it maketh them the better to fele the misse lacke of hym that is readye for to do them good Certes by this myracle they might haue been moued aswel to reuerence acknowelage his power against the vertue whereof the conspiryng of the furious multitude was not hable any thyng at all to dooe as also to loue the goodnesse of hym who when they had attempted the vttermoste mischiefe agaynst him that laye in theyr powers yet was rather willyng to reserue them to a tyme of repentaunce then to cast them awaye at the wurste to eternall punishemente ¶ And he came down to Capernaum a citie of Galilee and there taughte them on the Sabboth dayes And ãâã wer aââouned at his doâtrinâ for his pââachyng was with power And in the Synagogue there was a manne whiche had an vnclene spirite of a deuill cryed with a loude voyce saying lear me alone what hast thou to doe with vs thou Iesus of Nazareth Art thou come to destroye vs I knowe thee what thou art euen the holy of God And Iesus rebuked hym saying holde thy peace and come out of hym And whan the deuill hadde throwen hym in the middes he came out of hym and hurte hym not And feare came on them all and they spake emong themselues saying what manier a thyng is this For with auctoritie and power he commaundeth the soule spirites and they come out And the fame of hym was spred abrode throughout euery place of the countreye round about Iesus therfore forsakyng the proude citie of Nazareth beeyng rebellious agaynst the doctrine of the ghospell came downe and toke his waye toward a citie of Galilee called Capernaum beeyng a citie of great rychesse and therfore drouned in all râottâus excesse in al vesuptuousnesse in ambicion in pryde and in the other vices whiche customably are compaynyons to rychesse But here because of their volupteous sensuall liuing he vsed no familiaritie of carnall conuersacion emong them whiche familiaritie hath euermore been a breder of conteÌpte hath vsed to make menes autoritie the lesse regarded Wherfore here also in Capernaum as his custome was elswhere to do he wente into the teÌple vpon the Sabboth daye and preached For the wickednesse of the Nazareans beyng so great that they had goen about wilfully to murdre hym being their best frende could not so weighe hym that beyng offended with so haynous a dede of mischief as that was he would forsake the couÌtrey of the Iewes and foorth with putte ouer the gyft of the gospel from them vnto the Gentiles but now he fulfylled in dede thesame thyng whiche he afterwarde taughte in wordes to his disciples whiche is that whan they wer drieuen out of one citie they should flee vnto another not settyng theyr mynde ne deuisyng how to auenge theyr iniurye but how to sette foorth the gospell ferther and ferther in suche wyse as the malice of those that droue them awaye out of theyr tounes myght profite to the expedicion of settyng forewarde the profession of the ghospell And Capernaites although they wer men all geuen to worldly affaires nor muche abhorred from the maniers of the heathen emong whome by reason of the trade of bying and sellyng that the one vsed with the other they were often conuersaunt he found muche more ientil and honeste in taking or interpretyng his woordes and dooynges then he founde his owne countreymen the Nazareans to whom neuerthelesse for his well knowen and throughly tryed and continual perfeccion of lyfe he ought to haue been more derely beloued For the Capernaââes very greatlye woondred at the doctryne of Iesus consyderyng that it was no washe miengled geare nor peynted and glossed as was the doctrine of the Pharisees of washynges of truely paying the tithes of Mynt and Rue of castyng gyftes into the offryng boxe of god and of suche other lyke thynges whiche rather conteined supersticion then vertuous doctrine and whiche were layed vpon the simple people to mayteyne the glorye and lucâe of the pharisees whereas they theimselues that taughte these thynges kept not so muche as the chief commaundementes of the lawe but the doctrine of Iesus was found substaunciall and full of auctoritie For first whatsoeuer he taught was moste certaine trueth and also agreable with naturall reason Secondarily it was of it selfe muche materiall vnto true godlynesse and to eternall saluacion Ferthermore ⪠his singular perfeccion of liuyng caused his doctryne to bee regarded accordingly And ouer and besydes al this many a miracle was there wrought and shewed by hym with suche power and vertue as hadde neuer been vsed ne seen there whiche euidently declared the doctrine that he taught to bee of God and not of mannes spirite For the Lorde Iesus did his myracles not for lucre or vaine glory but firste with them he succoured the wofull necessities of suche persons as were in extreme distresse to the ende that by doyng them benefites he might winne theyr hertie loue and secondely the miracles were for a tyme shewed to the bodely iyes to the ende that by the same miracles they myght learne to beleue those thynges whiche though they were inuisible yet were more earnestly then any corporall benefites to bee desyred lastely they were a fygure and a representacion of those thynges that were wrought in theyr soules It was now the Sabboth daye and the people religiously and with great deuocion rested froÌ the workes forbidden whiche yet of theÌselues were not euill as for exauÌple to go a iourneye to kiendle a fyer to grynde theyr corne to presse theyr wynes or to âotche vp theyr garment beeyng broken or seamerent Without foorth in dede it was Sabboth daye that is to saye the daye of reste but within theyr myndes there was a great trouble and vnquyetnesse whiche the spirite of Satan did there reyse who woondrefully tossed and vexed theyr myndes with dyuerse mocions of coâeâise of pryde of wrath of auengyng displeasures and of envie For there and no where els is the true Sabboth where the spirite of the Lorde quieteth the mynde to reste from all vicious and inordinate lustes And of this thing there was euen than presente a certain figure in theyr sinagogue whiche was a certayn man whose bodye was possessed with an vnclene deuill and this exaumple was to vs halfe a warning and a puttyng in remembrauÌce in how muche more miserable and piteous case they are whose myndes are possessed with eiuils of vires yea more foule and ilfauoured then that deiuill was For what deiuill is more vnclene or more noysome then lecherous concupiscence then wrathe then ambicion then the gredie desyre of moneye then enuie then hypocrisie With these deiuils suche others lyke were the Iewes for the moste parte possessed who dwelt in the Synagogue whiche synagogue had not as yet receyued the spirite of Christe but was vexed with so many deiuils as there reygned vices in them Neither were they hable to receyue the moste mylde spirite of the gospell
myndes with preachyng of scriptures and forasmuch as he was purposed the nexte daye to departe thence he continued so preachyng vnto theym vntyll it was ferre foorth nightes And leste that nyght myghte haue bene occasion to breake of this delectable and pleasaunt sermon there were many candelles in the sollare wheras we were than assembled Among the multitude there was a certayne younge manne whose name was Eutichus that sate in one of the wyndores This young man by reason that Paul continued talkyng so long wexed slepie and at the last so sore came the slepe vpon hym that he fell flatlyng downe to the grounde three floores hyghe by and by men ranne to him but he was founde deade and brought into the house Whan as Paul perceyued that he came downe after the ensample of the prophete Hely he bended his body and lay vpon him as thoughe that he dyd by enbracyng cherishe or kepe warmâ the deade bodye Whan he had so done he turned hymselfe to the disciples that were muche troubled with this sodeyne chaunce and sayde be ye nothyng troubled with this chaunce there is yet lyfe in hym for the bodye is not cleane deade Whan he had thus comforted theym he wente agayne vp into the sollare and brake the breade and eate thereof and after this whan he had agayne so long commoned with them that it began to be lyght and that the breake of daye appeared he toke his leaue of them and so at length departed So paynefull a thyng is it for a moste louyng father to departe from his dere chyldren And they that remayned with the young manne broughte hym aliue and whose into the sollare agayne Whych thyng dyd not a litle refreshe the myndes of all that were there presente For it was not sittyng that that same worde that bryngeth health to all men shoulde haue bene occasion of the young mannes death ¶ And we went afore to shyppe leused vnto Asson there to receyue Paul For so had he appoynted would himselfe go on foote When we were cum together at AssoÌ we toke him came to Mitilenes And we sayled thence came the nexte day ouer agaynst Chios And the nexte day we arryued at Samos and taried at Trogillion The nexte daye we came to Mileton for Paul had determined to sayle ouer by Ephesus because he woulde not spende the tyme in Asia for he hasted if it wer for him possyble to kepe at IerusaleÌ the day of Penthecost And froÌ Mileton he sent messeÌgers to Ephesus and called the elders of the congregacion And we whan we had taken shippyng at Troas sayled to Asson whyche is a citie nere to the sea syde within the countrey of Troas For Paul had so determined that we shoulde go thyther before by water and he would folowe by lande either because it was more safer so to dooe or els that he myghte salute the moe by the waye And after that we mette togyther at Asson and had receyued Paule into the shyppe we came all together to Mitilene whiche is a citie on the sea syde in the Yle of Lesbus Thence departed we and the nexte daye after we came agaynste Chios Ylande Lykewyse agayne the daye folowyng we arryued at the Ylande of Samos and from thence sayled to Trogillion that is a citie on the sea banke of Asia directly agaynst Samos There taryed we the same nyghte and the nexte daye after came to Mileton whiche is a citie in Caria And althoughe that we in oure saylyng by the coastes of Asia shoulde fyrste come to Ephesus then to Trogillion or Mileton yet Paule had purposed with himselfe to passe by Ephesus lest that he shoulde spende awaye the time tarying in Asia yf it should haue chaunced that he coulde not safely for watche beyng layd for him sayle into Siria For he hastened to kepe his witsontide in Ierusalem yf he possibly myght so do Yet leste that he shoulde seme eyther not to regarde or els to hate the Ephesians he sent from Mileton some that should wil thauncient curates of the coÌgregacion of Ephesus whom he had left charged with thesame congregacion to come vnto him ¶ Which whaÌ they were come to him he sayd vnto them ye know froÌ the first day that I came into Asia after what maner I haue ben with you at al seasons seruing the lord with all humblenes of mynde And with many feares and temptacions whiche haue happened vnto me by the lyinges in awayte of the Iewes Because I would kepe backe nothyng ⪠that was profitable vnto you But to shew you reache you openly throughout euery house witnessing both to the Iewes also to the Grekes the repentaunce that is towarde God And the fayth towardes our lorde Iesus To whome after they were come he spake in thys wise Brethren I shall not nede to reherse vnto you my vpright behauiour in preaching the ghospel It is not vnknowen vnto you your selues whiche haue sene the same howe I haue behaued my selfe among you all the whyle euen from the first daye that I came into Asia vntill this houre and that I sought not myne owne glorye or lucre but that I haue obeyed the coÌmaundement of our Lorde Iesus Christ in preaching his gospel and haue in al thinges bene coÌformable vnto his wil inasmuche as I folowed his steppes who made lowe humbled hymselfe and deliuered himselfe to be afflicted tormented and to dye that he might clense establyshe his churche Euen so lykewyse hath bene my conuersacion in setting foorth the gospell with all humilitie or lowlynesse yea and also shame whiche I haue suffred of the enemyes of the gospel with often teares whiche I haue shed beyng careful for the congregacion with muche affliccion or trouble that I haue bene in through the deceytes of the Iewes that cannot abide that the benefite of the gospel should be coÌmunicated and partened vnto the Gentiles And yet none of al these mischaunces haue troubled my minde so greatly that I haue at any tyme for feare of affliccion let passe any thyng that apperteined to your health neither yet haue I spared though it were with daungier of my lyfe to open vnto you any thyng that myght be profitable for you and to instructe you both openly in the synagoges and also priuely within meÌnes houses as occasion hath serued not preachyng vnto you as the Iewes myndes were that I should haue done that is to say circumcisioÌ obseruing of sabboth dayes and washynges but repentaunce for your lyfe that ye did leade before which god requireth in all men that he maye saue all men and full confidence in our lorde Iesus Christe whose gospell whosoeuer beleueth shall be saued whether he be a Iewe or a Greke whether circumcised or els vncircumcised And therefore thesame fauour and grace whiche is indifferently profered vnto all men I haue indifferently preached vnto all men not hauyng respect to the person state or degre of any manne nor beeyng feared or
sonne of man cum Wherfore seing that these thynges vndoubtedly shal cum to passe and it cannot certainly be knowen vpon what daye they shal cum wake and watche coÌtinually leste that daie cum vpon you vnwares and vnprepared If menne watche that theyr money peryshe not muche more oughte you to watche that your soule perishe not For what householder is so negligent whych yf he knew that the thiefe would breake into hys house in the nyght season woulde sleepe all nyght and suffer hys house to be broken downe Therfore ye muste wake all your lyfe because ye be certayne that the daye wyl cum whan ye looke not for it For so ye must liue that whansoeuer the day dothe cum it may finde you doing your duty that furthwyth ye may be receiued vnto your rewarde Who is a faythful and a wyse seruaunt whome hys lorde hath made ruler ouer hys housholde to geue them meate in season Blessed is that seruaunt whome his lorde whan he cummeth shall fynde so doing Uerely I saye vnto you that he shall make him ruler ouer all his goodes But and yf that euil seruaunt saye in his hert my lord wyll be long a cummyng and so begyn to smyte his felowes yea and to eate and drincke with the dronken the same seruauntes Lorde shal cum in a daye whan he loketh not for him and in an houre that he is not ware of and shal hewe hym in pieces and geue hym hys porcion with Hiprocrites there shall be wepyng and gnashyng of teeth Wyll not a wyse and a faythfull seruaunt do thesame whome his maister going farre from home hathe made ruler ouer hys familie to geue them meate in due season The maister doth not poynte hym when he wyl retourne home leste he shoulde bee slacke in hys office but whansoeuer the mayster shall returne shal not the seruaunt be happy yf hys maister finde him doing his duty Certaynely I saye vnto you that the maister hauing a triall of his trustinciâe will bee bolde to truste hym with greater thynges and wyll make hym ruler ouer all hys goodes Contrary wise yf the ill and vnfaithfull seruaunt wil saye in hys harte my mayster is longe awaye and perchaunce he wyll neuer returne and vpon this hope begynneth to beate hys felowe seruauntes and neglecting the famylye eateth and drynketh with dronckardes howe vnhappy shall he be when hys mayster shal cum at the daye when he loketh not for hym and the houre when he thought that he would not returne For he shal not onely set hym beside his offyce but he will also cut him a sonder in the myddest and ioyne hys parte with the Hipocrytes which hath the title and name of the office of the ghospel where as in their doinges they be contrarye to the ghospell And there for hys sensuall pleasures of wrongshaped swetenesse wherewith beyng inebriate and drounken he had not awayted for the cummyng of hys mayster he shall be punished with intollerable torment his laughyng shal be turned into wepyng and hys songes into gnashyng of teethe ¶ The .xxv. Chapter Than shall the kyngdome of heauen be like vnto ten virgins whiche takyng theyr lampes wente furthe to meete the spouse But fyue of them were foolyshe and fyue were wyse They that were foolyshe takynge theyr lampes tooke no oyle with them but the wyse tooke oyle with them in theyr vessels with the lampes Whyle the spouse taryed they all slumbered and slepte And at midnight there was a crye made Beholde the spouse cummeth goe furth to meete hym Than all the virgins arose and prepared theyr lampes And the foolishe sayed vnto the wyse geue vs of your oyle for our lampes are out But the wyse answered saying Not so leste there be not ynoughe for vs and you but goe ye rather to the sellers and by your selues And whyle they wente to bye the bridegrome came and they that were ready went in with hym to the mariage and the doore was shutte Afterwarde cum the other virgins saiyng Lorde lorde open vnto vs. But he answeryng sayeth Uerely I saye vnto you I knowe you not Watche therfore for ye knowe not the day nor the houre in the whiche the sonne of man shal cum ANd Iesus to put in the myndes of hys disciples surely that they shoulde not slacke or sleepe in thys life but that through the continuall seruyce of godlinesse and duties towarde theyr neyghboure they shoulde get and prepare them thynges for the waye to euerlastyng lyfe for in the resurreccion we shoulde seke it to late vnlesse we shoulde prepare in tyme he sette furthe a parable of tenne virgins who takyng theyr lampes wente to meete the spouse But of these fyue were fooles whych prouided them not of oyle agaynste the cummyng of the bridegrome because they thought he woulde not cumme so sodenly but that they myghte haue had space to gette them oyle sumwhere But the wyse virgins knowyng that the tyme was vncertayne whan theyr spouse shoulde cum leste they myght bee found vnredy caryed out with them in theyr vesselles oyle for theyr lampes whereby they myght refreshe the lampes as they began to fayle Therefore when the spouse differred hys cumming longe all the virgines beganne to nappe and at length fel a slepe In the dead nighte sodainly rose a clamour and a noyse emong the seruauntes callyng them oute to meete the spouse beholde the bridegrome is at hande goe furthe and meete hym Than al the virgines wakyng from slepe prepared their lampes But the fooles when they sawe they muste departe sodainely at middenight and hadde no oyle theyr lampes nowe faylyng of lyght they desyred the wyse virgines to geue them parte of theyr oyle But they made answere we feare that we haue not inough both for vs and you Go ye rather to the oyle sellers and by of them And in the meane tyme as they went to bye the brydegrome came and they that were ready entred in with him to the mariage and furthwith the gate was shut At last come the foolyshe virgins also and knocke at the gate and saye Lorde lorde open the gate for vs. Unto whome the brydegrome made answere truely I knowe you not Wherfore after the example of the wyse virgyns and of the faythful seruaunt and the politike householder watche ye and prepare in time the stoare of good workes because ye knowe not the daye nor the houre of hys cummyng and when he shall sodenly appeare there shal be nowe no lenger time of well doyng but euery manne shall haue rewarde accordyng as he hath done before Likewise a certaine man taking his iourney into a straung countrey called his seruauntes and deliuered vnto them hys gooddes and vnto one he gaue fyue talentes and to another two and to another one accordyng to hys habilitie and streyght way departed And he that had receiued fyue talentes went and occupyed wyth the same and gayâed other fiue talentes Lykewise also he that had receyued two gayned other two But he
not visite me Than shall they aunswere the iudge with as manye wordes as the iuste menne answered Lorde whan sawe we thee hungrye or thyrsty or wanderyng or naked or sicke or in prison and serued the not Than the kyng shall aunswere them also Whatsoeuer of these dutyes is denyed to any one of these litle ones litle regarded of the worlde and yet my brethren I counte it denyed vnto me I was nedy in them I woulde haue been refresshed in them This sentence once geuen from the whiche there shall be none appeale they that be on the left hande shall gee into euerlastyng fyer and the iust men into euerlastyng lyfe The .xxvi. Chapter And it came to passe whan Iesus had finished all these sayinges he sayed vnto hys disciples ye knowe that after two dayes shall be Paaste daye and the sonne of man shall be deliuered vp to be crucified THan whan Iesus had ended this communication where with so many wayes he established the myndes of his disciples agaynst affliccions now beyng at hande that they should not vtterly be dismayed whan they should shortly after see theyr lorde caryed awaye to a shamefull punishmente at laste he was bolde to open vnto them the daye and the manner of hys deathe The mention whereof ⪠he doth inculcate and beate into this disciples myndes leste whan they should see it they should be so amased at it as a thyng vnwares not loked for that they should be vtterly discouraged chiefly whan thei should perceyue that Iesus came vnto hys deathe willynly whiche he moughâ haue escaped nor coulde be kylled before the day came whiche he had hymselfe apoynted for his death And that was the Paasse daie which emong the Iewes was kepte wyth great deuocion renewyng the yearely remembraunce of that daye in the whiche in tyme paste amonge the Egypcians the postes beyng sprinkeled with the bloude of the lambe they were deliuered from the kylling aungell and passed ouer safely the red sea In remembraunce of thys thyng they offered yearely a lambe of one yeare withoute spot and of the passyng by of the angel and of the lucky passyng ouer the sea they called it Pâasse But this was a figure of Iesus Christe whiche shoulde redeme the whole worlde with hys most holy bloud from the tyrannye of synne who alone was cleane from the spottes of all synne Iesus putryng his disciples in remembraunce of this thyng sayth ye knowe that after two dayes the Paasse shall bee offered and the same daye the sonne of man shal be deliuered to be crucified Than assembled together the chiefe priestes and Scribes and the elders of the people into the palace of the chiefe prieste which was called Cayphas and helde a counsell to take Iesus by deceyte and kyll hym But they sayed not on the holy daye leste there be an vprore among the people Therfore when that holy and chereful daye was nere for the keping of which it was mete for menne to prepare themselues with godlye woorkes the chiefe priestes and seniours of the people wer gathered together whose authoritie yf there hadde bene any rage emong the people oughte furthwith to haue pacified it And they were gathered together in the courte of the chiefe of the priestes whiche was called Caiphas For these chiefly conspired agaynst Iesus because they feared leste yf he shoulde bee preserued they shoulde leese theyr luere and authoritie Therfore it was deâred there through wicked counsell that they shoulde laye handes vpon Iesus and kyll hym not openlye and violently but by deceite and guâle Therfore when these greate men agreed emong themselues vngraciouslye of the murder they consulted of the tyme. For although they thyrsted sore for the innocent bloud beyng madde with enuye and hatred yet they thoughte beste to differ the deathe to an other tyme because the daye cheeflye holye and festiual emonge the Iewes was at hande For they feated if they shoulde sette vpon hym on that day that the people be wonte to resort together leste any tumulte or busynesse shoulde ryse because there were manye emong the people whiche seing hys miracles and hearyng hys meruaylouse doctrine and markyngâhe great sobernes and gentilnes of hys manners had a greate opinion of hym They feared the people whyche feared not god nor feared not to defyle the holy daye with murder whyche durst not eate leauen breade Sathan gaue them this counsell desyring to kepe close that sacrifice whiche shoulde bryng health and saluacion to the worlde But it pleased otherwyse to the deuyne counsell For it was not semely that the sacrifice shoulde be priuely caste awaye whiche the father would to be offered not onely for the saluacion of the Iewes but for the saluacion also of the whole worlde Whan Iesus was in Bethanie in the house of Simon the lepet there came to him a woman hauyng an alabasâer bore of precious oyntment and powred it vpon hys head as he sate at the bourde But the disciples when they sawe it disdayned at it saiyng what nede this waste For this ointment might haue been wel sold and geuen is the poore WhaÌ Iesus knewe thys he sayed What trouble ye the woman For she hathe wâoughâe a good worke toward me For ye haue alwaies poore folke with you but me ye haue not alwaies and in that she hath âaâe this oyntmente on my body she did it to burye me Uetely I say vnto you Whersoeuer this gospel shall be preached in all the world that also that she hath done shal be tolde for a memoriall of her Therfore whan Iesus was in Bethania nere vnto Hierusalem where he should be crucified and sate at meate in the house of one Simon called Lepet a certayne woman came vnto hym hauyng can alabaster of precious oyntement who broke the alabaster and powred the oyntment vpon hys heade The disciples seeyng a thing of so great price powred and caste oute at once they disdayned and murmured at it For they knewe that Iesus was not wont to vse suche delicacies and that it shoulde haue bene more for his appetite yf the woman had deliuered her alabaster whole that the oyntmente beyng solde the poore men myght be relieued with the value hereof To what purpose is it ê they to leese suche a precious thyng For it myghte haue bene solde for muche and the value therof geuen to the poore Thus sayde the disciples not vnderstandyng to what purpose Iesus suffered this to be done For he was not in loue with suche delicacies but he woulde haue his deathe to be adorned with suche honour whiche death he would suffer of no necessitie but of hys owne wyll for the health of the whole worlde For whereas in all hys lyfe he behaued hymselfe most lowlye yet he honoured hys deathe with a certayne magnificence by the which deathe he should ouercum the deuil And therefore once he was caryed into Hierusalem with a greate tryumphe and than as preuentynge the honoure of hys buryall he was embaumed with
it had none yet it was nowe tyme that after the figures of the law and after the holy saiynges of the prophetes it should bring foorth the fruite of euangelical godlines This was thatsame figtree which the Lord commaunded to be cutte vp by the roote onlesse whaÌ douÌg wer laied about the rote therof it would leaue to be still barain and it was nigh barain in dede had not zacheus climmed vp stand vpon it That same stemme of the Iudaical figtree brought foorth grosse vnsauery and vnrype people but after that zacheus had climed vp the tree that is to saye assoone as the people of the Gentiles was graffed in now begonne it to bring foorth fruite such as the Lord Iesus loueth Of the Iewes he was many hundred yeres loked for at last he came vnto theÌ he walked to and fro dayly in coumpany with them and yet was not knowen among theym The people of the Gentiles had no more but heard of the fame and report of Iesus and beyng enkiendled with loue to know thesame Iesus whoÌ the Iewes hanged vpon the tree they ranne before the Iewes in feruentnes of faith and acknowelagyng their own vnrighteousnes lowe as they wer contemned the lettre of the lawe conteÌned the ceremonies and figures which the Iewes eueÌ yet at this day embrace for the very true substauÌce of the thynges selfes and thorough euangelicall faith they see Iesus passing by in his Apostles and acknowlage hym and therby deserue to haue Iesus cum to them to be their geaste and of his owne offre to soiourne in their house forasmuche as the vnbelefe of the Iewes had expulsed and banished hym away froÌ them All this while dooeth litle zacheus sitte still in the tree with ready iyes lokyng for Iesus that was yet cummyng a good preatie way of and was not yet throughly taughte by what marke he mighte knowe Iesus sauyng onely that he was in a perfite hope and trust of the thyng whiche he earnestly wished and desired But whan the people came to the sycomore tree zacheus peraduenture was a matier of laughter and a good sporte to a great many forasmuche as beeyng a welthie ryche man and in the office of customer he stoode alofte in a tree to bee a gazer vpon one man and no mo For he coueted not to knowe any other man sauyng onely Iesus Than Iesus beyng delited with the notable fainnesse of the man whiche fainnesse he shewed by his veray facte by his countenaunce and by his earnest lookyng with his iyes albeit Iesus had espyed hym afore too yet to shewe vnto the Iewes an exsaumple of prompt beleuyng he cast vp his iyes on high and sawe zacheus And looke for no lesse at all tymes then some notable benefite of saluacion as often as Iesus doeth vouchesafe to looke vpon anye persone For his iyes haue a medicinable kinde of charming The other sought no more but onely to see hym but in vayne doeth suche a partie see Iesus whoÌ Iesus doeth not agayne vouchesalue to behold with his iyes Auaunce thyself vp from lowe and vile thynges and Iesus will loke vp vnto thee The loking of Iesus vpon any man hath a porcion of good lykelyhood to come but a matier and token of greater blysse it is to heare Iesus voyce For where zacheus did nomore ne none other but beholde Iesus the Lorde of his owne mere mocion sayed vnto hym callyng hym euen by his name too as a manne knowen vnto hym zacheus come thou down quickely for this daye muste I soiourne in thy house We haue heard how the Lorde hath oftentymes goen to dyners to meÌnes houses whaÌ he hath been desyred but we haue not at any tyme heard that euer he dyd of his owne mynde come in and make hymselfe a geaste with any man whan he was not bydden Yea and so to do is of all men for the moste parte taken for a poynte of homely curtesie but the Lorde had beholden the affeccion and herte of the man within who sette so muche by hauyng a sighte of hym as he passed by He would haue assayed somewhat ferther hadde not his owne priuie knowelage of his vnwoorthinesse been a lette therof Thus dyd he thinke in his owne minde Blissed are these that haue had the happe to cleue vnto suche an one and whose happe it is to beholde his face daylye in presence with hym and whose chaunce it is to heare his voyce standyng harde by hym The Iewes and none others haue so muche good happe I am a Publicane It is euen with the largest for suche an one as I am to haue hadde a syghte of hym as he passed by There had come no woorde oute of his mouthe to bydde Iesus to his house but suche an herte was an excedyng courteous bidder of a geaste and the Lord Iesus loueth well to be bidden after suche a sorte Suche an one as vpon acknowelageyng of his owne weakenesse in his conscience dareth not bee so bolde as to craue the thyng which he wisheth and in his herte would fayn haue suche an one doeth obteyne more then another that biddeth Iesus to his house as though he would bynde Iesus vnto hym for dooyng hym suche a pleasure Peter neuer came nerer vnto Christ then whan he sayed Goe out awaye from me mayster for I am a felowe that am a synner That other man also was a piththie and an earnest bidder of Iesus which sayed vnto hym Maister I am not a manne worthie that thou shouldeste entre vnder the roufe of my house For Iesus was now alreadie in the sayed parties house whiche was a certayn Centurion whan his young felowe was made whole though Iesus bodye came not there For there is Iesus wheresoeuer is health and recouerie And here Iesus thirsted the redempcion of mankinde and therefore he biddeth Zacheus to come down quickely For nowe was it time that redempcion whiche was to passe awaye from the Iewes shoulde bee transposed and putte ouer to the congregacion of the Gentiles for there muste Iesus soiourne and abyde vntil the consummacion and veray last ende or closing vp of all tymes to come because he might not be suffred to abyde emong the Iewes From an high he had stand watchyng for Iesus through feith he came downe to the office and duetie of godly deuocion for it is not enough to vieu Iesus to gaze vpoÌ hym as often as he nedeth a place of soiournyng and therof hath Iesus nede as ofteÌ as the neighbour hath nede And what doeth Zacheus hereupon not a woorde doeth he geue to aunswere for earnest affeccion of the herte doeth often vse to take awaye a mannes speakyng but he doeth as he is bidden without making any tariaunce down coÌmeth he quickely For it is not coÌuenient to tarrie whansoeuer Iesus calleth vs. The Iewes were called and they make theyr excuses but Zacheus beyng veray foreward and full of reioycyng entreteyned Iesus in his house O
that shal come that ye maie stande before the soonne of man Beeyng therfore adcertained that this dredfull tyme wyll come prepaire your selfes agaynst the cummyng of thesame that it come not vpon you soodaynly as ye lye sluggyng And that shall ye easily dooe yf ye shall beware that youre hertes bee not ouercharged with excesse of meates and with drounkennesse and with the other pensife cares of this present lyfe but rather so liue ye as though the said daye would come within an houre and bee as men not louyng anye thyng in this worlde but beeyng with youre wholle hertes and myndes bent vnto thynges heauenly So shall it come to passe that the saied daye shall not vnawares take you ere it bee looked for For vnto others who dooe so lyue as though the time that we speake of shoulde neuer come the daye shall so come as a snare or a trappe sette by priuye stealth of some bodye liyng in a wait to take an other and shal catche al creatures as many as haue not their hertes and iyes lift vp to heauen but dwelle vpoÌ the face of the yearth where we haue no permanent abiding but are in haste on our waye towardes thesame eternall dwellyng place And suche persones certes whyle they are occupied about other matters shall fele theimselfes taken before that they shall foresee the snare And to the enteÌt the lyke case may not chaunce vnto you flee ye all sluggyshenesse lye ye not styll slepyng in the sensuall pleasures or cares of this worlde but kepe your selfe stil wakyng and watchyng in the earneste exercise of heauenly thynges praiyng continually that God will vouchesalue to take you in the noumbre of theim that maye escape these so great perils and that ye maye stande vpright before the iudge that can not bee avoided that is to wete the soonne of man who lyke as he doeth nowe with great fauour prouoke all people to repentaunce so shall he at that tyme with greate seuerytye iudge both the quicke and the dead Leate no man thynke hym sure enough by his owne aide No creature shall bee hable to abide this iudgemente onlesse he bee fensed aforehande with the fauour of God But thesame fauour shall bee with none sauyng suche as dooe in the meane tyme with al possible zele and exercise goe aboute to shewe theimselfes woorthye to haue it For it shall at that tyme be ouer late for suche persones with pietious mone and lamentacion to call for his mercie as dooe nowe in this worlde abuse his pacient forbearing In the daie time he taught in the temple and at night he wente out and abode in the mount that is called Oliuete And all the people came in the mornyng to him into the temple for to heare him And now whan the time of his death approched Iesus did by exaumple of himself geue vs a lesson that at suche tymes principally meÌ ought to apply godly studies exercises whan the laste daye of the lyfe draweth nyghe For what the saied last day of which Iesus had now foreshewed so many thinges shal bee vnto the worlde thesame thyng is the daye of his owne deathe vnto euerye bodye particularly The Lorde therefore did in yâ daye seasons ministre âeachyng to dooe good vnto those of whom he know that he should be put to death as soone as night came he went thens into the mount of Oliuete to the enâent he might the more quietly geue himselfe to prayer wherein he made vncessaunt intercession for the redemcioÌ of the world geuing a verai smal porcion of tyme to slepe And as soone as the day brâke again the people woulde customably resorte vnto hym in the temple to heare hym teachyng The .xxii. Chapter ¶ The feast of swete breade drewe nigh which is called Easter and the high priestes and scribes sought how they myght kill him for they feared the people Than entred Satan into Iudas whose surname was Iscarioth which was of the nouÌbre of the twelue he went his way and coÌmoned with the high priestes and officers how he might betraye him to theim And they were glad and promised to geue him money And he consented sought oportunitie to betraie him vnto theim when the people were awaie THe more that the people depended of the Lordes mouth and saiynges so much the more and more incensed were the priestes the scribes and the phariseis beyng confederate with the headmen of the lay fee to putte Iesus to death And nowe dyd also the tyme drawe nere in whyche it had bene tofore decreed and was most expedyente that the same hoste should be killed in sacrifice for the redempcion of all mankynde For vnto the conueighaunce of this determinacion there was specially chosen oute and deputed a daye of the moste highe solemnitie of all others emong the Iewes whiche they call the feaste of swete brâade because that as long as the dayes of thesame feaste lasted it was to the Iewes a thyng agaynste all gods forbod to eate anye leauened breade thesame daye was also called Phase whiche in the Syrians toungue is as muche to saye as a passage or passyng ouer so named of a lambe of one yere olde with whose bloude the highest partes of the postes were anoyncted because the Aungell of the Lorde shoulde passe them ouer whan he should be a destruyer of all such as had not this marke on their doores And suche a daye was nothyng to the paye or to the mynde of the priestes and the scribes who would muche liâffer haue had his death closely handled and halfe stollen without any such high buisinesse or open a doe and as lyke as myght bee to the common manier of doyng execucion vpon other common malefactours But Iesus pleasure was to haue his death openly knowen to the worlde and to bee solemnelye dooen and in euerye behalfe to agree with the figures of the olde testamente and with the holye saiynges of the prophetes For this was that holy lambe not knowyng anye spotte of synne with whose fleashe the true Israelites are dayly refreashed throughout all the wholle worlde vniuersall with whose moste holy bloude we beeyng throughly clensed haue beene conueighed from damnacion and haue beene deliuered from the tyranny of synne and goyng daylye ferther and ferther awaye from Egipt we dooe make haste towardes thatsame heauenlye lande moste plenteouslye flowyng with all kynde of blisse absteinyng in the meane tyme from the leauened breade and liuyng in the simplicitie and sinceritie of the spirite euangelicall So than suche a day was speciallye chosen of God to that same true sacrifice where as it nothyng pleased the phariseis that it should so be For he suffred death not at the arbitrement or pleasure of the Iewes but at the pleasure of his father and hymselfe at suche tyme as he woulde in suche place as he woulde and in suche manier as he woulde hymselfe For nothyng was there in this matter eyther doen vnaduisedly or
as touchyng your rewarde leat your myndes be onely vpon your office and dutie it shal be mine office to prouide for you as touchyng your dignitie If ye shal be true folowers of my humilitie ye shall also be partakers of my glorie if ye shal be felowes with me in takyng suche part of affliccions as I do theÌ shall ye also haue suche part of immortalitie in heauen as I haue And hitherto haue ye persisted continued with me in mine affliccyons by which affliccions it hath pleased my heaueÌly father to haue mine obedieÌce throughly tried and approued Neither lownesse of degree nor pouertie not the trauailles of this life not the obloquie of men not the Phariseis laiyng await for you not the threatenyng of men of power hath disseuered you froÌ coumpaniyng and liuyng with me wheras others haue fallen away froÌ me wheras others haue not had the bold spirit to professe theÌselfes disciples of mine That yf ye shall still persist in thesame mynde that ye haue hitherto had and shall not irke in the meane tyme to folowe my humilitie to the end ye may the better profit all persones I againe on my parte shall bryng to passe that ye shall an other day bee partakers of the glorye of my kyngdome For it hath so pleased my father that this shal bee the waie to the kyngdome of heauen And thesame haue I heretofore opened vnto you will doe again thorough my death By meane of lowenesse my father shall exalte me to the glorye of a kyngdome by temporall affliccions to ioyes euerlasting And like as there is a kyngdome prepared for me of my father because I in the meane whyle accordyng to his will doe behaue and vse my selfe as a minister and not as a Lorde euen so will I after that I am exalted to the dignitie of my kyngdome prepare the feloweshyppe of the same kingdome for you that folowe my steppes in suche wyse that ye whiche haue not sought for honour here in this worlde but haue behaued your selfes as ministers and seruauntes vnto all others diligently dispensing the doctrine of the ghospell shall sitte with me at my table in my kyngdome not now as ministers but as the honourable chyldren of god And where ye are nowe for my sake reputed amoÌg the Iewes for persones moste abiect ye shal at that houre sitte as head men of dignitie vpon twelue thrones iudgyng the twelue tribes of Israell For at that day shall the vasenesse of suche people appere as at this present seme to sitte on high benche in this world so shall your highnes who seme at this daye to be the outcastes of the world Thus muche did the lord Iesus speake vnder a figure qualifiyng and teÌperyng his wordes to the rawnesse of his disciples whiche rawnesse be suffered for these causes to remaine a long season in them partly because he would in vs the more effectually plucke out suche worldly affeccioÌs as the disciples wer at that time subiect vnto partly because we should learne with great pacience fauour to suffre the weakenes frailtie of other folkes vntil they may growe to thinges of more perfeccion And the Lord said Simon ⪠Simon beholde Satan hath desired to lift you as it were wheat But I haue praied for thee that thy faith fail not And whan thou art conuerted strength thy brethren And he said vnto him Lord I am ready to goe with thee into prison to death And he saied I tell thee Peter the cocke shall not crowe this daye till thou hast thrise denied that thou knowest me There was no more remaining but for hym to arme the mindes of his disciples against the tempeste euen than approchyng and to roote out of theyr hertes the puttyng of their trust and confidence in themselfes For the sodain stormes of affliccions dooeth to no persones so ouer geue an ouerthrow then to suche as haue a confidence and boldenesse in their own strength But suche persones as vtterlye mistrustyng theyr owne assurednesse that is to say all worldly aide and mainteinaunce of man do wholly depend of goddes defeÌce and helpe suche none others are hable to stand sure against all the vproares tumultuous businesses of this preseÌt worlde So than tourned he his tale vnto Peter to the entent he might by exaumple of Peter trayne and correcte them all For he knewe Peter to be of a more quicke and prest spirite theÌ the others and to bee one that put very muche confidence in hymself of a tendre good affeccion certes but yet humain and worldly For he had not yet receyued thatsame holy spirite of god being the bounteous geuer of al vertue He therefore saied Simon Simon beholde Satan hath earnestlye desyred to haue you all that he might winow and sifte you as they do wheate of a purpose to blow you in soondre if he might And he would so haue doen in dede in case ye had been or should be leaft to your own frailtie but I haue hartyly prayed my father for thee Peter that although thy faith wil be somwhat waueryng yet it maye not fail clene away The first exaumple hereof it hath pleased hym to shewe vpon thee whiche trustest verye muche on thy selfe to the end that beeyng come to thyselfe again after thy falle thou maiest by exaumple of thy self confirme thy brethreÌ whaÌ thei shal through the same frailtie bee fallen to the end they may euery one of them vnderstande that no man may possibly of his own strength bee an hable matche againste the malyce of Satan onlesse he bee stayed with my aide and mainteinaunce Peter whan he heard these wordes trustyng yet still in his owne strengthe aunswereth Lorde what fallyng a way from thee or what conuersion doest thou tell me of Naie thou shalt perceiue and fynde me a constant man in faith and vnpossible to be ouercomed And like as I haue not hitherto at any tyme forsaken thee so will I not forsake thee at any tyme hereafter neither insomuche that I am ready to put my self in extreme dauÌger of my life with thee whether it be to go into prisoÌ yea or to death either This saiyng of Peter procedyng truely out of a good a plain menyng hert but yet not eueÌ throughly knoweÌ vnto hiÌself the lord immediatly repressed with this auÌswer ⪠what saiest thou Peter Art thou he that wilt go into prison to death with me Naye I tell thee another contrary tale aforehaÌd For it will so cum to passe that thou wylt thrise reneague me wilt sweare thou knowest me not eueÌ this preseÌt night before the cocke crowe twise so great shal the storme of affliccioÌ be vpoÌ thee And he said vnto thâ whan I seÌt you without wallet or scrippe shoes lacked ye any thing And thei said no. Thou said he vnto theÌ but now he that hath a wallet let him take it vp and likewise his scrippe and he
