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 coÌ„pleted 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 redeÌ„pcion 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 â–ª 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 whoâ—e prouideÌ„ce 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
to disproue him with wordes The Phariseis and suche as were of Herodes retinue were not louers and frendes together and yet for to destroy the author of helth they agreed all in one O mischieuous concorde O blyndnes muche in deede to be lamented What shall the priuey traynes of worldly deceite preuayle againste him vnto whome nothyng is vnknowen The Lorde teaching vs by his ensample that we ought many tymes to gyue place for a season to the vncurable obstinacie of the euill leste through farther prouocacion they becum more mischieuous conueyed hymselfe thence and wente asyde agayne vnto the sea The goyng asyde of Iesu is no kinderaunce to the ghospell but an encreasyng and furtheraunce of thesame For yf so be that the Pharise is had not driuen hym awaye he woulde not haue cum to the multitude of the gentiles Therfore after that Iesus had forsaken the enuious and narrowe synagoge and was gone vnto the sea there came vnto hym out of euery quarter a great numbre of people not onely out of Galile but also out of Iewry yea and from Ierusalem selfe from Idâ—â—ea and all the countreys lying beyond Iordane and moreouer from suche places as bordered on the cities of Tyre and Sydon For here was made a foreshewe of the churche that shoulde be gathered together of the Gentiles because the synagoge did through her vnbeliefe repell the Gospel Out of all these places there came a great multitude of people whiche moued by the bruite that was spred abrode of the marueylouse doctrine and mighty dedes of Iesu drewe theÌ„ selues together assembled at the sea syde The lorde who is bothe bounteous and riche towardes all men secluded no man neyther from his doctrine nor fro receyuing the benefite of healthe The people were so eagre and hasty by reason of the great desyre they had to be cured of theyr syckenesses that one of them thruste another out of place by force preased in where Iesus was to the intente they might at the leaste wayes but touche hym because that by the onely touchyng of his garmente diseases were also cured and put away There was no difference neyther betwene disease nor person with this mightie and liberall physycian For whosoeuer they were that were troubled with any maner of euils or infirmities thesame were furthwith deliuered therof yf it chaunced theÌ„ to go to Iesu. And the selfsame thing wee se spiritually done euen in these dayes How many be there out of all the nacions of the whole worlde what detestable vices are they subdued vnto whiche flye vnto him for succour by touche of faythe are healed Furthermore the vncleane spirites after they had sene Iesus coulde not abide his puissaunt vertue but fel downe at his knees and cried out saying Thou art euen that selfsame sonne of God whiche was promised to cum Iesus who in no wise woulde suffre the wicked spirites to disclose him strayghtly coÌ„maunded them to kepe silence and in no case to discry hym before the tyme were cum His will was to be knowen vnto the world by humble and poore persons vnto whom he said He that heareth you heareth me He willeth vs to geue no credence at all to wicked spirites no not so muche as then when they speake the trueth For this busynes was not done at all auentures but God by his high wisedom ordered euery thing with certaine degrees and procedinges for our saluacion ¶ And Iesus commaunded his disciples that a ship should wayte on him because of the people lest they should throng him For he had healed manye in so muche that they preased vpon him for to touche hym as manye as had plages and whan the vncleane spirites sawe him they fel downe before him and cryed saying thou arte the sonne of God And he strayghtly charged them that they should not make him knowell Wherfore when Iesus was thrust with the prease of people anon he commaunded his disciples to prepare hym a ship because he woulde not be disquieted with the disordered clamorous multitude which rather desyred bodely health then the health of theyr soules and thronged hym rather then touched hym Suche as confessing theyr disease go to Iesu with a syncere fayth do touche hym and are made whole Againe they whiche troubled as yet with worldly lustes and desyres cum rushing in with noyse hurly burly do greue and greatlye disquiete hym Therfore the disciples who were wonte to be familiarly conuersaunt with the Lorde prepared hym a ship of a more pure congregacion Iesus is better pleased with a fewe cleane and quiet persones then with a great many that are troublesome and vnquiet But yet he so gat him away that he neuertheles taught the multitude out of the ship When thou seest Iesus teaching oute of the shippe vnderstand hereby a bishop preaching to a multitude of all sortes whiche contayneth christian nouices and suche as haue not as yet the spirite cast out by baptisme both of the Iewes and Gentiles Happy and blessed are they that do spiritually touch Christ. None toucheth him so but those whome he first toucheth For whomsoeuer he toucheth the same are healed of all theyr sinnes and nowe being of vnquiet persons made quiet they shall be receyued into the ship of the Churche there to haue the continuall fruicion of his companie and alwayes to sit at his table The shippe wherin Iesus preacheth is very narrowe and roumles to vncleane and sinfull persons and contrarily moste wide and large vnto suche as are in cleane life and purged of theyr sinnes The Lord refused the publicacion of deuils and auoyded the sinfull and vnquiet multitude of people And yet these thinges euidently shewed that the kingdome of God was cum into the whiche both worthy persons and vnworthy weÌ„te about violeÌ„tly to enter Therfore he prepared himselfe certaine capitaines whiche shoulde ayde hym in claymyng this heauenly kingdome so many in numbre as should be sufficient to teache so many nacions as anon after shoulde come full and whole oute of all partes of the world to professe the Philosophie and doctrine of the ghospell So haue the princes of this worlde bene wont to chose them certaine head rulers and capitaines to clayme wynne enlarge gouerne and defend theyr empires kingdomes by It is requisite that the sayde rulers be ryghte trusty wyse polytique and diligent and in especiall that they knowe the king theyr maisters will and pleasure ¶ And he wente vp into a mountayne and called vnto hym whome he woulde and they came vnto him And he ordayned the twelue that they should be with him that he might send them furthe to preache and that they might haue power to heale syckenesses and to cast out deuils And he gaue vnto Symon to name Peter And he called Iames the sonne of zebede and Iohn Iames his brother gaue them to name Bonarges whiche is to saye the sonnes of thunder And Andrewe and Philip and â—arthelmewe and Mathewe and Thomas and
who is thissame that hath the holy scriptures and all the doctrine and lyfe of Iesus so prompte at his fingers endes and the whiche doeth in suche wise hold vs stil moueth the verai bottome of our herte roote◠with talke of suche efficacie and pith This man did we neuer see emōg the disciples and yet doeth nothyng escape him but he knoweth it They dyd nomore but cast a fansie of loue vnto him halfe in a dreame and hadde a great delite to learne Iesus of Iesus self For neuer is he with better lucke or successe learned then whan himselfe vouchesalueth to teache hymselfe vnto vs. Theyr iourney beyng with this other lyke cōmunicacion wel ouerpassed they did now drawe nere to the litle towne called Emaus Than Iesus because he would the more enkiendle their desirefulnesse fēbled made coūtenaunce as though he woulde not make any tariaunce at Emaus but made as though he had yet somewhat ferther waie to goe for the others as men fallen in despatre had forsaken Hierusalem and were in returnyng home into theyr owne countrey where they were borne wheras suche persones as haue truelye belieued in Christe haue here in this world no parmanent citie but doe by continual iourneyng make haste vnto thatsame other citie celestiall But the sayed two disciples because they could not bee plucked awaye from suche a ioly talkyng companion on the waye they praye hym they beseche hym for Goddes sake they make al possible instaunte requeste vnto him yea and in conclusion bothe with desyryng which wolde not haue any nay also with takyng and holdyng him fast by the cloke and vesture that he went in wheras he refused so to dooe they compel him without choyce or remedie to take lodgeyng with them that night now callyng hym by the name maister not that they knewe hym to bee Iesus but because that by his meruaylous talke they coniectured hym to bee no common waifaryng man And this sayed they vnto hym Maister thou haste hytherto shewed thyselfe a swete and frendly coumpanion on the waye now shew thy self also a like geaste vnto vs. Why wouldest thou committe thyself to goyng of a ferther iourney The euentyde now draweth faste on and the sunne draweth well towardes setting in the west Of veray good cause dooe they hate the nighte as many as loue Iesus and yet ought not suche people to feare the nighte of this worlde as haue Iesus to theyr coumpanion And Iesus loueth to be prayed to doe the thyng whiche he dooeth with glad will partely to the entent he maye geue his giftes to persones ientilly deseruyng it and worthie of it and partely to teache vs a lesson that a benefite or good turne is to bee put in the lappe and will he nill he to bee dooen to the neighbour beeyng in necessitee For some persons do in suche sorte offre a good turne to the neighbour as thoughe they were in feare leste the partie to whom it is offreed ▪ would not refuse it and they geue it with suche a countenaunce that they seme to geue it agaynst their stomakes Iesus hereupon entreed the toune and vouchesalued to vse their courteous entreteinmente ¶ And it came to passe as he sate at meate with them he tooke breade and blissed it and brake and gaue to them And their iyes were opened and they knewe hym he vanished out of their sight And they sayed betwene themselues did not our hertes burne within vs ▪ while he talked with vs by the waye and opened to vs the scriptures And they arose vp thesame houre and returned agayn to Hierusalem and found the eleuen gathered together and them that were with them saying the Lorde is risen in dede and hath appered to Symon And thei told what thynges were doen in the waye and how thei knew him in breakyng of breade The sayed twoo disciples beyng glad men of so great and noble a geaste wha◠they had ministred vnto him all manier of thynges whiche are wont to bee ministred to geastes that are welcome to ones house they also layed a table and made readie for supper and as apperteined for men of their slendre hauour thei sette theron for hym suche poore parte as they had The fare was competent meane without any excesse but aboue al thinges their countenaunces that they set theron were good and frendely aunswerable to their moste sincere hertes And now that Iesus was sette at the table with them he tooke bread he blissed it and brake it and than raught it forth to them And because thei knewe this guyse to be as a thyng peculiarly vsed of Christ and no man els that he would before meate geue thankes vnto the father and thā afterward he would breake it with his owne handes and so distribute it emong his disciples These twoo disciples as it had ben sodaynly awakened out of slepe begonne bothe at once to thynke in theyr myndes vpon Iesus And immediatly the impediment that had hitherto been therof beyng now taken away thei knew by that marke that it was veray Iesus in dede And while that a certain sodain kynde of beyng amazed entred into theyr hertes Iesus vanished awaie out of their sight For after the time of his death forthward he did but a litle at once and after a sparing facion shewe hymselfe in presence either for that the infirmitie of mortall men was not hable to abyde the maiestie of his bodye beyng returned to life again or els because they might by litell and litell enure themselues to lacke the sight of his body which was verai shortely after to bee had awaye from them to the ende they should now loue him after the spirite Ferthermore they haue perfect markes to know Iesus but in the house whiche is the churche or holy congregacion they haue no sure markes of him but whan himselfe reacheth forth vnto them the breade of the worde euangelicall For he it is that openeth the iyes wherwith Iesus is by sure markes and tokens knowen On the waye had he broken and geuen them thatsame bread after a misticall sorte whan he opened the scriptures vnto them And the thyng that he had there dooen after the spirite he did afterwarde renewe by a corporall and bodyly token And whan Iesus was in body goen they did now better see him then at suche tyme whan he was in bodye present with them Theyr iyes were holden because they beleued not Now whan he is absent they see him with the iyes of theyr faith After the departure of Iesus awaie from them they ceasse not to talke of Iesus betwene themselues saying how happened that it was so late ere we knew Iesus A certayn kynde of slepe possessed our myndes the blessyng of the bread the breakyng and the geuyng of it vnto vs was the firste thyng that did shake awaye thesame slepe but had we not been as men half a slepe we mighte of his veray talkyng with vs euen aswel
walked by the Sea of Galile he sawe Symon and Andrewe his brother casting nettes into the Sea for they were fyshers And Iesus sayd vnto them Folowe me and I wyll make you to become fyshers of men And streyght waye they forsoke theyr nettes and folowed hym And when he had gone a litle further thence he sawe Iames the sonne of zebede and Iohn his brother whiche also were in the shyppe mending theyr nettes and he anon called them and they left their father zâ—â—ede therein the 〈◊〉 the hyred seruauÌ„tes and folowed hym After the Lorde Iesus had with suche wordes moued and styrred vp the myndes of the Iewes to receiue the newe Phylosophy and doctrine of the ghospell he lykewyse began after the ensample of Iohn to gather certaine disciples but fewe in number and suche as were vnlettered persones and of lowe degree to the entent that when he had through theyr ministery conuerted all the whole worlde it shoulde plainly appeare how this kyngdom was the very kyngdom of God and not a worldly kyngdom Therefore as he trauayled on a daye by the lake or sea of Galile he ispied Symon and Andrewe his brother labouryng together and aboute to caste their nettes into the water For they were fishermen and by this occupacion gat their lyuyng The basenes of theyr crafte made for the aduauncyng of goddes glory The concorde of the two brethren sygnified the consent and agremente of the churche The crafte of fyshing bare the figure of the ministracioÌ„ of the ghospell which by vertue of Goddes worde plucketh vp into the lyght of veritie and loue of heauenly thynges suche as are drowned in the darkenesse of ignoraunce and the fowle stinkyng puddell of worldly cares And thus fyrste of all fyshed he for these two fyshers Come ye ê™ he and folowe me for I will make you begynne from this day forwarde to fyshe after men Assone as the Lord Iesus had spoken the word the two brethreÌ„ leauing theyr nettes euen as they were folowed him without any tarying For Iesus voice hathe in it a certaine heauenly charme or inchauntment And goyng thence a lytle forwarde he sawe other two that is to were Iames the sonne of zebede and Iohn his brother who were also trymmyng and mendyng theyr nettes in the shyppe and makyng themselues ready to go a fyshyng And these two notwithstanding their myndes were bent another waye he sodeinly spake vnto callyng and commaundyng theÌ„ to folow hym Now that thou mayest know young men of an euangelike faith they made no tarying but leauyng their father zebede with his hired seruauntes in the shyp streyght wayes folowed theyr caller Thus beganne Christe to gather the ciefe prelates and ministers of his Churche cleane refusyng the priestes and Phariseis of IerusaleÌ„ with all their pompe and pryde ¶ And they came into Capernaum and streyghtwaye on the Sabboth dayes he enterd into the Synagoge and taught and they were astonyed at his learnyng For he taught theÌ„ as one that had authoritie and not as the Scribes And being accompanyed with such a