a mother and bryng foorth God she disdayned not to be taken and vsed as the wyfe of a poore Carpenter though she were a woman full and whole consecrated to God ¶ And it fortuned that whyle they wer there her time was come that she should be deliuered â–ª And she broughte foorth her first begotten soonne and wrapped him in swadlyng clothes and laied him in a maungier because there was no roume for them in the ynne And so whyle they by occasion hereof made their abode there for certaine daies and remained in the citie of Bethleem it fortuned that the ful monethes of her goiyng with chylde expired and the time of her deliueraunce was now come whiche thyng God wrought to th entent it myght the more euidently bee knowen and seen to all persones that he which was then borne there was naturally veraye man in dede The Lord of heauen and yerth pieked out for himselfe to bee borne in a slender and basse litle toune in whiche neuerthelesse he had no house at all he chose out parentes of the pooreste and loweste sorte It was also his pleasure to be borne in a straunge place froÌ„ his own home to the entente that we should be ashamed both of our pride and also of oure auarice and that we might at leste wyse by his exaumple learne that mans felicitie is not to bee measured or estemed by these common gooddes of thys transitorye worlde whiche if they bee not taken awaye from vs yet we fyrst or last are taken awaye from them but the blisse of man to bee estemed by suche good thynges and treasures as endure for euer yea and that it myght ferther be a lesson for vs to gather and laye vp treasures to that same countreyward to the ende that we maye there continuallye without ende haue the fruicion of them For yf we wyll vpryghtely make comparison of the matter with true iudgemeÌ„tes there was more dignity and high estate more power more maiestie in this same moste humble and poore birth of Christ then in all the pompes triumphes and solemne shewes of royaltie of all the Emperours that euer were Thus than in Bethleem which is called the house of bread did this holy yoÌ„g virgin bring foorth vnto vs that same heauenly breade of whiche whoso eateth doth neuer dye And this was that same onely chylde bearyng of a virgin the like presideÌ„t or ensauÌ„ple wherof was neuer afore nor neuer after folowed And the chyld was to his mother her onely sonne and in respect to vs her first begotten in respecte of vs I saye whom he hath in spirite ioyned to himself and made vs bothe hys brethren and also partakers with hym of hys euerlastyng inheritaunce because he would not come alone to his father but he as the fyrst begotten sonne on his owne partie would bring with him many mo brethren besydes hymself to the felowshyp and partakynge of euerlasting saluacion Now whan this litle babe was borne the mother did not put it forth to the nourcing of other women for on the one syde for tender motherly loue that she bare to it she would none other nources but herselfe and on the other syde by reason of her pouertye she had none but her veray owne self with her owne handes lapped it vp in swadling baÌ„des and cloutes suche as she hadde And because that in the common ynne where hostery and lodgyng was kept there was by reason of the great resort of welthier geastes none other roume ne place void for her beyng but new deliuered of child she layd doune her youÌ„g babe in a maunger that was there by in stede of a cradle Geue eare thou proud ryche man what euer thou be that heapeste together possessions and landes vpon landes and that art in euery corner a builder of houses offer me holdes of mainours and of palacies He that is bothe the Lorde and also the maker of heauen and yearth and to whome thou thy selfe haste in baptisme professed and acknowlaged thy selfe a disciple and seruaunt is borne in a straung place from his owne home and hath not ne canne geat so muche as a litle corner of good roume in a common hosterie If thou acknowleage thy soueraigne Lord and maister whose commaundementes thou hast by a faithful othe bound thy selfe to obey and fulfyll leate it not gâ—eue the to folowe his exaumple but rather bee thou ashamed of thyne owne proude mynde And there were in thesame region shepeherdes watchyng and kepyng their flocke by nyght And loe the aungel of the Lorde stoode hard by them and the bryghtnesse of the Lord shone round about them and they wer sore afrayed And the Aungel sayd vnto them be not afrayed for beholde I bryng you tydinges of great ioye that shall come to all people For vnto you is borne thys daye in the citie of Dauyd a salueour whiche is Christ the Lorde And take this for a sygne ye shall fynde the chylde wrapped in swadlyng clothes and layed in a maungier And streyght way there was with the angell a multitude of heauenly souldiers praisyng god and saiyng glorye to god on hygh and peace on the yearth and vnto men a good wylle Her ken nowe in what sorte this humble poorenes of birthe is altogether full of all princely royaltye There was a tour not ferre from Bethleem called in the Hebrue toungue the toure of Ader as yf ye shoulde saye in Englishe the toure of the flocke and it was soe named because that by reason of the good pasture grouÌ„des that laie inthose parties there was veray great store of shepe and other cattall pastured there And in dede of thys toure Ader doeth the Prophete Micheas also make mencyon lyke as he doeth of Bethleem There were therfore in those quarters diuerse shepeherdes that watched abrode in the night seasons for safegarde of theyr flockes Ueryly euen by the thyng selfe geuyng a good lesson what thyng byshops ought of theyr bounden duetye to doe for the helth of the people committed to theyr spirytuall charge yf they wyll folow the ensaumple or steppes of Christ the Prince and head of all shepeherdes And in the night time was thatsame most bright sunne of righteousnesse borne which should on euery syde put awaye the darkenes of the worlde And his pleasure was fyrst of al to haue hys byrth knowen rather to men of low degree because he was borne after a poore soort and to shepeherdes because hymselfe was a ghostly pastoure then to Emperours to kynges to rulers or deputies of couÌ„treyes to Phariseis to Scribes to byshops And loe sodainly the Aungel Gabriel stoode on high derectely ouer theyr heades and besides him also a certain straung light sodainly flushed and shone round about the shepeherdes which was neyther the lyght of the sunne nor of the moone ne of any candle But although thissame were a thyng that semed no lesse then to betoken some good luckye thyng to be toward yet the shepeherdes by reason
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
whome ye teache shall be vnkynde towarde you of whome they receyue farre greater thynges ¶ But to whatsoeuer citie or towne ye shall come enquire who is worthy in it and there abyde tyll ye go thence And whan ye come into the house salute thesame and if the house be worthy let your peace come vpon it but if it be not worthy let your peace returne to you again And whosoeuer shall not receyue you nor wil heare your preachyng whan ye departe oute of that house or citie â—â—ake of the dust of your feet Ueâ—ely I saye vnto you It shall be easyer for the lande of Zodoma and Gomortha in the daye of iudgement than for that Citie And ye shall be grieuouse to no man with begging nor no man shall caste you in the teeth with his benefit because he hath made a chaunge for better thinges rather than geuen any thing For it shall not be nedefull for you to tourne into common innes but into what citie or strete you entre into firste enquyre yf there be any honest man there desyrouse of the heauenlye kyngdome and wery of the worlde whiche with godlye desyres sygheth nowe and than after Messias that was promysed whiche sheweth a greate hope of greater increase by simplicitie and innocencie of lyfe by liberalitie towarde the poore For suche one will be a very mete hoste for you and again ye shall be meete gestes for him Whan ye haue founde suche an one turne into his house and chaunge not your inne vntyll youre busines aboute the gospell causeth you to remoue into another citie For it shall not be nedeful neyther comely for you oftentimes to chaunge your host as light persons or persons desyrouse of more deynty fare Euery house euery fare oughte to suffyse for men of the gospell Be ye curteous gentill of manners that ye appere neither proude nor â—atterers Whan ye enter into the house speake fyrste and saye Peace be in this house Youre prayer shall not bee in vayne For yf the house be worthy this prayer by and by withoute delaye it wyll receyue it but yf it refuse it your salutacion shall not be loste For that whiche they despise shall returne vnto you And truely I woulde not haue you bowyng and becking or flatteryng any man for your necessities that yf any house thinke muche to receyue you or yf anye citie thinke muche to haue you as geastes and wyll not of theyr owne accorde receyue the saluacion of the ghospell offred vnto them I will that ye shall leaue the house whiche ye saluted and leaue the citie whereunto ye entred and go into the stretes and shake of the dust from your feete declaryng openly that ye hunt for none of theyr worldly commodities who caste of the ghospell of God insomuche that ye shall not be caste in the teeth with the vile duste that sticketh vpon your feete Here haue in remembraunce that an holy thyng must not be geuen to dogges nor precious margarites caste vnto hogges Onely see that ye laye this to the vnkynde wyll they nyll they that the kyngdom of god is at hande to the greate commoditie of them that receiue it and to the great hurte of them that refuse it Auyse them whiche receyue the worde of the gospell Wo be to that citie wherein none shal be founde that doeth repent him of his yll lyfe and desyreth not to be amended This I assure you that the countrey of Sodom and Gormorre shal be more gently handled in the daye of iudgement than that citie though it be a citie of Israel The more that the clemency of god is to prouoke them to penaunce by so many myracles and so many benefites the more grieuously shall they be punished yf they reiect it ¶ Beholde I sende you furth as shepe among wolues be ye therfore wyse as serpentes and innocent as doues But beware of those men for they shall delyuer you vp to the counsels and shall scourge you in their Synâ—goges And ye shall be brought to the head rulers kynges 〈◊〉 my sake in witnes to them and to the Gentyles But whan they deliuer you vp take you no thought how or what ye shall speake for it shall be geuen you euen in that same boure what ye shall speake For it is not ye that speake but the spirite of your father which speaketh in you The brother shall delyuer the brother to death and the father the sonne and the children shall acyse against theyr fathers and mothers and shall put them to death and ye shal be hated of al men for my names sake But he that endureth to the ende shall be saued But leue ye the punishment of them to god be ye meke and pacient against all iniuries and so endeuour to profite all good men that whan ye be prouoked of yll men ye requiâ—e not iniuries It is sufficient for you to bee garnished with those thinges wherewith ye maye do good to all men Against the iniuries of men I wyll haue you vtterly without weapon and to ouercome with none other defence but with sufferaunce Otherwise I coulde make you terrible and to be feared but it is not expedient for the gospell For violence doeth not extinguishe violence nor iniury iniury nor pryde pryde but rather couldnes gentilnes and quietnes I know that the phariseis and men that â—e stoute with the succoure of this world will go about to do you sore displeasures But against all these there is none other buckeler but pacience Nor there is no cause to feare ye be sent lyke shepe without weapon simple innocent in the middes of wolues but ye be sent of me I would not that ye beyng prouoked by their naughtines shoulde he turned into wolues but to go about this by all meanes that the wolues asswaged by your gentylnes maye be turned into shepe It is no great matter to reuenge yll men but to turne their hertes to good is a veray great an harde matter Therfore ye must couple two certayne thinges together the policy of the serpente and the simplicitie of the doue The simplicitie of the doue shall cause you to desire to do good to al men and to hurt no man no though ye be prouoked The policy of the serpente shall cause you to geue none occasion wherby your doctrine might be reproued This is the chiefe point of your ambassade that the gospell maye entre into all mennes hartes Therfore ye must do vtterly nothyng which by any probable colour might withdrawe any mans harte from the doctrine of the gospell Your doctrine shall make great stirres and tumultes in the worlde the more therfore ye must beware leste any busynesse aryse through your defaulte Whiche can not be yf ye communicate your benefites freely vnto all men and kepe pacience also towardes the yll men and desyre to do them good Therfore with suche maner of men yea wolues rather ye muste worke warelye and nowe prepare
enlarge it being brought into narrowe roume and finally establishe it againe beyng vnstable and at no sure staye These thinges wryte I moste christian prince of a pure zele and good mynde neyther reprehending any man sence I beare all men my good wyll neyther flatteryng with any or corying fauoure because I seke naught at no mannes handes Almightie God graunt your highnesse well to fare Yeuen the first of Decembre in the yere of our lorde M. CCCCC.xxiii ¶ The lyfe of S. Marke written by S. Hierome MArke the disciple and interpreter of Peter beyng desired of the brethren at Rome wrote a shorte ghospell accordyng as he hearde Peter preache shew euery thing by mouth The whiche ghospell the same Peter after he had heard it dyd allow and publishe by his authoritie because it should be red of the congregacion as recordeth Clement in the sixt boke of his worke entitled Dispositiones Of this Marke Papias also bishop of Hierusalem maketh mencion And Peter in his first Epistle where vnder the name of Babylon by a figuratiue manour of speakyng he vnderstandeth Rome hath these wordes The congregacion of them which at Babylon are companions of your eleccion saluteth you and so doth Marke my sonne Wherfore he toke the ghospell that hymselfe had written and went into Egipt and first of all men preached Christ at AlexaÌ„dria where he ordeyned a churche or congregacion of suche pure doctrine and perfite lyâ—ing that he made all that professed Christ to folowe his exaÌ„ple To be shorte Philo the eloquentest wryter of the Iewes perceyuyng the first congregacion of Alexandria yet to perseuer in the Iewishe religioÌ„ wrote a boke of their conuersacion as it were in the praise of his nacion And as Luke sheweth how all thinges were common among the beleuers at hierusalem so dyd he put in wryting all that euer he sawe done at Alexandria during the tyme that Marke there taught and preached He dyed in the eyght yere of Neros reigne and was buried at Alexandria in whose place succeded Anianus The Paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Gospell of Sainct Marke The first Chapter IT is naturallye gyuen to all men to desyre felicitie This felicitie many worldly men right politique and wyse as touchyng a certain kynde of wisdome haue hitherto promised some by suche lawes as they haue made and written other some by rules and preceptes that they haue giuen to teache men how to leade a vertuouse and a godlye life But for as much as they were meÌ„ne they were not able to perfourme their promise For they neyther wiâ—t themselfes what was the true perfyte felicitie of man nor wherein it stoode And for this cause it came to passe that in stede of true felicitie they embraced a certain deceyuable image or shadowe therof and infected other with their errour beyng bothe deceyued them selfes and deceyuers Therfore bothe the lawe makers and philosophiers brought vs a certaine gospell of their owne inuencion but suche a one as was partely false and deceyuable and partly werishe and of no efficacie Moyses and the Prophetes wrote a more certain and piththie gospell than they but to one nacion alone and as that tyme required wrapped with figures and shadowes disposing men onely to the knowleage of veritie but vnsufficient to giue perfite saluacion neuerthelesse sumwhat promoting therunto wherin goddes wisdome resembleth nature whiche bringeth vs and as a maÌ„ would say leadeth vs by the hande from the knowleage of thynges that are vndre our corporall sight vnto the knowleage of thinges inuisible And yet theyr gospell conteineth in it more feare then glad and ioyful promise and hath muche more bewrayed the wickednes of man than taken away the same rather beaten into mennes myndes goddes might and power than set out his mercie and goodnesse caused more rather dreade then emplanted loue For what could man do but feare tremble and despayre after he had learned by the law that he was alwayes in bondage and subieccion of sinne and not able to refrayne therfro and also did knowe how no manne coulde escape the iudgement of God a very rigorous sore auenger of synne and vngodlinesse Who is he that can finde in his harte to loue hym whome he feareth Now the dreade of goddes iustice although it be many tymes the beginning of saluacion euen as a bitter medicine that vexeth the whole bodie of manne is the entrey to health yet is it not the thyng whiche maketh man to haue perfite felicitie The grace and beneficiall goodnes of God causeth man to loue God and loue to godward is the thing that auaâ—â—ceth hym to happie state and felicitie Therfore after the whole worlde was sumwhat prepared as wel by the prophecies and foresayinges of the prophetes as by the commaundementes and figures of Moyses in these laste dayes was opened and preached vnto the same that verye ioyefull gospell that all meÌ„ne ought to embrace and most louingly to receyue whiche of the owne accorde or without any deseruyng on mans behalfe bringeth not onely to the Iewes but also to all nacions of the worlde remission of all sinnes And lest haply any manne put doubtes in the certaintie of this promise it is God that maketh it and no manne neyther is his ambassadour Moyses or anye of the Prophetes but the verye sonne of God hymselfe Iesus Christe who for oure saluacion came downe from heauen toke vpon him our corruptible fleshe to thintent that he beyng giltlesse and without all synne might by hys passion and death freely geue innocencie and lyfe to all that beleue his promyses and put theyr whole affiaunce in hym For God who is of his own proper nature gracious and beneficial would by this meanes shewe that excedyng great and inestimable kindnesse that he bare towardes maÌ„kynde which was so great that greater can neyther be desyred ne ought to be loked for He could not sende a more honorable messenger than his owne onely begotten sonne nor shewe more kyndnesse than through faythe onely freely to release all mennes offenses were they neuer so many neuer so great and heynous yea and ouer this through his holy spirite chose those that were before slaues and bondmen of the diuell to be felowes with his soonne by whome he hath geuen vs al thinges both in heauen and in earth And bycause nothyng could be more ioyfull then this message or tydinges it is by right good skyll called of the Grekes Euangelion that is asmuche to saye in Englishe as glad and ioyfull tydynges to comfort you that you should no more feare the yoke and burthen of Moyses lawe ¶ The beginning of the ghospell of Iesu Christe the sonne of God as it is written in the Prophetes Beholde I sende my messenger before thy face whiche shall prepare thy waye before the. The voyce of a crier in the wildernesse prepare ye the waye of the Lorde and make his pathes streight Iohn did baptise in the wildernesse and preached the baptisme of repentaunce for the
nature leaueth a place for the obtaynyng of forgeuenesse But he that blasphemouselye hath spoken agaynst the holy gost shall neuer obtayne pardon That man speaketh blasphemy agaynst the holy gost who being hardened and obstinate through malice ascribeth those workes vnto the spirite of Beelzebub which he seeth plainlye cannot otherwyse be done then by the spirite of God Erroure and ignoraunce are pardonable But howe is it possible that a purpensed malice againste the goodnesse of almightye God prouokyng vs to saluacion shall get anye pardon at all The weakenesse of mans bodye shall excuse suche blasphemy as is committed against the sonne of man But to ascribe goddes power the whiche plainelye apppeareth in my dedes to the healthe and saluacion of mankinde vnto Beelzebub the enemy of God is a kynde of blasphemye for the whiche no amendes or satisfaccion can be made These wordes spake Iesus vnto them defending the fathers glorie and nothing in the meane whyle passyng vpon his owne He meant that theyr offence myght be better excused and borne withall whiche had an euill opinion of hym as his kynnesfolkes and cosens had who sayed He is becum furious and prepared cheynes to binde him withall then the wickednesse of the Phariseis who of a certaine vncurable malyce ascribed those woorkes vnto the spirite of Beelzebub whiche they coulde in no wyse fynde faulte with nor say but they were worthye to procede of God They yet perceyued not the diuine nature that was in Christ. For he would not as yet haue it vttered and knowen Certes God hath oftimes by vertue of his holy spirite and the ministery of good liuers wrought miracles willing therfore to be glorifyed among men Now yf any man not by reason of ignoraunce but of very malyce do ascribe suche miracles vnto the spirite of Beelzebub then is his peruerse and malicious naughtines past all hope of amendement Wherfore they might haue bene excused yf they had sayde that Christe had bene nothing els but a man or that he had bene no kyng nor Messias But in that they depraued and spake yll of his workes they offended God and his holy spirite in asmuche as the spirite of god can worke by whome soeuer it lusteth Nowe when they sawe so manye myracles merueylousely wrought the people glorify God so manye holpen of theyr infirmities so many deliuered of vncleane spirites so many turne from viciouslyâ—ing to a godly desyre to lyue well and vertuousely after the ghospell and that by the preaching of Christ yet they obstinately sayde he hath a deuill and not the spirite of god ¶ There came also his mother and his brethren and stode without and sent vnto him to call hym out and the people sate about hym and sayed vnto him behold thy mother and thy brethren seke for the without And he answered them saying who is my mother and my brethren and when he had loked rounde aboute on his disciples whiche sate in compasse about him he sayd beholde my mother and my brethren For whosoeuer dothe the will of God the same is my brother and my syster and mother After the Lorde Iesus had with these and many other wordes defended the glory of the heauenly father against the wicked blasphemy of the Phariseis and imbrayded the Iewes with theyr obstinate and incorrigible vnbeliefe which they perseuered in notwithstanding that thorow faith alonly al synnes are â—ewsed and forgeuen in the meane time there befell occasion for him also to declare that in the high ministracion of the ghospel there ought no regarde at all to be had to humayne affeccions the whiche in other mattiers to be muche moued by is counted a thing prayse worthie and right commendable For there came vnto hym his kynsfolkes in companye with his mother who because there was no way for them to entre in for prease of people stoode without and theyr voyce passyng from man to man came vnto them that sate aboute Iesus who shewed him howe his mother and brethren were cum and desyred to speake with hym There were sum euen among his nere kinsemen whiche had an euill opinion of him yea and many of them supposed he had bene out of his witte Yet they thought by reason of kinred they might lawfully at any tyme when they woulde call hym oute to speake with them The Lorde to teache vs that the busynesse of the gospell whiche was done by the spirite of the father for mans saluacion and goddes glory ought not to be left of for any affeccions humayne aunswered as though he had been angrye and in a great fume saying who is my mother and who are my brethren and kinsfolkes In this busynesse whiche I haue now in hande I knoweledge no fleshlye kyndred The ghospell hath a spirituall kinred of frowne the whiche ioyneth together mens mindes with streighter bondes then doth the other theyr bodyes And when he had loked round about on his disciples who sate in compasse nexte hym as he was teaching he sayde Behold these are my brethren and my mother As the ghospell maketh a new birth so doth it also a new kinred For whoso beleueth the gospel and therein obeyeth the wil of my heauenly father although he be not only fardest froÌ„ me as touching kinred of stocke or familie but also the strangest alyaunte that is to all oure nacion thesame is my brother the same is my sister the same is my mother For this kynred is not estemed after the degrees of bloud but by degrees of the spirite I acknowledge none to be of my kinred except he be borne afresh of the heauenly father through fayth and then as a very naturall sonne doe obeye his father when he calleth hym to euerlasting thinges As euery man will in moste perfecte wise perfourme this so shall I take him for my nerest kinseman The .iiij. Chapter ¶ And he began againe to teache by the sea syde And there gathered together vnto him muche people so greatly that he entred 〈◊〉 ship and sate in the sea and all the people was by the sea syde on the shore THerefore Iesus forsoke the house which bare the figure of the Sinagoge wherin he was blasphemed of the Phariseis and interrupted throughe thimportunacie of his kinsfolkes and eftsones went vnto the water as one that desyred the large roume of the Gentiles He is ofte times expelled of the Iewes he maketh oftetimes a foresigne that the gospell shal be tranâ—sted from the Iewes vnto the Gentiles For as longe as he was in the house that is to saye in Iewry very few did sticke vnto hym none but those onely whome he calleth his brethren his systers and his mothers Many muttered againste hym many rayled vpon hym very many lay in wayte for him his nerest kinsfolkes of all interrupted him in his teachyng Iesus loueth no suche houses He loueth a multitude not the standeth in theyr owne conceyte as the Phariseis did not that vseth to backebite and make yll report of
