they be inuincible and if any prosperitie come vnto them thei ascribe it wholly to the goodnes and bountifulnes of god And so it cummeth to passe that neyther they be discouraged in aduersitie nor insolente or proude in prosperitie And whan Iesus had heard that Iohn was taken he wente aparte into Galile and left Nazareth and wente and dwelte in Capernaum which is a cytie vpon the sea coast in the borders of Zabulon and Neptalim that it myght be fulfilled whiche was spoken by Esai the prophete saiyng The lande of Zabulon and Neptalim by the way of the sea beyond Iordayne Galile of the Gentyles The people whiche sate in darkenes and in the shadow of deathe sawe great lyght and to them whiche sate in the region and shadowe of deathe the lyght is sprong vp Therfore whan Christe began to be of auctoritie and estimacion chiefly after that Iohn had in manier deliuered hym and commended hym to his disciples poynctyng with his fynger and saiyng Beholde the lambe of god behold him that taketh awaye the synnes of the worlde and after that he hadde ouercum the deuil and was fully inspired with the holy gost nothing nowe remayned but to take a tyme and place to begynne and enter his preachyng Iohn had wrought no miracle being content only to preache penauÌ„ce Christ kepte silence so long as he preached leste any discorde myght ryse emong theyr discyples beyng yet rude carnal geuen to worldly affeccions Surely it is the parte of a good teacher to conforme hymselfe to the capacitie of hys audience But than and not afore entrethe he the office of teachynge whan the rumoure was blowen abrode that Iohn was caste into prison of Herode the Tetrarche enioying the rewarde that they be wont to haue which dare boldly speake before the Princes of this world wil rather speake holsum thinges than pleasaunt For he tolde the Tetrarche of his vnlawfull mariage because he maryed his brother Philippes wyfe And sumtyme euill princes desyre to haue in housholde with them men of greate and notable honestie not that they woulde obeye the counsell of suche but because they maâ—e seme to the ignoraunte people to dooe by theyr aduise and counsell whatsoeuer they dooe after theyr owne lust appetite And in other thynges of lyght importaunce he had oftentymes ben obedient to his monicions but here where he oughte moste to haue been obedient at the foule request of a filthie daunling damsel and at the desyre of her filthye mother he had cast that very good man into pryson and afterward with the cruell deathe of suche a greate man he defyled the feaste of hys Natiuitie and the iyes of hys nobles Iesus therfore whan he hearde of this not because he was in feare hymselfe but to teache his not wyllingly to put themselues in daunger yf they maye conuenientlye auoyde it but whan it cummeth stoutely to neglecte it leauyng Nazareth wente a syde into Galile of the Gentyles in the whiche Salomon gaue vnto Hira kyng of the Tyrians .xxv. cytyes and went into the citie of Capernaum therfore taken to be borderyng vpon the sea because it is nere the standyng water of Genezareth in the coastes of zabulon and Neptalim whiche were two trybes and in the fyrste is Galile in the seconde is that that is called Galile of the Gentiles whereby Christe than as by a figure in manier thretned that whan the Iewes dyd refuse and persecute the preachers of the gospell than the gospel should be brought vnto the Gentyles And leste that a man myght thynke that thys thyng was doen by chaunce Esai beyng inspyred with the spirite of prophecie prophecied long before that it should so be saiyng in the land of zabulon and the land of Neptalim whiche bordereth vpon the sea in Galile of the Gentyles the people whiche heretofore dwelled in darkenes hath seen a great and a merueylouse light and vnto them which heretofore were in a thicke darkenesse suche as is in hel lyghte is sprong vp Therfore as coÌ„cernyng the tyme where Iohn left there Christ beginneth For at the clere lyght of the gospel the shadowes of Moyses lawe do vanishe awaye And thys is spoken directely concernyng the misticall figures of the lawe and to expresse the trueth of the gospell But as touchyng the place at the fyrst affliccion and trouble of the holy preacher the name of the Gentyles is goen vnto and the lyghte whiche the Iewes blynded wyth filthye desyres coulde not suffer is as it were in a picture declared to passe ouer from them to the Gentyles beeyng very Idolaters but after suche sorte that the coastes of neyther is forsaken so that of both sydes the trumpe of the voyce of the gospell maye be hearde And yet furthermore that countrey was no vnprofitable auditorie by reason of the commoditie of hauens and certen notable cities standyng vpon the sea syde which by the reason of the course of marchaundise wer frequented and vsed also of farre cummers out of other straunge countreyes ¶ From that tyme Iesus began to preache and saye Repent for the kyngdome of heauen is at hande Nowe let vs heare the begynnyng of his preachyng As he succeded after Iohn so he begynneth with his doctrine whiche was wel knowen and familiar lest he shoulde haue driuen them awaye from him which had Iohn nowe in so greate venecacyon And he fedeth the weake with mylke that afterwarde he might bryng foorth strong meate to them whan they wer of more strength And truely this is â—horder of teachers which desire rather to profite the heares than to set foorth and magnifie themselues before other The preachyng of Christe is not onely more milde and gentle than Iohn his preaching for he maketh no mencion neither of axe nor of fanne nor of fyer that neuer shal be quenched but also more â—o be commended for many benefites bestowed vpon all men indyfferently Iesus therfore folowyng Iohn crieth and sayeth ChauÌ„ge your myndes and repent your former lyfe For nowe the kyngdome of heauen is at hand the whiche as it shall be shut vnto no man so it shall be open onely vnto them that be pure cleane and seke after heauenly thynges and cut away al worldly desyres What can be more playne and symple than this Philosophy Lette euery man be displeased and grieued with his owne naughtynes and heauenly thynges be redy for hym at hand and that frely As Iesus walked by the sea of Galile he sawe two brethren â–ª Simon whiche was called Peter and Andrewe his brother castyng a nette into the sea for they wer fyshers and he sayeth vnto them Folowe me and I wyl make you fyshers of men And they straight way lefte theyâ— nettes and folowed hym And nowe the tyme was come that Iesus shoulde gather together a companie of disciples whiche should be famyliar witnesses of all his doynges and saiynges and by whome he myghte teache other afterwarde But marke what manier of
seuerally is it I Lorde Than Iesus sūwhat to confirme and establyshe the others almoste dead for feare and to touche the conscience of Iudas more sharpely yf perhappes he myght be moued vnto penaūce pointed the authour of the dede with a more certayne sygne and withal put hym in remembraunce of the great familiaritye whiche ought to haue withdrawen him from such a mad mischiefe faiyng He that putteth his hand with me in the dishe and is my felow not onelye of the table but also of the dishe shall betraye me and for the offyce of familiaritye he shal rendre vnto me the office of extreme enmitie whereas the communion and felowshypp of breade and salte bee wonte for to ioyne men vnknowen and vnacquaynted with the bonde of amitie And that these thynges should chaunce to the sonne of man it was ordeyned heretofore of the father and prophecied before of the prophetes But yet wo be to that man through whose wickednes the sonne of man is betrayed The diuine wisedome dothe vse hys wickednes to the saluacion of mankynde but yet he is no lesse in fault which through his owne malice was brought to this dede whereas I omitted nothyng whereby I myghte heale hys mynd Wherfore for so wicked a deed he shall be cruellye punished vnlesse he repente that it had bene better for him neuer to haue been borne This communicacion whiche with shame might haue healed an yll man or with payne myght haue feared a wicked manne made Iudas nothyng the better insomuche that he ioyned impudencie and vnshame fastnes to hys wicked deed and as thoughe he had knowen himself to be nothing culpable asked the Lord Is it I And here Iesus not forgettyng his wont tentilnes answered Thou haste sayde geuyng an incklyng rather than expressyng playnly that it was he and maketh as though he had a suspicion and not knowledge of it Whan they wer eatyng Iesus toke bread and when he had geuen thankes brake it and gaue it to the disciples and sayed Take eate this is my body And he toke the cup and gaue thankes and deliuered it to them saiyng drynke ye all of this for this is my bloud whiche is of the newe testament that is shed for many for the remission of sinnes But I say vnto you I wyl not drynke hencefurth of this fruit of the vyne tree vntil the day when I shall drynke it newe with you in my fathers kingdome Therfore in this latter supper that he made with his disciples before his deathe he dyd institute that most holye remembraunce of hys death that beyng often renewed it should be a perpetuall memorial emong them of his great charytie whereby he sticked not to bestowe his lyfe to redeme mankinde that the remembraunce of that godly sacrifice shoulde neuer out of our myndes wherein that most pure and immaculate lambe the newe and trewe paasse offered him selfe in the aulter of the crosse for vs to God the father whom beyng angrye he hath made mercifull to vs by hys bloud sufferyng paynes himselfe for our offenses whiche were due to our sinfulnes Iesus dyd institute and consecrate this secrete signe and memoriall in two thynges by the which amitie emong men is wont to be intertayned that the charitie by the which Christ gaue himselfe to his shoulde couple vs together also who oftentymes eate together of one breade and drynke of one cuppe And also shewyng by a certayne spiritual figure the rites and manners of Moses his lawe in the whiche was no purgacion of sinne but by bloude of the sacrifice Furthermore signifiyng that he did consecrate a new league of the euangelicall profession by this misterie For whan Moses had recited the roll of the lawe wherin the preceptes of the law were conteyned and the people had aunswered We will do al thynges that the lorde hath spoken and wyll be obediente wyth parte of the bloude of the sacrifices whiche they had kylled receyued in a vessell he sprinkeled the people saiyng this is the bloude of the league whiche the lorde hath made wyth you touchyng these wordes And truely all these thynges signifyed with certayne figures and shadowes this most holye sacrifice wherin the lorde Iesus delyueryng his body willingly vnto death and sheding his bloud went aboute to clense the synnes of the whole worlde reconcilyng vnto God all men freelye whosoeuer woulde professe this league of the newe testament And he would that this sacrifice and this league shoulde be commended and set furth to the myndes of hys disciples with certayne misticall sygnes before that it was offered to thyntente that they shoulde vnderstande that his death was not a common or an idle but an effectuall sacrifice to purge the synnes not onelye of the Iewes but also of al nacions and of al tymes But because the deathe of Christe oughte not to bee iterated leste so greate abenifite myght go out of mennes mindes or leste they myghte forget the holye league once entred and the authour of theyr health also he did institute and ordayne that with often communion of the holye breade and the cup the memorie should be renewed among the professours of the euangelicall lawe And he would that this sygne should be very holy among hys souldiers and to be had in such veneracion that lyke as much godly grace shoulde bee geuen to them whiche shoulde receyue the body and bloude of the lorde purely and worthely so they that should take them vnworthely should be the cause of their grenous dānacion Therfore Iesus toke the breade into hys handes and when he had offered the sacrifice of prayse vnto God he breake it and distributed it vnto his disciples saiyng Take ye eate ye thys is my body Afterwarde he toke the cup into hys handes when he had geuen thankes vnto the father he drancke before and reched it vnto them saying Dryncke all ye of thys cuppe For thys is my bloud of the newe testament which shal be shed for many for the forgeuenes of synnes As often as ye shall do thys doe it in the remembraunce of me For as often as ye shall eate of this breade and dryncke of this cuppe ye shall declare the lordes death vntil he cum not now as a sauiour but as a iudge In the meane time none other sacrifice for synnes shal be loked after For this one is sufficient for to take awaye the synnes of the whole world And I saye vnto you I wyll not eate of this bread hereafter vntil I shall eate it with you complete and perfect in my fathers kyngdome and I will drinke no more of this fruite of the vine vntil I shal drinke it new with you in my fathers kingdom And the moste meke and gentil lorde did not exclude Iudas the traytour from thys holy memoriall that by thys so great clemencie and gentilnes he myght be refourmed But because he receyued the sygne of the league and testament hauyng treason in hys harte he departed more vncleane than he
froÌ„ Endor And whan he thyther wente his disciples folowed hym of whome by this tyme there was a great noÌ„bre and besides theÌ„ there weÌ„t also a great multitude of the common people of all sortes and degrees And whaÌ„ the Lord was now not ferre from the gate of the citie beholde an occasion of an other newe miracle There came a dead corpse carried on meÌ„nes backes towardes buriâ—ng with a great coumpanye of people And a doulful matier it was first because it was a very young man that was dead and taken froÌ„ his lyfe euen in the very floure of his age secondarily because it was the onely sonne of a wedowe who beeyng depriued of the coumforte of an housebande had sette all the hope and staye of her lyfe in the same her soonne This wedow therfore testified the woful tormenting of her hert both with weping teares and also with many piteous woordes of lamentacion suche as extreme raging dolour doth commonly putte in folkes myndes to speake The great wailyng of the wedowe together with the vnripe deathe of the yong strieplyng caused the reste of the coumpanye also to wepe as many as for kyndenes and bonde of neighbourhode went folowyng the corpse Whan the Lorde Iesus beeyng mostefull of mercie and pitie had seen this sight he toke compassion on the wedowe and shewed himself an effectuall comforter vnto her that had none els to bee hir comforter he holpe her bothe in wordes and also in dede WomaÌ„ saith he make no more weping And whan he had so said he came vnto the biere wheron the dead maÌ„ was carried and put his hand to it And immediatly they whiche carryed the corpse stayed Here bothe coumpanies earnestly herkenyng aswell they that accoumpanyed the wedowe as also they that came with the Lord Iesus turnyng to the yong maÌ„ that was dead young man ê™ he I saie vnto thee Arise At this worde immediatly the yong maÌ„ euen as it had been one newly awakened reysed out of his slepe sate vpright on the biere and to the entent that it should be the more euideÌ„t a token that his life was restored hym he begoonne to speake And this speakyng dyd ferthermore also declare the lustye freashenesse and heartynesse of spirite in him And when he had now lept doun from the biere and cleuyng faste vnto Iesus by whom he perceiued that his lyfe had been restored vnto him was stil rendryng thankes for it the Lorde deliuered hym vnto his mother to haue him home with her goyng now on his own feete whom she had caused after he was dead to be carryed towardes burâ—yng on fower mennes shoulders And thus truely was the matier doen as touching the story but not without a significacion of ghostly doctrine The wedow beyng a mother represeÌ„teth the churche Forsooth euen this is thesame wedow whoÌ„ the prophete Esaye doeth coÌ„forte saiyng Be glad thou barain that bringest not foorth chyldren reioyce thou the art nothyng towardes bearyng for mo are the children of the forsaken than of her that hath an husbande The synagogue trusteth altogether in her spouse Moses it maketh great vauntes of the children of AbrahaÌ„ beyng equall in noumber to the sande that lieth on the sea shore The churche after the estimacion of the worlde semeth destitute of her spouse who hath conueyed hymselfe vp into heauen at the first she semed barain and without hope of any issue or successioÌ„ the Iewes also the prices of this world labouryng that al memorie of Iesus whom they supposed to be vtterly destroyed and dead might vtterly be takeÌ„ away and abolished for euer This wedow doth daily bring forth not children of this world but childreÌ„ of the lyght neyther dooeth she bryng them foorth to Moses who taught thinges earthly but vnto Christ who teacheth and also promiseth thinges heauenly She bryngeth them foorth not to death but to immortalitie She groneth daily in bringing forth childreÌ„ yet vnshapen vnperfite vntil thei haue receiued the spirite of the gospel and vntil Christ be brought to perfite shape in theÌ„ A true mother she is singularly doth she loue her childreÌ„ whoÌ„ with gret carefulnesse she frameth and trayneth vntill they may growe to full age and may bee brought vp to the strength of perfite men For loue and deuocion towardes god also hath it infaÌ„cie it hath it cumming forward in growthe of age That if at any tyme it fortune any of her chyldren to dye she wepeth and can not be coumforted nor wepeth any lesse for hym then if she had had none but hym alone whom she loste Innocencie whiche is geuen through euangelical fayth is life and sinne is death We see with howe great affeccion mothers do mourne for the bodily corpses of their children but muche more tenderly doeth the churche wepe and waill for one that after baptisme is fallen again to any deadly synne and more pensife she is for the death of one sinner theÌ„ the Synagogue is glad of fourescore and nynetene ryghteous Well than forth is the dead maÌ„ borne of foure carriers that is to say of the inordinate desires of this worlde which hauing the dead corpse on theyr shoulders benng now destitute of the holy ghost lackyng now all felyng of himself beyng now dead aslepe in his ownnaughty vices carrye hym down streighte to the graue of euerlastyng despaire The church ferthermore hath gates by which she casteth out dead folkes lest that with the stinkyng of the dead corpse the others also that are yet whole maye bee infected She hathe other gates also by whiche to receiue in suche as are called to life agayn of the Lorde As she bringeth not foorth into life but by the spirite of Christe so doeth she not receiue into life again but whom Christ doeth call backe again The porters that carry the dead neuer stop ne stay vntill they cum euen to the graue For whoso hath made al his restyng place here in this worlde whoso hath once let himself at large to be ledde with sinfull affeccions ceasseth not with damnable proceding to fail coÌ„tinually into wurse wurse vntill he cum to the mayne depth of euils and is deliuered to his lustes abominable And all the while naught doeth the mother but wepe yea and all the coumpanye of his couÌ„treimen do wepe sorowyng that the deade is cast out whom they wishe to returne to life again And these verilye are the prayers of our mother the churche these been her teares and these are the sighes and grouynges of the godly persones makyng mone and sorowe for the death of a synner This young strieplyng was dead not beeyng yet confirmed with the spirite of the ghospel and so muche the more worthye of mercie because that thesame maÌ„ whoÌ„ they had hoped trusted should through the spirite of Christ haue prospered and growen foreward vnto the highest degree of euangelical godlynesse hym they see now past life and void of any spirite and by most merciles
