crosse lyke a lambe without spotte be offcred that by thy bondes thou myghtest loseu vs by thy woundes heale vs with thy bloud wesh vs with thy death brynge vs to immortalite Brefly thou bestowedst thyselfe holly vpon vs that by the losse of the if it were possyble thou myght saue vs whiche were lost when thou wert restored agayne to lyfe thou apearedst so often to thy disciples and in theyr syght dydest stye vp to heuen that they myght trust to com thythee wher they sawe theyr hede to haue gone before them This done to the entent thou myghtest yet more conferme thy frendes thy father pacified thou dydest sende that noble pledge of thy perpctuall loue the holy ghoste that dead to the worlde we myght lyue now in the farre more truely and blessedly than we lyueby this our owne spirite I beseche you what can be added to these proues of hygh charite Nor these so many and so greate coulde not satysfye thy most brennyng loue toward vs. For who can reherse with howe many deathes of martyrs thou doyst encourage vs to despyse this worlde with how many ensamples of virgyns doyst thou kyndle vs to chastitie with howe many monumentes of saynctes doyst thou attyse vs to deuoutnes of mynde with how wonderful sacramētes of thy churche doyst thou fortifie and enryche vs howe doyst thou comforte left vp arme teache monyshe drawe rauyshe chaunge transforme vs with thy mysticall and diuyne wrytynges in which thou woldest certayne lyuyshe sparkes of the to be hydde whiche myght styre vs a greate enkyndyllyng of loue who so laboreth to dryue them out with a de uout dyligence Fynally howe art thou euery where in our waye to the entent we myght not forgette the besyde this how fatherly doyst thou suffre vs when we synne How mercyfully doyst thou receyue vs when we retourne Nor thou doyste not impute thy good dedes for them that be kynde nor our euyll dedes thou doyst not lay agaynste vs whan we 〈◊〉 howe euer amonge wyst thou plucke vs and draw vs with secret 〈◊〉 how doyste thou amende and chastyse vs by 〈◊〉 howe entysest vs by prosperities howe moueste thou euery stone sekeste euery way to the wode thy most ardent charite neuer nor no where 〈◊〉 in cōfor tyng reuengyng defendyng makyng vs blessed But what a few thynges of so innumerable haue I 〈◊〉 gentyl compaygnyons and yet ye se what vnmesurable an hepe of 〈◊〉 it is Bo now who 〈◊〉 and let hym magnyfie Pylades Orestes Pyrithoos Theseus Damon and Pythias with paynted wordes whiche be all but tryfuls to these And all these benefytes hath he gyuen frely of his owne mere motton to vs which haue nothyng deserued them nay whan we were renaweys traytours and ennemyes and whiche coulde do hym no pleasure agayne If with meane kyndnesses men be kyndeled to loue a man shall we not at leste waye reloue our creatour redemer so louyng so kynde for he requyreth none other amendes of vs whiche he also powreth agayne to our lucre The adamante melteth with gootes mylke cgyls lyons leopardes dolphyns dragons knowlege and requyte kyndnes and oh the hardncs of mans herte harder than the adamant if 〈◊〉 melteth not by suche kyndnes whiche hath not be herde of O ingratitude more vnkynde than wylde beastes if it can forgette so greate deseruynges O notorious vnsh amefastnes nay mad nes rather if so created so restored so enryched opprest with so great kyndnes called to so greate hopes can loue any thynge saue onely hym in whome and from whome be all and whiche gyueth vs parte with hym of all thynges And although euery mortall creature taketh these commodities yet we especially be bound vnto hym because that by many probations he hath declared hymselfe to be of a syngular tendernes and fauour towarde our ordre I meane towarde vs chyldren Fyrste that as he was promysed by the saynges of prophetes it pleased hym to be borne a yong chyld where as in dede he was without all measure quantitie Moreouer that yet closed in the deene of the virgynes wombe he reioysed to be saluted with the spryngynge and lepyng of an infaūt also not yet borne Besyde this that forth with he wolde his 〈◊〉 to be halowed with the bloud of 〈◊〉 chyldrē so that with these lyght harnysed souldyers as I myght saye the most 〈◊〉 captayne myght begynne his batell To this maye be added that his tryumphale deathe approchynge he commynge to Hierusalem wolde be gloriously receyued with the procession metynge and louyng kyndnes of chyldrē rather then of men and wolde haue his prayses to be songe and proclamed with the swete voyces of chyldren Nowe syr how louyng and busye a defendour 〈◊〉 was he of chyldrē which whan the mothers offered theyr chyldren vnto hym that they myght be blessed by touching of hym he beyng discontēted with his disciples that they wolde not suffre thē to come vnto hym sayd Let the babes come vnto me Nor he dyd not onely blysse them but also he sayd that 〈◊〉 myght come to heuen that wolde not humble hymselfe according to the yong babes Agayne howe louyngly dyd he