vntyll the Lorde Iesus expulsed and droue out from them that euill spirite of Satan that helde them in his possession Wherefore the sayed partie so possessed with Satan beeyng not hable to abide the newe vertue of Iesu whiche priuely vttered it selfe began to crye out horribly roryng Oh out out what haste thou to do with vs thou Iesus of Nazareth Art thou come to destroye vs before the tyme we knowe what tormentes abydeth vs at the last daye But nowe thy presence tourmenteth and vexeth vs before that daye We require no saluacion of thee we aske no release of peyne but onelye praye thee to delaye or deferre it vntill than We neuer felte the lyke of these tormentes by the presence of any other prophete Wherupon it is not vnknowen to vs who thou art For doubtlesse thou arte thatsame onely holy of God that shall conquier all vngodlynesse and drieue out of the worlde all vnclenesse The lawe hath his holinesse the lawe hath his clenesse but thou arte he onely whom god had sanctifyed and declared holy with heauenly holynesse The lorde Iesus would not suffre hymselfe to bee praysed or spoken of by that wicked spirite but would all the glory of his prayse to bee referred to his father onely and to come from hym knowyng right well that this confession of the deiuill came not foorth of a syncere fayth but of a malicious will and purpose For he professeth Christe to bee Iesus and to be the sonne of God only to geat hym to confesse thesame of hymself and playnly to vtter what he was to his harmes dooyng the selfesame thing by the mouth of this man that Satan the temptour of hym had to fore gonne about to dooe and had laboured in his owne persone he professeth Christe of a subtile and craftie mynde not that hymselfe might atteyne saluacion but that he myght lette and hyndre the saluacion of others Neyther was it loue that caused hym to vtter that voyce but feare of punishemente Wherfore as an eiuill and malicious vile slaue of a desperate mynde vnpossible to bee recouered to grace he deserued to heare these thankes for his confession Holde thy peace thou vnclene spirite and departe from that man whom by tyrannie thou doest possesse I am come to saue men And whan the deiuil had throwen hym in the myddes he came out of hym and hurt hym not At this emperiall and almightie voyce of Iesus commaundyng hym to departe the vnclene spirite whan he had throwen down the man vpoÌ„ the yearth and vexed hym he departed from hym so that no harme appered dooen vnto the man beyng now safe and clene delyuered That he threwe hym down it was an euident signe of his peruerse wyll and a token that sore agaynste his mynde he forsoke thatsame his dwellyng place That he hurt hym not it proueth playnly that the wieked spirites can hurt none of them whiche dooe wholly commit themselues vnto the salueour For the goodnesse of this one Iesus onely is of more strength to saue man then the malice of innumerable deiuils to destroye or hurt thesame Other men whan they labour to deliuer mennes bodies from noysome spirites are woont to take for the purpose to vse all possible kindes of remedies and thynges of vertue and strength to putte awaye that eiuill as are for exaumple certayne prayers speciallye prescribed and appoynted therefore and made with certayn woordes apte for that purpose burnyng of frankincense sprincling of holy water or other thinges accustomed certayn herbes hauing a vertue and propertie to expell them with many other kyndes of ceremonyes not vnlyke the feacte of sorcerie and witchecrafte And yet right seldome is it seen that those thynges expell an eiuill spirite That if at any tyme he dooe departe out of him he leaueth behinde him some tokens and markes of his manyfest malice either tearyng awaye some membre and lymme of his bodye as a legge or an arme or els leuyng behynde him some disease sickenesse vncurable But whan the people sawe that at the mere worde and sharpe commaundement of Iesus the eiuill spirite sodaynly departed from the manne so that he was perfectly healed and not so muche as the leste marke or signe that could be of his eiuill remayned they all that sawe this doen were astouned and began to wondre And thus they talked emong themselues of Iesus What a straunge case is this that we see now suche a thyng doen as the lyke hath not been reade ne herde For he hath the vnclene spirites vnder his rewle and obeysaunce and commaundeth them And his commaundementes are of suche mightie power and autoritie that they byandby acknowleagyng hym more of power then themselues dooe forsake a man in suche wyse that after they bee goen out of hym perfect health returneth in place of sickenesse Thus the sight of this so woondrefull a miracle caused that the name and fame of Iesus bruited and spred abrode this acte not onely in the citee of Eapernaum but also throughoute all that region euen into the Synagogue of the Iewes whiche lackyng the spirite of Christe made an vprore and a stiere through the spirite of Satan against the trueth of the ghospell throughe the inspiracion of whiche Satan the Nazareans attempted to murdre the saluaour as is aforesayde ¶ And whan he was arysen vp and come out of the synagogue he entred into Symons house And Symons mother in lawe was taken with a great feure and they made intercessioÌ„ to hym for her And he stoode ouer her and rebuked the feure and the feute lefte her And immediately she arose and ministred vnto them Than departed he from the Synagogue and entred into the house of Symon to whom the name of Peter was afterward geuen whose mother in lawe was holden with a veray sharpe feure This womans kinsfolke and alliaunce besought Iesus that as he vndesired had expulâ—ed and drieuen out the deiuill from the man as is aforesayed in the Synagogue he woulde bee so good at the desire of a great manye frendes as to heale this woman of her feure and the rather forasmuche as she was of the allyaunce and affinitie of Peter a disciple of his owne whome he entierly fauoured Than Iesus to shewe and declare hymselfe readye to dooe good bothe priuatelye and openlye aswell to his acquaintaunce as to those that were straungiers vnto hym yea and vnto all ages young or olde to all sexes men or women and to all states and degrees ryche or poore he came nighe and standyng harde by the woman he threafued the feure commaundyng it to departe And foorthwith at the Lordes comaundemente the sickenesse wente quite awaye and the strength and lustinesse of her bodye returned agayne not by littell and littell as it commonly dooeth in those whiche are cured at the handes of phisicians but the sickenesse beeyng soodainelye drieuen awaye the whole strength and lustinesse of perfect health with a cherefulnesse of moode was
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
returned to Iesus the heade of the whole busynesse All thynges procede from him and to hym all thynges must be referred From hym after they had receyued their commission they departed al of one mynde and accorde to th enteÌ„t that whatsoeuer it should fortune them to doe they should likewise do it in his name and to hym they returned with semblable concord of myndes desyrous to haue all that they had done by him approued And so at their retourning they recouÌ„ted vnto him the whole historye and processe of theyr legacion seuerally rehearsyng euery thyng that they hadde taught and done with greate ioye and gladnes and shewing also howe the matter had successe euen as themselfes desyred The Lorde after he had alowed theyr syncere faythe but yet restrayned them from glorying or reioycing in their actes toke them awaye with hym into a solitary place which was the wildernesse of the towne of Bethsaida to th entent that after theyr great trauaile and laboure they should there reste a whyle and sumwhat refresh themselfes This goyng aparte into wyldernes was not for recreacion and pastyme but because they should quicken and renewe the strength of the spirite by secrete contemplacion and prayer that they myghte bee the more able to sustayne suche trauayles and paynes as they should soone after be put vnto afreshe For the teacher of the gospell must very little care for the body Moreouer for as muche as he that exerciseth the office of an apostle or preacher of goddes worde is compelled to haue to do both with weake strong with learned and vnlearned with good and bad it can not be chosen but he muste other whiles be greatly wrasted from that perfite quietnesse and tranquillitie of mynde And whensoeuer it so chaunceth then must he seuer his mynde from worldly matters and wholly geue hymselfe to secrete and most deuout prayers and to purest contemplacion of heauenly thynges that beyng made stronger in spirite therby he maye soone after returne from this his godlye meditacion to the helpe and comforte of his euen Christen For vnto the place where as at that season they found the lorde Iesu there resorted an vnnumerable multitude of people so that it semed as it had bene an ebbing and flowyng of cummers and goers the whiche would suffer the Apostles being then weary by reason of theyr iourney to take no reste no not so muche as to eate their meat Wherfore after the people were sent away they toke shippe and sayled to the syde nighe to Bethsaida from thence went with the Lorde into a solitary place But neyther chaunced it them here long to kepe themselfes close and secrete For the light of the â—angelike veritie can in no wyse be hydde This going aparte did nothing els but make the people more gredy to folowe them Some there were who diligently marked whyther they weÌ„t that is howe they toke their gate to the wyldernesse marchyng on the citie of Bethsaida and byanby as it was noysed abrode that Christe woulde make hys abode there a great multitude of all sortes of people resorted thyther a foote out of all the tounes there aboutes who made so good spede in their iourney that many of them came thyther soner a foote then Christ and his disciples whiche had the vauntage of the water A manne would haue sayde that the tyme had bene alredy present when the people woulde goe about forcibly to enter into the kyngdome of heauen When Iesu perceyued howe an vnnumerable multitude of people was assembled together whiche had with very muche payne and difficultie trauayled thyther a foote so true is it that he gate him not out of the waye nor commaunded them to departe for theyr importunacie that he came out of the secrete place where he was in manoure to meete them goyng about to teache his disciples by sundrye wayes and meanes howe they should at all tymes be willing ready to set forth the gospell And so when the moste gracious Lorde Iesus came forth sawe a very great but a confuse rablement of all sortes of people for there were men wemen children he was moned with compassion and shewed with iyes countenaunce as we commonly say euen with the verye forehead an vnfayned sorowe of mynde fashionyng thaffeccion that ought to be in him who is a teacher of the gospell The people thirsted after holsome doctrine And that was plainlye declared both by the quicke spede they made and also by the paynes they toke in their iourney Loue made theim swifte of foote But they were as it had been a sort of shepe wandring hither and thither for lacke of a good shepheard For the Priestes Phariseis and Scribes nothing regarding theyr flocke fed their owne belyes Therfore Iesus takyng compassion on these simple and disordered people began to exercise thoffice of a faythfull shepheard Firste of al he refreshed theyr myndes with great aboundaunce of the meate of holye doctrine and then immediatly healed the sycke folkes whom they brought with them ¶ And when the day was nowe far spente his disciples came vnto him saying this is a deserte place and now the tyme is farre passed let them departe that they maye goe into the countreye round about and into the townes and bye them bread for they haue nothing to eate he answered and sayd vnto them gâ—ue ye them to â—ate And they sayd vnto hym shall we go and bye two hundreth peny worth of bread and geue them to eate He saied vnto theÌ„ howe manye loaues haue ye â–ª go and loke And wheÌ„ they had searched they sayd fiue and two fyshes And he commauÌ„ded them to make them all sitte doune by companies vpoÌ„ the greue grasse And they saâ—e doune here a rowe and there a rowe by hundredes and by fiftyes And when he had taken the fiue loaues and the two fishes and loked vp to heauen he blessed and brake the loaues and gaue them to his disciples to set before them and the two fishes deuided he among them all And they all dyd eate and were satisfyed and they toake vp twelue baskettes full therof and of the fyshes And they that dyd eate were about fyue thousand men After that muche tyme was spent herein and now the thing it selfe gaue a watche worde that the multitude had lykewise nede to be fedde with corporall foode the disciples folowing the mercy and pitiefulnesse of their Maister aduertised him therof saying Lorde thou seest how a very great number of people is cum thus far without any vitayles and purueyance And this is a deserte place and meale tyme is past They desyrous to heare thy doctrine forget themselues and can in no wise be seuered from the. Wherfore let them depart to th entent they maye repayre into the countrey and villages nexte here about to by them eates to eate Then Iesus teachyng his disciples how a multitude should be fedde made answere yea do ye rather who shal be shepheardes in tyme
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
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
it maketh them the better to fele the misse lacke of hym that is readye for to do them good Certes by this myracle they might haue been moued aswel to reuerence acknowelage his power against the vertue whereof the conspiryng of the furious multitude was not hable any thyng at all to dooe as also to loue the goodnesse of hym who when they had attempted the vttermoste mischiefe agaynst him that laye in theyr powers yet was rather willyng to reserue them to a tyme of repentaunce then to cast them awaye at the wurste to eternall punishemente ¶ And he came down to Capernaum a citie of Galilee and there taughte them on the Sabboth dayes And 〈◊〉 wer aâ—â—ouned at his doâ—trinâ— for his pâ—â—achyng was with power And in the Synagogue there was a manne whiche had an vnclene spirite of a deuill cryed with a loude voyce saying lear me alone what hast thou to doe with vs thou Iesus of Nazareth Art thou come to destroye vs I knowe thee what thou art euen the holy of God And Iesus rebuked hym saying holde thy peace and come out of hym And whan the deuill hadde throwen hym in the middes he came out of hym and hurte hym not And feare came on them all and they spake emong themselues saying what manier a thyng is this For with auctoritie and power he commaundeth the soule spirites and they come out And the fame of hym was spred abrode throughout euery place of the countreye round about Iesus therfore forsakyng the proude citie of Nazareth beeyng rebellious agaynst the doctrine of the ghospell came downe and toke his waye toward a citie of Galilee called Capernaum beeyng a citie of great rychesse and therfore drouned in all râ—ottâ—us excesse in al vesuptuousnesse in ambicion in pryde and in the other vices whiche customably are compaynyons to rychesse But here because of their volupteous sensuall liuing he vsed no familiaritie of carnall conuersacion emong them whiche familiaritie hath euermore been a breder of conteÌ„pte hath vsed to make menes autoritie the lesse regarded Wherfore here also in Capernaum as his custome was elswhere to do he wente into the teÌ„ple vpon the Sabboth daye and preached For the wickednesse of the Nazareans beyng so great that they had goen about wilfully to murdre hym being their best frende could not so weighe hym that beyng offended with so haynous a dede of mischief as that was he would forsake the couÌ„trey of the Iewes and foorth with putte ouer the gyft of the gospel from them vnto the Gentiles but now he fulfylled in dede thesame thyng whiche he afterwarde taughte in wordes to his disciples whiche is that whan they wer drieuen out of one citie they should flee vnto another not settyng theyr mynde ne deuisyng how to auenge theyr iniurye but how to sette foorth the gospell ferther and ferther in suche wyse as the malice of those that droue them awaye out of theyr tounes myght profite to the expedicion of settyng forewarde the profession of the ghospell And Capernaites although they wer men all geuen to worldly affaires nor muche abhorred from the maniers of the heathen emong whome by reason of the trade of bying and sellyng that the one vsed with the other they were often conuersaunt he found muche more ientil and honeste in taking or interpretyng his woordes and dooynges then he founde his owne countreymen the Nazareans to whom neuerthelesse for his well knowen and throughly tryed and continual perfeccion of lyfe he ought to haue been more derely beloued For the Capernaâ—â—es very greatlye woondred at the doctryne of Iesus consyderyng that it was no washe miengled geare nor peynted and glossed as was the doctrine of the Pharisees of washynges of truely paying the tithes of Mynt and Rue of castyng gyftes into the offryng boxe of god and of suche other lyke thynges whiche rather conteined supersticion then vertuous doctrine and whiche were layed vpon the simple people to mayteyne the glorye and lucâ—e of the pharisees whereas they theimselues that taughte these thynges kept not so muche as the chief commaundementes of the lawe but the doctrine of Iesus was found substaunciall and full of auctoritie For first whatsoeuer he taught was moste certaine trueth and also agreable with naturall reason Secondarily it was of it selfe muche materiall vnto true godlynesse and to eternall saluacion Ferthermore â–ª his singular perfeccion of liuyng caused his doctryne to bee regarded accordingly And ouer and besydes al this many a miracle was there wrought and shewed by hym with suche power and vertue as hadde neuer been vsed ne seen there whiche euidently declared the doctrine that he taught to bee of God and not of mannes spirite For the Lorde Iesus did his myracles not for lucre or vaine glory but firste with them he succoured the wofull necessities of suche persons as were in extreme distresse to the ende that by doyng them benefites he might winne theyr hertie loue and secondely the miracles were for a tyme shewed to the bodely iyes to the ende that by the same miracles they myght learne to beleue those thynges whiche though they were inuisible yet were more earnestly then any corporall benefites to bee desyred lastely they were a fygure and a representacion of those thynges that were wrought in theyr soules It was now the Sabboth daye and the people religiously and with great deuocion rested froÌ„ the workes forbidden whiche yet of theÌ„selues were not euill as for exauÌ„ple to go a iourneye to kiendle a fyer to grynde theyr corne to presse theyr wynes or to â—otche vp theyr garment beeyng broken or seamerent Without foorth in dede it was Sabboth daye that is to saye the daye of reste but within theyr myndes there was a great trouble and vnquyetnesse whiche the spirite of Satan did there reyse who woondrefully tossed and vexed theyr myndes with dyuerse mocions of coâ—eâ—ise of pryde of wrath of auengyng displeasures and of envie For there and no where els is the true Sabboth where the spirite of the Lorde quieteth the mynde to reste from all vicious and inordinate lustes And of this thing there was euen than presente a certain figure in theyr sinagogue whiche was a certayn man whose bodye was possessed with an vnclene deuill and this exaumple was to vs halfe a warning and a puttyng in remembrauÌ„ce in how muche more miserable and piteous case they are whose myndes are possessed with eiuils of vires yea more foule and ilfauoured then that deiuill was For what deiuill is more vnclene or more noysome then lecherous concupiscence then wrathe then ambicion then the gredie desyre of moneye then enuie then hypocrisie With these deiuils suche others lyke were the Iewes for the moste parte possessed who dwelt in the Synagogue whiche synagogue had not as yet receyued the spirite of Christe but was vexed with so many deiuils as there reygned vices in them Neither were they hable to receyue the moste mylde spirite of the gospell
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
onely waye to Goddes fauour to bee the enbracyng of his holy Scriptures the drounyng wherof had enforced God to power his indignacion vpon the Christian worlde He sawe and well perceyued that God of his mercie was wylling to ceasse his wrath and vengeaunce if the Christian people woulde returne to hym He perceyued God to offre his grace vnto the worlde by openyng their iyes if leauyng theyr errour and ignoraunce thei woulde enbrace the clere lyght of the ghospell He sawe moreouer that his moste louyng subiectes of Englande whome his godly exaumple had prouoked to tendre and seke the glorye of God dyd nowe houngre and thirste the righteousnesse of God and the knowleage of his woorde He playnly sawe that no waye there was to a reformacion but by this onely meane yf the autoritie and vsurped supremitie of the See of Rome wer extirped abolished and clene extincte For he sawe his countreimen the Englishe Israelites to bee holden in suche extreme bondage wythin the Romishe Egypte that there was no hope of deliueraunce but by the onely power and myghtifull arme of God reysyng vp some Moses that woulde in the face of that same moste cruell Pharao require that Israell myght bee freely leat goe The huige seuenfold headed draguon was to the simple inferiour people suche an obstacle that they myght not come to Christe and to all Christen princes suche a terrour that they durste not This draguon besydes the monstreous hissing of his curses and excommunicacions and besides the contagious infeccion of idolatry and superstition wherewith he had by his whelpes the cancarde papistes so adblasted the worlde that he had enwrapped and drowned all Christendome in blindnesse and errour he hadde also a mortall styng in his taill wherewyth he ceassed not by all kyndes of deathes and tormentes to destruye and mourdre as manye as woulde once open theyr lyppes agaynste his moste detestable and moste blasphemous abominacions This draguon ceassed not continually to persecute the woman clothed in the sunne that is to saye Christes dere spouse the churche of England but as a rampyng and roryng lyon he stoode euer ready watchyng that he mighte deuoure her chyldren the Christian flocke whiche she nowe groned to bryng foorth to Christe had not the Englishe Michael kyng Henry the eight taken in hande to fight agaynst the sayde draguon and been strengthened of God wyth hys Aungelles the lordes and godlye prelates to caste the sayde draguon that olde serpente and his Aungels oute of Englande This was the great harlotte that sitteth vpon manye waters wyth whome the kynges of the yearthe haue committed fornicacion and the inhabiters of the yearthe been made drounken wyth the wyne of her fornicacion the woman sittyng vpon the rosecouloured and tenhorned beaste full of names of blasphemye she sitting araied in purple and rosecolour and decked with golde precious stones perles and in her hande a cuppe of golde full of abhominacions and filthines of her fornicacion and in her forehead a name of great misterie written great Babylon the mother of whoredome and abhominacions of the yearth and the same whore drounken with the bloude of Saynctes and with the bloude of wytnesses of Iesus Thys was the huyge monstre Hydra to whome the poetes attribute seuen heades some eyghte and some an hundred heades whome aswell king Iohn of Englande as also soondrie other Cstristen princes had attempted to vanquishe but as soone as they had cutte of one heade three other heades grewe vp for it so that euerye wounde that was geuen him was a more confirmacion and encrease of his strength vntyll our Hercules Kyng Henrye the eyghte perceyuyng that no power no puissaunce no weapon was hable to confounde hym sauyng onelye the consumyng fyer of Goddes woorde prouided the Byble to bee sette forth in the Englishe tounge and to bee sette vp in euerye churche where it myght bee read of of his people Long time endured this conflycte betwene our Englyshe Hercules and the Romishe Hydra ere he could bee destruied so fast grewe vp a more numbre of serpentine heades whan any one was cut of For besydes the manyfolde moste monstruous heades of Idolatrye Pylgremages supersticions countrefaicte religions and innumerable abuses mo whiche kyng Henry had to cutte of his whelpes the indurate generacion of papistes deuised all meanes possible to kepe hys auctoritie styll in Englande ne lefte any engin vnattempted to staigh and lette the abolishyng of hys vsurped power abusyng the simple people wyth all kyndes of delusion and iuggleyng of countrefaicte myracles of feigned visions of liyng in traunces of rapcions euen vnto the thyrde heauen of sophistycall learning of holy contestacions of subtily inuented prophecies of bolde comminacions and threateninges of voices auouched to haue come from heauen of peruertyng the sence of scripture to mainteine his power of wrytyng bookes in derogacyon of the kynges procedynges And to the ende there shoulde not lacke any kinde of wickedenesse that the saied Hydra and his adherentes moonkes fryers and other cloystreers were hable to weorke he founde meanes besydes many other stormes of forrayne warres and conspiracies so ferre to abuse the credulitie of the simple ignoraunte people that he brought theim halfe in a detestacion and hatered of Gods woorde and seduced theim to aduenture with a lytle blaste of sedicion to distourbe the cogitacions of suche a noble and a good kyng beeyng than moste eaâ—nestelye yea I maye saye onely sette in studiyng for the establishemente and continuacion of peace and tranquilitie in this Royalme for euer All whiche terrours coulde not appalle kyng Henryes moste stoute courage but that he wente thorough with the reformacion whiche the spirite of God so wrought in hys harte and conscience that he sawe it to bee necessarie and hymselfe to bee chosen of God to bee the instrumente therof All this whyle Englande thoughe not yet veray wyllyngly ne vniuersally receyuyng the grace of the ghospell offreed vnto vs together wyth the moste heauenly iewell and treasure of Goddes holy scripture in the mother language yeâ— neuerthelesse as oure partyes and moste bounden dueties were tenderlye consideryng the moste vigilaunte care and studie and moste earneste trauayle of oure moste gracious soueraigne employed for our behoufe and daily bestowed in fortifiyng all parties of the Royalme agaynst the malicious assaultes and conspiracies of the said Romishe Hydra or any other enemies by his procuremente Englande I saye ceassed not with continuall prayer to beseche the goodnesse of almyghtye God to rewarde the godlye mynde and dooynge of our kyng nowe wearyng oute hys bodye in trauayllyng for vs and spendyng his lyfe in procuryng for our wealth and safegarde wyth a soonne to whome whan he shoulde departe hence to heauen he myght safely committe and leaue his croune with the gouernaunce of vs his moste dere beloued subiectes Thus did all Englande by the space of many yeres persiste in continuall prayer but almyghtie God wyllyng to shewe for what persones he reserueth hys blyssynges as
paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the gospel that is to say a treasour in manier a ful library of all good diuinitie bookes For whatsoeuer thing any of the auncient doctours of the church left behind him whatsoeuer in any catholike writer is conteined whatsoeuer any notable good exposytoure hath sette foorthe for the sincere playne declaracion of the new testament the pith and substance therof hath this man with a clerkely iudgment compendiously and briefly as it were in a summe couched together in this one weorke Neither was there euer any weorke so easy to be vnderstaÌ„ded of the reader which hath more cunning shewed in it as by his owne annotacions vpon his traÌ„slacion of the new testament it may euidently appere in which annotacions he approueth declareth himselfe with such diligent obseruacion and marking to haue perused al libraries al writers al bookes as very few studentes dooe vse to reade and labour any one autour in any one particuler facultie or discipline Accepte this autour therfore deuout reader and with glad wil enbrace so profitable a meane instrumeÌ„t wherby thou maist without any ferther trauail then onely reading marking bearing it away so easily attain to the clere vnderstanding of the gospel Reade it with a pure a charitable hert with a single iye void of al maner parcialitie of affeccion or of enuy thou shalt espy therin such edifying as may be mete for thy state of knowlage aptitude or capacitie what euel it be For like as in the most holy blissed testameÌ„t there is both pappe for youÌ„gâ—inges in the feith in the knowlage of Gods worde and also sounde meate for such as are wel entred hable to broke higher thinges euen so in this auctour are al thinges aptly tempered to enduce traine the grosse the rude multitude aswel of Curates teachers â–ª as also of other priuate readers to fede the weake with such doctrine as they are hable to receiue to sharpen and make eagre such as are hungrie of ferther knowlage to minister vnto the learned or eloqueÌ„t teachers matier sufficieÌ„t wheron to grouÌ„d much profouÌ„d the same right ChristiaÌ„ doctrine Accept it willingly rendre thaÌ„kes first to God who of his infinite mercy grace hath in these our daies seÌ„t such a numbre of suche good writers and emong them Erasmus as one of the chiefe and principal not onely to geue clere light but also to open a way vnto the pure perfeict knowlage of Gods worde and than to your moste excellent Soueraine good king Edward the sixte who emong the other his most princely and most Christian actes doeth so soone and so effectually begyn first with the promoting of Gods worde and glory being the fountain and ground of al good successe welth and prosperitie and thirdly to Quene Katerine by whose good meanes and procurement this present weorke hath been by soondry mennes labours turned into our vulgare toung wherby the kinges Maiestie whose principal desire trauail is to doe all thinges possible wherby his most teÌ„drely beloued subiectes knowlage may be ferthered their conscience slaighed in a sincere doctrine of Christ with a perfeict framing confirming of the same in a good conuersacion of life might by hauing so notable a good matier in redinesse be the better occasioned to put forth so fruitful an exposicion of the gospel For a paraphrase is a plain setting forth of a text or sentence more at large with such circumstaunce of moe and other wordes as may make the sentence open cleare plaine familiar whiche otherwise should perchaunce seme bare vnfruitful harde straunge â—ough obscure derke to be vnderstanded of any that were either vnlearned or but meanly entred And what is this but a kinde of exposicioÌ„ yea and that of the most pâ—â—hthie and effectual sorte How muche therefore art thou bound deuout christian reader and especially ye priestes and Curates that either haue not ben brought vp in studie of letters of diuinitie or els haue not such store of bookes as may be sufficieÌ„t for mainteining of your studies how much are al ye bound I say vnto the kinges moste exellent Maiestie and his most honorable worthy Counsaillours who of a speciall regarde and coÌ„sideracion of the ignorauÌ„ce defaute of litterature which hath reigned in most part of the Clergie of England aswel to the great detriment harme and decay of religion in the christian flockes to their spiritual charge coÌ„mitted as also to their owne intolerable peril and daungier whan at the general day of accoumpt and audite to be made at the throne of God it shall bee required at their handes how and what they haue taught to the ignoraunt multitude for whose solles as touching their institucion in the feith in the lawes of God they must answer before a rightful iudge whome no maÌ„ shal be hable to corrupt beguile deceiue or escape haue by their most good policie founde a meanes howe both ye and all the people may with a great dele lesse time study labour yea also charges then were wonâ—e to be bestowed in playing at tables boules cardes other vnlawful games haue in a few leaues a whole library of good doctrine both for the priuate edifying of euery one particularely and also for the enstruccion teaching of eche other in common Whatsoeuer ignoraunt person is desirous of knowlage can be conteÌ„ted to learn whosoeuer is not of an hert so indurate but that he can abide such good bookes as may further Christes doctrine whosoeuer is not of an extreme malignaunt stomake against the due setting foorth of Gods worde whosoeuer is not such an enemie to the glory of God that he enuieth the benefit of Christes bloud vnto England whosoeuer is not eyther of such blindnesse that he cannot see the trueth or of such peruerse froward malice that he wil not or of such cancard obstinacie that he wil against the spirite and against his conscience wilfully withstand resist al good thinges which may induce men to the knowlage of God whosoeuer doth not hate the light of the gospel whosoeuer is in his herte a fauourer of the trueth and of the kinges Maiesties most godly procedinges hath no lesse cause but to enbrace Erasmus whose doctrine the most best parte of al ChristiaÌ„ Royalmes vniuersities hath euermore allowed iudged to be consonauÌ„t to the truth also is bouÌ„d with immortal thankes to pray for the kinges most excelleÌ„t Maiestie for this his most gracious setting forth publishing this present weorke to the vse of such as haue nede therof And where the sayd Erasmus fer otherwise then a great nuÌ„bre of the scholastical sorte other vnlettred expositours of these last blind seasons hath written these his paraphrases in as ornate a stile as he hath the most parte of hys other volumes is not as some barbarous bloundreers haue for safegard defence of
men he chose not Philosophers not Phariseis not Priestes not ryche men For he woulde not that the glorie of the gospel should be defiled ' with any worldlye ayde and succour But as he walked neere the water whiche as we sayed before was in the border of bothe Galilees he espied twoo brothers germaine the name of the one was Symon and he was called also Peter the other was named Andrewe whose fathers name was Iohn These before that tyme heard Iohn through whose prouocacion they began to folowe Iesus But they lefte them both and turned agayn to theyr facultie and crafte whereby they were wont to get theyr lyuyng And nowe they were bustlye occupied castyng theyr nettes into the sea It was a sygne of good lucke Fyrste youth more ready to receyue the newe doctryne further the agreablenes of brethren one readye to helpe another Agayn a craft and facultie in whiche was no hurt wherby they got a poore liuyng out of the common mere or poole Fynally the fishyng put them in remembraunce of the newe fisshyng whiche serued not to take fishes with nettes to feade the belly but wyth the nette of the gospell to catche men drouned wyth worldly cares vnto desyre of the heauenly lyfe Therfore as they were occupied about necessaries for theyr bodye Christ speaketh vnto them saiyng Folowe me ye shall learne a science of me better than euer ye learned of your father And yet ye shall not leaue your science but ye shall chaunge it to a better fashyon For I will make you hereafter fysshers of men that ye whiche wayte for fishes to destroye them maye catche and take men into euerlasting saluacion They knewe the voyce of hym whome before they did beleue and whose gentilnes they hadde proued before wyth familiar communicacion But through the strength and efficacie of his voyce he brought to passe that foorthwith at the word of the caller thei forgat not onely theyr fishe but also theyr nettes as they were they lefte them there and not byddyng theyr acquayntaunce once fare well they folowed Iesus euen as he walked They sawe no greate thyng yet in Iesus notwithstandyng they stayed not nor lingered nothyng nor were not careful howe they should gette theyr liuing hereafter but ioyned themselues to hym callyng them with hys onelye woorde and folowed him and would not awaie to dye therfore And whan he was gone foorth from thence he saw other two brethren Iames the sonne of Zebede and Iohn hys brother in the shyp with theyr father Zebede mending theyr â—ettes and he called them and they furthwyth lefte the shyp and their father and folowed hym Iesus going a litell further espyed other two brothers Iames and Iohn the sonnes of zebedeus he was the better pleaseâ— for that the brethren and the father agreed so well together They wer al in one botâ— endeuoryng one thing euen the fame that Peter and Andrewe were aboute But these went not spedely forwarde with theyr businesse because theyr nettes were broken with longe wearyng whiche was a token of pouertye Iesus therfore passing by as they were earnestly occupyed in mendyng of theyr nettes spake vnto them and bad them folowe hym The young men of a playne confidence and truste without any tariyng furthwith leauyng theyr nettes and forgetting theyr father also bend themselues to folowe Iesus so the preaching of Iohn hadde framed and fashioned them so deserued the towardenesse and redinesse of theyr hartes so had the inspiracion of Christe drawen them who wholly breathed and sauoured of the heauenly spirite wherwith he was replenished And Iesus wente about al Galile teachyng in theyr Sinagoges and preachyng the ghospel of the kyngdome and healyng al maner of sickenes and al manier of diseases emong the people And his fame spred abrode throughoute all Siria And they brought vnto hym all sycke people that were taken with diuerse diseases and grypynges and them that were possessed wyth deuils and those that were lunatike and those that had the palsey and he healed them And there folowed hym great multitudes of people from Galile and from Decapolis and Ierusalem and Iewry and froÌ„ the countreyes that lye beyond Iordane Ye see the entrynges of our Philosophye whereby it was thoughte good vnto god to saue all mankynde Ye se the pompe and ruffling of the euangelycall schole Poore Iesus beyng accumpanyed with these few fishers vnlerned of the common sorte and poore men walked ouer all Galile not nowe in corners nor in deserte but in theyr Synagoges where was moste resorte preachyng and shewyng that the kyngdome of heauen whiche had heretofore been promysed was nowe at hande not puttyng them in feare of helle fyer lyke as Iohn dyd but inuiting and allurynge all men with free benefites For wheresoeuer he wente he healed all mennes diseases indifferently and freely refusing no man were he neuer so vile and of the meanest sorte and with lyke easynesse he chased a waye all diseases were they neuer so incurable to thintent bothe to set furth and declare by miracles his power to be greater than mannes and also through free benefites to purchase and winne the loue of all menne For hym we gladly truste and beleue whome we loue Yea euen the wylde beastes also bee wunne with benefits Surelye there is no benefite more godly than freelye to restore health By these meanes it came to passe that the fame of hym spredde abrode throughout all Syria and manye brought from a farre theyr diseased folke incumbred with diuerse dyseases and griefes and besydes these suche as were possessed with diuels and Lunatikes and diseased with the palsey whome Phisicyons commonly eyther take not vpon them to cure or els be wonte to cure in vayne because the dysease passeth theyr arte and cunnyng But Iesus healed all easily not with mannes medicynes but wyth heauenly vertue wherwyth he was hable also to rayse the dead It was a small matter to hym to take awaye the diseases of the bodyes whiche toke awaye the diseases of the myndes It was a smalle matter for hym to prolong the lyfe of the bodye whiche came to geue euerlastyng lyfe vnto all men There came therfore from thys parte and that parte a wonderfull numbre of people not onely from Galile of the Gentiles where he was but also out of the other Galile whiche was beyonde the water and oute of the countrey that was called Decapolis because of the tenne cities whiche were in it also out of Hierusalem and the residew of Iewry and out of the places whyche were beyonde Iordane All men as they haue nede runne to a benefit Many be moued wyth nouelties Sum came for malice with a mynde to wayte displeasure Iesus for his parte draweth all vnto hym but fewe bee mete for the heauâ—nly Philosophye for the teachyng and deliuery of the which he chiefly came into the worlde The people is moued wyth care of the bodye and is desyrouse and deliteth muche in newe syghtes and gasinges But