selfsame thyng by whose helpe do thei chase awaye deuils Plain homely men they be they are men of no knowlage ne autoritie they caÌ„ no skill of the malicious sleightes of witches or Nygromanciers and yet do these caste out deuils in the name of me What thiÌ„g thei doe they doe it on a faithfull truste in God therefore shall your vnbelefe be condeÌ„ned by these iudges and none other The plain simplenesse of these hath beleued wheras your wisedom and expert knowelage of the world striueth against the glory of god Wherupon seeyng there is neyther ryme ne reasoÌ„ in saying that one euil spirite driueth out an other euil spirite and forasmuche as your children do cast out deuils by the helpe of none other then by whose helpe I do cast theÌ„ out it is clere that I doe cast out euil spirites by the vertue and power of god who is good For the spirite of him is of more power and might theÌ„ al the whole packe of the wicked spirites that are Neither is there any agremeÌ„t betwene the spirite of god and theÌ„ For god loueth the preseruacioÌ„ of mankynde and they seke the destruccion of thesame Nowe than if it bee a thyng manifest that the thynges whiche ye see me doe I doe by the power of god than is there no doubte but that the kingdome of god is cum vnto you whiche Iohn did preache to bee at hande Reason it is therfore that ye ioyne your selfes with hym and withdrawe you from the reigne of Satan which shall shortely haue an ende Ye cannot be partakers of bothe kyngdomes at once there is betwene god and Satan a bataill that by no possibylitye maye be brought to attonemeÌ„t The cause wil neuer by any condicions be brought to agrement Satan shall either geat the victorye orels by stronge hande bee dryuen out he shall not by yeldyng or submyttyng hymselfe continue in hys reigne ne yet bee receiued vpon any condicions of agreement appoynted vnto him He hath hitherto reigned without redresse but nowe is there cum a power more puissaunt mighty theÌ„ his tirannie For one finger of God is more mightie to preserue saue mankind thaÌ„ all the hostes of Beelzebub to destroy thesame Thesame thyng therfore shall in this behalfe cum to passe whiche is coÌ„monly woont to chauÌ„ce betwene two head captayns both being valyaunt and strong and both beyng fierce couragious and such as al their affiaunce and trust resteth in their armour and weapon For whan a man of great forte and puissaunce beeyng in armour dooeth kepe his fortresse the thynges that bee in his possession are in peaceable reste and quite That if any other being of more power theÌ„ he do set vpon him and do with plain force of armes coÌ„quere him that was in harnes wel armed he wil entre no leage of felowship to bee as halfe partener with him in his castell but dryuyng the other quite awaye he wyll entre vpon full possession of the wholle house hymselfe The weapon wherin the other trusted he will by plain force take away froÌ„ hym all his richesse and substaunce he will rifle and spoile and distribute it among his souldiers Now doeth it behoue you to loke aboute you and see of whether syde ye will bee and with whether ye wyll take parte with God beyng the mightier or with Satananon to bee dryuen oute If ye haue peace with Satan ye are out with God If ye haue peace with god than cannot ye and Satan agree And in the one or the others campe must ye fight The tyme as it now shapeth will not suffer any persons to sitte idle And whoso is not on my syde is an aduersarie vnto me and euen in this verye poynte dooeth me hurte and sâ—athe because that where he ought of dutie to fauour my syde he doth not fauour me and whoso doeth not gather with me scattereth abrode Whan the vnclene spirite is gone out of a man he walketh through drye places seekyng test And whan he findeth none he sayeth I wil returne again vnto my house whence I came out And whan he cummeth he findeth it swept and garnished Then goeth he and taketh to hym seuen other spirites wurse then himself and they entre in and dwell there And the ende of that man is wurse then the beginnyng And because the Iewes toke vpon them an opinion of righteousenesse and vpon boldenesse thereof did either negligently leat slippe the doctrine of the gospell orels did vtterly refuse it and would none of it he put forth a derke parable wherby to signifie that a more greuous damnation should lighte on such persones as whan they haue gone a litel way foreward towardes righteousnes did fall backe agayne to their olde enormities then on suche as neuer knowing the light of euangelical trueth had coÌ„tinued still in the derkenesse of their sinneful liuing For the people of the Iewes was disseuered by meane of the lawe from the Gentiles beyng Idolaters but fallyng euery other day of freashe to their former transgressions they were cum at length to suche degree of vngodlynesse that whatsoeuer offence their forefathers had doen in putting the prophetes to death or in conspiryng against Moses thesame did they seuenfolde double more vngraciously renewe against the sonne of God and against his disciples Albeit this parable doeth ferther also touch euery man who beyng once washed froÌ„ his former synnes through baptisme once deliuered from the euill spirite of this worlde by the worde of the ghospell dooeth negligently vse the gyfte of god nor taketh any care to procede from tyme to time to ferther degrees of perfeccion Unto suche an one beeyng walowed downe again to his former liuyng baptisme and the knowlage of holy doctrine shall auaile to none other effecte or purpose but that he shal of his own sekyng haue the sorer damnacion at the daie of iudgement as one the whiche to his former sweruyng out of the right waye hath ioyned vnthankefulnes maliciousnesse also Now of the parable this is the tenour here folowyng Whan an vnclene spyrite is once departed out of a man beeyng putte awaye by the power of God for as muche as he hath an obstinate will to doe hurte he goeth walkyng vp and downe by places barain waterlesse seeking rest And whan he could no where fynde thesame he sayeth within hymself I will returne backe into my house that I came out of And returning vnto the same he founde it in dede sweped cleane with bromes but altogether emptie WhaÌ„ he espieth that he goeth his waye and taketh vnto him seuen other spirites more vngracious tben himself euer was and with suche a knotte of company goeth he again to his house in dede made cleane but leaft vnkept nor armed with any defence of vertues semyng for the gospel For the ornamentes and garnishyng of ceremonies in dede make outwardlye a shewe or semblaunce of godlines but because they are onely certain vain counterfaites of thynges they kepe
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
of lyuyng he remembreth none of all this geare he doeth so greatly reioyce that he hath got his sonne agayne The sonne thought hymselfe vnwoorthie the title or name of his sonne yet the father restoreth hym to his old state and degree agayn The sonne doeth vttrely condemne hymselfe the father doeth absolue and quitte hym The sonne did cast himselfe downe to bee a seruaunte the father setteth hym perfectly agayn in his olde state and dignitie For the father turnyng hymselfe to his seruauntes sayed bryng ye foorth quickely his former robe and apparell that he was woont to weare and put it on hym and sette also a ryng on his fynger and put on a payre of shooes on his fete And this doen fette ye also out of my pastures thatsame beste and fattest calfe that is there and kyll it Let vs prepare a feast and let vs reioyce for that this my sonne was once dead and is now come to lyfe and for that he was once perished and vtterly lost and is now found agayne So great a matier it is that a true penitent herte maye dooe with God There is no punishement ministred vnto hym onely to be of a penitente and coutriâ—e herte suffised his moste louyng father He whiche by his yll demeanour had made himselfe vnwoorthy to come in his fathers sight or presence thesame did the father espie and cast a mercifull iye vpon cummyng to wardes hym a great waye of He that hath deserued for euer to be thrust out of his fathers house whiche beyng an vnthankefull persone he had tofore wilfully and vnhonestly forsakeÌ„ to him returnyng and cuÌ„ming home agayne the father in his own persone came forth of the doores mette hym for he hath none in all his whole house more mercifull then he hymselfe is Hym that had cast hymself into the bondeseruice of abhominable maisters that is to wete the filthie pleasures of the bodye hym did his father vouchesafe to embrace in his armes To hym that had deserued to be scourged with many a sore stripe is geuen a kysse for a token of perfeicte loue and attonement Happie is that synner whom the Lord vouchesalueth to embrace and kysse Because he confessed his offences and refused the name of a sonne for that in his conscience he knewe himselfe faultie there was brought foorth and restored vnto hym all the tokens of his old dignitie He had loste all his apparell that was mete for suche a mannes sonne to weare but there was brought vnto hym the principall best robe and vesture of his former innoceÌ„cie whiche he had lost He had lost all the worthinesse and dignitie of a soonne of the house by his owne wilfull seruitude and yet is the ryng deliuered him agayn And because he should lacke nothyng that might serue for the deckyng and trymmyng of hym to the vttremoste he hath shooes put on his feete The young man hymselfe durst not hope to haue any suche thyng and how muche the lesse he hopeth or looketh for it so muche the sooner dooeth he obteyne and geat it And to thentente that none in the house should the lesse esteme hym or set by hym for his lyght and homely pranke of youth his father as soone as the calfe was killed moueth and prouoketh al his whole householde to reioyce altogether and allegeth good causes vnto them why they should be glad Howsoeuer he hath behaued hymselfe sayeth he my sonne he was he hath been dead and now is he called to life agayne For synne is the death of the soule And he renneth towarde death which leaueth and forsaketh the autour of life He leaueth and forsaketh the autour of lyfe whosoeuer is in loue with the thinges of this worlde for the worldly pleasures are ferre wyde from god almighties schoolyng And suche an one is reuiued agayne as dooeth repente and refourme his synnefull lyfe He was lost without any hope euer to bee recouered agayne as concernyng hymselfe howebeit he was found and gotten agayn To departe awaye froÌ„ the fathers house is to perishe for out of thesame house there is no health Neither is there any waye to returne excepte his father selfe putte it into his sonnes mynde beeyng now brought to extremities That the father putteth the remembraunce of hymselfe in the sonnes mynde is of his owne beneficiall goodnesse towardes the sonne but in that the sonne dooeth not neglecte it whan it is so putte vnto him this is imputed to hym as a thyng meritorious and the veraye confessyng of the fault is receyued and accoumpted for satisfaccion He was loste through his owne folye And was founde agayne by his fathers loue And because he repented and emended euen from the botome of the herte forasmuche as he did vttrely myslyke hymselfe his fathers mercifulnesse did not onely restore hym to his old dignitie â–ª but made also a feaste that he might commende and settefoorth his sonne to the hertie loue of all that were belongyng vnto hym ¶ The elder brother was in the fielde and whan he came and drewe nighe to the house he heard minstrelsie and dauncyng and called one of his seruauntes and asked what those thynges ment And he sayed vnto hym thy brother is come and thy father hath kylled the fatte calfe because he hath receyued hym safe and sounde And he was angrye and woulde not goe in Than came his father out and entreated hym He aunswered and sayed to his father loe these many yeares haue I dooen thee seruice neither brake at any tyme thy commaundement and yet gauest thou me neuer a kidde to make mery with my frendes but as soone as this thy sonne was come which hath deuouted al thy gooddes with harlottes thou hast for his pleasure killed the fatte calfe And he sayed vnto hym sonne thou arte euer with me and all that I haue is thyne It was mere that we should make merie and bee glad for this thy brother was dead and is aliue agayn and was lost and is found And suche manier an one as the father here beeyng expressed by the similitude of a parable shewed hymselfe towarde his sonne euen suche ones ought curates and bishops to shewe themselues towardes the penitent synner But the proude Phariseis who fauouryng theyr owne faultes dooe nothyng but shewe moste cruell tyrannie vpon other mennes faultes are ferre wyde froÌ„ this exaumple And beholde whyle al the wholle house of the father that is to saye the wholle congregacion of deuout and godly persones was altogether merie and full of all reioycyng onely the brother beeyng well resembled to the Pharisees doeth enuie and grutche at it For whyle these thynges were in doyng the elder sonne was not at home but was busily occupied in the fielde of Moyses lawe labouryng till he sweate agayne with carrying the burdens of the coÌ„maundementes and moste peinefullye wadyng and strougleyng to beare the heauye woorkes of the lawe whereas the younger brother dydde in the meane tyme receyue and take the moste
that shal come that ye maie stande before the soonne of man Beeyng therfore adcertained that this dredfull tyme wyll come prepaire your selfes agaynst the cummyng of thesame that it come not vpon you soodaynly as ye lye sluggyng And that shall ye easily dooe yf ye shall beware that youre hertes bee not ouercharged with excesse of meates and with drounkennesse and with the other pensife cares of this present lyfe but rather so liue ye as though the said daye would come within an houre and bee as men not louyng anye thyng in this worlde but beeyng with youre wholle hertes and myndes bent vnto thynges heauenly So shall it come to passe that the saied daye shall not vnawares take you ere it bee looked for For vnto others who dooe so lyue as though the time that we speake of shoulde neuer come the daye shall so come as a snare or a trappe sette by priuye stealth of some bodye liyng in a wait to take an other and shal catche al creatures as many as haue not their hertes and iyes lift vp to heauen but dwelle vpoÌ„ the face of the yearth where we haue no permanent abiding but are in haste on our waye towardes thesame eternall dwellyng place And suche persones certes whyle they are occupied about other matters shall fele theimselfes taken before that they shall foresee the snare And to the enteÌ„t the lyke case may not chaunce vnto you flee ye all sluggyshenesse lye ye not styll slepyng in the sensuall pleasures or cares of this worlde but kepe your selfe stil wakyng and watchyng in the earneste exercise of heauenly thynges praiyng continually that God will vouchesalue to take you in the noumbre of theim that maye escape these so great perils and that ye maye stande vpright before the iudge that can not bee avoided that is to wete the soonne of man who lyke as he doeth nowe with great fauour prouoke all people to repentaunce so shall he at that tyme with greate seuerytye iudge both the quicke and the dead Leate no man thynke hym sure enough by his owne aide No creature shall bee hable to abide this iudgemente onlesse he bee fensed aforehande with the fauour of God But thesame fauour shall bee with none sauyng suche as dooe in the meane tyme with al possible zele and exercise goe aboute to shewe theimselfes woorthye to haue it For it shall at that tyme be ouer late for suche persones with pietious mone and lamentacion to call for his mercie as dooe nowe in this worlde abuse his pacient forbearing In the daie time he taught in the temple and at night he wente out and abode in the mount that is called Oliuete And all the people came in the mornyng to him into the temple for to heare him And now whan the time of his death approched Iesus did by exaumple of himself geue vs a lesson that at suche tymes principally meÌ„ ought to apply godly studies exercises whan the laste daye of the lyfe draweth nyghe For what the saied last day of which Iesus had now foreshewed so many thinges shal bee vnto the worlde thesame thyng is the daye of his owne deathe vnto euerye bodye particularly The Lorde therefore did in yâ— daye seasons ministre â—eachyng to dooe good vnto those of whom he know that he should be put to death as soone as night came he went thens into the mount of Oliuete to the enâ—ent he might the more quietly geue himselfe to prayer wherein he made vncessaunt intercession for the redemcioÌ„ of the world geuing a verai smal porcion of tyme to slepe And as soone as the day brâ—ke again the people woulde customably resorte vnto hym in the temple to heare hym teachyng The .xxii. Chapter ¶ The feast of swete breade drewe nigh which is called Easter and the high priestes and scribes sought how they myght kill him for they feared the people Than entred Satan into Iudas whose surname was Iscarioth which was of the nouÌ„bre of the twelue he went his way and coÌ„moned with the high priestes and officers how he might betraye him to theim And they were glad and promised to geue him money And he consented sought oportunitie to betraie him vnto theim when the people were awaie THe more that the people depended of the Lordes mouth and saiynges so much the more and more incensed were the priestes the scribes and the phariseis beyng confederate with the headmen of the lay fee to putte Iesus to death And nowe dyd also the tyme drawe nere in whyche it had bene tofore decreed and was most expedyente that the same hoste should be killed in sacrifice for the redempcion of all mankynde For vnto the conueighaunce of this determinacion there was specially chosen oute and deputed a daye of the moste highe solemnitie of all others emong the Iewes whiche they call the feaste of swete brâ—ade because that as long as the dayes of thesame feaste lasted it was to the Iewes a thyng agaynste all gods forbod to eate anye leauened breade thesame daye was also called Phase whiche in the Syrians toungue is as muche to saye as a passage or passyng ouer so named of a lambe of one yere olde with whose bloude the highest partes of the postes were anoyncted because the Aungell of the Lorde shoulde passe them ouer whan he should be a destruyer of all such as had not this marke on their doores And suche a daye was nothyng to the paye or to the mynde of the priestes and the scribes who would muche liâ—ffer haue had his death closely handled and halfe stollen without any such high buisinesse or open a doe and as lyke as myght bee to the common manier of doyng execucion vpon other common malefactours But Iesus pleasure was to haue his death openly knowen to the worlde and to bee solemnelye dooen and in euerye behalfe to agree with the figures of the olde testamente and with the holye saiynges of the prophetes For this was that holy lambe not knowyng anye spotte of synne with whose fleashe the true Israelites are dayly refreashed throughout all the wholle worlde vniuersall with whose moste holy bloude we beeyng throughly clensed haue beene conueighed from damnacion and haue beene deliuered from the tyranny of synne and goyng daylye ferther and ferther awaye from Egipt we dooe make haste towardes thatsame heauenlye lande moste plenteouslye flowyng with all kynde of blisse absteinyng in the meane tyme from the leauened breade and liuyng in the simplicitie and sinceritie of the spirite euangelicall So than suche a day was speciallye chosen of God to that same true sacrifice where as it nothyng pleased the phariseis that it should so be For he suffred death not at the arbitrement or pleasure of the Iewes but at the pleasure of his father and hymselfe at suche tyme as he woulde in suche place as he woulde and in suche manier as he woulde hymselfe For nothyng was there in this matter eyther doen vnaduisedly or