also when he so sore frayeth men from offendynge his lytle ones sayng it were better for a man to haue a milstone henge aboute his necke be caste into the see than that he shulde greue one of these babes and to these wordes marke what a gooly addicyon he made in cōmendacyon of chyldrē ☞ Truely I say vnto you theyr aungels do always see the face of the father O good mayster Iesus thy lytle flocke whiche is offered vnto the gyue thankes vnto the whome I beseche that thou wylt vouchsaue always to lay thy holy handes vpon them and defende them from all greuaunce And is not this also a great token of loue when he dyd set a chylde in myddes of his disciples to be an example for them to folowe saynge Nisi conuersi fueritis efficiamini sicut paruulus iste non intrabitis in regnū coelorum Oneles ye be cōuerted and be made as this babe is ye shall not entre into the kyngdom of heuen Hytherto also belongeth that whan Nicodemus demaūded of Christe by what waye he myght come to euerlastyng blysse he demaunded hym to be borne agayne that is to wyte to come agayne into a chylde Lo so greatly infauncy pleaseth Christ our captayne that he enforceth also the aged men to waxe chyldren agayne if they wyll be receyued into his compaygnye besyde whome there is no hope of saluation Nor S. Peter doth not disagree from his mayster Christe where as he aduertiseth vs as newe borne chyldren to couet mylke Nor holy Paule dysaccordeth not saynge Filioli mei quos iterum parturio donec formetur Christus in vobis O my lytle chyldren q Paule whome I agayne do beare and bryng forth lyke the woman lyenge in chyldbed whyle Christ be formed in you The same Paule gyueth his lytle babes for so he calleth them mylke to fede
A Sermon of the chylde Iesus made by the most famous clerke Doctour Erasmus of RoterdaÌ„ ¶ To be pronouÌ„ced and preached of a chylde vnto chyldren ¶ A sermon of the chylde Iesus made by Erasmus to be pronounced and preached of a chylde vnto chyldren I A chylde goynge aboute to speake before chyldren of the ineffable chylde Iesus wyll not wyshe the eloquence of Tullie whiche myghte stryke the cares with shorte and vayne pleasure for how much Chrystes wysdom is in dystaunce from the wysdom of the worlde the dystaunce is vnmeasurable so much ought the christen eloquence dyfferre froÌ„ the eloquence of the worlde But this I wolde ye myght with 〈◊〉 vowes 〈◊〉 with me of 〈◊〉 so good a father of the good 〈…〉 fyte prayse that lykewyse as our hole lyfe ought to expresse none other than the spirite Iesus Christ of whom this daye we do entende to speake so lykewyse this our sermon maye sauer on hym represent hym breath hym whiche is both the worde of the father and hath all onely the wordes of lyfe whose lyuely and workynge speche is more percyng then any .ii. edged swerd percynge to the very inwarde chaumbers of the herte And that he from whose body flodes of lyuyshe water do renne wyll vouche salue by the instrument of my voyce as it were by the pype of a coÌ„duyt to flowe into the myndes of all you with the plenteous moysture of the heuenly grace to water them This thynge so I truste shall come to passe most derely beloued felows if we wyll ioyne to the godly requestes eares which be purged and trueâ—â— thirsting That is to say such eares as that eternall worde requyrynge in the gospell of sayntte Matthew the. xi Chapitre saythe Qui habit aures ad audiendum audiat that is to saye ☞ Who hath cares to the entente to heare let hym heare But as touching me why may I not be bold to en terpryse this thynge harde I wyll not denye but yet godly namely god hym selfe beynge my ayder and helper in whome the lesse mans infirmyte trusteth in his owne powers the more able it shal be and in whome Paule bosteth that he can do all thynges Moreouer syth these persons do 〈◊〉 with such feruent 〈◊〉 and affection whiche haue wedded and appoynted themselues to the warfare of this worlde that is to saye of the deuyll that eche one of them shulde extolle auaunce and magnifie theyr captayne with all the 〈◊〉 of prayse that can be ymagyned howe muche better and soner ought we to magnifie euen auye who can do best with deuout hymnys and commindations our mayster redemer captayne Iesus and the same also the prynce of all in generall but of vs chyldren in especial Him fyrst principaly to know let vs studie knowen let vs prayse praysed let vs loue loued let vs expresse expressed let vs counterfet counterfettynge lette vs enioye enioynge let vs take immortal felicite But in so plentyfull so vnmeasurable copye of thyn ges from whens shal we take a begynnyng of our sermon or where shall we fynde an ende Syth he of whome we enteÌ„de to entreate is the very fouÌ„tayne or to speake more truely the occean see of all goodnes and good thynges But as he hymselfe of nature incomprehensible and infinyte yet was contented to compasse and dryue his owne selfe as who saythe into a streyght So lykewyse our sermon in expoundynge