poynte of a certaine veray true maidenly tendre shamefastnesse that she made not answere out of hande but cast with herselfe in her mynde what thyng so straunge and so high a salutacioÌ„ might meane was partely a poynte of wysedome and partely of demure softenesse But forasmuche as the Aungell right well knewe what she was casting in her mynde he would not suffre her any longer to stande in doubt or perplexitie but both toke away her feare with speakyng ientely vnto her and also declared at large the cause of that his vnquod and straunge gretyng Mary sayeth he there is no cause why thou shouldest be afeard The iewell of thy virginitie and maydenhood which thou art sigularly in loue withall is safe vnto the without any daunger of lesyng it Neyther am I come to please the or to set the agog with a vaine salutacion but I am come vnto the as a messagier of a matter both passyng ioyfull and also veray great Ponder not thine owne desertes Of the mere fauour of god it is that is offered vnto the not of thine owne merite And euen in this veray poynte thou doest please God that thou standest in no conceipte of thy selfe And let this suffice the that thou haste atteyned grace fauour at Gods hand And nowe herken a thing neuer heard afore but yet a true thyng Thou shalt conceyue a babe in thy wombe and shalt bryng furth a sonne and shalt call his name Iesus because he shall bryng saluacion vnto his people And although he shal be borne in an homely place and of a mayden estemed to be of lowe degree Yet by reason of his heauenly gyftes of grace he shal euery waye be moste greatest insomuche that after he shall once be knowen to the worlde he shal be called not by the name of a Prophete but the sonne of the hyghest The surname shall be greater then any other manne maye haue forbecause the chylde that must be borne shall ferre surmounte the common rate and degree of mortall mannes state In this chylde certes wyll the Lord God perfourme and accomplishe the thyng which the prophecie being to thee not vnknowen hath promised A man borne of the stocke of Dauid shall sit in the throne of his father He shall not through the ayde and maynteinaunce of the worlde vsurpe or take vpon hym a transitorie dominion and reigne of this worlde but his heauenly father will geue him the heauenly reigne of Dauid and he shal reigne ouer the people of Israel for euer without end Neither shal there euer come any ende of his reigne as the Prophete Esay hath prophecied Than sayed Mary vnto the Aunâ—â—ll â–ª howe shall this come to passe seyng that I knowe not any man and the Aungell answered and sayd vnto her The holy ghoste shall come vpon thee and the power of the highest shall ouershadowe thee And therfore the holy that shal be borne shal be called the sonne of God The hearte of this virgin dyd not through these so high promises of the Aungell weaxe any whit the more haulte to take vpon her neither dyd she of the highnes of the matters conceiue any distrust She conceyued not in her mynde any suche presumpcion that whan her sonne should be a kyng she on her partie also should be made a quene neyther was she vnknowyng that nothyng there was of suche high difficultie to bee done whiche God was not hable with a mere becke to bryng to passe All her care and thought was onely for she iewell of her virginitie on whiche she had so muche set her loue And therfore she doeth not requyre a token of the Aungell as Zacharie had done but doeth with maidenly shamefastnes and also according to wisedom no more but enquire to knowe of the Aungell the maner how the thing should be wrought and doen and maketh answer vnto him in this maner By what meane or waye shall it come to passe sayeth she that I shall bryng furthe a sonne forasmuche as I am in suche sorte espoused to my good man whom I do nowe lyue withall that yet neuerthelesse I haue no conuersacion of his bodye suche as wedlocke requireth For continencie lyketh vs bothe and this poynte of blysfulnesse yf it myght be we would full faine haue perpetually to endure betwene vs. The Aungell therfore teacheth howe it should be doen and taketh awaye from the virgin all doubtfulnesse concernyng her virginitie O virgin sayeth the Aungell nothyng shall in this matter be doen or wrought after the common course of nature An heauenly chylde bearyng shall it be and by an heauenly worker shall it from the firste ende to the last be executed Thou shalt continue in chaste loue towardes thy chaste spouse Fruitefulnesse of issue the happiest that euer maye be shall come to thy lotte without any detrimente or violacion of thy virginitie For thou hast not an housband geuen vnto threfor any suche purpose either that he should make thee a mother or els thou make him a father but the prouidence of God hath thought good by this meanes to make a sure waye for thy safegarde and preseruacion for thy good name and fame for thy virginitie and maidenhood and for thy conuenient quietnesse It was goddes pleasure that an vndoubted witnesse of this straunge chyldebearyng should be both present and assistente to the thyng he would in no wyse but that thou shouldest haue one who with chaste and continente lyuyng in thy coumpany and with all poyntes of feithfull seruiceablenesse should geue diligent attendaunce aswell on thee as on the chylde that is to bee borne and finally it was his pleasure that by this deuise pretence this misterie should bee kept secrete from the vnbeleuing sorte and also kept secrete from the wieked spirites And this holy copulacion of the diuine nature with the nature of man shall not violate thy chastitie but shall make it altogether holy The father of heauen hath determined after a straunge sorte eft sones to be gette his sonne on thee Neither shall there any sede of a manne mortall bee requisite or nedefull to this diuine concepcion but the holy ghost shall from heauen come downe into thee and in thy wombe as it were in an heauenly workehouse shall accomplishe the working of this holy babe and in stede of the bodelye or carnall embracing of an houseband the highest shall ouershadow thee in such wyse tempering and qualifying his infinite power and vertue to the measure and capacitie of mannes nature that it maye be hable to abyde the metyng together and the conioyning therof Where filthy lust is in the carnall copulacion of man and wife there whatsoeuer is borne is borne vncleane and thrall to synne But this that shall be borne of thee because it shall be conceyued of the moste holy embracing of the highest because it shal be coÌ„ceiued by the workyng of the holy ghost who maketh all thynges holy because it shall be
enioyned that euery seuenth yere it should bee rested from tillyng of the yearth ▪ neyther any thyng to bee requyred of thesame sauyng what it woulde bryng forth of it owne selfe He gaue ferthermore a tradicion of a yere called the restorer of the fyrste state of libertie vnto whiche of the propertie of the thyng was geuen the name of Iubilee emong the Hebrewes This yere of Iubilee came about in course agayne after vii tymes seuen yeares and was euermore the fyftieth for seuen tymes seuen maketh x.ix And this yere of Iubilee was moste hertely to bee wished for of all the Israelites that eyther with bonde seruice or els with debte were any thyng oppressed But like as the sabboth of Moses refreshed mennes bodies onely with beeyng at reste and quiete so did the seuēth yere onely prouide for the resting of the yearth from tillage But nowe there is shewed vnto your knowelage a perpetuall sabboth neuer to bee interrupted or broken in whiche the mynde and soule beyng free vacant from all troublous vnquietnesse of eiuil desyres ought wholly to attēde to the quiet applying and exercise of heauenly thynges and not now with pensife earefulnesse to prouide altogether for yearthly thynges forasmuche as to them that loue God no manier thyng at all is wantyng Yea and moreouer the Iubilee of Moses did not helpe any others but onely the Israelites it gaue neither free deliueraunce ne yet full deliueraunce yea and thatsame veray thyng whiche it did geue extēded no ferther then to the bodye and enduted but for a shorte tyme. But this yeare of the Lorde dooeth vnto all persones whosoeuer are endebted to the deuill through synne whosoeuer bee as bonde seruauntes subiecte to euill spirites whosoeuer through ignoraunce of the trueth are blynde whosoeuer bee in all kyndes of naughtinesse so farre paste that they are vnhable to euery good worke vnto all suche dooeth this Iubilee of the Lorde bryng perfecte free remissiō deliueraunce or libertie sight health and complete perfeccion in euery behalfe So muche the more therfore ought ye with prompt zeles and endeuoures to enbrace that is offered For the thyng that ye haue hearde promised by the prophecie ye maye now if ye wyl in the dede selfe fynde to be true Ye haue hearde it with your eares but ye haue nede of readie and desyrefull hertes yf ye wyll bee apte to receyue so great a blissefulnesse It is euen the highest thing that possibly maye bee wherof this free offre is made vnto you But woe vnto them that shall despyse the bountifull gracious goodnesse of God so wyllingly offreing it selfe vnto them It is the yeare of Iubilee freelye offreyng deliueraunce and saluacion vnto all suche as with mekenes of submission and with readinesse of beleuyng shewe theimselfe wylling to bee taught and apte to receyue healing But after this yeare of Iubilee must succede and folowe the yeare of retribuciō and redresse which shal adiudge and ministre euerlastyng peynes in hell vnto all suche as shall haue refused the goodnesse of God By these woordes dyd the Lorde Iesus in an humble and sobre manier signifie hymselfe to bee thesame man of whom the Prophecie of Esaie did make promysse whereas the mooste parte belieued the sayed place of the Prophete not to concerne Messias but to concerne Esaie hymselfe For whan Iesus was in baptisyng the holye ghoste slydyng downe from heauen in the visible likenesse of a doue and lighting vpō his heade did all the people to wete that thissame was euen veraye he whome the prophecie had ment of Enoyntyng betokeneth a certayne mylde and ientill still thyng For there is nothyng more ientill supple or caulme then oile wherof was euen that name Messias geuen him which is in Greke Christon in Latine Vnctum in Englyshe the enoynted For as for the preachyng of Iohn it was sharpe and soure and full of threatyng but Christe did with mildenesse with courteous familiaritie and with beneficial good turnes continually moue and praye the people to receyue saluacion Whan Iesus dyd with moste highe auctoritie and no lesse myldenesse speake and treate of the premisses many had him in great estimacion therfore and merueyled at his talke beyng veray ferre vnlyke to the talke of the Pharisees that is to wete caulme mylde and meke amiable poudred with muche grace hauyng in it no spice of haultnes or pryde no poynte of soure looke or presumpteous takyng vpon hym and yet neuerthelesse of suche sorte that it conteyned in it condigne auctoritie For the woordes of the Pharisees because they issued foorth from an hearte corrupted with ambicion with auarice with enuie and with many other naughtye affeccions did moste tymes smacke of the spryng that they gushed out of But the wordes whiche proceded from the mouthe of Iesus because they welled foorth from a brest replenished with the heauenly spirite of God were not onely amiable and swete vnto all good folkes but also piththy and effectuall towarde saluacion Yet neuerthelesse some there were emong these Nazareans in whose myndes and opinions the meanesse of Iesus kynred and familie that he came of to the outwarde acceptacion of the worlde made the auctoritie of the heauenlye doctrine to bee the lesse regarded For in consideracion that they euery one dyd yet all this while beleue hym to bee the sonne of Ioseph and Marie and that the slender habilitie and substaunce aswell of Ioseph and Marie bothe as also of theyr aliaunce and kynsfolkes was not vnknowen in consideracion also that they hadde seen hym many yeares euen from his chyldehood to had learned at noue other schoole sauyng onelye his fathers occupacion of carpentrie ne at any tyme to had haunted the schooles of the Pharisees and of the experte lawiers who taughte the misteries of the holye scripture bookes with muche highe solemnitie and haultenesse of countinaunce they did muche meruayle where and how he had soodaynly gotten so great vertue and power whiche he had to fore shewed foorth in other cities by diuerse and soondrye myracles they mused where he had gotten that same wondrefull knowlage of diuinitie bookes they wondred where he had gotten so great eloquence to speake after that sorte with auctoritie For they did not yet vnderstād of how muche more power and effecte the enoyntyng of the spirite of God is then the doctrine of the Phariseis Estemyng hym therefore by the thynges whiche they knew in him after the fleshe they sayed Is not this same felowe the sonne of Ioseph the carpenter for they knewe not the heauenly father who than wrought by his soonne And because that Iesus wrought ferre fewer miracles in the citie of Nazareth then he shewed in other cities certayne of his kynsfolkes beeyng halfe in a fume and indignacion therewith detracted and reproued hym as thoughe that eyther he had not his power ready to serue hym euery where or els that he oughed his owne kynsfolkes suche despite that he woulde shewe no myracles emong theim
that is my sonne so dere beloued vnto my hert as none other is but he alone therefore herken ye to hym This voice thus sounyng in their eares Iesus was founde alone leste they mighte haue demed the testimonie of that voyce to concerne any other person then eueÌ„ veray him onely And the sayed three disciples ryght so as they were commaunded of the Lorde kept the matter close and reported not the priuity of that vision to any creature aliue vntill Christ had arisen againe from deaâ—h to lyfe after his passion For it was not the Lordes pleasure to haue the maiestie of his Godhed published or openly spoken of before the tyme of his deathe aswell because there shoulde bee nothyng that myght be a lette vnto thatsame sacrifice whereby mankynde was to bee restored as also because that thyng myght not bee openly talked of whiche no man woulde than beleue yf it had bene reported And all vnder â—ne did he therin by an exaumple that was a true matter in dede geue a lesson to vs that in case any excellent good thing be in vs we should raâ—hâ—â— kepe it close then make vauntes or braggues therof and in case we haue any special vertue or good qualitye in vs by the free gyfte of God thesame is to bee declared and shewed in deedes rather then by makyng many gaie or high woordes of it ¶ And it chaunced that on the nexte daye as they came down from the hille muche people met hym And beholde a man of the coumpaignie cried out saiyng maister I beseche the beholde my sonne for he is all that I haue and see a spirite taketh hym and soodaynely crieth and he knocketh and beateth hym that he foometh againe and with muche peine departeth from him whan he hath rent hym I besought thy disciples â—o cast hym out they coulde not Iesus aunswered and saied O feithlesse and crooked nacion howe long shal I bee with you and shall suffre you Bryng thy soonne hither As he was yet a cummâ—ng the fâ—ende rent him and tare him And Iesus rebuked the vncleane spirite and healed the childe and deliuered him to his father And they were all amased at the high power of God The nexte daye folowyng Iesus came downe from the hyll with his said thre disciples And he fouÌ„d a mighty great multitude of people gathered about the residue of the disciples whom he hadde lefte there behynd hym whan he addressed hym to goe vp to the mountayne But the people assoone as they espied Iesus returnyng agayn went to mete hym For they had found a great lacke mysse of his presence And there had happened a freshe matter why they should require to haue his presence For one of yâ— couÌ„paignie cryed out to hym saiyng maister I most humbly beseche thee leat the extreme miserie of a sonne of mine moue the. For I haue no mo but him alone and he is holden with an extreme tyrannous deuill whiche dooeth euerye other whyle soodaynlye take hym and vexeth hym sundry waies that pitie it is to see with much greate roaryng flasshyng hym on the grounde and so wrestyng his limmes as though he woulde teare them from the body of hym and he fomyng at the mouthe for peine all the whyle And as often as he taketh hym he scracelye departeth from hym vntyll all hys body be rent and torne I praied thy disciples to caste out this spirit They did their best but they haue not bene hable to dooe it Than Iesus well perceiuyng that the thyng hadde so chaunced by reason of the fathers vnbeliefe that prayed for health to his soonne and in consideracion of his disciples feithe beeyng yet hitherto but weake he cryed with a loude voyce saiyng O nacion full of mistrustyng and of an herte nothyng single howe long tyme shall I bee conuersaunt emong you and shall suffre these thynges Can I not yet all thys whyle bring thus muche to passe to make you haue a perfeicte feyth and truste in me dooeth the weakenesse of thys bodye of myne so muche leate you And turnyng hymselfe to the man and requyring of hym afore hand to haue a more stedfast feith he saied Bring thy sonne hither to me And as soone as the young thyng was brought to Iesus the eiuil spirite that was in him tooke him quasshyng the chylde on the grounde and immediatelye Iesus restored hym to hys health and gaue him to his father agayne made perfectely whole where his father had brought him thither vnpossible to be cured by any mannes helpe The more miserable that the sight of this eiuill had been so muche the more did the people euery one of them meruaill to see howe quickelye the childe was holpen out of hande by the vertue and power of God But whyle they woondred euery one at all thynges which he dyd he saied vnto hys disciples seate these saiynges sâ—ncke downe into youre cares For it wil come to passe that the sonne of men shal bee deliuered into the handes of menne but they wiste noâ— what the woord ment and it was hidden from theim that they vnderstoode it not And they feared to aske of hym that saiyng But whan the fame of Iesus weaxed euery daye more and more famous through suche actes as these A certayne temptacion of worldly glory entred into the hertes of his disciples by reason that they hadde suche a maister in whose name euen they also themselfes dyd manye great actes to be woondred at But Iesus calleth them home from this affeccion to the contemplacion of his lowe state of abieccion in this worlde at whiche the time was not long to come when they woulde be offended and slaundred The glorie of dooeyng miracles sayeth he is now a matter of delectacion vnto you but it is a thing much more materiall for you depely to enprint in your hertes these sayinges of myne from which your myndes dooe gretlye abhorre For that thyng ought ye moste of all to haue in mynde whiche it shall behoue euerye one of you to folowe As for glorie leat me alone to see for that For the thing muste nedes come to passe that I haue already tolde you and yet nowe agayne I saye vnto you which is that the soonne of man whose glorie and fame dooeth nowe delite you shall ere long be attached and shall bee deliuered into the handes of menne and shall sundrye waies suffre much affliccion and shal lastely be put to death This tale though it had bene once or twise heard out of his mouth yet had not it well settled in the myndes of the disciples For they coulde not well beare in mynd the thing which they had no luste to heare They abhorred the mencion of death as men setting al their mindes on the glorie of Iesus not hauing al the while any intelligence or vnderstanding that the glorie of the Lord was most chiefely to be renoumed and made famous through the open worldely shame of hangyng on the
ientyll yoke of his father And whan the saied elder sonne drewe nere vnto his fathers house he heard the straunge noyse of them that songe and daunced for ioye For stickyng wholy to the vnsauourye lettre of the lawe he did not knowe kowe great ioye it is that the spirite of the ghospell hath Whyle the Iewes neglecteth all the premisses dooyng nothyng but digge and beare burdens in the fielde of the lawe in the meane tyme is the people of the Gentiles with great ioye receyued and taken into the house of the father who nothyng els desireth but the saluacion of his Than the folower of the olde lawe meruaylyng muche at the straungenesse of this newe matier and woondreyng what should bee the cause of suche vnwoont mirth would not vouchesalue to entre in where he might bee partaker of the common gladnesse emong all the rest whiche thyng his father dyd earnestelie wishe For the Gentiles were not so receyued in that the Israelites should bee excluded and shutte out But euen yet styll they stande without the doores fumyng and freating for that the churche reioyceth for the Gentiles receiued to the saluacion of the ghospell The elder sonne therfore called out one of his fathers seruauntes and demaunded of hym what newe ioye and gladnesse all thissame was He made aūswer your brother is come whome whan your father had gotten agayne he was veraye glad and kylled thatsame principall best calfe which he had so lōg fatted because he had him safe and sound again whom he thought to had been vttrely loste for euer Here beholde a Iudaicall herte stomake which wheras it ought to haue reioyced for the receyuing of his brother which ought to haue praysed the mercifulnesse of his father yet had rather to enuie his brother and to take indignacion agaynst his father He caried still therfore without the doores murmouryng and full of chafyng And whan his moste louyng father had perceyued hym who desyred the ioye to bee in common to all that were of his house he went vnto hym and begon courteously to praye him that casting all enuie and grutche out of his stomake he woulde come in and make one at the feast emong all the reste and woulde bee partaker of his fathers ioye Yet would not the elder sonne any thyng bough or relente with this his fathers courteous entreatyng but proudely quereled and reasoned the mattier with his father and vnnaturally accuseth his brother Beholde sayeth he so many yeres am I as a bondeseruaunte to you within your house nor neuer brake or transgressed any commaundement of yours and yet this my godly obedience hath neuer been regarded For ye neuer gaue me so muche as a young kidde wherwith I might make merie emong my frendes But now that thissame sonne of yours who hath wasted and spent your substaunce on whoores and harlottes is come home again ye haue killed for hym thatsame your principall best and fattest calfe Doest thou not Theophilus thinke thy selfe to see this elder sonne to entre in fumyng and chafyng and thus murmouring against his father whan thou readest of the Phariseis backebityng Christe because he did eate with Publicanes and synners whan thou readest of the Iewes repinyng agaynste the Grekes for that thesame Grekes were admitted to the ministerie and office of Apostles whan thou readest thesame Iewes scoldyng and raylyng without ende that the gentyles leauyng theyr ydolatry without the burden of the law by fayth only should bee admitted to the grace of the ghospell and shoulde bee baptysed and so confyrmed with the holy ghoste whan thou readest of them hauing enuie that they absteynyng from the feast the congregacion churche of the Gentiles with an vnspeakeable ioye of the spirite dooeth eate thatsame speciall goodly calfe whom the father commaunded to be slayne for the redēpcion of the whole worlde And yet this man also beyng a murmourer as he is the gracious goodnesse of his moste good father goeth aboute to appeace Sonne saieth he thou shalt fare neuer a whit the wurse for that though I vse ientilnesse and mercie towardes thy brother For thou art continually with me and all that is myne is thyne For continuall felicitie neuer interrupted or broken of hath not so muche pleasure or delectacion in it But lyke as a disease or sickenesse afore goyng doeth commende health vnto vs and make it seme the sweter vnto vs after we bee restored to it agayne euen so the misfortune which I haue had afore for my sonne maketh our mirth now the more for that he is gotten agayne And thou oughtest to reioyce in thy brothers behalfe and not to be awaye from the mirth of this feaste for because thissame thy brother was once dead is returned to lyfe againe he was once loste and is now founde againe Therefore dooe not thou thynke that he is returned home to thee thesame man that he was but thynke hym of an vnthrifte to bee newe borne an honeste and well disposed manne Thou must not remembre what he hath been but bee glad that he is nowe become suche an one as we wishe and desire to haue him With these three parables the Lorde dyd exhorte all his disciples to mercie and ientilnesse in receiuing of synners For the glorie of God is neuer more shewed or better sette foorth then whan he whiche was veray notoriously eiuil is sodaynly by the grace of God made a newe manne of an ydolatre made the seruaunt of Iesus Christe of a rauiner and extorcioner made a defendour and helper of the poore of an vnchaste liuer made chaste of an ambicious persone brought to humilitie of a reuenger chaunged into a bearer and long sufferer Furthermore the younger sonne found his fathers mynde so muche the more redier to forgeue hym for that the Gentiles whiche did not knowe God faulted agaynst hym more through ignoraunce then of any stubberne or indurate pretensed malice For ignoraunce and lacke of thynkyng and castyng afore what wil come after is alwayes for the moste parte ioyned and coupled with youth And therfore so muche the more willingly we dooe forgeue youth and beare the more with this age whan it doeth offende But the Iewe whiche to hymselfe semeth iust and standeth muche in his owne conceypte for fulfillyng of the lawe dooeth trespace more grieuously with enuying against his brother then the other had synned by sweruyng and strayghyng out of the right waye The .xvi. Chapter ¶ And he sayed also vnto his disciples There was also a certayne ryche man which had a steward and thesame was accused vnto hym that he had wasted his gooddes And he called hym and sayed vnto hym how is it that I heare this of thee Geue accoumptes of thy stewardshyp For thou maiest bee no longer stewarde The stewarde sayed within hymselfe what shall I dooe For my maister taketh awaye from me the stewardshyp I cannot digge and to begge I am ashamed I wote what to dooe that whan I am put out of