vpon whome he had bestowed that benefite of health he sayed vnto hym beholde thou hast obteyned health and art deliuered from the bodelye sickenes whiche came to the by reason that thy soule was sicke I haue cured thee of bothe those diseases Take thou good hede hereafter that thou fall not agayne into thyne olde former synnes and therby cause thy selfe to haue some wourse disease Therfore after the man that was made whole knewe that this was he whiche before had commaunded him to carrye awaye his couche and whiche nowe also hauyng testified himself to be the authour of health did monish and warne hym to beware leste he shoulde fall agayne into some sorer and wurse disease by committing and renewyng synne also perceyuyng that his name was Iesus the sayed manne went to the maliciouse and slaunderous Iewes and tolde them howe it was Iesus whom he might thanke for his health thinkyng that it should be profitable for manye to haue hym knowen to all menne whiche with a woorde could so helpe a desperate disease And here nowe againe the Iewes peruerse and damnable frowardnes sheweth it selfe for wheras the Samaritanes had honourably receyued Iesus by the reporte of one woman whereas the people of Galilee beeyng euill spoken of commonlye among the Iewes for theyr basenes ignoraunce of the lawe had geuen credite to Christ when a great ruler also beyng a gentile and an heathen man with all his familie and householde for one onely miracle had confessed Iesus to be the sauioure of the worlde yet the citizens of Ierusalem beyng proude as well of the noblenesse of theyr citie as also of the wholy religion of theyr temple and in lykewise auauntyng themselues to bee menne exactely learned in the lawe picked quarels to Iesus of suche purposed malice that albeit the benefite of healthe was so euident that it coulde not be denayed and so holy that it coulde not be found faulte with for what thyng is more holy then freely to geue healthe of body to a manne miserablye afflicted yet dooe they laye to Christes charge as a faulte that without regard of the Sabboth daye he hath commaunded hym to carye awaye his couche as who saye man had be made for the Sabboth daye and not rather the Sabboth daye ordeyned for manne or as though the ceremonies of Moses lawe oughte not euerye where to geue place to more holye preceptes and dueties But what great blyndnes was this to disdayne Iesus because he hadde healed a piteouse creature vpon the Sabboth daye when they whiche thoughte themselues moste precyse kepers and obseruers of the lawe were not afrayed to helpe vp theyr asse beyng fallen into the ditche vpon the Sabboth daye They falsly say that in helpyng the manne God was offended without whose helpe the man coulde not be cured but in helpyng vp the asse they thought not the religion of the Sabboth day be broâân This is the ouerthwart and disordered religion of the Iewes imbracyng outwarde apparaunce of religion and therby subuertyng the very perfeccion of true religion styffely obseruing the shadowes of the lawe and with obstinate mindes persecutyng hym who was the cause that the lawe was wrytten For they did not onely slaunder Iesus but also persecuted him because he had doen an holy and good dede vpon the Sabboth daye And Iesus aunswered them My father worketh hytherto and I worke Therfore the Iewes sought the more to kyll hym not onely because he had broken the Sabboth but sayed also that God was his father and made hymselfe equall with God But Iesus to shewe that he was maister of the Sabboth day and not bonde the verye auctor and not subiecte to it therewithall declareth that the thyng wherof the Iewes slaundred hym beyng sonne to the father of heauen and one that did worke whatsoeuer he did by his fathers auctoritie dyd also redounde to his fathers dishonour Iesus I saye went about to represse and put awaie the Iewes false reporte of him with these woordes My heauenly father saieth he whose religiouse wurshippers ye would seme to bee who also made the sabboth daye for you when after he had made the whole worlde in sixe daies he rested the seuenth daye and wroughte not he I saye did not so bynde hymself to rest and quiet but that he maye worke whatsoeuer he wyll as ofteÌ as it pleaseth him For althoughe the sabboth daye dooeth yet stil endure neuerthelesse he ceasseth not from his worke wherby he gouerneth all thynges whiche he hath made wherby also he causeth from tyme to tyme by procreacion one thyng to succede of another and finally wherby he restoreth thynges decayed Therfore lyke as he doeth not cease dayly to do good both to men all other thinges that he hath create notwithstanding the religion and obseruaunce of the Sabboth day wherin as scripture saieth he ceassed from the creacion of thynges so I who am his sonne hauyng both power and exaumple of hym to worke suche thinges as perteineth to mans saluacion am not letted by the religious obseruacion of the Sabboth day but I maye perfourme those thynges whiche my father hath commaunded me But yf ye blame me for breaking of the Sabboth daye by thesame meanes ye condemne also my father who geueth me both exaumple and autoritie to do these thynges But yf ye thynke hym faultlesse and glorifie hym for restoryng health to a desperate creature wherfore do ye laye to my charge the fault of breaking the Sabboth daie and do not rather acknowledge the vertue and power whiche is greater than the keping of the Sabboth daie I haue restored lyfe to a miserable man And you craftely go about to procure my death for doyng so good a dede These moste sacred wordes which Iesus spake dyd so litle asswage the fury of the Iewes that they were thereby the more sharpened and vehemently styred against hym sekyng occasion to putte him to death because that nowe he dyd not only breake the Sabboth daie but also dyd as they sayed wrongfullye take god to be his owne father makyng himselfe equall with god both in his woorkes and auctoritie to do whatsoeuer he would ¶ Than answered Iesus and sayed vnto them Uerely verely I say vnto you the sonne canne do nothyng of hymselfe but that he seeth the father doe For what soeuer he doeth that doeth the sonne also For the father loueth the sonne and sheweth hym all thynges that hymselfe doeth and he will shewe hym greater workes then these bycause you shoulde meruayle âor lykewyse as the father rayseth vp the dead and quickeneth them euen so the sonne quickeneth whom he wil. Neyther iudgeth the father any man but hath coÌmitted all iudgemente vnto the sonne because that all men should honour the sonne euen as they honour the father He that honoureth not the sonne thesame honoureth not the father whiche hath sent hym But after our Lord Iesus had perceiued their malice he procedeth further with them and openeth more manifestely vnto
riche oppresseth the poore Therfore iudge not after the qualitie of the persone but lette your iudgemeÌt be iuste and rightful according to the matter if ye will truelye obserue Moses lawe But after these thinges and many suche other were spoken by our Lord Iesus so gentelly that they had been able to haue pacified neuer so cruell a minde when his sayinges also were so trewe that they could not be proued false and confuted of any man were he neuer so shamelesse the Phariseis of truth ceassed from speakyng but neuerthelesse they persist and continue in theyr malice without any mitigacion of minde because he durst in the presence of a multitude in suche wise laye from himselfe the faulte of breakyng the Sabboth that he burdened them with a muche greater crime ¶ Then sayed sum of them of Hierusalem is not this he whom they go about to kil But loâhe speaketh boldely and they saye nothing to him Doe the rewlers knowe in dede ⪠that this is very Christe Howbeit we knowe this man whence he is but when Christe cummeth no man knoweth whence he is Then cryed Iesus in the temple as he taught saying Ye bothe knowe me and whence I am ye knowe And I am not cum of my selfe but he that sent me is true whom ye knowe not But I knowe him and if I saye that I knowe hym not I shall be a lyar lyke vnto you But I knowe hym for I am of hym and he hath sent me The Phariseis pride was so great that they would be thus farre priuileged that an innocent being accused should rather geue ouer his true cause then that theyr auctoritie shoulde any thing quayle amongest the people and rather that Gods prayse and glorye shoulde be nothyng at all spoken vpon than that any parte of their honour shoulde decaye And yet euen this kynde of men founde many among the people whiche had rather serue this lewde ambicion of theirs then to obey Gods will For certain of Hierusalem sayed Is not this he whom the Scribes and Phariseis drift is to put to death and whom men thought did hyde himselfe and durste not cum to the hye feastfull day for feare of them Lo he speketh openly in the temple and vttereth his mind vnto them frankely and frely euen to theyr face yet do they geue hym no aunswer What meaneth this their sylence Are our head rulers brought in belefe that this is Messias and now confesse that thing with silence whiche they did before impugne and denie Howbeit it is not lyke to be true that the chefe rewlers should thus thinke for euen all we knowe whence this man came His father and mother are knowen well inough to be playne folkes and of a meane sorte we knowe what countrey man he is we knowe also his brethren and his other kinsfolkes But whan Messias cummeth he shall so cum that no man shall knowe from whence he cummeth Iesus perceyuing theyr blindnesse to be so great that where as the prophecie had geuen knowledge beforehande that Messias shoulde cum out of Bethleem where Iesus was borne and where all other signes of the prophecies agree with hym to all purposes yet they beyng blynded with malice denye that they knowe hym for no cause els but because they knowe him and therfore euen of purpose they make a lye saying that Christ shoulde cum so that no man should know from whence he cummeth and this they forge because they would not be compelled to recognyse him Iesus I say froÌ whose knowleage no not the secretes of men were hidde to rebuke also this foolish ignorance of the multitude whiche was corrupt with seing their head men so set and affected whiche multitude was wilfully ignorant in that thing whiche they might haue knowen but that theyr lewde minde letted theyr iudgemente doeth now with a more shrill and loude voice to thintente he might be heard not onely of them that were nye at hande but of all the people whiche were within the temple a place moste conuenient to haue Gods glorye preached and setfurth in beginne to teache openly who he was and from whom he was sent and that no man could be ignorant who he was but eyther suche one as wilfully would be without knowleage or els he that of very malice would not confesse the thing that he knewe and thus doing Iesus doeth admonishe vs therwith to giue place oftentimes to the malice of men lest it beying more kindled shoulde do wurse and more cruelly and so prouoke a more sorer iudgemeÌt of God against them thus also ⪠after that by all assayes he did all that could be doen for their amendment he might iustely geue them ouer and leaue them as desperate persones to theyr owne folly and disease not that the Glorie of God should be hid conceled ne yet the neyghbours health and saluacion neglected for theyr obstinate wickednesse If therfore sayeth Iesus ye do not thinke me to be Messias whome by the prophecies of your Prophetes ye looke for bycause ye knowe from whence I came euen that is the very thing which might teache you that I am he in dede who haue cum after such sorte was borne in that selfe place out wherof the Prophetes hath tolde before hand yâ Messias should cum Ye haue heard Iohns record of me ye se my miracles ye heare me beare witnes to the trueth studying about none other thing but Gods glory your saluacioÌ And therfore ye muste nedes knowe me except ye had leauer wylfully be ignorant in the thing ye knowe And how can ye say the Messias should so cum that no man can knowe from whence he cummeth when as the Prophetes pointe and assigne both his stocke and his countrey These thinges being knowen vnto you might induce and further you to the vnderstanding of the prophecie howbeit it is a thing of more force and better it were to knowe from whence I came than what stocke I am borne of And in case ye woulde consider me with pure and sincere iyes ye could not of trueth be ignorauÌt therin Neyther am I so of the worlde nor do nowe cum out of the worlde as ye do slaunderously reporte of me but I cum from him that sente me into the worlde to the intent it might conuert and be saued For I am sent from him whom ye knowe not and for this cause he sent me that ye also shoulde learne to knowe him by me as muche as he may of man be knowen Albeit ye can by no meane yet knowe him except ye applye your selfes through godlines to deserue that he would geue you knowlage of him For they knowe him not that doeth not obey his will And it is not sufficient to knowe God in woordes if ye denye him in your dedes If ye will haue true knowelage of the father ye must learne it of his sonne I onely haue truely knowen him because I proceded from him and was with him before I
Iesus therfore beyng delited in the great desyre of the woman doeth now with a knowen familier voyce speake vnto her and calleth her Marie At this knowen voyce the woman sodainly turnyng herselfe for euen at this very presente she had bowed downe herselfe agayne towardes the angels so muche was she by sodayne mocions of mynde stiered to loke this waye and that waye the woman I saie knewe Iesus and rauished with a sodayne ioye she a disciple speaketh to the master and calleth hym Rabboni whiche worde in the Syrians tonge signifieth Master And withal she falleth flatte downe to the grounde and would haue kissed his feete hauyng yet in remembraunce theyr olde familiaritie But Iesus knowyng that as yet she thought no great excellente thyng of hym although she loued him sincerely and ardently did prohibite her to touche his bodye For Marie sawe well that he was aliue agayne but she thought that he was reuiued for none other cause but as he did before to liue familiarlye with his frendes beyng now a man aliue where as before he was dead and ignoraunt she was that he now caryed about with hym an immortall body which was to be handled with muche greater reuerence whiche bodye the Lorde did neuer exhibite or present to the wicked nor suffered it to be handled of euerye man to th entent he might litle by litle altogether withdrawe them from the loue of the bodye Touche me not sayeth he it is thesame bodye whiche hong vpon the crosse but it is nowe beautified and adourned with the glory of immortalitie But truely thine affeccion is yet somedeale carnall because I haue not yet ascended vp to my father whiche thyng once doen I shall sende vnto you the spirite that is the comforter and he shall make you perfite and wurthy to haue the spirituall felowship of me In the meane time content thy selfe with that thou hast seen me and heard me speake and specially now go thou to my brethren whiche are throughe my death comforteles and foorth with make them partakers with thee of the ioye and comforte whiche thou haste receyued by the sight of me and vpon these my wordes shewe them that to this ende I am rysen from death to lyfe euen that after I haue taried a certayne dayes among them I maye leaue the worlde and ascende vp to my father who is also your father and thesame is both your god and mine common to bothe Let them therfore put away earthly affeccions and rectifie their mindes applying thesame to spiritual and heauenly thinges Mary Magdalene came and tolde the disciples that she had seue the lorde and that he had spoken suche thynges vnto her Thesaâe daye at night whiche was the firste daye of the âabbothes when the dores were shât where thâ disciples were assembled together for feare of the Iewes came Iesus and stoode in the middes and sayeth vnto them Peace bee vnto you And whân he had so sayed he sheweth vnto them his handes and his syde Then were the disciples glad when they sawe the lorde Now than Mary did as he bad her and returnyng againe to the disciples shewed them that she had seen the lorde and tolde them the thynges whiche he had commaunded to be made relacion of in his name and this was doen that they should take right great comforte of that he nowe called them his brethren and prepare also theyr myndes to the loue and desyre of eternall and heauenly thynges for as muche as the preseÌt vse of his body should not endure long with them After that with these and certayne other apparicions the lord Iesus had litle by litle lift vp theyr myndes to quicknesse of spirite and to the hope of the resurreccion already past the selfe same daye that was the morowe after the sabboth daye whiche next to folowed the sabboth of Easter when it was nighte and the disciples secretelye gathered together whiche for feare of the Iewes durste not assemble together in the daye tyme. Iesus went in to them when the doores were shut and standyng in the middes in the sight of them all to take awaye al feare from them he saluted them amiably and full gentlye saying with a voyce well knowen vnto them Peace with you And lest they shoulde suspect it to be a ghost or another bodye he sheweth vnto them the printe of the nayles in his handes and the scarre of the wounde whiche the souldier hadde made in his side with a speare With this salutacion and sight the fayth of his disciples was confirmed the sorowe takeÌ awaye and theyr myndes muche recreate and made ioyouse For Iesus had promised them before that thus it shoulde be that within a shorte tyme he woulde see them agayne and after they hadde seen hym and theyr sorowe put awaye that he would make their hertes gladde and merye And therewithal he tolde them this also should folow that in the world they should haue sorow and heuinesse but in hym they shoulde haue peace and quietnesse Then sayed Iesus to them agayne Peace be vnto you As my father sent me euen so sende I you also ⪠And when he had sayed these woordes he brethed on them and sayeth vnto them Whosoeuers sinnes ye remit they are remitted vnto theÌ and whosoeuers synnes ye retayne they are retayned But Thomas one of the twelue which is called Didimus was not with them when Iesus came The other disciples therfore sayed vnto hym We haue seen the lord But he sayed vnto them Excepte I see in his handes the printe of the uayles and thruste my hande into his syde I wyll not beleue Therfore to confirme the Apostles in theyr ioye and coumforte the more he once agayne saluteth them with good lucke of peace saying Peace with you And at the same tyme withal he hiely auctoriseth them and commaundeth theÌ to preache the thinges whiche they had seen and sayeth As my father sent me so do I sende you I haue truely and faithfully glorifyed my fathers name and you agreyng amoÌg your selues shal with lyke trueth and faithfulnesse preache my fathers name and mine Prepare your mindes to this fuÌccion and office for asmuche as I nowe that I haue doen diligently the thyng that I had in commission to do go agayne to my father and from thence I shall sende vnto you more plentie and more power of the holy ghost In the meane while shall I also make you partakers of the holy ghost accordyng to your capacitie and euen as he was thus speakyng he brethed on them and gaue them the spirite with auctoritie to forgeue all men theyr sinnes that woulde be ioyned to hym by profession of the ghospel and by baptisme and that woulde forthinke their former life and be eftsones amended where they haue erred Whosoeuers synnes ye remit sayeth he they are remitted vnto them and whosoeuers ye retayne they shall abide subiecte to theyr synnes When these thinges were doen the residue of the disciples were assembled together Thomas onely
any thyng that his brothers necessitie requyred But the apostles which were as chiefe pieres of thys newe citie beeyng dispurueyed of worldely goodes but ryche in gyftes of the holy ghost augmented theyr company euery day more than other bearyng wytnes of our Lord Iesus Christes resurreccion with wonderfull great stedfastnesse of mynde and myghty power in workyng of miracles For his resurreccion was pryncipally to be perswaded by witnes of miracles For many one at his death had been present and not a fewe had been pryuy to his buriall And so lyued thys newe comminaltie vnder ryght valyaunte Capitaynes hauyng aboundaunce of all thinges for what they lacked in goodes was supplied and borne out with mutuall loue and concorde For although many one were poore yet was there none amongest them that lacked For as many as were possessioners eyther of landes or houses made sale of them and brought the pryce therof and laied it at the Apostles feete that they whom reuerently as fathers they regarded myght distribute the same goodes in common at theyr owne pleasure Fynally there was no lesse vpryghtnes amongest them that dealed the pryce of mennes possessions then was with those whiche brought it Trueth and vpryght dealyng is seldome founde among stewardes of housholde and layers out of money But here was that distribucion made among them accordyng to euery mannes necessitie without any choyse had of persons There was in this company one Ioseph whome the apostles by syrname called Barnabas whiche woorde in the Sirians toung betokeneth sonne of comforte by bloud and auncestry a Leuyte borne in Cipres This Ioseph bycause he dyd excell among other in great giftes and qualities of the mynde by reason wherof he was called Barnabas for the ioyfull comforte that the multitude had of his accesse was an example for many to folowe that lyberaliâie whiche was semely for the ghospel For wheras he had lande in Cypres he solde it and brought the pryce therof and layed it at the Apostles feete as though it had been a vyle thyng and woorthy to be despised But yet were the Apostles of suche holynes that they would take nothyng therof for them selues aboue other The .v. Chapter ¶ A certayne man named ânanias with Saphira his wyfe solde a possession and kepte awaye parte of the pryce his wyfe also being of counsell and brought a certayne part and layed it downe at the apostles feete But Peter said Ananias howe is it that Sathan hath fylled thyne herte that thou shouldest lye vnto the holy ghost and kepe awaie part of the pryce of the landes Pertayned it not vnto the onlyâ after it was solde was it not in thyne owne power why hast thou conceiued this thing in thine herte thou hast lyed not vnto meÌ but vnto God Whan Ananias heard these wordes he fell downe and geue vp that ghost And great feare came on all them that hearde these thynges And the young men arose vp and put him aparte and carryed him out and buryed hym BUt lyke as Barnabas playne trueth without colourable deceite moued many to folowe his lyberalitie so was here an exaÌple to put al people in feare that in matters of spiritual charge one should not deceyue an other For the holy ghost loueth playnes of hearte and hateth al deceite dissimulacion In like maner Iudas among the twelue Apostles was an example that no man shoulde put affiaunce in hymselfe but that eche manne should with all carefull diligence continewe in doyng his dutie There was of this companie a certayne man called Ananias one farre vnlyke vnto his owne name because he throughly not consented to the gracious fauour of God This Ananias had a wyfe called Saphira not vnlyke vnto the housbande Whan that Ananias more ambicious of honour theÌ desirous of perfite holynesse sawe dyuerse persons hyghly commended of all menne for their free sincere lyberalitie he solde his lande laied vp parte of the money his wyfe being pryuy therunto and allowing the same that of the two partes wherein his money was deuided the one shoulde purchase him prayse of the people with an estimation also or fame of holynesse the other woulde he kepe for himselfe yf any nede should happen distructing doubtlesse the holy ghoste and more caring or prouiding for himselfe then for the whole company of his brethren rekenyng thus with himselfe yf other dye for hunger I am sufficiently prouided for Suche forecasting was not besemyng a man that should put his whole affiance in Christe who promysed that they shoulde wante nothyng that seketh for the kyngdome of god and the rightwysenes therof neyther was this imaginacion mete for hym whiche shoulde bee of one will wyth other and of one mynde Whan he had brought to the apostles feete parte of the money that his liuelode was solde for Peter vnderstandyng by inspiracion of the holy ghoste whiche was in him aboundauntly the mannes vngodly dissimulacion sayed Ananias where as thou hast once dedicate thy selfe to the holy ghost and seen his power by so many tokens euidently declared why hast thou suffered the deuill nowe eftesones to put this in thy mynde to take by stelth awaye parte of that money whiche thou receyuedst for thy lyuelode as though thou couldest face downe the holy ghost with a lye who can in nowyse be deceyued and to bryng into this companie suche a presidente moste daungerouse If we had constrayned thee to sell thy liuelode against thy will some cause peraduenture it might haue been for to dissemble nowe sence thou diddest this of thyne owne free wyll whiche thou haste done to what purpose auayled it to deface that thyng with hypocryse whiche should haue bene to other an example of liberalitie Mightest not thou haue kept thy lande in thyne owne hand yf thou wouldest and moreouer after thou haddest solde it couldest not thou haue reserued the money wholy vnto thy selfe They for theyr trueth playne dealyng are well commended whiche of theyr owne free will bringeth forth all that they haue For we enforce no man thus to doe yf he be not willyng to thesame Upon what occasion than hast thou stablyshed in thy minde thus to disseÌble in this matter It is not man that thou hast made this lye vnto but almightie god Yf thou thinkest that god may be deceyued thyne opinion of him is false and vngodly But yf thou beleue that he is pryuie to all thynges eyther thou despisest his righteousnesse or els thou thynkest that he fauoureth falsehood Ananias than perceyuing that thapostles knewe hys falsehood sodaynly fell downe as one that had be stricken to the herte with a sharpe rebuke and yelded vp the ghoste One for an example suffered death that many myght be therby preserued For after that this facte was bruted abrode it made many sore afrayed that none durste enterpryse any suche lyke offence against the holy ghost Young men remoued thence the dead corse and whan they had carryed it foorth buryed it
the other or els leaue to the one and dispyse the other Ye cannot serue god and Mammon Therefore I saye vnto you bee not careful for your lyfe ⪠what ye shall eate or drinke nor yet for your body what garment ye shall put on Is not the life more worth than meate and the body more woorth than âayment Beholde the fowles of the ayer for they sowe not nor reape not nor cary into the barnes and your heauenly father fedeth them Are ye not muche better than they Thinke not those men woorthy to bee hearde whiche deuide themselues betwene God and men betwene yerthe and heauen and so folowe thinges eternal that they wil not dispise thinges temporall For they doe nothing els but where as they woulde catche bothe they obteine neyther of bothe Thys heauenly Philosophie like as it doeth promise great rewardes so it doeth require the whole man And emong men a man shal not find two of such geÌtil coÌdicions that one seruauÌt can be hable to please both So it cuÌmeth to passe that th one must be forsaken or els neither can be satisfied And if the maisters be of contrary appetites and do square within theÌselues by some greuous debate it must nedes be that the seruaunt if he wil please the one must not onely forsake thother but also sticke vnto the one hate the other whome he hath forsaken And if he wil go from this againe vnto thother he must nedes translate and tourne his loue and seruice vnto him onely and dispise thother whome he hath forsaken And who be so contrary one to an other as God and Mammon how can one ãâã two whan they commaunde so diuers thinges God commaundeth thee to geue of that thou hast to the neady Mammon coÌmaundeth the to take away other mens by right and by wrong God commaundeth the to prouide for thy brother which is in danger Mammon coÌmauÌdeth the to liue to thyself God commaundeth sobrenes Mammon teacheth excesse and ryot Wherefore ye flatter your selues in vayne if ye beleue that that thing may be doone whiche is vnpossible that is to serue both God and Mammon His seruauÌt is eche man to whome he is wholly geuen Ye see howe riches doâe possesse them full and whole which do trauaile for it with so great tumult busines which defende them and kepe them with so great carefulnes whiche forgoe theÌ with so great griefe for these they suffer all thinges for these they dooe all thinges Whoso hath bound himselfe to this seruice can not be the seruauÌt of god he requireth the whole manne and cannot abide the feloweship of so fowle and filthy a maister nor can not abide a dimy seruant which is partaker with his aduersary But the common sorte of ryche men are wont to excuse the sore of auarice by the pretence of mans necessitie They say by these thynges men prouyde for against hunger and nakedness ⪠So speake they which doe not depend wholy of god but put their trust in their owne defence and ayde My wil is ye should be voide from this carefulnes leste it withdrawe you from the desire of better thinges The necessitie of nature is content with very litle euery where it is to be had that may suffice for such as I wil my seruantes to be For either ãâã liberalitie of good menne alwaies ready shal suffice or elles diligence and laboure shall prouyde that thyng whiche may ease necessitie Fynally yf none of these helpe the father wil not forsake those that be his for he that geueth the greater thynges will caste the smaller thynges to them whiche with all theyr hartes desyre after heauenly thinges although they be not carefull for the worlde Therefore lay not vp nor hoorde not for a long tyme bee not vexed with carefulnes of meate without whiche ye cannot liue neyther with carefulnes of apparell that couereth youre body and kepeth you from colde Is not the lyfe more precyous than meate Is not the body more precyous than the garment He that hath geuen these better thynges and hath geuen them to suche as were not careful shall it greue him to nourishe and preserue that which he hath geuen with these thinges of lesse valewe and estimacion If ye desire an exaumple looke vpon other lyuyng thynges whiche the maker of all thinges hath made for youre sake Hath he not prouyded a lyuyng for al thinges that he hath made Consider the birdes of the ayer they sow not they reape not they lay not vp in barnes carefull for tyme to come they liue from day to day without all carefulnes whatsoeuer they get they take it ioyfully yet the heauenly father geueth meate vnto them all And wil he disapoynte you whome he estemeth farre aboue the byrdes And if he be carefull ouer you as he is in dede is not your carefulnes in vayne If he forsake you what shall youre carefulnes preuayle As he hath geuen a body after his owne deuise so will he geue a liuing after his owne deuise ¶ Whiche of you by carefull thoughte can adde one cubitâ vnto his stature And why care ye so taymente Coâsyder the ââllies of the fyelde howe they growe They labour not they spinne not And yet I say vnto you No not Salomon in all his royaltie was apparayled lyke one of these Wherefore yf god so appaâayleth the grasse of the fielde whiche standing this day to morow is cast into the furnace shall he not much more doe the same for you oye oâ ãâã sayth Wil ye se how vnprofitable the carefulnes of the minde is about such thinges What man is there be he neuer so carefull that can adde one cubite to the stature of his body But euery mannes body though he thynke nothyng vpon it groweth with certayne increase vnto a quantitie appoynted of god If thou cast away all care thy body shal be nothing the shorter If thou be vexed with care thy body shall bee nothyng the hygher Therefore he that maketh the body bigge and strong without thy carefulnesse he will prouyde liuyng for thee without thy carefulnes who doeth withdraw thee from care of those thinges whiche be not gotten without our diligence It is great folishnes therfore to feare leste ye should lacke foode for as much as ye see that birdes be prouided for sufficiently And now leste ye should be careful for prouision of apparel for the body consider the lilâes whiche doe spring and growe in the fieldes without the care of any man They labour not nor spinne not and who doeth prouyde them of apparell as semeth good to hym who but the heauenly father And he doth so prouide that neyther Salomon the notable ryche gay king was euer so apparelled whan he chiefely did âet foorth the glory of his riches as one of these poore lilies smally regarded and set by which grow not onely in gardens wher man bestoweth some labour and diligence but grow also in medowes of
great with the for the simplicitie of fayth whom the worlde taketh for fooles and abiectes So it pleased thy godly wysedome to condemne the wisedome of man and to drawe vnto thee good menne by the humilitie of the doctryne euangelicall And by and by turnyng to them that stoode aboute him sayed My father is the author and the cause of all these good thynges who hath deliuered all vnto me To knowe hym and me is the very true felicitie And he doeth not bowe hymselfe but to quiet and meke myndes This is a certayne secrete Philosophie and not knowen vnto the worlde No manne knoweth the sonne but the father no manne knoweth the father but the sonne and to whom the sonne wyll manifest hym and he doth not manifest him to the proude and high minded The doctryne auayleth nothyng the miracles auayleth nothyng without the secrete inspiracion But none be worthy of this but they whiche distrusting theyr owne helpes commit themselfe wholy to the goodnes of God They that thynke themselues wyse be not worthy for this wysedome They that thynke themselfes ryche be not receyued to these ryches They that thynke themselfes noble and myghtie be not receyued to these priuities They that thynke themselfes iuste be not mete to receyue the iustice of God ¶ Come vnto me all ye that labour and are laden and I will ease you Take my yoke vpon you and learne of me For I am âeke and lowely in hearte and ye shall finde rest vnto your soules For my yoke is easy and my burden is lyght Here Iesus consideryng in his mynde the great miserye and calamitie of mankynde some to be opressed with pouertie againe some more greuously to be tormeÌted with care for riches some to be greued with diseases some with olde age some to be vexed with loue and some more greuously troubled with hatred many to wander and wauer in sundry mazes of false opinions many to be afflicted and greued inwardly with the conscience of theyr synnes and that there was none whiche played the parte of a faythfull and effectuall pastour whereas there were innumerable whiche tâke vpon them to be priestes in countenaunce and hawtie behauioure whiche magnified themselfes by the name of maister Rabby and whiche dyd exacte theyr tithes moued with pitie and compassion doeth inuite and call vnto hym all men promisyng of his owne accorde vnto all menne comforte and remedy so that with a syngle and syncere harte they cumme vnto hym and shakyng of the moste miserable and moste greuous yoke of the worlde take vpon them the yoke of the doctryne euangelicall Cumme vnto me sayeth he as many of you as bee greued with affliccions cares or with conscience of your synnes and as many as be oppressed with the burden of aduersitie I will refreshe you I will geue you solace and comforte agaynste all kyndes of displeasures Neyther ryches nor honours nor pleasures of this worlde bryngeth the true tranquillitie quietnes of mynde nor the wysedome of this wordle nor the religion of the Phariseis deliuereth from greuouse carefulnes The worlde hath his yoke at the firste apperaunce pleasaunte but in dede greuouse and sharpe Firste of all shake it of and runne vnto me gladly and bowe your neckes cherefully vnder my yoke Learne of me what thyng onely and truly doeth pacifye and ease the mynde and of what fountayne this whole cumulie and trouble of menne doeth spryng Truely this is the hawte and fyerce mynde trusting to it selfe and trustyng lytle to God Out of this spryngeth Ambicion desyre of money luste to reuenge debate enuy warre sedicion wickednes agaynste God than the whiche thynges what canne be more tinmultuous or troublesome So that yf ye will be once deliuered from all illes take awaye the fountayne of these euyls receyue my doctryne and folowe my lyfe Learne of me howe that I am meke and of no hawte herte I haue declared by miracles what I canne doe and yet I desyre neyther ryches nor honour and I am ambicouse and gredy vtterly vpon nothyng whiche semeth to the worlde great and goodly I disdayne none be he neuer so vile or sinfull I geue not taunte for taunte I curse not them that wyshe me yll I stryke not hym agayne that stryketh me I depende wholy of the commaundemente of my father He wyll punishe the yll doers he wyll rewarde the good dedes to hym I render the whole glorye to hym I committe all my care I obey simply and playnly in all thynges his will and as muche as in me is I study to do for all men and to hurte no manne Yf ye learne onely this of me ye shall fele and perceyue these miserable tumultes and troubles to be assuaged wherwith nowe ye be tossed and turmoyled without any ende and ye shall gette rest and quietnes to your myndes whiche shall folowe you and be with you in the mid tempestes of aduersities which trouble you on euery syde A meke and a colde mynde is the fountayne of all mannes tranquillitie and quietnes Onely hauyng confidence howe downe your neckes There is no cause why ye should feare my yoke It semeth harde and heuy vnto the vnbeleuers but vnto them which with all theyr harte trust vnto the goodnes of God whiche haue receyued the fyer of the euangelicall charitie my yoke is softe and easye and my burden is lyght For the certen and sure hope of rewardes maketh the yoke pleasauÌt and the inessable loue towardes God maketh the burden light For what is not swete and pleasaunte to him that hath a loue to it Yf the mynde haue a good conscience and be voyde of all care yf it haue a certayne trust of the rewardes of euerlastyng lyfe what shall spryng or ryse whiche canne trouble or moue suche a mynde ¶ The .xii. Chapter At that tyme Iesus went on the Sabboth dayes through the corne and his disciples were an hungred and began to plucke the cares of the corne and to eate But whan the Phariseis sawe it they sayed vnto hym beholde thy disciples do that whiche is not lawfull to do vpoÌ the Sabboth day But he sayd vnto them haue ye not red what Dauid did whan he was an hungred and they that were with hym howe he entred into the house of God and dyd eate the shewe breaddes which were not lawfull for him to eate neither for them whiche were with him but onely for the priestes Or haue ye not red in the lawe howe that on the Sabboth dayes the priestes in the temple breake the Sabboth and are blamelesse But I saye vnto you that in this place is one greater than the temple Wherfore yf ye wist what this meaneth will mercye and not sacrifice ye would not haue condemned innocentes For the sonne of man is Lorde also of the Sabboth daye ANd vpon a certayne daye as Iesus went by the corne and his Disciples stirred with hunger and goyng before hym plucked the eares of the corne and
rubbyng them with theyr handes eate the corne the Phariseis takyng occasion on euery syde falsely to blame them sayed vnto him Seest thou not what thy disciples do breaking the Sabboth day Why than doest thou not forbid them sith they do vpon the Sabboth daye that whiche is not lawfull Here Iesus so defended his disciples that they coulde not blame hym as the aucthour or breakyng of the Sabboth day teacheth them withall that suche maner ordinaunces ought to cease as often as necessitie or some notable profite chaunceth For the Sabboth daye fastinges and suche lyke constitucions were not ordeyned for mans hurte and vndoyng but for his preseruacion and health Therfore he doth obiect against the Phariseis beyng skilfull in the lawe an exaumple out of the lawe and that of a man not of the common sorte but of him whom they counted chiefly to be an honest man and blamelesse Why ê he doe ye falsely blame my disciples for that they asswage theyr hunger with a smale thing and easie to be gotten Haue ye not red how that holy Dauid coÌstrained by necessitie enterprised a greater thyng Who fleyng from Saule when he came to the citie of Nobe dyd eate the loaues whiche they called the leaues set furth to be shewed and not only he but also his folowers and seruauntes It is vnlawfull for any man sauing only priestes and Leuites to eate of these loaues but when he was in daunger for hunger neyther the priestes feared to shewe hym these loues nor Dauid feared not to touched and eate them as though they had been prophane and not holy Yf ye alowe the doyng of the priest Albimalech if ye disalow not the doyng of the Prophete Dauid why do ye reproue my disciples for a thing muche lesse to be regarded For what a finale worke is this to plucke vp the eares of corne being at hand to eate the corne rubbed out with your haÌdes Besides this the lawe it selfe coÌmaundeth the Sabboth to be broken For the priestes in the temple killing the beastes on the Sabboth day exercising the bucherly office gathering together a pile of wood and setting it a fier plucking of the skinne cuttyng them in pieces and sethyng them breake not they the Sabboth day the lawe suffereth no worke to be doen and yet the sacrate priestes doe exercise vse these fowle workes in any holy place vpon the sabboth day Ye knowe that these thinges be doen and ye doe allowe them for this because they make for the vse of the temple If the authoritie of the temple be so great that the worke which is bestowed vpon it doeth not breake the Sabboth daye this I saye vnto you Heare is one of greater authoritie than the temple They that doe seruice vnto hym ought more to be excused from the blame of breakyng of the Sabboth daye If they breake not the Sabboth day which labour in the sacrifices of Moyses muche more ought they to bee excused that serue and wayte vpon the ghospell whiche is a sacrifice moste acceptable to God He that did ordayne the Sabboth daye may also take awaye the Sabboth and he that ordeyned the Sabboth daye dyd ordayne it for mans sake and contrarywise he made not man because of the Sabboth daye It is mete therfore that the kepyng of the Sabboth daye geue place to the profite and commoditie of man and not man to perishe because of the Sabboth daye If sacrifice be made so muche of that whoso attendeth vpon it may blamelesse breake the Sabboth daye why holde ye not hym excused whiche by a necessariâ benefyte helpeth his neyghbour vpon the Sabboth daye For God confesseth that he estemeth more this kinde of sacrifice than yf a man offer vp to him a beast For he sayeth by his Prophete Osee. I desyre mercye and not sacryfice And the knowledge of God more than brente sacrifice Ye take vpon you to be learned in the lawe and yet this is wrytten in the lawe which yf ye truely vnderstoode ye would neuer haue blamed them that be blamelesse for a lyght matter noysome to no manne For there be certayne ordinaunces not that they be good or yll of themselfes but that by some meanes they be profitable towardes godlines and do rather signifie than bring or geue holines as be kindes of meate the colour or fashion or garmentes or the stuffe that they muste be made of fasting and holy dayes These thinges we must not so supersticiously obserue and kepe that for them we omitte and let passe thinges that be of themselues and euer good or doe those thynges whiche be of themselues and euer yll Aduoutrye homicide back bytyng and enuye bee euer yll and wicked And yet they that bee of the pharisaicall religion doe lesse abhorre from these thynges than from the bââakyng of the Sabboth daye To helpe thy nedye neghbour is euer godlye and holy and yet the Phariseis vnder the colour of kepyng of the Sabboth daye suffre theyr neyghbour to be greued and vexed But he departed thence and went into theyr Synagogue And beholde there was a man hauyng a withered hand And they ashed him saying Is it lawfull to heale vpon the Sabboth dayes That they myght accuse him And he sayed vnto them who emong you shall haue a shepe and if it fall into a pit on the Sabboth daies will he not take it and lift it out Than howe muche better is a man than a shepe Wherfore it is lefull to do a good dede on the Sabboth dayes Than sayeth he to the man stretch furth thy hande And he stretched it furth And it was restored vnto health lyke as the other This daungerous supersticion Iesus Christe studied clerely to plucke out of the myndes of his disciples Therfore to the intent he myght beate thesame into the myndes of all men by a more manifest example departing from this place he returned into theyr Synagogue mynding to take them to witnesse whom he knew to be chiefly infected with this disease And behold furthwith there was geuen hym occasion of a miracle For there was one in the multitude whiche had a lame and a wichered ryght hande Nowe the Phariseis lekyng after an honest quarell to accuse Iesus marked him whether he would heale the man vpon the sabboth day which a litle before defended thapostles where as they were blamed for breakyng of the sabboth daye But Iesus myndyng to declare vnto all men that their accusemente came not of religion but of enuy commaunded the man with the lame hande to come furth before them that the faulte myght appere vnto them all to the intent they myght be moued with pitie towarde the miserable man whiche had that membre dead and vnprofitable that is moste necessary for a poore manne But before he healed the man not ignoraunte what the Phariseis thought he demaunded of them this question Is it lefull to heale a manne on the sabboth daye And whether is it more
the ground sumtime he is dryuen into the fier sumtime into the water he fometh he gnasheth with his teeth coÌsumeth awaye And because I could not haue you I desired your disciples to cast out the deuil they could not But Iesus to heale the vnbelefe of all men crieth out in maner angerly O nacion vnbeleuing and without faythe how long shall I be among you in vayne howe long shall I suffre your vntractable and froward maners I haue doen so many miracles and profitte nothyng and therwith coÌmaunded the chylde to be brought because the miracle might be the more euident and âotable to all men Which when he was brought and seen of Iesê° furthwith euen there before theÌ al the spirite toke hym and the chylde was hurled vpon the ground and tumbled and fomed a miserable sight to see ThaÌ Iesê° the more to declare the greatnes of the disease asked the father how long it was sith the chyld began to be vexed with this disease The father made aunswer and sayed from his infancy and not without daunger of his life For oftentimes he droue him into the fier sumtyme into the water to destroy him I know that it is a soore disease yet yf thou caÌst do any thing haue mercy vpoÌ vs help vs. Iesê° hearyng yf thou canst sumwhat reprouyng the weakenes of his faith as who saieth any disease wer of greater might than the power of God sayth vnto him Aske not what I am able to do but loke what thou art able to beleue For if thou trust fully nothing is so hard but it may cum to passe to him that doth beleue trust At this word the father conceiuyng a trust and a more sure hope with plentifull teares criyng out made aunswer Lord I beleue and if any thing waÌt in my trust and belefe supply thou it of thy goodnes and help my vnbelefe In the meane time when Iesus espied the multitude of people runnyng to gase desyrous to see whether the thyng that came not to passe to the discyples should cum to passe to Iesus he threatened the vncleane spirit saiyng thou deaf and dumme spirit I commaund the go out from him and teturne not a gain vnto him hereafter But the spirite went froÌ the chylde with howlyng yet first he tore him and vexed him so vehemently that he lay for dead and many warranted that he was dead So strong and tough was the violence of the disease But Iesus taking the child by the hand lifted hym vp he arose Like as the father did hardly beleue so his soÌne was hardly heled ¶ Than came the disciples a part to Iesus and said why could not we cast hym out Iesus said vnto them because of your vnbelefe For verily I say vnto you yf ye haue fayth as a grain of musterde seede ye shall say vnto this mountayne Remoue from hence to yonder place and it shall remoue and nothing shal be vnpossible vnto you Albeit this kynde goeth not oute but by prayer and fastyng In the meane season the disciples wer heauy in their mindes fearing leste thorough their default they had lost the power of doyng miracles wheras before they had gloryed that deuilles also were obedient vnto their worde before the multitude they kepe sylence for shame But whan Iesus was cuÌ into the house they goe vnto their maister and demaund of hym why could not we cast out this deuill sith this power was once deliuered vnto vs froÌ thee Iesus to confyrme the faythe and trust of his disciples which oughte to be so great that sumtyme it myghte helpe the distruste of others sayeth The weakenesse of your fayth partely was the cause For the violeÌce of the disease was vehement and the fathers fayth weake and waueryng your faythe was not so mightie that it was equall and hable against both these difficulties For it is sumwhat werish with mannes affeccions and faultye by the reason of the leauen of vaynglorye And ye had faythe lyke the seede of mustarde which beyng vile and litle yet when it is broosed it sheweth a sharpe quicknes of her nature and sowed in the grounde springeth vp into a large tree nothing should be so harde but with a word it should be brought to passe out of hande Yea if ye should say to the hil remoue from hence and goe into an other place it would doe it forthwith as it was commaunded But this kynde of deuylles wherewith the chylde was possessed is not cast out vnlesse fayth be confirmed and strengthned by prayer and fastyng The violence of the disease was strong and tough and by continuaunce of time it was tourned into nature Agaynste suche maner of faultes we must fyght with fastynges which do subdue the body being brought lowe vnto the spirite and also with praier whiche obteyneth the help of god By this coÌmunicacion Iesus taught that greuous vehement and muche accustomed dyseases of the mind must be driuen away with strong vehemente remedies And whan they were in Galile Iesus sayd vnto them It will cum to passe that the soÌne of man shal be deliuered into the handes of men and they shall kyll hym and the third daye he shall rise againe And they were exceadyng sory But now Iesus whan he was in Galile to the entent he might fortify make strong the mindes of his disciples lest they should be ouer much troubled with his death again he doth iterate beate it into theÌ that the sonne of man must be delyuered into the handes of men and killed of them that the thyrde day he should rise agayn from death This saiyng did grieue the mindes of the disciples aboue measure which so loued their lord albeit theyr affeccion and loue was yet carnal that their eares could not suffre any mencion of death For they coulde not vnderstande that Moses and Helyas called the death of Iesus a glory renoume and that that death should bryng health and saluacion to the whole worlde And although like as they were heuy and fadde at the mencion of death so they ought to haue bene chereful glad at the mencion of the resurreccion yet their mynd abhorred so muche from the remembraunce of deathe that surelye they vnderstode not what it ment to dye and the thyrde day to rise agayn For they thought it better vtterly not to dye seeyng that he was hable to doe that whiche was hable to reuiue again from death And whan they were cum to the citie of Capernaum ⪠they that vse to receiue tribute money called a didraÌme came to Peter and said Doth your maister pay a didraÌme He saith yea And whan he was cum into the house Iesus preuented him saying What thinkest thou SimoÌ Of whom doeth the kynges of the earth take tribute or toll of their children or of straungers Peter sayeth vnto him of straungers Iesus sayd vnto hym than the chyldren be free Notwithstanding leste we shoulde offende them goe