his prayses which be of themselfes vnmeasurable must of necessyte put a measure to it selfe Ueryly I see that there be thre thynges principally whiche be wont to kyndle and enflame the hertes eyther of scolers or of souldyours to do valiauntly and manly the fyrste is to be brought in to an admira cyon of theyr guyde or captayne the secounde to loue hym the thyrd the rewarde wherfore to th entent we myght with more feruent and cherefull courages obey our master and captayne Iesus go we to Let vs consyder seuerally al these thre thynges with a deuout curiosite in hym Fyrste of all howe wonderfull he is on euery syde and to be astoyned at After that howe greatly he is to be loued and for that cause also to be folowed And last of all what hyghe profyte frute and auauntage shall arryse vnto vs by this loue Howe it is the vsage of KhetoriciaÌ„s in this kynd of oration to shewe ensamples of noble prynces to this purpose and enteÌ„t that by the comparyson of hym whom they prayse with other his nobles and vertues myght appere the greater But our captayne so greatly and wonderfully surmounteth all the heyth of humane dignite and hyghnes that whoÌ„ soeuer a maÌ„ sheweth be he neuer so wor thy excellent and hygh yet he shal seme to adde darkenes and not lyght For whose progenye and noblenes shall not seme smoke if thou coÌ„pareste hym with Iesus whiche by an vnspeakable nay with an vnthynkable reason is borne god of god alwaye without tyme egall in all thynges to his eternall and most hyghe parent Howe be it though we go no further than to his humane natiuitie I pray you do it not easyly enshadowe and obscure the clearnes of al other kynges prynces in the worlde as he whiche wonderfully aboue the course of nature his father of heuen beyng the worker and authour the holy ghoste breathyng the aungel beyng the massanger without mans industrie was borne a virgyne of a virgyne beynge pregnant and with chylde by the handworke of the heuenly father and was borne a man and in tyme. And agayne was so borne a man that nother be lefte to be god nor yet he drew none of our fylthynes vnto hym at all Now syr what can be ymagyned more ample than he whiche beynge infounded through all yet restreyned in no place abydeth in hymselfe vncompassable vnmcasurable what is more ryche than he which is the very chyef principall goodnes from whome all good thynges do issue and yet he is not therby dyminyshed what is more renoumed than he whiche is the renoume of his fathers glorie and whiche onely lyghtneth euery man commynge into this worlde what is more myghty than he to whome the father almyghty hath gyuen all power in heuen and in earthe what is of more force than he whiche with a symple becke made all at whose commaundement the see falleth the shappes of thynges be turned the dyseases flee the armed fall downe the deayls are dryuen awaye the elementes they the rockes of stone are cutte in sonder the dead waxe a lyue agayne the synners be conuerted fynally all thynges be made new who is of wyder imperye then he whiche they in heuen magnifie they in 〈◊〉 tremble at this mydde worlde humbly worshyppeth to the comparyson of whome the moste haut and hygh kynges confesse themselues to be but wretched wormes what is stronger and more victorious than he whiche alone death whiche was to all other 〈◊〉 ouercam with his owne death and whiche layd downe and abated the tyrannye of
with the spirite of Iesu what taught he vs in that he was 〈◊〉 vp in the temple but that we shulde holly offer vp and dedicate our selues euen from our infauncie to god and to holy thinges and forthwith the vessell of our mynde beynge yet newe and fresh drynke into vs Iesu for no age is̄ 〈◊〉 to learne holynes naye rather none other age is more tymely and mere to learne Christe than that whiche knoweth not yet the worlde Nowe consyder ye with our selues oh chyldren with howe holy studyes and occupacyons that same chylde so borne so offered vp to god dyd passe our his chyldhode Not with ydelnes not with eatynge and drynkyng not with slepe not with vayne sportes and playes not with fowlyshe fables not with straynges abrode as the common sort of chyl dren are wont to do but outher with minystryng and seruyug his parentes or with holy prayers or hearynge the preachers and teachers or with deuout meditations or with holy and arnest communications with other chyldren hath not saynte Luke in his gospell comprysed brefly all these and many other lyke when he wryteth in this maner Puer crescebat confortabatur plenus sapientia gratia dei erat millo That is to say The chylde grewe and wexed stronge full of wysdom and the grace of god was in hym Do ye not manifestly see a newe kynde of chyldehode Of the chyldren in tymes paste it was sayd Stulticia colligata est in corde pueri That is to saye Foly is teyed to gether in a chyldes herte Of the newe chylde ye here Plenus sapientia full of wysdom why do we any longer excuse our