if I doe not perfourme more in dedes than I take vpon me in woordes If ye would consider those thinges with pure simple mindes it should come to passe that ye would geue fayth to my wordes too and doubte no more but that the father is in me and I in the father that bothe we the one and the other are sociate
firmely sticke thesame shoulde bee without feare of death Thomas sayeth he howe happeneth this that thou deniest the to knowe the waye vnlesse thou as yet percase knoweste me not at all For verely I am the way the trueth life I sayed euen nowe that I doe goe agayne to my father and onely do open for all tolke the way vnto hym and because he is come to by dedes fit and semyng for god ye haue the proufe of good life in me and also because no man without me cummeth to the father ye haue learned of me the trueth And yf the feare of death do in the meane tyme trouble youre myndes knowe well that ye bee sure of immortalitye forasmuche as I am lyfe dooe ye onelye folowe thyther as I goe beefore beeleue and kepe in minde that whiche I haue taughte you hope assuredly for the thyng which I promise If ye aske whither I goe I goe to my father yf ye desyre to knowe the waye whereby ye maye come thither I say to you no man cummeth to the father but by me â–ª wherefore you knowe bothe aswell whyther I dooe goe as what waÌ„ye the iourneye lyeth excepte paraduenture ye bee vtterlye ignoraunte who I am verely yf ye hadde knowen me ye hadde also knowen my father yea to say trueth ye haue already some waye knowen my father whome ye thynke to bee vnknowen vnto you nor ye haue not onelye knowen hym by the determinacion of the lawe but ye haue also seen hym doubtlesse Our Lord Iesus dyd with this obscure saiyng sumdeale aduertise his disciples that hys father of trueth was inuisible and not onely inuisible to the bodilye iyes but also that the mynde of it owne propre nature coulde not see and perceiue what he is yet notwithstanding but that he had beene seene after a sorte in his sonne as whyle they see hym in his soonne rewlyng the wyndes and the sea forcyng deuils to obeye putting awaie with a woorde sickenesses and diseases were they neuer so incurable and with a woorde raysing the deade to life But the vnlearned Apostles didde not as yet vnderstande these hye misteries and yet for all that euen as though they had in very dede vnderstand that which the Lorde spake vnto them they euen leap and skip of greate affeccion to see the father Imaginyng that the father mighte bee seene in suche sorte as they sawe his sonne such was there simplicitie as yet albeit neyther sawe they the sonne throughly whiche beholde hym with bodily iyes alone ¶ Philip saieth vnto him lord shewe vs the father and it suffiseth vs. Iesus saieth vnto him haue I been so long time with you and yet hast thou not knowen me Philip he that hath sene me hath seen my father And howe saieste thou than shewe vs the father beleuest thou not that I am in the father and the father in me The wordes that I speake vnto you I speake not of my selfe but the father that dwelleth in me is he that dooeth the workes beleue me that I am in the father and the father in me Or els beleue me for the workes sake Philip therfore beyng more desirous to learne then the reste speaketh thus lorde ê™ he thou tellest vs that the father is seene of vs but woulde God thou wouldest graunte that it myghte bee lawfull for vs to see and looke vpon thy father then were oure desyres satisfyed and we woulde wishe no more nor desire ought els In deede we haue hearde muche speakyng of him we lacke onely the sight of hym Our lorde doth controull and correct Philips request that was so very rude and foolishe saiyng Philip haue I been so long tyme wyth the and yet thou knowest me not It is not the syght of my face that thou knowest me by but the ryght vnderstandyng of my power vertue and trueth maketh the to knowe me This my mighty trueth and true power is not seen with bodilye iyes but the minde and soule seeth it Therefore when as I am the verye Image of my father in all thynges lyke vnto hym and that by my deedes and woordes thou oughtest already to haue knowen me and verelye to haue knowen is to haue seen howe dareste thou bee so bolde with what countenaunce sayeste thou to me shewe vs the father as though he that hath seene me hath not seene my father I meane not that my father is none