thoughe it wer sumwhat derkely that one should come after me who going before me in dignitie and power did ouerreche me for because although he semed to come after me both in byrth of hys manhed in the tyme of hys preaching and also in auctoritie yet in godly gyftes he was far before me In so much that I myselfe did not certainly knowe at the fyrst howe great he was or what he was For he is so great that I whome ye haue in suche reuerence am no maner of way to be compared vnto him He is the lorde and auctour of all health I am none other but his seruaunte and goer before neyther is my baptisme or preaching any other thing but an introduccioÌ„ to the heauenly doctrine and vertue whiche he shall bryng vnto you Neyther yet am I sent for any other purpose by the commaundemente of God but to preache repentaunce of your former sinnes to shewe you that the kyngdome of heauen is at hande and to washe you with water to thintent that after he should be shewed to me of his father by sure tokens he might at his coming be the better conceiued in your mindes being already prepared with these principles His conuersacyon and life was simple and pure and beyng in no poyncte notable emong men he ioyned hymselfe to the multitude as one of the common sorte of the people and came to be baptised as though he had bene subiect to sinne ¶ And Iohn bare recorde saying I sawe the spirite descende from heauen lyke vnto a dooue and abode vpon him And I knew him not Therfore I coulde not knowe surely by the disposicion of hys body nor by mans coniecture that he was the onely sonne of God and that moste pure lambe whiche through faythe shoulde put awaye all the sinnes of the worlde but that I was taught by a notable sygne from heauen that thys was he to whome I was appoynted to bee the goer before And what this sygne was Iohn did openly declare to the multitude When Christe sayeth he willynge to shewe to the worlde an exaumple of humilitie and ioynyng hymselfe to the company of sinners came to be baptised the father of heauen did honour hym with an heauenly token For I my selfe sawe the holy ghost cummyng downe vpon his head in the likenesse of a dooue and there remayning Until that time I did not certaynly knowe hym whose goer before I was by reason that his corporall estate did hyde hys celestial excellencie But he that sent me to baptise in water the same sayed vnto me Upon whom thou shalt see the spirite descende and â—â—â—y stil on him the same is he which baptiseth with the holy goste and I sawe and bare recorde that he is the sonne of God For as yet the tyme was not come in the whiche the father of heauen woulde haue him to be openly knoweÌ„ to the people Therfore when I knew by the inspiracion of the sayde father that Messias was alreadye come then to take awaye the errour and mistakyng of hys persone or leste mannes coniecture should haue any doubt therin he by whose commaundement I toke vpon me the office baptise you with water taught me by a sure token by the shewing wherof I might assuredly knowe who he was that shoulde baptise you with an effectuall baptisme and should by the holy gost wherwith he was replenished freely geue to all them that trusted in hym remyssyon of all theyr synnes For before Iesus came to me to be baptised the father of heauen did aduertise me before hande saying By thys token thou shalt surely know my sonne Emonges many whom thou shalt wash with water vpoÌ„ whomsoeuer thou shalt see the holy ghost in the lykenesse of a dooue descending and remaynyng be wel assured that thesame is he which hath power to baptise with the holy gost For man washeth with water but he onely by his heauenly power taketh away sinnes and geueth righteousnesse I saw this token according to the fathers promyse in hym whan he was baptised And for thys cause he gaue me grace to see him that you also through my preaching should know the autour of your saluacioÌ„ Wherfore like as heretofore I haue witnessed so doe I now also openly testifie that this is the sonne of god from whence as froÌ„ the heauenly fountayn ye must require all thynges whiche perteyne to righteousnes and eternall felicitie For I will suffer you no longer to suspecte greater thinges of me then I deserue nor yet to be ignoraunte of hym whome to knowe is saluacion By these manier of witnesses Iohn did often commend Iesus beyng as yet vnknowen to the multitude and gaue ouer his owne auctoritie to him as to his better to the entent that from that time furth the people should leaue hym and cleaue to the gouernaunce of Iesu Goddes prouydence in the meane tyme procuring this to th entent that they both might be to vs an holsome exaumple of a true preacher of the Ghospell For truely Iohn neyther with the encisemente of so great renoume beeing willingly offered vnto hym was so much corrupt that he would take vpon hym an other mannes praise nor yet so afrayed of the enuie of the Priestes and Phariseis whose ambicyous enuie and enuious ambicyon woulde suffer no bodye to bee exalted but themselfe that therefore he dyd ceasse to speake of the glory of Chryst neyther did he regarde his owne commoditie but what was expedient for the people hereby teachyng how a preacher of the ghospel ought to haue a constaunt and sure stayed mynde yea euen to the auenturyng of hys lyfe not onely agaynste excesse couetousnes but also against al ambicion And as for Iesus Christ when he came as one of the common sorte of the people to be baptised and also when he behaued himselfe amongest Iohns disciples as if he had bene one of them wheras he was lorde of all he taught vs how we must come to true glorye by great humilitie and modestie of mynde and that none is mete to be a mayster vnlesse he haue played the parte of a good scoller neyther that anye ought to take rashely in hande the office of preachyng excepte he hath bene all manier of wayes well tryed and approued and in manier appointed therunto of God The next day after Iohn stode agayn and two of his disciples and he beheld Iesus as he walked by and sayeth Beholde the lambe of God And the two disciples heard him speake and they folowed Iesus Now to th entent that Iohns most excellent purenes and honestie might more clerely appere he thought it not inough to turne thaffeccions of the people from him to Christ but he laboureth also to despatch from himselfe his owne peculier disciples whome he had and to put them to Christ. For the day after these thinges which I haue already rehearsed vnto you were doen in the presence of the people Iohn stoode there agayne and twoo of hys
before should make redy the waye for him against he came I am his seruaunt he is Lord of all thynges But if he now begin to be knowen to the worlde that his fame and renoume doeth derken myne I reioyce that my witnes was true For I did only wish desire that my seruice myght growe to that ende and effecte For as the bryde is his by right whiche is the very bridegrome in dede and yet he whiche is not the bridegrome but onely his frende doeth not enuy the bridegromes felicitie nor taketh his spouse from him but reioyseth on his behalfe whom he loueth in his herte and holdyng his peace standeth by him also with great ioy of mynde heareth the voice of the bridegrome whiles he talketh with his spouse so I who haue wished for nothing more then that he should knowen to be so great a man as of trueth he is that I should be no more taken for a greater man than I am in dede doe greatly reioyce in that I perceiue this matter to haue so good successe Of right he must encrease which hitherto hath been reputed to be much lesse then he is in dede And it is mere that I should decrease who haue alwaye be taken to be greater then I was Thus it is expedient for mans saluacion both that myne estimacion should be darkened and his glory should dayly growe greater and that my disciples should leaue me goe to him in comparison of whose power myne is but weake and of none effecte And my baptisme is as farre vnderneth his as fire is of more might then water He that cummeth from on hye is aboue all He that is of the yearth is yearthly and speaketh of the yearth He that cummeth from heauen is aboue al and what he hath seen heard that he testifieth no mā receiueth his testimonie He that hath receiued his testimonie hath set to his scale that God is true for he whom God hath sent speaketh the woordes of God It is mete that yearthly thinges should geue place to heauenly worldely to Godly vnperfite to thynges perfite He that cummeth from the earth is earthly and speaketh thinges that be earthly and base For what other thing can man speake but thynges pertayning to man but he whiche is come from heauē excelleth al men be they neuer so great We haue receyued but a small knowledge of heauenly thinges as we are able so we testifie but he doeth beare witnes moste faithfully emong men of that thyng whiche he hath seen and heard in heauen with his father And men haue me in admiracion who am muche his inferiour but no man almoste receiueth his witnes they doe require me that am but a seruaunt to beare recorde of hym And they refuse the witnes that he beareth of his father And in dede yf any bodie doe not trust me he doeth but mistrust a man yf any doe not beleue hym whiche is the only sonne as the father hath witnessed with his owne voice that person maketh God a lier The Iewes doe wurship the father and they contemne and dishonor his sonne whom he sent howbeit euery reproche iniury doen to the sonne redoūdeth to the father Therfore whosoeuer receiueth the witnes of the sonne he geuing credit to the sonne doeth certainly affirme God to be true whiche speaketh in the sonne For the sonne which is sent from the father speaketh not the woordes of a mā but the woordes of God God hath spoken bothe by the Prophetes and also hath made euery man partaker of his spirite accordyng as they haue been able to receyue it But God hath geuen his spirite to this his onely sonne not after any certaine measure but he hath powred vpō him the whole fulnes of his spirite so that the father hath nothyng but the sonne hath thesame The father loueth the sonne and hath geuen all thynges into his hande He that beleueth on the sonne hath euerlastyng lyfe He that beleueth not the sonne shall not see lyfe but the wrath of God abideth on hym And whatsoeuer the incredulitie of men would take from the sonne the father imputeth it to be taken from himselfe for the father loueth his only sōne most intierly and hath put in his hande the whole summe of all thynges not depriuing himselfe of his owne power but maketh that vertue and power which he hath common to both And what thing soeuer God hath willed to geue and bestowe vpon mankynde his pleasure was to geue it by his sonne And verily he offreth to all men no small or meane thyng for he offreth euerlastyng lyfe but by hym whiche is the only fountayne of eternall lyfe howbeit that person maketh hymselfe vnapte to receyue this so excellent a gyfte whiche refuseth to take it And surely he refuseth it whiche doeth not beleue that the sonne can geue and perfourme that whiche he promiseth Moreouer he doeth charge the father with vntrueth as who sayeth he should promise by his sonne vaine vntrue thinges Therfore the rewarde of belefe is great and the punishment of vnbelefe is fierce and terrible For of trueth whosoeuer putteth his hope and trust in the sonne hath already the sonne and whoso hath the sonne hath eternall lyfe Contrariwyse he that trusteth not in the sonne forasmuch as he hath as it were closed vp his owne iyes that he cannot behold the light he shall not see lyfe because this lyght is the lyfe of men but he continewyng in his sinnes remaineth bounde and gyltie of the vengeaunce and wrath of God that is to say euerlastyng death The .iiii. Chapter As soone as the Lorde knewe howe the Phariseis had heard that Iesus made and baptysed moe disciples then Iohn though that Iesus himselfe baptised not but his disciples he leaft Iewry and departed againe into Galile ANd so Iohn with these woordes corrected the vnmesurable loue and affecion of his disciples toward hymselfe and their euill and wicked opinion concernyng Iesus secretely prouokyng them that they should leaue him and now folowe Iesus of whom all men ought to aske al thynges Therfore when Iesus frō whom nothyng at all was hid dyd perceiue the like thing to haue chaunced to him which is wonte to happen emongest men that is to saye that enuy foloweth prayse and renoume and also that now already the Phariseis took in euyll parte that he should allure and drawe to hym many disciples and that more people had recourse to his baptisme thē to Iohns although in dede not Iesus himselfe but his disciples did baptise Euen thē declaring that to preache the gospel was a more excellent office then to baptise And the Phariseis were so muche the more greued displeased because his disciples dyd take so muche vpon them as they scantly would haue suffred Iohn to haue doen to whom they dyd attribute very muche Iesus I saye partly because he would not prouoke sharpen and stiere vp theyr enuy in case
tyme to eleuate theyr myndes from yearthly affeccions to heauenly thynges from bodily thynges to spirituall thynges from mortall thynges to immortall from thynges transitorye to eternall thynges he woulde haâ—â— that also imprinted in theyr myndes that he knewe before and was willyng to suffre what thyng soeuer he shoulde suffre his father also willyng thesame from whose wyll his did neuer varye His will was that his Apostles so farrâ— as mannes weakenesse coulde beare should be witnesses and seers of his passion and therefore in this sermon he maketh oftentymes mencion of his departure litle by litle thereby to inure them to sufferaunce but mixyng withal many coumfortes to mitigate the bitter payne of sorowe saiyng that in very dede he muste departe but so that within a while he shoulde come to them agayne that he should go to his father that thence he should sende him an other coumforter whiche should finishe that he had begoonne and also that he and his father ioyntly together should come and dwell with them He sayed furthermore that this persecucion shoulde not vtterlye deuour and consume them and after all this he had them thence to an other place because the place where they weâ— than was open in syght and for because that they had hearde that the prynce of the world was euen than presente they stoode in a generall feare of themself and therfore he brought them to an other place wheras they wer more in safetie to thyntente they myght with more bolde hertes geue eare to other thynges In conclusion he telleth them aforehande that at the length they shoulde folowe hym thyther whether he nowe goeth before them well nowe he hath recourse agayne to that saiyng whiche algates muste sitte inwardely and a byde in theyr heartes in whiche saiyng he counsaileth them to perseuer in charitye and obseruyng his commaundementes leste throughe theyr owne faulte they shoulde disseuer theymselfes from the felowshippe of the father the sonne and the holy ghoste from whiche Iudas had already forceably dissociate himselfe But he aduiseth theym to sticke to theyr couenaunte by obeying the saiynges of theyr Lorde and to thuttermoste of theyr power to folowe his doynges And trueth it is that this coulde not be doâ—n vnlesse they dyd perseuer in the spirituall felowshippe of the soonne and yet in the meane tyme not to truste to theimselfes or any thyng at all to presume vpon theyr owne propre strength for they shoulde neuer bee able to dooe oughte at anye tyme but by the benefite and free gyfte of Godde from whome floweth and issueth oute to all folke what thyng soeuer setteth forwarde true health and maketh to saluacion and that they myght the better vnderstande this and retaine it in memory he declareth the matter by a similitude taken and brought in of a plaine knowen thing that is the vyne and the braunches thereof ¶ The .xv. Chapter I am the true vine and my father is the husbande man Euery braunche that beareth no fruite in me he will take awaye And euery braunche that beareth fruite he wyll pourge that it maie bring foorth more fruite TO thintent saieth he that ye maie vtterly vnderstand how cleane voyde of all perill ye be yf ye wyll continue stil to be of my felowship and what great daunger it is for you yf ye fallyng from the couenaunte that I haue made with you bee disseuered from me remembre this that I am the true vyne ye bee the braunches and my father is the housbandman I am the roote or stocke of the vyne ye are my membres as braunches sprong out of the stocke My father hath planted me that is to saye he hath begotten me The stocke came foorth from hym and ye out of the stocke The thanke of the whole benefite redoundeth to my father as the fountaine therof whiche doth geue vnto you by me and his spirite whatsoeuer he geueth you And the sappe of the stocke whiche geueth vnto the braunches both lyfe and strength to bring forth fruite is the spirite that is common bothe to my father and to me Lyke as the spirite knitteth me to my father so doth it also ioyne you to me Therefore what braunche soeuer cleaueth to me and liuyng by my spirite bringeth forth fruite woorthy for the stocke thesame shall my father purge cuttyng awaye the superfluous desyres thereof that it maye bring forth more plenteous and kindly fruite But whoso cleaueth to me by the profession of faith and bringgeth foorth no fruite of euangelicall charitie my father shall cutte him of from the vyne as a cumberous and vnprofitable membre For that braunche which hath no fruite but onely leaues serueth to no purpose in the vyne Nowe are ye cleane through the woordes whiche I haue spoken vnto you byde in me and I in you As the braunche cannot beare fruite of it selfe excepte it bide in the vine no more can ye excepte ye bide in me I am the vine ye are the braunches he that abydeth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth muche fruite For without me can ye do nothing if a man bide not in me he is cast foorthe as a braunche and is withered and men gather them and caste them into the fier and they burne If ye byde in me and my wordes abide in you aske what ye will and it shal be doen for you Herin is my father glorified that ye beare muche fruite and becum my disciples Now already ye be braunches somewhat purged and made cleane through beleuyng my woorde but yet ye muste hereafter bee more purged that ye maye bring forth more plentye of fruit At this tyme it is inough for you to bee grafted in the stocke from whence through fayth ye maye receyue life laboure dilygently to abyde in me I will in lyke manner dwelle in you so long as you depende vpon me For as the braunche if it be pulled of froÌ„ his vine cannot it selfe bring foorth the fruite because it taketh all his sap of the stocke no more can ye bryng forth the fruite of any good worke excepte ye cleaue to me by faythe and charitie from whence muste come to you whatsoeuer furthereth to trewe and eternall saluacion Wherefore neyther Moses nor any of the Prophetes is the vyne but I am the onelye vyne to the whiche all they muste cleaue that wyll bryng foorth the fruite of saluacion Ye be the braunches of this vyne wherein ye are frely graffed freely pourged but ye maye fall from thence through your owne faute Wherefore ye muste earnestely take hede that ye maye bee alwaies ioyned to me For whosoeuer continueth stil ioyned to me hauyng me likewyse ioyned to hym and liuyng by my spirite that persone throughe my fathers inspiracion bringeth forth fruite plenteously gayning for himselfe eternall saluacion and causing God for whose sake al thinges bee dooen to bee glorified amonges men And his glorie is my glorie by whome it hathe pleased him liberally to geue al that he geueth
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
standyng forasmuche as Christe hymselfe sittyng taughte the people Yet he that taketh in hand an apostles offyce ought to stande vpright in mynde And here consydre in the meane while Peters dignitie He was the fyrste man readye where occasion required to set foorth the ghospell Than had he put vp hys materiall sweorde wherewithall Christe hymselfe was not pleased and pulled out a spirituall sweord Suche one ought he to bee that is the chiefe byshop among the people Peter stode vp but not all alone he had eleuen apostles standyng besydes with hym leste he shoulde seme to vsurpe to hymselfe some violente gouernaunce One vttered the tale but one for all thother lyke as he alone before openly confessed in the name of all the reste Iesus Christ to be the sonne of the liuyng God But wherupon dyd this shepeherd a pore creature vnlearned so boldely vaunt hymselfe as once to loke vpon so great an assembly of people Excellent oratoures when they shall come afore an assembly of people or in presence of prynces to pronounce an exact oracion whiche they haue canned on their fyngers endes doe chaunge oftentymes their colour cannot vtter their wordes in mynde they are not a lytle abashed But this vndoubtedly was that heauenly drounkennesse thys was that sobrefulnesse of swete wyne He stode in presence before a greate multitude he tooke vnto hym eleuen apostles not as a garison of men for hys defence but as felowes wyth hym of one company he set hys iyes stedfastly vpon the people as one vnknowen to them whome he knewe not he lyft vp hys voice on hyghe and takyng none aduysemente with hymselfe what he woulde saye he spake to them practisyng euen than the selfe same thyng whiche the lorde before had taught him He spake not for his owne lucre and aduauÌ„tage but as a good shepeherde defended hys flocke neyther handled he hys matters with sharpe wordes of mans inuencion but vsed for his defence onelye holy scripture Nowe was this multitude desyrous to knowe what Peter woulde say And let vs lykewyse for oure partes geue hede forasmuche as these hys wordes wer spoken to all men At the beginning whan he had once wyth the mouyng of hys hande asswaged the murmur the noyse of the company he began with such a preface as shoulde without any retorical colour of flattery make them attent Ye that are my brethren sayeth he of Iewry who ought to knowe both the lawe and eke the prophetes and of all other mooste specially whiche dwell in this noble citie of Ierusalem where the fountayne is of religion and knowleage of the lawe somewhat peraduenture here is for you to wondre at but nothyng that any man can iustely fynd faute withall Wherefore all ye that here bee presente geue good eare a whyle to my wordes and learne of me how the thyng standeth For it is touchyng all your profittes so to dooe These men of Galile whom here ye see stand by me are not as some of you suppose drounken wyth newe wyne seeyng it is yet but three of the clocke and no man is woonte to be drounke in the mornyng before the sonne rysyng But nowe ye see that in these men is fulfylled whyche thyng to come god did long afore thys tyme promyse by hys prophet Iohel Herken vnto the prophecy and trusâ—e ye to that that is promised you therein Doe not ye fynde faute with the thing because ye haue seldome sene the lyke but rather enbrace that mercifulnes whiche god dooeth profte vnto you For Iohel being inspired with the holy gost foreseing that god who had giuen to Moyses and some others his prophetes at soondry times his owne blessed spirite for your saluacion would at the last after he had sent his owne onely begotten sonne powre out most plenteously the same spirite not vpon one or .ii. lyke as ye haue seene for these many ages past but a fewe prophetes but vpon all nacions through the worlde whosoeuer woulde with sincere fayth receyue this chereful and gladsome message whiche we at his commaundement doe nowe bring vnto all you hath left that heauenly prophecy in wryting after this manier It shall come to passe saieth the lorde in the latter dayes of the world I will powre out of my spirite bouÌ„tifully vpon all men and sodaynely shall your sonnes prophecy and your daughters and your yong men shall see visions and your olde men shall dreame dreames and vpon my seruauntes and vpon my hande maydes will I powre out of my spirite in those dayes and they shall prophecye And I will shewe woonders in heauen aboue and tokens on the yearth beneth bloud and fyer and the vapour of smoke The Sunne shal be turned into darkenes and the mone into bloud before that the great and notable day of the lorde come And whosoeuer shall cal vpon the name of the lorde shall bee saued These thinges hath the prophet Iohell tolde you in his prophecye many liues a goe And nowe ye see that that he prophecied of as touchyng the plentifull shedyng of the spirite in effect declared before your iyes And it is not to be doubted but that god will as faithfully perfourme the same that thaforesayde Iohell hath prophecied of the plages that shall chaunce But there is no cause why ye shoulde dispayre the prophet teacheth you a sure way to your saluacion seeyng that he sheweth to you the perill and daungier thereof Call ye vpon the name of the lorde and ye shall be saued ¶ Ye men of Israel heare these woordes Iesus of Nazareth a manne approued of God emong you with miracles wounders and signes which God did by him in the middes of you as ye your selues knowe hym haue ye taken by the handes of the vnrighteous persones after he was deliuered by the determinate counsell and foreknoweledge of God and haue crucyfyed and slaine him Whom God hath raised vp and lâ—ced the sorowes of death because it was vnpossible that he should be holden of it For Dauid speaketh of him Afore hande I saw God alwayes before me For he is on my righte hande that I should not bee moued Therfore did my herte reioyce and my tongue was glad Moreouer also my fleshe shall reste in hope because thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell neyther wilte the suffre thine holy to see corrupcion Thou haste shewed me the wayes of lyfe thou shalte make me ful of ioy with thy countenaunce But as touching the maner howe ye muste call vpon the name of the lord lysten ye that are the chyldren of Israell nowe vnto me and to the reste of my tale geue good hede Many of you knewe Iesus of Nazareth whyche persone beeyng long a goe promised by the sayinges of all the prophetes god hath nowe sette abrode before all you to beholde and hath commended hym to you in sondry and great myracles and wonders whiche he hath doen and wroughte by hym beefore all your iyes For verayly god was
knew perfectly what should happen of these thinges which ye se now perfourmed in Iesus of Nazareth who doubtlesse was borne as touching his humanitie of Dauids kinred family Ferthermore sins that it is euidently knowen that Iesus in his lyfe tyme dyd affect no worldly kingdome and neuer sate vpon Dauids regal seate but was most spitefully dealed with al it appereth plainly that there was some other kingdome promised which as the prophetes say hath none end He could not sit vpon Dauids seate if that he being once slayne had neuer arisen to lyfe againe He therfore is arisen from deathe to lyfe agayne and sytteth nowe vpon Dauids seate that is to saye vpon the seate of hys eternall father the Lorde of all thinges that are in heauen and eke in yearth This was it vndoubtedly that Dauid beyng inspyred with the spiryte of prophecie spoke of before and what he before hath spoken that is come to passe And although Iesus soule went downe to hell yet there it was not withholden but rather deliuered the soules whiche were from libertye restreigned Yea although his body was layde in graue voyde of all lyfe yet there it did not rotte or putrifye but god who in all hys promises can not lye hath called his soule from hell againe and hath restored the same to his owne former body Of this thing we all beare witnes whom here ye see standing whiche haue traded our liues familiarly with him whiche haue heard him oftimes say that he shoulde bee both crucifyed accordyng to the prophetes sayinges and afterwarde aryse the thirde day to lyfe agayne We were those persons that both sawe him a dooyng and hearde him and nowe bee witnesses of his resurreccion to whome he hath oftetymes appered not alonely as one seen of vs and heard but felt also with our handes we knewe his voyce we knew his face we knew felt the printed dentes of his woundes finally he eate togither in coÌ„pany with vs to thintent that we might be wel assured to se the very same body there with vs that lay in his sepulchre ¶ Seâ—s nowe that he by the right hande of God is exalted and hath receyued of the father the promise of the holy goste he hath shed forth this gifte which ye now see heare For Dauid is not ascended into heauen but he sayeth The Lord saied vnto my Lord syt thou on my ryght hande vntill I make thy fooes thy foote stole So therfore let all the house of Israel know for a suerty that God hath made that same Iesus whom ye haue crucified lorde and Christe Wherfore than the selfe same person whome man ouerthrew and brought to extreme vilany and reproche god hath now aduaunced to the heigth of eternall glory whiche glory he shall once set open manifestly to all men at the ende of the world and now doeth he in the meane season put forth with you the power of his godhead by secrete operacion of the holy gost whiche he whiles he liued vpon earth promised to send vs from his father Now hath he beyng returned agayne to heauen powred from thence the same spirite vpon vs bounteously accordyng to Iohels prophecie aboue mencioned And of him cummeth this straunge miracle that ye see and heare vs speake in languages whiche you beyng gathered here together out of sondrye nacions do semblably vnderstand And like as the prophecy of the resurreccion can not be vnderstand of Dauid as we haue to you declared euen so that thing which was prophecied of his ascending vp to heauen and of the sitting on the right hande of god his father and of his euerlasting kingdome can not perteyne to Dauid like as the Pharisees theymselues reasoning with out maister confessed For Dauid neuer ascended vp to heauen as he that had before retourned to his lyfe agayne and yet for all that in the misticall psalme thus sayeth he beyng enspired with the spirite of prophecye the lorde sayd to my lorde sit on my right hande vntill I make thyne enemies thy footestole Wherefore than the matier is playne that this prophecye was spoken of god the father who hath exalted to heauen Iesus the sonne of Dauid as touching his humanitie but as concerninge the spirite the lorde of Dauid and would that he should sit by him as copartener of his kingdome Therfore let al the whole people of Israell be wel assured that the selfe same Iesus of Nazareth whome ye once crucifyed god hath now aduaunced to the kingdome of heauen and hath made him lorde ouer all and Messyas that is to say the annoyncted whome ye loke for as your Messias whiche was promised of all the prophetes nowe many hundred yeres agoe ¶ When they heard this they were pricked in their hertes and saied vnto Peter and vnto the other apostles Ye men and brethren what shall we doe Peter sayed vnto them repent of your synnes and be baptised euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christe for the remission of synnes and ye shall receyue the gifte of the holy ghoâ—t For the promyse was made to you and to your children and to all that are a farre of euen as many as the Lorde our God shall call And with many other woordes bare he witnesse and exhorted them saying Saue your selues from this vntoward generacion Then they that gladly receyued his preaching were baptized and the same daye there were added vnto theÌ„ about three thousande soules This tale of Peters made the hearers thereof sore afrayed For they wer prime to their owne doynges howe they had cryed out vpon Pilate crucifye hym crucifye hym crucifye hym and perceyued by reason of the prophecie howe he was made on the righte hande of hys father copartener of hys kingdom vntyll all his enemies were broughte vnder his fotestoole Whom they had put to deathe beyng as he was vnto them beneficiall of the same nowe sence he is cum vnto his reigne were they afrayed leste he woulde take vengeaunce vpon them This is a beginning to a mannes saluacion to knowleage his faulte and to feare the payne deserued for the same Therfore they beyng than pricked in conscience sayde to Peter and to the reste of the apostles what must we do welbeloued brethren It is wel whan a man feling hymselfe of a giltie conscience dispaireth not but ensearcheth for remedye Nowe what doeth Peter in this case who represented a sobre and a meke shepeherde he exerciseth no tyranny amongest them with reprocheful checkes he heapeth not together theyr faultes he putteth not them abacke with a delay he willeth them not to kyll beastes for sacrifice but declareth to the sorowfull hertes a remedy euen at hande putting no difference bitwixt them that had crucifyed Iesus and those whiche had not consented to that wicked acte For none of them all was cleane without sinne And therfore sayeth he doe ye repent your lyfe that is past and let euerychone of you be baptysed in water in the