that in these long stormes and tempestes of warres there woulde some fayre wether or clermes of peace shyne vpon vs oat of one quarter or other Neither haue I thought my selfe at any time the lesse bounden of an hear vnto your bountefull goodnes then if I had accepted whatsoeuer your grace of your princely liberalitie offered me And I trust ere it be loÌ„ge to haue an occasion more euidently to testifye the earneste zeale and good mynde I beare towardes your hyghnes In the meane whyle vntyll oportunitie shall serue me so to dooe I haue thought good to sende your grace the Paraphrase vpoÌ„ the ghospell of Sainct Marke as an earnest penny of this my promise And where I was of my selfe very prone and ready thus to dooe and as it were runnyng forwarde of mine owne accorde the very fitues of the matier did also not a lytle excite and moue me therunto For after I had dedicated Mathewe vnto myne owne naturall liege lorde Charles themperoure and Iohn vpon whome by and by after I had finished Mathewe I made lykewyse a Paraphrase vnto Fardynande his maiesties naturall brother Luke whiche was the thyrde that I wente in hande withall vnto the kyng of Englande then remained there Marke who semed to be lefte behynde for your grace because the fower gospels shoulde be dedicated vnto the fower chiefe princes and rulers of the worlde And god sende grace that the spirite of the ghospell maye lykewyse ioyne the heartes of you all fower together in mutuall amitie and concorde as youre names are in this ghospell boke aptely conioyned Some there be whiche extende the byshoppe of Romes dominion euen vnto hell or purgatory other some geue him impery and power ouer the aungels And so farre am I froÌ„ enuying him this preâ—minente auctoritie that I woulde wishe hym to haue a great deale more but yet woulde I desyre withall that the worlde might once fele this his power good and holsome in settyng christian Princes at one and in conseruing the same in peace and amitie whiche haue a loÌ„g season with no lesse dishonoure then slaughter and effusion of Christian bloud warred one agaynste a nother to the vtter decay of Christes religion And all this while we curse and banne the Turkes But what pleasaunter sight can there be vnto the Turkes or yf any other nacioÌ„ there be of the miscreauntes that are greater enemies vnto Christes religion then to see thre of the moste florishing and moste puissauÌ„t princes of all Europe thus by reason of mischieuous diuision to pursue eche other with mortall battaille It will scarcely sincke in my brayne that there is any so cruell a Turke who wysneth more mischiefe vnto Christen menne theÌ„ theÌ„selues weorke one an other And all this whyle ariseth there no peace maker which with his authoritie maye appeace this vngodly busines and ruffling of the worlde whereas there lacketh not prouokers and setters on ynowe and suche as poure oyle as it is in the olde prouerbe vpon the fyer It is not my parte to make any ones title either better or worse with my foreiudgement I knowe ryght wel that euery one thinketh his owne cause moste rightful and iuste I knowe also that in all such iudgementes that same partye is euer woonte to haue more fauoure that â–ª defendeth himselfe from iniury offred him then he that offreth the wrong but yet would I very fayne that all christian princes woulde debate the matier ryght and would well consider with themselues how much he hathe gotten hereby whatsoeuer he be that had lieffer haue and embrace an vniust peace then wage battaile be it neuer so iust and lawfull What is more bryttle more shorte or more full of misery and wretchednesse then is this present lyfe of ours I will not here speake of so many kyndes of diseases as reigne in the worlde so many iniuries so many casualties so many fatall calamities and misauentures so many pestilences so many diuers kyndes of lyghtninges so many yerthquakes so many sortes of fiers so many fluddes and inundacions of waters with other like calamities out of all measure and numbre For amoÌ„ge all the euils that mannes life is vexed or troubled withall there is none where of more mischief and hurte ensueth then of battaile the which yet doeth muche more mischiefe vnto mennes maners then it doeth vnto theyr substance or bodyes For he doeth the lesse harme of bothe that bereaueth a man of his life then he that bereaueth him of his vertuous and good minde Neyther is battayle euer the lesse detestable lesse to be abhorred because the moste parte of the euills thereof lyghteth vpon poore folkes neckes suche as are of lowe state and degree as of husbandmen craftes menne and waifaryng men For the Lorde of all Iesus Christe shedde no lesse bloude for the redempcion of suche be they neuer so bile rascals abiecte persons then he dyd for the greatest kynges and princes that be And when at the dreadfull daye of dome we shall cumme before the iudgement seate of Christ where muste ere long be presented all the potentates and rulers of this worlde howe mightie and puissaunte soeuer they be that rigorous iudge will require as streyght an accompte for those sely poore wretches as he wyll doe for the rulers and great menne They therfore that thynke it but a small losse vnto the coÌ„mon wealthe when these poore soules and vnderlinges are robbed afflicted dryuen out of their houses burned oppressed and murthered dooe plainly condemne of folyshnes Iesus Christe the wysdome of the father of heauen who for to saue suche as the sayde persons are dyd shed his preciouse bloud and suffred passion Wherfore in mine opinion no kynde of people is more pernicious to the common weale then suche as put into princes heades those thynges that maye styrte and moue them to warre who the more highe stomaked and couragious they be the soner are they deceyued And amonge all princely vertues highe stomake and noble courage of mynde is rekened the chief For this vertue was Iulius Cesar of olde wryters hygly commended And for the same is noble Kyng Frauncis lykewyse extolled in oure tyme with the full consent and testimonie of all nacions Nowe what greater argument is there of a very loftie and couragious mynde then to be able nothinge to passe vpoÌ„ iniuries The doughtynes and valiauÌ„tise of the olde Capitaines who warred for empire and not for defence of lyfe is muche renoumed and praysed but in Gentyle wryters and of Panyms or Gentiles Certes it is a muche more honourable and glorious facte for a christian prince to bye peace and tranquilitie of the common weale with the losse of some parte of his dominion and inheritaunce then for victory obteyned to be receyued with muche goodly triumphe bought with so great displeasures of the people Therefore such as haue inceÌ„sed the myndes of princes with a desyre to enlarge their empire what els haue they inuented but a continual
blynde Myne opinion is that battaile for the moste part springeth of vayne wordes or titles as it were inuented to nourishe maÌ„s pryde vayne glory as who saie there were not ambicion ynoughe in the worlde vnlesse we fed maintened this naughtie vice with newly inuented titles the whiche vice of it owne propre nature groweth to fast in vs. These and suche other lyke rootes and chief causes of battaile beyng once cut awaye then should it be easie to coÌ„clude and establishe a peace among christian princes with such lawes and condicions that woulde neuer suffre suche ruffling businesse and hurly burly to begyn agayne By this meanes should the princes encrease in richesse now beeing common bytwene them by reasâ—n of amitie and frendship and the christian people should lyue in louely peace and tranquilitie vnder their moste wealthye princes So would the lorde Iesus that true king of the whole worlde be fauorable vnto vs and cause all thinges to prosper goe forwarde with vs. So should we be feared of the enemies of Christes religioÌ„ againste whom we haue much a do at this daye to defend our owne much lesse than are we able to discoumfite them and chase them away far from vs Albeit I had rather haue them refourmed of their misbeliefe then by force of armes chased away and put to flyght But howe is it possible for vs to reforme other yf our selues be I had almoste sayed worse and more vicious in our conuersacion then they are For I dooe not here esteme christian menne by the articles of the fayth whiche we professe with mouthe but by theyr maners and lyning Wheresoeuer ambicion couetousnes pryde wrathe reuengemente and a desyre to hurte reigneth there say I lacketh the faythe of the ghospell Nowe albeit this pestilence haue infected euen those vnto whose office it chiefly apperteined to see a remedy for the decay of christen religion yet haue I some good hope of reformacion because I see the bookes of holy scripture but specially of the newe testament so taken in hande and laboured of all men yea euen as much as of the ignoraunt and vnlettered sorte that many tymes suche as professe the perfyte knowledge of Goddes woorde are not able to matche them in reasonyng And that there be very many readers of the bookes of the newe testament this one thyng maketh me to beleue because notwithstanding the printers do yerely publishe and put forth so many thousande volumes yet all the bookesellers shoppes that be are not hable to suffice the gredâ—â—es of the byers For nowe a dayes is it well solde ware whatsoeuer a man attempteth vpon the ghospell This so strong a medicine once receiued and dronken canne not but worke and put forth his strength Wherfore me thynketh the worlde is in case lyke to a maÌ„nes body vexed with greuous diseases after it hath receyued an herbe called Ellebore or some other strong purgacion For then is it all together distempered and out of quyet and fareth as though it woulde yelde vp the ghoste And God sende grace that this euangelike Ellebore after it haue once searched and entred into all the veynes of our soule maye so come vp agayne that the sedes of vices beyng therby cast out and auoyded it maye restore vs made whole and purged of all our synnes vnto Iesu Christe and maye also after this greate rufflyng and almoste vncurable diseases of the worlde bryng agayne vnto all menne that ioyefull and muche desyred tranquilitie And verily I would hope better that the common prayers of all good men to that ende and purpose shoulde not be made in vaine if the chiefe estates of the worlde woulde lyke trustie and faythfull physycians do theyr endeuour to helpe the worlde in this euill case that is to saye yf the princes in whome it chiefly lyeth to rule the worlde as they wyll would call vnto theyr remembraunce that they shall shortlye for what thing is there in this present lyfe of any long continuaunce gyue an accoumpt vnto that moste soueraigne and high prince how they haue gouerned their dominions Agayne yf the bishoppes diuines and all ecclesiasticall persones woulde likewyse remember howe they haue not succeded in the places of Annas Caiphas or of the Scribes and Phariseis who whyles they wickedly defended theyr owne kyngdome wente about to oppresse the kyngdome of the ghospell whyles they vphelde and defended theyr owne glorye dyd theyr endeuour to bury and ouer whelme Christes glorye and finally whiles they laboured to approue theyr owne righteousnesse made God vnrighteous but rather in the place of the Apostles who had a pleasure euen with the leesyng of theyr owne bloude and liues to defende Christes kyngdome Christes glory and Christes righteousnes Christe hath once suffered once arysen agayne from death to lyfe and neuer wyll dye agayne But he suffereth thesame passion afreshe so oft as the truethe of the ghospell is condemned beaten spytte vpon crucified and buried To be short he reckeneth done vnto hymselfe whatsoeuer euell or displeasure is done vnto his membres Peraduenture moste Christian kyng I haue spokeÌ„ here more frankely and more at large then it became me to do howbeit the great loue I beare towarde your grace hath made me both lauishe of my woordes and also more bolde to vtter my minde vnto your highnesse I beyng a Christian man do wishe well vnto all Christian menne generally but yet haue I a certaine speciall loue and affeccion to the moste noble and florishyng realme of Fraunce I beseche Iesu thimmortall kyng of the whole worlde vnto whome the heauenly father hath geuen all power in heauen and in yearth to geue his holy spirite both to the people and also to the princes and rulers to the princes that they may haue grace happely to passe ouer theyr lyues in mutuall amytie and concorde vnder theyr common kyng and prince Iesu vnto the other that they maye lyue in reste and peace vnder their moste godly and wealthy princes and the ende of all to be this that christian vertue and godlinesse beyng well planted among vs maye be enlarged and spred abrode as muche as is possible to be not by inuadyng or wasting of others dominions or countreys for so our enemies become the porer but neuer the better and more godly but by preaching euery where the doctrine of the gospell syncerely and truely by theyr ministery that haue in them the spirite of the ghospell and by ordering our liues after suche sorte that verye many may be allured to professe our religion euen by the swete smell or sauour of our good lyuing So be ganne the christian empire so encreaced it so was it greatly enlarged so was it established and by the contrary we see how it is now almost at a point and come to nothing if we considre the greatnesse of the whole worlde Wherfore loke by what aydes it first beganne by what meanes it was encreaced and established by the same must we repaire it beyng decaied
measure and proporcion of their faithe as it is presently expedient But in Iesus was the continuall fountaine of al heauenly grace For the doue brought hym not then any new grace whiche he had not before but euidently declared howe he was full of grace and showed moreouer from whence all grace and goodnes issueth and cummeth vnto vs. Iohn beyng stablyshed in mynde with this so euident a signe receiued of the father of heauen doubted not to pronounce Iesus to be the very sonne of God The witnes that he gaue vnto Christ was of great waight and authoritie amoÌ„g the Iewes but much greater was the testimonie of the father himselfe whose voyce sounded doune from the heaueÌ„s saying Thou art that my derely beloued sonne in whome my minde delighteth For a wyse childe is the fathers ioy and comforte That heauenly spirit of God is not ydle weake faynt or feble but of nature all fiery and by and by wurketh and putteth furth his vertue as soone as it is once entred into the soule of man The spirite of man is slacke and slowe and thinketh vpon nothing but that whiche is lowe vile and worldly But they that haue the spirite of the fleash mortified and are led with the spirite of God do furthwith goe in hande with high thinges and of manly enterprise that is to say doe fight against the vncleane spirite their ghostly enemy the deuil whoÌ„ they are not afrayed euen to prouoke to battayle as men puttyng theyr whole confidence in the ayde and succour of the heauenly spirite whiche is of muche more vertue and puissauÌ„ce than all that withstande the gospell ¶ And immediatly the spirite droue him into wildernes and he was there in the wildernes fowerty dayes and was tempted of Sathan and was with wild beastes and the aungels ministred vnto hym After that Iohn was taken Iesus came into Galile preachyng the gospell of the kyngdome of God and saying The tyme is cum and the kyngdome of God is at hande Repent and beleue the gospell Wherfore Iesus plainly expressing in himselfe what he woulde haue vs to doe incontinent after we haue receyued baptisme was brought by force of the holy goste into wildernesse There he made his abode fowertie dayes and as many nyghtes styll continuyng in prayer and fastyng and in the meane season he was tempted of the deuyll whom after he had discoumfited and ouerthrowen hym he delyuered vnto vs to ouercum shewyng vs also the verye waye and meane howe to gette the victorye He is ouerthrowen by the spirite of Christe by continuall prayer and sobernesse of lyfe and by the weapon of holy Scripture The whyle that Christe continued thus in wyldernesse he lyued among saluage beastes vtterly abstayning from all comfort and solace taken of the company of man There had been no daunger for hym yf he had bene conuersaunt with the multitude of people but he shewed hereby howe expedient it is for a Christian souldiour to exchewe the compainye of the conmon sorte vntill he haue sufficiently tamed the fleshe and ouercome the deuyl and by continuall recordyng of Goddes lawe and deuout prayers made him selfe strong ynough in spirite For many be in more safetie when they lyue among beastes as Christ dyd then when they be conuersaunt with suche meÌ„ne as are more noysome then any brute beastes The Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christe kept company with beastes but whiles he lacked the ministery of meÌ„ Angels were alwayes present and serued hym They that vtterly despyse alâ— the pastimes and pleasures of this worlde neuer wante heauenlye pleasures and solaces For vs and our profite Christ was baptised For vs he prayed for vs he was notably described by the testimony of the father and the holye ghost for vs he went into wyldernesse for vs he fasted for vs he was tempted for vs he gatte the victorye ouer the deuil Here consyder thou Christian souldiour the very true and right order of thy perfeccion The first instruccion and teaching by mouth of Christes religion causeth hatred of the former lyfe and hope of clensyng or remission of synnes With these capitaines thou runnest to Iordane and there throughe fayth in Christe washest awaye the fylthynesse of all thy synnes And anon after at thine owne praier and at the petiâ—ion and praier of the churche thou hast a newe spirite geuen the from heauen and by it arte admitted to be of the number of the children of God and emplaÌ„ted into the body of Iesu Christ as a member of hym who is the very heade of the churche In the meane whyle it behoueth not the souldiour of Christe to be carelesse Thou hast promysed thy seruice to Christe thyne Emperour Thou hast renounced the deuill Thou haste receyued the holy ghoste as it were gifte money a bond and an earnest penye of thy salarye Thou must enforce thyselfe with thy vtter endeuour to get victory But that neuer chauÌ„ceth to the negligente and recheleâ—â—e person Thou must take to thee armoure and weapon leste thyne ennemie whiche euerywhere lyeth in wayte for the cum vpon the vnwaâ—es and when thou arte vnarmed Thou shalte incontinent be assaulted with the world the deuil and the fleshe Thou muste alwaies fight to th entent thou mayest alwayes gette victory For this battaile shal not â—nde before thou make an ende of thy lyfe But yet the oftener thou chaunce to vanquishe thine ennemye the weaker shall he departe from battayle and thou the stronger When thou haste here behaued thyselfe valiantly and played the manne a while then at the lengthe addresse thy selfe to the ministracion of the ghospell specially yf thou feele that the spirite of God driue the therunto The Lorde Iesus was meete to preache the ghospell then whiche ministerie there is none of greater perfeccion euen when he was a verye lytle â—hylde But he ordeyned a patarne or an example in hymselfe for vs to counterfayte and folowe wherby we are taught that we ought not by and by after our profession rashely to hasten ourselues to this so high and holy a ministracion The lawe of Moyses had her tyme. There was also a tyme when it behoued that as the lyght of the euangelyke veritie beganne by litle and litle to shine furth vnto the worlde euen so shoulde the shadowes of the olde lawe vanishe awaye and the carnall lawe gyue place vnto the spirituall puttyng furth her vertue Lyke as in transformacions and naturall chaungynges of thynges there is a certaine meane whiche hath some affinitie with both the extremes to the intent that thinges of muche contrarietie maye easely be traÌ„sformed and to â—rned one into another Euâ—n so Iohn came as a meane betwene the carnall law of Moyses and the spirituall law of the ghospell to this ende that men might the soner be transformed and brought from the fleshe or litterall sence of the lawe to the spirite and true meanyng of the same For ayre is not sodainly and immediatly made of yearth but in this transformacion
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
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
nature leaueth a place for the obtaynyng of forgeuenesse But he that blasphemouselye hath spoken agaynst the holy gost shall neuer obtayne pardon That man speaketh blasphemy agaynst the holy gost who being hardened and obstinate through malice ascribeth those workes vnto the spirite of Beelzebub which he seeth plainlye cannot otherwyse be done then by the spirite of God Erroure and ignoraunce are pardonable But howe is it possible that a purpensed malice againste the goodnesse of almightye God prouokyng vs to saluacion shall get anye pardon at all The weakenesse of mans bodye shall excuse suche blasphemy as is committed against the sonne of man But to ascribe goddes power the whiche plainelye apppeareth in my dedes to the healthe and saluacion of mankinde vnto Beelzebub the enemy of God is a kynde of blasphemye for the whiche no amendes or satisfaccion can be made These wordes spake Iesus vnto them defending the fathers glorie and nothing in the meane whyle passyng vpon his owne He meant that theyr offence myght be better excused and borne withall whiche had an euill opinion of hym as his kynnesfolkes and cosens had who sayed He is becum furious and prepared cheynes to binde him withall then the wickednesse of the Phariseis who of a certaine vncurable malyce ascribed those woorkes vnto the spirite of Beelzebub whiche they coulde in no wyse fynde faulte with nor say but they were worthye to procede of God They yet perceyued not the diuine nature that was in Christ. For he would not as yet haue it vttered and knowen Certes God hath oftimes by vertue of his holy spirite and the ministery of good liuers wrought miracles willing therfore to be glorifyed among men Now yf any man not by reason of ignoraunce but of very malyce do ascribe suche miracles vnto the spirite of Beelzebub then is his peruerse and malicious naughtines past all hope of amendement Wherfore they might haue bene excused yf they had sayde that Christe had bene nothing els but a man or that he had bene no kyng nor Messias But in that they depraued and spake yll of his workes they offended God and his holy spirite in asmuche as the spirite of god can worke by whome soeuer it lusteth Nowe when they sawe so manye myracles merueylousely wrought the people glorify God so manye holpen of theyr infirmities so many deliuered of vncleane spirites so many turne from viciouslyâ—ing to a godly desyre to lyue well and vertuousely after the ghospell and that by the preaching of Christ yet they obstinately sayde he hath a deuill and not the spirite of god ¶ There came also his mother and his brethren and stode without and sent vnto him to call hym out and the people sate about hym and sayed vnto him behold thy mother and thy brethren seke for the without And he answered them saying who is my mother and my brethren and when he had loked rounde aboute on his disciples whiche sate in compasse about him he sayd beholde my mother and my brethren For whosoeuer dothe the will of God the same is my brother and my syster and mother After the Lorde Iesus had with these and many other wordes defended the glory of the heauenly father against the wicked blasphemy of the Phariseis and imbrayded the Iewes with theyr obstinate and incorrigible vnbeliefe which they perseuered in notwithstanding that thorow faith alonly al synnes are â—ewsed and forgeuen in the meane time there befell occasion for him also to declare that in the high ministracion of the ghospel there ought no regarde at all to be had to humayne affeccions the whiche in other mattiers to be muche moued by is counted a thing prayse worthie and right commendable For there came vnto hym his kynsfolkes in companye with his mother who because there was no way for them to entre in for prease of people stoode without and theyr voyce passyng from man to man came vnto them that sate aboute Iesus who shewed him howe his mother and brethren were cum and desyred to speake with hym There were sum euen among his nere kinsemen whiche had an euill opinion of him yea and many of them supposed he had bene out of his witte Yet they thought by reason of kinred they might lawfully at any tyme when they woulde call hym oute to speake with them The Lorde to teache vs that the busynesse of the gospell whiche was done by the spirite of the father for mans saluacion and goddes glory ought not to be left of for any affeccions humayne aunswered as though he had been angrye and in a great fume saying who is my mother and who are my brethren and kinsfolkes In this busynesse whiche I haue now in hande I knoweledge no fleshlye kyndred The ghospell hath a spirituall kinred of frowne the whiche ioyneth together mens mindes with streighter bondes then doth the other theyr bodyes And when he had loked round about on his disciples who sate in compasse nexte hym as he was teaching he sayde Behold these are my brethren and my mother As the ghospell maketh a new birth so doth it also a new kinred For whoso beleueth the gospel and therein obeyeth the wil of my heauenly father although he be not only fardest froÌ„ me as touching kinred of stocke or familie but also the strangest alyaunte that is to all oure nacion thesame is my brother the same is my sister the same is my mother For this kynred is not estemed after the degrees of bloud but by degrees of the spirite I acknowledge none to be of my kinred except he be borne afresh of the heauenly father through fayth and then as a very naturall sonne doe obeye his father when he calleth hym to euerlasting thinges As euery man will in moste perfecte wise perfourme this so shall I take him for my nerest kinseman The .iiij. Chapter ¶ And he began againe to teache by the sea syde And there gathered together vnto him muche people so greatly that he entred 〈◊〉 ship and sate in the sea and all the people was by the sea syde on the shore THerefore Iesus forsoke the house which bare the figure of the Sinagoge wherin he was blasphemed of the Phariseis and interrupted throughe thimportunacie of his kinsfolkes and eftsones went vnto the water as one that desyred the large roume of the Gentiles He is ofte times expelled of the Iewes he maketh oftetimes a foresigne that the gospell shal be tranâ—sted from the Iewes vnto the Gentiles For as longe as he was in the house that is to saye in Iewry very few did sticke vnto hym none but those onely whome he calleth his brethren his systers and his mothers Many muttered againste hym many rayled vpon hym very many lay in wayte for him his nerest kinsfolkes of all interrupted him in his teachyng Iesus loueth no suche houses He loueth a multitude not the standeth in theyr owne conceyte as the Phariseis did not that vseth to backebite and make yll report of
that hath not suche a one is he that hydeth his treasure and kepeth it to himselfe thesame shal not alonely be neuer a whit the richer therfore but also that thing whiche he thought he had for his owne vse and no mans els shall be quite taken from him Neither let this make you euer the slacker or worse wyllynge to distribute the gyftes of faythe yf the people be vnkynde and not aunswerable to your diligent endeuour Your wages shall be safe for you wyth God who the more that euery one of you hath trauayled in settyng foorth the ghospell the more bounteously will he rewarde hym in the worlde to cumme Albeit neither shall you in the meane tyme be vtterly defeated of your rewarde whiche are daylye more and more enriched with the riches of the ghospell ¶ And he sayde so is the kyngdome of God euen as yf a man shoulde so we sede in the grounde and shoulde sleape and rise vp night and daye and the sede should spring â–ª and growe vp while he is not aware For the earth bringeth forth fruite of her selfe first the blade then the eare after that the full corke in the eare â—ut when the fruite is broughte forth anon he thrusteth in the sickle because the haruest is cumme Moreouer the Lorde added another parable whereby he taughte his disciples that they should care for nothing els but onely go about with al that they might to haue the gospell spred abrode and preached thorowe out all the whole worlde tellyng them that haruest time shoulde once cum wheÌ„ it should please the Lorde The kingdome of the gospel sayeth he is after this manour as yf a manne shoulde sowe his sede and caste it vpon the grounde in the daye tyme Anon after that the sede is putte into the earth he that sowed it slepethe carelesse and taketh his reste And in the meane while that he is thus a slepe the sede groweth neuerthelesse both nyghte and daye with secrete encreasynges without mennes laboure and nowe springeth the corne and shoteth vp hasting vndoubtedlie of the owne accorde and by a certaine priuie operacion of nature to bring forth fruite Certes nature hath her degrees the whiche she alwayes after the seede be once sowen kepeth of course without the husbandmannes laboure For firste of all the sede after it is putrified in the grouÌ„d springethe vp into grasse That is the firste hope of encrease Then when the blade is shot vp therunto groweth an eare but suche a one as hathe as yet no corne in it At the lengthe the huskes of the eare are fylled full of wheat cornes And these thinges are so secretely wroughte by the procurement of nature that a man can not perceiue when they growe and yet senuÌ„blye perceiue that they haue growen and encreased Therefore when the corne is ripe he that sowed the sede thrusteth in his sickell to reape that is come vp because he knowethe that harueste tyme is already come By this darke parable the Lorde couertly taught his disciples the begynnyng goyng forwarde and consummacion or perfit code of al the whole gospell of the whiche thre partes himself woulde openlye perfourme bothe the firste and the laste with his visible bodie and the other that is to saye the goyng forwarde ordre with the inuisible grace of the holy ghoste For that same prince sowed abrode the sede of the gospell thorowe out all Iewry Anon as he had so done he slepte firste dyinge and then afterwarde risinge agayne into euerlasting quietnesse And thus farre foorthe springeth the sede of the gospell whiles he that firste sowed it is as it were a slepe secretly encreasethe bothe daye and night that is to saye both in prosperitie and in aduersitie what ocâ—asion soeuer be ministred eyther on theyr befalfe that promote and aduaunce it or els of suche as resiste the same For it cannot be chosen but that seede muste nedes cumme vp whiche he sowed whose will no man resisteth Moreouer where as there is nothinge in this worlde vnknowen vnto hym yet in that he suffrethe the worlde to make businesse agaynste the ghospell and his apostles to be persecuted and slayne he semethe vnto the faythlesse not to knowe what is here done and to be in maner aslepe whereas in very dede he doeth euen now by the inuisible power of his holy spirite more effectually worke all thinges in all He will not in visible forme retourne into the worlde vntyll the tyme that the ghospell beynge firste so muche enlarged and spreade abrode as he hath determined before and onelye knowethe it shal be all men shall see hym cum agayne vnder the selfe same forme and lykenes that he had when he ascended vp into heauen to deuide the godly and good people from the wicked and to laye vp the godly as good corne in the barne of euerlastyng quietnesse We see howe small begynnynges the kyngdome of the gospell is spronge of yf a manne esteme the thynge as it appereth vnto the worlde This was as a manne woulde saye the grasse that sprange of the sede of the gospell whiche the Phariseis Scribes Priestes Elders Rulers Princes Kynges and Philosophiers dyd what they coulde to oppresse and kepe vnder that it should neuer cum vp But whiles they stroue agaynste the streame this sede began to be sowen in all partes of the worlde and will not cease to growe before the worldes ende vntill the corne be all ripe Then the sickell of iudgemente that can not be auoyded shall be thruste in to the entente that when all are cut downe it maie deliuer the cockel vnto the fire and safely lay vp the pure wheate This parable althoughe it do specially pertayne vnto Iesu the auctour promotour and finisher of the kyngdome of the gospell yet doeth it also touche both his Apostles and their successoures whom he willeth wholy to binde themselues hereunto that Goddes worde maye be sowen a brode and preached as muche as maye be For this seedetyme lasteth euen tyl the worldes ende and they also as helpers of Iesu Christe be sowiers saue alonelye that they sowe not their owne sede but suche as Christe deliuered vnto them And because that sede is celestiall it can in no wyse be ouerlayed or oppressed The Pharisess also and Philosophiers had sede of their owne but those sedes coulde by no meanes no not when the world fauoured them growe and prosper where as the seede of the heauenly doctrine waxeth euery daye more stronger then other euen when the worlde with all the puissaunce and aydes that it hathe assaulteth it Therefore the Apostles do lykewyse sowe after their fashion and for that purpose they are sente out who by oft remouing from place to place go aboute nothing els but to haue the gospell as muche dilated and spred abrode as is possyble to be God geueth the encrease when they be asleape That foresayde sede hath in euerye one euen of the Christians his grasse his eare and his haruest
