thou diddest plante Ther is one spirit one fayth one baptime or fullenīg one God Lorde of all which is al togyther in al thinges Visyte therfore this vineyarde for thy visitatyon shal kepe her spyryte visyte herwith thy grace with thy presence with thy holy spyrite Visyte it also with thy wande and with thy staffe For thy wāde thy staffe shal comforte it Visyte it with a scourge that she may be chastised and purged for the season of pluckyng awaye thinges superfluous wil comme Throwe forthe the stones make fagottes of the wythered braunches and drie sticks to be burned Rayse her vp cutte of the refuse set vnder stayes proppes make the grounde ranke plētiful buylde the wal vysyte this vineyarde lyke as thou haste al redy visyted the earth and inebryate it Visyt her I saye And make her parfecte whome thy ryght hande hath planted and that vpon the sonne of man whome thou haste made stronge for thyself Do not onely visyt her but also make her parfecte For she is very vnparfecte She wolde luye wel but she nolde suffre euil She hath ensamples set before her eyes she hath the Prophetes the Apostles the Martyres al the saintes of God yea she hath the very onely begotten sonne them wolde she folowe wel wolde she do for to get theyr glory but aduersytes wold she not abyde She is very vnparfyte Make her parfecte o Lorde Sende for the thy spirite and then shal she be made parfecte Peter before the comming of the holy goste sayde yea if I muste nedes be put to death with the I will not denye the. Neuerthelesse for as moche as he was vnparfecte at the voyce of one poore mayde he denyed the Christe The holy Goste camme fulfylled him with grace then he feared not kynges of the earth for that thou madest hym parfecte thā did he bring forthe frute than did he turne an exceding sorte of people to the fayth than did he buylde churches and temples for the holy goste to dwel in Wherfore make her parfect and then wil she bryng forth frute and wil stretche out her braunches thorough the worlde For yet is she afrayde yet dare she not speake yet she feareth prynces rulers Make her parfecte whome thy ryght hande hath planted not her whō me thy lefte hande hath plāted For ther ar some Christianes as certayne pristes by name not in very dede vnto whome thou haste gyuen the ryches of this worlde and multiplyed theyr temporal goodes but of thy spiritual Goodes haue they none These therfore ar the vineyard which thy lefte hande hath planted I desyre the not to encrease this vineyarde or to make it parfecte but that whiche thy ryght hād hath planted which beareth braunches that is to saye the faythful to whome thou hast gyuen thy grace and thy gostly gyftes whych ar thyne elected Amonge whome euery one sayeth His lefte hande vnder my hedde and hys ryght hande shal embrace me Make therfore this vineyarde parfecte make her parfecte I saye vpon the sonne of man whome thou hast cōfirmed for thy selfe Who is this sonne of man For we ar the sonnes of men bicause we haue a father a mother here in the worlde But Christe is the sonne of mā for that he is the sonne of a mayde which in heauē hath a father with out a mother in earthe a mother without a father This sonne of man therfore haste thou made stedfaste in the hartes of mēne haste also confirmed hym for thyselfe that is to thy honour glory The lande of Iewrye fought agaynst hym and thou madest hym sure vnto the tyrauntes hath foughte agaynste hym thou madest hym sure vnto the heretykes hath foughte agaynst hym and thou madest hym sure vnto the Philosophers logitians the wyse me of this worlde hath foughte agaynste hym and thou made hym sure vnto the false bretherne hath foughte agaynst hym and thou madest hym sure vnto the the deuyl the hole worlde foughte agaynst hym preuayled not but thou haste made the sonne of mā faste sure in mēnes hartes to thy honour glory Therfore make parfecte this vineyard vpō hym so that she by faythe loue planted rooted vpō Christe maye cōme to parfectnesse out of that redde earthe out of that entyer zeale of Christe his charyte out of the merites of his passyon maye bringe forthe very good wyne rauyshyng mannes hartes Albeit for that she is vnparfecte for that she is fallen for that the worlde is agaynst her this semeth vnpossible in the eyes of menne yet Lorde nothyng is impossible nor nothyng harde vnto the. Thou openest thy hande fyllest euery lyuely creature with blessing Al thynges loketh that thou shouldest gyue them food in season When thou gyuest them they wil gather whē thou openest thy hand al thinges shal be fylled with goodnesse But whan thou turnest awaye thy coūtenaunce they shal be troubled thou shalte take awaye theyr spirite and they shal faynte and be retourned into theyr duste How moche more then whan thou rebukest shal al stoppes be taken awaye and al destroyers be destroyed They kyndled with fyre and dygged vp at the rebuke of thy countenaunce shal perysh For the kindled and halfe burned stycks and vynes dygged