before of Messias dyd agree in him The .xix. Chapter It fortuned that whyle Appollo was at Corinthe Paul passed through the vpper coastes came to Ephesus and founde certayne disciples and saide vnto them haue ye receyued the holy ghost sence ye beleued And they sayed vnto him no we haue not hearde whether ther be any holy gost or no. And he sayd vnto them wherwith wer ye than baptised And they sayed with Iohns baptisme Than sayed Paul Iohn verely Baptised with the baptisme of repentaunce saying vnto the people that they shoulde beleue on hym which should come after him that is on Christ Iesus Whē they heard this they wer baptysed in the name of the lorde Iesu. And whan Paule had layed his handes vpon them ▪ the holy gost came on them and they spake with tounges and prophecied and all the men were about twelue BUt euen as Priscilla and Aquila hadde amended Apollos in suche poyntes as he lacked beeyng necessarye for a christen manne to haue so Paule fyndynge others in lyke takyng dyd For whiles that Apollos was at Corinthe whiche is the chiefe citie in Achaia it chaunced that Paule after he had goen ouer the other countreyes of Asia the lesse whyche declyne mooste to the Northe and Easte returned to Ephesus There founde he certayne of the disciples that were no perfecte Christians whiche were in one flocke emong the other brethren Wherfore Paule to the intent that he myght more perfectly instructe theym asked whether that they had receyued the holy ghoste synce the tyme that they were conuerted to the faythe They forasmuche as theyr erroure was of no malyce but of plaine ignoraunce frākely aunswered and freely as it was in dede and sayed No neyther haue we euer hearde yet hytherto whether there be anye holy ghoste that is gyuen to them that beleue Than saied Paule forasmuche as ye are taken for christen men whose baptisme than were ye baptised with They made aunswere with the baptisme of Iohn for we thought that sufficient for vs. Than sayed Paule In that haue ye not doen amisse that in tymes past before the ghospell came to mannes knowleage abrode ye receiued Iohns baptisme But that is not sufficient for your eternal saluacion For lyke as the doctrine of Iohn was not perfect but did onely testifie of Iesus that he was the true gyuer of saluacion who shoulde come after him makyng readye theyr myndes that they should beleue hym whan he came so dyd not Iohns baptisme wholy iustifie but onely exhorted menne that by repentaunce for theyr life mispēt they shoulde prepare theyr hertes for the Phisicion that woulde strayghte afterwardes come whiche with his baptisme throughe faith woulde take awaye all maner of synnes and by his spirite should enryche the myndes of the faythfull with heauenly gyftes of grace This tradicion had the Apostles receyued of Iesus the Lorde that they that beleued in the ghospell shoulde be christened in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy ghoste They that erred onely through simplicitie and for lacke of knowleage onelye deserued thus to be instructed And they beyng once warned hereof obeyed theyr counsellours and immediatly were christened in the name of Iesus the lorde This doen whan Paule had layed his handes on them the holy ghoste came down on them and the thing it selfe that ensued dyd manifestly expresse what the visible token meaned For they did both speake diuerse languages and prophecied also of hidden and secrete thynges that were to come The numbre of those persons that were men amounted euen to a dosen or ther about ¶ And he went into the synagoge and behaued himself boldly for the space of three monethes disputing and geuyng them exhortacions of the kyngdom of God Whē diuerse wexed hard harted beleued not but spake euell of the waye and that before the multitude he departed frō them separated the disciples And he disputed daily in the schoole of one called Tyrannus Whan Paule had this doen and as a man woulde saye had renewed his authoritie forasmuche as he beyng the preacher of the gentiles had geuen the holy ghost by laying on his hande ouer the faythfull euen as the other Apostles had doen he entryng into the Sinagoge of the Iewes that dwelled there openly and freely spake to all men preachyng that hope of saluacion was to be obteyned by Iesus onely whiche thing he dyd me then fewe dayes for it was the space of whole three monethes disputyng of the kyngdome of God whiche is heauenly and spiritual agaynst them that with tooth and nayle stifly vpheld the carnall kyngdome of the lawe But whan certayne of the Sinagoge gaue no credence to those thynges that were spoken of Paule but stubbernely resisted insomuche that openly before the multitude they blasphemously spake agaynst the doctrine of the ghospell Paule perceyuyng that it was to be feared lest that they that beleued myght bee corrupted by their malice left the synagoge of the Iewes and dyd lykewyse separate the disciples from theym and yet he ceassed not in the meane season to preache the ghospel But he dayly disputed in the schoole of one Tyrannus hauynge euen than in mynd the image of a pure churche that were not corrupted with the leauen of the synagoge whiche churche shoulde receyue none but those that woulde learne and that woulde reiecte suche as were praters and blasphemous persons And this continued by the space of two yeres so that all they that dwelt in Asia hearde the worde of the lord Iesu both Iewes Grekes And god wroughte speciall myracles by the handes of Paul so that frō his body were brought vnto the sycke napkyns partlettes and the diseases departed from thē and the euyll spirites went out of them Thus dyd he continue by the space of two yeres with suche successe that not onely the Ephesians but also diuers others some Iewes and some Gentiles that resorted thyther from that parte of Asia the lesse whiche properlye is named Asia where as Ephesus is gaue eare vnto the ghospell And myracles did cause them to beleue his preachyng for god wrought both many and also great woonders by the handes of Paule insomuche that he put awaye diseases not with woordes or by touchyng onely but also napkins and partlettes whiche had touched Paules bodye were caried to the sicke that were so faynt that they coulde not come to Paule and with touchyng therof aswell diseases as also euill spirites were put away So great confidence had Paul on Iesus whom he preached ¶ Than certayne of the vagabound Iewes exorcistes toke vpon them to call ouer them which had euil spirites the name of the lord Iesus saying we adiure you by Iesu whō Paule preacheth And there wer seuen sonnes of one Sceua a Iewe and chiefe of the priestes whiche did so And the euyll spirite answered and sayd Iesus I knowe and Paule I know but who are ye And the man in whom the euyll spirite was ranne on
In Hierusalem will I putte my name And he buylte alters for all the hoste of heauen euen in twoo Courtes of the Lorde And he offered his soonnes in fyre and gaue hede vnto witchecrafte and sorcery and mayntayned weorkers with spirites and tellers of fortunes and wroughte much wickednesse in y◠syght of the Lorde to angre hym And he put an ymage of a groue that he had made euen in the Temple of whyche the Lord had saide to Dauid Salomon his sonne in this house and in Hierusalem whiche I haue chose out of all the tribes of Israell will I putte my name for euer And Manasse led them out of the waye to dooe more wickedlye then dyd the hethen people whome the Lorde destroyed from before the chyldren of Israell and he wrought more wyekedly then all the Amorytes whiche were before hym did and made Iuda also to synne with his Idolles and dyd shed innocent bloude excedyng muche euen tyl he replenished Hierusalem from corner to corner wyth the bloude of the true Prophetes and of as many as myght be founde to be the true worshyppers of God and sincere kepers of the lawe After so wicked a father who reigned fiftye fyue yeres in Hierusalem succeded as wicked a sonne Amon beyng twēty twoo yeres old whan he begoōne to reigne And he lykewyse dyd euill in the syght of the Lord as his father Manasse had doen and walked in all the waye that his father walked in serued the Idolles that hys father serued wurshypped them And he forsooke the Lorde God of his fathers and walked not in the waye of the Lord. c. Whan Amō was deceassed his soōne Iosias was in his stede made Kyng and was but eight yeres olde whan he was enoyncted Kyng And where he reigned thyrtie one yeres and begonne to reigne so young yet as the scripture plainelye mency oneth he did that whiche is right in the sight of the Lorde and walked in all the wayes of Dauid his forefather and boughed neither to the ryghte hande ne to the selfe vndoubtedlye throughe the speciall grace of God and the helpe of good Gouernours who well consyderynge and ponderynge the vngodlye lyfe and dooynges of Manasse coulde not of theyr fydelytye fynde in theyr hertes to suffre suche an innocent babe in lyke sort to be seduced and abused as Manasse had been both to his owne perdicion and also to the vtter desolacion of Ierusalem and Iuda For beholde sayd the Lorde because Manasse King of Iuda hath done suche abhominacyons c. I will bryng suche eiuyls vpon Hierusalem and Iuda that whoso heareth of it bothe his eares shall tinkle and I wil wipe out Hierusalem as a man wipeth a dish and whan he hath wiped it turneth it vpsyde downe c. And to Iosias thus aunswereth the Lorde by the prophetisse in the fowerth of the Kynges Because thine herte did melte and because thou hast humbled thy selfe before me the lorde whan thou heardest what I spake against this place c. Beholde therfore I wil receiue thee vnto thy fathers and thou shalt be put into thy graue in peace and thine iyes shal not see al the eiuils whiche I will bring vpon this place They were both of them young Kinges and immediate successours the one to Ezechias who had extirped idolatrie by the roote and the other to a wurshipper of false Gods otherwise also a very wicked man And yet Manasse through peruerse enticers fel from God to all naughtines and Iosias beeyng younger of age then he did by the helpe of faythefull and godly Counsaylours apply himselfe to all goodnes and thereby prospered These twoo very notable exaumples moste gracious Soueraygne I haue some what the more at large propouned and set foorthe to your Maiestie partely that ye may marke and 〈…〉 shall of your godly dooynges redounde to youreselfe youre people 〈◊〉 Royalmes and dominyons yea and to youre posteritie also for your sake and partely to declare vnto youre hyghnesse that nexte to the speciall gifte of Gods grace to be of your owne good disposicion plyanne flexible and much enclined to vertue the chiefe and principall porcion of all suche good happe is to bee ascribed to the discrete gouernaunce the sapient direccion the vertuous trayning the vpright guydyng the godly aduertisementes the holesome admonicions and the vncorrupt educacion in vertue and litterature ministred vnto a yong king by feithful and woorthy Counsayllours Which thing forasmuch as it so is how happy blyssed is your Maiestie of gods owne hande who hath prouyded your Grace of suche noble and woorthy Counsaylours in this time of your minoritie and how much are we your most feithful louing subiectes bound to laude praise and magnifie his moste holy name for that in this so daungerous a tyme he hathe so mercifully graciously prouided for vs whose welth and safegard in this worlde must wholly and onely depende of your godly educacion vertuous trainyng or our extreme confusion of the contrarye And certes this your innocent babehood and tendre minoritie is the veraie time in which it may euidently be tried what persons dooe feithfully tendre your welth your honour and your godly procedinges They are aboue all precious Iewelles and aboue all worldely treasoures to bee estemed loued regarded thanked and folowed of your Maiestie whiche in thys your mynoritie shewe themselues feithfull earnest diligent and careful ▪ not onely as touching the safegarde and preseruacion of your most Royall persone but also concernyng your minde in this your tēdre youngth to be furnished with literature with the due knowlege of God with such disciplines as many confirme you in all Princely vertues for your honour welth and renoume whan God shall make you a manne of yetes and stature as your moste noble and moste honourable Counsaylours doe their true and diligent endeuour to make you a manne in maniers and learning Wherein like as Philip King of Macedonie at the birth of his sonne Alexandre the great alleged himselfe for two causes principally to reioyce the one because he had now a sōne borne to succede him in his croune sceptre the other because the same was borne in the time of so noble a Clerke as Aristotle was to whome the tuicyon gouernaunce and instruction of Alexandre might be committed so did your most noble father and so doe al we your most beneuolent subiectes yet stil reioice that your hap was to be borne hauing two such worthy vncles to serue and assist you and especially such an one as your most dere vncle Edward Duke of Somerset is to whome aswel the gouernaunce and vertuous institucion and training of your most Royal person as also the proteccyon of all your Roialmes and dominions and of al vs your most feithfull louing subiectes during the time of this your minority might be safly committed Of whose fidelitie now a long season aswel in King Henries time as sence the beginning of your
plenty of garmentes let him geue vnto the naked he that hath plenty of meates let hym geue vnto the hungry There came vnto hym also the Publicanes the which kynde of meÌ„ the Iewes abhorre because coÌ„meÌ„ly either for to please the princes or to satisfy their auarice thei are woÌ„t to poul the people They demauÌ„de of him fearfully what he thiÌ„keth best for theÌ„ to do And he doth not reiect them from baptisme agayne he appoynteth them not to geue their goodes who now of long time wer wont violently to take away other mennes but to thintent they might come nere by some degre vnto the perfect doctrine of Christ he coÌ„maundeth them that they should exact nothing of the people beside that that was prescribed of the prince Finally there came also souldiours a violent a diffamed kynde of people Neyther put he them awaye from him declaring manifestlye vnto the Iewes by that dede that Christ would despise no kinde of men They confesse nothing for to professe a souldiour is of it selfe to confesse the puddle sinke of all mischiefe They demaunde also what counsayle he would geue theÌ„ And he teacheth them beyng so rude rather what oughte to be auoyded shunned that they might be lesse yll then what was to be doen whereby thei might be perfectly good Abuse not ê™ he your weapoÌ„s which ought not to be styrred but agaynst your enemies at the commaundement of the captayn beate no man nor stryke no man violentlye syth you be hyred for this purpose that through your diligence the countrey should be quiet Nor abuse not you familiaritie with great rulers falsly blamyng and accusyng any man wherby any filthy lucre or gayne might come vnto you Finally be content with your wages and defraude and spoile no man For prynces geue wages to thintente no man by necessitie shoulde be forced to take other mennes goodes So he through easye preceptes accordyng to euery mannes capacitie made al men in a redines for Christ to come foreseyng Christ in spirite whom he had not yet seen with his bodily iyes ¶ Then cummeth Iesus from Galile to Iordane vnto Iohn to be baptised of him But Iohn forbade him saying I haue nede to be baptised of the and cummest thou to me Iesus answered and sayth vnto hym Let it be so nowe For thus it becummeth vs to fulfyll all righteousnesse Then he suffred hym Therfore the rumour fame beyng now spred abrode and dayly more more encreasing that by diuers meanes by the angels by the sheperdes by the Magyans by the cruel carefulnes of Herode by the prophecye of zachary by Simeon by Anne by litle and litle secretely but most of al by Iohns open manifeste setting furth beeyng ioyned with a great auctoritie inso muche that yll meÌ„ also being now amased with feare did frame themselfe to the cumming of Christ thus declared set furth For truly it was time for him to cuÌ„ furth into the sight of the world to declare himself not by the testimonies of others but by his own vertues that it might appere what maner of one how mighty he was that he might obscure darken al men by whose testimonie he was heretofore set forth commeÌ„ded Therfore Iesus left Galile where he had been in secrete hitherto nowe goiÌ„g about his fathers busines he leueth his mothers cuÌ„trey Nazareth maketh spede vnto Iordan where he should haue a great coÌ„pany gathered together out of diuers coastes of Iewry to be a witnes of the thinges that should be there spokeÌ„ doen. He who alone was defiled with no spot of sin yea who alone should take away the sinnes of the world through the middes of the sinful coÌ„panies euen lyke a sinner goeth vnto Iohn requireth to be baptised of hym who alone doth saÌ„ctifie euery baptisme Iohn not yet ascerteyned that Iesus was that high Messias the sonne of god but yet obseruing marking a meruaylouse semelynes and honesty apperyng in his iyes in all his couÌ„tenaunce in his maner of going he doth excuse his disordered office ministracion honoring his dignitie and worthines as yet with no certayne commendacion Onely he saieth it were mete conuenieÌ„t that I which am far beneth vnder thy vertues should require baptisme of the And how cummeth it to passe that thou doest humble adbase thy selfe so lowe to require baptisme of me sith no man is more pure cleane froÌ„ al sinne than thou These thynges wer thus doen by the ordinaunce of god to thinteÌ„t both that we should haue an exaÌ„ple of the merueilous modestie humilitie of Christ and also that it might appere vnto all men by the testimonie of Iohn that Christ being without coÌ„science of any sinne or euil required to be baptised For he was baptised like as he was circuÌ„cised as he was purified in the teÌ„ple with his mother as he was scourged as he was crucified He suffered all these thinges for vs not for himself Wherfore wheÌ„ Iohn declaring constaÌ„tly his own vnworthines setting forth the worthines of Christ did refuse the office of a baptiser Christ by no sinister suspicion did steine his own innocencie which it behoued to be knowen beleued of al men Euery parte ê™ he of this busines hath his time Be thou content in the meane season that I be baptised of the thynke not vnâ—uÌ„ly for the if thou baptise him who as thou saiest is better theÌ„ thou Certainly it shal becuÌ„ me which desireth to bring al vnto me to fulfill all iustice For he that teacheth al teacheth perfeccioÌ„ must see that no likelyhode or apparauÌ„ce of vnrighteousnes be it neuer so litle be founde in his life and maners I must become all thinges to al men that I maye winne and bring al vnto my father When Iohn heard these wordes he descended into Iordane with Christ and baptised him And here appereth an holsome example of humilitie in Christe and of obedience in Iohn but the thyng the effecte is of contrary order For baptisme doth consecrate vs but he through the holy touchyng with his body did consecrate baptisme And Iesus whan he was baptised came straight waye out of the water and lo heauen was open vnto hym And he sawe the spirite of God descendyng lyke a doue and lyghting vpon hym And lo there came a voyce from heauen saying This is my beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased And to thintent he might declare vnto vs what we ought to do after baptisme what felicitie was geuen vs by baptisme Iesus going out of the water cherefully spedely as though he had cast of a great burdeÌ„ of sines teaching vs that we should not tarry nor linger in washinges nor ofteÌ„tymes returne vnto theÌ„ by sinning again but to make haste to the dueties of a spiritual life the sinnes of the former life once cast of and buried in baptisme kneled downe vpon his knees and lifted
and wer also full of malice enuy But whaÌ„ Iesus was cum home the blynde men were receiued into his house who with stiffe hope folowed hym Than Iesus geuyng exaumple vnto others firste demaunded them of theyr faith Beleue ye ê™ he that I am hable to perfourme your requestes And they without any delay sayde Lord we beleue Than Iesus touching their iyes with his hande sayed As ye beleue so be it to you not chaleÌ„ging to hym self the restoryng of the sight but imputyng it to theyr fayth trust declaryng that chiefely vnbelefe made vs vnmeete for the bountyfulnesse of God whiche is prest and readye for all men Assoue as Iesus had spoken the iyes of the blynd wer open so that they saw clerely Here Iesus willing to warne vs couertly that although glory of it self foloweth the good dede yet we muste flee it rather then desire it he charged the blynde menne verye earnestly that no man should knowe this dede But the ioying of their newe felicitie spred the fame of Iesus the more through out the whole countrey emong all them that knewe of their olde blindnes As they went oute behold they brought to hym a dumme man possessed of a deuill and whan the deâ—uill was caste out the â—umme spake and the people maruelled saiyng It was neuer so seene in Israel But the Phariseis said He casteth out deuils through the prince of deuils And Iesus went about all cities and townes teachyng in their Syngogues preachynge the glad tidynges of the kyngdome and healyng euery sickenes euery disease among the people Whan the blynde were departed there was an other miserable manne offered vnto hym who was vexed with a deuill whiche toke awaye the vse of his tonge that the man neither was wel in his wit to wishe for helth nor had no tonge to aske for it He therfore because he had neede of an other mannes fayth was offered vnto Iesus Whiche withoute any tarriyng cast out the deuil and furthwith the dumme spake The multitude marueiling at so great spedines of miracles ready in all kynde of diseases beyng neuer so incurable sayed among them selues There was neuer manne emong the Israelites that wrought so many miracles to easily CoÌ„trariwise the Phariseis blynded daylye with malyce more and more where as the thynges that were doen in the sight of all menne could not be denyed yet to the enteÌ„te they myght withdrawe from hym the mindes of the people that had him in veneracion they falsely slauÌ„der him that he casteth out deuils not by the power of god but by the myght of Belzebub the prince of deuils ThaÌ„ which vntrue slauÌ„der what could be a more mad thing As who should say one deuill driueth out an other or as who should say Belzebub the enemy of mankynd gaue lyfe to the dead health to the sicke sight to the blynde speche to the dum These illes cum from them oftentimes which Iesus of his goodnes hauing coÌ„passion vpon meÌ„ toke away with suche corporall benefites as might seÌ„sibly be perceiued preparing them for the capacitie of spiritual benefites But most meke Iesus was not offeÌ„ded with suche malicious reproch but deuised more for the health of all men because he sawe the Phariseis to whome it apperteyned to see for the healthe of the people so lyttell to helpe and succour that also they enuyed the commodities of others Iesus therfore as a good shepeherde walked thorough al cities and stretes laboring to heale both the soules and bodies of all men teachyng in their coÌ„gregacions and preaching the kingdome of heauen into the whiche none bee receyued but suche as be voyd of all diseases of the soule and healing also al kyndes of diseases and sickenesses But whan he sawe the people he was moued with compassion on them because they were destitute and scattered abrode as shepe hauyng no shepeherd Then saieth he vnto his disciples the haruest is plenteous but the laborers are fewe Pray ye therfore the lorde of the harueste that he wyll send labourers into his haruest Further whan Iesus sawe the multitude swarming on euery syde and euery day more thicke and now gredy of health and sincere doctrine and coÌ„nsidered withall that the Priestes Phariseis and Scribes vpon whoÌ„ the people hitherto did hang to do any thing rather then to preserue the people and that they were whole geuen not to the gâ—ory of God but to their owne glory to their owne lucre to theyr own bely and to their own pleasures in whoÌ„ if there wer any religioÌ„ it was but coloured and counterfaited so that it was very noysome vnto true religion and considered also that the people was but rude and grosse and yet in the way of amendment for they lokyng to be healed in their bodies folowed with a simple and plaine faithe glorified god and although yet they vnderstode not the doctrine of the gospel yet they did not reiect the same Contrariwise whan he coÌ„sidered the Phariseis and the Scribes where as they had the Prophetes and the law yet to be blinded with worldly desires and also to resist the doctrine of the gospel the good shepeherde was moued with pitie and compassion because he saw them lyke vnto wanderyng shepe skatered a sunder and destitute of a shepherd and running vnaduisedly hither and thither Iesus therfore coÌ„sideryng that in the Phariseis whiche played the wolues rather than the shepherds the flocke had no hope that the people through miracles was nowe sumwhat prepared to receiue the doctrine of the gospell he sayd vnto his disciples whom he had now well gathered together I see a great harueste but very few laborers The fame of the gospel is spred abrode euerywhere The feruencie of many is stirred vp whiche seme ripe and redy to heare the wisedome of the gospel But where be they that wil take vpon them to preache teache Where be they that will teache purely and sincerely neyther sekyng after glory of man nor after gayne and lucre but teachyng so sincerely as ye see me teache Truly suche a cumpany of men must not be neglected beyng kindeled with the desire of the heauenly doctrine What is than to be done but to desyre and require the lord of the haruest to thruste into his harueste the ydle and vnwilling laborers For the occasioÌ„ is now and lingeryng is daungerous I knowe that it is more pleasaunt for you to be with me but the tyme is at hand that ye must shewe some profe of your selues and that ye must begin to shew forth for the saluacion of other that whiche ye haue receiued of me The .x. Chapter ¶ And when his twelue disciples were called vnto hym he gaue them power against vncleane spirites and to caste them oute and to heale all maâ—er of sickenesse and all manner of disease The names of the twelue Apostles are these The first Simon whiche is called Peter and Andrewe his brother Iames the sonne of Zebedee and Iohn his
