father had better hope and comforte then he had before and declaring the great desyre of his minde with teares and weping sayed I beleue lorde and yf my belefe be vnperfite healpe thou my weakenesse ¶ When Iesus sawe that the people came â—unnyng together vnto him he rebuked the soule spirite saying vnto hym Thou dumme and deafe spirite I charge the cum oute of him and enter no more into hym And the spirite when he had cryed and rent hym soore came out of hym and he was as one that had beeâ— deade in somuche that many saied he is deade But Iesus caught his hande and lift him vp and he rose And when he was cum in to the house his disciples asked him secretly why could not we caste him out And he saied vnto them this kynde can cum forth by nothyng but by prayer and fastyng In the meane season the people came runnyng together on euery syde to see this sight When Iesus sawe they were come for his wyll was to haue them all to bee witnesses of the miracle then putte he furthe that almyghtie voyce wherwith he calletth to life again when it pleaseth him euen the dead He threatned the foule spirite to handle hym accordyngly vnlesse he would incontinente departe saying Thou deafe and dumme spirite I charge the to gette the out of the man and that thou neuer from henceforthe enter into him again Iesus is in a fume with the spirite because he may shewe mercye vpon the man geuyng vs a lesson what we ought to doe in healyng of sinners A man must so rebuke vice that he may seme to loue the soule health of the person And because we should knowe that man laboureth speaketh in vayne vnlesse Iesus speake with hym by his secrete vertue and power the disciples commaunded the spirite to go out but all was in vayne because Iesus was awaye He is awaye so oft as our fayth is colde and wauering by the which fayth his wyll is that we obtayne all thynges What was doen at the emperious voyce of Iesu By and by the spirite went out But to the entent it should appeare that he wente out agaynste his wyll he cryed and vexed the sely wretche very sore at his departure For nowe laye he vpon the grounde for dead in somuche that many sayed he was dead in dede Thou seest here a figure of a peniteÌ„t person and him who turneth from great and accustomed synnes to amendemente Nowe hathe the hatred of synne delyuered hym from synne howbeit he is at the next doore to desperaâ—ion whoso both knowleageth his owne filthinesse also hath gods iustice in remembraunce But yet lyeth he happily deade that is deade to synne For then remaineth there nothyng elles but that he begyn to lyue agayne to righteousenesse And this benefyte geueth also our most bounteous sauioure Iesus without whome there is no safetie He caught the felowe by the hande and lifted hym vp as he laye in this traunce and furthwith the same who before seemed deade recouered hys former strengthe and throughe the benefite of Christe rose vp stronge and lustie But vnlesse Iesu had nowe geuen hym newe grace to leade a godlye lyfe it had been to no purpose that he was deliuered from the dyuell at the contemplacion of his fathers fayth Nowe heareth this deafe manne whiche before had his eares stopped with worldely lustes agaynst the doctryne and woorde of the gospell Nowe speaketh this dumme felowe who before was tongue tyed speachelesse by reasoÌ„ of the passions and wilfull pangues of the fleshe Nowe is the same at rest and quiet who before styred with the furious rages sumtime of sensualitie and pleasure of the body sumtime of ambicion â–ª desire of worldly aduauÌ„cemeÌ„t others whiles of wrath nowe of enuy nowe then of couetousnesse was as it had been rauished and caryed by the constraynte of sum vncleane and violente spiriâ—e All these thinges saw the Apostles and saied nere a worde for that they durst not interupt the lorde The Scribes also helde their peace being now assured by the thing selfe howe it was not by reason the name of Iesu was vneffectuall and vertulesse that this felowe was no sooner ryd of the spirite but for the weakenes of fayth And as it chaunced vnto this yonge manne bodely so chaunced it to the Pharise is spiritually They were not healed of their sinnes bicause they beleued not the woorde by the onelye vâ—rtue wherof they mighte haue been healed But when Iesus was cum into the house the disciples now beyng with him alone asked him what was the cause why they could not cast out the deuyl syth they had afore cast out so many in his name For they were disquieted in mynde with a certayne humayne carefulnes leste they had vnwares offended the Lorde and by that meanes loste the power whiche he once gaue them to worke miracles Iesus who is not wont to take awaye agayne what he hath once geuen but to encreace the same yet wyll not he haue his gyftes negligently kepte and after a rechelesse sorâ—e and nowe hath he sufficiently declared in the father of hym that was healed how weaknesse of fayth was the only impediment why the deuyl wente not forthe the whiche faythe was not as yet so strong in the disciples as it ought of congruence to haue been Iesus I saye aunswered that there was a certayne speciall kinde of dyuels which coulde not otherwyse be expelled then by praier and fastyng For these be the two engynes which are of moste force agaynst wicked spirites For by prayer the strength of fayth is renued and quickned as it chaunced vnto the yonge mannes father who sayed Lorde helpe my vnbeliefe And by fasting bycause it contayneth a certaine forbeatyng of all carnall pleasures the rebellion of the fleshe is subdued He muste haue a cleane spirite himselfe whoso goeth about to caste out vncleane spirites of other Iesus and the thre disciples were newly retourned from prayer The reste of them kepte compaynie with the multitude and dyd neyther faste ne praye and for that cause were not able ynoughe to caste out a dyuell whiche had so faste holde and was so familiar The more the trust of our selues encreaseth in vs the more the power to worke miracles decreaseth The more the power of the fleshe is mortified in vs the stronger is the holy goste by whose onely power soule spirites are expelled We muste therfore ofte tymes praye that the strength of fayth may in vs be encreased we muste also mortifie our fleshe continually to th entent that the spirite of Iesu Christe may liue in vs. To be shorte Christe doethe nowe prepare his disciples againste that houre when they shall be commaunded to watche and praye leste they fal into temptacion But because they toke a nappe after supper the weake fleshe had the vpper hande ¶ And they departed thence toke their iourney thorow Galile and he would not that any man should know
measure and proporcion of their faithe as it is presently expedient But in Iesus was the continuall fountaine of al heauenly grace For the doue brought hym not then any new grace whiche he had not before but euidently declared howe he was full of grace and showed moreouer from whence all grace and goodnes issueth and cummeth vnto vs. Iohn beyng stablyshed in mynde with this so euident a signe receiued of the father of heauen doubted not to pronounce Iesus to be the very sonne of God The witnes that he gaue vnto Christ was of great waight and authoritie amoÌ„g the Iewes but much greater was the testimonie of the father himselfe whose voyce sounded doune from the heaueÌ„s saying Thou art that my derely beloued sonne in whome my minde delighteth For a wyse childe is the fathers ioy and comforte That heauenly spirit of God is not ydle weake faynt or feble but of nature all fiery and by and by wurketh and putteth furth his vertue as soone as it is once entred into the soule of man The spirite of man is slacke and slowe and thinketh vpon nothing but that whiche is lowe vile and worldly But they that haue the spirite of the fleash mortified and are led with the spirite of God do furthwith goe in hande with high thinges and of manly enterprise that is to say doe fight against the vncleane spirite their ghostly enemy the deuil whoÌ„ they are not afrayed euen to prouoke to battayle as men puttyng theyr whole confidence in the ayde and succour of the heauenly spirite whiche is of muche more vertue and puissauÌ„ce than all that withstande the gospell ¶ And immediatly the spirite droue him into wildernes and he was there in the wildernes fowerty dayes and was tempted of Sathan and was with wild beastes and the aungels ministred vnto hym After that Iohn was taken Iesus came into Galile preachyng the gospell of the kyngdome of God and saying The tyme is cum and the kyngdome of God is at hande Repent and beleue the gospell Wherfore Iesus plainly expressing in himselfe what he woulde haue vs to doe incontinent after we haue receyued baptisme was brought by force of the holy goste into wildernesse There he made his abode fowertie dayes and as many nyghtes styll continuyng in prayer and fastyng and in the meane season he was tempted of the deuyll whom after he had discoumfited and ouerthrowen hym he delyuered vnto vs to ouercum shewyng vs also the verye waye and meane howe to gette the victorye He is ouerthrowen by the spirite of Christe by continuall prayer and sobernesse of lyfe and by the weapon of holy Scripture The whyle that Christe continued thus in wyldernesse he lyued among saluage beastes vtterly abstayning from all comfort and solace taken of the company of man There had been no daunger for hym yf he had bene conuersaunt with the multitude of people but he shewed hereby howe expedient it is for a Christian souldiour to exchewe the compainye of the conmon sorte vntill he haue sufficiently tamed the fleshe and ouercome the deuyl and by continuall recordyng of Goddes lawe and deuout prayers made him selfe strong ynough in spirite For many be in more safetie when they lyue among beastes as Christ dyd then when they be conuersaunt with suche meÌ„ne as are more noysome then any brute beastes The Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christe kept company with beastes but whiles he lacked the ministery of meÌ„ Angels were alwayes present and serued hym They that vtterly despyse alâ— the pastimes and pleasures of this worlde neuer wante heauenlye pleasures and solaces For vs and our profite Christ was baptised For vs he prayed for vs he was notably described by the testimony of the father and the holye ghost for vs he went into wyldernesse for vs he fasted for vs he was tempted for vs he gatte the victorye ouer the deuil Here consyder thou Christian souldiour the very true and right order of thy perfeccion The first instruccion and teaching by mouth of Christes religion causeth hatred of the former lyfe and hope of clensyng or remission of synnes With these capitaines thou runnest to Iordane and there throughe fayth in Christe washest awaye the fylthynesse of all thy synnes And anon after at thine owne praier and at the petiâ—ion and praier of the churche thou hast a newe spirite geuen the from heauen and by it arte admitted to be of the number of the children of God and emplaÌ„ted into the body of Iesu Christ as a member of hym who is the very heade of the churche In the meane whyle it behoueth not the souldiour of Christe to be carelesse Thou hast promysed thy seruice to Christe thyne Emperour Thou hast renounced the deuill Thou haste receyued the holy ghoste as it were gifte money a bond and an earnest penye of thy salarye Thou must enforce thyselfe with thy vtter endeuour to get victory But that neuer chauÌ„ceth to the negligente and recheleâ—â—e person Thou must take to thee armoure and weapon leste thyne ennemie whiche euerywhere lyeth in wayte for the cum vpon the vnwaâ—es and when thou arte vnarmed Thou shalte incontinent be assaulted with the world the deuil and the fleshe Thou muste alwaies fight to th entent thou mayest alwayes gette victory For this battaile shal not â—nde before thou make an ende of thy lyfe But yet the oftener thou chaunce to vanquishe thine ennemye the weaker shall he departe from battayle and thou the stronger When thou haste here behaued thyselfe valiantly and played the manne a while then at the lengthe addresse thy selfe to the ministracion of the ghospell specially yf thou feele that the spirite of God driue the therunto The Lorde Iesus was meete to preache the ghospell then whiche ministerie there is none of greater perfeccion euen when he was a verye lytle â—hylde But he ordeyned a patarne or an example in hymselfe for vs to counterfayte and folowe wherby we are taught that we ought not by and by after our profession rashely to hasten ourselues to this so high and holy a ministracion The lawe of Moyses had her tyme. There was also a tyme when it behoued that as the lyght of the euangelyke veritie beganne by litle and litle to shine furth vnto the worlde euen so shoulde the shadowes of the olde lawe vanishe awaye and the carnall lawe gyue place vnto the spirituall puttyng furth her vertue Lyke as in transformacions and naturall chaungynges of thynges there is a certaine meane whiche hath some affinitie with both the extremes to the intent that thinges of muche contrarietie maye easely be traÌ„sformed and to â—rned one into another Euâ—n so Iohn came as a meane betwene the carnall law of Moyses and the spirituall law of the ghospell to this ende that men might the soner be transformed and brought from the fleshe or litterall sence of the lawe to the spirite and true meanyng of the same For ayre is not sodainly and immediatly made of yearth but in this transformacion
came And whan they had song the hymne they went out vnto the mount Oliuete Than sayd Iesus to them All ye shall be offended because of me this nyght For it is written I wyll smite the shepeherde and the shepe of the flocke â—alâ—e scatered But after I am rysen againe I wil go before you into Galile Peter answered and saâ—ed vnto him Though al meÌ„ be offended because of the yet I wyl not be offended Iesus sayd vnto hym Uerely I saye vnto thee that in this nyght before the cocke crowe thou shalt deny me thryse Peter sayed vnto hym Yea though I should dye with the I wyll not deny the. Likewise also saied al the disciples And after that they hadde song an hymne in the prayse of god they arose and went into the mounte of Oliues whiche place he knewe to bee well knowen vnto the traytoure lest he should seme to desyre to be hyd as fearyng deathe but purposelye he withdrawed hymselfe into a solitarye place that he myghte bee taken without tumulte of the people which thyng they went about and loked after There he telleth his disciples agayne how it should cum to passe that byanby they should be sore troubled seing the punishemeÌ„t of their lord but lest they should be vtterly discouraged he doethe coumfort them with a prophecie and with the resurreccion that shoulde folowe furthwith poyntyng also the time and the place nere at hande where they should see hym agayne all ye ê™ he shall be troubled thys nyghte for my cause For so God the father prophecied by the mouth of hys Prophete zacharye I wyll strike the sheperde and the shepe of the flocke shal be scatered abrode But ye nede not to despayre Deathe shall trouble your myndes but byanby the resurreccion shal comforte you For I will rise agayne the thirde daye and after that I am rysen I wyll goe before you into Galile There I will offer my selfe to bee sene of you Iesus suffered al his disciples to be thus troubled to thintent he myght teache theÌ„ by the very dedes howe great the weakenes of mans nature was and how folish a thing it is for a man to trust to himselfe that hauing experience of themselues they myght learne to helpe other mennes weakenes Peter therefore not well knowyng hymselfe with a certayne manly and worldly boldnes denieth that it shall cumme to passe which Christe by the Prophecie sayed shoulde cumme to passe and whiche was a poyncte of more rashenesse he preferreth hymselfe before all other If all bee troubled ê™ he in thy cause yet I wyll not bee troubled To whome Iesus aunswered what sayeste thou Peter wylt thou alone not be troubled Nay this I tell the of a suerty before that the cocke crowe twyse this nyght thou shalt denye me thryse Yet Peter not knowleagyng hys weakenes for all thys aunswered stoutly yea yf I shoulde dye with the I wyl not denye the. And the other of the Apostles folowed the rashenes of Peter who would haue denied Christ also yf they had bene brought to a lyke streight as Peter was ¶ Then came Iesus with them vnto a village whiche is called Gethsemany and sayed vnto the disciples Sit ye here whyle I go and praye yonder and he toke with hym Peâ—er and the two sonnes of zebedee and began to were sorowfull and â—euy Than sayde Iesus vnto them My soule is heuy euen vnto the