saue he whiche beleueth that Iesu is the authour and originall cause of all healthe and saluacion The well of the euangelike saluacion is a sure belefe on Iesus Christ the sonne of God inspired vs by the heauenly inspiracioÌ„ And to wryng this belefe out of the Apostles he sayd The coÌ„mon people as I perceyue are wauering in theyr fayth hauing no constant opinion of me and yet haue they a greater opinion of me then such as sayed I was nothing els but a Carpentours sonne then such as said I was furious and madde sought me out to th entent to haue bounden me with cheines theÌ„ suche as sayd I had the spirite of Beelzebub But what say you who be of household and of familiar acquaintaunce with me haue bene alwayes witnesses of all that euer I haue done and taught whom saye you that I am Then Peter the chiefe professoure of the ghospell made answere in all their names and sayde Thou arte that selfe same Messias long agoe promised of the Prophetes the sonne of the lyuing God by whoÌ„ onely halthe saluacion was promysed vnto the world When the lord had greatly allowed this open coÌ„fession of his as inspired of God and had geuen thereunto a worthy testimony of blysfulnesse and pronounced it to be the foundacion of the churche and euangelike Citie whiche no puissaunce of the deuell shoulde euer be able to shake Then charged he theym strayghtly that they shoulde in no wyse discouer what they knewe by thinspiracion of the father before the time were cum It behoued that the people should awaite for Messias and beleue that he should shortely cum Howbeit as yet it was not expedient to be knoweÌ„ that Iesus was Messias For thus was it necessary for one instruccion that glory should spring of base and humble estate The disciples of an humain affeccioÌ„ abhorred the displeasures of theyr maister muche desyrous to haue hym greatly estemed and taken for a ioly felowe of euery body But it pleased the euerlasting wisedom to obserue the other order Therfore Iesus began to teache them what he should suffer before he would haue his greatnesse and excellencie knowen vnto the worlde The sonne of manne sayed he of whome you haue conceiued so hyghe an opinion muste suffer great reproche many paynes and tormentes be condemned as a felon of the Scribes priestes and head men of the people and in conclusion be putte to a shamefull deathe as an euyll doer in somuche that among wordly men it is not possible for any manne to be counted more vile abiecte and desperate then he But for all this there is no cause why ye shoulde despayre Kepe stedfastly in mynde youre confession whiche ye haue made before me After they haue persecuted me to deathe I wyll ryse and be alyue agayne on the thyrde daye And where as he had nowe and then before sumwhat darkely monyshed them of the premisses at this present he spake his mynde playnly because it appered they coulde nowe awaye with suche communycacyon sith they had geuen so noble a verdicte and sentence of theyr maister But for all that they coulde not yet abyde to heare any mencion of his death although they shoulde thoroughe hope of his resurrection haue taken comforte agayne The loue wherwith they enbraced Iesu was great but yet was thesame a very worldely loue and an humayne affection For as yet they had not receyued the holye Ghoste whiche should make perfyte in them whatsoeuer was vnperfyte Wherfore when Peter hearde suche fell and cruell wordes of condemning tourmentinge and sleing he was not afearde to take Iesus asyde as thoughe he would secretly monyshe hym of some thinge whyche shoulde be for his weale and profyte Forsoth this is mans wisdome whiche oftâ—â—â—es studieth to go before the wysdome of god Yea he was bolde to rebuke his lorde as thoughe he had not bene well aduised for that he woulde dye sith he might auoyde deth And albeit he beleued he woulde be aliue agayne on the third day yet he thought it muche better for hym not to dye at all then after deathe to reliue This leâ—de tache of Peter althoughe it proceded of a certayne harty loue towardes Iesus yet dyd Christe openly and sharply reproue to thentente we shoulde learne in all thynges obediently to folowe the wyl of God and not with our fonde iudgement to go before his determinacions It is not mans parte to take Iesu aside and rebuke hym for feare leste he doe what he hath determyned to doe But we ought reuerently to beseche hym that he wyll vouchesafe to take and lead vs whyther soeuer it please hym Therefore because he woulde cleaâ—e wede out of all theyr myndes this naughty affeccion he fyrste tourned from Peter to his disciples and then beholdyng them whome he knewe right well dyd not dissente in opinion from theyr spokesman though he bolder and more presumptuous then the reste was not afearde to speake his mynde he rebuked Peter agayne of whom he was rebuked before saying Why lettest thou me Satan That worde in the Syrian tongue signifieth an aduersary as who saye Why doeste thou that art but a disciple assaye to goe before thy mayster Thou that art a man attempt to go before god folowe rather behynd This is not mans busines whiche is now in hande Thyne affeccion and loue is as yet a wordely affeccion neyther sauerest thou of those thynges whiche are of god If thou wylte be my disciple it becommeth the to folow my deathe and in no wise to hinder it And not the alone albeit chiefely thee the other whoÌ„e I haue specially choseÌ„ but also all the will professe themselues to be my disciples ¶ And when he had called the people vnto hym with his disciples also he sayed vnto them whosoeuer will folowe me let him forsake hymself and take vp his crosse and folowe me for whosoeuer wyll saue his lyfe shall lose it But whosoeuer shall lose his life for my sake and the Ghospels the same shall saue it For what shall it profite a man if he wynne all the worlde and lose his owne soule Or what shall a man geue to redeme his soule withall agayne Whosoeuer therfore shall be ashamed of me and of my wordes in this aduourteous and synfull generacion of hym also shall the sonne of man be ashamed when he cummeth in the glory of hys father with the holy Angels When Iesus had thus spoken he commaunded the whole multitude to be present with his disciples leste any should suppose that those wordes pertayned onely to these specially chosen persons And when they were nowe all together Iesus spake vnto theÌ„ with an audible voyce on this wyse Many there be which do folowe me rather with feete then by imitacion of lyfe Neither do all men come to me for one cause or purpose For some are enticed hither by the noueltie and straungenes of my miracles some with the desire of bodely health and other
slayne or els thy life be saued with the losse of thy hande thou wouldest not sticke in this case to choppe of thy hand and so with the losse of one membre were it neuer so necessarie to redeme thy lyfe It were a thyng more to be wished to attayne saluacion with thy parentes and frendes by the ghospell but if that can not be brought to passe then is it muche better for the to forsake thy parentes who doe not onely refuse to be saued themselues but also goe about to bring thee to lyke confusion and so to enter into lyfe euerlasting as a man would say maymed then with thy sayd parentes and frendes to be cast in to hell that is to saye into fyre whiche can neuer be quenched There the worme repentaunce that gnaweth the conscience of the wretched creatures dieth not For they liue onely to theyr tourmente and payne There the fyre wherwith the damned soules are tourmented is neuer put out There shall bothe thy parentes and thou repent but to late and in vayne thou for that thou folowedst theyr vnlawfull affeccions to thine owne damnacion and they because they would not be aduertised by the when thou exhortedst them to saluacion Neither shall their calamitie helpe the nor thy torment any thing release or diminishe theyr payne Moreouer the damnacion of the parent that would not be saued shall not be layed vnto his charge who hastened to doe the busynesse of the gospell Lykewyse after this manour cut of thy foote consydering with thy selfe that it is better for the to cūme halt and lame to lyfe euerlasting then with whole feete to be throwen into hell where neyther the fyre canne be quenched nor the worme dyeth There is nothyng dearer to man then his iye nothyng more pleasaunte then wyfe and chyldren But if thou be brought to this strayte that eyther thou must nedes for theyr pleasure forsake the ghospell and be damned with thē or els forsake them then whome as touchyng worldly affeccion there is nothyng more deare vnto the in this case stycke not to plucke out thyne iye and caste it awaye reckening it to be muche better for the to enter with one iye into the kyngdome of heauen where there is lyfe eternall then to haue both thyne iyes whole and with them to be throwen into the fyre of hell Lette not here the wepyng and waylyng of thy wyfe nor the swete wordes of thy children any whit moue the. They are fooles to wepe because they are forsaken sith they myght haue folowed the if they had would All worldly affeccions muste be set aside when goddes commaundement compelleth it so to be All losses of corporall thinges ought to be counted for gaynes whensoeuer euerlasting lyfe is to be purchased It is no delicate and pleasaunt thing to professe my name Persecucions and worldlye affliccions shall arise on euery syde which maie withdraw you from your purpose But suche as take in hand the ministracion of the gospell muste vanquishe all these thynges He that will be a mete ministre or preacher of the euangelike doctrine muste wholely yelde him selfe to the will of God to th entent he maye in no wise neyther for feare of persecucion nor by reason he is corrupted with any enticementes of fleshely appetites swarue from the pure veritie of gods worde and the gospell ¶ Euery man shall be salted with fyre and euery sacrifice shall be seasoned with salte Salte is good but if the salte be vnsauery what shall ye season therewith Haue salte in your selues and haue peace among your selues one with an other For as no sacrifice after the lawe of Moyses is lawfull saue alonely that whiche is salted eyther with fyre or salte or els with both euen so whosoeuer will professe the phylosophie and doctrine of the ghospell muste nedes be pourged with fyre from all worldly affeccions and be also poudred with salte that he maye in no wyse be corrupted with the infeccion or contagiousnesse of yuell menne Worldly wysdom is vertulesse and vnsauoury and neyther preserueth him that hath it from worldlye corrupcion nor yet is of force to preserue other Nowe must the teacher of the gospell doo both that is to saye bothe fynde the meanes that he be without corrupcion hymselfe and also take awaye thesame from other This canne neither be done by the phylosophers wisedome nor by the Phariseis doctrine but only by the vertue of the euangelike philosophie whiche with the tartenesse of truth byteth awaye and consumeth what thing soeuer is in man in daunger of corrupcion The same thyng doeth also that fyre of the spirite of God whiche lykewyse consumeth all carnall affeccions and purgeth mens soules therof yea and in manour transformeth into God what thing soeuer it hathe once caught in so muche that they whoe were before tyme entangled with the cares of worldlye vanities are nowe thesame vtterly contemned all together rauished with the lone and desyre of heauenly thynges Whoso is seasoned with this salte can by no manour of inticementes be corrupted and fall from the puritie of the spirite of the ghospell He that is pourged with this fyre will despyse whatsoeuer the persecutoure can threaten him withall There is nothing better then fyre yf a man vse it aright nothyng more profitable then salte But yf the fyre be colde if the salte be made vnsauery and vertulesse what then remaineth to season the vnsauerie and symple people with all If they that professe the spirite of the gospell frayed with the threateninges of menne doe forsake theyr profession and for feare of displeasure feede and vpholde with theyr flattery the folye of princes whome theyr dutye had been boldely to rebuke what hope then remayneth If suche as professe the salte of the gospell doe not only not heale the corrupte affeccions of other with the tartenesse of truth but also fall themselfes for theyr parentes and frendes pleasures and because to obtaine earthlye vanities from the hope of the kyngdome of heauen and winne hell expouning and wrestyng the doctrine of the gospell whiche is the greatest offence of all after thaffeccions and lustes of man What then is there left to season mannes folye with all sithe that both thei who ought to haue been the seasoners are theim selues corrupted and the thyng is also tainted whiche onely was left in the worlde to bryng it at one time or an other to amendement Therfore to th entent you maye bothe ouercum cruell persecucions and also contemne all wordly affeccions for the gospels sake and to th entent also you maye bothe prouide for your owne soule healthe and bryng as many as maye be to saluacion lette eche of you haue in him the falte of the gospell Lette there be peace and mutuall amitie among you Salte shall make you without corrupcion and concorde stronge and myghtye Whereas variaunces do raygne there is not the salte of the gospell Where as the vice of ambicion is there is neyther
the felowship of the heauenly kyngdom Therfore if you chaunce to liue in these dayes bee ware ye embrace not in stede of me sum counterfayte Christe Loe I haue tolde you all thynges beforehande There remayneth behynde that you retayne and kepe my woordes in memory ¶ Moreouer in those dayes after that tribulacion the Sunne shal ware darcke and the Moone shall not geue her lyght and the starres of heauen shall fall and the powers whiche are in heauen shall moue And then shall they see the sonne of manne cumming in the cloudes with great power and glory And then shall â—e send his aungels and shall gather together his elect from the fower windes from the endes of the yearth to the vttermost parte of heauen Nowe after these forsayed calamities warres persecucions famyne pestilence and earthquakes be paste there shall also ensue manye other wonderfull signes and tokens out of heauen all the elementes beyng as it were yrefully set to take vengeaunce vpon the wicked people For the Sunne the fountaine of light shall wexe darke therby as it were embraiding the vngodlye with theyr blyndnes because they woulde not see the euerlastyng sunne and lanterne of the worlde Neyther shall the Moone whiche is wonte to shine in the night and put awaye the darknesse therof geue her light that she boroweth of the SuÌ„ne Furthermore men shall see the starres fal doune from the firmament to the earth which haue bene so many huÌ„ndred yeares there fastened for mans behoue commoditie And besides this the powers of the heauens by vertue whereof those merueylouse bodies haue coÌ„tinued euen froÌ„ the creation of the worlde their courses and offices appoynted theÌ„ of god shal be moued so great shall the feare be of the dreadfull day of dome approching These thinges done all that be then aliue shall sodaynly and with the twynkelyng of an iye see the soonne of man whoe is nowe taken for an vnderlynge and not regarded appeare in the hyghest cloudes with greate puyssaunce in the glory of the father and with him innumerable multitudes of Aungels Then will he sende out his Aungels who wyll let none of his chosen be awaye but wyll assemble theÌ„ altogether froÌ„ euery quarter whether they be quycâ—e or els dead but must sodainly be reliued again he wyll send them out I say to gather all the membres of the misticall bodie vnto their head to th enteÌ„t that they which haue bene partakers of afflictions persecutions for the gospelles sake maye lykewyse be companions and partakers with hym of euerlastynge ioye and blysfulnesse It skylleth not whither that good meÌ„ns soules haue gone neyther into what place their karkases haue bene throwen Aungeles shall fynde them out and gather them together from the fower quarters of the worlde and againe from the hyghest pole of heauen to the low moste Euery soule shal be ioyned vnto his owne proper bodie and all the electe and chosen people shall lykewise be conioyned vnto theyr head Learne a similitude of the figâ—tee when his braunche is yet tendre and hath brought forth leaues ye â—â—owe that summer is nere So in lyke maner when ye se these thynges cum to paâ—se vnderstand that he is â—ye euen at the doores Uerely â–ª I saie vnto you that this generacion shall not passe tyll these thynges be doen. Heauen and earth shall passe but my wordes shall not passe But of the daye tyme knoweth no man 〈◊〉 not the Aungels whiche are in heauen neither the sonne himselfe saue the father onely Now leste this day cum sodaynly vpon you when ye are nothyng at all prepared you maye gesse by certayne foresygnes and coniectures when it is nere hande euen as ye may coniecture and gather by the fygge tree that summer wil shortly cum For when the braunches of this tree begin once to waxe soft and tender being about to bring forth their first fruite called grossi and when the leaues be alreadye budded out ye knowe that suÌ„mer is not farre of But it is muche certayner that that day shall cum then it is certayne that summer foloweth after wynter This thyng do I auouche vnto you This age shall not passe till all these thinges shall happen Among corporall thinges there is nothing more stable sure then heauen nothing more vnmouable then is the earth but yet both heauen and earthe shall sooner alter and chauÌ„ge their nature then my wordes be vayne and of none effect Be ye not careful to knowe certeynly when that same laste daye shall cum forasmuche as it is not geuen vnto the Angels to know it no nor yet to the sonne himselfe For the father hathe reserued this secrete knowledge to himself alone because he perceiued it was expedient for your soule helth he should so do Be you moste certaynly assured that it shall cum but aske ye not when leste by this meanes ye becum careles ¶ Take hede watch and pray for ye knowe not when the time is As a man which is goen into a straunge countrey and hath left his house and geuen his substance to his seruauntes to euery man his worke coÌ„maunded the porter to watche Watche ye therfore ye know not when the mayster of the house will cum at euen or at midnight whether at the cocke crowyng or in the dawnyng lest if he cum sodaynly he fynde you slepyng and that I saye vnto you I saye vnto all watche Beware alwayes take good hede watche praie continually since you are vncertaine when that dreadfull daie shall cum vpon you You shal take good hede if you wyll not truste vnto worldly aides neither put confidence in any worldly creature but wholy hang vpon me my coÌ„maundementes Ye shal watche if by refraining froÌ„ superfluitie all bodely pleasures you will wholy bend youre selues to holynes of spirite vertuous liuing You shal pray if you wil most feruently desire those thinges which are promised vnto theÌ„ that stil perseuer coÌ„tinue in the profession of the gospell SataÌ„ hath his craftes to deceiue euen wise circuÌ„spect persons Against these craftes you must vse the wysedom policy of the serpent The world the flesh haue their entisinges wherwith they so delite the mindes of recheles folkes that as I maye cal it slepe securitie forgetfulnes of thinges eternall crepeth vpon theÌ„ ere they be ware Of these thinges spryngeth eyther conteÌ„pt or els desperaÌ„ce of the kingdom of heaueÌ„ God wil not cleane forsake his choseÌ„ but he loueth wakefull heedefull persons yet will he that wheÌ„ they haue done what may be done by mans endeuoyre diligence they neuertheles cease not to pray fully persuadyng theÌ„selfes how it is God that geueth the beginning proceding consuÌ„mation of euerlastyng blisfulnes So watche you as thoughe God wyll forsake you for a time so praye you as thoughe whatsoeuer ye go about shall cum to none effecte without he put to his helping hande And because the Lord Iesê°
of a peuishe wenche he caused his head to be striken of Howbeit the fauour of Pylate was more constant then so but yet in conclusyon he deliuered hym to be crucified And this was doen leste any that professeth the trueth of the ghospell should trust vpon any worldly ayde and succour Then the souldiers because they woulde the more take theyr pleasure on hym in puttyng hym to shame and villany called together the whole garison of theyr companions and in mâ—â—kage clothed him with a garment of purple as it had been with a kynges robe theÌ„ put they on his head a croune platted of thornes in the stede of a diademe and being thus disguised they began with one voice to salute hym saying Hayle kyng of the Iewes Furthermore they strake his head with a rede whiche they gaue him in his hande in the stede of a scepter dyd also spit vpon hym and bowyng theyr knees wurshypped him Iesus all this while helde his peace paciently yelded to al theyr dispitefull doynges transportyng vnto his owne persone that shame and villanye whiche was due vnto our offences because to aduaunce vs vnto his glorye ¶ And when they had mocked hym they toke the purple of him and put his owne clothes on him and led hym out to crucifie hym And they compelled one that passed by called Simon of Cyrene the father of AlexaÌ„der and Rufus which came out of the felde to beate his crosse And thei brought him to a place named Golgotha which is if a man interprete it the place of dead mens sculles And they gaue him to drinke wine mingled with Mirre but he receyued it not These thynges doen they toke of agayne the purple garment and put on his owne clothes to th eÌ„tent that carying his crosse amoÌ„g misdoers he might be discerned and knowen of euery body And this the malycious priestes caused to be done because they would the more aliâ—nate and withdraw all meÌ„nes mindes from hym As they were goyng to the place of execucion they met a certayne felow called Simon of Cyrene the father of AlexaÌ„der and Rufus cuÌ„myng from his ferme whome makyng refusall to beare Christes crosse the souldiers notwithstandyng he was a ryche man and of theyr acquaintaunce did of a souldiourly malapertnes compell maugre on his head to beare it not because to fauour or ease Iesus but for the spedier finishyng of the execucion Some men necessitie constrayneth to embrace the crosse of Iesu But this is a blessed necessitie that driueth a man to saluacion The apostles enforce no maÌ„ to go to Christ but the souldiers vsed compulsion Howbeit the violence of these naughtie packes hath bene many a mannes saluacion They broughte hym into a place slaunderous and reprocheful by reason that suche as trespaced the lawe there suffred execucion called in the Syrian tong Golgotha in Latine Caluaria the whiche word implieth in Englishe a place of dead meÌ„s sculles There gaue they him wine mingled with myrre to drinke For wyne is customablie geuen to men when they be a passyng Howbeit that wyne for so much as it was corrupted with the bitternes of the Iewes Iesus receyued not whan it was offered hym For a lytle before he dranke with his disciples and would not drynke agayne of the fruite of the vine tyll he should drinke it newe in the kyngdome of God He hated the bitter wyne whiche the vyne of the Iewyshe synagoge brought hym furth that was becum bitter vnto her lorde and tiller and in stede of ripe grapes yelded the fruite of the wilde vine He hated the vine of wycked persons and thirsted for another kynde of wyne That was the newe wyne of the spirite of the Gospell the whiche spirite after his ascending vp into heauen he moste plenteously powred vpon his disciples And when they had crucified hym they parted his garmentes casting lottes vpon them what euery man shoulde take and it was about the thyrde houre And they crucified hym And the title of his cause was writteÌ„ the kyng of the Iewes And they crucified with hym two theues the one on the right haÌ„d and the other on his left And the scripture was fulfilled whiche sayth he was counted among the wicked When Iesu was lifted vp on the crosse those that crucified him parted his clothes among theÌ„ and for his coate whiche was wrought in suche wyse that it could not be deuided they caste lottes whose fortune it shoulde be to haue the whole Nowe considre the pouertie of Iesus who hadde nothyng left him in yearth He hangeth in the middes betwene heaueÌ„ and yearth So must he bee naked so must he be lyghted of all burthens so must he be high that wyll encountre with the enemy of maÌ„nes saluacion When Dauid should fyght with Goliad he caste awaye al the armour and weapoÌ„ of Saule whiâ—he dyd rather burthen hym then do hym any stede It was the thyrde houre of the daye when they nayled hym on the crosse There was set vpon the crosse the tytle of the cause wherfore he suffered which was this The king of the Iewes written in thre languages that is to saye in Hebrue Greke and Latine And with hym they crucified two theues in suche wise that one of them hong on his right syde and the other on his lefte on eyther syde enuironing hym hangyng in the middes And this was doen by the procurement of the wicked priestes because to make his name shamefull The prophete Esai prophecied it should so be saying He was reckened among the vniust and wicked And they that went by â—ayled on hym waggyng theyr heades and saying A wretche thou that destroyest the temple and buyldest it in three dayes saue thy selfe come downe from the crosse Lykewyse also mocked hym the high priestes among themselues with the Scribes and sayed He saued other men himselfe he cannot saue Let Christe the kyng of Israel descende now from the crosse that we may see and belâ—ue And they that were crucified with hym checked hym also Neyther could the malicious bishops and Scribes yet be satisfied with these so great euyls and manyfold displeasures For fyrst the Iewes passing by the crosse rayled on hym as he hong theron and as it were vpbraydyng hym now ouercum sayde vnto hym in derision and mockage waggyng their heades withall A wretche thou that destroyest Gods temple and buildeste it agayne within three dayes Nowe shewe what thou canste doe Put furthe this might and power wherupon thou braggest saue thyselfe if thou be able and cum down from the crosse Neyther dyd the hyghe byshops or priestes vse any gentler language vnto hym who with the Scribes skorned hym among themselues saying He hath saued other but himselfe he is not able to saue He hath made his vaunt how he was Christe he bragged that he was the kyng of Israell If his promises be true let vs see hym â—owe cum downe from the crosse then will we beleue oâ—n hym The priestes entended by these
perishe Be ye not aâ—earde litle flocke for yours is the kyngdome of heauen Paule hathe meate wherewith he coumforteth and cherisheth suche as are but newlye conuerted to Christe that they maye not fal agayne into diseases forasmuche as they are yet weake he hath also sounde and substanciall meate that maye kepe theim in perfeicte strength growyng forewarde from daye to daye vnto the measure of the fulnesse of Christe Those persones had gathered perfeict strengthe of whome it is thus wrytten in the actes of the Apostles They went reioycyng oute of the sight of the counsell in that they had been reputed worthie to suffre reproche for the name of Iesus That man also had gathered perfeicte strength whiche layed I can dooe all thynges in hym that maketh me strong And for this consideracion the Lorde Iesus in the ghospell exhorteth menne to the eatyng of the breade that was come from heauen the eatyng whereof geueth immortalitie He exhorteth men to the eatyng of his fleshe and to the drinking of his bloude meanyng vndoubtedlye of his doctrine whiche beyng as breade to the soule dooeth make thesame lustie and strong and as effectuall strong wyne doeth inebricate men and bryng them in a godly kynde of drounkennesse euen to the contempte of this worlde in lyke maner as fleashe hath sound nourishemente for the bodye and lyke as bloude hath a vertue and effecte vnto lyfe And though all the scripture of god haue a medicinable vertue and power in it yet hath it none a more effectuall electualye or receipt then that pertaineth to the ghospel One and thesame spirite it is that is in all the Scriptures of God but yet in the ghospell especiallye his pleasure was that the thyng â—â—ould remaine wherin he might speciallye shewe foorth his owne power because there shoulde appere some difference betwene the seruauntes and the maister betwene the puddels or litle gutters and the spryng or fountaine And truely it is a labour well bestowed to considre how great a thyng the vertue of this medicine is Euerie common weale is as ye woulde saye a certayne body The pestilent diseases and sickenesses of a common weale are euil maniers Againste whiche diseases such men as haue excelled others in wysedome haue in soondrye regions or deyned and set lawes as it were certayne medicines and remedies for thesame as for exaumple emong the Atheniens Solon made lawes emong the Lacedemonians Lycurgus emong the people of Crete Minos emong the Romaynes the tenne Commissioners called in theyr toungue Decemuiti Yet not one of all these men was hable to bryng to passe that other nacions also would enbrace and receiue the lawes that he had made No neither dyd any of them so muche as attempte such a thyng leste besides spendyng of labour in vayne he shoulde also haue wonne an opinion of a shamelesse acte in his so doyng Solon was faâ— to liue tenne yeares a banished man for thrustyng his lawes into the citie of Athens alone to be vsed there Plato a man so well learned and so eloquent coulde neuer bryng the people of Athens in mynde to receyue his lawes And yet is there no doubtes to bee made but that euerye one of theim perswaded theimselues that the lawes whiche they hadde made were true and that they wisshed yf it myght possibly haue been brought to passe that all the world should haue enbraced and receyued thesame No nor the lawes of Moses neither were iprâ—d abrode or receyued any ferther then within onely one nacion although in dede the Pharisets did with great highe suyt hunte to wynne and geat vnto them a fewe proselites that is to saye foreyns and aliens wonne to their religion Fynally not the violent autoritie of the Emperours neither was hable by vyolence or compulsion to obteyne that theyr lawes might haue weight and force with all nacions And the thyng whiche all the sayed persones by the lawes that they made did endeuour to bryng about thesame did also the Philosophiers attempt by theyr morall rules and lessons with great iudgement and with incomparable diligence and labour wryten and published Of al which neuerthelesse not one hath there been so eloquente or so well learned that he hath been hable to bryng any one nacion in the mynde that he woulde haue theim in so werishe and vneffectuall was the vertue of the medicine of phisicke which they broughte Onelye the trueth Euangelicall dyd in processe of a fewe yeares possesse perswade and ouercome all nacions of the worlde full and wholle drawyng vnto it the Grekes and the barbarous peoples the learned and the vnlearned the inferiour common people and kynges and all So pithâ—hy and so effectuall was the electuarie of this trueth that so many thousandes of people forsakyng the lawes of their owne countreyes renouncyng the religioÌ„ that theyr forefathers had vsed â–ª leauyng aswell the sensuall pleasures and vices whiche from their cradels they had been accustomed vnto they enbraced a new and a forein doctrine and out of diuerse toungues and ordinaunces of contrarie sorte they did consente to the receyuyng of a certaine lowe and basse philosophie especiallye at suche a tyme as neuer was there any of the lyke sorte furnished nor armed either with the maintenaunce and supportacion of learnyng and eloquence or with the power and autoritie of princes and at suche a time ferthermore whaÌ„ al the worlde with al the strengthe that it had fought against the trueth of the ghospel beeyng vnarmed and naked yet neuerthelesse it could not possiblye bryng to passe but that the sayed trueth after that it firste â—ntred possession vpon the countrey of Grece inuaded also the citie of Rome and the veraye courte of Nerâ— and foorthwith spred it self abrode throughout all and singular the prouincies of the Empire of Rome euen vntill the Isles called Gades lying in the ferthest parte beyonde Spaigne and vnto the Indians vnto the peoples of Afrike and the Scithians and the Isle of Britannia now called Englande beyng a countrey vttrelye diuided and cutte of from all the rest of the worlde These nacions and peoples dyd verye muche differ one from another in theyr languages lawes rytes vsages ordeynaunces Goddes religion and facions and anon beeyng from suche great discorde broughte to a generall vniformitie they begonne to syng all one song extollyng with laudes and prayses Iesus Christe the onely lorde and salueour of the worlde And all this while the spoylyng of their goodes their banishementes empriesonynges tormentes deathes were none other thing but good procedyng and goyng forewarde of the ghospell What persone hath there euer been founde that hath been content to suffre death for the lawes of Solon or the morall preceptes of Zeno But for the simple and playne doctryne of Christ how many thousandes of men both olde young how many thousandes of matrones and vyrgins haue willyngly offered and holden out their neckes to bee chopte of And yet how muche more wondrefull and more abhorryng from commune reason are the thinges
whiche the ghospell teacheth then whiche the Paradoxes that is to saie the straunge opinions of the philosophiers dooe teache And the sayd philosophiers doctryne not one of the princes did euer make anye a dooe to destroye or suppresse and yet of it owne accorde it vanyshed awaye lyke as did also theyr lawes and the arte magicall and the rites of sacryfices For what creature dooeth at this daye sacrifyce vnto the Gods of the Heathen or slaygheth beastes in sacrifice as the Iewes did What persone dooeth now knowe of Zoroastes What man setteth an heare by the misticall riddels of Pythagoras Who readeth the lyfe of Apollonius Tyaneus any otherwyse then as a certayne dreame Yea or rather who vouchesalueth to reade it at al For where Aristotell is at these dayes of greate name and fame in the scholes leat hym neuer thanke his owne fâ—cte therefore but the Christians For euen he had perished too yf there had not been made a medley of Christe and hym together in our schooles of diuinitie Against the philosophie Euangelical beeyng yet but tendre and euen but newly spryngyng vp the worlde arose at the first chop with all his force and power by meane of the Iewes vnder the pretexte and coulour of religion fightyng agaynst the fountaine of all religion by meane of the philosophiers beeyng hable muche to doe in all kyndes of â—earnyng by meane of the Sophisters beyng felowes vnpossible to bee ouercoÌ„med in stiffenesse of holdyng argumentacions by meane of the rhetoricians beyng meruaylous in the force of eloquence by the tyrannes beeyng armed with all sortes of shewyng crueltie by meane of kynges lieutenauntes magistrates by suche as were cunnynng in magike and sorcerie and perfecte in the sleyght of castyng mystes ouer mennes iyes and other senses and by meane of eiuyll spirites beeyng the lordes of this worlde All suche tumultuous buisynesse as these as a sea of eiuils swellyng vp and ouerflowyng dydde the power of the trueth Euangelicall receiue endure breake throughe and vtterly ouercome For at the lighte of the ghospell whan it came it was reason that all counterfaictes of worldly power should clene vanishe a waye Up shot that same ghospell and shewed it selfe beeyng plaine and lowe whiche all men wâ—â— great a doe endeuoured to ouertrede and kepe downe The bokes of suche persones as with singular high witte with woondrefull learnyng and with exquisite eloquence wrote agaynst the ghospel vanished awaye of theyr owne accorde as it had been certayne dreames insomuche that they are not at this day remaynyng to bee had neyther excepte if any fragmentes or small pieces haue been saued of the Christians by reason of wrytyng agaynst them in confuting them The kynges and princes dooe nowe bough downe to honoure the thyng which to fore they weÌ„t about to destroie the power of magike is vanished awai and gone the euill spirites are cast out that they howle and rore agayn philosophie hath confessed her ignoraunce and geuyng ouer the foolishe wisedome of the world it hath enbraced the wysedome of the crosse the rethoricians write oracions in the prayse of Iesus Christ the poetes do hisse the olde goddes out of place and in the lieu and place of Goddes innumerable all their song and composyng is nowe of Iesus Christe alone Thissame so great a chaunge of the world begoonne within a fewe yeares after Christ was putte to death to be made generall and common through al the whole worlde and withoute any maintenaunce or supportacion of maÌ„ it encreaced from tyme to tyme still more and more vntyll the piece of leauen beeyng miengled in three peâ—kes of meale did â–ª â—auen and turne al the whole batche and vntill the graine of mustard seed beeyng digged into the yearth did ferre and wyde spleygh his boughes abrode ouer Asia ouer Afrike and Europe And ouer and besydes all this those persones who layed theyr battrey agaynst the trueth Euangelical to cast it â—owne and to destroye it not onely had diuerse and sondry kyndes of terroures wherwith euen very manly stomakes also might haue been quayled that is to weâ—e open coÌ„maundementes by proclamacion consistories places of iudgemente forfaityng of al theyr goodes to the princes attaindres and depriuacions banishementes priesons tormentes of burnyng plates scourgyng with â—oddis axes wherwith to choppe of theyr heades ieobettes fiers to burne them wylde beastes to cast them to that thei might be deuoured deathes but also they had diuerse and soondrye allurementes wherewith an herte though it wer right coÌ„tinent might bee corrupted Ceasar would saye to some one of them Rencague thou and forsake Christ and be thou the chiefe emong all my piers and except thou so do all thy gooddes shall be forfayte to my behoufe I wyll shewe all extremitie of rigour towarde thy wyfe and children and thyselfe for thyne own part shalt bee cast to wylde beastes in a denne Who did in suche cases as these perswade so many thousandes and bryng them in mynde with reioycyng to take it whan theyr promocions and dignities were taken from them whan theyr gooddes were spoyled that whan they sawe those parties haled with all violence to huige tormentes and execucion of death who nexte after God were moste derely beloued vnto them they should geue thankes to God and finally that themselues whan they might easly haue escaped and whan they might haue enioyed suche high commodities should of theyr owne voluntary wylles offâ—e themselues to bee cruelly martyred No power of humayne eloquence could this haue dooen but the godlye power of the trueth was hable whiche laye hidden in the graine of mustardsede Neither did the philosophiers doctrine lacke alluremente The Stoykes promised libertie and fredome true rychesse health reigne other thynges magnificent and royall to be spoken The Epicureans made highe woordes and promises of pleasure to the cares of men The Peripatetikes dyd couple the good giftes of the bodye with vertue But the doctrine of the ghospell as it did not drawe any body vnto it with any worldly terrours so on the contrary parte how feâ—re was it from hauyng any thyng commendable in outwarde shewe to see to naye rather howe many thynges did it conteine vttrely vncredible It telleth newes of one Iesus nailled on the crosse who had by his death deliuered mankynde and this Iesus to be bothe god and man borne of a virgin and one that had returned agayne from death to life and was nowe sitting at the right hande of God the father and thesame Iesus to had been a man that had taught suche persones to bee in blissed case as for the profession of his name did mourne and warle did suffre thirst or hungre were put to affliccion wer euill spoken of or were putte to death and that all men shall in time to come arise to life agayn and that the godly sorte at that daye thesame veray Iesus beeyng their iudge shall haue immortalitie to their lotte the wicked shall haue the peines of hell for euer without
