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
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
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
his haÌ„des vnto heaueÌ„ beseching his father that he would vouchesafe that this matter of sauing mankinde which he toke in hande might be happy and fortunate to all men that he would commend and set forth his sonne vnto the world with his fatherly auctoritie and lest Iohns auctoritie should be of smal estimacioÌ„ albeit this for the time was profitable for the grosse rude people And behold the father did manyfestly auctorise his soÌ„ne in the presence of suche a multitude of people The heauens opened and shewed furthe a certayne wonderful light Iohn also sawe the heauenly spirite in the visible lykenes of a doue to descende out of heauen and to sytte vpon his holy head from thence came the voyce of the father soundyng to all mennes eares saying this is my derely beloued sonne the delight of my mynde in whoÌ„ I haue a singuler pleasure heare hym the expouÌ„der of my mynde and the distributer of my goodnes towardes you And because at that time Iesus was vnknowen to the multitude which had a great opinion of Iohn lest the voyce whiche cuÌ„ming froÌ„ aboue poynted no man certaynely to theyr vnderstandyng should be thoughte to perteine vnto Iohn therefore there was added a visible signe of the heaueÌ„ly doue whiche sitting vpon Christes head showed nowe playnely vnto al meÌ„ as a man would poynte with his fynger to whome that voyce dyd perteine With the whiche signe also Iohn hymselfe was playnely and certaynly monished that he was the sonne of God And after he did openly testifye that this sygne and token was promysed him before of the father to the intente that in suche a multitude of people he might certeynlye knowe him that afterwarde should baptyse all men in the spirite and fyer And with these ceremonyes the Lorde Iesus was declared and consecrated oure mayster whose diuinitie and heauenly doctrine who so wyll followe he shall be truly blessed The .iiii. Chapter ¶ Then was Iesus led of the spirite into wyldernes to be tempted of the Deuyll And whan he had fasted forty dayes and forty nyghtes he was at the last an hungred And whaÌ„ the â—emptoure came to hym he sayd If thou he the sonne of God commaunde that these stones be made bread But he aunswered and sayde It is written MaÌ„ shal not lyue by bread onely but by euery worde that procedeth out of the mouth of God ANd yet these entries beginninges made he lepeth not furth byanby to preache although auctoritie wer giueÌ„ him from heauen but sodenly he withdraweth himself froÌ„ the sight of the people into wildernes because that departure froÌ„ the coÌ„pany of people both increaseth auctoritie and prouoketh a desyre Now the spirite that is the prouoker of the yll doeth specyally assaulte them which leauyng the desyres of the world do fall into meditacion of the pure and heauenly life Therfore Iesus secretly teachyng vs thesame goeth into wyldernes And this he doeth not by the mocion or instigacion of any maÌ„ but moued of his own spirite For he that is baptised hath now cast of carnall affeccions being made spiritual by regeneracion is led and moued by the couÌ„sell of the holy ghost he remembreth not Bethleem he retourneth not to Nazareth he goeth not again to his mother or to his foster father but by the vehemeÌ„cy and rauishing of the spirite he goeth into deserte folowyng the exauÌ„ple of the olde prophetes Solytarines doeth quicken make lusty the mynde of a Christian souldier some tyme it is more sure for a man to commit himself to the wylde beastes than to men Baptisme taketh awaye all synnes of the former lyfe but for all that no man is sure from the assaultes of Sathan whiche lyueth sluggyshly But yet the naughty desyres endeuour to spryng agayne chiefely in them that be rude and young and lately entered and cummen to Christ. And that frowarde Satan enuying as muche mannes saluacion as Christe is desyrouse of the same styrreth and prouoketh him with merueylouse engins and sleyghtes to fall awaye and departe insomuche that he possesseth and vseth him that is relapsed with more tyranny then he dyd possesse and vse hym whan he had him before Agaynste these perilles and daungers Christe sheweth chiefelye three remedies often and harty prayers forsakyng of company auoyding of excesse and kepyng abstinence not without diligent meditacion of holye scriptures for otherwyse there maye be daunger in ydle solytarines And because the deuill goeth about to deceyue them chiefly whiche do endeuour to attaine vnto this streyght and Angelicall lyfe Christe hymselfe lyke a good captayne encounteryng with him hath taught his champions by what meanes that maliciouse and crafty olde syre maye be ouercome howe lytle he can do against them that be sober and vigilant and with all their harte do leane to the godly scriptures And this also the Lorde Iesus in the meane tyme wente aboute that this misterie mighte by litle and litle appere vnto the worlde after suche sorte that Sathan whiche desyred for none other purpose to knowe certaynly whether he were the sonne of God whome he heard that the father did honour with this tytle and name but to lette the redempcion of mankynde might bee holden in suche doubte that he might not certeynlye knowe this to be Messias before he sawe his owne tyranny vtterly subuerted ouerthrowen Christ also putteth vs in remembraunce of this that no manne is mete to preache the gospell but he that hath tryed hymselfe and is fyrme and strong agaynst worldly desyres agaynst excesse and her companions that is bodily luste ambicion auarice and suche lyke diseases of the minde wherewith oure enemye beateth and shaketh the myndes of the symple and weake as it were with most violent engyns of warre Therefore whan Christ had fasted fortye dayes folowyng Hely and Moyses whiche thing was in suche wyse aboue mannes power that yet the Iewes beleued that it was doen of men at laste to shewe a manifeste token of mannes imbecillitie in himselfe he made no couÌ„sayle but shewed playne signes that he felte the tediousnes of hungre For after the common nature of mannes bodye the lacke of humour greued and payned the stomacke Whiche thyng whan the crafty temptoure perceyued â–ª thynkyng hym to be nothyng but a man althoughe in dede a notable and a wonderfull man he casteth his hooke bayted with the enticement of vayne glory for therwith chiefly they be taken whiche seme to endeuour to the hyest perfeccion If thou bee the sonne of God ê™ he what nedest thou to be greued and piened for hungre Commaund rather these stones to be turned into bread for thy behoufe Thou canste perfourme thy desyre with a becke Ye maie well know of olde that this is thesame lyer in wayte or teptour whiche did entice that firste Adam into the snares of death by the vayte or trayne of gluttony But Christ the latter Adam beyng in spirite heauenly so auoided with his wordes this craftie
this token ye shall knowe them that is to saye of the fruites which yf ye fynde in them to be euyl ye shall remoue them from the cure of the flocke and shall not receyue them into the kingdome of heauen nor couÌ„te them for Christians but for enemyes not to thintent to hurte them but to beware leste they hurte the flocke beyng myngled among them For there is nothinge more daungerouse than vngodlynes if it getteth faythe and authoritie thoroughe the false coloure of holynes ¶ Not euery one that sayethe vnto me Lorde lorde shall enter into the kyngdome of heauen but he that doeth the wyll of my father whiche is in heauen Many wyll saye to me on that â—aye Lorde Lorde haue we not prophecied in thy name and haue we not cast out deuils in thy name and doen many miracles in thy name And than wil I confesse vnto them I neuer knewe you departe from me ye that worke iniquitie All they that professe me onely with woordes shall not be counted worthie the kingdom of heauen for it is not the tytle that maketh a Christian man but the lyfe And I will not furthwith knowledge them for my disciples whiche saye vnto me religiousely Lord Lord when in dede they serue diuerse other lordes that is to saye Mammon and ryches the belly and ambicion Whom therfore shall I thinke worthy the kingdom of heauen Them that haue vtterly refused worldly desyres and hartily do obey the will of the father which is in heauen whose will I preach vnto you For whatsoeuer I teache you it cummeth from him And truly my name shal nothing profite them which lacke my spirite and workes specially in that daye whan rewardes shall be appointed accordyng vnto euery mannes desertes not by mans iudgement whiche oftentymes dothe fayle but by the iudgement of god and the shepe shal be secluded from the goates so that those thynges shal not profite them whiche nowe seme amongest menne a certaine godly thing and passing the doinges of manne For than when they shall see euerlastyng life prepared for them whiche folowyng the doctryne of the ghospell haue declared themselfes to be my true disciples and agayne when they shall see euerlasting punishmente prepared for them that shall be remoued from the companie of the godlye many beeyng sore aferde shall come and desire nowe to be knowen of God where as they haue counterfeited before menne the chiefe and moste excellent disciples of Christe and preachers of the ghospell and they shall saye vnto me Lorde knoweste thou not vs thy seruauntes Haue not we prophecied in thy name haue not we chased a waye diuels in they name haue we not reised vppe dead menne in thy name haue we not put awaye poysons and diseases in thy name haue we not wrought other wonders in thy name and by these dedes glorified thy name we haue declared vs to be thyne by so many argumentes and tokens nowe doeste thou not knowe vs Than shall they heare this answere of me Truely I neuer knew you no not than when ye dyd these thinges I hearde you say lorde lorde but I neuer perceiued in you the harte of faithfull seruauÌ„tes I heare muche speakyng of my name but I neuer felt my spirite in you I heare of myracles whiche wer doen in my name but I heare not of those speciall fruites by the whiche the true disciple of Christ is knowen Wherefore seyng that than when ye did set furth your selues amongest menne in my name ye were not myne in dede but vnder the coloure of my professyon ye serued the â–ª dyuell departe nowe awaye from me and goe vnto hym whose spirite ye haue receiued and whose wyll ye dyd obey What title or name soeuer they have yf they weorke vnrighteousnes they shall not be partakers of my kyngdome ¶ Euerye one therefore that heareth these wordes of me and doeth thesame I wyll lyken hym to a wyse man whiche buylt his house vpon a rocke and a shower of rayne fell and the floudes came and the windes blewe and berie vpon the house and it was no ouerthrowen because it was grounded vpoÌ„ the rocke And euerye one that heareth of me these wordes and doth them not shall be likened vnto a folyshe man whiche builte his house vpon sande and a shower of rayne fel and the floudes came and the windes blewe and bette vpon the house and it was hurled downe and the fall of it was great But lyke as the fruyte of the tree can haue no good taste vnlesse the roote haue good iuyce So the buyldyng be it neuer so gorgiouse high and galaunte outwardelye shall not be sure vnlesse it be stayed vpon a sute and sounde foundacion He that hath my spirite that is to saye a sincere affeccion regarding nought elles but the glorie of God he is a tree of a good roote So he that stayethe not vpon the vayne thynges of this worlde but vpon the true good thynges of the mynde and doeth continue constantly in the same he verye polytikely buildeth the buyldyng that neuer shall falle Therefore whosoeuer heareth my woordes not heareth onely but reposeth them inwardly in his harte to thintente he maye expresse in his deedes that that he hath learned I saye that he is lyke a manne both wyse and politike who to thintente he maye buylde a sounde and sure buyldyng firste of all he deuiseth and loketh for a sounde and a sure foundacion whereupon he maye sette his buyldyng to endure agaynst all tempestes of wethers For in a calme wether euery buyldyng standeth safely but the winter proueth the soundnes of the buyldyng Some tyme aboundaunce of rayne falleth downe and beateth vpon it Sometyme the fluddes increased with rayne all to shake it with greate violence Sometyme the burlyng of the wyndes beateth agaynste it and beeyng beaten and layed at by so many wayes it standeth styll and moueth not Why so Because it standeth vpon a sure foundacion The buylder dyd foresee all these thynges and therfore he sette it vpon a sounde rocke throughe whose ayde it neded nothynge to feare all those assaultes Agayne whosoeuer hearethe my woordes and hearethe them onelye and dothe not repose them in his hearte nor expresse them in his dedes is lyke vnto the rechellesse buyld whoe not foreseynge the stormes and tempestes settethe hys buyldynge vpon the sande whyche is a foundacion euer fletyng and fayling and nothyng trusty Afterwardes falleth aboundaunce of rayne the violence of ryuers runneth vpon it the storme of windes runneth agaynste it and the house is leused and plucked vp from the foundacion and fallethe downe with a great crashe Why so Because the buyldynge was goodly and gaye to see to but it stode vpon an vnprofitable foundacion Therefore your principall chiefe care and consideracion must be of your foundacion fasting almesse prayer simple apparell finally myracles be lyke a gay building But if the minde of hym that dothe them loke after vaine praise of men
that it was done by chaunce or by the helpe of Phisicians For as no man is sodeinly delyuered from the lepry after the course of nature so the palsey forsaketh no man sodenly ¶ And when Iesus was cum into Peters house he sawe his wyues mother lyinge in bed and sycke of a feuer And he touched her hande and the feuer lefte her and she arose and ministred vnto them Whan the euen drewe nere they brought him many that were possessed with diuels And he caste out the spirites with a worde and healed all that were sicke that that might be fulfilled whiche was spoken by Esai the prophete when he sayeth he toke on him our infirmities and bare our sycknes When he had shewed furth these and certayne other myracles he withdrewe himselfe for a tyme from the multitude and wente into a house that was common to Symon Peter and Andrewe his brother There folowed on Iames and Iohn There he knewe that Peters mother in lawe haddess greate a feuer that she kepte her bed and he beyng desyred to heale her taryed not but toke her by the hande and lyfte her vp and forthe with her whole feuer wente awaye lyuelines and cherefulnes returned in somuche as she ministred and serued theim of meate so clerelye was she delyuered from all grudgyng of the Ague Truely no parte of the feuer remained where as they whiche be healed by the arte of phisicians bee troubled longe tyme after theyr disease with feblenes and lothsumnes Nowe whan night drewe on a greate multitude cummethe thycke and swarmethe at the doores lokyng that after his meate he woulde retourne agayne vnto hys well doynge As he came furthe they offered vnto hym a meruaylouse number that were vexed wyth diuerse diseases and also demontakes whyche were possessed wyth deuylies he castynge oute the spirites and puttinge awaye the diseases healed them all wherein also he did agreablye vnto his name There was none so fowâ—e and so horrible kynde of diseases whyche Iesus woulde lothe and turne away from There was none so vehemente or incurable whyche furthewyth at his commaundemente dyd not forsake the man Wyth a worde he healed all frely he healed all doyng nowe the selfe same thyng in takyng a way indifferently the diseases of the bodye whiche he went aboute to doe in takynge awaye synnes whiche be the more fyerce diseases of the myndes Truely for this he came into the worlde and this was it that Esay prophecied of him many yeres paste he toke our infirmities wyllyngly vpon himselfe and he dyd beare our diseases ¶ Whan Iesus sawe muche people aboute him he commaunded them to go vnto the other syde of the water And a certayne Scribe came and sayed vnto him Maister I wyll folowe the whithersoeuer thou goeste And Iesus sayethe vnto him the foxes haue holes and the byrdes of the ayer haue nestes but the soonne of man haâ—h not where to teste hys head And another of the number of his disciples sayed vnto him Mayster suffer me first to go and bâ—ry my father But Iesus sayed vnto hym Folowe me and lette the dead bury theyr dead And when Iesus sawe that the multitude woulde not departe thoughe he had healed all the sycke and diseased and thoughe nyght were at hande for nowe the sunne was gone to glade but that they came thicke aboute hym on euery syde more and more he commaunded his disciples to prepare him a ship to goe ouer the water that by that meanes he myght bee delyuered from the multitude This once heard certayne of them departed home But a certayne importunate Scribe folowed Iesus vnto the water syde desyryng to bee receyued into the numbre of his disciples whom he had seen so magnified of the people for his power in shewyng of miracles not to thintent he would folowe his doctrine and lyfe but that he might get him renoune and lucre of his miracles He therfore cumming vnto Iesus sayde Master I will folowe the whither soeuer thou goest It was a woorde mete for him that should haue been a disciple yf the woorde and the harte had agreed He put forth himselfe of his owne accorde and offered hymselfe vnto all thynges nor made no pretence of â—ariyng But Iesus neyther repelled the mannes importunitie neyther layed â—nto his charge his corrupte mynde but secretely monyshed hym that he was vp mete disciple for hym nor himselfe lykewyse no mete mayster for whosoeuer loketh after the commodities of this worlde ioyneth himselfe vnto hym but folyshly whiche neyther had nor soughte for neyther riches nor glory nor kyngdome in this worlde but imbraced extreme pouertie ignominy and affliccion in so muche as he had not those thynges whyche the byrdes and beastes lacketh not The foxes ê™ he although they haue no houses yet haue they holowe dennes to hyde them in The byrdes fliyng and wauoring in the ayer in the stede of houses haue nestes to rest them in But the sonne of man so is destitute of all succours of this worlde that he hath no place to laye his head in Yf any manne desyre suche a Mayster yf he wyll let him folowe me but with harte and affeccioÌ„ and not onely with the steppes of the feete So the Scriâ—e knowyng his owne conscience dyd forbeare to folowe hym Agayne one of them whiche began to be in the noumbre of his disciples moued by trayâ—tie and weakenes when he heard of the extreme pouertie of Christe â—â—kyng an occasion by sum coloare to slippe awaye from the disciples of Iesus Lorde ê™ he before I folowe the wholly whither soeuer thou goest suffer me first to retourne home and burye my father The cause to the apperauÌ„ce semed godly but Iesus willing to teache that all thinges should be set a part in the matter of euerlasting healthe and that herein all tariyng and lingeryng is dauÌ„gerouse suffered not the yonge man beyng of a good mynde but yet feble and weaâ—e to â—e intangled with busynes of testamentes of the dead vnder the pretence of godlynes and whites he prouideth for the vile inheritaunce of the worlde to fall from the inheritaunce of heauen Nay ê™ he thou shalte â—ow nothing haue to doe with thy dead father whiche haste profest thy selfe to the heauenly lyfe there will be ynow to burye thy father Suffer the dead to bury theyr dead and lette them put them in the yearthe whiche loue yearthely thinges let them burye him whiche is dead in the yearth whiche beeyng alyue be both dead and also buried They be alyue to men they be dead to God Be thou carefull to lyue and departe from the companye of the dead yf thou wilt lyue in dede And whan he entred into a shippe his disciples folowed him And beholde there arose a great tempests in the sea in so muche that the ship was couered with waues and he was a slept and his disciples came vnto him and waked him saying Lorde saue vs we perished and â—e sayethe vnto them why
brother Philip and Bartholomew and Thomas and Matthew which had ben a Publican Iames the soÌ„ne of Alphe and Lebbeus whose syrname was Taddeus Simon of Canaan and Iudas Ischarioth which also betrayed him THerfore Iesus going vp vpon the hill commaunded his disciples which specially folowed him to cum vnto him Of these he ordeyned twelue to be chiefe vnto whom as to the better learned and more stroÌ„g he committeth with anthoritie the office of teachyng that accordyng to thexaumple that they sawe in theyr maister they should teach the people eche in soâ—dry places And leste the doctrine of fishers vnlearned and abiecte men should foorthwith be dispised he gaue them also power against all vncleane spirites to cast them out with the worde and to heale all kyndes of diseases and all faultes of the bodye that whatsoeuer Christ did before them in the fathers name and his owne that they should do in the name of Iesus Christ in whose roume they were For so Iesus entred that through healing of greuous and incurable diseases whiche benefite semeth vnto men most godly he myght allute the rude and the simple to the thynges of the soule But leste any manne should take false Apostles for the true these be the names of the twelue whom Christ himselfe dyd ordein First Simon the sonne of Iohn whiche also was called Peter and his brother Andrewe For these were the fyrste that Christ called SecoÌ„dly Iames the sonne of zebedei with Iohn his brother Thirdly Philip and Bartilmew Fourthly Thomas whose sirname was Didimus and Matthew the Publicane Fifthlye Iames the sonne of Alphe with Iudas the sonne of Iames whiche also was called Lebbeus or Thaddeus Sixtly Simon the Carianite whiche was also called zelotes and Iudas Iscarioth whiche afterward betraied his maister By such maner ambassadoures beyng poore men rude abiect fishers sinners and men not knowen and of no reputacion Christ went about to tourn and renue the whole worlde vnto the wisedome of the gospell lest in this prayse the worlde myghte attribute any thyng vnto it selfe yf he had begonne this heauenlye pourpose by menne of learnyng of power of tyches or of nobilitie ¶ Iesus sente forth these twelue in numbre whom he commaunded saying Bee not into the waye of the Gentyles and into the citie of the Samaritanes enter ye not but go â—ather to the lost shepe of the house of Israell Goâ— and preache saiyng the kingdome of heauen is at hande Deale the sicke clense the leapres rayse the deade caste out deuils Freely ye haue receiued geue freely Possesse not golde nor siluer nor brasse in your purses nor yet scrippe towardes your iourney neyther two coates neyther shooes nor yet a todde For the workman is worthy of his meate Now it is worthy the hearyng to heare what he commaunded them and how he furnished these ambassadours in theyr iourney And firste of all he appointeth them the coastes and limittes of preachyng forbiddeth theÌ„ to go out of Iewry and forbiddeth them to go eyther to the people that were next or vnto the cities of the Samaritanes whom the Iewes did abhorre not that Iesus did count any kynd of men to be abhorred but leste he should seme to be offended with the iniuries of the Phariseis and for reueÌ„ging of him selfe to send his disciples vnto straungers or leste he might geue occasion vnto the Iewes to excuse themselfes and saye that they wer despised and that the Gentiles and Samaritanes were preferred before theÌ„ Againe because he knew that the Iewes chiefly would rebell against the gospel he would leaue them no maner of excuse but that it should appeare vnto al meÌ„ that they were put from the kingdome of god by their owne frowardnesse and that the Gentiles were receyued by their own plain and simple faythe Therfore ê™ he forbeare them for a tyme and go rather to the lost shepe of the nacion of Israel that they may repent to be saued For they be not all of the Phariseis malice there be shepe emong them erryng by simplicitie and ignoraunce whiche being monished and taught will fone repent heare the voyce of the good shepeheard And ye shall beginne your preachyng thus lyke as ye saw me do For it is not mete nor expedient forth with to disclose the secret misteries vnto the rude people they muste be made in a readines before that they may be hable to receiue the heaueÌ„ly doctrine First of al therfore preache nothyng els but that the kingdome of heauen is at hande that they retournyng from their olde life may prepare themselues to a new lyfe For the first degree of righteousnes is to abstayne from sinne And the first degree to health is to knowledge the disease Furthermore lest the teachers being men of no reputacion and teaching newe thinges should not bee beleued make them beleue your doctrine by miâ—â—cles lyke as ye sawe me doe Heale the sicke rayse the dead cleanse the leprose caste oute deuils These thinges though they be very great yet ye shall haue them of me they shall get you fauour and authoritie withall men For first the weake muste be allured Take you hede onely thaâ— ye do not abuse these thynges eyther to vayne glorye or to lucre Lyke as ye haue freely receyued of me so freely geue Defyle not the euangelical funccion no not with the least suspicion of glory or lucre Thus men shall esteme you greate in dede yf they shall see you of so great might and power and yet not to be haut nor proude nor desirous of lucre but stoutly to dispise those thynges for the which the coÌ„moÌ„ sort of men do suffre all that they may I will haue you light and ready to do this message and to be laded with no burdens to be encombred with no carefulnesse that ye may whollye apply the offyce committed vnto you Ye teache heauenly thynges set not your care vpon worldly thynges ye haue preparacioÌ„ mete for your preaching which teacheth no meane thing Wherfore when you take your iourney burdeyn not your purses with golde nor syluer No carrye not so muche as a bagge abouâ—e with you to put your vitayles in neyther .ii. coates nor shooes nor staffe He is wel armed which is gyrded with the sweard of the worde of the gospell Nor ye shall not nede to be carefull how ye beyng naked shall come by necessaryes Onely be carefull in your office committed vnto you and all these shal be geuen you from your heauenly father It is his matter that ye haue in hande He wyll not suffer his workemen to be defrauded of theyr hyer For them that lyue from daye to daye and according to nature necessaries be soone prepared And there wyll be ynowe whiche of themselues wyll geue to you doyng and teachyng suche thynges So shall it come to passe that neyther ye shall be troubled with suche cares whiche maye diminishe youre auctoritie and make you to be suspected nor they
house and spoyle his iewels exceptâ— he first binde the strong man and than spoyle his house It chaunced in the meane tyme that emong many whome he healed they offered vnto Iesus one that was possessed with a deuyll whiche had taken from the wretched man both his iyes and his toung Iesus commaunded the deuill to departe he departed and forthwith the moste miserable manne was wholy restored in such wyse that both he sawe and spake The multitude was amased at that so great a master and nowe suspectyng hym to bee Messias they â—pake among themselues Is this that sonne of Dauid whom the Prophetes dyd promyse Whan the Phariseis heard this voyce of the people they set not vpon Iesus hymselfe of whom alwayes they had the wurse but they endeuour to withdrâ—â—â— the hartes of the multitude from the honoryng and veneracion of him â—â— cannot be ê™ they that this is that sonne of Dauid as ye suppose For he shall come borne vp and mayntayned by the power of God He casteth not out deuils by the helpe of God sith he is wicked and a breakeâ— of the Sabboth daye a glotton and a drunkard and a companion of the Publicanâ—s but by the helpe of Belzebub the prynce of deuils Now Iesus although he heard not their voyce yet knowing both what they thought and what they spake to others turnyng vnto the Phariseis so ordered hys answer that by manifest reason he reproneth theyr madde raising and rebuke and yet he rayseth not on them agayne but rather prouoketh them louingly to embrace theyr health and saluacion Euery kyngdome ê™ he deuided with inwarde deuision and discorde muste nedes come to naught And euery house stryuyng with it selfe with inwarde disagreing must nedes fall And yf Sathan driueth out Sathan and yf one deuyll dryueth out an other howe shall his kyngdome endure And howe is it lykely and greable all deuilles beyng enemyes of menne desiryng nothyng but the hurte and destruccion of them whose health miserably they doe enuy that nowe they fauour so greatly their health that for this cause one deuyll stryue◠〈◊〉 fighteth with an other Nowe yf I cast out deuils by the power and helpe of Belzebub these me disciples your chyldren whom ye knowe by whose helpe cast they out deuils for they also cast out deuils and yet ye reproue not them but only me ye falsely blame and yet they haue might of me to cast them out Therfore it caÌ„not be that they should chase awaye deuils in the power of God and I in the might of Belzebub sith they doe it in my name And therfore men vnlettered and vnlearned be able to doe so great thynges because they beleue simply that by the power of God I chase awaye deuils Therfore theyr godly belefe shall condeÌ„ne your vnbelefe because you desyre rather vniustly to reproue wheras ye might be godly folowers And if the thyng it selfe declare that I doe cast out deuils not by the helpe of the deuill but by the might of God ye ought not to doubte any more but that the soÌ„ne of Dauid is come and the kyngdom of God sith ye see that the strength of the aduersaryes deeth vanyshe awaye whan they whiche professe the ghospell call vpon my name Therfore lyke as there is a concorde and agrement emong the deuils themselues to destroye all men so I whiche am cum to saue all men haue no concorde nor agrement with them but deadlâ— dissencion and disagremente Hitherto Beelzebub hath exercised hys tyrannye vpon sinfull men geuen vnto fylthie desyres I takyng a way the synnes of men doe confounde and destroy Beelzebub the Prynce wyth hys whole garde and I doe restore vnto god through innocencye whom he did possesse throughe vnryghteousnes The thyng is done by force not by any agremente betwene me and the deuils They feele and confesse that there is a present power wherunto they be forced to geue place Or els howe maye it be that any man myght enter into the tower of a myghty man and take away his stuffe vnlesse fyrst he ouercum the myghty man and lay him in bandes Than he once kept vnder which was hable to resyste he wyl spoyle the whole house and as it were carye awaye hys pray The worlde is the house of Beelzebub In thys he claimed to hym acerteyne kyngdome because the whole worlde was geuen to ambicion excesse fylthy lustes auaryce anger enuy and other noysom desyres by the whiche he is made myghty I as a man of more power and valiantnes haue entred into his kyngdome and ouercuÌ„ming him haue wunne againe to the true prince that whiche he vniustly did possesse Therfore there is no agrement betwene vs the prynces be diuers the kingdomes be diuerse by no bande or leage to be reconciled and made at one He that is not with me is against me and he that gathereth not with me scatereth abrode Wherfore I saye vnto you all maner of synne and blasphemy shal be forgeuen men but the blasphemye agaynst the spirite shall not be forgeuen men And whosoeuer speaketh a woord against the sonne of man it shal be forgeuen him But whosoeuer speaketh against the holy gost it shal not be forgeuen hym neyther in thys worlde nor in the worlde to cumme Eyther make the tree good and hys fruite good or els make the tree euyll and hys fruite â—uyl For the tree is knowen by hys fruite O generacyou of vypers home canne ye speake good thinges whaÌ„ ye your selues are euil for out of the abouÌ„daunce of the hart the mouth speaketh A good man out of the good treasure of the harte bryngeth furth good thynges And an euill man out of the ill treasure bryngeth furth euil thynges But I saye vnto you that of euery ydle worde that men shall haue spoken they shall geue account in the day of iudgement For of thy woordes thou shalte be iustyfyed and of thy woordes thou shalt â—ee condemned He that wyl be grafte in the kyngdome of god muste withdrawe hymselfe from the kyngdome of Beelzebub and muste fight agaynst hym in my tentes No man can be at peace wyth god vnlesse he be at war with the deuyll I take goddes parte and not Beelzebubs Therfore whoso is not in my tentes is my enemye and aduersarye And whoso healpeth not me in gatheryng together is agaynst me in scateryng abrode See that ye ioyne youre selfe to the better parte It is better to obteyne health in the kyngdome of God than euerlasting deathe in the kyngdome of the deuil Ceasse from seruyng of synne and the deuil shall haue no power ouer you God wyll receiue them to hys kyngdome that run from hym and wyll not impute the synnes of the former lyfe bee they neuer so outragiouse vnto such as be penitent Thys onely is to bee obserued that no manne blynded with enuye and peruetted wyth malice withstande the glorye of god agaynste hys owne conscience and where as he seeth with hys lyes the