other than I but that betwene vs two is no vnlikenes or any thyng vncommon as touchyng the higher and our diuyne nature In case thou canste not vnderstande what I saye by naturall reason he seeth also I tel you that beleueth Thou hast heard me speake thou hast seen me do myracles â–ª and therein surely thou haste seen and heard of my father doest thou not yet beleue that by an inseparable copulacion of nature wil and power my father is in me and I in my father What thing soeuer I speake I speake it of his mynde what â— thyng soeuer I dooe I dooe it after his mynde I am therefore alwaye in hym by reason of suche a coniunccion of nature and wyll as cannot be vnioyned and disseuered and he alwaye in me speakyng by me and by me declaryng with miracles his power Neyther doe I speake any thing of my selfe whiche same thing he speaketh not by me neither dooe I any thing of my selfe whiche he by me ioyntelye doeth not worke howe therefore doest thou separate them that be inseparable and with seueral sight desireste to see them seuerally beleueste thou that the one being knowen the other can be vnknowen doth the reste of you also yet not beleue that al thynges cummeth of my father which are spoken and doen by me and that there is no separacion betwixt vs two It had behoued you to haue credited me so oft teachyng this thing and if ye mistrusted my woordes yet truely the diuine woorkes and deedes surmounting mannes power oughte to haue caused you to beleue that what thing soeuer procedeth froÌ„ me is of my father yf my father himselfe should speake vnto you he would speake none other thing than I doe or if he would worke by himself he would worke none other thing than I do worke we haue one minde one will one power and nature ¶ Uerely verely I saie vnto you he that beleueth on me the wâ—orke that I doe thesame shall he do also and greater workes then these shall he do because I goe vnto my father And whatsoeuer ye aske in my name that will I dooe that the father maie bee glorified by the sonne If ye shall aske any thing in my name I wil dooe it If ye loue me kepe my commaundementes And I wil pray the father and he shal geue you an other coumforter that he maye hide with you for euer euen the spirite of trueth whom the world cannot receiue because the world seeth him not neyther knoweth him but you knowe him for he dwelleth with you and shal be in
downe flat worshypped hym And beyng warned of god c Aryse and take with thee the child That it myghte bee fulfilled c In those dayes came Iohn the Baptiste Preachyng in the wyldrenes of Iewry For this is he of whoÌ„ the prophet Esay spake And were baptised of hym in Iordane â–ª c He sayd vnto them O generacion of vipers I baptyse you with water c Whose faÌ„ne is in his hand Then cummeth Iesê° But Iohn forbad him Iesus answereth â–ª c And lo heauen was opeÌ„ vnto him And whaÌ„ he had fasted forty dayes The temptour came But he answered ThaÌ„ sayeth Iesus vnto hym Then the deuil leaueth hym And behold the angelles came Whan Iesus hadde hearde â–ª c. He went aparte into Galile That it myght bee fulfilled c. And those that had the palsey â–ª c. And there folowed hym â–ª c. Blessed 〈◊〉 the poore 〈◊〉 spirite Ye be the salte of the yearth But if the salte be vnsauâ—ry c Ye be the lyght of the worlde A citye that is set on a hyll can not be hyd Let your lyghte so shine before men Who so is angry with hys brother c. But whosoeuer sayeth thou foole c. Therfore if thou offer thy gyfte at the aulter c. And than come offer thy gifte Agre with thyne aduersarie Thou shalt not cum out thence c Thou shalt not commit aduoutry Who soeuer loketh on an other mans wyfe c. Then that thy whole body should be cast into hell And if thy right hand hinder the. But I saye vnto you yâ— whosoeuer putteth away hys wyfe c. But youre communicacion shall be yea yea nai nay Geue to hiÌ„ that asketh thee But I saye vnto you c. Do good to them that hate you For he maketh his sunne c Yf ye loue them which loue you Take hede that ye geue not almes in yâ— sight c. Let not test pets blowe before thee And thy father which seeth in secrete They haue theyr rewarde Our father which arte in heaueÌ„ c Geue vs this day c Ye can not serue God and maÌ„moÌ„ What ye shall eate or drinke c. No not Salomon in all his royaltie c. Sâ—he ye firste the kyngdom of god c Be ye not carefull for to morowe Iudge not that ye