But all those came of Goddes liberalitie and not of his owne nature that was geuen hym at the firste yet he was chosen and sente of God for this purpose that accordyng to the prophecie that was prophecied of hym before he myght beare witnes of that godly lyght whiche being couered with his manhed was conuersaunt in the worlde not as who say that he whiche was God and so declared before by the voice of the father shoulde nede mannes witnes but to thintent he might by all manier of meanes cause hymselfe to bee had in credit with the people he woulde that Iohn shoulde bee the goer before the lyghte as the day sterre appearing before sheweth the rysyng of the sunne to the woorlde And also that by his preachyng he shoulde prepare mennes mindes to receyue that lyght whiche shoulde immediatly come after And because synne is the lâ—t wherby the heauenly lyght is not admitted and receyued Iohn dyd allure and call all people to penaunce proclaming openly that the kyngdome of heauen was at hande for the firste degree or step to the lyghte is that men shoulde hate their owne darkenes And this Iohn was of so great auctoritie emonge the Iewes for the excellente holines of his liuinge that many toke him for Christe himselfe whereby Christ would the rather bee coÌ„mended to the Iewes by his witnes as that time required to thintente that litle by litle as men do commonly vse he might crepe into the mindes of the people for otherwise the meaner person is alwaye wount to bee commended by the witnes of the greater And Esay had promised that at Christes cuâ—ming there shoulde a certaine excellente lighte arise and springe vp to theym whiche did liue in darkenes and in the shadowe of deathe and for that cause before that Christe was notable by his miracles many suspected Iohn to haue been the light whiche was promised of the Prophete But Iohn was onelye the publisher before of the true lighte and not the light it selfe Therefore Christe as the oportunitie of that time serued did as ye woulde saye abuse both the errour of the Iewes and the auctoritie of Iohn to prepare the mindes of all men to the faithe of the gospell Truely Iohn was a certaine light that is to saye a burninge candle and geuinge lighte feruently burninge in godlines and geuing light by holynes of life neuertheles he was nor the lighte whiche should bring life to the whole worlde but the woord of God whereof wee doe speake at this presente was that true light euer proceding from God the father the fountaine of all light from whence what soeuer is lightsome in heauen and earth boroweth his lighte what sparke of witte what knowlage of trueth what light of faith soeuer there be either emong men or Angels all the same cummeth from this fountaine ¶ That lyght was the true light which lighteth euery man that cummeth into the world As this worlde is blind without the sunne so all thinges are darke without this light The worlde also was full of darkenes on euery syde because sinne and abhominable errours did reigne in euery place And in the tyme of this darkenes there did often tymes shine foorth men excellent in holynes of lyfe as a lytell sterre in the moste darkest nightes and gaue some lyght as it were thorow a cloud howbeit they dyd it but to the Iewes only or to the borderers of Iewry but this true light geueth lyght not onely to one nacion but to all men that come into the darkenes of this worlde The Iewes went about to challenge this lyght seuerally to themselues because they thought it to be promised to theim onely for asmuche as touchyng the fleshe it dyd spring of theim and emonge theim but that light came to geue lyght to the hertes of all nacions of the whole world thorow the faith of the gospel Neither Scithian Iewe Spaniard Gothian Englisheman kynges nor bondmen be excluded from this lyght The lyght came to geue light to al men asmuche as lay in it but if any continue in their darkenes the faute is not in the lyght but in hym that frowardely loueth darkenes and abhorreth the lyght For the lyght shineth to al meÌ„ because none might pretend any excuse when willingly wittingly he perisheth thorow his owne faute As if a man shoulde get a knocke at noone daies because he woulde not lyfte vp his iyes ¶ He was in the world and the world was made by hym and the world 〈◊〉 hym not This woord of God was alwaies in the worlde not as who say that he whiche is without measure can bee contayned in any circuite of place but he was so in the world as the deuise of the workeman is in his woorke and as the ruler is in that thing he ruleth Also at that tyme this lyght dyd shine in the worlde sumwhat opening the godly power wisedom and goodnes therof by these thinges which were wunderfully creat by it and by this meanes it did then after a sorte speake to mankinde But many putting their felicitie in the visible thinges of this worlde whome for that cause of good righte our lorde Iesus did accustome to cal by the name of the worlde when he taughte them eternall thinges they beinge blinded with earthly affeccions did not acknowleage their maker The darkenes of mindes was so greate that the worlde knewe not the maker thereof but did wurship serpentes oxen goates lekes oynions yea that whiche is more vile then all these stockes stones dispising him of whome they had receiued both that themselfes were and all that they had ¶ He came emong his owne and his owne receiued him not They being accustomed to darkenes did abhorre the light and being blinded with sinne did enbrace deathe in stede of life yea and whan he did shewe himselfe more familiarly to the worlde being conuersaunt liuing in his manhed emonges men he was not knowen of them whiche had dedicate themselfes wholy to this worlde Neither is it any meruail though the gentiles beeynge woorshippers of ydols measuring all thinges by the commodities of this life being also ignorant of the prophetes and the lawe did not acknowleage him whiles he liued here in the shape of a man This is more to be meruayled at â–ª that when he came specially to his owne people to whome Messias had ben promised by so many prophecies of the prophetes to whom he had bene shadowed with so many figures of whom he had ben loked for so many hundreth yeares before which saw him do miracles heard his teaching yet they wer so far from receiuing of him that with fierce mindes they wente about his destruccion whiche came specially to saue them And procured that innocentes death who frely brought life to his enemies They sawe did not see heard and did not heare hauing intelligence did not vnderstand whiche thorow a froward study of the lawe did rise against him whom the
saluacioÌ„ he hath geuen his only begotten sonne to suffer death yea and suche a death as is moste shameful after the worldes estimacioÌ„ his will was to bestow geue one for the saluacioÌ„ of al men Nicodemus sayth he let not this thyng seme to thee to be suddayne and straunge this is the very thyng which Moses by a figure did signifie should come when at such time as the people did perishe thorow the vehement inuasion of serpentes he did hang vp a brasen serpent vpon a stake that whosoeuer had loked therupon should be safe from the deadly biting of the serpeÌ„tes Therfore as that brasen serpent hauing in dede the likenes of a venemous beaste but yet beyng so voyde of all venome that it did also helpe others whiche were poysoned was hanged vp in the desert that all men might see it for their safetie so muste the sonne of man be exalted to thâ—ntent that all which thorowe faith shall lifte vp theyr iyes vnto hym maye be deliuered froÌ„ the deadly poyson of synne that not onely the people of Israel but generally what manne so euer with a pure herte putteth his full truste in hym should not perishe as subiect to sinne which bringeth euerlastyng death but thorow the death of one innocent shoulde obtayne eternall lyfe Trulye our lorde Iesus by this maner of darke sayinges opened to Nicodemus the misterie of his manhed and of redemyng the worlde by the crosse albeit he was not yet able to receyue and vnderstande these thynges In the meane while declaryng therewithall howe great difference was betwene them whiche did reade the lawe after a carnall sence consideryng nothyng but the plaine story therof and them whiche by inspiracion of the holye ghoste of whom heretofore we haue spoken did perceyue the mistical sence that lâ—eth hid couered ouer with the texte But neuertheles our lorde Iesus did then as it wer sowe seedes of fayth into Nicodemus minde that hereafter he might perceiue this thyng to haue been doen not by casualtie or chaunce but by the appoyntment of God and so the good seede beyng receyued into apte grounde might bryng furth in due tyme the fruite of faith not only in Nicodemus hert whiche did heare these thynges but also in all theyr myndes vnto whom these thynges should be declared by his reporte For God so loued the worlde that he gaue his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleueth in hym should not perishe but haue euerlastyng life For God sent not his sonne into the worlde to condemne the worlde but that the worlde thorow him might be saued He that beleueth in hym is not condemned But he that beleueth not is condemned alreadye because he hath not beleued in the name of the onely begotten sonne of god For who would haue beleued the charitie of God to haue been so greate towardes the worlde beyng rebell to hym and giltie of so many great faultes that not onely he did not reuenge the vngraciouse actes that had been committed therin but also sent downe his onely sonne from heauen into earth and deliuered hym to suffre death yea euen the moste shamefull death of the crosse to thintente that what man soeuer would beleue in him wer he Iewe Grecian or neuer so barbarouse should not perishe but obtaine eternall lyfe thorowe the fayth of the ghospel For albeit that in tyme to come the father should iudge the vniuersall worlde by his sonne at his last cummyng yet at this tyme whiche is appoynted for mercie God hath not sente his sonne to condemne the worlde for the wicked dedes therof but by his death to geue free saluacion to the worlde thorow faith And leste any body perishyng wilfully should haue wherby to excuse their owne malice there is geuen to al folkes an easie entrie to saluacion For satisfaccion of the faultes committed before is not required neither yet obseruacion of the law nor circumcision only he that beleueth in hym shall not be condemned forasmuche as he hath embraced that thing by the whiche eternal saluacion is geuen to all folkes be thei neuer so muche burdened with synnes so that thesame person after he hath professed the ghospell dooe abstayne from the euil dedes of his former life and laboure to go forward to perfect godlines according to the doctrine of him whose name he hath professed but whosoeuer contemnyng so great charitie of God towardes hym and putting from himselfe the saluacion that was freely offred hym doeth not beleue the ghospell he hath no nede to be iudged of any body forasmuche as he doeth openly condeÌ„ne himselfe and reiectyng the thyng wherby he mighte attaine eternall lyfe maketh hymselfe giltye of eternall payne God hath offred saluacion to all folkes by his onely begotteÌ„ sonne and that thorow faithe to thyntent we maie knowlege and wurshyp hym as the auctour of saluacion and put the hope of all oure felicitie in hym Whosoeuer refuseth thus to do and despiseth the goodnes of god beyng so readie to be had and dishonoreth his sonne whom the father woulde haue to be honored and also estemeth as nothyng his death that he suffred for vs that person I saye doeth declare himselfe euen in very dede to be woorthy of euerlastyng punishement For who perceyueth not hym to perishe of good right and thorow his owne faute whiche willingly wittyngly doeth embrace that thing by the which he perisheth and resisteth that thyng wherby he might haue recouered health And this is the condemnacion that light is come into the worlde and men loued darkenes more then lighte because their dedes were euill for euery man that euill dooeth hateth the light neither cummeth he to the light lest his dedes should be reproued but he that dooeth trueth cuÌ„meth to the light that his dedes maye be knoweÌ„ how that they are wrought in god Errour and synnes be the darkenes of myndes and synnes doe ingender euerlastyng death The sonne of God is the lighte of the worlde for the lighte is trueth to beleue him is euerlastyng health Therefore when thorowe the bountifull goodnes of God light came into the worlde whiche was blynded thorowe lacke of knowledge of the trueth and with innumerable vices to thintent that the trueth beyng knowen it should be conuerted and saued yet men loued theyr owne darkenes more then the lyght that was sente from heauen If the sicke man perishe whiche hideth his disease from the phisician because he would not be holpen dooeth not he geue iudgemente of hymselfe that he perisheth thorowe his owne faute So menne that were altogether geuen to the worlde did refuse the light when it was offred them â–ª because their workes were euill For as he whiche committeth a shamefull acte dooeth loue the darke nighte â–ª and shunneth the light of the sunne leste his deedes should be knowen so thei whiche know themselues giltie hate the light of the euangelical trueth by the whiche all foule and naughtie doinges are bewrayed because thei
will he went to his death furthermore that by his death and resurreccion he should be lyfted vp to heauen whither as no man by any worldly wisedom could be brought When with this saying the Iewes wer made afeard and vnderstode not what he ment they durste not for al that aske the meanyng but whispered and talked therof secretely among theÌ„selues saying What is the matter that this man doethe sundrye tymes threaten vs with his goyng awaye thither whither we cannot folowe hym wyll he violently kyll hymselfe and so withdrawe him from vs Iesus whiche knew the very thoughtes of them all dyd so temper and moderate his aunswere vnto this very grosse muttrynge and sinfull murmuryng that the thyng whiche he spake shoulde not bee vnderstande but after his death resurreccion and ascencion For they supposyng that Iesus was nothing els but a man could coniecture none other thyng but that he shoulde go to his death and so be delyuered from the grefe of his persecutours when as his meanyng was that hymselfe as touchynge his godhede came from heauen and that he should anon after ouercome deathe and returne agayne thither from whence he came Ye sayethe he beynge of this worlde are worldly wise and speake after the carnall iudgement of the world I am not of this worlde and do speake hyer thynges then you can vnderstande neyther shall ye euer vnderstande them excepte ye leaue your infidelitie and shew your selues ready to be taught and therefore I tolde you erwhile and now tell you once againe that vnlesse ye put away your malice ye shall dye in your sinnes The onely waye to escape the darkenes of synnes is to receiue the lyght The onely waye to lyfe is to knowe him whiche onely deliuereth from deathe by the faythe of the gospell And in case ye do obstinately-refuse to beleue that I am he by whom the father willeth that all men should obtaine life and saluacion ye shall thorow your own faulte dye in your synnes Then sayed they vnto hym Who aâ—t thou And Iesus sayeth vnto them euen the vâ—â—yâ— same thyng that I speake vnto you I haue many thynges to saye and to iudge of you Yeâ— and he that sent me is true and I speake in the worlde those thinges whiche I haue heard of hym Howbeit they vnderstoode not that he spake of his father Then sayed Iesus vnto them When ye haue lift vp on dye the sonne of man then shall ye know that I am he and that I doe nothyng of my selfe but as my father hath taughte me euen so I speake those thynges he that sent me is with me The father hath not left me alone for I do alwayes those thynges that please hym Neither yet did this saying of the lord Iesus settell downe into the mindes of the Phariseis so very muche had the inordinate loue of this world blynded theyr myndes and therefore as thoughe they had neither seen nor hearde anye thing wherby they might know who he was they now maliciously saie vnto Iesus who art thou but Iesus knowing before hand that thei would picke some quarell against whatsoeuer answere he should make which asked him the question of a frowarde mynde therewith also iudgeyng them to be more fitte to heare what themselues wer then what he was maketh them aunswere on this wise sayinge Ye desyre to knowe who I am wel then do beleue but surely ye shall not beleue excepte ye put awaye grosse and worldely affeccions for els if I doe tell you who I am I shall tell it to your harme For ye wyll not onely be neuer a deale better therby but forasmuche as ye be manye wayes euyll ye shall so muche the more be made wurse And this that I nowe speake vnto you shall make your damnacion the greater I thyrst and couet the saluacion of men and not theyr vtter destruccion Or els I coulde speake manye thynges of you and for manye causes condemne you But it is not so thought good to my father who sente me into the world not to cause the euyll to bee wurse but to thintent that those whiche be euill should forthinke and amende themselues and be saued The father that sent me is he that sayth trueth yf ye beleue hym ye shall be saued And ye shall beleue hym yf ye will beleue me of truethe ye shall without daunger safelye beleue me that speake nothynge vnto you but what as I haue heard of my father with whoÌ„ I was before I came into the worlde He hath commaunded me to speake true thynges the trueth of suche thynges as do further meÌ„ to saluacion and not to damnacion And yf any man do perishe he shall perishe thorow his owne faulte who doeth enuye his owne health that is offered him But the blyndnes of the Iewes was so grosse that althoughe he had so ofte made mencion of his father from whom he was sent and to whom he shoulde go of whom he should haue recorde and did heare the thynges whiche he did speake as yet for all that it vnderstood not that he spake of the father of heauen because they coulde beleue nothynge in hym aboue a manne For these sayinges were then as seedes closed vp in the memorye of the hearers to thintente that they shoulde then bring furth frute when as all thinges shoulde be fully accomplished whiche the Prophetes had written of Iesu. It was expediente that as yet he shoulde be thought a very man vntill he had fully finished for the saluacion of the worlde that hye sacrifice whiche was to bee offered vpon the alter of the crosse For it so pleased the father that by death God shoulde bee glorified Our lorde Iesus in the meane time meaning this goeth furth in his communicacion insinuating couertly that he shoulde afterwarde willinglye be crucified by them sayeth thus When ye shall lyfte vp on hye the sonne of man euen very then ye shall vnderstande who I am and after that ye shall thinke me vtterly made awaye then in conclusion ye shall well knowe my power For ye shall right well perceiue that the thing is wrought not as men do thinges but by my fathers power after whose pleasure and iudgemente I do what thing soeuer I do practise herein earth to the saluacion of man Neither do I speake any thing but according to his minde And albeit I am sente into the worlde from hym yet am not I forsaken of hym he hath not lefte me but he is alway present with me and doeth assiste me and by me he both worketh and speaketh vnto you for betwene vs two is a moste hye consente he is glorified by me and I againe by hym but he is the auctor and I the messenger And I do the office of an embassadour so faythfully that I alwaye do those thinges whiche he hath commaunded and determined Moses and Dauid whom ye haue in great reuerence spake and did manye thinges according to Gods will but yet thesame did