diuyne power by manifeste sygnes and wonders to be opened to the worlde that he attribute it not to the spirite of Beelzebub Wherfore thys I assure you whatsoeuer is done by woorde or dede shall be remitted vnto men so that they repente them God doeth easyly forgeue that whiche by anye meanes is veniall and pardonable by the reason of frayltye of mannes nature But yf any man speake blasphemye against the spirite of God whose manifest power he seeth of hys playne weorkes he shall scarcely fynde pardonne and forgeuenes And whoso speaketh blasphemy agaynst the sonne of man whom he despyseth for the weakenesse of hys fleshe he shall bee pardoned because errour and ignoraunce mixte wyth hys dooyng dothe exclude peruerse and set malice But whoso speaketh blasphemy agaynst the holye ghost shal vneth obteyne pardonne and forgeuenes eyther in this worlde or in the worlde to come This thyng spake Iesus to thyntente he woulde feare the Phariseis from theyr obstinate frowardnes because whan they sawe and perceyued that those thynges whiche he dydde coulde not bee doene but by the spirite and the myght of God yet they moued with enuy resisted the glory of god and ascrybed his miracles vnto Beelzebub whose spirite they saide wroughte in Christe Whan after common reason saieth he the free is knowen of the fruite why do ye blame the tree sythe ye cannot but allowe and commende the fruite â–ª The miracles whyche I worke ease and releue the miseries of menne they hurt no man they be not done for vayne ostentacion and glory or for gaine and lucre but to do good and to healpe No man can deny but thys is good freely to doe for them that be in affliccion Why therfore saye ye that that which is good of it selfe cummeth from Beelzebub who by your owne iudgement is al naught If ye wyll hyde the blindenesse of your myndes ye muste speake thynges that may stande together nowe the thynges whiche ye speake agree not together after the common iudgemente of menne Therfore eyther make the tree good and his fruite good or els make the tree ill and his fruite ill Either grauÌ„t that I am moued wyth a good spirite wheras ye graunte that my workes bee good or els saye that my workes be ill that your â–ª saiyng may appere probable where ye saye that I haue the spirite of wicked Beelzebub And yf my doynges be suche that ye muste nedes coÌ„fesse that they be good ascrybe not good thinges to an ill authour Ye kinred of vipers yll men springyng of yll paâ—entes coniecture and iudge ye by your selues Do ye not speake euen as ye be and dooe not your weorkes declare what spirite ye haue Ye enuy the glorye of god and falsely blame his spirite From whence cummeth so pestilente fruyte but of an euill tree For as it can not bee that a wylde tree shoulde bryng furth gentiâ— fruite and that a tree of poysoned iuyce shoulde bryng furth holsom appulles euen so how can ye speake well syth ye be yll For as the fruite taketh hys taste and verdoure of the iuyce of the roote so communycacion ryseth of that whiche is hyd in the harte lyke as a good manne bryngeth furthe good thynges oute of the good tresure of his harte so the yll man bryngeth furthe yll thynges out of the euyll tresure of hys harte Whose harte is replenished with godlines and charitie they speake wordes whiche sauour of that that is in the harte Whose harte is replenished wyth enuy pryde and auarice they vse suche communycacion whyche by the mouthe doeth vtter the affeccion of the harte Menne shall be esteined before god not onely of theyr dedes but also of theyr woordes An ill thought is pestiferouse and noysome onely vnto the thynker but yl talking doeth powre out the poyson of the harte emongest many The tonge therfore muste bee rescayned not onely from outragiouse blasphemies from â—aolding rhiding and backbityng and vncleanly communicacion but vtterly from all thinges wherof cummeth none honeste profite or commoditie Yea I saye vnto you that man shall render a count in the day of iudgement not onely for filthy talkyng but also for euery vayne idle and vnprofitable worde that they shall speake For theyr wordes also shal be taken and accounted for dedes Of thy wordes eyther thou shalte be iudged good yf good woordes issue out of a good harte or thou shalte be condemned as vniuste yf yll woordes issue out of an yll harte And here vnderstande ye the perfecte iustyce of the kyngdome of heauen far passyng the iustice of Moyses lawe For that lawe punysheth onely the manifest blasphemye agaynste god here shall be punyshed also anye reuylyng or taunte agaynste thy neyghhour and not only the noysome and perilouse saying but also the idle and vaine woorde For that whiche is vnprofitable on the tree is the burden of the tree and not the fruyte and therfore it is noisome because it occupieth the time and the eares of the hearer without any fruite or profite whereas the tounge is geuen for this intent that therwith we should profite our selues and our neyghboure and that with this member we should celebrate and magnifye the glory of God Than certayne of the Scribes and Phariseis asked hym saiyng mayster we will see a sygne of the but he aunswered and sayde vnto them The euyll and aduoutrous generacion seketh a sygne and there shall no sygne be geuen to them but the signe of the prophete Ionas For as Ionas was three dayes and three nyghtes in the whales belly so shall the sonne of man be three dayes and three nyghtes in the harte of the yearth The men of Ninyue shall arise in the iudgement with this nacion and condemne it because they amended at the preachyng of Ionas Beholde here is one greatter than Ionas The quene of the south shall ryse in the iudgement with this generacion and shal condemne it For she came from the vtmoste partes of the worlde to heare the wisedome of Salomon And behold in thys place is one greater than Salomon Certayne of the scrybes and phariseys whan they had hearde these thinges dissemblyng the rage of theyr myndes go vnto Iesus with more gentyl woordes as though they woulde nowe beleue him yf for theyr sake he woulde shewe sum miracle worthye and meete for them and also for hym who chalenged to hym the spirite of god and had alwayes in his mouthe the heauenlye father Maister ê™ they we whiche bee not of the common sorte but learned men desyre of you to see sum notable sygne from heauen whiche maye declare that ye be derely beloued of god and that ye doe that thyng whiche ye do by his power and myght But Iesus knowyng theyr subtill thoughte and obstinate malice whiche required a sygne for none other intent but to take a newe occasion thereby falsely to accuse hym chiefly sithe it is more easye to pycke a quarell at those thynges whiche bee shewed from heauen than at
as he was cum out of the water he saw heauen open and the spirite descending vpon him lyke a doue And there came a voyce from heauen Thou art my deare sonne in whom I delite After that Iohn had with wordes of lyke sentence moued and styrred vp the mynde of a great manie of theym to wayt for Messias that was cummyng then furth came Iesus when his tyme was cum forsakyng the litle village of Nazareth in the countrey of Galile where because of his educacioÌ„ and long continuaunce in thesame men thought he had bene borne Certes this is the nature and propertie of all euangelike thinges to begyn very baselye and from suche begynnynges by litle and litle to cum at the length to highest perfeccion whereas contrarily all thinges that euer the world and the deuel goeth about are after merueilous goodly beginninges sodainly cast down and brought to nought So lucifer whiles he set his feate in the northe ymagenyng to be equall with the highest was sodainlye cast downe headlyng into hell In semblable wise Adam when that thorough the diuels instigacioÌ„ he desired to be equall with God was by and by exiled and cast out of paradise Therfore if thou here considre the high excellencie and greatnesse of Iesu it will cause the muche more to wonder at his singuler humblenesse of mynd modestie He came out of a poore and homely village out of Galile the vilâ—st countrey of all Iewrie He that purifieth all thinges came as one of the raskall sort humble lowly to the baptisme of repentauÌ„ce amoÌ„g sinners souldiers brothelles publicaÌ„s without any seruauÌ„tes to wayte and atteÌ„de vpoÌ„ hym It was not ynough for hym to be circumcised accordyng to the ordynaunce of the lawe and purified after the tradicion of Moyses He desyred also to receiue Iohns baptisme teaching enstructing vs hereby that whoso maketh hym selfe ready to be a ministre and preacher of the gospell muste omitte nothing whiche in any wyse perteyneth to the increase of vertue and godlines And again â—schew all thinges wherwith the weakelinges may be offended Iohn taught vs this lessoÌ„ that a preacher of goddes word shoulde not get himselfe estimacion and auctoritie by gorgeous apparell or poÌ„pouse liuing but by honest behauiour and godly conuersacioÌ„ But the eâ—saÌ„ple that Christ shewed was of muche more perfeccion and farther from the Iewishe fashion then this for that he differyng nothyng at all from other neyther in his apparell nor yet in dyet dyd neuerthelesse by his godlye lyning mekenesse and beneficiall goodnes towardes all men vtterly duske and deface the auctoritie of Iohn For that is of hygher perfeccion whiche is geuen by the grace of the gospel then that whiche procedeth from the austeritie and straitnes of the lawe The whole intent of the lorde Iesus was this to make the worlde to know how he was the onely aucthour of saluacion to expresse and set out vnto vs a certaine fourme of euangelike and true godlynes to coÌ„firme the truth and certentie of all that euer Moyses and the Prophetes had vâ—â—itteÌ„ of thinges past and to make vs as it wer with the giuing of an earnest peny to haue a sure hope and expectacion of thinges yet to come For we right gladly beleue him of whom we haue conceyued a meruelous good opinion and vpon whom many witnesses do consent and agree Wherfore it was procured by the prouidence and wisdome of god that the Lorde Iesus shoulde euery where haue an euident recorde and testimonie of his deitie Of the whole lawe of Moses of all the Prophetes of the angels of the shepardes of the wise men called Magicians of the Scribes of Simeon and Anne of Iohn baptist of the father of the holy ghost and finally of Pylate and the deuils The miracles also that he wrought plainely declared hym to be the sonne of God He dyd many thinges not because himselfe had any nede so to do but for that he would set out vnto vs in his owne person a certaine fourme and trade of lyuing as when he fasted when he was tempted when he oftentymes prayed when he came to baptisme when he obeyed his parentes when he paciently suffered all iniuries and wronges and finallye when he came to his crosse and passion He perfourmed many thynges that the prophetes had prophecied of before lest the people should doubt of the promises afterwardes to be accomplished as when that in his baptisme he receyued the holye ghost in the lykenesse of a doue lightyng vpon the croune of his heade as when he arose agayne from death to lyfe Wherfore he came as a penitent to Iohn he desired his baptisme and obteyned it He was baptised in Iordane wherin were baptised both tanners Publicans and souldiers a sorte of people so sinful that none are more blemished or defiled wâ—â—h sinne Are not here the stately princes of this worlde ashamed who will haue nothyng common with the vulgare people No kyng nor priest cummeth to baptisme and if it were theyr pleasure so to do they would scarcely vouchesafe to receyue baptisme in a bason of golde or preciouse stones Nowe our sauiour Iesus that fountayne of all puritie that kyng of all kynges that lord of all lordes disdayned not the common bathe wherin the common sorte were washed But whoso humbleth hymselfe before man the same is highly exalted before god Iesus was baptised as the rest and euerychone of the common people there present But the father of heauen disseuered hym froÌ„ the residue by a certayne notable signe neuer sene ne heard of before For as sone as he was come out of the water of Iordane whiche he halowed with the touche of his holy body vnto lande as he was in his contemplacion and prayers Iohn sawe the heauens open and the holy ghoste flie downe from thence and light vpon the holy croune of his heade and there tarye The pride of Adam closed the gates of paradise agaynste vs The humblenesse of mynde and modestie of Christe hath for paradise opened vs the gates of Heauen There was a visible signe shewed vnto mannes iyes but by the same we were taughte what maner of myndes that heauenlye spirite both loueth and maketh The spirite of the deuill and the worlde maketh and loueth suche mindes as are haute puffed vp with pride fierce but that heauenly spirite loueth those whiche are lowely meke and peacible There is nothing more harmles and more without gyle then the doue nothing whose nature wurse agreeth with fighting and raueny It was plainlye expressed set out in the lord by this corporall figure what is spiritually wrought in all those that with a sincere and pure faith receyue the baptisme of the gospell The body is washed with water but the soule is throughly annoynted with grace inuisible Moreouer that the done abode still vpon the croune of the lordes head signified that the holy ghoste is geuen to all other godlye men and good lyuers â—atably after the
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
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
what is doeÌ„ That pitifull creature desyred not Iesus to helpe hym but yet to saye the trueth it was a kynde of desyre for hym to cum in to the syght of mercyfull Iesu. The Lord because he woulde haue them all to take good heede vnto the miracle that he entended to worke called forth the man with the lame hande and sayed aryse and stande in the myddes of the people And with that he arose and conceyued good hope that he should be made wholle Then Iesus turned hym to the Phariseis whose secrete thoughtes he was priuey vnto and sayed vnto theym What is your opinion whiche take vpon you to knowe the lawe Howe and with what thynges is the Sabboth daye broken With doing of good deedes or of euill by preseruyng of a mans lyfe or destroying thesame They knewe right well for what purpose he moued this capcious question If they had answered that it had been better for the reuerence and solemnitie of the Sabboth to suffer their neighbour to perishe then without scruple of conscience to helpe him in perill and necessitie the people coulde not haue suffered so vnreasonable an answere cleane repugnaunt to the lawe of nature Agayne yf they had sayed he might lawfully haue dooen it then had they brought themselfes in case that they coulde not haue charged him with any false surmise as theyr entente and purpose was to do Therfore they thought good to holde theyr peace and saye neuer a worde And yet whiles they so dyd they plainely declared vnto the people theyr malicious wilines for that beyng prouoked by this question to amendement of lyfe they of an obstinate mynde were still desyrous to picke quarels Nowe to the intent that this question shoulde the easlier be assoyled and answered to he put furth another lyke questioÌ„ asking whether there were any among them that kept the sabboth daye so hygh and holy that if a shepe of his chaunced to fall into a dyche on that daye woulde suffre it to peryshe and in no wyse be so hardye as to drawe it out There was none so blynde in that assembly but he knewe ryght well howe muche the helth of manne ought to be regarded before the helth and preseruacioÌ„ of a shepe Truly he killeth whoso maye saue that thing whiche he suffereth to peryshe Wherfore after the Lorde had loked for an answere and perceyued howe all the Phariseis lyke confederates not because they were ignoraunte of the trueth but of an ostinate malice helde theyr peace he loked rounde about and behelde them she wyng outwardly with his countenaunce howe wrothe and sorye he was for theyr vncurable wickednes who when they toke vpon theÌ„ to be gydes of the blynde had themselues heartes so blynded with worldely lustes that they willyngly refused to see the moste radiant and cleare light of veritie For there is no blindnes more vncurable then when a manne is bothe wittingly willyngly blynde They sawe that the dumme beast might lawfully be drawen out of the hole lest it shoulde peryshe without anye violacion or breache of the sabboth and woulde in no wyse see that it was lyke lawfull to prouyde for mannes helth vpon thesame daye Therfore the most gracious Lorde to teache vs that we ought not to withdrawe our selfes from helping of our neyghboure for the vncurable frowardnes of the euill the Phariseis contemned turned him to the manne with the withered hande and in the audience of the people who were desyrous to see the ende of this matter sayd vnto him Stretche out thy hande That voyce was scarcely heard But he stretched it out sodainly chaunged and seruing him aswell to do euery thing withall as the other whiche was neuer lame Whome would not these reasones haue conuerted and brought from his erroure whom would not so euident a miracle haue moued to glorify God But the Phariseis infected with the leuen of enuie were therby prouoked to imagine more mischiefe Certes these are those same corrupt and alwayes vnryght iudgementes of the Phariseis They passe more vpon a dumme beaste then vpon a manne more vpon the apparell then the body more vpon meate then lyfe more vpon the bodye then the soule more vpon worldly thinges then heauenly thinges more vpon the fleshe then the spirite more vpon menne then God So true is it that there is no greater mischiefe in the worlde then is peruerse and aukewarde holynes Among men it is counted to cum of a wonderfull vertue with worde onely to restore a mans lame hande and make it whole agayne But it is a much greater vertue and benefite to restore the dead and lame powers of the soule What a pitifull lame hande hath he how dead how voide of all pitie and compassion who when he seeth his neyghbour in necessitie doeth not geue him his almes when he seeth him erre and stray out of the right waye doeth not teache and refourme him when he seeth him oppressed with iniuries doeth not helpe hym when he seeth him ydle doeth not styrre hym to good woorkes Suche handes had the Phariseis who woulde rather enuy the Lord then be restored by him vnto the helth of theyr soules Such feble and weake persones hath the Synagoge But the churche of Christ receiueth neither deafe dumme blynde feble halte nor lame Whoso is diseased and vexed with any euils let him cum into the syght of Iesu and he shal be cured He will inspire vs with his holy spirite and that whiche was before lame and without lyfe shal then be made quicke and alyne agayne They that with true faithe wholy committe themselues vnto the Lorde do returne home cured of theyr diseases Contrariwise such as trust to theyr owne righteousnesse are made wurse by other mennes benefites and good deedes They that are puffed vp with a Pharifaicall spirite wylleth well to none but to themselues Agayne suche as haue receyued the spirite of Iesu goe about nothing els but to dooe good to all men ¶ And the Phariseis departed and strayghtwaye gathered a counsell with theym that belonged to Herode agaynst him that they myght destroye hym But Iesus auoyded with his disciples to the sea And a great multitude folowed him from Galile and from Iewry and from Ierusalem and Idâ—â—ea from beyond Iordane and they that dwelled about Tyre and Sydon a great multitude of menne whiche when they had hearde what thinges he dyd came vnto him For assone as the Phariseis were departed out of the temple albeit in the presence of the people they durst not speake one worde against Iesu yet now after they had sent for suche as belonged to Herode to the intente theyr conspiracy should be the stronger for none knewe better the feate howe to worke mischiefe then the Herodians they all layed theyr heades together secretly debated the matter betwene themselues howe they myght destroye Iesus whom as they sawe ferre to excell them in myghtie dedes so they perceyued that it was not possible for them
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
Iames the sonne of Alphe and Thaddeus and Simon of Canaan and Iudas Iscarioth whiche also betrayed hym Therfore Iesus who had oftimes before because to allure manye vnto this doctrine humbled himselfe euen to the basenes of the common people shewing therby that the teachers of the ghospell ought to do the lyke Iesus I say now calling furth to the highnes of euangelike perfeccion wente vp into a mountaine and called vnto hym not euery rascal of the multitude but suche as it pleased hym and those that he had specially chosen and sorted out before for this office and ministery For he called not men of greate substauÌ„ce head rulers great estates not priestes Phariseis or Scribes but poore men vnlearned persons suche as were of lowe degree For these were mete to folowe him to go vp to the mountayne from whence whatsoeuer this presente worlde hathe in it worthy admiracion is contemned from whence as oute of a nighe place the voyce of the father of heauen is heard and to be short from whence the glory of immortalitie and euerlasting lyfe is beholden They that were called obeyed and came to Iesus beyng on high No man can mounte vp to this hill except Iesus call him For himselfe is the mountaine vnto whome no man cummeth vnles he drawe hym This that king of kynges and Lord of rulers did chose out twelue head officers and deputies the whiche as loyall and faythfull garders of his personage shoulde neuer depart from his person to the intent that when the affayres of the ghospell so required he might sende them out as legates for the body to preache suche thinges as they had learned of him theyr kyng and publish abrode theyr princes commaundement throughout the whole world Now for as muche as they were vyle fishers vnlearned persons pooremen and suche as in outwarde apparaunce shewed no poynte of kinglines notwithstanding they promysed the kyngdome of God our sauiour leste theyr aucthoritie shoulde haue ben nothing regarded gaue them a power that no princes of this world can geue theyr ambassadoures the whiche power was that they shoulde in the name of Iesu heale all maner of diseases and also put to flight vncleane spirites The first of these legates or messingers was Simon whose name he chaunged and called him Cephas the which worde implieth as muche as this latine name Petrus that is to say a rocke or a stone to the intent that we should learne by the name selfe how the chiefe groundwarke and foundacion of the doctrine of the ghospell is an vnmouable stedfastnes of fayth The second was Iames the sonne of zebede with his brother Iohn To these he gaue also newe names and they bothe were called Boanarges whiche is as muche to saye in the Syrian tongue as the sonnes of thundre so that theyr name was a very prophecye to declare that they shoulde in tyme to cum send out of that euangelike hill into all the worlde the thunder of the preaching of the ghospell whiche shoulde moue and styrre vp all mens mindes to the desyre of heauenlye thinges For lyke as thunder soundeth from an high so the preacher of the ghospell soundeth and preacheth nothing that is low and carnall but all that he speaketh is high and heauenly Be you penitent the kingdome of heauen is at hande This saying is a thunder clap For assone as this word is spoken euery man feareth the daunger of lightninge but there folowethe a shower and that is Beleue ye the gospell and you shal be safe The fourth legate and messinger was Andrew brother vnto Peter the fifth Philip the sixte Barthelmewe the seuenthe Mathew the eyght Thomas surnamed Didimus the ninth Iames the sonne of Alphe the tenth Thaddeus the eleuenth Symon of Canaan the twelfth Iudas Iscarioth the whiche betrayed the Lord. By these few basely borne vnlearned and weake persons it pleased the Lorde to renewe the whole worlde leste that mannes wisedome or power shoulde chalenge any prayse in this heauenly busynes ¶ And they came into the house and the people assembled thither agayne so that they had no leasure so muche as to eate bread and when they that belonged vnto him heard of it they went out to laye handes vpon him for they sayde he is mad And the Scribes whiche came downe from Ierusalem sayed he hath Beelzebub and by the chiefe deuill casteth he out deuils and he called them vnto him and sayd vnto them in parables These thinges thus doen in the mountayne to monishe vs that in chosyng the ministres of the ghospell we ought in no wiâ—e to be moued led with low and priuate affeccions Iesus came downe with his elect head officers and they all together came into a house as nowe the familiar frendes and of shoulde with God This exaumple was shewed to teache vs howe the teachers of Gods word should not grutche to descend from theyr highnes or perfeccion and abase them selues euen to the lownes of the weake therby to winne very many to theyr Lorde Let vs also folow Iesus into the house for this intent that we may perfectly know what they ought to hope after and wherunto to prepare theyr mindes who take vpon them syncerely to preach the heauenly gospell The multitude went not vp to the mountayne For that thing pertayneth to them only whom the lorde hath chosen out for that purpose But assone as Christ and his disciples were cum downe lower al the whole rablement of people resorted vnto hym again so importunately crying and calling vpon him partly for to heare his doctrine and partly to be deliuered of theyr diseases that the Apostles had no leasure so muche as to eate theyr meate There can be no pleasaunter syghte vnto the teachers of the ghospell then when the people being desyrous to learne do disquiet the priestes then when a great multitude of christen nouices sytteth round about the churche doore then when there is not roume ynough in the Churches to receyue all maner of folkes that resorteth vnto the bishopes sermon After that all these dedes were through the great bruite therof brought to his kinsefolkes and cosens eares who knew right well thinfirmitie of his fleshe wheras for grossenesse of vnderstanding they could not suppose any thyng of his godly might and power after I say they heard tell how he wandred vp and downe with a sort of rascall slouens and vile felowes folowing him at the heles and heard say also howe he caused muche people to folowe him taughte newe learninges and suche as had not bene hearde before put away diseases and caste out deuils they ascribed all to fury and madnesse because being offended with the weakenesse of his body they could in no wise referre these thinges vnto his godly power They knew his father and mother they knew his house and all his family they knewe that in all other thinges he differed nothyng from other and perceyued also howe all that was reported of hym
instauntlye that he woulde not sende them awaye oute of the countrey AS this teÌ„pest hath taughte vs that all trouble and businesse whatsoeuer the world woulde stirre vp agaynst the gospell oughte by the ayde of Christe to be suffered with constaÌ„t courage of mynde and that such trouble should at one tyme or another be turned into greattest tranquillitie and quietnes So folowed therein coÌ„tinent a figure whereby was fignified that there should be in summe partes of the world so vplandishe and cruell people that they woulde at the fyrste brunte by reason of their naturall crueltie refuse and abhorre the doctrine of the gospell and yet should it cum to passe in processe of tyme that they also shoulde waxe ientle or cyuille and louingly receiue the swete yoke of the lorde after they once knewe it Wherefore assone as this storme was alayed whyche fygured the storme of persecucion that princes should stirre vp raging againste the gospell Iesus and suche as accompanied hym arriued on the other side of the water That countrey was called the countrey of the Gerasites of a famous town of Arabie named Gerasa ioynynge vnto mounte Galaad in the tribe of Manasse not farre fro the lacke or sea of Tiberias For nowe the Lorde Iesus maketh a foreshew of the brutishe and cruell barbarousnesse of certayne nacions of whome it maye be doubted whether they deserue to haue the name of men or no yet is there none so fierse and saluage crueltie that we ought to despaire of Wherfore after that Iesus was cummen out of the shyppe and entred into this countrey by and by he sawe a sight whiche playnly declared the maners and naturall disposicion of that nacion For when he was hearde cummyng there starte out a certayne felowe vexed with a spirite of passinge vnclennesse and crueltie This wretched creature woulde not come where as any resorte of people was but liued in solitarye places lurkynge and hydynge hymselfe in dead mennes tumbes that were by the highe waye syde Neyther was there any that assayed any more to bynde hym because he had bene ofte tymes bounde before and alwayes plucked the cheines asunder and brake the fetters in pieces Neyther was there anye violence that could so reclaime hym but that he beyng in case not able to rule himselfe would gad abrode at libertie whithersoeuer the wicked finde enforced him to go For this cause he was vnbound and wandered vp and downe both night and daye among dead mens tumbes and in wylde mountaynes criyng and beatyng himself with stones Nowe yf anye reken this to be as it is in verye dede a miserable and a terrible sighte lette him considre with hymselfe how muche more miserable a sighte in the iyes of almighty god is he that hath nothyng els of a man but the name onely He I say that is marde and caste a waye through riottous liuinge woode vpon harlottes madde vpon the dise and besyde himselfe by reason of dronkennes a brauler a robber or praye taker a breaker of the peace a violent felowe suche a one as can neyther be restrayned by Goddes lawe ne mannes neyther let and brideled from his sensuall wilfulnes by any shame reuerence or feare bolde to doo what hym lyketh who for small wages is hired to go to what warfare soeuer it be to sley and murder suche as he knowethe not and neuer dyd hym harme to burne vilages and good tounes to rifle churches and fynallye to destroye all that euer holy is or not holy Put hereunto periuries blasphemyes and inceste with the whiche vices suche leude ruffians as are of this sorte be well acquainted Put hereto treasons and poysonynges with the practise of arte Magike or Sorcerye and then shalte thou euidently perceiue howe muche lesse was the furye of the man thus vexed with the deuill then of this wretched and vnthriftie caytife But what Ought we to despayre of suche a one No truely yf it maye chaunce him at anye tyme to see Iesu. He is sene by faith For when the same wretched felowe at the noyse that the straungers made was come out of his denn violently to assault them according vnto his accustomed maner anon as he had afarre of espyed Iesu he drawen with an heauenly power and sodaynly chaunged ranne vnto hym and wurshypped him And straight wayes the fiende began to cry with a loude voyce by the mannes mouth and saye What hast thou to do with me Iesu the sonne of the higheste God I require thee by the name of God that thou tourmente me not For Iesus voyce was vnto that deuill a tourmente because he sayde Thou foule spirite departe out of the man So greate was the malice of the deuill that it was the greatest tourmente to him that might be if he nowe â—â—lde no lenger be suffered to vexe and tourment the sely wretche He felt Iesus voyce effectuall and almyghty the whyche he was constrayned to obeye vnto whether he would or no. Nowe I reporte me to you whether there be not lyke affeccion of mynde in suche as be extremely malicious persones who haue a great delyght to do other menne harme yea thoughe it be to their owne displeasure And yf they be restrayned from theyr wilfull desyre so that they can not be suffered to dooe what mischief they woulde then are they sore vexed in mynde Iesus demaunded of the foule spirite what was his name The spirite made aunswere my name is Legion because we be manye Thou knowest good reader that thys worde Legion is a worde or terme of warre whiche implyeth a foule rablement of ruffions confedered together to destroye meÌ„ But no power of a multitude preuayleth agaynst the might of Iesus He as easelye puttethe a Legion to flight as one man Then that capitayne deuill who spake for all the reste greatly besought Iesus whome he acknowledged to be his conquerour that he woulde not cleane exile hym out of that countreyâ— O peruerse malice of the deuil He desyreth not forgeuenes nor any other benefite whereby he maye be in better ease He countethâ—t a pleasure and benefite if he maye be suffered there to continewe whereas moste occasion is for hym to do harme Euen as thoughe a sorte of snap haunses set all on mischiefe enforced by a greater power of the prince and commaunded to breake garison or forsake theyr hold and fortresse would make this peticion We desire no wages but only that your grace will suffer vs to raunge abrode in the countrey and robbe and reaue at our owne peryll But ther was there nigh vnto the mountaynes a great heard of swyne feedyng and al the deuilles besought hym saying sende vs into the hearde of swyne that we maye enter into them And auon Iesu gaue them leaue and the vncleane spirites went out and entred into the swyne And the bearde was caryed headling into the sea They were almoste two â— and were drowned in the sea And the swineheardes fled and tolde it in the câ—ie and