vp and vnfruteful trees disparsed thorough the vineyarde the younge braunches coūfounded doth marre the lyuyng vynes letteth them to bringe forthe frute Them therfore kindled and dygged vp rebuke with thy countenaunce with that countenaunce wherof is spoken But the Lordes countenaūce is ouer al euil doers and forthwith the vnfruteful trees shal perish they I meane which nether entereth themselfe in to the kingdome of heauen nor yet sufferet other to enter So that these kinled trees ar vncleane synners fyred with the heate of carnal luste turned in to coles walking in darkenesse knowing not whyther they go For the fyre hath sytte ouer them they haue not soene thy sonne This woode kindled with fyre ar couetouse men gredy in the desyre of monye inflamed with the inordinat fyre of auaryce which neuer sayeth ynough ynough or whoe whoe These trees kindled with fyre are men prowde desyrons of honour and enuious men which burneth lyke as fyre brandes ar incended with couetyng of al thinges This fyre hath wasted al vertues hath raysed al wanton lustes is the cause of al vngraciousnes For pryde is the foundacion of al naughtynes and vehement desyre of wilful appetite is the roote of al vnhappynes that for the turning awaye from God thys for the turning vnto creatures Now who ar the trees dygged vp but Hypocrites nohter hote nor colde which outwardly certesse semeth not to be burned with the fyre of luste or pryde or couetyse yet inwardely ar they drye bicause they ar dygged vp they haue no rootes in the earth of the lyung trees in the charite of Christe in the grace of God Wherfor euen as a tree if it hath
yet rendred thankes vnto hym but they vanished awayne in theyr conceytes thoughtes theyr folysh hartes was darkned and blynded For they naming counting them selfe to be wyse men becamme very idyotes fooles So is it not with thy vineyarde o Lorde And why Mary The shadow of it hath couered the hilles the vynes therof hath ouerspred the Cedre trees of God Which is the shadowe The olde testament goyng afore the trouthe of the Gospel euen as our shadou goeth before our bodye when the sunne commeth after but whan the sunne commeth before our face thā dothe not the shadowe go afore but commeth after and we se it not Semblably the Law as it were a shadowe went before the trouthe and grace whyche is by Iesus Chryst because the sunne of ryghteousnes did then folow that he myght afterward come and apeare and shewe his face to vs. Wherfore he came and opened the trouthe and sette it before our eyes now lo the shadow foloweth and cōmeth after our back We therfore do flee awaye from it and do go towarde the sunne The shadowe of the Lawe and of sacrifyses is ouerpassed because the sunne of ryghtousnes Christe our God is come The shadowe of it therfore that is to saye the Lawe the darke teaching of the Prophetes couered the mowntaynes Who ar the mountaynes Men stedfaste in faythe high in parfectnes of iustice contemplacyon of heuenly thynges Certesse the Patriarches and Prophetes not the Philosophers and Oratours which ben the mountaynes of pryde This vineyarde than proceded from the vnsearchable heuenly lyghte of the Patriarches Prophetes And the shadowe herof hath couered the hylles that is to saye Bisshoppes Patriarches and prophetes which hauing plentieth of knowlege in the Lawe beyng replenyshed with spirit of Prophecye did couer thy vineyarde mayntayn it Thou diddest come Lord vnto thy tyllers of thys yard they killed that dyd cast the out of it Houbeit thou thē worthely destroyēg those naughty occupyars haste lette forthe thy vineyarde to be hyred of other husbandes which hathe done the frutes therof that is to saye hath turned the shadow of the Lawe into lyght The carnal sense haue they drawne vnto a spiritual vnderstandyng that when they be wery they might sytte vnder the shadow therof be cooled from feruent heate yea the shadow of it is becomme lyghte for that the very Lawe it selfe spiritually taken and vnderstanded is made the Gospel vnder whose shadowe which is the lyghte the wery soule resting thus doth singe and saye Vnder his shade haue I syt whome I lōged for his frute is swete and pleasaunt to my throte And agayne The breathe of our mouthe is Christe The Lorde was taken in our treaspace vnto whome we sayde In thy couerte shal we lyue among the gentiles Then did he multiplye the vinebraunches emōg the Heathen For the Gentiles camme to Christe to the tyller to the vinetre to the vineyarde the braunches wer multiplyed they did growe for the a greate nombre and not wythout a cause wer made euen as vyneyardes and the vines therof wer lifted vp on hygh Yea they couered the Cedre trees of God Which ar the Cedre trees of God Vndoutedly his Apostles his Euangelistes the teachers of his congregatiō Wherfore the chosen children out of the Gentiles camme to them they tooke them by the hande and sayde Wyth you will we go for we haue herd that God is with you Than wer the Cedre trees gladde