mans nature And if in time to come ye feale that nature irketh and repineth against the dreadfull tormentes and deathes wherewith ye be menaced and threatned doe not vtterly sterte awaye as men discomfeited clearly ouercome but let valiantues of mynde alwaye depending of the father of heauens ayde vanquish in you the feblenes and cowardnesse of mans nature But euen nowe also I fele myne owne soule troubled in my selfe because the daye of my death is nye I see a sore greuouse tempest imminent and hang ouer me What shall I saye or whither shall I turne me shall I yelde to the infirmitie of the body which abhorreth death Shal I flee to the succours of the worlde or shall I for the loue of mine owne life neglect the life of the whole worlde no not so I will accommodate and applye my selfe to my fathers will My naturall infirmitie beyng sore incumbred with the horriblenesse of death shall say vnto him Father if it may be kepe me safe from this instant perill of death But charitie whiche muche desireth mans saluacion furthwith putteth to this saying Yet rather for all that sayeth she in case it be fit and expedient so to be let the coueted death come when as after the will of the spirite whiche doeth no where disagree with thyne I haue willyngly and wittingly offered my selfe to death Nowe bryng thou it to passe that my death and resurreccion maye cause thy name to be notable and famouse in al countreys of the worlde that when thou art once knowen the people honoring thee may attayne to eternall saluacion Than came a voyce from heauen saying I haue both glorified it and will glorifie it againe The people therfore that stode by and heard it sayed that it thundred other sayed an aungell spake to hym Iesus aunswered and sayed This voice came not because of me but for your sakes Nowe is the iudgemente of this worlde nowe shall the prince of this worlde be cast out And I if I were lifte vp from the earth will drawe all men vnto me This he sayed signifying what death he should dye After our Lord Iesus had thus prayed with his iyes lift vp into heauen the voice of the father came from heauen saying I haue glorified my name and will after this more excellently set it forth For alredy his name through so many miracles was waxed great and muche knowen among menne by his sonne but moste chiefly by raysing Lazarus from death to lyfe And soone after would he augment the glory of his name in all the nacions of the worlde by the crosse by the resurreccion and by the ascendyng vp into heauen by sending downe of the holy ghost and by the preaching of his Apostles Moreouer the route of people whiche stode not farre of when they heard the voice that came downe from heauen because they toke lytle hede neyther was it euident to them vnto whom that voice did appartayne that cumpany of people I say agreed not in their opinions of the thyng For some did interpretate the voice that they thought they heard to be a thuÌ„der for the voice came out of the cloudes Some againe did interpretate the thyng more fauourably saying some angell did speake vnto hym But Iesus to make them take more hede also to put awaye from him all suspicion of prayse sayeth this voice which is neither noise of thundres nor voice of angell but the voice of my father which hath heard my prayers came not for me who knowe in my selfe my fathers minde but it is come for you that ye maye vnderstand that my father I doe agre and that whatsoeuer I doe he being the authour I doe it for your saluacion sake You haue hearde what my father hath promised as touching my death Nowe shortly must Satan be wrestled withal for good all who is the prince or rather tiranne of this world through sinne hath hitherto kept al theÌ„ in death which loue this world Nowe is the cause of the whole world drawen into iudgemente but falshood beyng reproued trueth shall come to light And whiles the prince of the world the authour of death thinketh himselfe a conquerour he shall through death be put from his tiranny For all men shal be pardoned theyr sinnes through faythe of the gospell Sinne once takeÌ„ away the tirantes force strength is qualled who is valiant mighty in no other weapon saue sinne onely And as he that shall thinke himselfe to haue the victory shal sodainly be expelled his kingdom so I that shal be thought vtterly made away after I be lifted vp froÌ„ the earth wil drawe all thinges on euery side vnto me of right chalengyng that thyng vnto me which hitherto he hath kept in possession by tyraÌ„ny Furthermore in that Christe sayed When I shal be lift vp from the earth because the saying was doubtfull yet right fitte to expresse the thing he would signifie what kinde of death he should dye For they that are hanged vp vpon a crosse hang vp on hye that all men may see theÌ„ a farre of And he gaue them withall a priuey warning of the old story which sheweth that a brasen serpent beyng a figure of Christe and set vp vpon a hie pole did geue to all them that behelde it though it were a farre of presente helpe against the mortall woundes of serpentes The people answered hym We haue heard out of the lawe that Christe bideth euer and howe sayest thou the sonne of man must be lift vp who is that soÌ„ne of man Then Iesus sayd vnto them yet a litle while is the light with you Walke while ye haue light leste the darknes come on you He that walketh also in the darke woâ—eth not whither he goeth while ye haue light beleue on the light that ye may be the children of the lyght And yet were there some in that assembly of people which did coniecte because of the forespeakyng of death that he had spoken of the tormente of the crosse And therupon they stode in argument that he was not Messias which published that himselfe should dye whereas scripture geueth to Messias power and a kyngdome eternall For thus writeth Daniel His power is an euerlasting power which shal not be taken away and his kingdome shal remaine for euer And again Micheas the Prophete speaketh thus His out-going hath been from the beginning and from euerlasting Also Esai sayeth And there shal be no ende of his peace Yea and moreouer the prophecie of the psalmes doeth promise hym a perpetuall priesthood saying Thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedeck Than say they therfore We knowe by the lawe that when Messias shall come he shall abyde continue for euer What meaneth it therfore that thou sayest it shall come to passe that the sonne of man shall be lift vp from the earth but and if to be lift vp from the earth be to dye and yf thou wilt haue the
but such a thing that god long a goe promysed by your prophetes Reuerently ye doe worship the god of Abraham the god of Isaac and the god of Iacob and ye auaunt your selfes in that ye haue theym as your chiefe fathers and firste beginners of your auncestry but the very sonne of this same god whom the chiefe fathers of your auncestry hath wurshipped beyng sente to you for your saluacion poore and simple to loke vpon to thintente that you shoulde make the more of him as a familâ—â—â—e person lyke to one of you ye haue brought to extreme vilanny and reproche Notwithstanding the selfe same god hath by his infinite might and power aduaunced his sonne to high renoume and glory one whome man of malice hath ouerthrowen and god hath in this fact lyke as he hath also many other wayes wroughte by him miracles out of numbre before your iyes and taught you doctrine from heauen But ye neuer a deale the better for al such benefites deliuered him at the last after many reprochfull iniuries into the handes of the wicked to thintent he shoulde be slaine yea and where as Pilate a Panim a man both without knowleage of your lawe and of no kinred with your forefathers woulde haue gyuen sentence of him as of your king as of a blessed person innoceÌ„t for his deliueraunce yee which ought by reason of that knowlage ye had of prophecies to recognise hym haue styfely denyed hym and openly in the presidentes hyghe hall of iudgemente saying we haue no kinge but Ceasar And in suche a cruell rage ye were of rancour againste hym and hatred that lieffer had ye to haue Barrabas that notable thefe and sedicious person pardoned at your request whiche had despatched other of their liues than to haue Iesus saued who broughte with hym lyfe for all menne For a murtherers lyfe ye obtained pardon but for the authoure of euerlasting lyfe ye procured deathe Neuerthelesse God hys father the authoure and maker of all lyfe hathe raysed hym whome ye haue slayne from the dead to lyfe againe and liberally hath rewarded hym with lyfe that neuer shall haue ende To the which thing beare we witnes vnto whom he himselfe after he was reuiued eftsones playnely appeared for vs to beholde for vs to heare and handle whom we behelde also goyng vp to heauen He came firste to you in a pore and simple aray which he was contented to take vpon hym for all your sakes but now is he by his father aduaunced to glory and putteth foorth his power and strength by vs which be nought els but witnesses to the thinges whiche we haue seen and hearde And for that trust and affyaunce whiche we haue in his name this man whom you see walke borne as ye well knowe bothe halte and lame almightye god hath restored to hys perfit limmes agayne No prayse herein are we worthy to haue neyther are we through oure merytes the cause thereof neyther he that is restored but god the father as I sayd would haue his sonnes name magnifyed with all men in the whiche name his pleasure is that all people shoulde put their full trust and hope of health vniuersall by this assured trust and confidence is this man which hath been euer weake from the first houre of his birth perfectly now as ye all do see in all his limmes restored These be euident argumentes not alonely to proue that he is on liue whom ye suppose to be dead but to declare also that all mennes hope of saluacion is to be put in him alone And now brethren I wot that through ignoraunce ye did it as did also your rewlers But God which before had shewed by the mouthes of all his prophetes howe the Christe should suffre hath in this wise fulfilled Repent you therfore conuerte that your sinnes may be doen away whan the time of refreshyng cummeth whiche we shall haue of the presence of the lorde and when God shal sende him which before was preached vnto you euen Iesus Christe whiche muste receyue heauen vntyll the tyme that all thinges whiche God hath spoken by the mouthe of all hys Prophetes sence the world began bee restored agayne And cause there is none at al my brethren why ye shoulde despaire for it hath thus come to passe according to the will of God and his sufferaunce Your offence herein and trespase is partely excused by mans ignoraunce For his feble and weake body was a lette to you and impedimente to knowe his diuine power whiche diuine and godly power no not your rewlers them selfes knewe perfeictly Whiche thing in him if they had knowen readily neuer would they haue been in minde to crucify the Prince of glory But so was it expedient for mans saluacion so had god determined before the beginning so had he before shewed by the mouth of all his Prophetes that Messias whome he woulde sende fynallye to redeme you shoulde suffer death Now is god no lyer whome he promised to send the same person hath he sent whom he would haue slayn euen so as he woulde haue it is he slayne This sacrifice woulde he haue offered vp to satisfy for the sinnes of all the worlde by you was this sacrifice offered not without blame to you but suche as ye shall haue forgyuenesse of if ye repente that ye haue dooen amisse And so shall it come to passe that your offence whiche you committed to the weale of all men shall turne to your singular wealthe also For your pardon is easy to come by and redy at hand Only be you ashamed of your euill doinges and sorowful not alonely for this fact but for al other and see that you turne to a new life openly confesse that Iesus whome ye before haue denied is king and rewler ouer all whome ye haue to death condemned as a person giltie now doe ye acknowledge to be the very fountain and giuer of all innocency and whom ye haue violently put to death beleue ye to be the author of immortall lyfe Now is the time of pardon for synne haste you this meane while to penaunce and you shall fynde mercifulnes that whan he shall come eftesones to iudge the quicke and the dead on high aboue in the cloudes whome his father once sent simple poore for your sakes ye may be able constauntly to abide his presence whiche shall be terrible to them and intollerable whiche hath not be penitent But suche as for this meane space doe beleue in Iesus name whome the prophetes hath many yeres a go publyshed to you and whom we also accordyng to theyr prophecies beare witnes of and submit themselfes to hym by fayth puttyng theyr sinne away by penaunce shall finde there with the righteous iudge who hath promised to all menne for fayth in him and repentaunce of sinne euerlasting health refreshing All those thinges are come hitherto well to passe whiche as the prophetes hath heretofore tolde were for to bee dooen and perfourmed
soone as we had throughe better instruccyons conformed our selues to the expulsyng of the Romyshe Antichriste to the gladde enbracyng of hys woorde and to the receyuyng of his ghospell in all partyes immediately heard our lamentable peticions and sent your most noble mother Quene Iane of famous memorie whom as it maie be thoughte hys prouydence and consailles vnscrutable had purposely ordeyned prepaired caused to be borne for none other office but that she myght bee moste dere wife to suche a kyng and mother to suche a Prynce For as soone as she had in moste lawful matrymonye brought foorth your grace she departed this worlde as thoughe she should haue saied I haue dooen the offyce that I was borne for nowe fare ye well The freashe floure of my pure virginitie I haue moste safely committed to my moste dere spouse kyng Henry for to kepe and to you his moste feithfull louyng subiectes I leaue behynde me my onely soonne the iewell that ye haue so long desired so sore longed for and so often craued of God As loÌ„g as ye shal tendre his welfare ye shall satisfye my desyre whome I broughte foorthe for that purpose If it maye please God to sende hym longe lyfe I haue the full fruicte of my trauaylle I haue my deathe abundauntely recompâ—nsed and my roume emong you euen to my mynde supplyed I haue nowe no more to dooe on yearth If I haue demerited any loue or thanke at your handes bestowe it wholly on my soonne whan I am gone from you Thus departed the moste vertuous ladye Quene Iane whose deathe we haue the lesse cause to lamente because that by hope we are assured that she is gone from peyne to ioye from care to reste froÌ„ sorowe to blisse froÌ„ this traÌ„sitorie world to immortalitie We haue cause to suppose that God for the exceadyng great loue and fauoure that he beareth towardes Englande whan she had broughte foorthe to the worlde suche a soonne tooke her awaye immediately of purpose to rewarde her wyth a croune eternall for whome all temporall and worldely rewardes were incomparably ouer basse ne any yearthly croune sufficient so that to lamente her is rather to enuye her felicitie and blisse And she beeyng nowe in heauen with her moste desired ioye Christe inuiteth and requireth vs that our beneuolente loue and affeccion whiche muste haue been deuided betwene you and her maye bee wholy transferred and bestowed on your highnesse whome to bryng foorthe she was not onely well contented but also muche desyrous to dye So that we are all double bounde to loue youre Maiestie fyrste because youre moste dere mother was taken from vs ere she myght receyue any fruicte of our grate and thankfull hertes for bryngyng foorth to her couÌ„trey suche a soonne and than muche more because that in your moste Royall persone is reposed al the worldly ioye coumforte hope and expectacion bothe of vs that are nowe liuyng whom I truste your Grace shall surutue and also of our posteritie Neyther can Iiustely affyrme her to be dead that hath leafte behynde her suche fruicte of her bodye whome to bryng foorth I dare auouche she though her death so well bestowed that in case she myght returne to lyfe again and be in her former state of mayde Quene she woulde readily paryshe couenauÌ„t with God on thesame pryce to bryng foorth your Grace vnto her countrey And so greate was the ioye and gladnesse of Englande in the natiuitie of your highnesse that the veray prouidence of God thought it necessarie to temper our immoderate mirth reioysing with the death of your most vertuous mother for neuer was the deceasse of any Quene in England more lameÌ„ted lest we myght haue ben so inebriate with our vnestimable felicitie that thesame might haue made vs proud and percase haue brought vs in suche flaterye of our selues that we woulde haue forgotten or perchaunce not acknowelaged no nor espied you to bee sente vnto vs aswell by the most mightie and most woondrefull power of Goddes hand as also of his exceadyng mercie and fauoure towardes Englande He myghte haue taken her away ere she had cum to the bearing or conceiuing of you in her wombe if he had not specially loued and tendred our good king Henry and vs. It was in his hande and pleasure to haue taken you bothe whiche thynge god forbydde if he had nâ—t by leauing the better of the twoo with vs been willing bothe many festelye to declare his almyghtifull power ioyned wyth hys moste gracious mercie and tendre compassion towardes England and also to bridle the insolencie which by hauyng you both still wyth vs suche is mannes frailte and readinesse to swerue he paraduenture foresawe would haue growen in vs. God in takyng awaye her at your birthe did plainlye ministre vnto vs both an earnest warning and also a iust prouocacion of vncessaunt praying for the life and prosperous continuaunce of your Grace being of nature and by the condicion of your birth mortal as your mother was The birth of your Maiestie was the more swete because it was so long wished for so long loked for and so long craued ere it came A great benefite is muche the sweter that it is not obteyned without great and long suit The pleasure of a good turne is much diminished whan it is at the fyrst obteyned The desirefulnesse of our myndes muche augmenteth and encreseth our pleasure The admixtion also and as who shoulde saye the sawcyng of pleasures with some kind of misfortune either afore going or in the middes adtempered graceth altogether and maketh it the more acceptable Honey is waloweish and ouercasteth the stomake if it be plenteously taken by it selfe alone but if wyth vinegre it be made eagredoulce than is it not onely delectable and plesaunt of relice but also comfortatiue and holsome too The deathe of the moste vertuous lady and moste woorthie Quene Iane your mother beyng ioyned with your birth made such a â—â—mperature of sorowe and ioye together that bothe our mournyng whiche otherwyse shoulde scaree haue founde anye ende was soone mitigated and also our moste tendre desire of enioying your Maiestie much the more encreased We had so long groned we hadde so long cryed to God for a Prynce that excepte he hadde in the moste desiâ—ed birthe of the same aspersed the deathe of your mooste â—ere Mother we shoulde by our immoderate felicitee haue tempted and prouoked hym to take you bothe from vs. It was hys goodnessâ— that woulde not suffre vs to fall For muche sooner and sorer doeth immoderate ioye drounde mannes reason then immoderate doloure Thus than as I haue sayd as soone as we willingly applyed our selfes aswell to the exiling of al papâ—strie as also to thenbracing of the woorde of God he immediately fulfylled and satisfyed ourâ— desyres by sending your Grace vnto vs after a woondreful sorte as if he shoulde in playn wordes haue saide Now that ye haue gladly receiued my word ye shal haue that
kynde of death the buriall the resurreccion thascendyng into heauen the holy ghoste sente downe from heauen the wounderfull toungues of the Apostles the conuersion of the Gentiles and other thynges whiche we sawe and dayly see doen by them that professe the name of Christe Finally the tyme also doeth agree in the which he was prophecied for to come And all these thynges were prophecied not only by the sayinges of the Prophetes but also wer signified by the actes and dedes of the Patriarches Nowe seing thei know these thinges if thei coÌ„pare theÌ„ with these whiche we shewe to haue been doen they shall vnderstande that they loke in vayne for any other Messias thâ—n this whom we speake of he came once humble and abiccte concernyng the fourme of mannes bodye for so Esai prophecied he should come to delyuer all men by his deathe from the tyranny of deathe And he shall cum againe in th ende of the worlde not as now a sauiour but a iudge of all bothe lyuing and deade Now no man is excluded froÌ„ his benefite Than no man shal escape his iudgement But than shal they ioyfully see the iudge dealyng euerlasting rewardes whiche now doe not despise hym a meke sauiour easy to be entrâ—ted This therfore is that only and very Messias whose geneologie and petigre shal forthwith be shewed touching the body whiche he toke for our cause for by hym shoulde spring and cum furth a new nacion not carnall but spiritual which should rather replenish heauen than yearth the which also shoulde be encreaced or multiplied not by the seed of man but by the euangelical fayth whiche is the heauenly seed of Goddes worde Of this faith the autour and father in a misticall fygure was represented by Abraham who the law of circumsicion not yet publyshed deserued the prayse of rightuousnes not before men but before God not by the kepyng of the law but by the sinceritie of faith wherby he doubted nothing of Goddes promises although they wer farre passing the power of nature And for this trust and confidence he was called the father of many nacions which after the example of hym should beleue the gospel of Iesus Christe He nowe his body beyng decaied for age his wife also beyng weake and barain begate Isaac whiche was promised vnto hym who also was a figure of Christe vearyng wood to the sacrifice whereunto he was apoynted Isaac begat Iacob which though he wer the younger brother yet he set his elder brother besyde purchased the inheritaunce to hymself wherin he was a figure of the churche that should be congregated and gathered together of the Gentiles the which the Iewes being excluded encreaseth daily more and more receiuing the grace of the gospell by faythe of the which the Iewes through vnbelefe haue made themselfes vnworthy For thus sayeth God I haue loued Iacob and hated Esau. And in the Prophetes ofte mencion is made of this name Iacob begate Iudas of whome the tribe had his name of the whiche Christ was prophecied to cum of and by whose name as by inheritaunce was promised the newe lawe of the gospel for thus speaketh Hieremie Beholde the dayes do come sayeth the Lorde and I wyll dispose a newe testament to the house of Iudas the house of Iacob And he did not beget him onely albeit he deserued chiefly to be recited in the geneologie but also he begate the other eleuen brothers of Iudas which seuerally gaue names to the seuerall trybes of the nacion of Israell Iudas begat Phares and zaram of Thamar Phares begat Esrom And Esrom begat Atam And Atam begat Aminadab Aminadab begat Naasson Naasson begate Salmon Salmon begat Boos of Rahab Boos begat Obed of Ruth Obed begat Iesse Iesse begat Dauid the kyng Dauid the kyng begat Salomon of her that was the wyfe of Uri Further Iudas had two chyldren at a burden named Phares and zaram not of his lawfull wyfe but of Thamat hys daughter in lawe whyche was maryed to Her the eldest soonne of Iudas vnto whome when Iudas did not perfourme hys promyse that is to saye that she myghte be maryed to Sela brother vnto her housbande that was dead accordyng to the order of the law the woman passyng all measure desirous to haue a chylde tooke the habite of a common woman and coueryng her face by crafte and deceyte laye with Iudas her father in lawe and afterwarde by shewyng of the token whyche she had receyued of hym before that she woulde suffer hym to lye wyth her auouched and proued hym to be father of bothe the chyldren when he otherwyse earnestlye woulde haue brente her accordyng to the lawe The thyng thus doen is not without offence and blame but yet the mysterie hyd vnder thys vnhonest couerture maketh muche for the matter of the Ghospell Lyke as also Phares was a figure and significacion of the churche and Synagogue whiche Phares preuented his brother when he endeuored to goe furthe of his mothers wombe puttyng foorth his hande fyrste Of this Phares Esrom was borne of Esrom Aram of Aram Aminadab of Aminadab Naasson and of hym Salmon Salmon begat Boos of Rahab whiche though she were not of the nacion of Iewes but of the Cananites yet because she preserued the spyalles sent from Iesu the captain guyde of the Iewes and because she betrayed the citie of Hierico she deserued her place in the geneologie of theym whiche throughe faythe were made prayse worthie of God and she exempted out of the sorte and order of common women was chosen and admitted emong the people of God and maryed to an housbande of the nacion of Iewes signifying euen at that tyme that synners heathen people beyng alienate from the religion of God shoulde be coupled vnto Christe throughe the merite of faythe Boos also hade a soonne named Obeth by Ruth a Moabite the whiche also renouncyng her countreye and her bodily affeccions had rather to be planted emong the people of the Iewes that is to say suche as professe the doctrine of Christe Thus at that tyme fygures and shadowes signified before that no kynde of men shoulde be dryuen and kept of from the felowshyp of the gospell so that he bryng with hym faith and a desirous minde of true godlynes Of Obed came Iesse whiche was called also Isai of whose name Esay propheciyng of Christe maketh mencion saying A rod shall cum out of the roote of Iesse Of hym was borne Dauid derely beloued of God bothe kynge and Prophete buylder of the citie of Hierusalem noble through the slaughter of Goliad and after that the wicked kyng Saul was deposed by the coÌ„maundemente of God from a pore shepeherd he was consecrate kyng ouer the Israelites Oute of whose stocke the whole nacion of the Hebrues did loke that Christe shoulde cum as it was prophecied before of men that wer inspired with God And he also did represente by many wayes the fygure of Christe his ofspring Dauid begat Salomon that king of