and passinge alonge by the countrey of Decapolie or ten cities wheras before he healed a man vexed with a spirite And when he was hither cummen they brought him a pitifull sight that is to wete a manne bothe deafe and dumme For he muste nedes be dumme whoso is of nature deafe But more miserable is his deafenesse which lacketh meete eares to heare the worde of god He is worse duÌ„me who hath no tongue to confesse his owne filthie liuing and gods mercâ—e By the hearing of fayth beginneth our saluacion and by confession of mouth is the perfeccion of soule healthe The Iewes albeit they dayely hearde Iesus speakinge yet they hearinge hearde him not because folowinge then sample of a serpente called an Aspike whyche stoppethe her eares againste the voyce of the wise enchaunter they woulde geue no credence vnto suche thinges as they hearde And therefore had they a tongue to backbyte and make yll reporte but none at all to professe the holsome faythe of Christ. But what shall this sely poore wretche doe who hath neyther tongue to desire the Lord to geue him health nor eares to heare that voyce of Iesus whiche reysethe to life euen the deade Other that had bothe tongue and eares holpe him They brought him vnto Iesus they besought him of his gracious goodnesse to vouchesafe to laye his hande vpon him So plesethe it the moste mercifull lorde to helpe sinners euen at the contemplacion of other mennes faythe The christian nouice is broughte vnto Iesu. He hath made an ende bothe of yll doinge and naughtye speakynge but yet hathe he not learned to dooe well Yet hath he not learned to confesse the goodnesse of the ghospell For howe can he so doe vnlesse Iesu laye his hande vpon him Men do but laboure in vayne yf Iesu put not to his secrete power and vertue The lorde coulde euen with the bare worde of his mouthe haue easlye healed this deafe and dumme felowe but this fourme of healing was set out for our enstruccion For like as the wordes of Iesus are moste commonlye parables or misteries euen so be many times his doinges too He toke him by the hande led him aside from the multitude of people Safe is he whomsoeuer Iesus hath taken and seuered from the ruffling of this troublous and vnquiet worlde Then put he his fingers into his eares and touched his tongue with his spittell Nowe is health verye nere when Iesus by vertue of his spirite whiche is the finger of god vouchsafeth to touche the eares of our minde when the spettell of heauenlye wisedome whiche is himselfe cumminge out of the mouthe of the higheste father dayneth to touche the tongue of our soule to thentente that all godly thynges maye rellise and sauiour vnto vs. For without this humour there is no tast and if mannes spettell be fautie then maketh it a wrong iudgemente in tasting This spettell dothe not onelye leuse the tongue but also open the iyes of the blinde borne person as often as it is mingled with earth and the iyes are therwithall anoynted wheras the spettell of the Philosophers and the Phariseis doethe rather put out the iyes altogether As Christe did so in manour doe the teachers of the gospel They take men and leade them away from the multitude when they call them backe from the brode waye by the which very many walke vnto damnacion to the felowship of the litle flocke of true Christians They put their fingers into theyr eares when perswadinge them to put no trust in thinges transitorie they styrre and exhorte them to embrace the heauenly doctrine They laye spettel vpon their tonges when they exhorte men to professe the Euangelike and Christian fayth They lay on their handes when they geue the holy gost to them that be baptised by whome theyr sinnes are taken awaye and innocencye is conferred But the teacher doethe all this in vaine outwardlye excepte Christe worke within and sende downe his godly vertue from heauen Iesus willing to shewe vs as it were certayne fygure hereof when he had taken the man and firste put his fingers into his eares and then spitte on his tongue he lifted vp his iyes to heauen and sighed This sighing came not of anye mistruste to cure the manne but was a passion or poynte yf him that greuously bewayled mannes calamitie For what thinge is more iniserable and wretched then they whose inwarde eares are so occupyed and encumbred with worldly lustes that they cannot heare the worde of God Whose tongue is so entangled and inferred wyth naughty affeccions that they sauour not of heauenly thinges but are altogether dumme to confesse theyr owne sinfulnes and dumme to set out the mercy of God Therefore the sighinge of Iesu putteth vs in remebraunce in what case we were but his loking vp into heauen taketh away desperacion shewing vs from whence cummeth out ready succoure and also whom we ought to recken our selues bounden vnâ—o â–ª that we whiche had before open eares to heare detraccions ribaudry fond tales Pharisaicall doctryne opinions of Philosophers and the suggestions of the diuell haue nowe the same opened to heare the heauenly doctrine of the ghospell and that we whiche had before our tongue so infected with the spettell of the fleshe that we lothed the delicate foode of the heauenly Philosophie so tied with the diuels bondes that we coulde neyther knowledge our offences nor serre out goddes glory do now confesse howe nothynge is due vnto vs for our desertes but onelye hell and howe it cummethe whollye of the bounteous goodnes of God that we be chosen bothe to the name and also to thinheritaunce of the children of God Wherefore let the prieste inlyke manour rather mourne then rage againste other mennes sinnes rather sorowe than be angrye Neyther lette hym chalenge vnto hymselfe the power to geue absolucion but loke vp to heauen confessinge and testifyinge thereby that all that euer is doen through sacrametall rites and ceremonies is done by goddes power alone and not by mannes Iesus sayed vnto the man Ephata whiche woorde signifiethe in the Hebrewe tongue be opened And by and by of his worde there ensued a vertue For anon his eares were opened and the bande of his tongue was lewsed and he spake redily They had open eares who after the lorde saied vnto them come after me forsoke all that euer they had and folowed him They had a readye tongue which after they had receyued the holy goste spake with sundrie languages the wonders of god and aunswered the rulers charging them that they shoulde not from thenceforthe be so hardye as to preache the name of Iesu on this wise whether we oughte rather to obey god then men iudge you These thinges were doen aside from the people For we muste not make a wicked multitude witnesse bearers of out firste professing of the gospell leste they haue in derision that they as yet beleue not Therefore Iesus charged them they shoulde tell nobodye hereof
father had better hope and comforte then he had before and declaring the great desyre of his minde with teares and weping sayed I beleue lorde and yf my belefe be vnperfite healpe thou my weakenesse ¶ When Iesus sawe that the people came â—unnyng together vnto him he rebuked the soule spirite saying vnto hym Thou dumme and deafe spirite I charge the cum oute of him and enter no more into hym And the spirite when he had cryed and rent hym soore came out of hym and he was as one that had beeâ— deade in somuche that many saied he is deade But Iesus caught his hande and lift him vp and he rose And when he was cum in to the house his disciples asked him secretly why could not we caste him out And he saied vnto them this kynde can cum forth by nothyng but by prayer and fastyng In the meane season the people came runnyng together on euery syde to see this sight When Iesus sawe they were come for his wyll was to haue them all to bee witnesses of the miracle then putte he furthe that almyghtie voyce wherwith he calletth to life again when it pleaseth him euen the dead He threatned the foule spirite to handle hym accordyngly vnlesse he would incontinente departe saying Thou deafe and dumme spirite I charge the to gette the out of the man and that thou neuer from henceforthe enter into him again Iesus is in a fume with the spirite because he may shewe mercye vpon the man geuyng vs a lesson what we ought to doe in healyng of sinners A man must so rebuke vice that he may seme to loue the soule health of the person And because we should knowe that man laboureth speaketh in vayne vnlesse Iesus speake with hym by his secrete vertue and power the disciples commaunded the spirite to go out but all was in vayne because Iesus was awaye He is awaye so oft as our fayth is colde and wauering by the which fayth his wyll is that we obtayne all thynges What was doen at the emperious voyce of Iesu By and by the spirite went out But to the entent it should appeare that he wente out agaynste his wyll he cryed and vexed the sely wretche very sore at his departure For nowe laye he vpon the grounde for dead in somuche that many sayed he was dead in dede Thou seest here a figure of a peniteÌ„t person and him who turneth from great and accustomed synnes to amendemente Nowe hathe the hatred of synne delyuered hym from synne howbeit he is at the next doore to desperaâ—ion whoso both knowleageth his owne filthinesse also hath gods iustice in remembraunce But yet lyeth he happily deade that is deade to synne For then remaineth there nothyng elles but that he begyn to lyue agayne to righteousenesse And this benefyte geueth also our most bounteous sauioure Iesus without whome there is no safetie He caught the felowe by the hande and lifted hym vp as he laye in this traunce and furthwith the same who before seemed deade recouered hys former strengthe and throughe the benefite of Christe rose vp stronge and lustie But vnlesse Iesu had nowe geuen hym newe grace to leade a godlye lyfe it had been to no purpose that he was deliuered from the dyuell at the contemplacion of his fathers fayth Nowe heareth this deafe manne whiche before had his eares stopped with worldely lustes agaynst the doctryne and woorde of the gospell Nowe speaketh this dumme felowe who before was tongue tyed speachelesse by reasoÌ„ of the passions and wilfull pangues of the fleshe Nowe is the same at rest and quiet who before styred with the furious rages sumtime of sensualitie and pleasure of the body sumtime of ambicion â–ª desire of worldly aduauÌ„cemeÌ„t others whiles of wrath nowe of enuy nowe then of couetousnesse was as it had been rauished and caryed by the constraynte of sum vncleane and violente spiriâ—e All these thinges saw the Apostles and saied nere a worde for that they durst not interupt the lorde The Scribes also helde their peace being now assured by the thing selfe howe it was not by reason the name of Iesu was vneffectuall and vertulesse that this felowe was no sooner ryd of the spirite but for the weakenes of fayth And as it chaunced vnto this yonge manne bodely so chaunced it to the Pharise is spiritually They were not healed of their sinnes bicause they beleued not the woorde by the onelye vâ—rtue wherof they mighte haue been healed But when Iesus was cum into the house the disciples now beyng with him alone asked him what was the cause why they could not cast out the deuyl syth they had afore cast out so many in his name For they were disquieted in mynde with a certayne humayne carefulnes leste they had vnwares offended the Lorde and by that meanes loste the power whiche he once gaue them to worke miracles Iesus who is not wont to take awaye agayne what he hath once geuen but to encreace the same yet wyll not he haue his gyftes negligently kepte and after a rechelesse sorâ—e and nowe hath he sufficiently declared in the father of hym that was healed how weaknesse of fayth was the only impediment why the deuyl wente not forthe the whiche faythe was not as yet so strong in the disciples as it ought of congruence to haue been Iesus I saye aunswered that there was a certayne speciall kinde of dyuels which coulde not otherwyse be expelled then by praier and fastyng For these be the two engynes which are of moste force agaynst wicked spirites For by prayer the strength of fayth is renued and quickned as it chaunced vnto the yonge mannes father who sayed Lorde helpe my vnbeliefe And by fasting bycause it contayneth a certaine forbeatyng of all carnall pleasures the rebellion of the fleshe is subdued He muste haue a cleane spirite himselfe whoso goeth about to caste out vncleane spirites of other Iesus and the thre disciples were newly retourned from prayer The reste of them kepte compaynie with the multitude and dyd neyther faste ne praye and for that cause were not able ynoughe to caste out a dyuell whiche had so faste holde and was so familiar The more the trust of our selues encreaseth in vs the more the power to worke miracles decreaseth The more the power of the fleshe is mortified in vs the stronger is the holy goste by whose onely power soule spirites are expelled We muste therfore ofte tymes praye that the strength of fayth may in vs be encreased we muste also mortifie our fleshe continually to th entent that the spirite of Iesu Christe may liue in vs. To be shorte Christe doethe nowe prepare his disciples againste that houre when they shall be commaunded to watche and praye leste they fal into temptacion But because they toke a nappe after supper the weake fleshe had the vpper hande ¶ And they departed thence toke their iourney thorow Galile and he would not that any man should know
death He sought for comfort euery where found none at all But yet is it a certaine kynde of solace and comforte to complayne vnto our freÌ„des of our calamitie though they will not helpe vs. Therfore he commaunded also these three to tarry here and watche That done he went forth a litle and as one cleane destitute of all worldly comforte and vtterly forlorne and paste helpe as touchyng mans helpe fled vnto the father for socoure of whom yet he should not byanby be eased of his griefe Wherfore he fell down flatte on the grounde and lying grouelyng prayed the father that if it were possible the tyme of this battaile might passe awaye The nature of his body feared the tourment death that was nye hand Abba father sayd he Thou canste do all thinges take awaye this cup from me that I drinke not therof Neuertheles let that be doen that thy will hath decreed whiche wylleth nothing but what is moste expedient and best and not as the weakenesse of this body desyreth ¶ And he came and founde them sleping saith to Peter Symon â–ª slepest thou Couldest not thou watche one houre watche ye and praie lest ye enter into temptacion The spirite truly is ready But the fleshe is weake And agayne he went asyde and prayed and spake thesame wordes And he returned and found theÌ„ aslepe agayn For their â—yes were heauy Neyther wyst they what to answere him And he came the thyrde tyme sayde vnto them slepe hence forth take your ease it is enough The houre is cum beholde the sonne of man is betrayed into the handes of sinners ryse ye vp let vs go Loe he that betrayeth me is at hand And iâ—mediatly whyle he yet spake climeth Iudas which was one of the twelue and with him a greate numbre of people with swerdes and staues from the hye priestes scribes and elders And he that betrayed him had geuen theÌ„ a general token saying Whosoeuer I do kisse that same is he take him and leade hym away warely And as sone as he was cum he goeth streightway to hym and saieth vnto hym Maister maister and kyssed hym And they layed theyr handes on him and toke hym And one of them that stoode by drue out a swerde and smote a seruaunt of the hie priest and cut of his eare When he had thus prayed he returned vnto his three disciples whome he left behinde him and found them nowe sleping And then called he Peter who a litle before had made so stout a promyse saying SimoÌ„ slepest thou Couldest thou not watche as much as one houre with me This tyme admitteth no sluggishenesse For he slepeth not that goeth about to destroye vs. Watche and praye lest ye entre into temptacion because ye shall bee in ieopardy to bee ouercomen therwith if it cum vpon you when ye are nothyng prepared The perill is like commune vnto vs all I watche and praye for your health safetie doe you like wyse watche and praye as I do that you maye ouercome with me The spirite is ready and wyllyng but the fleshe is weake The spirite must be stayed and stablyshed with watchyng and prayer leste the fleshe haue the vpper hande When Iesus had thus spoken he went eftsones to the place froÌ„ wheÌ„ce he came made his prayers vnto the father with like tenour of wordes as he dyd before desyring hym that he might not drinke of the cup which was at hand and anon he returned to his disciples and founde them agayne slepyng They napped in the beholdyng of his maiestie insomuch that Peter wiste not what he sayde In like manour do they here slepe in the beholdyng of his infirmitie and weakenesse and knowe not well what answere to make hym rebukynge them Iesus returned the third tyme from prayer vnto his sayed disciples and the thirde time he founde them a slepe Bothe they and we had perished vnles Iesus had watched and prayed for vs al. Therfore after they were wakened he rebuked them because he would by them styrre vp and awaken all slewthfull persons Slepe ye sayde he from henceforth and take your reast You haue slepte ynoughe The thing selfe will now waken you whether you will or no. The very point and momente of the tyme is already cumme Lo the sonne of manne shall anon be betrayed and delyuered into theyr handes that are all set on mischiefe Ryse vp and let vs go mete them For now the lord Iesus had by prayer made himself strong in mynde against the storme of affliccions that was at hand Neither shewed he any time afterward any token of feare or werines but gaue vs an ensaÌ„ple of moste coÌ„staunt and stedfast pacience vnto the last houre He had no sooner spoken these wordes but Iudas Iscarioth one of the numbre of the twelue chosen disciples amonges them taken for the chiefe was cum and with hym a great bende of souldiers fensed with sweardes and staues against Iesus being without armour and weaponlesse Neither lacked there here authoritie The hie priestes scribes and head men of the people sent this power Here marke me good reader the notable conflicte of the euangelike and christian godlynesse againste fayned and counterfayte holynesse Thus is the truthe of the ghospell daylye assaulted thus doeth it alwayes ouercum and get the victorie There is none meter to betraye it then he who professing hymselfe to be a preacher teacher of thesame teacheth those thinges that are of the fleshe There is muche more ieopardie of false doctrine then of the swerdes and staues of souldiours that are notorious and open misdoers Yet dyd not Iudas well trust to his owne strength and policie when he should betraye the lorde He ioyned vnto hym a great bende of souldiers wel weaponed besydes them the authoritie of both the states that is to saye both of the spiritualitie and teÌ„poralitie And all these thynges dyd they in the night hauing awayted as well oportunitie of place as of tyme. There muste nedes be moste horrible darkenesse where Iesus is bound and taken This was the power of darkenesse Satan was suffered a whyle to seme to haue vanquished and ouercum Christ. What greater blindnesse could there be then to go about by mannes policie to betraye hym vnto whom nothyng is vnknowen then with swerdes and staues to assault him who with a becke can do what hym luste Iudas dyd not openly shewe hymselfe to be the captaine of this vngracious compaignie but gaue them firste a token saying whomsoeuer I kysse the same is Iesus Laye ye handes vpon hym and leade hym charely lest he scape froÌ„ you The priestes were well ware of this that the money should not be disbursed vnlesse Iesus were in their handes and custodie Then began Iudas to go a prety waye before the souldiers as though he had goen about sumwhat els but yet he went so before theÌ„ that he was euer in their sight And anon as he was cuÌ„ vnto
length proued and right wel knowen of you by sure argumentes and profes go your waye into all the world and preache this gospel to all the nacions therof For I dyed for all men and lykewyse for all men haue I risen agayne It is not nowe nedefull to kepe the ceremonies of the olde lawe It is not nedefull to vse any mo sacrifices and burnt offeringes to pourge synnes Whoso beleueth the gospell whiche thorowe my death offreth to all that beleue in me free remission of all synnes and beyng washed with water receyueth a signe or token of this grace thesame shal be saued Who so beleueth not the gospel there is not why he should truste to the obseruacion of Moses lawe or heathen learning and philosophie the same shal be damned This waye is open for euery manne to go to saluacion by but it is but one waye onely And these tokens shall folow them that beleue In my name they shall caste out diuels they shal speake with newe toungues they shall dryue awaye serpentes and if they drinke any deadly thing it shall not hurt them They shall laye theyr handes vpon the sicke and they shall recouer And leste your preaching shoulde not be beleued there shal be ioyned therunto a power to worke myracles so that there lacke not in you an Euangelike faith and so that the thing selfe do require myracles The chiefe power and vertue of the Euangelyke grace lyeth hyd in mennes soules but yet when for the aduauncyng of the gospell there shall nede any miracles thesame shall not lacke for the weakes sake They that will beleue in me shal cast out diuels not in their owne name but in mine they shall further speake with newe tongues and dryue awaye serpentes and yf they drynke any deadly thyng or poyson it shall not anoye them They shall laye theyr handes vpon the sicke and they shall be whole When these thinges are wrought and done in mennes soules then is there a muche greater miracle wrought but thesame is hid and not sene Couetousnesse pleasure of the body ambicion hatred wrath and enuy be very poysons and deadly diseases of the soule These diseases shall they cure and put awaye in my name and that continually But for the weakes sake suche as are harde of belief the other miracles shall also be oft times wrought to th entent the grosse sorte of people maye perceyue that in my disciples is a spirite more puissaunte then all mannes strength and power So then when the lorde had spoken vnto them he was receyued into heauen and is on the right hande of god And they went foorth and preached euery where the lorde workyng with them and confyrmyng the worde with myracles folowyng When the Lorde Iesus had spoken these and other mo wordes to his disciples he ascended vp into heauen where he sitteth on the righte hande of god the father The disciples after they had receyued the holy ghost preached as they were commaunded not only in Iewry but also in all other regions and countreys and the matier went forwarde notwithstanding the world resisted and was bent against them the Lorde Iesus puttyng furthe his mightye power by his holy spirite and theyr ministery and euerywhere confirmyng with ready miracles whatsoeuer they promysed to do with wordes FINIS To the most vertuous Ladie and most gracious Quene Katerine wife vnto the most victorious and moste noble prince Henry the .viii. Kyng of Englande Fraunce and Irelande c. Nicolas Udall wisheth prosperous health and long continuaunce with grace peace and all ghostely coumforte in our Lord Iesus Christ. LYke as our maister Christ in the ghospell moste gracious Quene Katerine whan the woman that had liued wickedly beyng now by his grace called froÌ„ hir sinnefull life to perfite repentauÌ„ce and amendmeÌ„t came vnto him sittyng at his repastein the house of Simon the lepre and washed his feete with the teares of hir iyes wyped thesame with that heare of hir head poured forth vpon his head a precious swete oyntment and also anointed his feete therewith did so well allowe hir deuocion hir earnest zele and hir tendre coÌ„passion whiche she had to â—oumforâ— him that he did not onely among all the cumpany declare hir preseÌ„t â—â—mfort in forgeuyng hir euen there all hir offences wickednes afore paste but also promised that she should not lese the condigne reward of renoume for hir teÌ„dre gentilnes to him shewed in so muche that afore all the preseÌ„ce he openly protested that wheresoeuer throughout al the world the gospel wer afterward preached there should she in suche wise at al occasioÌ„s he had in mind that the remeÌ„braunce of hir good hart thankefulnes towardes him should neuer dye nor be forgotten So Luke the euangelist Paule with the otheâ— apostles of Christ did in their holy writinges not onely make meÌ„cioÌ„ of sucâ— men preachers as were faithfull workers or ministers in Christes vyneyard but also by whatsoeuer good matrones and deuout wemen they sawe and fouÌ„d eyther that god was glorified his honour adâ—auÌ„ced or the ghospell preferred the word of god furthered â–ª the preachers of the same mainteined the yonglinges in the faith cherished the true chriâ—â—iaÌ„s in their pouertie refreshed the nede of the faithfull releued or the vnfâ—â—â—ed beleuers in aduersities coÌ„forted succoured to suche godly wemen they did not forget ne let passe to geue loude praise and coÌ„mendation aswel for the due reward of the parties selues as also for the good ensauÌ„â—le and encouragyng of others to doe the lyke For this cause doeth Luke in his gospel more theÌ„ once make meÌ„cion of Marie Magdalene of IohaÌ„na the wife of Chusa of SusaÌ„na Marie the mother of Iames. And in the actes he neyther forgetteth ne omitteth to coÌ„mend Priscilla Tabitha Lydia Damaris For this consideracion Paul coÌ„meÌ„deth vnto the Romains Phoebe Marie Eryphena Tryphosa Persis others For this respect did Hierome waite a whole treatise entytled of noble famous wemeÌ„ whose nobilitie also renoume he estemeth measureth by none other thyng but by their godlines deuocioÌ„ zele and endeuour to setforth Christes holy ghospell and by theyr godly conuersacion ioyned with moste studious diligence in readyng the scriptures Wherfore most gracious ladie although here nowe to renewe the memory and prayse of the manifold most excellent vertues and ardent zele of your highnesse towardes the promotyng of the knowelage of gods holy word and ghospell bee a thyng more due to your moste worthy deâ—erâ—es than easy for my rude penne to expresse them and more apperteineth to my duetie then it standeth with myne habilitie and power accordingly to sette them forth yet so to do at this present I haue thought partely a thyng nedelesse because your excellencie doeth so ferre sâ—â—â—ounte and passe all praises whiche my slendre vtteraunce is hable to geue you that I shoulde therein seeme to do a much lyke thyng as if I would bring forth a smouldring smokie
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
for any callyng vnlesse duetie moue it therunto and beeyng abrode it maketh haste in doyng any poynte of duetie it taketh more laysure Mary in all her iourney visited ne saluted not one bodye by the waye vntyll she was come to Elizabeth Neither was that same a salutacion or greting of the common sorte All good happe and blisfulnesse dyd of this gretyng eyther other encreace vnto them both and the efficacie of the spirite of God dyd in them bothe the more plenteously abounde Mary carryed with her in her wombe the fountayne of all ghostely gyftes of grace and through the inspiracion of the babe in her bealy she was nowe altogether in case that nothyng came out of her harte or her mouth but onely of God Therfore it came so to passe that as soone as the salutacion of the virgin Mary had once souned in the eares of Elizabeth the babe whiche she beyng an aged woman had than in her bealy dyd leape and spryng as ye would say skyppyng for ioy and gladnesse Iohn not yet beyng borne felte the diuine power of his Lorde but euen a 〈◊〉 afore conceiued and within the enclosure tabernacle of his mothers wombe doth with gesture magnifie him whom he should afterwarde set forth magnifie with his voice Neither did Elizabeth without fruit perceiue and fele the holy leaping of her litle babe within her Through her babe enspired from heauen the mother also is inspired and altogether is full and whole sodaynly taken with an happy and blissed kinde of infeccion Through the voyce of Mary the heauēly power of God perceth into the babe within the wombe of Elizabeth and through the babe with this sodayne blastyng so taken the mother too is adblasted in suche sorte that she on her partie also beeyng replenished with the holy ghoste did not nowe kepe in the ioyes of her herte although she had afore kept her selfe within doores and had no talke with her as one that would not for shame be acknowen to be conceyued with chylde but with a mighty great voyce which voyce her mighty great affeccion and zele did worke in her she cryed out and vttered suche thynges through the mocion of the spirite as she neither could deme of the swellyng of her bealie ne yet had learned of any mortall manne And euen as though she had heard the Aungell talkyng with Mary thus doeth she begynne her gratulacion O happy and blissed mayden sayeth she thou shalt haue and enioy the chiefe prayse emong all women worthy commendacion And holy is the fruite also of thy virginly wombe out of whiche shall come forth that same woondrefull floure who by the voyce of all nacions shall be preached throughout all the whole vniuersall worlde of whom long and many a day gone the Prophetes haue prophecied and he shal haue the chiefe laude and prayse emong all thynges bothe that are in heauen and that are in yearth I acknowlage it to bee a greater thyng and of more excellencie then a mortall man that thou bearest enclosed within the chambre and tabernacle of thy wombe If age or yeres only be estemed in vs twaine it is not vnmete for a young damisell or mayden to come to an aged womā but if the dignitie or worthynesse of both our babes that we go withall be compared it had been my duetie in all haste to come and visite thee I truly on my parte was happie and fortunate enough with this benefite of God that I go with a chylde the whiche shall in tyme to come be a person of no small dignite and estimacion but of what my deserte is so great happinesse chaunced vnto me that she whiche muste bee the mother of my Lorde shoulde thus of her owne accorde take paines to come to me For by an vndoubted tokē haue I felt the cumming hither of my Lorde For loe immediately whan the voyce of thy salutacion souned in mine eares I felt my young chylde stiere and leape vp in my wombe as one shewyng an earnest desire and gladnesse to go mete his Lorde and to do vnto him his bounden duetie of reuerence and homage And thou too forsouth beeyng a mother doest not vnlyke to the chylde in thy bealie for he beyng the Lorde and maister doeth vouchesafe to come set hys seruaunte of purpose to sanctifie hym and to replenyshe hym with the holye ghoste and thou beeyng so ferre the superiour in dignitie doest not thynke it peinfull to come to me that am thyne inferiour so muche the more lowely behauyng thy selfe as thou doest surmounte and excelle in heauenly gyftes of grace whiche gyftes thou doest veray well in that thou doest not impute them to thyne owne merites forasmuche as they are thynges geuen thee of the free bounceousnesse of God And certes in this behalfe art thou much happie that thou diddest not mistrust the promisses of the Aungell though they semed neuer so muche vnlykely to be beleued Thou haste conceyued without helpe of man and doubt is there none but that the residue of thynges whiche the Aungell hath promised vnto thee in the lordes name shal with sembleable trueth and suertie be perfourmed vnto thee ¶ And Marie sayed My soule magnifieth the Lorde and my spirite hath reioyced in God my sauiour Whan Elizabeth had by the spirite of prophecie spoken these woordes Mary also who through maydenly shamefastenesse had hitherto cōceled the ioyes of her harte being now sodainly rauished with the holy spirite of God of whom she was full and had been a good whyle erst could no longer temper herselfe ne forbeare but that with an himne of reioycing and thankes geuing she must braste out into the lande and prayse of God to whose goodnesse it is to be attributed whatsoeuer high or especiall good thyng doeth chaunce to manne or woman of this worlde O Elizabeth sayeth she not without good cause doest thou reioyce in my behalfe but yet this cummeth euerywhit of the gyfte of God yea and of his free gyfte and not one iote of it there is that I can presumpteously impute to myne owne desertes And therfore not my tongue onely but also my soule acknowledging it owne weaknesse doth euen from the botome of my harte rootes magnifie exalte the lorde with prayses and howe muche the lesse of merite it acknowlageth in it selfe so mouche more vehemently doeth it meruayle at the greatnesse of Goddes benefites I haue cause wherfore to geue hym thankes I haue cause why to talke largely of his beneficiall goodnesse but cause haue I none wherfore to reioyce to my selfe-warde Yet neuerthelesse my spirite beeyng enflamed with the spirite of God doeth for ioy not possible to be vttred in woordes skyp and leape within my body not in it selfe but in God who is both to me and to all persons the onely cause and worker of all saluacion For he hath loked vpon the lowe degree of his hande mayden so behold from henceforthe shall all generacions