be not iudged Thou hipocrite firste cast oute â— And cast not your pearles before swine Aske and it shal be geueÌ„ you c â–ª If ye then being yll caÌ„ geue your childreÌ„ good gyftes c. And fewe there be that fynde it Beware of false prophetes Ye shall know them by their frutes A good tre caÌ„ not beare yll fruites Therfore by their fruiâ—tes ye shall knowe theÌ„ Many wyll say vnto me c. Depart froÌ„ me ye that woorke iniâ—quitie Because 〈◊〉 was grounded vpoÌ„ the rocke For he taught theÌ„ as hauyng power And not as the scribes Lord if thou will the mayest make me cleane And Iesus put forthe has haÌ„de c â–ª But go 〈◊〉 thy selfe to the prieste c. Lorde my seruaunte lieth at home sicke of the palsey c. And is sore vexed c. There shal be weping gnasshynge of teeth And he touched her hande the feuer lefte her â–ª And healed all that wer sicke The foreâ— haue holes But the sonne of maÌ„ hath not wher to rest his head Let the dead buryâ— theyâ— dead Lorde saue vs O Iesu the sone of god what haue we to dooe with the They brought vnto him a maÌ„ sicke of the palsey This man blasphemeth Arise take vp thy bed go home â–ª And it came to passe c. Beholde manye Publicanes c. And whâ—n the Phariseis saw it c. Bo ye rather learn what that meaneth And Iesus sayed vnto them Can the brydegromes c Neither do meÌ„ put new wyne into olde bottelles And Iesê° arose folowed him c For she said within hee selfe yf I may c. And whaÌ„ he saw her c. Thy faithe hath saued the. For the mayde is not deade but slepeth Beleue ye that I am hable to do this â–ª He casteth oute deuels through the prince of deuils He was moued with coÌ„passion on them The haruest is plenteoê° but the laborers ar few He gaue them power against vncleane spyrites But go rather to the loste sheepe of the house of Israel Goe and preach saying the kingdoÌ„e of heaueÌ„ is at hande Freely ye haue receyued geue freely For the worke man c. And there abide tyl ye go thence â–ª Beholde I sende you furth but beware of those meÌ„ For it shall be geueÌ„ you c. But he that endureth to the ende shall be saued The teâ—te The disciple is not aboue his maister c Feare them not therfore For there is nothyng c For I am come c. He that loueth father or mother c. He that findeth his life c. And he that loseth his lyfe c. He that receiueth you receyueth me Go shewe Iohn againe what ye haue hearde and seen What weÌ„t ye out into wyldernes to see c. Beholde they that we are softe clothing c I sâ—ye vnto you c. From the daies of c For all the Prophetes c. The sonne of man c. Wo be to the Chorazin Wo be to thee Bethsaida But I sayâ— vnto you c. Uerely father so it was c. And I will ease you For I am meke lowly of herte Haue ye not redde what Dauid did c. Or haue ye not â—ed in the lawe c. But I saye vnto you c. Wherfore yf ye wâ—ste what this meaneth c. And behold there was a maÌ„ne hauyng a withered haÌ„d And they asked him c. Who emong you shall haue a shepe Than saieth he to the manue And the people folowed hym he healed them all And charged theÌ„ c. That it myght bee fulfilled which was spoken by â—say c. This felowe driueth out deuils c. But whan Iesus knew their thoughtes c. And yf I cast out deuils c. Therfore they shal be your iudges Eyther make the â—re good hys fruite good c. The euyll and aduoustetous c. For as Ionas was thre dayes â–ª c. The men of Niniue shal aryse c. The quene of the south shal rise â–ª c And he spake to theÌ„ many thynges in similitudes But he that receiued the seede â–ª c. He also that receyued c. Whiche also beareâ—â— c. Therfore euery scribe c â–ª A Prophete is not without fauoure sauâ— in hys owne countrey For Herode had taken Iohn c. And wheÌ„ he would haue put hym to deathe â–ª c Geue ye theÌ„ to eate c. And he coÌ„mauÌ„ded the people to sit downe c. Peter aunswered and sayed c. O thou of little fayth c. Euery plaâ— whiche my heaueÌ„ly father hath not