remission of synnes and all the lande of Iewrye and they of Ierusalem went out vnto him and were all baptised of him in thy ryuer of Iordan confessing theyr synnes And albeit summe menne had leuer make a further rehersall of thistorye of the gospell and begynne the same with the natiuitie and birth of Iesu Christe Yet me thinketh it sufficient for that I woulde be briefe to take my begynnyng of Iohn Baptistes preaching For lyke as the day starre goeth before the Sunne so came he and appeared vnto the worlde before Christes preaching not by chaunce and fortune but by Goddes determinacion to styrre vp the myndes of the Iewes to looke for Messias that would streightwayes cum yea and to poynte hym vnto theim wyth his finger when he came the whiche Iohn the Prophetes so many hundred yeares sythens prophecied and told before should cum For the same prophetes whiche prophecied and spake of Christes cummyng spake and prophecied also of Iohn the forewalker of Christe For in Micheas the prophete God the father speaketh vnto his Sonne in this wyse Lo sayeth he I sende my especiall and electe messenger before thy face who shall make a waye for the that anon after shalt cum and take on the thoffice of preaching the ghospell Lykewyse the Prophete Esaye sygnifying the preachyng of Iohn sayeth The voyce of a cryar in wildernesse prepare ye the waye of the Lorde make strayght his pathes In semblable wyse the paciente is monished before the cummyng of the Phisician to knowlage hys disease and reuerently to receyue hym whan he cummeth and in all thynges to do after him and folowe his counsayle When therfore the tyme approched that Iesus Christe the sonne of God who was not yet knowen vnto the world should begin to take vpon hym this ministracion for the whiche he was sent downe from heauen into earth Iohn according as the Prophetes had prophecied and tolde before played the forecurrour baptizing in wildernesse not that he dyd therby washe awaye sinnes but onely styrre and exhort men to be repentaunt for their former lyfe that they knowleaging their disease shoulde gredely desire his cumming whiche onely baptizeth with spirite and fyre takyng awaye at once through fayth in him all sinnes endowyng mens soules with heauenly grace whiche he poureth out of hymselfe as out of the well and fountayne therof freely deliueryng from vnrighteousnesse freely geuyng ryghteousnesse freely deliueryng from death and freely geuyng lyfe euerlastyng The greater that this loue and kyndes was which God shewed vnto mankind the greuouser shall their punishment be that haue set nought by thesame when it was offred them And lest any should so do Iohn came before to prepare and dispose all men by his carnall baptisme to the spiritual baptisme of Christ to cause them by exhorting and making them afrayde to forthinke and hate their former lyfe and fynally to geue them forewarnyng that messias and the kyngdom of God were at hand Iohn was not the light that shoulde lighten euery man whiche cummeth into this world but a messanger of the light that anon after should appeare He was not the phisician whiche should take awaye mennes sinnes and geue health but made them inwardly to tremble in their conscience in that he declared vnto them the great daunger they stode in Finally he styrred vp all mennes hartes to the greate desire of euerlasting saluacion by preachyng vnto them how he was not farre of the which only should deliuer froÌ sinne He was not the brydgrome but a forewalker of the bridegrome to wake and call vp all men to meete the bride grome cumming He was not the sonne of God but a voice foreshewing the sonne of God who anon after should be disclosed vnto the worlde Moses lawe was a fearefull lawe in somuche that the childern of Israell could not abide the voyce of God when he spake vnto them Iohn being a limitte or bordre set betwene the lawe and grace and as a man mengled of bothe dyd herein vse a poynte of the olde law because in his preachyng he manaced all men with euerlastyng death and damnacion vnlesse they woulde tourne in season from their synfull lyuing And againe this had he of the new that he moued not the people to sacrifices burnt offringes vowes or fastinges but to baptisme and repentaunce of the former lyfe and shewed moreouer how the moste mercifull Messias was already cum present who shoulde freely forgiue all men their offences that would put their whole trust and confideÌce in hym The former lawe was written or published in wildernesse and from thence also cummeth the beginning of the newe He must cleane forsake all the worlde that will be worthy to be partaker of the grace of the gospel whiche compendiously geueth all thynges In great cities are riches delicacies pleasures pride and ambicioÌ But specially Ierusalem had in it a famous temple by reason wherof she was not a litle proud and stately The same citie had also carnall sacrifices wherunto the people trusted Furthermore it had holye dayes obseruaÌces of the sabboth a prescribed choise of meates and other ceremonies wherby she supposed that man was iustified and made rightuous before God finally there were highe minded priestes and dissemblyng pharisees But who so desireth the baptisme of the gospel must vâterly laye apart all trust and confidence of these thynges He must forsake all Iewry with her Ierusalem her temple her sacrifices her priesthod and pharisaicall fashions and from theÌce depart into wildernesse where he may heare the moste ioyfull tydinges of our sauiour that straight wayes wil cum To returne to Iohn he cried not in vain For he made a great many so afrayed with his crying and preaching that they forsoke their dwelling places and hasted to the water of Iordan and that not alonely out of all the countrey of Iewrie but also out of Ierusalem it selfe Thither flocked a great rablement of souldiers and publicaâs and also certaine of the phariseis Iohn receiued and taught as many as came without choise or regard of persoÌ and did also baptise suche of them as were displeased with themselfes for theyr offences and confessed the same expressing hereby as it were by a certain corporall figure the very order of the newe lawe and gospell For the first office and ministerie in christian profession is to teache When the christian nouice by this name vnderstande good reader suche a one as forsaking eyther the Iewish or Panims religion and intending to be christened is newely enstructed in the faith in the wiche state he is called of thauncient fathers catechumenus when I saye the christian nouice beginneth once through the doctrine of the teacher both to know his owne filthie liuyng and also the goodnesse of God than is he wholely displeased with hymselfe and perceyuyng no where els to appeare any hope of saluacion hath strayght wayes recourse for ayde and succour to the beneficiall lorde who freely extendeth his mercy and goodnesse towardes
what is doeÌ That pitifull creature desyred not Iesus to helpe hym but yet to saye the trueth it was a kynde of desyre for hym to cum in to the syght of mercyfull Iesu. The Lord because he woulde haue them all to take good heede vnto the miracle that he entended to worke called forth the man with the lame hande and sayed aryse and stande in the myddes of the people And with that he arose and conceyued good hope that he should be made wholle Then Iesus turned hym to the Phariseis whose secrete thoughtes he was priuey vnto and sayed vnto theym What is your opinion whiche take vpon you to knowe the lawe Howe and with what thynges is the Sabboth daye broken With doing of good deedes or of euill by preseruyng of a mans lyfe or destroying thesame They knewe right well for what purpose he moued this capcious question If they had answered that it had been better for the reuerence and solemnitie of the Sabboth to suffer their neighbour to perishe then without scruple of conscience to helpe him in perill and necessitie the people coulde not haue suffered so vnreasonable an answere cleane repugnaunt to the lawe of nature Agayne yf they had sayed he might lawfully haue dooen it then had they brought themselfes in case that they coulde not haue charged him with any false surmise as theyr entente and purpose was to do Therfore they thought good to holde theyr peace and saye neuer a worde And yet whiles they so dyd they plainely declared vnto the people theyr malicious wilines for that beyng prouoked by this question to amendement of lyfe they of an obstinate mynde were still desyrous to picke quarels Nowe to the intent that this question shoulde the easlier be assoyled and answered to he put furth another lyke questioÌ asking whether there were any among them that kept the sabboth daye so hygh and holy that if a shepe of his chaunced to fall into a dyche on that daye woulde suffre it to peryshe and in no wyse be so hardye as to drawe it out There was none so blynde in that assembly but he knewe ryght well howe muche the helth of manne ought to be regarded before the helth and preseruacioÌ of a shepe Truly he killeth whoso maye saue that thing whiche he suffereth to peryshe Wherfore after the Lorde had loked for an answere and perceyued howe all the Phariseis lyke confederates not because they were ignoraunte of the trueth but of an ostinate malice helde theyr peace he loked rounde about and behelde them she wyng outwardly with his countenaunce howe wrothe and sorye he was for theyr vncurable wickednes who when they toke vpon theÌ to be gydes of the blynde had themselues heartes so blynded with worldely lustes that they willyngly refused to see the moste radiant and cleare light of veritie For there is no blindnes more vncurable then when a manne is bothe wittingly willyngly blynde They sawe that the dumme beast might lawfully be drawen out of the hole lest it shoulde peryshe without anye violacion or breache of the sabboth and woulde in no wyse see that it was lyke lawfull to prouyde for mannes helth vpon thesame daye Therfore the most gracious Lorde to teache vs that we ought not to withdrawe our selfes from helping of our neyghboure for the vncurable frowardnes of the euill the Phariseis contemned turned him to the manne with the withered hande and in the audience of the people who were desyrous to see the ende of this matter sayd vnto him Stretche out thy hande That voyce was scarcely heard But he stretched it out sodainly chaunged and seruing him aswell to do euery thing withall as the other whiche was neuer lame Whome would not these reasones haue conuerted and brought from his erroure whom would not so euident a miracle haue moued to glorify God But the Phariseis infected with the leuen of enuie were therby prouoked to imagine more mischiefe Certes these are those same corrupt and alwayes vnryght iudgementes of the Phariseis They passe more vpon a dumme beaste then vpon a manne more vpon the apparell then the body more vpon meate then lyfe more vpon the bodye then the soule more vpon worldly thinges then heauenly thinges more vpon the fleshe then the spirite more vpon menne then God So true is it that there is no greater mischiefe in the worlde then is peruerse and aukewarde holynes Among men it is counted to cum of a wonderfull vertue with worde onely to restore a mans lame hande and make it whole agayne But it is a much greater vertue and benefite to restore the dead and lame powers of the soule What a pitifull lame hande hath he how dead how voide of all pitie and compassion who when he seeth his neyghbour in necessitie doeth not geue him his almes when he seeth him erre and stray out of the right waye doeth not teache and refourme him when he seeth him oppressed with iniuries doeth not helpe hym when he seeth him ydle doeth not styrre hym to good woorkes Suche handes had the Phariseis who woulde rather enuy the Lord then be restored by him vnto the helth of theyr soules Such feble and weake persones hath the Synagoge But the churche of Christ receiueth neither deafe dumme blynde feble halte nor lame Whoso is diseased and vexed with any euils let him cum into the syght of Iesu and he shal be cured He will inspire vs with his holy spirite and that whiche was before lame and without lyfe shal then be made quicke and alyne agayne They that with true faithe wholy committe themselues vnto the Lorde do returne home cured of theyr diseases Contrariwise such as trust to theyr owne righteousnesse are made wurse by other mennes benefites and good deedes They that are puffed vp with a Pharifaicall spirite wylleth well to none but to themselues Agayne suche as haue receyued the spirite of Iesu goe about nothing els but to dooe good to all men ¶ And the Phariseis departed and strayghtwaye gathered a counsell with theym that belonged to Herode agaynst him that they myght destroye hym But Iesus auoyded with his disciples to the sea And a great multitude folowed him from Galile and from Iewry and from Ierusalem and Idââea from beyond Iordane and they that dwelled about Tyre and Sydon a great multitude of menne whiche when they had hearde what thinges he dyd came vnto him For assone as the Phariseis were departed out of the temple albeit in the presence of the people they durst not speake one worde against Iesu yet now after they had sent for suche as belonged to Herode to the intente theyr conspiracy should be the stronger for none knewe better the feate howe to worke mischiefe then the Herodians they all layed theyr heades together secretly debated the matter betwene themselues howe they myght destroye Iesus whom as they sawe ferre to excell them in myghtie dedes so they perceyued that it was not possible for them
anye harme that it letteth not a man to make quicke spede in his iourney Therfore it is but one thing that he monisheth whiche permitteth them to vse sandals and forfendeth to weare shooes For he forbyddeth nothyng els but slacknesse in doyng of theyr dutie and exorteth them to vse spedinesse therin Agayne it is but one thyng that he warneth them of whiche geueth them leaue to carie a wande and taketh awaye from them the vse of staues For a wande socoureth and stayeth the walkyng manne and nothyng hyndreth him in his iourneye but rather causeth him to make quicker spede Nowe the staffe as it burtheneth a manne to beare it so is it wont to be caried againste violence Therfore he that permitteth them to vse no other weapon but a waÌde only and forbyddeth them to carye a staffe willeth vndoubtedlye that the preacher of the gospell be by no other ayde safely fensed agaynst the assaultes of yuell menne then by the onelye helpe of Christe A wande is mete for a wayfairing man and a staffe for a fighter Moreouer he that hath the haÌdelyng of the gospell must alwayes goe forwarde to thinges of higher perfeccion and be fardest from desyre of reuengement ¶ And he sayde vnto them wheresoeuer ye enter into an house there abyde styll tyll ye departe thence And whosoeuer shall not receyue you nor heare you when ye departe thence shake of the dust that is vnder your feete for a wytnes vnto theÌ Uerely I saye vnto you it shall be easier for Sodome and Gomor in the daye of iudgement then for that citie And they went out and preached that men should repent and they caste out many deuils and annoynted many that were sycke with oyle and healed them ⪠After that Christe hadde plucked this carefulnesse oute of the myndes of his Apostles then went he about to shewe them a waye howe it shoulde cum to passe that they shoulde neuer nede to be carefull for suche thynges Take ye no thought sayth he neither for harborough ne sustenaunce but after ye once be entred into village or citie wheresoeuer it be your chaunce to be receyued be the house neuer so poore and homely there abyde you till suche tyme as you thynke it meete for you to departe sum whither els moued throughe desyre to set forthe and aduauÌce the ghospell And beyng but fewe in number and contented with a litle you shall not be chargeable geastes to anye man It is in manoure impossible that theââ be any where any good towne or citie so farre past all grace and goodnesse wherin there can not one manne be founde who wyll be glad to receiue suche geastes as ye are synce there are manye whiche will not sticke to wage a phisiciaÌ with a large salarie and send for him a great waye of Yf you chaunce to cum to any so vnkynde a citie or house that the inhabitauntes therof wyll not receyue you notwithstandyng you bryng them of your owne accorde an heauenly gyft or present wherewith both bodies and soules are healed yet cease you not for a fewe harde harted persones to do thâ businesse you haue taken in hande but yet departe you out of that citie for a season to other cities and or ere you go awaye embrayde suche persons as would not receiue you with theyr great folye and madnesse Gette you out into the streetes and shake of the dust styckyng on youre feete that they maye call to remembraunce howe there came summe vnto them who freely offered them health and sauetie brought them the ioyfullest message that coulde be and maye further perceyue that lyke as so excellente a good thyng cannot by any manoure of rewarde be worthilye recompensed euen so suche precions ware and marchandise oughte not to be thruste to anye whiche lotheth thesame and is not wyllyng to receiue it and this do you to thintent they maye blame themselues for theyr owne damnacion because they woulde rather perishe when they might haue been saued and also know perfectlye howe you soughte for nothyng els among them but onely the healthe and saluacion of your neyghbours insomuche that you would not endamage them as muche as with the losse of a litle quantitie of dust It becuÌmeth well ynoughe my ambassadours to vse such manour of proude demeanure againste frowarde and disdainfull persons At your departure speake vnto them this one thyng folowyng althoughe they be not wyllyng to heare it knowe you that whether you receyue vs or receyue vs not the kyngdome of God is cumme If you receyue vs it is cum to your greate wealth and commoditie But yf you receyue vs not yet shall the same cumme to your great euyll and confusion When Christes messengers were furnished with these necessaries for their iourneye they toke their leaue of theyr maister and as it was geuen them in commaundement they moued and exhorted all men to be repentaunte for theyr former lyfe shewyng them how the kyngdome of God was already presente whiche through fayth of the gospell would bring vnto all men perfite ryghteousnesse For the chiefe and principall parte of preachyng of the gospell is for a man to geue faith vnto the doctrine that he heareth and to beleue the promyses WheÌ the lorde Iesus had with these and many other lyke lessons diligentlye enstructed his disciples then thesame twelue headmen of the kyngdome of heauen toke theyr iourney and the mattier went forward and had good successe They preached vnto all menne that they shoulde be penitent for their former sinnes and that no man should truste vnto his owne dedes and merites but onely haue sure belefe in the promises of the gohspell And they founde sum that lystened and gaue diligent eare vnto theyr preachyng There lacked not here a ready power to worke miracles whiche made theyr wordes to be beleued thoughe themselues were neuer so symple persons and vnknowen They anoynted the sycke people with oyle and the same were healed They commaunded the hurtfull spirites to go out in the name of Iesu and they wente out That oyle was not a medicine for who heateth all manoure of diseases with one medicine but a sacrament The skynne was outwardly anoynted with visible oyle and the body was made whole But theyr soules whiche anon after shoulde be delyuered from the diseases of vice and synne were to be anoynted with the oyle of grace inuisible by our anoynted Iesus Christe Wherfore it was not by vertue of suche prayers and enchauntmeÌtes as witches or magicians vse that they cast out dyuels but by wordes piththy and effectuall through an euangelike fayth This was vndoubtedly the very power of the kyngdom of heauen What was more abiect vile and lessere garded then the Apostles were But the lesse that theyr power was the more manifestlye did it appeare that all that euer was done came to passe by the might and power of God They neyther had riches learning office garde to defende them nobilitie fame nor authoritie To be
saue he whiche beleueth that Iesu is the authour and originall cause of all healthe and saluacion The well of the euangelike saluacion is a sure belefe on Iesus Christ the sonne of God inspired vs by the heauenly inspiracioÌ And to wryng this belefe out of the Apostles he sayd The coÌmon people as I perceyue are wauering in theyr fayth hauing no constant opinion of me and yet haue they a greater opinion of me then such as sayed I was nothing els but a Carpentours sonne then such as said I was furious and madde sought me out to th entent to haue bounden me with cheines theÌ suche as sayd I had the spirite of Beelzebub But what say you who be of household and of familiar acquaintaunce with me haue bene alwayes witnesses of all that euer I haue done and taught whom saye you that I am Then Peter the chiefe professoure of the ghospell made answere in all their names and sayde Thou arte that selfe same Messias long agoe promised of the Prophetes the sonne of the lyuing God by whoÌ onely halthe saluacion was promysed vnto the world When the lord had greatly allowed this open coÌfession of his as inspired of God and had geuen thereunto a worthy testimony of blysfulnesse and pronounced it to be the foundacion of the churche and euangelike Citie whiche no puissaunce of the deuell shoulde euer be able to shake Then charged he theym strayghtly that they shoulde in no wyse discouer what they knewe by thinspiracion of the father before the time were cum It behoued that the people should awaite for Messias and beleue that he should shortely cum Howbeit as yet it was not expedient to be knoweÌ that Iesus was Messias For thus was it necessary for one instruccion that glory should spring of base and humble estate The disciples of an humain affeccioÌ abhorred the displeasures of theyr maister muche desyrous to haue hym greatly estemed and taken for a ioly felowe of euery body But it pleased the euerlasting wisedom to obserue the other order Therfore Iesus began to teache them what he should suffer before he would haue his greatnesse and excellencie knowen vnto the worlde The sonne of manne sayed he of whome you haue conceiued so hyghe an opinion muste suffer great reproche many paynes and tormentes be condemned as a felon of the Scribes priestes and head men of the people and in conclusion be putte to a shamefull deathe as an euyll doer in somuche that among wordly men it is not possible for any manne to be counted more vile abiecte and desperate then he But for all this there is no cause why ye shoulde despayre Kepe stedfastly in mynde youre confession whiche ye haue made before me After they haue persecuted me to deathe I wyll ryse and be alyue agayne on the thyrde daye And where as he had nowe and then before sumwhat darkely monyshed them of the premisses at this present he spake his mynde playnly because it appered they coulde nowe awaye with suche communycacyon sith they had geuen so noble a verdicte and sentence of theyr maister But for all that they coulde not yet abyde to heare any mencion of his death although they shoulde thoroughe hope of his resurrection haue taken comforte agayne The loue wherwith they enbraced Iesu was great but yet was thesame a very worldely loue and an humayne affection For as yet they had not receyued the holye Ghoste whiche should make perfyte in them whatsoeuer was vnperfyte Wherfore when Peter hearde suche fell and cruell wordes of condemning tourmentinge and sleing he was not afearde to take Iesus asyde as thoughe he would secretly monyshe hym of some thinge whyche shoulde be for his weale and profyte Forsoth this is mans wisdome whiche oftâââes studieth to go before the wysdome of god Yea he was bolde to rebuke his lorde as thoughe he had not bene well aduised for that he woulde dye sith he might auoyde deth And albeit he beleued he woulde be aliue agayne on the third day yet he thought it muche better for hym not to dye at all then after deathe to reliue This leâde tache of Peter althoughe it proceded of a certayne harty loue towardes Iesus yet dyd Christe openly and sharply reproue to thentente we shoulde learne in all thynges obediently to folowe the wyl of God and not with our fonde iudgement to go before his determinacions It is not mans parte to take Iesu aside and rebuke hym for feare leste he doe what he hath determyned to doe But we ought reuerently to beseche hym that he wyll vouchesafe to take and lead vs whyther soeuer it please hym Therefore because he woulde cleaâe wede out of all theyr myndes this naughty affeccion he fyrste tourned from Peter to his disciples and then beholdyng them whome he knewe right well dyd not dissente in opinion from theyr spokesman though he bolder and more presumptuous then the reste was not afearde to speake his mynde he rebuked Peter agayne of whom he was rebuked before saying Why lettest thou me Satan That worde in the Syrian tongue signifieth an aduersary as who saye Why doeste thou that art but a disciple assaye to goe before thy mayster Thou that art a man attempt to go before god folowe rather behynd This is not mans busines whiche is now in hande Thyne affeccion and loue is as yet a wordely affeccion neyther sauerest thou of those thynges whiche are of god If thou wylte be my disciple it becommeth the to folow my deathe and in no wise to hinder it And not the alone albeit chiefely thee the other whoÌe I haue specially choseÌ but also all the will professe themselues to be my disciples ¶ And when he had called the people vnto hym with his disciples also he sayed vnto them whosoeuer will folowe me let him forsake hymself and take vp his crosse and folowe me for whosoeuer wyll saue his lyfe shall lose it But whosoeuer shall lose his life for my sake and the Ghospels the same shall saue it For what shall it profite a man if he wynne all the worlde and lose his owne soule Or what shall a man geue to redeme his soule withall agayne Whosoeuer therfore shall be ashamed of me and of my wordes in this aduourteous and synfull generacion of hym also shall the sonne of man be ashamed when he cummeth in the glory of hys father with the holy Angels When Iesus had thus spoken he commaunded the whole multitude to be present with his disciples leste any should suppose that those wordes pertayned onely to these specially chosen persons And when they were nowe all together Iesus spake vnto theÌ with an audible voyce on this wyse Many there be which do folowe me rather with feete then by imitacion of lyfe Neither do all men come to me for one cause or purpose For some are enticed hither by the noueltie and straungenes of my miracles some with the desire of bodely health and other
some by a greate desyre to heare my doctrine But whoso wil be a true folower of me yf he intend to be associate with me in blisse glory let thesame in the meane tyme dispose hymselfe to be my felowe or partener in sufferyng affliccions and death Let hym vtterly renye himselfe reseruing nothing vnto himselfe in thys worlde but cleane renouncyng all thynges euen to contempt of lyfe and finally let euery man take vp his crosse and folowe me Let not the disciple be ashamed to folowe his teacher nor the seruaunt to folowe his maister Neyther let any intende to come to glory by any other way or meane then that by the whiche he shall se me goe thither before hym Whoso thynketh that he hath in himselfe wherby he is able to attayne saluacion shall perish And contraryly whoso distrustyng all his owne aydes wholly putteth himselfe to my mercy shall be saued For it is not inough for my sake lytell to passe vpon landes tenementes parentes wife and children but lyfe it selfe for the preseruacion whereof manne forgoeth all that euer he hathe must likewyse be forsaken Be ye of good comforte that neuer perysheth whiche is geuen to me no rather ye shall preserue that by losyng whiche you shoulde otherwyse lose in dede by euill kepyng Through faythe of the gospell to all men is geuen lyfe euerlastyng Therfore he that setteth more by thys present lyfe then by the grace of the Ghospell althoughe he seme for a tyme to wynne thesame yet doeth he in very dede lose it For no manne can here prolong his lyfe beyonde the tyme appoynted Albeit to saye the truthe neyther in the meane tyme and before his deathe liueth a manne in dede excepte he liue well and vertuously And after this lyfe whiche to all men is very short and transytory he shal be condemned to euerlasting deathe Nowe whoso for my sake and for that he is a stedfast professour of the gospell putteth his life in hasarde of death shall preserue it by me whiche els should verely peryshe Therfore yf there be nothyng so dearely beloued of manne in this worlde but he wyll be content to raunsome temporall life with the losse thereof debatyng the matter with him selfe in this wyse what shall it auayle me to haue house landes goodes precious stones wyfe and chyldreÌ preserued yf my selfe peryshe and shall not enioye that I am owner of ⪠Though all these thinges be in safety yet do they perishe to me ward yf I fortune to dye For what thing can be so dearely beloued and muche set by of man that is not to be contemned for the preseruacioÌ of lyfe If one woulde offer another as great riches and treasure as euer had Mydas and Cresus the beautye of Absolone the Monarchy and empyre of the whole world and fynally all sortes and kyndes of pleasures and therewith say take these thynges and dye woulde not thother byanby refuse this offre made hym with suche condicion and answere agayne I loue my lyfe alone better then all these thynges Sythe I saye that euery manne doethe wysely consyder these thynges with him selfe so ofte as there is any immineÌt daunger of bodely lyfe why do they not then more earenestly loke vpon examyne and waye the matter whensoeuer it concerneth that lyfe inestemable Nowe euerlasting lyfe is profered vnto thy soule and wilte thou not exchaunge therfore the shorte and wretched life of the body especially sithe that euery manne shall another daye receiue his owne body agayne restored to a more blessed life All men must not of necessitie dye for the profession of the ghospel but yet euery manne ought to be ready in wyll and mynde so to doe to the intent that yf the case requyre they maye passe nothyng vpon corporall life so that the lyfe of the soule may be saued Whensoeuer the storme of persecucion aryseth then must this crosse be taken vp Albeit neither euen when all thynges be quyet and persecucion ceaseth shall any manne be without his crosse vnlesse it be counted an easy thing to renounce all naturall affections with al worldly pleasures and inticemeÌtes to cut of the inordinate lustes of the flesh to brydle excesse to represse sensualytye and pleasure of the bodye to subdue hastines and lette passe reuengemente For these thynges also muste euery manne doe that wyll be my disciple euen at that tyme when the worlde is moste quiet and without busynes But trueth it is that the worlde shall with all maner of engynes ryse agaynste those whiche professe my name and threten them with reproche banyshement imprisonment tormentes attayndour and deathe For this is a naughtye nacyon and shall euer haue in it moe reprouable and naughty disposed persones then good menne among whom it shall be counted the greatest offence that maye be to professe my name And if any manne the worlde being thus set and bent against me ⪠wyll be ashamed to confesse himself to be my disciple in this vngracious and conterfeite nacion where after shorte afflyction foloweth euerlastyng blysfulnes hym the sonne of man wyll requyte and be lykewyse ashamed to take hym for hys disciple when he shall eftsones cum not lowe and contemned as he is now but wonderfull and merueylous in the royaltye and glory of his father not accompanyed with a fewe poore disciples but enuironed with innumerable companyes of holy Aungels The .ix. Chapter ¶ And he sayde vnto them verely I saye vnto you there be some among them that stande here whiche shall not taste of death tyll they haue sene the kyngdome of God ãâã with power THey shall not be partakers of this glory who wyll not nowe suffre the infamy of my crosse The Iewes loked for a merueilous kyngdome of the children of Israel which they supposed should begyn assone as Messias was come and therfore they coulde not beleue that Iesus was Messias because he came so poorely and lyke an outcaste of the worlde and muche more wer they offended with the mencion of his passion and death ⪠They vnderstode not how there wer two cuÌminges of Messias the fyrst which after the estimation of the world was lowe and reprochfull and another full of maiestie and glorye which shal be in the ende of the worlde to thentenâ he may ioyne vnto him his whole body deliuered from all euils in the glory of the father and throwe downe Sathan with all his membres into the fyre of hell He woulde that the daye of his latter cumming should be vncertainne to all menne but yet woulde he haue euery man to be in a readynes againste the same Therfore forasmuche as there were some among the people whiche by inward imaginacion sayde thus to them selues when shall this tyme of glory cum which he promiseth And peraduenture many of them beleued not that it should euer cum at all Iesus stablished their wauering myndes with suche wordes as here ensue Be ye ryght well assured of the thyng I told you that the sonne
one as were appointed in the bishops stede and there on the altare that stood in the secrete inner part of the temple to lay holy incense made of certayne swete odoures in the olde lawe appointed that is to wete of balme onycha swete galbanum and frankyncense of the clerest sorte For this kinde of sacrifice was estemed emong the Iewes to be the moste holy aboue all others insomuche that to the seeyng of this sacrifice whan it was in doyng the lay people were not admitted to come in no nor yet any of the leuites neither But al the residue besides the priest that did execute taried without beyng separated and diuided from that place with a vaile makyng theyr deuout prayers all the meane whyle that God would vouchesalue to ratifie that that was than in offeryng for the helth safegarde of the whole people and so remained they without vntill the prieste after the sacrifice in the inner place coÌpleted came forth againe to the people to finish the residue of thinges which to the ordenarie obsequies and rites of sacrifice did apperteine And the priest did not only pray for the people but also for himselfe according vnto the prescripcion of the lawe as one beeyng a mortall man himselfe aswell as the others and in daunger of falling into the errours and vices of this worlde And there appeared vnto hym an Aungell of the Lord standyng on the rightsyde of the altare of incense And whan Zacharie sawe hym he was abashed feare came vpon hym Therfore whereas zacharie had many yeres afore often tymes with moste earneste desires cryed vnto God to deliuer as well his wyfe from the reproche of barrainesse as also hymselfe from the griefe pensifnesse of beyng without issue yet notwithstanding a certaine despaire of hauyng any children many a day sence conceiued in his minde he did euen at that present tyme with moste ardent prayers require of God as though he had than been present before his face the publike redeÌpcion of the people which had now many hundred yeres been looked for And in dede the fume of the incense mounting vp from the altare was cast abrode in the aier on euery syde but the desire of this deuoute bishoppe perced vp euen to God the Aungels carrying it whose office it is to conueigh vp to almightie God the prayers of the godly and agayne to bryng downe to vs his bounteouse largesse An Aungell therfore that had been sente from heauen stood at the ryght ende of the altare on which the swete sauours of incense was burned as one ready to declare some glad tydinges because thynges that chaunce to be on the ryghtsyde haue commonly a luckie significacion of some good happe to come Zacharie whan he had soodainly espyed this Aungell shynyng with celestiall brightnesse for he came not in openly in a bodily fourme as men vse to do but soodainly and vnware shewed himselfe visible truly he was sore dismayed in his minde and taken with a great feare not that the Aungell made a shewe of any maner thyng to be feared but for that the infirmitie of mannes body is not able to abyde the maiestie of the spirites or Aungels of heauen But the Aungell sayed vnto hym feare not Zacharie for thy prayer is heard And thy wyfe Elizabeth shall beare a sonne and thou shalt cal his name Iohn And thou shalt haue ioy and gladnesse and many shall reioyce at the birth of hym For he shall be great in the syght of the lorde But lyke as it is a poynte of mannes weakenesse to fall in a tremblyng and quakyng at the soodaine sight of an Aungell so is it the propertie of the great goodnesse of them with ientle and familiar speakyng vnto vs to take awaye our feare The Aungell therfore with a gracious looke and with ientle faire woordes speaking vnto zachary saied in this wyse zachary there is no cause why thou shouldest be afeard but there is cause why thou maiest be glad ioyfull For I bryng glad tydinges bothe vnto thee and to all the people for whom thou art nowe makyng intercession God hath graunted thy deuoute and godly peticion Thesame Messias the deliuerer and sauer of hys people whiche long and many dayes gonne hath been promysed and many hundred yeres already looked for is nowe at hande to come in dede And not only that thyng whiche thou haste made peticion for is obteyned but an other thyng also doeth the goodnesse of God adde to the heape of thy desyres which thyng thou durst not bee so bolde to aske because thou were nowe cleane out of all hope that it myght by any possibilitie come to passe Thou madest peticion for the redemer of the worlde thou shalt receyue also one that shall declare and publyshe the redemer vnto the worlde The fruitefulnesse of thy wyfe Elizabeth that hathe been hitherto by the wysedome and prouidence of God delaied and put of shall bryng vnto the no smal increase of ioyes and a generall gladnesse of al the people shal be coupled with the particular reioycing of thyne owne priuate householde ⪠Hir fruitefulnesse that all folke despaired of shall haue a commoditie and do good for this purpose that all persons maye vnderstande thissame chylde bearyng not to be of the common rate but the chylde which shal be borne to be borne God beyng the worker and dooer of it In dede thy wyfe shall bryng forth to thee a child but she shall not bryng forth child to thee alone she shall bryng forth to the whole people in generall she shal bryng forth to God by whoâe prouideÌce all this matter euery whyt of it is tempered and wrought So muche the more to the wondre of the worlde shall she bryng forth that it is so ferre past tyme of her age ere she bryng forth so muche the more to the pleasyng and reioycyng of all parties that she had no suche hope so muche the more to her good happe and fortune that she shall bryng forth a sonne and not a sonne at all aduentures but the great publisher and foregoer and as who should say the husher and maker of way and the purseuaunt of the moste great Messias that is to come To the office of suche an high preeminence is he by the free and franke fauour of God pieked out and deputed for that cause shalt thou call his name Iohn that the people may euen therby at leste wise be aduertised that he shal be veray well accepted of God and plenteously heaped with many heauenly gyftes of grace Therfore the sorowe whiche the barainnesse of thy wyfe hath hitherto brought vnto thee shall be redubbed with plentifull ioy and with muche reioycing Neither shal this ioy be kept or inclosed within the walles or precincte of thyne owne house There shall at thy ioy a great many of thy frendes reioyce whiche were sorowefull afore for thy sorowe There shall leape for ioy at
of the ghospell a famouse name is requisite not for that suche an one ought to seke glory emong men but for that an honest opinion of the teacher doeth purchase vnto the same bothe credite and authoritie But the sayed honest opinion as it is not to be desired so is it not by all maner waies to be acquired and gotten Let a teacher of the ghospell accordyng to the exaumple of Iesus so lyue that whereas he maketh no vauntâe voste of hymselfe he may yet neuerthelesse be aduaunced by the testimonie of the heauenly father by the power and vertue of the holy ghoste and by the voyce of Ihon that is to saye of euery honest and good man in whom the grace of God resteth let hym so lyue that he maye through the perfeccion of his liuyng and behaue our turne the iyes of all folkes vpon hym And to bee short let hym be of suche feith and constaunt affiaunce in God that yf the case should so require he may glorifie God euen with shewyng myracles too howbeit as the worlde nowe is it is a miracle great great enough if suche an one neyther with richesse neyther with sensual pleasures nor with worldly promocion ne with dreadfull offering of tormentes ne with the feare of death it selfe will not any whit at all be turned from the purenesse of the veritie euaÌgelicall Nowe emong the Iewes it was a custome that often seasons but moste specially on the Sabooth daies the people assembled together into the temple or into theyr Synagoges to th entent that the tyme of restyng which the lawe enioyned them from all filthie secular workes should not be spenâe on dycing and cardyng on harlottes on banquettyng and reuelyng on chydyng and brallyng and other veray naughtie vices but to be bestowed about thynges perteynyng to the soule And in the saied temple or Synagoges there was talking of one with an other not concernyng triflyng matters of the worlde but about the lawe of the Lorde about Messias to come who was with moste ardent prayers looked for of all good and godly folkes And what euery man could he conferred and declared amonges all the presence of what state or degree soeuer he were And whosoeuer made any countenaunce that he had what to teache vnto the people there was deliuered vnto hym a booke of the lawe of God wherhence it is the parte duetie of a teacher of the ghospell to fette out wherwith to fede the soules of the people and not out of the dreames of men And whatsoeuer thyng was in this place and audience done coulde not be priuie or hidden because there stocked thither a great multitude of all sortes and degrees of people Iesus therfore willyng his doctryne to be knowen vnto all creatures as he walked throughout the cities of Galile he vsed accordyng to the lawdable custome of the Iewes to come into their Synagoges shewyng furth euery where thesame wonderfull and piththie doctryne of the kyngdome of heauen beyng of so muche more power and force then the doctryne of the Phariseis who preached naught but the vtter rynde of the lawe and the constitucioÌs of menne as wyne is stronger of herre and operacion then water Neyther dyd there lacke emong the people of Galile some mindes apt desirous to learne whiche marueiled at this newe kynde of doctryne and whiche dyd reuerence the wonderfull teacher therof highly praysyng and manifying hym And he came to Nazareth where he was nourced and as his custome was he went in to the Synagoge on the Sabboth daye and stode vp for to reade And there was deliuered vnto him the booke of the Prophete Esai And whâ he had opened the booke he found the place where it was written The spirite of the Lord vpon me because he hath enointed me to preache the ghospell to the people he hath sent me to heale the broken herted to preache deliueraunce to the captyue and sight to the blynde freely to sette at libertie them that are bruised and to preache the acceptable yere of the Lorde And he closed the booke and gaue it agayne to the minister and sate downe And hitherto verayly the ghospelles cause dyd sufficiently well procede vntyll he came to his kynsfolke and to the knowelage of his familiar frendes and acquaintaunce becauââ we should vnderstande that he whiche teacheth heauenly thynges ought as muche as he maye to estraunge hymselfe from the fleashe and from the blond of his kinred For whan he had passed through certaine litle townes and cities of Galile at the last he came to Nazareth in whiche place by reason that he had been there brought vp of a young nourcechylde and had long tyme liued there with his parentes and kynsfolkes he was supposed of many to had been borne and for thesame cause was also comonly called a Nazarean And to th entent the Nazareans should not fynde themselues grieued that he had thought skorne of his kinsfolkes and aliauÌce as one that had more mynde and desyre to go hunting about for glory emong people of straunge parties where none of his kynne dwelt he came thither also to Nazareth beeyng nowe a manne of great fame and muche spoken of whereas he had tofore had no suche fame in those quarters And because he would declare that he had nowe renounced and geuen vp all priuate busynesse and affayrs of the worlde he came accordyng to his accustomed maner into the common Synagoge For no where ought suche a man to be more conuersaunt then in the temple whoso is consecrated to the profityng of all folkes in generall And when he heard others treatyng and reasonyng of Moses lawe he also arose vp signifying by that gesture as others vsed to doe that he also beeyng inspired with the holy ghoste had some thyng in his mynde that he was willyng to speake before the multitude beeyng there assembled Whiche custome euen at this daye endureth in the churches by the ordinaunce of S. Paul that menne shall speake and heare by course And in case any man haue any thyng opened vnto him by reuelacion woorthy or mete to bee knowen he that spake afore shall leaue of and shall geue place to the partie that succedeth hym because that no troubleous noyse and confusion of speakyng so as one maye not bee heard for an other shall aryse in the holy congregacion in whiche it is decent that all thynges bee doen with peace and tranquillitie The booke was deliuered vnto Iesus and that accordyng to the custome and vsage for vs to be enstructed and taught therby from wheÌce the doctrine of saluacion ought to procede that is to weâe not out of the inuencions of men not out of the posicions of Philosophiers but out of the booke of holye scripture whiche hath been reueled vnto vs by the secrete instincte and operacion of the spirite of God Iesus in whom all the treasoures of knowlage and wysedome were hidden had no nede of any booke but yet