trustyng to hymselfe is shut a parte and debarred from the kyngdome of god and the gentiles are elected and taken to the honour of the children of Abraham The proude Pharisee is refus'd cast of the harlotes the lowely publicane is receyued and taken in The stif standers and the sturdy holders vp of theyr snoute he hath cast downe those that layt as outcastes nothyng regarded and such as were in peryll of miscarrying those he puttyng foorth hys mercifull hand hath reised vp and holden Suche as had theyr syght he hath made blynde and to such as lamented their blindnesse he hath opened their iyes To those that acknowelage their infirmycye and sickenesse he hath geuen health and suche as in theyr own cōceiptes semed to bee perfectly whole he hath euen leaft to theyr disease Those that vaunted themselfes to be the children of Abraham he hath plainly declared to bee the children of the deiuill and suche as had no poynte of kynred with Abraham as touchyng the fleashe those hath he throughe the fayth of the gospell made the veray true chyldren of Abraham in dede Those that vaunted theimselues by the glorious name of Israell those hath he reneagued and put away from the inheritaunce of the promisses made vnto Israell but whatsoeuer persone of whatsoeuer nacion whether beeyng bond or beyng free dyd willyngly offre hymselfe to the ghostely seruyng of God hym hathe God taken vnto hym and in euery suche hath he perfectly shewed hys long delayed mercy which mercy he had a fore promysed by his woorde beeyng vttered by the mouthes of the prophetes to the people of Israel whom as a people more derely beloued and fansyed euen for hys owne tooth he doeth in the holy scriptures call hys seruaunt He had neuer been forgetfull of his promysse but by reason of the long delaye as though he had forgotten it despayre had creped vpon men but now hathe he euidently declared hymselfe to be in no poynte vnmyndefull of hys people For this is that same veray true succession of Abraham This is that same true Israell whom not the nerenesse of bloud dooeth make acceptable to God but the sinceritie and purenesse of feith by which feith onely is God seen And these thynges are not wrought ne dooen by chaunce or by casualtye but the thyng is now shewed in facte which long and many yeres past God hath promysed vnto our fathers Abraham and hys succession For to Abraham it was sayed In thy sede shal all nacions be blessed And to Dauid it was saied of the fruicte of thy body wyll I sette vpon thy seate These thinges long time afore promysed of good men looked for and of manye an one despatred it hath pleased God nowe in these dayes to perfourme vnto the true posteritye of Abraham the stocke and kynted of whiche posteritie shall neuer decaye ne fayle vnto the ende of the worlde And Marie abode with her aboute three monethes space and returned again to her owne house All these thynges which wer yet to come Marye dydde in the spirite of prophecye speake foorth in playn wordes euen as though it had been come to passe and effect already And than muche lyke aboute the space of three monethes dyd she make her abode with her cousin Elizabeth coumfortyng the olde woman bothe with holye and vertuous communicacion and also withall louyng and frendly attendaunce And euen but a litle before the tyme of her sayd cousins deliueraunce Marie returned home to her own dwelling place again For on the one syde to helpe playe the midwifes parte at a womans laboure was no fitte nor decent office for a maiden that had neuer borne childe and on the other syde she gote her awaye from the great resorte of weomen that were to come shortely after to be at Elizabethes chylde bearyng Elizabethes tyme came that she should bee deliuered and she brought foorth a sonne And her neighbours and kynsfolke heard how that the Lorde had shewed great mercie vpon her and they reioyced with her And now was the full tyme come that Elizabeth shoulde bee deliuered of chylde And a sonne in dede borne did assuredly verifie the promisses of God The matter was by a common bruite or noyse spred abrode by meane of her neighboures and kynsfolke whome euen lyke as the barainnesse of Elizabeth had grieued afore so dyd it now reioyce thesame that of the greate mercye of God by reason of a manchylde now borne the name of a mother hadde happened vnto an olde woman of barainnesse desperate and seemyng to bee paste all recouerye to whom it had been an happye chaunce to haue brought foorth a wenthe but a muche more luckie happe it was to haue brought forth a sonne And euen in thys poynte also appered the promyse of the Aungell who hadde saied that it should come to passe that manye an one shoulde bee gladde in the birth of that childe For thither came renning many an one and declared themselfes to reioyce that she had well sped and hadde brought foorth a sonne And good reason it was that many shoulde reioyce in the byrth of hym who hadde been borne to the hygh benefite of a veraye great maygnie And it fortuned that on the eight daie they came to circumcise the child and they called hym Zacharye after the name of hys father And hys mother makyng answere said not so but he shall bee called Iohn And they sayd vnto her there is no man in thy kynred that is called by that name And they made signes to hys father how he would haue hym named And he called for writing tables and wrote saiyng Iohn is his name And they did all meruail And immediatly was hys mouth opened and hys toungue also and he spake and praised God And feare came vpon al them that dwelt nyghe vnto them And al these saiynges were noysed abrode throughout all the whole countrey of Iewrye And al they that heard the same layed them vp in theyr heartes saiyng what mance a chylde trowe ye shall thys childe bee And the hand of the Lorde was wyth hym And nowe was come the eyght day after Elizabeths deliueraunce in the whyche day by the priscripcion and appoynetemente of the lawe the chylde must bee circumcised and haue hys name geuen hym Her kynsfolkes therefore resorted thyther whiche by the order and course of kynred thought it their partes to see that the childe wer duely circumcised as it ought to bee And because the chyldes father had hys speche taken from hym who commonlye vseth at hys pleasure to appoynte howe the chyld shall be named the kynsfolkes supposyng and demyng the father to be of the mynde and wyll to haue that that commonly is woont to bee moste to mennes cōtentacions called him zacharie after the name of hys father But hys mother contrary wyse beeyng taughte that thynge by the inspiracion of the holye ghoste whyche of her house bande beeyng than dumme she could not learne
euery side dryue cleane awaye the darkenesse of all the Gentyles and that thy people Israell mighte haue whereof not without good cause to glorye thy people Israell I saye beyng in true dede thy veraye owne not after the fleshe onelye wherehence in dede the begynnyng of thys saluacyon hathe proceded but after a spirituall kynred whiche is acquired and purchased throughe the faythe of the ghospell For suche an one veraylye is to bee called by the name of Israel whosoeuer earnestly fixeth deuout and godly iyes vpon this same lyght and with the violence of faythe forceablye breaketh into the kingdome of heauen In tymes paste hitherto the people of the Iewes hath gloryed and made all their vaunte vpon Abraham Isaac and Iacob they haue gloryed and made great vauntes of Moses of theyr temple and of the prophetes but now from hensforth the gostly Israel which is here and there in suÌ„dry places dispersed throughout all the worlde shall glory on thy sonne whome thou hast vouchsalued to sende after all the others here mencyoned as one that in greatnesse in vertue and in power is ferre aboue them all Nowe at thys presente in dede he lyeth hidden in a corner not knowen as he ought to bee but of veraye fewe persons but in tyme to come the lighte of hym shall blase abrode and he shall with hys bryghte shynyng beames lyghten all quarters and coastes of the worlde And his father mother meruelled at those thinges whiche wâ—re spoken of him And Simeon blâ—ssed them and saied vnto Marie his mother beholde this childe is set to bee the falle and vprising again of many in Israell for a signe which is spoken against And moreouer the swâ—orde shal perce thy sâ—ule that the thoughtes of many hertes may be opened Nowe the mother of the infaunte and Ioseph seeyng all thys to bee spoken of the olde manne Simeon by the inspiracion of the spirite of god conferring it also with the other thinges that had gone afore said neuer a worde but merueyled in theyr myndes what the olde mannes wordes might meane But Symeon whan he had blissed the chylde and also had prayed god to sende the parentes muche ioye of hym turnyng hymselfe vnto Marie sayde vnto her This sonne of thyne although he hath bene geuen vs of god to the ende that he may geue vnto all persons euerlasting saluacyon yet through the defaulte of manne it shal so chaunce that lyke as he shall lift vp to the hope of euerlasting health a great maignye whiche shall willingly enbrace the gifte of God euen so a greate number of the people of Israell vtterlye despysing the bounteouse goodnesse of god cummyng towardes them and offreyng itselfe vnto them shall bee cast downe to eternall damnacion For whan the trueth shal by thys thy sonne be opened and published manye shall fall whiche afore seemed to stande and many shall aryse vp that seemed to lye in the duste He hath bene looked for of all the Israelites but he shall not bee receyued of them all For he shall be set vp vnto all for a signe suche an one as neuer hath yet beene set vp sence the beginning of the world but yet shal he be one that shal haue many a man to speake agaynst him deny him The Phariseis the Scribes the bishops shal make much murmuring and prating against him the vnbeleuers and heritiques shall make muche clamouring and roryng agaynst hym And so muche sediciouse brablyng shall from euery place bee reysed agaynste hym that euen thou thy selfe shalte not bee withoute some parte of the euilles that shall come For the crueltie of them shall not lyght vpon suche persones onely as shall beleue on thy sonne but also thy verye owne hearte and soule shall the sweorde of doloure and gryefe perce Suche a sygne hath it pleased God to shewe furth before the iyes of al menne that the cleare light of the trueth being once shewed furth to shine abrode the thoughtes of men might and should be discouered which afore laye hidden in theyr heartes and that the course of thinges shoulde in suche wyse be turned the contrarie waye as the thyng selfe might playnelye declare that they were ferre of from the true ryghteousnesse which in the sight and iudgemente of men semed to sit euen in the high chaire of righteousnesse and suche to bee manifestelye founde wieked as had gotten and taken into theyr owne handes the doctryne and teachyng of true relygyon towarde god and contrarye wise suche as afore were reputed for men ferre out of the waye of true religion and godlinesse might be playnely declared to haue bene muche more nere vnto true relygyon then the others and suche as semed vnto the worlde to bee reiected and paste all grace or hope of recouery suche shoulde the vnfeigned readynesse of beleuing in god admitte and leatte in firste of all to the kyngdome of heauen The Scribes and the Phariseis haue contynually Messias in theyr mouthe they haue the lawe euermore in theyr mouthe they haue ryghteousnesse alwayes in theyr mouthe they keepe often and muche in the temple they tarrie long in theyr prayers they faste often they walke vp and downe notably besene with theyr brode phylacteryes but they hide in theyr heartes a thyng ferre contrarye to that that they shewe in outwarde semblaunce But the wily and wicked thoughtes of suche the light of the trueth of the ghospell whan it aryseth shall playnely fynde out and detecte Publicanes harlottes and sinners are by these counterfaictes of holyenesse debarred from all sacres or holy rites of the temple But suche shall god receiue firste of all into the kyngdome of heauen The Gentiles whiche haue bene geuen to idolatry sodaynly chaunging theyr life shal with gredy zeale affeccion enbrace the doctrine of true godlynesse the Phariseis and Bisshops in whose handes and power the keye of the â—awe and of relygyon dyd reste shal with most obstinate endeuoure resist it and be agaynst it The night hath no perfect iudgemente of thinges but ofte times in stede of the thynges selfes it sheweth to the iye the onely shadowes and vayne counterfaites of thinges but the sunne whan it is vp and geueth cleare lyghte it dryueth awaye all blinde casting of mistes before mennes iyes shewing euery thyng in his owne likenesse and geuing to euery thing hys owne coulour All this dyd that same godly olde manne speake reioysing and making glad chere from the botome of his hearte whiche the holy ghoste had throughly enspired ¶ And there was a prophetiâ—â—e one Anna the daughter of Phanuell of the tribe of Aâ—er whiche was of a greate age and had lyued with an housbande seuen yeres from her virgynitie And she had bene a wedowe about fower score and fower yeres whiche departed not from the temple but serued god with fastinges and prayers nyghte and daye And she came furthe that same houre and praysed the Lorde and spake of hym to all them that looked for
strength and force to this ende and purpose that by one waye or other he myght hindre and lette the redempcion of mankynde But no crafte is hable to take place or effecte againste the wysedome of God whiche in suche sorte tempered and ordred all her doynges that it dyd not onely subdue and conquier that same our moste subtile and craftie enemy but also defeacted hym of his purpose by his woordes leauyng hym in as muche doubte and vncertayntie as he was before By the infirmitie of the fleashe he mocked and disapoynted hym of his purpose through the stoutnesse and puissaunce of the spirite together with the sure fence of holy scripture he vanquished and subdued hym so that hauyng the foyle ouerthrowe to his great shame he was drieuen awaye and departed in as muche vncertayntie whether this were the sonne of God or no as he was before at his first cummyng Satan therfore layed agaynst Iesus that same effectuall darte and artillerie that he firste vsed agaynst the firste parentes of mankynde Adam and Eue and therewith ouerthrewe them albeit he onely enticed them with the lure of a faire apple that laughed vpon them but here in Iesus case houngre also beyng an euill that no manne can endure withall was a strong helper forwarde to the thyng that the temptour wente aboute Esau bieyng compelled with hounger solde the title and interest of his birtheright that he should haue had by eldership he solde it for a messe of pottage And the Lorde Iesus yf it had been his pleasure myght through his diuine power eyther haue kept awaye hounger from cummyng to hym or els haue drieuen it awaye whan it was come Neuerthelesse he woulde not so doe but it was his full pleasure and wyll to lay a baite for the temptour to vse wherwith thesame tēptour should bee taken his owne selfe The weakenesse of his bodie beeyng suche as other men had was laied in Satans waie as a secrete baite to vse for his purpose but the temptour stumbled hit on the hooke of the power of his godhead He sawe the body of a man witheryng and drying clene awaye with hounger to be in great affliccion and paine and none other lyke but shortely to be in the ieopardie and perill of death And men playnly affirme that there is no kynde of death more peinfull then to be famyshed to death He sawe hym in the wildernesse ferre from any towne or village from whence any meate myght bee gotten or ministred vnto hym for his susteinaunce Takyng therfore a boldenesse of these thynges the spirite of wickednesse assaileth the Lorde Iesus beyng replete with the spirite of holynesse he biddeth bace and begynneth firste with hym of whom he was to be subdued he biddeth hym come furth who was so strong and valiaunte for hym to matche withall he attempteth to take in the snare one ferre wyser and more warie than hymselfe What nedest thou sayeth Satan to bee thus tormented with houngre If thou bee that same sonne of God whiche was promised to bee sente to redeme the worlde commaunde that this stone turne into breade for thy behoufe and that wyll bee an euidente token where by for the to declare that thou art the sonne of God in dede For thy father vndoubtedly wyll not in this behalfe geue a deafe eare to his sonne beyng thus in distresse and ieoperdie of death through houngre And seeyng that he created all thynges of naught it should bee an acte of no great matter if the Sonne of God turne a stone into breade But Iesus beeyng not ignoraunte what the temptour herein hunted for so tempered his aunswere that he neyther consented to the temptours counsayle nor yet disclosed the nature of his godhead to his enemy who nowe by a newe and a straunge conueighaunce was through the infirmitie and weakenesse of Iesus bodye both to bee beguiled and also to bee conquered He denyeth not but the Sonne of God had power to turne stones into breade ne disalloweth to asswage the houngre of the body with meate whiche was ordeyned therfore but by the autoritie of the holy scripture of God he plainly sheweth that there is a lyfe of the soule muche more to bee regarded then the lyfe of the bodye and that there is a spirituall meate whiche is more requisite to be desired then the meate that for a shorte tyme prolongeth the bodily lyfe whiche lyfe neuerthelesse must of necessitie perishe within a shorte space afterwarde eyther by meanes of sickenesse or of age or of some other casualtie For the meate of the spirite geueth lyfe for euer to endure and this meate is the woorde of God This firste assaulte therfore of the deuyll Iesus auoyded with this aunswer It is wrytten sayeth he in the booke of deuteronomie Manne liueth not by breade onely but by euery woorde that procedeth out of the mouthe of God And for this purpose doeth the Lorde nowe take the woorde of the diuine scriptures for his staigh first to teache vs humilitie and sobrenesse that we ought not precisely to affirme any thyng without the autoritie of Scripture geuen vnto vs from God Secondly he declareth vnto vs that there is no weapon of more effectuall strength agaynste all the instinctes and mocions of wicked deuils then the autoritie of the holy Scriptures Out of the sayed Scriptures is the true meate of the soule to bee sought and gotten if a manne be of mynde and will to lyue to god warde to whom warde whoso liueth not thesame is already but a deadman yea although to the iye he appeare to bee alyue The first parentes Adam and Eue did eate they died for their labour That yf they had geuen the temptour that same aunswere whiche the Lorde Iesus here at this present tyme gaue him and had more regarded the Lordes commaundemente the due kepyng wherof geueth lyfe euerlastyng then the appetite and lust of that mortall apple they had not endaungered both themselues and all their succession after them to death and damnacion And thus much ferther doeth the exaumple of our salueour teache that miracles are not to bee shewed for the lust or pleasure of men but at suche tymes onely whan the glorye of Christe doeth call for it or els charitie and loue towardes our brother doeth necessarily require it For eyther to worke or to feigne sightes of woondres for a vainglorious boastyng as who shoulde saye this can I doe or to satisfie the curious lust and pleasure of the lookers on whereby neyther goddes glorye is aduaunced nor any profite groweth vnto our neyghbour is nothyng els but the propertie and condicion of witches and Iuglers as for ensaumple a brennyng fyer brande to bee diepped into the water and not quenched therwith or the fearefull lykenesse of Hector or Achilles to bee made appeare to the sight or the rushes and strawes to goe crallyng aboute the house seemyng to bee snakes Iesus at no tyme shewed any miracle but
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
the maliciouse imaginacions of the same vnto the people but by demaunding a question touched and hit theyr conscience throughly home saying I woulde with all my hearte learne of you that professe the knowlage of the lawe whether it bee leefull to helpe the neighboure with dooyng him a good turne on the sabboth daye or elles to leaue the neyghbour destitute of succour in his woe and distresse whoÌ„e a man is able to helpe And whether is it lawfull to saue a mans lyfe on the sabboth daye or els to caste awaye the same For he playnely casteth away an other mans lyfe that whan it lyeth in his power to saue it doeth not saue it And whan the lorde had caste his iyes round about and no man there was that would make any aunswere he sayd vnto the man holde furth thy hand And immediatly he stretched furth his hande at libertie whiche afore was lame and shrounken together and in such case that it could not stiere a whit So great was the vertue and power of Iesus bidding him to stretche it furth What shoulde the Scribes and Phariseis in this case doe The miracle was more euidente then that it coulde bee denyed and veray common reason did allow that a godly thing it was at any manyer tyme to helpe to the preseruacion of men but hauing been long accustomed to the olde soureswig of Moses lawe they coulde not awaye with the muste of euangelicall charitie Wheras of these actes theyr duetie had bene to acknowlage the power of the Godhead and to acknowlage the autour and firste maker of the lawe they are turned into starke staring madnesse And now euen out of hande they enter a consayll emong themselues of commyttyng murder what way they might destruie Iesus bring him to his death This was with those ioyly captaynes of religion a thing lawfull to dooe on the sabboth day wheras to the same it was a mattier of conscience to geue helth to a man being in extreme miserie on the Sabboth daie And it fortuned in those daies that he went out into a mountaine for to praye and continued all night in prayer to god And assoone as it was daye he called his disciples and of them he chose twelue whome also he called Apostles Simon whom he also named Peter and Andrewe his brother Iames and Iohn Philip and Bartholomewe Mathewe and Thomas Iames the sonne of Alpheus and Simon whiche is called Zelotes and Iudas Iames sonne and Iudas Iscarioth the same that was the traytâ—ur The lorde Iesus eftesons departing from the cities and from the greate resorte of people sequestred himselfe and went vnto a mountayne to pray and all the same night did he passe ouer in deuoutly praying vnto god teaching vs a lesson thereby in case we shall bee willyng to beginne any thyng whiche we woulde fayne haue to be luckie and prosperouse in the proceding of it that we than beginne of making our earneste prayer that it maye please God handesomelye and fauourably to sende the good ayde of his spirite vnto the thinges that we goe about to enter And whan it was brode day lighte he called vnto him his disciples whome he had now as perpetual companyons witnesses of those thinges whiche he wrought Out of them he pieked out a certayne nouÌ„ber of special persons whome for this only coÌ„sideracioÌ„ he named apostles because he entended to send them abrode shortelye after as ambassadoures of the gospel throughout all the worlde and theyr office to be nothing els to do but what they had in commission froÌ„ him The names of the said Apostles are these first Symon who afterwarde had his name geuen him in the Sirians tongue and was called Cephas in Greke petros in Latine saxum in Englysh a stone for none other cause verayly but for his sound constant professioÌ„ by the which whaÌ„ the people were in a wauering maÌ„mering what he was Peter being as the voyce of all thapostles together pronouÌ„ced the sentence that Iesus was the soÌ„ne of the liuing god Unto Peter was Andrew his own brother associate as a felowe Then Iames and Iohn Philip and Bartholemewe Mathewe and Thomas Iames the sonne of Alphei and Simon surnamed zelotes Iudas the sonne of Iames and Iudas Iscariothe who afterward betrayed Iesus whome Iesus chose not vnaduisedly as one that wist not what he did but by prouydence to the entente that he woulde by exaumple of this Iudas teache all creatures what an horrible mattier it is to abuse the fauourable goodnesse of oure salueour towarde vs. Yea and in all the whole noumber of the Apostles was there not so muche as any one that was a man eyther of power or of rychesse or of learnyng not one that was eyther a Pharisee or a Scribe or a bishop He pieked them out vnlearned and rawe or grene in cunning euerye one of them to the ende and purpose that he might poure newe wyne into newe bottels And he came downe with them and stode in the plaine fielde and the compaignye of his disciples and a great multitude of people out of all Iewrie and Hierusalem and from the sea coaste of Tyre and Sydon whiche came to heare hym and to bee healed of theyr diseases and they that were vexed with foule spirites and they were healed And all the people pressed to touche hym for there went vertue out of him and healed them all These Apostles thus chosen vnto hym he came downe from the mountayne vntil he were come into a certayn plaine that was able to receiue a great multitude of people For suche thynges as require purytie of moste perfeccion are to be dooen in the mountayne Emong thynges of moste hyghe perfeccion deuoute prayer hath the firste place the next place hath the special chosing out of them to whome the despensacion and stewarding of goddes word is to be committed There were presente also the residue of his disciples and a veraye great noumber of all sortes of the people besides which had come thither out of all Iewry yea and from Hierusalem selfe too and also from the cities of Tyrus and Sydon lying on the sea coast For the hounger of hearing the gospell preached had drawen thither many folkes euen out of ferre parties and many the hope to receiue bodely health had semblably allured For euery one that came Iesus deliuered from all kindes of diseases or impedymentes that they were holden with Yea and they also whiche were vexed of vncleane spirites were made whole And all this geare was doen of hym so lightly and so easily that some with a mere woorde of bidding were restored to theyr helth and others he healed in a moment sodainly with the onely touching of his garmente that he ware For there was in him the fountayn and fulnesse of the effectual vertue and power of God which proceded from hym none otherwise then light doth from the sonne or heate from the fyer and so brought he health vnto all persones