to saye well by them that saye euyll â–ª by you to offer them euerlastyng healthe whiche goe about â—ouâ— destruccion This high and excellente vertue ye cannot perfourme vnlesse ye cum vnto it by the degrees whiche I shewed you before If ye caste away vtterlye the swelling and pride of the mynde if ye put from you the desire of reuengyng yf ye dispise all the pleasures of this world embrace the sharpe way yf ye extinguishe the desyre of worldly thynges and thyrste for nothyng greatly but for ryghteousnes and godlynes yf ye be full mynded to succoure and helpe the greefes of al men and desyre to furder the commodities of al meÌ„ if ye haue a minde sincere and cleane from all vices and filthye desyres not regardyng any thyng nor delityng in any thing but in God alone finally yf ye study and deuise with quiet hartes to nouryshe and to make coÌ„cord and peace then shall ye perfourme these thynges the whiche other menne cannot yet attayne vnto nor once dreame vpon But yet they that be curable and not vtterly of a desperate mynde musyng muche at youre sufferaunce and godlynesse they shall well vnderstande that it is no counterfeyt thing they shall well perceyue that it is not a thyng of mannes power and beyng moued thorowe your exaumple shall be turned to better thrifte Ye be the salte of the earth but if the salte be vnsauery wherwith shall it be seasoned It is hencefoorth good for nothyng but to be caste out and to be troden of men For I haue chose you fewe not to the entent I woulde allure and bryng to the knowledge of the euangelicall wysedome one or twoo cytyes but the wholle worlde It muste nedes bee a liuelye and a pithye thyng that can be sufficient to sawâ—e and sauour the lyfe of all mankynde beeing so weryshe and vnsauerye thorowe the desyres and fond opinions of vayne thynges For I haue chosen you not to the intent ye shoulde bee of the meane and tollerable sorte but that ye shoulde be the salte of the yearth it nedeth not to haue muche salte but such as is good and strong that whatsoeuer it doethe touche it maye season and of weryshe make sauoury The yerth is greate and yet the saltnes that it hath it hath of a litle salte mixte with it And ye see that a greate deale of meate vnsauoury and werishe with a litell salte sprynkeled vpon it is made sauourye It must nedes be that in great noumbres of men many be founde but meane and vneath tollerable But in Apostles in bishoppes in doctoures teachers that quicke and perfect liuelines of the euangelicall charitie muste nedes perseuer and abyde Otherwyse if your maners be made vnsauoury with the loue of prayse with desire of ryches with the luste of pleasures with the gredinâ—â— of reuengyng with the feare of infamye harmes or death what remayneth than wherby the vnsauoury lyfe of the multitude maye bee seasoned so it shall cum to passe that ye shall not onelye bee vnmete to season others but also ye youreselues not perfourming the thing that ye teache shal cum into extreme contempt of al men For what is lesse to bee regarded than vnsauoury salte whiche serueth not for so muche as to doung the lande for somuche as yf it be cast on the grounde it causeth barraines By that meanes men shall haue you in veneracion yea they also whiche enuyously and hatefully backed agaynste you yf they once perceyue that your doctryne doeth sauour of the liuelynes of the gospell yf they see all your lyfe to bee agreable to your doctryne Whan ye haue once taken vpon you this professioÌ„ eyther ye muste be verye profitable vnto all menne or veraye vnprofytable eyther ye muste haue greate prayse emong men or greate disprayse Dispraise and rebuke ought to bee shunned more than deathe for it doeth redounde to the infamye and slaunder of the gospell Wherfore se that ye be on euerye syde sincere pure and verye perfect to th ende that the impuritie of the multitâ—dâ—â—â—â—â—ye be corrected thorowe your puritie Ye be the lyght of the worlde A citie that is set on a hyll can not be hyd Neyther do men lyght a candell and put it vnder a bushell but on a candelstycke and it geueth lyght to al that be in the house Let your light so shine before men that thei maie se your good workes and glorifye your father whiche is in heauen Let your life and your doctryne be suche that it maye be a guyde and a rule of good life to all men that doeth behold and loke vpon it There is but one sunne of this worlde but thesame is so myghtye and plentifull of lyghte that from a farre it shyneth vpon all them that dwell vpon the yearth So I haue set you in an high place that whatsoeuer ye speake whatsoeuer ye doe muste nedes bee spred abrode thorowout the whole worlde If the cloudes couer the â—unne howe shall men haue lyght If your doctryne be darkened with errours yf the lyght of your lyfe be dimmed with worldly desires what thyng shal driue awaye the darkenes of the multitude Wherfore ye muste beware that there be no darkenesse nor folishnes in you Ye cannot be hyd though ye endeuour neuer so muche Consider wel that ye haue a parte to playe in the stage of the whole worlde to thintente that carefulnes should sharpen you to bee circumspect and diligent A small offence in you is as muche as a great crime Ye be as a citye set vpon an high hyll which may be seene of the waye goets farre and wyde It can not be hid thoughe it woulde for the hyll with his highe toâ—ne that beareth it wylleth it â—illeth it maketh it seene of al men that it may shewe the waye to them that erte and be out of the waye Thys is the nature of the euangelicall doctryne it suffereth not the professoures of it to be hyd and vnknowen althoughe they fleing the fame of men seke dennes to hide them in And why shoulde the be hid which is ordeyned for this purpose to do good to al men indifferently Salt is geuen to season with the sunne is geuen to the world to geue lyght the citie is buylt in the toppe of the hyll to be sene of all men In the nyght men lyght a candele in the house to geue lyght to al them that be in the house And therfore they hide it not vnder a bushel but set it vpon a candelsticke that the lyght therof maye the better cum to all and the vse of one lyght maye extende and reache to manye So ye ought not to seke howe to purchase a fame and opinion amonge men but onely bee ye rarefull that ye darken not the lyght whiche I haue lyghtned in you and that ye perseuer and continue vpon the candlesticke where I haue set you The salt cannot but season The lyghte cannot but shyne Therfore let your
your mynde agaynst all kyndes of yll that nothyng may trouble you whan it shall happen For the tyme shall come that they will plucke you as ill doers into theyr counsels and conuentycles and beate you with whippes like vngracious men and subuerters of publique weale ye shall be brought before rulers and kinges not for your desertes but for my sake though I may let them yet wil I suffer all these thynges to be doen that it maye be witnessed and open to all men that they peryshe through theyr owne default which beyng moued and prouoked by so many myracles by so many benefites by so ready doctrine by youre simplenes gentilnes so spitefully reiect saluacion offered vnto them Therefore whan so fewe shal be brought furthe to so many so weake vnarmed to so mighty so vnlettered to so learned be not carefull howe ye shall pleade your cause though ye be rude and not skilfull of iudgementes of lawes and of the lawe place Also I would not ye should run to suche ayde and succour by the whiche the common sorte of men be wont to haue the higher hand in iudgementes They take vnto them a cunning and a well tonged aduocate they flatter the iudges they fall downe humblye vpon theyr knees they get fauour with money Medle ye with none of these Do ye this onely go furth whan ye be called aunswere whan ye be commaunded that they haue no iust cause of cōtumacy and stubbernes against you but aunswere playnly and boldly not with a deuised and a prepared oracion but with suche one as hath boldnes ioyned with wisedome and mildnes Like as vitayle shall be ready for you in euery place so speche shal be geuen vnto you vpō which carefully to muse appertayneth not to hym that dependeth wholly vpon the helpe of god Yea speche shal be geuen vnto them in season whiche muse nothyng vpon it not garnished nor gaye but wyse and effectuall and meete for the gospel It is not mannes matters that ye haue in hand but goddes wherof ye be not authours but instrumentes For it is not ye that shall speake there but the spirite of your father speaketh by your mouthes Trusting therfore vpon his helpe ye must be moued by no stormes of aduersitie For the worlde will aryse against my doctrine with suche tumulte and busines that the brother forgetting his brotherly loue will bryng his brother to death that the father forgetting his naturall loue wyl putte his sonne in daungier of death that the sonne all honoure and dutie set aparte will ryse against the father and mother and put them to death of whome he had the beginning of his lyfe Briefly ye shall be hated of all men for the hatred they beare to my name For this world beyng so corrupte on euerye side with ambicion pryde auarice lechery and other worldly desyres wyl not beare the heauenly doctrine contrarie to his appetite and desyre And it shall be a greater offence to be a Christian man than to be a murtherer of a sorcerer These hurly burlyes the deuill shall rayse agaynste the gospel but distrust not godly wysdome shall ouercome the wyles of the deuil and the malice of man do ye the busines cōmitted vnto you with a bolde and cherefull courage For whoso among these ylles doeth perseuer and continue vnto the ende he shall be saued For ye must not beyng discouraged with feare leaue of the busines of the gospell ¶ But whan they persecute you in this citie flye into another For verelye I saye vnto you ye shall not go through all the cities of Israel vntyll the sonne of man be come The disciple is not aboue his teacher nor the seruaunt aboue his maister It is ynough for the disciple to be as his teacher and the seruaunt to be as his mayster If they haue called the good man of the house Belzebub how muche more his householde seruauntes Feare them not therfore For there is nothing kept close that shall not be opened and nothyng hid that shal not be knowen What I tell you in darkenes that speake ye in light And what ye heare in the eare that preache ye on the house toppes There is no peryll vnles a stomacke meete and worthy for the ghospell fayle you But lyke as ye ought not to prouoke the crueltie of yll menne nor to stirre vp persecucion nor resist it with might and power so whilest the preachyng of the gospell is but newe and young I graunt you libertie to auoyde daunger and peryll by flying and running awaye not onelye that ye maye be in safetie youre selfe but also that by this occasion the fame of the ghospell maye be spred the further abrode Therfore yf they persecute you in one citie geue place to their madnes and flee into another so that in no wise at a litle iniurie of persecucion ye cease from your labour in the ghospell This onely is to be doen now that the fame of the ghospell maye be spred throughout all Palestine And in this the persecutor shall do you good because he shall not suffre you to tarry long in one place The tyme shall come whan ye shall not auoyde persecucion with flight Nowe the tyme is shorte and haste muste be made For the kyndome of god is at hande This I assure you before that ye haue goen ouer all the cities of Iewry the sonne of man will shewe himselfe and will helpe you beyng in daunger An exaumple shal be shewed you in hym how great aduersities the preachers of the ghospell muste suffre The whiche all ought to seme vnto you the more tollerable for this that ye se that I haue suffred al maner of reprofes and affliccions The scholer is not better than his maister nor the seruaunt better than his lorde This suffiseth to the scholer yf he bee equall with his mayster This ought to suffice the seruaunte yf he be equall with his lorde If they haue so vnworthely checked me the father of the house insomuche that in moste vile reproche they called me Belzebub and named the sonne of God by the name of an vncleane deuill what meruaile is it if they be bolde vpon the seruauntes of the house I knowe that infamy semeth a great ill and almoste more greuous than death but it is a prayse and no infamye whiche cummeth of wicked men for the gospell sake They will saye that ye be witches yll doers and sedicious but this ignominy and shame afterwarde shal be turned into glory Your sinceritie and innocencie at length shall appere vnto the worlde whiche sinceritie all men shall prayse cursing them whiche haue dishonested you with false reporte Prayse long suppressed breaketh out commonly with greater light There is nothyng couered but time will vncouer it and nothing is hid but it once will come to light Endeuoure this onely that ye do thynges worthy prayse and not seke after prayse There is nothing therfore why ye
should be troubled with feare of infamy and not frely preache the gospel of the kyngdome It hath no dishonest thyng nor nothyng to be kept close Yea yf ye heare any thyng of me in darkenes preache ye it in the cleare light And if I haue tolde any thing secretely preache it openly Our doctrine is without any colouring It desireth to come furth before all men and it is afrayde to be knowen of no man ¶ And feare ye not them that kyll the bodye but are not able to kyll the soule But feare rather hym whiche is able to destroye both soule and body in hell Are not two litle sparowes solde for a minute one of them shall not fall to the grounde without youre father Yeâ— and all the heares of your head be nuÌ„bred Feare ye not therfore ye be of more value than many sparowes Euery one therfore that shal confesse me before men â–ª him will I confesse aâ—so before my father which is in heauen But whosoeuer deuiâ—â—â— me before men him wil I also deny before my father whiche is in heauen But there shall be some perchaunce whiche will lytle passe vpon infamye and other ylles but who can despise and set lytle by death It were mete you should feare them yf they could kyll the whole man but ye that knowe that the body is the vilest parte of man and that the soule which is the chiefe parte of man cannot be hurte of them be they neuer so sauage and cruell Ye I say nede not to feare them They should hurte you more yf they dyd not sley you folowyng theyr myndes than yf they kill you not regardyng them I wyll shewe you who is more to be feared Feare him who like as he made the whole man so he is able to condemne him to euerlastyng death and to deliuer hym into hell fyre Yet the body whiche the tiranne doeth kyll for a tyme doth not vtterly peryshe For the selfe fame at the resurreccion shall be restored in far better wise Hitherto therfore onely the body is in daunger yf in case ye be killed constantly obeying my commaundementes But yf ye obey theyr commaundementes and leaue the busâ—â—â—s of the ghospell nowe not onely the body doth peryshe whiche yf no man kill it yet by the common lawe of nature it must nedes dye but also the soule shall be deliuered to euerlastyng fier And what matter is it whether the persecutor or disease or any other chaunce take awaye the lyfe Truely more gloryous it is to die for the ghospell sake whiche death though it be violent and sore yet it shall not come before the daye whansoeuer it cummeth it shall not come without the prouideÌ„ce of God And by this it cummeth to passe that yf ye endeuour to auoyde it ye cannot God will not suffer you to be slayne but when it shall be very expedient for you to die Wherfore put out of your myndes all this feare God also will prouide for this to whome it were not hard to geue you immortalitie but that it is a greater thyng to despise death than to escape it What is of lesse value than sparrowes of the whiche two be bought for a farthing a very litle coyne And the numbre of sparrowes is great in euery place and yet not so much as one of them is loste in the yearth but by the wyll and sufferaunce of your father Doe ye feare than leste he will suffre you whom emong all he hath chosen to this busines to perishe before your tyme whom he doeth not neglecte insomuche that he kepeth the numbre of all the heares of your head Seyng that ye be of more estimacion to the father than innumerable sparrowes there is no cause why ye should feare leste men be able to do any thyng against you otherwise than shall be thought to hym who hath continuall care ouer you Wherfore leaue the care of your lyfe and death vnto hym and be not ye driuen from the open profession of my name be it neuer so hated of the worlde by any feare of displeasures that men can doe vnto men For whosoeuer litle regarding the rebukes of men doe professe me in this lyfe to bee his Lorde and maister hym wyll I acknowlege to bee my seruaunt and disciple before my heauenly father Contrarywyse whosoeuer wyll be ashamed of me before men and deny me hym will I deny before my father whiche is in heauen And this is no daynteouse and delicate profession for he doeth not professe me vnles he doeth declare by his lyfe that he doth beleue my sayinges And he hath denied me whiche so lyueth that he setteth by any sayng more than by me What winning therfore can it bee yf a maune lese that noble and euerlastyng prayse with the father and his angels for feare of a false slaunder hece which neither lasteth long nor is no slaunder in dede but with ignoraunt and folyshe menne and before God very true glory It is a great gayne lytle to passe vpon these thynges and to make haste to the euerlastyng rewarde whiche shal be geuen in due tyme to them that haue deserued it in the meane season a good conscience is a great piece of the rewarde Thynke not that I am come to sende peace into the yearth I came not to sende peace but a swearde for I am come to set a man at variauÌ„ce with his father and the doughter with her mother the doughter in lawe with the mother in lawe And a mans â—â—es shall be they that art of his householdâ— He that loueth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loueth sonne or doughter more than me is not worthy of me And he that taketh not his crosse and foloweth me is not worthy of me He that findeth his lyfe shall loose it and he that looseth his lyfe for my sake shall fynde it The profession of the ghospell is no weriche nor lyght thyng Truely the rewardes be great but ye must come vnto them with vehement and continuall desyres of the mynde they chaunce not vnto yll menne and lingerers they must be obteyned by strength and violence Thinke ye that I am cumme to so we peace in the yearth emong men It is farre otherwyse Nay I am not come to sowe peace and concorde but swearde and warâ—e and that inwarde and domesticall warre and not ciuile warre onely For where as the doctryne of the ghospell shall be hated of the moste parte and sith it requireth so feruente a desyre towarde it that all the affeccions of men be they neuer so great and vnruly must geue place it cannot be but great stryfe and dissencion must aryse emong theÌ„ that be most nere frendely whyles they that doâ—e vpon the worlde wyll rage rather agaynst theyr derest beloued than forsake theyr vices whereunto they be accustomed and whoso is once touched with the great feruencye of the euangelicall charitie he wyll not suffre hymselfe by no maner