he tooke the booke because he woulde commende vnto vs the earâest settyng of our myndes on the readyng of holy scripture The minister of the Synagoge reacheth furth the booke vnto hym but he tooke it hym shutte Iesus who alone hath the key and openeth that is layed vp hidden in the olde lawe whan he had taken the booke openeth it and turneth it For Iesus himselfe laye secretely hidden and diepely hiddeÌ in the lawe And truly mete it was that the Iewes selfes should geue the thyng wherwith they should anon after be conuinced And the booke that was deliuered vnto Iesus was not at all auentures as though it forced nothing what booke it were but it was the booke of the Prophete Esay then whom neuer did there any man eyther more clerely or els more euidently prophecie of Christe and of the doctryne of the ghospel Neither did the thyng by a blynde chaunce so happen but it was so conueighed by goddes prouidence that the booke beyng opened abrode and a leafe turned that same veray place came chiefly fyrsâe to hande the whiche dyd moste âerely and plainly talke of Christe and in the whiche Christe by the mouth of the Prophete speaketh of himselfe in this maner The spirite of the Lord is on me because he hath enointed me to bryng glad tydinges to the poore by preaching of the ghospell hath he sent me to heale the contrite that is to saye throughly broken in herte to preache remission and free deliueraunce to suche as are in captiuitie and syght vnto the blinde to set freely at libertie suche as are all bruysed to preache the yere of the Lorde both acceptable and muche to be wished for and to preache the daie of retribucion Whan the Lord Iesus had with his owne voyce pronounced these woordes standing vpon his feete he redelieuered the booke shut together againe as he had receyued it vnto the minister signifying by his so doing the obstinate vnbeliefe of some of the Iewes who sittyng still beatyng on the letter of the lawe dyd neyther vnderstande ne woulde acknowleage Christe beyng the soule and the lyfe of the lawe Nowe immediatly after this taketh he on hym the parte and office of a teacher and sate hym downe quietly about to expoune the sentence that he had read As touchyng that he read the texte of the Prophete standyng on his feete it was a thing doen for the authoritie of the scripture of God wherunto it is mete that all dignitie of manne do reuerently humble it selfe As touchyng that he taught sittyng downe it is for a declaracion that an expouner and preacher of Goddes holy scripture ought to bee voyde and altogether clere from the troubleous vnquietnesse of all carnall and worldely desyres ¶ And the iyes of all them that were in the Synagoge were fastened on him And he began to saye vnto them This day is this scripture fulfilled in your eares And all bare hym witnesse and wondred at the gracious woordes whiche proceded out of his mouthe And they sayed Is not this Iosephes sonne And he sayed vnto them ye will vtterly say vnto me this prouerbe Phisician heale thy selfe Whatsoeuer we haue heard doen in Lapernaum do the same here lykewyse in thyne owne countrey And he sayed Uerayly I saye vnto you no Prophete is accepted in his owne countrey But partely the newe fame whiche had nowe already begon to be spred abrode of Iesus partely the authoritie of a teacher which he now first of all toke vpon him finally a certayne heauenly grace shyning in his veray countenaunce dyd cause that the iyes of all the people whiche were then present in that congregacion were earnestly fixed on him for suche an audience doeth the Lord Iesus loue as kepe their Sabboth resting from all troubleous desires and affeccions of this worlde suche as with mutuall concorde one with an other are gathered together into one place such as haue the iyes of theyr minde loking none other way but streight vpon Iesus but streight towardes euerlastyng saluacion For he dayly speaketh vnto vs in the misticall scripture of God he speaketh by euangelicall Prophetes that is to saye by the enterpretours expouners of the holy bookes of scripture But happy and blissed are they to whom the Lord Iesus speaketh they geuyng suche earnest iye eare vnto hym For to suche doeth he vouchesaue to open the mysterie of the depe hidden sence For as soone as he sawe the iyes of all the presence caste full and whole and fixed on hym alone he begonne to saye vnto them Ye haue nowe heard the Prophete Esay by the inspiracion of the holy ghost promising vnto you a certaine excellent and mightie teacher who should not out of a worldly spirite teache constitucions of meÌ or vaine fables seruing to no good purpose but being aboundauÌtly enoynted replenished with the spirite of God should bee senâe from thesame to bryng the glad and wishable tidinges of saluacion to suche as are meke and poore in spirite and by reason therof are apte to receyue the holsome doctrine of heauen and whiche teacher should be of power and habilitie to perfourme the thyng whiche he should bryng tydynges of as one endewed with heauenly vertue and power whiche teacher also shoulde freely bryng saluacion vnto all creatures as many as acknowlagyng theyr owne naughtinesse and offences dyd wyshe for saluacion whiche teacher moreouer all manier sinnes beeyng frely pardoned should helpe all suche as had theyr hertes corrupted with many sondrye diseases of vices and of naughty lustes whiche teacher ferthermore should preache deliueraunce and setting at libertye vnto all persones that either beyng geuen to Idolatrie were kepte fast of the deuill as captiues and prisoners or els beyng as thrall to the supersticion of the lawe mighte not reache ne atteigne to the libertie of the spirite whiche teacher besides all this should through faith open the iyes vnto suche as were blynde in soule abode in a moste diepe myste of manyfâlde errours in suche wise as with theyr sayde iyes they should be hable to behold and looke vpon the light of the eternall vecitie accordyng to the prophecie whiche thesame Prophete wrote in another place where he sayth the people that satte in darkenesse hath seen a great light Which teacher ouer and aboue the premisses shoulde restore vnto theyr first state of fredome all suche persones as semed to bee all crushed and bruised to pieces by Satan with all kyndes of euilles and which teacher finally should declare in open preachyng that the true Iubilee of the Lorde was now come a tyme lyke as to bee hertely wished for of al creatures euen so with moste ardent myndes to bee accepted and enbraced of all people without excepcion Moses gaue a tradicion of a sabboth of dayes in whiche he commaunded that euery seuenth daye they should all rest from sloumbreyng or vnclenly occupacions he gaue also a tradicion of a sabboth of yeares in whiche he
many that would els make haste to saluacion Neuerthelesse thatsame poynt here in this matter although it stopped and hyndred the sicke mans gettyng into Iesus yet dyd it make both the great desirefulnes and also the truste and confidence aswell of the partie that had the paulseye as also of the others that carried hym to be the more famouslye knowen For althoughe God is of his nature propence and ready to shewe mercye vnto all creatures yet doeth he many times make some delay of his beneficiall goodnesse to the entent he maye the more sharpen oure desyres and also to teache vs that we ought to leaue nothyng vnattempted or vnassaied that we maye bee deliuered from the diseases of the soule He loueth in this behalfe to see vs impoâtune and by our importunitye he is as ye woulde say compelled of force vnto thesame thyng which neuerthelesse of his veraye owne nature he is moste enclined to dooe Therefore marke me now what a bolde and auenturous parte these carriers of the sycke man played or rather what the partye that had the disease with muche importunitie made them parforce to dooe Up they gotte theyr heauye cariage to the house roufe in the out syde and the tilyng pulled awaye they let downe the sicke man with cordes as it hadde beene in at a windoore euen as he was liyng styll in his bed emong the thickest of all the people directelye before the feete of Iesus What a more shamelesse or sawcie pranke coulde there bee then to take downe the tilyng of an other mannes house and to tumble in suche a lothelye sight before suche a presence to behold it And here the thicke presse which at the doore woulde not geue way to the pieteous bodye to come in coulde not choose but of force to make roume for him whan he came sliding downe from the house toppe And what dooeth the moste ientill and mylde phisician therewhyle He casteth not them in the teeth with theyr shamelesse facion and theyr importunitie he maketh no tailyng nor bitter chidyng that his preachyng was interrupted with a sight muche to be lothed and abhorred The bearers of the sicke bodye lookyng downe from the house toppe asked nothyng of hym the manne selfe that had the paulsey asked nothyng neyther from whome the great disease had taken awaye the vse of his toungue also And yet all the more dydde he speake to this mercifull phisician in that he coulde not speake at all nor had no power therto Neither was there any nede of making peticion for the miserable sight it selfe dyd in moste earneste wyse make requeste for mercy and the thing that his bearers had dooen dyd euidentely enoughe declare what theyr truste was to haue at the Lordes handes Iesus therefore whan he hadde throughlye perceyued and seene their woondrefull affiaunce in hym dyd accomplishe more vnto them then they loked for The summe of theyr hertes desire was no more but that the partye whiche had the paulsey myght bee deliuered of the sickenes of his body But Iesus declaring it to bee a more godly thing for him to doo and a thyng more to bee desired and sought for on oure behalfe to bee deliuered from the diseases of the soule turned hymself to the sicke man and sayed Thou man thy sinnes are forgeuen thee ¶ And the Scribes and the Phariseis began to thinke saiyng What felow is this whiche speaketh blasphemye ⪠who can forgeue sinnes but God onely But whan Iesus perceiued their thoughtes he aunswered and saied vnto them What thinke ye in your hertes Whether is it easier to saie thy sinnes be forgeuen thee or to saie arise vp and walke But that ye maye knowe that the sonne of man hath power to forgeue sinnes on yearth he sayed to the sicke of the paulsey I saie vnto the arise take vp thy bed and goe vnto thy house And immediatly he arose vp before them and tooke vp his bed whereon he lay and departed to his owne house praising God And they were all amased ând they gaue the glory vnto God And were filled with feare saiyng We haue seen straunge thinges to daye This woord because it plainely souned of a certayne power perteynyng to the godhed dyd throughlye moue the myndes of the Scribes and Phariseis beyng menne neuer vnreadye or vndisposed to forge matters of crime againste him For the priestes whose offyce was to offre the sacrifices for sinnes dyd not theyr owne selues remitte synnes but onelye made intercession to God by meanes of prayer that he would forgeue offences trespaced agaynst him But Iesus withoute brente sacrifices suche as the priestes dydde offer and without prayers as it had bene of his owne propre autoritie and an autoritie of perpetuall continuauÌce sayeth Thy sinnes are forgeuen thee comprehendyng vnder a generall name the suÌme and the corpse of all sinnes together in general wheras the priestes dyd procure no more but certayne offences to bee pourged by meane of sacrifice and not all sinnes vniuersally Esay had thus muche taught them that onelye God it was who myghte geue remission of synnes vnto men For in this manier speaketh he by the mouthe of his sayed prophete I it is euen veraye I it is that dooe wype awaye thy iniquities for myne owne sake and I shall nomore beare thy sinnes in remembraunce But the Scribes and Phariseis thoughe they espyed and sawe in hym playne tokens of the power of God yet beyng offended with the infirmytye of his body whan they sawe it and partely also beyng with enuye had more will to forge some slaundre agaynste him then to beleue on hym For with secrete thoughtes thus dyd they speake within theimselfes and as the propertye of Pharisaicall diuisyng of slaundres is vnto theyr moste deuilishe wickednesse they pretende a cloke of hygh deuocion towardes God and the earneste zele of tendreyng his glory For there is not any more pernicious a kynde of vngodlinesse then so to dooe What felowe is thissame here say they that speaketh woordes of blasphemye presumyng on hym the thing that is appropriate vnto God alone For who is of power to remitte sinnes but onelye God But than the Lorde Iesus to declare that in this behalf also he had an equality of the diuine nature made aunswere in this manier to the secrete thynkinges of theyr heartes Wherfore haue ye suche thoughtes in youre heartes whether of these twoo dooe ye iudge more easy eyther to saye to a man that is cloggued with sinne thy sinnes are forgeuen thee or els to saye vnto thys partye whome ye see here to haue euerye ioynte of hys bodie vnknitte and looce one from an other with the paulseye aryse and walke That yf ye shall see perfeicte healthe of the bodye to bee restored with a mere woorde vnto a man beeyng of hymselfe paste all remedye and cure than beleue ye that the soule also is with lyke easinesse restored to his perfeict health By thys that ye euidentelye see with
acte at all but suche as can accordyng to mine ordinaunce sette at naught the glory of this worlde passe nothing on sensuall pleasures despise ryches esteme all affeccions as thynges of nothing refreine wrath and enuy beare true louing hertes to theyr yl willers say well by them that speake euill of theim praye for suche as dooe persecute theim and finallye sette not a penye by theyr lyfe in respecte of sauyng theyr brother suche will I acknowlage as dysciples worthie and meete for me The presence of my fleshly bodye dooeth for the season make theim to bee weake but whan thys bodye shal bee taken awaye in such wise as they may not haue me whan they would and whan they shall haue diepely receyued the spirit of the ghospell then shal they through theyr priuye giftes of grace within theim bee strong and vnuanquishable And suche persones as dooe put all the prayse of ryghteousnesse in corporall obseruacions because they truste in theyr owne weorkes are founde weake to perceiue those thynges whiche I prepayre my seruauntes vnto but whoso mistrustyng theyr owne doiynges sette al theyr defence and sauegarde in the vertuous qualities of the mynd which vertuous qualities they shal acknowelage to haue receyued of me and no man els suche men shall no manier aduersitee cause for to quaile Iohns training of his disciples my breaking of myne are of twoo sundrye sortes because the marke that we shoote at is not all lyke These twoo hys and myne cannot haue a full myxture made of theim For he that is wyllyng to be my disciple muste be altogether spirituall puttyng no manyer truste at all in thinges corporall in whiche the ryghteousnesse of the Phariseis dooeth altogether consiste And therefore I enioyne my disciples not a whit of any such thinges as haue any affinity with the carnall obseruacion of the lawe leste that in case I shoulde admitte or suffre but euen neuer so litle they woulde altogether slyde backe agayn to the same state that I wil in any wyse haue theim to be moste fertheste from And the Lorde Iesus to the entente that he woulde shewe howe greate diuersitye there was betwene Iohn who trayned hys disciples accordyng to the fyrste smatche of the olde lawe that he had bene nouzeled in from his infancye and himself that by a muche other waie dyd breake his disciples to thynges of more higher perfeccion he put furth a similitude of thys sorte here folowyng There is no man sayethe he so folyshe that in case he were mynded to patche vp a broken hole of hys olde cote woulde bee soe mad to sette in a pece of newe clothe cut with a payer of shiers oute of a newe garmente whiche thing yf he shoulde doe there were in it a double incommodity For fyrst and formost he renteth a newe vesture to patche vp an olde secondarilye the newe clothe standyng in the old garmente because it agreeth not wyll not leate the ilfauoured syght of the patching be hydden Agayne there is no man so folish that he wil put newe muste into olde bottels to bee kepte or yf he dooe it will surelye soe come to passe that the strengthe of the muste boylyng and weorkyng in theim wil breake the olde bottels in soonder and so shal consequentely folowe a double losse For bothe the bottels shall pertshe and also the wyne renne out What is therfore to be dooen Leat there be no mixture made of such thinges as agree not the one with the other Leat an olde garmente bee botched with olde clothe and in a newe garmente leate there not bee any pece of olde clothe put in Leate also newe muste bee put in newe bottels to bee kepte soe shall it come to passe that the bottels shall be saued whole and the wyne too I know how heard a thyng it is to make thissame new and ghostely doctrine of mine acceptable vnto those that haue nowe a long time bene enured with the olde For vneath any thyng dooeth lyke any persone yf it bee contrarye to that that he hath long tyme bene accustomed vnto For at once is he offended at the first tastyng of a thyng that hath not bene in vse with hym Therfore like as he whiche hath long tyme bene accustomed to drynke olde wine is not at the first assaiyng delited with new muste for he mysseth the tast that he would haue and saith that the olde was better but he sayeth so for none other cause sauing onely that he hathe bene vsed to the other soe they that haue liued all theyr dayes afore in the olde trade of the Iewes carnall constitucions dooe at the first tasting of this ghostly doctrine sterte backe and desyre to haue their other grosser thinges again which they haue bene vsed vnto that is to wete circumcision holy dayes solemne rites of sabbothes difference of meates diuersitie of vestures feastes Hierusalem the temple slayne sacrifices or oblacious washynges vowes blinde coÌstitucions of the Phariseis with other thinges mo not vnlike vnto these And these premisses thei not only requyre to haue again but also doe preferre thesame before such thynges as bee a greate deale better and more necessary to be had which thynges are an harte circuÌcised from peruerse desyres a mynd continually keping holy day from all worldly or vngosâly appliyng it selfe a breste throughly quieted from all troubleous vexacions or assaultes of euill passions a spirit abhorryng from the infeccion of al thinges which stayneth or defoileth the puritie of the mynd a soule enuironed and besette rounde aboute with feyth charitye humilitye and purenesse an herte euermore temperate and refreinyng form all euilles a mynde alwayes labouryng to come to his heauenly countrey a soule euer being a temple and a place of soiournyng for the holy goste a soule from tyme to tyme offreeyng it selfe an acceptable and a pure sacrifice to God a soule beyng pure cleane from al spot of synne through the feith of the ghospell a soule clene mortified from all thinges that belong to thys worlde and dedicatyng it selfe altogether vnto godly thynges a mynde most ready and diligent to obserue such thinges as the doctryne of the ghospell doeth enioyne and require And the thing that it requireth forsoothe is feithe the thyng that it enioyneth and commaundeth is charitie And thissame is verayly the newe muste of my doctryne which muste or new wyne the vessels that haue been vsed to the olde soure turned wyne of Moses law shall not wel abide but it requireth new pure vessels that are through the gostlye giftes of grace strong made to endure substauÌciall sure to holde ¶ The .vi. Chapter ¶ It happened on an after principall Sabboth day that he went through a corne fielde and his disciples plucked the eares of corne and did eate and rubbed them in their haÌdes And certaine of the Phariseis sayde vnto them Why doe ye that whiche is not lawefull to do on the sabboth dayes And Iesus aunswered them and sayd haue ye
spice of enuie at his name waxyng euery one day more famous then other and in maner derkenyng the glorye of Iohn of whoÌ they had an hyghe opinion make relacion vnto Iohn liyng fast bounde in the pryson of all the thynges that Iesus spake and dyd Iohn therfore of purpose to remedie and cure this affeccyonate mynde of his disciples called two of them apart vnto him seÌt theÌ vnto Iesus to demauÌd of him this questioÌ Are thou he that was sayd should cum or els dooe we loke for an other Iohn had so often alreadie geuen testimonie of Christe and also pointyng at him with his finger had said of him Behold the lambe of God Beholde hym that taketh awaye the sinnes of the worlde And nothyng is there more contrary to al reason then to thinke that so great a Prophete as Iohn beyng now nere vnto his death should begynne to doubte For though his body were in prison yet was not his testymonye of Christe bound in âhaines neither did the derkenes of the prison any thing dimme his iudgemente concernyng Christe For whom he acknowlaged in his mothers wombe hym dyd he no lese acknowelage in the pryson But the synguler good man iudged it so to be most expedient that he might by this way as it wer make deliuerie of his disciples into the handes of Iesus Whan Iohns disciples therfore had dooen their message to Christe after thesame maner fourme as their maister had geuen them in commission the Lorde Iesus did at the first make them no aunswer But many miracles doen in their presence right many sundrie maladies driuen out from suche as were sicke many vncurable euils put away froÌ men vnclene spirites cast out of meÌ with a word the sight restored vnto many that were blind at last thus he aunswered theÌ To what purpose is it for me to geue sentence of my self who I am There is no testimonie more clere oute of doubte then the testimonye of a ãâã actes Goe your waies and beare word vnto Iohn what ye haue seene with your iyes and what ye haue heard with your eares The blynd receiue their sight they that werlaine are made hable to walke lepres are made clene the deafe haue their hearyng restored the dead returne to life again the poore lowe dooe enbrace the glad newes of saluacion according to the prophecy of Esaye whiche sayeth He hath sent me to preache the ghospell vnto the poore Iohn preached the kyngdome of heauen to be at hande Weigh ye with your selues whether these thynges whiche ye see be thynges worthie and semyng for the kyngdom of heaueÌ And blissed is he that shal not turne these thinges which I doe for the health of men into an occasion of slaundre to hymselfewarde For as the greatnesse of the thinges wrought by me shall stiere many persones to enuie agaynst me so shall the weakenesse of this body bee occasion of slaundre to a great many With this saying Iesus did secretly checke the enuie of Iohns disciples geuing also therwithall a by woorde of knowledge that it would so cum to passe that the worldly open shame of the crosse by whiche in any wyse the mystery of the kingdome of heauen was to bee executed and accomplished would turne many mennes hertes a way from the doctrine of the ghospell and ferther that blessed shoulde they bee who neither woulde beare enuie ne grutche at his glory ne as men dismaied or troubled with the reproche of open deathe would sterte backe from his holsome doctrine ¶ And whan the messengers of Iohn were departed he began to speake vnto the people concerning Iohn What went ye out into the wildernesse for to see A rede shaken with the wind But what went ye out for to see A man clothed in softe raiment Behold they whiche are gorgeously apparelled and liue delicately are in kynges courtes But what went ye foorth to see A prophete yea I say to you and more then a prophete This is he of whom it is written Behold send my aungell before thy face whiche shal prepare thy way before thee For I say vnto you among womens children is there not a greatter prophete then Iohn Baptiste And whan Iohns disciples were gon their way to reporte vnto hym the aunswer of Iesus the Lorde begonne largely to speake in the praise of Iohn to the entent that none of them should by reason of demaundyng the former question by his disciples mystrust or suspecte Iohn hymself to be any thyng waueryng or concernyng his owne testimonie that he had afore geuen of Iesus to haue now chaunged his mynde and to be halfe in a doubte of the same Iesus therefore remoueth a waye from Iohn the suspicion of inconstauncie and also maketh Iohns testimony concernyng hym to be of the more credeÌce and weight in such wise extolling Iohns excelleÌt vertues that yet neuerthelesse he gaue hym not the tytle of Messias whiche tytle certain persons for a good long space did labour to geue vnto him And in this maner it was that Iesus spake Yf ye suspecte saieth he that Iohn who a good while sens gaue testimonie of me to be nowe of a waueryng mynde why than did ye a greate while agon leaue the tounes after that sorte and rennefull and whole into deserte places to see the man to see a rede trowe ye that is blowen to and fro with the winde and neuer long abideth stedfaste But goe to yet what went ye foorth at laste to see A man trowe ye gaily apparelled in softe sylkes that he may with deliciousnes of fare or with ambicion of honour bee corrupted But this suspicioÌ cannot light on a maÌ which went clothed in a camels hide whiche gyrt his loynes with a roughe thong of heary leather whiche lyued with grassehoppers to his meate and with plaine water to his drinke and whiche wheras he susteined his life with no fyner diete then this did besides also fast very often WhoÌ gorgeous araie doneth best please whoÌ deliciousnesse of meates dooeth delite suche dooe seke and make shift to be in kynges courtes And on suche persones as haue a great desire to the thynges aboue said the suspicion of a corrupt sentence and mynde of inconstancie and waueryng or of plain flattery may perchauÌce light But Iohn hath preferred wildernes before the courtes of princes he hath preferred the hearie hide of camels before veluets and silkes and before garmeÌtes of clothe of golde or set with precious stones wilde honey and locustes hath he preferred before the martspaines and other swete delicates of kynges plain water before the swete hypocras of the riche meÌ And how that Iohn can in no wise flatter the very prison that he is in dooeth sufficiently trye There is therefore no cause why any man should suspecte that Iohn dyd afore for any mannes pleasure or fauour geue so high and worthie testimony of me and now to haue chaunged his mynde But yet would I fain know what
hathe it pleased my father by thys waye muste I come to glorye And whoso wyll bee a disciple of myne yf he gladly desyre to bee partaker of my blisfulnesse he muste of necessitye bee a folower of my deathe afore It is not enoughe to goe folowyng me on fote at my helâs where I goe he muste folowe me in deedes or els will I not acknowelage hym for a disciple For whosoeuer shall come to the office of preachyng the ghospell must denye hymselfe altogether and muste renounce all the cares of this worlde for euer rychesse pleasures promocions kynsâolkes affeccions yea and lyfe it selfe also and muste euery daye take his crosse on hys backe hauing his mynde euermore readye vnto all suche thynges as ye see that I abyde and endure I wyll goe before you as the maister leat hym come after whosoeuer shall bee mynded to bee a disciple Neyther is there anye cause why ye shoulde feare to bee slayne For so to peryshe is to bee preserued For whosoeuer shall lose his lyfe for my sake thesame hath set his lyfe in perfeicte safetye and on the contrary side whosoeuer stertyng backe or shrynking away from the buisy charge of the ghospel shall haue a mynde to saue the lyfe of hys bodye thesame shal lose the life of his soule which alone and none but that is to bee reckened the true lyfe and for the preseruyng of this lyfe it is the parte of a wise man gladlye to take the losse of all other thynges in the worlde For what shall it auayle a manne yf he wynne all that euer this worlde hath woorthye to bee desired whan he hath loste hys owne selfe whan the mannes selfe dyeth those thynges also that he had gotten are perished and gone with hym And he perisheth altogether in dede whoso hath loste euerlastyng lyfe Leate no disciple of myne thinke shame to suffre such thynges whiche I my selfe shall suffre Leate hym not bee ashamed to professe my doctryne afore all the worlde For whosoeuer shall bee ashamed of me and my woordes before men as one offended and slaundred with the worldly shame of the crosse of suche an one shall the sonne of man agayne bee ashamed whan after the laiyng downe of the infirmitie of the fleashe he shal come at the secouÌd time shewyng foorth vnto the whole vniuersall worlde the maiestye of hymselfe of his father and of hys holy aungelles And doubte ye nothing that the thing that I saye shall one day come to passe For this I affirme vnto you for a matter of assured trueth Some there bee here emong you standyng by whiche shall not departe out of this life but that they shal fyrst in some parte se the maiestye of the kyngdome of god The thyng that nowe lyeth hidden shall one daye in tyme to come be made open and manifeste vnto all creatures ¶ And it fortuned that aboute an eyght dayes after these saiynges he tooke Petur and Iohn and Iames and wente vp into a mountayne to praye And as he praied the facion of his countenaunce was chaunged and his garmente was whyte and shone And beholde there talked with hym two men whiche were Moses and Helias that appered in the maââye and spake of his departiyng whiche he should ende at Hierusalem But Petur they that wer with him were heauy with slepe And whan they awoke they sawe his maiestie and twoo men standing with him Than Iesus to perfourme the promysse whiche he had nowe made dyd about theight day after these woordes speaking choose out three of his .xii. Apostles that is to weâe Petur Iames and Iohn and according to his accustomed woont he gotte hym vp to a mountaine there to praye And as he was in prayyng his face was soodaynly chaunged into an other lykenes replete with maiestie and glorye and his garmentes shone as white as any snowe There were seene also with him at thesame instaunte two other men of lyke maiestie talking with him of whome the one was Moses and the other Helias For the lawe had by figures set out Christ derkely as it were in a shadowe and the prophecies had directely poynted him oute what he was Nowe the talkyng of these twoo wyth Iesus what other thing doeth it signifie but the perfeicte agreyng of the olde and newe Testamente together Their talkyng with hym was concernyng the kynde of deathe whiche the Lorde accordyng to the tenour fourme of the prophecie many a daye afore written and set foorth by theim shoulde afterwarde accomplishe at Hierusalem to th eÌde that eftsons the delectable swetenesse of the glorie shoulde bee brought to a tempre with the mencion of deathe But al this did not the Apostles euen veray wel see because they had their iyes euen heauye with slepe But as soone as they were awaked they playnely sawe the maiestie of the Lorde and also the two men standyng harde by him ¶ And it chaunced as they departed from him Petur saied vnto Iesus maister it is good beeyng here for vs let vs make also three tabernacles one for thee and one for Moses and one for Helias and wiââ not what he saied While he thus spake there came a cloude a â ouer shadowed them and they feared when thei wer come into the cloude And there came a voice oute of the cloude saing This is my dere soâne heare ye him and as soone as the voice was paste Iesus was founde alone and they kept it close and told no man in those daies any of those thinges whiche they had seen Whiche twoo men when they begun to departe from Iesus Petur fearing leste all that same delectable sight shoulde also goe awaie he saied vnto Iesus Maister it is no goyng any whyther oute of suche a place as this Fare well Hierusalem and leate it goe which threateneth to put thee to death Tushe ãâã vs rather make three tabernacles here in this mountayne one for the one for Moses and one for Helias Thus spake Petur as a man inebriate and made droncken with the swetenesse of this vision not knowyng what he sayed For he required to triumphe before he had woonne the battaile and woulde haue had the best game of rennyng before he had tenne for it Euen in the instaunte tyme while Petur was speakyng these woordes there soodaynly arose a cloude and caste a shadowe ouer all the disciples beeyng nowe not hable in theyr mortall bodie to abide the beholding of so greate glorye And while Moses and Helias wer entreyng into the cloude and wer vanishing awaye from the iyes of the disciples for reason it was that the light of euangelicall trueth apperyng ãâã shadowes and misticall derkenesse of figures shoulde geue place and be goââ the voyce of his heauenly father sowned downe from the cloude saiyng Moses and Helias who prophecied of my sonne the Iewes haue hitherto had in highe estimacion and reuerence Great men were thei two in dede yet wer they but my seruauntes But thissame is he
to be the head of all holinesse and religion All your glory shall be transposed from you and shal go from you vnto the Gentiles And your own selfes shal geue sentence and iudgement against your selfes And as for me in dede ye shall put me to death but this I playnly affirme vnto you ye shall not see me before that ye shall saye Blessed is he that cummeth in the name of the Lorde This shall be your open protestacion whiche the trueth shall enforce you to vtter but yet this notwithstandyng ye shortely returnyng at once to the naturall inclinacion of your forefathers shall put him to death whom ye magnified afore with suche high wordes The .xiiii. Chapter And it chaunced that he went into the house of one of the chiefe Phariseis to eate bread on the saboth day and they watched him And behold there was a certain man before him which had the dropsie And Iesus aunswered and spake vnto the lawiers and Phariseis saiyng Is it lawfull to heale on the sabboth day And they held their peace And he toke him and healeâ him ⪠and let him goe and aunswered them saiyng whiche of you shall haue an asse or an ore fallen into a pitte and wil not straight way pull him out on the Sabboth day And they could not aunswere him again to these thinges ANd so it befell afterwarde that beyng desyred to dyner by a certayne manne that was one of the chyefe among the Pharyseis he wente to the mannes house and there toke his repaste with hym And it was a sabboth daye And there sate at thesame table also many Phariseis who according to their accustomed woont watched Iesus yf he shoulde speake or dooe any thyng whiche thei might slaunderously reproue in him And loe euen ready for them an occasioÌ of a false accusacion againste hym For there was there in presence a certayne manne possessed with the dropsie a disease for the moste parte vncurable by any Physike talowe coloured and swollen all his body ouer But a blessed turne it was for this pieteous creature that he came in Iesus sight For vnfortunate is suche a sinner as withdraweth or hydeth himself froÌ the sight of him who would faine haue all people to be saued Nowe Iesus knowyng well enough what thought the phariseis and lawiers had in their myndes demaunded of them whether it were a thyng standyng with Gods pleasure to geue health on the sabboth daye vnto a man beyng otherwyse ready to perishe and dye Whan they held their peace and would make none aunswer Iesus calleth vnto him the partie whiche had the dropsye and by touchyng him with his handes he healed the man and bidde him goe his waies Immediatly the mannes coulour was chaunged and the swelling of his fleshe abated to the due course again And although this dede was woonderfull yet the solemnitie of the sabboth day beyng broken as they interpreted it did highly offende the Phariseis But Iesus shewyng their religion to be of a peruerse contrary sorte in that they would be offended in the preseruyng of a mannes life and in sauing of an asse were not offended made aunswer to their secrete thoughtes said If an oxe or an Asse of any of youres had fallen downe in a diepe pitte on the sabboth daye whether would the partie tarie vntil the sabboth day were al past orels makyng no tariaunce at all would he straight waye euen thesame daye geat out his beaste that it might not miscarry If the preseruyng of an oxe or an asse doeth weigh so muche with you that ye thinke not the sabboth daye to bee broken why is your herte offended for that I haue on the sabboth day geuen health to this man who was in ieoperdy to haue died out of hand of the disease of the dropsie In case it bee the bodily worke and laboure that is weighed there is more bodily labour in halyng an oxe or an asse oute of a great depe pit theÌ in makyng this man whole of his disease I haue no more but seen him touched hym and bidden hym goe his way If it be the persone that ye esteme then ought ye more to tendre the preseruyng of one sole maÌne then of a right great noumbre of oxen or asses At all these woordes the Phariseis plaied mum For their hertes were so corrupt so peruerse that whan thei had no aunswer to make against the plain and clere trueth yet could thei not mollifie theÌselfes to allowe that they sawe doen of Iesus That in case theÌselfes had been hable to haue doen any suche lyke thyng they would with al the trompettes in a countreye haue blowen abrode their own glory But because the lord Iesus would that the glory of all his doynges should redouÌd to his father which was god of heauen he euerywhere discouered the peinted holynesse of the phariseis who had ouerloÌg already mocked and seduced the plain simple people with their cloked hipocrisie For they huÌted for their own glory among men and therfore they enuied at the glory of god And this was a true dropsie of the soule growing first of a corrupt iudgemeÌt of the mind as the dropsie cuÌmeth of the liuer being corrupted or perished For the said phariseis setting al their glory in such thiÌges wherin there was no gloriyng to be made were swolleÌ with outforth and puffed vp in haultnes pride where al their entrailes withinforth wer miserably corrupted and putrified He put forth also a similitude vnto the geastes whan he marked how they pressed to the highest roumes and said vnto them whan thou art bidden of any man to a wedding sit not down in the highest roume leste a more honorable man than thou be bidden of him and he that bid him and thee come and say to thee geue this man roume and thou then begin with shame to take the lowest roume But rather whan thou arte bidden goe and sitte in the lowest roume that whan he that bidde thee cummeth he may say vnto thee ⪠frende sitte vp higher Then shalt thou haue wurship in the presence of them that sitte at meate with thee For whosoeuer exalteth himselfe shal bee brought lowe and he that humbleth himselfe shal bee exalted The Lorde therefore who had with onely touchyng healed the man that had the dropsie was very desyrous to cure these mens disease also with the medicine of holsome woordes and doctryne For whatsoeuer the Phariseis did they did it for pride and for vainglorious bosting For they woulde goe walkyng vp and downe in their philacteries they would stand praiyng in the open stretes where soondrie waies mete much people passe by thei would haue a trompet to blowe afore theÌ whan they gaue almes Whan they fasted thei had a feate to discolour their faces that thei might loke pale thei would goe hunting about to haue glorious salutacions and gretinges in the stretes and where they came to diner or supper they loked and sought to sit vppermoste at mens
ignorauntes the symple sorte and suche as can no skyll of fraude or falsehoode appeare to bee of the Assishe kinde but they haue the lorde to theyr directour who will not leat them straygh out of the way who not onelye vouchesalueth to sytte on theyr backes but also to haue hys habytacion in theyr heartes whiche he gouerneth with hys owne spirite And the beastes were bare vntil than but the Apostles doe couer theÌ al ouer with their robes that is with theyr doctrine and with exaumples of holy conuersacion preparing them for Iesus to geatte vp vpon whiche Iesus what he once dyd after the fleashe the same he neuer ceassethe to dooe after the spirytuall sence The way was rough but the same way dooe the disciples make sure enough to goe vpon by spreadyng theyr garmentes abrode vpon it that is shewyng the way of godly conuersacion to be easye in case a man goyng by the exaumples of the holy submit hymselfe to be vnder the lorde Iesus Than goe they vpon braunches of palmes and vpon greene leaues of trees that is by the memorye of the mattirs the virgins and the confessoures continuallye bearyng floures and keping theyr freashe grenesse For what a great noumber of good exaumples doeth on euery syde offer themselues vnto such as are entred in the way of godly deuocion Great store of such exauÌples doe the very bokes of the Iewes minister eueÌ to the GeÌtiles also And these shew tokens of gladnesse in thys coltes behalfe whoâoeuer they bee that acknowleage Christe for theyr lorde and owner Neyther doe there want Phariseis at thys day too ne neuer shall want or fayle in whome the glorye of Chrste shall cause herte burning and enuie For they had lieffer haue it cryed vnto themselues Osanna in the highest lauded be he which cometh in the name of the lorde wheras they come not in the lordes name but in theyr owne But the Iewes euen at thys daye kepyng sylence of the glory of Christ whiche they haue enuye at the stones vnceassauntly crye it out being nowe become the children of Abraham Here doe the people of Hierusalem crye awaye with hym awaye with hym dooe hym on the crosse Irishe men Scottes Englyshe men Frenche menne Sarmacians Germaines crie landed be he that cometh in the name of the lorde Such people as whyle they sette theyr heartes on aduauncyng theyr owne glory doe labour to derken the glory of Christe and those whiche for the respect of theyr owne priuate commodytye dooe suppresse and depraue or corrupte the sinceritie of holy Scripture whyle they desyre to haue theyr owne greatnesse set out in mens talke and the glorye of Christe to be leaft vnspoken all suche veraylye playe the partes of those Phariseis whiche attempted to stoppe the mouthes of the chyldren of the Hebrues whiche chyldren God had enspyred to sing foorthe the glorye of hys name and of hys sonne whome he had geuen a salueour vnto the worlde Yea and thys poyncte also hathe some holesome significacion in it that there is firste a stiepe cumming downe from the mount of Oliuete and than afterwarde an euen and smoothe waye ouer a playne and anon agayne an other goyng vp vnto the mounte of Sion for vpon thys mounte of Sion was the temple of the Lorde builded Except the former mount had oyle wherby the light of feyth might be nourished and maynteyned there coulde bee no cummyng downe from the affyaunce of the lawe by which the Iewes swel in pride nor from trustyng in philosophie by which the Gentiles thinke themselues ioly felowes For the firste steppe and degree of growing forwarde in goodnesse is through feyth But than muste we approche the house of the cheke for Bethphage is so muche to say in the Sirians tounge For thys is the cheke not that puffethe vp in haultenesse of mynde or looke but that is ready to come foorth with the confession of our offences committed agaynste God Neyther muste we bee ferre from Bethanie whiche is called the house of obedyence For all creatures are not obediente vnto the ghospell But yet herehence cometh the begynning of health After the downehyll the waye lieth ouer a playne being on euery syde strawen with the braunches of good exaumples vntyll we eftsones come to the rysyng vp of the hyll towardes the mounte of Sion whiche is called the tooryng hylle or peake or hygh beacon place or watchyng toure from whence to see a ferre of For thys is verayly that same hygh toppe of vertue out of whiche as it were out of an hygh peake or beakon place altho thynges are a great waye beneath looked downe vpon and contemned of whiche thys worlde maketh greate moustre and shewe as if they were hyghe thynges aboue the moone And the mynde beeyng nowe drawyng well towardes heauen beholdeth suche thynges as are euerlasting and the which doe surmount the coumpasse of al mans reason ¶ And Whan he was come nere he behelde the citie and wept on it saying If thou haddeste knowen those thinges whiche belonge vnto thy peace euen in this thy day thou wouldest take hede But nowe are they hidde from thyne iyes For the dayes shall come to thee that thy enemies also shall cast a âantie about thee and compace thee rounde and kepe thee on euery side and make thee euen with the grounde and thy children which are in thee And they shall not leaue in thee one stone vpon an other because thou knowest not the tyme of thy visitacion And whan the lorde Iesus was nowe come so ferre onward that Hierusalem was somewhat nere and was full in fighte afore him viewing and beholdyng the same cytye portely and gorgeous of buildinges flourishing in menne in richesse and in opinion of holinesse and deuocion towardes God proude of their state that the world was in at that presente day and voyde of all thought and care by reason they knewe not of thextreme distresse and myserie that was to come vpon them he being earnestly moued with compassion wept and with woordes sodaynly brastyng out without any suche talke afore goyng as it were one sighing and sobbing for sorow he muche lamented the destruccyon of the same citie and spake to thys effecte ensuyng If thou also dyddest nowe as well as I dooe knowe thys day of thyne in whiche is offred vnto thee peace and remission of thy great synnes past thou wouldeste earnestlye sette thy minde to embrace that is offered Forsooth thys is thy day in whiche thou art occasioned to emendemente and in whiche the goodnesse of God prouokethe thee to repentaunce and dooeth prouoke thee with the hygheste and vttermoste degree of bounteous goodnesse and with so high a degree of goodnesse that there can be no more dooen to it The mercifulnesse of God so often tymes despysed of thee vouchsalueth after a certayne newe mannier to visite thee to the ende thou mayeste at lestewise by thys meane weaxe mylde and reformable There will come an other day not of thyne but of
the Romaines and of goddes vengeaunce at whiche thou wilt be plagued for all thy greate transgressyons whiche thou hast had more mynde to heape more vpon more then to lamente or bee sory for that is paste But nowe thou neyther knoweste thyne owne daye ne forescest that other day to come whiche shall not bee thyne because bothe the one and the other is hydden from thyne iyes whiche are in thee almoste vttrely blynded with the drounkennesse of thy flouryshynge welthye state that thou art in at this present Thou neyther hast any remembraunce of the eiuils past whiche thou hast dooen ne foreseest thynges to come which hang ouer thy head nor acknowlagest the prest goodnesse of God towardes thee whiche goodnesse of god because thou doest yet styll most obstinately sette at naught O thou citie vnpossible to bee recured and a common murderer of all suche as bryng vnto thee any woorde of thy saluacion or redempcyon there shall come straungyers of an other lande agaynste thee whiche shall brynge vtter destruccion and ruine vpon thee It will be thy lot to refuse and put from the thy Messias and in his stede to chose Ceasar vnto thy king Thou shalt therefore fynde and fele thy kynges cummyng vnto thee with a ferre other furnyture and prouision then thy king doeth nowe come vnto thee being a bringer of health and a paceable quiete king Thou wilt not nowe receyue hym that cummeth to geue health and safegarde and ere longe shalte thou of force bee compelled to receiue that shall come to geue the vtter confusion For the princes of Rome whome thou haddest preferred beefore thyne owne kyng shall come as enemies in stede of kynges with bendes of men well armed and appoyncted for warre and firste of all they shall enuiron thee rounde about with trenches so that there shall bee no way open to escape out than shall they on euery side encoumpace thee with men and artillery shal with a most streight siege oppresse thee and fynally all thyssame thy gaye buyldynge with temple and all they shall cast downe as lowe as the grounde And not satisfied withal thissame they shal with an vniuersal slaughter destruie thy childreÌ of whome thou art now proud and doest sembleably set them in a pride and a pompe by thy gorgeous royaltie and all thyssame glory of thyne they shall in suche sorte wipe away from the roote and foundacion that they shall not leaue so muche as one stone standynge faste mortised on an other to the ende there shall no sygne of thee remayne ne yet any hope of reedyfying thee agayne in tyme to come These thynges in dede shall bee miserable to beeholde but they shall chaunce by thyne owne desert because that being so often times occasioned long many yeres gon by sundry prophetes and now also by Iohn by thy Messias thou doest obstinately despyse the mercie of God Thou shalt therefore fâle the tyme of vengeaunce whiche wouldest not knowe the tyme of thy visitacion Euen thou too aswell as others if thou haddest woulde mightest haue embraced thy redempcion being offered Nowe at leastwise thou shalt by thy confusion bee an holesome exaumple vnto others that they maye not in lyke manier despise the goodnesse of God whan it prouoke the them to take better wayes ¶ And he went into the temple and beganne to cast out them that solde therin and them that bought saying vnto them It is written My house is the house of prayer but ye haue made it a denne of theues Iesus after he had spoken the premisses came to Hierusalem and entred into the temple and droue out therhence such as were bying and selling there saying God sayeth in the scryptures This same my house hath bene dedicated not for the trade of bying and sellyng but for praying but ye haue turned it into a denne of theues spoyling all straungiers that come and by your wicked lying in awayte procuring your owne lucre with the losse damage of others By thys fact the lorde Iesus declared how great destruccion those persones dooe bryng into the churche who vnder the pretence and coulour of godly deuocyon applye theyr myndes altogether to filthye lucre who vnder the tytle of deuout wurshipping of God doe attende theyr owne profit not feding theyr flocke but taking away al the swete from them and with their vnpure doctrine sleaghing the soules whome theyr dueties were with pure doctrine to bring vnto lyfe ¶ And be taught dayly in the temple But the priestes and the scribes and the chiefe of the people went about to destroy hym and coulde not fynde what to doe For all the people stacke by him whan they hearde him Thys dooen the Lorde as one beyng nowe fully possessed in hys owne kingdome taughte daye by daye in the temple the vncurable malyce of the Phariseis openly despysed But those whiche were hyghest in dignitie emong the priestes and also the scribes and the ringleders of the people being netled therewithall and stiered to wrathe soughte some occasyon to caste away our salueour They lacked no maliciouse myndes but there appered no hope of bringyng their will to effecte They had hearde the shoutynges of the people in the honour of Iesus they saw in the temple also the whole vniuersall multitude of the people to depende altogether of hys sayinges so greate was aswell the effectuall pith as also the grace of goddes woorde Theyr colde and feble doctrine concerning washynges concernyng the corbone that is theyr treasoury of the churche concernynge the true tythynge of myntes and rue stoode agaynste mens stomakes euen lyke soure wyne after that the people had once tasted the newe must of euangelicall hertinesse On thys behalfe they were afearde lest theyr autoritie shoulde abate they feared decaying of theyr gaynes they feared leste theyr kyngdome shoulde haue a fall And as for the thing whiche at that tyme befell according to the litterall discourse of the storie the same doeth often tymes happen after the morall sence also whansoeuer and as often as they which sitte in the top castel or high chayre of religion and which be persones notorious in the profession of teaching the doctrine of holy scripture doe fall in conspiracie with the secular prynces against Iesus It suche a tyme great is the destruccyon that hangeth ouer the people And thys thing so cummeth to passe as often as the autoritie of the priestes and of the doctoures or open professours of diuinitie dooeth flatter the kynges and monarches of this world as often as the same doctours say Amen to the wilful affeccions and appetites of the sayde worldely prynces with their autoritie wheras theyr partes had bene with wholsome and franke monicyons to tell the prynces of theyr faultes to restreygne and brydle the power of the same and whan the monarches agayne on theyr parties dooe with theyr treasoures and possessyons vnderproppe the others and make themselues as buckelers for the peruerse desires of