porters to be euen in carriyng out toward the derke pitte of the graue But yet neuerthelesse the mother al the while foloweth the folke of the toune also do folow for charitie caÌ„ scarcely by any meane despaire with teres with fettyng sighes with wofull lameÌ„tacions they declare what thyng they wish But the thyng that they wishe lyeth not in their power to geue neither be they able to kepe him stil whan lyfe was once departed nor yet of power to reise hym vp again after he was dead To mans power he was dead and past all possibilitie of callyng again to life But al is welinough At the weping teres of his churche Iesus cumeth and meteth them luckie and blessed at al tymes is the metyng of our sauiour with any body He casteth an iye on his wedowe luckye and blessed at all times is the merciful lordes beholdyng of any body He casteth no iye on the dead bodye who because he thought not hymselfe to be in any nede of mercy did not yet seme woorthy the mercy of Iesus but the earnest affeccion and zele of the churche dooeth that obteyne whiche the synner beyng desperate and past all grace dooeth not so muche as wishe The Lord biddeth the mournyng to be ceassed bringyng them in hope of ioye to folowe after he putteth his hande to the biere The porters of the dead corpse dooe stand stil. The first poynt of hope that one is in the way of amendyng again towardes innocencie is not to go any ferther in naughtines He that ceasseth to be wurse theÌ„ he was geueth yet sum token of hope on himself that he wil one day were better And yet doeth this not so fortune onlesse Iesus vouchsafe with his mightifull hande to touche the biere The hande of Iesus setteth an end vnto all wicked desires or appetites that the partie shal now ceasse from all naughtines which was in cariyng to the graue The church in dede praieth she maketh great intreatyng she exhorteth she chydeth suche persones as dooe offende because she would haue them to amende and bee in perfite reste from their viciousnesse But all this in vayn onlesse Iesus with his secrete vertue and power should touch the soule of the sinner being dead For Iesus is the lyfe of euery man yea euen of the dead too And good hope there is that lyfe wil cum again whan Iesus vouchesalueth to touch the biere but the hertines of lyfe doeth not yet retourne onlesse the Lorde do speake vnto the dead At the voice of whom only and none els the dead do reuiue agayn yea although they haue been laied in graue yea and haue lien of fower daies continuaunce there to the entent that no man shoulde thynke any synners to bee so ferre past grace of whose recouerye to grace again the charitye of the churche shoulde despaire Lazarus was carryed oute he was buryed he laye stynkyng already in his graue yet was there wepynge and wayliynge made for hym all the whyle and at the voice of Iesus callyng hym he came foorthe of hys sepulchre And in dede Lazarus was with sumwhat more a dooe reysed to lyfe For Iesus at that present dyd as it wer rore out in his spirite he wept and was sore troubled in himselfe not for that it was any harder for him to reise one that had lien fower daies buried then one whose lyfe departed but euen nowe oute of his bodye but to shewe howe hardely suche personnes cum to amendemente as haue of longe continuaunce accustomed themselfes vnto viciousnes Iesus caste an iye on the wedowe she leaft weepyng he shall lykewyse caste an iye on the dead persone and he shall begynne to lyue The moste mercifull Lorde therefore turned himself to the partie that laye there dead thou young man ê™ he I saye vnto thee Aryse He cannot choose but reuiue againe to whom any woordes shall bee spoken out of Iesus mouth yea although he were dead For the wordes he speaketh are al spirit life What folowed of al this He reuiued again to innoceÌ„cy that was dead in sinnes he setteth himself vpright who afore laie still hauyng no felyng of himselfe and the whiche is the moste euident token of a mynd corrected to goodnes he beginneth to speake coÌ„fessyng his own synnes geuyng thankes to the mercie of God He is restored to his mother aliues man againe and where he was afore in carriyng to his graue with great mournyng of many people he is nowe with muche greatter ioye of them all brought home again For this propertie hath true godlines that it loueth such men muche the better whiche haue ameÌ„ded froÌ„ greate enormities to the ernest endeuour of ledyng a better life For in these dooeth the goodnesse of god more better appere theÌ„ in suche as haue neuer falleÌ„ into any greuous crime or enormitie The mother reioyceth that she hathe receyued her soÌ„ne again And thei which afore did mourn for the corpse do now reioyce and not only do thei reioyce but also euery one of theÌ„ as many as wer preseÌ„t at this sight were taken with a certain feare For suche as are opeÌ„ly eiuill and vncurable the churche casteth out of her felowship as dead corpses to the end that by the exaumple of one many may be afeard to sinne But yesame cumpany doe praise and magnify the mercye of God â–ª by whose power the dead retourne to life again For so notable a miracle seen yesame people said A great prophete is there sprong vp emongest vs god hath taken regard to his people For the Iewes did as yet deme ne suppose no higher thynge of Christe but that he was sum notable prophete And of this act also did the fame of the Lord Iesus growe the bruite of the matter being spred abrode not only throughout al Iewry but also throughout all the coastes on euery side that lyeth about fluime Iordane where Iohn had afore baptised aswel the other people as also Iesus self And the disciples of Iohn shewed hym of all these thinges And Iohn called vnto him twoo of his disciples and sent them to Iesus saiyng Art thou he that should cum or shal we loke for another When the men were cuÌ„ vnto him they sayd Iohn Baptist hath sent vs vnto thee saying Art thou he that should cum or shall we awaite for another And in thatsame houre he cured many of their infirmities and plagues and of euill spirites and vnto many that wer blind he gaue light And he aunswered and said vnto them Goe your waies and bring woord again to Iohn what thynges ye haue seen and heard how that the blynd see the halt goe the lepres are clensed the deafe here the dead rise agayn to the poore is the glad tidynges preached and happy is he that is not offended at me Than certain of Iohns disciples halfe enuiyng at so great successe of the thinges that were wrought and doen by the handes of Iesus and hauyng a certain
spice of enuie at his name waxyng euery one day more famous then other and in maner derkenyng the glorye of Iohn of whoÌ„ they had an hyghe opinion make relacion vnto Iohn liyng fast bounde in the pryson of all the thynges that Iesus spake and dyd Iohn therfore of purpose to remedie and cure this affeccyonate mynde of his disciples called two of them apart vnto him seÌ„t theÌ„ vnto Iesus to demauÌ„d of him this questioÌ„ Are thou he that was sayd should cum or els dooe we loke for an other Iohn had so often alreadie geuen testimonie of Christe and also pointyng at him with his finger had said of him Behold the lambe of God Beholde hym that taketh awaye the sinnes of the worlde And nothyng is there more contrary to al reason then to thinke that so great a Prophete as Iohn beyng now nere vnto his death should begynne to doubte For though his body were in prison yet was not his testymonye of Christe bound in â—haines neither did the derkenes of the prison any thing dimme his iudgemente concernyng Christe For whom he acknowlaged in his mothers wombe hym dyd he no lese acknowelage in the pryson But the synguler good man iudged it so to be most expedient that he might by this way as it wer make deliuerie of his disciples into the handes of Iesus Whan Iohns disciples therfore had dooen their message to Christe after thesame maner fourme as their maister had geuen them in commission the Lorde Iesus did at the first make them no aunswer But many miracles doen in their presence right many sundrie maladies driuen out from suche as were sicke many vncurable euils put away froÌ„ men vnclene spirites cast out of meÌ„ with a word the sight restored vnto many that were blind at last thus he aunswered theÌ„ To what purpose is it for me to geue sentence of my self who I am There is no testimonie more clere oute of doubte then the testimonye of a 〈◊〉 actes Goe your waies and beare word vnto Iohn what ye haue seene with your iyes and what ye haue heard with your eares The blynd receiue their sight they that werlaine are made hable to walke lepres are made clene the deafe haue their hearyng restored the dead returne to life again the poore lowe dooe enbrace the glad newes of saluacion according to the prophecy of Esaye whiche sayeth He hath sent me to preache the ghospell vnto the poore Iohn preached the kyngdome of heauen to be at hande Weigh ye with your selues whether these thynges whiche ye see be thynges worthie and semyng for the kyngdom of heaueÌ„ And blissed is he that shal not turne these thinges which I doe for the health of men into an occasion of slaundre to hymselfewarde For as the greatnesse of the thinges wrought by me shall stiere many persones to enuie agaynst me so shall the weakenesse of this body bee occasion of slaundre to a great many With this saying Iesus did secretly checke the enuie of Iohns disciples geuing also therwithall a by woorde of knowledge that it would so cum to passe that the worldly open shame of the crosse by whiche in any wyse the mystery of the kingdome of heauen was to bee executed and accomplished would turne many mennes hertes a way from the doctrine of the ghospell and ferther that blessed shoulde they bee who neither woulde beare enuie ne grutche at his glory ne as men dismaied or troubled with the reproche of open deathe would sterte backe from his holsome doctrine ¶ And whan the messengers of Iohn were departed he began to speake vnto the people concerning Iohn What went ye out into the wildernesse for to see A rede shaken with the wind But what went ye out for to see A man clothed in softe raiment Behold they whiche are gorgeously apparelled and liue delicately are in kynges courtes But what went ye foorth to see A prophete yea I say to you and more then a prophete This is he of whom it is written Behold send my aungell before thy face whiche shal prepare thy way before thee For I say vnto you among womens children is there not a greatter prophete then Iohn Baptiste And whan Iohns disciples were gon their way to reporte vnto hym the aunswer of Iesus the Lorde begonne largely to speake in the praise of Iohn to the entent that none of them should by reason of demaundyng the former question by his disciples mystrust or suspecte Iohn hymself to be any thyng waueryng or concernyng his owne testimonie that he had afore geuen of Iesus to haue now chaunged his mynde and to be halfe in a doubte of the same Iesus therefore remoueth a waye from Iohn the suspicion of inconstauncie and also maketh Iohns testimony concernyng hym to be of the more credeÌ„ce and weight in such wise extolling Iohns excelleÌ„t vertues that yet neuerthelesse he gaue hym not the tytle of Messias whiche tytle certain persons for a good long space did labour to geue vnto him And in this maner it was that Iesus spake Yf ye suspecte saieth he that Iohn who a good while sens gaue testimonie of me to be nowe of a waueryng mynde why than did ye a greate while agon leaue the tounes after that sorte and rennefull and whole into deserte places to see the man to see a rede trowe ye that is blowen to and fro with the winde and neuer long abideth stedfaste But goe to yet what went ye foorth at laste to see A man trowe ye gaily apparelled in softe sylkes that he may with deliciousnes of fare or with ambicion of honour bee corrupted But this suspicioÌ„ cannot light on a maÌ„ which went clothed in a camels hide whiche gyrt his loynes with a roughe thong of heary leather whiche lyued with grassehoppers to his meate and with plaine water to his drinke and whiche wheras he susteined his life with no fyner diete then this did besides also fast very often WhoÌ„ gorgeous araie doneth best please whoÌ„ deliciousnesse of meates dooeth delite suche dooe seke and make shift to be in kynges courtes And on suche persones as haue a great desire to the thynges aboue said the suspicion of a corrupt sentence and mynde of inconstancie and waueryng or of plain flattery may perchauÌ„ce light But Iohn hath preferred wildernes before the courtes of princes he hath preferred the hearie hide of camels before veluets and silkes and before garmeÌ„tes of clothe of golde or set with precious stones wilde honey and locustes hath he preferred before the martspaines and other swete delicates of kynges plain water before the swete hypocras of the riche meÌ„ And how that Iohn can in no wise flatter the very prison that he is in dooeth sufficiently trye There is therefore no cause why any man should suspecte that Iohn dyd afore for any mannes pleasure or fauour geue so high and worthie testimony of me and now to haue chaunged his mynde But yet would I fain know what
on the manne commaunded the wicked spirite to departe out of him And the partie that was possessed of the deuil fel downe at the knees of Iesus For a certain priuie power of the vertue of his godhed had drawen the partie vnto him But the vncleane spirite made an houge roring out through the mouth of the miserable selie creature sayd O Iesus the sonne of the most high god in heaueÌ„ what haue I to do with thee I beseche thee do not torment me For the coÌ„maundement of the lord wrought strongly vpon hym to leaue the manne whom he had by a long space vexed Many tymes and ofte would this wicked spirite cease on the man woulde after so manifold pieteous sortes moste cruelly tormente and vexe him that breakyng all his fetters his chaines and al thinges that he was bouÌ„d withall he should bee driuen and feased of the deuill into desert places Wherfore the sayed spirite was yll wyllyng and loth to leaue his olde habitacion Yea and moreouer full sore was he afeard â—este the day had been now cum in whiche they should bee adiudged to euerlastyng payne and torment of helle there to be eternally punished for all the euil woe which here in this world they torment and plague men withal So than it was not repentaunce of his euill doynges that enforced him to these praiers but feare of punishemente But Iesus to the ende that the greatnes of the miracle should bee the better knowen to all folkes demaunded of the wicked spirite what was his name He auÌ„swered a legioÌ„ mening by this souldierly word perteiniÌ„g to warfare that the manne was possessed not of one deuill alone but of an immunerable multitude of deuils for there is no one great sinne without a great ambushmente of vyces together in a clouster But there is no sickenesse of the mynde so greuous there is none so great a multitude of great offeÌ„ces but it geueth place and departeth at the commaundemente of Iesus And all these deuyls beyng now in feare therof praied Iesus that in case it could not bee auoyded but that thei must nedes be cast out of that maÌ„ which thei were in yet at least wyse they myght not be commaunded to go doune into the depe pitte of hell whiche place they know to be ordeined for them at the last day of iudgemeÌ„t And not ferre from thesame place vpon a certain hill whiche lay harde by in maner directly aboue thesame water there was a greate heard of swyne feedyng at their pasture so that euen by that very point we may perceyue that the said countrey was heathen and wholy geuen to al vngodlines For the Iewes by their lawe did not ne might eate no swynes fleshe And the deuils made request that by the sufferaunce of the lorde they myght haue libertie to flitte out of the man into the said hogges so great a desyre iuste had the wicked spirites to doe hurt and mischiefe And Iesus to make the thyng bothe the more euident and also the more terrible suffred them to haue their desire And immediately the deiuils leaft the man weÌ„t into the hogges and streyght waies was al the whole hearde carried hedlong in a furious rage as fast as they might driue into the poole and were there drowned stone dead As soone as the swyneheardes sawe this they were sore afrayed and went theiâ— waies thence as fast as thei might renne into the tounes and villages to beare tydynges al about what was happened The inhabitauntes of the countreye scarcely beleuyng the tale that the swyneheardes tolde went foorth to see the prouffe and tokens of that so vncredible a matier And cumming to the place they see the hearde to be now peryshed and loste whiche a litle before was an hearde of a mighty great multitude And the man also whiche tyll that tyme was possessed of many deiuils and for his notable mischiefe that he did in the countrey was well knowen vnto euery body hym they fynde now all quiet and pacient and of whole mynde wearyng clothes on his bodie and sitting at the fete of Iesus For of an harbourer of deiuils was he sodaynly made a disciple and scholar of Iesus And whereas to fore he was tumbled and dryuen by wicked spirites to all kyndes of mischief now by the ientyll and meke spirite of the most merciful lorde he is in framyng to all earnest and deuout exercise of godlynesse Ferthermore they whiche had been there present and hadde with theyr owne iyes seen the maÌ„ before possessed of deiuils and had heard that there was a legion that is to saye a great noumbre of deiuils in him and nowe sawe hym in suche a litle while made perfectly whole they reported to the residue of the people what had befallen Wherupon a certayne feare came vpon them all where as they should rather haue glorified god and louingly enbraced the power of him who had restored health to a most miserable creature beyng otherwise past all hope of recouerie They would fayne therfore haue had Iesus goen as people dreding his power but not knowyng his goodnesse and they be more moued with the losse of theyr cattel then with the health of the man restored again Yet durste thei not be bolde to banishe or driue him out of their region but the Gerasens ientilly desyre and praye him in the name of all the whole countreye to departe out of theyr coastes so great feare had taken and possessed them all And he gat hym into the shyppe and returned backe agayne Than the man out of whome the deuils were departed besought hym that he might bee with him But Iesus sent hym awaye saying goe home agayne to thyne owne house and shewe what thynges soeuer god hath doen for thee And he went his way and preached throughout all the citeâ— what thynges soeuer Iesus had doen vnto hym And Iesus because he woulde not caste an holy thing emong dogges returned agayne to his shippe But the partie whiche was deliuered from deuils desyred Iesus that he might continue in his coumpaignye and awayte on hym seeyng that he was bound vnto hym alone and to none other for receiuing his health But Iesus woulde not suffre it but sayed vnto hym returne to thine owne house to the ende that by thyne owne relacion and by sight of thee all folkes maye certaynely knowe what thou were afore and what thou arte now through the benefite of God Thy countreymen refuse to haue me come and be emong them yet bee thou at the leastewyse a wytnesse emong them what ill frendes they haue been to themselues in castyng me out of theyr region The man obeyed the lordes biddinges and goyng into Decapolis and throughout euery citie he declared and talked in all coumpaynies that he came emongst what great and high benefites he had receyued at the handes of Iesus And thissame was yet some manier of entreaunce and fyrst settyng foorth of preachyng the gospel emong folkes
goe in peace and this my benefyte bee with the for euer with this saying he touched and nipped the pharisees and Scribes who put more hope in their owne workes then in the goodnesse of God ¶ While he yet spaâ—e â–ª there came one from the rewlees of the Synogogues house whiche sayed to him thy daughtâ—r is dâ—ade disease not the mayster But whan Iesus hearde that woorde he aunswered the father of the damosell feare not beleue onelye and she shall bee made whole â—nd whâ—n hâ— came to the house â–ª he suffered no manne to go in with hym saue Peter Iames and Iohn and the fathâ—r and the mother of the marden Euery body wepte and folowed for her And he sayed wepe not The damosell is not deade but slepeth And they laughed hym to skorne knowyng that she was dâ—ade And he thruste them all oute and caught her by thâ— hande and cryed saying mayde aryse And hir spirite came agayne and shâ— aroâ—est reyghâ—waye And he commaunded to geue hir meate And the father and the mother other hir were astouned But he warned them that they should tell no man what was doen. The lorde Iesus had not yet ended speakyng these woordes whan one of the mayster of the Synagogues house came rennyng and sayed Sir neuer trouble ne disease ye the Lorde any feâ—ther who is now lyke to come in vayne for thy daughter is already dead The felow that brought this worde thought ne had no greater ne higher opinion or beliefe of Iesus then of some other especiall good phisician who coulde haue holpen her beeyng sicke and alyue but to reyse her agayn beeyng dead that were he by no meanes hable to dooe Whan Iesus sawe Iairus deadly astouned and amased at this newes he conforted hym saying be not afrayed onely haue thou a feithfull beliefe and the gierle shal be safe Whan they were come to the Maister of the Sinagogues house Iesus woulde not suffre any moe of the multitude to goe in at the doores with hym but Peter Iames and Iohn and with them also the father and mother of the gierle Whan he came in he found the house all full of mourning For the dead mayden was wept for and bewayled of all her frendes and kinsfolkes whiche dewtie and office of mournyng is commonlye dooen to the great ryche folkes at theyr deathes for a pryde and honour more then for any sorowe For they do make and appoynte certayne for the nonce to make lamentacion to syng doulfull songes of mourning and to shewe an outwarde countenaunce of sorow by wepyng and wryngyng of theyr handes and beatyng or tearyng themselues All this pompe and vayne shewe did Iesus refreigne and forbid saying make none of you no wepyng for the mayden is not deade but she slepeth And they had hym in derision for his so saying because they knewe certaynely that she was dead in dede Than Iesus entreyng with a veraye fewe persones into the Inner chambre where the dead corpse of the mayden laye he toke her by the hande muche like as though he should but awake her out of her â—lepe saying with a good loude voyce mayden arise And what folowed No creature a liue doeth more lightlier awake from slepe at the voyce of any that calleth him vp then this mayden arose agayne from death to lyfe as soone as Iesus spake vnto her For not onely her soule and lyfe retourned agayne into the tabernacle of hir body from whens it had tofore departed but also she arose vp and walked about the house as mery and lustie as euer she was before And Iesus to th entent that it shoulde bee a more certayne and euident declaracion of life perfectely restored vnto hir wylled meat to be geuen vnto hir whiche thyng whan the father and mother of the gierle saw they wer greatly astouned And Iesus gaue them a great charge that they shoulde make no wordes to no creature of the thyng that had happened as though he had been veray fayne that this miracle shoulde bee knowen but to a fewe partelye to teache vs that we ought not to hunte for the glory and prayse of our well dooynges at the handes of men and partely to signifie by this figure and exaumple that in light faultes a rebuke secretely geuen may be sufficient For the gierle beeing deade dooeth betoken a man throughe weakenesse and frailtie fallen into syn The deathe was yet freashe the corpse had not come abrode into open fight Therfore the multitude beeing shut without doores the matier was al ended and but a fewe persons made priuie vnto it But happie and blissed are they whome Iesus doeth so vouchesalue to take by the hande The .ix. Chapter Iesus called the twelue together and gaue them power and autoritie ouer all deiuils and that they might heale diseases And he sent them to preache the kyngdome of God and to heare the sicke And he sayed vnto them Take nothyng to your iourneye neyther staffe nor scâ—ip neyther breade neither money neither haue two coates And whatsoeuer house ye entre into there abyde and thence departe And whosoeuer wyll not receiue you whan ye goe out of that citie shake of the veray dust from your feete for a testimonie agaynst them And they departed and went through the tounes preachyng the ghospell and healyng euery where ANd hitherto did Iesus execute and administre the office of preachyng the ghospell in his owne persone framyng by all the meane space and traynyng his twelue apostles many soondrye wayes as men that should after the receiuing of the holy ghoste succede him in tyme to come in the office of preachyng And for that veâ—aie cause it was that he would in any wyse haue them continuall witnesses of his actes and preachyng But to the entent that in the meane season they themselues also might shewe some paterne and saumple of themselues towardes the executing of so great an office and euen the lord beyng yet alyue they might assaye and proue how well they coulde dooe he called them euery one together into one place for a lesson and token that there ought to bee no discorde ne disagreyng emong them in theyr preachyng And to thentente that the preachyng of suche poore meane felowes and vnlearned persones shoulde not vttrely altogether lacke autoritie he gaue vnto them moreouer the vertue and power to cast out all kynde of deuils and to heale al kynde of diseases For it was mete that they whiche shoulde preache the kyngdome of God should haue power ouer wicked deuils the enemies of god and also that suche as shoulde be preachers of that doctrine whiche healed al diseases of the mind should not lacke vertue to heale all manier diseases of the bodye yea and ferthermore conuenient it was â–ª that the people should be allured and woonne to the profession of the ghospell by good turnes and benefites rather then by thynges of terrour Accordyng to the exaumple sayeth he that my selfe haue geuen you
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
pleasure art worthyly tormented Thou turnedst thy face from the Lazare beeyng ful of sores biddedst away with hym out of thy syght whereas for thyne owne parte thou were all in thy swete sauoures and perfumes and now is he in mine armes smooth and clere skynned from top to toe Thou wouldeste not vouchsalue to leate hym come within thy house and I am content to haue hym sytte in my lappe Thou diddest neither with meate ne drinke refreash hym beeyng in extreme penury and nowe is he refreashed with eternall rest whiche knoweth no vexacion of houngre ne thirste And with what face dooest thou at his hande aske refreashemēt of cooling thy mouth seyng that he not veraye long sens could obteine no refreashyng at all of the In case thou haddest cladde him whan he was naked if thou haddest fedde hym whan he was houngrie if thou haddest geuen him drynke in his thirst if whan he laye without thy gates thou haddest gathered hym into thy house if thou haddest doen some cure on hym beeyng all full of sores he would nowe again obtein some coumforte for thee and some releace of thy tormentes and would receiue the again on his partie into his brotherhoode and coumpaignie Thou wreatched miser where is nowe thy fine silkes and thy purple where bee thy perfumes where be thy feastinges and bāquettynges where is thy pipyng and dauncyng where bee so many thy pleasures mixt with ambicion and vain glory Whyle thou wer aliue no kynde of wyne could please thee for beeyng cloyed with theim so great was the deliciousnesse of thy mouth neither wouldeste thou all the whyle so muche as geue a lyttell water to Lazarus beyng thirstie and nowe thou canst not obteine no not soe muche as a poore droppe of water to refreashe the scaldyng heate of thy tōge In stede of thy galaunte manours whiche thou haddeste than thou haste nowe the derke doungeon of hell for thy delicate pastimes euerlasting peine for thy testynges and songes continuall wepyng and owlyng And so much the more past remedye is your extreme distresse that an huige great gapyng hole dooeth kepe vs and you in soondre in sorte that if any would gooe from hens thither where ye are and helpe you thei cannot nor if any of you would assay to come vp from thens hither he cannot nowe that by the iudgemente of God which cannot be chaunged there is vnto al sortes their due place limited for theim to remayne in In the life season there was a tyme to refreashe the neighbour by dooing good turnes and pleasures one man to an other and to be relieued the one of the other agayn now is it ouer late here to wyl or desire that cannot possibly bee doen. In thy delicate pleasaunt pastimes thou wouldeste nedes bee alone with suche as thou wer thy selfe but Lazarus and such other as Lazarus was thou wouldest not suffre to come ons in thy coumpaignie And nowe art thou again serued of thesame sauce for thy labour Whā Abraham had this spoken the riche man beeyng put of from all hope that himselfe should obteine any reliefe is desirous at leastwise to prouide some good waies for certain brethren of his whiche he had yet aliue lest that if they ledyng their liues after the same facion should come into the same place the felyng of his peine and woe should by suche coumpaignie being ioyned vnto hym increace vnto hym whereas he was in myserie and extremitie enough al ready But he dooeth nowe in vain become an humble suiter whiche tofore vsed to putte of from hym the lazare man when thesame made muche crouchyng and knelyng vnto him for succour If the great derke doungeon saieth he bee a let that there can no helpe be ministred or dooen to my selfe yet thus much I praie thee that thou wilt send Lazarus to my fathers house For I haue fiue brethren aliue that he may geue warnyng and aduertisemente vnto theim leste that in case they folowe my steppes they shall come hither to bee felowes and partakers here with me of these wofull sorowes and peines that I am in But rather leat theim relieue the necessitie of the poore with suche gooddes as they haue and leate them not vse their rychesse to the sensualitie of the fleash but to the godly deuocion of the mynde ne leate theim not sette their fansye and loue on suche thinges as for a season are swere and delectable in the worldly life but on such thynges as maye purchase rest for euer to endure Thus saied the riche man whom the extrem◠tormentes whiche he nowe hadde experience of made bothe an humble suppliaunte and also a teacher of other though it were nowe ouer late But after death there is no praiers that wil serue ne yet maie a man haue lycence to geue any warnynge or counsaill For nothyng haue the deade to dooe with the liuyng Abraham therefore made him this aunswere It is nothyng requisite that Lazarus bee for anye suche cause as this called awaye frō his quiete reste Thy brethren if they bee disposed to bee honeste men and to do wel haue Moses and the prophetes leat them herken to them For they in theyr bookes speake vnto al creatures Than the riche man beyng an hard suiter and a peticioner that would not be satisfied yet neuerthelesse ouerlate saied to Abraham O father Abraham as for Moses they will not heare no nor the prophetes neither but yf one of the dead might come to theym to bring theim sure and perfecte woorde howe sore and grieuous tormentes tho persones doe here suffre whiche dooe there passe their liues after myne exaumple whiche all ryche folkes for the moste parte doe they will amend and frame theimselfes to better rewle and gouernaunce Hereunto Abraham said yea that thou speakeste is the colourable laiyng of excuses of suche persones as are disposed neuer to leaue ne forsake that they doe naughtily and viciously loue The autoritie of Moses and of the prophetes is greater with theym then the autoritie of Lazarus a poore begger shoulde bee That yf they geue no eare ne regarde to them truely if one should arise again from death to life they would not heare him neither Than would they fynde stoppes and cauillacions that it were the walkyng of some ghoste or to bee some eiuill spirite By these wordes dyd the Lord Iesus couertely geue a nippe to the vnbeliefe of the Iewishe nacion who because thei did not in verai true dede beleue Moses and the prophetes doe euen yet still at this present crie out agaynst Christ also beeyng restored aliue oute of his sepulchre and nowe sitting on the righte hande of his father whereas in veraye dede they woulde beleue that hath bee doen yf they had truely beleued Moses and the prophetes tellyng shewyng long afore that it should so bee By this parable dyd Christe coumforte hys disciples who shoulde afterwarde for the loue of the kyngdome of heauen endure and abyde