death â—arry ye â—ere watche with me And he wente a litâ—e farther and fâ—ll downe on hâ—s face and prayed saiyng â—y faâ—her yf it bee possible let thys cuppe passe from me Neuerthelesse not as I wyl â—ut as thou wilt Than Iesus knowyng that the tyme drewe nere that the laste storme shoulde cum he led aparte his eleuen disciples for Iudas was gone oute from supper into a village called Gethsemany Here he commaunded eight of them to tary whiche yet were loth to departe from theyr maister whom they loued hartelye but as yet with a worldly affeccion Tary ê™ he in this place whiles I goe into my accustomed place and praye there For he durst not make them priuye of his conflicte sith they were yet but weake lâ—ste they shoulde be discouraged and taketh with hym but only thre Peter and the two sonnes of zebedee that he myght haue them to be witnesses of hys extreme manly weakenesse whome he tooke with hym into the mounte to beholde hys maiestie and to teache with all that as often as any greater storme of suche troubles than mans strength can abyde is at hande that we vtterly distrustyng our selues commit vs wholy to the helpe of God And the feare of deathe whan it cummeth vpon a man is more bitter than deathe it selfe Therfore this horryblenes beganne than to cum vpon Iesus and he felte great sorow and heuines of mynde For he would not that hys chosen frendes should be ignoraunt of the griefe of his mind that they myght playnly see that he was very man troubled with affeccions bothe of body and mynde my soule ê™ he is heuy euen vnto deathe Taâ—ry here and watche with me For this time requireth not slepe but wakyng and earneste prayer Therfore Iesus goyng forwarde a litle from hys three disciples hangyng downe his heade bowed his face to the yearth and so prostrate prayed vnto his father saiyng My father if it be possible take away this cup of death from me for I feele the affeccion of the body much abhorring from death Notwithstanding let it be not as I wyl after the weakenes of the body but as thou wilt to the health and saluacion of mankynde And he came vnto hys disciples and founde them slepyng and sayed vnto Peter could ye not watche with me one houre Watche and praye that ye enter not into temptacion The spirite is ready but the fleshe is weake When he had thus prayed he returned vnto his disciples and found them slepyng and sayeth vnto Peter Thou that diddest crake a litle before that thou wouldest dye with me couldest thou not wake with me one houre I wake and praye for you Wake you with me and praye to the father that ye fall not into temptacion and be ouercum The victorye chaunceth not but vnto them that wake Therfore we must wake leste the fleshe ouercum the spirite and the spirite mâ—ste be susteyned with the helpe of God Againe he went the second tyme and prayed saiyng My father if this cup can not passe awaye from me but that I drinke it thy wyl bee done And he came and found them again slepyng For theyr iyes were heuy And he left them and went agayn â–ª and praied the third time saiyng the same woordes Than cummeth he to hys disciples and sayeth vnto them Slepe now take your rest Behold the houre is at hande the sonne of man is betrayed into the haÌ„des of sinners Arise let vs be going Behold he is at hand that doeth betray me So hys disciples beyng raysed Iesus went agayne and
prayed agayne with as many woordes vnto hys father My father yf it bee not possible that thys cup shall passe from me but that I shall drynk of it thy wyll bee doone Afterwarde he returned agayne vnto hys disciples and found them again slepyng For theyr iyes were very heuy by the reason of sorowe increasyng theyr slepe Therfore leauyng them he wente alone the thyrde tyme to praye for hys disciples for the weakenes of the fleshe ouercame them And he prayed likewise the thirde time to teache vs to praye continually and vehemently as often as the storme of temptacion is at hande For than the Angels be present and geue strength to the spirite Afterwarde he returned vnto hys disciples and rebuked them for theyr slepyng out of tyme sith the tyme required great watching For nowe sayth he the tempest is at hande whiche shall fynde you vnreadye and therfore vnmete and ouermatched nowe ê™ he slepe and take your rest Lo the houre is cum that the innocent sonne of manne shall be deliuered into the handes of the wicked Therfore arise let vs go meete the hurte and displeasure that cummeth agaynst vs. Beholde he is at hande whiche betrayeth me Whyle he yet speake lo Iudas one of the numbre of the twelue came and with hym a great multitude with swerdes and sâ—aues sent from the chiefe priestes and elders of the people But he that betrayed hym gaue them a token saiyng Whomesoeuer I kysse thâ—same is he laye handes on hym And furthwyth he cummeth to Iesus saying Hayle maister and kyssed hym And Iesus sayed vnto hym Frende wherefore art thou cum Than came they and layde handes on Iesu. Iesus had not ended this communicacion but lo Iudas Iscariote one of the numbre of the twelue came folowyng Iesus his capitayne a lytle before and now become ouer a wicked cumpany a more wicked captayne For a great cumpanye of souldiers folowed hym with sweordes and clubbes whome the chiefe of the priestes and the seniours of the people had sent for thys intente that Iesus myght be taken without tumult of the people For althoughe they hadde purposed to differ this matter vnto another tyme yet hauyng oportunitie of the traytour they chaunged their myndes And therfore Iudas chose bothe the nyghte and the place in the whiche Iesus was wonte with a fewe to praye Finally leste they should fayle of the persone the traytoure taught them by what token they shoulde knowe Iesus whomesoeuer ê™ he I shall kysse he it is laye handes vpon hym Therefore Iudas Iscariote went before and went vnto Iesus as though he woulde salute hym saiyng Hayle Rabby and therwith kissed hym whiche in tymes paste was vsed in salutacions because of honour and duty Now Iesus to geue a perfect exaumple of mekenes in euery place to hys disciples dyd not repell the wicked disciple from kyssyng nor dyd rebuke hym for hys madnesse but wyth gentle speakynge touched hys conscience saiyng Frende for what cause art thou cum For he came wyth a kysse after suche sorte as though he woulde haue tolde hym sum newes At this token the multitude came runnyng and layed handes vpon Iesus and helde hym fast The disciples myndes were sore amased at this ruffling whome Iesus suffered to fall into this affeccion because he woulde vtterlye plucke oute of their myndes all gredy desyre to reuenge and to defende themselues And beholde one of them which was with Iesus stretched out his hande and drewe oute hys swerde and stroke a seruaunt of the hygh priestes and smote of hys eare Than sayed Iesus vnto him put vp thy swerd in his sheath For al they that take the swerd shal perishe with the swerd Thinke ye not that I can praye to my father and he shal geue me more thou twelue legions of angels Howe than shal the scriptures be fulfylled For thus muste it be And Peter eyther because he was more feruente euery where than the other or elles because he hadde made stoute promyses of hymselfe before leste he shoulde seme not to doe for hys mayster plucked out his swerde and stroke Malcus the seruaunte of Caiphas and cutte of hys ryghte eare Iesus so orderyng the stroke that bothe it was a lyght wounde and whatsoeuer the hurte was he healed it and restored the eare agayne But Peter erred by the reason of a certayne good loue towarde the Lorde and this errour he tooke in maner of the wordes of Iesus not well perceyued For he commaunded them to sell their coate and to by swerdes and whan thei aunswered there wer two swerdes he sayed it is sufficiente But they thynkynge that he spake of a swerde of yron whereas Iesus mente a spirituall swerde after supper they tooke furthe theyr swerdes with them readye to defende theyr Lorde yf the matter hadde so required or yf he had commaunded Therefore to plucke this affeccion vtterly out of the myndes of all hys disciples he dyd chyde Peter sharpely saying put vp thy swerde into his place They that dooe stryke wyth the swerde peryshe with the swerde the recompence of vengeaunce turnyng backe vpon their owne heade We haue no nede of this tence whyche doe get the victory better by suffering than by killing Or els thincke you that I coulde lacke helpe if it pleased me to haue this defence Could not I make suite vnto my father and could not he send to helpe me in the stede of twelue disciples twelue legions of angels But thus it is thoughte good to my father thus it was spoken before of the Prophetes And none of these thinges is done by chaunce or fortune In that same houre Iesus sayed to the multitude ye be cum out as it were to a thefe with swerdes clubbes for to take me I sate deyly wyth you teachyng in the temple ye toke me not But al this is doen that the scriptures of the Prophetes might be fulfylled Than al the disciples forsoke him and fled And they toke Iesus and led him to Cayphas the hygh priest where the Scribes and elders were assembled And Peter folowed him a far of vnto the hyghe priestes courte and went in and sate with the seruauntes to see the ende Than Iesus turnyng to the multitude sayed nowe weponed with swerdes and clubbes ye cum furth to take me But whan I sate daylye emong you teachyng in the temple and healyng the sicke and diseased ye layed no handes vpon me Nowe in the dead nyght ye seke me out beyng quiet and styl in a secrete place But al these thinges be done not by your violence but by the ordinaunce of goddes counsell whereof the scriptures of the Prophetes hathe prophecied long before The disciples hearyng thys and seing that there was no hope for asmuche as Iesus offred him vnto deathe they left theyr maister and ran away But the mynisters nothyng mitigate with remembraunce of the doctryne and benefite of Iesus ledde him awaye lyke a prysoner to the house of Cayphas the chiefe of the priestes
haste thou to do with vs Iesus Arte thou cumme to destroye vs For so many as the spirite of this world possesseth thinke themselues vtterly forlorne whensoeuer they are constrayned to forsake those thinges wherein they haue sette theyr false felicitie Wherfore theyr myndes are sore troubled and as you would saye tugged and haled into sondrie pieces whylest on the one syde feare of eternall damnacion moueth them to vertue and goodnes on the other syde the venimous◠swetnes of such vices as thei haue of long time accustomed vnto holdeth them fast and withdraweth them from theyr godly purpose But yet no manner of deuill taketh so faste holde but he wyll at the commaundement of Iesu flye awaye It is a muche greater myracle to make of an ambicious man a temperate of a fyerce felowe a pacient of the lecherous persone a chast liuer of the extorcioner or one that liueth by pollyng and pyllyng a lyberall man than to delyuer a mannes body from a wycked spirite But yet men wonder more at this then at the other not because it is more wonderfull and meruailous in dede but for that it is seene with bodely iyes Therfore when he had thus chased awaye the vncleane spirite by commaundement onely then the Iewes greatly wondered at it insomuche that they demaūded one of another saying What new thing is this we haue not read that euer the Prophetes dyd the lyke castyng out deuyls by bare worde of mouth onely Or what new kynde of doctrine is this that hath so great vertue and power folowing it He preacheth the kyngdome of god and putteth furthe Gods power in that he treadeth vnder foote and subdueth the power of the deuill Neyther is it by sorcery or inchauntment or by makyng of long prayers vnto god nor yet by any other laborious meane that he thus putteth to flyght the wycked fendes But he commaundeth them with worde onely as theyr lorde and conquerour and they incontinēt whether they wyll or no obey hym Of this wonderful facte a great fame of Iesu was spred abrode throughout all the countrey of Galile And because it shoulde appeare that in him is the well spring of godly power whiche can neuer be consumed one miracle dyd streyght wayes succede and folowe another ¶ And furthwith when they were cumme out of the synagoge they entred into the house of Symon and Andrew with Iames and Iohn But Symōs mother in lawe laye sicke of a feuer and anon they tell hym of her and he came and toke her by the hande and lyfte her vp and immediatlye the feuer forsake her and she ministred vnto them And at euen when the Sunne was downe they brought vnto hym all that were diseased and them that were vexed with diuels and all the citie was gathered together at the doore and he healed many that were sicke of diuerse diseases and cast out many deuils and suffered not the deuils to speake because they knewe hym For anon as they were departed out of the synagoge they came into the house of Symō and Andrew whither also Iames and Iohn folowed Now Symons mother in lawe as it thē fortuned laye sycke was sore vexed with an ague Assone as Iesus was by them aduertised therof he went to the bedside toke the woman by the hande lyfted her vp forthwith the feuer forsoke her euē as she was sodainly so was she perfectly made whole For she was sodaynly made as lusty and strong as she was before insomuche that she did her accustomed office in the house ministring vnto Iesu and his disciples He lyeth sycke of a perilous disease whose mynde burneth with the loue of carnall pleasures who by reason of superfluitie and excesse leadeth an ydle and a sluggishe lyfe It is a woman that lyeth sycke And at the beginning the fyrst woman deceiued with the pleasaunt alurement of an apple began to be sycke of this ague Our fleshe that alwayes lusteth agaynste the spirit is our Eue. But happy are they whome Iesus with the touche of his moste holye spirite lifteth vp to the loue of heauenly thynges that he whiche before tyme serued ydlenesse riotous liuing and vncleannes maye sodeynly recouer his olde strength and lustynes and being made a newe manne hereafter becum the seruaunt of clennes chastitie sobernes For these are the meates whiche Christe is refreshed and delyghted withall Now ymagine that the house of Symon sygnifieth the churche of Christ in the whiche it is not conuenient that there be anye feble and weake in spirite but suche as are full of euangelyke strength and lustines And yet many tymes Peters mother in lawe that is to saye the synagoge lyeth sicke in the same For he is a membre of the synagoge vnto whose corrupte tasting the vnsauery and weryshe letter yet sauoreth who tasteth well the water of the Pharisaicall vnderstanding and can in no wyse tast the wyne of the spirite and true meaning of the ghospell They that were in the house with the Lorde Iesu desyred him to lyfte vp the woman that laye sycke in her bedde In semblable wise let vs all who are mēbres of the churche desyre his mercyfull goodnes with most humble praiers that he wyll vouchesafe to put out his holy ryght hand and therwith to lifte vp also those timerous persons whiche clening only to the letter of scripture and wholy geuen to the supersticious obseruacion of ceremonyes dooe of a certaine vnright iudgement greatly desyre those thynges that are hurtfull noysome and contrarily hate and abhorre suche thinges as are onely to be desyred to lyfte them vp I saye to the fredome of the ghospell whiche serueth not for this purpose that we should with more libertie committe sinne at pleasure but to the intent we should gladly and with right good will dooe the workes of Euangelike or christian charitie and cherishe Iesus in his membres The Lorde is alwayes ready to heale the soule yf he be desyred and called vpon He loueth those that call vpō hym call they neuer so importunatly and out of season It was nowe late in the euening and the sunne was set so that it might be thought a great point of importunitee to cal vpon the physycian at that time But the great desyre of healthe had the vpper hande of shame They brought vnto him a very great numbre of suche as wer diseased with all kyndes of infirmities and among them also some whiche were vexed with vncleane spirites The whole citie of Capernaum came thicke and threfolde to the gate of the house to see this syght Iesus without excuse healed very many of them of sundry diseases and cast out many deuils He was a quicke and a readye physycian who with worde cured diseases Moreouer he put to silence the deuils who cryed with a loude voyce that he was Christ vtterly despysyng the testimonie of his enemyes and of them with whome he woulde that his shoulde in no wyse haue to do He suffered the