they bowed downe themselues sayde Clyme vp clymme vp ouer vs take vs for we wil heare we wil holde you vp we wil lyfte you frō the grounde So the Gentiles wente vp by faythe and wer buylded vpon the foūdacion of the Apostles and Prophetes euen Christe Iesus hymselfe being the hygh corner fronne These vines therfore hath ouerspredde the Cedre trees of God O happie vineyarde o blessed braūches which haue not folowed the wysdome of folish Philosophers but that heuenly sapience of the mountaynes Cedre trees that is of the Prophetes Apostles the lyght vnspeakable the waye of trouthe that leadeth you truely vnto your ryght countrey But how large is this vineyarde Is it the lande of Iewry alone Is God onely the Iewes theyr God Doutelesse from the sunne rysyng vnto the sunne settyng Lorde greate is thy name emong the people The hathe streched out her braunches euen to the see her longe spreading reacheth vnto the ryuer The Cedre trees of Libane reioysed they cried lyfted vp theyr voyce Theyr sounde went forth in to al the worlde and theyr wordes vnto the vttermost borders of the whole worlde The see herde and swelled the earthe was troubled The floodes of the see roose Maruelous ar the surges of the see maruelons is the Lorde in high places Troubled wer the moūtaynes proude princes presses scrybes Pharises The kinges of the earthe stoode by the rulers camme to gyther agaynst the Lord agaynst his Christe But God thundered from heuen the hyghest gaue his voyce The voyce of the Lorde in a power the voyce of the Lorde in a magnificence Stones did listen and forthwyth trembled trees of the woodes the harde harted vnfruteful Heathens did lysten forthwith wer they turned into braunches of the vinetre The see behelde and ranne a waye Iordane the ryuer turned backeward agayne But the Gentiles euerywhere camme vnto the vine they fastened themselfe to it by faythe and loue they encreased greately euen to the ende of the worlde to the mountaynes the see wheras tyrauntes and frowarde people wer stryken caste downe into hel and ouerwhelmed wyth the sea Contrarywyse our vineyard hath spredde forthe her braūches euen vnto the see that is vnto the fardest parte of lande The see therfore compasseth thys vineyarde beateth vpon it but the whaues be broken agaynst it But what worthed of the countreye of Iewes It was hardened it was dryed vp it yelded no frute Thou haste cutte of therfore suche braunches oheuēly tyller haste throwne them in to the fyre Why ar al the braūches destroyed loste God for bidde For yet the leauinges bene saued Many braūches of Iewes accordyng to thy wyll and appoyntment hath continued in the vinetre hath yelded parfecte frute The vineyarde growed ane stretched forth her vynes euen vnto the ryuer What meaneth this Lorde vnto the ryuer Why is ther in al the worlde but one flode Is the worlde shutte vp or enclosed by some see or any ryuer No veryly but lyke as when the Prophete is named Dauid is mente therby for his excellence and Paule whan the Apostle is named so in this place wheras is mencioned a ryuer generally vnderstand thou it of Iordane whiche was hallowed and sanctifyed of my sonne for it alone hath that preemynence What meaneth then vnto the ryuer but vnto the ryuer Iordane That is vnto the people of the Hebrues did she spredde forthe her braunches Thynke not than the people of the Hebrues
to be al to gyther expelled For that stonne whiche they in theyr buyldyng refused is made the hedde corner stōne Therfore bygge was the church then o Lorde bygge I saye in worthynesse greate in trouthe greate in parfecte nesse of vertues greate in charite greate in the nombre of wonderful workes large also in spreading forth greate it was for bycause a greate Lorde arte thou that diddest grafte it that diddest gyue it encrease bycause thou diddest enlarge it bycause thou Lorde Iesu werte the guyde of her iourney Thou diddest labour in it thou diddest trauayle thou diddest watche thou did dest consecrate her with thine owne blode with the bloode of thy martyrs or witnesses Where than ar thy paynes becomme where is the sweate where is thy bloode What haste thou done Lorde God what haste thou done o my sauyour Wherfore haste thou throwne downe the wal of the Vinyarde and wherfore do euery man that passeth by the waye gather the grapes Why haste thou done this goode Lorde what is the effecte The custodie of Aungels haste thou put from it they did kepe awaye theues they did defende it Where is that sure warde now a dayes Where ar the Prophetes Where ar the Apostles the teachers the heardemen compassing this vineyarde dryuing out wicked spyrites banyshing heretikes correctīg vn gracious persones and preseruing the weake and vnparfecte Which is the wal The custodye of Aungels the defence of shepardes the holy doctrine of preachers Where is this wal It is destroyd Why who hath pulled it downe Thou Lorde whiche haste taken awaye thy good preachers whiche haste gathered thy shepardes in to