that hath no sweord let hym sell his coate and bye one For I saye vnto you that yet thesame whiche is written must be perfourmed in me euen among the wicked was he reputed For those thinges whiche are written of me haue an ende And they sayd Lord behold here are two sweordes And he said vnto them it is enough After that he had plucked out of their hertes the puttyng of their affiaunce and trust in themselfes he eftsons beateth into their heades the thynge that he had oftentimes to fore taught them whiche was that they should not defend theimselfes with worldely defence against the violence of euil persoÌ„s because that a minister of the heauenly doctrine of the gospel ought to be fre from the vile cares of this life ne ought not with any other armour or weapon to bee appoynted against all the assaultes of the wicked sorte then with the sweorde of the spirite whiche is the woord of god At what time I sent you ê™ he for a proufe assaie to preache among the Iewes howe the kyngedome of god approched and sent you so vnfurnished of all prouision that ye had not so muche as purses aboute you to putte any money in nor so muche as a poore scrippe to kepe any meate in against an other tyme of houngre no nor yet shooes for sauyng of your fete yet did ye want any thyng Thei aunswered that they had wanted nothyng Than Iesus to the entente he would vtterly plucke vp by the roote out of their stomakes all desire of auenging beguileth them for a whyle with the deckenesse of his woordes but he suffreth theÌ„ for this purpose to renâ—e in a wrong opinion because he would the more surely the more effectually plucke out of their myndes al affeccion of auengyng any quarels For he knew that they should be enkiendled to an earneste will of defendyng and reskewyng hym whaÌ„ they should see armed soldyers with such great stiere and ruâ—felyng to inuade and fall vpoÌ„ their maister whoÌ„ they very earnestly loued though neuerthelesse it was as yet after the affeccionate sorte of humain loue and worldely Whiche humaine affeccion loue if he had not euidently chastised we would haue thought it to bee lawfull to defende our selfes with weapon against the violence of wicked persons and to putte away force with force But nowe seeyng that Peter was shent beecause that he drewe his sweorde againste a deuelishe and hainous coumpany for his maisters cause beyng a man most innocent â–ª what cause may there than bee from hensfoorth why a Christian bodye should put away wrong with wrong And thus sayed the Lorde At the first preachyng of the ghospell ye went light vnfurnished of any prouision for your liuyng But yet thorough my supportacion sure defense ye wanted nothyng And that was enough whan there was no sore storme nere towardes you But froÌ„ heÌ„sforth ye must prepare your hertes to hardier matters For the more extreme sore the storme of persecucioÌ„ shal be so muche the lighter is it mete that ye be froÌ„ al yearthely lettes and encoumbraunces Nowe is there a great battayl towardes and ye shall haue nede of a sweord Wherfore if any man percase hath a pouche or a scrippe let hym take it vp that he maye bye hym a sweorde That in case he haue not these thynges the whiche in dede may bee cast away from you and whiche ye haue lacked without any incommoditie vnto you leat hym sell his coate and bye hym a sweord It is nedeful for a bodye to come to this batail very lyght of carryage nor armed with any other thyng theÌ„ with a sweorde The matier will sure come to extremes For thei will not onely lay violeÌ„t haÌ„des on me but also it must nedes be perfourmed that Esai long agon prophecied should become of me And euen emong the wicked was he reputed If it be a sore and a grieuous matter to be killed how much sorer a thing is it to suffer such shamefull execucion and peines of death as all men speake eiuil of yea and thesame to suffer emoÌ„g heinous malefactours And yet this chaunce also is the soonne of man sure to haue For now the tyme is euen at haÌ„d that whatsoeuer hath been foresaid by the prophetes concerniÌ„g me must be accoÌ„plished The Apostles whereas thei vnderstode not the misterie of these saiynges and deemed that the lorde had said it to put them in remembraunce to haue a sweorde in readinesse to putte of from theym some violence beyng toward aunswered plainly without mening any fraud Maister behold there bee two sweordes here already supposyng in very dede that in any wise thei shoulde nede sweordes but fearyng leste that two sweordes woulde not bee enough for that fight They shewed their good hert and affeccion to fight for the Lordes sake whom they knewe was hable enough of his own power to supply if their defence and strength wanted any thyng like as he had afore that time multiplied the fiue loaues two fishes to make theÌ„ suffice manye thousandes of people In this so grosse an affeccioÌ„ did Iesus at that preseÌ„t leaue his disciples to the entent as I haue said that their weakenes might be an instruccioÌ„ for vs vnto perfite pacience in suffering tribulacion He therefore aunswered It is enough This did they take as a thyng so spokeÌ„ as though the first fray might bee borne of with the twoo sweordes which thei had theÌ„ ready whereas Christes menyng was of a ghostely fight against the worlde and the deiuill in whiche fighte the victory cuÌ„meth of an herte beyng lightened and discharged from al earthly desires and armed with the only sweord of heauenly doctrine And the said victory consisteth in the vndefeasable scripture of the olde and newe testamente so that a man maye vnderstande twoo sweordes but thesame sweordes deliuered foorth by one spirite And he came out went as he was wont to mouÌ„t Oliuere And the disciples folowed hym And whaÌ„ he came to the place he said vnto theÌ„ pray leste ye fall into temptacion And he gatte himself froÌ„ them about a stones cast and kneled doune and praied saiyng Father if thou wilt remoue this cuppe from me Neuerthelesse not my wyll but thine be fulfilled And there appered an aungel vnto him from heauen coumfortyng hym And he was in an agony prayed the longer And his sweate was lyke droppes of bloud tricklyng downe to the ground And because men of armes whan they shall entre a fight are woont against a bickering with their enemy approchyng nere theÌ„ to refreashe their bodies and to plucke vp their hertes the Lorde beyng mynded to shew vnto his seruauntes what thyng it was that might moste principally strengtheÌ„ them against suche ioynyng in battail whan it is toward weÌ„t foorth of Ierusalem and accordyng to his accustomed vsage wente to mounte Oliuete his disciples accoumpanying hym And whan they were cuÌ„ to the priuie place
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
euen muche aboute noonetyde for so doe the Iewes rekon from this houre of noonetyde at whiche tyme of the daye the sunne is woonte to bee moste hotte and to shyne moste brightest of all there came soodaynly a great derkenesse ouer all thatsame countrey aboute Hierusalem and so continued till the nynth houre that is to saye till three of the clocke afternoone For the sunne detesting and abhorryng suche great iniquitie of men did hyde his face at suche time as he should be put to death who was the light of the worlde The yearth also dyd quake stones brake a soondre and euery parte of nature trembled at so horrible a dede of crueltie Ferthermore the vaile of the temple whiche parted the inner holy place whiche they called Sanctum sanctorum from the other parte of the temple rented quite a soondre in twoe partes no manne stieryng it shewyng openly that the shadowes and ceremonies of the Iewes should nowe ceasse after that this sacrifice was once accomplished whiche alone was sufficient to pourge and clense the sinnes of all tymes both past and to come But Iesus whan he had with a loude crye sayed Father I commende my spirite into thy handes yelded vppe the ghoste So that it myght bee euidente to all men that he dyd not fainte as others are wonte to doe the strength of theyr bodies by litle litle consuming awaye but that byanby after a strong stretche or crye and after woordes distinctely pronounced he willingly as ye woulde saye and of his owne accorde gaue vp the ghoste This thyng dyd the Centurion well apperceiue and marke who purposely stode hard by the crosse that no man should take them downe alyue from the tree And of this man also had Iesus a testimonie of his innocencie for he glorified God that he had shewed so great power in him and sayed Uerayly this man was righteous openly condemning the vnrighteousnesse of the Iewes For whosoeuer pronounceth hym an innocent that is condemned maketh hym an offendour that hath condemned thesame All the other coumpanie of them who as the common guise is had come to see the execucion in dede a great many moe then would els haue come partely the fauour and partely the hatred of Iesus had drawen thither whan they had seen the thynges whiche had fortuned returned home knockyng theyr brestes partely for sorowe that a man so innocente and a doer of suche good dedes had been so vngodly intreated and partely for feare of the stroke and vengeaunce of God whiche they knowing themselfes culpable in theyr owne conscience did of the straunge tokens that they had seen mistrust and deme to hang ouer them For thesame manne whome in his lyfe tyme they had seen of lowe and poore degree and a maÌ„ none other lyke but to be contemned thesame doe they see euen at his dying houre a manne of great power insomuche that all the elementes of this worlde were shaken and disordred â—ut of theyr course Here eftsones o Theophilus marke thou one other poâ—â—â—â— that there was at all tymes more grace founde in the Gentiles then in the Iewes who tooke vnto them the laude of deuocion towardes God and of holy conuersacion aboue all others The Centurion glorifieth God the Iewes doe no more but feare his stroke being made afearde with thynges of woondre whereas with so many benefites they could not possibly be wonne Ferthermore they that were of Iesus kynred or familiare with him in his life time stode a ferre of beholding what was doen and durst not for feare come nerer Emongst these were also the wemen which for desire and good will to minister thynges necessarie to him to his disciples had folowed him from Galile as witnesses and beholders of those thynges which were doen. And thesame beyng nowe destitute of all hope dyd nothyng els but mourne and make lamentacion for hym And beholde there was a man named Ioseph a counsaylour And he was a good man and a iust thesame had not consented to the counsayle and dede of them which was of Aramathia a citie of the Iewes whiche same also waited for the kingdome of God He went vnto Pilate and begged the body of Iesus and tooke it downe and wrapped it in a linnen cloth and laied it in a sepulchre that was hewen in stone wherein neuer manne before had been laied It beeyng therfore by many euident tokens assuredly well to be seen and knowen that the lorde was vndoubtedly dead leste any man myght fynde some poynte of cauillacion eyther that he was not a veray naturall manne in dede orels that he was not veraily dead behold there cometh in a man of his owne free offre by whom the lordes buriall myght be executed and accomplished which buriall Iesus pleasure was should be clenly and honourable His life had been milde and lowe without bearing any part his death had been a thyng of muche effecte his buriall was magnificent and his resurreccion glorious So than euen at the veray houre euen as God would cometh in willingly of his owne free offre a certain maÌ„ named Ioseph borne in Aramathia a citie of Iewry a good man and a iust and one of the noumbre of them that loked for the kingdom of God This maÌ„ although he were one of the chiefe men of that nacion for he was a noble senatour a rewler yet had he neuer consented to the couÌ„sayle and dedes of the priestes the scribes and the head meÌ„ of the people although for feare of their power which hated Iesus he durst not openly professe or acknowlage the good will and zele of his herte towardes Iesus For as yet they had not geuen vnto them boldenesse by the holy ghost that all thynges despised they might haue the power openly to professe the name of Iesus The other disciples therfore being drieuen away for feare only Ioseph together with Nicodemus dareth take in hande the office of burying the Lorde whether it were because the fauour of menne towardes them that be good doeth after the death of thesame encreace more more orels because the saied Ioseph iudged the enuy of the Iewes against Iesus to be now saciate with his death Wherfore he cometh vnto Pilate to whom he was a man well knoweÌ„ by reasoÌ„ of his nobilitie asked of him the body of Iesus But Pilate would not geue it him before he had perfect knowlage by the CenturioÌ„ that he was throughly dead Than Ioseph tokeÌ„ the body and after it was taken downe from the crosse â–ª and enbaumed all ouer with swete odoriferous sauours he wounde it vp in a fyne shete hauing in the meane time no hope at all of his resurreccion of the whiche Iesus had briefly in fewe woordes geuen knowlage but a litle afore vnto his disciples but in suche wyse had he doen it that they thesame disciples better remembred it then beleued it And because they had an opinion that Iesus was a good man and putte to
for syghyng pleasaunt raymente for an heauy mynde Ye haue heard what maner one the prophecie promised that he shoulde be nowe rekon in your myndes whether he came not euen suche an one as he was promised What sexe what age what state high or lowe did he remoue or putte of from his beneficiall goodnesse not children not wemen not Publicanes not synners not harlottes What kinde of disease did he cry fie vpon or turne his face from not lepres not men possessed with deiuils not persones possessed with bloudie flixes not folkes diseased with the palsie What coulde bee more meke or ientyll then this saying whiche ye haue heard spoken of his owne mouth Come vnto me all ye that laboure and are loden and I shall refreshe you for my yoke is swete and my burden is light learne ye of me that I am meke and lowe in herte and ye shall fynde reaste vnto your soules What mother hath euer so loued so suffred and so cherished hir childreÌ„ as he did his disciples Besydes all this the lawe of Moses neyther was geuen to all peoples nor to al ages Christes lawe like as it is geueÌ„ vnto al nacioÌ„s so that it in no age ne time be chauÌ„ged vntill th ende of the world And coÌ„sidre ye in this behalfe also howe all poyntes doe iustely agree one with an other Firste and formoste howe clerely plainly Hieremy did prophecie vnto you afore that the circumcision of the body shall ceasse together with the sleaghyng of beastes in sacrifice the solemnisyng of Sabbothes the obseruacion of dayes the difference of meates the fastes the vowes and the residue of ceremonies whiche were for a season for this purpose geuen that they might be vnto the Iewes as figures of thynges spirituall Plough your lande sayth he and sowe not emong the thornes Be ye circumcised in the Lorde and take ye awaie the foreskynne of your hertes all ye of Iuda and all the enhabitauÌ„tes of Hierusalem Again in a certain other place thesame Prophete sayeth Beholde the dayes shall come sayeth the Lord and I shall make a newe league and couenaunte to the house of Israel to the house of Iuda not after the tenour of the couenaunte whiche I couenaunted with your fathers forthwith he added a manifest difference betwene thatsame lawe beeyng rough and vnpossible for any man to beare whiche was not without good cause written in stones whiche stones did by their hardnesse represente the hardnesse of the Iewes hertes and betwene the lawe euangelicall by meane wherof innocencie is freely offred through fayth This shall be the couenauÌ„t sayeth he whiche I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes sayeth the lorde I shall plante my lawe in the inward partes of them and in theyr hertes will I wryte thesame And forthwith teacheth he that the shadowes also of the lawe shall cease as soone as the lyght of the trueth is shewed forth And from thensforth shall no man teache his neighbour nor his brother saying Knowe thou the Lorde For all people shall know me from the leaste of theÌ„ to the moste sayth the Lorde for I shall haue mercy on theyr iniquitie and I shall neuer remembre theyr sinnes any more And doe not ye remembre how Christe spake and did all thinges agreable herunto whaÌ„ he was yet liuyng Did he not manifestly denounce and geue warnyng of an ende of the lawe whan he sayed The lawe the Prophetes reigned vntill Iohn The Iewes wurshipped God prayed vnto him in the citie of Hierusalem But what sayed Iesus to the Samaritane woman The houre shall come and it is nowe already present whan ye shall neither in this mountaine nor yet at Hierusalem wurship the father but in spirite shall they wurship hym Did he not secretely without making any woordes beginne to abrogate the lawe whan he healed on the Sabbothes the Phariseis in vain roaring against hym Whan he spake in the defence and maintenaunce of his disciples against the slaundreous querelyng of the saied Phariseis at what tyme hys disciples plucked the eares of wheate in the corne field on the Sabboth day whan he plaied the aduocate for thesame his disciples in a seÌ„bleable querele pieked against them by thesame Phariseis for that they dyd not kepe theyr soleÌ„ne faste But a great dele more at what time he healed the lepre without any ceremonies and which thing the lawe forbiddeth touched one with his handes after he was coÌ„demned of the lepry by the priestes and at what time he did without any remedy of the lawe forgeue sinnes vnto the maÌ„ possessed with the paulsey to the woman sinner that rushed into the Phariseis house vnbidden while they were at diner to many moe besides these For the law had commauÌ„ded burnt offreynges to be sacrificed for their synnes and that any offence committed should be pourged and cleÌ„sed with certain sacrifices and oblacions appoynted by name But Christe beeyng a newe reforger of the old law in stede of burnt offreing did substitute charitie There be saith he many synnes forgeuen hir because she hath loued muche He substituted feith in stede of sacrifice at an other tyme also whan he sayed O sonne haue thou a sure feith and trust thy synnes are forgeuen thee Yea yet more manifestly also at a certain other seasoÌ„ did he shew vnto you a diuersitie of both lawes the new the olde forbidding diuorce which the lawe of Moses had by permission graunted also whan he forbidde swearing which the former lawe of Moses had not forbidden also whan he coÌ„maunded to loue the enemies wheras the olde lawe did permitte both to hate the enemie and also to be aueÌ„ged on him for any trespace Did he not once for altogether abrogate take awaie al autoritie from the priestes the Scribes and the Phariseis in that they did yet still hold the grosse letter of the lawe fast in their teeth Let them alone saied he they are blind and guydes of the blind And had not the Prophetes foreshewed this thing also that thynges carnall should in tyme cummyng geue place to thynges spirituall Doe ye not remembre what Daniell the Prophete doeth wryte That preuaricacion sayeth he may be at the vttermoste and that synne may haue an ende and iniquitie may be wyped cleane awaye and euerlasting righteousnesse may be brought in and that the vision and the prophecie may be fulfilled and the holy of holyes may be enoynâ—ted Whan ye heare that the prophecies are consummate and brought to theyr perfeite effect verayly ye doe nowe vnderstande that suche thynges as are alreadie past and doen ought not any longer to be looked for as if they were still to come and wheÌ„ ye heare eternall righteousnesse ye vnderstande that the righteousnesse of the lawe whiche was to endure but for a whyle is nowe abolished Whan ye heare that Messias is to be enoynted who is the holy of all holyes and he
it strong in iudgemēt and righteousnesse Whan ye heare a kyngdome and princely power set vpon his shoulder doe ye not manifestly heare the kyngdom of the crosse which crosse Christ did beare to vanquishe the powers of the aier whan ye heare the prince of peace forsoth ye vnderstande a kyng alluryng with benefites and not cōpelling with violence ne with feare whan ye heare the father of the worlde to come ye see one much vnlyke to the princes of this worlde Neither doeth he describe hym a man of any other sorte where he speaketh of hym in a certaine other place And he shal strike with the rodde of his mouth and with the spirite of his lippes shall he sleagh the wicked righteousnesse shal be the girdle of his loignes feith the belt of his reines The woulfe shal dwell with the lambe the leoparde shall lie downe hard by with the goate all the reste that foloweth much dessonaunt and contrarious from the armour and battayles of worldely princes Nowe herken ye what himselfe saieth of himselfe in the misticall psalme of Dauid As for I am constituted of him a king vpō Sion his holy hill preachyng the precepte of him did he not in these woordes manifestely expresse the kyngdome of the woorde euangelicall Certes this is the sweorde wherof an other psalme maketh mencion Bee thou girt with thy sweorde vpon thy thigh o thou moste mightiest with thy beatutie fairnesse entēde thou prosperously procede reigne thou for thy veritie mekenesse and righteousnesse And who hath heard that a king hath in the beautie of his body prosperously gon foreward or els to haue gotten himselfe a kingdome with mekenesse But this was the grace of the woorde of God by which ye haue seen Iesus allure and draw vnto him great multitudes of people this was the trueth against which the Phariseis did so many times in vaine attēpt to wrastle and striue This maner a sweorde it was whiche he at the tyme whan he should die aduertised his Apostles to gette them of whiche he had afore also spoken allegeing that he was not come into the yearth to send peace but the sweorde Suche lyke ones also are the arrowes of the mighty beyng sharp with which he goreth the inordinate lustes desires of men with the which he killeth the couetous mā and reiseth the beneficiall bounteous man with the which he sleagheth the idolatre reiseth vp the professour of euāgelicall godlinesse with which he killeth the fierce man and the man of vengeaunce and reiseth vp the meke and the merciful with which he ouerthroweth the proude man setteth vp the humble Will ye vnderstand the kyngdome what sorte and nature it is of See ye what maner ministers and enlargers of his dominion and iurisdicciō he chose out for the nons Poore felowes mē of lowe degree mē of no learnyng ne knowlage but euen of the bare mother witte and toungue ne with any treasour ne weapon nor victayles ne with any strength or maintenaunce of this worlde furnished or armed against the capcious malice of the Phariseis against the power of princes against the pryde of the Philosophiers that is to say of the great schole mē And by these captaines shall he outwarre and subdue all the vniuersall kyngdomes of the worlde with none other cōplete harnesse then with the helmes of saluacion which is the right vnderstanding of holy scripture with the buckler of feith by vertue wherof God beyng their protectour they shal be in perfeite safegard against al assaultes of the wicked people with the Iacke or haberion made of the righteousnesse of al the vertues euāgelicall with the belt of chastitie with shooes of the ghospels making which is an herte pure from all yearthly affeccions but moste specially aboue al thinges with the sweorde of the spirite which is the woorde of God So was it thought good vnto God that by meane of his sonnes weakenesse he would shewe his power by preaching which should be accoūpted worldly folishenes he would declare his wisedom through the worldly shame of the crosse he would renoume his glory In these thinges consisteth the kingdome euāgelicall in the meane whyle vntill the maiestie of Christ shall in the ende of the world shewe forth it selfe his low degree laied away the blissefull state of the godly sort shal also shewe it selfe not stained or defoiled with any affliccions And yet this outward bassenesse conteineth a ghostly strength of the spirite both effectuall apt to cast downe al buildinges that lift vp themselfes to stand against the glory of God Haue ye euer seen any thing more ientill or pacient then Christ was haue ye seen any thing more lowe or basse in worldly acceptacion any thing more poorer more meke more felowlike with the people more ferther remoued from all lykenesse of a kyngdome And yet what thyng coulde there be more regall or kinglike then with a worde to cast out wicked spirites with a woorde speaking to caulme the wyndes the sourges of the seas with touching to heale folkes that were infecte with lepry with mere bidding to put away al kindes of diseases How many times escaped he harmelesse through the thickest of the Iewes working death vnto him He suffred himselfe to be taken but at the voice of him the armed soldiers fell down flat on the ground He dyed on the crosse but what thing could be of more power then this death which made all the elementes of the worlde to shake whiche caused the sunne to lese his light and to be full of derkenesse which cutte stones in soondre which opened graues which reysed the dead bodyes out of thesame There could be nothing more lowe or basse to the worldeward thē was his natiuitie but yet euen in his natiuitie also there did streight way at the first houre appere tokens moe thē one of his high maiestie which he than did would not be acknowē of He is borne of a tendre young virgin but it is by the operaciō of Gods holy spirite He was laied downe in an oxe maūger but the Aungels syng glory to God in the highest He lieth crying being an infaunte in the cradle place but Herode being a kyng trembleth for feare and the Magians wurship him on their knees These thynges being as yet knowen not to veray many shall in time to come be preached throughout all the vniuersall worlde And with suche lyke sure fenses shall he appoynte and furnishe his Apostles also That if ye shal here after reade the scriptures and marke them well shall conferre them with the thynges which ye haue seen and heard ye cannot doubt but that he is thesame Christ which was promised the priest the king and the salueour of all the worlde after whom there is none other to be looked for Rekon I pray you and consider in your mindes all his whole age which ye haue partely with your owne iyes
might be amended for he cannot be holpen that loueth his disease The sinner must mâ—slyke himself that he may please God But he whose workes be good loueth the light of the sunne that he maye be commended for his well doyng So he that hath a good coÌ„science or at least he whiche desyreth to be healed and doeth not dissemble or coloure his synnes for this is also a kynde of trueth to knowlege the euill that is in thee and to couet the good thyng which thou lackest he I saye doeth willyngly offre hymselfe to the light of the gospell that his workes maye be made manyfest and those dedes which be good maye be praysed bycause they procede not from the spirite of the worlde but from God and those whiche be euill maye be corrected and amended But they whiche doe presumpteously attribute to themselues perfit righteousnes by the obseruacion of the lawe when inwardly their myndes swimme in vices they also which sette their felicitie in the defenses of worldly wisedome and in the commodities of this worlde eyther they lyue in great darkenes in case they belieue this in their herte or els they liue in greatter darkenes yf they being blinded with their naughtie affeccions doe stifly vphold and mainteine that thyng which they perceyue to be euill and obstinately refuse that thyng which they see to be helthfull Our lorde Iesus dyd as it were lay vp in store certain seedes of suche like misteries in Nicodemus harte And verily this is that Nicodemus which afterwarde did defende and aunswer for Iesu against the false surmises of the Phariseis by meane of his autoritie saying howe no manne ought to be condeÌ„ned but vpoÌ„ due prose of his actes This is he also which dyd honour his buriall with his seruice when he was dead After these thinges came Iesus and his disciples into the lande of Iewry there he taried with them and baptised and Iohn also baptised in Enon besides Salim because there was muche water there and they came were baptised for Ihon was not yet cast in pryson And there arose a question betwene Iohns disciples and the Iewes about purifying And they came vnto Iohn sayed vnto him Rabbi he that was with the beyonde Iordan to whom thou barest witnes beholde thesame baptiseth and all men come to hym Iesus then after he had laied these foundacions of the glory of the ghospel in Galile and Ierusalem to thintent he might more and more be knowen abrode went into the lande of Iewry which countrey had his proper name of Iudas the autor of that tribe of the which Iesus lineally descended And there he taried a lytle whyle with his disciples beginnyng his euangelicall preaching with thesame principles wherwith Iohn had begun For he dyd allure them to penaunce did baptise them And at that tyme also Iohn dyd stil baptise for Herode had not yet put him in prisoÌ„ But now he did not baptise in Iordan as he was wounte to doe but in a place lesse notable whiche was called Enon not farre from Salim whiche signifieth in the Syrians tongue guishyng streames of water by the reason wherof there was pleÌ„tie of water to baptise the people withal Many did come to that place were baptised of Iohn Sum went to Iesus and were baptised of his disciples And by this occasioÌ„ certain Iohns disciples did enuy Iesu forasmuch as concerning he himselfe was lately baptised of Iohn had behaued himselfe as though he had been his disciple also had been coÌ„meÌ„ded set furth to the people by his witnes he would now sodainly make himselfe equall to him yea moreouer preferre himselfe before hym in that his disciples did take vpon them the thyng which hitherto none but Iohn had doen. And first of al they laboured to withdraw the people froÌ„ the baptisme of Iesus disciples went about to perswade them that Iohns baptisme was of more effecte in washyng awaye of synnes then the baptisme of Iesu. When they coulde not perswade the people to beleue this they wente to Iohn makyng their complaynt to him thinking that he would be miscontented therwith and by sum meanes stay this their griefe grudge But this worldly affeccioÌ„ of Iohns disciples did the more set furth Christes glory caused Iohn to testifie more manifestly of Christ. And they doe coÌ„plaine of the matter with these woordes Maister say they he that was lately with you when you did baptise besydes Iordan was baptised of you himselfe yea euen he whom ye did coÌ„mend with your witnes emonges the multitude when he was vnknoweÌ„ to al folkes now taketh vpon him to doe as you did that is to say to baptise opeÌ„ly and all menne runne on heapes to him by which thyng it must nedes come to passe that by hym thyne autoritie shall be darkened Iohns disciples spake these thynges of a certaine carnall affeccion desiryng to haue their maisters glory and renoume to be dayly increased and for this cause they dyd enuy Christe whose autoritie semed to hynder Iohns estimacion Iohn aunswered and sayed A man can receyue nothyng excepte it be geuen hym from heauen Ye your selues are witnesses howe that I sayed I am not Christe but am sente before hym He that hath the bryde is the bridegrome but the frende of the bridegrome which standeth and heareth hym reioyseth greatly because of the bridegromes voyce This my ioy therfore is fulfilled he must encrease but I must decrease When Iohn had heard these thinges he did so goe about to remedie the euill desyre of his disciples that he dyd not onely shewe himselfe not to take greuously that the dayly increase of Iesus glory should darken his but also did greatly reioyce therat He shewed that he had fully accomplyshed the office that he was charged withall that now Christes tyme was come who should performe thinges far more excellent Therefore he answereth on this wise Why will ye glory in me of a carnall and worldly affeccion doe ye desyre that I should make my selfe greater then I am Man can haue nothyng except it be geuen hym from aboue For these thinges be not doen by mannes helpe and strength but by the autoritie of God that office which he hath assigned to me according to my habilitie thesame haue I perfourmed faythfully I haue doen the office of a goer before I haue allured and prouoked men to penaunce warnyng them that the kyngdome of heauen was at hande With the baptisme of water I haue prepared many to the baptisme of the spirite and fier I haue shewed you whom ye ought to folowe from hence forth of whom ye must aske perfecte health If ye regard myne autoritie why doe ye not geue credite to my woordes your selfes can beare recorde that I haue diuerse times openly confessed my selfe not to be Christe whom many toke me to be neyther that I was sente for any other purpose but that I going