felowshyp he came vnto Capernaum This Capernaum was a citie muche florishyng in substaunce but no lesse proud vngodly and vicious than it was welthy Here byanby he beganne to playe the parte of an Euangeliste or preacher of the ghospell For vpon the sabboth daye he entred into the Sinagoge and taught the Iewes openly not the vayne fables of the Phariseis but declared vnto them the very true meanyng of the lawe which was in dede spirituall and not carnall And the people perceiued him to be a newe teacher his doctrine also to be of a new sort Thei sawe he was a maÌ„ of lowe degre that suche as accoÌ„panied him were but fewe in numbre very rascals men of no reputacion yet wondered they greatly at his wordes for that they breathed a certaine godly vertue For he did not after the maner of the Scribes teache triflyng coÌ„stitucions of men or olde wyues tales of genealogies and pedegrewes but his wordes were pithâ—hy and of authoritie and the wonderfull great miracles he wrought caused those verities that he spake to be beleued What thyng soeuer is humayne and worldly the same is of litle price and estimacion when Goddes power begynneth once to put furth his strength and efficacie ¶ And there was in their synagoge a man vexed with an vncleane spirite and he cryed saying Alas what haue we to do with the thou Iesus of Nazareth Arte thou cum to destroye vs I knowe the what thou arte euen the holy one of God And Iesus rebuked him saying holde thy peace and cumme out of the man And whaÌ„ the vncleane spirite had torne him and cried with a loude voyce he came out of him and they were all amased insomuche that they demauÌ„ded one of another among themselues saying What thing is this What newe doctrine is this For with authoritie commaunded be the foule spirites and they obeyed him And immediatlye his fame spred abrode throughoute all the region bordering on Galile And lo byanby there was occasion ministred for him to worke a myracle For in that assembly was there a certaine felowe whiche was vexed with an vncleane spirite This wicked spirite coulde not abyde the heauenly spirite speakyng in Christ. For he beganne to clatter agaynst his heauenly doctrine crying aloude and saying O Iesus of Nazareth what hast thou to do with vs Arte thou cumme to destroye vs before the tyme I right well knowe who thou arte Certes the selfe same holy one whiche the prophete Daniel promysed long sithens whom God hath singularly sanctified aboue al other The lorde Iesus eyther because the tyme was not yet cumme that he should openly confesse who he was or els because he was not pleased with this confession beyng vndoubtedly true but yet made â—hroughe constraint of feare and of a wicked spirite who sythe he is of hymselfe a lyer and delighteth to deceiue man was not to be hearde in the presence of the people when he spake the trueth lest any manne woulde haue taken occasion there by to beleue hym afterwardes when he had lyed the lorde Iesus I saye rebuked hym and sayed Holde thy peace and departe out of the man and so shalt thou better declare who I am And furthwith at the lordes coÌ„maundemeÌ„t the vncleane spirite forsoke the maÌ„ But at his departure he tare him cryed out with a loude voyce so that it euidently appeared thereby how he fled awaye not wyllingly but by force and constraint of Gods power And here was shewed the fygure of a manne possessed with the spirite of the deuyll Is not he vexed wyth the worste cruellest of all the deuils whiche is wholly possessed with ambicion couetousnes rancour malice hatred pleasure of the body suche other lyke deuilishe lustes and appetites Suche as are vexed with these spirites canne in no wyse abyde to heare the gospell preached but yell and crye oute agaynst it as the deuill dyd saying what
without delaye retourned againe into the house that it went out of The more sorowfull that her death was by reason of her yong age for she was but twelue yeare olde the greater was the myrthe and ioye which was made for her relyuyng Her father and mother were greatly amased with this straunge wonderfull syght Iesus who neyther required reward or mede of them nor yet thankes for his laboure onely commaunded them to geue her meate bycause it myght thereby more certainely appeare how she was restored to life For catyng is not onely a sure token of lyfe but also of welfare and good healthe He lykewyse charged them that they shoulde not blase this thyng abrode whiche was priuely done and in the presence of a few persons eyther because he would haue it rather published by suche as he putte out a doores then by the ruler of the Sinagoge who should haue bene more enuyed but lesse beleued if he had bene the publisher hereof eyther because in that he commaunded them to kepe the thyng secrete whiche he knew ryght well they would not do his will was to teache vs how that in all the good dedes we dooe we ought vtterlye to exchewe all vayne glory and worldly prayse If a man wade deper herein and serche what secret learning lyeth hid in this miracle for euen the very doinges of Iesu be parables it shall appeare that this dead mayden of twelue yeare olde and scarcely yet mariable sygnifieth a man whiche by frayeltye of nature hathe fyrste fallen to the committing of some priuie cryme or synne and therfore because he is not yet past regarde of honestye nor by long custome rooted in synne maye with the medicine of shame easlye be holpen and cured therof When any suche offendeth it becoÌ„meth the Curates and pastours to folow the gentle demeanour of Iesu who without makyng any great a doe raysed the mayden at home in the presence of a fewe witnesses It shall be sufficient to rebuke suche as haue thus offended and done amisse secretly leste theyr faulte beyng once disclosed they eyther sette all shame aparte or els pyne awaye throughe ouermuche sorowe and heauinesse The fyrst offence if it happen throughe frayltie and weaknesse is very sone amended It is muche harder to cure hym whose wickednesse is once cum to the knowledge of the people and hardest of all to heale suche a one as is hardened and rooted in synne by long custome of synnyng And therfore he rayseth the mayden by vertue of his bare worde in her fathers seuerall house sufferyng fewe to be present thereat But he maketh more a doe when the young springalte whiche was borne out vpon mennes shoulders to be buryed is restored to lyfe agayne His mother and all the people that go with her make great mene and lamentacion The yong man is had out to burying and fyrst his mother heareth Christ saye wepe not Then Christ toucheth the coffin and causeth the porters to staye Anon he calleth the dead man with a loude voyce saying How I say to the aryse Then fyrst he rayseth himselfe and sitteth in the coffin afterward he begynneth to speake at the length he whippeth out of the coffyn and is deliuered vnto his mother But Christ commaundeth Lazarus graue to be shewed hym as thoughe he knew not where it were he wepeth once or twyse He is troubled and groneth in spirite He commauÌ„deth the graue stone to be remoued and calleth out Lazarus with a loude voyce The dead man cummeth out but bounde At the length he is vnbound and falleth to his meate It was no more maisterie for Christ to rayse vp the karkas whiche had layne fower daies deade then the bodie newly deade who at the daye of dome will by the voyce of thaungell rayse and call to lyfe agayne all mennes bodies that haue bene buryed in so many thousand yeares before but by thys fygure his wyll was to shewe vs howe muche a doe it is for them to turne from sinful lyuing who of long tyme haue bene accustomed to vices not to the ende that we should despayre of suche persons but because we should endeuoure to amende oure lyues in season and more earnestly goe about to bryng all that are in suche case to amendement Moreouer I thynke it also here worthye to be noted that where as Iesus woulde haue hys benefyte publyshed of the Gerasyte possessed of the deuyll yet commaunded he the ruler of the Synagoge to kepe sylence For the enuyous Synagoge went aboute by al meanes to ouerwhelme and oppresse the glorye of the Lorde Iesu the whiche Synagoge did also afterward beate the Apostles and charged theÌ„ that they should not be so hardy as once to speake of his name But theyr enuye preuayled nothyng at all The more they went aboute to oppresse his holsome name the more was it preached amonge the Gentyles The priestes holden theyr peace The Phariseis crye out and speake agaynst him The Scribes rayle vpon him Herod laugheth him to skorne but wurshyppers of Idolles theues extorcioners and such as are attached with the vyces of inceste and aduoutry sodainly delyuered by the grace of the ghospell from theyr olde synnes as from most fell and cruell dyuels doe magnifye and prayse hym The .vj. Chapter ¶ And he departed thence and came into his owne countrey and his disciples folowed him and when the Sabboth day was cum he begaÌ„ to teache in the sinagoge And many that heard him were astonied and sayde From whence hath he these thinges And what wisdoÌ„ is this that is geuen vnto hym and suche vertues as are wrought by his handes Is not this the carpenter Maries sonne the brother of Iames and Ioâ—es and of Iuda and Symon and are not his systers here with vs â–ª And they were offended with hym Iesus sayed vnto them a Prophet is not despised but in his owne countrey and among his owne kinne and in his owne housholde And he could there shewe no miracle but layde his handes vpon a fewe sycke folke and healed them and merueled because of theyr vnbeliefe WHat occasyon soeuer Christ haue to goe any whyther he is alwayes after one fashyon and lyke hymselfe that is he euer bryngeth healthe to teache his disciples that accompany hym how we christians ought neuer to cease to doe the busynesse of the ghospell but still to goe aboute whensoeuer occasion serueth thereunto to make of euell men good and of good better whether it happen vs to continew and leade our lyues at home in our owne houses or els in foreyne and straunge countreys in publyke place or in pryuate Moreouer he that is vnfaynedly indewed with suche vertue and goodnesse as belongeth to christian profession â–ª whether it chaunce hym to be in shyppe or in wagan or to haue familiar talke and communicacion or els to be present at feaste or at banket yea to make shorte tale euen when he bourdeth to or maketh any game or pastyme he so demeaneth hymselfe that euer
Iewes who by reason they counted the TyriaÌ„s and Sidonians for dogges and abhominable people woulde not haue suffered him to haue translated and had awaye the doctrine of the ghospell vnto them Wherfore beyng there he vsed not to be conuersaunt in open and common places as he was wont to be among the Iewes but went into a house as though he had bene desyrous to kepe hymselfe secrete and vnknowen Albeit he coulde in no wise so do So greatly had the fame of his wordes and dedes spred abrode and stretched forth it selfe euen beyonde the bondes and lymites of Iewrye as though it had then deuised to ouerrunne the whole worlde In this wise is the glorye and prayse gotten by leadyng a godlye lyfe after the ghospell best of all spred abrode when that of it owne accorde it foloweth hym who exchueth and shunneth thesame For a certain woman of Canaan as this rumour was bruted and noysed abrode of Iesu came oute of the coastes of her countrey and anon conceiuing a greate confidence of hym hasted her to the place where he was and being with muche a doe let into the house fell downe at his feete This womanne was not of the Iewishe but of the heathen religion not a Iewesse borne but a Syrophenisse Here thou seest a fygure of the churhe whiche anon after should be assembled and gathered together of the gentiles The Iewes droue Iesu out of theyr countrey but thys Syrophenisse forsoke her countrey and wente to mete him It is but lost labour to cum to Iesu vnlesse thou haue first forsaken thyne olde vices beyng now familiar and of houshold with the. Thou must flitte out of thyne owne house to th entent thou mayest cum vnto the house where Iesus abydeth This woman had a daughter at home vexed with an yuell spirite by the whiche daughter are vnderstand the people geuen to ydolatrie Wherfore she desyred Iesu that he woulde vouchsafe to delyuer her from the spirit How muche perfyter was the fayth of this heathen woman then of the ruler of the synagoge Iesus because he woulde make the faythe of this woman more apparaunt to all men shaped her an aunswere as though he had bene of a Iewish minde saying suffre the children first to be filled It is not besemyng that I take the breade of the children and caste it to dogges For the Iewes do glory and make theyr vaunte that they alone be the children of God and esteme the gentiles who are of a contrarye relygion to theyrs for dogges He calleth the vertue of the ghospell bread whiche by the heauenly doctrine and pure faythe healeth all diseases and expelleth all kynde of diuels out of mennâ—s sowles The woman nothing offended with this rebuke tourned his woordes into an argumente to obtayne her peticion the whiche he spake as it semed because to shake her of that she shoulde make no further suyre and requeste vnto him herein Thou sayeste very well sayeth she Lorde We heathen people haue not disdain at the Iewes that they as children doe honorably sit at the table of theyr exceding rythe father and eate theyr fyll of the holye loaues But yet dogges are permitted to eate the crummes whiche fall downe vnder feete from the childrens table Iesus as though he had bene ouercum with so great faith pacience humblenesse of minde and constancy of the woman answered and sayd By reason of this answere thou obteyneste that perforce whiche it was not yet tyme for me to geue the. Get the home thy daughter is nowe deliuered of the spirite The woman gaue credence vnto his wordes and so departed thence with greate ioye and gladnesse and proued all thinges true that Iesu tolde her For she founde her daughter at reste in her bedde nowe cleane deliuered from any further vexacion of the fiende Assuredly the faythe of the mother enforced Iesu to heale the daughter Assone as the euill spirite is once put to flighte then folowethe there incontinent quiet of minde and conscience For that euer foloweth innocency cleane life So at this daye the congregacion of godly folkes resorteth vnto Iesus and maketh intercession for suche as are no lesse vexed with Idolatrye ambicion wrathe couetousnesse and a furious desire to make warre then yf they were vnder the thraldome of some foule spirite The Iewes thoughte it not beseming that they whiche a litle before were enforced to doe all mischiefe at the will and pleasure of diuels shoulde so daynlye throughe the grace of the gospell be receyued to the dignitie and felowship of the children of God and the cause why was by reason they perceyued not howe this high preeminence oughte not to bee estemed by consanguinitie or kinred but by feruentnesse and constancye of faythe towardes the Lorde Iesu. Christe was promised vnto the children of Israel and to the posteritie or successours of Abraham But they are the posteritie of Abraham which folowethe fayth of Abraham They are the children of Israel which require not heauen gates to be opened vnto them for theyr merites sake but goe aboute violently to entre in by force of an euangelike faith For Israel is as muche to saye in the Hebrue tongue as a man strong or valiaunte againste god For when the Gentiles who before tyme were blemished wyth all kindes of vices and had no good dedes at all whereby they mighte make anye iuste title or clayme vnto the kingdome of heauen were by the iustice of God cleane excluded and shut oute then brake they in by the windowe of mercye and made themselues a waye in by constaunte faythe as it had been with some toole or weapon violentlye breakynge vp the walles of the same kingdome The time was not yet come that they shoulde be openly called to the felowship of the kingdome of heauen but yet the Lorde maketh many foresignes of theyr vocacion as one desirous to preuente the thing whiche he chiefly desireth ¶ And he departed agayne from the coastes of Tyre and Sydon and came vnto the sea of Galile thorow the middes of the coastes of the ten cities And they brought vnto him one that was deafe had an impediment in his speache And they prayed him to put his hande vpon him And when he had taken him aside from the people he put his fingers into hys cares and did spit and touched his tongue and loked vp to heauen and syghed and sayde vnto him Ephatâ— that is to saye be opened And strayghtwaye his eares were opened the string of his tongue was lewsed he spake playne And he commaunded them that they should tel no man But the more he forbad them so muche the more a great deale they published saying He hath done al thinges well he hath made both the deafe to heare and the dumme to speake After this sede was priuely and as a man would saye by stealth so wen amonges the Tyrians Sydonians and Cananites the Lorde reculed and wente agayne vnto the lake of Galile leauinge Sydon