what hope of recouery is there in those persons that cherysh and make muche of theyr disease that flye out of the physycians syght yea that hate and abhorre hym If thou be ashamed to acknowledge thy syckenesse to a maÌ„ phisycian or els yf thou haue any mistrust in hym who peraduenture when he knoweth thy syckenes wyll rather hit the in the teeth therwith then cure the same yet hide it not from Christ who discloseth no mannes offences but healeth all men and that frelye and thus do thou to th entent it maye lykewyse chaunce vnto the as it chaunced to the sicke of the palsey What did he â–ª He all thinges now turned cleane coÌ„trary lyfted vp his bed on his shoulders as one ruling his sensuall appetites and passioÌ„s whiche he serued before For this is the very thing that is meant by bearing of the crosse This is it that is vnderstand by crucifying the fleshe with her vices and coÌ„cupiscences Now neadeth he no more fower porters to carry hym He walketh on his owne feete whithersoeuer the spirite of Christe leadeth hym neither goeth he but whither he is commaunded to go For what is it to walke but by continuall encrease of vertue styl to goe forwarde and euery daye to wax better and better what is it to retourne into the house fro wheÌ„ce he came but to knowleage in what case he came out froÌ„ thence and by whose benefite he returned thither againe soodainly chauÌ„ged altered bothe in body and sowle For it is the propertie of the phariseis to dwell without in stretes market places and whereas conuenticles and vnlawfull assembles be He dwelleth at home in his owne house whoso knoweth howe nought and vertuelesse he is of himselfe and wholly ascribeth what vertue and goodnesse soeuer he hath to the free liberalitie of our sauiour Now will I dismisse the froÌ„ any loÌ„ger beholding of this syght after I haue rehersed vnto the by waye of epilogacion the persones of this seene or pageaunt The sycke of the palsey and they that carrye hym be made shamelesse through theyr great fayth and obtaine theyr peticion Iesus is so muche delyted with theyr faythe that euen of his owne accorde and not desyred of them he doubleth his benefite The symple and vnlearned people discerning nothyng in him whom they beleued to be nought els but a manne only merueyleth at the power of God The scribes alone muttre softly with themselfes agaynst Iesu. Let vs therfore eschew the ensample of the saide Scribes who whyles they studie to aduasice theyr owne glorie goe about to duske the glorye of Iesu. Let vs of the simple sorte of people and with them glorifye God not only if it please hym at any tyme of his great mercifull goodnesse to heale the infirmytie of our soules but also whensoeuer we see any other through his saide bounteous goodnes forsake theyr olde vicious lyuyng and cumme to amendement ¶ And he went agayne vnto the sea and all the people resorted vnto him and he taught them And as Iesus passed by he saw Leuy the sonne of Alphey sittyng at the receipte of custome and sayde vnto him folow me And he arose and folowed hym And it came to passe that when Iesus sate at meate in his house many publicanes and synners sate also together at meate with Iesus and his disciples For there were many that folowed hym And when the Scribes and phariseis saw him â—ate with publycanes and sinners they sayd vnto his disciples Howe happeneth it that he eateth and drynketh with publicanes and sinners When Iesus heard that he sayde vnto them They that be whole haue no nede of the physician but they that are sycke I came not to call the ryghtuouse but synners to repentaunce After this so notable a miracle was wrought at CapernauÌ„ Iesu to thentente he might dooe good to moe departed thence agayne and went to the sea He dyd not conuey hymselfe awaye because he woulde not helpe men and doe them good but whyle he forsoke the vncurable scribes he prouoked the godly by his departure the more to desyre his presence For there likewise resorted a greate number of people vnto the sea teachyng vs that we ought in lyke manoure to forsake all thynges folowe Iesus whithersoeuer he goeth For he is euery where a sauiour whether he be resydent in cities or trauayle thoroughe tounes and villages or continewe in the wyldernesse or goe vp to mountaines or come downe into the plaine or els repayre to seas and waters When he sawe therfore that so great a multitude of people was cumme thyther knew ryght wel the cause of theyr cumming he taught them on the shore And as he there walked he passed by a certaine custome house where those are wont to syt that demaunde custome and towle of suche as sayle by and espied in that house a certaine manne named Mathew who was also called Leuy the sonne of Alphey sytting at the receipt of custome for he was a publycane or customer And albeit this sorte of menne was euery where muche hated of the people yet specially among the Iewes they were counted abhominable For they vse to bye this office of the prince for an vnreasonable summe of money and therfore to th entent theyr aduauntage and gayne may be the more for the moste parte they take and extorte of all menne without pitie and conscience and put maryners and wayfaring menne to muche busynesse vnto whome many tymes damage and disprofite ynough otherwyse happeneth There were verye many among the Iewes who denied that the Iewes beyng the holye people of god ought to pay tribute vnto the Emperour since he was an heathen prince and a worshipper of Idolles And for this cause they greatly abhorred the Publicans who to haue the gaynes of the money whiche they leuied ouer and aboue that was due serued hym in gatheryng of toll and custome The lorde whiche had before imbrayded the scribes with theyr vnbeliefe for that they murmured against his miracle whereas the symple people gloryfyed and praysed god therfore because he woulde nowe eftsones shewe that none be farther from true holynesse then suche as thynke themselues perfyte holy menne called Mathew out of the custome house and commauÌ„ded hym to folowe him Mathew beyng sodainlye chaunged and made a newe man forsoke his gayning seate and folowed poore Iesus to th entent he might be enriched with the ryches of the ghospel All men did not so greatly merueyle at this facte and yet was it in dede more wonderfull then that whiche they so muche merueiled at a lytle before when the sicke of the palsey was healed For consydre me well what a palsey he hath whose mynde is fastened to couetousnesse Neyther is it vnknownen howe intricate and busye the accomptes of publicans be and therfore that he sodeinly chaunged went out of his custome house forsakyng all that euer he hadde and folowyng Iesu was more to be merueyled at then the sycke of the
palsey when he whipte out of his bed and went home vnto his house The pharisey heareth Iesus reasoning or disputing on many matiers and seeth him worke sundry miracles and yet distrusteth and murmureth agaynst hym The publycane who neuer heard ne sawe suche thynges before obeyed thonly worde of Iesu. And beholde an other occasion wherby bothe the wickednesse of the phariseis and also the bounteous goodnesse of Iesu maye the better be set forthe and knowen For Mathew being now the assured disciple of Iesu to th entent he myght commend his maister to moe and bryng suche as were his late companions and felowes of the same state and condicion that he was to the lucre of the ghospell was not afearde to desyre the lorde that he woulde vouchesafe to be his geast at home in his house Iesus lightely condescended vnto his request because that before he so wyllingly obeyed when he was called Mathew supposyng that he had obteyned no small thyng prepared a right gorgious and a royall feaste whiche shoulde suffice a great many that is to wete certaine disciples whom the lorde had now gathered and besydes them diuerse other which then folowed Iesus and went with him as vnbidden geastes to this feaste and many publicans yea and sinners to whom for olde familiaritie and acquayntaunce Mathew had bidden therunto beyng nothing ashamed what manoure of companions he once had sithe he was theÌ„ departed from them to an other felowshyp For he trusted it woulde cumme to passe that lyke as he was called of the lorde so should he throughe the lordes mercyfull vocacion haue many of them scholefelowes with him in learnyng the doctrine of the ghospell whereby is geuen aboundaunce of heauenly treasure who were before his felowes in vicious lyuing and getting of slaunderous gaines He receiued this great confidence through the gracious goodnes that he perceiued in Iesu towardes all menne Truly it was mete this shoulde be a great feaste which represented the churche that should be gathered together of the gentiles For the feastes of the Iewes be small and receyuable but of fewe persons because they onely folowe the fleshe or litterall sence of the lawe where as the spirite and true meaning thereof dilateth it selfe in most ample wyse and receiueth al sortes of people All menne loue libertie and haue neede of mercy few haue rightuousnesse and yet did the phariseis chaleÌ„ge thesame notwithstanding they lacked it were in very dede vnrightuous who when they sawe Iesus feasting with publicaÌ„s and synners whome they as menne of great perfeccion and holynesse would not vouchsafe so muche as to speake vnto went vnto his disciples being then but symple ignoraunt persons and suche as they thought might easely be plucked from theyr mayster and them dyd they hunt after and assaye to wynne with theyr venemous whisperyng Why ê™ they doeth your maister whom you Iohn forsaken folowe as the more holy and perfite manne eate and drinke with synners since that the communion of table is the greatest token of familiaritie that maye be Hath not hered this scripture folowing with the holy thou shalte be holy and with the froward thou shalt be froward Doth not he coÌ„sidre how that by reason he is thus familiar kepeth company with sinners he doeth encourage theÌ„ to coÌ„tinewe still in sinne whiche els peraduenture yf menne woulde auoyde theyr companye woulde amende theyr lyues When the disciples who were as yet rawe in theyr profession had no ready aunswere to make them but onely with a symple plaine fayth hanged vpoÌ„ theyr Lorde then Iesus vnto whom neyther the secrete wordes nor yet the hid thoughtes of the phariseis were vnknowen made answere for them in this wyse O you phariseis why do you grudge and murmour agaynst me for that I rather feaste with theÌ„ whome you take for wycked and abominable persons then with the priestes scribes and phariseis The physicians are praysed who being themselues in good health go yet vnto the sycke when they are sent for And am I blamed for going vnto them who acknowledge the disease of theyr soule and desyre a physycian to cure them Suche as are in good health do not quarell with the physycian saye Why visytest thou suche and suche not vs For they that are whole haue no nede of a physycian The facultie of phisycke muste alwayes be ready for those that be euyll at ease These folkes which acknowledge theyr disease are right glad that the physician is cum For you sawe by that I did vnto the sicke of the palsey howe I haue power geuen me to take away sinne You that thinke your selues whole take vpon you to be right wisemen haue no cause to quarell with the physiciaÌ„ if he cum not vnto you I was sent into the worlde to take awaye the sinne of the worlde Whoso knowleageth his sicknesse and desyreth the physycians helpe him will not I fayle at his nede Nowe he that thynketh hymselfe faultles yf he be in a right beliefe neadeth nothing that I can do But if he be deceiued in his opinioÌ„ or els knowe right wel his inwarde infirmitie and yet dissembleth thesame then is he paste all hope of recouery And for this cause the physyciaÌ„ should but lose his labour if he weÌ„t vnto him For who can heale a manne agaynst his wyll Therfore the physyciaÌ„ is vniustely reproued yf he folow the rules of his facultie but they are very vncurtuous who when theÌ„selues are in good healthe haue great disdayne and enuy that the physyciaÌ„ should be present with the sicke And this my facte ought not to seme straunge and vncouth vnto you whiche professe the knowledge of the lawe For you reade therin as foloweth I will mercy rather then sacrifice God spake these wordes by his Prophete sygnifying therby that the carnall iustice of the lawe whiche standeth in abstayning from open offences and the obseruacion of ceremonies shoulde be set asyde and abolyshed He that neyther coÌ„mitteth murther theft nor aduoutry he that resteth on the Sabboth day fasteth vpon dayes apointed washeth maketh sacrifice is righteous after thestimacioÌ„ of man But god requireth another maner of righteousnes which standeth in free beneficence or well doyng to our neyghbour in forgenyng theÌ„ that haue offended vs in mekenesse and gentle demeanour Now how farre are they from this prayse which do not onely themselues not helpe their neighbour in his necessytie but also haue great despite and bable agaynst it yf anye manne so do God promised to sende you suche a Messias not as should excell the Phariseis in sacrifices phylacteries fastinges and long prayers for thobseruacioÌ„ wherof they magnify set out themselues vnto the people but suche a one as shoulde be beneficiall to all men a lanterne to them that be out of the way a helper to oppressed persoÌ„s a coÌ„forter to suche as are in aduersity a phisiciaÌ„ to all that are coÌ„trite in herte and finally suche a one as
what is doeÌ„ That pitifull creature desyred not Iesus to helpe hym but yet to saye the trueth it was a kynde of desyre for hym to cum in to the syght of mercyfull Iesu. The Lord because he woulde haue them all to take good heede vnto the miracle that he entended to worke called forth the man with the lame hande and sayed aryse and stande in the myddes of the people And with that he arose and conceyued good hope that he should be made wholle Then Iesus turned hym to the Phariseis whose secrete thoughtes he was priuey vnto and sayed vnto theym What is your opinion whiche take vpon you to knowe the lawe Howe and with what thynges is the Sabboth daye broken With doing of good deedes or of euill by preseruyng of a mans lyfe or destroying thesame They knewe right well for what purpose he moued this capcious question If they had answered that it had been better for the reuerence and solemnitie of the Sabboth to suffer their neighbour to perishe then without scruple of conscience to helpe him in perill and necessitie the people coulde not haue suffered so vnreasonable an answere cleane repugnaunt to the lawe of nature Agayne yf they had sayed he might lawfully haue dooen it then had they brought themselfes in case that they coulde not haue charged him with any false surmise as theyr entente and purpose was to do Therfore they thought good to holde theyr peace and saye neuer a worde And yet whiles they so dyd they plainely declared vnto the people theyr malicious wilines for that beyng prouoked by this question to amendement of lyfe they of an obstinate mynde were still desyrous to picke quarels Nowe to the intent that this question shoulde the easlier be assoyled and answered to he put furth another lyke questioÌ„ asking whether there were any among them that kept the sabboth daye so hygh and holy that if a shepe of his chaunced to fall into a dyche on that daye woulde suffre it to peryshe and in no wyse be so hardye as to drawe it out There was none so blynde in that assembly but he knewe ryght well howe muche the helth of manne ought to be regarded before the helth and preseruacioÌ„ of a shepe Truly he killeth whoso maye saue that thing whiche he suffereth to peryshe Wherfore after the Lorde had loked for an answere and perceyued howe all the Phariseis lyke confederates not because they were ignoraunte of the trueth but of an ostinate malice helde theyr peace he loked rounde about and behelde them she wyng outwardly with his countenaunce howe wrothe and sorye he was for theyr vncurable wickednes who when they toke vpon theÌ„ to be gydes of the blynde had themselues heartes so blynded with worldely lustes that they willyngly refused to see the moste radiant and cleare light of veritie For there is no blindnes more vncurable then when a manne is bothe wittingly willyngly blynde They sawe that the dumme beast might lawfully be drawen out of the hole lest it shoulde peryshe without anye violacion or breache of the sabboth and woulde in no wyse see that it was lyke lawfull to prouyde for mannes helth vpon thesame daye Therfore the most gracious Lorde to teache vs that we ought not to withdrawe our selfes from helping of our neyghboure for the