rudenes vnder the clock of our tender age when we heare a chyld not one ly wyse but full of wysdom Se howe this chylde hathe inuerted all order of thinges which sayth in the Apocalyps Ecce ego noua facio omnia that is to saye 〈◊〉 I make all newe The wysdom of the aged is destroyed and the prudence of the prudent is dysalowed and chyldren be replenyshed with wysdom And for this very cause he gyueth thankes to his father saynge Quoniam absondisti haec a sapientibus renelasti 〈◊〉 paruulis because thou haste hydde these from wyse and hast dysclosed them to infauntes But leste we shulde here couette and studye for the fowly she and desceytfull wysdom of this worlde he addeth forthwith Et gratia dei erat ī illo The grace of god was in hym He whan all is done is the wyse man and hathe the ryghte knowledge whiche to the worlde is but a fole and whiche sauereth nothynge but Christe He is knowen not by the bokes of the phylosophers nor yet by subtyll and sophistycall argumentes but by pure faythe he is knowen by hope he is holden by charitie he is wonne Howe manye thynges hathe this chylde taught by his ensample when he was but. xii 〈◊〉 of age he stale awaye preuely frō his parentes whiche coulde not be founde neyther among his kynsfolke nor among his acquayntaunce at last was founde after the space of iii. dayes But wheare I beseche you was he founde In fayres in markettes in ways i tauerns daunsyng or synging Harken ye chyldren where the chylde Iesus was founde leuyng his frendes and in maner a fugityue a renaway and ye shall casyly vnderstande where ye ought to be consernaunt In the tem ple I saye he was founde syttynge in the myddes of the doctours hearynge theyr reasons and demaundynge questiōs of them What hath Iesus taught vs by these so wonderfull deades No doubt but that he hath taught vs some great thynge som earneste matter and to be hyghly folowed what is that Surely that whyle Christ ware bygge in vs for he is also borne in vs hath his degrees of ages vntyl he growe vp to a stronge and perfet man and into the measure of his fulnes wherfore whyle I say he ware bygge in vs he teacheth vs to transferre and shyft our naturall affections whiche be towarde our parentes and other frendes vpon god nothyng to loue here nothyng to magnifie but in Christe Christ in all let vs remembre that we haue our true father countre kynsfolke and frendes in heuen But left a man wold ymagyn with this neglectyng of parentes shuld sauer any pryde or disobediencie it foloweth Et erat subditus illis And he was subiet vnto them nay rather none more truely loueth his parentes none more naturally honoreth them none obeyeth them more obsequiosly than he which thus cōtemueth them What is it to sytte in the temple but to rest in holy thynges and to brynge a mynde to learne quyet from al worldly cares Nothynge is more turbulent than vyces and agayne wysdom loueth 〈◊〉 and quyetnes Now of what any person shall we disdayne to lerne howe attentyte cares ought we to gyue to our maysters whan that heuenly chyld Ie sus the wysdom of god his father sytteth in myddes of the doctours hearyng and agayne demaundyng of them and aunswerynge but so aunswerynge that all wondered on his wysdom Nor no wonder syth he was suche one to whome all the wysdom of the world is folyshe The knowledge of lawes is a goodly thyng the setēce of philosophie is a noble thyng the profession of divinitte is a thynge hyghly to be magnified But who heareth Iesus forthwith all thynge ware folyshe but our aunswer though it can not styre a myracle of wysdom at lest way let it sauer of sovernes and discretion let it sauer innocencie Agayn I beseche you how obeysaujit how seruyable becommeth it vs to be to our parentes maysters whome we ought to preferre as they whiche be the parentes of the wytte syth that lorde of all at what tyme he was of that depe wysdom that his parentes vnderstode hym not yet he retur ned with them to Nazareth submyttyng hymselfe vnto them we owe this to the naturall loue we owe this to the reuerence towarde our parentes that otherwhyles we gyue place to theyr wyl though we see better what is to be done than they But now it is good to see with howe mete an ende Luke hath concluded the chyldehode of Iesus Et Iesus q he proficiebat sapientia aetate gratia apud deum apud homines Iesus 〈◊〉 sayncte Luke dyd further in wysdom age and grace with god and with men Howe many thynges in howe fewe wordes hath he taught vs Fyrste of all that with the growe and the encreace of age the encreace also of holynes ought to be copled 〈◊〉 that sayng be ryghtly spokē vpon vs which sayncte Augustyn spake vpon the com mon sort of men Qui maior est aetate maior est iniquitate 1. the 〈◊〉 in age the greater in lewdnes Or lest in this most goodly and fayer baiell we shulde at any tyme reste vs and stande styll or thynke that we haue wonne the fylde but after the maner of them whiche renne at a game neglectyng that whiche we haue