and moued all menne to be repentaunt for theyr former lyfe And yet this notwithstanding they whiche boaste and crake vpon the perfite knowledge of the prophecy knewe him not And they whiche loued better theyr owne kyngdome then the kyngdome of God delte by him not as he deserued but as them lyked For he camme accordyng to the prophecies of Esaye and Malachy crying in wildernesse how the great and terrible daye of the Lorde was present howe the axe was alredy put to the rote of the tree and that euery manne shoulde spedely endeuour him selfe to auoyde the vengeaunce of God cumming But this Hely who openly without regarde of person rebuked euery mannes vices they despised and put to deathe Neyther wyll they more gently entreate Messias then they haue done his forecurroure Hereby Iesus declared howe Iohn was Hely not after the body but after the similitude of spirite who whyles he neyther spared kynges ne phariseis was caste into prison and beheaded As they dyd by the forewalker so wyll they doe by his Lorde The same thyng wyll they lykewyse doe by those Apostles that shall folowe hym For whosoeuer hath sincerely preached that goddes kyngdome should cumme thesame hath suffred many affliccions of the vngodly And whoso syncerely preacheth yâ— it is already come must nedes suffre the lyke With these wordes Iesus called backe his disciples froÌ„ the dreame of glorye to the remembrauÌ„ce of the storme that was to cum and hanged ouer theyr heades that is to saye from pleasaunt thynges to necessarye ¶ And when he came to â—is disciples he sawe much people about them and the Scrybes disputyng with them And sâ—â—ayghtwaye all the people when they beheld hym were amased and ranâ—e to him and saluted hym And he asked the Scryâ—es what dispute ye among them And one of the company aunswered and sayed Mayster I haue brought vnto the my sonne which hath a dumme spirite and whensoeuer he taketh hym he teareth hym and â—e someth and gnasheth with his teethe and pyneth awaye And I spake to thy disciples that they should caste hym out and they could not In the meane whyle that they had thus commoned together they were come into the sight of the people at what seasoÌ„ a great multitude were gathered about the disciples whome Iesus left beneath in the playne He sawe also the scribes reasonyng the mattier I wot not wherupon with his disciples Now when the people had espyed Iesus vnloked for on theyr behalfe forasmuch as he had preuely conueyed himselfe awaye with a fewe of his disciples they were astonyed and met him cummyng full and whole and saluted hym Iesus was not ignoraunt what the scribes disputed on but yet he asked what the mattier was where vpon they reasoned to th entent that euery body might knowe what was done And when both the disciples the scribes helde their peace for very shame the disciples for that they assayed to cast oute a diuell and coulde not bryng it to passe and the other because that in the presence of the disciples they depraued the name of Iesu as a thyng vertulesse and of no efficacie one of that multitude who ministred the occasion of the â—â—asoning shewed the whole matier euen as it was vnto Iesu. Mayster sayeth he I brought hither my sonne vnto thee who is vexed with a dumme spirite of whome he is pitifully tourmented For whensoeuer the spirite teketh hym he dasheth hym agaynste the grounde and then the childe fometh at the mouth gnasheth with his teeth and cryeth out and all this whyle he pyneth and consumeth awaye by reason he is thus vexed Because thou wast not here I desyred thy disciples that they would chase awaye this spirite and deliuer my sonne They assayed to doe it and coulde not ¶ He answereth him and sayeth O faythles naâ—ion howe longe shal I be with you howe long shal I suffer you Bryng him vnto me And they brought him vnto him And assone as the spirite sawe him be taâ—e him and fell downe on the grounde walowinge and fominge And he askethe his father howe longe it is ago sence this happened him And he sayeâ— of a childe and oftetymes it hath caste him into the fier into the water to destroye him But yf thou canst do any thing haue mercy vpon vs and helpe vs. Iesus sayed vnto him yf thou couldest beleue all thinges are possible to him that beleueth And strayght waye the father of the childe cryed with teares saying lorde I beleue helpe thou my vnbelefe When the lorde heard this to shewe that feblenes of fayth was the verye cause why the yonge man was not delyuered of the spirite he makynge as thoughe he had been wrothe and in a fume sayed O faythlesse nacion whiche yet canst not by so many miracles as I haue done be brought to belefe Howe longe shall I lyuynge here in earth striue with your vnfaythfull obstaclenesse howe long shall I beare with you when wyll you come forwarde in those thynges that be of the spirite when wyll you beleue those thynges that you see not syth you beleue not the thynges whiche you see with your corporall â—yes bryng hym hyther to me And they brought hym vnto hym That sinne cleaueth fast wherunto the synner hath from his chyldehood accustomed But after he was brought vnto Iesus he was wurse vexed then he was before by reason of the conflicte which arose betwene the spirite desirous to amende and sensualitie tollyng and alluryng hym agayne to his accustomed synfull lyuyng For anon as the fiende sawe Iesus he feelyng a contrarye power to his tooke the younge manne and soore vexed hym insomuche that beeyng dashed agaynste the grounde and rolled to and fro he fomed at the mouth This was a pitifull syght to all the people But it is a muche more pitifull syght when the sinner possessed with greuous suâ—â—es and of long continuaunce is lykewyse vexed in soule Howbeit there is no synne vncurable vnto Iesu. The Lorde because the other shoulde also knowe in howe euyll case he was asked his father howe long it was since his sonne fyrste beganne to bee thus vexed he answered againe of an infante And the spirite doth not onely sayeth he thus vexe hym as thou seest but also casteth hym oftetymes headlong into the fyre and many tymes into the water because to destroy hym Here thou hearest a very sore and cruel malady tourned into nature and therfore the father feared leste it had been vncurable For he sayed moreouer But yf â—ou bee able to doe any thyng haue mercye on vs and helpe vs. He dyd well to desyre the mercy of Iesu who could alleage no merites howbeit thou hearest a waueryng faythe when he sayeth But yf thou bee able to doe any thyng c. That faythe Iesus refourmeth saying doubte thou not what I am able to doe For yf thou couldest beleue there is nothyng but strong and stedfast fayth may obteyne it Assone as Iesu had sayed so the
father had better hope and comforte then he had before and declaring the great desyre of his minde with teares and weping sayed I beleue lorde and yf my belefe be vnperfite healpe thou my weakenesse ¶ When Iesus sawe that the people came â—unnyng together vnto him he rebuked the soule spirite saying vnto hym Thou dumme and deafe spirite I charge the cum oute of him and enter no more into hym And the spirite when he had cryed and rent hym soore came out of hym and he was as one that had beeâ— deade in somuche that many saied he is deade But Iesus caught his hande and lift him vp and he rose And when he was cum in to the house his disciples asked him secretly why could not we caste him out And he saied vnto them this kynde can cum forth by nothyng but by prayer and fastyng In the meane season the people came runnyng together on euery syde to see this sight When Iesus sawe they were come for his wyll was to haue them all to bee witnesses of the miracle then putte he furthe that almyghtie voyce wherwith he calletth to life again when it pleaseth him euen the dead He threatned the foule spirite to handle hym accordyngly vnlesse he would incontinente departe saying Thou deafe and dumme spirite I charge the to gette the out of the man and that thou neuer from henceforthe enter into him again Iesus is in a fume with the spirite because he may shewe mercye vpon the man geuyng vs a lesson what we ought to doe in healyng of sinners A man must so rebuke vice that he may seme to loue the soule health of the person And because we should knowe that man laboureth speaketh in vayne vnlesse Iesus speake with hym by his secrete vertue and power the disciples commaunded the spirite to go out but all was in vayne because Iesus was awaye He is awaye so oft as our fayth is colde and wauering by the which fayth his wyll is that we obtayne all thynges What was doen at the emperious voyce of Iesu By and by the spirite went out But to the entent it should appeare that he wente out agaynste his wyll he cryed and vexed the sely wretche very sore at his departure For nowe laye he vpon the grounde for dead in somuche that many sayed he was dead in dede Thou seest here a figure of a peniteÌ„t person and him who turneth from great and accustomed synnes to amendemente Nowe hathe the hatred of synne delyuered hym from synne howbeit he is at the next doore to desperaâ—ion whoso both knowleageth his owne filthinesse also hath gods iustice in remembraunce But yet lyeth he happily deade that is deade to synne For then remaineth there nothyng elles but that he begyn to lyue agayne to righteousenesse And this benefyte geueth also our most bounteous sauioure Iesus without whome there is no safetie He caught the felowe by the hande and lifted hym vp as he laye in this traunce and furthwith the same who before seemed deade recouered hys former strengthe and throughe the benefite of Christe rose vp stronge and lustie But vnlesse Iesu had nowe geuen hym newe grace to leade a godlye lyfe it had been to no purpose that he was deliuered from the dyuell at the contemplacion of his fathers fayth Nowe heareth this deafe manne whiche before had his eares stopped with worldely lustes agaynst the doctryne and woorde of the gospell Nowe speaketh this dumme felowe who before was tongue tyed speachelesse by reasoÌ„ of the passions and wilfull pangues of the fleshe Nowe is the same at rest and quiet who before styred with the furious rages sumtime of sensualitie and pleasure of the body sumtime of ambicion â–ª desire of worldly aduauÌ„cemeÌ„t others whiles of wrath nowe of enuy nowe then of couetousnesse was as it had been rauished and caryed by the constraynte of sum vncleane and violente spiriâ—e All these thinges saw the Apostles and saied nere a worde for that they durst not interupt the lorde The Scribes also helde their peace being now assured by the thing selfe howe it was not by reason the name of Iesu was vneffectuall and vertulesse that this felowe was no sooner ryd of the spirite but for the weakenes of fayth And as it chaunced vnto this yonge manne bodely so chaunced it to the Pharise is spiritually They were not healed of their sinnes bicause they beleued not the woorde by the onelye vâ—rtue wherof they mighte haue been healed But when Iesus was cum into the house the disciples now beyng with him alone asked him what was the cause why they could not cast out the deuyl syth they had afore cast out so many in his name For they were disquieted in mynde with a certayne humayne carefulnes leste they had vnwares offended the Lorde and by that meanes loste the power whiche he once gaue them to worke miracles Iesus who is not wont to take awaye agayne what he hath once geuen but to encreace the same yet wyll not he haue his gyftes negligently kepte and after a rechelesse sorâ—e and nowe hath he sufficiently declared in the father of hym that was healed how weaknesse of fayth was the only impediment why the deuyl wente not forthe the whiche faythe was not as yet so strong in the disciples as it ought of congruence to haue been Iesus I saye aunswered that there was a certayne speciall kinde of dyuels which coulde not otherwyse be expelled then by praier and fastyng For these be the two engynes which are of moste force agaynst wicked spirites For by prayer the strength of fayth is renued and quickned as it chaunced vnto the yonge mannes father who sayed Lorde helpe my vnbeliefe And by fasting bycause it contayneth a certaine forbeatyng of all carnall pleasures the rebellion of the fleshe is subdued He muste haue a cleane spirite himselfe whoso goeth about to caste out vncleane spirites of other Iesus and the thre disciples were newly retourned from prayer The reste of them kepte compaynie with the multitude and dyd neyther faste ne praye and for that cause were not able ynoughe to caste out a dyuell whiche had so faste holde and was so familiar The more the trust of our selues encreaseth in vs the more the power to worke miracles decreaseth The more the power of the fleshe is mortified in vs the stronger is the holy goste by whose onely power soule spirites are expelled We muste therfore ofte tymes praye that the strength of fayth may in vs be encreased we muste also mortifie our fleshe continually to th entent that the spirite of Iesu Christe may liue in vs. To be shorte Christe doethe nowe prepare his disciples againste that houre when they shall be commaunded to watche and praye leste they fal into temptacion But because they toke a nappe after supper the weake fleshe had the vpper hande ¶ And they departed thence toke their iourney thorow Galile and he would not that any man should know
the byrth of thy sonne all suche as do thirst the cummyng of Messias This Messias beeyng as it were the sunne in the skye thy sonne shall go before as it were a certayne day sterre to geue knowlage afore by his woonderfull brightnesse that the arisyng of him is euen at hande which shall on euery syde put awaye the derkenesse of all the whole vniuersall worlde In dede the other shall be out of all comparison moste greatest but yet thy sonne too lyke as he shal be muche inferiour to the other so shall he in dignitie excell and passe all the reste of the other Prophetes that hitherto haue been For he shall in veray dede be great not only in the opinion of men but also in the iyes of the Lorde vnto whom no man is great but by the vertues and gyftes of grace whiche himselfe doeth frankly geue For he shall be great not in worldly richesse and ruffleyng porte of this lyfe or in worldely dominion but rather by the contempte and despisyng of those thinges which make certayne persones great in the iyes of men And the lesse that he shall desyre the commodities or welth of this worlde somuche the more plenteously shall he be couched full of gooddes heauenly ¶ Wyne also and strong drynke shall he not drynke and he shall bee replenished with the holy ghost euen from his mothers wombe and many of the chyldren of Israel shall he turne to their lorde God And he shall goe before hym in the spirite and power of Helias to turne the hertes of the fathers vnto the chyldren and the vnbelieuers to the wysedome of the iust men to make ready a perfecte people vnto the lorde And as for all kynde of excessiue or delicate fedyng withall the other obiectacions and pleasures of the body he shall so muche abhorre that he wyll not at any tyme drynke any wyne or any other delicious or strong drynke ne any liquour at all that is hable to take awaye so briete from a manne or to distemper his braine For these filthy delites of sensualitie haue no place in such an one in whose breste the holy ghost hathe taken possession afore to dwell in which holy ghost shall replenishe the mynde and soule of thy sonne euen whyle he lyeth secrete within the enclosure of his mothers wombe that he may play the parte of a Prophete in gesture before he be able to haue any vtteraunce of woordes by speakyng And in short processe of yeres whan the gyftes of the spirite of God shall haue growen as his yeres and age shall do he shall worke wondres on the one syde by the exaumple of his moste holy life and on the other syde through suche his preachyng as men shall maruayle at For accordyng to the prophecie of Malachias many of the children of Israel beeyng fallen from the fauour of God by reason that whyle they bearyng themselfes bolde on the carnall lawe tooke no regarde to do those thynges whiche the figures