countrefaictyng of holy conuersacioÌ purchase vnto theimselfes autoritie and bearing theimselfes bolde on thesame do withdrawe the simple people from true godlinesse This kynde of maskers are fore taken with twoo diseases in especiall that is with ambicion which altogether enclineth to tyranny and with couetise insaciable And suche men dyd Iesus as it were plainly peince out vnto his disciples that did he all the people beyng within audieÌce of it to the ende the said Phariseis and Scribes myght bee shunned forasmuche as they would not be refourmed that they myght haue no longer tyme to deceiue seyng they would in no wyse emend And this was not any suche poynât as to backebite or take awaie any mennes good name and fame but to make a good sure waie for the safegarde and preseruyng of the simple innoceÌt people Now listen thou swete Theophilus with what coulours the Lorde peâneteth theim out that thou mayeste eschewe theim whan they bee knowen vnto thee Beware ye of the Scribes saith he suche as ye dooe nowe often tymes see to assayle me with guyle and subtiltie They professe the perfeict knowlage of the lawe dooe obstinatelye resiste the mynde of the law They haue God in theyr mouth but thei are open aduersaries to the glorie of God They proteste in woordes to be earneste trauaillers for the peoples behoufe and profite whereas they couÌtrefaict al thinges that euer they doe for respecte of theyr owne coÌmodities Thââ make great fleeyng outwardly from the coumpaignie of sinners yea and in case thei light on the coumpaignie of suche by anye casuall chaunce they purge theimselfes by much washynges but theimselfes on their owne parties dooe withinfoorth altogether swymme in vyces much more detestable that is to weâe in desire of vainglory in high solemnitie of looke and countenaunce in enuy but moste specially of all in auirice whiche to doe is no lesse then plain wurshyppyng of idolles And because they vnderstaÌd and perceiue the people to be must chiefly moued with suche thinges as maye bee seen with the bodily iyes they doe with suche kyndes of iugleynges hunt and seke to geat autoritie emong the simple soules They doe as ye would saye sette out themselfes to sale by their newefound disguised vesture hauyng a great pride and felicitie to be ieâtyng vp downe where thei maye be seen in their autentical robes of auncyentenesse reachyng down to the hard grounde and with their countenaunces framed to a grauitie they are often much present in the high stretes and in places of great resorte of people to the entent they maie there haue much crouchyng and doukyng made vnto theym that they maye bee hailled and greted by the name of wurshypfull maysters In the sinagoges also and in places where much coumpaignie is sitting together thei looke and seke to haue the highest seates and at feastes whan they shall sitte downe to meate they haue a great appetite to beginne the table because they woulde seme great and iolye felowes in the eyes of men whereas before the face of God they are accursed and detestable And yet might they seme to bee nomore but vainglorious and foolyshe if they made no ferther sekyng nor suyng but for the swifte blastes of bruit and fame of the people and the vanishing smoke of haillinges and gretynges Nay there is nothyng more full of catchyng and pollyng then thei are Thei occupie not the trade of vsurye lending out their money for encresse or gaines thei are not collectours ne receiuers of tribute wherby to polle and piele the coÌmon people but they haue castes and sleightes more vngracious then the craftye trade of suche is The simpler sorte of people whiche maye easily be beguyled doe they hunt to take for a praie they seke to catche wedowes suche as are welthye and ryche and destitute of the aide of housebandes which might defend them The sexe of womankynde is apte to be deceyued by fraude and a godly acte it is in apparence to bee helpers of suche as are destitute Suche simple wedowes therfore doe they easily flocke and louâe through countrefaictyng of holines Ueraye muche grauitie doe they pretende in their countenaunce they bee honoured of euerye bodye theyr veray habyte dooeth on euerye syde crie them to bee men of holy conuersacion and thei vse besydes this to bee a long whyle together in prayers yea and that shall bee doen in the open stretes where euerye bodye maye beare recorde Thesame thing was dooen of Iohn also and of the olde auncient prophetes but it was dooen in secrete where none might behold it but God But these felowes dooe not praye but hunte What meruayl thaÌ if selie wedowes bee deceiued by so manye waies of coulourable delyng But whan they haue ons crepte in to geate theyr heades within the saied wedowes doores they deuoure their houses and piele and polle the sely weomen whom their partes had been to defende and saue and what ought to haue been gâueÌ out in almes to the behouf of the poore that doe they wholly conuerte to their owne lucre Such manier men were the Scribes at those daies and the Phariseis who without ende bothe in woord and dede made resisteÌce agaynste the ghospell Albeit there bee euen at this present daie too and euer wyl be Scribes who whyle they sette al their mynde and studie vpon their owne profites dooe not onely bothe speake and woorke agaynst the commodities of the people but also be resiste the glorie of Iesus and that they dooe vnder a false pretence of religion by theyr wedes by their titles and by their long prayers huntyng for to geat an opinion of holinesse in the syght of the common people whiche common people dooeth not yet well vnderstande in what thynges true religion dooeth consiste But nowe what shall the disciples of Christe dooe agaynst suche Scribes and Phariseis forasmuche as the true disciples of Christ can no manier skyl of harmyng any bodie as meÌ indewed with the simplenesse of veray doues Forsooth they shall in this case vse also the subtiltie of the serpent If beeyng duely tolde of their ill doinges they do not emend their coumpaignie muste be shunned seeyng they are vncurable and the simple are to bee warned that they beware of the same secte liyng in awaite for theim And as for the saide Scribes and Phariseis theyr due punishemente abideth theym For whan they shall come to the seate of iudgemente before thatsame iudge who iudgeth not by suche thynges as are seen with the iyes of the bodye but by the priuye affeccions of the hertes at that houre shal suche be adiudged to more grieuous tormentes then those whiche are to the open sight of the worlde and vnfeignedly full of hainous enormities beyng persones so much the lesse culpable because they shewe their disease openlye and hide it not The .xxi. Chapter As he behelde he sawe the riche menne which caste in their offreinges into the
there be any hope of escapyng harmelesse sauyng onely in fleeyng For it shall not bee an affliccion or plague of the common rate but the sharpe vengeaunce of God shall sodaynly take this region this people beeyng now by the space of many hundred yeres continually rebellious For their cities shall bee turned vpsyde down and theimselfes shall bee either slain orels taken captiue to be disperpled scatered abrode and the course of thynges turned a contrarie waie they shal bee bonde seruauntes and slaues vnto the nacions of the Gentiles whom hitherto as people of abhominacion they haue detested and they shall bee bounde to oughe thankes to thesame Gentyles for thissame veraye poyncte that there be any remaynes at all leafte vnslaine of so wieked a nacion as the said Iewes are Yea and this citie here of Hierusasalem also beeyng aswell in welthinesse of richesse as also in opinion of true perfeict religion gaily beseen together with the temple all the sure building wherof they flattre theimselfes promyse shall perpetually endure vnto them neuer to decaye shall bee troden vnder fete by the Gentiles vntil those same tymes shal bee completed duryng the whiche god will suffre the nacion of the Iewes to bee oppressed and afflicted of the Gentiles beeyng vncircumcised vntill the said Iewes beeyng chastised with long aduersyties maiâ at the last emende ioyne together with the Gentiles into the felowshippe and brotherhood of professyng the ghospell For thesame thyng shall so come to passe before the laste daie of the worlde shall come ¶ And there shal be signes in the sunne in the Moone and in the ââeâres in the earth The people shal be at their wittes ende through despaire The sea the water shal roare and mennes hertes shall faile theim for feare and for looking after those thinges whiche shall come on the earth For the powers of heauen shall moue And then shall they see the sonne of man come in a cloude with power and great glorie Whan these thinges beginne to come to passe than looke vp and lift vp your heades for your redemcion draweth high And as for the approchyng of thesame laste daye manye signes shall wondrefully declare it before it come For a drefull daie shal the said daie be especially to suche persones as despise my tyme beyng quiete and with benefites prouokyng theim of myne owne offre to a better mynde And therefore shall the veraye elementes of the worlde as ye would say tremble quake agaynst the comyng of the sayed daye Thatsame bright shynyng Sunne beyng the fountaine of lyght hauyng been accustomed to make all thynges looke with a merie there and countenaunce shall with sodayne derkenesse couer his face No nor the Moone neither shal not haue her entrechaungeable course of geuing light vnto you The slertes beeyng ridde with bloude shall descende down from the skye vpon the earth also a sore perplexitie of myndes an earnest desperacioÌ of thynges shall soodaynly come vpon al nacions by reason that the sea shall boile and swell styll more and more and the sourges thereof make a doulrull roaryng noyse aferre of These monstreous tokens and suche others manye whiche shall on euerye syde shewe foorthe theymselfes oute of all partyes of the world shal declare the terrible stroke of god to grow fast on therefore shall the people of the worlde consume and pine awaye and shal bee as people in an other world for the feare and continual expectacion of the thinges which shall anon after come vpon the whole vniuersall world For the whole nature of thynges shal be shaken together out of al ordre and not the earth only and the sea shal bee clene altred but also the saied most sounde and massie bodies of the worlde aboue shal bee altogether moued whereas thesame haue euermore vntyll that tyme beene vntouched and free from the alteracion of the elementes and haue vsed only to geue theyr influence and to bee woorkers vpon the thynges that lye vnder theim and not to fele anye power of the interiour elementes entrechaungeably working or shewing any effectes vpon them again Suche persones as haue nowe here in this worlde despised and bidden away with the soÌne of man being pacient milde beneficial shal than at that houre see thesame cummyng on high in a cloude with a great power and with most high glory Now whan ye shal see the premisses come to passe lift vp your iyes and lift vp your heades vnto thatsame citie of the heaueÌly Ierusalem for thaÌ shall the kyngdome of God bee nigh at hande in whiche there shall nowe bee none affliccion of euils but perpetual quietnesse endlesse felicitie And the thynges aforesayed shal be most vndoubted tokens of the last day to be at hand And he shewed them a similitude beholde the figtree and all the trees whan thei shoote-forth their buddes ye se and know of your own selfes that summer is than nigh at haÌde So likewise ye also whan ye see these thinges come to passe be sure that the kingdom of god is nigh Ueraily I sate vnto you this generacion shall not passe till all bee fulfilled Heauen and earth shall passe ⪠but my woordes shall not passe And the Lord added a similitude therto Take ye an exaumple of the trees whiche doe by assured tokens geue men knowelage afore hande of the fruicte to folowe For ye see the figtree and others when they shootefoorth their buddes leaues and by your veraye owne reason ye vnderstande that summer is almoste come and ye begynne to hope to haue fruict Right so euen ye at what time ye shal see the foresaied signes profres towardes the chaunge of the world coÌceiue ye an vndoubted hope of the kingdome of god nowe to be shewed forth and that the euill shall no longer haue power to doe any care to the good But the wieked sorte shal suffre endelesse tormentes the godly shal haue fruicion of ioyes eternall If ye haue alreadie seen come to passe al that euer hath hitherto bene foreshewed vnto you by the prophetes and by me beleue ye wythoute all doubtes that these thinges also which I haue foresaied vnto you shal semblably ensue and come to effecte This woorde I auouche vnto you on warauntise that the tyme of man here in this worlde shal not passe awaie before the these thinges euery one shal fortune There is nothing more stable or more likely to endure then is the skye and the yearth and yet shall both the skye and the yearthe sooner vanishe awaie then my woordes passe without taking due effecte ¶ Take dede to your selfes leste at any tyme your heartes be ouercummed with surfaââting and drounkennes and cares of this life and so the daie come vpon you vnwares For as a snare shal it come on al them that dwelle on the face of yâ who le yearth Watche ye therefore continually and praie that ye maie escape all these thinges
els by casualtie The malice of the Phariseis almost euery other daie weorkyng death vnto the Lord had no power before this tyme agaynste hym because yâ although they lacked no peruerse will yet there was not anye power geuen theim from God to accomplishe the thyng whiche they had purposed And yet neuerthelesse they doe in suche sorte conferre and miengle theyr counsailles together as though they had been habie by their owne supportacion and power to bryng theyr wyll to effecte For the malice of the phariseis and the priestes beeyng incensed manye wayes ticled and itched to laye handes on Iesus to bring him to his death But the feare of the people was a lette thereunto whome they sawe broughte in loue and fauour towardes hym through shewyng many myracles and benefites and to depende altogether of his mouthe In which behalfe great peril there was leste yf they had attempted to laye handes on him in presence of the multitude he should by some sedicion sodaynly arisyng be taken by force and violence out of their handes and al theyr labour proue to a matter in vain for asmuche as Iesus whan he were once escaped their fyngers woulde for the tyme to come see and prouide well enough for hymselfe They dyd not all this whyle remembre that he had so many times afore safe and sound without any harme at all escaped out of the handes of the furious rageing multitude The daye also beeyng nothing fitte for the purpose of dooyng suche a thyng was not all of the moste to theyr contentacion aswell for the high solemnitie of the feaste selfe as also for the greate resorte of people to thesame feaste But yet a fitte occasion beeyng by an other meane offreed whan they hoped for nothing lesse and thesame occasion metyng euen iuste with theyr wieked wil despeched the scruple of the festiuall daye For Satan who had tempted Iesus tofore by his veray owne selfe persecutyng thesame Iesus yet stil by his ministers instrumentes hadde possessed the herte of Iudas Iscarioth who was one of those twelue specially chosen out of all the rest whom Iesus had tofore named Apostles And as for this Iudas the onelye couetise of money whyche daylye came throughe his handes perswaded hym to this furye that of his own mocion he wente to the heade priestes and rewlers for the priestes also aswell as other rewlers had men of armes aboute theim but not for anye suche purpose geuen theim treactyng and commonyng with theim aboute the betraying of Iesus into theyr handes For he knewe theim to be buâsie in counsaile emong theimselfes aboute suche a matter And no seruaunte there was a more meie man to betraye Iesus then suche an one as in title and profession was moste familiar with hym in affeccion of herte an enemie Iudas had no ill opinion of the Lorde nor had euer receiued any displeasure at his hande wherefore he shoulde haue cause to beare hym any malice or il wil. But the pestilent corrupcion of auarice had hym faste by the stomake The priestes thei wer glad men that they had suche a plaier come to play the first pageaunt of this plaie The counsaile of Iudas lyked theim agreemente was made for the price which he of a sueâtie required but euen veray slendre because the case should be aunswerable to the prophecie They promised him money and he promysed theym his seruice the best that he coulde do In the meane time he sought an occasioÌ whereby to delyuer Iesus vnto theym whan he shoulde bee in some solitarye place sequestred from cumpany whiche was the thyng that they desired to the entent no sedicion might arise through the fauourers of hym And Iudas was well acquainted with all places where the lorde vsed to be solitary Than came the day of swetebreade whan of necessitie passeouer must be offered And he sent Peter and Iohn saying Goe and prepare vs the passeouer that we may eate They said vnto him Where wilt thou that we prepare And he said vnto them Beholde whan ye entre into the citie there shal a man mete you bearyng a pitcher of water him folow into thesame house that he entreth in and ye shal say vnto the good man of the house The maister saieth vnto the where is the geaste chaumber where I shall eate passeouer with my disciples And he shall shew you a great parlour paued There make ready And they went and found as he had said vnto them and they made ready the passeouer And nowe was the daye of swete breade come the hyghest holy daye that the Iewes had in whiche accordyng to the prescripcion of the lawe the laÌbe was to bee slayne whiche the Iewes call Phase of passing ouer as I haue already sayd But the true Phase was the lord Iesê° that lambe most pure than to bee slayne in sacrifice for redempcion of the worlde accordyng to the eternall determinacion of his father Therfore because Iesus would the more diepely inprint in the hertes of his dysciples the memorie of his deathe and woulde make it playne and open vnto them that he suffered all these thinges bothe knowyng of it afore and also willinglye his mynde was so that in the last supper that euer he had to make with them he would by mystical tokens make among them a representacion of the thyng which he should the next day folowyng execute and accomplishe vpon the crosse because he was not ignorauÌt how greatly they would afterward be dismayed by his death He therfore preueÌteth the tyme whyle their mindes wer not yet past taking of good counsayll and aduertisemente The dooyng of this matter he commytted to two of his chiefly beloued Apostles Peter and Iohn Goe ye twaine sayeth he and prepare for all vs the paschal lambe that we may eate it altogether Thou hearest now in these wordes the beginnyng of the churche and the end of the Synagogue Now forbecause Iesus though he were the Lord creatour of all thynges yet hadde no house of his propre owne nor of any certaintie to point vpon the saied two disciples demaunded where his wyl and pleasure was to haue the paschal supper made ready for him So great strauÌgers forsooth and so vnacquainted were the disciples with in the citie that thei scarcely had any perfite knowlage of any house therin For euen verye suche ought the true disciples of Christe to bee in this worlde Than Iesus to the entent he would shewe that no part of all the thynges that wer foorthwith to folowe was to hym vnknowen saied vnto them Beholde as soone as ye shall bee entred into the citie there shall a man come towardes you cariyng a pitcher full of water Folowe thesame felowe euen to the house that he shall enter into And there shal ye say to the good maÌ of the house The master hath willed vs to say vnto thee in his behalfe where is the parler wherin I may eate the paschall lambe with my
frendely countenaunce and theyr garmentes glitteryng in maner of clere brightnesse or lightning Thissame veray lightnesse and sight of the Aungels had been an open semblaunt of the triumph of an arysing agayne to lyfe And whan the weomen beeyng throughly afrayed with this straunge syght cast their countenaunce and iyes downe vpon the grounde and durst not loke streight vpon the maiestie of the visioÌ being a thing aboue the reache of mans nature the sayed Aungels with mylde and amiable speakyng vnto them doe ease and recoumforte the hertes of them beeyng astouned with that soodayne feare O ye weomen saye the Aungels why doe ye seke hym in the graues of the dead which is a liuesman In dede here was he layed whan he was dead but nowe forasmuche as he is reuiued agayne he is not in graue where the dead doe reste but he is arysen agayne from death to life and walketh a liuesman emong the lyuing He had by his owne woordes foreshewed that dye he should he had foreshewed the tyme also the kynde of his death but thesame had also foreshewed that he would on the third day returne to lyfe againe Ye belieue hym to bee dead because ye sawe it belieue ye also that he is arysen againe to life For he will not in this pointe deceyue you whiche on the other parte tolde you trueth Hath sorowe and trouble of mynde made you to forget all thynges that he tolde you of aforehande Lette it come to your remembraunce againe howe that of all these thynges whiche haue nowe been dooen he leafte not any one poynte vnspoken of or vntolde aforehande whan he was yet in Galile For he tolde you afore that it was so decreed by the wysedome and ordeynaunce of his father that for the redempcion of mankynde the sonne of man should be deliuered into the handes of synners and that he should bee accused should be beaten and should be setfurth to receyue al kyndes of mocking skorning and finally that beyng hoighced vp vpon the crosse he should be put to death but yet that he thesame man should on the thirde daye returne to lyfe agayne Call ye the tyme well vnto your knowlage He was taken downe from the crosse well towardes the euentyde of the preparacion daye and layed here in thissame graue that daye is rekoned for the firste daye from his death All the whole Sabboth day he rested in his sepulchre Nowe is this the dayspring of the third day which third day himselfe arising together with thesame hath willed to be gladsome and prosperous to all the whole worlde After these woordes spoken the Aungels vanished awaye from theyr sight ¶ And they remembred his woordes and returned from the sepulchre and tolde all these thynges vnto those eleuen and to all the remnaunt It was Mary Magdalene Ioanna and Mary Iacobi and other that were with them which tolde these thynges vnto the Apostles And theyr woordes semed vnto them feigned thinges neyther beleued they them Than arose Petur and ran vnto the sepulchre and loked in sawe the linen clothes layed by themselfes and departed woondreyng in himselfe at that whiche had happened Than the wemen through the Aungels bringyng them in remembraunce doe call to memorie the Lorde Iesus woordes by the whiche he had tolde aforehand vnto his disciples aswell his death as also his resurreccion Whervpon leauyng the monumente they make hast to the eleuen Apostles and the other disciples who for feare of the Iewes lay in secrete places here some and there some gathered together and had euen themselues too forgotteÌ in maner all thinges that Iesus had tolde them and wer now in manier in despayre and to them doe the weomen bryng newes what they had seen and what they had heard of the Aungels The first weoman Eue beeyng deceyued by the serpent allured her housebande Adam to doe amysse these deuoute weomen beeyng taught by the Aungels doe moue and exhort men to promptenesse of beleuing Therfore because the weomen kynde shoulde not euermore without any ende continue in slaunder and oblique for death that had issued out of them into men the moste gladsome tidinges of lyfe restored agayne doethe therehence procede from whence the occasion of death hath first issued Now the weomen whiche brought the fyrst newes of the premisses vnto the Apostles were Marie Magdalene the systur of Lazarus Ioanna the wyfe of Chusa Herodes agent and factour Mary the mother of Iames the younger whiche was also called the systur of Mary the Lordes mother and many other weomen whiche in coumpany of these were woont to goe with Iesus where euer he wente But for the vncredible matâer that they brought newes of the weomen beyng estemed to bee vessels sumwhat fraile founde no suche regarde as to bee credyted emong the Apostles whom the Lorde for suche consideracion suffred to bee the slacker to beleue that the assured trueth of hys resurreccion myghte by the moe euidente proufes and tokens bee confyâmed Therfore what the sayed weomen reported of soodayne seeyng of the aungels of the stone in a momente remoued from the mouth of the sepulchre semed to the Apostles and disciples to bee some poynte of dotage suche as reigneth in weomen because that thys sexe of woman kynde hauyng the conceipte of their imaginacion somewhat infected and corrupte through the weakenesse of reason and of good iudgemente in them doe many times belieue themselfes to see that thei see not and heare that they heare not And although they did not belieue it to be a mattier of trueth that the weomen reported yet dyd theyr earnest affirmyng of it and standynge therin thus muche auayle that Peter arysyng from the place where he sate ran furth to the monument and puttyng hys head in and lokyng afore hym he fyndeth not the body but the pieces of linnen in whiche the body of Iesus had been wound vp he seeth liyng there aside in a place by themselfes And yet not so neyther dyd he belieue that the Lorde was arisen agayne from death to lyfe so diepe forgetfulnesse had there taken hym of the thynges which Iesus had sayed but awaye he went from the sepulchre meruaylyng with himselfe what had befallen and doubtyng whether any body had taken awaye the bodye out of the monument and castyng many soondry thynges in his minde by whom or of what entent and purpose thatsame poynte had been dooen that the body taken awaye he sawe the linen pieces leafte behynde as thynges laysurely taken of from the body whiche could not without some buisinesse haue been plucked of and for that he sawe thesame linen pieces not cast aboute at auenture here one and there one but handesomely layed vp in theyr place and ordre the kerchefe wherwith the head and face of Iesus had been couered beyng layed by it selfe aparte from the rest ¶ And beholde twoo of them went thatsame daye to a toune called Emaus whiche was from Hierusalem aboute three
score furlonges and they talked together of all these thinges that had happened And it chaunced that while they commoned together and reasoned Iesus himselfe drewe nere and wente with them But theyr iyes were holden that they shoulde not knowe hym And he sayed vnto them what manier of communicaâions are these that ye haue one to another as ye walke and are sad And the one of them whose name was Cleophas aunswered and sayed vnto him Arte thou onely a straungier in Hierusalem and hast not knowen the thynges whiche haue chaunced there in these dayes He sayed vnto them what thynges And they sayed vnto hym of Iesus of Nazareth whiche was a Prophete mightie in dede and woorde before God and al the people and howe the high priestes and our rewlers deliuered him to be condemned to death and haue crucified him But we trusted that it had been he whiche should haue redemed Israel And as touchyng all these thynges to daye is euen the thirde daye that they were doen. Yea and certaine weomen also of our companie made vs astouned whiche came erely vnto the sepulchre and founde not his bodye and came saying that they had seen a vision of Aungels whiche sayed that he was aliue And certayne of them whiche were with vs went to the sepulchre and founde it euen so as the weomen had sayed but hym they sawe not And so it befell that euen the veray same daye twoo of his disciples vnto whom the newes had tofore been reported of the sepulchre of Iesê° how it was found voyde without the body in it although there had no credence been geueÌ to theyr wordes the sayed two disciples leauyng the citie of Hierusalem wente vnto a towne called Emaus This Emaus is distaunte from Hierusalem the mountenaunce of thre score furlonges of whiche eight goe to a myle so that it was from Hierusalem to Emaus seuen myles and one halfe myle after that rekonyng And in theyr goyng on the waye they talked together of many sondrie matiers as men commonly vse to doe namely whan any sorowe or pensifenesse is in theyr hertes For they were men greatly dismaied and caste in heauinesse with the Lordes death and were euen nowe in a manier at the veraye poynte of desperacion and had cast awaye all hope But as for theyr talkyng was altogether about Iesus and about all the thynges whiche they had seen and whiche they had heard in these latter dayes aforegoyng For they hadde borne a great loue towardes hym as one that was a notable man and full of beneficiall goodnesse And albeit that same gaye royall hope of restoryng the kyngdom of Israel was out of theyr mindes almoste cleane forgotten yet had they a delite with mutuall talking the one with the other to renewe the memorie of hym euen dead as he was For theyr myndes beyng altogether vnquiete and troubled a certayn kynde of slumbre as ye would saye had creped vpon them so that as it were in a slepe they beare a loue towardes hym whom they could not forget At last as they were diuising and tellyng betwene themselues many thynges of Iesus and talkyng many matiers of him to and fro the one to the other behold he was euen personallye presente there with them that they talked of For Iesus who tofore had promised that he would bee in the myddes betwene them wheresoeuer he should fynde any two persones talking together of hym did at that tyme euen after the corporall presence of his body also shew the thing whiche in spirite he neuer ceasseth to doe So that he ioyned himselfe in coumpanye with them as a waifaryng manne and offred hymselfe to kepe them company on the waye but it was in a likenesse to them vnknowen not that he had any other body then the verai same whiche he had before his death but for that because it pleased Iesus so to haue it theyr iye sight had such an impediment that they could not knowe him though they sawe hym corporally Happie is that coumpanye and blyssed of Goddes hande as often as twoo persons haue none other talke ne make none other serchyng out but of Iesus Happie are they that euer they were borne to whome Iesus vouchesalueth to ioyne hymselfe as a mate or a coumpanion And as the Lorde Iesus hath a good fansie to bee presente with suche as talke of hym so doeth Satan reioyce to bee present emong them which vse suche communicacions together emong them as may corrupt honest behaueour as for exaumple of leacherie of falsehood of auengeyng of pryde of gaynes and luâre of the slauÌdre of the neighbour But for because these two men dyd so burne in the loue of Iesus that by reason of humaine frailtie they doubted of his promisses the Lorde for a litle season deceyuyng theyr iyesyght sercheth out what opnion they had of him not for that any thing was to him vnknowen but because he would remedie their vnbeliefe for the better coÌfirming of our feith He therfore sayeth what talke is all thissame that ye two haue betwene you on the waye as ye goe your countenaunce and moode shewyng all the whyle a sorowe and heauinesse of herte For euen this thyng also doeth commonly asswage sorowe yf we may fortune to haue any body into whose lap we may poure out the thyng that grieueth vs. Yea and this one propertie ferthermore hath mans affeccion that yf a thyng be to on s veray high contentacion and delite he thynketh thesame to be vnknowen to no maÌ and that euery body hath a speciall care and regarde therof Muche after the rate of this affeccion doeth the one of the disciples aunswer whose name was Cleophas It is sayeth he a thyng veray well knowen to all meÌ as many as enhabite or liue at HierusaleÌ and seeing that thou comest out of that citie aswel as we how can it be possible that thou alone as it wer sum newcome straunger shouldest be ignoraunt of these thynges which haue been doen there nowe in these last dayes and which no man alyue but he knoweth them Than Iesus as one couetyng to learne where in veray dede he was come to teache aunswered What thynges are these ye speake of They playnly mening good feith vp declare at large vnto Iesus the summe of all the whole matter as to a straunger and one that was ignoraunte of all that had been doen frankely makyng open confession howe fer they wer from hauyng as yet any opinion of Iesus wurthy for his wurthinesse and howe they had clene cast awaye all hope in a maner of his arisyng again from death to life We were talking say they telling the story of one Iesus of Nazareth which was an excellent man and a Prophete mightie both in woorde and dede not onely afore God to whom he was veray dere beloued but also emoÌg all the people vniuersall with whom he had by his miracles and doctrine and benefites purchaced and gotten most high autoritie
The high priestes and the rewlers of our people pursued him to death before the lieutenaunt in conclusion nailled him on the crosse Nowe we had conceyued a certayne maruaylous hope of hym that he should haue redemed the people of Israel as men beyng vtterly in beliefe that he had been the Messias which was long agon promised by the Prophetes But his death which was bothe vndoubtedly true also full of open worldely shame hath taken away this hope from vs. Ye there had no smal hope been put in our heades that it would so come to passe that he would after thre dayes haue returned agayne to life but wheras he was condemned crucified and buried this veray present daye is the thirde daye sence all these thinges fortuned to be doen and yet doe not we see any whitte the more of assured hope sauyng that certayn wemeÌ of the fraternitie of his disciples haue by the reportyng of certayn straunge newes suche as neuer was heard of made vs yea more astouned then we were afore For where these same wemen went furth before sunrisyng to the Sepulchre they say playnly they founde not the body there and affirme moreouer that certayne Aungels appered vnto them sayed that he is aliue And whaÌ no man gaue credite to theyr reporte certayne of our coumpany went also to the graue to proue whether the fond wemens tale had any trueth in it And as concerning the graue selfe they found the matter to goe euen so as the wemen had made relacion For they found it opeÌ and emptie the pieces of linnen also and the other thynges which the corpse had cast of they found within the graue layed vp together in one of the corners But as for hymselfe they found hym not any where at all And he sayed vnto them o fooles and slowe of herte to beleue all that the Prophetes haue spoken Ought not Christe to haue suffred these thynges to entre into his glorie And he began at Moses and all the Prophetes and enterpreted vnto them in all scriptures which were wrytten of him And they drewe nigh vnto the toune whiche they wente vnto And he made as though he would haue gon ferther And they constrayned him sayinge abyde with vs for it draweth towardes nyght and the daye is farre passed And he wente in to tary with them Whan these two disciples had by this tale tellyng simply declared howe greatly they wauered in theyr myndes howe lytle hope they were in of the Lordes promisses than Iesus in dede doeth not yet suffre hymselfe to bee knowen but like some one of Iesus disciples better enfourmed enstructed in the matter chydeth their dulnesse of capacitie rebuketh their vnbeliefe O ye hard witted felowes sayeth he vnapte to bee taught to the vnderstanding of scriptures and of an hard herte slowe to beleue so many holy sayinges of the Prophetes which they haue wrytten of Christ. Why doe these thynges nowe appere straunge vnto you when they bee wrought and doen already seeyng that the prophecies of the Prophetes dyd so many hundred yeres past tell aforehande that they should afterwarde bee doen Why doe ye not conferre and compare theyr foretellynges with the thinges that haue nowe been wrought and executed doe not the scriptures which haue by the inspiracioÌ of God been written teache howe that it so pleased the prouideÌce of God that Christ should suffre these thynges whiche he hath suffred and should after such sorte by an vncouthe conueighauÌce restore lyfe by meane of death should by meane of the crosse recouer his kyngdom through open shame of the worlde should enter into his glory This world hath it glory but it is neither true glory in dede nor yet perpetual to endure for euer And suche persons as acquire and get thesame they get it by vaine petigrewes tytles rychesse bounteous geuyng stately porte ruffleyng in the worlde yea and many tymes they get it from men whether they will or no by extorte power But Christ shall by ferre vnlyke waies and meanes recouer winne vnto him emong men his owne glory that he had before the creacion of the worlde because he will shewe vnto all mortall men by what pathway they ought stoutely to breake a passage vnto true glory that shall neuer dye Where Moses hath of this matter taught so many lessons where the Prophetes haue foretold so many thinges are ye yet stil of so grosse a minde and vnderstanding that ye looke for your Messias to be some captaihn wiche shall vsurpe vnto himselfe the kingdom of the world and entre the possessioÌ therof with charyottes horses elephauntes wilde asses armed hostes of men with gunnes crossebowes ingiens fyer sweorde and bloud Doe ye not yet fele the scripture to be spirituall and the power of Messias not to consiste in garrisons or fortresses by meanes of whiche the princes of this worlde doe either get into theyr handes orels enlarge their temporall kyngdomes but contrariwyse to consiste in vertue and power celestiall Why doe ye not rather serche and try out the scriptures which haue already foreshewed many thynges of Christe and conferre thesame with those thynges which Christe foreshewed of hymselfe vnto his disciples and the which haue come to effect accordyng as he had foreshewed them By that meanes it shall come to passe that neither any thyng of all these matters which haue of late be fallen shall seme vncouthe or straunge and of the thinges which he promised should afterwarde come there shall be no matter that ye will conceyue mystrust of After that the Lorde had with this lytle fitte of chidyng made them more earnest to geue better hede eare to the matter he declared vnto them all the scriptures which openly foreshewed that the thing should so come to passe in Christe which had nowe of late fortuned shewyng that there did so many prophecies figures effectes of thinges in facte cuÌmyng to passe so iustely accorde in time to gether that it must nedes bee on the one syde a token of a certaine exceding great dulnesse not to espie and marke the same and on the other syde of notable mystrustefulnesse not to belieue it And all his processe he begonne out of Moses and out of the Prophetes and after that gatheryng out of euery booke of holy scripture some one poynte or other which might both enforce the credite of the thinges that had to fore already happened and also purchace credite aforehand to the thinges which were afterward to come And all these places of scripture did he in such sorte conferre one with an other that the matter appered clere and euident Happy were they that euer they were borne who were thought worthy to heare that heauenly teacher with liuely voice expouning thesame thinges at large which he had afore caused to be writteÌ by the Prophetes hauyng the instinct of his owne holy spirite I because I am not sufficient to
recite all will make relacion but of a certaine noumbre of places gathered out of that same blissed talkyng of Christe with the sayed two disciples Whiche places would God that the Iewes would at leastewyse euen now at last geue eare vnto and would leaue looking for any other Messias and would with earnest zele and affeccion embrace this man Iesus who is geuen to the worlde an onely salueour and redemer whereby they myght be saued and myght be made free yf not from the empire of Cesar yet at leastewyse which is a more blissefull thyng from the tyrannie of the deuill that they myght with theyr captaine Christe atteyne the kyngdome not of this worlde whiche is fraile and transitorie but of heauen whiche knoweth none ende As for Moses saied he the Iewes doe in maner no lesse then wurship as a certain God because he coÌducted and brought the people of Israel out of Egypte and deliuered vnto them in deserte a lawe through the obseruing and kepyng wherof they should atteyne deliueraunce safegard and should come to a lande flowing with honey mylke But thissame Moses what other thing was he but a certain shadowe of Christe to come For he was not the sonne of God but the seruaunt ⪠nor he did not in veray true dede deliuer the people seeyng that they were afterward in bondage vnder the king of Babilon nor he was not vtterly without synne no nor neuer entred in his owne persone into the lande vnto the whiche he was a guide and captayne to the people And in case he had entred it had been no great matter seeyng that there be idolatres enhabiting in the selfe same lande euen at this present daye All these thynges beeyng vnderstanded after the fleshe doe conteyne no great matter in them But Christe is thatsame true and right Moses who by his owne propre power doth deliuer not the Hebrewes onely but also all the vniuersall nacions of the worlde as many as doe put theyr affiauÌce in him all suche doeth he deliuer from the vengeaunce and stroke of God he deliuereth them from the tyranny of the deuill he deliuereth them from the derkenesse of errours he deliuereth them from the abhominable bondage of synnes and whan he hath first clensed them with his owne bloud he bryngeth them forth into the fredome of the spirite beyng to them a perpetuall guyde and coumpanion also vntill he bryng them through and past all the dauÌgiers of this presente lyfe vnto thatsame heauenly lande aboue plenteously flowyng and rennyng ouer with all kindes of blisse and felicitie He is the true Moses who made a lawe ghostely and euangelicall whiche lawe should not teache a corporall righteousnesse through ceremonies sacrifices of beastes but should geue true and perfeite righteousnesse through feith and charitie And that suche an one should spring vp Moses himselfe foresayed For thus speaketh he in the Deuteronomie The Lorde thy God shall reise vp vnto thee a Prophete of thyne owne nacion and of thine owne brethren as he hath doen me him shalt thou heare And forthwith euen in thesame Deuteronomie the Lord confirmeth the promisse of Moses saying I shall reise vp vnto them a Prophete out of the myddes of their brethreÌ lyke vnto thee and I shall put my woordes in his mouth and he shall speake vnto them all the wordes that I shall coÌmaunde enioyne him to speak Ye haue here the prophecie of Moses now compare the thing with the prophecie There sprang vp none after Moses which hath by any meanes eagually matched him in authoritie sauing only Iesus Christ who hath in suche wise resembled Moses that he euery waye ferre passed Moses He was the maker of a newe testament but thesame testamente for euer to endure And this testamente hath he consecrated not with the bloud of a calfe but with his owne bloud He was the maker of a newe lawe but it was such a lawe as should bryng present helth Moses was but the ministre and seruaunt of God but this Christ was his sonne and came downe from heauen and taught those thynges whiche he sawe aboue with his father as one hauing within himselfe a perpetuall vncessaunte power to doe whatsoeuer his wyll is Moses vpon the mountayne talked with God in a cloude Christ hath proceded and come foorth from the brightenesse of his father Moses taught and deliuered the shadowes of thynges Christ taught and gaue the trueth Moses did in such sort make intercession for the sinnes of the people that hymselfe hath nede of an other mediatour for his owne offences Christ beyng clere from all synne pourged and clensed the sinnes of al ages times aswell past as to come Moses fasted fowertie daies Christ dyd thesame so that one might at leastewyse by that token knowe him to be the seconde Moses Moses brought the lawe firste downe from the mountayne Christe on the mountayne taught the perfeccionyng of the lawe whan he pronounced those straunge beatitudes neuer afore heard of He taught often tymes also in the temple whiche is sette in the mounte Sion whiche thing was doen according to the prophecie of Esai that sayeth The lawe shall come out of Sion the woorde of the Lorde from Hierusalem But at what tyme the lawe of Moses was made and geuen all thynges wer wholly replete with terrours for to snibbe hamper the hardenesse of herte that reigned in the people Christe came milde amiable rather then terrible conuincing them with reason prouokyng them with benefites alluryng them with mekenesse offreyng himselfe to all menne and readie for euery manne to geue them health and ouercummyng them with paciente suffreaunce And suche maner an one had the holy sayinges of the Prophetes afore promised that he should be For ye haue read what Esai hath wrytten I haue geuen hym my spirite that he may shewe foorth iudgemente and equitie emong the Gentiles He shall not be an out cryer nor lifte vppe hys voice his voice shall not be heard in the stretes And a brused rede shal he not breake the smokyng flaxe shall he not quenche but faithfully and truly shal he geue iudgement not be pensife nor carefull that he may restore righteousnesse vnto the earth and the Gentiles also shall kepe his lawes Againe the same Esai in a certain other place maketh Messias speakyng in this maner The spirite of the Lord God is vpon me for the Lord hath enoynted me and hath sent me to preache good tydynges vnto the poore that I myght bynde vp the wounded hertes that I might preache deliueraunce vnto the captiue and open the prieson to them that are bounde that I myght declare the acceptable yere of the Lorde and the daye of vengeaunce of our God that I myght coumforte all them that are in heauinesse that I myght geue strength of herte vnto them that mourne in Sion that I myght geue I say beautie in the stede of ashes ioyfull oynctement