do not for any suche purpose wryte paraphrases because I would shake or strike the gospell out of mennes handes but to thentente it maye be read the more commodiouslye to a mannes mynde and with the more fruite lyke as meates are sauced to the ende they maye be taken with the better will and the more delectacion Yea and of one ferther poynte also must I here warne a reader that is somewhat grosse of vnderstanding whiche is that it bee not myne owne woordes that I do any where speake in the paraphrase leste the thyng whiche vnder the persone of the Euangeliste is humbly and truely spoken maye seme to bee arrogauntlye spoken vnder myne owne persone The lord Iesus geue his spirite vnto you moste noble kyng to the ende that vnder your proteccion beeyng a true Christian Prince in dede the veritie of the gospell maye from daye to daye more and more reigne and flourishe Yeuen at Basill the .xxiii. daye of August in the yeare of our Lorde M.D.xxiii The life of saynt Luke written by S. Hierome LUke a phisicion and borne in Antioche was not ignoraunte of the Greke toungue as his wrytynges do shewe he was a folower and disciple of the Apostle Paule and a companion of all his peregrinacion He wrote a volume of the ghospell of whome the same Paule sayeth in this maner We haue sent with him a brother whose praise is in the ghospell throughout all the congregacions And agayne to the Colossians Moste dere Luke the phisicion greteth you And to Timothie Luke is with me alone Be sette foorth also anotheâ— speciall goodlye booke whiche is entitled the Actes of the Apostles the storie wherof came euen full to Paules tyme beeyng and tarying two yeares at Rome that is to saye vntill the fourth yeare of Nero the Emperour there Whereby we do well perceyue that the sayde booke was made in the same citie Therfore as for the circuites of Paule and of Tecla the virgin and all the tale of Leo by hym baptised we rekon emong the scriptures that are called Apocrypha For what manier a thyng is it that a companion whiche neuer went from his elbowe shoulde emong his other matâ—ers bee ignoraunt of this thyng alone Tertullian whiche was nere vnto that tyme reporteth that a certayne priest in 〈◊〉 beeyng an affeccionate fauourer of the Apostle Paule was coÌ„uicte before Iohn for beeyng authour of thesame booke and that the priest confessed him selfe to had 〈◊〉 the thyng for the loue that he bare to Paule and the booke by reason therof to had escaped hym Some wryters deme that as often as Paule in his Epistles saieth accordyng to my ghospell he signifyeth of the woorke of Luke and that Luke learned the ghospell not onely of the Apostle Paule who had not been conuersaunte with the Lorde in the fleshe â—ut also of the rest of the Apostles whiche thyng Luke himselfe also declareth in the begynnyng of his owne worke saying As they haue deliuered them vnto vs whiche from the beginning sawe themselues with their â—yes and were ministers of the thynges that they declared The gospell therfore he wrote as he had hearde but the Actes of the Apostles he composed as he had seen He liued .lxxxiiii. yeares not hauyng any wife Buried he was at Constantinople vnto whiche 〈◊〉 his bones were remoued and conueyed out of Achaia together with the bones of Andrewe the Apostle in the .ix. yere of Constantius the Emperour The Paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Ghospell of S. Luke The prologue ¶ For asmuche as many haue taken in hand to sette foorth the declaracion of the actes that are come to passe emong vs lyke as they deliueâ—ed them vnto vs that first sawe them themselues and were ministers of the woorde I thought good also now that I had gotteÌ„ the knowlege of all thynges from the begynnyng to wryte theÌ„ diligentlye vnto the in ordre good Theophilus to the ende that thou mightest knowe the trueth of those woerdes of the whiche thou art enfourmed IN the histories of worldly affaires vpon consideracioÌ„ that not a lytle aswel delectacion as also profite is takeÌ„ of the knowlege of thynges there is customably required an vpright trueth of reporting thesame But muche more oughte this vpright trueth to be in makyng relacion of the Ghospell the whiche not onely doeth muche delite the mynde hauyng litle els to do or is very commodious and profitable vnto this transitory lyfe but also is necessary vnto true godlinesse without the which no man atchiueth eternal saluacion and the blisse that neuer shal decaye of the lyfe euerlastyng For it were no matier of daungier thoughe a manne did not knowe what man Hannibal was or Alexander what actes Epaminondas or Scipio hath doen what matâ—ers Solon Lycurgus or Draco haue writen what doctrine Socrates Plato or Aristotle taughte albeit the knowleage of these thynges also after the rate of mans state and case in this world hath their fruite But whatsoeuer person shall not knowe the father the sonne and the holy ghoste whosoeuer shall not learne what actes the soonne of God Iesus Christe hath dooen on yearth for the saluacion of mankynde what he hathe taught what he hath promised vnto suche as doe constauntely cleue to the doctrine of the ghospell what he hath threatned vnto suche persones as doe either litle regarde or els doe playnely despise thesame suche an one shall not possibly bee hable to auoyde but that beeyng excluded out of the coumpanye of Gods children and shut out from the ioyes of the heauenly lyfe he shal bee adiudged with the wicked to the tormentes of the diepe pitte of hell whiche neuer shall haue ende And in dede at the first by meane of thapostles beeyng therunto chosen of our Lorde hymselfe and by the residue of his disciples beyng enspired with the holy ghost the ghospell in dede by liuely voice and by mouth onely but yet with moost vpright certaintye and assured trueth is begonne to bee spred abrode throughout all coastes and countreyes of the worlde and dooeth daylye yet still ferther and ferther renne abrode Yet forasmuche as the synceritie of reportyng the whiche goyng from man to man by mouth onely issueth successiuelye to a great noumber is more lightlye corrupted then suche reporte as is sette out and left from one to another in writyng therefore Mathew the Apostle one of the twelue whom our Lorde Iesus beeyng yet coÌ„uersaunte on yearthe had specially appointed and chosen to this office and also Marke the disciple of Peter the Apostle were by inspiracion of the holy ghoste admonished to put the summe of the whole story of the ghospell in writyng not myndyng ne goyng about by preuencion to take awaye from others any libertie to write of the same matiers but rather leste any person beyng craftilye deceiued by false Apostles shoulde folowe the Iewes facions or fonde fables in stede of the gospell Notwithstandyng lyke as not euery manne did at that tyme with eguall synceritie and
the which through the noblenesse of his linage through suche his holynesse of liuing as had not afore that tyme bene hearde of and by his auctoritie through his rare gyftes of grace gotten among all the people might vnto Christ beyng not yet borne procure the fyrst knoweleage and faith among the Iewes whiche were harde of beliefe euen as the doctrine of the gospel wherof Christ was the heade the firste founder and firste brynger vp was at the firste beginnyng made acceptable vnto the worlde by the testimonye of the olde lawe the figure of the whiche olde lawe Zacharie and Iohn did represent But in shorte processe of tyme the course of thynges beeyng chaunged a contrarie waie lyke as Christ whan his vertues giftes of grace were shewed foorth did derken the glorye of Iohn so the brightnesse of the maiestie of the ghospell as soone as it once opened it selfe vnto the worlde dyd as ye woulde saie clene abrogate the autoritie of Moses lawe And so it was that where Iacob the Patriarke a litle before he shoulde dye beyng endowed with the spirite of prophecie did foresaye veray many thynges which should afterwarde come to passe whan it was now come to the mencioning and namyng of Iuda out of whose tribe our Lorde Iesus shoulde issue and procede by lineall dissent he spake these wordes of the prophecie folowyng The sceptre sayed he shal not be taken from Iuda ne the head tewler from the thighe of hym vntyll he come that must be sent and veray he shal be the expectacion of all nacions This prophecie did euidently enough betoken that Messias should at suche tyme come whan the people of the Iewes whiche had afore from tyme to tyme euermore been rewled and gouerned by capitaynes iudges kynges and priestes of their owne nacion should now be subiecte to a prince borne in a foreyne countreye And thesame Prophecie did al vnder one geue a tokeÌ„ that the grace of the gospell whiche the Iewes would despyse and sette at nought shoulde passe and go from theim vnto the Gentyles But firste of all others Herode the sonne of Antipater whereas he was neyther descended of the bloud of the Iewes and yet was besidesâ—orth an vngodly and a wieked person was not onlye enfraunchised and called to the honour to be a denisen of the couÌ„trey of Iewrie but also through the fauour of Ceasar Augustus than Emperour of Rome obtayned the kyngdome and rewle ouer the Iewes Therfore euen vp this token alone though there had been no mo nor no oâ—her the Scribes and the Pharisees whiche tooke vpon them the exacte and perfite knowleage of the lawe might haue geassed that the tyme was now come whan that same man should bee borne who defacyng and vanquishyng all terrene or yearthly kingdomes should bryng into the worlde an heauenly kyngdome and whiche in the place and stede of tyrannes should create pastours and in stede of lordely maisters should make teÌ„dre fathers Furthermore whereas the dignitie of the Iudaical priesthoode was in excedyng high honour and in wondreful estimacion â—mong al persones the holy ghost had by the prophetes declared afore that this priesthood also of the Iewes should be abrogated and abolished after that he were once come the whiche not beeyng enoynted by men with materiall or bodelye oyle but beeyng enoynted by God in spirite with the oyle celestiall shoulde through a sacrifice beeyng in dede no mo but one sole sacrifice but thesame neuerthelesse a sacrifice of moste absolute efficacie vertue take awaye all the synnes of the world and should through the feyth of the gospell and the bounteous geuyng of the spirite of God sanctifie and make holy all thynges For Daniel had prophecied that after the weekes or seuen doubles of yeres that is to say after seuen times seuen yeres by God prefixed it should come to passe that the holy of all holyes should be enoincted and than from thenceforth should the hostes and sacrifices of the olde lawe ceasse Whan the thynges eternall shall be once come thynges transitorye shall haue an ende whan ghostely thynges shall be come thynges carnall shall cease whan the trueth shall be come feyned counterfeytes shall geue place whan the lyght shall be come shadowes darkenesse shall vanishe away whan Christe shall haue begonne to speake the voice of the grosse lawe shall playe mum vntill that it too do openly professe hym whom vntill nowe it did rather as who should saye with certain tokens of becking nod at or poynte vnto theÌ„ by expresse wordes pronounce and declare to be he At suche tyme therfore as Herode beyng first a foreinour and an aliene borne and secondarily a wicked person and with many manslaughters and hainous murders polluted had all vnder his rewle and obeisaunce emong the Iewes not by the authoritie of God but by the fauour of Ceasar Augustus at what time the religion of the Iewishe temple which consisted in externall figures ceremonies did moste chiefly of all flourishe emong men at what time extreme wickednesse all vngodly facions did before the face of God reigne emong the Scribes the Phariseis the elders the bishops vnder the false pretensed colour cloke of holinesse euen than dyd the coming of the Lord Iesus after this sorte as we shall now tel begyn first to be knowen to the worlde There was vnder a wicked king a godly prieste euen as ye would saye the last remaines that was left of the olde ordre of priestehood not beeyng yet corrupted with so many vices this priestes name was Zachary whom the ordre of lottes cuÌ„ming about again by course did at that present time call to the ministryng of the sacres holy rites in the temple For so had Dauid sorted all the whole ordre of priestes into two principall families that is to wete of Eleasar and of Ithamar The other families being subiect vnto these two he deuided into fower and twentie lottes that euerye of them in ordre one after an other should in theyr courses minister the sacres in the temple eight daies space a piece absteining all that while from all thinges which by the rites of Moyses prescripcion semed to make a maÌ„ vnclene refrayning also froÌ„ cumpanying with their wiues nor cumming once within their owne house but abydyng still in the temple to the ende that they myght with the more chastitie with the more puritie handle the seruice of God but to all the residue of the priestes besides him whose course it was to minister for that weeke it was lefull in the meane space to attende to their wiues and their childreÌ„ to be occupied about their owne secular affaires so that it were thynges necessarie and requisite to be done And so it was that whyle this ordre was thus in deuiding by lottes emong the fower and twentie families the eight place fell by lotte to Abia of whom zacharye was lineally descended and into whose place Zachary had
contended that he should not be called zacharye but Iohn wherin the holy ghost did signifie that he which was borne should be a publisher of a newe lawe whiche newe lawe shoulde abrogate the tradicions of men of old time and should turne the carnal vsage therof into grace of the spirite For Zacharias souneth in Hebrue myndefull of the Lorde and IOHN hath hys name of grace The ryghteousnesse of the law did consiste in woorkes prescribed and appoynted and the ryghteousnesse of the ghospell consisteth in grace through feythe The kinsfolkes did not geue place to the authoritye of the mother but on the contrarye parte contended that he ought rather to be called zachary because that in al the stocke of zacharie there was not one that was called Iohn And in many childe it is a common vse that the remembraunce eyther of the father or of the graunde father or of the vncle by the fathers syde or of some other nere kinsman bee renewed Yea and yet at thys present daye some suche there bee whom the name of zacharie dooeth more delite then the name of Iohn thaâ— is to wete suche persones as cannot yet well abyde that circumcision newe chaunges of the moone washynges holy dayes fasles chose or difference of meates and sacrifices should be abolished euen as it were men in dede and facte criyng with open mouthes The name of Iohn we will none of it our olde zacharye wil we haue Forasmuche therfore as the woman that laie in childbed and her kynsfolkes could not agre it was requisitie to haue the autoritye of the father to ende this contencion The father had not yet the vse of hys toungue althoughe it was nowe muche necessarye for hym to saye hys mynde In such sorte therefore as it myght be he hadde beckes and sygnes made vnto hym to declare by some meanes what name it pleased hym to haue geuen to his sonne Zachary was soone as he vnderstoode the matter made sygnes to haue writing tables to thentente he myght by dumme letters in writyng signifie vnto them the thyng whiche he had as yet no power with liuely voice to expresse Whan the tables were brought him he wrote in this wyse Iohn is his name signifyng and meaning that same name to had been geuen vnto him by the Aungell before he was conceyued And they dyd euery one of them muche woondre aswell that a straunge newe found name dyd lyke hym as also that the mother whiche had her toungue at liberty and the father who coulde not speake did so agree vpon the childes name And nowe did the tyme draw nere that the lawe of Moses should begyn to speake whiche hytherto onely by figures and dum paternes had after a sorte poynted and marked out the grace of the ghospell The tyme was now come that beliefe should open the mouth of zacharie whiche the hardnes of beliefe hadde accordyng to the promysse of Gabriell shutte vp As soone therefore as he had writen in the tables by and by also was the tiyng of his toungue looced And the first power that he had to speake he dyd of none other thyng begyn but of praisyng Godde by whose free bounteousnesse so great an heape of ioyes had chaunced vnto him Onles the Iewishe tounge kepe silence beyng bothe the doctrice and auauncer of carnall obseruaunces and also an auoucher of mannes righteousnes the euangelicall toungue hath no power to speake which is a preacher and a setter foorth of grace of feyth of charitee and preacheth not the workes of the law whiche lawe doeth not recouer or geue vnto any man the prayse of reighteousnesse by hys owne factes but preacheth the ryghteousnes of God by innoceÌ„â—ie frely conferred and geuen through ferth But al these thinges first of an aged woman bearing a chylde of the straungenesse of the same chyldes name of a soonne borne by the promyse of an Aungell of the father of the chylde fyrste made sodaynly dumme where as he coulde afore speake wel inough and than agayn of a dumme man soodaynely made eloquent to the praisyng of God al thissame was by a bruite and a common rumour spred abrode not now emoÌ„g their kynsfolkes and neyghboures onelye but also throughoute all that same coaste of Iewry that is called the hylle countrey inso muche that not onelye a greate woondreyng but also a certayne kynd of beyng amased and of being in a tremblyng feare which was conceyued by reason of so many so vnwont miracles did possesse the hertes of al folkes in those partyes For of these preaumbles they gathered in theyr myndes that thys chylde whiche was nowe borne was lyke in processe of tyme to doe greate thynges and thynges that had afore not been hearde of forasmuche as his concepcion and birth too was so soone made notable by woonders and miracles They saw hys father to be so ferre stryken in age that he was veray vnlyke to haue been a geatter of children and as for hys mother besydes that she was an olde woman they sawe her bareinnesse to be such that euery body thoughte it paste all hope that euer she shoulde haue brought foorth any childe they considered the myracle of zacharias speche whiche had been soodaynly taken from him and soodainly restored again they had heard that the Aungel Gabriel was a worker a doer in the matter they wel perceyued the insperacion of the holy ghost to be both in the father and in the mother of the childe they perceiued euerywhit of the matter to be aboue the common rate and sorte of the birthe of other chyldren and euery parte therof to haue great tokens of the vertue and power of God And these poyntes euery bodye in theyr owne herte earnstely consideryng and weighyng saied secretlye within themselfes what man yet one is thys chylde lyke to bee an other daye Not one of the Prophetes was borne after suche a woonderfull straunge sorte For the veraye myracles of thynges that haue been wrought about his birthe dooe euidentely declare all thissame geare to bee dooen by the power of God whiche shal assiste the chylde beeyng one specallye appoynted by god to the executyng and dooyng of some veraye hyghe thinges Neyther did they without good cause thus reason these matters with themselfes For the hand of God dyd in veray dede extende and shewe foorthe his heauenly power into the chylde and by the chylde into the parentes myndyng no lesse then in due tyme to shewe thynges of greatter woondre ¶ And his father Zacharye was fylled with the holy ghoste and prophecied saiyng Praised bee the Lorde God of Israell For he hath visited and redemed his people And to thentente that altogether myght bothe be full of myracles and also replenished with all ioyfulnesse Iohns father zacharie also beeyng altogether enspyred with the holy ghost brast out into this hymne souning wholy to the honour and prayse and magnifyng of almyghty God Openly to be shewed and spoken sayeth he
of his father was contente to be made as a foole for our sakes to the ende that we might be made wise in him Through pryde came our fall and through humilitie came our settyng vp agayne Adam being through the serpent made bare of all the good qualities of the mynde couered hymselfe with leaues plucked from the tree Christe being riche in giftes celestiall desired no maner thing at all of this worldes The figures also of the olde Testament do veray well accorde with the storie of the ghospell Moses guided and led the Israelites out of Egypte and Christe hath deliuered them from the derkenesse of ignorauÌ„ce and from the boÌ„dage of vice They had their passage there through the water and we here through baptisme haue a ready waye to saluacion and freedome There was a pilour of a cloude and of fyer and here the father sendeth a voyce downe through a cloude and our spirite is baptised with fyer Through the first lawe is occasion of death through the lawe of the ghospell we are called agayne to lyfe But the olde lawe dyd with throundreynges and lyghtenynges make them sore afeard and the lawe of the ghospell doeth with ientilnesse and benefites call vs forth to saluacion Moses was terrible to be seen but in such wyse that constreyned he was to couer his face Christe is mylde and full of courteous humanitie and puttyng hymselfe in companie emong the thickeste of the people Moses went vp to the hill to talke with God and Christe came downe to vs to the intent that God should speake to vs by hym The fyrste Adam while he coueteth to be equal with God is compared to brute beastes voyde of vnderstandyng The seconde Adam whan he humbled himselfe from his godly maiestie downe to the bassenesse of our humaine nature wheras we were more abiecte and vile then euen the brute beastes are helyfâ—ed vs vp to the participacion and brotherhood of his godhed Nowe to conclude through Iesus the sonne of Naue was their returnyng into the lande flowyng wyth mylke and honey and through Iesus the sonne of a virgin is our returnyng agayne into paradyse Let vs therfore goe awaye from the disposicion of our first parentes and duely folowyng the lyfe of our Lorde Iesus let vs wyth pure myndes enbrace his benefite and let vs with al godly zele and endeuour folowe his exaumple to the best of our powers hymselfe will ayde vs therto with his helpe the whiche of his goodnesse hath geuen the example let vs enbrace the merciable and vnwrathfull maker of the lawe euangelicall Lette vs folowe our guide who only and none but he is hable to bryng all nacions of the whole worlde home vnto that same lande whiche continually without ende doeth moste plenteously flowe with all kynde of ioyes ¶ The .iiii. Chapiter ¶ Iesus beeyng full of the holy ghoste returned from Iordan and was ledde by the spirite into wildernesse and was fowerty daies tempted of the deuill And in those daies did he eate nothyng And whan they were ended he afterwarde houngred And the deuill sayed vnto hym If thou be the sonne of God commaunde this stone that it bee breade And Iesus aunswered him saying It is wrytten Man shall not lyue by bread only but by euery woorde of God ANd Iesus vpon whose head the doue had lighted before at his baptisme beeyng not a voyde signe but the holy ghoste hymselfe in that lykenesse although he were nowe full of the holy ghoste yet before he would enterpryse the office of preachyng the ghospell because he would be in all thinges approued and tryed euen to the vttermoste ere he woulde take suche an office in hande he departed from Iordan geuyng therby a lesson that after baptisme menne shoulde endeuoure themselfes to the more higher exercises of godly lyuyng he withdrewe himselfe from the coumpanie of people with whom to be familiar and muche conuersaunte doeth many tymes corrupte a manne and also doeth cause the autoritie of a teacher to be the lesse estemed and regarded And by the spirite of God wherwith he was wholy rauished and possessed he was moued and led furthe into wildernesse from whence Iohn had to fore come furthe emong the people And this did Iesus euen as one that mynded to bidde the enemie of mankynde quickely to come of and make readie all hys craftes and ingiens verayly of purpose both to shewe and declare vnto vs that the deuyll who had hitherto been as a conquerour ouer mankind had holden them captiue maye bee vanquyshed and subdued and also as it were with his fynger to poynte vnto vs the waye howe to wynne the victory ouer hym A place was sought and found apte mete for the temptours purpose and that was wildernesse and occasion was ministred by the meanes of hounger For Iesus to doe the parte that Moses did in this behalfe nowe that he went about to geue vnto the worlde a newe lawe that is to were a doctrine of grace which is the ghospell he fasted as Moses had doen fowertie dayes and in all this tyme of the sayed fowertie daies he touched no maner of meate but passed ouer all this tyme with holy prayers vnto God geuyng laude and glorye to thesame and with geuyng continuall thankes vnto his heauenly father And this was a paterne and a saumple or president of a certayne rare and vnwoonte vertue in manne Neyther was he ignoraunt of the craftes and subtilties of Satan who by all meanes possible neuer more earnestely pitcheth and setteth his snares and grinnes then whan he perceyueth the mynde and soule of man with notable endeuour to encline and drawe towardes heauenly lyuyng And Satan had heard that one there shoulde come whiche shoulde discoumfeight and destruie his puissaunce and whether that mightie conquerour were now alreadie come or no he stoode in doubte and what manne Iesus should be he could not tell For Satan who had beguiled mankynde to fore by his subtile craftes and wyles was nowe contrarywyse to bee beguiled by the politique wysedome of God He had heard Iohn openly confesse and saye I am not Christe Wherfore seeyng and perceyuyng many thynges in Christe whiche ferre surmounted the compace of mans power and on the other syde agayne seeyng hym to bee an houngred and to be in great affliccion through defaulte of takyng bodily susteinaunce wheras it is not read that Moses and Helias after the fastyng and absteinyng from meate by the space of lyke noumbre of dayes were an hungred he supposed Iesus to be nothyng els but a manne yea and suche a manne as by his craftie conueighaunce myght be corrupted Nowe the wilie and subtill deuyse of the temptour was this that is to wete eyther to ouercome and wynne hym in dede or at the leaste wyse to hunte out whether he were that Sonne of God or no whiche had been promysed by the Prophetes Whiche thyng yf he myght haue perceyued so to bee than would he bende all his
of the ghospell a famouse name is requisite not for that suche an one ought to seke glory emong men but for that an honest opinion of the teacher doeth purchase vnto the same bothe credite and authoritie But the sayed honest opinion as it is not to be desired so is it not by all maner waies to be acquired and gotten Let a teacher of the ghospell accordyng to the exaumple of Iesus so lyue that whereas he maketh no vauntâ—e voste of hymselfe he may yet neuerthelesse be aduaunced by the testimonie of the heauenly father by the power and vertue of the holy ghoste and by the voyce of Ihon that is to saye of euery honest and good man in whom the grace of God resteth let hym so lyue that he maye through the perfeccion of his liuyng and behaue our turne the iyes of all folkes vpon hym And to bee short let hym be of suche feith and constaunt affiaunce in God that yf the case should so require he may glorifie God euen with shewyng myracles too howbeit as the worlde nowe is it is a miracle great great enough if suche an one neyther with richesse neyther with sensual pleasures nor with worldly promocion ne with dreadfull offering of tormentes ne with the feare of death it selfe will not any whit at all be turned from the purenesse of the veritie euaÌ„gelicall Nowe emong the Iewes it was a custome that often seasons but moste specially on the Sabooth daies the people assembled together into the temple or into theyr Synagoges to th entent that the tyme of restyng which the lawe enioyned them from all filthie secular workes should not be spenâ—e on dycing and cardyng on harlottes on banquettyng and reuelyng on chydyng and brallyng and other veray naughtie vices but to be bestowed about thynges perteynyng to the soule And in the saied temple or Synagoges there was talking of one with an other not concernyng triflyng matters of the worlde but about the lawe of the Lorde about Messias to come who was with moste ardent prayers looked for of all good and godly folkes And what euery man could he conferred and declared amonges all the presence of what state or degree soeuer he were And whosoeuer made any countenaunce that he had what to teache vnto the people there was deliuered vnto hym a booke of the lawe of God wherhence it is the parte duetie of a teacher of the ghospell to fette out wherwith to fede the soules of the people and not out of the dreames of men And whatsoeuer thyng was in this place and audience done coulde not be priuie or hidden because there stocked thither a great multitude of all sortes and degrees of people Iesus therfore willyng his doctryne to be knowen vnto all creatures as he walked throughout the cities of Galile he vsed accordyng to the lawdable custome of the Iewes to come into their Synagoges shewyng furth euery where thesame wonderfull and piththie doctryne of the kyngdome of heauen beyng of so muche more power and force then the doctryne of the Phariseis who preached naught but the vtter rynde of the lawe and the constitucioÌ„s of menne as wyne is stronger of herre and operacion then water Neyther dyd there lacke emong the people of Galile some mindes apt desirous to learne whiche marueiled at this newe kynde of doctryne and whiche dyd reuerence the wonderfull teacher therof highly praysyng and manifying hym And he came to Nazareth where he was nourced and as his custome was he went in to the Synagoge on the Sabboth daye and stode vp for to reade And there was deliuered vnto him the booke of the Prophete Esai And whâ— he had opened the booke he found the place where it was written The spirite of the Lord vpon me because he hath enointed me to preache the ghospell to the people he hath sent me to heale the broken herted to preache deliueraunce to the captyue and sight to the blynde freely to sette at libertie them that are bruised and to preache the acceptable yere of the Lorde And he closed the booke and gaue it agayne to the minister and sate downe And hitherto verayly the ghospelles cause dyd sufficiently well procede vntyll he came to his kynsfolke and to the knowelage of his familiar frendes and acquaintaunce becauâ—â— we should vnderstande that he whiche teacheth heauenly thynges ought as muche as he maye to estraunge hymselfe from the fleashe and from the blond of his kinred For whan he had passed through certaine litle townes and cities of Galile at the last he came to Nazareth in whiche place by reason that he had been there brought vp of a young nourcechylde and had long tyme liued there with his parentes and kynsfolkes he was supposed of many to had been borne and for thesame cause was also comonly called a Nazarean And to th entent the Nazareans should not fynde themselues grieued that he had thought skorne of his kinsfolkes and aliauÌ„ce as one that had more mynde and desyre to go hunting about for glory emong people of straunge parties where none of his kynne dwelt he came thither also to Nazareth beeyng nowe a manne of great fame and muche spoken of whereas he had tofore had no suche fame in those quarters And because he would declare that he had nowe renounced and geuen vp all priuate busynesse and affayrs of the worlde he came accordyng to his accustomed maner into the common Synagoge For no where ought suche a man to be more conuersaunt then in the temple whoso is consecrated to the profityng of all folkes in generall And when he heard others treatyng and reasonyng of Moses lawe he also arose vp signifying by that gesture as others vsed to doe that he also beeyng inspired with the holy ghoste had some thyng in his mynde that he was willyng to speake before the multitude beeyng there assembled Whiche custome euen at this daye endureth in the churches by the ordinaunce of S. Paul that menne shall speake and heare by course And in case any man haue any thyng opened vnto him by reuelacion woorthy or mete to bee knowen he that spake afore shall leaue of and shall geue place to the partie that succedeth hym because that no troubleous noyse and confusion of speakyng so as one maye not bee heard for an other shall aryse in the holy congregacion in whiche it is decent that all thynges bee doen with peace and tranquillitie The booke was deliuered vnto Iesus and that accordyng to the custome and vsage for vs to be enstructed and taught therby from wheÌ„ce the doctrine of saluacion ought to procede that is to weâ—e not out of the inuencions of men not out of the posicions of Philosophiers but out of the booke of holye scripture whiche hath been reueled vnto vs by the secrete instincte and operacion of the spirite of God Iesus in whom all the treasoures of knowlage and wysedome were hidden had no nede of any booke but yet
he tooke the booke because he woulde commende vnto vs the earâ—est settyng of our myndes on the readyng of holy scripture The minister of the Synagoge reacheth furth the booke vnto hym but he tooke it hym shutte Iesus who alone hath the key and openeth that is layed vp hidden in the olde lawe whan he had taken the booke openeth it and turneth it For Iesus himselfe laye secretely hidden and diepely hiddeÌ„ in the lawe And truly mete it was that the Iewes selfes should geue the thyng wherwith they should anon after be conuinced And the booke that was deliuered vnto Iesus was not at all auentures as though it forced nothing what booke it were but it was the booke of the Prophete Esay then whom neuer did there any man eyther more clerely or els more euidently prophecie of Christe and of the doctryne of the ghospel Neither did the thyng by a blynde chaunce so happen but it was so conueighed by goddes prouidence that the booke beyng opened abrode and a leafe turned that same veray place came chiefly fyrsâ—e to hande the whiche dyd moste â—erely and plainly talke of Christe and in the whiche Christe by the mouth of the Prophete speaketh of himselfe in this maner The spirite of the Lord is on me because he hath enointed me to bryng glad tydinges to the poore by preaching of the ghospell hath he sent me to heale the contrite that is to saye throughly broken in herte to preache remission and free deliueraunce to suche as are in captiuitie and syght vnto the blinde to set freely at libertie suche as are all bruysed to preache the yere of the Lorde both acceptable and muche to be wished for and to preache the daie of retribucion Whan the Lord Iesus had with his owne voyce pronounced these woordes standing vpon his feete he redelieuered the booke shut together againe as he had receyued it vnto the minister signifying by his so doing the obstinate vnbeliefe of some of the Iewes who sittyng still beatyng on the letter of the lawe dyd neyther vnderstande ne woulde acknowleage Christe beyng the soule and the lyfe of the lawe Nowe immediatly after this taketh he on hym the parte and office of a teacher and sate hym downe quietly about to expoune the sentence that he had read As touchyng that he read the texte of the Prophete standyng on his feete it was a thing doen for the authoritie of the scripture of God wherunto it is mete that all dignitie of manne do reuerently humble it selfe As touchyng that he taught sittyng downe it is for a declaracion that an expouner and preacher of Goddes holy scripture ought to bee voyde and altogether clere from the troubleous vnquietnesse of all carnall and worldely desyres ¶ And the iyes of all them that were in the Synagoge were fastened on him And he began to saye vnto them This day is this scripture fulfilled in your eares And all bare hym witnesse and wondred at the gracious woordes whiche proceded out of his mouthe And they sayed Is not this Iosephes sonne And he sayed vnto them ye will vtterly say vnto me this prouerbe Phisician heale thy selfe Whatsoeuer we haue heard doen in Lapernaum do the same here lykewyse in thyne owne countrey And he sayed Uerayly I saye vnto you no Prophete is accepted in his owne countrey But partely the newe fame whiche had nowe already begon to be spred abrode of Iesus partely the authoritie of a teacher which he now first of all toke vpon him finally a certayne heauenly grace shyning in his veray countenaunce dyd cause that the iyes of all the people whiche were then present in that congregacion were earnestly fixed on him for suche an audience doeth the Lord Iesus loue as kepe their Sabboth resting from all troubleous desires and affeccions of this worlde suche as with mutuall concorde one with an other are gathered together into one place such as haue the iyes of theyr minde loking none other way but streight vpon Iesus but streight towardes euerlastyng saluacion For he dayly speaketh vnto vs in the misticall scripture of God he speaketh by euangelicall Prophetes that is to saye by the enterpretours expouners of the holy bookes of scripture But happy and blissed are they to whom the Lord Iesus speaketh they geuyng suche earnest iye eare vnto hym For to suche doeth he vouchesaue to open the mysterie of the depe hidden sence For as soone as he sawe the iyes of all the presence caste full and whole and fixed on hym alone he begonne to saye vnto them Ye haue nowe heard the Prophete Esay by the inspiracion of the holy ghost promising vnto you a certaine excellent and mightie teacher who should not out of a worldly spirite teache constitucions of meÌ„ or vaine fables seruing to no good purpose but being aboundauÌ„tly enoynted replenished with the spirite of God should bee senâ—e from thesame to bryng the glad and wishable tidinges of saluacion to suche as are meke and poore in spirite and by reason therof are apte to receyue the holsome doctrine of heauen and whiche teacher should be of power and habilitie to perfourme the thyng whiche he should bryng tydynges of as one endewed with heauenly vertue and power whiche teacher also shoulde freely bryng saluacion vnto all creatures as many as acknowlagyng theyr owne naughtinesse and offences dyd wyshe for saluacion whiche teacher moreouer all manier sinnes beeyng frely pardoned should helpe all suche as had theyr hertes corrupted with many sondrye diseases of vices and of naughty lustes whiche teacher ferthermore should preache deliueraunce and setting at libertye vnto all persones that either beyng geuen to Idolatrie were kepte fast of the deuill as captiues and prisoners or els beyng as thrall to the supersticion of the lawe mighte not reache ne atteigne to the libertie of the spirite whiche teacher besides all this should through faith open the iyes vnto suche as were blynde in soule abode in a moste diepe myste of manyfâ—lde errours in suche wise as with theyr sayde iyes they should be hable to behold and looke vpon the light of the eternall vecitie accordyng to the prophecie whiche thesame Prophete wrote in another place where he sayth the people that satte in darkenesse hath seen a great light Which teacher ouer and aboue the premisses shoulde restore vnto theyr first state of fredome all suche persones as semed to bee all crushed and bruised to pieces by Satan with all kyndes of euilles and which teacher finally should declare in open preachyng that the true Iubilee of the Lorde was now come a tyme lyke as to bee hertely wished for of al creatures euen so with moste ardent myndes to bee accepted and enbraced of all people without excepcion Moses gaue a tradicion of a sabboth of dayes in whiche he commaunded that euery seuenth daye they should all rest from sloumbreyng or vnclenly occupacions he gaue also a tradicion of a sabboth of yeares in whiche he