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
the ground sumtime he is dryuen into the fier sumtime into the water he fometh he gnasheth with his teeth coÌ„sumeth awaye And because I could not haue you I desired your disciples to cast out the deuil they could not But Iesus to heale the vnbelefe of all men crieth out in maner angerly O nacion vnbeleuing and without faythe how long shall I be among you in vayne howe long shall I suffre your vntractable and froward maners I haue doen so many miracles and profitte nothyng and therwith coÌ„maunded the chylde to be brought because the miracle might be the more euident and â—otable to all men Which when he was brought and seen of Iesê° furthwith euen there before theÌ„ al the spirite toke hym and the chylde was hurled vpon the ground and tumbled and fomed a miserable sight to see ThaÌ„ Iesê° the more to declare the greatnes of the disease asked the father how long it was sith the chyld began to be vexed with this disease The father made aunswer and sayed from his infancy and not without daunger of his life For oftentimes he droue him into the fier sumtyme into the water to destroy him I know that it is a soore disease yet yf thou caÌ„st do any thing haue mercy vpoÌ„ vs help vs. Iesê° hearyng yf thou canst sumwhat reprouyng the weakenes of his faith as who saieth any disease wer of greater might than the power of God sayth vnto him Aske not what I am able to do but loke what thou art able to beleue For if thou trust fully nothing is so hard but it may cum to passe to him that doth beleue trust At this word the father conceiuyng a trust and a more sure hope with plentifull teares criyng out made aunswer Lord I beleue and if any thing waÌ„t in my trust and belefe supply thou it of thy goodnes and help my vnbelefe In the meane time when Iesus espied the multitude of people runnyng to gase desyrous to see whether the thyng that came not to passe to the discyples should cum to passe to Iesus he threatened the vncleane spirit saiyng thou deaf and dumme spirit I commaund the go out from him and teturne not a gain vnto him hereafter But the spirite went froÌ„ the chylde with howlyng yet first he tore him and vexed him so vehemently that he lay for dead and many warranted that he was dead So strong and tough was the violence of the disease But Iesus taking the child by the hand lifted hym vp he arose Like as the father did hardly beleue so his soÌ„ne was hardly heled ¶ Than came the disciples a part to Iesus and said why could not we cast hym out Iesus said vnto them because of your vnbelefe For verily I say vnto you yf ye haue fayth as a grain of musterde seede ye shall say vnto this mountayne Remoue from hence to yonder place and it shall remoue and nothing shal be vnpossible vnto you Albeit this kynde goeth not oute but by prayer and fastyng In the meane season the disciples wer heauy in their mindes fearing leste thorough their default they had lost the power of doyng miracles wheras before they had gloryed that deuilles also were obedient vnto their worde before the multitude they kepe sylence for shame But whan Iesus was cuÌ„ into the house they goe vnto their maister and demaund of hym why could not we cast out this deuill sith this power was once deliuered vnto vs froÌ„ thee Iesus to confyrme the faythe and trust of his disciples which oughte to be so great that sumtyme it myghte helpe the distruste of others sayeth The weakenesse of your fayth partely was the cause For the violeÌ„ce of the disease was vehement and the fathers fayth weake and waueryng your faythe was not so mightie that it was equall and hable against both these difficulties For it is sumwhat werish with mannes affeccions and faultye by the reason of the leauen of vaynglorye And ye had faythe lyke the seede of mustarde which beyng vile and litle yet when it is broosed it sheweth a sharpe quicknes of her nature and sowed in the grounde springeth vp into a large tree nothing should be so harde but with a word it should be brought to passe out of hande Yea if ye should say to the hil remoue from hence and goe into an other place it would doe it forthwith as it was commaunded But this kynde of deuylles wherewith the chylde was possessed is not cast out vnlesse fayth be confirmed and strengthned by prayer and fastyng The violence of the disease was strong and tough and by continuaunce of time it was tourned into nature Agaynste suche maner of faultes we must fyght with fastynges which do subdue the body being brought lowe vnto the spirite and also with praier whiche obteyneth the help of god By this coÌ„municacion Iesus taught that greuous vehement and muche accustomed dyseases of the mind must be driuen away with strong vehemente remedies And whan they were in Galile Iesus sayd vnto them It will cum to passe that the soÌ„ne of man shal be deliuered into the handes of men and they shall kyll hym and the third daye he shall rise againe And they were exceadyng sory But now Iesus whan he was in Galile to the entent he might fortify make strong the mindes of his disciples lest they should be ouer much troubled with his death again he doth iterate beate it into theÌ„ that the sonne of man must be delyuered into the handes of men and killed of them that the thyrde day he should rise agayn from death This saiyng did grieue the mindes of the disciples aboue measure which so loued their lord albeit theyr affeccion and loue was yet carnal that their eares could not suffre any mencion of death For they coulde not vnderstande that Moses and Helyas called the death of Iesus a glory renoume and that that death should bryng health and saluacion to the whole worlde And although like as they were heuy and fadde at the mencion of death so they ought to haue bene chereful glad at the mencion of the resurreccion yet their mynd abhorred so muche from the remembraunce of deathe that surelye they vnderstode not what it ment to dye and the thyrde day to rise agayn For they thought it better vtterly not to dye seeyng that he was hable to doe that whiche was hable to reuiue again from death And whan they were cum to the citie of Capernaum â–ª they that vse to receiue tribute money called a didraÌ„me came to Peter and said Doth your maister pay a didraÌ„me He saith yea And whan he was cum into the house Iesus preuented him saying What thinkest thou SimoÌ„ Of whom doeth the kynges of the earth take tribute or toll of their children or of straungers Peter sayeth vnto him of straungers Iesus sayd vnto hym than the chyldren be free Notwithstanding leste we shoulde offende them goe
greatest commaundemente The whiche no manne doeth perfourme and kepe vnlesse he kepe also the seconde lyke vnto that For this Thou shalt loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe doeth depende of the other And whatsoeuer is commaunded in the whole lawe whatsoeuer the Prophetes teache all that is comprysed in these two commaundementes For whosoeuer loueth God with all his hearte will neglecte nothyng that he hath commaunded And he that loueth his neyghboure as himselfe he will not steale he will not commyt aduoutry he will not beare false witnesse he will not desyre his neyghbours substaunce Finally he will do nothing to an other which he would not to be doen to himselfe Than the Pharisey which was become nowe almoste of a tempter a disciple sayed Maister thou hast spoken truely and rightly that there is one God and no nother but he and that he onely ought to be loued aboue all thynges with all our power and that we must bende all our affeccions towardes hym onely and that to loue our neyghbour as our selfe is more than all the holocaustes and sacrifices Iesus seyng that he had aunswered wyselye and went not forwarde to lye in wayte sayeth vnto him thou arte not farre from the kyngdome of God For he perceyued what was best he lacked onely this to folowe in affeccion and harte that that he vnderstode And in the meane tyme he touched secretly the conscyence of certayne Phariseis whiche layed deadly wayte for Iesus And therfore whereas they demaunded onely of the chiefe commaundement the kepyng of the whiche they falsly toke vpoÌ„ them he purposely added the seconde concernyng the loue of their neyghboure for as yet they supposed not that Christe was God but to be theyr neyghbour and one that had doen muche for them they could not deny agaynste whome notwithstandyng they did deuise that that no man would should haue come vnto hymselfe Whan the Phariseis were gathered together Iesus asked them saying What thinke ye of Christe whose sonne is he They sayed vnto him The sonne of Dauid He sayed vnto them Howe than doth Dauid in spirite call hym Lord saying The Lord sayed vnto my Lord sit thou on my ryghthand till I make thâ—ie enemies thy footestoole If Dauid than call him Lord howe is he his sonne And no man was able to answer him any thing neyther durst any man from that daye furth aske hym any moe questions But nowe whereas a greater company of Phariseis were gathered together Iesus beyng tempted of them with so many questions proposed vnto them againe a question signifying vnto them sumwhat obscurely and darkely that whiche he lefte to be declared afterward by his Apostles in tyme conuenient that he had not onely the nature of manne whiche they sawe and vpon which they would shewe their crueltie but also that he had the nature of God the which sum what they myght haue coÌ„iectured of â—is dedes vnles enuy hatred ambicion auarice and other vices had blinded their mindes Therfore he demauÌ„deth of them being gathered together what they thought of Messias whose soÌ„ne he should be that is of whose stocke he should come They answer furthwith of Dauid Than saied Iesus what meaneth it that Dauid in the misticall Psalme inspired with the heauenly ghost calleth him Lord wheras he is his sonne For it is wrytten The Lorde sayed vnto my Lorde sitte on my ryghthande vntyll I make thyne enemyes the stoole of thy feete Howe agreeth it yf he be the sonne of Dauid that the father calleth his sonne Lorde And there was not one of them that coulde looce this knot because that they coulde as yet thynke nothyng of the godly nature of Iesus For Christe as he was the sonne of Dauid touchyng the body of man so touchyng the diuyne nature he was Lorde of all and not of Dauid onely And after this no manne durst question with hym when they sawe that the baytes and snares whiche were layed for hym redounded vpon theyr owne head ¶ The .xxiii. Chapter Than spake Iesus to the people and to his disciples saying The Scribes and the Phariseis sit in Moyses seate All therfore whatsoeuer they did you kepe kepe and do but do not after their workes for they saye and do not For they bynde together heauy burdens and hard to be borne and laye them on mennes shoulders but they themselues wyll not lyfte at them with one of theyr fyngers And they do all their workes to be seen of men THerefore whan Iesus had put them so often to sylence in the presence of the multitude leste their authoritie should vtterly decay with the people ouer whom they were sette to be doctours and teachers he declared that they ought to be hearde but not to be folowed For although it is moste agreable that he that taketh vpon him the office of a teacher should get credite and autoritie to his doctrine by vertuouse liuyng yet it is not expediente vtterly to despise the holsome doctryne for the naughtie lyfe of the doctour The reuerence whiche their maners doe not deserue muste be geuen vnto the author whose commaundementes they recite and preache For the lawe of god is not polluted though it be vttered by the mouth of a naughty preacher Truly vnto hym it is vnprofitable but it is profitable to the taker Therfore Iesus tournyng awaye from the Phariseis in whom he sawe no hope of better lyfe he speaketh vnto the people and the disciples on this maner The Scribes the Phariseis vtter themselues what corrupte myndes they haue how enuiouse how couetouse how gredy of vayne glory they be But yet for the authoritie of their office they must be hearde They occupye the chayre of Moyses whose lawe they teache The thinges that they teache are holy for they reache the doctryne of other and not their owne but their lyfe is farre and wyde in distaunce from theyr doctryne Wherfore whatsoeuer they prescribe and pointe vnto you by thautoritie of Moyses kepe it and do it but beware that ye frame not your maners after theyr lyfe If they liued as they teache ye ought wholy to folowe them Nowe they do not as they teache They exacte more than the lawe of other men with great seueritie and they pardon themselues They be very rigorouse towarde others and gentle to themselues For they bynde together heaâ—y and intolerable bundels of coÌ„maundementes and laye them vpon other mennes shoulders whiche they wyll not vouchesafe to touche with their finger For they lode the lawe heuy ynough of it selfe with their constitucioÌ„s to get them a fame of learning and holines And if they perfourme any thyng accordyng to the commaundement of the lawe they do it not with their hart but for prayse and fame of the people They be players and as disgised persons they playe their parte with a counterfayte viser of religion to be seen of men But no man kepeth the lawe but he that doeth as the lawemaker would he requireth chiefly a pure and sincere
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
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
and moued all menne to be repentaunt for theyr former lyfe And yet this notwithstanding they whiche boaste and crake vpon the perfite knowledge of the prophecy knewe him not And they whiche loued better theyr owne kyngdome then the kyngdome of God delte by him not as he deserued but as them lyked For he camme accordyng to the prophecies of Esaye and Malachy crying in wildernesse how the great and terrible daye of the Lorde was present howe the axe was alredy put to the rote of the tree and that euery manne shoulde spedely endeuour him selfe to auoyde the vengeaunce of God cumming But this Hely who openly without regarde of person rebuked euery mannes vices they despised and put to deathe Neyther wyll they more gently entreate Messias then they haue done his forecurroure Hereby Iesus declared howe Iohn was Hely not after the body but after the similitude of spirite who whyles he neyther spared kynges ne phariseis was caste into prison and beheaded As they dyd by the forewalker so wyll they doe by his Lorde The same thyng wyll they lykewyse doe by those Apostles that shall folowe hym For whosoeuer hath sincerely preached that goddes kyngdome should cumme thesame hath suffred many affliccions of the vngodly And whoso syncerely preacheth yâ— it is already come must nedes suffre the lyke With these wordes Iesus called backe his disciples froÌ„ the dreame of glorye to the remembrauÌ„ce of the storme that was to cum and hanged ouer theyr heades that is to saye from pleasaunt thynges to necessarye ¶ And when he came to â—is disciples he sawe much people about them and the Scrybes disputyng with them And sâ—â—ayghtwaye all the people when they beheld hym were amased and ranâ—e to him and saluted hym And he asked the Scryâ—es what dispute ye among them And one of the company aunswered and sayed Mayster I haue brought vnto the my sonne which hath a dumme spirite and whensoeuer he taketh hym he teareth hym and â—e someth and gnasheth with his teethe and pyneth awaye And I spake to thy disciples that they should caste hym out and they could not In the meane whyle that they had thus commoned together they were come into the sight of the people at what seasoÌ„ a great multitude were gathered about the disciples whome Iesus left beneath in the playne He sawe also the scribes reasonyng the mattier I wot not wherupon with his disciples Now when the people had espyed Iesus vnloked for on theyr behalfe forasmuch as he had preuely conueyed himselfe awaye with a fewe of his disciples they were astonyed and met him cummyng full and whole and saluted hym Iesus was not ignoraunt what the scribes disputed on but yet he asked what the mattier was where vpon they reasoned to th entent that euery body might knowe what was done And when both the disciples the scribes helde their peace for very shame the disciples for that they assayed to cast oute a diuell and coulde not bryng it to passe and the other because that in the presence of the disciples they depraued the name of Iesu as a thyng vertulesse and of no efficacie one of that multitude who ministred the occasion of the â—â—asoning shewed the whole matier euen as it was vnto Iesu. Mayster sayeth he I brought hither my sonne vnto thee who is vexed with a dumme spirite of whome he is pitifully tourmented For whensoeuer the spirite teketh hym he dasheth hym agaynste the grounde and then the childe fometh at the mouth gnasheth with his teeth and cryeth out and all this whyle he pyneth and consumeth awaye by reason he is thus vexed Because thou wast not here I desyred thy disciples that they would chase awaye this spirite and deliuer my sonne They assayed to doe it and coulde not ¶ He answereth him and sayeth O faythles naâ—ion howe longe shal I be with you howe long shal I suffer you Bryng him vnto me And they brought him vnto him And assone as the spirite sawe him be taâ—e him and fell downe on the grounde walowinge and fominge And he askethe his father howe longe it is ago sence this happened him And he sayeâ— of a childe and oftetymes it hath caste him into the fier into the water to destroye him But yf thou canst do any thing haue mercy vpon vs and helpe vs. Iesus sayed vnto him yf thou couldest beleue all thinges are possible to him that beleueth And strayght waye the father of the childe cryed with teares saying lorde I beleue helpe thou my vnbelefe When the lorde heard this to shewe that feblenes of fayth was the verye cause why the yonge man was not delyuered of the spirite he makynge as thoughe he had been wrothe and in a fume sayed O faythlesse nacion whiche yet canst not by so many miracles as I haue done be brought to belefe Howe longe shall I lyuynge here in earth striue with your vnfaythfull obstaclenesse howe long shall I beare with you when wyll you come forwarde in those thynges that be of the spirite when wyll you beleue those thynges that you see not syth you beleue not the thynges whiche you see with your corporall â—yes bryng hym hyther to me And they brought hym vnto hym That sinne cleaueth fast wherunto the synner hath from his chyldehood accustomed But after he was brought vnto Iesus he was wurse vexed then he was before by reason of the conflicte which arose betwene the spirite desirous to amende and sensualitie tollyng and alluryng hym agayne to his accustomed synfull lyuyng For anon as the fiende sawe Iesus he feelyng a contrarye power to his tooke the younge manne and soore vexed hym insomuche that beeyng dashed agaynste the grounde and rolled to and fro he fomed at the mouth This was a pitifull syght to all the people But it is a muche more pitifull syght when the sinner possessed with greuous suâ—â—es and of long continuaunce is lykewyse vexed in soule Howbeit there is no synne vncurable vnto Iesu. The Lorde because the other shoulde also knowe in howe euyll case he was asked his father howe long it was since his sonne fyrste beganne to bee thus vexed he answered againe of an infante And the spirite doth not onely sayeth he thus vexe hym as thou seest but also casteth hym oftetymes headlong into the fyre and many tymes into the water because to destroy hym Here thou hearest a very sore and cruel malady tourned into nature and therfore the father feared leste it had been vncurable For he sayed moreouer But yf â—ou bee able to doe any thyng haue mercye on vs and helpe vs. He dyd well to desyre the mercy of Iesu who could alleage no merites howbeit thou hearest a waueryng faythe when he sayeth But yf thou bee able to doe any thyng c. That faythe Iesus refourmeth saying doubte thou not what I am able to doe For yf thou couldest beleue there is nothyng but strong and stedfast fayth may obteyne it Assone as Iesu had sayed so the
tempt hym lest they should haue departed with greater shame if they had been styll reproued in the presence of the people They counted Iesus for an ignoraunt person and anaunted and set out themselues among the simple vnlearned people what with their magnifike and hye titles and what with theyr tragical and maskyng apparell as thoughe they had been almost god almighties peeres Howbeit the euangelike and godly wysdom staÌ„deth not in the multitude of sciences but in purenesse of spirite As Iesus was reputed among the scribes Phariseis priestes and head meÌ„ of the people so afterwarde were the apostles taken for rude and ignoraunt persons among the Phylosophers rulers and princes ¶ And Iesus answered and sayde teachyng in the temple Howe saye the Scribes that Christ is the sonne of Dauid For Dauid himselfe inspired with the holy ghost sayed The lorde sayde to my lorde syt on my right hande tyll I make thyne enemyes thy foote stoole Dauid himselfe calleth hym lorde and howe is he then his sonne and muche people hearde hym gladly But although the Scribes and Phariseis ceased to tempte Iesus yet ceased not to teache them For when he had propouned vnto them being assembled altogether a question and asked whole sonne was Messias whome they wayted for and they had answered againe out of the Prophetes the soÌ„ne of Dauid he moued a doubte that none of them all could assoyle saying how standeth it that Messias is the sonne of Dauid since Dauid himselfe inspired with the holy ghost speaketh in the Psalme as foloweth The lord sayde vnto my lorde sitte on my right hand till I make thyne enemyes thy footestole â–ª Sith thauctoritie of the progenitoures is greater then is thauctoritie of the of spring and neuewes by what reason then dothe Dauid call hym who shal be borne of his seede his lord It is a lyke thing as thoughe the father would call the sonne Lorde The Scribes and the Phareseis who had in them the spirite of the fleshe as yet vnderstode not this misterie Dauid inspired with the holy ghost sawe in Christ whoe was not then borne a thing farre aboue the nature of manne where as himselfe was nothing els but a man Nowe when the Scribes and Phariseis helde theyr peace and coulde make no aunswere hereunto the moste parte of the people fauoured Iesu and had a great delite to heare him dispute and reason the matter ¶ And he sayed vnto them in his doctrine beware of the Scribes whiche loue to goe in long clothing and loue salutacions in the market place and the chiefe seates in the congregacions and the vppermoste towmes at feastes whiche deuouâ— wydowes houses and vnder a pretence make long prayers These shall receyue greater damnacion Wherefore Iesus perceiuing them to be curable and knowing also how the priestes Scribes and Phariseis of a purpensed malyce â–ª perseuered in their vngracious purpose began openly to disclose theyr naughtynes in thaudyence of the people not because to backbyte and slaunder them but he toke from theÌ„ the visure of counterfaite vertue and holynes lest they shoulde froÌ„ thenceforth any more deceyue the people For nowe the tyme required that he should so do Therfore putting forthe and preaching vnto them his owne doctrine that is to say a francke doctrine and suche a one as flattereth and coureth fauour with no manne he saied beware leste the royall shew of the Scribes Phariseis deceiue you They studye not your soule healthe but theyr owne glorye For they couet to go in long roabes doune to the ancle to th entent they maye appeare to be men of geat perfeccion and they seke after salutacions in the market place and the preferment of the chiefe seate in assemblies and in all feastes and bankets the first place or vppermost roume of the table They vse also long prayers bycause they maye seeme holyer then other And by reason of souche coloured holynesse they crepe into the fauoure of blessed and godlye wydowes but symple withall whiche for diuers causes are apte to be deceyued eyther bycause of the weakenes of theyr sexe and kynde or for that they be wydowes and lacke husbandes to defende them or els bycause they be ryche and wealthy To theÌ„ cum they of their owne swinge vnder preteÌ„ce to be their patrones and defendours and with theyr counterfayte holynesse deuour vp their houses But so litle shall this their Hipocrisy profite theim that they shall be more greuouslier damned of god for so muche as they couered their naughtynes with a coloure of holy and vertuous lyuing Therfore take ye good hede of those leste ye be deceyued And when Iesus sate ouer againâ—â—â— the treasury he behelde howe the people put money into the treasury and many that were riche caste in muche And there came a certaine poore wydowe and she threwe in two mites whiche make a fartâ—yng And he called vnto him his disciples and saieth vnto them Verilye I say vnto you that this poore wydowe hath caste more in â–ª then all they whiche haue caste in to the treasurye for they all dyd caste â—â— of their superâ—â—uitie but she of her pouertie dyd caste in all â—hat euer she hadde euen all her lyuyng These thinges done Iesus went into that parte of the teÌ„ple where the treasury was wherin the offered gyftes were kepte and sytting directly against it behelde those that made their oblacion and caste in giftes And many riche folkes caste in great giftes whom the priestes woulde therefore shoulde bee counted as it were more holier then other measuring their godlynes after the rate and measure of the gifte that they offered In the meane season there came also a certaine poore wydowe and threwe in two little pieces of coyne whiche made a ferthing There was none among them all that preferred not those ryche folkes before this poore woman But Iesus iudgement farre differeth from the iudgemeÌ„t of the Scribes and Phariseis the whiche thyng he woulde not haue his disciples ignoraunt of I tell you sayeth he for a certaintie this widowe be she neuer so poore hathe geuen more to the treasury then all the other whiche seeme to haue geuen mooste lauishely For the other gaue of their abundaunt superfluitie They gaue muche howbeit they reserued more to themselfes But this woman of her lyttle poore substance hath geuen all together reseruing nothing vnto her selfe For God doeth not esteme the gifte after the measure and value of the thyng that is geuen but after thaffeccion minde of the geuer Iesus is pleased with suche a wydowe and dayneth to bee her spouse and conforter The Synagoge like a proude housewyfe boasteth and craketh vpon the riches of her righteousnes she boasteth vpoÌ„ her ryche ornameÌ„tes of good workes She glorieth in her housebaÌ„de Moyses vnto whom she was neuer obedient She auaunteth herselfe because the prophetes were her sonnes whome she eyther slewe with wicked murther or at the least wyse persecuted She hath euer
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