alone that maketh all thynges holy forsoth ye vnderstand that corporall enoyntyng must ceasse the priesthood of the lawe together with the oblacions and sacrifices of thesame to be abrogated For Iesus was neuer enoynted with thatsame holy oyntement which the lawe did veray scrupulously teache for to make threatenyng death vnto those persones whosoeuer had couÌtrefeited or practised the lyke confeccioÌ or had applied thesame ânto any secular vses For the enoynting of the body maketh nothyng at all âo the effecte or purpose of the priestes but that it was a signe of the spirituall enoynting wherwith Christe was enoynted accordyng as I recited erewhyle out of the prophecie The spirite of God is vpon me for the Lorde hath enoynted me Wherunto the psalmiste Dauid accordeth speaking of Messias Therfore the God thy God hath enoyncted thee with the oyle of gladnesse aboue all thy compiers What the Prophete promised ye sawe perfourmed whaÌ Iesus was baptised in fluime Iordane For the holy ghoste came in a visible lykenesse and lighted on the toppe of his head and the voice of the father was heard who had enoynted his soÌne with the oyle of gladnesse aboue the Prophetes and Patriarkes yea and aboue all mortall creatures whiche eyther in tyme past haue been or nowe at this present be or herafter shal be This heauenly and spirituall enoyntyng hath sette an ende to the priestehood of Moses institutyng whiche thyng Daniel doeth forthwith clerely bryng in sayinge And in the middes of the weke hostes sacrifice shall faill Neyther any other thyng it was that God ment speakyng by Esai as one whose stomake arose and stode against their corporall sacrifices of beastes What care I for the multitude of your killyng of sacrifices sayeth the Lorde I am full The burnt sacrifices of wethers and the greace of the fatte beastes and the bloud of calfes and lambes and goates I will none of Nowe ferthermore Daniel did he not manifestly foreshewe the destruccion throwyng downe of the citie of Hierusalem to gether with the Temple therof And dyd not Christe prophecie thesame vnto his disciples with wepyng iyes lamenting and bewailyng the wofull case and extremitie of thesame citie people For it grieued God already beeyng as he is spirituall and made him wery to enhabite a temple made and built vp with the handes of man He was nothyng delited with the offreynges of beastes slain in sacrifice He founde a misse and a lacke of an other citie on whiche thatsame name Hierusalem myght truely light he missed and wanted an other temple mete for hym to dwell in builded of himselfe consecrated and hallowed with his owne spirite other sacrifices oblacions an other nacion circumcised in herte on whom the name of Israel might truly agree Nowe is there nothing of perpetual coÌtinuaunce that may be seen with bodily iyes thynges that are not seen are euerlasting and therfore mete semely for God who is eternitie selfe neuer to haue end But yet these shadowes of thinges visible were geueÌ for a time to the grosse and vntrained people to the ende they might one daye in processe of tyme by these fyrste introduccions growe and procede forwarde to thynges of the minde But Iesus whose stomake stode muche against aswel the citie as also the temple and the nacion and the sacrifices of the olde lawe doeth by the Prophetes declare euidently enough what maner thynges he wished from thensforth to haue in stede of these others nowe rehersed Haue ye not read what Esai wrote of the heauenly Hierusalem Thou shalt sayth he from hensforth be called the citie of the righteous man the feithfull citie Sion shall be redemed in iudgemente and they shall bryng hir home again in righteousnesse Ye heare a new buildyng of the citie whiche is the churche or congregacion built vp of liuyng stones the corner stone wherof and the foundacion wherof is veray Christe himselfe And this is the stone whom the prophecie of the mistical Psalme did signifie where it sayeth The stone whiche the builders refused and cast asyde thesame is made to be the head stone of the corner And ye haue heard Christ himselfe obiecting the testimonie of this scripture vnto the Phariseis who attempted and did the best they could to cast aside the stone which God had choseÌ Yea and of thissame stone an other Prophete also maketh mencion I shall lay in the foundacion of Sion a stone approued and tryed a corner stone a stone of price founded in the foundacion And did not the tune of Christes woordes wheÌ he liued agree with the woordes of thys prophecie at what tyme he propouned a parable of an house builded vpoÌ a sounde rocke of stone which house no violent blaste or rage of wyndes or waters could be hable to plucke out of his place wherin veraily he signified himselfe to be the fouÌdacion of the churche against whom no not yâ gates of hell are hable to preuaill as he did one day freely promise vnto his disciple Peter SalomoÌ builded a teÌple at HierusaleÌ according to the appoyntement and ordeinaunce of Moses But lyke as he beeyng a peacefull kyng did beare the image and figure of Messias who restored a perpetuall peace and atonemente for euer betwene God and man so the sayed Temple being built vp with mannes labour conteined the figure of the Temple wherof Christe himselfe was the builder a chiefe workeman as the Lord many yeres agon spake by his Prophete Nathan vnto Dauid as ye reade in the secound boke of the kinges Thou shalt not be he that shalt builde me an house to dwell in but I shall reise thy sede after the whiche shall come forth of thy wombe he shall builde vp an house to my name and I shall establish his throne euen for euer and euer And verayly that the woordes whiche spoken by the sayed Prophete doe not agree to be spoken of Salomon euen this poynte though there were nothyng els doeth plainly proue and conuince because in Salomons throne euen nowe at this present daie there sit straunge borne aliens and all the whole people of the Iewes shall shortely be dispersed and scattred abrode into all nacions of the worlde The saied house which Salomon built in Hierusalem was a buisie thyng with slaughter of beastes with fumigacions with washynges and veray troubleous with perfumes But this house whiche Christe hath builded is made acceptable through faith inuisible this house knoweth no ende For the Prophete in thesame place afore alleged speaketh in this maner And faithfull shall thy house be and thy kyngdome euen for euer before my face and thy throne or seate shal be firmely established for euer These promisses are the vainest of the worlde and the moste full of lyes yf they be taken according as the lettre renneth to concerne Salomon or Dauid eyther For Dauid he deadly foiled his kyngdome with aduoutrie coupled with murdre and Salomon was through the
angles of the crosse Neyther did the Prophetes leaue his buiriall vnspoken of neyther For Hieremie representyng the persone of Christe wryteth in this manier My lyfe fell downe into the lake and they put a stone vpon me For ye knowe that he was buiried in a sepulchre of stone and that the mouth of the monumeÌte was shutte with a mightie great stone because no body should take awaie his corpse On the preparyng daye well towardes euentide he was laied in his graue there did he rest all the Sabboth that is to saye whan the weorke of mannes redempcion was nowe finished and completed Consider ye whether the prophecie did not foreshewe euen of thissame thing also From the sight of iniquitie saieth the prophecie was the righteous taken awaie his place shall bee in peace Moreouer vntill the tyme of his death he suffred hymselfe to be touched of the wieked after his death he would not be handled ne touched of no body but of his frendes Neither did he from that tyme forthward shewe him selfe to be seen but only to his frendes And of this matier had the aunciente prophecie of Iacob the patriarke geuen a darke significacion and tokenyng who whan he should dye prophecied in this manier of Iuda Naye I shoulde rather saye of Christe Thou layest a long as a lyon who shall reise hym vp Ferthermore lyke as it was his will to dye and to bee buiried so that it shoulde not come to passe that he should rotte in his sepulchre but that after tarying a veray shorte tyme he should arise to lyfe agayn was it not a thyng openly foreshewed of the prophetes doeth not the holy ghoste speake after this manier in the fifteenth psalme Thou shalt not leaue my soule in hell nor shalt suffre thy holy one to see corrupcion No spieces no swete baulmes doe geue this gifte that a dead carkesse shall neuer putrifie forasmuche as continuaunce of tyme doeth forweare the verai spices selfe whiche tyme consumeth euen the monumentes though they be of marble stone but this gifte doeth resurreccion geue whiche geueth immortalitie but all the whole figure of this matier did not Ionas the prophete many yeares sence plainly presente The tempest was imputed vnto him and to entent lest al the companie should perishe he was headlong toumbled into the sea to th ende that by the losse of him being but one maÌ the tempeste might be alayed wheras otherwise it threatened death vnto al the company Christe dyed for the sauyng of all creatures to the ende that he alone might pourge awaye the sinnes of all the people Ionas was swallowed vp of a whale and out of the bealye of thesame whale was he rendred againe on the thyrde daye after otherwyse then all folkes loked for Christe was layed in his graue wherhence he promised that he woulde come forth on the thyrde daye For vnto the Iewes requiring a signe from heauen he promised the signe of Ionas the prophete and that hymselfe would after the exaumple of thesame Ionas come forth on the thyrde daye out of the caues of the yearth And howe many tymes did he repeate this thing to drieue it into the disciples myndes that he should dye and returne agayn to life on the thyrde daie And that thing had Oseas the prophete told long afore who sayed After twoo dayes shall he reuiue vs on the thyrde daye shall he reise vs agayn to lyfe Forasmuche therfore as ye haue hitherto seen all thynges agree together the figures of the law the foresayinges of the prophetes the foretellinges of Christ himself and finally the ende of thynges as they haue from tyme to tyme folowed and come to passe howe happeneth that ye nowe as men beyng halfe in a sloumbre or a dreame are vnbelieuers and doe not rather of thynges alreadie pasâe coniecture thynges afterwarde to ensue He tolde you afore that betraied he shoulde be and deliuered to the Gentiles that he should be bound scourged skorned and crucified Not one iote of all these thynges but it hath come to passe All the premisses ye haue seen and dooe belieue them but euen he the verai same man told also afore that on the thyrd daye he would arise to life again and that he would by the space of a certain of dayes shewe hymself not vnto the worlde but vnto his disciples Wherefore than do ye not credite those weomen which reporte them selues to haue been adcertayned by the Aungels that he was arisen to lyfe agayn Doth the frailtie and feblenesse of his body deceassed so greatly offende you that ye nowe fall into vtter dispaire as though al thatsame noble promises of his wer vtterly extinct and dead concernyng his kyngdome concerning the power of heauen and yearth to be deliuered vnto the sonne concernyng his ascending vp into heauen and his returnyng from hence vnto his father concernyng his sittyng at the right hande of his father of extendyng and spreding the gospel throughout all the nacions of the world concernyng his glorious cummyng a little before the ende of the world concernyng the immortalitie of the holy concerning the euerlastyng paines and tormentes of the wicked Naâ wete ye well that death it was whiche opened the waye and entreaunce into the maiestie of all these thynges Euen as ye haue seen hym dying and buried so shall ye see hym returned to lyfe agayne so shall ye see him ascending vp into heauen Ye shall receyue the spirite of God ye shal see the celestial power of god shewe foorth it self in men of lowe degree and of no learnyng ne knowlage worldly ye shall see the light of the ghospell by meane of thesame persones in a litell tyme to sprede ouer all the world with his âadiaunt beames And that same Iesus who hath here bân set at naught spetted at and had in derision the same Iesus shall all the world wurship as equall with God the father and an eguall partener with him in his kyngdome Finally all mankynde without excepcion shall see him in the maiestie of his father encoumpaced with coumpanies of Aungels iudgeing the quicke and the dead And it hath pleased him that the cummyng of thatsame daye shoulde bee vncertayne to all creatures In the meane season his wille was that his seruauntes shoulde care for nothyng but the kyngdome of the ghospell And all the premisses haue been foreshewed by the prophetes they haue been marked and appoynted out by fygures of Moses lawe they haue been a great porcion of them alreadie perfourmed neyther ought there any manne to doubte but that all thynges shall in theyr due tymes bee presently shewed These wordes of the Lorde Iesus mouthe not onely striekyng the eares of the saied twoo disciples but also percyng and throughly sinking into theyr hertes did so possesse them that neither they felte the trauayle of the waie nor tooke any markes of his face while he spake nor yet remembred to thynke with themselues in theyr myndes
of his mynde with the swearde of the gospell and then yf he lyste lette hym drawe his swearde against the ennemies of the ghospell But these thynges haue I spoken moste renoumed Prynce in the waye of aduertisement without reproche of any person I open the matter onelye I reprehende no person and the more boldelye vnto your grace I wryte thus because no kynde of suspicion at al of any suche faulte or enormitee can be suspected to be in you There bee none Byshoppes except that of congruence ought to liue more after the gospell then Princes But they oftentymes by simplicitie vnder an assemblaunce of deuocion be deceyued For by the perswasion of suche whiche be thoughte the perfite professours of religion they ofttymes esteme it a poynt of great perfeccion if they daily saie ouer their praiers the which they call their mattens if they see a masse euery daye once The whiche thinges as in a lay prince and a young man also I graunt is a certaine token signe of a well disposed mind yet be there many other thinges that which do more straitly appertayn to a christeÌ princes office theÌ these For if he foresee that no storme of warre arise that the publike libertie be not diminished ne violated that the poore comminaltie bee not compelled to famishe that no naughty officers be made and permitted in my opinion he shall do a more acceptable seruice to God then yf he should saye these praieres ⪠vi yeres together Yet do I commende the said thinges if that whiche is more principall bee coupled and ioyned therto But and if a prince do suppose that he lacketh no porcion of godly perfeccion putting his confidence in the obseruacion of those thinges settyng a part suche thinges whiche do peculiarly appertain vnto a kynges office and dutie plainly that is the confusion of all religioÌ that is the subuersion of the common welth and they that geue suche councel do neither geue profitable nor holsome councell for the prince neither yet for his subiectes It is a good dede to heare seruice if thei be pure that do it but how can I cum in pure life vnto the sacrifice doen in remembraunce of the true and highest prince the which for to redeme his seruauntes bestowed his own life if through my fury my vain glory and negligence so many thousande men bee eyther vexed or vtterlye perishe I thinke it not nedefull to shewe that for the most part princes be neuer at more leisure neither lesse carefull then when thei be at diuine seruice What great thyng is it if a prince saye those praiers at an houre prescribed therfore whiche cannot haue sufficiente tyme and leisure to order and disposeth affayres of a common wealth A prince shall pray inough at full if he saye daily and recite from his hearte the notable prayer of the wyse kyng Salomon Lorde geue me wisdome and knowledge how to behaue my selfe vnto thy people Or the other praier muche lyke vnto thesame the whiche the wyse man as I remember reciteth in the boke of wisdome Geue me wisdome whiche is euer about thy seate that she maie be with me and labour with me that I may knowe what is acceptable in thy sighte for she knowethe and vnderstandethe all thinges and she shall leade me sobrely in my workes and preserue me in her power So shall my workes be acceptable and then shall I gouerne thy people righteously be worthy to sitte in my fathers seate who can haue knowledge of thy vnderstandynge and meanynge except thou geue wisdome and sende thy holy ghost from aboue that the waies of them which are vpon earth maye be refourmed that men may learne the thinges that are pleasaunt vnto the This wisdome that this most wise young maÌ desireth to haue may a man chiefly fynde in the holy scripture if a maÌ list vnfainedly and with a godly curiositie seke to haue it Otherwise howe is it cuÌ to passe that christen mens behauiour and maners partely bee decayed into a conuersacion wurse then the Gentiles or Ethnickes were partly degenerated into a certaine Iudaical supersticion but by reason that the doctrine of the ghospell hath not been had in regarde Notwithstandyng to saye the very trueth in all tymes there hath been euer sum of whome the gospell hath beene hadde in due honoure and reuerence yet neuerthelesse for this fower hundred yeres past the liuely heate and feruencie therof hath been greatlye abated with the most part Wherfore the more we ought to the vttermoste of our power endeuour our selfe that euery man for his parte do reuiue thissame sparkle of heauenly fire again the whiche the eternall veritie Iesus Christe our Lorde hath sent down into the earth wishyng nothyng els but that it maye be feruentlye kyndled and in great circuite to spreade it selfe abrode and be set all on fyer In this our tyme when mans condicions be so corrupted and of so great dissencions in opinions wherby at this houre all thinges be confounded out of order whither shall we rather flee to haue redresse then as S. Hilarie doeth well admonishe vs vnto the most pure fountaine and well spring of holy scripture wherof the moste pure and vnderfiled part be the gospels Neyther oughte the gospel to be mislyked of the supreme powers for this cause as thoughe it dyd as sum saye cause suche to be sedicious and disobedient whose parte and duetie is to bee obedient vnto their princes nay it rather profiteth princes in this pointe insomuche as it doeth teache them to execute the true offices of princes and not to be tirauntes and causeth the people more gladlye to obey euery good prince and more quietly to tollerate and beare with the bad Finally the gospell is not to be blamed if any man do not vse all of the best that thing whiche of his nature is moste excellent and the very best It is called the gospel of peace reconcilyng god and vs to vnitie and secondlye couplyng mutuall loue and amitie betwene eche of vs together If any man stumble at this stone let him blame hymselfe and not the gospell There is no power that man hath no policy no coÌspiracy or coniuracion together that is able to âanquishe oppresse the veritie of the gospel whiche moste mightily setteth furth it self when it is most greuously persecuted But as touchyng these matters I feare me I haue heretofore spoken inough and to muche Now that this paraphrase may with the more fruite bee red after I haue spoken a worde or two of the euangelistes entent and purpose I wyll make an ende After that the lyfe and doctrine of our Lord Iesus Christ by thapostles preachyng and the other Euangelistes wrytinges was spred at large ouer all the world the Euangelist S. Iohn whome Christ so notably loued after all the other toke on hande to write this present gospell not so muche for th entent to compile the historie of the gospel as to make rehersall of
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 lât 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 coÌmended 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 cuâming 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 ãâã 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 ⪠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
discyples with hym And Iesus walked vp and downe not farre from thence whiche thyng indede was doen to signifie a misterye thereby For Iohn was a fygure of Moses lawe and Christe was the auctour of the profession of the ghospell Therefore the law whiche was now come to the vttermost poynt stayed as though it coulde goe no further but shoulde ceasse byanby and giue place to Christ at hys comming and commit his disciples to hym but neuerthelesse in the meane while constauntly bearing witnesse of Christ and as it were deliuering the Sinagogue to the true spouse to be his churche Christe walketh vp and downe to declare that he should alway growe greater and greater and euery where gathereth disciples to heare hys heauenly doctrine Therefore whiles Iohn stoode and behelde Iesus as he walked knowyng righte well that the sayde Iesus dyd desyre and long for the saluacyon of mankynde and also did couet to geat disciples mete for hys heauenly doctryne Iohn turning him to the twooe disciples whiche stoode by hym beeyng theyr maister because he would put them to Iesu that was a better maister then hymselfe he poynted him to them with his finger as he was walking and sayde Beholde yonder is the lambe of God of whome I haue so often testyfyed who alone doeth take away all the sinnes of the wholle worlde I haue prepared you for him whosoeuer desyreth true and effectuall baptisme whosoeuer loueth true innoceÌcie and whosoeuer coueteth true and perfit health must nedes commit himself to his rule and ordre For they that were the true obseruers of Moses lawe as the lawe it selfe doeth witnesse did profit and goe forwarde thereby to the perfeccion of the ghospell that is to say from fayth to fayth wheras the Phariseis through their peruerse and ouerthwart loue of the lawe did persecute him whoÌ the law had coÌmended to theÌ Now Iohns disciples made their maister no aunswere but geuing credite to his worde they left the sayd Iohn that was the goer before the ghospell and folowed Iesus the auctour of the euangelicall health And they sayde neuer a woorde but folowed hym beeyng set on fyer with the loue of hys hye doctrine the hope wherof they had conceyued by the testimonie of Iohn But they dare not be bolde to moue anye communicacion to him with whome they had not bene acquaynted And Iesus turned about and saw them folow him and sayeth vnto them what seke you ⪠They said vnto him Rabbi which is to say if one enterprete it Maister where dwelleââ thou He sayeth vnto them Come and see They came and saw where he dwelte and abode with him that daye for it was about the tenth houre Therefore Iesus perceiuing for what purpose they did folow him to declare how ready he woulde be to mete and ioyne with them whiche with pure mindes doe thirste and couet the doctrine of the ghospel he I say not tarying for theyr calling vpon hym of hys owne good will doeth encourage and alure their bashefulnes turning himselfe towarde them did beholde them as they folowed him not that he was ignoraunt whom they folowed or of what minde they folowed him but because he would shewe to other theyr woorth ye and mete affeccioÌ for the gospel He speaketh to them and asketh what they woulde haue to the intent that theyr desyre beeing knowen might also kindle and styre vp the myndes of other But they furth with declared themselues to bee verye desyrous to learne of him eueÌ by that very name they called him by saying Rabbi which worde in the Siryans tongue is as much to say as Maister wheris your abyding And vndoubtedly in that they called him Maister they confesse themselues to be his disciples And whereas they enquire of him where his dwelling place is by that they doe declare that they haue a will to learne of him certayn secret thinges more familiarely which peradueÌture he would not speake openly before euery body Here now our lorde Iesus taking pleasure in theyr deuoute feruentnesse to learne maketh no excuse by reason of the nynesse of the night nor commaundeth them to come againe the day folowing neyther yet signifyeth to them where his house is in case they woulde at theyr conuenyente leysure visite hym But he ientlye and courteously requireth them to come talke with him at his lodgeing saying Come ye and se. For he perceiued that any delay shoulde haue bene paynful to theyr earneste desyre They reioycing in that aunswer beyng euen suche as they woulde haue wished for came thither and did not onely see the litle house where then Iesus had hys abidyng but also taried with him all that day and were so enflamed with his holy communicacion that not onelye they reioyced in theyr owne behalfe but mocioned and procured other also to come to the company of that felicitie And when they came to Iesus house it was almost the teÌth houre of the day that is to say nye vpon the goyng downe of the sunne For there is no tyme nor place vnfit or vnconueniente for to learne those thynges whiche pertayne to euerlasting welthe And the presence of the preacher of the ghospell oughte alwaye to bee in a redinesse For suche an one oughte he to be that taketh vpon hym to teache Christen philosophie and wisedome whiche is onely the philosophie that can no skill of any pryde or statelynesse One of the two which heard Iohn speake and folowed him was Andrew Simon Peters brother The same found his brother Simon first sayeth vnto him we haue found Messias which is by interpretacion anoynted and brought him to Iesus And Iesus beheld him and sayd Thou art Simon the sonne of Ionas thou shalte bee called Cephas which is by interpretacion a stone As concerning these two whiche had folowed Iesus by the counsayl of Iohn the one of them was Andrew Simon Peters elder brother to whiche Peter although he were the younger yet for the excelleÌt feruencie of his faith Iesus afterwarde did promise him the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen and committed his shepe to be fedde of hym after he had thryse professed hys loue towardes Iesu. The godly loue of the ghospell hath thys difference from that which man of himselfe is inclined vnto that if it haue gotten any notable treasure it hydeth it not or enuieth other for manye thynke that they dooe not possesse that thyng which is common to other aswell as to themselues but thys godly loue reioyceth that the commoditie therof shoulde be common to many Andrew being much comforted with so great felicitie for asmuche as by the report of Iohn but much more by the familiar communicacion of Iesu hymselfe he found it true that Iesus was that heauenly Lambe which onely should take away the sinnes of the world that he was the sonne of GOD the onely redemer of mankynde and that also he was Christe whiche was promised of the Prophetes and looked for so manye
had receiued of his heauenly father not of men For euen then the most high and solemne feast of the Iewes was at hand which is called Easter and after the Hebrewe tounge is as much to say as a passing ouer They did kepe this day as an holy feast euery yere in the remembraunce of the olde story because their elders had safelye passed ouer oute of Egipte when they wente into the lande whiche God had promised them But now that thing whiche they did honour but in figure was doen in dede by Christ that is to say he now brought to passe that men hauing forsaken the darkenes of errours and cloude of sinne should be remoued and brought through the fayth of the gospelâ âo innocencie light and immortalitie forasmuch therfore as at that time there was at Ierusalem a great number of people which out of al the partes of Sirya did asseÌble there againste that feastful day Iesus wente thither nowe going vp towardes hys fathers busines wheras before he went down to CapernauÌ to obey please his kinsfolks withal And furthwith he goeth into the temple which place is wont to be ofte gone to of a religiouse minde to serue god therin And verelye Christ was the maister of true religion who when he entered into the temple which was ordeyned for deuout religion wurshipping of god founde there thapparaunce not of a teÌple but rather of a market place For he founde verye many there which in that holy place did exercise themselues about filthie yea sinful gaine so turned into robbery that which was ordeined to geue occasioÌ of godly religion For to thinteÌt that straungiers might haue somewhat to offer they solde to them of an hye pryce shepe oxen dooues other suche lyke thinges whiche according to the custome of the Iewes were woonte to be offered or geuen to the priestes but in the meane while the sellers bargained with the priestes and leuites that the sayd priestes leuites should sel agayne to theÌ by a lesse pryce the selfesame beastes that the priestes had receyued of them which had offered whiche thing the sellers did because they myghte sell those beastes agayn to other straungiers with a double gaine So it was brought to passe that by powling the straungers the filthie gayne whiche rose double by selling one thing twyse shoulde be deuyded betwene the merchauntes and the ministers of the temple And to haue more quicke and readye marchaundise ther was presente according to the custome of their coÌmon market chaungers of money and bankers such as did chaunge the greater coynes for money of smaller coyne or golde for siluer or els did exchaunge strange coyne for coyne of that place And thereby also they had shamefull gayne litle dyfferyng from vsurie Iesus then declaryng by hys very acte how great a pestilence corrupt desyre of lucre is to the church and howe far al they ought to be from thys disease which professe themselues rulers of religyon of the gospell made him as it wer a scourge of smal cordes as though he would driue dogges out of goddes temple And both with great indignacion and auctoritie he droue them all out of the temple displacyng and throwyng downe bothe the merchauntes and their wares And did not onely put out the men but also the shepe and oxen that there shoulde remayne behynde no suche filthie baggage Yea and besydes that he scattered abrode the chaungers money vpon the ground and ouerthrew also their boardes teaching how these thinges ought vtterly to be troden vnder foote of the wurshippers of true religioÌ Moreouer as if he had bene moued with indignacion therat he sayd to them which sould the dooues haue these thinges hence and make not my fathers house an house of marchaundise And hys disciples when they sawe Iesus beyng at all other times quiete and meke here now how earnestly he chased out those which did vnsemely vse and defyle the godly religion of the temple with theyr fowle and sinnefull gayne the disciples I say remembred the prophecie whiche is in the three score and eyght psalme The zele of thy house hath euen eaten me Then aunswered the Iewes and sayd vnto him what token shewest thou vnto vs seeing that thou doest these thinges Iesus aunswered and sayed vnto them destroy this teÌple and in three daies I will reare it vp But as for the Iewes when they had hearde that he namyng his fathers house did as it were by a certayne peculier and singular way declare himselfe to be the sonne of god and saw hym also so hyely take vpon hym openlye and in apparaunce to be so very angrye with them whiche semed to further bothe the priestes profite also the religiouse seruice of god they crie out vpon hym and saye If god be thy father and if thou wilt reuenge the contempte and iniurie of thy father doe soÌe miracle that we may perceyue thou doest these thinges by the auctoritie of thy father If thou doest these thinges by thyne owne auctoritie it is presumpcion And if thou dost them by goddes autoritie what token she west thou that we may beleue thee But Iesus knowing that they would slaunder him in case he had wrought any miracle to shew himselfe therby seeyng he neuer yet did any miracle but onely to succoure them that lacked helpe in theyr nede to thintente that the same thyng whiche was a proufe of hys godly power should be also a benefit helpe vnto the necessitie of man he promised theÌ a tokeÌ vnder a parable which tokeÌ if he had theÌ opeÌly declared they would not haue beleued in so much as they did not beleue it wheÌ it was doeÌ in dede The tokeÌ was coÌcerning his death resurreccioÌ The same was also signified by Ionas which tokeÌ Iesus had promised after he had doen many miracles also at such time as they required him to shew suÌ tokeÌ that should cuÌ froÌ heaueÌ But now he promiseth although more darkely that selfesame token to theÌ who as yet were but ignorauÌâ The teÌple wherin they were at that time occasioned him to say as he did of the which teÌple yâ Iewes dyd boast theÌselues beyond measure Breake down this temple sayth he in three dayes I wil set it vp agayn This parable not so much as his Apostles did vnderstand But at leÌgth wheÌ they had knoweÌ sene his resurreccioÌ they perceiued the meaning of his saying by theffect of the thing it selfe For Iesus ment it by the temple of hys owne body whiche they through their malice should pul downe by putting it to death he by his godly power should raise it vp again within thre daies The Iewes thought thys saying not onely to fonde and without reason but also vngodly and wiâked For it was an vngodly thyng to commaund a temple of so great religion to bee broken and to set vp agayne within three dayes so laboriouse a building semed to be a saying contrarye
IerusaleÌ the feast of the dedicacion and it was winter And Iesus walked in the temple euen in Salomons porche Than came the Iewes rounde about him and sayde vnto him How long doest thou make vs doubt If thou be Christ tell vs playnly When Iesus had tolde a long tale of these thinges that were straunge vnhearde of and far aboue the common capacitie of most men there fel a newe iar in opinions among the people for some sayde that whiche they had already many tymes sayed whensoeuer he disclosed theyr secrete conspiracies or if he spake or did any thyng aboue the power of manne he hath the deuyll saye they and is madde For the wordes whiche he speaketh lacke common sence What pleasure is it to heare this felowe Againe some folke els sayde these be no suche mans wordes as is in the deuils daunger For his woordes smelleth of the power of God specially for as muche as his deedes be agreable to his wordes As his wordes be suche be his dedes He speaketh thinges farre passing mans wit but the same doth thinges which far excede mans power Can a mad man and he that is possessed with a deuil open blinde mens iyes It is the propertie of deuils to put out ones iyes that seeth but to geue fyght to him that is borne blind cummeth of the power of God Forasmuche than as it is euident that that thyng is doen by hym hys talke cannot procede of a noysome deuil whose dedes appereth playne to come from a beneficiall God The Lorde Iesus maketh no aunswere to thys altercacyon teachyng vs by the way that the wieked are not alway to be striuen with in wordes and that by dedes it is rather to bee declared what we can dooe than by woordes and sumtimes place is to bee geuen to the furie of the eiuil sorte nor the moderate temperaunce of the ghospell is at any tyme to bee forgotten After all thys the feastful daye ministred newe matter to sette in hande and dispute with hym agayne That solemne feaste was than whiche they call the dedicacyon of the temple for because the temple was reedefyed and repayred after the exile that was made at Hierusalem by the Persians Neyther was Iesus absent at this feasteful daye a newe maker of the law and of a new temple that is to say the churche chefe deuyser and maister of the woorkes And it was winter A full very mere tyme for theyr myndes whiche throughe loue of the colde lawe dyd not burne in the loue of the ghospell Therfore Iesus was not nowe in the inner parte of the temple but walked in the porche which ioyneth to the temple that is called Salomons temple to the intent that the very place shoulde declare that peacemaker to be presente whiche shoulde reconcyle all thynges in heauen and earth There walked truely the aucthor of the lawe of the ghospel Moses lawe being nowe at a poynte to cease The Iewes therefore leste he should escape theyr handes came rounde about him whyle he was walkyng there sore moued with many of his sayinges and dooynges neyther dyd they well agree among themselues some maliciously fynding faulte with al thing some gathering of hys dedes and wordes a certain thing to be honored in him aboue mannes power And they set vpon hym with these woordes Howe long wilt thou kepe vs in a doubtful mynde and therewith sette the people on a rore If thou bee that verye Messias whome we looke for tell it vs openly without all colour Iesus aunswered them I tolde you and ye beleue not The workes that I doe in my fathers name they beare witnes of me But ye beleue not because ye are not of my shepe as I sayd vnto you My shepe heare my voyce and I know them and they folow me and I geue vnto them eternal life and they shal neuer perishe neyther shal any man plucke them out of my hande My father whiche gaue them me is greatter than all and no man is able to take them out of my fathers hande I and my father are one But although Iesus was not ignoraunt that they dyd demaunde of a peruerse mynde this thing whiche they had both oftentymes hearde and myght also haue perceiued the same by his doinges yet he maketh them a gentle aunswere more desyrous to enstruct them then to angre them What nedeth it me sayth he so often to speake of my selfe and tell who I am namely forasmuch as if I doe openly testifie the trueth ye call the recorde therof arrogancie I haue already tolde you if ye woulde beleue me who I am Yea though ye dooe not credite my woordes yet ye cannot be ignoraunt of the thyng whiche ye desyre knowe of me There is no surer profe than dedes Ye see my doynges which your selues doe witnesse I doe at my fathers will and not the deuilles as some doe misreporte If my actes be worthie to bee imputed to God beleue that I am sente of God But ye dooe neyther beleue my dedes nor my woordes whereof I am not the cause but your owne corrupte and suspiciouse mynde They that meane well and playnelye and bee not polluted with the naughtynesse of thys worlde beeleue my woordes and lyke good shepe knowe the voyce of a good shepeherd and semblably I knowlage them for my shepe though after the worlde they be poore sely thinges But ye therfore doe not knowledge my voyce because ye are not of the number of my shepe whose simplicitie is lightely taughte when as youre myndes be swollen with ambicion leuened with malice with enuie corrupted infected with couetousnes and with sundrie affeccions of this worlde defyled from whiche vices if ye would purge your minde verely euen you also should heare my voice neither should you so doe without benefit For first of al ye should therby auoide death which hangeth ouer all rebels agaynst the sonne of God moreouer ye shall obteyne therby euerlasting life For of trueth those my shepe how simple and vnlerned soeuer they be after the iudgement of the worlde as long as they doe knowleage me the shepeherde and all the while they folow me as gyde dooe through my liberalitie get euerlasting life when as other that are taken in the worlde for men of great felicitie goe to euerlastyng death They be symple shepe harmelesse weake lacking all worldely succour The world riseth against these with all engiens and force But the aduersarye shall not haue so greate power that he shall be hable to take them out of my handes The world hath auctoritie of phariseis dignitie of priestes it hath armed kynges hye magistrates iudges places of iudgement prisones cheines roddes axes broddes to pricke with exile deathes whatsoeuer is wont to bring feare yea euen to stedfast myndes On the other syde it hath riches pleasures dignities honours and what soeuer is wont to corrupt most vncorrupt myndes The world vseth all these engines to plucke my shepe out of my handes but I beeyng theyr
adherent together naturally vnseparably whiles he woorketh by me whatsoeuer he will and I doe no where swarue or alter from his exaumple commaundemente In so muche that he whiche beleueth on hym beleueth on me and whosoeuer speaketh agaynst hym speaketh agaynst me Agayn they went about to take him and he escaped out of theyr handes and went away agayn beyond Iordane into the place where Iohn before had baptised there he abode And many resorted vnto him and sayde Iohn did no miracle but all thinges that Iohn spake of this man were true And many beleued on him there When the Iewes had hearde these sayinges being therwith more an angred wherwith in dede they ought to haue bene refourmed they goe about to lay handes on hym and so to accomplishe that thyng whiche they had already often attempted in vayne But Iesus escaped oute of theyr handes declaryng thereby that he was wel willyng to suffer when time should come Therfore when Iesus had taught there sufficientlye he geueth place for a tyme to theyr vncurable fury and weÌt ouer again beyond Iordane to the very place where Iohn begun first to baptise for as we haue sayd he afterward chaunged his place and baptised at the water of Sichem Here now Iesus abode in the deserte as one that had lothed or extremely hated the sinnefull wickednes of the cities And many came also thither vnto him out of places that ioyned nye therevnto whose myndes the fame that was bruted of Iesus the sermons and miracles that were heard and sene did inflame And of truth the very place brought them furthwith in mynde to compare Iesus who had alreadye shewed some tryall profe of himselfe with Iohn whome they had knowen before And whaÌ they remembred that Iohn had bene in highe auctoritie and yet had dooen nothing els but preached the baptisme of penaunce and without dooyng anye miracles had gotten himselfe so greate estimacyon among the multitude that he was thought to be Christ And on the other side when Iesus had by shewing furth so many miracles declared a power greater then mans strengthe that he had so often put the Scribes and Phariseis to sileÌce with his prudent and piththie aunswers Finally that Iohn himselfe had so often testifyed so highly of Iesus confessing openly that himselfe was not worthie to leuse the latchet of his shoe The Iewes I say consideryng all these thinges had thys saying among themselues Iohn say they when as he wroughte no miracle was in credite with the Iewes Much more therfore ought faith to be geuen to this man that with so woÌderful seldome sene miracles gathereth or winneth faith to his wordes And albeit Iohns recorde of this man were heretofore litle beleued yet now the matter selfe declareth that his recorde was true for so much as this saide Iesus hath accomplished mo thinges than Iohn promised of the mans behalfe And so now therfore partely for Iohns relacions sake whose reporte had no slender auctoritie among the Iewes partly through his own wordes that were ful of godly wisedome and partly for his dedes sake which did beare witnes of his diuyne power many beleued that Iesus was verye Messias whiles yet the Phariseis the Scribes and the Priestes did styl continue and persiste in theyr frowarde malyce ¶ The xi Chapter A certayn man was sicke named Lazarus of Bethania the towne of Mary and her sister Martha It was that Marie which anointed Iesus with oyntment and wiped his fete with her heate whose brother Lazarus was sicke Therfore his sisters sent vnto him saying Lord beholde he whome thou louest is sicke Whan Iesus hearde that he sayde this infiemitie is not vnto deathe but for the prayse of God that the sonne of God mighte bee praysed by reason of it ANd furthwith occasion is offered whereby Christes glory and his fathers shoulde highly be renowmed withal the malice of the phariseis should be prouoked to murther For while he made his abode at Iordane it chauÌced that a certain maÌ called Lazarus lay sicke in the towne Bethania This was both the sicke maÌs and the twoe sisters Marie and Marthaes countrey Furthermore Mary was she that to the notable profe of loue towardes Iesus with a precious oyntmente anointed his head sitting at the feast and with her heare wiped his fete which she had washed with teares Wherof came a great amitie betwene the Lorde Iesus and this familie Therfore wheÌ Lazarus was through greuous sickenesse in perill his sisters trusting vpon the acquayntaunce that they had with Iesus sendeth to shewe him of his frendes dysease doubtyng not but that he would of his merueylouse geÌtlenes towardes all folke helpe his frende being in daunger Behold say they he whome thou louest is sicke For they thought it inough to signifie the thing to him that loued the manne and therefore they made not further intercession To whome Iesus made answere this sickenes is not vnto death God hath suffered it to fall vpon hym that by that occasion God and his sonne shoulde be glorifyed with putting awaye the sickenesse by theyr godly power Iesus loued Martha and her sister and Lazarus When he hearde therfore that he was sicke he abode two dayes still in the same place where he was then after that he sayde to his disciples Let vs go into Iewrie again His disciples sayd vnto him Maister Iewes lately sought to stone thee and wilt thou goe thither agayn Iesus aunswered Are there not twelue houres of the day If a man walke in the day he stumbleth not because he seeth the light of this worlde but if a man walke in the night he stumbleth because there is no light in him Iesus verely loued Martha and Mary and theyr brother Lazarus too yet suffered he him to fall into sickenes and also to dye lest we shoulde thinke it an vnsemely thing if at any tyme good folke and right holy menne bee punyshed with miseries of this world god as it were dissembling either bicause so it is expedient for them yâ suffer or els because it so helpeth to set furth the glory of God not that God doeth through mans harme procure hys owne glory but that for mans sake he is wont to turne the eiuels which chaunseth vs after the lawe of mans state and condicion or by casualtie to our saluacyon or to hys owne glory He knewe right well his frendes sickenes yea before it was tolde him But yet was it fit that his disciples mindes should be prepared and made redy for the great miracle that was to come Therfore after report was made to Iesus of his frendes disease he did not furthwith goe thence but taried still two dayes in that same place verayly not neglecting the daunger of hys frendes but looking for a more large matter to worke a miracle of wherwithal he himselfe who should sone after dye might lift vp the mindes of his disciples weake and feble as yet to the hope of the resurreccion But