acte at all but suche as can accordyng to mine ordinaunce sette at naught the glory of this worlde passe nothing on sensuall pleasures despise ryches esteme all affeccions as thynges of nothing refreine wrath and enuy beare true louing hertes to theyr yl willers say well by them that speake euill of theim praye for suche as dooe persecute theim and finallye sette not a penye by theyr lyfe in respecte of sauyng theyr brother suche will I acknowlage as dysciples worthie and meete for me The presence of my fleshly bodye dooeth for the season make theim to bee weake but whan thys bodye shal bee taken awaye in such wise as they may not haue me whan they would and whan they shall haue diepely receyued the spirit of the ghospell then shal they through theyr priuye giftes of grace within theim bee strong and vnuanquishable And suche persones as dooe put all the prayse of ryghteousnesse in corporall obseruacions because they truste in theyr owne weorkes are founde weake to perceiue those thynges whiche I prepayre my seruauntes vnto but whoso mistrustyng theyr owne doiynges sette al theyr defence and sauegarde in the vertuous qualities of the mynd which vertuous qualities they shal acknowelage to haue receyued of me and no man els suche men shall no manier aduersitee cause for to quaile Iohns training of his disciples my breaking of myne are of twoo sundrye sortes because the marke that we shoote at is not all lyke These twoo hys and myne cannot haue a full myxture made of theim For he that is wyllyng to be my disciple muste be altogether spirituall puttyng no manyer truste at all in thinges corporall in whiche the ryghteousnesse of the Phariseis dooeth altogether consiste And therefore I enioyne my disciples not a whit of any such thinges as haue any affinity with the carnall obseruacion of the lawe leste that in case I shoulde admitte or suffre but euen neuer so litle they woulde altogether slyde backe agayn to the same state that I wil in any wyse haue theim to be moste fertheste from And the Lorde Iesus to the entente that he woulde shewe howe greate diuersitye there was betwene Iohn who trayned hys disciples accordyng to the fyrste smatche of the olde lawe that he had bene nouzeled in from his infancye and himself that by a muche other waie dyd breake his disciples to thynges of more higher perfeccion he put furth a similitude of thys sorte here folowyng There is no man sayethe he so folyshe that in case he were mynded to patche vp a broken hole of hys olde cote woulde bee soe mad to sette in a pece of newe clothe cut with a payer of shiers oute of a newe garmente whiche thing yf he shoulde doe there were in it a double incommodity For fyrst and formost he renteth a newe vesture to patche vp an olde secondarilye the newe clothe standyng in the old garmente because it agreeth not wyll not leate the ilfauoured syght of the patching be hydden Agayne there is no man so folish that he wil put newe muste into olde bottels to bee kepte or yf he dooe it will surelye soe come to passe that the strengthe of the muste boylyng and weorkyng in theim wil breake the olde bottels in soonder and so shal consequentely folowe a double losse For bothe the bottels shall pertshe and also the wyne renne out What is therfore to be dooen Leat there be no mixture made of such thinges as agree not the one with the other Leat an olde garmente bee botched with olde clothe and in a newe garmente leate there not bee any pece of olde clothe put in Leate also newe muste bee put in newe bottels to bee kepte soe shall it come to passe that the bottels shall be saued whole and the wyne too I know how heard a thyng it is to make thissame new and ghostely doctrine of mine acceptable vnto those that haue nowe a long time bene enured with the olde For vneath any thyng dooeth lyke any persone yf it bee contrarye to that that he hath long tyme bene accustomed vnto For at once is he offended at the first tastyng of a thyng that hath not bene in vse with hym Therfore like as he whiche hath long tyme bene accustomed to drynke olde wine is not at the first assaiyng delited with new muste for he mysseth the tast that he would haue and saith that the olde was better but he sayeth so for none other cause sauing onely that he hathe bene vsed to the other soe they that haue liued all theyr dayes afore in the olde trade of the Iewes carnall constitucions dooe at the first tasting of this ghostly doctrine sterte backe and desyre to haue their other grosser thinges again which they haue bene vsed vnto that is to wete circumcision holy dayes solemne rites of sabbothes difference of meates diuersitie of vestures feastes Hierusalem the temple slayne sacrifices or oblacious washynges vowes blinde coÌ„stitucions of the Phariseis with other thinges mo not vnlike vnto these And these premisses thei not only requyre to haue again but also doe preferre thesame before such thynges as bee a greate deale better and more necessary to be had which thynges are an harte circuÌ„cised from peruerse desyres a mynd continually keping holy day from all worldly or vngosâ—ly appliyng it selfe a breste throughly quieted from all troubleous vexacions or assaultes of euill passions a spirit abhorryng from the infeccion of al thinges which stayneth or defoileth the puritie of the mynd a soule enuironed and besette rounde aboute with feyth charitye humilitye and purenesse an herte euermore temperate and refreinyng form all euilles a mynde alwayes labouryng to come to his heauenly countrey a soule euer being a temple and a place of soiournyng for the holy goste a soule from tyme to tyme offreeyng it selfe an acceptable and a pure sacrifice to God a soule beyng pure cleane from al spot of synne through the feith of the ghospell a soule clene mortified from all thinges that belong to thys worlde and dedicatyng it selfe altogether vnto godly thynges a mynde most ready and diligent to obserue such thinges as the doctryne of the ghospell doeth enioyne and require And the thing that it requireth forsoothe is feithe the thyng that it enioyneth and commaundeth is charitie And thissame is verayly the newe muste of my doctryne which muste or new wyne the vessels that haue been vsed to the olde soure turned wyne of Moses law shall not wel abide but it requireth new pure vessels that are through the gostlye giftes of grace strong made to endure substauÌ„ciall sure to holde ¶ The .vi. Chapter ¶ It happened on an after principall Sabboth day that he went through a corne fielde and his disciples plucked the eares of corne and did eate and rubbed them in their haÌ„des And certaine of the Phariseis sayde vnto them Why doe ye that whiche is not lawefull to do on the sabboth dayes And Iesus aunswered them and sayd haue ye
for a salueoure he was and was come into the worlde for the perfeict healyng of all creatures And he lifted vp his iyes vpon the disciples and sayde blissed be ye poore for yours is the kingdome of God Than immediatly vpon this he begoonne to shewe furth some new muste of the doctrine of the ghospell wherunto he had specially chosen out a certayn number of a sum what more stedfast and sure sorte as new bottels to receiue and holde it Blissed are ye sayeth Iesus that haue no spice of proude hert but rather do mislike your selfes For although to the worldward ye seme to bee persons abiect and to be refused of all companies yet is the kingdome of god youres whiche is by a greate oddes higher in honour and royaltie than all the kingdomes of this world Ye see diseases to be drieuen away deuils to flee out of men sinnes to be clene abolished What hath any regal estate of this world to be compared with this heauenly hyghnesse Is it not a kyngdome of hygh regalitie to be thrall to no vice to bee cloggued with no inordinate desires to haue troden vnder feete the deiuill and all hys armie to haue ouercomed the worlde withal the terrours and also the flattering enticementes belonging to thesame to be men called and taken to the familiaritie very brotherhood of God and to bee registred emong the inheritours of the kyngdome of heauen Blissed are ye that hounger now for ye shal bee satisfyed Blissed are ye who being now men in pouertie and penurie doe liue in houngre and thirste and being contented with spare repastes doe despise the richesse and the excessiue fare of thys worlde and the hounger that ye haue is for meate of the soule whiche is the woorde of god and your thirste is for the liuely water of the spirite of the ghospel for ye shall be assured to be sacyated and filled with these restoratiue delicates whiche ye are so faine to haue Blissed are ye that wepe now for ye shall laugh Blissed are ye whiche haue of your owne myndes and willes exempted and depriued your selfes of all sensuall voluptuousnesse of this worlde for the earnest rendreing of euangelicall deuocion and sette more by suche thinges as by meane of temporal affliccions enduryng but a whyle dooe bryng men vnto the ioyes of life euerlastyng For the tyme shal come whan all thynges beeing clene chaunged to a contrarie course your sorowe shal be turned into ioye and your mournyng into laughter Blissed shall ye bee whan men hate you and thrust you out of their coumpaignie and taâ—lon you and abhorte your name as an 〈◊〉 thyng for the soonne of mannes sake â–ª Reioyce ye in that daie and bee glad for beholde your towarde is great in heauen For thus did their fathers vnto the Prophetes The moste parte of the people dooe calle suche men happie and fortunate vnto whome the people sheweth tokens of high fauour and lykewyse them that are auaunced to honours and sache throughe glorious titles are muche renoumed But ye on my woorde and warrantyse shall bee blissed whan men shall haue you in decision whan they shall cast you out of their coumpaignies as persones to bee deâ—ested and abhorred whan they shall speake manye sore woordes of reproche and vilanie against you for my sake whan theâ— shal earnestly endeuour and labour either vtterly to abolishe your name and memorie for euer or els to make it detestable vnto all that shal come after and that not for any faulte of youres but for the hatred of the soonne of man whose doctrine and glorye ye shall be preachers of But dooe ye neuer the more therefore mislyke yourselfes but rather bee ye glad whan suche thynges shall chaunce vnto you and reioyce ye For if the fauour of eiuill men shall not dooe by you according to your desertes yet a plenteouse rewarde for your well dooynges abydeth you in heauen It shall not lye in the power of men to abolishe the names of you whiche bee written in heauen it shall not lye in them with theyr woordes of reproche or despite to appale or derken youre glorye whiche shal for euermore be coupled with my glorye Naie contrariewyse the more that they shall persecute your name and fame so muche the more shall they make it renoumed For to bee misliked of the vngodly is the highest prayse and commendacion that may be Nor ye shal not be the first that haue bene thus vsed For excellent vertue hath euermore bene hated of eiuil persones What men of this present time shal now do against you the selfesame thing haue their forefathers dooen in tymes paste agaynste the holy prophetes for none other respecte but because thesame Prophetes accordyng to the will of God dyd not holde theyr tongues from speakyng the trueth which trueth hath to eiuil disposed persons bene euermore odiouse By example of the sayd prophetes shal ye comforte your selues For whose names they attempted vtterly to abolish the memory of thesame is now high and holy with al creatures Yet neuerthelesse ye beyng in assured comforte through your innocencie and perfeict good liuing must haue no mynde ne thoughte to auenge your owne cause For they shal be assured not to escape without smarte in the ende for that they shall doe vnto you though for a season they seeme fortunate and flourishing rufflers in all pleasure and welth of thys worlde For suche are differred and reserued to tormentes whiche neuer shall haue ende But woe vnto you that are riche For ye haue your consolacion And therfore woe unto you ryche cobbes the whiche while ye may dooe solace delite your mindes with the treasoures honoures delectable enticementes of this worlde and dooe not remember ne thynke that it will erelong come to passe that this vayne felicitie and pleasaunce shall be taken away from you and after thesame shall ensue woefulnesse and sorowe neuer to haue ende Woe vnto you that are full for ye shall houngre Woe vnto you whiche nowe in this worlde hauing mynde on nothing but your bealies plaie the gluttons and take excesse of all delicate meates and drinkes more to pampre vp the bodie in luste then for the necessitie of nature as though ye were borne to beastly feedyng onely and to nothyng els and as though ye rather mayntayned your lyfe of purpose to eate and drinke then eate and drinke to maynteyne lyfeâ— and beeyng full paunched with gorge vpon gorge haue no mynde to relieue your poore brethren perishing for famyne as though ye were borne to fede none but your own selues and were not bounde to relieue the necessitie of your neighbour Woe vnto you for whan both these corporal meates and drinkes wherwith ye so delicately and volupteously fede your selfes yea and the bealie too which gourmauÌ„deth shal be consumed than shall ye be houngrie and fynde no reliefe Than shall ye wishe that ye might be so happie as to haue but one of the lytle crummes that
froÌ„ Endor And whan he thyther wente his disciples folowed hym of whome by this tyme there was a great noÌ„bre and besides theÌ„ there weÌ„t also a great multitude of the common people of all sortes and degrees And whaÌ„ the Lord was now not ferre from the gate of the citie beholde an occasion of an other newe miracle There came a dead corpse carried on meÌ„nes backes towardes buriâ—ng with a great coumpanye of people And a doulful matier it was first because it was a very young man that was dead and taken froÌ„ his lyfe euen in the very floure of his age secondarily because it was the onely sonne of a wedowe who beeyng depriued of the coumforte of an housebande had sette all the hope and staye of her lyfe in the same her soonne This wedow therfore testified the woful tormenting of her hert both with weping teares and also with many piteous woordes of lamentacion suche as extreme raging dolour doth commonly putte in folkes myndes to speake The great wailyng of the wedowe together with the vnripe deathe of the yong strieplyng caused the reste of the coumpanye also to wepe as many as for kyndenes and bonde of neighbourhode went folowyng the corpse Whan the Lorde Iesus beeyng mostefull of mercie and pitie had seen this sight he toke compassion on the wedowe and shewed himself an effectuall comforter vnto her that had none els to bee hir comforter he holpe her bothe in wordes and also in dede WomaÌ„ saith he make no more weping And whan he had so said he came vnto the biere wheron the dead maÌ„ was carried and put his hand to it And immediatly they whiche carryed the corpse stayed Here bothe coumpanies earnestly herkenyng aswell they that accoumpanyed the wedowe as also they that came with the Lord Iesus turnyng to the yong maÌ„ that was dead young man ê™ he I saie vnto thee Arise At this worde immediatly the yong maÌ„ euen as it had been one newly awakened reysed out of his slepe sate vpright on the biere and to the entent that it should be the more euideÌ„t a token that his life was restored hym he begoonne to speake And this speakyng dyd ferthermore also declare the lustye freashenesse and heartynesse of spirite in him And when he had now lept doun from the biere and cleuyng faste vnto Iesus by whom he perceiued that his lyfe had been restored vnto him was stil rendryng thankes for it the Lorde deliuered hym vnto his mother to haue him home with her goyng now on his own feete whom she had caused after he was dead to be carryed towardes burâ—yng on fower mennes shoulders And thus truely was the matier doen as touching the story but not without a significacion of ghostly doctrine The wedow beyng a mother represeÌ„teth the churche Forsooth euen this is thesame wedow whoÌ„ the prophete Esaye doeth coÌ„forte saiyng Be glad thou barain that bringest not foorth chyldren reioyce thou the art nothyng towardes bearyng for mo are the children of the forsaken than of her that hath an husbande The synagogue trusteth altogether in her spouse Moses it maketh great vauntes of the children of AbrahaÌ„ beyng equall in noumber to the sande that lieth on the sea shore The churche after the estimacion of the worlde semeth destitute of her spouse who hath conueyed hymselfe vp into heauen at the first she semed barain and without hope of any issue or successioÌ„ the Iewes also the prices of this world labouryng that al memorie of Iesus whom they supposed to be vtterly destroyed and dead might vtterly be takeÌ„ away and abolished for euer This wedow doth daily bring forth not children of this world but childreÌ„ of the lyght neyther dooeth she bryng them foorth to Moses who taught thinges earthly but vnto Christ who teacheth and also promiseth thinges heauenly She bryngeth them foorth not to death but to immortalitie She groneth daily in bringing forth childreÌ„ yet vnshapen vnperfite vntil thei haue receiued the spirite of the gospel and vntil Christ be brought to perfite shape in theÌ„ A true mother she is singularly doth she loue her childreÌ„ whoÌ„ with gret carefulnesse she frameth and trayneth vntill they may growe to full age and may bee brought vp to the strength of perfite men For loue and deuocion towardes god also hath it infaÌ„cie it hath it cumming forward in growthe of age That if at any tyme it fortune any of her chyldren to dye she wepeth and can not be coumforted nor wepeth any lesse for hym then if she had had none but hym alone whom she loste Innocencie whiche is geuen through euangelical fayth is life and sinne is death We see with howe great affeccion mothers do mourne for the bodily corpses of their children but muche more tenderly doeth the churche wepe and waill for one that after baptisme is fallen again to any deadly synne and more pensife she is for the death of one sinner theÌ„ the Synagogue is glad of fourescore and nynetene ryghteous Well than forth is the dead maÌ„ borne of foure carriers that is to say of the inordinate desires of this worlde which hauing the dead corpse on theyr shoulders benng now destitute of the holy ghost lackyng now all felyng of himself beyng now dead aslepe in his ownnaughty vices carrye hym down streighte to the graue of euerlastyng despaire The church ferthermore hath gates by which she casteth out dead folkes lest that with the stinkyng of the dead corpse the others also that are yet whole maye bee infected She hathe other gates also by whiche to receiue in suche as are called to life agayn of the Lorde As she bringeth not foorth into life but by the spirite of Christe so doeth she not receiue into life again but whom Christ doeth call backe again The porters that carry the dead neuer stop ne stay vntill they cum euen to the graue For whoso hath made al his restyng place here in this worlde whoso hath once let himself at large to be ledde with sinfull affeccions ceasseth not with damnable proceding to fail coÌ„tinually into wurse wurse vntill he cum to the mayne depth of euils and is deliuered to his lustes abominable And all the while naught doeth the mother but wepe yea and all the coumpanye of his couÌ„treimen do wepe sorowyng that the deade is cast out whom they wishe to returne to life again And these verilye are the prayers of our mother the churche these been her teares and these are the sighes and grouynges of the godly persones makyng mone and sorowe for the death of a synner This young strieplyng was dead not beeyng yet confirmed with the spirite of the ghospel and so muche the more worthye of mercie because that thesame maÌ„ whoÌ„ they had hoped trusted should through the spirite of Christ haue prospered and growen foreward vnto the highest degree of euangelical godlynesse hym they see now past life and void of any spirite and by most merciles
crosse And in dede they hearde a speakyng of death but it was as it had been half in a dreme nothyng well vnderstandyng what the thyng ment whiche was spoken and yet durste they not demaunde anye questions of hym what these woordes might mene hauyng freash in theyr remembraunces that Petur whan he was somewhat ouer bolde and buisye with Iesus had hearde Iesus saie vnto hym auaunt out of my sight thou Satan thou haste no saueryng of those thynges that appertein to God but altogether of such thinges as appertein to yâ— world ¶ And there entred a thought emong them whiche of theim should bee greatest whan Iesus perceiued the thought of their hertes he tooke a chylde and set hym harde by him and sayed vnto them whosoeuer receiueth this childe in my name receiueth me And whosoeuer receiueth me receiueth hym that sent me For he that is least emong you al the same shal bee greatest After al this same Iesus wente to Capernaum And so it was that forasmuche as the disciples wer yet carnal because they had seen the glory of weorking of many miracles and because they had hearde the maiestie of the kyngdome of God promysed and because theimselfes too had dooen many woondrefull thynges aboue nature at the name of Iesus a certayn worldly thought entred into theim which at laste braste out thus ferre that as they were going on the way they reasoned together one with an other whiche of them shoulde sute highest in the kyngdome of heauen For they dreamed that such a like order shoulde bee in the kyngdome of heauen as they had seen in the courtes of worldely princes or in ryche folkes houses in whiche he that is more proude and quicker or bolder spirited then an other is he is the more Iolier felowe Than Iesus althoughe he knewe well enoughe what it was that they had emong theimselfes kept disputacions of yet as soone as he was come into the house he demaunded of theim what the matter was that they had so hardelye disputed and reasoned of by the waie And they all plaiyng mum and not hauyng a woorde to saie because they wer halfe ashamed of the matter Iesus to shewe that their thoughtes and their priuie talkes behynd his backe wer not hydden ne vnknowen to hym toke a litle innocente childe in his hand and set hym hard by his syde and callyng the twelue together vnto hym he sayed ye dispute of greatnesse whiche of you shal bee greatteste The greatteste with me are those that are moste inferiours What is more playne without fraude or guyle then this litle chylde or what thyng more lowe Euen veray suche muste ye become if ye will be chiefe in the kyngdome of the ghospel The kyngdome of feith and charity knoweth none ambicion it is not acquainted with plaiyng the Lorde it can no skill of tirannye whatsoeuer persone receiueth vnto him suche a childe as this in my name receiueth me myselfe and whosoeuer receiueth me receiueth hym that hath sent me If I haue plaied the Lorde towardes you than reason you also who shal be the chiefe emoÌ„g you but if I haue rather vsed my self as a willing and a readye seruaunte to the commodities of all persones knowe ye that he shal bee a great man emong you all who in contemnyng of glory in humilitie and submission and in feruent affeccion to bee as a seruaunte to dooe all creatures good shal bee the least and moste inferiour of all men ¶ And Iohn aunswered and saied maister we sawe one castyng out deuils in thy name and we forbad hym because he folowed not with vs. And Iesus saied vnto him forbid ye hym not For he that is not against vs is with vs. And because they had hearde hym saye that litle ones are to bee receiued in the name of Iesus it came into Iohns mynde that they had excluded and debarred a certayne man from the fraternitie of ministring the ghospel He therefore is in a doubte whether that lyke as all men were to bee receiued vnto the felowship of the saluacion of the ghospell so in lyke manier all men wer to be admitted to the ministracion of preachyng the ghospell and to the weorkyng of miracles And in this poyncte was hydden a litell spice of a certaine secret pangue of enuye God had tofore geuen power vnto the twelue onely to caste out deuils and to heale diseases Thys dignitie they thoughte not meâ—e to bee made common to any others And therefore Iohn saied maister at the tyme whan beeyng sent foorth by thee we executed the office of preachyng the ghospell abrode we sawe a certaine man casting out deuils in thy name though he bee none of the noumbre of vs twelue no nor dooeth not soe muche as folowe thee neyther This man as one beyng a straunger to our brotherhood we forbadde that he shoulde no more so dooe Than Iesus although he would in no place suffre hymselfe to be preached of by the wicked spirites yet teacheth that men of what sorte soeuer they bee are not to bee forbidden from hauyng to do in the ghospel although they do thesame of no veray sincere hert so that saith he the thyng that they doe they doe it in the name of Iesus and doe thesame thyng that ye dooe For whosoeuer is not an aduersarie vnto vs doeth euen in that veraie poynte make on our syde that he doeth not against vs. To such a thyng as is straunge and by all possible waies to be euerye where published abrode al fauour doeth auaile The miracle is not his that doeth it but Goddes who sheweth his power by man as by his ministre and instrument Therfore whatsoeuer persone sheweth any miracle by callyng vpon my name dooethe publishe and spred abrode my glory and debarreth himself of al title to speake 〈◊〉 of me from thensforth whose name he hath found so effectual ful of power ¶ And it fortuned whan the tyme was come that he shoulde bee receiued vp he sette his face to go to Hierusalem and sent messagiers before him And they went and entred into a city of the Samaritanes to make ready for him And thei would not receiue him because his face was as though he would gooe to Hierusalem Whan hys disciples Iames and Iohn sawe this they saied Lord wilt thou that we commaund fyer to come down from heauen and consume them euen as Helias dyd Iesus turned about and rebuked them saiyng ye wotte not what manier spirite ye are of For the sonne of manne is not come to destroy mennes lyues but to saue theim And they went to an other â—owne And so it befell that the time beeyng nowe veraye nere at hande when Iesus leauyng the yearth should be receiued vp into heauen the Lorde had already entred his iourney and shewed eueÌ„ plainly by his countenaunce that he was bounde towardes Hierusalem as one that purposely minded to be in the way agaynst the occasioÌ„ of his death should come He
therfore sent messagers afore hym twoo or three of the Apostles to prepaire him some harbourgh and place of soiourneyng within a certaine citie of the Samaritanes throughe whiche his iourney laye And whan they came the tounesmen had shutte the gates of the citie against them because they coniectured by the veray facions and couÌ„tenaunce of the Apostles that they were gooyng towardes Hierusalem For the Samaritanes in consideracyon that all theyr woorshyppyng of God was in a mountaine of their owne hated and abhorâ—ed all such as went to HierusaleÌ„ in the way of deuocion to worship God there Upon this Iames and Iohn who hadde been sente on the sayed message when they sawe the vncourtesie of the inhabitauÌ„tes there whiche woulde not suffre them so much as to come within the precincte of their towne walles beeyng euen all out of pacience sayed to the Lord Maister is it thy pleasure that we bidde fier to come downe from heauen as Helias ons dyd whiche may consume these felowes But Iesus because he woulde shewe howe great the mildenes of a teacher of the ghospell ought to bee bridleed their wrathefulnesse with a sharpe rebuke saiyng Take ye not the dede of Helias for your exaumple He beyng led with the spirite brought the wicked people of that tyme to confusion But as for ye doe not yet vnderstand what spyrite ye ought to bee of That same spirite of the ghospel is more meke then so There shall hereafter come a time of redresse and vengeaunce But vntill that daye the sonne of man is come not to cast awaie mennes liues or soules but to saue them They that do now at this presente kepe vs out of their towne wil peradueÌ„ture an other day hereafter take vs in They are therefore to bee saued that they maie bee in case to repent emende And so leauyng the towne they turned an other waye to an other litle towne By these wordes Iesus toke out of theyr stomakes al desirefulnesse of doing vengeaunce and taught vs to vse fauourable bearyng towardes suche as at the firste begynnyng woulde exclude and kepe out the doctrine of the ghospel from theim allegeyng that it was enough to leaue such for a season vntil they might at a tyme of occasion bee conuerted to a better mynde And it chaunced that as they were walkyng in the waie a certaine man saied vnto him I will folowe the whither soeuer thou goe Iesus saied vnto hym Foxes haue holes and birdes of the ayre haue nestes but the sonne of man hath not where to laie his head Againe it fortuned as they wente that a certaine man of his own voluntarie mynde sayed vnto Iesus I will folowe the whithersoeuer thou shalt goe And Iesus myndyng to shewe that suche as broughte not with them myndes mete for suche a weighty matter were not to bee admitted to the fraternitie of preaching the ghospel for that better it were not to take the matter vpon theÌ„ then to geue it ouer again after it were once taken in hande sayed vnto him Foxes haue holes of theyr owne in the earth and birdes of the aier haue theyr nestes in the trees but the sonne of man hath not anye place where to put hys head in Suche an one therefore as hathe anye thing in this worlde whereon to sette hys delite or whereon to set his ful reste and quiet is no mete folower of the sonne of man He muste renounce all thynges that will folowe me And he saied vnto another folowe me And thesame saied Lord suffre me first to go and buirie my father Iesus saied vnto hym leat the dead buâ—rie their dead But go thou and preache the kyngdom of God An other saied Lord I wil folow the but leaâ—e me first go bid them farewel which are at home at my house Iesus saied vnto him No man that putteth his handes to the plough and looketh backe is apte to the kyngdome of God Againe whan he had cast his iye on a certaine other man he saied vnto hym folowe me But he made this aunswere Maister geue me leaue fyrste to buirie my father But Iesus geuyng a bywoorde that the cause of saluacion is to bee preferred before all poyncâ—es of carnall duetye sayed vnto hym Leate the dead buirye theyr deade but gooe thou and shewe abrode the kyngdome of God By thys exaumple dyd the Lorde forfende the excuses of suche men whiche vnder the colour of naturall affeccion and dutie dooe putte of and delaye the care and earneste appliyng of eternall saluacion And yet a wurse â—orte of menne then those are they whiche vnder the colour of fyndyng stoppes and lettes about the affaires of theyr housholde do prolong drieue of fro morowe to morowe the matter of saluacion whiche oughte euen at the first occasioÌ„ streight way to be gone through withal For there came an other man to hym who beeyng commaunded to folowe him aunswered Maister I will come after thee doe nomore but suffre me to goe bidde my familiar frendes and my housholde farewell Than saied Iesus whosoeuer hath ons put his hande to the plough and than afterwarde loketh backe again is not apte for the kyngdome of God This matter of the ghospell is an high matter and an hard to come to whiche whoso hath ons enterprised thesame must with a peâ—pertuall appliyng of it procede stil and goe forwarde to thynges of more and more perfeccion and neuer turne his mynde awaye to the vyle cares of transitorye thynges of this worlde The .x. Chapter After these thinges the Lorde appointed other seuenty also and sent them two and two before him into euerie citie and place whether he himself would come Therfore he saied vnto them the haâ—uest is great but the labourers are fewe Praie ye therefore the lord of the haruest to send forth labourers into the haruest Goe your waies Behold I send you forth as lambes emong woulfes Beare ye no wallet neither scrip nor shooes and salute no maÌ„ by the waie Into whatsoeuer house ye entre first sate Peace be to this house And if the sonne of peace be there your peace shall teste vpon hym yf not it shall turne to you againe And in the same house tarrye styll eatyng and drinkyng suche as they geue For the labourer is woorthye of his rewarde AFter these thinges the Lord chose and toke out of the noumbre of his disciples other seueÌ„tie also as he had tofore chosen his twelue Apostles and sent them two and two before hym into euerye citie place whether he himself had determined to come to the end that by theyr preaching teaching before thei might prepare and make ready the myndes of the people against the cumming of the Lord. These dyd he euen so enstructe howe to preache and teache his ghospel as he had before taught the twelue and he shewed and opened the cause why he had so encreased the noumbre of preachers saiyng The harueste is greate but the labourers are fewe praye ye
selfsame thyng by whose helpe do thei chase awaye deuils Plain homely men they be they are men of no knowlage ne autoritie they caÌ„ no skill of the malicious sleightes of witches or Nygromanciers and yet do these caste out deuils in the name of me What thiÌ„g thei doe they doe it on a faithfull truste in God therefore shall your vnbelefe be condeÌ„ned by these iudges and none other The plain simplenesse of these hath beleued wheras your wisedom and expert knowelage of the world striueth against the glory of god Wherupon seeyng there is neyther ryme ne reasoÌ„ in saying that one euil spirite driueth out an other euil spirite and forasmuche as your children do cast out deuils by the helpe of none other then by whose helpe I do cast theÌ„ out it is clere that I doe cast out euil spirites by the vertue and power of god who is good For the spirite of him is of more power and might theÌ„ al the whole packe of the wicked spirites that are Neither is there any agremeÌ„t betwene the spirite of god and theÌ„ For god loueth the preseruacioÌ„ of mankynde and they seke the destruccion of thesame Nowe than if it bee a thyng manifest that the thynges whiche ye see me doe I doe by the power of god than is there no doubte but that the kingdome of god is cum vnto you whiche Iohn did preache to bee at hande Reason it is therfore that ye ioyne your selfes with hym and withdrawe you from the reigne of Satan which shall shortely haue an ende Ye cannot be partakers of bothe kyngdomes at once there is betwene god and Satan a bataill that by no possibylitye maye be brought to attonemeÌ„t The cause wil neuer by any condicions be brought to agrement Satan shall either geat the victorye orels by stronge hande bee dryuen out he shall not by yeldyng or submyttyng hymselfe continue in hys reigne ne yet bee receiued vpon any condicions of agreement appoynted vnto him He hath hitherto reigned without redresse but nowe is there cum a power more puissaunt mighty theÌ„ his tirannie For one finger of God is more mightie to preserue saue mankind thaÌ„ all the hostes of Beelzebub to destroy thesame Thesame thyng therfore shall in this behalfe cum to passe whiche is coÌ„monly woont to chauÌ„ce betwene two head captayns both being valyaunt and strong and both beyng fierce couragious and such as al their affiaunce and trust resteth in their armour and weapon For whan a man of great forte and puissaunce beeyng in armour dooeth kepe his fortresse the thynges that bee in his possession are in peaceable reste and quite That if any other being of more power theÌ„ he do set vpon him and do with plain force of armes coÌ„quere him that was in harnes wel armed he wil entre no leage of felowship to bee as halfe partener with him in his castell but dryuyng the other quite awaye he wyll entre vpon full possession of the wholle house hymselfe The weapon wherin the other trusted he will by plain force take away froÌ„ hym all his richesse and substaunce he will rifle and spoile and distribute it among his souldiers Now doeth it behoue you to loke aboute you and see of whether syde ye will bee and with whether ye wyll take parte with God beyng the mightier or with Satananon to bee dryuen oute If ye haue peace with Satan ye are out with God If ye haue peace with god than cannot ye and Satan agree And in the one or the others campe must ye fight The tyme as it now shapeth will not suffer any persons to sitte idle And whoso is not on my syde is an aduersarie vnto me and euen in this verye poynte dooeth me hurte and sâ—athe because that where he ought of dutie to fauour my syde he doth not fauour me and whoso doeth not gather with me scattereth abrode Whan the vnclene spirite is gone out of a man he walketh through drye places seekyng test And whan he findeth none he sayeth I wil returne again vnto my house whence I came out And whan he cummeth he findeth it swept and garnished Then goeth he and taketh to hym seuen other spirites wurse then himself and they entre in and dwell there And the ende of that man is wurse then the beginnyng And because the Iewes toke vpon them an opinion of righteousenesse and vpon boldenesse thereof did either negligently leat slippe the doctrine of the gospell orels did vtterly refuse it and would none of it he put forth a derke parable wherby to signifie that a more greuous damnation should lighte on such persones as whan they haue gone a litel way foreward towardes righteousnes did fall backe agayne to their olde enormities then on suche as neuer knowing the light of euangelical trueth had coÌ„tinued still in the derkenesse of their sinneful liuing For the people of the Iewes was disseuered by meane of the lawe from the Gentiles beyng Idolaters but fallyng euery other day of freashe to their former transgressions they were cum at length to suche degree of vngodlynesse that whatsoeuer offence their forefathers had doen in putting the prophetes to death or in conspiryng against Moses thesame did they seuenfolde double more vngraciously renewe against the sonne of God and against his disciples Albeit this parable doeth ferther also touch euery man who beyng once washed froÌ„ his former synnes through baptisme once deliuered from the euill spirite of this worlde by the worde of the ghospell dooeth negligently vse the gyfte of god nor taketh any care to procede from tyme to time to ferther degrees of perfeccion Unto suche an one beeyng walowed downe again to his former liuyng baptisme and the knowlage of holy doctrine shall auaile to none other effecte or purpose but that he shal of his own sekyng haue the sorer damnacion at the daie of iudgement as one the whiche to his former sweruyng out of the right waye hath ioyned vnthankefulnes maliciousnesse also Now of the parable this is the tenour here folowyng Whan an vnclene spyrite is once departed out of a man beeyng putte awaye by the power of God for as muche as he hath an obstinate will to doe hurte he goeth walkyng vp and downe by places barain waterlesse seeking rest And whan he could no where fynde thesame he sayeth within hymself I will returne backe into my house that I came out of And returning vnto the same he founde it in dede sweped cleane with bromes but altogether emptie WhaÌ„ he espieth that he goeth his waye and taketh vnto him seuen other spirites more vngracious tben himself euer was and with suche a knotte of company goeth he again to his house in dede made cleane but leaft vnkept nor armed with any defence of vertues semyng for the gospel For the ornamentes and garnishyng of ceremonies in dede make outwardlye a shewe or semblaunce of godlines but because they are onely certain vain counterfaites of thynges they kepe