heuen whiche haste taken awaye thy messengers Wherfore haste thou throwne downe the wal of this vineyarde Haste thou so done for that she maye fulfyl her naughtynes for that her wickednes maye be accomplyshed to the entent to punysh her so to renewe her But what hath she lefte vndone What synne is ther that maye not be founde in her Verely Lorde loke how that her wickednes is brought to the ful swynge And now dothe eche body that goeth by the way plucke her grapes Not the true orderers of the vineyarde not the true tyllars gathereth her frutes not al good nor yet a fewe good nor yet some good and some euil no not so muche as one good but eueryche one that commeth by the waye plucketh her grapes None but they which kepeth not thy ordinaunce yea whiche knoweth not the waye of God open synners of an euil reporte ar chosen vnto the ministerie of the aulter to those ar benefices gyuē they do gather the frutes of the vineyarde for them selfe and not for the they do not regarde thy poore people they do not fede the hungrye they clothe not the naked they harber not the straunger they defend not the wydow and the fatherles childe they done eate the lambe out of the flocke and the calfe from the middest of the hearde they do singe after the noyse of shaulmes organes they supposed they hadde the instrumentes of songe euen lyke Dauid chaunting in quiers praysyng God with theyr lyppes beyng farre from God in theyr harte drynkyng wyne in cuppes of golde and syluer dressed with very swete sauery oyntemētes and yet hathe no cōpassion vpō the rough punishmēt of Ioseph they take no maner pyte vpō the nedy poore bodye These therfore that passeth by thy waye gathereth vp the grapes of thy vineyarde But what shal I saye o Lorde For al they also whiche passeth by theyr owne waye doth plucke the frute of the vineyarde For they walking by theyr owne waye seyng the wal of the vineyarde destroyed hath ouerpassed theyr waye They made not a streyght iourney but leauing theyr owne waye torned theyr feete into thy vineyard that they myght plucke her grapes take awaye her frutes not spiritual but temporal frutes What is it that thou tellest me This I saye o Lorde The riche robbes of this worlde walking by the waye of theyr sinnes seking by ryght wronge for riches dignytes promotions pleasures of this worlde hath gon asyde out of theyr waye They ceased to folowe these worldely goodes for suche substāce honour did they labour nomore they turned themselfe to thy vineyarde to ecclesiastical auaūcement to the ryches of the churche that wal which did put backe the vnworthie is broken downe destroyed yea they haue entred in that passeth by their owne waye haue takē awaye the frutes What sayest thou This I meane To daye in the commen route of men to morowe in the roume of a Bishop To daye in a tolebothe to morow a chanon in the quier To daye a souldier to morow a preste They passed by theyr owne waye wente a syde to thy vineyarde not to the entente to til it for the but to gather the grapes ther of for themselfe This also I speake with teares Ther haue entered in euil spyrites and fyue naughty men that is to saye the hedde the membres plucking the gostely frutes of this vineyarde haue caste them forthe trodde them vnder feete hidde them destroyed thē the tyllars and workers haue they stryke with the swerde throwne them out of the vineyarde the beste braunches haue they cutte of fynally with mischeuous perswasyons threateninges persecutyōs and euyl ensamples they go aboute to bring to nought what so euer goodnes is founde in the vineiarde Wherfore then haste thou Lorde destroyed the wal of it What profyte what frute therof ensueth For bicause of that doth euery mā that passeth by the waye pull the grapes of yt But wolde God onely men or wycked spyrites goyng by the waye did gather the grapes of it and not also very beastes did entre in to it But lo a naughty beaste hath gone in to it hath destroyed it euen from the rote A Boore out of the woode hath broken the bandes of it and a singular wilde beaste hath deuoured it This boore is a swyn a fylthie swyn a proud swyn a cruel swyn not tamed at home but wilde out of that wood an exceding wātō clarke a lecherous preste whiche is no man but a beaste but an vnclēly swyn he aprocheth to thy altar he hath layn the hole nyght in his beastlynes indirt in dōge in the mornyng presumeth to touche thy sacramēts This proude swyne can not be tamed wil not be corrected letteth scorn to hear the wordes of trouthe he speaketh arrogātly he aryseth agaynst who so rebuketh hym he byteth he teareth fiersly he spareth no wordes he curseth he blasphemeth in the despite of God He is a hogge he is cruel he is a beaste not a man he persecuteth men he is no domestical nor of the householde no not so moche as newly grafted in he commeth not out of the Lordes house but from the woode from the company of beastes from the multitude of wylde beastes from the wildernesse of synners He knoweth not God