a commaundemeÌt yea with an autoritie also that if any maÌ knew where he were in secrete that they should shew it that he might be appreheÌded With these approued holy customes the bishops and Phariseis that were guides maisters of religion prepared themselfes to the feastful day but in the meane while they vnwares procured the saluacion of the worlde ¶ The .xii. Chapter Then Iesus sixe dayes before Easter came to Bethanie where Lazarus had been dead whom he raysed from death There they made him a supper and Martha serued but Lazarus was one of them that sate at the table with hym IEsus therfore knowyng that they had concluded vpon his death and that the tyme also was nigh when as he had determined willingly to be offred in sacrifice an vnspotted lambe for the saluacioÌ of the worlde he would no longer kepe hymselfe in secrete but as one offreyng hymselfe to be a sacrifice the seuenth daye before the feast of Easter in whiche daye the Iewes were wount at a solemne supper as it were to âaste before hand the pascall lambe he retourned againe to Bethania both to call to remembraunce the lately doen miracle and also to impriente the hope of the resurreccion in the myndes of his disciples whom he knewe should be with his death excedyngly troubled in mynde For there dwelt Lazarus whom he had a fewe dayes before raysed from death to lyfe And the place was more notable for beeyng nigh to Ierusalem There therfore a supper was made readie for Iesus Martha serued him at supper But Lazarus was one of the numbre that sate at supper with him to make it more certain to them all that it was no vision nor gost whiche lately was seen to goe out of the graue home to his house forasmuche as he had nowe liued after his death many dayes and had also both commoned and eaten with other Then toke Mary a pounde of oyntmente called Nardus perfite and precious and anoynted Iesus feete and wiped his feete with hir heare and the house was filled with the odour of the oyntment There did Mary who with a siguler loue loued the Lorde Iesus ardently come to the feast as wel for many other causes as for the late benefite shewed vpon her brother and shedde vpon Iesus head sitting at the table a great quantitie of very precious oyntmente whiche was made of the beste kynde of Nardus to the mountenaunce of a pounde Insomuche that the whole house was filled with the sauour of the oyntmente And yet was the womans suche loue as hath not been heard not herewith content but annointed his fete with oyntmente and washed them with teares and wiped them with her heer not that she thought Iesus did delite in suche delicacies whose moderate sobrietie she knew but great ferueÌcie of loue caused her doe as her minde gaue her without stay of herselfe for truely she knew not nor coÌsidered what she did but yet through doing honor she gaue aduertisemeÌt before hand of Iesus death buriall was a figure of the churche whiche should embrace with godly honor the lord whom the Synagogue despised Than sayed one of the disciples euen Iudas Iscarioth Symons sonne which afterward betraied him why was not this oyntmente solde for thre hundred pence geuen to the poore This he sayed not that he cared for the poore but because he was a thefe and had the bagge and bare that whiche was geuen The disciples thought much at the bestowing of this oyntmente as a thing wastfully spente but specially Iudas Iscarioth was moued withall to whom as to the wurst of them al the purse was committed to thintent that the wurst man should be the disposer laier out of the naughtiest thyng he was wonte as the maner of theÌ that hath the handelyng of money is which is common to many to steale priuily somewhat therof to himselfe not with a single pure minde depending of the maistership autoritie that Iesus had ouer him but euen than making prouision for himselfe wherwith he might liue after he were departed out of Iesus felowship He therfore repining against Mary sayed to what purpose is it to loose so precious a thing For neither is our Lord maister delighted in suche nyce thinges neither is this sumptuousnes seming for our feast And in case this woman had been determined to bestowe so precious a thing when it had been geuen it might haue been solde and the price therof geuen to the poore This ye wote well had been more godly and more seming for our maister and vs too Albeit in dede the other Apostles also did speake these thynges of a simplicitie and mente none euill therin yet had Iudas a farre vnlike mynde though his woordes were like vnto theirs for he had no care of the poore mens cause but he kept the purse and the thing whiche frendes sente of their free good will dyd he full vniustly kepe therof priuily stole somewhat euen than shewyng some profe of hymselfe howe vnfit he is for the ministracion of Gods woorde whose mynde the inordinate desire of money doth possesse Than sayed Iesus let her alone against the daye of my burying hath she kept this for the poore alwayes shall ye haue with you but me haue ye not alwaye Muche people of the Iewes therfore had knowledge that he was there And they came not for Iesus sake onely but that they might see Lazarus also whom he raised from death but the hye priestes helde a councell that they myght put Lazarus to death also because that for his sake many of the Iewes went awaye and beleued on Christe But Iesus did so apease his disciples murmuryng that yet he did not openly disclose the malice of Iudas in suche wise he toke Maries part that he signified howe of his owne voluntarie wil he should dye For our Lord Iesus most coueted to haue all folke induced to beleue not that by compulsion of man but by his owne good aduisement he should suffre death for the saluacioÌ of man euen as he would and when he would Grudge ye not sayeth he at this womans obsequiousnesse benefite towardes me This coste is not lost but this honor is doen and bestowed against the time of my buriyng which honor this woman doth now preuenting the thing for than shall there lacke wherwith to anoynte You do iudge well of me that beyng aliue I haue alwaie refused suche plesante thinges yet I will that my death and burial be cumly and honorable doe not haue enuy at this my honor which is bestowed on me that shall shortely departe hence Ye shall haue alway with you ready at your hand great plenty of these common sorte of poore men whose nede ye maye succour ye shall haue me but a while And because many of Ierusalem came much to Bethania by reason of the nynesse and bycause of Lazarus in that he was a notable a tyche man and therby knowen to many but
effect for I shall not long be conuersaunt among you in this visible bodie but shall dye and goe to my father And yet ye shall perceyue me to be one that liueth and hath power and that shall accomplishe all that I haue promised Moreouer the worlde also shal be rebuked and reproueâ of iudgement because that by seing men euery where through penaunce coââerte from synne to innocencie of lyfe leaue the grosse ceremonies of Moses lawe and ruine to godlynesse of the ghospell the nacions of the whole worlde forsake theyr wurshipping of diuels and images and falle to the true wurshipping of God the father the sonne and the holy ghost it shall manifestly appere the prince of the worlde who hath heretofore by synne practised ãâã to be already with his owne weapons vanquished put out of the waye and iudged as one that hath procured my death by whom innocencie libertie of the gospell and immortalitie is recouered employed and geuen Than shall it well appere to haue been a triumphe whiche semed to be a thing of shame and reproche and that to haue been a victory whiche was imputed and counted for an ouerthrowe and an vtter destruccion for whan deuils shall eche where be cast out of the temples ⪠and shall crye out at the signe of the crosse when they shall leaue the bodyes whiche they had of long tyme possessed at naming of me shall not that openly proue theyr prince to be iudged and condemned Shall it not bee apparante and a clere matter that they also be woorthely iudged and condemned whiche had leuer folow hym being alreadye vanquished and iudged to eternall deathe than me whom as a conquerour and to all folke the verye auctour of innocencie and of life God shall carrye vp and auaunce to the felowship of his kyngdome ¶ I haue yet many thinges to saye vnto you but ye cannot beare them awaye nowe Howbeit when he is cum whiche is the spirite of trueth he will leade you into al trueth he wil not speake of hym selfe but whatsoeuer he shall heare that shall be speake and he wil shewe you thinges to cum He shall glorifie me for he shall receyue of myne and shall shewe vnto you All thinges that the father hathe are myne Therefore sayed I vnto you that he shall take of myne and shewe vnto you I coulde tell you many mo thinges but the tyme serueth not nor your weakenesse wyll not as yet beare them and since I haue not yet altogether goen thorow with this mine ambassade I do therfore reserue them to the cummyng of the holy ghoste he beyng once come shall fynde you more apte to receyue a more full knowledge euen when the busynesse of my deathe resurreccion and ascencion shall be dispatched and fynished This spirite that I speake of shall be no lying or worldely spirite but my very spirite that is to saye the spirite of trueth he shall teache you all trueth whiche ye are not nowe able to receiue at ful He also shall speake vnto you but that shall be by secrete inspiracions He shall not with mouing the ayer touche your bodely eares but by a priuey secrete vertue shall moue the inwarde myndes neyther shall he speake thynges of vncertaintye but in lyke maner as I haue spoken nothyng whiche I haue not heard of my father so shall he inspire nothyng into your hertes but that he hearde of my father and me and he shall out onely open vnto you all trueth of thynges paste but also he shall foreshewe you thynges to cumme ere they happen so often as nede shall require for he is not alone only almighty but hathe withall knowleage of all thinges He shall by you make the glory of my name be knowen to all men lyke as I by my deathe and resurreccion shall make my fathers glory notable and famouse for as what thing soeuer I doe redoundeth to my fathers praise and glory of whome I haue my being and of him haue receiued all that I haue cum so shall it growe to my honour and praise whatsoeuer he shall woorke by you He shall mocion you to nothing contrary to those thinges whiche I receiuing them of my father haue taught you All thinges is common betwene vs all thinges procede from my father but whosoeuer is his is mine nor any thing is my fathers or mine whiche is not common to the spirite Therefore by the sayde spirite shall I speake to you as my father hathe spoken to you by me he that beleueth me beleueth my father and he that beleueth the spirite beleueth vs both ¶ After a while ye shall not see me and againe after a while ye shall see me for I go to the father Then sayed sum of his disciples betwene themselues what is this that he sayeth vnto vs after a while ye shal not see me and againe after a while ye shall see me and that I go to the father They sayed therefore what is this that he sayeth after a whyle we cannot tell what he sayeth Iesus perceiuing that they woulde aske hym sayed vnto them Ye enquire of this betwene your selues because I sayed after a while ye shall not see me and againe after a while ye shall see me Uerily verily I saye vnto you ye shall wepe and lament but contrariwyse the worlde shall reioyce ye shall sorowe but your sorowe shall be turned into ioy Now than being corroborate and stablished with many thinges be ye bold and take good hearte vnto you againste the storme that hangeth ouer you in aduersitie saue your selues to the prosperitie whiche shall folowe within a whyle ye shall lacke the syght of me but ye shall be without it no longe time for within a shorte space after I shall be presented to your syght agayne that so ye may litle by litle be brought in vre to wante the sight of this body which is not moste commodiouse for you For I returne to my father to thentente that after I cease to be seen of you I maye endue you with greater giftes But not withstanding all this so great sorowe did possesse the disciples mindes at that time that they neyther vnderstood nor coulde kepe in memorie thinges that were often repeted and reiterate for whereas our lord Iesus did declare in these wordes not very obscurely that by death and buryall he should be absent out of his disciples sight yet none otherwyse but that within thre dayes after he would appeare vnto them againe euen in the self same bodye but now immortall so after he had for a fewe dayes space confirmed and stayed the mindes of his disciples to conuaye hymselfe again into heaueÌ And to th entent that hauing his bodely sight withdrawen from them which letted them to be spirituall they mighte deserue that heauenly spirite and after that to looke no more for their lordes bodely presence saue onely when at the laste daye he shall once for all shewe hymselfe to the whole worlde for
bee taken downe Then came the souldiers and brake the legges of the first and of the other which was crucified with him but whan they came to Iesus and sawe that he was dead already they brake not his legges but one of the souldiers with a speare thrust him into the syde and furthwith came there out bloud water And he that sawe it bare recorde his recorde is true he knoweth that he sayeth true that ye myght beleue also for these thinges were doen that the scripture should be fulfilled Ye shall not breake a bone of him and agayne another scripture sayeth They shall looke on hym whome they pearced But it is a sporte an a wonder withall to heare now againe in this case the peruerse religion of the Iewes so farre out of course and mysordred The Iewes vpon a myscheuous malice and by wicked meanes brought with violence vnto the crosse an innocent and one that had bene beneficiall vnto them beyng nothing abashed with the relygion of the feastfull daye to do so cruel and so vngraciouse a dede but they were very supersticiouse and made muche a do about taking the bodies of froÌ the crosse They came vnto Pilate and besought him the by his commaundement the legges of them which were crucified might be broken to th entent they might the sooner be deade and then their corpses be taken downe and had out of the waye lesse beyng sene they shoulde violate and breake the feastfull daye That daye was a solemne greate daye whiche of the great apareylyng and fournature of holy adournmeÌtes and dyuine seruice is called of the Grekes Parasceue that is to saye a preparacion And their holy and solemne Sabbothe daye was nye at hande vpon whyche daye to worke was a detestable thing For at this season the men beeynge ye wote well very precise in their relygion after they had finished and accomplyshed so horryble an acte as thoughe the thinge had been well doen they bente their myndes to celebrate the sacrifice that was to be offered by Moyses lawe solemnely and purely not knowyng that the very true Easter lambe was already offered vp in sacrifice Suche a poyson and so pestiferouse a thing is holynesse that consisteth in outwarde and bodily thinges and hath not holynes and godlynes of herte and mynde ioyned and annexed vnto it Nowe therfore Pilate grauntyng them their request the souldiers brake bothe the theues legges whome they found yet aliue And then when they were come to Iesus because they saw him alreadye deade and therefore thought it a vayne and superfluous thynge to breake his legges they lefte them whole vnbroken For to this ende and purpose were the legges broken that those whiche hung vpon the crosse shoulde the sooner gyue vp the ghoste But among the souldiers stoode a certaine man whiche for the more certeintie of the Lorde Iesus death opened his syde with a speare and immediatly out of the wounde there gushed forth bloude and water in a great misterye declaryng that his death shoulde washe and cleanse vs from synne and the same also geue to vs euerlastinge lyfe and saluacion For baptisme standeth in water and with water are we baptised And the lyfe of a manne is in the bloude But it is againste the course of nature for water to runne out of a bodye that is wounded Howbeit he that sawe the thing with his iyes testified and beareth witnes hereof And we knowe his recorde to bee true And leste any of you shoulde stande in doubte whether ye maye or no beleue the thing whiche els mighte seme incredible I assure you that Iesus himselfe knewe that witnes to tell trueth And althoughe these thinges semed to be doen by chaunce or casualtie that is to saye that in stede of breakyng his legges as the others were his chaunce was to haue his side thruste thorowe yet for all that were they doen by the foresight and prouidence of God and as his diuine councell disposed that in this pointe also theffecte and conclusion of the thing myght aunswere and agre with the prophecies of the Prophetes For among other rites and customes wherwith Moses teacheth in Exodus that the paske or passouer ought to be obserued and celebrate he had prescribed eueÌ that thing specially by name that is to wete that lambe which was sacrifised should be so slaine that no bone of it should be broken euen thereby notyng and declaryng that Iesus was the very true phase or passeouer the figure whereof that Mosaicall lambe did beare resembled thesame For the bloud of this true lambe Iesus saueth them that beleue in hym from death And the spirituall eatyng of this lambe conueyeth vs beeyng made free from the seruitude of Egypte that is to saye from the sinfull lustes of the worlde and from the tyranny of sinne into an heauenly region And againe the holy ghoste speaketh thus by Zacharye They shall see hym whom they pearsed For he shall once come with thesame body wherwith he hong on the crosse though it be alreadye a gloryouse body yet shall he shewe the printe of the wounde to all folke and he shall shewe the vnfaythfull to theyr rebuke the fountayne that was open all in vayne to them that would not beleue with the flowyng and streames wherof they might haue been cured After this Ioseph of Aramathia which was a disciple of Iesus but secretely for feare of the Iewes besought Pilate that he might take downe the body of Iesus And Pilate gaue hym licence he came therfore and tooke downe the body of Iesus And then came also Nicodemus which at the begynning came to Iesus by night and brought of myrthe and aloes mengled together aboute an hundred pounde weyght Then tooke they the body of Iesus and wounde it in lynnen clothes with odours as the maner of the Iewes is to bury And in the place where he was crucified there was a gardeyne and in the gardeyne a newe sepulchre wherin was neuer man layed There layed they Iesus therfore because of the preparyng of the Sabboth of the Iewes for the sepulchre was nye at hande And so nowe his death beyng already certayne and himselfe founde dead by the experience of many it behoued furthermore that his buryall should many wayes confyrme the belefe of the resurreccion And as Christe would perdie his whole life to be base and of a lowe porte so he would that his buriall should be honorable and of a great maiestie not intendyng therby to teache vs to be carefull of a sepulchre but to th entent that those thinges once accomplyshed whiche concerned the abasyng of hymselfe and the whole ministery thereof he might make a waye to the honour and prayse of his resurreccion And in very dede the honour whiche is geuen to a manne alyue is not without either suspicion or daunger but the honour whiche voluntarily we geue to the dead is a sure wytnes of prowes goodnes and vertue Nowe therfore Ioseph beyng a manne of
go to his owne place And they gaue forth their loâtes the lot fell on Matthias and he was rounted with the eleuen Apostles The multitude approuing these saiynges appoynted two chosen out of the numbre of .lxx. disciples Ioseph otherwise named Barsabas whiche also for his vpright liuyng was called Iust and Matthias that of these two whiche wer of lyke godlines he whom the cumpanie liked better of the twain should take vpon him thoffice of an apostle But they mystrusting their owne iudgementes prayed to god with one voyce saying Men that iudge of thynges that they see and heare may be deceiued and fayle in their iudgemente but thou lord which onely lokest on the heart wherby man is in dede either good or bad vouchesafe thou to shewe vs thy seruauntes by sum token whether of these two persons thou hast chosen to make vp the numbre of .xii. apostles and to cum to the exercisyng of such an office whence Iudas fell to go to that place wherunto it was not vnknoweÌ to the who seest al thinges that he shoulde go For neyther was it long of the that he forsoke thy companye whiche dyddest what might be done to call hym to repentaunce neyther were thou deceyued in iudgement when thou diddest admitte hym that shoulde sone after shrinke from the but thy heauenly wysdome sawe that it was expedient so for vs that through his treason thy sonne should be sacrificed for vs and that we should take example by such a traitoure what dauÌger it wer for vs negligently and recheles to execute thoffice whiche we take in hande After this prayer they caste their lottes accordyng to the custome of the Hebrues For so was Ionas by lot caste into the sea so Ionathas was perceyued to haue tasted of the hony so lykewise the priestes did execute their holy misteryes by lottes For the holy ghost was not yet cum downe and thapostles smelled styll of certain Iewish maners Albeit there was no daunger in drawing lottes for whiche soeuer of them were chosen was a good man and mete for the office And yet was not the whole mater commited to lottes For two of the moste approued persones were firste chosen by voyces And because they were in doubte whether of those two they myght take lots decided the doubtefulnesse whiche coulde not bee rashely done forasmuche as it was ruled by prayer Than this lot whiche was nothing els but an opening of the wyll of god chose Matthias whereas Ioseph besides the commendacion he had as appered by his name was also kin vnto Iesus And yet Matthias was preferred because it shoulde be a lesson to vs that in chosing of bishops to whose credite the dispensacion of the gospel must be committed we must so vtterly forbeare to leaue vnto mannes affection that if there bee equalles him we must prefer âhome no carnall propertie doeth set foorthe leste that whiche is doone for fauour bee an ill presidente to sum other There lyeth also in their names a certayne priuy misterye hydden Matthias whiche in Hebrue betokeneth the gift of god was preferred before Iust whiche name the Phariseis did chaleÌge for their good woorkes And yet none more vnmete than they to preache the ghospell But he that recogniseth the free gift of god through fayth of the gospell and preacheth the same he is worthy to succede in place of thapostles Neyther dyd Iuste disdayne that his felow was preferred neyther dyd Matthias stande anye thing the more in his owne conceyte for that he was ioyned to the eleuen apostles for to make vp that same holy noumbre nor for that he being a verye speciall good man should succede in the roume of the naughtiest felowe that euer was The .ii. Chapter Whan the fyftie dayes were come to an ende they were all with one accorde together in one place And sodaynly there came a sounde from heaueÌ as it had been the cumming of a great wynde and it fylled all the house where they sate And there appered vnto them cloueÌ tounges lyke as they had been of fyer it sate vpon eche of them they were filled all with the holy ghost and began to speake with other tounges euen as the same spirite gaue them vtteraunce WHan nyne and fowertie dayes after Christes resurreccion were in this wyse ouerpassed that daie longe loked for of Penthecoste that is to saye Fyftyeth was come whiche the Iewes also kepte holye with myrthe and great solempnitie aswel for a remembraunce of the yere of Iubile whiche came aboute euerye fiftieth yere in course agayne as also because the lawe was deliuered in writing vpon the Mounte Sinay the fiftieth daye after the kyllyng of the Paschall lambe throughe whose bloude they departed safely out of Egipte Upon an high mountayne was the olde lawe geuen beeyng engrauen in tables of stone But the newe lawe the holye ghoste intituled in faythfull beleuyng hertes and in a high parlour it was disclosed In th one and eke in the other was highnesse of place on the one syde and like on the other was fyer But there is nought els for vs to considre but an hyghe mountayne whiche the people beyng veray carnall and worldlye and therefore vnapte to conceyue spirituall thinges were forbidden yea so muche as to touche Here vpon this mounte an house there is whereby maye we marke concorde and vnitee to bee in the churche There the mount was called Sinay a place conuenient for the setting forth of suche a lawe as shoulde for the great nombre of sondry preceptes that it conteyned kepe vnder a stubburne and rebellyous people For of precepte or commaundemente was that hyll called Sinai This mounte here is named Syon whiche worde with the Hebrewes betokeneth an high hill from the toppe wherof al thinges on yearth beneath are despised from whence heauenly thynges are seene far of through faith as though thei were nigh at hand On that mouÌte what is els seene but terrible fier smoke flames lightening and thundring on this mounte a spirite there is of greate vehemencie cherefull to man nothing dredful and fier not to burne the bodye but to lighteÌ the soule and richely to endowe the plaine tounged man with heauenly eloquence There the people beyng at square among themselues murmured against theyr captayne here be they quiete in one secrete chauÌbre making their praier with one assente for an heaueÌly gifte whiche they wayted for This daye was chosen lyke as the place was also for a matter of heauenly comfort wherunto they had been woont often to repayre for nine dayes space before But whaÌ the fyftyeth daye was once come than came they altogether with ful consent into the selfe same parlour ready to receyue the heauenly spirite Where the minde is occupyed with vile and filthy cogitacions there is no conuenient place for the holye ghoste but in the parloure where the company was so godly occupyed it behoued hym to bee And where the mynde is troublous with discord
apostles doctrine and feloweship and in breaking of bread and in prayers And feare came ouer euery soule and many woonders and sygnes were shewed by the apostles at Ierusalem And all that beleued kept them selues together had all thinges in common and sold their possessions and goodes and parted them to al men as euery man had nede and they continued dayly with one accorde in the temple brake bread from house to house and did eare their meate together with gladnesse singlenes of herte praysing God and had fauour with al the people And the lorde added to the congregacion dayly suche as shoulde be saued Than such as kept themselues in company with the disciples folowed on continually the apostles teachinges for thereby came moste profite and lykewyse continued still in receiuing a token of a couenaunte that shall neuer bee broken which they called communion That token of couenaunt which the lord taught and committed to vs of trust was doen in this maner The bread was broken and dealed to euery man a pece thereof they in their practising of this in a remembraunce of the lordes passion gaue thankes to god for his bountifull goodnes that had clensed them from sinne by the innocent bloud of his owne sonne alone had chosen them for the deathes sake which he suffered on his parte vndeserued to enherite life euerlasting They offered vp also their prayers with clenes of herte whose peticion was that the kingdome of Iesus mighte bee made to spreade euery daye further abrode than other that his glory might throughout all the worlde bee knowen that his wyll euery where might bee folowed that suche as had once professed the fayth of the gospell might through the holy woorde and grace celestiall profit euery day and procede better and better and so might liue in concorde one with an other eche one in peace with his brother forgeuing all iniuries if any faute were doen by mans frayltie being at one with god whiche is mercifull to them that bee mercyfull to theyr neyghboure and that they beeyng dayly strengthned by the goodnes of god myght stedfastly abyde all the assautes of Satan vntill they myght after long bickering with the sayde Sathan at laste receiue eternall rewarde These were than the sacrifices that christen men vsed This wonderfull miracle of tongues Peters exhortacion so liuely made the sodaine mutacion of so many men so great puritie an clennesse of lyfe of the same menne wrought suche an effect in all theyr myndes whiche were giltie and priuie to theyr owne offences that they were sore afrayed of some eiuell to come towarde them For they sawe playnely that this thing was not broughte about by mannes conspyracy but by some celestiall power And for because thapostles did not alonely speake in all mennes languages but wrought also at Hierusalem many wonderfull miracles at thinuocacion of Iesus name in healyng diseases in putting deiuils to flyght in reising the dead to lyfe This tremblyng feare that they were in encroched and grew stil more and more vpon theim This was some beginning in the people towardes theyr amendement But the celestiall spirite wrought in theyr hertes whome secretly he inspired aboue all other thinges in mutuall good wyll and concorde For this truely is the very cognisaunce that Iesus woulde haue his disciples knowen by And as many as beleued the gospell assembled vnto a place ordinately together for theyr consolacion exhorting one an other in mutuall communycacions They were than many in numbre and men of al sortes were admitted without accepcion of persons young olde menne women free bonde poore and ryche The loue of Christe beeyng planted in theyr hertes dyd in so greate conformitie of myndes and mutuall concorde knyt and ioyne together them all beyng otherwise so ferre odde eche to other that all thinges were common emoÌgest them whiche is a thing seldome sene yea emong brethren that came all out of one belly And to thintent that eche of them might the better departe somewhat of that he had to an other suche as had manoures of theyr owne or other possessions solde them and of the money or prise thereof made a common dole as euery mannes nede required so that neyther they wanted whiche had noughte of theyr owne nor they had more than was sufficient whiche before had muche in possession And so made they theyr dole not as it were of theyr owne proper goodes but as of thinges in common For perfite charytie chalengeth no goodes as her owne and emong them whiche bee all of one mynde no man is accoumpted a lorde of his owne goodes and where eche man is content with litel thereit wyll bee harde to find lacke of thinges necessary But the distribucion of the common was made to euery man accordinge to his necessitie and not to his sensualitie The apostles prescribed none of all these thynges for them to doe but charitie did more among them without compulsion than any lawe of Moyses durst require And euery day were they also in the temple in muche vnitie of minde stedfast in prayer rendryng thankes to god and exhortinge theimselues together and entising other to that peace of conscience whiche the gospel requireth all that euer they were hable to coumpace Moreouer whan they had thus spent the whole daye in suche godly excercises they brake in euery house theyr breade and eate their meate together with ioy that herte cannot thinke and eche one with other in perfecte clenlynes of herte gaue prayse to god through whose goodnes they had gotten them so muche loue and fauour They were in fauour and good estimacion with all the people For who is he that woulde not loue suche persons that hurt no man and be ready to do euery man good in whom also appered manyfestly so muche godly power so great sobrenesse and mekenes withall Here mayest thou well marke Theophilus howe the churche had at her beginning by reason of ioy in mens hertes and vnitie with all luckie tokens well to prosper There muste nedes bee conformitee of myndes and vnitie where that spirite is whiche is the pacifier of all troubleous hertes there cannot be but ioy and gladnes where is a cleane conscience without any dystruste of the promises whiche are made in the gospell But as the bishopes Pharisees Scribes and chiefe auncientes or head men among the people wer euery where alwayes redy to slea Iesus so here at the luckye beegynnynges of this young churche no mencion is made of theim Noe persone was enforced to come to this feloweship no violente authoritie kept theym together in league Suche as thither came abode there still with other of theyr owne ientle courage and the lorde allured to theim whom he had appoincted to bee saued euery day more and more whyle the smale musterd-seede was by litell and litell springyng whiche shoulde afterwarde spreade his braunches abrode through al the worlde The .iii. Chapter ¶ Peter and Iohn
the name of Iesus yea as one that endeuoured hymselfe to expresse the vertuous steppes of thapostles But forasmuche as exceliente vertue procureth it selfe enuie lyke as dothe the sterne wynde draw to hym the white cloudes certayne rose vp againste Steuen of diuers felowshyppes of the whiche one was called Libertines another Cyrenites sum of Alexandria an other sorte of suche that came out of Cilicia and Asia For to these countreyes whiche were ioynyng vnto Siria aboue al other were the Iewes dispersed all these sortes as though they had be of one conspiracie arose together against Steuen dysputyng with him and yet coulde not all they although manye in numbre stand in reasoning against this one yong mans wisdome the liuely force of his courage for because the holy ghost whoÌ he was ful of spake in him Than sent they men whiche sayed we haue heard him speake blasphemous woordes against Moises against God and they moued the people and the elders the Scribes and came vpon him and caught him brought him to the councel brought forth false witnesse whiche sayed This man ceaseth not to speake blasphemous woordes againste this holy place and the law for we heard him saie this Iesus of Nazareth shal destroy this place and shal chaunge the ordinaunces whiche Moyses gaue vs. And all they that sate in the couÌcel loked stedfastly on him saw his face as it had ben the face of an angell Marke me here the maner and fashion of the wicked Whan they had caste of al trueth vnable to make theyr partie good in disputacion thei fell to practise of foregeyng lyes and beyng once put to the wurse by wisdome of the holye ghoste they gaue themselues wholy to the practyse of diuilyshe deceytes For they brought in certaine men with false witnes that saied thei heard Steuen spoâke blasphemous wordes against Moyses against god And there was none offence among the Iewes that more deserued deathe than did blasphemy and more detested with the people Consider here good reader lyke inuencions againste the seruaunte as wer before practised againste the Maister They brought in false accusers bycause they would not be seen in theyr owne persons to reuenge the inwarde grief of their mindes whiche thei had conceiued for the blancke they wer put vnto beyng menne of themselues insufficient to cope with Steuen in disputacion An hainouse crime âought they out by their false ymaginacion against him and cloked theyr cankred malice with a pretensed loue to religion Than wer the people with the elders also Scribes by meanes of these false tale tellers whiche had been preuelye sent in sore moued against Steuen insomuche as all they with one assent together toke hym violently awaye and haled hym before the councell Here came they furth before them that wer the hyred recordes for to playe out their partes and to saye this man haue neuer done breaking out into blasphemouse woordes againste this place bothe holy and with all vs honorable and agaynste Moyses lawe that was delyuered vs of god For we hearde hym saye that Iesus of Nazareth woulde destroye this place and chaunge the ordinaunces that Moyses gaue vs. But this was Steuens reporte vpon relacion of the apostles howe Iesus had prophecied to them that the temple and citie lykewyse should be of theyr enemyes ouerthrowen euen from the foundacion for the peoples infidelitie This rehersall of Steuen craftely they wrested to a false and sâlaunderouse accusacion A man myght well affirme these to bee thesame persones the accused Iesus reportyng thus of his woordes we hearde hym saiynge I wyll destroye this temple and sette vp an other in thre dayes But Steuen at this sharpe and cruel accusacion was nothing moued in his mynde for he was cleare in his conscience insomuch that he from the botome of his herte appeared in his very countenaunce to be innocent For the minde that knoweth euel by it self is neuer out of feare This his stedfastnes in couÌtenaunce put his accusers soone to rebuke for theyr shameles falshood For those that sate there in counsayle beholdynge hym and markyng well howe boldelye he toke the offence that was layed to his charge same hym so lytle discouraged at the matter or dismayde that his face seemed to vtter by countenaunce sum thynge aboue mannes excellencie and a certayne chearfulnes withall and maiestie besemyng for an Aungell to haue The .vii. Chapter ¶ Than sayed the chief priest is it euen so And he saied ye meÌ brethren fathers herken The god of glory appeared vnto our father Abraham whaÌ he was in Mesopotamia before he dwelt in âharran saied vnto him Get the out of thy countrey and from thy kinâed cum into the lande which I shal shewe the. Than came he out of the lande of Chalde and dwelt in Charran And froÌ thence whaÌ his father was dead he brought him into this lande in which ye nowe dwel and he gaue him none inheritauÌce in it no not the bredeth of a foote And promysed that he would geue it to hym possesse to his feede after hym when as yet he had no childe THan demauÌded the high prieste of the accused person to thintent he might frame his senteÌce in iudgement towardes him after forme of lawe as he did before in condemning Christe this questioÌ whether he had ought to answer to those thiÌges whether he would acknowledge the offence that was brought againste him Than Steuen beyng inspyred with the holye ghoste beganne in this wise to make answere to the playnte profoundly with a rehersall made euen from the beginning Honorable audience all that here be presente eyther brethren by trade of our cuntrey religion either els by reason of auncientnes and authoritie fathers geue eare to me in my defeÌce of innocencie as ye haue done to mine accusers paciently I haue neyther vsed to speake contumeliously against god neither against Moyses nor against the temple but my endeuoure hath been not disagreynge here from Moyses to aduaunce goddes glory and that spirituall temple am I a buyldyng like as god commaunded me wherin god that is the very spirite is best pleased It is no blasphemy for a man to set furth that thing to the vttermost of his power whiche Moyses shadowed in figures whiche the prophetes being inspired with goddes holy spirite hath before spoken of whiche the sonne of god the was sent downe to earth for the same purpose hath both begonne and put his owne in credite withall to finyshe which the holy ghoste now perfourmeth for all peoples saluacioÌ through them that beleue the gospel But to striue so obstinately against the will of god beyng so well knowen and so bounteous towarde al men is naught els then to hate god is none other thing than to blaspheme god Whiche obstinate maner this nacion hath not of late daies begonne but what they haue begonne longe agoe to do now they neuer ceasse to continewe so that nowe we
is in vaine For it shall be harde and paynfull for the to beate thy heeles againste the prycke For thy striuyng is not against manne but againste god whose wil no manne is hable to resiste Wherfore thine offeÌce herein is double the more and nothing shalt thou preuaile therby and yet doe thy selfe a shrewde turne Saule hearing this trembled for feare and as one amased saide Lorde what wylte thou haue me doe By this answere his erroure appeared to haue cumme of plaine ignoraunce and of no malice To instructe once suche erpsons it were sufficient But it was expedient that an high and fierce stomake were plucked downe and suche one that mynded nought els but to threaten and kylle were made afrayed to th entent he myght be easlye taught Than sayed the lorde to him aryse and go into the citie There shalt thou learne what is for the to do The lorde stryketh man in suche a sorte that it maye be for his health so he casteth downe that he maye set vp so maketh he them blynde that he maye lighten them Saule beyng in his cruellrage was throwen downe headlyng but after that he became meke and ready to obeye he was byd stande vp ¶ The meÌ which iourneyed with him stoode amased hearyng a voyce but seyng no maÌ ââd Saul arose from the yearth when he opened his iyes he sawe no man But they led hym by the haâd brought him into Damasco And he was three daies without sight and neither did eate nor drinke And there was a certaine disciple at Damasco named Ananias to him said the lord in a visioÌ Ananias And he sayd beholde here I am lorde And the lord saide vnto him aryse and go into the strete whiche is called streyght ⪠and seke in the house of Iudas after one called Saule of Tarsus For beholde he praieth and hath sene in a vision a man named Ananias cumming in to him and puttyng his handes on hym that he might receiue his syght Whyle these thinges were thus in doyng the men that went with Saule in his iourney stode amased hearing certainly one talke to Saule but seing no man Than Saule vpon good comforte that he toke hereof arose vp The first step to vertue is to be set vp on foote And beholde againe an other myracle although his iyes were open he could not see Than those that came in his company lead him by the hande into the citie of Damasco And yet was not he than forthwith admitted to the gyfte of the holy ghoste that it shoulde be noted of vs that came after for an example howe it were not mete to laye hande forthwith vpon eache person but firste to see them that are newlye instructed diligently tryed and prepared by fastyng praier Wherefore than lyke as the apostles abode at Hierusalem ten dayes space in expectacion of the holy ghoste so taryed Saule at Damasco three dayes seing none yearthlye thyng with his corporal iyes but thinwarde iyes of his soule were in the meane space clearly illustrate al that whyle receyuyng no foode but his mynde was fed the meane time with heauenly doctrine There was the same tyme at Damasco a disciple for so were they than called whiche had receiued the gospel named Ananias The lorde had piked oute this Ananias by whose handes his pleasure was bounteously to replenishe Paule with giftes of his holy spirit And therfor hym spake he vnto beyng a sleape in his dreame and sayd Ananias He on the other part anon perceiuing that god called him made answer lo I am here lorde as who sayth disclosyng a true christian herte ready at all commaundementes Than sayde the lorde ryse vp and go thy waye into the streat whiche they commonly call streyght and aske at Iudas house for one Saule who was borne in Tarsus For lo there is he in prayer suyng to haue grace and liberall comforte from vs. At the very same tyme Saul lykewise as he was in prayer thoughte the one Ananias had entred into the house to hym and layde his handes upon him to thintent he myght receyue againe his iyesight Euen so the lorde prepared in their mutuall vision eache one for other ¶ Than Ananias answered lorde I haue heard by many of this man howe muche euil he hath done to thy sainctes at IerusaleÌ and here he hath authoritie of the high priestes to bynde all that cal on thy name The lorde sayde vnto him go thy waye for he is a chosen vessell vnto me to beare my name before the Gentiles and kinges and the childreÌ of Israel For I wyl shewe him howe great thinges he muste suffre for my names sake But Ananias sore afrayed at the name of Saule who for his cruelty was than muche spoken of among the christians made aunswere I haue heard lord of many one howe sore this man hath vexed thy blessed saintes at Hierusalem and yet not so contented but nowe is he hither come also beeyng put in authoritie by a streyght commission from the hygh byshoppes to laye theÌ al fast in fetters that call vpon thy name Herunto the lorde agayne made aunswere I knowe right well howe ye my shepe are muche afrayed of that rauenous wolfe But there is no cause why thou shouldest feare For that wolfe haue I chaunged into a right gentle shepe Wherefore see thou go vnto hym boldly For hym I haue chosen to myne owne selfe as a notable instrument to carye my name before the Heathen before kynges of the yearth and the chyldren of Israel What he hath done hytherto was not done of malyce but of a zele to the lawe of his countrey And forasmuche as of plaine ignoraunce his iudgemeÌt failed him sum tryall hath he shewed of his towardnesse how earnest a defendour of my gospell I am lyke to haue of him in tyme to cum Hitherto hath he scryuen against the professours of my name beyng armed therunto with bulles from the high byshoppes with threatnynges and with fetters for them Hereafter more manfully shall he fight and stoutly beyng armed but with my spirite and gyrte with the sworde of my euangelicall worde againste all them that hate my name For the glory and renoume wherof far greater affliccion shall he willyngly suffre than nowe of late he prepared againste you ¶ And Ananias went his waye and entred into the house and put his handes on him and sayde brother Saule the lorde that appeared vnto the in yâ waye as thou cammest hath sent me that thou myghtest receyue thy sighte be fylled with the holy ghost And immediatly there fell from his iyes as it had ben scales and he receiued sight arose and was baptised and receyued meat and was comforted Ananias well encouraged at these wordes departed thence and entred into Iudas house he founde Saule praying and layde his hande vpon hym and sayde brother Saule the lorde Iesus Christe that appered vnto the in the waye ⪠as thou waste cumming hither hath sent me to the
house For it was euentyde and he lodged them This was the fyrst begynnyng of any conuersacion betwene the Iewes and the Gentyles whiche Gentyles by theyr owne accorde preased to be partakers of the ghospell But the Apostles dyd wisely in that they were not to hastye in the settyng forth of this matter that it myght be euydent to all men that they dyd not rashely but by the commaundement of God receyue the Gentyles to the benefyte of the ghospell Cornelius sent for Peter but by the commaundement of the Aungell Peter came downe and mette them but not before he had commaundement by the visyon On the one parte marke the earnest desyre that the Gentiles had to the graciouse benefyte of the ghospel on the other parte the cherefulnesse of him readynes that was desirouse to saue al sortes of men ¶ And on the morowe Peter went away with them and certayne brethren from Ioppa accompanied hym And the thyrde daye entred they into Cesarea and Cornelius awayted for them had called together his kynsmen and his speciall frendes And as it chaunâed Peter to cum in Cornelius met him and fell downe at his feete and worshypped him But Peter toke hym vp saying stande vp I my selfe also am a man The nexte daye Peter went to Cesarea beyng accompanied with certayne christen men from the cytie Ioppa that should beare wytnes of those thinges that were for to be doen. For their mynde gaue theym that sum good lucke was towarde they wyst not what In the meane time Cornelius beyng very desyrous of saluacyon wayted for the retourne of his messengers that should bryng with them Peter and had called togethere as well his nygh kynsfolkes as his other chiefe frendes partely that moe myght be wytnesses of this facte and partely also that moe myghte be partakers of so greate a benefyte But whan as Peter entred into the house of this captayne Cornelius he much reioysyng therat for reuerence towarde him went forth to mete him and fallyng downe to Peters feete worshypped hym perceyuyng to be in hym sum what more excellencie then was semely for a manne to haue Thus ought Christ to be worshipped in his ministers but yet so that the glory dewe vnto God be not attrybuted to manne Then Peter geuing example howe muche the preachers of Christes woorde ought to abhorre ambicioÌ and the desire of honoure and howe smalle prayse ought they to chalenge for those thynges whiche be done thorowe vertue of Christes name suffred not thys captayne to lye prostrate vpon the grounde but embracyng hym in his armes dyd lyft him vp saying aryse I am but a man as thou art Geue vnto God this homage for I am but his minister ¶ And as he talked with hym he came in and founde many that were cum to gether And he sayde vnto them ye knowe howe that it is an vnlawful thyng for a man that is a Iew to coÌpany or cum vnto an Alien but god hath shewed me that I should not cal any man commen or vncleane therfore came I vnto you without delay assone as I was sent for I aske therefore for what entent haue ye sent for me And commonyng than in thys wyse familiarly wyth him entred into the house together Whan they were cum into the inner house Peter found there a greate numbre assembled together Here conceyued he as a couetous pastour good hope that he shoulde haue great vauntage And so whan Peter was set doune he began as an heauenly oratour to speake to them in thys wyse partly that those that came wyth hym shoulde not haue occasyon to be offended and partly that he myghte stablyshe the captaines houshold in that theyr confydence whiche they had conceyued you know that it is not permytted by the lawes that a Iewe be eyther in household eyther otherwyse in company with aliens men of a sundry kynde of religion and not cyrcumcised Yet I being a Iewe am not afrayed so to doo not yet despising eyther the trade or custome of my countrey but folowyng herein the commaundement of God that signified vnto me by vision that I oughte not to esteme any manne what countrey soeuer he be of to be vncleane or hate worthy for as muche as god taketh no man to be vncleane For onely he maketh holy euery thyng I therefore stickyng to the commaundement of god came hither wythout delay as soone as you sent for me wherfore it is your part to shewe me what the matter is that you sende for me Peter speaketh to all that he maye wynne them all perceyuyng that for thys cause they were assembled together that they myght al at one tyme heare the ghospell preached Marke howe featly Peter playeth the pastours part for he doeth not coÌmunicate the high misteries of the ghospell vnto them before he perceyued them to be desirious to learne ¶ Than Cornelius sayd this day nowe .iiii. daies about thys houre I sat fasting and at yâ ninth houre I prayed in my house and beholde a man stâde before me in bright clothynge and sayde Cornelius thy prayer is hearde and thyne aliues dedes are had in remembraunce in the syght of God Sende men therefore to go to Ioppa and cal for Symon whose syrname is Peter He is lodged in the house of one Symon a tanner by the sea syde whiche assone as he is cuÌme shall speake vnto the. Than sent I for the immediatly and thou hast well done that thou art cuÌme Nowe therefore are we all here present before God to heare all thynges that are commaunded vnto the of god Than Cornelius before them all rehearsed howe the matter stode saying fower dayes paste I was here in my house fastyng and earnestly in my prayers about the ninth houre of the daye And sodaynly beholde a certayne man whose countenaunce was full of maiestie stoode visible before me in a glystening garment and sayed vnto me Cornelius thy prayer is hearde and thy liberall and bountifull almes that thou hast bestowed on the poore is not forgotten in the syght of God Wherfore sende to Ioppa and desire Symon otherwyse called Peter to come to thee He is hosted in the house of Symon the Tanner nere to the sea Than sente I incontinent messaungers of myne owne folkes vnto thee whiche thyng I had not been so holde to haue enterprysed vnlesse an aungell had so wylled me And I moste hertely thanke you of youre goodnes that vouchesafed to come hyther Nowe therefore we are here present all of one mynde without hurte meanyng towardes any man as we take God to wytnesse very desirous to heare what God hathe geuen you in commaundement to shewe vs. For thaungell that put me in this confideÌce promysed me so and we doubte not but you wyll so dooe forasmuche as you also by the commanudemente of God âouchesaued to come and common with vs. Than Peter opened his mouthe and sayd of a trueth I perceyue that there is no respect of persons with god but