of his father was contente to be made as a foole for our sakes to the ende that we might be made wise in him Through pryde came our fall and through humilitie came our settyng vp agayne Adam being through the serpent made bare of all the good qualities of the mynde couered hymselfe with leaues plucked from the tree Christe being riche in giftes celestiall desired no maner thing at all of this worldes The figures also of the olde Testament do veray well accorde with the storie of the ghospell Moses guided and led the Israelites out of Egypte and Christe hath deliuered them from the derkenesse of ignorauÌ„ce and from the boÌ„dage of vice They had their passage there through the water and we here through baptisme haue a ready waye to saluacion and freedome There was a pilour of a cloude and of fyer and here the father sendeth a voyce downe through a cloude and our spirite is baptised with fyer Through the first lawe is occasion of death through the lawe of the ghospell we are called agayne to lyfe But the olde lawe dyd with throundreynges and lyghtenynges make them sore afeard and the lawe of the ghospell doeth with ientilnesse and benefites call vs forth to saluacion Moses was terrible to be seen but in such wyse that constreyned he was to couer his face Christe is mylde and full of courteous humanitie and puttyng hymselfe in companie emong the thickeste of the people Moses went vp to the hill to talke with God and Christe came downe to vs to the intent that God should speake to vs by hym The fyrste Adam while he coueteth to be equal with God is compared to brute beastes voyde of vnderstandyng The seconde Adam whan he humbled himselfe from his godly maiestie downe to the bassenesse of our humaine nature wheras we were more abiecte and vile then euen the brute beastes are helyfâ—ed vs vp to the participacion and brotherhood of his godhed Nowe to conclude through Iesus the sonne of Naue was their returnyng into the lande flowyng wyth mylke and honey and through Iesus the sonne of a virgin is our returnyng agayne into paradyse Let vs therfore goe awaye from the disposicion of our first parentes and duely folowyng the lyfe of our Lorde Iesus let vs wyth pure myndes enbrace his benefite and let vs with al godly zele and endeuour folowe his exaumple to the best of our powers hymselfe will ayde vs therto with his helpe the whiche of his goodnesse hath geuen the example let vs enbrace the merciable and vnwrathfull maker of the lawe euangelicall Lette vs folowe our guide who only and none but he is hable to bryng all nacions of the whole worlde home vnto that same lande whiche continually without ende doeth moste plenteously flowe with all kynde of ioyes ¶ The .iiii. Chapiter ¶ Iesus beeyng full of the holy ghoste returned from Iordan and was ledde by the spirite into wildernesse and was fowerty daies tempted of the deuill And in those daies did he eate nothyng And whan they were ended he afterwarde houngred And the deuill sayed vnto hym If thou be the sonne of God commaunde this stone that it bee breade And Iesus aunswered him saying It is wrytten Man shall not lyue by bread only but by euery woorde of God ANd Iesus vpon whose head the doue had lighted before at his baptisme beeyng not a voyde signe but the holy ghoste hymselfe in that lykenesse although he were nowe full of the holy ghoste yet before he would enterpryse the office of preachyng the ghospell because he would be in all thinges approued and tryed euen to the vttermoste ere he woulde take suche an office in hande he departed from Iordan geuyng therby a lesson that after baptisme menne shoulde endeuoure themselfes to the more higher exercises of godly lyuyng he withdrewe himselfe from the coumpanie of people with whom to be familiar and muche conuersaunte doeth many tymes corrupte a manne and also doeth cause the autoritie of a teacher to be the lesse estemed and regarded And by the spirite of God wherwith he was wholy rauished and possessed he was moued and led furthe into wildernesse from whence Iohn had to fore come furthe emong the people And this did Iesus euen as one that mynded to bidde the enemie of mankynde quickely to come of and make readie all hys craftes and ingiens verayly of purpose both to shewe and declare vnto vs that the deuyll who had hitherto been as a conquerour ouer mankind had holden them captiue maye bee vanquyshed and subdued and also as it were with his fynger to poynte vnto vs the waye howe to wynne the victory ouer hym A place was sought and found apte mete for the temptours purpose and that was wildernesse and occasion was ministred by the meanes of hounger For Iesus to doe the parte that Moses did in this behalfe nowe that he went about to geue vnto the worlde a newe lawe that is to were a doctrine of grace which is the ghospell he fasted as Moses had doen fowertie dayes and in all this tyme of the sayed fowertie daies he touched no maner of meate but passed ouer all this tyme with holy prayers vnto God geuyng laude and glorye to thesame and with geuyng continuall thankes vnto his heauenly father And this was a paterne and a saumple or president of a certayne rare and vnwoonte vertue in manne Neyther was he ignoraunt of the craftes and subtilties of Satan who by all meanes possible neuer more earnestely pitcheth and setteth his snares and grinnes then whan he perceyueth the mynde and soule of man with notable endeuour to encline and drawe towardes heauenly lyuyng And Satan had heard that one there shoulde come whiche shoulde discoumfeight and destruie his puissaunce and whether that mightie conquerour were now alreadie come or no he stoode in doubte and what manne Iesus should be he could not tell For Satan who had beguiled mankynde to fore by his subtile craftes and wyles was nowe contrarywyse to bee beguiled by the politique wysedome of God He had heard Iohn openly confesse and saye I am not Christe Wherfore seeyng and perceyuyng many thynges in Christe whiche ferre surmounted the compace of mans power and on the other syde agayne seeyng hym to bee an houngred and to be in great affliccion through defaulte of takyng bodily susteinaunce wheras it is not read that Moses and Helias after the fastyng and absteinyng from meate by the space of lyke noumbre of dayes were an hungred he supposed Iesus to be nothyng els but a manne yea and suche a manne as by his craftie conueighaunce myght be corrupted Nowe the wilie and subtill deuyse of the temptour was this that is to wete eyther to ouercome and wynne hym in dede or at the leaste wyse to hunte out whether he were that Sonne of God or no whiche had been promysed by the Prophetes Whiche thyng yf he myght haue perceyued so to bee than would he bende all his
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
eiuell that the partie aboue sayed whose bodye the deuill had possessed dooeth or suffreth if it be compared with how great furies suche an one is vexed or how great confusion a prince bryngeth to the whole worlde if he be sette in a rage through the spirite of tyrannie The violent force of this sicknesse and mischiefe ouercommeth mannes power to cure it But the spirite of Christe is stronger then it which if the mynde of man haue once conceyued it cannot bee chosen but that all the vncleane spirites that would possesse him bee they neuer so manye muste auoide and bee goen When this shall so bee brought to passe then shall he sodaynly be made of a tyraunt a father of a cruell man a moste mercifull gouernour of a poller of the people a relieuer and succourer of the oppressed of a furious warriour an ensewer of peace of a briber and extorcioner a liberall dooer and a geuer of benefites of a glorious crakyng Thraso a sobre and prudente prynce of great experience Onely leat him bee brought to Iesus and bee ledde awaye from the worlde For euen than aboute the goyng downe of the sunne no small noumbre came vnto Symons house that is to saye vnto the Churche or congregacion of Christe where the gospell is preached and by the power of Christes ▪ spirite the vnclene spirites came out of them all openly protestyng that there was one come whose goodnesse was mightier than their malice For whan they departed out of menne they cryed and sayed Thou arte that same veraye sonne of God But as yet the tyme was not come whan the Lorde woulde be knowen vnto all menne that he was that same Messias the veraye sonne of God and thoughe he had been so mynded yet woulde he not that the vnclene spirites should bee the troumpettes of his glorye eyther for that theyr confession was not simple and of good purpose but subtile and craftie or because there was ieopardie in it lest yf theyr witnesse shoulde haue been of anye weyght or estimacion in this so great a matier they shoulde haue been credited or beleued in other thynges wherin they woulde as theyr delyte and felicitie was beguile men with theyr false lyes For Satan in veray dede forasmuche as he is of nature a lying marchaunte althoughe sometyme he speaketh the truthe yet dooeth he it onely to this ende to deceyue men thereby another time and waye And doubtelesse this crafte haue some men learned of hym who intermiengle godly thynges emong vngodly true thynges with false puttyng as it were deadlye poyson into holsome meates that they maye allure the mo men to damnacion Wherfore Iesus teachyng vs that it becommeth not suche menne as haue once consecrated themselues vnto the holy ghoste to haue any thyng at all to dooe with wieked spirites he rebuked theyr clamouryng and crying and sore threatnynges added he with all to put them to silence For they felte a woondrefull strength and vertue to procede from him and therof suspected that he was Messias the sonne of God euen thesame that was promised ¶ As soone as it was daye he departed and went into a deserte place and the people sought him and came to hym and kept hym that he should not departe from theim And he sayed vnto theim I must preache the kyngdome of God to other cities also For therfore am I sent And he preached in the Synagogues of Galilee But Iesus truely who was not come of moste speciall pourpose to heale the bodyes but to cure the soules nor to one citie onelye but to all countreyes of the worlde whan he had by shewyng many soondrye myracles and with the holsome doctrine of life well begon the castyng abrode of the sede of the euangelicall philosophie veray erely euen at the breake of daye before that the multitude shoulde eftsons flocke thither to hym as people whiche came more to gase and woondre at his myracles and to seke bodely healthe then to seke the saluacion of theyr soules he leaft Capernaum and withdrewe hymselfe departyng into wyldernesse or places solitarie as one that woulde fayne bee awaye from the great preasse and throng of people vaynly resortyng vnto hym teachyng vs a lesson by the waye that miracles are not to bee wrought to a vayne oftentacion or braggue of our selues nor yet at the wyll and pleasure of the people for theyr fansies and appetites but so ferre onelye as they maye auayle and growe to mennes saluacion and to Goddes glorye but the suspicion of vayn-glorye euermore at all tymes to bee vttrely avoyded That he healed al men it was an exaumple of goodnesse beeyng prompt and readye to be shewed vnto al men that he priuely withdrewe himselfe it was an exaumple of humilitee mekenesse fleeyng vayn prayses vauntyng of hymself And whā it was now brode daye light there resorted thither agayne as they had dooen great noumbre of all sortes of people allured by the greatnesse of thynges dooen on the daye before But whan they knewe that Iesus was goen many byanby folowed after hym And whan they had found hym they entreacted hym to tarye with them and not to leaue their citie but there with them to take an house to thentente he might bee a continuall dweller emongest them This mynde and affeccion of theirs towardes Iesus was in dede not vngodly but yet muche more blessed are they whiche suffre not the Lorde Iesus to departe from the litle house of their hertes but whan he addresseth to be goen doe with muche prayers cal him backe agayne Notwithstanding at that presente season the dispensacion and state of the fleshe whiche Iesus had taken did require that he often and manye tymes chaungeyng places might by that occasion from daye to daie sprede ferther and ferther abrode the preachyng of the ghosell beeyng as yet but a newe doctrine and but of late cummen vp For he was the sedesower seute into the worlde to sowe and caste abrode in all places the doctrine of the ghospell although it should not in al places like prosperously come vp and proue in growyng Wherefore to theim that willyngly desyred hym to returne againe to Capernaum and there to enhabite himselfe he ientilly and coldely made this aunswere The benefite that hath been freely bestowed vpon you take it well in woorth I dooe not mislike your entreteynement or harbrough ne despise to be a so iourner emong you But I must of necessitie preache the kyngdome of god to other cities to as I haue dooen to yours For truely my father hath sent me for this ende and purpose not to preache to one citie onely but that I shoulde call and bid all men to the felowshyp and brotherhood of the heauenlye kyngdome And thesame that Iesus nowe did himselfe he taught afterward his disciples also to dooe whiche was that they shoulde trauaile ouer and ouer the whole yearth and teache all nacions And this iourneyng from place to place was not the disease of
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
crosse And in dede they hearde a speakyng of death but it was as it had been half in a dreme nothyng well vnderstandyng what the thyng ment whiche was spoken and yet durste they not demaunde anye questions of hym what these woordes might mene hauyng freash in theyr remembraunces that Petur whan he was somewhat ouer bolde and buisye with Iesus had hearde Iesus saie vnto hym auaunt out of my sight thou Satan thou haste no saueryng of those thynges that appertein to God but altogether of such thinges as appertein to yâ— world ¶ And there entred a thought emong them whiche of theim should bee greatest whan Iesus perceiued the thought of their hertes he tooke a chylde and set hym harde by him and sayed vnto them whosoeuer receiueth this childe in my name receiueth me And whosoeuer receiueth me receiueth hym that sent me For he that is least emong you al the same shal bee greatest After al this same Iesus wente to Capernaum And so it was that forasmuche as the disciples wer yet carnal because they had seen the glory of weorking of many miracles and because they had hearde the maiestie of the kyngdome of God promysed and because theimselfes too had dooen many woondrefull thynges aboue nature at the name of Iesus a certayn worldly thought entred into theim which at laste braste out thus ferre that as they were going on the way they reasoned together one with an other whiche of them shoulde sute highest in the kyngdome of heauen For they dreamed that such a like order shoulde bee in the kyngdome of heauen as they had seen in the courtes of worldely princes or in ryche folkes houses in whiche he that is more proude and quicker or bolder spirited then an other is he is the more Iolier felowe Than Iesus althoughe he knewe well enoughe what it was that they had emong theimselfes kept disputacions of yet as soone as he was come into the house he demaunded of theim what the matter was that they had so hardelye disputed and reasoned of by the waie And they all plaiyng mum and not hauyng a woorde to saie because they wer halfe ashamed of the matter Iesus to shewe that their thoughtes and their priuie talkes behynd his backe wer not hydden ne vnknowen to hym toke a litle innocente childe in his hand and set hym hard by his syde and callyng the twelue together vnto hym he sayed ye dispute of greatnesse whiche of you shal bee greatteste The greatteste with me are those that are moste inferiours What is more playne without fraude or guyle then this litle chylde or what thyng more lowe Euen veray suche muste ye become if ye will be chiefe in the kyngdome of the ghospel The kyngdome of feith and charity knoweth none ambicion it is not acquainted with plaiyng the Lorde it can no skill of tirannye whatsoeuer persone receiueth vnto him suche a childe as this in my name receiueth me myselfe and whosoeuer receiueth me receiueth hym that hath sent me If I haue plaied the Lorde towardes you than reason you also who shal be the chiefe emoÌ„g you but if I haue rather vsed my self as a willing and a readye seruaunte to the commodities of all persones knowe ye that he shal bee a great man emong you all who in contemnyng of glory in humilitie and submission and in feruent affeccion to bee as a seruaunte to dooe all creatures good shal bee the least and moste inferiour of all men ¶ And Iohn aunswered and saied maister we sawe one castyng out deuils in thy name and we forbad hym because he folowed not with vs. And Iesus saied vnto him forbid ye hym not For he that is not against vs is with vs. And because they had hearde hym saye that litle ones are to bee receiued in the name of Iesus it came into Iohns mynde that they had excluded and debarred a certayne man from the fraternitie of ministring the ghospel He therefore is in a doubte whether that lyke as all men were to bee receiued vnto the felowship of the saluacion of the ghospell so in lyke manier all men wer to be admitted to the ministracion of preachyng the ghospell and to the weorkyng of miracles And in this poyncte was hydden a litell spice of a certaine secret pangue of enuye God had tofore geuen power vnto the twelue onely to caste out deuils and to heale diseases Thys dignitie they thoughte not meâ—e to bee made common to any others And therefore Iohn saied maister at the tyme whan beeyng sent foorth by thee we executed the office of preachyng the ghospell abrode we sawe a certaine man casting out deuils in thy name though he bee none of the noumbre of vs twelue no nor dooeth not soe muche as folowe thee neyther This man as one beyng a straunger to our brotherhood we forbadde that he shoulde no more so dooe Than Iesus although he would in no place suffre hymselfe to be preached of by the wicked spirites yet teacheth that men of what sorte soeuer they bee are not to bee forbidden from hauyng to do in the ghospel although they do thesame of no veray sincere hert so that saith he the thyng that they doe they doe it in the name of Iesus and doe thesame thyng that ye dooe For whosoeuer is not an aduersarie vnto vs doeth euen in that veraie poynte make on our syde that he doeth not against vs. To such a thyng as is straunge and by all possible waies to be euerye where published abrode al fauour doeth auaile The miracle is not his that doeth it but Goddes who sheweth his power by man as by his ministre and instrument Therfore whatsoeuer persone sheweth any miracle by callyng vpon my name dooethe publishe and spred abrode my glory and debarreth himself of al title to speake 〈◊〉 of me from thensforth whose name he hath found so effectual ful of power ¶ And it fortuned whan the tyme was come that he shoulde bee receiued vp he sette his face to go to Hierusalem and sent messagiers before him And they went and entred into a city of the Samaritanes to make ready for him And thei would not receiue him because his face was as though he would gooe to Hierusalem Whan hys disciples Iames and Iohn sawe this they saied Lord wilt thou that we commaund fyer to come down from heauen and consume them euen as Helias dyd Iesus turned about and rebuked them saiyng ye wotte not what manier spirite ye are of For the sonne of manne is not come to destroy mennes lyues but to saue theim And they went to an other â—owne And so it befell that the time beeyng nowe veraye nere at hande when Iesus leauyng the yearth should be receiued vp into heauen the Lorde had already entred his iourney and shewed eueÌ„ plainly by his countenaunce that he was bounde towardes Hierusalem as one that purposely minded to be in the way agaynst the occasioÌ„ of his death should come He
therfore sent messagers afore hym twoo or three of the Apostles to prepaire him some harbourgh and place of soiourneyng within a certaine citie of the Samaritanes throughe whiche his iourney laye And whan they came the tounesmen had shutte the gates of the citie against them because they coniectured by the veray facions and couÌ„tenaunce of the Apostles that they were gooyng towardes Hierusalem For the Samaritanes in consideracyon that all theyr woorshyppyng of God was in a mountaine of their owne hated and abhorâ—ed all such as went to HierusaleÌ„ in the way of deuocion to worship God there Upon this Iames and Iohn who hadde been sente on the sayed message when they sawe the vncourtesie of the inhabitauÌ„tes there whiche woulde not suffre them so much as to come within the precincte of their towne walles beeyng euen all out of pacience sayed to the Lord Maister is it thy pleasure that we bidde fier to come downe from heauen as Helias ons dyd whiche may consume these felowes But Iesus because he woulde shewe howe great the mildenes of a teacher of the ghospell ought to bee bridleed their wrathefulnesse with a sharpe rebuke saiyng Take ye not the dede of Helias for your exaumple He beyng led with the spirite brought the wicked people of that tyme to confusion But as for ye doe not yet vnderstand what spyrite ye ought to bee of That same spirite of the ghospel is more meke then so There shall hereafter come a time of redresse and vengeaunce But vntill that daye the sonne of man is come not to cast awaie mennes liues or soules but to saue them They that do now at this presente kepe vs out of their towne wil peradueÌ„ture an other day hereafter take vs in They are therefore to bee saued that they maie bee in case to repent emende And so leauyng the towne they turned an other waye to an other litle towne By these wordes Iesus toke out of theyr stomakes al desirefulnesse of doing vengeaunce and taught vs to vse fauourable bearyng towardes suche as at the firste begynnyng woulde exclude and kepe out the doctrine of the ghospel from theim allegeyng that it was enough to leaue such for a season vntil they might at a tyme of occasion bee conuerted to a better mynde And it chaunced that as they were walkyng in the waie a certaine man saied vnto him I will folowe the whither soeuer thou goe Iesus saied vnto hym Foxes haue holes and birdes of the ayre haue nestes but the sonne of man hath not where to laie his head Againe it fortuned as they wente that a certaine man of his own voluntarie mynde sayed vnto Iesus I will folowe the whithersoeuer thou shalt goe And Iesus myndyng to shewe that suche as broughte not with them myndes mete for suche a weighty matter were not to bee admitted to the fraternitie of preaching the ghospel for that better it were not to take the matter vpon theÌ„ then to geue it ouer again after it were once taken in hande sayed vnto him Foxes haue holes of theyr owne in the earth and birdes of the aier haue theyr nestes in the trees but the sonne of man hath not anye place where to put hys head in Suche an one therefore as hathe anye thing in this worlde whereon to sette hys delite or whereon to set his ful reste and quiet is no mete folower of the sonne of man He muste renounce all thynges that will folowe me And he saied vnto another folowe me And thesame saied Lord suffre me first to go and buirie my father Iesus saied vnto hym leat the dead buâ—rie their dead But go thou and preache the kyngdom of God An other saied Lord I wil folow the but leaâ—e me first go bid them farewel which are at home at my house Iesus saied vnto him No man that putteth his handes to the plough and looketh backe is apte to the kyngdome of God Againe whan he had cast his iye on a certaine other man he saied vnto hym folowe me But he made this aunswere Maister geue me leaue fyrste to buirie my father But Iesus geuyng a bywoorde that the cause of saluacion is to bee preferred before all poyncâ—es of carnall duetye sayed vnto hym Leate the dead buirye theyr deade but gooe thou and shewe abrode the kyngdome of God By thys exaumple dyd the Lorde forfende the excuses of suche men whiche vnder the colour of naturall affeccion and dutie dooe putte of and delaye the care and earneste appliyng of eternall saluacion And yet a wurse â—orte of menne then those are they whiche vnder the colour of fyndyng stoppes and lettes about the affaires of theyr housholde do prolong drieue of fro morowe to morowe the matter of saluacion whiche oughte euen at the first occasioÌ„ streight way to be gone through withal For there came an other man to hym who beeyng commaunded to folowe him aunswered Maister I will come after thee doe nomore but suffre me to goe bidde my familiar frendes and my housholde farewell Than saied Iesus whosoeuer hath ons put his hande to the plough and than afterwarde loketh backe again is not apte for the kyngdome of God This matter of the ghospell is an high matter and an hard to come to whiche whoso hath ons enterprised thesame must with a peâ—pertuall appliyng of it procede stil and goe forwarde to thynges of more and more perfeccion and neuer turne his mynde awaye to the vyle cares of transitorye thynges of this worlde The .x. Chapter After these thinges the Lorde appointed other seuenty also and sent them two and two before him into euerie citie and place whether he himself would come Therfore he saied vnto them the haâ—uest is great but the labourers are fewe Praie ye therefore the lord of the haruest to send forth labourers into the haruest Goe your waies Behold I send you forth as lambes emong woulfes Beare ye no wallet neither scrip nor shooes and salute no maÌ„ by the waie Into whatsoeuer house ye entre first sate Peace be to this house And if the sonne of peace be there your peace shall teste vpon hym yf not it shall turne to you againe And in the same house tarrye styll eatyng and drinkyng suche as they geue For the labourer is woorthye of his rewarde AFter these thinges the Lord chose and toke out of the noumbre of his disciples other seueÌ„tie also as he had tofore chosen his twelue Apostles and sent them two and two before hym into euerye citie place whether he himself had determined to come to the end that by theyr preaching teaching before thei might prepare and make ready the myndes of the people against the cumming of the Lord. These dyd he euen so enstructe howe to preache and teache his ghospel as he had before taught the twelue and he shewed and opened the cause why he had so encreased the noumbre of preachers saiyng The harueste is greate but the labourers are fewe praye ye
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