his disciples to thys storme which was at hand shewing them that he must first goe to Ierusalem and that he shoulde haue many griefes and displeasures of the Scrybes and Phariseis and also of the chiefe priestes and finally that he shoulde be killed but on the thyrde day ryse agayne Whan the disciples being yet carnal vnderstoode not fully this communicacion because they iudged these thynges vnmete and vnworthy for him who thorough so many myracles declared hymselfe to be the sonne of God yet they durst not demaunde of their maister what it ment to dye and ryse agayne Therefore Peter who for the special loue that he had to his mayster was bolder then the other taketh hym asyde from the other of the Apostles as though he woulde tell hym a thyng more familiarly and chyding hym and abhorring the speaking of death and afliccions sayd Lorde be good to your selfe These thinges shall not happen vnto you For it is in you that they come not to passe For although Peter pronounced hym to be the sonne of God alyue rather by the instigacion of the father then by hys owne reason or wit yet he was farre from the vnderstandyng of that mistery that Iesus by hys death shoulde redeme mankynde and by his resurreccyon declare vnto the worlde the might of his diuine power Therfore Iesus to refourme this affeccion in his disciples turned vnto them behelde theÌ„ whome he knewe to haue like mynde and affeccyon albeit onely Peter durste blame the Lord and said vnto Peter Come behind me Sathan Be not against the will of my father it is thy parte to folowe me not to goe beefore Nowe thou dooeste withstande and endeuour to leat that thyng whiche bothe my father willeth to be doen and also it behoueth me to doe for the health and saluacion of mankinde Thou desireste to bee a felowe of the kyngdome and thou arte againste me making spede vnto the crosse of myne owne accorde to thentente I may winne and get thys kyngdome to my father what way ye see me goe the same ye must goe also to the kyngdome of heauen But thou sauereste not yet the thynges whiche be of God but led by mannes affeccyons â–ª repyneste agaynst the will of God Resiste not therefore thou vnprofitable counsaylour but folow after me becum rather a scholler then a maister ¶ Than sayde Iesus vnto hys disciples yf any man will folowe me let hym forsake hymselfe take vp his crosse folowe me For whoso wil saue his life shal loose it Againe whoso loseth his life for my sake shall finde it For what doeth it profit a man if he win al the whole world loose his owne soule For what shal a man geue to redeme his soule agayne withal For the soÌ„ne of man shal come in the glory of his father with his angels and then shal he rewarde euery man according to his dedes Uerely I say vnto you there bee some standyng here whiche shall not taste of deathe tyll they see the sonne of manne come in hys kingdome When that with these sayinges Iesus had cut the combe of Peter for his importune frowardnes turning to all his disciples began to declare at large what it was that he sayde to Peter come behinde me Whosoeuer ê™ he will bee my disciple and partaker of the kyngdome of heauen let hym folowe my steppes And lyke as he seeth me despysyng all the goodes of thys worlde to bestowe my lyfe also willingly for the saluacyon of menne and glory of my father so muste he also refuse and caste of all humayne affeccions ready to all kindes of death for the gospels sake and take his crosse and folow me which am goyng to the crosse So to suffer is a blessed thyng so to bee rebuked is a gloryouse thyng so to be killed is a winnyng of lyfe I know there is nothing more dere then life but so euery man must lose hys lyfe if he will saue it and except he lose it he shall lose it in dede He loseth it for aduauntage that loseth it for the gospels sake He loseth it in dede whiche forsaking the ghospell prouideth for thys temporal lyfe and loseth the life euerlasting There is no man so foolish that woulde winne this whole worlde with the losse of this corporal and shorte lyfe To what purpose serue rychesse yf the owner perishe So it is a mad mannes parte to make so muche of hys affeccions of rychesse or els of his body whiche within shorte time shoulde perishe yea though no man kil it that for mennes pleasure he will lese the lyfe euerlasting whiche whoso hath not hath all the other in vayne Therefore nothing ought to be so deare vnto any man the gain whereof he woulde chaunge with the losse of his soule For the losse of other thinges may some wayes be recompeÌ„ced the losse of the soule cannot be recouered He that loseth his life for my sake dooeth not lose it but commytteth it to me for auauntage and shall receyue it agayne with lucre whan the Maiestie of the kingdome of God shall appeare Nor ye ought not to be dyscouraged in youre mynde because I haue shewed you that ye must suffer muche aduersitie for the ghospel They shall haue an ende shortely and euerlasting glory shall folow the temporal ignomyny and rebuke For the sonne of man whome ye shall see oppressed and troden downe of all men and counted for a wurme shall come once in an other lykenes and shall shewe vnto all men the Maiestie and glory of hys father beeyng garded and accompanied with his aungels Than he that was iudged here and condemned with a shameful deathe shall bee the iudge of all menne bothe quicke and dead and shall yelde a rewarde vnto euery man accordyng to hys dedes Than shall they bee appoynted to euerlastyng deathe whiche here regarded more their lyfe thaÌ„ me and they shal be rewarded with immortal life which for my sake despised the life of the body for a time Now is the tyme of strife and trauayle hereafter shal be the time of rewardes And truly this felicitie shall than be made absolute and perfecte when it shall bee seene good vnto the father For it belongeth not vnto you to knowe the tyme. And yet in the mean seasoÌ„ there shal be geuen to you a certain taste of this glory For be ye assured of this there be sum here staÌ„dyng whiche shall not taste of death before that they see the sonne of man shewyng the maiestie of his kingdome as it may be seene with bodily iyes Surely before death they shal see the kingdome of God shewe furth his power and now by litle and litle vanquyshe and ouercum the whole power of this worlde ¶ The .xvii. Chapter ¶ And after sixe dayes Iesus taketh Peter and Iames and Iohn his brother and bryngeth them vp into a high mountain out of the way and he was transfigured before them â–ª his face did shine as the
the ground sumtime he is dryuen into the fier sumtime into the water he fometh he gnasheth with his teeth coÌ„sumeth awaye And because I could not haue you I desired your disciples to cast out the deuil they could not But Iesus to heale the vnbelefe of all men crieth out in maner angerly O nacion vnbeleuing and without faythe how long shall I be among you in vayne howe long shall I suffre your vntractable and froward maners I haue doen so many miracles and profitte nothyng and therwith coÌ„maunded the chylde to be brought because the miracle might be the more euident and â—otable to all men Which when he was brought and seen of Iesê° furthwith euen there before theÌ„ al the spirite toke hym and the chylde was hurled vpon the ground and tumbled and fomed a miserable sight to see ThaÌ„ Iesê° the more to declare the greatnes of the disease asked the father how long it was sith the chyld began to be vexed with this disease The father made aunswer and sayed from his infancy and not without daunger of his life For oftentimes he droue him into the fier sumtyme into the water to destroy him I know that it is a soore disease yet yf thou caÌ„st do any thing haue mercy vpoÌ„ vs help vs. Iesê° hearyng yf thou canst sumwhat reprouyng the weakenes of his faith as who saieth any disease wer of greater might than the power of God sayth vnto him Aske not what I am able to do but loke what thou art able to beleue For if thou trust fully nothing is so hard but it may cum to passe to him that doth beleue trust At this word the father conceiuyng a trust and a more sure hope with plentifull teares criyng out made aunswer Lord I beleue and if any thing waÌ„t in my trust and belefe supply thou it of thy goodnes and help my vnbelefe In the meane time when Iesus espied the multitude of people runnyng to gase desyrous to see whether the thyng that came not to passe to the discyples should cum to passe to Iesus he threatened the vncleane spirit saiyng thou deaf and dumme spirit I commaund the go out from him and teturne not a gain vnto him hereafter But the spirite went froÌ„ the chylde with howlyng yet first he tore him and vexed him so vehemently that he lay for dead and many warranted that he was dead So strong and tough was the violence of the disease But Iesus taking the child by the hand lifted hym vp he arose Like as the father did hardly beleue so his soÌ„ne was hardly heled ¶ Than came the disciples a part to Iesus and said why could not we cast hym out Iesus said vnto them because of your vnbelefe For verily I say vnto you yf ye haue fayth as a grain of musterde seede ye shall say vnto this mountayne Remoue from hence to yonder place and it shall remoue and nothing shal be vnpossible vnto you Albeit this kynde goeth not oute but by prayer and fastyng In the meane season the disciples wer heauy in their mindes fearing leste thorough their default they had lost the power of doyng miracles wheras before they had gloryed that deuilles also were obedient vnto their worde before the multitude they kepe sylence for shame But whan Iesus was cuÌ„ into the house they goe vnto their maister and demaund of hym why could not we cast out this deuill sith this power was once deliuered vnto vs froÌ„ thee Iesus to confyrme the faythe and trust of his disciples which oughte to be so great that sumtyme it myghte helpe the distruste of others sayeth The weakenesse of your fayth partely was the cause For the violeÌ„ce of the disease was vehement and the fathers fayth weake and waueryng your faythe was not so mightie that it was equall and hable against both these difficulties For it is sumwhat werish with mannes affeccions and faultye by the reason of the leauen of vaynglorye And ye had faythe lyke the seede of mustarde which beyng vile and litle yet when it is broosed it sheweth a sharpe quicknes of her nature and sowed in the grounde springeth vp into a large tree nothing should be so harde but with a word it should be brought to passe out of hande Yea if ye should say to the hil remoue from hence and goe into an other place it would doe it forthwith as it was commaunded But this kynde of deuylles wherewith the chylde was possessed is not cast out vnlesse fayth be confirmed and strengthned by prayer and fastyng The violence of the disease was strong and tough and by continuaunce of time it was tourned into nature Agaynste suche maner of faultes we must fyght with fastynges which do subdue the body being brought lowe vnto the spirite and also with praier whiche obteyneth the help of god By this coÌ„municacion Iesus taught that greuous vehement and muche accustomed dyseases of the mind must be driuen away with strong vehemente remedies And whan they were in Galile Iesus sayd vnto them It will cum to passe that the soÌ„ne of man shal be deliuered into the handes of men and they shall kyll hym and the third daye he shall rise againe And they were exceadyng sory But now Iesus whan he was in Galile to the entent he might fortify make strong the mindes of his disciples lest they should be ouer much troubled with his death again he doth iterate beate it into theÌ„ that the sonne of man must be delyuered into the handes of men and killed of them that the thyrde day he should rise agayn from death This saiyng did grieue the mindes of the disciples aboue measure which so loued their lord albeit theyr affeccion and loue was yet carnal that their eares could not suffre any mencion of death For they coulde not vnderstande that Moses and Helyas called the death of Iesus a glory renoume and that that death should bryng health and saluacion to the whole worlde And although like as they were heuy and fadde at the mencion of death so they ought to haue bene chereful glad at the mencion of the resurreccion yet their mynd abhorred so muche from the remembraunce of deathe that surelye they vnderstode not what it ment to dye and the thyrde day to rise agayn For they thought it better vtterly not to dye seeyng that he was hable to doe that whiche was hable to reuiue again from death And whan they were cum to the citie of Capernaum â–ª they that vse to receiue tribute money called a didraÌ„me came to Peter and said Doth your maister pay a didraÌ„me He saith yea And whan he was cum into the house Iesus preuented him saying What thinkest thou SimoÌ„ Of whom doeth the kynges of the earth take tribute or toll of their children or of straungers Peter sayeth vnto him of straungers Iesus sayd vnto hym than the chyldren be free Notwithstanding leste we shoulde offende them goe
people that went before and they that came after cryed saying Osanna to the sonne of Dauid Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lorde Osanâ—a in the highest The disciples departed they found true whatsoeuer Iesus had tolde them before By and by at the mencion of the lord the beastes wer let looce where as neyther the Lorde was there presente nor the disciples made any countenaunce of any autoritie that they had In dede the owners of the beastes knewe no suche thing but yet in theyr hertes they perceyued that he whiche was lorde ouer all commaunded this The disciples because the Lord should sit the more at ease cast on theyr clokes and so set him vpon the coltes backe whiche colte did beare the figure of the Heathen nacion beyng vncleane and filthy folowyng all yll desyres whiche whan it was once couered with vertues apostolicall and Iesus receiued vpon her backe ceassed any longer to bee vncleane ceassed to folow her old vices beyng made the bearer of him who purgeth and sanctifieth all thinges This she asse is the dame of the fole because healthe and redempcion cummeth oute of the Iewes but the same asse was fast tyed to the lettâ—e of the lawe Bare she was of euangelicall vertues but at the lordes biddyng they are both vntied and couered with the Apostles clothes The Apostles as yet vnderstoode not these thynges but yet this it was whiche was signified thereâ—â— and shoulde more playnely be vnderstanded afterwarde When Iesus was now come to the foote of the hill a great multitude of men came out of Ierusalem to mete hym Yea and the multitude had suche a fauour vnto him that the moost parte of them strawed the waye with theyr garmentes some cut downe boughes from the trees and strawed them in the waye Ferther the company that went before and also that folowed declaryng themselues to bee glad of his cumming sang vnto hym this saying out of the prophecie of the psalme Osanna to the sonne of Dauid blessed be he that cummeth in the name of the lorde Osanna on high Others cryed blessed be the kyngdome of our father Dauid the whiche is come Others cryed Blessed be the kyng of Israell whiche is come and they praysed God for the myracles whiche they sawe done by Iesus This honoure the Lorde Iesus who hadde euer to fore liued humble and lowe suffred to be geuen vnto hym whereby he declared that he shoulde not bee without the glorye of this worlde in case he were mynded to haue it but that he had rather to despise it than to embrace it to the ende it might bee so muche the more shame that it shoulde be sought for of suche as professe themselues to be his disciples where as he despysed it which onelye deserued it Yet this honor was mere and semely for the cummynge of hym who by his death shoulde redeme the whole worlde And whan he was cum to Hierusalem all the citie was moued saying Who is this â–ª And the people sayd This is Iesus that prophete of Nazareth in Galile And Iesus went into the temple and cast out all them that solde and bought in the temple and ouerthâ—ewe the tables of the money chaungers and the seares of them that solde doues and sayd vnto them It is wrytten My house shall be called the house of prayer but ye haue made it a den of theues And the blynde and lame came vnto hym into the temple and he healed them Therfore when Iesus entred into Hierusalem with this straunge and vnwoonte pompe the whole citie was moued with this vncouthe syght saying What man is this The multitude whiche folowed him aunswered This is Iesus the Prophete of Nazareth the citie in Galile This they thought a goodly prayse although that it was farre vnder his maiestie For the people as yet coulde suppose nothyng of hym aboue man And Christe dyd purposely so ordre his lyfe that he vttered not openly his godlye nature whiche he shoulde haue persuaded in vayne yf they had seene hym afterwarde suffer deathe Therefore with this rufflyng Iesus entered into the temple and there furthwith began to vse a certayne kyngdome When he sawe in the temple a fashion of a market sum selling sum biyng and the changers of money sitting Iesus moued with the vngoodlines of the thing accordynge to the sayinge of the Prophete The zeale of thy house hath eaten me he made a whip of litle coardes and droue all the byers and sellers with theyr marchandise out of the temple he cast downe the tables of the money changers and scatered theyr money vpon the grounde he cast downe the seates of the doue sellers alleging furth of Esay a iust cause of his griefe who sayeth in the person of God My house shall be called the house of prayer but ye haue made it a den of theues By this act Iesus mente an other thynge For that the temple was polluted with marchandyse of bullockes shepe goates and doues did not so greatly moue hym but it was hys mynde to shewe that auaryce and lucre would be a deadly poyson vnto his church in time to cum whiche was figured by that temple whose religion should shortlye after be abolished For at suche tyme is the temple which is consecrate to offer vp to God spirituall sacrifice turned into a denne of theues whan vnder the pretense of religion and priesthode the people is robbed For nothing can be sincere and holy where the loue of money doethe reigne And this mischiefe is than a thynge vntollerable when it is vsed vnder the roofe of the temple when rauine is couered with the shadowe of religion There was no sorte of men agaynste whom Iesus at any time shewed any more rigour then he dyd towardes these and yet hath he reserued the same vnto himselfe to be cast out when himselfe shall thinke best Then vnto Iesus being in the temple there came the blynde and lame whome the lawe barred from entryng into the temple But the temple of Iesus receyueth all whiche make spede vnto healthe For the blynde came that hauinge theyr sight they might see Iesus whome they hearde so spoken of The lame came that folowing his steppes they mighte come into the kyngdome of heauen As manye therfore as came to hym he healed them ¶ Whan the thiefe priestes and Scribes sawe the wonders that he did and the children crying in the temple â–ª and saying Hosanna to the sonne of Dauid â–ª they disâ—ayned and sayed vnto him hearest thou what these saye But Iesus sayeth vnto them Why not Haue ye neuer red Out of the mouth of infantes and sucklinges thou haste ordeyned prayse And he lefte them and went out of the citie vnto Bethallia and abode there The chiefe Priestes and the Scribes thorough those thinges wherby they ought at last to repente were the more kyndled with burning in enuye when they sawe the people reioysing so louingly on euery syde and sawe the greate power in