in al people he that feareth him worketh righteousnes he is accepted with him Than Peter perceyuing their vnfayned meanyng opened his mouthe and began to speake in thys wyse I doe ryght well perceiue that in the syght of God one person is not preferred before another but that in all countreys who that feareth God and liueth lyke a good man vprightly to God and the worlde is set by of hym Ye know the preachyng that god sent vnto the children of Israel preaching peace by Iesus Christ which is lord ouer al thynges Which preaching was published throughout al Iewry and began in Galile after the baptysme which Iohn preached how god anoynted Iesus of Nazareth with the holy gost with power Which Iesus went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed with the deuill for god was with him For asmuche as I vnderstande that you are free from oure lawe and yet neuertheles that ye woorship one God whiche is the true God as we do that dayly ye offer thorowe prayer sacrifice and seeke hys fauoure by succouring of the nedye For why this is thonely thyng that the lawe and prophetes doe teache And although that God hath nowe at the last perfourmed that thing whiche he long sence promysed by the mouthes of his prophetes that he woulde sende Messias that is to saye Christe shewyng to the Israelites his wyll nowe not by meane of any prophete but by hys onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ and proferyng them thorow fayth obedyence to hym whome he sent ⪠remission of synne and that he eftsones wil be reconciled with theym Yet that notwithstandyng bycause there is none other God but he as well of the Gentiles as also of the Israelites his wyll is that this fauour be shewed to all men whosoeuer beleueth the gospell And I am assured that the rumour of this thyng beeyng sparsed as it is thorowout all Iewrye is hearde among you also howe that Iesus walked ouer all partes of Iewry exhortyng all men to repentaunce bearyng wytnes that the kyngdome of God is euen at hand And chiefely hys beginning to preache was aboute Galilee after he had ben christened of Iohn whiche was his foremessanger and openlye bare witnesse of hym the Iesus of Nazareth was the lambe of God that should take away the synnes of the worlde and that god had anoynted hys Messias with the holy ghoste ⪠whome he had seene in lykenesse of a doue as cummyng from heauen and restyng on his heade and that it was onely he that shoulde Christen all the faythfull not in water as he hymselfe Christened but wyth an heauenly power And this oure lorde Iesus also expressed in deades walkyng thorowout all partes of Iewry helpyng all men not onely in teachyng the heauenly Philosophye of the gospell whereby the soule is healed but also in curyng the sycke castyng oute of deuyls healyng lepers and reysyng the dead and to be shorte in helpyng all men whome the deuyll by tyranny kept vnder hys yoke For as he onely was free from all synne so he only was hable and of power to vanquishe the tyranny of the deuyll the whiche raygneth ouer theym that leadeth theyr lyfe in synne For God expressed hys might in his sonne whiche all Satans power was not hable to withstande All these thynges beyng coÌmonly spoken of thorowout Iewry I am assured that you likewise haue heard and doe beleue them And we are witnesses of all thynges whiche he dyd in the lande of the Iewes and at Ierusalem whome they ââewe and hanged on tree hym God reysed of the thyrd day aud shewed him openly not to all the people but vnto vs witnesses chosen before of god for the same intente whiche did eate and drynke wyth hym after he arose from deathe And he commaunded vs to preache vnto the people and to testifye that it is he which is ordeyned of God to be the iudge of quicke and dead To him geue al the Prophetes witnes that thorow his name whosoeuer beleueth in him shall receiue remission of sinnes But that you maye more surely beleue thys we that were conuersaunte wyth hym both in house and in all other places as long as he beyng manne lyued among men doe beare wytnes of all suche thinges as he did in all coastes of Iewry and in Hierusalem also whome the highe priestes scribes and Pharisees with the consentes bothe of the nobilitie and the commens put to death fastenyng hym on the crosse rendryng hym euyll thankes for hys so manyfolde benefites employed on theym But God by whose permission all these thinges were doen for the health of man restored him to lyfe the third day after his death and endowed him with life euerlasting To make this certainly to be beleued he did personally appeare alyue he was hearde sene and felt also with the handes not of all the people as he had bene before his death but of certayne that were before chosen witnesses by God purposely of vs I say vnto whom he appered after he had arisen from death being conuersauÌt on earth fowertie dayes we did eate and drinke wyth hym and he wyth vs lykewyse lest we should doubte in our myndes whether his body were in very dede raysed or not And before he went into heauen he commaunded vs whome he before had chosen to this office that we should openly preache to euery man and beare witnes that he was one whom god had aduaunced to hyghe estate and power that in thendâ of the worlde he shal be iudge of all bothe quicke and dead In the meane space a sure and an easy remedy is profered euery man For all the prophetes long synce with one consente prophecied the very same of hym that we teache that it is onely he in whose name remyssyon of synne shal be geuen not to the Iewes onely but to all nacions also thorow out the worlde not by merite of their woorkes wherein the Iewes put confidence but by fayth wherby we beleue the ghospell and by meane of the ghospell beleue in Christe Whyle Peter yet spake these woordes the holy ghost fell on all them whiche hearde the preachyng And they of the circumcision whiche beleued were astonied as many as came with Peter because that on the Gentyles also was shedde out the gyft of the holy ghost For they hearde them speake with tongues and magnified god Then aunswered Peter can any man forbyd water that these should not be baptised which haue receiued the holy ghost as well as we And he commaunded them to bee baptysed in the name of the lorde Than prayed they him to tarie a fewe dayes Peter had not yet made an ende of his tale and beholde the holy ghoste visibly descendyng from heauen came on all that had hearde and beleued the apostles wordes Whiche thing made the Iewes that were conuerted to the ghospell and had come in Peters company from Ioppa to beare wytnes to those thynges that were for to be
ceased not to prouoke them to know and loue him by his continuall benefites For he that made the worlde to the vse of man doeth make both fruitful and plentifull the grounde by sending downe rayne from heauen and causeth yerely increase of fruites to suffice aboundantly to the vse of mannes life refreshyng vs plentyfully with soondry kyndes of meates and stirryng our hertes to myrthe with pleasaunte wynes For ye haue not receyued these benefites of Iupiter Ceres or Bacchus whome ye haue hytherto wurshipped but of the same god whome we preache vnto you Than although the apostles had so plainely shewed the trueth in the hearing of all the multitude yet they coulde scarcely stay their handes from doyng sacrifice vnto them ¶ Thither came certaine Iewes from Antioche and Iconium whiche whan they had obtained the peoples consent and had stoned Paule drew him out of the citie supposing he had been dead Howbeit as the disciples stode rounde about him he arose vp and came into the citie And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derba In the meane space while these thinges were done at Listres certayne persones beyng Iewes borne that repined against the ghospell came thyther from Antioche that is in Pisidia and from Iconium whiche Iewes when they had turned many of the people to their minde and opinion that is to say when they had caused them to lay violent handes vpon the apostles whyche thing they had also attempted afore at Iconium they stoned Paule and drew him out of the citie thinking that he had ben dead Thus is mans fortune sodaynly chaunged They were but a litel before taken for gods and should haue had sacrifice done vnto them but now Paule being stoned was cast out of the citie For they were more angry with him because he by reason of his eloquence entised manye to folowe Christe Then the disciples compassed him about there as he was cast and left for dead and woulde haue buried the corps But Paule cumming to himselfe againe arose priuely and entred into the citie and the next daye fled to Derba with Barnabas whither they first of all had purposed to haue gone And whan they had preached to the cytie and had taught many they returned againe to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioche and strengthned the disciples soules again exhorted them to continue in the faith affirming that we must thorow muche tribulacion entre into the kingdome of god And whan they had preached the gospell there in that citie and had taught many thinges and as a man woulde say had cast the seede of the ghospell abrode they returned to Listres Iconium and Antioche making the myndes of the disciples stedfast in the fayth as many as they had conuerted to Christ and geuing them exhortacion to continue in the fayth and that they woulde not for any scare be withdrawen from the truste whiche they had once put in our lorde Iesus nor should not be moued because they heard saye that Paule was stoned at Listres forasmuche as Christ had tolde his disciples that this was the way that through muche trouble they shoulde entre into the kyngdom of heauen So that Paule toke more thought lest those that were weake in the faith shoulde be alienated from Christ seyng how sore he was vexed of the wicked Iewes then that he himselfe passed so muche on it geuing example to Bisshoppes that they ought to folowe thrifty husbande men whiche thinke it not sufficient to plant or âo sow except they do also their diligence that the same that beginneth to growe may come to his full typing ¶ And whan they had ordeined them elders by eleccion in euery congregacion and had prayed and fasted they commended them to the lorde on whom they beleued And forasmuche as it was requisite to the setting forwardes of the ghospell that the apostles shoulde trauail through many countreyes they set priestes or auncientes who were chosen by the voyces of the comens of euery citie to ouersee them and to supply the towmes of the apostles in their absence and so whan they had vsed generally prayer and fastinge they commytted them to god ⪠that they might profite in him whome they had once professed ¶ And whan they had gon through out Pisidia they came to Pamphilia and whan thei had preached the worde of God in Perga they went downe into the citie of Attalia and theÌce departed by shippe to Antioche froÌ whence they were committed vnto the grace of God to the worke whiche they fulfilled These thinges were doen in Antiochia whiche is a citie in Pisidia and whan they had walked ouer that cuntrey they likewise went throughe Pamphilia sowing the gospell in euery place where as it was not sowed alredy and strengthening them that already beleued vntyll they returned to Perga And whan they had there also set all matters in ordre they came to Attalia whiche is a Citie of Pamphilia sumwhat neare the sea From thence againe they toke shypping to Antioche in Syrya whence they firste came whan the office of preaching to the Genttiles was committed vnto them by the elders and when by laying of handes vpon them by prayer and by fasting they were commytted to the grace of god that throughe his helpe it might happely come to passe that they had taken in hande ¶ When they were cum and had gathered the congregacion together they rehearsed al that God had done by them and how he had opened the doore of faith vnto the Gentiles And there they abode long time with the disciples Wherfore whan they were retourned thither as men accoumptable for theyr dooynges they called together the congregacion of the faythfull and opened vnto them all suche thinges as it had pleased god to worke by them shewing them that the fauoure of god had futthered their endeuour and how he had geuen occasion to call the Gentiles to the faith by whiche they myght obtaine saluacion without the obseruing or keping of the heauy burdenous commaundementes of the lawe The .xv. Chapter ¶ The certayn men whiche came downe taught the brethren excepte ye be circumcised after the maner of Moses law ye cannot be saued So whan there was arisen a dissencioÌ and disputing not a litell vnto Paulâ and Barnabas against them they determined that Paule and Barnabas and certayne other of them shoulde goe vp to Ierusalem vnto the apostles and elders about this question PAule and Barnabas continued a long space at Antioche with the dysciples because that in so noble a Cytie as that was a great multitude of faythfull were gathered together of sundry sortes of men whiche dayly encreased more and more And the apostles were glad to tarry longer there where the greatter increase of faythfull men was because the inhabitours of Hierusalem and of that parte of Syria whiche is properly named Iewry dyd more sticke to Moses lawe than any other forsomuche as they were lesse conuersaunte with the Gentiles and because
procured for all that were good craftes men of the same occupacion no small gaynes Wherefore Demetrius called together al suche as had aduauntage by makyng ymages of Diana and all craftes men of the same occupacion whom he knewe would fauour his cause because they were of the same crafte and made a sedicious oracion in this wyse Maisters it is time for vs to loke to oure profyte with all oure endeuour I nede not make rehearsal for it is well knowen vnto you all that our crafte is very gaynefull throughout all Asia by reason that Diana is so worshipped which religioÌ yf it shoulde fayle nedes muste it folowe that our auauntage shal be smalle But ye bothe heare and see for the matter is playne and open that thys felowe Paule hath preached here these .ii. yeres nowe that those goddes whiche are made by the handes of man are no goddes neyther any ymage to haue anye power of the goddes in them that is either grauen of tymbre or made of anye metall in mouldes And by this his preaching hath he perswaded manye not here in Ephesus onelye but also thorowe all Asia and hathe turned an huge noumbre of people from worshipping of the goddes Nowe forasmuche as this crafte is our lyuyng and thereby we fynde also oure howsholdes what shall els come of it but yf this his preaching continue our gaynes and liuing wyll decay and we shall fall into pouertie Wherefore if we shoulde nowe let this matter slippe we myght well be accoumpted very slacke in lokyng to our owne profites But yf there be any man here present that passeth light on this daungier of leesyng his profite and gaynes by the decaye of our crafte whereby we now haue great lucre and aduauntage yet the common religion ought to moue all menne forasmuch as if we suffer Paule to continue in doing these thinges without punishemente we see it is to be feared leste that the temple of the greate goddesse Diana whiche is nowe of great ⪠fame and renoume whereunto men of their zeale deuocion haue now dayly great recourse and whiche is enriched with great offerynges shal in processe bee had in no reputacion at all For who is so mad to wurshyp the teÌple yf he be perswaded that the patrone of the teÌple is no god And by this meane will it come to passe that a goddesse so full of maiestie and beyng at this day for many causes iustely had in great honour shall by lytle litle be rooted out of mens mindes and hertes whereas she is nowe worshypped not in this citye onely and in Asia but also thorow out all the whole world And therefore yf ye suppose it be a wise mannes part to see to his profite in case ye thinke it bee a godlye thyng to defende the goddes of our countreye from dishonoure nowe shewe youre selues to be men outright and helpe to withstande this mischief that is at hande ¶ Whan they herde these thinges they were full of wrath and cried out saying Great is Diana of the Ephesians And al the citie was on a roare and they rushed into the coÌmon halle with one assent and caught Caius and Aristarchus men of Macedonia being Paules coÌpaignions Whan Paule would haue entred in to the people the disciples suffred him not But certayne of the chiefe of Asia which were his freÌdes set vnto him desiryng him that he would not prease into the coÌmon halle Sum therfore cried one thing and some another and the coÌgregacion was all out of quiete and the more parte knewe not wherfore they were come together With this oracion the myndes of the multitude were so stirred vp that euery one of them began to crie with greate lowdnesse ⪠Diana the great goddesse of Ephesus With this same so sedicious a clamoure all the whole citie of Ephesus was stirred vp and as the people ranne hastely the multitude of them beeyng cleane out of al order they mette together and made strayght waye to the coÌmon place of the citie where plaies and syghtes are wonte to be shewed and in suche a place commonly the people beyng in any rage or fury is moste mayster beginneth frayes and sedicions and thither they haled with theym by force and violence a couple of men beeyng Macedonians borne that is to wete Caius and Aristarchus whiche were two companions of Paules But whan Paule vnderstandyng what had bene doen was in minde to come forth before the multitude partly to helpe his felowes and partely to perswade and pacifie the people the disciples woulde not suffer hym thynkyng it to bee an vnaduised parte for him to delyuer hymselfe to the multitude beeyng in suche a rage seeyng that he coulde thereby nothyng at all further the ghospel Besydes the disciples others also the pieres and chief rewlers of Asia whiche although they had not hitherto professed the name of Christ yet inasmuche as they wished nothing but good to Paule sente worde vnto hym and required him in their names that he woulde not put himselfe in daungier with the multitude which than was muche moued agaynst him and vp in a greate roare In the meane space there was amoÌg the people many soÌdry murmouringes neuer an one lyke another For as in suche cases commonlye it chaunceth one cryed that one thing was to be doen another another thyng For the multitude was gathered together of diuerse nacions and they emong themselues of sundrye myndes insomuche that some there were yea the moste parte of them that wiste not what the matter was that they were come thither for Some of the cumpany drewe forth Alexander the Iewes thrustyng him forwardes Alexander beckened with the hande and would haue geuen the people an answer WheÌ they knewe that he was a Iewe there arose a shoute almost for the space of two houres of all men crying great is Diana of the Ephesians Wherfore the veray tyme required that some man should make an oracyon vnto them whyche was in fauour with the people that this sodayne commocion myght by some meanes be asswaged and pacified Than was there one Alexander compelled to stande foorthe out of the thickest prease of the people by reason that the Iewes dyd thruste hym forwarde to cease thys sedicious commocion with some oracion For no man durste bee so bolde as to treate or to make anye woordes of the matter before the multitude that was than in a rage and in diuerse and sondrye myndes forasmuche as whatsoeuer shoulde bee spoken it coulde not bee chosen but that one parte or other would be offeÌded with it Wherefore he beyng so thruste forwardes beckened wyth hys hande and desyred them to geue eare vnto hym and was than aboute to haue made some aunswere But whan as the multitude vnderstode that Alexander was a Iewe which people wurshippe one God abhorreth the goddes of the Gentyles then was this tumulte eftsones renewed forsomuche as they supposed that he would saye somewhat to the dishonour of their goddesse
and lette fall into the sea And whaÌ the day began to appeare Paule besought them al to take meate saying this is the fowertenth day yâ ye haue taryed coÌtinued âasting receiuing nothing at all Wherfore I praye you to take meate For this no doubte is for your âelth for there shal not an heate fal froÌ the head of any of you And whan he had thus spokeÌ he toke bread gaue thankes to God in presence of them all whan he had broken it he begonne to eate ThaÌ were they al of good chere and they also tooke meate We wer altogether in the shyppe two hundred thre score and syxtene soules And wheÌ they had eaten ynough they lyghtened the shyp and cast out the wheate into the sea But whan the nyght by litle and litle vanyshed awaye and day began to breake Paul exhorted them all to eate sum meate sayed It is now fowertene dayes sence ye eate any thing and ye are styll fasting wherfore I woulde councel you to take summe sustenaunce for it is for your health so to dooe lest that whan ye haue escaped this tempest ye bee in daunger for lacke of foode For ye muste not thinke in your mynde what shoulde we nede to eate seeynge that we shall streyght wayes dye For this wyll I promyse you that not somuche as an heare of any of your heades shall peryshe Whan Paule hadde thus sayde he tooke breade in his handes and gaue thankes to god in syghte of them all and whan he had broken it after the ensample of Iesus the lorde than began he to eate And the others beyng than sumwhat reuiued and encouraged partely by Paules exhortacion and partely by his ensample began also to eate We were in noumbre in the shyp two hundred threscore and syxtene Whan they had taken susteinaunce they eased the shyp that she myghte approche nere vnto the lande and they cast out a great quantitye of wheat whiche they had brought out of Egypt towardes Italye For Egipt had been of long continuaunce a sure storer and furnysher of Rome with wheate and other grayne When it was daye they knew not the land but they spied a certaine hauen with a banke into the whiche they were mynded if it were possible to thrust in the ship And wheÌ they had taken vp the ankers thei comitted themselues vnto the sea leused the rudder boudes hoyced vp the maine sayle to the winde drue to the land And whaÌ they chaunced on a place which had the sea on both sides they thrust in the ship And the fore part stucke fast and moued not but the dyâder parte brake with the violence of waues After that it was day they sawe lande but they knew not what countrey it was But thei perceiued that it had a certaine creeke by reason that the banke stretched furth on bothe sydes into whiche creeke they purposed yf they possiblye might to dryue the shyppe And so they toke vp the ankers and committed theÌ selues to the sea and leused withal the ioyntes of the sterne and the rudder to the intent that they might vse them also at their pleasure and ease to guide and to turne the ship whither they thought best Then thei set vp the saile and than thei turned also the crosse piece wherupon the sayle hangeth to the wynde and hauyng the wind with them hastened toward the shore But whan they could not geâ into the creeke as they had purposed but by violence of the wyndes wer driueÌ into a place the hong a great way into the sea there they pytched in the ship And the fore part of the shyp being fastened in the ground which was there shalowe stoode stiffe and the hinder part leused asunder by violence of the waues And than was there none other remedy but that euery man should shift for himself and swimme furth ¶ And the souldiers councel was to kil the prisoners lest any of them whan he had swimmed out should runne away But the vnder captaine wyllyng to saue Paule kepte them from their purpose and commaunded that they which could swymme should cast themselues first in to the sea and scape to land And the othââ he commaunded to go some on boordes some on broken pieces of the ship And so it came to passe that they escaped all safe to lande Than the souldiers thoughte it best to kyll the presoners leste that any of theÌ whan he had swimmed furth to lande should happen to runne awaye but the captaine was against this cruel vnmerciful counsel beyng desyrous to saue Paul forasmuch as by his meane they all had bene preserued And lest that any one should perishe he commaunded the suche as coulde swymme wel should first leape into the sea and swymme to lande And they that could not swimme should partly take boordes and lye on them and partly help themselues with other instrumentes of the shyppe and so to escape to lande By this meane at the last it came to passe that euery one came safe to lande The .xxviii. Chapter And whan they were escaped than they knewe that the Yle was called Melite And the straungers shewed vs no litle kyndenesse for they kyndled a fyer and receyued vs eueryâ one because of the present rayne and because of the colde And whan Paul had gathered a boundell of stickes and layed them on the fier there came a vyper out of the heate and caught him by the hande When the straungers sawe the beast hang on his hande they sayed amonge themselues no doubt this man is a murtherer Whome thoughe he haue escaped the sea yet vengeaunce suffereth not to lyue And he shooke of the vyper into the tyer and felt no harme Howbeit they awayted whan he shoulde haue swolue ⪠or fallen downe dead sodaynly But after they had looked a great whyle and saw no harme cum to him they chaunged their myndes and sayed that he was a God ANd whan they wer gotten on land they knew not what Yland it was but afterwardes they enquited of the inhabitours and heard that it was called Melite Thesame Melite is situate lyeth betwene Epirus and Italy towarde the northe parte of Sicile Than the people therof pietiyng our myschaunce entertayned vs very gentilly For they made a great fier for vs brought vs al together to it beyng sore handled what with meate and what with cold And whan Paule had gathered a great boundel of stickes and had cast them on the fyer a vyper whiche before was euen styffe for colde and laye hydden there beyng stiered vp with the heate crept forth stynged the hande of Paul But the inhabitauntes of Melite seeyng this venemous beast hangyng by the styng at the hande of Paule sayde vndoubtedly it must nedes bee true that this felowe is sum murderer whiche though he haue escaped the daungier of the sea being cast vp by tempest yet the vengeauÌce of god suffereth not him to remayne on lyue
But as soone as Paul perceyued the vyper styng him he cast her of into the fier and had no hurte at all But the people that looked on him supposed it would cum to passe that the poison would get through yâ vaines and that his body would strayght waye burne and swell or that he woulde sodaynly fall downe dead the strength of the poyson percyng furthwyth to the hearte And whan they had marked a greate whyle to see what woulde becum of Paule and sawe that he had no hurte by the stynging of the vyper with like lyghtnesse they eftfones chaunged their mynde and saied that he was a God For the inhabitours of Melite had not yet hearde the fame of Iesus whiche gaue this to al them that professed his name that no strength of poyson wer it neuer so extreme or deadly myght hurt them In the same quarters wer landes of the chief man of yâ Yle whose name was Publius which receyued vs lodged vs thre dayes courteously And it fortuned that yâ father of this Publius lay sycke of a feuer a blouddye ââix To whoÌ Paul entred in prayed laye his handes on him healed him So whan this was doen others also whiche had diseases in the Yle came wer healed which also did vs great honour And whaÌ we departed they laded vs with suche thynges as were necessary And nere besydes the shore where we arryued laye a lordshippe belonging to the chief man of the Yle named Publius who receyued vs into his house and for the space of thre dayes entertayned vs very gentilly The same tyme Publius father was sicke of an agewe and of a blouddye flixe so sore that he kepte his bedde This Paule hauyng in mynde the commaundement of his mayster ⪠came in to the dyseased person and whan he had made hys prayers to God he layed his handes on hym and healed hym Whiche thyng after it was bruted abrode ouer all the land others lykewyse that wer sycke came vnto Paule and were healed Wherefore they as long as we continued there shewed vs muche gentilnes and whan we made readye our selues to departe they brought into our shyppe all maner necessaries After three monethes we departed in a shyp of AlexaÌdria which had wintred in the yle whose badge was Castor Pollur And whaÌ we came to Syracusa we taried there thre daies And froÌ thence we fette a coumpace came to Rhegium And one daye after the south wind blew we came the nexte day to Puteoli where we founde brethren were desired to cary with theÌ seuen dayes so came we to Rome And froÌ thence whaÌ the brethreÌ heard of vs thei came to mete vs at Appii forum at the three rauernes WhaÌ Paul saw theÌ he thanked God wexed bolde And whaÌ we came to Rome yâ vnder capitayne delyuered the priesoners to the chiefe capitayne of the host but Paul was suffered to dwell by hym selfe with a souldier that kept hym And so whaÌ we had continued three monethes in the Ylande we gotte an other shyp of Alexandria that al the winter had harboured in Melite The baner of it had paynted on it Castor and Pollux for theyr badge whome the Grecians doe call Dioscuros and suppose that they prosper those the sayle on the sea whan they appeare sitting ioyntlye together the one by the other on the crosse pyece whereunto the sayle is fastened Whan we had entred into the shippe we leused from Melite And after that we arriued at Syracusa a citie of Sicilie harde vpon the sea we taryed there three dayes Than leused we from Syracusa shoring about by the coastes of Sicilie we came to Rhegium a citie in the borders of Italy situate and liyng wythin the territory that belongeth to the Brutians From thence is but a smale iourney to Sicilie For on that syde bothe Sicilie and Italy sumtime ioyned together vntyll suche tyme that the vyolence of the sea dyuyded the one countrey from the other breakyng in betwyxte them no more but a myle an halfe for which cause the GreciaÌs called it Rhegium From thence a day after it chaunced vs to haue a good wynde that is to saye a sowthwinde so we sailed to a toune called Puteoli Where we mette with christen men which desired vs to tary there with them for a certain space Wherfore we satisfyed their request and remayned there seuen dayes thence we wente streyght to Rome And forasmuch as the brethren that wer at Rome had heard that we wer cummyng thyther for the name of Paul was very wel knowen among al the christen men that were than at Rome by reason that he had wrytten afore the time an epistle vnto them certayne of them came forth of the citie to a place that is there called Appii forum and to a certain place called the three rauernes to mete vs. And whan Paul sawe theÌ he was muche coumforted perceiuyng that there also were sum that hertily fauoured the gospel and geuyng god thankes he toke a bolde hert with him and hoped wel And whan we were cum to Rome the vnder captaine deliuered the others that wer in boÌdes vnto the chiefe captayne of the army there But Paul had libertie to abid and remayne at his libertie sauyng onely that he had one souldier to kepe him And after three dayes Paul called yâ chiefe of the Iewes together And whan they were come he sayd vnto theÌ Men brethren though I haue coÌmitted nothing agaynst yâ people or lawes of the Elders yet was I delyuered prisoner froÌ IerusaleÌ into the handes of the Romaynes Which wheÌ they had examined me would haue let me goe because there was no cause of death in me But whaÌ the Iewes spake contrarye I was constrained to appeale vnto Cesar not because I haue ought to accuse my people of For this cause haue I called for you eueÌ to see you to speke with you because that for the hope of Israell I am bounde with this theyne And forasmuche as he was brought to Rome in bandes wyth others lest anyâ of the Iewes shoulde suppose that he was thus serued for sum trespace after the thyrde day he called together all the heades of the Iewes the were abydyng at Rome and spake vnto them in this wyse Brethren sayeth he whereas I haue commytted nothyng agaynste my countreymen or els against the tradicions of our forefathers beyng cast in bandes at Hierusalem I was deliuered into the handes of the Romaines who brought me into Cesarea before the president Felix afterwardes before Festus Which after they had examyned my matter would haue quitte me for asmuche as eueÌ as they themselues graunted they founde nothyng in me worthy death But whan the Iewes maliciously renouÌced and cried agaynste me I was compelled to appeale to Cesar not because that I am offended wyth my countreymen for this matter or that I intende in lyke maner to accuse them of anye thynge before
for syghyng pleasaunt raymente for an heauy mynde Ye haue heard what maner one the prophecie promised that he shoulde be nowe rekon in your myndes whether he came not euen suche an one as he was promised What sexe what age what state high or lowe did he remoue or putte of from his beneficiall goodnesse not children not wemen not Publicanes not synners not harlottes What kinde of disease did he cry fie vpon or turne his face from not lepres not men possessed with deiuils not persones possessed with bloudie flixes not folkes diseased with the palsie What coulde bee more meke or ientyll then this saying whiche ye haue heard spoken of his owne mouth Come vnto me all ye that laboure and are loden and I shall refreshe you for my yoke is swete and my burden is light learne ye of me that I am meke and lowe in herte and ye shall fynde reaste vnto your soules What mother hath euer so loued so suffred and so cherished hir childreÌ as he did his disciples Besydes all this the lawe of Moses neyther was geuen to all peoples nor to al ages Christes lawe like as it is geueÌ vnto al nacioÌs so that it in no age ne time be chauÌged vntill th ende of the world And coÌsidre ye in this behalfe also howe all poyntes doe iustely agree one with an other Firste and formoste howe clerely plainly Hieremy did prophecie vnto you afore that the circumcision of the body shall ceasse together with the sleaghyng of beastes in sacrifice the solemnisyng of Sabbothes the obseruacion of dayes the difference of meates the fastes the vowes and the residue of ceremonies whiche were for a season for this purpose geuen that they might be vnto the Iewes as figures of thynges spirituall Plough your lande sayth he and sowe not emong the thornes Be ye circumcised in the Lorde and take ye awaie the foreskynne of your hertes all ye of Iuda and all the enhabitauÌtes of Hierusalem Again in a certain other place thesame Prophete sayeth Beholde the dayes shall come sayeth the Lord and I shall make a newe league and couenaunte to the house of Israel to the house of Iuda not after the tenour of the couenaunte whiche I couenaunted with your fathers forthwith he added a manifest difference betwene thatsame lawe beeyng rough and vnpossible for any man to beare whiche was not without good cause written in stones whiche stones did by their hardnesse represente the hardnesse of the Iewes hertes and betwene the lawe euangelicall by meane wherof innocencie is freely offred through fayth This shall be the couenauÌt sayeth he whiche I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes sayeth the lorde I shall plante my lawe in the inward partes of them and in theyr hertes will I wryte thesame And forthwith teacheth he that the shadowes also of the lawe shall cease as soone as the lyght of the trueth is shewed forth And from thensforth shall no man teache his neighbour nor his brother saying Knowe thou the Lorde For all people shall know me from the leaste of theÌ to the moste sayth the Lorde for I shall haue mercy on theyr iniquitie and I shall neuer remembre theyr sinnes any more And doe not ye remembre how Christe spake and did all thinges agreable herunto whaÌ he was yet liuyng Did he not manifestly denounce and geue warnyng of an ende of the lawe whan he sayed The lawe the Prophetes reigned vntill Iohn The Iewes wurshipped God prayed vnto him in the citie of Hierusalem But what sayed Iesus to the Samaritane woman The houre shall come and it is nowe already present whan ye shall neither in this mountaine nor yet at Hierusalem wurship the father but in spirite shall they wurship hym Did he not secretely without making any woordes beginne to abrogate the lawe whan he healed on the Sabbothes the Phariseis in vain roaring against hym Whan he spake in the defence and maintenaunce of his disciples against the slaundreous querelyng of the saied Phariseis at what tyme hys disciples plucked the eares of wheate in the corne field on the Sabboth day whan he plaied the aduocate for thesame his disciples in a seÌbleable querele pieked against them by thesame Phariseis for that they dyd not kepe theyr soleÌne faste But a great dele more at what time he healed the lepre without any ceremonies and which thing the lawe forbiddeth touched one with his handes after he was coÌdemned of the lepry by the priestes and at what time he did without any remedy of the lawe forgeue sinnes vnto the maÌ possessed with the paulsey to the woman sinner that rushed into the Phariseis house vnbidden while they were at diner to many moe besides these For the law had commauÌded burnt offreynges to be sacrificed for their synnes and that any offence committed should be pourged and cleÌsed with certain sacrifices and oblacions appoynted by name But Christe beeyng a newe reforger of the old law in stede of burnt offreing did substitute charitie There be saith he many synnes forgeuen hir because she hath loued muche He substituted feith in stede of sacrifice at an other tyme also whan he sayed O sonne haue thou a sure feith and trust thy synnes are forgeuen thee Yea yet more manifestly also at a certain other seasoÌ did he shew vnto you a diuersitie of both lawes the new the olde forbidding diuorce which the lawe of Moses had by permission graunted also whan he forbidde swearing which the former lawe of Moses had not forbidden also whan he coÌmaunded to loue the enemies wheras the olde lawe did permitte both to hate the enemie and also to be aueÌged on him for any trespace Did he not once for altogether abrogate take awaie al autoritie from the priestes the Scribes and the Phariseis in that they did yet still hold the grosse letter of the lawe fast in their teeth Let them alone saied he they are blind and guydes of the blind And had not the Prophetes foreshewed this thing also that thynges carnall should in tyme cummyng geue place to thynges spirituall Doe ye not remembre what Daniell the Prophete doeth wryte That preuaricacion sayeth he may be at the vttermoste and that synne may haue an ende and iniquitie may be wyped cleane awaye and euerlasting righteousnesse may be brought in and that the vision and the prophecie may be fulfilled and the holy of holyes may be enoynâted Whan ye heare that the prophecies are consummate and brought to theyr perfeite effect verayly ye doe nowe vnderstande that suche thynges as are alreadie past and doen ought not any longer to be looked for as if they were still to come and wheÌ ye heare eternall righteousnesse ye vnderstande that the righteousnesse of the lawe whiche was to endure but for a whyle is nowe abolished Whan ye heare that Messias is to be enoynted who is the holy of all holyes and he
Diana Wherefore they all cryed with one voice Diana the great goddesse of Ephesus And thus they continued crying by the space of almoste two houres WhaÌ the towne clarke had ceased the people he sayed Ye men of Ephesus what man is it that knoweth not how that the citie of the Ephesians is a wurshypper of the greate goddesse Diana of the image whiche came from heaueÌ Seyng than that no man sayeth here agaynst ye ought to be coÌtente to do nothyng rashely For ye haue brought hyther these men which are neyther robbers of Churches nor yet despisers of your goddesse Wherfore if Demetrius and the craftes men which are with him haue matter agaynst any man the lawe is open there are rewlers let theÌ accuse one another but yf ye go about any other thiÌg it shal be determined in a lawful coÌgregacioÌ For we are in ieopardy to be accused of this daies vproure forasmuch as there is no cause wherby we may geue a rekenyng of this coÌcourse of people And when he had thus spoken he let the congregacion departe But at the last whan as the Scribe of the citie had entreated the multitude to kepe silence Alexander spake vnto them in this wise Ye men of Ephesus for what purpose do ye make all this clamour and buisinesse For what man is there lyuyng so ignoraunt but that he knoweth howe the citie of Ephesus doeth wurship greate Diana and her ymage that fell from heauen And forasmuche as no man sayeth contrary to the thinges that ye affirme ye nede not to make all this businesse but ye must go peaceably to worke and do nothing rashely For ye haue brought hither these two men whiche haue neyther committed sacrilege by robbyng any Churche or other holy place ne yet blasphemie agaynst your goddesse If it so wer thaÌ the people might iustely flocke together and reuenge their quarell But if that Demetrius the siluersmithe and other his adherentes of the same occupacion that were the occasion of al this buisinesse haue any matter to lay to any mannes charge thei nede not thus to runne into the opeÌ place whiche was made for an other purpose that is to say for enterludes and pageauntes wrastlyng and suche other syghtes nor yet thus sediciously to make this vnlawfull assemblie with such greate clamoure and woonder For there be lawes here in this citie there is sessions kept and there be officers sent from the Emperour by the name of proconsuls or lorde deputies that may discusse suche causes and maye ende all controuersies and matters of vitiaunce and maye punyshe the malefactours Let them there pleade theyr matters that were the occasion of this assembly forasmuche as it apperteyneth not to the commons to medle with their priuate matters Yet yf it were so that the matter were publike and pertayned to the commons it were not for al that nedefull to discusse it so sediciously But yf ye require that any thyng bee doen it maye be brought to passe in a lawfull assemblye called together by those that haue authoritie and in due fourme accordyngly Now is it to be feared lest that we be complayned of vnto thofficers for this coÌmocion and that it be thought that we went about to make an insurreccion seeyng that we can allege no probable cause wherfore this assemblye of the people was gathered together into the common place of enterludes sightes and games Whan he had thus sayde the multitude departed The .xx. Chapter ¶ After that the rage was ceased Paule called the disciples vnto him and tooke hys leaue of them and departed for to go into Macedonia And whaÌ he had gone ouer those partes and had geuen them a long exhortacion he came into Grece and there abode thre monethes And whan the Iewes layd wayte for him as he was about to sayle into Siria he purposed to returne through Macedonia There accouÌpanied him into Asia Sosipater of Berrea of Thessalonia Atistareus and Secundus Gaâus of Derba and Timotheus and out of Asia Tichieus and Trophimus These going before taried vs at Troas And we sayled away from Philippos after the dayes of swete breade came vnto them to Troas in fyne dayes where we abode seuen dayes AFter that this commocion was cleane ceassed Paule called the disciples together and exhorted them stedfastly to continue in those matters that they had taken in hande concernyng their fayth in Christ than he enbraced them and bad them farewell and so departed towarde Macedonia And after that he hadde walked ouer the parties of Macedonia and had geuen exhortacion at large to the congregacions wheresoeuer he chaunced to meete wyth any of them wylling them to continue in the puritie of the ghospell and that they should profite therin he came to that part which is properly called Grece in whiche Grece Achaia is situated Where after that they had continued by the space of three monethes and were aboute to departe thence and to sayle into Syria he perceyued that the Iewes had layed awayt to hurt him in that iourney by water he therfore thoughte it better to take shyppyng at an other hauen and to returne to Macedonia agayne and from thence to sayle to Syria where as he firste ariued whan he came to Macedonia At this iourneye Sosipater of Berrea sonne vnto Pyrthus and besydes him Aristarchus and Secundus beeyng both of them Thessalonians and besydes these also Caius of Derba Timothie were with vs. And besides them Tichicus Trophimus bothe of them beeyng of Asia These men whyles that Paule taryed in Macedonia had goen before to make ready all thinges that were necessari to entre the sea without daungier and taried oure commyng at Troas We passed by Macedonia and so came to Philippos From thence after the daies of swete breade whiche folowe easter immediatly we departed and wythin fyue dayes we came vnto them at Troas where we taried seuen dayes ¶ And vpon one of the Sabboth dayes whan the disciples came together for to breake bread Paul preached vnto theÌ ready to depart on the morow and coÌtinued the preaching vnto mydnight And there wer many lightes in the chaÌber where we wer gathered together there sate in a windore a certayne young man named Eutichus beyng fallen into a depe slepe And as Paule was preaching he was more ouercome with slepe fel down from the thyrd lofte and was taken vp deade But when Paule wente downe he fell on hym and embraced hym and said make nothing a do for his life is in him So whan he was come vp agayne had broken the bread and eaten and talked a long while eueÌ tyll the morning at the last he departed And they brought the young man alyue and were not a lytle coumforted There chaunced a wondrefull notable thing For vpoÌ one of the Sabboth dayes whan the disciples were assembled as theyr custome was to breake breade Paule playing eache where the parte of a good pastour refreshed their