of the lawe do signifie he shall conuerte to theyr Lord God preaching with great frankenesse and plainnesse the kyngdome of God to be at hande exhortyng them to the repentaunte emendyng of theyr former lyfe makyng withoutwarde baptisyng in water a foreprofer to the abolishyng of synne whiche abolishing of synne was to come through Messias and finally vnto all persons openly shewyng that same manne whom God for this purpose would shortly after send into the worlde that by hym alone and onely euerlastyng saluacion should come vnto all men Thissame Messias shall first come as a poore humble mā of lowe degree to the ende that he may conferre geue euerlastyng saluacion vnto all persons putting their trust affiaunce in hym Then afterwardes shall he eftsones come in maiestie to geue rewardes vnto euery one accordyng to their dedes that is to were to the good and the godly euerlastyng lyfe and to the vnbeleuyng and wiked persons euerlasting death And lyke as by Malachias prophecie Helias shal be the foremessagier of his second cumming to prepare the heartes of mē by his preaching agaynst that same great and terrible daye of the Lorde ryght so shall thy sonne be the foremessagier of the former cummyng in whiche God by his sonne Messias shall descend downe into the yearth to lure prouoke all persons in generall without excepcion by Iohns preaching vnto the knowledge and loue of himselfe And for this poynte he shall of a great many he thought to be Helias Neyther shall he without good cause be sayd to be Helias in that he shall in the spirite and power of Helias come before the cummyng of the Lorde to the ende that as the Prophete Malachias hath wrytten he maye turne the hartes of the fathers to the children wherby the Iewes who haue so farre growē out of kynde and fallen from the holy trade of their forefathers may amende and come agayne to better grace and that thesame Iewes beleuyng in the woordes of Messias by whom God shall speake vnto them may truely deserue to bee called the children of Abraham in that they folowe the prompte readynesse of beleuyng whiche was in Abraham and also that suche persons as whyle they cleaue fast to the outwarde rynde or barke of the lawe do not vnderstand the minde and effectuall pith of the lawe he may conuerte and bryng vnto the wysedome of the iust whiche haue learned that vnder the vtter playster or pergetyng of the lawe there lyeth hydden some higher pointe and some holyer matter the whiche shall ere long be vttered abrode by the preachyng of Messias who shall perfeitely accomplyshe and fulfyll the lawe in the right kynde as it ought to be but thy sonne beeyng as a waye leader vnto the heauenly preaching of thissame Messias shall prepare the heartes of menne that he may deliuer vp vnto Messias at his cumming a people not vtterlye vntraded or vnentred in his discipline but somewhat prepared already and instructed therunto with the agnisyng and knowledgyng of theyr owne synfulnesse with the expectacion of the kyngdom of heauen and with feling a great misse and lacke of the Messias to come For so was it thought best vnto almyghtye God by castyng fyrst of all certeine entreinges and principles to bryng man whiche had been fallen to vtter ignoraunce and wickednesse a lytle and a lytle by degrees vp to the highest poyntes of godly perfeccion And Zacharie sayed vnto the Aungell vp what token shall I knowe this For I am olde and my wyfe is well stricken in age And the Aungell aunswered and sayed vnto hym I am Gabriell that do stand in the presence of God and am sent to speake vnto the and to shewe the these glad tydinges And beholde thou shalt be dumme and not hable to speake vntyll the daye that these thynges come to passe because thou diddest not beleue my woordes whiche shal be fulfilled in theyr tyme. The Aungell vsyng all thissame frendely talke zacharie hath nowe
wherin thei hunted for a certayne worldely prayse and glorye to theimselues warde by suche a matier the glory wherof was altogether due vnto god The vngodly murmuryng of these persones did Iesus rebuke and alaie with suche sayinges as here folowe Because ye haue hearde sayeth he that I haue elswhere emong others healed all kyndes of diseases verayly ye wyll saye vnto me that is woont to be saied in a common prouerbe Thou phisicion heale thine owne selfe We haue heard saye that thou haste wrought certayne woondrefull thynges aboue the course of nature in the Citie of Capernaum where thou were but a straungier not hauyng there any that are nere of bloud or kinred vnto thee But conuenient it were that thou shouldest bee beneficiall moste chiefly to thyne owne kynsfolkes what thou dooest to thy countreymen and kynsfolkes thesame thou dooest vnto thine owne selfe Therfore if this vertue and power of thyne bee appropriate vnto thee and contynuall in thee than whatsoeuer thou haste dooen emong the Capernaites and straungiers do euen here lykewyse emong thyne owne kynsfolkes beeyng moste nere vnto thee and doe it here in thyne owne countrey Unto the wieked murmoure of theyr hertes beeyng now disclosed and vttreed the lord aunswered in this manier I am in dede a Phisician readye to heale all the diseases of all creatures if anye partie shewe hymself apte to be healed For no phisician be he neuer so well learned ne neuer so well willyng to do good is hable to helpe or cure the sicke if they cast the medicine away from them when it is offred them and mistruste the feythful phisician And in dede this is the affecciō of the moste common sorte of men that they esteme the phisician so muche the more that he is come a man vnknowen out from some ferre coūtrey or region and in suche a place doeth he fynde more truste and affiaunce to bee put in hym where he is estemed by none other thyng but by his arte and by the name of a phisician And in dede as touchyng his cūnyng whiche he carryeth about with hym where euer he goeth he is at all times and in euery place one manier a manne but where he fyndeth men full of mystrustyng and contemners he cannot by his cunnyng doe good to so many not for that he hath in suche a place any lesse wyll or els power on his owne behalf but because the parties whome his mynde and wyll was to relieue wyll none of the benefite of healthe for despite and grutche that they beare to theyr owne selfes And thesame that chaunceth to the phisicians dooeth muche more chaunce vnto the prophetes For the cunnyng of phisicians dooeth ofte tymes helpe some yea whether they will or no But the Prophete because he dooeth moste chiefly cure soules hath it not lying in his power though he woulde to helpe suche as refuse saluacion whan it is offered And refuse it he doeth whosoeuer mystrusteth And many for none other cause mystruste the Prophetes but because they esteme thesame not of the power of God werkyng by them but of the weakenesse of body whiche they see in them lyke as in other mortall men Turne ye the stories of the olde prophetes ouer and ouer ye shall finde it to bee a thyng of moste vndoubted certayntie that I nowe saye vnto you whiche is that neuer was there yet anye Prophete had in price within his natiue countrey and emong his owne kynsfolkes not for that they be lesse hable or willyng to dooe good to theyr owne frendes then to straungiers or foreine persones but because the vnbeliefe of the kynsfolkes maketh theim vnwoorthie of suche benefite at goddes hande But I tell you of a frueth many wedowes were in Israell in the dayes of Helias whā heauen was shut three yeres and sixe monethes whan great famishement was throughout all the lande and vnto none of theim was Helias sent sauyng into Sarepta besydes Sydō vnto a woman that was awedowe And many lepres wer in Israel in the tyme of Heliseus the prophet and none of them was clensed sauyng Naaman the Syrian For the benefites of God are not geuen for the respecte of kynred but for the good herte of a man not to the cousynage of the fleashe but to the promptnesse of the spirite not to the nacion but to the feyth For this I affirme vnto you for a matter oute of doubte that in the tyme whyle Helias was lyuyng whan by the continuall space of three yeres full and six monethes there hadde fallen downe no rayne from heauen and the baraynnesse of the yearth by reasō therof had oppressed all the quarters there about with great famine there were many wydowes in the nacion of the Israelites and yet the sayed prophete beeyng nere at the poynte to peryshe through hounger he was not sent to any one of them all to bee fedde but vnto the wedowe of Sarephtha in the countreye of Sydon Why was he not rather sent to the wedowes of Hierusalem there to multiplye the steane of meale and the pitcher of oyle or to shewe a notable miracle to some one of them by restoryng a dead chylde vnto lyfe agayne Forsothe because that emong the Israelites there was not one of all the wedowes that coulde egually matche or compare with the sincere feyth and affiaunce in God of the sayd heathen and barbarous woman She beeyng desyred gaue hym water readilye withoute any styckyng and whan he promysed that her steane of meale and her pitcher of oyle should not waste she beleued and made hym pottage as she was bydden to dooe This was forsothe a mynde and herte of an Israelite in a woman beeyng no Israelite so ferre is the good herte more regarded and estemed afore god thē is the bloud or kynred And did there not a muche lyke thyng befall in the tyme of Heliseus the prophet who succeded Helias For no doubt there is but that emong the Israelites there were manye Lepres the whiche found a great misse of their bodely health Why than was neuer an one of thē made cleane by Heliseus but Naaman of Syria beyng before that time and ydolatre an aliene borne to the nacion of the Israelites Could not the prophet haue been hable to doe thesame emong his own coūtrey folke that he was hable to dooe on an aliene and heathen man Was he trowe ye more quicke and readie to dooe good to suche as wer not of goddes religiō and yet borne in a foreyne countrey too thē to men of his owne people and nacion No. But the feith of the man deserued that benefite of goddes hande For he had a sure feith that god was hable by his true seruauntes to dooe as great a thyng as that And whan he was bidden to plounge hymselfe seuen tymes in fluime Iordan he obeyed and did it Yf the lepres of Israell had had thesame feith with them euē they should haue felt the beneficiall goodnesse of God
on the manne commaunded the wicked spirite to departe out of him And the partie that was possessed of the deuil fel downe at the knees of Iesus For a certain priuie power of the vertue of his godhed had drawen the partie vnto him But the vncleane spirite made an houge roring out through the mouth of the miserable selie creature sayd O Iesus the sonne of the most high god in heaueÌ„ what haue I to do with thee I beseche thee do not torment me For the coÌ„maundement of the lord wrought strongly vpon hym to leaue the manne whom he had by a long space vexed Many tymes and ofte would this wicked spirite cease on the man woulde after so manifold pieteous sortes moste cruelly tormente and vexe him that breakyng all his fetters his chaines and al thinges that he was bouÌ„d withall he should bee driuen and feased of the deuill into desert places Wherfore the sayed spirite was yll wyllyng and loth to leaue his olde habitacion Yea and moreouer full sore was he afeard â—este the day had been now cum in whiche they should bee adiudged to euerlastyng payne and torment of helle there to be eternally punished for all the euil woe which here in this world they torment and plague men withal So than it was not repentaunce of his euill doynges that enforced him to these praiers but feare of punishemente But Iesus to the ende that the greatnes of the miracle should bee the better knowen to all folkes demaunded of the wicked spirite what was his name He auÌ„swered a legioÌ„ mening by this souldierly word perteiniÌ„g to warfare that the manne was possessed not of one deuill alone but of an immunerable multitude of deuils for there is no one great sinne without a great ambushmente of vyces together in a clouster But there is no sickenesse of the mynde so greuous there is none so great a multitude of great offeÌ„ces but it geueth place and departeth at the commaundemente of Iesus And all these deuyls beyng now in feare therof praied Iesus that in case it could not bee auoyded but that thei must nedes be cast out of that maÌ„ which thei were in yet at least wyse they myght not be commaunded to go doune into the depe pitte of hell whiche place they know to be ordeined for them at the last day of iudgemeÌ„t And not ferre from thesame place vpon a certain hill whiche lay harde by in maner directly aboue thesame water there was a greate heard of swyne feedyng at their pasture so that euen by that very point we may perceyue that the said countrey was heathen and wholy geuen to al vngodlines For the Iewes by their lawe did not ne might eate no swynes fleshe And the deuils made request that by the sufferaunce of the lorde they myght haue libertie to flitte out of the man into the said hogges so great a desyre iuste had the wicked spirites to doe hurt and mischiefe And Iesus to make the thyng bothe the more euident and also the more terrible suffred them to haue their desire And immediately the deiuils leaft the man weÌ„t into the hogges and streyght waies was al the whole hearde carried hedlong in a furious rage as fast as they might driue into the poole and were there drowned stone dead As soone as the swyneheardes sawe this they were sore afrayed and went theiâ— waies thence as fast as thei might renne into the tounes and villages to beare tydynges al about what was happened The inhabitauntes of the countreye scarcely beleuyng the tale that the swyneheardes tolde went foorth to see the prouffe and tokens of that so vncredible a matier And cumming to the place they see the hearde to be now peryshed and loste whiche a litle before was an hearde of a mighty great multitude And the man also whiche tyll that tyme was possessed of many deiuils and for his notable mischiefe that he did in the countrey was well knowen vnto euery body hym they fynde now all quiet and pacient and of whole mynde wearyng clothes on his bodie and sitting at the fete of Iesus For of an harbourer of deiuils was he sodaynly made a disciple and scholar of Iesus And whereas to fore he was tumbled and dryuen by wicked spirites to all kyndes of mischief now by the ientyll and meke spirite of the most merciful lorde he is in framyng to all earnest and deuout exercise of godlynesse Ferthermore they whiche had been there present and hadde with theyr owne iyes seen the maÌ„ before possessed of deiuils and had heard that there was a legion that is to saye a great noumbre of deiuils in him and nowe sawe hym in suche a litle while made perfectly whole they reported to the residue of the people what had befallen Wherupon a certayne feare came vpon them all where as they should rather haue glorified god and louingly enbraced the power of him who had restored health to a most miserable creature beyng otherwise past all hope of recouerie They would fayne therfore haue had Iesus goen as people dreding his power but not knowyng his goodnesse and they be more moued with the losse of theyr cattel then with the health of the man restored again Yet durste thei not be bolde to banishe or driue him out of their region but the Gerasens ientilly desyre and praye him in the name of all the whole countreye to departe out of theyr coastes so great feare had taken and possessed them all And he gat hym into the shyppe and returned backe agayne Than the man out of whome the deuils were departed besought hym that he might bee with him But Iesus sent hym awaye saying goe home agayne to thyne owne house and shewe what thynges soeuer god hath doen for thee And he went his way and preached throughout all the citeâ— what thynges soeuer Iesus had doen vnto hym And Iesus because he woulde not caste an holy thing emong dogges returned agayne to his shippe But the partie whiche was deliuered from deuils desyred Iesus that he might continue in his coumpaignye and awayte on hym seeyng that he was bound vnto hym alone and to none other for receiuing his health But Iesus woulde not suffre it but sayed vnto hym returne to thine owne house to the ende that by thyne owne relacion and by sight of thee all folkes maye certaynely knowe what thou were afore and what thou arte now through the benefite of God Thy countreymen refuse to haue me come and be emong them yet bee thou at the leastewyse a wytnesse emong them what ill frendes they haue been to themselues in castyng me out of theyr region The man obeyed the lordes biddinges and goyng into Decapolis and throughout euery citie he declared and talked in all coumpaynies that he came emongst what great and high benefites he had receyued at the handes of Iesus And thissame was yet some manier of entreaunce and fyrst settyng foorth of preachyng the gospel emong folkes