vncurable frowardnes of the euill the Phariseis contemned turned him to the manne with the withered hande and in the audience of the people who were desyrous to see the ende of this matter sayd vnto him Stretche out thy hande That voyce was scarcely heard But he stretched it out sodainly chaunged and seruing him aswell to do euery thing withall as the other whiche was neuer lame Whome would not these reasones haue conuerted and brought from his erroure whom would not so euident a miracle haue moued to glorify God But the Phariseis infected with the leuen of enuie were therby prouoked to imagine more mischiefe Certes these are those same corrupt and alwayes vnryght iudgementes of the Phariseis They passe more vpon a dumme beaste then vpon a manne more vpon the apparell then the body more vpon meate then lyfe more vpon the bodye then the soule more vpon worldly thinges then heauenly thinges more vpon the fleshe then the spirite more vpon menne then God So true is it that there is no greater mischiefe in the worlde then is peruerse and aukewarde holynes Among men it is counted to cum of a wonderfull vertue with worde onely to restore a mans lame hande and make it whole agayne But it is a much greater vertue and benefite to restore the dead and lame powers of the soule What a pitifull lame hande hath he how dead how voide of all pitie and compassion who when he seeth his neyghbour in necessitie doeth not geue him his almes when he seeth him erre and stray out of the right waye doeth not teache and refourme him when he seeth him oppressed with iniuries doeth not helpe hym when he seeth him ydle doeth not styrre hym to good woorkes Suche handes had the Phariseis who woulde rather enuy the Lord then be restored by him vnto the helth of theyr soules Such feble and weake persones hath the Synagoge But the churche of Christ receiueth neither deafe dumme blynde feble halte nor lame Whoso is diseased and vexed with any euils let him cum into the syght of Iesu and he shal be cured He will inspire vs with his holy spirite and that whiche was before lame and without lyfe shal then be made quicke and alyne agayne They that with true faithe wholy committe themselues vnto the Lorde do returne home cured of theyr diseases Contrariwise such as trust to theyr owne righteousnesse are made wurse by other mennes benefites and good deedes They that are puffed vp with a Pharifaicall spirite wylleth well to none but to themselues Agayne suche as haue receyued the spirite of Iesu goe about nothing els but to dooe good to all men ¶ And the Phariseis departed and strayghtwaye gathered a counsell with theym that belonged to Herode agaynst him that they myght destroye hym But Iesus auoyded with his disciples to the sea And a great multitude folowed him from Galile and from Iewry and from Ierusalem and Idâ—â—ea from beyond Iordane and they that dwelled about Tyre and Sydon a great multitude of menne whiche when they had hearde what thinges he dyd came vnto him For assone as the Phariseis were departed out of the temple albeit in the presence of the people they durst not speake one worde against Iesu yet now after they had sent for suche as belonged to Herode to the intente theyr conspiracy should be the stronger for none knewe better the feate howe to worke mischiefe then the Herodians they all layed theyr heades together secretly debated the matter betwene themselues howe they myght destroye Iesus whom as they sawe ferre to excell them in myghtie dedes so they perceyued that it was not possible for them
death He sought for comfort euery where found none at all But yet is it a certaine kynde of solace and comforte to complayne vnto our freÌ„des of our calamitie though they will not helpe vs. Therfore he commaunded also these three to tarry here and watche That done he went forth a litle and as one cleane destitute of all worldly comforte and vtterly forlorne and paste helpe as touchyng mans helpe fled vnto the father for socoure of whom yet he should not byanby be eased of his griefe Wherfore he fell down flatte on the grounde and lying grouelyng prayed the father that if it were possible the tyme of this battaile might passe awaye The nature of his body feared the tourment death that was nye hand Abba father sayd he Thou canste do all thinges take awaye this cup from me that I drinke not therof Neuertheles let that be doen that thy will hath decreed whiche wylleth nothing but what is moste expedient and best and not as the weakenesse of this body desyreth ¶ And he came and founde them sleping saith to Peter Symon â–ª slepest thou Couldest not thou watche one houre watche ye and praie lest ye enter into temptacion The spirite truly is ready But the fleshe is weake And agayne he went asyde and prayed and spake thesame wordes And he returned and found theÌ„ aslepe agayn For their â—yes were heauy Neyther wyst they what to answere him And he came the thyrde tyme sayde vnto them slepe hence forth take your ease it is enough The houre is cum beholde the sonne of man is betrayed into the handes of sinners ryse ye vp let vs go Loe he that betrayeth me is at hand And iâ—mediatly whyle he yet spake climeth Iudas which was one of the twelue and with him a greate numbre of people with swerdes and staues from the hye priestes scribes and elders And he that betrayed him had geuen theÌ„ a general token saying Whosoeuer I do kisse that same is he take him and leade hym away warely And as sone as he was cum he goeth streightway to hym and saieth vnto hym Maister maister and kyssed hym And they layed theyr handes on him and toke hym And one of them that stoode by drue out a swerde and smote a seruaunt of the hie priest and cut of his eare When he had thus prayed he returned vnto his three disciples whome he left behinde him and found them nowe sleping And then called he Peter who a litle before had made so stout a promyse saying SimoÌ„ slepest thou Couldest thou not watche as much as one houre with me This tyme admitteth no sluggishenesse For he slepeth not that goeth about to destroye vs. Watche and praye lest ye entre into temptacion because ye shall bee in ieopardy to bee ouercomen therwith if it cum vpon you when ye are nothyng prepared The perill is like commune vnto vs all I watche and praye for your health safetie doe you like wyse watche and praye as I do that you maye ouercome with me The spirite is ready and wyllyng but the fleshe is weake The spirite must be stayed and stablyshed with watchyng and prayer leste the fleshe haue the vpper hande When Iesus had thus spoken he went eftsones to the place froÌ„ wheÌ„ce he came made his prayers vnto the father with like tenour of wordes as he dyd before desyring hym that he might not drinke of the cup which was at hand and anon he returned to his disciples and founde them agayne slepyng They napped in the beholdyng of his maiestie insomuch that Peter wiste not what he sayde In like manour do they here slepe in the beholdyng of his infirmitie and weakenesse and knowe not well what answere to make hym rebukynge them Iesus returned the third tyme from prayer vnto his sayed disciples and the thirde time he founde them a slepe Bothe they and we had perished vnles Iesus had watched and prayed for vs al. Therfore after they were wakened he rebuked them because he would by them styrre vp and awaken all slewthfull persons Slepe ye sayde he from henceforth and take your reast You haue slepte ynoughe The thing selfe will now waken you whether you will or no. The very point and momente of the tyme is already cumme Lo the sonne of manne shall anon be betrayed and delyuered into theyr handes that are all set on mischiefe Ryse vp and let vs go mete them For now the lord Iesus had by prayer made himself strong in mynde against the storme of affliccions that was at hand Neither shewed he any time afterward any token of feare or werines but gaue vs an ensaÌ„ple of moste coÌ„staunt and stedfast pacience vnto the last houre He had no sooner spoken these wordes but Iudas Iscarioth one of the numbre of the twelue chosen disciples amonges them taken for the chiefe was cum and with hym a great bende of souldiers fensed with sweardes and staues against Iesus being without armour and weaponlesse Neither lacked there here authoritie The hie priestes scribes and head men of the people sent this power Here marke me good reader the notable conflicte of the euangelike and christian godlynesse againste fayned and counterfayte holynesse Thus is the truthe of the ghospell daylye assaulted thus doeth it alwayes ouercum and get the victorie There is none meter to betraye it then he who professing hymselfe to be a preacher teacher of thesame teacheth those thinges that are of the fleshe There is muche more ieopardie of false doctrine then of the swerdes and staues of souldiours that are notorious and open misdoers Yet dyd not Iudas well trust to his owne strength and policie when he should betraye the lorde He ioyned vnto hym a great bende of souldiers wel weaponed besydes them the authoritie of both the states that is to saye both of the spiritualitie and teÌ„poralitie And all these thynges dyd they in the night hauing awayted as well oportunitie of place as of tyme. There muste nedes be moste horrible darkenesse where Iesus is bound and taken This was the power of darkenesse Satan was suffered a whyle to seme to haue vanquished and ouercum Christ. What greater blindnesse could there be then to go about by mannes policie to betraye hym vnto whom nothyng is vnknowen then with swerdes and staues to assault him who with a becke can do what hym luste Iudas dyd not openly shewe hymselfe to be the captaine of this vngracious compaignie but gaue them firste a token saying whomsoeuer I kysse the same is Iesus Laye ye handes vpon hym and leade hym charely lest he scape froÌ„ you The priestes were well ware of this that the money should not be disbursed vnlesse Iesus were in their handes and custodie Then began Iudas to go a prety waye before the souldiers as though he had goen about sumwhat els but yet he went so before theÌ„ that he was euer in their sight And anon as he was cuÌ„ vnto
perishe Be ye not aâ—earde litle flocke for yours is the kyngdome of heauen Paule hathe meate wherewith he coumforteth and cherisheth suche as are but newlye conuerted to Christe that they maye not fal agayne into diseases forasmuche as they are yet weake he hath also sounde and substanciall meate that maye kepe theim in perfeicte strength growyng forewarde from daye to daye vnto the measure of the fulnesse of Christe Those persones had gathered perfeict strengthe of whome it is thus wrytten in the actes of the Apostles They went reioycyng oute of the sight of the counsell in that they had been reputed worthie to suffre reproche for the name of Iesus That man also had gathered perfeicte strength whiche layed I can dooe all thynges in hym that maketh me strong And for this consideracion the Lorde Iesus in the ghospell exhorteth menne to the eatyng of the breade that was come from heauen the eatyng whereof geueth immortalitie He exhorteth men to the eatyng of his fleshe and to the drinking of his bloude meanyng vndoubtedlye of his doctrine whiche beyng as breade to the soule dooeth make thesame lustie and strong and as effectuall strong wyne doeth inebricate men and bryng them in a godly kynde of drounkennesse euen to the contempte of this worlde in lyke maner as fleashe hath sound nourishemente for the bodye and lyke as bloude hath a vertue and effecte vnto lyfe And though all the scripture of god haue a medicinable vertue and power in it yet hath it none a more effectuall electualye or receipt then that pertaineth to the ghospel One and thesame spirite it is that is in all the Scriptures of God but yet in the ghospell especiallye his pleasure was that the thyng â—â—ould remaine wherin he might speciallye shewe foorth his owne power because there shoulde appere some difference betwene the seruauntes and the maister betwene the puddels or litle gutters and the spryng or fountaine And truely it is a labour well bestowed to considre how great a thyng the vertue of this medicine is Euerie common weale is as ye woulde saye a certayne body The pestilent diseases and sickenesses of a common weale are euil maniers Againste whiche diseases such men as haue excelled others in wysedome haue in soondrye regions or deyned and set lawes as it were certayne medicines and remedies for thesame as for exaumple emong the Atheniens Solon made lawes emong the Lacedemonians Lycurgus emong the people of Crete Minos emong the Romaynes the tenne Commissioners called in theyr toungue Decemuiti Yet not one of all these men was hable to bryng to passe that other nacions also would enbrace and receiue the lawes that he had made No neither dyd any of them so muche as attempte such a thyng leste besides spendyng of labour in vayne he shoulde also haue wonne an opinion of a shamelesse acte in his so doyng Solon was faâ— to liue tenne yeares a banished man for thrustyng his lawes into the citie of Athens alone to be vsed there Plato a man so well learned and so eloquent coulde neuer bryng the people of Athens in mynde to receyue his lawes And yet is there no doubtes to bee made but that euerye one of theim perswaded theimselues that the lawes whiche they hadde made were true and that they wisshed yf it myght possibly haue been brought to passe that all the world should haue enbraced and receyued thesame No nor the lawes of Moses neither were iprâ—d abrode or receyued any ferther then within onely one nacion although in dede the Pharisets did with great highe suyt hunte to wynne and geat vnto them a fewe proselites that is to saye foreyns and aliens wonne to their religion Fynally not the violent autoritie of the Emperours neither was hable by vyolence or compulsion to obteyne that theyr lawes might haue weight and force with all nacions And the thyng whiche all the sayed persones by the lawes that they made did endeuour to bryng about thesame did also the Philosophiers attempt by theyr morall rules and lessons with great iudgement and with incomparable diligence and labour wryten and published Of al which neuerthelesse not one hath there been so eloquente or so well learned that he hath been hable to bryng any one nacion in the mynde that he woulde haue theim in so werishe and vneffectuall was the vertue of the medicine of phisicke which they broughte Onelye the trueth Euangelicall dyd in processe of a fewe yeares possesse perswade and ouercome all nacions of the worlde full and wholle drawyng vnto it the Grekes and the barbarous peoples the learned and the vnlearned the inferiour common people and kynges and all So pithâ—hy and so effectuall was the electuarie of this trueth that so many thousandes of people forsakyng the lawes of their owne countreyes renouncyng the religioÌ„ that theyr forefathers had vsed â–ª leauyng aswell the sensuall pleasures and vices whiche from their cradels they had been accustomed vnto they enbraced a new and a forein doctrine and out of diuerse toungues and ordinaunces of contrarie sorte they did consente to the receyuyng of a certaine lowe and basse philosophie especiallye at suche a tyme as neuer was there any of the lyke sorte furnished nor armed either with the maintenaunce and supportacion of learnyng and eloquence or with the power and autoritie of princes and at suche a time ferthermore whaÌ„ al the worlde with al the strengthe that it had fought against the trueth of the ghospel beeyng vnarmed and naked yet neuerthelesse it could not possiblye bryng to passe but that the sayed trueth after that it firste â—ntred possession vpon the countrey of Grece inuaded also the citie of Rome and the veraye courte of Nerâ— and foorthwith spred it self abrode throughout all and singular the prouincies of the Empire of Rome euen vntill the Isles called Gades lying in the ferthest parte beyonde Spaigne and vnto the Indians vnto the peoples of Afrike and the Scithians and the Isle of Britannia now called Englande beyng a countrey vttrelye diuided and cutte of from all the rest of the worlde These nacions and peoples dyd verye muche differ one from another in theyr languages lawes rytes vsages ordeynaunces Goddes religion and facions and anon beeyng from suche great discorde broughte to a generall vniformitie they begonne to syng all one song extollyng with laudes and prayses Iesus Christe the onely lorde and salueour of the worlde And all this while the spoylyng of their goodes their banishementes empriesonynges tormentes deathes were none other thing but good procedyng and goyng forewarde of the ghospell What persone hath there euer been founde that hath been content to suffre death for the lawes of Solon or the morall preceptes of Zeno But for the simple and playne doctryne of Christ how many thousandes of men both olde young how many thousandes of matrones and vyrgins haue willyngly offered and holden out their neckes to bee chopte of And yet how muche more wondrefull and more abhorryng from commune reason are the thinges