repugne and refuse my saying though being still carnal ye do not rightly vnderstande it nor take it as it ought to be taken but rather labour for the true vnderstanding therof For the woordes which I haue spoken vnto you are not carnall as you interpretate them but be spirite and lyfe and whye Uerely because they beeing spiritually vnderstand do conferre and geue lyfe to the soule He that receiueth these woordes rightly and truely eateth my fleshe and drinketh my blood being coupled to me gayneth thereby euerlasting lyfe But he that willingly refuseth them continueth in death thorough the synnes of his former lyfe and doubleth his owne damnacion of eternall death by reason of infidelitie And all they refuse this bread when it is offered them which beleue not my woordes And I knowe that these thinges are spoken al in vaine to sum folkes being right wel assured that there be sum among you which dooeth not credite my woordes and therefore reiectyng life when it is offered them they be cause of their owne vtter destruccion And for that cause our Lorde Iesus spake these thynges who was ignorant in nothyng yet he knewe well ynough or euer he spake these woordes whiche of his disciples woulde geue faith vnto hym And moreouer he coulde tell this also that euen amongest the twelue Apostles whom he so surnamed for honour sake and whome hee dyd also choose specially to bee aboute hymselfe as most sure frendes He knewe I say that there should be one of theim whiche woulde betraye hym to the Iewes that shoulde put hym to death Therefore to note them whiche though they dyd heare all one woorde and saying with the reste and though also one of the twelue should eate of thesame bread and drinke of the same cup which his felowes shoulde eate and drinke of yet shoulde not they obtaine lyfe thereby because they tooke and receiued that heauenlye bread not spirituallye but carnally Iesus added more and sayde for this cause I tolde you a litle before that no man coulde cum vnto me excepte it were geuen him so to do from heauen of my father To haue heard this my voyce is nothing to haue seen and felte this body is nothyng except the father of heauen haue geuen withall the iyes of fayth with the whiche I am loked vpon to the beholders health and vnles he shall geue therwith heauenly eares of the mynde with the whiche I am heard fruitefully and to the hearers commoditie From that tyme many of his disciples went backe and forsooke hym and walked no more with hym Then sayed Iesus to the twelue wyll ye also go awaye Then Symon Peter answered hym Lorde to whom shall we goe thou hast the woordes of eternall lyfe and we beleue and are sure that thou arte Christe the soonne of the lyuing God Iesus answered them Haue not I chosen you twelue and one of you is a deuill He spake of Iudas Iscarioth the sonne of Simon for he it was that should betraye hym beeyng one of the twelue These wordes of Iesus beyng full of the doctrine of saluacion dyd not descende doune into theyr myndes whose mindes were occupied with earthly desyres and couetousnesse who also vnderstood no heauēly thinges besides the grosse and carnall religion as they vsed it of Moses lawe Therefore after that Iesus had this communicacion among them the more parte not onely of the common people but also of his owne disciples fell awaye from theyr maister and thereby are made wurse whereby they myght haue been muche better in case they had taken all thinges well and receiued hym accordynglye and they so muche forsooke hym that they withdrewe themselfes from his cumpany and from eating and drinking with hym as men that by that facte woulde condemne his doctrine But Iesus to shewe euen now the maner and way how that preachers of the ghospel should behaue themselfes doeth neyther make to humble and vile suite to haue them tarie styll with hym leste he shoulde seme to dooe the thing that other are wounte to dooe that is to shew himselfe to stande in nede of their cumpany Neyther doeth he speake to the reproche of theyr goyng awaye leste therein he myght haue been thought to haue more sought his owne prayse and glory then theyr saluacion and yet he doeth not vtterly put them away from hym because they myght perchaunce afterwarde haue been better aduised but to declare that through their owne faute they were offended and so without any occasion geuen thē went awaye and that his saying shoulde not altogether lacke fruite although that sum made themselfes through infidelitie vnworthie any heauenly gifte Iesus I saye vpon these skylles tourning him towardes the twelue Apostles whom he had admitted and taken vnto hym to be the speciall witnesses and bruters abrode of all the thinges that he wroughte did so get out of theim the open confession of theyr belefe that he neyther retaineth these with flatterye as thoughe he had gonne about his owne buisinesse rather then theyrs neither did he to much feare theym with threatening and chiding leste they shoulde seeme to folowe Iesus rather compelled then with their owne consent perswaded For no man is to be compelled vnto the fayth of the ghospell And Iesus had leauer men should openly forsake him then to haue a disciple colourably aud fayuedly And therfore whiles other were departing from him Iesus saieth to the twelue And will ye also goe away from me ye maye tarye styl and ye lust vnlesse ye thinke it more your commoditie to departe Uerely I doe desyre that it might be euery mans lucke to haue this heauenly gyft by me but it is neither to be geuen to theim that refuse it for they dooe not deserue it nor any manne can attaine to cum by it excepte he be desirouse of it And yet it is the gift of the father that any man doeth couet and earnestly desyre it Here nowe doeth Simon Peter a man alway of a plaine and ardent faith towardes Iesus representyng in his person the whole churche and in the name also of other maketh aunswer cherefully and with great courage saying O Lorde God forbyd that we should forsake the for considering that we be muche desyrous of eternal saluacion and also knowe right wel how bare and vnpleasaunt how colde and vnprofitable those thinges are which the Phariseis teache and seing also that we haue hearde Iohn testifying of the whither els and to what other man should we go from thee ▪ for thou alone speakest the woordes which bring with them euerlasting lyfe Thou that receyuest euery one that will cum shalt not driue vs from the whom thou hast once admitted to thy seruice neyther do we desyre to chaunge our lorde and maister for we shoulde change for the wourse what new maister soeuer we shall choose For we not only trusting vpon thy woordes beleue thee but also wee knowe by the very dedes that thou doest and haue certainlye
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
becummeth not you to be ignoraunt of my fathers wyll verely I shall than speake vnto you whishtlie and without wordes but I shall speake assured and manifeste thinges if so bee ye aske them yea and than also the holy ghoste shall incense you what to aske and howe to aske in my name whiche in case ye so do surely though it were a great matter and a thing of difficultie yet shall the father for my sake not deny it you askyng it And I doe not nowe speake this as if ye shall obtaine your requeste by my mediacion in suche sorte as men doe sumtime at a kinges hande that is but a maÌ„ obtaine their requeste at the desyre and suite of sum one that is in fauour with the kyng whiche peticion the kyng woulde not els haue graunted but that he was content to geue it for his sake whiche did commende set forward the suters supplicacion but as for my father althoughe he loueth to bee asked of by his sonne by whome his will hath beene to graunte all thynges to menne yet that notwithstandynge he wyll otherwise consente to your desyres not onlye for the loue that he beareth towardes his sonne but whiche he hath also towardes you for he loueth not his sonne so that he loueth not you but whomsoeuer the sonne loueth those the father loueth also Therefore he loueth you not for your workes sake but for that ye loue me semblablie and beleue that I am cum out from hym for this is to loue the father euen to loue his sone and to beleue the father is euen to beleue the sonne He of trueth dooeth not beleue whiche denyeth the sonne to haue cum from the father and not to haue sayed and doen all thyng euen by the fathers auctoritie I was already with the father before I came into the worlde euen for to cary you vp takyng vnto me this mortall body that ye se but for your cause came I into the worlde euen for to cary you vp into heauen Now than the thynges beyng once doâ—n whiche the father gaue me in commaundemente I doe euen for your sake leaue the world as touchyng bodily presence and returne again vnto the father and truely whatsoeuer is or shal be doen here it is and shall bee doen to bryng you to saluacion ¶ His disciples sayed vnto hym lo nowe â—alkeste thou plainly and speakeste no prouerbe Nowe are we sure that thou knowest all thynges and nedest not shal any man should aske the any question Therfore beleue we that thou camest from god Iesus aunswered them Nowe ye do beleue beholde the houre draweth nye and is already cum â–ª that ye shal be scattered euery maÌ„ to his owne and shall leaue me alone And yet am I not alone for the father is with me These wordes haue I spoken vnto you that in me ye mighte haue peace For in the worlde shall ye haue tribulacion but be of good there I haue ouercum the world The disciples beynge boldened with these sayinges begunne sumwhat to stande in their owne conceite and as though they had of theyr owne strength beene able to abide and heare their lordes death that was at hande they answere on this wyse loke saye they euen now at this present doest thou fullfill the selfe thynge whiche thou promisedâ—t afterwarde to doe for nowe withoute any darkenes of parables thou speakeste plainly out what thou wilte do neyther nedeth it to aske the any further question For thou knoweste all thynges and with thy good wordes hast deliuered our hertes from sorowe so that we nede no further communicacion why we nothinge doubte but that through hope of thy ioye to come wee shall boldly and paciently suffre the thynge that is imminent and cumming towardes vs and we do therfore finallye and verily beleue that thou art cum out from god because thou seest throughly the very botome and secrecie of our hertes And than the Lord Iesus whose maner was euery where sharply to controll and restraine whatsoeuer humayne and worldely arrogancie ambicion or selfe affiance he perceiued to arise in his discyples heartes that they mighte plainely learne to distruste their owne strength and vertue whereby they myghte dooe nothyng and wholly to depende vpon the hande of God the father The Lorde Iesus I saye dyd thus abate and acoole that arrogancie whiche was suche that thoughe they yet vnderstoode not what he sayed thoughe they had no true belefe and as yet were not meete for the stormes that wer cummyng vpon theÌ„ for all that they tooke on hande the thing that was to be asked of God by prayer And he aunswereth them after this sorte What dooe I heare the thynge whyche I promyse to geue you hereafter whan ye shal be made stronge and be staied by my doctrine and by the inspiracion of the holy ghost ye now proudely take on hande before due time as if ye might do at least sumwhat by the helpe and assistence of maÌ„s owne power and vertue when as rather the tyme is full nyghe that ye shall declare howe strengthelesse yeare of your selfes For ye shall not onely bee vnable to go through the instante tempeste but leauing me alone in the handes of the sergeauntes catchpolles whiche shall violently draw me to the deathe of the crosse ye shall run awaye eche one a â—ere waye through feare so amased that ye shall not one beare cuÌ„pany with another to your succoure and comforte whyles euery one shall feare other leste by any others telling he mighte be bewrayed and come in daunger albeit in dede I nede not your aide and helpe I shall of trueth be forsaken of all my frendes but yet shall I not be desolate because the father shall neuer leaue me Therefore I do speake these thynges vnto you that distrusting your owne strength ye maye reste and staye your selfe in me The worlde shall make greate commocioÌ„ and fiercely rise againste you as it doeth agaynst me but bee bolde and shrynke not remeÌ„bryng that I haue conquered the worlde ye shall take exaumple at me and shall trust to be holpen by me ye shall also haue victorie but through me beyng of youre owne nature very weake and yet when tyme and occasion shall require ye shal be throughe my spirite stronge and vnuanquished The .xvii. Chapter ¶ There wordes spake Iesus and lift vp his iyes to heauen and sayen father the houre iâ— cum â–ª glorifie thy sonne that thy sonne also may glorifie the. As thou haâ—â— geueÌ„ him power ouer all 〈◊〉 that he should geue eternall lyfe to as many as thou hast geuen him This is life eternall that they might know thee the only true god and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sente AFter that Iesus had with this kynde of talke partelye comforted his disciples and partely taughte them and geuen them also instruccion againste the daungerouse storme that was imminence and cumming vpon theim than for so muche as he had by woorde of mouthe aduertised
brought to them agayne but to haue a perpetuall and a perfite ioye whiche oure spirite shall alwaye infuse in them dwelling in theyr hartes to the entent that nowe they shoulde depende of nothyng els than of a good affiaunce in vs and in the vprightnes of conscience The worlde shall stire vp sore stormes of grieuous persecucion agaynste them because my doctrine agreeth not with the affeccions and carnall desyres of this worlde For men of trueth be desyrouse of and gape for earthlye and transitory thinges and I teache heauenly thinges This doctrine which I had of the I haue taught it them and these fewe haue well liked it and enbraced thesame the worlde setting nought by it And because these loue my doctrine the worlde hateth theÌ„ as forsakers of the worlde runnagates to vs the worlde hath none other grounde thus to doe but because they stick vnto vs renounce the worlde This worlde hath his baites enticementes that seme pleasaunt for a time it hath also his dreadfull thinges and threatninges wherwith it doth discourage weaken euen a right stronge and bold herte Herewith he mayntaineth and defendeth his faccion fighteth against our religion Therfore equitie would no lesse becummeth our bounteousnesse that those whiche hath forsaken the worlde to come to vs and haue coÌ„mit and credite themselfes wholy to vs and altogether depend vpon vs we should care and prouide for to th entent the worlde may knowe that they be in more safetie which betaketh themselfes to our succoure and mayntenauÌ„ce than those that leaneth to the ayde helpe of the worlde The simple playne true hart which they beare towardes vs and the trust that they haue in vs deserueth heaueÌ„ly fauour the hatred which the worlde beareth towardes them for our sake prouoketh out beneuolence and good will towardes theÌ„ For the worlde doth not therfore hate them because they be theues or murderers rauishers or deceyuers with false bying sellyng but because they be cleare and pure from the enormities of this worlde as ambicion couetousnes malice pharisaicall fraude from idolatrie from vnclenesse and other sinnes wherwith the worlde is euery where infect Furthermore as the worlde hateth me bicause I haue obeyed thy will so doeth it also hate them because they doe mislyke and contemne the doctrine of the Phariseis and set nought by the folishe wisedome of the worlde but in a simple and true meaning fayth obey my lawes and tradicions And the worlde doeth not onely hate me but also my name and is lothe to haue me spokeÌ„ of yea for my cause it hateth them whosoeuer they be that wyll neglecte mans doctryne and folowe the plaine pure doctrine of the gospel euen because it doeth muche disagre with the lustes and desires of them whiche withal affeccion and pleasure doe enbrace thinges of this worlde I nowe that haue diligently doen my duetie and office am separate from the felowship of the worlde for so it is mete to be But I would not as yet haue them cumpanions with me for the time is not yet that they also should be taken cleane out of the worlde vntill they likewise haue with diligence executed the office that is commit vnto them This I only pray for that they lining in the worlde be not polluted with the vices of the worlde and that they fall not away from vs and turne backewarde into the faccions and vnstable opinions of the worlde For they beyng so many wayes assauted cannot shunne and exchue that without thy helpe They stycke to me they be my brauÌ„ches and my membres Thus the matter staÌ„deth that as I am diuers and not agreable to the worlde because I stycke to the euen so these also are vnlike to the worlde misliked because they cleane and stycke to me As I haue kept me safe and pure from the filthy pollucioÌ„s of the worlde so kepe thou these cleane and impolluted from all contagious infeccions of the worlde That shall take effecte yf by thy ayde and helpe they perseuer in the trueth The wisedome of the worlde hath muche falsehood mixte withall Moses lawe is wrapped in shadowes of thinges but thy woorde whiche I haue taught is pure trueth it hath no disceite it is cleare and easie without smoke shadowes This trueth haue I taught purely sincerely that there nedeth not nowe so many interpretacions or translacions so many Pharisaical ordinauÌ„ces or so many laboured Philosophical sophemes and subtyll sentences Only my doctrine is playne and easie to be vnderstand of all folke if so be that fayth be had And than it shall be a sufficient doctrine to euerlastyng felicitie Lyke as I beyng thy Apostle and messenger and sente from thee into the worlde haue doen thy busines faithfully and haue not been corrupted with contagiousnes of the worlde but rather haue draweÌ„ the worlde to my purenesse euen so doe I send these into the worlde in my steade to teache purely sincerely that whiche they haue heard of me not studying their owne gaine and prayse but folowyng thy will to the intent that by their testimonie many maye be drawen to vs and be separate from the worlde whiche is altogether sinfull And because these may be pourged from synne and so perseuer pure in preachyng the trueth of the gospel I doe offer my selfe a sacrifice to thee For he cannot purely preache my doctrine to the worlde that is subiect to worldly affeccions Neuerthelesse I pray not for them alone but for them also whiche shall beleue on me thorowe theyr preachyng that they all may be one as thou father art in me and I in thee and that they also may be one in vs that the worâ—de may beleue that thou haste sent me And the glory whiche thou gauest me I haue geuen them that they may be one as we also are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfecte in one that the worlde may knowe that thou haste sente me and haste loued them as thou hast loued me Father I will that they whiche thou haste geuen me be with me where I am that they may see my glory which thou haste geuen me For thou louedst me before the makyng of the worlde Nor I doe not onely pray for these whiche are fewe in numbre but for all that shal through my doctrine preached of these renounce the worlde put their whole affiaunce in me For it shal so come to passe that as I sticking to thy woordes am not pulled away from thee like as these sticking to my preceptes shal not be pulled away from me but as brauÌ„ches shal liue in vs and as our membres shal be quickened and made liuely with the spirite euen so other which shall sticke to these mens woordes which beyng receyued at my handes they shall teache to the worlde beyng graffed in me maye be ioyned to thee by me so that the whole body maye cleane ioyntly together thou beyng
the roote and I the stocke the spirite beyng distribute thorowe out al the membres and both these braunches and the other that shall be brought to the fayth by these beyng dispersed thorowe out the whole worlde farre neare I can do nothing withâ—â—t thee these coulde do nothing without me The same thing that I receyued of thee haue I poured into them by the spirite whiche is common to all that as thou extendest foorth thy power and strength in me and I inseparably do cleane vnto the euen so bothe we maye extende foorth our power in these cleaning vnto vs and will not be disseuered to thintent that the worlde being prouoked with these meÌ„s vniforme doctrine miracles and honest chaste maners maye beleue that I am come from thee that whatsoeuer I haue doen may redound to the glory of thy name and that the worlde also may vnderstande and perceyue our spirite to bee in these persones shewyng foorth and bryngyng to light his force and power by miracles and other diuers proufes For as I haue not chalenged to my selfe the prayse and glorie whiche the miracles that I haue wroughte haue gotten me amongest men but I haue translate surrendred and put it ouer to thee o father whome I haue confessed to be the auctor thereof so the glorie whiche these shall prepare by theyr great acres for the tyme to come shall be altogether ours because they shall do nothyng in theyr owne name but shall referre all thynges to the commendacion and glory of our name And so therfore the world shall perceyue suche a concorde betwene them and me as is betwene thee and me I wil worke in them by my spirite as thou hast set abroche thy trueth in me And so it wyll come to passe that they also as membres of one bodye cleaning to one heade and quickened with one spirite maye by mutuall concorde sticke together among themselues that on all parties there maye be a consummate and a very perfite concorde in heauen and in yearth The â—iscencion in opinions doeth take awaye the beliefe of doctrine If they agreyng one with another shall teache thesame that I haue taughte yf lyfe agre with doctrine doubtles the world shall perceyue it is no worldlye or humayne doctrine but to be come from whome thou sendeste into the worlde It shall also vnderstande that they be beloued of thee obeying thy will as I am beloued of thee one that no where declineth or swarueth from thy mynde and purpose Father my desyre is that as these whom beyng disseuered from the world thou haste geuen to me shall be folowers of myne affliccions and crosse so they maye be partakers with me of glorie that like as they haue bene beholders of my base and meane state and witnesses of my payne and tormentes so they maye likewyse see and beholde the glorye whiche thou shalte giue me after I haue passed thorowe these euils and haue finished my whole passion that also they maye learne by affliccions to go to the eternall ioye and by reproche and ignominte to go to immortall glorye For it is no newe glory whiche thou shalâ— geue me nor newe charitie wherwith thou louest me but therfore thou shewest tokens and argumentes among menne of thy loue towardes me to the intente that those whiche wyll be myne shoulde by lyke waye and meane cumpasse and seke for thy loue and by lyke dedes laboure to be promoted vnto the glorye of heauen They whome thou hast vouchesafed to loue and shalt alowe them as wurthy thy glorye haue been loued of the before the creacion of the worlde O righteouse father the worlde also hath not knowen the but I haue knowen the and these haue knowen that thou haste sent me and I haue declared vnto them thy name and wil declare it that the loue wherwith thou haste loued me maye be in them and I in them O righteouse father nothyng hath been ouerslipt or omitted of me whereby thou shouldest haue been brought to be knowen of all folke but the worlde beyng for the more parte blynded in the sinne faultes therof would not know thee because it would not beleue me whiles I taught thee vnto the worlde But I beyng pure from the worlde haue knowen thee and haue taughte thee beyng knowen vnto me Neyther hath my preachyng been altogether in vaine They whome thou specially diddest chose for that purpose haue knowen thee by me they knewe that I came from thee although the Phariseis with open clamoure sayeth that I came from Beelzebub the prince of deiuils But as thy goodnes had sent me to haue saued all folke if it could by any waye haue been brought to passe so thy righteousnesse will not suffre the desires of the faythful to be frustrate and voyde for the infidelitie of some that be vnfaythfull The learned the potentates the chiefe heades of religion haue contemned thy doctrine but these rude ignoraunt meke and vnlearned persones haue by me receyued the knowleage of thy name and I shall cause it to be more and more knowen vnto them that thou mayest with the same great charitable loue wherwith thou enbracest me lykewise enbrace them and so they beeyng more fully taught by my spirite maye on theyr behalfe agayne bothe loue vs and one of them by mutuall gentlenes nourishe cherishe and defende eche one the other For so shall they be strong agaynst all the troublesome hurly burlies of this worlde and shall persist vnuanquished The. xviii Chapter When Iesus had spoken these wordes he went foorth with his disciples ouer the brooke Cedron where was a gardeyne into the which he entred and his disciples Iudas also which betrayed hym knewe the place for Iesus oft tymes resorted thither with his disciples Iudas then after he had receyued a bande of men and ministers of the hye priestes and Phariseis came thither with lanternes and fyre brandes and weapons And Iesus knowyng all thynges that shoulde come vpon hym went foorth and sayed vnto them whom seke ye They aunswered hym Iesus of Nazareth Iesus sayeth vnto them I am he Iudas also whiche betrayed hym stoode with them Assone then as he had sayed vnto them I am he they wente backewarde and fell to the grounde WIth this kynde of talke our Lorde Iesus did confirme stablishe and bolden the hertes of his and after he had so doen and commeÌ„ded his flocke to his father he departed thence of his owne voluntary wyll to go mete them that shoulde apprehende hym therein declaryng playnly to his disciples that he woulde willynglye and gladly suffer whatsoeuer payne shoulde be put vnto hym for it was midnight and except it had been a well knowen place he could not haue been taken Therfore he departed out of that place whereas he had thus spoken to his disciples And when he was goen ouer the brooke whiche the Hebrewes call Cedron because many Cedre trees growe there he and his disciples wayting on hym wente into a gardeyne not
hatred contencion there is no mansion place for the holy ghost Whan they were come altogether into one place and that on high they continued in one fayth prayer and expectacion And beholde sodaynely came the gift of god on high from aboue For sodaynly from heauen came a sounde as it were of a great puffe of winde that carryed it replenished the whole parlour where they satte quiet and without trouble It was not the northerne winde whiche blustereth coolde out of the cloudes nor the Sowtherne winde that bringeth warmthe with hym oute of the marryshe and fenny places pestylent to all lyuyng bodyes But it was a blast of heauen procedyng thence whither Christ hymselfe wente breathyng lyfe euerlastyng into the soule of man geuing strēgthe withall to the weake and cherefull courage vnto the litleones This sounde afrayde no manne but stiered vp all their mindes to looke for that holy spirite which was promysed thē One token of his cummyng to them serued the eare another was for the eye For these are the twoo principall senses in man Tongues they sawe lyke as they had been all of fyer dealyng themselues to euerychone of the disciples parte to one and parte to another and restyng a whyle vpon euerye mannes heade to the intent that we shoulde playnly vnderstande howe that gift shall endure for euer One spirite enspired all their myndes one fyre kyndled eche mannes herte and toung And incontinent vpon this visible token there folowed in them the efficacie of that heauenly gifte For as many as there were presēt like as if they had bene transfourmed sodaynly into heauenly persons and being replenished with the holy ghoste began to speake diuerse lāguages which thei had neuer learned of mannes communication but such as the spirite from heauen had enprinted in their hertes There is no membre in manne more pestilent than is an euel toūge none more profitable thā is the good But it was nedefull for suche that shoulde sowe in sundry wise the doctrine of heauen among people of all languages to haue their toungues endowed with heauenly knowelage and more ouer flamyng with that burning charitie which is mete for the gospel This was thā the chiefest tokē of Christes faith euangelicall whiche token the lorde promised them saying they shall speake with new tounges Thei that accuse men vniustly that slaunder their neyghboure such as forsweare themselues those that speake rybauldrye a toung thei haue inflamed not with fyer celestial but with the fyre of helle infernall Al such as contende in disputacion for vile thinges of this world haue not yet receiued this toung celestial The apostles before this time reasoned of loaues of bread which thei had left behynd they reasoned how the temporal kingdom of Israel should be aduaunced who should sit on the vpper hand who should haue of al other the soueraygntie Such was the toung as man had vnmete than to publyshe the gospel But all that now they thynke on and whatsoeuer they speake of al is spiritual all is celestiall and burning al like fier Put away the toung laye asyde the spirite and no woord is spoken But a spirit celestial vttereth a voyce celestial a burning toungue in loue like fier rauisheth the hertes of the hearers and inflameth their mindes The proude pharisees toungue is styffe the Philosopher be he neuer so well learned the Rethorician in his toungue neuer so well spoken no manne he moueth therby vnto trewe gladnesse For this gifte cummeth onely from heauen As for the disciples wer nought els but instrumentes whereby the holy ghoste vttered hys mynde This gifte cannot one gyue an other neyther any delae it to hymselfe but god dealeth to eche man as he shal thinke good He that hath more geuen him hath no cause why he should dispise an other that is not so rewarded but hath cause why he should endeuoure himselfe the more readily to profit many therwith The spirite is a thing of great vehemencie the fyer a veray liuely thing in operacion and neuer at rest The Apostles nowe do slepe no more so soundely as they did before the death of their lorde they hide themselues no more as they did soone after his resurrection but nowe cum they abrode they preache here and there and openly to all men healthe euerlasting frely geuen them through faith in Iesus who was a litle before crucyfyed There wer dwelling at Ierusalem Iewes deuout men out of euery nacion of thē that are vnder heauen Whan this was noysed about the multitude came together were astonned because the euery man hearde them speake with his owne language They wondred all and maruailed saying among thē selues beholde are not al these which speake of Galile And how heare we eueri mā his own toung wherin we wer borne Parthiās and Medes and Elamites and the inhabitours of Mesopotamia of Iewry or Capadocia of Poutus and Asia Phrigia Pamphilia of Egipte of the parties of Libia whiche is besides Syren and straūgers of Rome Iewes and proselytes Grekes Arabians we haue heard thē speake in our owne tounges the great workes of god Thei wer al amased wondred saying one to an other what meneth this Others mocked saying these men are full of newe wyne And the trueth to say that same Citie Ierusalem was at that tyme as it were a stage where people do assemble to behold playes fitte for the firste begynnyng of this enterlude partely for the famous renoume of the citye and partely for honour of the Paschall feast whiche was paste and finally for the deuocion that the people had to the solemne feast of Penthecoste manye one wer than abiding at Ierusalem not all onelye such as came out of all the parties of Siria but out of all other cuntreyes also whither soeuer the violent rage of warres had dryeuē them or any chaunce els had brought them Amōg whome many wer deuoute and well disposed people Whan this so strange a matter was than comenly knowen ouer all the citie a confuse multitude of people came together and beyng in a great perplexitie demaūded what these newes should meane that where as thei wer gathered out of many cuntreys and wer of soundry languages yet for all that euery man so vnderstood them speaking euen as though thei had spoken to them al not in one tounge alone but to euerichon seuerally in his own cuntrey language Yea the Hebrew tonge is not without his diuersite accordingly as cuntreyes are diuided whether it came of diuerse nacions whiche bordre one vpon an other or els of sum other chaunce For the woman of Samaria knewe that Iesus was a Iewe by the propertie of his toung and Peters pronounciacion declared hym to be one of Galilee And the Greke toung likewise is parted into fyue sondry kindes And other nacions also differeth no lesse in their languages More than that many Iewes vnderstoode none other than that cuntrey language wher they themselues
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