that hath no sweord let hym sell his coate and bye one For I saye vnto you that yet thesame whiche is written must be perfourmed in me euen among the wicked was he reputed For those thinges whiche are written of me haue an ende And they sayd Lord behold here are two sweordes And he said vnto them it is enough After that he had plucked out of their hertes the puttyng of their affiaunce and trust in themselfes he eftsons beateth into their heades the thynge that he had oftentimes to fore taught them whiche was that they should not defend theimselfes with worldely defence against the violence of euil persoÌ„s because that a minister of the heauenly doctrine of the gospel ought to be fre from the vile cares of this life ne ought not with any other armour or weapon to bee appoynted against all the assaultes of the wicked sorte then with the sweorde of the spirite whiche is the woord of god At what time I sent you ê™ he for a proufe assaie to preache among the Iewes howe the kyngedome of god approched and sent you so vnfurnished of all prouision that ye had not so muche as purses aboute you to putte any money in nor so muche as a poore scrippe to kepe any meate in against an other tyme of houngre no nor yet shooes for sauyng of your fete yet did ye want any thyng Thei aunswered that they had wanted nothyng Than Iesus to the entente he would vtterly plucke vp by the roote out of their stomakes all desire of auenging beguileth them for a whyle with the deckenesse of his woordes but he suffreth theÌ„ for this purpose to renâ—e in a wrong opinion because he would the more surely the more effectually plucke out of their myndes al affeccion of auengyng any quarels For he knew that they should be enkiendled to an earneste will of defendyng and reskewyng hym whaÌ„ they should see armed soldyers with such great stiere and ruâ—felyng to inuade and fall vpoÌ„ their maister whoÌ„ they very earnestly loued though neuerthelesse it was as yet after the affeccionate sorte of humain loue and worldely Whiche humaine affeccion loue if he had not euidently chastised we would haue thought it to bee lawfull to defende our selfes with weapon against the violence of wicked persons and to putte away force with force But nowe seeyng that Peter was shent beecause that he drewe his sweorde againste a deuelishe and hainous coumpany for his maisters cause beyng a man most innocent â–ª what cause may there than bee from hensfoorth why a Christian bodye should put away wrong with wrong And thus sayed the Lorde At the first preachyng of the ghospell ye went light vnfurnished of any prouision for your liuyng But yet thorough my supportacion sure defense ye wanted nothyng And that was enough whan there was no sore storme nere towardes you But froÌ„ heÌ„sforth ye must prepare your hertes to hardier matters For the more extreme sore the storme of persecucioÌ„ shal be so muche the lighter is it mete that ye be froÌ„ al yearthely lettes and encoumbraunces Nowe is there a great battayl towardes and ye shall haue nede of a sweord Wherfore if any man percase hath a pouche or a scrippe let hym take it vp that he maye bye hym a sweorde That in case he haue not these thynges the whiche in dede may bee cast away from you and whiche ye haue lacked without any incommoditie vnto you leat hym sell his coate and bye hym a sweord It is nedeful for a bodye to come to this batail very lyght of carryage nor armed with any other thyng theÌ„ with a sweorde The matier will sure come to extremes For thei will not onely lay violeÌ„t haÌ„des on me but also it must nedes be perfourmed that Esai long agon prophecied should become of me And euen emong the wicked was he reputed If it be a sore and a grieuous matter to be killed how much sorer a thing is it to suffer such shamefull execucion and peines of death as all men speake eiuil of yea and thesame to suffer emoÌ„g heinous malefactours And yet this chaunce also is the soonne of man sure to haue For now the tyme is euen at haÌ„d that whatsoeuer hath been foresaid by the prophetes concerniÌ„g me must be accoÌ„plished The Apostles whereas thei vnderstode not the misterie of these saiynges and deemed that the lorde had said it to put them in remembraunce to haue a sweorde in readinesse to putte of from theym some violence beyng toward aunswered plainly without mening any fraud Maister behold there bee two sweordes here already supposyng in very dede that in any wise thei shoulde nede sweordes but fearyng leste that two sweordes woulde not bee enough for that fight They shewed their good hert and affeccion to fight for the Lordes sake whom they knewe was hable enough of his own power to supply if their defence and strength wanted any thyng like as he had afore that time multiplied the fiue loaues two fishes to make theÌ„ suffice manye thousandes of people In this so grosse an affeccioÌ„ did Iesus at that preseÌ„t leaue his disciples to the entent as I haue said that their weakenes might be an instruccioÌ„ for vs vnto perfite pacience in suffering tribulacion He therefore aunswered It is enough This did they take as a thyng so spokeÌ„ as though the first fray might bee borne of with the twoo sweordes which thei had theÌ„ ready whereas Christes menyng was of a ghostely fight against the worlde and the deiuill in whiche fighte the victory cuÌ„meth of an herte beyng lightened and discharged from al earthly desires and armed with the only sweord of heauenly doctrine And the said victory consisteth in the vndefeasable scripture of the olde and newe testamente so that a man maye vnderstande twoo sweordes but thesame sweordes deliuered foorth by one spirite And he came out went as he was wont to mouÌ„t Oliuere And the disciples folowed hym And whaÌ„ he came to the place he said vnto theÌ„ pray leste ye fall into temptacion And he gatte himself froÌ„ them about a stones cast and kneled doune and praied saiyng Father if thou wilt remoue this cuppe from me Neuerthelesse not my wyll but thine be fulfilled And there appered an aungel vnto him from heauen coumfortyng hym And he was in an agony prayed the longer And his sweate was lyke droppes of bloud tricklyng downe to the ground And because men of armes whan they shall entre a fight are woont against a bickering with their enemy approchyng nere theÌ„ to refreashe their bodies and to plucke vp their hertes the Lorde beyng mynded to shew vnto his seruauntes what thyng it was that might moste principally strengtheÌ„ them against suche ioynyng in battail whan it is toward weÌ„t foorth of Ierusalem and accordyng to his accustomed vsage wente to mounte Oliuete his disciples accoumpanying hym And whan they were cuÌ„ to the priuie place
drinkyng of my bloude bringeth this thyng to passe And therefore my flesh is truelye meate whyche geueth immortalitie and my bloude is truely drynke which doeth procure eternal life not only to the body but to the whole man both bodye and soule And as the lyfe of the bodye whiche is nourished with dayly sustenaunce lest it shoulde perishe before the tyme is common to all the membres of the body by reason of the indiuisible felowshippe that all the partes of the bodye hathe togetherwardes in so muche that though the membres of the bodye be diuerse and sundrye yet there is but one bodye because that one soule geueth lyfe to euerye parte of the bodye so he that eateth my fleshe and drynketh my bloude is in suche sorte coupled and ioyned to me that neither can I be seperate from hym nor he from me For I am in hym by my spirite by whoÌ„ I wyll geue lyfe to hym And he is in me as a membre in the bodye and as the braunche is in the vyne by suche a participacion as cannot bee dissolued ¶ As the liuing father hath sente me and I true for the father Euen so be that eateth me shal liue by the meanes of me This is the bread which came downe from heauen not as your fathers did eate Manna and are dead He that eateth of this breade shall liue euer These thinges sayed he in the sinagogue as he taught in Capernaum Many therefore of his disciples when they had heard this sayd this is an hard saiyng Who can abide the hearing of it The father that sent me is the principall fountaine of al life Whosoeuer is ioyned to hym is made partaker of life And therefore as the father is in me geueth me life and also power to geue life vnto other euen likewyse to him that eateth me and is so annexed to me by reason of that misticall eatyng and drinkyng that he is made one with with me doe I geue lyfe not to endure for a shorte tyme but eternall life What thyng soeuer is of earthly nature thesame dooeth continue but for a time and is of small efficacie Manna whiche stylled downe from heauen for you then beyng vnder Moses tuicion and conductyng because it was foode pertainyng to the bodye it coulde not geue eternall lyfe to your elders for whereas all men did eat therof they neuertheles dyed neyther did any one of so great a numbre remain vndead yea more part of theÌ„ died also in soule because they prouoked god manye waies to wrath But certes this bread that vndoubtedly came downe from heauen hath a celestiall vertue in it and geueth eternall lyfe to the eater thereof The Lorde Iesus did instruct the ignorant and grosse multitude with such wordes very desirous to stirre them vp from the loue of vysible and corporal thynges to the loue and desire of heauenly and eternall thynges And he spake these woordes in the Sinagogue amoÌ„gest a great assembly of people exercising the office of a teacher Howebeit the grosse people was so farre of from the capacitye of these heauenlye mystiries that a great sorte of his disciples also beyng offeÌ„ded herewith wer about to fall from theyr maister murmuryng amongest themselfes and whisperyng this saiyng This is an harde cruell saiyng saye they concernyng the eatyng of a lyuyng mannes fleshe and drinkyng his bloude whose eares can abyde to heare such doctryne Iesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it he said vnto them doeth this offend you What if ye shal se the sonne of maÌ„ asceÌ„d vp thither where as he was before It is yâ— spirit that quickeneth the flesh â—rosueth nothing The wordes that I speake vnto you are the spirit life But there are sum of you yâ— beleue not For Iesus knew froÌ„ the beginning which thei wer yâ— beleued not who should betraie him And he said Therefore said I vnto you that no man can cum vnto me excepte it wer geueÌ„ vnto him of my father Iesus vnderstandyng what they murmured at secretly among themselfes labored to remedie the thing that they were offeÌ„ded with geuing knowledge beforehand vnto them that they shoulde see greater thinges with their iyes then that they heard hym at this tyme speake of hymselfe And he shewed them that the wordes whiche he had spoken as touchyng the eatyng of his fleshe and to drinke his blood was no incoÌ„uenieÌ„t thing nor to be abhorred but a right pleasaunt graciouse and fruitfull saying in case it were taken and vnderstande not after their course and grosse intelligence but after a spirituall sence Nowe therfore being turned towardes his disciples whom it had behoued to haue further consydered and to haue been wyser then the base sorte of people by reason of the acquaintance and familiaritie whiche they had with Iesus and also for the myracles which they had seen hym worke Iesus I say loking vpon his disciples rebuked theyr dulnes in this wyse saying Doeth it offend your eares to heare me saye that I am the breade which came out of heauen to geue lyfe to the worlde whether is it a greater difficultie after the grosse vnderstandyng of mannes wit to haue descended from heauen or to ascend vp into heauen What then yf hereafter ye do see the sonne of man whom ye nowe see to haue the natural body of a man ascende into heauen where he was before he came downe thence and before he had this mortal bodye This is doen and graunted by reason of your senses not that ye shoulde bee alwaye carnall and vnderstand all thinges fleshly but that ye shoulde leaue the fleshe and go forwarde to the spirite The spirit descended from heauen and was incarnate the fleshe beeyng now made spirituall shal be carryed awaye vp into heauen leste ye should all waye loue the fleshe and be carnall but yet beeing first instructed by the flesh ye ought to profit and go forward toward heauenly thinges For the flesh alone of himselfe profiteth nothing it is the spirite that geueth life For what is bodily substance of men if the spirit lacke euen so my woord carnally vnderstand shall not geue life vnles ye take it as an heauenly thing and vnderstaÌ„d it spiritually By my fleshe and blood I meane my doctrine and so I tearme it whiche doctrine yf ye do by true faith receiue it desyrously and effectuously and than conueigh it into the bowels of your minde and retaine it there it will quicken and make your mindes liuely and cause you and me to be al one so that ye shal through my spirite liue euerlastingly like as the membres of one bodye lyueth by one common spirite so long as they do adhere and cleaue fast together And I shall leaue vnto you my fleshe and blood as a hid secret mystery and mistical token of this copulacion and felowship which selfe thing although ye do receiue it yet will it not profit you vnles ye receyue it spiritually Therfore do not
you Therefore beleue this retaine this haue this surely fixte in youre hertes whiche thyng yf you doe in dede the withdrawyng of the syghte of this bodye shal bee no harme vnto you ye shall better see me beeyng absente with the iyes of faythe and thesame thing whiche ye nowe see my father dooe by me whiche doe faste cleaue vnto him all manner of wayes shall I dooe by you if you will cleaue to me by fayth and charitie Yea and I shall also more euidently extende foorth the mightie power of my godheade after that I shall remoue awaye from you this my manhead yea and moreouer whoso euer dooeth ioyne himselfe to me by true christen fayth like as I am naturally alwaie ioyned and neuer disseuered from the company of my father thesame persone shall also dooe greater thynges than I doe so often as the glorye of God requireth a miracle For as my father worketh nowe by me so shall I worke by you And because it is so expediente for the saluation of manne that I doe goe againe to my father ye shall succede me and by course enter into my roume concernyng the ministracion of the ghospell Nor this thyng shal onelye bee doen but what thing soeuer elles ye shall aske of my father in my name whiche shal appertayne vnto the prayse and glorye of my fathers name and myne that same shall I doe to the ende that by you also I maie bee glorified emong men as my father hath beene hitherto glorified by his soonne Let not my departure therefore trouble you whiche shall tourne to your greate commoditie and prefermente Than moste of all shall I bee youre ayde in al affayres and purposes whiche make for true health when as I shall take awaye from you this sielye body Onely aske the thing that you couete my father shall heare your desires and I beeing a continuall presente aduocate vnto him will bring to passe that what soeuer ye shall aske shall bee obteined for as he denieth me nothing whiche dooe no manner of thing that redoundeth not to his glorye so will I denye you nothyng so long as ye doe that whiche shall set forth the honoure of my name Forsooth my spirite shall put into your myndes what you ought to aske Thus to be greued with my going hence is no proufe of christen charitie for so men are dismaied when a frende remoueth whome they shall soone after forget If ye loue me truely as I dooe loue my father declare your charitie towardes me in very dede ye shall soothly and certainelye declare it if ye dooe kepe my commaundementes So shall it come to passe that as my father loueth me and denieth me nothyng In like wise shall he also loue you obeying my preceptes whiche be the veray commaundementes of my father Thus it is nedefull for the saluacion of the worlde that I doe absente my selfe from you And yet going awaie I wyll not leaue you desolate and altogether without coumforte But rather if ye abide firmelie in my loue and kepe my commaundementes I shall obteine of my father by praier after my returne againe vnto him