without muche vnclenesse of the bodye thys tender young virgyn beyng one of moste syngular demurenes and myldenesse refuseth not in thys behalfe neyther to seme lyke vnto other women whiche after the common course of nature doe bryng furth chyldren ne auoydeth to doe as they doe whereas in this her chyldebearyng there was nothyng at al defiled with any spot of vncleanesse but euery parte of it replenyshed with heauenly puritie and with holinesse For what poyncte of vnpurenesse coulde such a woman haue in bearyng chylde as without so muche as once touchyng of any man had conceiued by the only power vertue of god embracing her through the working of the holy ghoste And as touching the childe I pray you was it possyble for any spotte of fylthynesse to bee in suche a chylde as beyng borne from heauen was come into thys worlde euen for thys onely purpose that he alone and onely might pourge all mankinde from all filthynes of sinne But partely it was the will and pleasure of God by suche notable exaumples of sobrenes and humilitie as these bee to breake the pryde of manne and partely it was conuenyente that he whiche was come to pergette and close vp bothe the broken walles that is to saye was come to ioyne and knytte the people of the Iewes and the people of the Gentiles bothe together into one professyon of the ghospell shoulde in all behalfes and in all poynctes satysfie the lawe of Moyses from whiche the firste fayth and authoritie should afterward procede and come vnto the ghospell The mother therfore and Ioseph who by the determinate and aduised working of God was yet stil thought and supposed of euery manne to be the father of Iesus brought theyr young babe vnto Hierusalem to the ende he might in the temple there bee presented in the sighte of the Lord to whome he was dedycated and halowed not as thoughe God were not Lorde and true owner of all thynges but by a mystycall fygure to teache vs that suche hertes and none others bee throughlye accepted afore God as after the subduing and vanquyshyng of all the inordynate desires of the fleashe in whiche reigneth naught but the corrupcyon of nyce tendrenesse dooe with mannelye strengthe of the spirite stoutely sette furth towardes those thinges which are heauenly and euerlasting The law of Moyses meaning this same thing had prescribed and appointed that euery male kinde as sone as it had once opened the matrice of the dame were come into the world should be reputed taken for halowed and consecrated to the Lord whether it were brought furth by a woman or by any brute beastes to the entente that euen of these also the firste fruites shoulde be allotted vnto the priestes and yet vnder suche condycyon that the fyrste borne of mankynde myghte bee redemed with a small offreyng and boughte out of the priestes handes excepte it were a chylde of the trybe of Leui. But the lawe selfe doeth openly discharge and deliuer this holy childeâ— wife from the bande of the lawe whan it sayeth in the thyrde boke of Moyses entiteled Leuiticus If a Woman haue conceiued and borne a manchilde c. For thys mother was neyther properly to be called a woman forasmuche as she knew no parte of any mannes body nor had broughte furth chylde by receiuing seede from any other partie And agayne whan it sayeth Euery one of the male kinde that first openeth the matrice c. It doeth sufficientely declare it selfe to meane of the common mannier of delyueraunce that mothers haue of theyr children whiche mothers by reason that the seale of theyr virgynytie is broken vp afore by the manne doe bryng furth chylde neyther withoute muche vnclenesse nor yet without a certayne kinde of being put to shame And as for this heauenly childe neyther whan it entred nor whan it came furthe dyd by anye meanes pollute the enclosure and tabernacle of the maydenlye woumbe of his mother but rather did consecrate thesame and seale it vp that from hencefurthe neyther her bodye beyng a temple once for euer dedycated vnto God ne yet her soule being as ye woulde say a closet for the holy ghoste replenished with all odoryferous swete sauours mighte bee open to receyue any stayning or corrupcion of wordely fylthinesse He therfore whiche was the Lorde of all thinges that are bothe in heauen and in yearthe was presented and offered in the temple as one subiecte and bounde vnto the lawe And he was agreed for and redemed out of the priestes handes agayne for a small price whiche shoulde afterwarde redeme all the whole vniuersall world with the price of his bloude For the lawe had prescrybed that the parentes mighte bye out the first borne manchilde with a lambe of one yere olde which was geuen to bee a burnte offeryng and than besides the lambe there shoulde bee broughte a male Pygyon or a turtle doue for the pourgyng and dooyng away of sinne if any spotte thereof had bene gotten eyther in the carnall copulacion at the begetting of the chylde or elles afterwarde For it ought on euery side to bee pure whatsoeuer thing is to bee offered vnto the lorde That if the penurie and lacke of substance on the parentes behalfe coulde not wel suffer a lambe to bee geuen than in stede of the lambe there was geuen a turtle doue or a young pigion for the redeming and bying out of the chylde and the other byrde was offered for the pourgeyng of sinne They offred therefore the gyfte of poore folkes And there is no doubte but that they woulde haue geuen a more bountifull offreyng had not theyr pouertie beene a lette thereof They hadde hertes ryche with good loue and zeale towarde godde but for an ensaumple to be prepared for vs to folowe theyr profession and open knowlagyng of theyr pouertie was more expedyente and serued better And all these thinges were by the dispensacion of gods ordinauÌ„ce thus executed and doen partely for many other causes and consideracions and most specially for this cause and purpose that the veraye truethe of oure humayne nature myghte by so manye euydente proufes and tokens bee declared to bee in the chylde Marie was sâ—ene with her greate bellye in the ynne within a lytle space as soone as she had broughte furthe chylde her greate bealy was gone agayne the childe being but euen new borne was knowen and found out by the shepheardes he was soughte oute and wurshypped of the Magians he was circumcysed after the solemne custome vsed in that nacion and eftesons brought he was into the temple and there openly presented vnto the pryestes by these thinges it came to passe that neither any body might doubte of his birth and yet he by litle and litle came to the notice knowlage of mo and mo but moste chiefly of meane folkes yea and of none but godly deuoute persons onely For meete it was that suche a thyng shoulde neyther with a fewe proufes
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
wherin thei hunted for a certayne worldely prayse and glorye to theimselues warde by suche a matier the glory wherof was altogether due vnto god The vngodly murmuryng of these persones did Iesus rebuke and alaie with suche sayinges as here folowe Because ye haue hearde sayeth he that I haue elswhere emong others healed all kyndes of diseases verayly ye wyll saye vnto me that is woont to be saied in a common prouerbe Thou phisicion heale thine owne selfe We haue heard saye that thou haste wrought certayne woondrefull thynges aboue the course of nature in the Citie of Capernaum where thou were but a straungier not hauyng there any that are nere of bloud or kinred vnto thee But conuenient it were that thou shouldest bee beneficiall moste chiefly to thyne owne kynsfolkes what thou dooest to thy countreymen and kynsfolkes thesame thou dooest vnto thine owne selfe Therfore if this vertue and power of thyne bee appropriate vnto thee and contynuall in thee than whatsoeuer thou haste dooen emong the Capernaites and straungiers do euen here lykewyse emong thyne owne kynsfolkes beeyng moste nere vnto thee and doe it here in thyne owne countrey Unto the wieked murmoure of theyr hertes beeyng now disclosed and vttreed the lord aunswered in this manier I am in dede a Phisician readye to heale all the diseases of all creatures if anye partie shewe hymself apte to be healed For no phisician be he neuer so well learned ne neuer so well willyng to do good is hable to helpe or cure the sicke if they cast the medicine away from them when it is offred them and mistruste the feythful phisician And in dede this is the affecciō of the moste common sorte of men that they esteme the phisician so muche the more that he is come a man vnknowen out from some ferre coūtrey or region and in suche a place doeth he fynde more truste and affiaunce to bee put in hym where he is estemed by none other thyng but by his arte and by the name of a phisician And in dede as touchyng his cūnyng whiche he carryeth about with hym where euer he goeth he is at all times and in euery place one manier a manne but where he fyndeth men full of mystrustyng and contemners he cannot by his cunnyng doe good to so many not for that he hath in suche a place any lesse wyll or els power on his owne behalf but because the parties whome his mynde and wyll was to relieue wyll none of the benefite of healthe for despite and grutche that they beare to theyr owne selfes And thesame that chaunceth to the phisicians dooeth muche more chaunce vnto the prophetes For the cunnyng of phisicians dooeth ofte tymes helpe some yea whether they will or no But the Prophete because he dooeth moste chiefly cure soules hath it not lying in his power though he woulde to helpe suche as refuse saluacion whan it is offered And refuse it he doeth whosoeuer mystrusteth And many for none other cause mystruste the Prophetes but because they esteme thesame not of the power of God werkyng by them but of the weakenesse of body whiche they see in them lyke as in other mortall men Turne ye the stories of the olde prophetes ouer and ouer ye shall finde it to bee a thyng of moste vndoubted certayntie that I nowe saye vnto you whiche is that neuer was there yet anye Prophete had in price within his natiue countrey and emong his owne kynsfolkes not for that they be lesse hable or willyng to dooe good to theyr owne frendes then to straungiers or foreine persones but because the vnbeliefe of the kynsfolkes maketh theim vnwoorthie of suche benefite at goddes hande But I tell you of a frueth many wedowes were in Israell in the dayes of Helias whā heauen was shut three yeres and sixe monethes whan great famishement was throughout all the lande and vnto none of theim was Helias sent sauyng into Sarepta besydes Sydō vnto a woman that was awedowe And many lepres wer in Israel in the tyme of Heliseus the prophet and none of them was clensed sauyng Naaman the Syrian For the benefites of God are not geuen for the respecte of kynred but for the good herte of a man not to the cousynage of the fleashe but to the promptnesse of the spirite not to the nacion but to the feyth For this I affirme vnto you for a matter oute of doubte that in the tyme whyle Helias was lyuyng whan by the continuall space of three yeres full and six monethes there hadde fallen downe no rayne from heauen and the baraynnesse of the yearth by reasō therof had oppressed all the quarters there about with great famine there were many wydowes in the nacion of the Israelites and yet the sayed prophete beeyng nere at the poynte to peryshe through hounger he was not sent to any one of them all to bee fedde but vnto the wedowe of Sarephtha in the countreye of Sydon Why was he not rather sent to the wedowes of Hierusalem there to multiplye the steane of meale and the pitcher of oyle or to shewe a notable miracle to some one of them by restoryng a dead chylde vnto lyfe agayne Forsothe because that emong the Israelites there was not one of all the wedowes that coulde egually matche or compare with the sincere feyth and affiaunce in God of the sayd heathen and barbarous woman She beeyng desyred gaue hym water readilye withoute any styckyng and whan he promysed that her steane of meale and her pitcher of oyle should not waste she beleued and made hym pottage as she was bydden to dooe This was forsothe a mynde and herte of an Israelite in a woman beeyng no Israelite so ferre is the good herte more regarded and estemed afore god thē is the bloud or kynred And did there not a muche lyke thyng befall in the tyme of Heliseus the prophet who succeded Helias For no doubt there is but that emong the Israelites there were manye Lepres the whiche found a great misse of their bodely health Why than was neuer an one of thē made cleane by Heliseus but Naaman of Syria beyng before that time and ydolatre an aliene borne to the nacion of the Israelites Could not the prophet haue been hable to doe thesame emong his own coūtrey folke that he was hable to dooe on an aliene and heathen man Was he trowe ye more quicke and readie to dooe good to suche as wer not of goddes religiō and yet borne in a foreyne countrey too thē to men of his owne people and nacion No. But the feith of the man deserued that benefite of goddes hande For he had a sure feith that god was hable by his true seruauntes to dooe as great a thyng as that And whan he was bidden to plounge hymselfe seuen tymes in fluime Iordan he obeyed and did it Yf the lepres of Israell had had thesame feith with them euē they should haue felt the beneficiall goodnesse of God
ficlenesse or of vnstablenesse but it was the earnest affeccion to do good vnto all men So to flitte from place to place is no poynte of lightnesse of man but an euident signe of the charitee that suche as folowe the steppes of the apostles ought to haue Yea and in places where the doctrine of the ghospell is riefe enough yet a good watching shepehearde will not so leaue to walke to and fro round about his cure as one that is carefull for his flocke committed to his charge and custodie to the ende he maye call againe the shepe whiche was goen astraye heale that is scabbie and sicke deliuer that is in daungier of the woulfe see to the curyng of the torne or wouÌ„ded coumfort and cherishe with good kepyng that is tendre and weake For they are not made pastours or heardemen to see to one or two householdes and no mo but that they should continually watche for the behoufe of all This excuse thus made and the Capernaites therewith satisfyed Iesus went about from one to another of all the villages cities and tounes of Galile preachyng as his accustomed woont was in their Synagogues and through the myracies whiche many tymes and often he wrought purchasyng credite vnto his doctrine emong the Iewes who were so harde herted that without myracles they coulde beleue nothyng The fifth Chapiter It came to passe that when the people pressed vpon hym to heare the woorde of god he stoode by the lake of Genezareth and sawe twoo shyppes stand by the lakes syde but the fishermen were gon out of theim and were washyng theyr nettes And he entred into one of the shippes which perteyned to Simon and prayed hym that he woulde thrust oute a litell from the lande And he sate down and taught the people out of the shyppe ANd now forasmuche as the fame of Iesus was daylye more and more bruited abrode emong alfolkes so great was the resorte of people sekyng vnto hym that to bee emongst theim or to leate theim haue free accesse vnto hym in the Synagogues in the stretes in the tounes was not enoughe but into whatsoeuer place the Lorde at any tyme withdrewe hymselfe thither would a greate multitude bothe of menne and women one emong an other byandby come rennyng A maignie of them the desier of bodely healthe had occasioned so to doe a good noumbre the straungenesse of miracles did moue and veraye manye did the vertue and power of the heauenly doctrine drawe vnto him The desertnesse of the countrey lying waste and saluage did nothyng feare theim from commyng to hym the peynefull climing of mountaynes did nothing discourage them nor the shame of forceable breakyng into this or that mannes house coulde kepe theim from hym in case he had any where by occasioÌ„ kept hymselfe secrete within doores Short tale to make come they were at last to a great pooles syde and yet whan Iesus there addressed hym to take bote they coulde not fynde in theyr hertes to leaue hym so neither They gathered to hym by flockes thei letted for no shouldring ne