tempt hym lest they should haue departed with greater shame if they had been styll reproued in the presence of the people They counted Iesus for an ignoraunt person and anaunted and set out themselues among the simple vnlearned people what with their magnifike and hye titles and what with theyr tragical and maskyng apparell as thoughe they had been almost god almighties peeres Howbeit the euangelike and godly wysdom staÌ„deth not in the multitude of sciences but in purenesse of spirite As Iesus was reputed among the scribes Phariseis priestes and head meÌ„ of the people so afterwarde were the apostles taken for rude and ignoraunt persons among the Phylosophers rulers and princes ¶ And Iesus answered and sayde teachyng in the temple Howe saye the Scribes that Christ is the sonne of Dauid For Dauid himselfe inspired with the holy ghost sayed The lorde sayde to my lorde syt on my right hande tyll I make thyne enemyes thy foote stoole Dauid himselfe calleth hym lorde and howe is he then his sonne and muche people hearde hym gladly But although the Scribes and Phariseis ceased to tempte Iesus yet ceased not to teache them For when he had propouned vnto them being assembled altogether a question and asked whole sonne was Messias whome they wayted for and they had answered againe out of the Prophetes the soÌ„ne of Dauid he moued a doubte that none of them all could assoyle saying how standeth it that Messias is the sonne of Dauid since Dauid himselfe inspired with the holy ghost speaketh in the Psalme as foloweth The lord sayde vnto my lorde sitte on my right hand till I make thyne enemyes thy footestole â–ª Sith thauctoritie of the progenitoures is greater then is thauctoritie of the of spring and neuewes by what reason then dothe Dauid call hym who shal be borne of his seede his lord It is a lyke thing as thoughe the father would call the sonne Lorde The Scribes and the Phareseis who had in them the spirite of the fleshe as yet vnderstode not this misterie Dauid inspired with the holy ghost sawe in Christ whoe was not then borne a thing farre aboue the nature of manne where as himselfe was nothing els but a man Nowe when the Scribes and Phariseis helde theyr peace and coulde make no aunswere hereunto the moste parte of the people fauoured Iesu and had a great delite to heare him dispute and reason the matter ¶ And he sayed vnto them in his doctrine beware of the Scribes whiche loue to goe in long clothing and loue salutacions in the market place and the chiefe seates in the congregacions and the vppermoste towmes at feastes whiche deuouâ— wydowes houses and vnder a pretence make long prayers These shall receyue greater damnacion Wherefore Iesus perceiuing them to be curable and knowing also how the priestes Scribes and Phariseis of a purpensed malyce â–ª perseuered in their vngracious purpose began openly to disclose theyr naughtynes in thaudyence of the people not because to backbyte and slaunder them but he toke from theÌ„ the visure of counterfaite vertue and holynes lest they shoulde froÌ„ thenceforth any more deceyue the people For nowe the tyme required that he should so do Therfore putting forthe and preaching vnto them his owne doctrine that is to say a francke doctrine and suche a one as flattereth and coureth fauour with no manne he saied beware leste the royall shew of the Scribes Phariseis deceiue you They studye not your soule healthe but theyr owne glorye For they couet to go in long roabes doune to the ancle to th entent they maye appeare to be men of geat perfeccion and they seke after salutacions in the market place and the preferment of the chiefe seate in assemblies and in all feastes and bankets the first place or vppermost roume of the table They vse also long prayers bycause they maye seeme holyer then other And by reason of souche coloured holynesse they crepe into the fauoure of blessed and godlye wydowes but symple withall whiche for diuers causes are apte to be deceyued eyther bycause of the weakenes of theyr sexe and kynde or for that they be wydowes and lacke husbandes to defende them or els bycause they be ryche and wealthy To theÌ„ cum they of their owne swinge vnder preteÌ„ce to be their patrones and defendours and with theyr counterfayte holynesse deuour vp their houses But so litle shall this their Hipocrisy profite theim that they shall be more greuouslier damned of god for so muche as they couered their naughtynes with a coloure of holy and vertuous lyuing Therfore take ye good hede of those leste ye be deceyued And when Iesus sate ouer againâ—â—â— the treasury he behelde howe the people put money into the treasury and many that were riche caste in muche And there came a certaine poore wydowe and she threwe in two mites whiche make a fartâ—yng And he called vnto him his disciples and saieth vnto them Verilye I say vnto you that this poore wydowe hath