that he which denieth me nothing shall sende you an other coumforter whiche after he be once sente shall not goe awaie from you as I nowe do concerning this manner of corporall presence I am pulled awaie from you but he shall continue with you for euer He shall be the spirite of me and my father whiche shall make you of carnall folke spirituall and he shall tourne this worldelye affeccion whiche ye nowe beare towardes me into an heauenlye loue he shall also with secrete inspiracions putte in you the treweth of all thinges whiche ye nowe vnderstande as it were but by a dreame and throughe a cloude This speciall pledge of me shall bee peculiar and propre vnto you For I haue all this while exhibite my selfe generallye and in common to eiuill and good leste anye mighte make excuse that he was not inuited to saluacion But this worlde whiche coueteth muche and gapeth for goodes that bee of the worlde and deceitfull cannot receiue that spirite beecause he is heauenlye and true And why can it not because it hath grosse iyes whiche deliteth and loueth not but grosse and earthlye thynges it seethe not hym nor knoweth hym for he withoute noyse beyng all whisshed and still tasteth in hymselfe to the secrete senses of the mynde if he fynde anye where a conueniente place to reste in But truelye you in case that the delusions and deceytfull thynges of this worlde beeyng despysed ye wyll folowe thynges that be good in deede and liue well you I saie shall then knowe hym because he will not onely come vnto you as I am come one that may bee seen but he shal also abyde continually with you nor he shall not in suche sorte be conuersaunte emong you as the aduocate is with his client but he shall inhabyte hymselfe in the secrete inner partes of your soules and shall toyne hymselfe as it were giued to your spirite that he maye become one spirite in all folkes and because he shal be as it were bred and planted in your hertes he shall accumpany and assist you in all thynges and the meane tyme shall not bee long ere this coumforter that shal be in the steade of me and my vicegerante shall come vnto you Wherfore there is no cause why your hertes should be discoumforted or afeard good children whom I haue perfeitly begotten and sumwhat framed with the heauenly doctryne of gods woorde and do nourishe you beeyng as yet but vnperfite and not fully taught vntill ye growe vnto the strength of the ghospell ¶ I will not leaue you coumfortlesse but will come to you yet a litle while and the world seeth me no more but ye see me For I liue and ye shall liue That daye shall ye knowe that I am in my father and you in me and I in you He that hathe my commaundementes kepeth thē thesame is he that loueth me And he that loueth me shal be loued of my father and I will loue him and will shewe mine own selfe to him Although I goe hence for a tyme and shal no longer liue a manne with men yet wyl I not leaue you in the meanetyme fatherlesse and without confortable succoure at my hande For I will cumine to you agayne before I returne to my father and I wyll shewe my selfe before your iyes and bee seene of you with a very bodye in dede but than not mortal to the entente that I maye aduaunce and bryng you from loue of the fleshe to the spirite for it were no great matter yf I should geue this my bodye to you alwaye to looke thereupon because euen the wicked dooe also beholde it to theyr damnacion within a whyle therfore I shal be out of the worldes syghte for death and the graue shall take me awaye frō the syght of worldly folkes Neuerthelesse I wyll see you again and
presente my selfe vnto you aliue for this kynde of deathe shall not alienate vs in sundre nor kepe me out of youre syghte for I shall liue agayne yea after that I bee deade and I shall not onelye liue but there withall bryng to you lyfe euerlastyng and notwithstandyng the tyme of myne absence I beeyng alyue shall fynde you aliue and I will so spende my life for you that you shall be in health and safegarde Then shall you vnderstande more fully that as nothyng can pull my father from me nor me from my father so am I bothe to you and you agayne to me ioyned by mutuall charitie together that death can not disioyne vs let your onely care be that by youre owne faulte ye bee not vncoupled and let lewse The obseruyng of my commaundementes shal try true charytie nor he loueth not in herte that neglecteth the preceptes of his Lorde It is not sufficiente to haue accepted my commaundementes vnlesse a manne retayne them in mynde Nor it is not inoughe to remembre theym excepte they bee kept he that doth accomplishe and kepe these is he that truelye loueth me For to bee tormented in mynde for my departure is no proufe of veraye trewe loue I that truely do loue my father do kepe all his commaundementes and will kepe theym vnto death of the crosse And there is no cause why my commaundementes of sufferyng iniurye pacientelye of beatyng the crosse quietely shoulde muche putte you in feare as seuere and grieuous commaundementes and why for charitie shall sweten and make them all easie and there shall not lacke coumforte at my hande for surely whoso loueth me he shal be bothe loued of my father and I also wyll loue hym and neuer leaue him succourlesse but will see hym againe and will openlye shewe my selfe vnto hym to bee looked vpon to make it more certain that I doe not vtterly perishe by suffryng deathe of the crosse Nowe I geue my selfe to bee seen of all folke but than no manne shall see me excepte he abyde constantly in frendeshyppe Of trueth our Lorde Iesus spake these thynges sumwhat darkelye not onely signifiyng that he beeyng reuiued agayne would often after his death come among his frendes to bee seen but that he would also by the holy ghoste his spirite secretely place and wynde himselfe into theyr myndes and that finally he woulde come in the glorye of his father in the open sight of all folke ¶ Iudas saieth vnto him not Iudas Iscarioth lorde what is done that thou will shewe thy selfe vnto vs and not vnto the worlde Iesus aunswered and said if a manne loue me he will kepe my saiynges and my father will loue him and we will come vnto hym and dwell with him He that loueth me not kepeth not my sayinges And the worde which ye heare is not mine but the fathers whiche sent me These thinges haue I spoken vnto you beyng yet present with you but the comforter whithe is the holy ghost whome my father will send in my name he shall teache you al thinges and bring all thinges to your remembraunce whatsoeuer I haue sayed vnto you Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you Not as the worlde geueth geue I vnto you Let not your hettes be greued neyther feare ye haue hearde how I sayd vnto you I goe and I come againe vnto you If ye â—haâ—â— me ye woulde verely reioyce because I sayd I goe vnto the father For the father is greater than I. Now than where as Iudas not he verely that is called Iscarioth which was absente at this sermon but the other Iudas whose surname was Lebbeus did not fully vnderstande our lordes saiyng but beyng throughe sorowe and feare very sore troubled dyd suppose that our Lorde shoulde in suche wyse appeare to his frendes as terrible spirites phantastical sightes shewe themselfes many tymes in the darkenesse of the nyght or as certain visions appeare in dreames rather to the feare of men then to mennes coumforte This Iudas therfore saith Lorde what hath chaunced that when now thou maieste be seen of all folke thou shalte not than appeare to the worlde but onely to vs And howe canste thou be one that may be seen of vs yf thou be such one as other cannot see But Iesus because he knewe that his disciples were not yet able to vnderstande the misterie howe that the same bodye whiche hadde been deade and buiried but nowe made spirituall and hable to dooe as it lyste shoulde ryse agayne Iesus I saye knowyng this dyd not playnely answere to the thyng that was asked but turned his saiyng to that thyng whiche was more necessarye to bee imprinted in theyr heartes whereby they shoulde nowe bee prepared spirituallye to haue his presence for as muche as that presence whiche shoulde bee exibited vnto theim after his resurreccion coulde not long endure with theim Therefore Iesus sayed I will not presente my selfe to the worlde because it loueth me not neyther dothe it kepe my commaundementes If one loue me truely he wyll not testifie his loue with sorowe but by kepyng my commaundementes and hym wyll I loue semblablye and whome I shall loue hym wyll my father loue and we shall neuer bee pulled awaye from hym nor I wyll not onelye see hym agayne that hath my commaundementes in remembraunce but there withall my father and I wyll by the spirite whiche is common to vs both come vnto hym and we will not only come forthwith to departe againe but we will dwell with him and neuer go away from him That which is doen after the spirite is both perpetuall and effectuall bodilye ioynyng together muste nedes haue an ende euen for because ye shoulde sette at naught transitorye thynges and inure your selfes to loue eternall thinges and where ye as yet cannot come to vs we will come to you inuisible but effectually to dwell in the temple of your hertes We be three in deede but so ioyned and conuerte together that he whiche loueth one muste loue all and he that hath one of vs lacketh none of vs. Only on your behalfe let charitie be presente and that couenaunte kepte whiche I made with you of late That shal so couple you and vs together that neyther life nor deathe can vncouple vs. If membres maie bee disseuered from the heade we maie be disseuered There bee many whiche boaste themselfes to loue God the father and seme to obserue the commaundementes of the lawe but none dooeth truelye loue God yf he hatâ— and contemne his soonne and he verelye contemneth the soonne whosoeuer kepeth not my commaundemente whosoeuer neglecteth my preceptes he neglecteth withall the preceptes of God for in good sooth the thyng that I haue taught you is not so my peculiar doctrine that the same is not my fathers but is rather my fathers than myne from whome cummeth whatsoeuer I can or doe teache doyng nothyng but by his autoritie from whome I was sente into the worlde to teache these matters whiche
name of Iesus Christe and for that benefites sake whiche he hath freely doen to vs ye shall haue forgeuenes of all your synnes and shall receaue after that ye be purely clensed the gifte of the holy ghost whiche ye here see shed on vs. Let none of you pondre weigh his owne merites for all that here is geuen is frely geuen vpon this onely condicion that ye beleue Iohels prophecy doeth specially pertaine to you and your children that come after you whome he calleth sonnes and doughters whome he calleth seruauntes and handemaydes Beleue god that made you the promis and ye shall frely receaue forthwith that is promised Neyther doeth Iohels promise in his prophecy pertayne to you alone whiche are of the people of Israell but to all the heathen also whiche be far of both from al kinred with the Israelites and far from knoweleage of god whom euer our lord god shall of his merciful goodnes vouchesafe to call to bee partakers with vs of this his gifte And the same thynge hath the prophecy well declared where it sayeth and whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the lorde shal be saued Albeit eche man that sayeth Lorde Lorde doeth not cal vpon the lord but he that putteth all his whole hope and truste of saluacyon in the mercyfulnes of the same lorde Other prophetes also hath spoken of the same thyng that the worde of the gospel shoulde in time cumming spreade throughout the world And besides this our maister Iesus gaue vs a speciall commaundement that we shoulde firste of all declare to you this mercifull message of peace and loue and that we shoulde than afterward call the gentiles to the same For this calling cummeth not of mans deseruinges but of the fre bounteousenes of god In these wordes and others manye mo Peter bare witnes to them of Christe bryngyng foorthe to them the prophetes sayinges to testify the same and conferring with them those thynges whiche had alredy than come to passe And beside his teachinges he exhorted them that he might the better pricke them forewarde whiche were of wauering mindes Go to he sayeth my brethren embrace ye this so excellent bounteousnes of god towardes you so ready to mete you Ye know what complaintes all the prophetes hath made of the ouerthwartenes and stubbernes also in this Iewyshe nacion whiche hath declared themselues at all tymes rebellyous to theyr lorde and god and to those whiche were sent to theim his mynisters for theyr saluacion Howe often times dyd they resist Moses howe many prophetes haue they slayne how ofte haue they prouoked god to angre with theyr mischeuous dedes Wherefore they be iustly named the house that maketh the lorde angry and the vyne turned to bitternes whiche yeldeth to his keper in stede of swete grapes wylde vynes Iohn the baptiste lamented in them thesame thyng callyng them a progenie of serpentes And our maister Iesus complayned not a fewe times of the selfe same thing beyng offended with many of them for their inuincible frowardenesse who seyng dyd not see and hearyng dyd not heare and vnderstanding did not vnderstande The holesome doctryne for mans soule they despysed and all suche benefites as he wrought in man through hys miracles they imputed to the spirite of Belzebub Wherfore he called them a frowarde nacion and harde or ill wylled to beleue and bewayling their state tolde them that they shoulde be destroyed for why they had beaten killed stoned and crucifyed all that were sent from god Draw your selfes a backe my brethren and get ye away from the vengeaunce of god whiche hangeth ouer your heades caste of all cankred frowardenes of the Iewish nacion which while they stande stifely in defence of theyr owne Iustice do wickedly rebell againste the iustice of God For ye haue by faith and sincere obedyence already for you prouided eternall saluacion Than shall ye finally be accoumpted the true Israelites than shall ye be the very children of Abraham Than shal ye be of the right sorte of Iewes in dede if ye will knowelage Iesus and recognise him for youre king Ridde your handes of this carnall generacion whiche woulde rather perishe for theyr incredulitie than be saued Be ye contented to be borne a new and transfourmed into a spiritual nacioÌ„ and celestial whiche by trust in Iesus is in waye of saluacion Of this sorte verely was the fishers eloquence whyche he piked not out of Retorical preceptes or rewlers but receiued it from heaueÌ„ and therfore it was of muche more power and efficacie in his operacion This was the same suâ—â—orde that entreth through euen to the diuiding of the soule and the spirite whose edge hath punched strickeÌ„ the Iewes hertes This was the first cast and throw of his net wherein the fisher of mans soule drew vp a great plenteous multitude This was the seede of the gospel that ought to bee caste euery where abrode whiche as Christe hath taught falleth not downe into all mens hertes and yet here it found forthwith good grounde which brought forth fruite For than wer baptised and to the numbre of the disciples whiche were at that time very few were increased and ioyned almost three thousand moe These were the luckie first fruites that the ghospel brought forth for his reuenewes The new testament agreeth in this point also with a figure of tholde Moyses commaunded a feast of the firste fruites to be kept holy the fiftieth day after Easter And here are consecrated to the lord this fiftieth day the first fruites not of eares of corne but of mens soules For now through preaching of the gospell and fayth in the same the water washed away all their sinnes and nowe was that heauenly spirite gredely receiued Nowe marke what doeth that spirite of god in them truely he is not ydle sithen that he is lyke vnto the fyer We are freely made cleane in soule as innocentes we haue frely receyued of the holy gost his gift of grace Now it resteth for our parte to take hede that we lose that vnaduisedly whiche god hath of his mercifull goodnes frely geuen vs. Suche are the first beginninges of euangelycall religion suche is as a man woulde say the childehood of oure first regeneracion in Christe All that we haue taught hitherto is as it were milke for infauntes we must procede further to whole fast meate Preachers and suche as feede with the woorde of god oughte to haue with them both kindes of meate euer redy at hande For thus the lorde commaunded them go ye foorth he sayeth and teache all people baptizing them and teaching them to kepe all that I haue commaunded you Teache them that muste be christened the rudimentes and firste beginninges of the gospell whiche rudimentes or principles excepte a manne wyll beleue hys Baptisme is in vayne Those that bee alredy baptized thus must ye teache that they liue after my teachynges procedyng alwayes to more perfeccion ¶ And they continued in the