thrustyng to geate to him They forbare not to breake in parâ—orce to places where he was they haÌ„ged styll on hym and woulde not awaye they spared not in manier to beare hym down afore theim with importune pressyng to hym And here now o frende Theophilus in any wyse open me the iyes of thy mynde to the ende that thou mayest in the recityng of a thing dooen but after the fleashe that is to saye by theim that did not yet perfeictelye knowe what that spirite was veray playnely see a liuely representacion of the churche both as it fyrste sprong vp and also as it grewe in tyme to a passyng great noumbre Iesus was standyng on the shore euen harde by the poole called Genezareth whiche poole because it shooteth foorth a great waye bothe in length and bredth and by reason of muche wynde that ariseth of the poole selfe it laboureth to and fro veraye often with many rough sourges the Hebrues doe ofte tymes call by the name of a sea It semed to theyr thought that he mynded to take bote and to be goen But the vnrewly multitude flockyng about hym were euermore at the veray holes of hym with importune throng and pressed still vpon hym for faynnesse to heare the woorde of God out of his mouth For as for the Phariseis talke and preachyng a great manye of them were euen than already cloyed withall and wetye of it because it sauoured altogether carnallye and worldelye and nothyng els But this importune facion of the people didde nothyng displease the moste meke and pacient lorde Iesus but as one compelled and beyng at a narowe streyght because on the one syde the thicke presse of the people made importune thrustyng and on the other syde the water was in manier euen vpon hym and seeyng the place to be but so so commodious for one to preache the ghospel in for because that neither the people thrustyng stil to and fro and bearyng forward one on an others necke coulde well fynde sute footyng to stand quiete in a dounhill place a voyce that souneth from a very lowe place commeth to a fewer noumbre yea and moreouer it is conueniente that a man whyle he teacheth the gospell maye stande quiete and safe from pestreaunce of the people cloustreyng and throngyng together at auenture he withdraweth hymselfe into a place somewhat more quiete And euen as god would there were lying at thesame shore twoo fisherbores And the fyshermen selfes beeyng goen oute of their botes were washyng of theyr nettes to haue them in a readinesse against the nexte fishyng tyme. Iesus when he had espyed these fisher botes he entred into the one of them and that was Symon Peters bote and prayed him to launche a litle from the lande Which being doen whan he was by that meanes somewhat remoued from the pestreous throngyng of the multitude he sate hym downe quietlye and oute of the bote as it had been out of a doctours chayre taught the people staÌ„dyng on the shore Out lorde had afore called fishers to the office of preachyng the ghospell and euen the same that Iesus nowe did oute of the bote was to fishe for men the poole was the worlde wauyng vp and downe with soondrye troublous mocions of thynges Simons shippe was the churche beyng first gathered of Iewes of whiche churche Simon Peter should afterwarde be instituted the chiefe spyrituall ministre and the worde Simon is to saye in Englyshe obedient for the Iewes thei required to haue woondres shewed them and putte all their affiaunce and hope of saluacion in the workes of the lawe the Philosophters on the other side did with naturall reasons and argumentes of mannes brayne holde great disputacions about a thyng that they called in theyr terme Sumoâ—â—â— bonum as yf ye shoulde saye in Englyshe the highest and moste perfecte good thyng that could bee and thereby did they measure
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
he hath lent to thee ¶ I am come to sende fyer on the earth and what is my desyre but that it weare already kiendled Notwithstanding I muste bee baptised with a baptisme and howe am I payned tyll it bee ended Suppose ye that I am come to sende peace on earth I tell you nay but rather debate For from hensfoorthe there shall bee fyue in one house deuided three against two and two against three The father shall bee diuided against the sonne and the sonne agaynst the father The mother agaynst the daughter and the daughter against the mother And the mother in law againste her daughter in lawe and the daughter in lawe against the mother in lawe I thirst the saluation of man and for the cause therof am I come into the worlde and to the earnest desire of my hearte all tarying or delay semeth long It is no washe doctryne ne worldely that I haue brought downe from heauen It is mere and pure fyer whiche will surelye eyther clense and puryfye a man or els burne hym And I am euen of purpose come that this same fyer maye bee kiendled on yearthe For what other thyng els dooe I desyre or wante Beeyng once kiendled it will ferre and wyde so daynelye take all the vniuersall worlde with the slaine But thys fyer shall not leape ne sparcle foorth onlesse thys flint stone of my body bee first strieken on the crosse That same baptisme is yet behynde to come whiche my father hathe precisely appoyncted vnto me to be dieped in myne own bloud to the end I shal through my death suffer paynes and tormentes for the sinnes of all the whole worlde At that houre and neuer afore shall that same sparcle of euangelicall charitie appere vp and shewe furth it selfe emong men whan they shall see an innocent giltlesse man to haue willingly suffered a vyle shamefull death for malefactoures that haue transgressed For this is a sparke of perfeict charitie loue And from this baptisme doe I not onely not abhorre but for the loue that I beare to the saluacion of mankinde I am in a great agonye to haue it accomplished with all expedicion The nature of my body abhorreth the matier but the entier loue of my soule greatelye longeth for it But thys fyer being kiendled shall stiere vp great vproares in the worlde For it shall bee a vehemente fyer and an heauenlye aswell discussyng as also strieking foorthe all naturall affeccions of men For doe ye beleue that I am come to bring suche peace into the earthe as thys worlde loueth with whome it is than altogether quietnesse and tranquilitie whaÌ„ the lustes and appetites of the herte bee all pleased and satisfied and whan the eiuill persones dooe agree with the eiuill No verayly I am not come to set suche concordes at one but to sende debate and variaunce People will not euery one obey the ghospell and for the ghospels sake all other thynges are to bee contemned Whereupon it shall so come to passe that in one house in whiche there was a naughtie peace afore there shal aryse an holesome variaunce For fyue sortes of persons being of nature most nere ioyned together shall for my cause bee at dyuisyon emong themselues three agaynst two and eft two agaynst three For what is more nere coupled together by nature then the sonne to the father And yet shall the father for the ghospels cause fall out and and bee at distaunce with the sonne and the sonne shall for the ghospels sake despise the father In lyke mannier shall the mother bee at variaunce with the daughter but the charytie of the ghospell shall bee of more force in the daughters mynde then naturall affeccyon towardes hyr parentes The mother in lawe also shall bee at playne defyaunce and warre agaynste hir owne daughter in lawe but the loue of eternall saluacyon shall with the other in her mynde outweighe the respecte of alyaunce of the fleashe For the bandes of the spirite dooe muche more streygne the hearte then the bandes of nature dooe ¶ He sayde also to the people whan ye see a cloude aryse out of the weke straight waye ye saye we shall haue a shoute and so it is And whâ—n ye see the southe winde blowe yt say we shall haue heate and it commeth to passe Hypocrites ye can skill of the facyon of the earth and of the skie but what is the cause that ye cannot skill of this time yea and why iudge ye not of your selfes what is right While thou goest with thine aduerserie to the rewler as thou arte in the way geue diligence thou mayeste bee deliuered from him lest he bring thee to the iudge and the iudge deliuer thee to the â—ayler and the â—ayler cast thee into prieson I tell thee thou departest not thence tyll thou hast made good the vttermost mite After these woordes Iesus turning to the people sayde Wherefore than dooe notye prepaire your hertes to the kingdome of God whiche is euen veray nighe at hande Doe ye not perceiue fele it to approche so many tokens of thinges as ye haue Why are ye in this behalfe nothing good coÌ„iecturers seeing that in mattiers of so muche lesse weight and importaunce ye haue so quicke a smelle to caste and geasse at thynges to come For whan ye see any cloude arysing out of the west ye streyghte waye tell afore hande that there is a shower toward and the thing commeth to passe which ye doe so prophecie And agayne whan ye perceiue the winde to blowe from the south ye tell aforehande that a greate heate will folowe and youre geasse dooeth nothyng beguile you Neuerthelesse litell it forceth whether it rayne or rayne not but it maketh veray great force that through euangelical feith ye procure atteyne euerlasting saluacyon O ye hypocrites after what sorte all youre dooynges are cloked and counterfaicte And euen suche as youre holinesse is euen suche lyke is youre wisedome also In thynges perteynyng to thys presente lyfe ye haue a witte and a forecaste but in thynges belongyng to immortalitie ye haue no syghte at all Ye marke the parte of the skye and of the yearth that is nexte to you and therof ye gather coniectures and likelihoodes of thynges to ensue But howe happenethe that of so manye tokens as haue bene shewed vnto you ye doe not marke nor espie the time to be now at hande whiche shall beyng to all creatures eyther healthe if it bee duely accepted or eternall damnacyon in case it bee neglected Ye knowe what the Prophetes haue promised ye heare so manye thynges whiche are sayde and wroughte emong you ye see the worlde to bee chaunged to a newe state and can ye not yet of all these thinges caste ne coniecture the tyme to bee at hande that hath bene promised This onely thyng was with all youre earnest endeuoures to bee attended vnto neyther shoulde anye thing bee of so greate weyghte or regarde
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
law had promised Therfore by their malice it came to passe that the light whiche brought eternall lyfe to the beleuers therof was to them occasion of greater blyndnes But their frowardnes could not hinder the health of theym that beleued in it but rather the blindnes of the Iewes made open way for the Gentiles to the lyght of the ghospel They which vnto that time were taken for the people of God which onely did boaste theimselues in the wurshipping of the true God in the religion of the lawe in the kynred of the fathers and in the promises of Gods testament turned theimselues from the sonne of god when he came to theim And therefore the Iewes being righteously caste out as rebels to the ghospell the grace of the ghospell remoued thence to the Gentiles that the course of thinges being altered they whiche before swelled in pride thorowe the false colour of religion shoulde openly declare their wickednes reiecting the sonne of him whom they wurshipped for God And on the other parte thei which before were vtterly contrary to true religion and dyd wurship beastes and stockes for their goddes shoulde enbrace the holynes of the ghospell by faith howebeit vpon this occasion the Gentyles were so admitted to bee saued by the ghospell that neyther the Iewes nor any other nacions at all shoulde be excluded from hauing entry therunto so they woulde put away their stubbernes and shewe theymselues obedience to faith which is the principall and onely gate to eternall saluacion But as many as receyued hym to theim gaue he power to be the sonnes of God euen them that beleued on his name And albeit many both of the Iewes and the Gentiles whiche loued the worlde more then God withdrewe themselfes from this lighte yet the cumming thereof was not in vayne Firste of all it did manifeste their infelicitie whiche thorowe their owne faulte did depriue themselues of so greate goodnes frely offered vnto them Neyther coulde any man doubte but that by the iuste iudge mente of God they shoulde be reserued to eternall deathe Furthermore it caused that of the contrary parte it shoulde more euidently appeare howe notable the liberalitie of God was to them which with a simple redy faith would receiue the woord of the gospel And for that cause he that was bothe the sonne of God and God did humble himselfe to our lowe estate to thintente that thorowe faith he might exalte vs to his highnes Therfore he toke vpon him the rebukefull misery of our mortalitie to make vs partakers of his godly glory Therefore also he woulde be borne a corporal man of the virgin to thintente we should be borne again spiritual of God and for that purpose he came downe into the earth to carry vs vp into heauen The stately scribes and pharisees the proud kinges and powers of the worlde the stoute and hau◠philosophers were reiected because they woulde not beleue But to this high dignitie were admitted men of lowe degre of litle estimacion without renoume vnlearned persons bondemen barbarous men and sinners whom the worlde hath in no estimacion at all of whom nothing is required but pure faithe neither cunninge nor noblenes of bloode nor yet the professyon of Moses lawe but all that did receyue this worde of what nacion or condicion so euer they were of his behalfe he gaue to theim this dignitie that they beinge graffed in Christ thorow faith and baptisme and hauing professed his name should be made euen the children of God that they mighte bee made by adopcion the same thinge whiche Christe was by nature And what can bee higher then this honour that they whiche before were the children of the deuill inheritours of hell shoulde thorowe faithe onely be made the children of God the brethren of Iesu Christe and coinheritours of the kingdome of heauen As touching the flesh we were all borne the children of wrath of our firste father Adam but by the worde of God we be released from that sinfull kinred touching the spirite we be happily borne again of God by Iesu Christ. Which wer borne not of blood nor of the will of the fleshe nor yet of the will of man but of God For finally God takethe for his children not suche as bee borne the children of Abraham by mans sede or actuall luste in generacion but those that be borne of God by faith Our first father Adam had begotten vs after an vnfortunate and miserable sorte for he begate vs to deathe and hell Moreouer they whiche are borne touchinge the carnal birthe bee not all borne to one estate for some he borne to a kingdome some to bondage But Christe Iesus the auctor of our newe generacion doth regenerate al men without difference to like dignitie that the bondage of sinne and the misery of mortalitie put awaye thorow faith and grace they may be made children of the lyuyng God And the same woorde became fleshe and dwell emong 〈◊〉 Neyther is it any meruail though man be transformed after a sorte into the felowship of the godly nature seyng the woord of God did submit it selfe for this cause to take our fleshe that is to say a mortall body of the virgine ioyning together in himselfe two thynges moste vnlyke God and manne what thing is more frayle or more vile then mans fleash and what thing is more mighty or more excellente then God Neuer meruaill that these thinges were knit to gither It was God that did it Neither mistrust that men may be made the children of God seynge he loued vs so that for our sake he himselfe would be made the sonne of man doubtles he toke vpon him no fantasticall body for who coulde loue a vain vision or a disceitful illusion but truely he toke vpon him the body of a manne that is to say the full and perfect nature of man abhorring not so muche as that parte wherby we be subiect to death and dooe very litel diffre from the kinde of brute beastes And he bacame not man for a small time redy by and by to put awaye that thinge whiche he had taken but to proue assuredly that he toke his manhed not deceitfully or vnder a colour he was long conuersaunt in earth he was hungrie thirstie diuers waies punished suffred death was seen with iyes hearde with eares and touched with handes And to thintent this dignitie should alwaye remaine with mankinde the godhed hauing the manhed with it and in it being glorified sittinge on the righte hande of the father allmighty dooeth stil dwell in vs. And we sawe the glory of it as the glory of the onely begotten sonne of the father full of grace and trueth Neuertheles he lacked not his godly maiestie when he in his manhed walked here in earth for we whiche liued familiarlye with him are witnes that he was both God and man we haue seen him hungry athirst slepinge wepinge vexed and dyinge We haue hearde him speake with the voice of a