caste more in â–ª then all they whiche haue caste in to the treasurye for they all dyd caste â—â— of their superâ—â—uitie but she of her pouertie dyd caste in all â—hat euer she hadde euen all her lyuyng These thinges done Iesus went into that parte of the teÌ„ple where the treasury was wherin the offered gyftes were kepte and sytting directly against it behelde those that made their oblacion and caste in giftes And many riche folkes caste in great giftes whom the priestes woulde therefore shoulde bee counted as it were more holier then other measuring their godlynes after the rate and measure of the gifte that they offered In the meane season there came also a certaine poore wydowe and threwe in two little pieces of coyne whiche made a ferthing There was none among them all that preferred not those ryche folkes before this poore woman But Iesus iudgement farre differeth from the iudgemeÌ„t of the Scribes and Phariseis the whiche thyng he woulde not haue his disciples ignoraunt of I tell you sayeth he for a certaintie this widowe be she neuer so poore hathe geuen more to the treasury then all the other whiche seeme to haue geuen mooste lauishely For the other gaue of their abundaunt superfluitie They gaue muche howbeit they reserued more to themselfes But this woman of her lyttle poore substance hath geuen all together reseruing nothing vnto her selfe For God doeth not esteme the gifte after the measure and value of the thyng that is geuen but after thaffeccion minde of the geuer Iesus is pleased with suche a wydowe and dayneth to bee her spouse and conforter The Synagoge like a proude housewyfe boasteth and craketh vpon the riches of her righteousnes she boasteth vpoÌ„ her ryche ornameÌ„tes of good workes She glorieth in her housebaÌ„de Moyses vnto whom she was neuer obedient She auaunteth herselfe because the prophetes were her sonnes whome she eyther slewe with wicked murther or at the least wyse persecuted She hath euer
in her mouth the lordes teÌ„ple the lawe of God the Patriarches AbrahaÌ„ Isaac Iacob and Israel She goeth with her garde of priestes Scribes and Phariseis But the churche like a poore wydowe hath nothyng to boast vpon She knowledgeth lacke of good workes and yet that litlâ— that she hath she wholy dedicateth and offereth vnto God Nowe what can be poorer then suche a wydowe as leaueth herselfe nothyng at all She knowledgeth not Moyses to be her husband because she knowethe not circumcision because she abhorrethe the sacryfices of beastes beeyng contented wholely to haue offered vp her selfe vnto almyghtie God The Lorde her spouse inasmuche as he hath forsaken the yearthe and is returned into heauen semethe to haue forsaken his wydowe whiche nowe like a woman destitute of all succoure is spoyled banished imprisoned afflicted and oppressed bothe of the Iewes and Gentyles She heareth dayly where is thy spouse It semethe that she wyll starue for hunger whiche hauinge so small substaunce hath cleane forgone that lyttle she had and lefte herselfe nothynge It semethe she wyll dye shortly with reproche of baraines whiche hath lost her housband But this widow which after the iudgement of the world is past all health vtterlye vndone the prophete Esaie comforteth on this wyse Be thou glad thou barayne that bryngest furth no fruit breake furth and cry thou the trauailest not for the desolate hath many mo chyldren then she that hath an husbande Doe not we se that this prophecy is fulfilled The synagoge is hongry and dyethe The churche is encreaced and spred abrode triumphing in Martyrs florishing in Virgins and reioysynge in so many thousandes of Confessours She hath not one farthing of her owne proper riches but of her spouses riches she hath tried golde fine and pure she hath precious stones inestimable For throughe sincere and pure fayth towardes her riche spouse whatsoeuer he hath she hath thesame The synagoge albeit she semed to geue much vnto God yet dyd she reserue more vnto her selfe then was sufficient Wylt thou see the Synagoge geuing her giftes â–ª heare the Pharisey praying I thaÌ„ke the Lord saith he that I am not such a one as other men be Nowe marke me how much he reserueth vnto himselfe when he saith I fast twyse in the weke I geue the tenthe part of all my goodes vnto poore people On the other syde marke the fashion of the wydow She knocketh her brest she dareth not once