ientyll yoke of his father And whan the saied elder sonne drewe nere vnto his fathers house he heard the straunge noyse of them that songe and daunced for ioye For stickyng wholy to the vnsauourye lettre of the lawe he did not knowe kowe great ioye it is that the spirite of the ghospell hath Whyle the Iewes neglecteth all the premisses dooyng nothyng but digge and beare burdens in the fielde of the lawe in the meane tyme is the people of the Gentiles with great ioye receyued and taken into the house of the father who nothyng els desireth but the saluacion of his Than the folower of the olde lawe meruaylyng muche at the straungenesse of this newe matier and woondreyng what should bee the cause of suche vnwoont mirth would not vouchesalue to entre in where he might bee partaker of the common gladnesse emong all the rest whiche thyng his father dyd earnestelie wishe For the Gentiles were not so receyued in that the Israelites should bee excluded and shutte out But euen yet styll they stande without the doores fumyng and freating for that the churche reioyceth for the Gentiles receiued to the saluacion of the ghospell The elder sonne therfore called out one of his fathers seruauntes and demaunded of hym what newe ioye and gladnesse all thissame was He made aūswer your brother is come whome whan your father had gotten agayne he was veraye glad and kylled thatsame principall best calfe which he had so lōg fatted because he had him safe and sound again whom he thought to had been vttrely loste for euer Here beholde a Iudaicall herte stomake which wheras it ought to haue reioyced for the receyuing of his brother which ought to haue praysed the mercifulnesse of his father yet had rather to enuie his brother and to take indignacion agaynst his father He caried still therfore without the doores murmouryng and full of chafyng And whan his moste louyng father had perceyued hym who desyred the ioye to bee in common to all that were of his house he went vnto hym and begon courteously to praye him that casting all enuie and grutche out of his stomake he woulde come in and make one at the feast emong all the reste and woulde bee partaker of his fathers ioye Yet would not the elder sonne any thyng bough or relente with this his fathers courteous entreatyng but proudely quereled and reasoned the mattier with his father and vnnaturally accuseth his brother Beholde sayeth he so many yeres am I as a bondeseruaunte to you within your house nor neuer brake or transgressed any commaundement of yours and yet this my godly obedience hath neuer been regarded For ye neuer gaue me so muche as a young kidde wherwith I might make merie emong my frendes But now that thissame sonne of yours who hath wasted and spent your substaunce on whoores and harlottes is come home again ye haue killed for hym thatsame your principall best and fattest calfe Doest thou not Theophilus thinke thy selfe to see this elder sonne to entre in fumyng and chafyng and thus murmouring against his father whan thou readest of the Phariseis backebityng Christe because he did eate with Publicanes and synners whan thou readest of the Iewes repinyng agaynste the Grekes for that thesame Grekes were admitted to the ministerie and office of Apostles whan thou readest thesame Iewes scoldyng and raylyng without ende that the gentyles leauyng theyr ydolatry without the burden of the law by fayth only should bee admitted to the grace of the ghospell and shoulde bee baptysed and so confyrmed with the holy ghoste whan thou readest of them hauing enuie that they absteynyng from the feast the congregacion churche of the Gentiles with an vnspeakeable ioye of the spirite dooeth eate thatsame speciall goodly calfe whom the father commaunded to be slayne for the redēpcion of the whole worlde And yet this man also beyng a murmourer as he is the gracious goodnesse of his moste good father goeth aboute to appeace Sonne saieth he thou shalt fare neuer a whit the wurse for that though I vse ientilnesse and mercie towardes thy brother For thou art continually with me and all that is myne is thyne For continuall felicitie neuer interrupted or broken of hath not so muche pleasure or delectacion in it But lyke as a disease or sickenesse afore goyng doeth commende health vnto vs and make it seme the sweter vnto vs after we bee restored to it agayne euen so the misfortune which I haue had afore for my sonne maketh our mirth now the more for that he is gotten agayne And thou oughtest to reioyce in thy brothers behalfe and not to be awaye from the mirth of this feaste for because thissame thy brother was once dead is returned to lyfe againe he was once loste and is now founde againe Therefore dooe not thou thynke that he is returned home to thee thesame man that he was but thynke hym of an vnthrifte to bee newe borne an honeste and well disposed manne Thou must not remembre what he hath been but bee glad that he is nowe become suche an one as we wishe and desire to haue him With these three parables the Lorde dyd exhorte all his disciples to mercie and ientilnesse in receiuing of synners For the glorie of God is neuer more shewed or better sette foorth then whan he whiche was veray notoriously eiuil is sodaynly by the grace of God made a newe manne of an ydolatre made the seruaunt of Iesus Christe of a rauiner and extorcioner made a defendour and helper of the poore of an vnchaste liuer made chaste of an ambicious persone brought to humilitie of a reuenger chaunged into a bearer and long sufferer Furthermore the younger sonne found his fathers mynde so muche the more redier to forgeue hym for that the Gentiles whiche did not knowe God faulted agaynst hym more through ignoraunce then of any stubberne or indurate pretensed malice For ignoraunce and lacke of thynkyng and castyng afore what wil come after is alwayes for the moste parte ioyned and coupled with youth And therfore so muche the more willingly we dooe forgeue youth and beare the more with this age whan it doeth offende But the Iewe whiche to hymselfe semeth iust and standeth muche in his owne conceypte for fulfillyng of the lawe dooeth trespace more grieuously with enuying against his brother then the other had synned by sweruyng and strayghyng out of the right waye The .xvi. Chapter ¶ And he sayed also vnto his disciples There was also a certayne ryche man which had a steward and thesame was accused vnto hym that he had wasted his gooddes And he called hym and sayed vnto hym how is it that I heare this of thee Geue accoumptes of thy stewardshyp For thou maiest bee no longer stewarde The stewarde sayed within hymselfe what shall I dooe For my maister taketh awaye from me the stewardshyp I cannot digge and to begge I am ashamed I wote what to dooe that whan I am put out of
a woman aunswered desperately as if his herte had been in his hele clene goen Thou womā I haue none acquaintaunce with him And by that meanes did Peter for the first plounge escape But within a whyle cōmeth the lyke daūgier agayn For one of the seruauntes eftsons begonne to knowe hym metelye perfectly and sayed vnto him yea and thou too arte one of the nombre of them whose maister and Capitain we haue taken Peter beyng eftsons by reason of these woordes as one halfe out of the worlde for feare sayed Thou man I am none of them and swore that he knewe not Iesus Thus escaped he once more by forswearyng hymselfe And yet did it not all this whyle come in his mynde what the Lorde had tolde hym before and what promyse hymselfe hadde made to the Lorde All this while was Iesus in examinacion afore th◠wicked counsaill and was striekē with buffettes contrarie to the manier and ordre of iudgementes or courtes of iustice Peter beholdyng it a good waye of and lookyng styll what ende the matier was lyke to haue But muche about the space of an houre after a certayne other felowe of the seruauntes beeyng cousin to hym whose eare Peter had strieken of beholdyng Peter well knewe him and saied I promise you this felowe also was with Iesus in the herbare And whan he sayed it was not so the other sayed morouer The thing to be true that I saye euen his veray owne toungue doeth declare For he is one of Galile borne There Peter beyng altogether cast in an extreme feare begonne to sweare naie to the mattier and to bidde the diuell take him if he did so muche as vnderstād of what Iesus of what herbare or of what felowes of Galilee it was that the seruaunt spake So ferre had he vttrely forgotten hymselfe who should afterwarde be one of the chiefe of the congregacion In the meane season whyle Peter reneagueth while he sweareth naie while he curseth himselfe while he geueth hymselfe bodye and soule to the deuill the cocke crewe the seconde time whiche was the token that the Lorde had geuen hym and yet did he not thereby neither come to himselfe agayne Neither was he lyke to haue made any ende of straying out of the righte waye had not the Lorde through the middes of the wicked coumpaynye there turned his iyes vpon Peter and had earnestly beheld hym Peter beyng touched with the lokyng of his maister vpon hym remembred the wordes whiche the lorde had a litle before sayed vnto hym Before the cocke crowe twise this night thou shalt thrise reneague and deny me and beyng sodaynlye touched with earnest sorowe he conueyed hymsefe foorth of the doores and wepte bitterly What thing Peter did thesame would the other disciples also haue doen if lyke necessitie had come in vre But in the only person of Peter it pleased Iesus to teache all others that no man truste in himselfe ne that no man miengle or associate hymselfe in the compayny of euyll persones It was nighte Loue was weaxed stone cold in hym He was warmyng hymselfe by the fyer of wicked folkes he was sittyng in coumpayny emongest a deiuilishe sorte in the house of Cayphas the bishop whereas hymselfe should afterwarde be a bishop but muche vnlyke to Cayphas But there in bishop Cayphas house what vngracious dedes of mischiefe is there that are not doen There was a conspiracie made for the death of Iesus by the priestes the phariseis the Scribes and the elders of the people From thence were sent foorth harnessed men agaynste him there is he bounde there is he scourged there hath he his face couered there is he skorned there is he accused There doeth Peter committe periurie there doeth he accurse hymselfe a great and grieuous crime vnlesse frailtie excused it For Peter offended not of a prepensed malice as Iudas had doen but through heauinesse of herte wherwith he was astouned For he hadde not come thither of a purpose to reneague Iesus but onely that he might behold th ende of the iudgemente whereas he was not yet sufficientlye confirmed to die with Christ. For the tyme was not yet come Therfore how many soeuer haue fallen into any grieuous crime leat them praye the lorde Iesus that he wyll vouchesafe to turne his iyes vpon them and than shall they strayghtwayes acknowlage in themselfes from what state into what ease they are fallen Let them withdrawe themselues from vngracious coumpayny and leat them washe awaye theyr fault with teres testifying their herte to be conuerted and chaunged And the men that toke Iesus mocked hym and smote hym and whan they had blyndefolded hym they stroke hym on the face and asked hym saying arede who is it that smote thee And many other thynges despitefully sayde they agaynst hym In the meane season was all thatsame nighte passed ouer and spente in mockes and scornes against Iesus For the felowes that had apprehended Iesus scorned hym geuyng hym bothe reprochefull wordes and strokes therto And because they had heard saye that the people had him in reuerence as a prophete they blyndefolde his iyes and so buffeted hym on the face saying Arede now and tell by the spirite of prophecie what man hath geuen the any blowes With many other wordes of mockage and reproche dyd that wicked company continue rayling on Iesus the fountaine of all glory so that none of vs ought to take greuously to be reuiled or rayled at for the worde of the ghospell or to suffer affliccion and euill turnes at the handes of suche persones as serue the myndes of vnreligious byshops as doe thynges to fulfyll the appetite of cloked Phariseis as doe thynges to satisfie the fansie of folyshe prynces And as soone as it was daye the elders of the people and the hye priestes and Scribes came together and led hym into theyr counsayll saying arte thou very Christe tell vs. And he sayed vnto them yf I tell you ye wyll not beleue And yf I aske you ye wyll not aunswere me nor let me goe Hereafter shall the sonne of manne sytte on the ryght hande of the power of God Then sayed they all arte thou then the sonne of god He sayed ye saye that I am And they sayed what nede we any further witnes For we oure selues haue hearde of his owne mouth Now assone as the fayre daylyght was once come the chiefe of the priestes the Scribes and the head rulers of the people pretending now to sit and kepe courte in due fourme of iudgemente assemble together to a great noumbre And when they had summoned Iesus personally to appeare in theyr courte they demaunded many questions of hym hunting for one poynte or other out of his wordes whiche they might there openly laye to his charge The crime wherewith to charge hym is but euen than in sekyng whan they be alreadye set in iudgemente and his death beeyng determinately appoynted vpon they looke about and deuise by what title or
angles of the crosse Neyther did the Prophetes leaue his buiriall vnspoken of neyther For Hieremie representyng the persone of Christe wryteth in this manier My lyfe fell downe into the lake and they put a stone vpon me For ye knowe that he was buiried in a sepulchre of stone and that the mouth of the monumeÌ„te was shutte with a mightie great stone because no body should take awaie his corpse On the preparyng daye well towardes euentide he was laied in his graue there did he rest all the Sabboth that is to saye whan the weorke of mannes redempcion was nowe finished and completed Consider ye whether the prophecie did not foreshewe euen of thissame thing also From the sight of iniquitie saieth the prophecie was the righteous taken awaie his place shall bee in peace Moreouer vntill the tyme of his death he suffred hymselfe to be touched of the wieked after his death he would not be handled ne touched of no body but of his frendes Neither did he from that tyme forthward shewe him selfe to be seen but only to his frendes And of this matier had the aunciente prophecie of Iacob the patriarke geuen a darke significacion and tokenyng who whan he should dye prophecied in this manier of Iuda Naye I shoulde rather saye of Christe Thou layest a long as a lyon who shall reise hym vp Ferthermore lyke as it was his will to dye and to bee buiried so that it shoulde not come to passe that he should rotte in his sepulchre but that after tarying a veray shorte tyme he should arise to lyfe agayn was it not a thyng openly foreshewed of the prophetes doeth not the holy ghoste speake after this manier in the fifteenth psalme Thou shalt not leaue my soule in hell nor shalt suffre thy holy one to see corrupcion No spieces no swete baulmes doe geue this gifte that a dead carkesse shall neuer putrifie forasmuche as continuaunce of tyme doeth forweare the verai spices selfe whiche tyme consumeth euen the monumentes though they be of marble stone but this gifte doeth resurreccion geue whiche geueth immortalitie but all the whole figure of this matier did not Ionas the prophete many yeares sence plainly presente The tempest was imputed vnto him and to entent lest al the companie should perishe he was headlong toumbled into the sea to th ende that by the losse of him being but one maÌ„ the tempeste might be alayed wheras otherwise it threatened death vnto al the company Christe dyed for the sauyng of all creatures to the ende that he alone might pourge awaye the sinnes of all the people Ionas was swallowed vp of a whale and out of the bealye of thesame whale was he rendred againe on the thyrde daye after otherwyse then all folkes loked for Christe was layed in his graue wherhence he promised that he woulde come forth on the thyrde daye For vnto the Iewes requiring a signe from heauen he promised the signe of Ionas the prophete and that hymselfe would after the exaumple of thesame Ionas come forth on the thyrde daye out of the caues of the yearth And howe many tymes did he repeate this thing to drieue it into the disciples myndes that he should dye and returne agayn to life on the thyrde daie And that thing had Oseas the prophete told long afore who sayed After twoo dayes shall he reuiue vs on the thyrde daye shall he reise vs agayn to lyfe Forasmuche therfore as ye haue hitherto seen all thynges agree together the figures of the law the foresayinges of the prophetes the foretellinges of Christ himself and finally the ende of thynges as they haue from tyme to tyme folowed and come to passe howe happeneth that ye nowe as men beyng halfe in a sloumbre or a dreame are vnbelieuers and doe not rather of thynges alreadie pasâ—e coniecture thynges afterwarde to ensue He tolde you afore that betraied he shoulde be and deliuered to the Gentiles that he should be bound scourged skorned and crucified Not one iote of all these thynges but it hath come to passe All the premisses ye haue seen and dooe belieue them but euen he the verai same man told also afore that on the thyrd daye he would arise to life again and that he would by the space of a certain of dayes shewe hymself not vnto the worlde but vnto his disciples Wherefore than do ye not credite those weomen which reporte them selues to haue been adcertayned by the Aungels that he was arisen to lyfe agayn Doth the frailtie and feblenesse of his body deceassed so greatly offende you that ye nowe fall into vtter dispaire as though al thatsame noble promises of his wer vtterly extinct and dead concernyng his kyngdome concerning the power of heauen and yearth to be deliuered vnto the sonne concernyng his ascending vp into heauen and his returnyng from hence vnto his father concernyng his sittyng at the right hande of his father of extendyng and spreding the gospel throughout all the nacions of the world concernyng his glorious cummyng a little before the ende of the world concernyng the immortalitie of the holy concerning the euerlastyng paines and tormentes of the wicked Naâ— wete ye well that death it was whiche opened the waye and entreaunce into the maiestie of all these thynges Euen as ye haue seen hym dying and buried so shall ye see hym returned to lyfe agayne so shall ye see him ascending vp into heauen Ye shall receyue the spirite of God ye shal see the celestial power of god shewe foorth it self in men of lowe degree and of no learnyng ne knowlage worldly ye shall see the light of the ghospell by meane of thesame persones in a litell tyme to sprede ouer all the world with his â—adiaunt beames And that same Iesus who hath here bâ—n set at naught spetted at and had in derision the same Iesus shall all the world wurship as equall with God the father and an eguall partener with him in his kyngdome Finally all mankynde without excepcion shall see him in the maiestie of his father encoumpaced with coumpanies of Aungels iudgeing the quicke and the dead And it hath pleased him that the cummyng of thatsame daye shoulde bee vncertayne to all creatures In the meane season his wille was that his seruauntes shoulde care for nothyng but the kyngdome of the ghospell And all the premisses haue been foreshewed by the prophetes they haue been marked and appoynted out by fygures of Moses lawe they haue been a great porcion of them alreadie perfourmed neyther ought there any manne to doubte but that all thynges shall in theyr due tymes bee presently shewed These wordes of the Lorde Iesus mouthe not onely striekyng the eares of the saied twoo disciples but also percyng and throughly sinking into theyr hertes did so possesse them that neither they felte the trauayle of the waie nor tooke any markes of his face while he spake nor yet remembred to thynke with themselues in theyr myndes
he had caryed tofore sayed vnto them Why dooe ye yet feare me as the sight of a ghoste seeyng that ye playnly beholde me with your iyes and knowe my fauour of olde and seeyng that ye heare my voyce beyng acquainted and familiar vnto you yet neuerthelesse dooe thoughtes of vnbelief mystrustyng aryse yet still in your hertes euen suche like as are woont to come commonly in mēnes myndes Satisfie ye euery one of your senses vieu and beholde you my hādes my feete they haue manifest prientes of the nailes touche handle ye my syde it hathe the gashe of the speare fele ye my bodye come nerer me with your iyes leaue ye suspectyng of any spirite For a ghoste hath neither fleashe nor bones as ye see that I haue That I entred in hither the doores beeyng shutte that whan my wyll is I am seen and whan my will is I am inuisible it is not any blyndyng of mennes iyes by any sleyght but the gifte of the body beyng now made immortall And euen suche lyke shal your body also be after the resurreccion Whan the lorde had by suche woordes as these taken awaye the feare from thē and had put them in a comforte he shewed foorth vnto them his handes and his feete to be viewed he opened his side that they might handle the manifest dientes of the woundes For it was the lordes pleasure to reserue thesame to the entente that by those euidēt tokens he might than emong his disciples perfectly auouche the trueth of his humain bodye and also that he maye in tyme to come at the laste daie of iudgement enbraide to the Iewes their vnbelief accordyng to the prophecie which sayeth They shall see in whom they haue perced and made holes Nowe wheras some there wer yet still which did not plainly belieue it to bee thesame bodye that they had seen dead but were in case that a certain inebriacion as ye would saye of drounkenship or gladnesse did so holde theyr myndes that they did neither perfectly beleue theyr owne iyes nor theyr eares nor theyr handes for oft tymes we be afeard to belieue the thyng whiche we doe rather then our liues wishe to be true as men fearing leste we should caste our selues into some fooles paradise or false ioye wherof to bee anon after depriued again Iesus vouchesaluyng with all tokens of euidence to bee a Phisician to their vnbelief because there should no spiece of the lyke mistrustfulnesse remaine in vs saied Haue ye any thyng here that maie be eaten For none there is a more vndoubted token or prouf of a man to be aliue then yf thesame take meate And therfore Iesus willed meate to be geuen to the damisell whā she was called again to life sembleably also vnto Lazarus not that we shall fele any hūger after that we be reised agayn to immortalitie but because he woulde as that presēt tyme requyred confirme and make euidente vnto his disciples the veritie of his humain body There wer present at that tyme in the same place a good nūber of his disciples and yet was there but veraye small prouision of viandrye Therfore that that they had they bryng foorth whiche was a morsell of fishe that had been bruiled and a honey combe Than Iesus in the sight of them al eate parte of the thinges whiche were set before hym And he sayed vnto them These are the woordes whiche I spake vnto you whyle I was yet with you that all must nedes be fulfilled whiche were written of me in the lawe of Moses and in the Prophetes and in the Psalmes Than opened he theyr wittes that they might vnderstande the scryptures and sayed vnto them Thus it is written and thus it behoued Christe to suffer and to aryse agayn from death the thyrde day and that repentaunce and remissyon of sinnes shoulde bee preached in hys name emong all nacions and muste beginne at Hierusalem And ye are witnesses of these thynges And beholde I will sende the promisse of my father vpon you But tarye ye in the citie of Hierusalem vntyll ye bee endowed with power from on high And whan he had nowe made all theyr senses perfectely to belieue that he was no sighte of any ghoste but a verai and a liuyng man euen thesame whō they had tofore seen bothe liuing and also dying he taketh recourse vnto the holy scriptures wherunto there ought credite to bee geuen although the sēses of man should neuer so muche crye against it Ye ought not sayeth he to meruaill at the thynges whiche ye see to haue been doen. The scripture cannot lye forasmuche as it hath been wrytten by the inspiracion of the holy ghoste Whatsoeuer thyng hath hitherto been doen thesame had been foreshewed and prefigurate afore in the bokes of Moses in the prophetes and in the psalmes For euen I am veray he whom the figures of Moses lawe did signifie I am the man of whom the holy prophetes promised so many thynges and it is I whose first springyng vp whose progression or goyng foreward and whose cōsummacion the misticall psalmes doe describe And with no lesse trueth shall all the rest of thynges also bee perfourmed which haue in thesame scriptures been foreshewed concernyng my returnyng into heauen concernyng the spirite of God to be sent who after that this bodye of myne shal be taken awaye from you shall make you the more stedfast concernyng the ghospell to bee spredde throughout the whole vniuersall worlde and concernyng the laste ende of this worlde These are the thynges whiche I did so many tymes labour to beate into your heades whan hauyng yet a mortall bodye subiect vnto death I lyued conuersaunt emong you beeyng also mortall At that tyme had not the premisses setled in your hertes now can ye not any longer doubte whan ye see my sayinges to agree with the misticall scriptures and the cummyng to passe or sequele of thynges to agree with them bothe Hitherto as the tyme hath required I haue tendrelye borne with the weakenesse of your fleashe and I haue with grosse proufes laied the trueth of matiers before you From hensforthe growe ye forewarde to a spiritual vnderstandyng of the scriptures There shal ye frō henceforth see me there shall ye heare me And because the misticall bokes are not vnderstanded excepte God open our mynde and reason Iesus opened vnto them the iyes of theyr herte that thei might reade belieue and vnderstād that was written in the scripture For no man doeth vnderstande scripture but he that dooeth beleue it In this ordre sayed Iesus it hath semed good vnto my father to restore mankynde And the thyng whiche he had decreed hath ben set forthe by his inspiracion in bookes of holy scripture The selfe same thyng hath been foreshewed by me before it was doen neither was it possible that it should any otherwyse come to passe because the determinacions of God are immutable and the holy scriptures can as litle
his manhed bringing in stede of man a vain vision similitude of man Some contrariwise woulde take from him his godhed falsely saying that his beginning was but than whan he was borne of the virgin Mary because they being blinded with yerthly affeccions coulde not attain the mystery of Gods counsaill howe very God toke vpon hym to bee very man that one person shoulde bee both that in the meane while nothing should be withdrawen from the immutable nature of god and yet the perfectnesse of his manhed shoulde still remain I shall therfore set forth sum thinges more plainly in the ghospell so much as the spirit of Christ hath vouchsaued to open vnto me and asmuche as he had thoughte sufficiente to obtein saluacion by thorow the faith of the ghospell But as I began to say forasmuche as there is nothing any where emonges all the thinges that euer God made wherof we may make comparison whiche can throughly agree with the truth of the godhed I must though improprely vse the termes of thinges that our vnderstaÌ„ding is acquainted with to thintent that I may geue some knowlage to other of thinges whiche passeth all mens vnderstanding and vtteraunce Therfore as holy scripture calleth God that most excellent minde whiche mind is both greatter better then all thinges that can be imagined euen so it calleth his onely sonne the woord of that minde For although the sonne bee not the same that the father is yet he is so very lyke the father that a man may see the one in the other that is to say the father in the sonne and the sonne in the father But the resemblaunce of the father the sonne whiche in mans generacion is many waies vnperfit is moste perfit in God the father and his sonne And there is nothinge which dooeth more fully and euidently expresse the very secrecye of the minde then the true declarynge of it by woorde for that is the very loking glasse of the minde whiche cannot be sene with bodely iyes And if we couete to haue any man knowe the will of our minde that thinge is broughte to passe by no meanes more certainly or quickely then by speache whiche beinge fetched out of the inward priuiâ—ies of the minde conueiethe by a certaine secrete efficacie the minde of the speaker into the minde of the hearer through the eares of the hearer Neither is there any thynge amonges men more effectuall to stire vp euerye mocion of their mindes then to vttre it by speaking For if we haue auctoritie we maye shortly appoynte with our woorde what we will haue done Therfore he is called the sonne because being equal in al other thinges with his father he is distinctâ— and differeth in onely proprietie of person He is called the word because god whiche in his own proper nature can no waies be comprehended woulde be knowen to vs by him neither was his pleasure to be knowen for any other cause but to thintente we mighte attain euerlastinge felicitie by the knowlage of him This birthe is not teÌ„poral or during but for a time ne yet this woorde is like to mans woorde There is no corporall thing in God nothing that passeth with time or can be conteined in place neither is there in him any thynge at all subiect to beginninge proceding age or any mutabilitie he is alwaye one whole and altogether in himselfe and the sonne is continually begotten of him euen such an one as he is himselfe eternall of him that is eternall almightie of him that is almightie most good of him that is best in conclusion God of God neither later in time nor inferior to hys father the euerlastinge worde of the euerlasting mind by the which the father speaketh to himselfe al waies as it were by a secret thought yea before the world was made being knowen to no body but only to himselfe and his sonne He did euermore shall begette the sonne in himselfe and in like wise did euermore bringe foorthe his almighty woorde he had no nede of any thinge that is create to whose felicitie nothinge can be added but of his naturall goodnesse he hath made this whole ingine of the world and set therin euangelicall mindes and mankinde as in the meane betwene aungels beastes to thinthent he might gather of thinges wunderfully create and also of himselfe the power the loue and goodnes of the makir thereof And as if there were a greate mighty king whatsoeuer he commaunded to be doen shoulde be doen by and by euen so the veraye almightye father hath made all thinges by his sonne and woorde And firste by this way he shewed furth his woord by whom he woulde be knowen as though he had spoken vnto vs himselfe And beinge so knoweÌ„ by the wonderfulnes â—f his moste fayre workemanship might wind himselfe into our inward mocions Therefore they do erre and go very far froÌ„ the trueth whiche thinke the worde of god to be so after him in time from whom it procedeth as emonges vs the mind goethe before the speache And so they also whiche take the worde of God by the whiche God the father hath made all thinges to bee numbred emonges thinges create But their errour is more rude grosse whiche do suppose the sonne and woord of God than to haue begun and neuer before whan he was borne bodily of the virgin Mary What thinge soeuer is create hath his beginning in time but the sonne of God was twise borne once of his father before time or rather with out time very God of him that is verily God Again he was borne of the virgin Mary in time appointed thereto eternally of the euerlastynge father very man of mankynde For it hath pleased God after this sorte to bringe furthe agayne to vs hys woorde that is to saye his sonne to thintente he mighte be knowen after a more plaine waye or more familiarly That person therfore is wicked which maketh argumente that Iesus Christ was nothinge els but manne or that contendethe him to haue beene create emonges other creatures The father did be get him that was bothe his sonne and his woorde yet all one after soundry waies once in time as touchinge his manhed and alwaye without all time as touchinge his godhed For beefore there was this vniuersall creacion of thinges both yearthly and heauenly the eternall woorde was alredy with the euerlastinge father And this woorde did so procede from the father that yet it remained still with the father He was of suche an inseperable nature with the father that by proprietie of person he was with the father And yet he did not cleue to the father as the accidente doeth to the substaunce But he was god of god he was god in God and he was God with God by reason that they both had but one diuine nature common to both They twaine were so bothe one that nothing made difference betwene theim sauing onely the proprietie of person of the