He deserued not to be buryed yet ought he thence to be remoued lest his dead body should infecte that pure and holy companie Here peraduenture some wyll meruayle at Peters sharpnes towardes Ananias that but late before so â—entily entreated them that had crucified Christe to receyue pardon for their offences ascribyng all that was doen to ignoraunce and proferyng the penytent person health of soule euerlastyng But here rebuked he this person so sharpely for witholdyng a small porcion of money contrarye to his lyberall promyse that there was no hope at all for him to come by pardone For why Iesus the Lorde that had geuen commaundement for all men to be called by meane of baptisme to their saluacion pardonyng theyr offences woulde teache by the example of violent death in a fewe persons howe muche the offence is more greuous to fall in synne after baptysme and lyght receyued of the ghospell not nowe of any vnaduisednes or ignorauÌ„ce but of a wilful dissimulacion And Peter knewe that the moste pestilent plague that the plaine simplicitie of the ghospell could haue should spring of dissimulacioÌ„ auarice and therfore euen at the begynnyng of the churche a notable example was openly set forth to admonishe all people the none should escape whosoeuer folowed the steppes of Ananias the vengeauÌ„ce of god although that his offence were not in this world forthwith punished As for the losse of the money was not here rekened vpon but his mystrust in God and mocking of his holy spirite Peter hymselfe punished not the person but for his soules health sharply he rebuked him But bycause he neyther brast out into wepyng nor expressed any woorde at all of repentaunce God toke vengeaunce on hym And thus of goddes wonderfull mercy towardes manne one was stricken that many might be saued An example of iustice was set forth towardes hym that dyed and mercy besydes was largely powred out on many one that toke heede at his example to eschewe synne And it fortuned as it were aboute the space of thre houres after that his wife came in ignoraunt of that which was doen. And Peter sayd vnto her Tell me sold ye not the lande for so muche And she sayed yea for so muche Than Peter sayed vnto her Why haue ye agreed together to tempte the spirite of the Lorde Behold the fete of theÌ„ whiche haue buried thy housband are at the doore and shall carry thee out Than fel she downe strayghtway at his feete and yelded vp the ghost And the young men came in and found her dead and caryed her out and buried her by her housbande And great feare came on all the congregacion and on as many as heard it And as it were about the space of thre howres after beholde the wyfe of Ananias not knowing what had chaunced to her housband as folkes knowe later almoste then other what euill is done at home in theyr owne house came in beyng priuy to that her housbandes craftie deceyte and in wyll ready also for her parte to gette vayne prayse vnto whose vngodly imaginacions Peter aunswered saying tell me woman solde ye the lande for so muche and for no more then this She muche lyke to her housbande aunswered without any shame yea verayly for somuche haue we solde it Than Peter sayed to her why hast thou with thy housbande together agreed to tempte wyth a lye not vs but the spirite of the lorde whom ye see workyng in vs But forasmuche as it liked thee to be felowe wyth thy housbande in this wicked dissimulacion thou shalt be lyke wyse partener with him in punishment Beholde they stande at the doore whiche buried thy housbande and the selfe same persons shall carry the out She than immediatly as these woordes were spoken fell downe and yelded vp the ghoste In went the young menne vpon thesame and founde the woman deade Than they carryed her foorthe and buried her by her housbande A sharpe example this was but yet profitble for manne and not ofter put in vre than once of thapostles And yet did not Peter the ientileste creature that than was lyuyng inflycte thys punishement but as he that was inspired with the holy ghost expressed it in woordes For Peter than knewe by secrete inspiracion of the holy ghost what was already doen and what was for to be doen. God to whom all thynges be knowen wyll see theÌ„ punished that vnder couloured falsehood doe mocke apostolyke persons though that they be suche as may be deceyued For all men hath not all tymes that gyfte of the holy ghost that Peter had at that tyme. Nowe marke howe happily of an euell occasion it succeded Wondrefull great feare sprang through the whole Churche of the faythfull by meanes of that deathe whiche these twoe persons ryght woorthyly suffered yea other also that than beleued not were stricken with feare of this example ¶ By the handes of the apostles were many signes and wonders shewed emong the people And they were altogether with one accorde in Salomons porche And of the others durst no man ioyne himselfe to them neuerthelesse the people magnified them The number of them that beleued in the lorde both of men and weomen grewe more more insomuche that they brought the sicke into the streates and layed them on beddes and couches that at the least way the shadowe of Peter when he came by might shadow some of them and that they myght all be deliuered from theyr infirmities There came also a multitude out of the cities round about vnto Ierusalem bringing sick folkes and them whiche were vexed with vncleane spirites And they were healed euery one Moreouer many and great myracles were wrought emong the people by the apostles wherby it myght playnly appere to all men that this notable effecte came to passe by some dyuine power aboue al strength of man And as many as sticked to the ghospell abode all with one accorde together in the porche called Salomons porche For than were not they desyrouse to be hyd in corners but the tyme requyred that the candle beeyng set vpon the candlesticke shoulde gyue lyght to all that entred into the house As for the others which had not yet by baptysme booked themselues as souldiers to fyght vnder the baner of Christes capitayne none durst company with them For they perceyued this sorte of people to be dedicate to God and holy and therfore of a certayne reuerent feare withdrewe themselues from theyr company lyke as the temporall sorte of men are wonte to drawe backe frome halowed thynges whiche be for euer dedicate to the temple For the people hated them not but had them in an honourable reuerence for the excellent vertue or giftes of god whiche clerely shone in them And notwithstandyng that the example of Ananias Saphira had made many one sore afrayed that none durst frame themselues after a counterfeyte fashion vnto their coumpanie yet after thys the multitude of the faythfull encreased euery daye in numbre
lorde the temple of the lorde the temple of the lorde But this your temple is nought els than a figure of the trewe spirituall temple that is the congregacion of the faythfull whiche is a buildynge by your kyng Iesus of Nazareth whom Salomon figured Howbeit he that is hyghest of all dwelleth not in temples made with handes as saieth the Prophete heauen is my seate and earth is my foote stoole What house wil ye build for me sayeth the Lord which is the place of my rest hath not my hand made al thinges For sence that god is a thing all togyther spirituall he dwelleth not in houses made by mannes hande neyther can he be enclosed within walles who is of suche greatnes that cannot be mesured and contayneth all thynges This is euen it that he hymselfe beareth witnes of speaking by Esay his prophete heauen is my seate and earth is my foote stole What house wyl ye buylde for me sayeth the lorde or what place is for my repose Hath not my hande made them all ThaÌ„ had god who made all thinges rest in himselfe before he made al. And if he take rest any where he resteth not in houses made by man seynge that heauen is a seate for him the earthe his foote stoole but his delite is to reste in quiet hertes and such as be alwayes readye at commaundement of the holy gost Wherefore then whose conscience is polluted with vicioule lyuyng he defileth goddes temple And who that putteth them to busynes whiche be alreadye at commaundement of his holy spirite he polluteth the temple of the Lorde And lyke as he offendeth not Moyses that preferreth Iesus neyther breaketh he Moyses lawe that placeth it behinde the gospell euen so doethe not he violate this temple that preferreth therto a spirituall temple wherein god is more delyted For it is but reason that shadowes geue the veritie place which putteth now herselfe forth to lyght It is meete that that thyng whiche of it selfe is carnal geue place to that that is spirituall This vndowbtedlye â— the very immutable will of God and for this cause sent he downe his owne â—â—nne alone vpon earth he sente also the holy ghoste to thintent the lyght of trueth in his ghospell myght cum abrode to all manner people Ye stiffenecked and of vncircumcised hertes and eares Ye haue alwies resisted the holy ghost as your fathers did so do ye Whiche of the Prophetes haue not your fathers persecuted And they haue slayn theÌ„ whiche shewed before of the cumming of that iust whome ye haue nowe betrayed and murthered And ye also haue receyued the lawe by the ministracion of aungelles and haue not kept it But ye persisting obstinately in defence of that whiche of it selfe is carnall now rebelle as ye were wonte againste goddes holy spirite who called you now long ago stubburne people And yet thynke ye your selues to be Israelites and the childreÌ„ of Abraham because ye haue a piece of that skynne which couereth your pryute membre circumcised wheras youre heartes as well as eares are left vncircumcised But they shal be from hencefurth the trewe children of Abraham that be in hearte clensed of all wicked desyres that kepe theyr eares obedient to goddes commaundementes and so pourged of grosnes as touchinge carnall vnderstandyng that they maye perceyue the spirituall meanyng of the lawe For lyke as youre fathers by reason of theyr grosse vnderstanding and dull hearynge resisted alwayes the holy ghoste euen so did ye also not vnlike in condicions to those youre auncestours neuer leaue of your euyll speakyng and doyng againste the holy ghoste as it of late appeared in Iesus of Nazareth whome ye crucifyed and nowe in hys Apostles Howe often hath youre fathers rebelled againste Moyses Why may not I call them your fathers whome ye folowe in condicions whiche of all the Prophetes hath not youre fathers persecuted And those that prophecied to you of the iust to cum by whome alone all shoulde be iustified haue ye not onely punished but murthered also Ye hated them that tolde you of his cumming and whan he was cum perfourmed all that they before had tolde you ye not onely refused to embrace hym but vpon a false impechement ye put him into Pilates handes and brought him by meane of hys sentence vnto a more shamefull and mischeuouse death then yf ye youre selues had had the perfourmaunce of the acte all in your owne handes And all this do ye vpon a pretexte to defende the lawe whereas neyther your elders obserued the lawe whiche was delyuered them by aungels neither you that of late dayes put him to death whome the lawe hath promysed and appoynted and now besydes do persecute hym whome ye haue slain enuying youre selues the gyfte of eternal saluacion whiche is prefored you and procuring your owne vtter destruccion whiche ye without cause laye to our charge and to Iesus of Nazareth ¶ Whan they hearde these thinges theyr heartes claue a sundeâ— and they gnasshed on him with their teeth but he beyng â—ul of the holy ghoste looked vp stedfastlye with his iyes into heauen and saw the glorye of god and Iesus standynge on the right hande of God and sayed Beholde I sâ—e the heauens open and the sonne of man standyng on the right hand of God Then they gaue a shoute with a loude voice and stopped their eares and ran vpon hym and stoned him And the witnesses layed downe theyr clothes at a young mans feete whose name was Saule And thei stoned Steuen calling on saying Lord Iesu receiue my spirite And he kneled downe and cried Lorde laye not this sinne to their charge And whan he had thus spoken he fell a slepâ— This oracion or tale so truly tolde them and so frankely spoken sore chafed al their mindes that wer in councell togyther insomuch that theyr heartes were euen readye to breake in soundre and gnasshed theyr teeth agaynste hym But Steuen as one vndoubtedly replenished with the holy ghost was nothing at all in minde troubled by them but in a redines to suffre death cast vp his iyes accordynge to Iesus Christes example to heauenward from whence all helpe succoure for a christen man is to be loked for and desyred Than was forthwith this valiant champion strengthed againste the conflict whiche was a cummyng Heauen opened and the glorie he sawe of god and Iesus whome he professed standyng on the ryght hande of his father And this vision kepte he not close and secrete from the multitude althoughe they wer wickedly bente For it wer not expedient for mannes malice to suppresse goddes glory Beholde he saieth I see heauens open and the sonne of man staÌ„ding on the right hand of goddes maiestie It wer a profitable thinge here to coÌ„sider the maner and forme of this his iudgement Faultes wer laied in against him He made answer to theÌ„ al. And beyng but a young man he alleaged for himselfe both testimonies of the law and of the Prophetes They
whan we had gotten a shyp that would sayle vnto Phenyces we wente aborde into it and set furthe But whan Cyprus began to appere vnto vs we lefte it on the left hande and sayled vnto Siria and came to Tyre For there the shyp vnladed her burden AND after we had sette vp sayle wer goen out of syght of them that stoode on the banke lokinge after vs we sayled streight furth arryued at the Ylande called Chous and nexte day after at Rhodes thence furth tyll we touched at Patara whiche is a citie of Licia nere to the sea syde There founde we a shyppe that was redye to sayle towarde Phenice we toke shyppyng there sayled therein But whan the Ylande of Cypres appeared vnto vs we leauyng it on the lefte hande sayled towarde Syria arriued at Tyre whiche is a citie situate on the sea banke of Phenice as Sydon is lykewyse We desired rather to sayle streyght foorth to Palestyne but because Tyre was a marte toune the master of the shyppe woulde nedes set his marchaundyse on lande there ¶ And when we had founde brethren we taryed theâ—e seuen dayes And they told Paule through the spirite that he should not go vp to Hierusalem And when the dayes wer ended we departed and they all brought vs on our waye with wyues and children til we were come out of the citie And we kneled downe in the shore and prayed And whan we had taken our leaue one of an other we tooke shyp and they returned home againe But whan as we founde some dysciples there also we taried with them seuen dayes Emong them were some whiche beynge enspired with the spirite of prophecye counselled Paule that he should in no wyse go to Hierusalem But yet for all that when the seuen dayes were expired we departed from Tyre all the disciples with their children and wyues accompanying and bringyng vs out of the citie to the sea banke Where after we had kneled downe and made our prayers with one consent and had taken our leaue one of an other we tooke shyppyng and they returned home againe ¶ When we had full ended the course froÌ„ Tyre we went downe vnto Ptolomaida saluted the brethren and abode with them one day The next day we that were of Paules cumpany departed came vnto Cesarea And we entred into the house of Philip the Euangeliste whiche was one of yâ— seuen and abode with him The same had fower doughters virgins whiche dyd Prophecie From Tyre we sayled to Ptolomaida whiche is a citie on the sea nere to the hyll named Carmelus Here we saluted our brethren and remayned one daye with them Nexte daye after Paule and we wente furth on our iourney and came to Cesarea a citye of Palestine and entred into the house of Philip whiche firste of all had preached the ghospell to the chaumberlayne and to the Samaritanes and was one of the seuen deacons that the apostles