seen and partely ye might haue knowen of his kynsfolkes and familiars and ye shall not fynde any one poynte that hath not been bothe signified and marked out by figures also foretolde by the Prophetes He was promised out of the stocke of Dauid and out of the tribe of Iuda and out of the toune of BethleeÌ„ As touching the place where he should be borne se ye whether Micheas did derkely prophecie or els plainly And thou Bethleem Effrata a litle one thou art in the thousandes of Iuda Out of the shall one come for the whiche shall be vnto me a rewler in Israel and his cummyng foorth is without beginning from the daies of eternitie And that this should so come to passe the Scribes the Phariseis vnderstode before they were doen who whan Herode demaunded the question of them made aunswere at once that Messias should be borne in the citie of Bethleem And euidente it is that Iesus was borne in this citie through the occasion of the surueigh and taxe which Cesar caused to be made The cause matter selfe was through Herodes crueltie made knowen to the worlde And once ye knowe that he was coÌ„monly reputed not for a Bethleemite but for a NazareaÌ„ and a man of Galile because he was brought vp in Nazareth vntyll the tyme of full mannes state and lyued there a good noumbre of yeres with his fosterfather Ioseph his mother Mary in so muche that the poisee of his crosse had the intitulacion of Iesus the Nazarean Neither was this poynte vnspoken of by the Prophetes neither who nowe and than note hym and call hym by the name of holy and of the holy of holyes because he was singularly consecrated to the Lorde not only after the lawe whiche indifferently apperteined to the first borne of maÌ„ sexe accordyng wherunto Iesus also was brought by his pareÌ„tes vnto the temple and there coÌ„secrated vnto the Lord but also aboue all mortal creatures by a certain speciall prerogatiue whiche no man had but he This Nazarean did Iacob see beeyng a man in maner altogether blynd in the iyes of the body but veray sharp and quicke of sight in the iyes of his feith at what tyme he blissed Ioseph who bare the figure of Christe And they shall be sayeth he in the head of Ioseph and in the toppe of the croune of the Nazarean that was separate from his brethren For whatsoeuer thyng the lawe of Moses doeth after the fleshe appoynte or enioyne for consecratyng of the Nazareans thesame is after a spirituall vnderstanding fulfilled in Christe And God to Dauid thus speaketh in the psalmes Of the fruite of thy wombe will I set vpon thy seate And againe elswhere the prophete Esai before Dauids tyme. There shall a rod issue forth of the roote of Iesse and a floure shall asceÌ„de out of his roote the lordes spirite shall rest vpoÌ„ him And well knowen it is the Mary was of the tribe of Iuda of the house of Dauid neither was that thyng hidden or vnknowen to the Phariseis who whaÌ„ Iesus himselfe before he suffered death asked of theÌ„ whose sonne Messias should bee made aunswere without any study or tarying the sonne of Dauid The Prophete had foresayed that he should be borne of a virgin For thus did Esai prophecie For this cause shall the Lord himselfe geue vnto you a signe Behold a virgin shal conceiue and shal bryng forth a sonne and his name shall bee called Emanuell Daniel foretolde the selfesame thyng more couertely whan he expouned what was mente by the stone that was cut of from the hill without haÌ„des which brake al to pieces and into powdre thatsame prodigious image made of golde siluer brasse iron clay and within a short while it grew into a great mountaine which with his largenesse fylled and possessed all the kingdomes of the world For Christe being without mannes helpe borne of the virgin Mary shal grynde and crushe to powdre all the kyngdomes of the worlde and shall with hys doctrine possesse all the worlde Uerayly Ezechiell beyng enspired dyd perceyue thesame to fore at what time he described the Este gate of the temple through which the Maiestie of the Lord entred in Of which gate he speaketh in this maner ‡ This gate shall be still shutte shall not be opened there shall not a man passe through it because the Lorde God of Israel hath come in therat els shall it be shutte still The prince hymselfe shal come through it c. Whan ye heare the Temple of the Lord ye knowe well enough to be meÌ„t therby the wombe of Mary consecrated by the holy ghoste Whan ye heare the Este gate doe ye not knowe the menyng of it to bee the enclosure and tabernacle of the virginly chastitie which neither any mortall man entreing vnto it ne the sonne of God either entreyng in or cummyng forthe of it hathe violated or defoiled Certes thissame is the Este gate out of whiche proceded issued the light that should lighten all the worlde vniuersall And this misterie although it be not yet published abrode emong the Iewes yet is it not vnknowen vnto those that haue had familiar conuersacion of lyuing with Mary the mother of Iesus and with Ioseph hir spouse For the saied Ioseph was taken and vsed as a moste true vndoubted witnesse of this priuy misterie which at his due tyme shall be famously spred and spoken of throughout the worlde vniuersall howe that a virgin without any lyke exaumple afore goyng sence the worlde first begon by the breathing of the holy ghost vpon hir brought forth a babe whiche was partaker of the diuine nature of the godhead of the humain nature of man both at once That if it appere to you or seme a thing vncredible that God should be borne of a creature mortall considre ye what the Prophete Baruch did prophecie of the sonne whom God taking pietie and compassion on mankynde dyd euen for the veray purpose sende into the yearth that vnto the straighing wandreers and to the blynded he should shewe the waye of health and saluacion Thissame is our God sayeth he there shall be none other estemed besydes hym This is he that hath found all the way of discipline hath â—aught it vnto Iacob his babe to Israel his beloued After this he hath ben seen in yearth and hath liued emong men And as for Daniel doeth also shewe the tyme of his birth accoumptyng it by seuens or seuenfoldes of wekes and yeres if a man will any thyng curiously serche and trye it out But long and many a daye before him the patriarke Iacob beeyng noweâ— ere the tyme of his departing out of this worlde and endewed with the spirite of prophecie to shewe thynges to come prophecied in this manier The scepter shall not be taken awaye from Iuda a guide froÌ„ the thighe of hym vntill he
skille to lye as the selfe spirite of God by whole instincte they haue been wrytten By death and by open shame of the crosse the waie did lye vnto glory it was necessarie that I shoulde arise again to lyfe on the thyrd daye to the ende ye might know your selfes to haue a Lorde and an aduocate beyng a liuesman and one that from hensfoorth shall dye nomore And thesame your aduocate beeyng admitted into heauen shall from thence send vnto you the spirite of god Than muste ye in the name of Iesus Christe preache repentaunce of the lyfe past and the remission of all synnes without the kepyng of Moses lawe Thesame remission of synnes shall bee geuen to all people through euangelicall feith onely I haue suffred the peines in the behalfe of all creatures leat them no more but beleue and they shall atteigne the state of innocencie And these thynges muste be preached not onely to the Iewes but also to all nacyons of the worlde but yet prouyded alwayes that ye begynne firste with Hierusalem In Iewrye was I borne there haue I wroughte miracles at Hierusalem haue I taught and suffered death Emōg this people shall ye fynde hertes by meanes and wayes nowe already prepaired vnto feith Unto these people shal ye renewe the memorie of the thynges whiche ye haue seen an heard My doctrine whiche I firste receiued of my father and than taught vnto you ye shall poure out again into them The world will gainsaye and withstand your testimonie lyke as it did vnceassauntly crye out against me But I as I haue heretofore saied will from my father sende vnto you the spirite whiche he long agone promysed by the prophetes that he woulde sende whan he spake by the mouth of Iohell And it shall bee I shall hereafter poure out my spirite vpon all fleashe and your soonnes and your daughters shall prophecie whiche spirite holy Dauid also did wishe for whā he saied Sende thou furth thy spirite and they shal be created and thou shalt renewe the face of the yearth Thatsame spirite shall make you strong inuincible against all terrours to bee shewed of this world Thesame spirite shall morouer geue you eloquence whiche no creature shall bee hable to gaynesaye he shall also geue you power to worke miracles in sorte that your testimonie concernyng me shall bee a thyng of condigne pith and efficacie Ye in the meane tyme vntil than bee ye in perfecte quiete and rest with yourselues and beeyng congregated together in one coumpainie remayne ye in this citie of Hierusalem begynnyng there the concorde and vnitie of the churche that shall spryng vp and exhorte ye one another with holy communicacions deuoutly praying and geuyng thankes vnto God vntill thatsame spirite come from aboue who shall enstructe and arme you with power and strength celestial ¶ And he led them out into Bethanie and lift vp his handes and blissed them And it came to passe as he blissed them he departed from them and was caryed vp into heauen And they wurshypped him and returned to Hierusalem with great ioye and were continuallye in the temple praysyng and laudyng God Herupon after that Iesus had by soondry euidente prouffes confirmed the veritie of his resurreccion he led his disciples into Bethanie and beeyng euen now readie to departe from hence into heauen he lift vp his hādes and blissed them representyng euen in this veraye poynte also thexāple of the patriarkes and of Moses And in thesame instaunte while he wisheth well vnto his disciples he was lifted vp from the yearth and in sighte of them al was carryed vp into heauen Than the disciples fallyng prostrate on the grounde wurshipped the Lord lookyng after him with theyr iyes as long as they might But muche more did thei looke after hym with their hertes after that his bodye was taken awaye from their iyes The premisses thus executed and dooen they returned to Hierusalem accordyng as the Lorde had enioyned them and returne thei did with great ioye For nowe had feith shaken of from theim all sorow and heauinesse and assured hope of the promises did geue thē cherefulnesse In the meane season thei wer muche and oftē in the temple as men euen thā alreadie offreing euangelicall sacrifices praysing and magnifying the bounteous goodnesse of god towardes mankynde and rendryng thankes vnto hym for that he had decreed freely to geue suche high benefites vnto mortall men through his sonne FINIS To the moste vertuous Ladie and moste gracious Quene Katherine late wife to the moste noble kyng Henry the eight of moste famous memorie deceassed Nicolas Udall your highnesse moste humble seruaūt wisheth health and all prosperitee in Christ. WHen I cōsider most gracious Quene Katerine the greate noumbre of noble weomen in this our time and countreye of Englande not onelye geuen to the studie of humaine sciences and of straunge tongues but also so throughlye experte in holy scriptures that they are hable to compare wyth the beste wryters aswell in endictynge and pennynge of godlye and fruitfull treatises to the enstruccion and edifiynge of whole realmes in the knowleage of god as also in translating good bokes out of Latine or Greke into Englishe for the vse and commoditie of suche as are rude and ignoraunte of the sayd tounges I cannot but thynke and esteme the famous learned Antiquitee so ferre behynde these tymes that there cannot iustelye bee made any comparison betwene them Cornelia a noble matrone of Rome throughe longe conuersacion and continuance with her learned housebande was in the processe of tyme so wel learned so eloquent that hirself was the chiefe principall instructrice and brynger vp of hir two sonnes Caius Gracchus and Tyberius Gracchus in all their learning and made thesame at lengthe so fyne that they yet to this daye remayne registred in the noumbre of the absolute and perfecte Oratours of olde tyme. We reade of one Amesia in Rome a woman so well spoken so fine of toungue that beynge on a time indicted and arrained of a grieuous offēce she so wittily so piththily and wich suche grace made answer for hirself that all the whole benche Courte than presente iudged her for the mere respecte of her eloquence and witte in that present perill and ieoperdie there shewed worthy by theyr whole cōsentes sentences to be quit and discharged of the law for that crime Hortensia the daughter of Quintus Hortensius brought vp continually frō hir cradle and tendre infancye in the house and companye of suche a noble Oratour came at lengthe so nere to the perfect eloquēce of her father that she was hable in publique hearing to make oracions and thesame of so piththye a sorte that where the noble weomen of Rome were on a time sore taxed to departe with their golde iewels toward certayne necessarie charges of that cōmon weale Hortensia came before the cōmissioners to speake in the behalfe of the matrones with her exquisite
beleue his witnes yet haue I a more certaine testimonye of my selfe that is to saye my fathers testimonie and witnes who is greater than Iohn and whose witnes cannot be reproued There is no recorde more sure than the very dedes that a man doeth yf ye do perceyue those workes to be worthy for God whiche ye haue seen me dooâ— they beare sufficient witnesse of me that I doe nothyng of my selfe but by hym whiche for your saluacion hath sente me into the worlde wherfore ye haue no cause whereby to excuse your infidelitie and diminishe my credence as who sayeth I alonely were myne owne witnesse and did declare great thynges of my selfe Ye haue Iohns witnes whiche among you is muche regarded and taken to be very weightie howbeit in dede he rather nedeth my witnesse lesâ—e he seme to haue borne false witnes Ye haue the testimonie of my workes so that nowe ye nede not to beleue any mannes sayinges when ye looke vpon the dedes themselfe And if all this dooe not satisfie your vnbeliefe yet haue ye hearde at Iordane the voice of my father from aboue bearing witnes of me But yet my father forasmuche as he is a spirite neither hathe voice whiche maye be perceyued with mannes eares nor fourme or shape that maye bee seen with bodely iyes For Moses did neyther heare him nor see hym in the veraye fourme of his owne mere nature as you suppose he did Onely his sonne hath seen hym and heard him after that sorte â–ª yet neuertheles he hath made himselfe knowen to your senses by some kynde of voyce and thorowe some manner of fourme He spake to the Prophetes and by the Prophetes hath spoken to you He hath spoken to Iohn and by Iohn to you but vnto me he hath spoken as he is of his owne very nature and by me he speaketh vnto you If ye can make no excuse but that Iohn did beare playne manifest witnesse why do ye not beleue hym If ye thinke that God in very dede did speake and was seen of Moses and the Prophetes wherfore do ye not credite those thynges which he hath spoken by them ¶ Searche the scriptures for in them ye thinke ye haue eternall lyfe And they are they whiche testifie of me and yet will ye not come to me that ye mighte haue lyfe I receyue not prayse of men but I knowe you that ye haue nor the loue of God in you I am come in my fathers name and ye receyue me not if an other come in his owne name him will ye receiue Howe can ye beleue whiche receiue honour one of another and seke not the honour that cummeth of God Do not thinke that I will accuse you to my father There is one that accuseth you euen Moses in whome ye truste For had ye beleued Moses ye would haue beleued me for he wrote of me but yf ye beleue not his wrytynges howe shall ye beleue my woordes Uerely ye beleue that the scriptures are come from God and albeit you do diligentely occupie your selues in searchyng of them and put the â—ope and felicitie of your lyfe in them yet euen as ye would not beleue Iohn to whom in other thynges ye gaue very great credite when he bare witnes of me so you beleue not the very scriptures in that whiche is the chiefe poynte of all for they promyse life but through me The father doeth there beare witnesses of me and promiseth that he wil send his sonne by whom men shall be saued But as ye haue heard Iohn and not beleued hym and also the voice of the father and not geuen credite vnto it so neither the witnesse of the lawe nor of the Prophetes sticketh in your myndes And although ye haue theyr bookes euer in your handes and their woordes alwaye in your mouthes yet doe ye reiecte hym whome those scâ—iptures dooe promyse and doe not beleue hym whome the father hath sent accordyng to the promyses of the Prophetes and wheras there is none other entrie into life but by me who hathe been approued to you by so manye testimonies yet ye wyll not forsake all thing and come to me wherby ye maie obtain life withoute difficultie For the gate and entrie of saluacion is to haue beleued the sonne whoÌ„ the father sent There is no cause why I should seke for worldlye glory amonges you by the testimonie of Iohn or the Prophetes but I am sory for youre destruccion whiche through your incredulitie dooe in maner enuye your owne saluacion And besides that I leaue you no maner of excuse to make for your selfe if you will not beleue for I haue brought foorth thus manye witnesses whiche in other thynges be of veray great auctoritie among you and onelye in matters concernyng me for whose cause all thynges wer written and spokeÌ„ ye doe not alowe them ye pretende to wurship and loue God ye haue the prophetes in reuerence by whom he spake and yet you do despise him which was promised of God and doeth declare himselfe by his workes what he is This is a playne argument that ye wurship God with counterfaicte holynes and that ye loue not God in dede whom the lawe commaundeth you to loue with all the power of your soule and your streÌ„gth inasmuche as ye contemne and regarde not his sonne Therfore your infidelitie is not for wante of witnesses but for lacke of true loue towardes God You loue worldly glory you loue money â–ª you loue pleasures and to get these thynges you misuse your selues with false pretence of religion But ye persecute the sonne of God because he teacheth those thynges whiche be contrary to these your wicked desyres albeit his reachyng agreeth with the will of the father These thynges declare that ye loue not god with your herte For he whiche loueth doeth also beleue and obeye and whoso loueth the father cannot hate his moste entierly beloued sonne In lyke maner he that loueth the sender cannot mislyke and contemne the messanger specially consideryng I couet neither glory kyngdome nor richesse among meÌ„ but onely the glory of my father And also I couet that to th entent you maye be saued You see workes wurthy for God and yet I doe not ascribe the worldlye prayse to my selfe but to my father who worketh by me Therfore although ye would â—eme religiously to wurship my father yet ye do not receyue me who am come in his name and doe none other thyng but that whiche he hath prescribed vnto me And looke howe peruersely you do discredite me who cummyng in my fathers name do freely offer lyfe and saluacion euen so fondely shall ye beleue whosoeuer cummeth in his owne name presumpteously takyng vpon hym the glory of God and therewith attendeth his owne busines and not Gods bringyng suche thyngâ—s vnto you as maye leade you into eternal death If ye loue God why do ye murmure and crie out agaynst him that seketh his glory If ye loue euerlastyng lyfe why
of man remain still aliue And to thintente also that the whole man shoulde like throughe me my father wylâ—eth thys thyng too that in the last day I shal restore the dead body also to lyfe For this is my fathers wyll that sente me euen by his soonne to geue â—ternall lyfe vnto all men and that not through Moses lawe but by faythe of the ghospell The father dooeth nothyng but by his sonne And therfore he that dooeth not acknowlage the soonne dooeth not acknowlage the father and whoso resisteth the sonne he also resisteth the father The father is inuisible but yet he is seen in his sonne Therfore whoso seeth the sonne acknoweledgeth hym and beleueth his woordes the saide soonne will not suffre hym to perishe but althoughe he bee deade in bodye he wyll rayse hym agayne in the laste daye accordyng to his fathers wylle that he so maye liue wholly both in bodie and soule in the presence of the soonne whome he gaue credite vnto The father hath geuen this power vnto the soonne that he maye restore euen the dead vnto life The Iewes then murmured at hym because he said I am the bread of life which came downe from heauen And they said Is not this Iesus the sonne of Iosephe whose father and mother we â—news How is it then that he saieth I came down from heaâ—â— â–ª Iesus aunswered and saied vnto them Murmure not among youre selfes No man can cumme to me excepte the father whiche sente me drawe hym And I wil rayse hym vp at the laste daie When Iesus had spoken these thinges the people whiche hytherto thorough hope of meate coulde metely wel away with his communicacion now seyng that they sawe their hope of bodilye sustenaunce was taken awaye they fell to quarellyng with hym to maligne against him And also whome they beeing sufficed with eatyng woulde haue made king him doe they no we contemne as a vyle persone â–ª and laie arrogancie to his charge not openlye as yet but murmuring emong theimselues chieflye at that saiyng whiche of all others they oughte to embrace that is to weâ—e I am the liuelye breade whiche descended from heauen They moste coueted and gaped for bodilye foode and with this saiyng they thoughte theimselues deluded and mocked where as in dede a thyng farre more excellent was offred them then they loked for Certes the infirmitie of his manâ—ed offended theim whiche they onely looâ—â—â— vpon with bodily iyes when as they myght bothe of his dooynges and sayinges haue seene the power of god in hym yf they had had iyes of faythe Is not this man saye they Ioseph the carpenters sonne whose father and mother we knowe well enough by sight and to be but poore folkes and of a very meane estate Furthermore how can he for shame say that he came doun out of heauen when as but of late time he was borne here in earth emongest vs a very man of men as we bee Or what meaneth he by tellyng vs of an other father And whyles they wer talkyng secretly one to an other of these thynges Iesus declaring forthwith that meÌ„s very thoughtes wer not hid froÌ„ his knowlage did make more plain and also confirme that which he had spokeÌ„ before saiyng there is no cause why ye shoulde murmure among your selfes at these thynges which I haue spoken vnto you Your infidelitie is the cause why my woordes sticke not in your myndes Ye se and se not you heare and heare not and whyles ye be present yet are ye absent Of trueth whosoeuer cuÌ„meth to me shal obteine eternall life but by fayth muste men cum to me And faithe cummeth not at all auentures but it is hadde by the inspiracion of god the father who like as he draweth vnto him mens myndes by his sonne so by breathyng in fayth secretly into mens soules he draweth them to his sonne in suche wyse that through the operacion of both ioyntly together men cum to them both The father doth not geue this so great a gift but to them that be willing and desirouse to haue it And truely whoso doeth with a redy will and godly diligence deserue to bee drawen of my father he shall obteine euerlastyng life by me For I as I tolde you shall call to lyfe again euen him that is dead when the day shall cum wherin the felicitie of the godly and the destruccion of the wicked shal be finished and fully concluded He that beleueth me receiueth an excellent greate thyng but he ought to thanke the father for it without whom no maÌ„ can beleue and yet for al that they that in the meane season doe not beleue can not excuse theyr faute by saying that they were not drawen For the father so muche as lieth in hym coueteth to drawe all men He that is not drawen is in faute himselfe because he wythdraweth hymselfe from him that els would drawe hym ¶ It is written in the prophetes and they shal be al taught of god Euery man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the father cummeth vnto me not that any man hath seen the father saue he whiche is of god the same hath seen the father Uerilye verilye I saie vnto you He that putteth his truste in me hath euerlasting life Thynges of thys worlde are learned by mannes endeuour and studye This celestiall philosophye is not vnderstande vnles the secrete inspiracion of the father make mannes hatte apte to bee taught Undoubtedlye thys is that whiche the prophetes long ago dyd saye shoulde be thus Propheciyng before haÌ„d And they shall be al taught of god But the lustes of this world maketh many one vntowardes to be taughte whiche worldelye desyres whyles they euen droune men in these earthlye thynges they suffre theym not to lifte vp theyr myndes to heauenlye thynges The gyfte is goddes but the endeuour is yours I man heareth my wordes with bodily eares in vayne excepte he heare before the secrete voyce of the father whiche must inspire the mynde with an insensyble grace of faythe Therefore whosoeuer fashyon theymselfes to bee apte to receiue this inspiracion the father dooeth thus drawe theym And he onely that is so drawen cummeth finally to me For god is a spirite and is neyther hearde nor seen but to them that bee spirituall And so to haue seene and haue hearde hym is saluacion Many shall see and heare the sonne to theyr peryl and daunger notwithstandyng that ye do glorye in that god was seene and heard to Moses and to the prophetes There was neuer mortall manne that sawe and hard god as he is in his own nature and substaunce that thing is geuen to the sonne of god alone whiche onely came from God with whom he was euermore before he came into this worlde Therfore put clearely out of your myndes the vyle cares of this corporall lyfe labouryng al that ye can that through earnest desyre of thynges that be spiritually good ye may attaine life euerlastyng I would ye should forget
were borne All sortes therfore of people did greatly wondre therat reasoned how suche a thing might cum to passe that neuer the lyke had been hearde nor reade of Thus thei said beholde a straunge thing Are not al these that speake men of Galile howe than cummeth this aboute that we beeyng so many men of diuerse languages as ofte as we heare any of them speake do vnderstand hym as perfectly as if eche of vs hearde his owne cuntrey language where he was borne sens that this multitude of vs is gathered of so diuerse and sondrye regions there be of vs here Parthians Medes Elamites and suche also as doeth inhabite all abrode the coastes of Iewry and besydes that Capadocia Pontus and that cuntrey whiche peculiarly is called Asia Phrigia Pamphilia Egipte and those parties of Libia whiche reache to Ciren Yea and sum be here whose dwellyng is at Rome some of them Iewes borne and some Proselites that is to say suche as hath of their owne desyre professed the Iewishe religion Moreouer Cretes and Arabians All we that here be gathered of so many nacions of so sondry languages dooe heare and playnely vnderstaÌ„de them speakyng nothing of comen vsage or els thinges to the worldly man perteynyng but of high matters of weyghâ—y importaunce yea thinges conuenient mete for god After this maner reasoned as many as feared god wer abated in their courage at the strangenesse of the thing said what meaneth this wondre They found no fault with that thing whiche their reason could not attayne vnto as yâ— Phariseis were wont to do but they searched for diligently desired to learne yâ— whiche they perceyued not On the other parte suche as wer hedling nothing vpright in iudgement did say in scorne the meÌ„ be drunke with new wine these persons a man may call those phariseis disciples which reported of Iesus the deuil is within him And to saye alwayes the very trueth great dronkenes is not muche vnlike to fury for it chaunceth peraduenture that some in a fury shall speake diuerse wordes of sondyry languages which they neuer learned But no fury wil this vndertake that al meÌ„ shal vnderstaÌ„d that that thou doest speake But truly these wordes spake they for a mocke Albeit a man maye sometime tell the truth although he spake in a skoffyng wise For a suerty full wer they of the new wine which the lorde would not haue in any wyse put into olde bottels For the olde wine of Moyses lawe had lost his strength vertue when Christe was firste insured by mariage to his churche and the colde vnsauery sence of the lawe was turned by Christe into newe wyne Whatsoeuer is carnall â–ª is vnsauerye faynte in vertue all that spiritual is whatsoeuer it be is lyuely strengthfull and sauery Uery largely dyd they drynke of that celesticall cup whereof Dauid the wryter of psalmes speaketh howe excellent is my cup whiche maketh the drounke And yf it were lawfull to compare thynges together whiche are throughout all their kynde moste vnlyke thys vulgare and common drounkennesse doth engendre in maÌ„â—ower thynges chiefely it vttereth the secretes of the herte it causeth man to forget all his aduersitie that is past and maketh the minde to reioyce in continuall hope of prosperitie to come it enboldeth man to set nought yea by his owne life Last of all it maketh men whiche are of a rude barbarous tongue to bee well spoken men Nowe marke my sayinges whither that newe swete wyne whiche proceded of Goddes owne spirite â–ª engendre not suche a lyke thyng in thapostles for what they had hyd for feare durst not speake what they before had learned secretely and woulde not be acknowen that doe they nowe publishe accordyng to the lordes prophecie the same they preache vpon house toppes Their olde Iewish fashions they haue clene forgotten and lyke as infantes newly borne no more do they nowe remembre their life before past neither haue thei in mynde the troublous affliccions for feare whereof they had forsaken theyr maister And althoughe they were bare without all worldlye helpe and succoure yet they feared neyther gouernoures ne prynces presidentes ne kynges neyther counselles nor imprisonmentes no soondry tormentes no manier kynde of deathe enduryng lustie alwaye beyng of courage and cherefull throughe the promyses of Christes ghospell Fynally they whiche were before but poore fyshers and men vnlerned forthwith practised theyr celestiall eloquence in rebukyng the proude Phariseis confutyng the subtill and craftie Philosophers and in puttyng theloquent oratours to vttre scilence Nothyng there is of more perill or difficultie than to speake before a greate coumpanye whyche as it is lyke a monstreous beaste of soundrye headdes so it is moste of all tymes monstreous whan the multitude is collected of soondry languages and soondry nacions But Peter stepped forth with the eleuen and lyft vp his voice and sayd vnto theim Ye men of Iewry and all that dwel at Ierusalem be this knowen vnto you and with your eares heare ye my wordes For these men are not as ye suppose drouncken seeyng it is but the thirde houre of the day But this is that whiche was spoken by the prophet Iohelâ— And it shal be in the laste dayes sayeth god of my spirite I wyll power out vpon all â—leshe And your sonnes and your doughters shall prophecie and your young menne shall see visions and your olde menne shal dreame dreames And on my seruauntes and on my hande maydens I wyll power out of my spirite in those dayes and they shall prophecie And I wyl shew wonders in heauen aboue and tokens on the yearth beneath bloud and fyeâ— and the vapour of smoke The sonne shal be turned into darkenes and the mooue into bloud before that great and notable day of the Lorde come And it shal come to passe that whosoeuer shall call on the name of the lord shal be saued Now marke me here Symon Peter who sodaynly of a fysher was made an Orator The multitude stirred vp a clamorous rumour And as they dyd than the same lyke shall other dooe hereafter vnto the worldes ende Than was it the parte of a good shepeherd to step abrode valiauntlye amongest them not for that intent he shoulde by force appeare or make theym styll which murmured agaynst gods glory or els to rendre one check for an other but that he myght constauntly rather than fyercely put away by testimonies of holy scripture all false and craftye accusacion and stoutely defende the glorye of Christe Than Peter who had before rysenne vp in the parlour to see the noumbre of thapostles fulfylled nowe eftesoones stoode vp to the multitude of people of soondry nacions mengled together partely to enstruct theim that had sayde What meaneth this and partely to stoppe theyr monthes that had sayed these men be drounke wyth newe wyne Albeit it is not of necessitie requisite that a bishop should preache to the people alwayes