quenche the smokyng flaxe did not repel or refuse the saied Nicodemus that came to salute hym though he were both fearfull and came out of due tyme but doeth curteously receiue hym who was doubtlesse a weake spirited manne but yet without malyce and for that cause worthy to be promoted lytle by lytle to higher thinges Now byanby Nicodemus declaring how much he had profited by seyng Iesus doe his miracles maketh suite to gette his good will with this preface Maister saieth he we doe already euidently perceiue this thy doctrine not to be suche as the Phariâ—eis is for the thyng it selfe dooeth shewe that thine autoritie of preaching is geuen the not of man but of God For no manne coulde doe these miracles which thou doest except God were present with hym and did helpe hym Nicodemus dyd set forth this opinion concernyng Iesus as an hye and great estimacion howbeit it was farre vnder his dignitie for Nicodemus supposed him to be none other but summe Prophete whom God dyd fauour and was present with in the doing of his miracles as though he had not wrought them by his owne power Iesus answered and sayed vnto him verily verily I saye vnto the except a manne bee borne froÌ„ aboue he cannot see the kyngdome of God Nicodemus sayeth vnto hym howe can a man be borne when he is olde can he entre into his mothers wombe and be borne againe But Iesus doeth neither reproue Nicodemus vnperfite opinion coÌ„cerning him neither doeth he forthwith boast of his owne greatnes but with gentle and freÌ„dly behauiour litle by litle bringeth him that is so apte easy to bee taught vnto further knowledge of more secrete misteries of the euaÌ„gelicall doctrine The Iewes which had as yet druÌ„ke but only of the water of Moses lawe whiche had knowen nothyng els but the baptisme of Iohn neither had they yet tasted the wyne of the euangelicall doctrine nor had been baptysed by the spirite and fyer The Iewes I say vnderstode all thynges carnally and for that cause were very rude vnfit for the Philosophie of the gospel whiche â—s all spiritual Therfore our lorde did not cast him in the teeth with his ignoraunce nor with his halting minde on both sides in that he did partely apply himselfe to the worlde partely to God nor yet spake that thing to him which afterwarde he required of his disciples when they were come to more knowledge saying to them whosoeuer shal be ashamed of me afore men I will be also ashamed of hym before my father Our lorde I say did lay none of these forsaied thynges to his charge but by his darke sayinges he causeth Nicodemus to vtter his ignorauÌ„ce to the entent that litle by litle he may instruct him and bring him from carnal affeccion to spirituall vnderstanding Nicodemus sayth he take this for a very suertie except a man be borne again new as it were chauÌ„ged into a new man he caÌ„not see the kingdome of God So very new is this doctrine which thou desirest to learne of me Forasmuche as Nicodemus thought that saying to be to no purpose he aunswereth in dede ignorauntly and grossely but neuerthelesse simply and plainly saying how is it possible that a man beyng already of so many yeres as I am can be borne again Canne it any waye be brought to passe that he should entre into his mothers wombe and come thence again and so be borne a newe Iesus answereth verily verily I saye vnto the except a man be borne of water and of the spirite he cannot entre into the kyngdome of God That whiche is borne of the flesh is flesh and that whiche is borne of the spirite is spirite Iesus beyng not offended euen with this so grosse an aunswere vouchesaueth geÌ„telly to enterprete and declare what it is to be borne a new or from aboue Nicodemus sayth he the thing that I haue saied to the is most true He that hath a will and desire to be hable to receiue the euangelical doctrine must be borne again but the maner of byrthe that I speake of is after an other sorte for it is not carnall but spirituall and it doeth not consist in multiplying of bodyes by generacion but in turnyng of sowles into a new forme neither by this byrth be we made again the children of meÌ„ but the children of God Therfore be wel assured as I toulde you eueÌ„ now that excepte a man be borne again by water the holy gost of a carnall maÌ„ become spirituall he cannot entre into the kingdom of God which is altogether spiritual Lyke is borne of the lyke That which is borne of the flesh is none other thyng theÌ„ flesh but that which is borne of the spirite is spirite And verily as much difference as is betwene the flesh the spirite betwene the body God so much is this generacioÌ„ wherof I speake more excellent then that which bringeth forth one body out of an other They which be borne after the flesh doe sauer none other thing but the flesh nor beleue any thing to be but that which they fele and perceiue with their senses But those thinges which be not seen be moste excellent and of greatest strength where as the flesh is weake and impotente Meruayle not thou that I sayed to the ye must be borne from aboue The wynde bloweth where it liâ—teth and thou hearest the sounde therof but canst not tell whence it cummeth or whyther it goeth So is euery one that is borne of the spirite Wherfore seying that there be two sundry wayes how to be borne there is no cause why thou shouldest meruaile that the same veray man which is once borne naturally after the flesh wherby he might be the child of a man should be borne again of the spirite inuisible that thereby he maye be the childe of God who is a spirite also might be made apte for the kyngdom of heauen whiche is spirituall and not carnal But if thou doest not yet vnderstand me take vnto the a similitude of suche thynges as be sumwhat agreable to spirituall thynges and yet may be perceiued with our bodily senses God in very dâ—de is a moste sincere and pure spirite and very far of from all bodily senses but this ayre wherby we be coÌ„serued in life wherof we fele so great strength and profit is called a spirite or wynde bycause in coÌ„parison of our bodies it is right subtile and fyne but this kinde of spirite the wynde is not stayed at mannes wil and pleasure but of his owne violence is caryed whyther soeuer he list spreading it selfe ouer all thynges and putting into corporall thynges a meruailous force and strength Sumtyme it bryngeth lyfe sumtime death it is otherwhyle calme and still and otherwhile more boysteous violent sumtyme it bloweth out of the East sumtime out of the West sumtime out of one part of the world sumtime out of another shewing himselfe by
drinkyng of my bloude bringeth this thyng to passe And therefore my flesh is truelye meate whyche geueth immortalitie and my bloude is truely drynke which doeth procure eternal life not only to the body but to the whole man both bodye and soule And as the lyfe of the bodye whiche is nourished with dayly sustenaunce lest it shoulde perishe before the tyme is common to all the membres of the body by reason of the indiuisible felowshippe that all the partes of the bodye hathe togetherwardes in so muche that though the membres of the bodye be diuerse and sundrye yet there is but one bodye because that one soule geueth lyfe to euerye parte of the bodye so he that eateth my fleshe and drynketh my bloude is in suche sorte coupled and ioyned to me that neither can I be seperate from hym nor he from me For I am in hym by my spirite by whoÌ„ I wyll geue lyfe to hym And he is in me as a membre in the bodye and as the braunche is in the vyne by suche a participacion as cannot bee dissolued ¶ As the liuing father hath sente me and I true for the father Euen so be that eateth me shal liue by the meanes of me This is the bread which came downe from heauen not as your fathers did eate Manna and are dead He that eateth of this breade shall liue euer These thinges sayed he in the sinagogue as he taught in Capernaum Many therefore of his disciples when they had heard this sayd this is an hard saiyng Who can abide the hearing of it The father that sent me is the principall fountaine of al life Whosoeuer is ioyned to hym is made partaker of life And therefore as the father is in me geueth me life and also power to geue life vnto other euen likewyse to him that eateth me and is so annexed to me by reason of that misticall eatyng and drinkyng that he is made one with with me doe I geue lyfe not to endure for a shorte tyme but eternall life What thyng soeuer is of earthly nature thesame dooeth continue but for a time and is of small efficacie Manna whiche stylled downe from heauen for you then beyng vnder Moses tuicion and conductyng because it was foode pertainyng to the bodye it coulde not geue eternall lyfe to your elders for whereas all men did eat therof they neuertheles dyed neyther did any one of so great a numbre remain vndead yea more part of theÌ„ died also in soule because they prouoked god manye waies to wrath But certes this bread that vndoubtedly came downe from heauen hath a celestiall vertue in it and geueth eternall lyfe to the eater thereof The Lorde Iesus did instruct the ignorant and grosse multitude with such wordes very desirous to stirre them vp from the loue of vysible and corporal thynges to the loue and desire of heauenly and eternall thynges And he spake these woordes in the Sinagogue amoÌ„gest a great assembly of people exercising the office of a teacher Howebeit the grosse people was so farre of from the capacitye of these heauenlye mystiries that a great sorte of his disciples also beyng offeÌ„ded herewith wer about to fall from theyr maister murmuryng amongest themselfes and whisperyng this saiyng This is an harde cruell saiyng saye they concernyng the eatyng of a lyuyng mannes fleshe and drinkyng his bloude whose eares can abyde to heare such doctryne Iesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it he said vnto them doeth this offend you What if ye shal se the sonne of maÌ„ asceÌ„d vp thither where as he was before It is yâ— spirit that quickeneth the flesh â—rosueth nothing The wordes that I speake vnto you are the spirit life But there are sum of you yâ— beleue not For Iesus knew froÌ„ the beginning which thei wer yâ— beleued not who should betraie him And he said Therefore said I vnto you that no man can cum vnto me excepte it wer geueÌ„ vnto him of my father Iesus vnderstandyng what they murmured at secretly among themselfes labored to remedie the thing that they were offeÌ„ded with geuing knowledge beforehand vnto them that they shoulde see greater thinges with their iyes then that they heard hym at this tyme speake of hymselfe And he shewed them that the wordes whiche he had spoken as touchyng the eatyng of his fleshe and to drinke his blood was no incoÌ„uenieÌ„t thing nor to be abhorred but a right pleasaunt graciouse and fruitfull saying in case it were taken and vnderstande not after their course and grosse intelligence but after a spirituall sence Nowe therfore being turned towardes his disciples whom it had behoued to haue further consydered and to haue been wyser then the base sorte of people by reason of the acquaintance and familiaritie whiche they had with Iesus and also for the myracles which they had seen hym worke Iesus I say loking vpon his disciples rebuked theyr dulnes in this wyse saying Doeth it offend your eares to heare me saye that I am the breade which came out of heauen to geue lyfe to the worlde whether is it a greater difficultie after the grosse vnderstandyng of mannes wit to haue descended from heauen or to ascend vp into heauen What then yf hereafter ye do see the sonne of man whom ye nowe see to haue the natural body of a man ascende into heauen where he was before he came downe thence and before he had this mortal bodye This is doen and graunted by reason of your senses not that ye shoulde bee alwaye carnall and vnderstand all thinges fleshly but that ye shoulde leaue the fleshe and go forwarde to the spirite The spirit descended from heauen and was incarnate the fleshe beeyng now made spirituall shal be carryed awaye vp into heauen leste ye should all waye loue the fleshe and be carnall but yet beeing first instructed by the flesh ye ought to profit and go forward toward heauenly thinges For the flesh alone of himselfe profiteth nothing it is the spirite that geueth life For what is bodily substance of men if the spirit lacke euen so my woord carnally vnderstand shall not geue life vnles ye take it as an heauenly thing and vnderstaÌ„d it spiritually By my fleshe and blood I meane my doctrine and so I tearme it whiche doctrine yf ye do by true faith receiue it desyrously and effectuously and than conueigh it into the bowels of your minde and retaine it there it will quicken and make your mindes liuely and cause you and me to be al one so that ye shal through my spirite liue euerlastingly like as the membres of one bodye lyueth by one common spirite so long as they do adhere and cleaue fast together And I shall leaue vnto you my fleshe and blood as a hid secret mystery and mistical token of this copulacion and felowship which selfe thing although ye do receiue it yet will it not profit you vnles ye receyue it spiritually Therfore do not
you Therefore beleue this retaine this haue this surely fixte in youre hertes whiche thyng yf you doe in dede the withdrawyng of the syghte of this bodye shal bee no harme vnto you ye shall better see me beeyng absente with the iyes of faythe and thesame thing whiche ye nowe see my father dooe by me whiche doe faste cleaue vnto him all manner of wayes shall I dooe by you if you will cleaue to me by fayth and charitie Yea and I shall also more euidently extende foorth the mightie power of my godheade after that I shall remoue awaye from you this my manhead yea and moreouer whoso euer dooeth ioyne himselfe to me by true christen fayth like as I am naturally alwaie ioyned and neuer disseuered from the company of my father thesame persone shall also dooe greater thynges than I doe so often as the glorye of God requireth a miracle For as my father worketh nowe by me so shall I worke by you And because it is so expediente for the saluation of manne that I doe goe againe to my father ye shall succede me and by course enter into my roume concernyng the ministracion of the ghospell Nor this thyng shal onelye bee doen but what thing soeuer elles ye shall aske of my father in my name whiche shal appertayne vnto the prayse and glorye of my fathers name and myne that same shall I doe to the ende that by you also I maie bee glorified emong men as my father hath beene hitherto glorified by his soonne Let not my departure therefore trouble you whiche shall tourne to your greate commoditie and prefermente Than moste of all shall I bee youre ayde in al affayres and purposes whiche make for true health when as I shall take awaye from you this sielye body Onely aske the thing that you couete my father shall heare your desires and I beeing a continuall presente aduocate vnto him will bring to passe that what soeuer ye shall aske shall bee obteined for as he denieth me nothing whiche dooe no manner of thing that redoundeth not to his glorye so will I denye you nothyng so long as ye doe that whiche shall set forth the honoure of my name Forsooth my spirite shall put into your myndes what you ought to aske Thus to be greued with my going hence is no proufe of christen charitie for so men are dismaied when a frende remoueth whome they shall soone after forget If ye loue me truely as I dooe loue my father declare your charitie towardes me in very dede ye shall soothly and certainelye declare it if ye dooe kepe my commaundementes So shall it come to passe that as my father loueth me and denieth me nothyng In like wise shall he also loue you obeying my preceptes whiche be the veray commaundementes of my father Thus it is nedefull for the saluacion of the worlde that I doe absente my selfe from you And yet going awaie I wyll not leaue you desolate and altogether without coumforte But rather if ye abide firmelie in my loue and kepe my commaundementes I shall obteine of my father by praier after my returne againe vnto him that he which denieth me nothing shall sende you an other coumforter whiche after he be once sente shall not goe awaie from you as I nowe do concerning this manner of corporall