had instituted and ordeyned at Hierusalem With him we abode This man had fower daughters all vnmaried whiche had aboundantly the spirite of prophecye accordyng to the prophecye of Iohel And as we tarried there a good many of dayes there came a certaine Prophete from Iewry named Agabus Whan he was come vnto vs he tooke Paules girdle and bounde his feete and handes and sayed Thus sayeth the holy ghoste so shall the Iewes at Hierusalem bynde the man that oweth this girdle and shall delyuer him into the handes of the gentiles And whan we had continued soiourning in his house certaine daies there came a Prophete from Iewry whose name was Agabus He takinge his lodgeing emong vs and bayting there tooke Paules gyrdle whiche after he had knotted about his owne legges accordynge to the custome of the olde prophetes whiche had wount to expresse before by some visible token that thing that they prophecied of thorough the inspiracion of the holy ghoste sayed Thus sayeth the holy ghoste He that oweth this gyrdle shall so be bounde of the Iewes at Hierusalem they shall delyuer him into the handes of the Gentiles When we heard this both we and other which were of the same place besought him that he would not go vp to Hierusalem Then Paul answered and sayed What do ye weping and vering myne herte â–ª I am ready not to be bound onely but also to dye at Ierusalem for the name of the Lorde Iesu. When we could not turne his mynde we cealed saying the wyll of the Lorde bee fulfilled We beeyng muche feared with â–ª these woordes and the dysciples also that dwelled there with many wepyng teres desyred him that he shoulde not committe ne put himselfe into the handes of the Iewes at Hierusalem This was the godly affeccion and zele of them that were lothe to haue so excellente a pastour to peryshe But Paule whiche had a more certaine aunswere of the holy ghost in his mynde and knewe that he should fyrste goe to Hierusalem and shoulde after that see Rome sayed vnto them wherefore do ye make my herte sory with your vayne teares For the daungier that the Prophetes warne me of doeth nothyng moue me but youre douloure and sorowe maketh me to be sory and pensyfe I am fully mynded to further that thyng whiche the holy ghost wylleth me namely the ghospell I nothinge feare bondes whiche I haue been well enured with For god forbyd that I for feare of enprisoÌ„ment should leaue of from furthering of the ghospell seeing that I am ready yea yf it were to dye at Hierusalem for my Lord Iesus sake Let Paule lye in chaynes so that the gospell maye haue free lybertie to passe Let Paul lese his lyfe so that the glory of Iesus name maye lyuely spryng and flouryshe emong all men I am desirous of lyfe for none other ende but that I maye profite the ghospell But otherwyse I woulde recken it great aduauntage gotten to be shortly ryd out of this lyfe for Christes sake Wherefore do not ye mourne for that thing that I my selfe am desyrous of yf it shall so please God and cease ye therefore to make my mynde pensyfe with your wepyng and waylyng for I cannot chose but be sad seynge my frendes sad To these his woordes whaÌ„ we had nothinge to aunswere and sawe him fully bent to go to Hierusalem we suffred hym to departe saying the wyll of the Lorde be fulfylled For these ought to be the woordes of true Christians and though they haue not the same woordes styll in their mouthes yet must they continually thinke them in their hertes so that in aduersitie as well as prosperitie styll muste they saye The wyll of the lorde be fulfylled After those dayes we toke vp our burthens and went vp to Hierusalem There went with vs also certayne of the disciples of Cesarea and brought with them one Muason of Cyprus an olde disciple with whome we should lodge And whan we were come to Hierusalem the brethren receyued vs gladly And on the morowe Paul
townes of Galile And whan thei could not fynde c. And whan he sawe 〈…〉 c. Esai xlii d and .xliiii. â— What felow is this that speaketh blasphemy c. But th ye may knowe c. Praising God And wer filled with feare And sawe a Publicane called Leuy And Leuy made a great feast They that are wholenede not the phisiciaÌ„ c. And they sayde vnto hym why do the disciples of IhoÌ„ faste c. The dayes will come whan the bridegrome also shall be takeÌ„ away c. No maÌ„ putteth a piece of a newe garmente into an old â–ª He went through the corne fielde Why dooe ye that whiche is not leful to doe on the sabboth daies The sonne of maÌ„ is lorde also of the sabboth daye whether is it lawfull on the sabboth daies to do good or eiuil c. Whiche came to heare hym c. Blissed bee ye poore For so did theyr fathers to the false prophetes And him that taketh awaye thy goun c. For so did theyr fathers to the false prophetes And him that taketh awaye thy goun c. Geue to euerye man that asketh of thee And if ye doe good for them whiche doe good for you c. And if ye lende to them of whome ye hope to receiue c. And ye shall bee like vnto the highest Geue and it shal be geueÌ„ vnto you For with the same measure c Why seest thou a more in thy brothers iye c Thou hypocrite cast out the beame that is in thyne owne iye first c And an eiuill man out of the il treasure of his herte bringeth c. Whosoâ—â—â—â— cometh â—â—ne and â—eareth my sayinges and dooeth thesame c. But he that heareth and dooeth not is like c Beholde there was â— dead 〈◊〉 caried ouâ—â— â–ª Whan the Lorde sawe her â–ª he had compassion on her And he that was deade sate vp and beganne to speake And there came a feare on them all A great prophete is ariseÌ„ vp emong vs. Go your wais briÌ„g word again to Iohn what ye haue seen And happy is he that is not offeÌ„ded in me What weÌ„t ye oute into the wildernes for to se A rede And all the people publicans that heard hym iustified god We haue piped to you and ye haue not â—aunced The soonne of manne is come and eateth and drynketh Wysedome is iustyfyed of all hir chyldren A womaÌ„ in the citie which was a sinner c. she brought an Alablaâ—â—re bore of oyntmente And did wipe them with the heare of her head c. Whan the pharise which had biddeÌ„ him c There was a certayne leÌ„der which had twoo debtours And said vnto Symon dooest thou see this woman I entred in to thy house c. And he sayed vnto her thy sinnes are forgeuen thee And he said to the woman thy feyth hath saued thee He himself wente thoroughoute the cities preachyng The sower went out to sow his â—ede Sum fel by the high way syde c. And sum fel emoÌ„g thornes The sede is the word of God And that whiche fell emong thornes c. No man wheÌ„ he lighteth a candle couereth it with a vessel c Take hede therfore howe yâ— heare Than came to hym hys mother and his brethreÌ„ My mother and brethreÌ„ are these which hear the word of God and do it There met with hym a certayne man which had a deuill long tyme. He fell downe before him c There was an heard of swyne c. And they found the maÌ„ sitting at the feete of Iesus And shewe what thiâ—â—ges soeuer god hath doen for 〈◊〉 I perceyue that vertue is gone out of me The â—eiâ—â— hath saued the. Beleuâ— only and she shal be made whole Wepe not c. And hâ— commauÌ„dâ—d to gâ—uâ— hâ—r mâ—ate The 〈◊〉 And gaue theÌ„ power and autoritie ouer all deuils Take nothiÌ„g to your iourney nether staâ— nor scrip And what soeuer house ye entre intoâ— And they departed IhoÌ„ haue I beheaded And he receiued theÌ„ And spake vnto theÌ„ of the kingdoÌ„e of god We haue no mo but fiue loaues and two fyshes And they were about fiue thousand men And hâ— toke the fiue loaues and blissed them Who saye yâ— people that I am Simon Peter aunswered and saied thou art the Christe of God c And spake of his deparâ—yng c. There came a cloude ouer shadowed them c. Iesus was found alone And they kept it close c. I besought thy disciples to caste him out and they coulde not And they were all amased at yâ— myghtye power of God For it wyll come to pas that the soÌ„n of man And they feared to aske hym of that saiyng Whosoeuer receiueth this chylde in my name We sawe ne castyng out deuils in thy name For he that is not agist vs is with vs. Leat the dead buirye their dead No man that putteth hys handes to the plough and loketh backe The haruest is great but the labourers are fewe And heale the sickâ— And say vnto them the kyngdome of God is come It shal bee easier in yâ— daye for zodome And yâ— Capernaum whych are exalted to heauen c. And he that despiseth you despiseth me And he said vnto them I sawe Satan as it had beene lighteâ—yng fall downe from heauen c. Reioyce ye not that spirites are subdued vnto you câ— Euen so father For so pleased it thee What is written in yâ— lawe c. Who is my neighbour A certayne man fell emoÌ„g theues c. As thei weÌ„t And a certaine womaÌ„ called Martha receiued him into her house Lorde doest yâ— not care that my sistur hath left me Uerely one is nedefull Mari hath chosen the good parte which shall not be takeÌ„ away from her Lord teach vs to praye Our father whiche art in heaueÌ„ c And lede vs not into reptacion Seke and ye shall fynde c. He casteth out deiuils through Beelzebub Euerie kyngdome deuided agaynst it selfe c. WheÌ„ the vnclene spirite is gone oute of a man c Whan the iye is single all the body also shal bee full of light Did not he that made that which is withoâ—â— c. geue almes and behold all thynges are clene vnto you Wo vnto youâ—e lawiers for ye lade menne with burdens Ye beare witnesse yâ— ye allow the dedes of youre fathers Gene. iiii ii Paralip xxiiii Ye entre not in your selues and theym that came in ye forbad The veraye beares of your heade are all nuÌ„bred Whosoeuer confesseth me before men c. Unto him that blasphemeth the holye goste it shall not be forgeueÌ„ Take ye ne thought how or what ye shall aunswere Take hede beware of coueâ—ousnesse No mans life staÌ„deth in the aboundaunce of the thinges that he hath Soule â–ª c take thine caâ—e eate drinke and be mery Considre the rauens for thei â—â—ither sowe nor reape c. Whiche of you c. can adde to his stature
haste thou to do with vs Iesus Arte thou cumme to destroye vs For so many as the spirite of this world possesseth thinke themselues vtterly forlorne whensoeuer they are constrayned to forsake those thinges wherein they haue sette theyr false felicitie Wherfore theyr myndes are sore troubled and as you would saye tugged and haled into sondrie pieces whylest on the one syde feare of eternall damnacion moueth them to vertue and goodnes on the other syde the venimous◠swetnes of such vices as thei haue of long time accustomed vnto holdeth them fast and withdraweth them from theyr godly purpose But yet no manner of deuill taketh so faste holde but he wyll at the commaundement of Iesu flye awaye It is a muche greater myracle to make of an ambicious man a temperate of a fyerce felowe a pacient of the lecherous persone a chast liuer of the extorcioner or one that liueth by pollyng and pyllyng a lyberall man than to delyuer a mannes body from a wycked spirite But yet men wonder more at this then at the other not because it is more wonderfull and meruailous in dede but for that it is seene with bodely iyes Therfore when he had thus chased awaye the vncleane spirite by commaundement onely then the Iewes greatly wondered at it insomuche that they demaūded one of another saying What new thing is this we haue not read that euer the Prophetes dyd the lyke castyng out deuyls by bare worde of mouth onely Or what new kynde of doctrine is this that hath so great vertue and power folowing it He preacheth the kyngdome of god and putteth furthe Gods power in that he treadeth vnder foote and subdueth the power of the deuill Neyther is it by sorcery or inchauntment or by makyng of long prayers vnto god nor yet by any other laborious meane that he thus putteth to flyght the wycked fendes But he commaundeth them with worde onely as theyr lorde and conquerour and they incontinēt whether they wyll or no obey hym Of this wonderful facte a great fame of Iesu was spred abrode throughout all the countrey of Galile And because it shoulde appeare that in him is the well spring of godly power whiche can neuer be consumed one miracle dyd streyght wayes succede and folowe another ¶ And furthwith when they were cumme out of the synagoge they entred into the house of Symon and Andrew with Iames and Iohn But Symōs mother in lawe laye sicke of a feuer and anon they tell hym of her and he came and toke her by the hande and lyfte her vp and immediatlye the feuer forsake her and she ministred vnto them And at euen when the Sunne was downe they brought vnto hym all that were diseased and them that were vexed with diuels and all the citie was gathered together at the doore and he healed many that were sicke of diuerse diseases and cast out many deuils and suffered not the deuils to speake because they knewe hym For anon as they were departed out of the synagoge they came into the house of Symō and Andrew whither also Iames and Iohn folowed Now Symons mother in lawe as it thē fortuned laye sycke was sore vexed with an ague Assone as Iesus was by them aduertised therof he went to the bedside toke the woman by the hande lyfted her vp forthwith the feuer forsoke her euē as she was sodainly so was she perfectly made whole For she was sodaynly made as lusty and strong as she was before insomuche that she did her accustomed office in the house ministring vnto Iesu and his disciples He lyeth sycke of a perilous disease whose mynde burneth with the loue of carnall pleasures who by reason of superfluitie and excesse leadeth an ydle and a sluggishe lyfe It is a woman that lyeth sycke And at the beginning the fyrst woman deceiued with the pleasaunt alurement of an apple began to be sycke of this ague Our fleshe that alwayes lusteth agaynste the spirit is our Eue. But happy are they whome Iesus with the touche of his moste holye spirite lifteth vp to the loue of heauenly thynges that he whiche before tyme serued ydlenesse riotous liuing and vncleannes maye sodeynly recouer his olde strength and lustynes and being made a newe manne hereafter becum the seruaunt of clennes chastitie sobernes For these are the meates whiche Christe is refreshed and delyghted withall Now ymagine that the house of Symon sygnifieth the churche of Christ in the whiche it is not conuenient that there be anye feble and weake in spirite but suche as are full of euangelyke strength and lustines And yet many tymes Peters mother in lawe that is to saye the synagoge lyeth sicke in the same For he is a membre of the synagoge vnto whose corrupte tasting the vnsauery and weryshe letter yet sauoreth who tasteth well the water of the Pharisaicall vnderstanding and can in no wyse tast the wyne of the spirite and true meaning of the ghospell They that were in the house with the Lorde Iesu desyred him to lyfte vp the woman that laye sycke in her bedde In semblable wise let vs all who are mēbres of the churche desyre his mercyfull goodnes with most humble praiers that he wyll vouchesafe to put out his holy ryght hand and therwith to lifte vp also those timerous persons whiche clening only to the letter of scripture and wholy geuen to the supersticious obseruacion of ceremonyes dooe of a certaine vnright iudgement greatly desyre those thynges that are hurtfull noysome and contrarily hate and abhorre suche thinges as are onely to be desyred to lyfte them vp I saye to the fredome of the ghospell whiche serueth not for this purpose that we should with more libertie committe sinne at pleasure but to the intent we should gladly and with right good will dooe the workes of Euangelike or christian charitie and cherishe Iesus in his membres The Lorde is alwayes ready to heale the soule yf he be desyred and called vpon He loueth those that call vpō hym call they neuer so importunatly and out of season It was nowe late in the euening and the sunne was set so that it might be thought a great point of importunitee to cal vpon the physycian at that time But the great desyre of healthe had the vpper hande of shame They brought vnto him a very great numbre of suche as wer diseased with all kyndes of infirmities and among them also some whiche were vexed with vncleane spirites The whole citie of Capernaum came thicke and threfolde to the gate of the house to see this syght Iesus without excuse healed very many of them of sundry diseases and cast out many deuils He was a quicke and a readye physycian who with worde cured diseases Moreouer he put to silence the deuils who cryed with a loude voyce that he was Christ vtterly despysyng the testimonie of his enemyes and of them with whome he woulde that his shoulde in no wyse haue to do He suffered the