lift vp her iyes to heauen warde she doth nothing but crye God be mercifull vnto me a sinner The Sinagoge whiles she craketh vpon her owne iustice hath neyther any of her owne nor yet gods iustice The churche whiles she renounceth and putteth awaye from her all glory of righteousnes and knowledgeth her owne vnrighteousnes is enriched with the iustice and righteousnes of her spouse The .xiij. Chapter ¶ And as he went out of the temple one of the disciples sayed vnto him Mayster see what stones and what buyldinges are here And Iesus answered and sayed vnto hym Seest thou these great buildinges There shal not be left one stone vpon an other that shal not be throwen downe And as he sate on mounte Oliuete ouer against the temple Peter and Iames and Iohn and Andrewe asked him secretly tell vs when shall these thinges be And what is the signe when all these thinges shal be fulfilled And Iesus aunswered them and began to saye take hede lest any man deceyue you For many shall cumme to my name saying I am Christ and shall deceyue many THere was nothyng in the temple that pleased Iesus saue the poore wydowe only in the whiche temple there was nothyng els but counterfayte deuocion and fayned holines Let vs also who professe our selues to be the disciples of Iesu departe out of the Iewish temple Let vs sette asyde all truste of carnall workes and embrace the ryghteousnes of the euangelike and chrystian fayth Therfore our sauiour departed thence to builde an other temple whiche should be holy and spirituall in dede and of buyldyng so substanciall sure and strong that the very gates of hell shoulde neuer be able to preuayle agaynste it When he was gone out one of his disciples sayed vnto him Mayster beholde howe greate and houge are the stones of this temple and what a strong buildinge is here couertlye meaninge that it was a stronger piece of worke then that it coulde by processe of tyme fall in decaye or ruyne Oh Iewishe iyes They outwardly maruayled at stones couched and heaped together by mans hande as thoughe Iesus had bene delited with suche a buyldyng Iesus answered againe Seeste thou this greate and curious edifice There shall a time cum when there shall not one stone remayne vpon another vnthrowen downe muche lesse then shall the same buyldyng continue for euer Nowe Iesus lotheth and contemnethe all that euer is seene with bodily iyes for the greate desyre he hath of his ghostly and spyritual temple As he sate in that part of mount Olyuete where he chose his lodging for that nyght from whence the temple of Ierusalem myght bee sene the disciples called againe to theyr remembraunce his wordes wherby he had tolde before howe it shoulde cumme to passe that the sayd temple shoulde bee destroyed bothe stycke and stone euen from the very foundacion For they supposed that the kyngdome of god whereon they ceased not as yet to dreame shoulde cum immediatlye after the destruccion thereof Therfore fower of them that is to wete Peter Iames Iohn and Andrewe went priuâ—lye vnto him as he there sate to the enteÌ„t that lyke as he had shewed vnto a fewe persons apart the misterie of his transfiguracion so should he lykewyse disclose vnto theÌ„ beeyng but a fewe all the secretes concerning the time when his kingdome should cumme and begin whiche thing he woulde not perhappes open vnto all the other And for this cause they sayed vnto hym Tell vs when these thinges shall cum to passe and by what token we maye knowe when the same â—yme is already cum and present The Lord who had already weded out of his disciples all carefulnes for sustenaunce desyre of reuengement prouidence of lyfe or forecastyng howe to lyue woulde also wede out of theyr myndes all suche curiositie as maketh a man ouer busy and inquisitiue to knowe suche thynges as nothyng appertaine vnto his saluacion Therfore he so tempreeth his woordes that by thesame he sygnifieth not onelye that the citie of Ierusalem shall one day be destroyed but also that after his departure greuous stormes of persecution shal rise against the preachers of the gospell and finally that the ende of the worlde or domes day shall cumme But as it is expedient for all men to knowe howe they shall one day make an ende of this present lyfe to th entent they may euer make themselues redy againste the same so his will and pleasure was to haue his disciples fullye persuaded that a tyme