whomsoeuer it falleth he shal be all to brused After these thinges Iesus shewed that through their frowardenes he beeyng condemned and reiected should dye a spitefull deathe but by his resurreccion through the power of the father he should be made notable thoroughout all the worlde and shoulde be so sounde and strong that whoso stumbled against him should be his owne destruccion And that in declaryng of this he might lesse offend them he bryngethe a prophecie out of the psalme Neuer 〈◊〉 ye in the scriptures ê™ he the stone whiche the builders dyd refuse and caste away the same is made the head of the corner This is doen of the lorde it is wonderfull in our iyes signifying that they builded the Synagoge but castiÌ„g out Christe without whom no building was sure but yet the stone reiected of theÌ„ should be in great estimacion price in the church of the Gentiles And therfore Iesus dyd adde therfore I say vnto you the kingdoÌ„ of god shall be taken froÌ„ you which ye despise being offered vnto you and it shal be geuen to other people which shal bring furth fruites meete for the gospel And as this stone shal bring health to them that obey the ghospell so it shall bryng destruccion vnto them that be disobediente throughe vnbelefe For whoso stumbleth at thys stone shal be broken Agayne vpoÌ„ whoÌ„ this stone falleth he shal be brused ¶ And whan the chiefe priestes and Phariseis had heard hys parables they perceyued that he spake of them And they went about to laye handes on hym but they feared the people because they toke hym as a Prophete And Iesus aunswered and spake vnto them again by parables and sayd At lengthe of the conclusion of thys communicacion fyrste the chiefe priestes and Scribes vnderstode that he spake the former parables also againste theÌ„ in the whyche they beyng deceyued gaue sentence agaynst themselues And therfore theyr madnes was so set a fyer that they woulde furth with haue layed handes vpon him But they feared the people because Iesus was made muche of of many and taken for a Prophete ¶ The .xxii. Chapter ¶ The kingdome of heauen is lyke vnto a man that was a kyng whiche made a mariage for his sonne and sent furth his seruauntes to call theym that were byddeÌ„ to the weddyng and they woulde not cum Agayne he sent furth other seruauÌ„tes saying Tell theÌ„ whiche are bidden Beholde I haue prepared my dinner myne oxen and my fattewares are kylled and all thynges are ready cum vnto the mariage But they made lyght of it and went theyr wayes one to his farme place another to his marchandise and the residue toke his seruauÌ„tes and intreated them shamefully And whan the kyng hearde therof he was angry and sent furth his men of warre and destroyed these murderers and brent vp theyr citie AGayne Iesus added an other parable to print the more surely in the mindes of the Iewes that it came to passe by theyr owne obstinate malice that they were reiected froÌ„ saluacion of the gospel and that the Gentiles shal take enioye that that they made them selues vnworthy of There is none excluded froÌ„ the kiÌ„gdom of God but this honoure was geueÌ„ to the nacioÌ„ of Iewes that they were called fyrste of all gently called not vnto sower or vyle thynges but vnto a maryage that is to honour delicates libertie of the gospel And they wer not inuited onely by the prophete Iohn by Christ himselfe but also after his death they shoulde be called by the Apostles and the preachers of the ghospell shoulde not go to the gentyles before that for theyr diligence and well doyng they had bene arayed long of the Iewes with many mockes punishmentes that they can ascribe it to no man that afterward they shal be punished with so many miseries whiche despised Goddes goodnes so often offered vnto theÌ„ This is the similitude The kingdome of heauen ê™ he is through you made like to a certayne kyng who makyng a bridale to his sonne sent out his seruaunte to inuâ—â—e and call many to his sonnes mariage But they once called would not cumme Then the kyng sent mo seruauntes to bid them more diligently to make haste vnto the weddyng now in a redines and to say to them in his name Beholde the diner is ready my oxen and my pultrie be killed and al other thinges be in a readines Now nothyng lacketh but cumming of the geastes that the preparacion be not made in vaine But they againe neglected the bidder And whan the bidders called vpon them euery man made his excuse one sayd he muste gose e his manour or farme place that he had lately bought another sayde he must go loke vpon his oxen which he had bought Another saied he had late maryed a wyfe from whome he could not departe And these men were onlye madde to themselues whiche preferred certayne vile and fylthy cares of frail thinges before a feast of suche felicitie But other ioyned cruelnes vnto theyr vnkindnes For the kinges seruauntes whiche dyd once or twyse inuite them vnto so great honour they handeled and vsed very sore with many rebukes and at length killed them also The whiche doyng when the kinge heard of he toke it very greuously and turnyng his gentilnes whiche they had so despised into a rage and sendyng furth men of his garde destroyed these murderers and not content with that set theyr citie a fyer also These thinges spake Iesus prophecying vnto them couertly the destruccion of the citie of Ierusalem and by and by he geueth intelligence that the gentiles shall be called on euery syde vnto the gospell as those wiche wer better than the Iewes ¶ Than sayed he to his seruauntes The mariage is prepared but they that were inuited were not worthy Go ye therfore to the hygh wayes as many as ye fynde cal to the mariage ThaÌ„ his seruauntes wente out into the high wayes and brought together as manye as they coulde fynde both good and badde and the weddyng was furnished with geastes The king came in to see the geastes and whan he spyed a maÌ„ there which had not on a wedding garmente he sayeth vnto him FreÌ„de how camest thou in hither nor hauing a weddyng garmente But he helde his peace Than said the kyng to the ministers Binde hym handes feete and caste him into the vtter darkenes there shal be wepyng and gnashing of teethe For many are called but few are chosen Than he sayed vnto his seruauntes the bridale is redy but because they that were called declared theÌ„selues for to be vnworthy for this feaste whiche not withstandyng I prepared chiefly for them runne abrode euery where in stretes and crosse wayes and call to the bridale indifferently whomsoeuer ye fynd worthy vnworthy febie maymed blind and lame till my house be full The seruauntes went foorth and broughte together a multitude of all sortes gathered together from all places and the feaste
him Furthermore for his wonderfull wisedome whom mannes craftines wente about to deceiue in bayne They maruailed truely but they were not chaunged And forsaking him they left of to prouoke him syth thei could not ouercome him but they did not leaue of to hate hym whom they ought to loue The same daye came vnto hym the Sadduceis whiche saye that there is no resurreccion and asked hym saying Maister Moyses sayed yf a man dye not hauyng a chylde that his brother should marry his wyfe and rayse vp seede to his brother There were with vs seuen brethren and the first maried a wyfe and dyed without issue and lefte his wyfe to his brother likewise the seconde the thirde vnto the seuenth Laste of all dyed the woman also Therfore in the resurreccion whose wyfe shall she be of the seuen For they all had her Iesus aunswered and sayed vnto them ye do erre not knowyng the Scripture nor the power of God For in the resurreccioÌ„ they neyther marry nor be marryed but are as the aungels in heauen Therfore whan the Phariseis and the Herodians were departed the Sadduceis came vnto him That faccion emong the Iewes is more grosse and lesse learned disagreing from the Phariseis in this that they denye the resurreccion In somuche that they beleue not the Aungels to bee nor the soules to bee after they bee separate from the body thynkyng nothing to bee but that whiche they see They whan they heard Christe make often mencion of euerlasting life and of the world to come and of the resurreccioÌ„ of the iust they come vnto him to trye whether he agreed with the Phariseis or taught contrary to them that they might reproue him if he were against them orels laugh him to skorne if he agreed with the Phariseis Therfore they do obiect vnto him this hard question Maister ê™ they Moyses made this lawe If a man hauing maried a wyfe departe without chyldren that the brother of the dead should marry the widowe lefte of his brother and couplyng wyth her should rayse vp issue to his brother departed There were emong vs seuen brethren of whom the firste married a wyfe and departed without children The nexte brother married her who also died without issue Lykewyse it chaunced to the thirde the fowerth vnto the seuenth all dyed without issue At laste the wyfe dyed also whiche was married to seuen brethren Therfore in the resurreccion whiche of all them shall haue her to his wife â–ª For she caÌ„not be a common wyfe for them all and all married her indifferently To this question because it was more of ignorauÌ„ce than of malyce Iesus did vouchsafe to make aunswere For he that erreth by ignoraunce is woorthy to be taught But they that propose questioÌ„s of mere malice be not woorthy to be aunswered Ye erre ê™ he whiche rede the sciptures but ye vnderstande them not and imagining nothing aboue bodily thinges which ye see ye knowe not the power of god who is more wonderfull in thinges which be not seen Here where men by courses be borne to dye wedlocke is vsed for propagacion and bryngyng furth of mankynde But where nowe mortalitie shal be swalowed vp and consumed and men shal be spirituall whiche thyng shall come to passe in the resurreccion the whiche shall restore vs agayne beyng thesame in dede that we were but yet chaunged after another sorte there shall no man marry nor no woman shal be married For there shall nede no generacion where no death shall be Further they that pertayne to the resurreccion of the iust lyue without matrimony lyke the aungels of God in heauen recording now here and mynding to theyr power that they shall come to in the resurreccion For they had rather get soules to God than bodyes to the worlde ¶ But as touching the resurreccion of the dead haue ye not red that which was spoken to you of God who saith I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob God is not the God of dead but of liuyng And whan the people heard this they were astonied at his doctryne After this Iesus notyng secretely this so folishe a question to spring of a false perswasion for that they beleued not the resurreccion disdayned not to wede this opinion also out of theyr myndes teachyng them also that this is taken out of the bokes of Moyses by whose authoritie they apposed Iesus Why haue ye an yll opinion of the resurreccion of the dead as though Moyses taught it not openly whose wrytinges ye reade grossely and nothing diligently Haue ye not red in his bokes what god sayth I am the god of Abraham and the god of Isaac and the god of Iacob If they had peryshed wholy by the deathe of the bodyes he would not saye that he is theyr god but that he was their god But yf he be theyr god truly theyr soules doe lyue and they wholy do lyue in maner by the hope of resurreccion that shall be God is lyfe and he is not God of the dead whiche nowe be not but of the liuyng So he taught them resurreccion to be but not to be after suche sorte as they imagined it to bee whan they proposed a folyshe question of seuen brethren The people when they sawe euery mannes mouthe stopped with wyse aunswers they merueiled at his effectuall and redy doctryne ¶ But whan the Phariseis had heard that he had stopped the mouth of the Sadduceis they came together and one of them being Doctor of lawe asked him a questioÌ„ temptyng him and saying Maister whiche is the great commaundement in the lawe Iesus saied vnto him Thou shalt loue the lorde thy God with al thy harte and with al thy soule and with all thy mynde This is the first and great commaundemente And the second is lyke vnto it Thou shalt loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe In these two commaundementes hang all the lawe and the Prophetes The Phariseis were not displeased that the Sadduceis were put to sylence chiefly in a matter wherin they were cleane coÌ„trary one against another Therfore whan the Phariseis sawe them put to sylence and rebuked also for ignorauÌ„ce of scripture they taking harte of grace againe gather together and set forwarde a certayne doctour of lawe whiche should goe vnto Iesus with a clerkly question that eyther he myght reproue hym of ignoraunce orels he hymselfe beare awaye the prayse of learnyng Maister ê™ he whiche is the chiefe commaundemente in the lawe Iesus purposyng to shewe that they which crake of the profession of the lawe be furthest from keping of the greatest commaundement in the lawe which wholy flame with enuy and hatred of theyr neyghboure and with other vices whiche haue none affinitie with Christian charitie and that no man loueth God whiche is vniust to his neyghbour aunswered Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy harte and with all thy soule and all thy mynde This is the chiefe and
not visite me Than shall they aunswere the iudge with as manye wordes as the iuste menne answered Lorde whan sawe we thee hungrye or thyrsty or wanderyng or naked or sicke or in prison and serued the not Than the kyng shall aunswere them also Whatsoeuer of these dutyes is denyed to any one of these litle ones litle regarded of the worlde and yet my brethren I counte it denyed vnto me I was nedy in them I woulde haue been refresshed in them This sentence once geuen from the whiche there shall be none appeale they that be on the left hande shall gee into euerlastyng fyer and the iust men into euerlastyng lyfe The .xxvi. Chapter And it came to passe whan Iesus had finished all these sayinges he sayed vnto hys disciples ye knowe that after two dayes shall be Paaste daye and the sonne of man shall be deliuered vp to be crucified THan whan Iesus had ended this communication where with so many wayes he established the myndes of his disciples agaynst affliccions now beyng at hande that they should not vtterly be dismayed whan they should shortly after see theyr lorde caryed awaye to a shamefull punishmente at laste he was bolde to open vnto them the daye and the manner of hys deathe The mention whereof â–ª he doth inculcate and beate into this disciples myndes leste whan they should see it they should be so amased at it as a thyng vnwares not loked for that they should be vtterly discouraged chiefly whan thei should perceyue that Iesus came vnto hys deathe willynly whiche he moughâ— haue escaped nor coulde be kylled before the day came whiche he had hymselfe apoynted for his death And that was the Paasse daie which emong the Iewes was kepte wyth great deuocion renewyng the yearely remembraunce of that daye in the whiche in tyme paste amonge the Egypcians the postes beyng sprinkeled with the bloude of the lambe they were deliuered from the kylling aungell and passed ouer safely the red sea In remembraunce of thys thyng they offered yearely a lambe of one yeare withoute spot and of the passyng by of the angel and of the lucky passyng ouer the sea they called it Pâ—asse But this was a figure of Iesus Christe whiche shoulde redeme the whole worlde with hys most holy bloud from the tyrannye of synne who alone was cleane from the spottes of all synne Iesus putryng his disciples in remembraunce of this thyng sayth ye knowe that after two dayes the Paasse shall bee offered and the same daye the sonne of man shal be deliuered to be crucified Than assembled together the chiefe priestes and Scribes and the elders of the people into the palace of the chiefe prieste which was called Cayphas and helde a counsell to take Iesus by deceyte and kyll hym But they sayed not on the holy daye leste there be an vprore among the people Therfore when that holy and chereful daye was nere for the keping of which it was mete for menne to prepare themselues with godlye woorkes the chiefe priestes and seniours of the people wer gathered together whose authoritie yf there hadde bene any rage emong the people oughte furthwith to haue pacified it And they were gathered together in the courte of the chiefe of the priestes whiche was called Caiphas For these chiefly conspired agaynst Iesus because they feared leste yf he shoulde bee preserued they shoulde leese theyr luere and authoritie Therfore it was deâ—red there through wicked counsell that they shoulde laye handes vpon Iesus and kyll hym not openlye and violently but by deceite and guâ—le Therfore when these greate men agreed emong themselues vngraciouslye of the murder they consulted of the tyme. For although they thyrsted sore for the innocent bloud beyng madde with enuye and hatred yet they thoughte beste to differ the deathe to an other tyme because the daye cheeflye holye and festiual emonge the Iewes was at hande For they feated if they shoulde sette vpon hym on that day that the people be wonte to resort together leste any tumulte or busynesse shoulde ryse because there were manye emong the people whiche seing hys miracles and hearyng hys meruaylouse doctrine and markyngâ—he great sobernes and gentilnes of hys manners had a greate opinion of hym They feared the people whyche feared not god nor feared not to defyle the holy daye with murder whyche durst not eate leauen breade Sathan gaue them this counsell desyring to kepe close that sacrifice whiche shoulde bryng health and saluacion to the worlde But it pleased otherwyse to the deuyne counsell For it was not semely that the sacrifice shoulde be priuely caste awaye whiche the father would to be offered not onely for the saluacion of the Iewes but for the saluacion also of the whole worlde Whan Iesus was in Bethanie in the house of Simon the lepet there came to him a woman hauyng an alabasâ—er bore of precious oyntment and powred it vpon hys head as he sate at the bourde But the disciples when they sawe it disdayned at it saiyng what nede this waste For this ointment might haue been wel sold and geuen is the poore WhaÌ„ Iesus knewe thys he sayed What trouble ye the woman For she hathe wâ—oughâ—e a good worke toward me For ye haue alwaies poore folke with you but me ye haue not alwaies and in that she hath â—aâ—e this oyntmente on my body she did it to burye me Uetely I say vnto you Whersoeuer this gospel shall be preached in all the world that also that she hath done shal be tolde for a memoriall of her Therfore whan Iesus was in Bethania nere vnto Hierusalem where he should be crucified and sate at meate in the house of one Simon called Lepet a certayne woman came vnto hym hauyng can alabaster of precious oyntement who broke the alabaster and powred the oyntment vpon hys heade The disciples seeyng a thing of so great price powred and caste oute at once they disdayned and murmured at it For they knewe that Iesus was not wont to vse suche delicacies and that it shoulde haue bene more for his appetite yf the woman had deliuered her alabaster whole that the oyntmente beyng solde the poore men myght be relieued with the value hereof To what purpose is it ê™ they to leese suche a precious thyng For it myghte haue bene solde for muche and the value therof geuen to the poore Thus sayde the disciples not vnderstandyng to what purpose Iesus suffered this to be done For he was not in loue with suche delicacies but he woulde haue his deathe to be adorned with suche honour whiche death he would suffer of no necessitie but of hys owne wyll for the health of the whole worlde For whereas in all hys lyfe he behaued hymselfe most lowlye yet he honoured hys deathe with a certayne magnificence by the which deathe he should ouercum the deuil And therefore once he was caryed into Hierusalem with a greate tryumphe and than as preuentynge the honoure of hys buryall he was embaumed with