that was euen at hande to allure theym chafed theyr myndes and made them the more incensed against them insomuch that theyr hertes would haue braste for anger laying theyr heades together howe they myght slea them Than had the priestes for their parte of a long tyme customably vsed murther and to cutte lyke buchers shepe goates in the temple wherby they had gotten themselues nought els but a slayght to kyl men also the more easely In all this their communication not a worde was heard of diuyne scripture nothing godly spoken for mans erudicion no reason at all Onely this commaund we this is our wil pleasure eyther obey thesame or els shalte thou suffre death ¶ Then stode there vp one in the councell a Pharisey named Gamaliel a doctoure of lawe had in reputacion among al the people and commaunded the apostles to goe aside a litle space sayed vnto them ye men of Israell take hede to your selues what ye entende to do as touching these menne For before these daies rose vp one Theâ—das boasting himselfe to whome resorted a noumbre of men aboute fower hundred which was slayne and they al whiche beleued hym wer scattered abrode brought to nought And after this man was one Iudas of Galile in the dayes of the tribute and drewe awaye muche people after hym and he also perished and al euen as many as harkened to him were scattered abrode And now I say vnto you refraine your selues from these men and let them alone For yf this counsell or this worke be of men it wil cum to nought But yf it be of God ye cannot destroye it lest ye be haplye founde to stryue against God In that councell sat one Gamaliell a Pharisey at whose fete Paule the apostle learned the lawe a man in high estimacion with the whole people of Israel both for his excellente knowleage in the lawe for his singuler wysdome This Gamaliel whan he sawe them so bent to vnthriftie councell stood vp and desyred that the apostles might for a while departe out of the councel That doen this sayed he to them that were there sittyng ye my brethren of Israel procede not headlyng in your councell neyther determine any thinge vnaduisedly whiche afterwarde may turne remediles vnto your shame but take good hede what ordinaunce ye make or iudgemente ye geue of these persones Take counsayle of thinges past what shal be expediente for you to determyne for the tyme to cum I wyll reherse no auncient examples of old tyme. That as I shall reherse to you was done sence al ye may well remembre There was of late dayes one Theudas an enchauÌ„ter and a false deceauer who by boastyng hymselfe to the people and promysing of prodigiouse thinges drue to his factiouse opinion a great number of men nigh vnto the poinct of fower hundred But hys busie enterpryse because it proceaded of a maliciouse stomake had an vnthriftye ende For both he hymselfe suffered paynes of death and as many as had taken his parte were sum slaine sum taken prysoners Whan all wer thus scattered abrode the secte was brought to nought After hym was Iudas of Galile a countreyman to these persons that ye now consulte vpon the same tyme that the whole worlde was taxed by commaundement of Augustus Cesar. And this same Iudas for as muche as he taught thynges pleasaunt to the people that they bryng dedycate to god ought to pay no tribute to Emperours whiche were woorshyppers of false goddes drew to his faccion a greate parte of the comens And afterwarde both he the capitaine of this faccion was slaine as many as toke his parte were scattered abrode Wherfore this is myne aduise that more wisely shall ye do yf ye forbeare these persones and let theim goe seyng that no man hytherto is hurte by them For yf this that they haue enterprysed or that that they goe about to bryng to passe procede of mans witte it shall of it selfe cum to nought But yf god be the worker of this so woonderfull a matter it were both an vngodly poynte in you to mynde the destruccion of that thing which God is the principall doer of for what were that els but to resiste god and besydes that lacke of foresight to goe aboute that that ye cannot bring to passe For who shal be able to withstand the wil of god And to hym agreed the other and when they had called the apostles they bet them and commaunded that thei should nor speake in the name of Iesus and so let theÌ„ go And thei departed from the counsell reioysing that they were counted worthie to suffâ—e rebuke for his name And dayly in the temple and in euery house they ceased not to teache and preache Iesus Christ. This his councell was so estemed with the whole assemblye that the sentence of death which they would haue pronounced on them was differred vntill an other tyme. And as for this tyme they agreed to Gamalyels councell not that they would vtterly holde their handes of thapostles but that after they wer al twelue called together and beaten they should be charged agayne vpon a strayte commaundemente not to speake from that daye forwardes so muche as one woorde of the name of Iesus And so were they contented vpon this punishement to dimitte them thinkyng that though they had made lyght at their thundryng woordes and threatninges yet would thei be better aduised what they did or said beyng once punyshed for a warning esteminge thapostles whiche wer to loke vpon abiect persons and of the base coÌ„minaltie to be like in condicion to the rude and barbarouse people that are amended with strokes But the liuely spirite in a preacher of the woorde of god is wont after suche iniurious afficcions to gather his strength together Thapostles because they wer well assured that the woordes the Iesus spake wer trewe that they should be called before iudges and that they shoulde be scourged in their Synagoges and congregacions for no euil dede but for professing his holsum name departed from the councell lufty in courage and ioyous takyng their reprocheful beatinges whiche to other wer thought intollerable to their prayse and glory for as muche that god would recognyse them his apostles worthy such honour that they might for his owne sonnes sake spitefully be entreated They had in remembraunce what Iesus had saied to them before reioyce ye be glad for great is your reward in heauen So litle this punishment and menacing auayled the princes to holde them abacke froÌ„ preachyng Iesus name that thapostles toke therof the more courage to preache continuallye what thei had heard of their maister Iesus both openly in the temple and in euery mannes house priuily and to bryng to eche man gladsum tydynges that this was very Messias by whome all shoulde be saued The .vi. Chapiter In those daies whan the numbre of the disciples grewe there arose a grudge among the Grekes against the Hebrues
is in vaine For it shall be harde and paynfull for the to beate thy heeles againste the prycke For thy striuyng is not against manne but againste god whose wil no manne is hable to resiste Wherfore thine offeÌ„ce herein is double the more and nothing shalt thou preuaile therby and yet doe thy selfe a shrewde turne Saule hearing this trembled for feare and as one amased saide Lorde what wylte thou haue me doe By this answere his erroure appeared to haue cumme of plaine ignoraunce and of no malice To instructe once suche erpsons it were sufficient But it was expedient that an high and fierce stomake were plucked downe and suche one that mynded nought els but to threaten and kylle were made afrayed to th entent he myght be easlye taught Than sayed the lorde to him aryse and go into the citie There shalt thou learne what is for the to do The lorde stryketh man in suche a sorte that it maye be for his health so he casteth downe that he maye set vp so maketh he them blynde that he maye lighten them Saule beyng in his cruellrage was throwen downe headlyng but after that he became meke and ready to obeye he was byd stande vp ¶ The meÌ„ which iourneyed with him stoode amased hearyng a voyce but seyng no maÌ„ â—â—d Saul arose from the yearth when he opened his iyes he sawe no man But they led hym by the haâ—d brought him into Damasco And he was three daies without sight and neither did eate nor drinke And there was a certaine disciple at Damasco named Ananias to him said the lord in a visioÌ„ Ananias And he sayd beholde here I am lorde And the lord saide vnto him aryse and go into the strete whiche is called streyght â–ª and seke in the house of Iudas after one called Saule of Tarsus For beholde he praieth and hath sene in a vision a man named Ananias cumming in to him and puttyng his handes on hym that he might receiue his syght Whyle these thinges were thus in doyng the men that went with Saule in his iourney stode amased hearing certainly one talke to Saule but seing no man Than Saule vpon good comforte that he toke hereof arose vp The first step to vertue is to be set vp on foote And beholde againe an other myracle although his iyes were open he could not see Than those that came in his company lead him by the hande into the citie of Damasco And yet was not he than forthwith admitted to the gyfte of the holy ghoste that it shoulde be noted of vs that came after for an example howe it were not mete to laye hande forthwith vpon eache person but firste to see them that are newlye instructed diligently tryed and prepared by fastyng praier Wherefore than lyke as the apostles abode at Hierusalem ten dayes space in expectacion of the holy ghoste so taryed Saule at Damasco three dayes seing none yearthlye thyng with his corporal iyes but thinwarde iyes of his soule were in the meane space clearly illustrate al that whyle receyuyng no foode but his mynde was fed the meane time with heauenly doctrine There was the same tyme at Damasco a disciple for so were they than called whiche had receiued the gospel named Ananias The lorde had piked oute this Ananias by whose handes his pleasure was bounteously to replenishe Paule with giftes of his holy spirit And therfor hym spake he vnto beyng a sleape in his dreame and sayd Ananias He on the other part anon perceiuing that god called him made answer lo I am here lorde as who sayth disclosyng a true christian herte ready at all commaundementes Than sayde the lorde ryse vp and go thy waye into the streat whiche they commonly call streyght and aske at Iudas house for one Saule who was borne in Tarsus For lo there is he in prayer suyng to haue grace and liberall comforte from vs. At the very same tyme Saul lykewise as he was in prayer thoughte the one Ananias had entred into the house to hym and layde his handes upon him to thintent he myght receyue againe his iyesight Euen so the lorde prepared in their mutuall vision eache one for other ¶ Than Ananias answered lorde I haue heard by many of this man howe muche euil he hath done to thy sainctes at IerusaleÌ„ and here he hath authoritie of the high priestes to bynde all that cal on thy name The lorde sayde vnto him go thy waye for he is a chosen vessell vnto me to beare my name before the Gentiles and kinges and the childreÌ„ of Israel For I wyl shewe him howe great thinges he muste suffre for my names sake But Ananias sore afrayed at the name of Saule who for his cruelty was than muche spoken of among the christians made aunswere I haue heard lord of many one howe sore this man hath vexed thy blessed saintes at Hierusalem and yet not so contented but nowe is he hither come also beeyng put in authoritie by a streyght commission from the hygh byshoppes to laye theÌ„ al fast in fetters that call vpon thy name Herunto the lorde agayne made aunswere I knowe right well howe ye my shepe are muche afrayed of that rauenous wolfe But there is no cause why thou shouldest feare For that wolfe haue I chaunged into a right gentle shepe Wherefore see thou go vnto hym boldly For hym I haue chosen to myne owne selfe as a notable instrument to carye my name before the Heathen before kynges of the yearth and the chyldren of Israel What he hath done hytherto was not done of malyce but of a zele to the lawe of his countrey And forasmuche as of plaine ignoraunce his iudgemeÌ„t failed him sum tryall hath he shewed of his towardnesse how earnest a defendour of my gospell I am lyke to haue of him in tyme to cum Hitherto hath he scryuen against the professours of my name beyng armed therunto with bulles from the high byshoppes with threatnynges and with fetters for them Hereafter more manfully shall he fight and stoutly beyng armed but with my spirite and gyrte with the sworde of my euangelicall worde againste all them that hate my name For the glory and renoume wherof far greater affliccion shall he willyngly suffre than nowe of late he prepared againste you ¶ And Ananias went his waye and entred into the house and put his handes on him and sayde brother Saule the lorde that appeared vnto the in yâ— waye as thou cammest hath sent me that thou myghtest receyue thy sighte be fylled with the holy ghost And immediatly there fell from his iyes as it had ben scales and he receiued sight arose and was baptised and receyued meat and was comforted Ananias well encouraged at these wordes departed thence and entred into Iudas house he founde Saule praying and layde his hande vpon hym and sayde brother Saule the lorde Iesus Christe that appered vnto the in the waye â–ª as thou waste cumming hither hath sent me to the
them ouercame theym preuayled agaynst them so that they fled out of that house naked and also wounded And this was knowen to all the Iewes Grekes also which dwelte at Ephesus and feare came on theÌ„ all and the name of the lord Iesus was magnified And many that beleued came confessed and shewed their workes Many of them whiche vsed curious craftes brought theyr bokes and burned theÌ„ before al men And they accouÌ„pted the price of them and found it fiftie thousand siluerlinges So mightily growed the worde of God and preuayled Whiche thing whan certayne Iewes perceyued whiche were of that sorte of men that go about and for lucre do cast out euil spirites with certaine ceremonies and solemne prescribed woordes as it were of coniuracion crakyng that they had receyued thys cunnyng of Salomon whom they affirmed to be the authour therof they also attempted to cast out euyll spirites by inuocacion of the name of our lorde Iesus not bycause they entended to set foorth the glory of his name or because they woulde endeuour themselues to do men good but because that they supposed thereby to get more aduauntage greater name Wherfore they chaungeyng certayne wordes wherewith they hadde woonte to coniure sayde to the euill spirites I coniure you in the name of Iesus whom Paule preacheth that ye departe This especially dyd the seuen sonnes of one whose name was Sceua whiche was a Iewe and one of the chief priestes And whan they attempted in this wyse to proue thys kynde of coniuration on a certayne manne that was possessed with an euyll spirite the euill spirite aunswered to those coniurers I knowe Iesus by vertue of whose name ye go about to feare me I knowe also Paule the seruaunt and professour of Christe but what be you that abuse the name of Iesus and Paule to your lucre wheras ye are the disciples neither of Iesus ne yet of Paule And assone as he had spoken these wordes the man that was possessed wyth the euyll spirite â—anne vpon these exorcistes and coniurers and gotte the ouer haÌ„de of them insomuche that they had muche a doe to escape with theyr lyues and scarce got away at last naked and wounded oute of the house This thing after it was bruted abrode and knowen throughe oute the citie of Ephesus both emong the Iewes and the Gentiles that occupied there â–ª they were sore afrayed euerye man and muche praysed the name of the lorde Iesus whyche was so healthfull to all suche as beleued well that it woulde not bee applyed to the lucre or glorye of any man And this the mischaunce of fewe dyd profytte many For many one being afrayed by the ensample of the sonnes of Sceua and specially suche as had begon to beleue the gospell whan as they saw that punishmente was ready at hande for suche as called vpon the name of Iesus with vncleane heartes they repayred to Paule confessing and vtteryng their offences that by penaunce they might escape the punishment of God For the citie of Ephesus was more then all other geuen to supersticious craftes as this their owne prouerbe doeth withnesse The Ephesians learning by which prouerbe was sygnified sorceries and wordes of coniuracion whiche the Ephesians learned and vsed that they might prosper and haue good happe in al thinges that they went about and might preuayle against others in any thing that they attempted Wherefore many were there in that citie whiche beeyng seduced had eyther vsed such Iudaical coniurations or els had geuen credite vnto them And besides this dyuerse of those that had vsed magical and curiouse craftes brought their bokes to the common market place and burned theÌ„ in the sight of al persones Wherof there was so great a noumber that the value of them whan it was rated by castyng accoumpte of it amounted to the summe of fiftie thousande pieces of syluer coyne euerye piece beeyng in value aboute a grote sterlyng or more But the losse of this moneye was greate aduauntage to the furtheryng of the ghospell For by meanes hereof the worde of God did muche increace and waxed strong whiche woorde was to their saluacion that fully without glosyng and clokyng dyd embrace it but to suche as did not vprightly walke therin it was terrible After these thynges were ended Paule purposed in the spirite whan he passed ouer Macedonia and Achaia to goe to HierusaleÌ„ saying after I haue bene there I must also see Rome So sent he into Macedonia two of theÌ„ that ministred vnto him eueÌ„ Timotheus and Erastus but he hymselfe remayned in Asia for a season Whan Paul had thus happely spedde by the space of two yeares continuyng at Ephesus he was monyshed by the holy ghost to departe thence and so purposed with himselfe to walke ouer Macedonia and Achaia and than to take his iourneye to Hierusalem saying I muste see Rome also but I wyll fyrste go to Hierusalem Whan he had fully decreed thus with himselfe he sent before hym a couple of those that awayted on hym that is to saye Tymothee and Erastus vnto Macedonie to gather mennes almesse for succouryng those nedy that were at Hierusalem and that they myghte make readye theyr myndes agaynst Paule came But Paule hymselfe stayed for a season in Asia ¶ The same tyme there arose no lytle a doe aboute that way For a certayne man named Demetrius a syluersmith which made siluer shrynes for Diana was not a lytle beneficial vnto the craftesmen WhoÌ„ he called together with the workemeÌ„ of like occupacion and sayd Syrs ye know that by this crafte we haue aduauntage Moreouer ye see heare that not alone at Ephesus but almost throughout Asia this Paule hath perswaded and turned away muche people saying that they are not Goddes which are made with handes So that not only this our crafte cuÌ„meth into parel to be set at naught but also that the temple of the great goddesse Diana should be despised and her magnificence should bee destroyed whom all Asia and the worlde wurshyppeth Aboute thys tyme a greuous commocion was stirred vp agaynst the gospell among the Ephesians but not by the Iewes than as it was accustomed before to be but by suche as stycked ouermuche to the tradicion that they had receyued of theyr forefathers as concernyng the supersticious wurshippyng of their goddes The Ephesians as is afore sayed were wonderfullye gyuen to curious learning and Diana as the Gentiles supposed had a great power in enchauntementes and therefore they sayed she had three faces or headdes as Hecate had This was the cause that she was so greatly worshipped at Ephesus Marke here nowe that lucre and gaynes was the firste occasion of this commocion and the supersticious people furtherers to the same For there was at Ephesus in those dayes a certayne man named Demetrius a siluersmyth by his occupacion This Demetrius where as he was a maker of siluer shrynes or tabernacles for Diana because the moone in colour somewhat resembleth siluer
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
is called by that name And they made signes to his father howe he would haue him named Iohn is his name And immediatly was hys mouthe opened and his toungue also And he spake and praised god And al they that hearde the same layed them vp in theyr hertes c. And the hanâ—e of the Lorde was with him In the house of his seruaunte Dauid c. The teâ—te â–ª Whiche wer sens the world began c. And remeÌ„bre his holy couenaunt c. gene xxii That we deliuered oute of the handes of our enemies c. In such holines and righteousnesse as are accepted before God For remission of synnes Throughe the tender mercie of our god c. And in the shadowe of deathe â–ª c. And was in wildernes Untyll the daye came when he should shew himself vnto the Israelites there went oute a commaundemeÌ„t from Augustus the Emperour And this taryng was the first and executed whan Quirinus was Lieutenaunte in Syria c Because he was of the house and â—â—nage of Dauid c. And she brought forth her first begotteÌ„ sonne And layed hym in a maungier because there was no roume for them in the inne For vnto you is borne this daye in the citee of Dauid a saueour which is Christ the Lorde Praysyng God c. Glorye to god on high And peace on the yearth and to men good wyll The shepeherdes said one to another Let vs goe now eueÌ„ vnto Bethlem and see thyâ— thyng c And whan they had sene it c. And al they that hearde it c But Marie kept al those sayinges c. Gene. xvi v His name was called Iesus c. Math i And whan the tyme of theyr purificacion c They brought him to Hierusalem to preseÌ„t hym to the Lorde Exod. xiii a xxii d. Nume viii b. Leuit. xii a. Exod. xiii a. And the same man was iuste godly c. And the holy gost was in him c. And he came by inspiracioÌ„ into the teÌ„ple Than toke be hâ—m vp in his armes and sayed Lorde now leaâ—â—este thou thy seruaunte departe in peace For myne iyes haue seen thy saluacion c. A light to lighten the GeÌ„tiles c. And for a signe which is spoken against c. That the thoughtes of manye hertes may bee opened c. And there was a prophetisse one Anna. c. Whiche was of a greate age And she had liued with an houseband seuen yeres from her virginitie Whiche departed not froÌ„ the teÌ„ple c. And she came furth the same houre c. Psalm xix Into Galilee to theyr owne citie Nazareth And the child grewe c. And was filled with wisedome And whan he was twelue yeres olde they wente vp to Hierusalem The childe Iesus abode still in HierusaleÌ„ And whan they found him not they wente c. And it fortuned that after three dayes they founde him in the temple c. And al that hearde him were astouned at his vnderstanding and aunswers SoÌ„ne â–ª why hast thou thus delt with vs And he said vnto them howe is it that ye soughte me Luc. viii Math. xii Matt. iii. Wist ye not that I must goe aboute my fathers businesse And they vnderstoode not that saiyng whiche he spake vnto them But hys mother kept al these sayynges together in her herte And Iesus prospered in wisedome and age And in fauour with god man And he cam into all the costes about Iordan c. And he said to the people c. And begyn not to saye with youre selues wee haue Abraham to oure father God is able of these stones to ceise vy children vnto Abraham Nowe also is the are layed to the rotes of the trees Euery tree therfore c He that hathe twoo coates c. And he said vnto theim hurte ye no man I baptyse you with water But one stronger theÌ„ I shall cum after me c And the chaffe shall he burne Upon hym â–ª And a voice came from heauen Thou arte my beloued soÌ„ne in the do I delite And Iesus himself began to be of thirtie yeres of age So that he was supposed to be the sonne of Ioseph Which was the sonne of Heli. Returned from Iordan And was ledde by the spirite into wildernesse And in those daies did he eate nothyng And whan they were ended he afterwarde houngred Gen. xxv v If thou bee the soÌ„ne of God commauÌ„de this stone that it be bread It is wrytten Man shall not lyue by bread onely but by euerye woorde of God Deut. vii a And the deiuill toke hym into an high mountayne c. All this power will I geue the. c. If thou wilte fall downe before me c. Deu. vi c. x d. Thy Lorde God shalte thou wurship c. He shall geue his Aungels charge ouâ—e thee c. Psal. xxi c Thou shalt not tempte the Lorde thy God And as soone as al the temptation was ended the deiuill departed froÌ„ hym And Iesus returned by the power of the spirite into Galile And he tâ—uâ—he in theyr Synagoges And was commeÌ„ded of all men And stoode vppe for to reade And there was deliuered vnto hym the booke c. And when he had opened the booke c. And sate downe This daie is this scripture fulfilled in your eares And albate hiÌ„ witnesse and wondered at the gracious woordes whiche proceded out of his mouthe Whatsoeuer we haue heard doen in Capernaum c No prophet is accepted in his owne countraye And manye lepres weriÌ„ Israel in the tyme of Heliseus iiii Reg. v. But he departed through c. They were astouned at his doctrine For his preachyng was with power There was a maÌ„ which had an vnclene spirâ—â—e What hast thou so doe with vs thou Iesus of Nazareth And Iesus rebuked hiÌ„ And sayed holde thy peace cum out of hym And feare came vpon them all And the fame of him was sored abrode And immediatlye she arose and ministred vnto them And he layed hys handes on euery one of them And deiuilâ— also came out of many Whan the sunne was downe all they that had And kept hiÌ„ yâ— he shoulde not departe from them for therfore I am sent He stoode by the lake of Genezareth And he saw two dippes stand by the lanes syde And he sate downe and taughte the people oute of the shyp Neuerthelesse at thy commaundemente I will looce foorth the nette Whan Simon sawe this he fell downe at Iesus knees Lorde goe from me for I am a sinful manne And so was also Iames and Iohn c. And Iesus sayd vnto Simon feare not From hens foorth thou shalt catche men Beholde there was a man ful of leprosie c. Lorde yf thou wilt thou canste make me clene And he stretched furthe hys hande And he charged him that he shoulde tell no man Leut. xiii a And offre for thy clensing c. And gaue him selfe to prayer Whiche were come out of al the
to iudge the quicke and the dead all this I saye notwithstanding yet did not the disciples perceiue the thing that was spoken but sayde mutteryng among themselues what meaneth this saying after a litle while and ye shall not see me and again there shal be a litle time that ye shal se me for I go to the father How shall we se hym that hath himselfe awaye to go to his father â–ª Or what meaneth this litle while wherein he shall restraine vs from seing of hym and againe after a litle while when as he shall permit vs to see him This is a darke saying and we vnderstande not what he speaketh Than Iesus perceiuing that their mindes was to aske him what he ment by his saying preuented their demaunde and question to declare as his custome was that he knewe the moste secret thoughtes of meÌ„ and againe he saith this that I sayde after a litle whyle the sight of me shal be taken froÌ„ you and againe after a litle while it shal be restored newly vnto you because it is not expedient that I shoulde alwaye tarry among you in suche sorte as I now do but it is more for your profit that I depart hence and go to my father doeth trouble you The thing that I haue sayd is moste true The tyme is nyghe when as hauing this our familiar cumpanie disceuered and broken ye shall with wayling sorowe and weping be in manner consumed and werye of your lyues as men destitute of all succoure Contrarie the worlde shal ioye praunce and triumphe as a conquerour but within a litle tyme the course of thinges shall be chaunged for the worldes ioye shall be turned into sorowe your sorow into ioye and gladnesse The cause is that as my death shall greue and make you pensife but it shall make the Iewes gladde so my resurreccion shall make you ioyouse and contrarie it shall vexe and trouble the Iewes Wherfore beare you well and boldly this shorte sorowe thorowe hope of the ioye that shall folowe soone after ¶ A woman when she trauayleth hath sorowe because her houre is come but assone as she is deliuered of the childe she remembreth no more the anguishe for ioye that a man is borne into the worlde And ye now therfore haue sorow but I will see you againe and your hertes shall reioyes and your ioye shall no man take from you And in that daye shal ye aske me no question In lyke manner as a woman greate with childe suffereth sore greâ—ous paynes in the tyme of her trauayle but yet she beareth oute those painefull throwes with a stout good herte because she knoweth they shall not long endure and soone after there foloweth vpoÌ„ the byrth of the childe ioyous pleasure for as sone as she hath brought foorthe the childe that she laboured of in trauayle her pleasure in beyng a mother of a newe childe is so great that she forgetteth the dolourouse payne whiche she sustained in her trauailes yea to saye sothe she ioyeth muche that she hath boughte long comforte with a shorte dolour In thesame wyse shall you also for a litle time that draweth fast on be sore vexed in minde yea and ye be nowe already in great sorowe yet so that within a fewe dayes hereafter when I being a conquerour of death shal present my selfe alyne againe vnto you your hertes shal be replenished with great ioye because him whome ye did bewayle and mourne for being dead ye shall than se aliue and made immortall neuer after to dye The sorowfull mourning shall be shorte but the ioyeful mirth shall be perpetuall for death ouerpasseth but immortalitie remayneth for euer ¶ Uerily verily I saye vnto you whatsoeuer ye shal aske the father in my name he wyll geue it you Hitherto haue ye asked nothyng in my name Aske and ye shall receyue that your ioye maye bee full These thinges haue I spoken vnto you by prouerbes The tyme wyll cum when I shall no more speake vnto you by prouerbes but I shall shewe you plainly from my father And that daye shall ye aske in my name And I saye not vnto you that I wyll speake vnto my father for you for the father hymselfe loueth you because ye haue loued me and haue beleued that I came ouâ— from God I went out from the father and came into the worlde agayne I leaue the worlde and go to the father There be nowe many thinges whiche your herte lepeth for desyre to question with me of Than shall your mindes and also your iyes bee so fully content and satisfied that ye shall wene no mo questions are to bee demaunded for great excelling ioye shall shake of and vtterly put awaye all griefe of minde neyther shall you wyshe or require any thing els considering ye shall se and perceiue more giuen you than you loked for or durst be bolde to desyre I assure you after I be taken from you vp into heauen ye shall wante nothing for what can bee more easie than to aske of a father whatsoeuer verely ye shall aske of him in my name it shall be geuen you What nede you any other ayde The father alone maye do all thinges and he will deny my frendes and them that aske in my name nothing hitherto my bodely presence hath letted you to aske any thing in my name worthie the same for as yet ye do not wholy depende of heauenly ayde but as being led by worldly affeccion ye do depende vpon this bodie hereafter lyfting vp your hertes to heauen make your peticion where ye knowe me to be a present aduocate and ye shall obtaine whatsoeuer ye aske that your ioye which shall after this heuines where in you be now come vnto you by reason that ye shall se me againe maye than be full and perpetuall for than shall be no chaunge of sorowe and ioye by hauing or not hauing of me after the infirmitie of the body but trusting to heauenly succour that is alwaye ready for you hauing alwaye the spirite a present coumforter and counceler ye maye enioye a continuall gladnes of conscience thankyng and praysyng God bothe in prosperitie and also in aduersitie This nowe by the waye haue I sumwhat obscurely and prouerbially spoken vnto you as yet not fully vnderstanding what I doe saye for it behoued so to geue place and beare with your infirmitie that you also maye learne to coÌ„descend and agree to the imbecillitie and weakenesse of other but the time shall come whan hauing this mortall body remoued hence I shall coÌ„mon with you than being more stablished and stronger and also sorowe set a syde more attent of my father manifestly without closynge vp the matter in parables for now by reason that your minde is vnsteadie weake and carefull the thing which is plainly and openly spoken is to you as it were a parable At length I shal euen by my spirite declare and open vnto you the very certaintie of my fathers wyll for it