the name of Iesus yea as one that endeuoured hymselfe to expresse the vertuous steppes of thapostles But forasmuche as exceliente vertue procureth it selfe enuie lyke as dothe the sterne wynde draw to hym the white cloudes certayne rose vp againste Steuen of diuers felowshyppes of the whiche one was called Libertines another Cyrenites sum of Alexandria an other sorte of suche that came out of Cilicia and Asia For to these countreyes whiche were ioynyng vnto Siria aboue al other were the Iewes dispersed all these sortes as though they had be of one conspiracie arose together against Steuen dysputyng with him and yet coulde not all they although manye in numbre stand in reasoning against this one yong mans wisdome the liuely force of his courage for because the holy ghost whoÌ„ he was ful of spake in him Than sent they men whiche sayed we haue heard him speake blasphemous woordes against Moises against God and they moued the people and the elders the Scribes and came vpon him and caught him brought him to the councel brought forth false witnesse whiche sayed This man ceaseth not to speake blasphemous woordes againste this holy place and the law for we heard him saie this Iesus of Nazareth shal destroy this place and shal chaunge the ordinaunces whiche Moyses gaue vs. And all they that sate in the couÌ„cel loked stedfastly on him saw his face as it had ben the face of an angell Marke me here the maner and fashion of the wicked Whan they had caste of al trueth vnable to make theyr partie good in disputacion thei fell to practise of foregeyng lyes and beyng once put to the wurse by wisdome of the holye ghoste they gaue themselues wholy to the practyse of diuilyshe deceytes For they brought in certaine men with false witnes that saied thei heard Steuen spoâ—ke blasphemous wordes against Moyses against god And there was none offence among the Iewes that more deserued deathe than did blasphemy and more detested with the people Consider here good reader lyke inuencions againste the seruaunte as wer before practised againste the Maister They brought in false accusers bycause they would not be seen in theyr owne persons to reuenge the inwarde grief of their mindes whiche thei had conceiued for the blancke they wer put vnto beyng menne of themselues insufficient to cope with Steuen in disputacion An hainouse crime â—ought they out by their false ymaginacion against him and cloked theyr cankred malice with a pretensed loue to religion Than wer the people with the elders also Scribes by meanes of these false tale tellers whiche had been preuelye sent in sore moued against Steuen insomuche as all they with one assent together toke hym violently awaye and haled hym before the councell Here came they furth before them that wer the hyred recordes for to playe out their partes and to saye this man haue neuer done breaking out into blasphemouse woordes againste this place bothe holy and with all vs honorable and agaynste Moyses lawe that was delyuered vs of god For we hearde hym saye that Iesus of Nazareth woulde destroye this place and chaunge the ordinaunces that Moyses gaue vs. But this was Steuens reporte vpon relacion of the apostles howe Iesus had prophecied to them that the temple and citie lykewyse should be of theyr enemyes ouerthrowen euen from the foundacion for the peoples infidelitie This rehersall of Steuen craftely they wrested to a false and sâ—launderouse accusacion A man myght well affirme these to bee thesame persones the accused Iesus reportyng thus of his woordes we hearde hym saiynge I wyll destroye this temple and sette vp an other in thre dayes But Steuen at this sharpe and cruel accusacion was nothing moued in his mynde for he was cleare in his conscience insomuch that he from the botome of his herte appeared in his very countenaunce to be innocent For the minde that knoweth euel by it self is neuer out of feare This his stedfastnes in couÌ„tenaunce put his accusers soone to rebuke for theyr shameles falshood For those that sate there in counsayle beholdynge hym and markyng well howe boldelye he toke the offence that was layed to his charge same hym so lytle discouraged at the matter or dismayde that his face seemed to vtter by countenaunce sum thynge aboue mannes excellencie and a certayne chearfulnes withall and maiestie besemyng for an Aungell to haue The .vii. Chapter ¶ Than sayed the chief priest is it euen so And he saied ye meÌ„ brethren fathers herken The god of glory appeared vnto our father Abraham whaÌ„ he was in Mesopotamia before he dwelt in â—harran saied vnto him Get the out of thy countrey and from thy kinâ—ed cum into the lande which I shal shewe the. Than came he out of the lande of Chalde and dwelt in Charran And froÌ„ thence whaÌ„ his father was dead he brought him into this lande in which ye nowe dwel and he gaue him none inheritauÌ„ce in it no not the bredeth of a foote And promysed that he would geue it to hym possesse to his feede after hym when as yet he had no childe THan demauÌ„ded the high prieste of the accused person to thintent he might frame his senteÌ„ce in iudgement towardes him after forme of lawe as he did before in condemning Christe this questioÌ„ whether he had ought to answer to those thiÌ„ges whether he would acknowledge the offence that was brought againste him Than Steuen beyng inspyred with the holye ghoste beganne in this wise to make answere to the playnte profoundly with a rehersall made euen from the beginning Honorable audience all that here be presente eyther brethren by trade of our cuntrey religion either els by reason of auncientnes and authoritie fathers geue eare to me in my defeÌ„ce of innocencie as ye haue done to mine accusers paciently I haue neyther vsed to speake contumeliously against god neither against Moyses nor against the temple but my endeuoure hath been not disagreynge here from Moyses to aduaunce goddes glory and that spirituall temple am I a buyldyng like as god commaunded me wherin god that is the very spirite is best pleased It is no blasphemy for a man to set furth that thing to the vttermost of his power whiche Moyses shadowed in figures whiche the prophetes being inspired with goddes holy spirite hath before spoken of whiche the sonne of god the was sent downe to earth for the same purpose hath both begonne and put his owne in credite withall to finyshe which the holy ghoste now perfourmeth for all peoples saluacioÌ„ through them that beleue the gospel But to striue so obstinately against the will of god beyng so well knowen and so bounteous towarde al men is naught els then to hate god is none other thing than to blaspheme god Whiche obstinate maner this nacion hath not of late daies begonne but what they haue begonne longe agoe to do now they neuer ceasse to continewe so that nowe we
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
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
slowe of herte to beleue all that the Prophetes haue spoken Ought not Christe to haue suffred these thinges c And he begaÌ„ at Moses And enteâ—preted in al the scriptures whiche were writteÌ„ of hym Deut. xviii c Deut. xviii d. mat v. and Luke vi Esai ii a Esai xlii Esai lxi Math. xi â— Hiere iiii a Hier. xxxi f Hier. xxxi f Math. xi b Luke ivi d Ihon. iiii c Math. xii a Math. ii d Luke vi a Math. ix c. marke ii e Luke v. f mat viii a marke i. d Luke v. c mat ix a marke ii a Luke i. d. e mat xxvi a mar iiiii Luke â—ii f Iohn xii a math xix a mar x. a Luke xvi d Math. v. f Math. v. g math xv v Daniel ix f Esai lxi a Psal. xliiii b math iii. d marke i b Luke iii d Iohn i. v Daniel ix f Luke xix f Esai i. g psal cxvii c mat xxi a mar xii a Luke xx c Esai xxviii d. and i. Petr. ii b Math. vii d. and Luke vi g Math. xvi ii kynges vii b. ii king vii.c. Esai i. g mat xxiiii b Mar. xiii b Luke xvii c Esai ii a psal cxxiiii Luke xix xxi iii. kyng ix b. Esai ii a Ihon. viii d Esai xxix a Psal. xvii Iohn x.c. Psal. cix a i. kyng ii g mat xxvii a Iohn xxiiii d. Psal. xlix 6 Psal. xlix Psal. iii. a Iohn xiiii b. Osee. vi â— Malach. i. c mat xxvi c and marke xiiii â–ª c and Luke xxii b and i Corinth xi c zacha ix b Esai ix b Esai xi â— Psaml ii a psal xliiii a Math. x. a michea v. a Math. ii a Luke ii a mat xxvii d. Luke xxiii d. Ihou xix d Ge. xlix d Psal. cxxxi b. Esai xi â— mat xxii d mat xii d Luke xx g Esai vii Daniel ii a Batuch iii Dani. ix Gene. xlix Math. ii a Esai xii Esai lx Psa. lxxi a Math. ii c Hiere xxxi Mat. ii b Oiee xi a Mat. iii. b Marke i. b Luke iii. d Iohn i. c Esai xl a Esai ix Psal. lxxvii a. Esai vi Esai liii Esai liii Esai xxxv Luke vii a Esai v. b Mat. xxi d Mar. xii a Luke xx b Mat. xxi b Luke xiii b Mat. xiii b Mar. iiii a Luke viii a Esai lxv Mat. xxvi Mar. xiiii Luke xxii Iohn xviii zachar ix psal lxxxvi â–ª Mat. xxvi Mar. xiiii c Luke xxii f Ioh. xviii c Psal. cxiiii Math. xxvi Luke xxii e Psal. xl â— Psalme xxxvii Psal. liiii Psal xxxvii Zachar. xi Psal. cviii Psalme ii Esai iiii c Luke xxii Mat. xxâ—ii â—reâ— iii. f Hierem. xi maâ— xiiii g mat xxvi c. Luk. xxii g Gen. xxxvii Psal. lviii Luke xxiii Tren iiii Psal cxxvii Esai l. Esai liii Psalm xxi Gene. iii. Balletes ii Luke xxii Hierem. xii Luke xxii Math. x. d. Mar. viii d Esai ix v Gen. xxii v Math. xx d Mar. xii a Luke xx v Leuit. vii Nume xxi Deut xxviii Esai liii v Math. xx v Luke xxii d Amos. viii Zach xiiii v Psal. lxviii Luke xxiii Psal. xxii Luke xxiii Psal. cviii Psal. xxi Psal xxx v Psalm cv Abacuc iii Iohn vii c Deu. xxxiii Luke xxiii Mat. xxii d Mark. xv d Iohn xix g Gene. xlix Ionas i. v. Mat. xii c. Mark viii Luke xi d Iohn vi d. O see vi a As he sate at meate hâ— tooke breade and blissed it c And theyr iyes were opened c. And they sayed betwene theÌ„selues dyd not our hertes burn within vs And found the eleuen gathered together And thei tolde what thinges had ben doen on the waie And he said vnto them peace be vnto you c. A spirite hath no fleashe and bones as ye see me haue He saied vnto thâ— haue ye here any meate Math. ix Marke v.c. Luke viii Iohn xi Than opened he their wittes that thei mighte vnderstaÌ„de the scriptures c And that repeÌ„taunce remissioâ— of synnes shoulde bee preached â—â— his name And behold I wil send the promise of my father â–ª vpon you Iohel ii g Psal. iiii d But tarrye ye in the citie of Hierusalem vntill c. And lift vp his handes and blissed them And wer coÌ„tinuallye in the temple praysing laudyng god The woord was with god c. An accideÌ„t is a thing that may be or not be without corrupcion of the wherin it is as for exaumple one may take awaye the whightnes of a wal yet the substaunce doeth stil remayne All thinges were by it c. The lyghte shineth in darkenes c. The same came as a witnes He was not the light Whiche lighteth euery man By his brethreÌ„ vnderstande his disciples The lawe was geuen by Moses But grace and trueth came by Iesus Christ. When the Iewes sent priestes Who arte thou I am not heÌ„ Art thou Elias He answered no. What arte thou I am the voice of aâ—rier 〈◊〉 wildernes c. I baptise with water .c. Iohn seeth Iesus cuÌ„ming Behold the lambe of God which taketh awaye the sines of the worlde I knew him not I sawe the spirite descende from heauen c. Upon whoÌ„ thou shalte see the spirit descend c. I saw and bare record that this is the sonne of God He behelde Iesus as he walked c. Behold the lambe of god c. And the two disciples heard him What seke ye Rabbi where dwellest thou Cum and se Thei came And abode with him that daye We haue fouÌ„d Messias c. And brought hiÌ„ to Iesus And Iesus behelde him c. Thou art Simon the sonne of Ioanna c. Thou shalt be called Cephas c. He founde Philip. Folowe me c. Philip found Nathanell We haue found him c. Iesus the sonne of Ioseph c. Can there any good thinge come out of Nazareth Philip saieth come see Beholde a right Israelite c. Nathanael sayeth vnto him c. Rabbi thou art euen the very sonne of God c. Thou shalt se greater thinges theÌ„ these c. Uerely verely c. ye shall se the heauens open The mother of Iesus was there c. They haue no wine Iesus saith c. Woman what haue I to doe with thee Whatsoeuer he saieâ—h vnto yo◠〈◊〉 it Fil the waterpottes with water And thei filled them vp to the briÌ„me The beginning of miracles did Iesus c. Iesê° went vp to Ierusalem â–ª c. And found those that sold oxen Destroy this temple and in three dayes c But he spake of the temple of his bodye And they beleued the scripture c. The same came to Iesê° by nighte c. Iesus answered c. Except a maÌ„ be borne of water and of the spirite That whiche is borne of fleshe c. Meruaile not thou that I sayd to thee ye must be borne from aboue The winde bloweth c So is euery one that is borne of the spirite Howe can these thynges be Art thou a maister in Israel
and deceitfull waiter that neither he refused the name of the sonne of God nor yet hymselfe to be ouercome with hungre after the common sorte of men And because he woulde not take vpon hym to aunswere of his owne authoritie he layeth vnto hym a manifest scripture saying It is written in the Deuteronomi Man shall not lyue onely of bread but of euery worde that cummeth out of the mouthe of God Than the deuyll taketh hym into the holy citie and setteth hym vpon a Pynnacle of the temple and sayeth vnto hym if thou be the sonne of god caste thy selfe do downe backewarde For it is wryten he shall geue his aungels charge ouer the and with theyr handes they shall holde the vp leste at any tyme thou dashe tâ—y foote agaynst a stone And Iesus saide to hym Agayne it is wrytten Thou shalte not tempte the Lorde thy God Than Satan beeyng eluded and shaken of with this doubtful answere doeth euen of his partye also abuse the woordes of scripture to dooe hurte and myschiefe And as he deceyued the fyrste parente of mankinde with the baite of ambicion promysyng hym eguall honor and immortalitie wyth God by a lyke guyle assaylyng the lorde he toke hym vp into the holy citie and whan he had sette hym vpon the hygh Pinnacle of the temple he exhorted him if he were the very sonne of God that he woulde fal doune hedlong alleagyng that he could take no harme by so dooyng For God hymself had thus promysed in the mistical psalme He wil geue his aungels coÌ„maundement and charge ouer the and they shal take the in theyr haÌ„des lest thou shouldest hurt thy foote at any stone But the lord Iesus laiyng scripture against him again geueth a secrete vnderstandyng howe peruersâ—y he wrested the sence of the holy scripture Contraryewyse ê™ he it is wryten in the Deuteronomie Thou shalt not tempt the lorde thy God For scripture doeth exhorte vs to this poyncte that whan aduersitye and daunger is at hande we should haue a good hope trustyng vpoÌ„ the helpe of god and not put our selues rashely in daunger The miracles of godlye men be not tryed by sekyng of perylles but by auoydyng daungers whan they chaunce For it is no godly poyncte for to caste a man headlong into the ryuer that by deliuering of hym thou mayest seme to be a man of great feates but it is a godly thing to plucke out him that by chaunce is falleÌ„ in Nor miracles be not to be donne for euery thing nor emongest all men Iesus would not once vouchsafe to speake before Herode â–ª who was desirouse of suche thynges muche lesse would he showe any signe or token of hys godly power at the requeste of Satan So often as charitie inspired with the holy gost desyreth it so often as the glory of God requireth it the power of God is to be shewed abrode Agayne the deiuil taketh him vp into a very high hil showeth him al the kingdomes of the world and the glory of them sayeth vnto hym all these wil I geue the yf thou wylte fall downe and worshyp me Than sayeth Iesus vnto hym auoid Satan For it is writen Thou shalt worshyp the lorde thy God and hym only serue Than the deiuill leaueth hym And beholde the aungels came and ministred vnto hym Nowe to thintente that Christe myght teache suche as be his not to geue themselues to a careles securitie after they hadde the hygher hande once or twyse but alwayes to kepe watche and to be in a redinesse for all assaultes of Sathan he suffred also the thirde tyme thinportune assailing of the temptour who as he deceyued the fyrst Adam with the bayte of curiositie and auaryce promising hym the knowlege of good and euyll so in likewyse he setteth vpon the latter Adam and toke him from the pinacle of the temple and ledde hym into a verye hygh hyll where he might loke at libertye farre and wyde and see all the kyngdomes of the worlde and the woondrefull glorye and pompe of eche of them Surely he knewe by experience of other menne that there was nothing so wicked and sinful but they woulde take it in hande to obtayne rule and dominion But albeit God is the authour maker of al thynges in heauen and yearth the deuil hath no title nor interest in them vnlesse he hath viciated defiled any thing yet as though he were lorde ouer all he is not affrayed thus to speake vnto Chryste I will geue the al these kyngdomes if thou wylte fall downe and honour me O blynde impietie The vngracious spirite promyseth an other mans gooddes and asketh honour due vnto god onely But Iesus who hitherto tooke the reproche of hymselfe wel in worth cannot beare his fathers ignomynie Hence Sathan ê™ he Thy counsel is farre from the doctryne of holy scripture The scripture sayeth Thou shalte adoure the lorde thy God and him onely shalt thou serue After that the deiuil had tempted hym by these and lyke other wayes finding hym alwayes to be valiaunte and an inuincible chaÌ„pion agaynst all inuencions ingins he left hym at last beyng disapoyncted of his purpose two wayes Fyrst in that he perceyued that Christ was inuincible Secondly where as he came to searche whether he was the sonne of God or no he departed more vncertayne then he came Thys conflicte was made in the syght of God and hys Aungelles the whiche the lorde Iesus woulde not haue vnknowen vnto his to thyntent we myght knowe with what a cumberous enemy we should haue to doe with what wages and rewardes he would styrre and prouoke ignoraunt vnware myndes And this did he not that we should dispayre but that we should diligeÌ„tly watch take good hede Christe ouercame hym to shewe vnto vs that he was vincible taught vs how we also myght geat victorye of hym Finally he ouercame for vs and not for hymselfe purposyng by vs to ouercome thesame if we deserue to haue hym presente with vs. And by vs he shall heare Christe saye Hence Sathan and he shall feare the seruauntes of him of whome he was ouercumme Further-like as in worldly warre thinges haue theyr course and ordre and labours bee eased with rest sorofull thynges with pleasaunt and after fore conflictes triumphes be made so in the warre of Christe sore stormes of tentacion be mitigated with myrthe and ioyfulnes After the cumberouse frowardenes of the filthye spirite by and by the Aungelles be ready to serue wait vpon Christ the conquerour Surelye this exaumple teacheth vs howe in aduersitie we shoulde staye oure mynde with hope of better trustyng vpon the goodnesse of god whiche so doethe ordre al thinges that nowe than he doeth exercise and proue the valiauntnes of his warriers with trouble and aduersitie and agayne wyth sum solace dothe prouoke them to reioysyng and thankes geuyng whiche is the tryumphe of Christen men And in affliccions thorowe the helpe of God
c. We speake as we doe knowe c. No manne asceÌ„deth vp to heauen As Moses lyfted vp the serpent He gaue his one â–ª ye begotten sonne He that beleueth on him is not condemned Because he hath not beleued Men loued darkenes more then lyght Because theyr woorkes were euill For euerye man yâ— euill doth hateth the light He taried with them and baptised and Iohn also baptised c. There was muche water c. And there arose a question c. And they came vnto Iohn All men come to him A man can receyue nothiÌ„g excepte it be c. Ye your selues are witnesses c. I am not Christ but am sent before hym He that hathe the bryde is the brydegrome What he hath seen heard that he testifieth The father loueth the sonne c. He that beleueth not the sonne shall not see lyfe For it was so that he must nedes go thorowe Samaria Than he came to a citie c. And it was about the sixt houre His disciples were goen awaie vnto the toun to bye meate â–ª The womaÌ„ saieth vnto hym c. Sir I perceyue that thou art a prophete our father 's wurshipped in this mouÌ„tayne And ye saye that in Ierusalem is the place where men oughte to wurship Ye wurship ye wâ—â— noâ— what we know what we wurshippe c. I knowe yâ— Messias shall come â–ª whiche is called Christe Iesus sayeth vnto her I that speake vnto the am he I haue meate to eate that ye know not c. Iesus saith vnto them my meate is to do the will of hym that hathe sent me Say not ye there are yet .iiii. monethes end than cummeth haruest And herein is the saying true that one soweth and an other reapeth And he abode there ii dayes The ruler sayeth vnto hym Iesus sayeth vnto hym goe thy waye thy sonne lyueth Then he enquired of them the houre whaÌ„ he began to amende So the father knewe c. And he beleued and al his houâ—holde This is the seconde miracle And there is at IerusaleÌ„ by the slaughter house apoole c. Whan Iesus sawe him lye c. He sayed vnto hym wylte thou bee made whole Sir I haue no man c. And thesame daye was the Sabboth c. Tha asked they hym what man is that c. The man departed tolde the Iewes that it was Iesus Because he doeth these thynges on the sabboth daye Therefore the Iewes soughte the more to kill hym The sonne can doe nothyng of himselfe c For the father loueth the soÌ„ne c Neyther iudgeth the father any man He that honoureth not the sonne c. The time shall come and nowe it is c. For as the father hath life in hymselfe c. Maruailâ— not at this c. I can of mine owne selfe do nothyng yf I should beaâ—e wytnesse of my selfe But I receyue not the recorde of man c. He was a burnyng a shynyng light But I haue greater witnes theÌ„ the witnesse of Iohn for the workes whiche my father hath geuen me to finishe c. Ye haue not hearde his voyce at anye tyme nor seen his shape Ye haue not the loue of god WheÌ„ce shal we by bread that these maye eate Iesê° saieth make the people sitte downe And Iesus toke the bread Labour not for the meate which perisheth This is the worke of God that ye beleue what signe shewest yâ— then I am the bread of life For I am cum downe from heaueÌ„ This is the wil of him that seÌ„t me And they shall bee al taughte of God I am the liuing bread Excepte ye eat the flesh of the sonne of manne This is the bread whiche came down from heauen c. What and yf ye shall see the soÌ„ne of man c. Will ye also go away c. Thou hast the woordes of eternal life c. We are sure that thou arte Christ. c. His brethren therfore sayed vnto hym There is no man that doeth any thyng in secrete c. For his brethreÌ„ beleued not in hym My time is not yet cum c. The worlde cannot hate you I will not go vp to this feast c Howbeit no maÌ„ spake â—penly of hym c. For feare of the Iewes How knoweth be the scripture If any man will be obedient vnto his will He that speaketh of himselfe seketh his owne praise The people aunswered and said thou hast a deuill Who goeth about to kil thee And ye on the Sabboth day circumcise a man Iudge noâ— after the vtter apperance c. Then cried Iesus in the temple c. And I am not cum of myselfe but he that sent me is true And him ye knowe not Ye shall seke me and shall not finde me c. Than sayd the Iewes among themselues whither wil he goe c. If any man thirst let him cumme vnto me and drinke Doeth any of the rulers or of the Phariseis beleue on hym Searche loke for out of Galile a riseth no prophete And the Scribes and Phariseis brought vnto hym a woman taken in aduoutrie Let hiÌ„ that is among you without sinne cast the firste stone at her He said vnto her woman where are thyne accusers Go synne no more I am the light of the world c Thou bearest recorde of thy selfe But ye can not tell whence I am I iudge no man and yf I iudge my iudgemente is true If ye beleue not that I am he ye shall dye in your sinnes Thei vnderstoode not that he spake of his father If ye coÌ„tinue in my woorde c. And the truâ—th shall make you free Whosoeuer committeth sinne c. But if theâ—â— sonne make you free c I speake that whiche I haue seeÌ„ c. Yf ye were Abrahams children c. If god wee your father He that is of god heereth Gods wordes I seke not myne owne prayse c. What makest thou thy selfe It is my father which honoureth me c. Than toke they vp stones to caste 〈◊〉 hym He sawe a man which was blind I am the lyght of the worlde Is this your sonne c. Geue God prayse We are Moses disciples I am come iniudgemeÌ„t c. If ye were blynde ye should haue no sinne I am the good shepehearde I geue my life for the shepe c. I put my life froÌ„ me that I might take it againe Yf thou bee Christ tel vs playnly My father c. is greater than al. c. Lazarus is dead and I am glad for your sakes c. Iesus wept Excepte the wheat corne faâ—l into the ground and dye Lord doest thou washe my feete If I washe yâ— not thou hast no part with me For I haue geueÌ„ you an example Now I tel you before it come One of you shall betray me That he shoulde geue some what to the poore A new commauÌ„dement geue I vnto you that ye loue together Before the cocke crow c. In my