for he that hath the charge committed to hym to see all thinges wel furnished is euer wont to abstayn from wyne whiles other folkes doe drinke And partely because he being well skilled in tast and hauing a fyne iudgement therein myght more trewely geue verdite of the wyne theÌ„ the rest of the geastes whose tastes myght seme to bee dulled with drynking of muche wyne before ¶ When the ruler of the feaste had tasted the water that was turned into wyne knew not whence it was but the ministers which drew the water knew he calleth the brydegrome and sayeth vnto hym Euery man at the beginning doeth set furthe good wine when men be drunke then that whiche is wurse but thou hast kept the good wyne vntill now This beginning of miracles did Iesus in Cana of Galile and shewed his glorie and his disciples beleued on hym But as soone as the ruler of the feast had tasted of the wine that was turned out of water knew not where they drewe it suspecting the fame to be in the seruauntes that coÌ„trary to the custome of other they deferred to bring in such wine vntil the latter end of the feast he calleth the bridgrome to hym desyring to know of him by what occasion the fault chaunsed Others sayeth he which make a solemne feast at the beginning thereof bryng to the table of the beste sortes of wine afterward wheÌ„ their geastes being already drunke haue their mouthes out of tast powre in drinke vntemperatly theÌ„ they bring serue of the wurst sort But thou coÌ„trariwise hast reserued vnto the end of the feast this wine which is better more pleasaunt than any that was serued yet And by this oâ—casioÌ„ the miracle of the thing that was doeÌ„ spred abrod litle by litle emonges maâ—â— And afterward by examining the seruauntes of this thing it was knowen that the water was not onely turned into wyne but also into very good wine And as forthe waterpottes they had no mistrust but that they were onely dedicate and ordeyned for water The seruauntes put water to water and filled them vp to the brimme after they had drawen of the same which they powred into the vessels they offered it to the gouernour of the feast who was sobre The bridgrome knoweth well inough that there was no such wine prouyded nor prepared They wente to the waterpots and found them ful of the selfesame good wyne With this dede our Lorde Iesus began the working and setting foorth of his miracles in Cana a towne of Galile intending by litle and litle to shew furth tokens of his godly power to the worlde For first of all this thing was doen in a matier not very weightie also priuatly yea almost to please his mother and kinsfolkes withal whiche had him in lesse admiracion because they were his familiars of his kinne And this miracle was not much noted of very manye but afterwarde it grewe to bee hadde in greatter credite with moe yet in the meane while the fayth of his disciples that were present was stablished concerning Iesu who hauing promised greater thinges perfourmed that whiche he had promised And besides that this miracle wherby he framed as it were a beginning to the rest that he should do afterward was not in vain For firste of all he woulde honour the mariage with his presence knowing before-hand that in tyme to come there should be some which would condemne it as an vnpure filthye thing whereas an honourable mariage and vndefiled bed is a thyng most acceptable to God Moreouer Iesus dyd as it were shadowe vnto vs by a certayn figure that thing whiche he then chiefely went aboute For now was the tyme come that in steade of the vnsauery waterishe lettre of Moses lawe we should drinke the pleasaunt wyne of the spirite of the gospel by reasoÌ„ that Christ turned into our more welth that thing which was without strength vnprofitable For the law was not only vnsauery to the Iewes without Christ but also hurtfull deadly They which haue not beleued in the ghospel doe stil drinke of the water of Moses law but they which haue beleued Christe doe happely waxe warme growe liuely toward the loue of heauenly lyfe through the moyst swete licour of his heauenly doctrine And this was not doen before that Christ had ioyned vnto him the churche hys spouse Also the mother of Iesu was present there representing the forme of the sinagogue whose autoritie is diminished yet she telleth the lacke of the wyne but she her selfe doeth not remedy it Neuertheles she was for our behoufe mother vnto him which doth reioyce and coumforte our mindes with the swete wine of his spirite The names of the places also do agree to the mistery of the thing For Cana of Galile betokeneth possessioÌ„ of a ready passage froÌ„ one place to an other For now was the original beginning of a new people gathered together which should remoue from the letter of the lawe to the spirite of the ghospell from the world to heauen ¶ After this he went downe to Capernaum he and his mother and his brethren and his disciples and there continued not many dayes â–ª After Iesus by thys miracle had begonne to declare his mightie power emonges his kinsfolkes in a towne of smal renoume he went downe to Capernaum That citie is in the selfesame Galile of the Gentiles all ryottouse and swelling in pryde by reason of the plentie of richesse therin beyng also nye vnto the lake of Genazareth and in the coastes of zabulon and Neptalim But according to the wisedome of the ghospel that thing which is highely estemed in the world is abiect and litle set by afore God Iesus mother with his brethren and disciples went down thither with him but they taryed there very fewe dayes Neyther was there any miracle doen in that place But this benefit semed to be doen in the meane time for his mothers kinsfolkes pleasure whoÌ„ now he would no longer cary about with him for asmuch as he would take in hand greater thynges because that worldly affeccion and loue should chalenge vnto it no parte of those thinges whiche were doen for the glorye of the heauenly father And the Iewes Easter was euen at hande and Iesus went vp to Hierusalem and found sitting in the teÌ„ple those that solde oxen shepe doues changers of money And when he had made as it were a scourge of small coardes he droue them al out of the teÌ„ple with the shepe and oxen and powred out the chaungâ—ers moâ—ey and ouerthrewe the tables And sayd vnto theÌ„ that solde dooues haue these thinges hence and make not my fathers house a house of marchaundies And his disciples remembred it that is written the zele of thine house hath euen eaten me Therfore Iesus leauyng his kynsfolkes behynde at Capernaum seeketh time and place mete to declare openly hys power and auctoritie which he
quenche the smokyng flaxe did not repel or refuse the saied Nicodemus that came to salute hym though he were both fearfull and came out of due tyme but doeth curteously receiue hym who was doubtlesse a weake spirited manne but yet without malyce and for that cause worthy to be promoted lytle by lytle to higher thinges Now byanby Nicodemus declaring how much he had profited by seyng Iesus doe his miracles maketh suite to gette his good will with this preface Maister saieth he we doe already euidently perceiue this thy doctrine not to be suche as the Phariâ—eis is for the thyng it selfe dooeth shewe that thine autoritie of preaching is geuen the not of man but of God For no manne coulde doe these miracles which thou doest except God were present with hym and did helpe hym Nicodemus dyd set forth this opinion concernyng Iesus as an hye and great estimacion howbeit it was farre vnder his dignitie for Nicodemus supposed him to be none other but summe Prophete whom God dyd fauour and was present with in the doing of his miracles as though he had not wrought them by his owne power Iesus answered and sayed vnto him verily verily I saye vnto the except a manne bee borne froÌ„ aboue he cannot see the kyngdome of God Nicodemus sayeth vnto hym howe can a man be borne when he is olde can he entre into his mothers wombe and be borne againe But Iesus doeth neither reproue Nicodemus vnperfite opinion coÌ„cerning him neither doeth he forthwith boast of his owne greatnes but with gentle and freÌ„dly behauiour litle by litle bringeth him that is so apte easy to bee taught vnto further knowledge of more secrete misteries of the euaÌ„gelicall doctrine The Iewes which had as yet druÌ„ke but only of the water of Moses lawe whiche had knowen nothyng els but the baptisme of Iohn neither had they yet tasted the wyne of the euangelicall doctrine nor had been baptysed by the spirite and fyer The Iewes I say vnderstode all thynges carnally and for that cause were very rude vnfit for the Philosophie of the gospel whiche â—s all spiritual Therfore our lorde did not cast him in the teeth with his ignoraunce nor with his halting minde on both sides in that he did partely apply himselfe to the worlde partely to God nor yet spake that thing to him which afterwarde he required of his disciples when they were come to more knowledge saying to them whosoeuer shal be ashamed of me afore men I will be also ashamed of hym before my father Our lorde I say did lay none of these forsaied thynges to his charge but by his darke sayinges he causeth Nicodemus to vtter his ignorauÌ„ce to the entent that litle by litle he may instruct him and bring him from carnal affeccion to spirituall vnderstanding Nicodemus sayth he take this for a very suertie except a man be borne again new as it were chauÌ„ged into a new man he caÌ„not see the kingdome of God So very new is this doctrine which thou desirest to learne of me Forasmuche as Nicodemus thought that saying to be to no purpose he aunswereth in dede ignorauntly and grossely but neuerthelesse simply and plainly saying how is it possible that a man beyng already of so many yeres as I am can be borne again Canne it any waye be brought to passe that he should entre into his mothers wombe and come thence again and so be borne a newe Iesus answereth verily verily I saye vnto the except a man be borne of water and of the spirite he cannot entre into the kyngdome of God That whiche is borne of the flesh is flesh and that whiche is borne of the spirite is spirite Iesus beyng not offended euen with this so grosse an aunswere vouchesaueth geÌ„telly to enterprete and declare what it is to be borne a new or from aboue Nicodemus sayth he the thing that I haue saied to the is most true He that hath a will and desire to be hable to receiue the euangelical doctrine must be borne again but the maner of byrthe that I speake of is after an other sorte for it is not carnall but spirituall and it doeth not consist in multiplying of bodyes by generacion but in turnyng of sowles into a new forme neither by this byrth be we made again the children of meÌ„ but the children of God Therfore be wel assured as I toulde you eueÌ„ now that excepte a man be borne again by water the holy gost of a carnall maÌ„ become spirituall he cannot entre into the kingdom of God which is altogether spiritual Lyke is borne of the lyke That which is borne of the flesh is none other thyng theÌ„ flesh but that which is borne of the spirite is spirite And verily as much difference as is betwene the flesh the spirite betwene the body God so much is this generacioÌ„ wherof I speake more excellent then that which bringeth forth one body out of an other They which be borne after the flesh doe sauer none other thing but the flesh nor beleue any thing to be but that which they fele and perceiue with their senses But those thinges which be not seen be moste excellent and of greatest strength where as the flesh is weake and impotente Meruayle not thou that I sayed to the ye must be borne from aboue The wynde bloweth where it liâ—teth and thou hearest the sounde therof but canst not tell whence it cummeth or whyther it goeth So is euery one that is borne of the spirite Wherfore seying that there be two sundry wayes how to be borne there is no cause why thou shouldest meruaile that the same veray man which is once borne naturally after the flesh wherby he might be the child of a man should be borne again of the spirite inuisible that thereby he maye be the childe of God who is a spirite also might be made apte for the kyngdom of heauen whiche is spirituall and not carnal But if thou doest not yet vnderstand me take vnto the a similitude of suche thynges as be sumwhat agreable to spirituall thynges and yet may be perceiued with our bodily senses God in very dâ—de is a moste sincere and pure spirite and very far of from all bodily senses but this ayre wherby we be coÌ„serued in life wherof we fele so great strength and profit is called a spirite or wynde bycause in coÌ„parison of our bodies it is right subtile and fyne but this kinde of spirite the wynde is not stayed at mannes wil and pleasure but of his owne violence is caryed whyther soeuer he list spreading it selfe ouer all thynges and putting into corporall thynges a meruailous force and strength Sumtyme it bryngeth lyfe sumtime death it is otherwhyle calme and still and otherwhile more boysteous violent sumtyme it bloweth out of the East sumtime out of the West sumtime out of one part of the world sumtime out of another shewing himselfe by
him Sir thou hast nothyng to drawe with and the wel is diepe from whence then hast thou that water of lyfe Arte thou greater theÌ„ our father Iacob which gaue vs the well and he himselfe dranke therof and his children and his cattell Iesus aunswered and saied vnto her Whosoeuer drynketh of this water shall thirste againe but whosoeuer drinketh of the water that I shall geue hym shall neuer be more athirste But the water that I shall geue hym shall be in hym a well of water springing vp into euerlastyng lyfe The woman sayeth vnto hym Sir geue me of that water that I thirste not neither come hither to drawe Forasmuche as this was spoken of the spirite whiche the beleuers in the ghospell should receiue it is no meruaill thoughe a poore selie woman of Samaria did not vnderstand it seing that Nicodemus beyng both a Iewe and a maister could not perceiue that thing whiche Iesus had spoken sumwhat more plainly concernyng being borne agayne from aboue yea and yet did he aunswere more grossely then this woman For he sayed can a man when he is olde enter again into his mothers wombe and so be borne a newe But this woman after she had conceiued a certayn great high thyng of this saying of Iesus If thou knewest the gifte of God and if thou knewest who he were and he coulde geue thee water of life she was not misconteÌ„t that he semed litle to regarde Iacobs well whiche she had in great reuerence neither yet did she mocke the bolde sayinges of him which was to her both a straunger vnknowen and also a Iewe but she desyryng to learne what this was whiche he did so set furth as a thyng straunge and notable in token of honour calleth him Lord as who saieth she had alreadie conceiued no small opinion of him But in the meane while this exaumple of the woman of Samaria was thus deuised and brought to passe by the ordynaunce of gods counsel to rebuke and declare thereby the peruerse frowardnes of the Iewes whiche were so ferre from shewyng themselues easie to be taught of our lord Iesus that thei did wiekedly despise his benefites and finde fault with his holsome doctrine wheras this poore woman hauing a desyre to be taught did curteously and gently aunswere to al thynges insomuche that she tarying styll in the heate and hauyng forgotten the thyng for whiche she came gaue hede to his wordes who was to her both vnknowen a straunger and of whome as yet she had heard no notable reporte Sir saieth she thou doest promise vnto me water farre more excelleÌ„t then this but thou hast no vessell wherewith to drawe thesame and the well is diepe Therfore how shouldest thou come by this liuely water which thou doest promise Art thou greater theÌ„ our father Iacob whome ye Iewes also haue in reuerence He gaue this well vnto vs as a notable gift did so muche set by this water that he himself was wont to drinke therof with al his familie and also his cattel Iesus perceyuing that the woman was apt to be taught which did not suspect hym to be a southsayer or an enchaunter but some notable great man whom she thought worthy to be compared with Iacob a man highly estemed of her Iesus I say doeth not disdeyne to allure her by litle and litle to haue him in higher and greatter estimacion shewyng how the water wherof he did speake is spirituall whiche should not refreshe beastes but soules Whoso drynketh sayeth he of this water whiche the Patriarche Iacob gaue vnto you dooeth but onely for a shorte time slake the bodily thirst whiche within a while after will returne agayne But to thintente that thou maiest vnderstande howe muche this gyfte of God wherof I haue spoken is more excellent then the gift of Iacob how muche the water which I promise is better then this water which floweth furth oute of the veines of the yearth if any man drinke of this water which I shall geue him if he desyre it he shall not thirste eternally neyther shall any thirste euer after put hym in any ieoperdye nor yet shall he nede from tyme to tyme anye where els to aske water but after he hath once drunken this water it shall remayne in hym which hath druncke it and shall bryng furth in thesame a fountaine perpetually springing vp euen vnto life euerlastyng Iesus spake these thynges by a darke similitude knowyng that the woman was not yet hable to receyue the ministrie of faith by the whiche the holy ghost is geuen who beyng once receyued neuer failleth but doeth styll goe forwarde whilest it bryngeth man vp to eternall life But the simplicitie of this woman was so great that whereas the Iewes are wont ouerthwartly and wrongfully to interprete suche maner of parables she not vnderstanding what he saied but yet both beleuing and louyng hym sayed Lord I praye the geue me parte of this water that I be not compelled by beyng often and sundrie times a thirst to go vnto this wel and drawe therof Albeit this aunswere was grosse yet neuertheles it did declare that her mynde was enclined and readie to beleue ¶ Iesus saieth vnto her goe call thy husbande and come hither The woman aunswered and sayed vnto hym I haue no husbande Iesus sayed vnto her thou hast well saied I haue no husbande for thou hast had fiue husbandes and he whom thou now hast is not thy husbaÌ„d In that sayedst thou truely Therfore because she had alreadie conceyued no small opinion of Iesus he doeth inuite and moue her further with greater tokens and proues of his godhead to thynke yet more highly of hym Iesus then as though he woulde not open so secrete a matier to her vnles her husbande wer present commaundeth her to call her husbande and bryngyng hym with her to returne agayn to hym by and by When the woman had heard this thinkyng that she spake but to a man and by the reason of womanly shamefastnes desiryng to dissemble hide her vicious liuyng and with deniall of matrimonie to kepe secret her aduoutrie she saieth Sir I haue no husbande Here Iesus both declaryng his godhed and gentely reprouyng the womans lyfe saieth vnto her In that thou sayest thou hast no husbande thou hast tolde the trueth for although thou hast had fyue husbandes to satisfy thy filthy luste yet neuer a one of them was lawfull yea and euen very he whom thou now hast is not thy lawfull husbande Therefore in this poynte thou hast spoken nothyng but trueth The woman sayeth vnto hym sir I perceyue that thou arte a Prophete Our father 's wurshipped in this mountaine and ye saye that in Hierusalem is the pâ—ace where menne oughte to wurshippe Iesus sayeth vnto her â–ª woman beleue me the houre commeth when ye shall neither in this mountayne nor yet at Hierusalem wurshippe the father Ye wurshippe ye wotte not what we knowe what we wurshippe for saluacion cummeth of the Iewes
But the houre cummeth and nowe it is when the true wurshippers shall wurshyppe the father in spirite and in the trueth For suche the father also requireth to wurship hym God is a spirite and they that wurship him must wurship hym in spirite and in the trueth The woman when she perceyued the rebukeful synnes of her life committed at home not to be hidden from Iesu beyng a straungier and also a Iewe who could not know by the reporte of menne that thing whiche he did disclose she shrynketh not awaye from hym as one confounded with shame neither is she with anger moued to answer him agayn spitefully but so muche the more she is inflamed to haue hym in great admiracion wheras if Iesus had spoken any suche thyng vnto the Phariseis they would haue cried out saied he is an enchaunter possessed with a deuill But what aunswere made this godly sinner the Samaritane Sir saieth she as I perceiue thou arte a prophete The feith of the woman was come to this poynte At the firste she calleth him but a Iewe and meruaileth that he did no more earnestly obserue the Iewes religion because that contrarie to the custome of other Iewes he did aske drynke of a Samaritane Anon after she calleth him Lorde Here nowe she attributeth vnto him the name of a Prophete because euen of himself he knew the secretes of other And at last she desyryng to learne certayne higher thynges of this prophete ceassed to speake of lowe and meane matters and propoundeth to him a question as a thyng to her thynkyng impossible to be assoyled concernyng the waie and maner how to wurship God because in this poynt the Iewes and the Samaritanes did very muche disagree For albeit bothe those kyndes of people did wurship one god yet the Iewes had an opinion that God should be wurshipped in no place but onely at Ierusalem in the temple as though God did no where els heare the desires of them that did praye Cōtrariwyse the Samaritanes with like supersticion but after another sorte denyed that God should be wurshipped in any place but in the mounte Garizim because that place was appoynted by Moses where the Patriarkes should blesse the people that kepte the commaundementes of God And forasmuche as both these nacions beyng wel pleased with their owne seuerall rites and customes did the one of them contemne the religion of the other the woman desyred to learne of Iesus as of a Prophete not ignoraunt in suche thynges whiche of those two nacions had the holyest waye in seruyng of God as one that would folow that waye whiche she should knowe to be best Therfore she sayeth Our elders wer wont to wurship God in this mount and they thinke it not lawfull to wurship hym in any other place where as you Iewes contrariewyse accoumpt it abhominable to do sacrifices in high places groues that it is not lawfull to wurship God any other where then at Hierusalem in the temple wherof they do glorie as though God were shut vp in a house builded with mans hand Because this question of the womā did apperteine to the learnyng of true godlynes Iesus openeth declareth to her howe that after the true and spirituall wurshippyng of god should be sette foorth by the doctrine of the ghospel the supersticious religion of the goddes and deuils of the Gentiles should be vtterly extinguished yea and also that the maner of the Samaritanes wurshyppyng of God should be abolyshed whiche had no suche iudgement of god as they ought to haue but toke hym to be as a certain special deuell and did mixe the wurshippyng of hym with the wurshippyng of deuils mingling and confounding together the wicked supersticion of the Gētiles with the wurshyppyng of God as a man should put fyer to water and folowing the saied Gentiles exaumple did their sacrifices in hye groues and mountaines And furthermore he shewed her that the Iewes religion which as the time required had been hitherto grosse and carnal and did rather represent certain shadowes of true godlines thē very godlines it selfe should encreace vnto more perfeccion that God being afterward more fully knowen through the sonne and the holy gost should be wurshipped not onely in Iurie but through the whole worlde yea that in more holy temples then the temple of Hierusalē was that is to say in the pure myndes of mē which God had dedicate vnto himselfe with his spirite and is not nowe to be pacified with the sauoure of burt offreynges of beastes but with holy prayers godly desires and chaste affeccions But before Iesus would open this misterie of the godlines of the gospel he speaketh first of feith without which none is mete to be a hearer of the euangelicall doctryne neyther fitte to be a wurshipper of Christes religion for faith only doeth purifie the hertes and maketh them apt to be put in trust with the secretes of heauenly wysedome Woman sayth he beleue me if thou take me for a Prophete in dede the time is come now when both the vnpure wurshippyng of the Samaritanes shal be abolyshed and also the carnall religion of the Iewes shall be turned into better neither shal ye herafter wurship the father in this mountayne who is not only the God of this mountayne but also of the whole worlde ne yet at Ierusalem but wheresoeuer shal be the congregacion of good godly people there shall hereafter be Ierusalem In the meane whyle we Iewes doe excell you in this behalfe that we wurship God whom we know by the lawe whom we doe confesse to be the Lord of all thinges all people nor we doe not defile the wurshipping of him who is only to be honoured with the wurshipping of other Gods You wurship you cannot tell what supposing God to be no bodies God but the Iewes your owne yea and ye take hym to be suche a one as would suffer hymselfe to be matched with deuyls wheras all godly honoure is due to hym alone The lawe hath taught the Iewes these thynges And by Gods commaundement there was a temple builded at Ierusalem to wurship one God therin which should be a fygure of the spirituall temple There were priestes ordayned also rytes and ceremonies of sacrifices as it were with certain shadowes betokening the holynes of the gospell Therfore the Iewes doe excell you herin that both we haue a better iudgement of God then you haue also that we doe not pollute or defile the wurshipping of him with any prophane wurshippinges of other Gods And moreouer we doe excell you in that we doe wurshippe hym in a place appointed of God himselfe with rytes ceremonies of his own teaching Howbeit in the meane while this our religion although it be not perfit yet it is as it were a step or furtheraūce toward perfit honouryng of God Therfore eternall health came firste of the Iewes to whom the Prophetes haue promised Messias to
come whiche by the meanes of the lawe haue the fygures and shadowes of the religion of the gospell Now the tyme is come that the false religion of the Gentiles must geue place and that both the carnall wurshipping must geue glace to the spirituall wurshipping of God and also the shadowes of the lawe to the light of the gospel For now I tell you the tyme is at hande yea it is alreadie presente when true wurshippers shall wurshippe the father not in temples not with beastes nor with bodily thynges but in the spirite not with shadowes but with trueth For God seyng he is a spirite is not delyted with the purenes of the body nor with the walles of the temple neyther yet to haue beastes offered in sacrifices but he loueth spiritual wurshippers of whom he may be wurshipped according to the spirite and trueth For there hath been hitherto enough attributed to the shadowes and figures of Moses lawe Hereafter whersoeuer there shal be a mynde pure from synne through the faith of the ghospel there shal be a worthy teÌ„ple for God Whersoeuer there shal be heauenly desiers pure praiers and holy thoughtes there shal be sacrifices wherwith God is pleased The woman sayeth vnto hym I wote that Messias shall come which is called Christe When he is come he wyll tell vs all thynges Iesus sayeth vnto her I that speake vnto the am he And immediately came his disciples and meruayled that he talked with the woman yet nâ— manne sayed what meanest thou Or why talkest thou with her The woman then left her waterpot and went her waye vnto the citie and sayeth vnto the men Come see a man whiche tolde me all thynges that euer I dyd Is not he Christe Then they wente out of the citie and came vnto hym The simple and pacient belefe of this woman of Samaria dyd so muche profite by the forsaid communicacion of Iesu that she nowe supposeth hym whom first she had called a Iewe then a Lorde and after a Prophete to be Messias himselfe For the Samaritanes also by the promyse of Moses dyd loke for that excellent Prophete to aryse come of the Iewes Therfore she aunswered after this sorte I knowe that Messias shall come whom the Iewes doe loke for of whom already there is a rumoure emong the Iewes Therfore when he shall come he shall declare vnto vs all these thynges whiche thou haste spoken concernyng the newe maner of the wurshippyng of God neither shall he suffre vs to be ignoraunte in any thyng Iesus perceyuyng the belefe of the woman apte to be taught and suche feruente desyre to knowe the trueth as he had not founde the like among his countrey men the Iewes he vouchesalueth therfore to opeÌ„ and declare vnto her who he was Thou lokest sayeth he for Messias to come be thou assured he is come and euen nowe thou seest hym for I that doe talke with the am he in dede And as soone as these thynges were spoken his disciples returnyng from the toune came thyther and before they came at hym perceyued that he talked with a woman of Samaria and dyd meruaile at his so great gentlenes Yet no manne durst aske hym what thyng he required of the woman or for what cause he had talked with her But the woman beyng amased with the saying of the Lorde Iesus did aunswer nothing at all but leauing her waterpotte at the well for nowe the thirsting for that water was clearely gon and forgotten after she had tasted of the water which Christe had promised she maketh haste towardes the citie and of a synful Samaritane sodenly became a messenger as it were an Apostle in that she doeth declare this thing openly to all folkes to thintent that the knowledge of many should coÌ„firme her feith Come saieth she and see a manne to be meruailed at one that knoweth all secretes who although he be a straunger and one that I neuer sawe before yet hath he tolde me all the secretes that I haue doen it is possible that thesame is Messias Trust not my woordes proue the thyng your selues and ye shall fynde me no lyar In the meane while his disciples prayed him saying Maister eate He sayed vnto them I haue meate to eate that you knowe not of Therfore sayed the disciples emongest themselues hath any man broughte him oughte to eate Iesus sayeth vnto them my meate is to do the wyll of hym that hath sent me and to finishe his worke Saye not ye there are yet fower monethes and than cummeth haruest Beholde I saye vnto you lifte vp your iyes and looke on the regions for they are all white alredy vnto haâ—uest and he that reapeth receyueth rewarde and gathereth fruite vnto life eternall that bothe he that soweth and he that reapeth might reioyce together And herein is the saying true that one soweth and another reapeth I sende you to reape that wheron you bestowed no labour Other men laboured and yeare entred into theyr labours Whiles the woman did bruite abrode this rumour emonges the citizens of Sychar in the meane tyme Iesus disciples supposyng hym to bee payned with houngre moued hym to take suche meates as they had brought But Iesus euery where takyng occasion to drawe men vp from the care of bodilye thinges to the desire of spirituall thynges lyke as he had allured and drawen the woman to the knowlage of the fayth of the ghospell by his speakyng of the water so by the occasion of meates he prouoketh his disciples that were as yet but ignoraunt to be diligent in preachyng the ghospel yea and peraduenture at that time he did not so muche thyrste for the water of the well and although he did so yet did he more desyre and thirst for mans saluacion neuertheles the affeccion of the woman whiche came to drawe water gaue him occasion of this godly coÌ„municacion In lyke maner although he was then hungrie in that he was a very man he was muche more hungrie to saue mankynde for which cause he descended from heauen Therfore he sayed vnto his disciples whiche moued hym to take his bodilye refeccion I haue other meate to eate sayeth he and suche meate as I delite more in then in that whiche you bryng me His disciples meruailyng what this saying mente and yet not bolde to aske their maister for reuerence they bare vnto hym leste he shoulde bee any thyng offended therewith talked thus emong themselues what meaneth he by this hath any other body whiles we were absent brought him any meate But Iesus because he would nowe imprint in theyr myndes the thynge whiche he had spoken before darkely sayeth nowe openly I passe very litle sayeth he vpoÌ„ this bodely meate There is an other kynde of meate which I do specially care for that is to saye to accomplishe that thyng for whiche cause my heauenly father hath sent me hither This is my houngre this is my thirst to go about the thyng which he hath
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
last day of that feast was cum whiche was moste solemnely kept with moste great resorte of people with great religion for when this day was past euery mā was glad to repayre home againe Iesus stode vp in the temple as though he also would leaue the coūtrey of Iurye doth halow that moste solemne day of that great feast with a notable sermō and therwith purueyed vitailes of euangelicall faith of the ghospell for theim that should iourney Nor he did not onely speake openly but also cryed with a firme and a stayed voyce therby declaryng that the matier was mete to be heard of all folke The Phariseis had babished the simple people with fained and colde religion and had tangled theyr consciences with mannes ordinaunces And surely the multitude had nothing els almost in admiracion that Iesus sayd or did but his miracles But for somuche as they had not drounke of the spirite of the gospell they toke the lesse spirituall profite at his handes Therfore Iesus called and allured all menne openly from the barren and colde doctrine of the Phariseis vnto himselfe promisyng them the spirite whiche once being receiued not only they by his grace themselues shall attaine to the true euangelicall doctrine but shall also by theyr preachyng issue foorth vpō other great aboundaunce and efficacie of wysedome I am sayth he the fountaine of helthfull wysedome whoso thirsteth let him aske nothing of Moses the Phariseis the Scribes or of the priestes Let him cum to me and drinke of this well And whosoeuer beleueth my wordes thesame drinketh Therfore whosoeuer beleueth on me desyrously drinketh vp my wordes as the scripture biddeth bearing witnesse of me he shal not weaxe dry throwe infidelitie but the draught that he dronke of the spirite of God shall bring foorth in his heart a well that shall runne euermore and plentifully in suche wyse that out of his heart shall flowe not onely small litle streames but also great plēteous fluddes wherwith the drynesse of the Gentiles shal be watered therof shall spring muche fruite of the ghospell By this parable far of speakyng Iesus did meane that fertile and plēteous spirite whiche afterwarde they should receiue that woulde beleue on him whiche spirite after that the Apostles had receiued foorthwith they begon with great confidence to preache in diuers toungues to the whole worlde the philosophie of the gospel to distil into the soules of all that beleued on Christ thesame spirite that they receyued from heauen For albeit that many at that time had sum smattering and were sumwhat entered into knowlage of the faith for all that the verye effectuall and plentifull spirite was not yet cum to any of them for because Iesus was not by his death and resurreccion glorified nor had not ascended vp to heauen to sitte on the fathers right hande from whence he should sende that spirite to his Apostles But the misterie of the crosse was to be perfourmed before whiche thing could not be doen and accomplished except his glorious maiestie had been kept secret and as it were dissembled for a season and they also could not be made able to receyue that diuine spirite vnlesse they had first been framed and fashioned therunto by many miracles sayinges and doinges Therfore the Lorde Iesus doeth call and byd all folke to this well of the water of lyfe yet he compelleth no man againste his wyll nor he excludeth no man so that he cum athirst Many of the people therfore when they heard this saying sayed of a trueth this is a prophte but other sayd this is Christ but sum sayd shall Christe cum out of Galile Sayeth not the scripture that Christe shall cum of the sede of Dauid and out of the toune of Bethleem where Dauid was So there was discencion amōg the people because of him And sum of them woulde haue taken hym but no man layed handes on hym When the Lorde Iesus had spoken this and many mo lyke thynges though they were not fullye vnderstande yet they dyd woorke sundrie myndes and affeccions in the multitude of the people for sum vpon sight of so many miracles and the great auctoritie of his wordes sayed truly this is a very prophete Again other that thought more hyghly of him sayed yea this is that very Messias whom the prophetes haue promised in their prophecies On the contrary syde other being corrupted with pharisaicall leuen went about to reproue and confute these mens opinion by the very woordes of the prophetes whiche tolde before that he shoulde ryse out of the tribe of Iuda and out of the towne of Bethleem Christe was thought with moste part of men to be borne in Nazareth because he was nursed there and broughte vp with his parentes whiche dwelte there and also because he beganne his preaching in Galile and for the moste part had his abode there But the people of Ierusalē and the Iewes that were of the tribes of Iurie toke the people of Galile as men nigh neighbours vnto the heathen and were myxte together but for halfe their countreymen because they neyther excelled in knowledge of the lawe nor euer had any prophete in whome they might worthily reioyce They knewe verily that Messias was promysed to the tribe of Iuda not to men of Galile and that he shoulde cum of the seede of Dauid who had his princely palace at Ierusalem And thus therfore they dyd chalenge vnto them honour of Christ to cum whom they themselfes being with malice corrupted nowe at his very cumming did persecute They say therfore it is not lyke to be true that this man should be Messias if you do ponder and straitly examine the prophecies When Christe shall cum shall he cum to vs oute of Galile doth not the prophecies manifestly saye that Messias shall come of the sede of Dauid who was certainly of the trybe of Iuda And further more it also expresseth the tounes name where he shoulde bee borne that is to say Bethleem whiche is the citie of Dauid that was geuen to Iudas for his parte or tribe Therefore forasmuche as the prophecie dooeth plainlye shewe that he shoulde cum of a kynges stocke of the moste holye tribe of all Iuda out of a princely toune howe can it stande and accorde that this man shoulde be Messias whose parentes be poore and of no estimacion and cummeth to vs out of a vile toune of no name whiche standeth in Galile a countrey of no renowme After this sorte the people disputed of Iesus with diuers iudgementes and there was dissencion among theim for his sake Yet did not Iesus accumpany himselfe with theim in this disputacion because they did not dispute with suche simple purenesse of mynde that they dyd deserue to bee taught and it was not yet tyme to declare hymselfe howe great and excellent a man he was For yf they had vprightly and truely desyred to knowe who he was they themselues might haue learned of Iesus kinsfolkes
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