presence I am pulled awaie from you but he shall continue with you for euer He shall be the spirite of me and my father whiche shall make you of carnall folke spirituall and he shall tourne this worldelye affeccion whiche ye nowe beare towardes me into an heauenlye loue he shall also with secrete inspiracions putte in you the treweth of all thinges whiche ye nowe vnderstande as it were but by a dreame and throughe a cloude This speciall pledge of me shall bee peculiar and propre vnto you For I haue all this while exhibite my selfe generallye and in common to eiuill and good leste anye mighte make excuse that he was not inuited to saluacion But this worlde whiche coueteth muche and gapeth for goodes that bee of the worlde and deceitfull cannot receiue that spirite beecause he is heauenlye and true And why can it not because it hath grosse iyes whiche deliteth and loueth not but grosse and earthlye thynges it seethe not hym nor knoweth hym for he withoute noyse beyng all whisshed and still tasteth in hymselfe to the secrete senses of the mynde if he fynde anye where a conueniente place to reste in But truelye you in case that the delusions and deceytfull thynges of this worlde beeyng despysed ye wyll folowe thynges that be good in deede and liue well you I saie shall then knowe hym because he will not onely come vnto you as I am come one that may bee seen but he shal also abyde continually with you nor he shall not in suche sorte be conuersaunte emong you as the aduocate is with his client but he shall inhabyte hymselfe in the secrete inner partes of your soules and shall toyne hymselfe as it were giued to your spirite that he maye become one spirite in all folkes and because he shal be as it were bred and planted in your hertes he shall accumpany and assist you in all thynges and the meane tyme shall not bee long ere this coumforter that shal be in the steade of me and my vicegerante shall come vnto you Wherfore there is no cause why your hertes should be discoumforted or afeard good children whom I haue perfeitly begotten and sumwhat framed with the heauenly doctryne of gods woorde and do nourishe you beeyng as yet but vnperfite and not fully taught vntill ye growe vnto the strength of the ghospell ¶ I will not leaue you coumfortlesse but will come to you yet a litle while and the world seeth me no more but ye see me For I liue and ye shall liue That daye shall ye knowe that I am in my father and you in me and I in you He that hathe my commaundementes kepeth thē thesame is he that loueth me And he that loueth me shal be loued of my father and I will loue him and will shewe mine own selfe to him Although I goe hence for a tyme and shal no longer liue a manne with men yet wyl I not leaue you in the meanetyme fatherlesse and without confortable succoure at my hande For I will cumine to you agayne before I returne to my father and I wyll shewe my selfe before your iyes and bee seene of you with a very bodye in dede but than not mortal to the entente that I maye aduaunce and bryng you from loue of the fleshe to the spirite for it were no great matter yf I should geue this my bodye to you alwaye to looke thereupon because euen the wicked dooe also beholde it to theyr damnacion within a whyle therfore I shal be out of the worldes syghte for death and the graue shall take me awaye frō the syght of worldly folkes Neuerthelesse I wyll see you again and
once haue opened vnto you all the purpose of my minde to thintent there should be no nede hereafter of mennes preceptes contrary to myne Whatsoeuer my father hath willed me to shewe you therof I haue made you partakers as my trust ye frendes Those thinges whiche I haue taught you be out of all doubte for I haue taught you none other saue what I haue hearde of my father My preceptes be his preceptes by kepyng wherof he shall count you his frendes in stede of seruauntes ¶ Ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you and ordeined you to goe and bryngt foorth fruite and your fruite shall remayne that whatsoeuer ye aske of the father in my name he mayâ— geue it you And because ye maye the better vnderstand how great the honor of this my gentlenes towardes you is consider how that ye haue neyther prouoked me with your seruice doing to my frendship that of duetie I ought to loue you again nor yet haue you willyngly cum to my frendshippe that for geÌ„tlenes sake I should requite you with lyke loue but when ye wer in bondage of the lawe and farre of from the fauour of God then did I of myne owne voluntarye wil chose you from among al the reste without your desert And for this purpose haue I chosen you that ye should more and more increase in goodnes beeyng grafted in me thorow mutuall loue whiche ye coulde not haue towardes me except I had first loued you As the braunche is alwaye norished by the moysture of the vine and spredeth it self in many braunches so must you lykewise plentifully bring forth fruite of the ghospell throughout the whole world and so do good to other that your self loose no fruite therby For the common vyne bringeth foorth fruite but for other and that suche as soone decayeth wherfore the braunches thereof be fruitefull but for a tyme because they growe in a vine that soone fadeth Contrarywise you because ye cleaue to an immortal stocke shall bryng forth fruite that neuer shall perishe but continue sâ—unde to your eternall saluacion And ye haue no cause in the meane while to say it is a great payne to trauayle about the worlde to teache the Gentiles to suffer the dispites of wicked people What wages what ayde what rewarde is apointâ—d for vs passe not vpon these worldely defenses Let this stand you in stede of all rewardes and helpes that whatsoeuer ye shall rightly aske my father in my name he shall geue it you What thinge is more easy then to aske And what is it that he is not able to geue Furthermore what is the thyng that he will not geue for my sake This commaunde I you that ye loue together Yf the world hate you ye knowe that it hated me before it hated you If ye were of the worlde the worlde woulde loue his own Hou beit because ye are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the worlde therfore the world hateth you Remember the word that I sayed vnto you the seruaunt is not greater then the lord If they haue persecuted me they will also persecute you If they haue kept my saying they will kepe yours also Besides this my commaundementes be not tedious for what is more pleasaunt then one to loue an other Who bee so weake but mutuall loue maye make them strong what thyng is so greuous but mutuall charitie can make it delectable Neither let this trouble you that whiles you and I bee frendes and one of you charitablie doe agree with an other ye shall be at discorde and strife with the worlde but rather the selfe same thyng ought to couÌ„fort your myndes for so muche as by thys token ye shall well perceiue your selfes to bee my very disciples and frendes that is to saye contrary to the worlde whiche is all sette vpon malice whereas you are apointed for heauen disdayne not to suffer that in the world which I haue suffered before you The worlde hateth me also not for my deserte but because I reproue and disclose the euill dedes therof teachyng thynges whiche do not agree with theyr worldly affeccions The worlde knoweth menne of his secte and them doeth it loue and exalte as lyke louethe lyke and as an euyll itche coueteth an handsume scratcher Therfore be they vnhappy whom this worlde flattereth and fauoreth for that declareth them to bee farre from the fauour of God whiche is that onely thyng that make the man happie in dede Whan the worlde hateth you remember myne exaumple and reioyce in your owne behalfe that ye haue no feloweshyp with the worlde but do cleaue faste vnto me For this shall ye perceiue by the hatred the worlde beareth you howe that ye be myne In case ye were of the world if ye loued wordly thinges and taught according to worldly desyres then the worlde woulde knowe you and loue you as hys owne but because ye folowe not the wayes of the fleshe but of the spirite and couete not worldly goodes but heauenly therefore the worlde hateth you not that ye deserue it but for that ye be vnlyke to thesame whiche is euill wicked In tymes paste when ye thoughte perfitte righteousnes to consiste in the grosse ceremonyes of Moses lawe and setting your mindes on transytorie thinges had no loue to heauenly thinges the worlde did then well lyke you but after that I had once called you from this secte to the euangelicall and heauenly doctrine and graffed you in me as braunches in the stocke the worlde beganne to hate you and that onely because ye bee myne Yet of trueth for no cause elles shall ye bee blessed then for that ye be mine Meruayle nothing at all though your innocence shall not defende you from the hatred of the worlde Remember howe I haue tolde you the seruauntes state is no better then his lordes For neither coulde my innocencie which is greater then yours defende me from the malice of the worlde neyther were they afearde to despise my doctrine nor yet for all my benefites would they waxe gentle and call themselfes backe from theyr cruell purposes That thing whiche they durst enterprise against me who am your Lorde and Maister muche more boldely will they do it to you Seâ—ing they haue deâ—â—sed so many snares to bring me euen to the most reprocheful death and haue so often spitefully railed vpon me they wil also persecute you my disciples nay but rather me in you If they will obey my woordes they wil also obey vnto yours but lyke as they haue not well borne my doctrine no more wil they yours because ye shal teache the selfe same thinges that I teache But all these thinges will they doe vnto you for my names sake because they haue not knowen him that sent me If I had not cum and spokeÌ„ vnto them they should haue had no synne but nowe haue they nothing to clocke theyr sinne withall He that hateth me hateth my father If I had
the continuall â—â—alcion of this my conuersacion among you but I had leauer speake to you of thinges that do profite then which doth delyte you would leauer haue you vpoÌ„ knowelage of the trueth to be in heauinesse for a time than not to procede to the sure constancie that shoulde be fitte for the storme to cum And for this cause I do open vnto you what shall chaunce hereafter Uerily thus I must leue you and after that I be taken away from you ye shall suffer many thinges that ye may be the more apte to beare the same more paciently it is expedient for you that I be had out of your â—ight For vnlesse by takyng from you the sight of the fleshe ye ware spirituall that comforter the spirite which shall make you strong and not to be vanquished shal not cum vnto you And because I haue prepared you for him he shall perfourme finish that which I haue begonne in you Finally through that spirite I shall alwaye continue with you yea and that more presently after I be gone than I am nowe in this kynde of presence For the purpose of my cumming was not to dwell still with you in the worlde but the cause why I did abase my selfe to your state and infirâ—â—tie was to enhaunce you to heauen It hath so semed good to my fathers wysedome as processe of tyme shoulde serue to aduaunce you litle by litle and by certaine degrees to thinges of perfeccion and it is but reason that ye on your behalfes do accommodate your mindes and good willes to my fathers order and disposicioÌ„ of thinges ye shall haue al thing of our gifte but your parte is to endeuoure your selfe to be mete to receiue our benefite for if ye should alway coÌ„tinue thus affect as ye be now that heaueÌ„ly comforter wil not cum to you as yet vnable to receiue his giftes But if I goe my waye and that you not regarding this corporall presence will frame your mindes to hier giftes whiche that spirite shall geue you then shall my father sende hym vnto you neuer to forsake you nor to leue you succourlesse whether you lyue or dye Nor he shall be no frutelesse spirite but when he cummeth he shall worke more by you than I nowe doe not that but our power is all â—ne but becauâ—e to appointe to euery busynes his tyme is a thing expedient for maâ—nes saluacion I haue reproued the worlde the same thing shall he doe more fully and more plainly for he shall sore charge the world that excepte it do for thinke and amende it selfe geuyng faithe to the ghospell it shall be without all excuse for in dede lyke as the infirmitie of our fleshe offendeth the worlde euen so doeth it seme to minister matter why the sayed world maie pretende an excuse of his infidelitie They haue seen this outward man very hungrie and a thurst they haue seen me poore and had in contempt within a while they shall se me sore afflicted taken of mine enemies al to beate and curryed and in conclusion die But when all thinges be finished that the flesh hath here to do that they shall se this body after it be dead liue againe and ascend vp into heauen and shall se the holye ghoste sent and make you so dainly vnfearefull preachers of my name and shall also perceiue wonderfull power vertue and strength shewed by calling vpon my name as deuils to go so dainly out of men the halte lame to be restored to their lymmes the sycke to be healed the dead to lyue againe and moreouer euery thing to cuÌ„ to passe whiche the Prophetes had prophecied shoulde folowe and be than I say no manner of excuse shal be left to the wicked and misâ—reantes for than the worlde shall be adiudged and condeÌ„ned of thre pointes and can not be excused firste of synne after of rightuousnesse and thirdly of IudgemeÌ„t he shal rebuke the worlde of the greatest and suche a synne as doeth include in it all other sinnes a synne inexcusable and whye because seing they perceiued the prophecies of Gods owne Prophetes take effect many thousandes professe my name they that beleued in me after they had receiued the holy goste speake straunge languages much noted for their miracles forsake the supersticion of Moses lawe imbrace the holy gospel deteste theyr forefathers Idolatrie and yet wurshippe the father of heauen in true godlynesse of life nothing regarding worldly commodities but haue their mindes wholye sette vpon heauenlye thinges the worlde 〈◊〉 saye perceiuing this what excuse shall it make for his lacke of belefe If there shal be no lacke on my fathers behalfe that hath sent me nor of myne whiche was sent to haue had all men saued and yf the holy ghoste shall omit nothing whome both we shall sende neyther ye whome that heauenly spirite shall vse as his instrumentes what resteth but that al may vnderstand howe that they perishe in the synne of vnbelefe And whan they shall see the prophane Gentiles to haue the sinnes of their olde former lyfe washed away and themselues endued with innoceÌ„cie thorowe baptisme and profession of my name it shal be manifeste that wittingly and willingly they abyde still in their filthines and adde sinne vpon synne And the worlde also shall bee reproued of falsely vsurped righteousnes for nowe they sum waie pretende the kepyng of the lawe they sumwhat glory in obseruing the ordinaunces of their progenitors they pretende religion whiche their forefathers gaue them the feastes the sabboth dayes the prayers the woorkes of mercie their wayes of honouring God and suche other lyke whiche hath the pretence of righteousnesse but after that they shall see the wonderfull power of that spirite not to bee geuen but to those that haue professed my name and that it shall bee their chaunce whiche were Idolatres to haue it without kepyng of the lawe what than shall they say thereby whiche challenge to themselfes righteousnes by kepyng of the lawe All in vaine do they glorye before menne in a false righteousnes whiche haue refused hym by whome onely true righteousnesse cummeth And all this to bee true shall then be more open to the worlde whan that spirite shall declare me not to bee dead whom they had fastened to the crosse and had burâ—ed but that I dyd returne agayne to my father from whom I came to lyâ—â— with hym and than being inuisyble withdrawen out of mens syght to do greater thinges by you being inspired with my spirite than I dyd beâ—ng with you lyâ—yng in the worlde Thus it shall cum to passe that through these thinges the vnrighteousnes of them shall be rebuked which haue put their hope of righteousnesse other where than in me and the iustice of God made more notable whiche faithfully hath perfourmed the thing which many yeares agoe he promised to mankynde by his Apostles and Prophetes â–ª and within a while the thing shal be put in vâ—e and take
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