Iesus therfore beyng delited in the great desyre of the woman doeth now with a knowen familier voyce speake vnto her and calleth her Marie At this knowen voyce the woman sodainly turnyng herselfe for euen at this very presente she had bowed downe herselfe agayne towardes the angels so muche was she by sodayne mocions of mynde stiered to loke this waye and that waye the woman I saie knewe Iesus and rauished with a sodayne ioye she a disciple speaketh to the master and calleth hym Rabboni whiche worde in the Syrians tonge signifieth Master And withal she falleth flatte downe to the grounde and would haue kissed his feete hauyng yet in remembraunce theyr olde familiaritie But Iesus knowyng that as yet she thought no great excellente thyng of hym although she loued him sincerely and ardently did prohibite her to touche his bodye For Marie sawe well that he was aliue agayne but she thought that he was reuiued for none other cause but as he did before to liue familiarlye with his frendes beyng now a man aliue where as before he was dead and ignoraunt she was that he now caryed about with hym an immortall body which was to be handled with muche greater reuerence whiche bodye the Lorde did neuer exhibite or present to the wicked nor suffered it to be handled of euerye man to th entent he might litle by litle altogether withdrawe them from the loue of the bodye Touche me not sayeth he it is thesame bodye whiche hong vpon the crosse but it is nowe beautified and adourned with the glory of immortalitie But truely thine affeccion is yet somedeale carnall because I haue not yet ascended vp to my father whiche thyng once doen I shall sende vnto you the spirite that is the comforter and he shall make you perfite and wurthy to haue the spirituall felowship of me In the meane time content thy selfe with that thou hast seen me and heard me speake and specially now go thou to my brethren whiche are throughe my death comforteles and foorth with make them partakers with thee of the ioye and comforte whiche thou haste receyued by the sight of me and vpon these my wordes shewe them that to this ende I am rysen from death to lyfe euen that after I haue taried a certayne dayes among them I maye leaue the worlde and ascende vp to my father who is also your father and thesame is both your god and mine common to bothe Let them therfore put away earthly affeccions and rectifie their mindes applying thesame to spiritual and heauenly thinges Mary Magdalene came and tolde the disciples that she had seue the lorde and that he had spoken suche thynges vnto her Thesaâ—e daye at night whiche was the firste daye of the â—abbothes when the dores were shâ—t where thâ— disciples were assembled together for feare of the Iewes came Iesus and stoode in the middes and sayeth vnto them Peace bee vnto you And whâ—n he had so sayed he sheweth vnto them his handes and his syde Then were the disciples glad when they sawe the lorde Now than Mary did as he bad her and returnyng againe to the disciples shewed them that she had seen the lorde and tolde them the thynges whiche he had commaunded to be made relacion of in his name and this was doen that they should take right great comforte of that he nowe called them his brethren and prepare also theyr myndes to the loue and desyre of eternall and heauenly thynges for as muche as the preseÌ„t vse of his body should not endure long with them After that with these and certayne other apparicions the lord Iesus had litle by litle lift vp theyr myndes to quicknesse of spirite and to the hope of the resurreccion already past the selfe same daye that was the morowe after the sabboth daye whiche next to folowed the sabboth of Easter when it was nighte and the disciples secretelye gathered together whiche for feare of the Iewes durste not assemble together in the daye tyme. Iesus went in to them when the doores were shut and standyng in the middes in the sight of them all to take awaye al feare from them he saluted them amiably and full gentlye saying with a voyce well knowen vnto them Peace with you And lest they shoulde suspect it to be a ghost or another bodye he sheweth vnto them the printe of the nayles in his handes and the scarre of the wounde whiche the souldier hadde made in his side with a speare With this salutacion and sight the fayth of his disciples was confirmed the sorowe takeÌ„ awaye and theyr myndes muche recreate and made ioyouse For Iesus had promised them before that thus it shoulde be that within a shorte tyme he woulde see them agayne and after they hadde seen hym and theyr sorowe put awaye that he would make their hertes gladde and merye And therewithal he tolde them this also should folow that in the world they should haue sorow and heuinesse but in hym they shoulde haue peace and quietnesse Then sayed Iesus to them agayne Peace be vnto you As my father sent me euen so sende I you also â–ª And when he had sayed these woordes he brethed on them and sayeth vnto them Whosoeuers sinnes ye remit they are remitted vnto theÌ„ and whosoeuers synnes ye retayne they are retayned But Thomas one of the twelue which is called Didimus was not with them when Iesus came The other disciples therfore sayed vnto hym We haue seen the lord But he sayed vnto them Excepte I see in his handes the printe of the uayles and thruste my hande into his syde I wyll not beleue Therfore to confirme the Apostles in theyr ioye and coumforte the more he once agayne saluteth them with good lucke of peace saying Peace with you And at the same tyme withal he hiely auctoriseth them and commaundeth theÌ„ to preache the thinges whiche they had seen and sayeth As my father sent me so do I sende you I haue truely and faithfully glorifyed my fathers name and you agreyng amoÌ„g your selues shal with lyke trueth and faithfulnesse preache my fathers name and mine Prepare your mindes to this fuÌ„ccion and office for asmuche as I nowe that I haue doen diligently the thyng that I had in commission to do go agayne to my father and from thence I shall sende vnto you more plentie and more power of the holy ghost In the meane while shall I also make you partakers of the holy ghost accordyng to your capacitie and euen as he was thus speakyng he brethed on them and gaue them the spirite with auctoritie to forgeue all men theyr sinnes that woulde be ioyned to hym by profession of the ghospel and by baptisme and that woulde forthinke their former life and be eftsones amended where they haue erred Whosoeuers synnes ye remit sayeth he they are remitted vnto them and whosoeuers ye retayne they shall abide subiecte to theyr synnes When these thinges were doen the residue of the disciples were assembled together Thomas onely
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
apostles doctrine and feloweship and in breaking of bread and in prayers And feare came ouer euery soule and many woonders and sygnes were shewed by the apostles at Ierusalem And all that beleued kept them selues together had all thinges in common and sold their possessions and goodes and parted them to al men as euery man had nede and they continued dayly with one accorde in the temple brake bread from house to house and did eare their meate together with gladnesse singlenes of herte praysing God and had fauour with al the people And the lorde added to the congregacion dayly suche as shoulde be saued Than such as kept themselues in company with the disciples folowed on continually the apostles teachinges for thereby came moste profite and lykewyse continued still in receiuing a token of a couenaunte that shall neuer bee broken which they called communion That token of couenaunt which the lord taught and committed to vs of trust was doen in this maner The bread was broken and dealed to euery man a pece thereof they in their practising of this in a remembraunce of the lordes passion gaue thankes to god for his bountifull goodnes that had clensed them from sinne by the innocent bloud of his owne sonne alone had chosen them for the deathes sake which he suffered on his parte vndeserued to enherite life euerlasting They offered vp also their prayers with clenes of herte whose peticion was that the kingdome of Iesus mighte bee made to spreade euery daye further abrode than other that his glory might throughout all the worlde bee knowen that his wyll euery where might bee folowed that suche as had once professed the fayth of the gospell might through the holy woorde and grace celestiall profit euery day and procede better and better and so might liue in concorde one with an other eche one in peace with his brother forgeuing all iniuries if any faute were doen by mans frayltie being at one with god whiche is mercifull to them that bee mercyfull to theyr neyghboure and that they beeyng dayly strengthned by the goodnes of god myght stedfastly abyde all the assautes of Satan vntill they myght after long bickering with the sayde Sathan at laste receiue eternall rewarde These were than the sacrifices that christen men vsed This wonderfull miracle of tongues Peters exhortacion so liuely made the sodaine mutacion of so many men so great puritie an clennesse of lyfe of the same menne wrought suche an effect in all theyr myndes whiche were giltie and priuie to theyr owne offences that they were sore afrayed of some eiuell to come towarde them For they sawe playnely that this thing was not broughte about by mannes conspyracy but by some celestiall power And for because thapostles did not alonely speake in all mennes languages but wrought also at Hierusalem many wonderfull miracles at thinuocacion of Iesus name in healyng diseases in putting deiuils to flyght in reising the dead to lyfe This tremblyng feare that they were in encroched and grew stil more and more vpon theim This was some beginning in the people towardes theyr amendement But the celestiall spirite wrought in theyr hertes whome secretly he inspired aboue all other thinges in mutuall good wyll and concorde For this truely is the very cognisaunce that Iesus woulde haue his disciples knowen by And as many as beleued the gospell assembled vnto a place ordinately together for theyr consolacion exhorting one an other in mutuall communycacions They were than many in numbre and men of al sortes were admitted without accepcion of persons young olde menne women free bonde poore and ryche The loue of Christe beeyng planted in theyr hertes dyd in so greate conformitie of myndes and mutuall concorde knyt and ioyne together them all beyng otherwise so ferre odde eche to other that all thinges were common emōgest them whiche is a thing seldome sene yea emong brethren that came all out of one belly And to thintent that eche of them might the better departe somewhat of that he had to an other suche as had manoures of theyr owne or other possessions solde them and of the money or prise thereof made a common dole as euery mannes nede required so that neyther they wanted whiche had noughte of theyr owne nor they had more than was sufficient whiche before had muche in possession And so made they theyr dole not as it were of theyr owne proper goodes but as of thinges in common For perfite charytie chalengeth no goodes as her owne and emong them whiche bee all of one mynde no man is accoumpted a lorde of his owne goodes and where eche man is content with litel thereit wyll bee harde to find lacke of thinges necessary But the distribucion of the common was made to euery man accordinge to his necessitie and not to his sensualitie The apostles prescribed none of all these thynges for them to doe but charitie did more among them without compulsion than any lawe of Moyses durst require And euery day were they also in the temple in muche vnitie of minde stedfast in prayer rendryng thankes to god and exhortinge theimselues together and entising other to that peace of conscience whiche the gospel requireth all that euer they were hable to coumpace Moreouer whan they had thus spent the whole daye in suche godly excercises they brake in euery house theyr breade and eate their meate together with ioy that herte cannot thinke and eche one with other in perfecte clenlynes of herte gaue prayse to god through whose goodnes they had gotten them so muche loue and fauour They were in fauour and good estimacion with all the people For who is he that woulde not loue suche persons that hurt no man and be ready to do euery man good in whom also appered manyfestly so muche godly power so great sobrenesse and mekenes withall Here mayest thou well marke Theophilus howe the churche had at her beginning by reason of ioy in mens hertes and vnitie with all luckie tokens well to prosper There muste nedes bee conformitee of myndes and vnitie where that spirite is whiche is the pacifier of all troubleous hertes there cannot be but ioy and gladnes where is a cleane conscience without any dystruste of the promises whiche are made in the gospell But as the bishopes Pharisees Scribes and chiefe auncientes or head men among the people wer euery where alwayes redy to slea Iesus so here at the luckye beegynnynges of this young churche no mencion is made of theim Noe persone was enforced to come to this feloweship no violente authoritie kept theym together in league Suche as thither came abode there still with other of theyr owne ientle courage and the lorde allured to theim whom he had appoincted to bee saued euery day more and more whyle the smale musterd-seede was by litell and litell springyng whiche shoulde afterwarde spreade his braunches abrode through al the worlde The .iii. Chapter ¶ Peter and Iohn
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
because their widowes wer dispised in the daily ministracion Than the twelue called the multitude of the disciples together and saied it is not meete that we should leue the worde of God and serue tables Wherfore brethren loke ye out among you seuen men of honest reporte and full of the holy gost and wisdome to whom we may commit this busines But we wil geue our selues continually to prayer and to the minystracion of the woord And the saying pleased the whole multitude And they chose SieueÌ„ a man ful of fayth and of the holy ghost Philip and Prochorus and Nichanor and Timon and Permenas Nicholas a conuerte of Antiochâ— These seuen thei set before the apostles and whan they had praied they layed their handes on them AT the same time whan the disciples for so were they than named who afterwarde were called Christians encreased daylye moe in numbre the Grekes that were amongest them whiche were none other than Iewes althoughe not borne in Iewrye by profession yet Iewes and borne amonge the Gentyles begane to murmure and grudge againste the Hebrewes The cause of this theyr grudgeyng sprange of an affeccion or loue towardes their cuntrey folkes For whereas the apostles carried about with them certayne women whiche did them seruice the Grekes were agreued that their widowes were not had in suche estimacion as that they myghte serue thapostles and disciples by dayly handreachinge For suche ministery or seruice was estemed with them to be a thinge of muche preferment And this was the first ambicion in christes churche And yet though the discorde amongest them was but litle or small forebecause thou shouldest vnderstande how sore a good shepherde ought to be displeased therwith the twelue apostles in continente whan they had called together a great company of the disciples to thintent it should be of the more authoritie that was determined with al their conseÌ„tes said in this maner to theÌ„ we see grudgeing what soeuer the matter meaneth spronge amongest vs as touching the seruice we haue at womans hande Some ordre therfore must be taken that we who are appoynted to an higher office be not in this wise often interrupted with such light matters of charge The lorde hath inioyned vs by an especial coÌ„maundement to teache the gospel It is not therfore a thing well to be allowed that we should lay asyde the office of preaching the gospel that we be charged with al and serue at tables For like as in the bodie are sundry membres and euery membre doth his office and duetie euen so in suche a great multitude trouble and coÌ„fusion cannot be auoided except diuers offices be distributed amongest diuers persons after suche a sorte that all together be referred to the profite of the whole bodye For neyther seeth the iye for it selfe alone but for all the membres Neyther the handes laboure onely for them selues but for the whole bodye Wherfore brethren loke out of youre noumbre seuen men that are of honest reporte replenished with giftes of the holy ghoste and endowed with synguler wisdome to whom we maye committe hauyng your good wyll withall this necessarie busines wherin we haue been hitherto occupyed not without hindraunce to oure exercyse in the gospell And whan we are set at more quietnesse by their diligence than shall we apply our selues to those thynges that be long to vs for oure owne partes to do as prayer and preaching of the gospell They shall take charge with fedyng the bodyes we wyll apply oure studyes to feede your soules The whole cumpany wer wel pleased with this oracion And so were seuen than chosen with consent of all the congregacion Steuen a man in good credite and one that largely had receiued the holy gost Philip Prochorus Nichanor Timon Patmenas and Nicholas of Antioch a proselite by his profession These seuen whan they were chosen wer set before thapostles to th entent that what was done thei should allowe the same by their authoritie Thapostles whan they had made their prayers to god as they were accustomed layed their handes vpon them For according to this approued custome were holy ministers assigned at the beginnyng vpon example whiche was taken of oure maister Iesus who was wonte to laye his hande vpon those that he blessed But if any demaunde the quetion what nede suche tites to the appoyntyng of ministers that should take charge of the table let him vnderstand that handling of monye is in very dede a temporall exercise moste coÌ„mune among men yet suche that would require sum speciall credit in him that shal be charged therwithall and an vpright conscience Witnesse herof was Iudas whome his vncleane herte beyng corrupted wyth auarice styred hym to betray his maister And furthermore because that these seuen persons prescribed to other also what was thoughte in suche busines necessarie for to be done it was mete for them to be put in authoritie that all other should the rather obey them as felowes with the apostles and their furtherers Moreouer the disciples feastes wer not such as be among the vulgare people but as ofte as they toke any meate they toke it very deuoutly Euerye broken morsell of breade represented to them the bodye of our lorde euerye draught of wyne put them in remembraunce of oure lordes bloude Fynally both the lordes bodye it selfe and his bloude was ministred to the people by the Deacons And if they were any tyme at leysure besydes theyr temporall ministerie than preached they also themselues the gospell as those persons that wer next of all to the apostles ¶ And the worde of God encreased and the noumbre of the disciples multiplyed in Ierusalem greatly and a great company of the priestes wer obedyent to the faith By suche maner meanes it came to passe that the doctrine of Christes gospell was sparsed euery daye further abrode and the disciples multiplyed at Ierusalem with right good successe in all their affayres For a greate parte noâ— onely of the comens receaued the gospell but manye priestes also whiche had before conspired againste Christe and his apostles whan they had repented themselues of theyr euil liuyng and layed doune theyr pryde submitted them vnto the swete yoke of the gospel But Steuen ful of faith and power did great woÌ„ders and miracles emong the people Than there arose certain of the Synagoges whiche is called the Synagoge of the Lybertines and Sirenites and of Alexandria and of Cilicia Asia disputing with Sieuen And they coulde not re siste the wysdome and the spirit whiche spake But Steuens holines among all the deacons glistened pryncipally For so handeled he hymselfe in his office appoynted him that he was moste in fauoure with the whole multitude of the faythfull for his excelâ—ente sobernes in behauioure and towardes them that were rebellyous to the ghospell he expressed so valiaunte a courage that he was neuer by them ouercum insomuche that he wrought many and greate miracles amonge the people in
the name of Iesus yea as one that endeuoured hymselfe to expresse the vertuous steppes of thapostles But forasmuche as exceliente vertue procureth it selfe enuie lyke as dothe the sterne wynde draw to hym the white cloudes certayne rose vp againste Steuen of diuers felowshyppes of the whiche one was called Libertines another Cyrenites sum of Alexandria an other sorte of suche that came out of Cilicia and Asia For to these countreyes whiche were ioynyng vnto Siria aboue al other were the Iewes dispersed all these sortes as though they had be of one conspiracie arose together against Steuen dysputyng with him and yet coulde not all they although manye in numbre stand in reasoning against this one yong mans wisdome the liuely force of his courage for because the holy ghost whoÌ„ he was ful of spake in him Than sent they men whiche sayed we haue heard him speake blasphemous woordes against Moises against God and they moued the people and the elders the Scribes and came vpon him and caught him brought him to the councel brought forth false witnesse whiche sayed This man ceaseth not to speake blasphemous woordes againste this holy place and the law for we heard him saie this Iesus of Nazareth shal destroy this place and shal chaunge the ordinaunces whiche Moyses gaue vs. And all they that sate in the couÌ„cel loked stedfastly on him saw his face as it had ben the face of an angell Marke me here the maner and fashion of the wicked Whan they had caste of al trueth vnable to make theyr partie good in disputacion thei fell to practise of foregeyng lyes and beyng once put to the wurse by wisdome of the holye ghoste they gaue themselues wholy to the practyse of diuilyshe deceytes For they brought in certaine men with false witnes that saied thei heard Steuen spoâ—ke blasphemous wordes against Moyses against god And there was none offence among the Iewes that more deserued deathe than did blasphemy and more detested with the people Consider here good reader lyke inuencions againste the seruaunte as wer before practised againste the Maister They brought in false accusers bycause they would not be seen in theyr owne persons to reuenge the inwarde grief of their mindes whiche thei had conceiued for the blancke they wer put vnto beyng menne of themselues insufficient to cope with Steuen in disputacion An hainouse crime â—ought they out by their false ymaginacion against him and cloked theyr cankred malice with a pretensed loue to religion Than wer the people with the elders also Scribes by meanes of these false tale tellers whiche had been preuelye sent in sore moued against Steuen insomuche as all they with one assent together toke hym violently awaye and haled hym before the councell Here came they furth before them that wer the hyred recordes for to playe out their partes and to saye this man haue neuer done breaking out into blasphemouse woordes againste this place bothe holy and with all vs honorable and agaynste Moyses lawe that was delyuered vs of god For we hearde hym saye that Iesus of Nazareth woulde destroye this place and chaunge the ordinaunces that Moyses gaue vs. But this was Steuens reporte vpon relacion of the apostles howe Iesus had prophecied to them that the temple and citie lykewyse should be of theyr enemyes ouerthrowen euen from the foundacion for the peoples infidelitie This rehersall of Steuen craftely they wrested to a false and sâ—launderouse accusacion A man myght well affirme these to bee thesame persones the accused Iesus reportyng thus of his woordes we hearde hym saiynge I wyll destroye this temple and sette vp an other in thre dayes But Steuen at this sharpe and cruel accusacion was nothing moued in his mynde for he was cleare in his conscience insomuch that he from the botome of his herte appeared in his very countenaunce to be innocent For the minde that knoweth euel by it self is neuer out of feare This his stedfastnes in couÌ„tenaunce put his accusers soone to rebuke for theyr shameles falshood For those that sate there in counsayle beholdynge hym and markyng well howe boldelye he toke the offence that was layed to his charge same hym so lytle discouraged at the matter or dismayde that his face seemed to vtter by countenaunce sum thynge aboue mannes excellencie and a certayne chearfulnes withall and maiestie besemyng for an Aungell to haue The .vii. Chapter ¶ Than sayed the chief priest is it euen so And he saied ye meÌ„ brethren fathers herken The god of glory appeared vnto our father Abraham whaÌ„ he was in Mesopotamia before he dwelt in â—harran saied vnto him Get the out of thy countrey and from thy kinâ—ed cum into the lande which I shal shewe the. Than came he out of the lande of Chalde and dwelt in Charran And froÌ„ thence whaÌ„ his father was dead he brought him into this lande in which ye nowe dwel and he gaue him none inheritauÌ„ce in it no not the bredeth of a foote And promysed that he would geue it to hym possesse to his feede after hym when as yet he had no childe THan demauÌ„ded the high prieste of the accused person to thintent he might frame his senteÌ„ce in iudgement towardes him after forme of lawe as he did before in condemning Christe this questioÌ„ whether he had ought to answer to those thiÌ„ges whether he would acknowledge the offence that was brought againste him Than Steuen beyng inspyred with the holye ghoste beganne in this wise to make answere to the playnte profoundly with a rehersall made euen from the beginning Honorable audience all that here be presente eyther brethren by trade of our cuntrey religion either els by reason of auncientnes and authoritie fathers geue eare to me in my defeÌ„ce of innocencie as ye haue done to mine accusers paciently I haue neyther vsed to speake contumeliously against god neither against Moyses nor against the temple but my endeuoure hath been not disagreynge here from Moyses to aduaunce goddes glory and that spirituall temple am I a buyldyng like as god commaunded me wherin god that is the very spirite is best pleased It is no blasphemy for a man to set furth that thing to the vttermost of his power whiche Moyses shadowed in figures whiche the prophetes being inspired with goddes holy spirite hath before spoken of whiche the sonne of god the was sent downe to earth for the same purpose hath both begonne and put his owne in credite withall to finyshe which the holy ghoste now perfourmeth for all peoples saluacioÌ„ through them that beleue the gospel But to striue so obstinately against the will of god beyng so well knowen and so bounteous towarde al men is naught els then to hate god is none other thing than to blaspheme god Whiche obstinate maner this nacion hath not of late daies begonne but what they haue begonne longe agoe to do now they neuer ceasse to continewe so that nowe we
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
in this matier For they beyng muche desyrous of their maysters auauncement and to wynne moe vnto him feared lesâ—e that many of the Gentyles myndes woulde be alienated and turned awaye from Christe because they coulde not abyde the lawe And againe they thoughte it not expedient to geue a iuste cause to the Iewes to forsake the ghospell as thoughe it were dysagreeyng from the holye lawe forasmuche as they were so earnestlye rooted in the lawe whyche they had receiued of theyr forefathers and had at that tyme in great reuerence that they mighte not sodainly be plucked from it And when there was muche dâ—sputing Peter arose vp and saide vnto them ye menne and brethren ye know how that a good while ago God did choose emoÌ„g vs that the Gentiles by my mouth should heare the word of the gospel and beleue And god which knoweth the hertes bare them witnesse and gaue vnto them the holy ghost euen as he did vnto vs and put no difference betwene vs and them seyng that with faith he purified their hertes Now therfore why tempte ye god to put on the disciples neckes the yoke which neither our fathers nor we are able to beare But we beleue that through the grace of the lorde Iesu Christ we shal be saued as they do Than all the multitude was pleased and gaue audience to Barnabas and Paule whiche tolde what sygnes and wunders God had shewed emong the Gentiles by them Wherfore bothe parties beyng in earnest disputacion and reasonyng and bothe parties allegyng testimonies out of scriptures and groundyng theyr argumentes vpon thesame Peter arose vp and spake vnto them in this wise Brethren wherefore call ye this matter into controuersy or disputacion as though it were doubtfull and as who sayth that it were in mannes arbitrement to allowe or dysailowe that thing that god hath already allowed Your selues do knowe that fewe yeares since it chaunced me to haue the practyse of suche a lyke thing in Iewry as ye finde fault withal emong all the Gentiles nowe For whan ye likewyse grutched that Cornelius his householde were Christened I shewed vnto you all the whole matier howe that I toke my iourney to Cesarea not of myne owne heade but by the commaundemente of God to preache his ghospel to the Gentiles also that they throughe faythe in hym might obteyne saluacion And where as they that hearde me than preache the gospell were vncircumcised and free without bondage of Moses law yet neuerthelesse god who estemeth not man of his apparel or outwarde furniture but of the inwarde affeccion of his herte whiche he alone doeth knowe gaue vs manyfest tokens that he approued theyr faythe forasmuche as he whiles they harkened vnto vs powred on them his holy ghoste yea so plentifully that they spake diuerse languages as well as we and that also before they were christened so that he put no dyfference as concernynge the gracious fauour that cummeth by the gospell betwene them whiche were not circumcised and vs that are Iewes For their hertes be clensed through fayth playnely declaring to vs that thys fauour doeth not consist in the power of the lawe to geue it vnto men but in fayth whiche maketh man acceptable in the syght of God For God geueth not his holy spirite to the vncleane And they had nothing els but eueÌ„ a playne beliefe whan the holy ghost came downe vpon them Wherefore nowe seeyng that God hath expressed his mynde and will that the Gentiles shoulde bee receyued to the ghospell and shoulde bee partakers therof throughe onely faith without the burden of the lawe why than dooe ye prouoke and tempte God whiles that contrary to his will ye go about to lay vpon the disciples neckes this so heauy a yoke of the lawe whiche they were neuer hitherto vsed vnto and the whiche neyther our forefathers nor yet we oure selues that wer borne vnder the lawe coulde euer bee hable to beare For whyche of vs all euer kepte the lawe as it oughte to bee kepte Wherfore there remayneth no hope for vs to attayne vnto saluacion by kepynge of the lawe but we truste to bee saued by the grace of oure Lorde Iesus Christe beeyng in this behalfe nothynge better then the Gentiles vnto whome he willed thys gyft to bee frely communicate and parted as he freely gaue it vnto vs also By these woordes of Peter the contencious disputacion betwene the Pharisees and those that were of opinion contrarye was ceassed And so afterwarde the multitude quietly harde Barnabas and Paule shewing by howe sondrye myracles and woonders whiche had by theyr handes bene wroughte amonge the Gentiles God had witnessed that his will was that the Gentyles shoulde bee made partakers of the ghospell without kepeynge of the heauy burden of the lawe accordyng as he had declared his mynde beefore to Peter whan he was preachyng Christe in Cornelius house by sendyng downe the holy goste vpon them ¶ And when they helde theyr peace Iames answered saiyng Men and brethren herken vnto me Simeon tolde how god at the beginning did visit the Gentiles to receiue of them a people in his name And to this dooe agree the wordes of the prophetes as it is written After this I wil returne and will buylde vp agayne the Tabernacle of Dauid whiche is fallen downe and that whiche is fallen in decaye of it wil I build again I wil set it vp that the residue of men myght seke after the lorde and also the Gentiles vpon whome my name is uained saith the lord which doeth al these thinges knoweÌ„ vnto god are al these his workes froÌ„ the beginning of the world Wherfore my senteÌ„ce is yâ— we trouble not them which from among the Gentiles â–ª are turned to God But that we write vnto them that they abstayn themselues from filthynes of ymages and from fornicacion and from strangled and from bloude For Moses of olde tyme hathe in euerye citie them that preache him in the synagoges whan he is read euery Sabboth day Whan they had ended their communicacion Iames whiche otherwyse was called Iames the iust or Iames the good and was commonlye named the brother of our lorde to whom the apostles had than coÌ„mitted chiefe autoritie arose and approued their sayinges in this wise Brethren for asmuche as ye haue quietly heard the other that spake vnto you I pray you heare me also whiles that I shew you my conceite what I thinke best to bee doen in this matter Symon Peter declared euen now that thinge whiche all we knowe to be very true how that first it pleased god whiche had great pitie vpon mankynde seeyng in what distresse and extremitie of peryll and daunger to be lost the Gentyles were and how they were all gyuen to worshyppinge of idols to chose hym a people euen of those also that semed to bee none of his people a people that shoulde be well accepted with him and call on his name as wel as we And that same thinge whiche
before of Messias dyd agree in him The .xix. Chapter It fortuned that whyle Appollo was at Corinthe Paul passed through the vpper coastes came to Ephesus and founde certayne disciples and saide vnto them haue ye receyued the holy ghost sence ye beleued And they sayed vnto him no we haue not hearde whether ther be any holy gost or no. And he sayd vnto them wherwith wer ye than baptised And they sayed with Iohns baptisme Than sayed Paul Iohn verely Baptised with the baptisme of repentaunce saying vnto the people that they shoulde beleue on hym which should come after him that is on Christ Iesus Whē they heard this they wer baptysed in the name of the lorde Iesu. And whan Paule had layed his handes vpon them ▪ the holy gost came on them and they spake with tounges and prophecied and all the men were about twelue BUt euen as Priscilla and Aquila hadde amended Apollos in suche poyntes as he lacked beeyng necessarye for a christen manne to haue so Paule fyndynge others in lyke takyng dyd For whiles that Apollos was at Corinthe whiche is the chiefe citie in Achaia it chaunced that Paule after he had goen ouer the other countreyes of Asia the lesse whyche declyne mooste to the Northe and Easte returned to Ephesus There founde he certayne of the disciples that were no perfecte Christians whiche were in one flocke emong the other brethren Wherfore Paule to the intent that he myght more perfectly instructe theym asked whether that they had receyued the holy ghoste synce the tyme that they were conuerted to the faythe They forasmuche as theyr erroure was of no malyce but of plaine ignoraunce frākely aunswered and freely as it was in dede and sayed No neyther haue we euer hearde yet hytherto whether there be anye holy ghoste that is gyuen to them that beleue Than saied Paule forasmuche as ye are taken for christen men whose baptisme than were ye baptised with They made aunswere with the baptisme of Iohn for we thought that sufficient for vs. Than sayed Paule In that haue ye not doen amisse that in tymes past before the ghospell came to mannes knowleage abrode ye receiued Iohns baptisme But that is not sufficient for your eternal saluacion For lyke as the doctrine of Iohn was not perfect but did onely testifie of Iesus that he was the true gyuer of saluacion who shoulde come after him makyng readye theyr myndes that they should beleue hym whan he came so dyd not Iohns baptisme wholy iustifie but onely exhorted menne that by repentaunce for theyr life mispēt they shoulde prepare theyr hertes for the Phisicion that woulde strayghte afterwardes come whiche with his baptisme throughe faith woulde take awaye all maner of synnes and by his spirite should enryche the myndes of the faythfull with heauenly gyftes of grace This tradicion had the Apostles receyued of Iesus the Lorde that they that beleued in the ghospell shoulde be christened in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy ghoste They that erred onely through simplicitie and for lacke of knowleage onelye deserued thus to be instructed And they beyng once warned hereof obeyed theyr counsellours and immediatly were christened in the name of Iesus the lorde This doen whan Paule had layed his handes on them the holy ghoste came down on them and the thing it selfe that ensued dyd manifestly expresse what the visible token meaned For they did both speake diuerse languages and prophecied also of hidden and secrete thynges that were to come The numbre of those persons that were men amounted euen to a dosen or ther about ¶ And he went into the synagoge and behaued himself boldly for the space of three monethes disputing and geuyng them exhortacions of the kyngdom of God Whē diuerse wexed hard harted beleued not but spake euell of the waye and that before the multitude he departed frō them separated the disciples And he disputed daily in the schoole of one called Tyrannus Whan Paule had this doen and as a man woulde saye had renewed his authoritie forasmuche as he beyng the preacher of the gentiles had geuen the holy ghost by laying on his hande ouer the faythfull euen as the other Apostles had doen he entryng into the Sinagoge of the Iewes that dwelled there openly and freely spake to all men preachyng that hope of saluacion was to be obteyned by Iesus onely whiche thing he dyd me then fewe dayes for it was the space of whole three monethes disputyng of the kyngdome of God whiche is heauenly and spiritual agaynst them that with tooth and nayle stifly vpheld the carnall kyngdome of the lawe But whan certayne of the Sinagoge gaue no credence to those thynges that were spoken of Paule but stubbernely resisted insomuche that openly before the multitude they blasphemously spake agaynst the doctrine of the ghospell Paule perceyuyng that it was to be feared lest that they that beleued myght bee corrupted by their malice left the synagoge of the Iewes and dyd lykewyse separate the disciples from theym and yet he ceassed not in the meane season to preache the ghospel But he dayly disputed in the schoole of one Tyrannus hauynge euen than in mynd the image of a pure churche that were not corrupted with the leauen of the synagoge whiche churche shoulde receyue none but those that woulde learne and that woulde reiecte suche as were praters and blasphemous persons And this continued by the space of two yeres so that all they that dwelt in Asia hearde the worde of the lord Iesu both Iewes Grekes And god wroughte speciall myracles by the handes of Paul so that frō his body were brought vnto the sycke napkyns partlettes and the diseases departed from thē and the euyll spirites went out of them Thus dyd he continue by the space of two yeres with suche successe that not onely the Ephesians but also diuers others some Iewes and some Gentiles that resorted thyther from that parte of Asia the lesse whiche properlye is named Asia where as Ephesus is gaue eare vnto the ghospell And myracles did cause them to beleue his preachyng for god wrought both many and also great woonders by the handes of Paule insomuche that he put awaye diseases not with woordes or by touchyng onely but also napkins and partlettes whiche had touched Paules bodye were caried to the sicke that were so faynt that they coulde not come to Paule and with touchyng therof aswell diseases as also euill spirites were put away So great confidence had Paul on Iesus whom he preached ¶ Than certayne of the vagabound Iewes exorcistes toke vpon them to call ouer them which had euil spirites the name of the lord Iesus saying we adiure you by Iesu whō Paule preacheth And there wer seuen sonnes of one Sceua a Iewe and chiefe of the priestes whiche did so And the euyll spirite answered and sayd Iesus I knowe and Paule I know but who are ye And the man in whom the euyll spirite was ranne on
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