a swete oyntmente and whan he was deade he woulde bee buryed in a newe sepulchre grauen in stone and he woulde bee wynded in a cleane shete and he would be buried with the busy care of a noble man The karkases of ryche and honorable men be wont to be embaumed with precious oyntmentes eyther for honour or elles to preserue theyr bodyes from corrupcion And because he shoulde reuiue and ryse agayne before that hys frendes shoulde do hym thys honoure he suffered this pompe of buriall to bee bestowed vpon hym before hys death to the intente he myght imprinte by manye meanes in his disciples myndes the mention of his deathe and by honoure to mitigate the horriblenes therof Therfore when his disciples beyng ignoraunt of these thynges murmured and grutched at the costes and expenses Iesus refrayned them saiyng Why he ye grieued with this woman She hath done a godlye office and a louyng benefite to me whiche shall shortly dye It is not meete that ye should haue enuy at thys my last honoure Poore men of the common sorte ye haue alwayes with you to whom ye maie doe good but ye shall not euer haue me This oyntment is not lost but this woman gessing that I should shortely dye with her offyce and duetye hath preuented my buryall and hath powred vpon me beyng alyue that that is wonte to be powred vpon the dead Therefore depraue not her godlinesse whiche is so acceptable vnto God that whereas the gospell of my deathe shal be preached throughout all the worlde this woman also shall be mencioned whiche with a godly and an holy duety hathe preuented my sepulture Than one of the twelue which was called Iudas Iscarioth went vnto the chiefe priestes and sayed vnto them What will ye geue me and I will deliuer hym vnto you And they appoynted to hym thiety denaries And from that tyme furth he sought oportunitie to betraye hym Where as this communicacion hadde repressed the disdayne of others which erred of a simplicitie not knowyng the misterye yet it pacified not Iudas Iscarioth whiche falsely pretended care for the poore where as â—ucre and gaynâ— were more pleasaunte vnto him For he bare the purse and was wount to steie sumwhat of the thynges which were geuen of the liberall frendes of Iesus to be distributed emoÌ„g the poore hereof by litle and litle he encreased his money Therfore whan he was wholy geuen to the filthy disease of auarice myndyng to recompense that whiche he counted lost in the oyntmente with the pryce of the Lorde he wente vnto the chyefe pryestes and offycers whome he knewe with bent myndes had conspired the deathe of Iesus and that there was nothyng to lette them but that he myght be taken withoute tumulte or busines To bring this to passe there wer done more mete thaÌ„ sum of the number theÌ„ whiche were familiare with the lord and nexte aboute hym who knewe certaynely whyther Iesus was wont to go For he had hys secret places to praie in And there was one found in that chosen and piked humbre of twelue whoÌ„ Christ toke vnto hym to bee the chiefe ouer all whiche loued better wycked gayne than so mylde and so beneficiall a lorde So greate a poyson is auarice if it possesse wholy the mynde of man But Iesus woulde signifye by thys example that there should be meÌ„ which beyng corrupt with the desyre of money woulde betraye the woorde of the gospell and this mischiefe shoulde chieflye cum of them who beyng the chiefe and heades of the religion of the churche semeth to be priuy of the secretes of theyr lord with whom they be so familiar that with wrong interpretacion they betray his doctrine to the wicked prophane rulers whiche seke for nothyng elles but the destruccion of the truethe of the gospell Iudas therfore goyng vnto the officers sayd what reward wil ye geue me if I delyuer you hym into your handes And thei bargayne wyth hym for thyrty denaryes With so litle wages could he be â—yered to so beastely and cruell a dede so lyghtly and vilelye was that precious bloude estemed whiche was sufficient to redeme whole mankynde Therefore Iudas gredye and gapyng for the money that was promysed hym by and by from that time forwarde sought for occasion to betraye Iesus But the fyrst day of the vnleaueued bread the disciples came to Iesus saiyng vnto hym where wile thou that we prepare for the to eate the Paasse And he sayde Go into the citie to suche a man and saye vnto hym The mayster sayeth my tyme is at hande with the doe I kepe my Easter with my disciples And the disciples dyd as Iesus had appoynted them and made ready the Paasse Therfore whan the first daye of seuen was at hand in the whiche the Iewes were accustomed to abstayne from leauen breade after the eatyng of the pasâ—hall lambe the disciples go vnto Iesus saying Lord where wyll ye that we shall prepare you a place to feaste and kepe youre Paasse so greate was the scartenes that neyther he nor his disciples had any house of theyr own to go to But Iesus to shewe that this whole matter was mistical and not doen by chaunce or necessitie but that all thynges were done by the prescience and couÌ„sell of God he answered them God into the citie and anon as ye entre in there shall meete you a certayne manne bearyng a potte of water folowe hym and wheresoeuer he goeth in ye shall go in and saye to the houesholder the maister sayeth My tyme is at hande at thy house I kepe my Paasse with my disciples He shall shewe you a great and a fayre parlet there prepare my Paasse The disciples went and founde all thynges as Iesus had tolde them before and prepared hym a feaste in the place that he commaunded Whan the euen was cum he sate downe with the twelue and as they were eatyng he said Uerely I saye vnto you One of you shall betraye me And they were exceadyng sorowful and beganne euery one to saye Lord is it I He answered and sayde He that dippeth hys hand with me in the dyshe the same shal betraye me The sonne of man goeth as it is written of hym But wo vnto that man by whom the sonne of man is betrayed It hadde been good for that man yf he had not bene borne Than Iudas whiche betraied hym answered and sayed Mayster is it I He sayd vnto hym Thou hast sayed And towarde nyght Iesus went thither and sate downe to suppe with his twelue disciples And now as they were at supper Iesus sayeth vnto theÌ„ one of you shall betraye me This he sayed to declare that nothyng at all was hyd from hym and also that the conscience of the traytour beyng touched myght be turned vnto penaunce At this woord al theyr hartes began to be very heuy Euery man suspected and distrusted hymselfe knowyng the weakenes of man They desyryng therfore to bee deliuered from this heauines began for to aske
chyldren of the Hebrewes and fyshers to descry hym But he admitted no recorde of the deuils though it were true The noughtines of the person that telleth the trueth doth hurte thesame And he doeth more harme with his lies whiche hath gotten himselfe credence afore by some true tale tellyng This was then done accordyng to the hystorie But to open the secrete sence and meaning hereof We se very many euen nowe adayes that cum flockyng vnto Simon Peters house whiche as I sayde before bare the fygure of the Churche For the citie of Capernaum representeth the whole world the setting of the sunne fygureth the deathe of Christe The gate of the house signifieth baptisme whiche is beset with repentaunce of the former lyfe truste to obtayne soule healthe of Iesus The sycke people sitte aboute the gates that is to saye the Publicans and sinners desyre to be receiued into the felowship of the churche They should not deserue to behealed except they surely beleued that Iesus bothe could and would geue them helth The churche of Christ conteyned in it but a very small numbre so long as he y◠lanterne lyght of the world liued in yearth But after his death a great multitude of people began thither to resorte out of al the countreis of the world ¶ And in the morning very early Iesus when he was rysen vp departed and wēte out into a solitarye place and there prayed Symon and they that were with him folowed after him and when they had found hym they sayed vnto hym all men seke for the. And he saied vnto them Let vs go into the next tounes that I may preache there also For therfore I am cū And so he preached in theyr sinagoges and in al Galile cast the deuils out These thinges so done when the Lorde Iesus who came not for this onely purpose to cure corporal diseases whiche he sendeth many tymes to his to the intent they maye be whole in soule when I saye he sawe the multitude greatly desyre to be healed of their bodely diseases and not with lyke affeccion couet to heare his heauenlye doctrine wherewith the maladies and diseases of the soule are cured the nexte daye as though he had bene desyrous to take some ease and rest he deceyued them for he roose verie earlye in the morning and went from Capernaum into a solytary place where he made his prayers to the father genyng hym thankes for the benefites wyche he had decreed to geue vnto mankynde by hym And here are sundrye ensamples prepared for our instruccion Fyrste he teacheth vs that we must assone as we haue done our neyghbour good departe away leste we seme to loke after any mede or reward of those that we haue done good vnto Secondarilye we are taught manye tymes to leaue of the teachyng of holsom doctrine for a season to styre vp a desyre in vs to aduaunce the same Finally we learne also that we ought to refreshe and quicken the spirite by often goyng asyde into solitary places I meane not suche goynges aparte as are for pleasure and pastime but for prayer and heauenly contemplacion because we maye retourne from thence more willyng in spirite and better disposed to helpe the weake Euery man which hath chaunged place is not goen into wildernes but he that hath cleane seuered his mynde from worldly cares and wholly bent himselfe to the studie and contemplacion of heauenly thinges When Simon Peter and the reste of the disciples vnderstode that Iesus was priuilye departed they folowed after til they had founde where he was For it is not beseming that the true disciples of Iesu be any tyme awaye from their maister whome they ought in all thynges to folow In the meane season when the people whiche flocked early in the mornyng to the gate of the house had also learned how Iesus was gone awaye they lykewyse folowed hym into the wildernesse Many there be that folow Iesus but none fynde hym oute saue alonly his disciples who after they haue once founde him do shewe him vnto other Wherfore they tolde the lorde how there was a great multitude of the citizens of Capernaum come thither to seke him The lorde then answered again saying It is sufficient at this present to haue layed these foundacions among the Capernaites Nowe it is tyme for me to go in like maner and viset the litle tounes and villages here about that I maye likewyse there preache the kyngdome of god ▪ For I came not to preache to one citie alone but to declare saluacion to all men For this cause the Lorde trauayled through the tounes and villages of all Galilee preachyng in their Synagoges curyng diseases and castyng out deuils because the ignorant people shoulde by reason of his mighty dedes and myracles geue firme credence vnto his doctrine And there came a leper to him besethyng hym and knelyng downe and saying vnto hym If thou wilt thou canst make me cleane And Iesus had compassion on hym and put furth his hande touched hym and sayth vnto him I will be thou cleane And as sone as he had spoken immediatly the leprosy departed from hym and he sent him awaye furthwith and sayth vnto him Se thou saye nothing to any mā but get the hence shewe thy self to the priest and offer for thy clensyng those thynges whiche Moses commaunded for a witnes vnto them But he assone as he was departed began to tell many tynges and to publishe the saying insomuche that Iesus coulde no more openly entre into the citie But was with out in desert places and they came to hym from euery quarter It chaunced on a tyme whē Iesus had taught the people in a certaine moūtayne many goodly lessons concerning the perfeccion of the euangelike or christian profession that there met him as he came doune agayne a certaine man infected with leprosy a disease vncurable and abhorred of all men in whome was shewed to the corporal iyes a figure of those thinges which he wrought by inuisible operacion in the soules of the hearers The leper hated his filthy disease and had a meruelous great confidence in Iesu. Here thou seest a figure of a sinner which returnyng from vicious liuyng and entendyng to amend is at the nexte dore to saluacion The same leper feared not the people although he knewe right well that they abhorred his company but onelye regarded the goodnes of Iesu. Wherfore he ranne vnto hym and fell downe at his knees What woulde the proude Pharisey here do He would crye hence with this ougly and abhominable creature leste he infect euen oure very iyes He would call for water to washe awaye his noysome and contagious breath This would the Pharisey do more vncleane in soule then any leper in body But what doth the moste meke and gentill Lord whiche onely was pure and cleane from all spot of synne He commaundeth hym not to be had out of his sight nor to be remoued awaye from his knees It
some by a greate desyre to heare my doctrine But whoso wil be a true folower of me yf he intend to be associate with me in blisse glory let thesame in the meane tyme dispose hymselfe to be my felowe or partener in sufferyng affliccions and death Let hym vtterly renye himselfe reseruing nothing vnto himselfe in thys worlde but cleane renouncyng all thynges euen to contempt of lyfe and finally let euery man take vp his crosse and folowe me Let not the disciple be ashamed to folowe his teacher nor the seruaunt to folowe his maister Neyther let any intende to come to glory by any other way or meane then that by the whiche he shall se me goe thither before hym Whoso thynketh that he hath in himselfe wherby he is able to attayne saluacion shall perish And contraryly whoso distrustyng all his owne aydes wholly putteth himselfe to my mercy shall be saued For it is not inough for my sake lytell to passe vpon landes tenementes parentes wife and children but lyfe it selfe for the preseruacion whereof manne forgoeth all that euer he hathe must likewyse be forsaken Be ye of good comforte that neuer perysheth whiche is geuen to me no rather ye shall preserue that by losyng whiche you shoulde otherwyse lose in dede by euill kepyng Through faythe of the gospell to all men is geuen lyfe euerlastyng Therfore he that setteth more by thys present lyfe then by the grace of the Ghospell althoughe he seme for a tyme to wynne thesame yet doeth he in very dede lose it For no manne can here prolong his lyfe beyonde the tyme appoynted Albeit to saye the truthe neyther in the meane tyme and before his deathe liueth a manne in dede excepte he liue well and vertuously And after this lyfe whiche to all men is very short and transytory he shal be condemned to euerlasting deathe Nowe whoso for my sake and for that he is a stedfast professour of the gospell putteth his life in hasarde of death shall preserue it by me whiche els should verely peryshe Therfore yf there be nothyng so dearely beloued of manne in this worlde but he wyll be content to raunsome temporall life with the losse thereof debatyng the matter with him selfe in this wyse what shall it auayle me to haue house landes goodes precious stones wyfe and chyldrē preserued yf my selfe peryshe and shall not enioye that I am owner of ▪ Though all these thinges be in safety yet do they perishe to me ward yf I fortune to dye For what thing can be so dearely beloued and muche set by of man that is not to be contemned for the preseruaciō of lyfe If one woulde offer another as great riches and treasure as euer had Mydas and Cresus the beautye of Absolone the Monarchy and empyre of the whole world and fynally all sortes and kyndes of pleasures and therewith say take these thynges and dye woulde not thother byanby refuse this offre made hym with suche condicion and answere agayne I loue my lyfe alone better then all these thynges Sythe I saye that euery manne doethe wysely consyder these thynges with him selfe so ofte as there is any imminēt daunger of bodely lyfe why do they not then more earenestly loke vpon examyne and waye the matter whensoeuer it concerneth that lyfe inestemable Nowe euerlasting lyfe is profered vnto thy soule and wilte thou not exchaunge therfore the shorte and wretched life of the body especially sithe that euery manne shall another daye receiue his owne body agayne restored to a more blessed life All men must not of necessitie dye for the profession of the ghospel but yet euery manne ought to be ready in wyll and mynde so to doe to the intent that yf the case requyre they maye passe nothyng vpon corporall life so that the lyfe of the soule may be saued Whensoeuer the storme of persecucion aryseth then must this crosse be taken vp Albeit neither euen when all thynges be quyet and persecucion ceaseth shall any manne be without his crosse vnlesse it be counted an easy thing to renounce all naturall affections with al worldly pleasures and inticemētes to cut of the inordinate lustes of the flesh to brydle excesse to represse sensualytye and pleasure of the bodye to subdue hastines and lette passe reuengemente For these thynges also muste euery manne doe that wyll be my disciple euen at that tyme when the worlde is moste quiet and without busynes But trueth it is that the worlde shall with all maner of engynes ryse agaynste those whiche professe my name and threten them with reproche banyshement imprisonment tormentes attayndour and deathe For this is a naughtye nacyon and shall euer haue in it moe reprouable and naughty disposed persones then good menne among whom it shall be counted the greatest offence that maye be to professe my name And if any manne the worlde being thus set and bent against me ▪ wyll be ashamed to confesse himself to be my disciple in this vngracious and conterfeite nacion where after shorte afflyction foloweth euerlastyng blysfulnes hym the sonne of man wyll requyte and be lykewyse ashamed to take hym for hys disciple when he shall eftsones cum not lowe and contemned as he is now but wonderfull and merueylous in the royaltye and glory of his father not accompanyed with a fewe poore disciples but enuironed with innumerable companyes of holy Aungels The .ix. Chapter ¶ And he sayde vnto them verely I saye vnto you there be some among them that stande here whiche shall not taste of death tyll they haue sene the kyngdome of God 〈◊〉 with power THey shall not be partakers of this glory who wyll not nowe suffre the infamy of my crosse The Iewes loked for a merueilous kyngdome of the children of Israel which they supposed should begyn assone as Messias was come and therfore they coulde not beleue that Iesus was Messias because he came so poorely and lyke an outcaste of the worlde and muche more wer they offended with the mencion of his passion and death ▪ They vnderstode not how there wer two cūminges of Messias the fyrst which after the estimation of the world was lowe and reprochfull and another full of maiestie and glorye which shal be in the ende of the worlde to thenten◠he may ioyne vnto him his whole body deliuered from all euils in the glory of the father and throwe downe Sathan with all his membres into the fyre of hell He woulde that the daye of his latter cumming should be vncertainne to all menne but yet woulde he haue euery man to be in a readynes againste the same Therfore forasmuche as there were some among the people whiche by inward imaginacion sayde thus to them selues when shall this tyme of glory cum which he promiseth And peraduenture many of them beleued not that it should euer cum at all Iesus stablished their wauering myndes with suche wordes as here ensue Be ye ryght well assured of the thyng I told you that the sonne
the acte of him who went about to wryng out of the man a notable faythe for the ensample of other and his pleasure was to teache all men by this blinde man howe by what meanes light maie be extorted or gotten perforce of Iesu. The fyrst hope to obtaine light is to haue Iesus to stand still at our crying The secoÌ„de to be called vnto him eyther by the teachers of the ghospell or els by the secrete inspiracions of the holy ghost For the blynde man could not go vnto hym vnlesse he had bene led and guided by holy scripture which we ought in no wise to despise although it be ministred by maÌ„ The Apostles and preachers of the ghospell do happily call a blynde maÌ„ when they call him at the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of Iesu. But nowe adayes they call without his coÌ„maundement not vnto him but to the aydes of humaine Philosophie or Heathen learning to thobseruacion of Moises law to the coÌ„modities pleasures of this preseÌ„t lyfe Assuredly these â—allers make the blinde more blinde then he was before But the Apostles obeyng their maisters coÌ„maundement called this man vnto Iesus and so true is it that they dyd not crie brable against him as the people did that they put him hauing good hope already in more hope and comforte saying Be of good chere aryse Iesus calleth thee The blinde man conceyued so great hope herewith that he cast awaye his cloke whiche defended hym againste the cold weather and skypped out of the place where he sate and ranne to Iesus Here will I staye the a lytle while good reader because thou mayest marke the greate readinesse of mynde and feruent courage of this blynde begger Howe ofte arte thou called vnto Iesus doest neither caste awaye thy cloke or maÌ„tell nor skyp out of thy deÌ„ne of misery nor run vnto hym the calleth thee but tournest thy backe but lingrest from day to day but castest doubtes but â—â—dest cauillacions and fayned excuses but waxest luskyshe in thy fylthe and darkenesse haddest rather aske an almes of the worlde in a foule beggerly cloke then receiue light of Iesus wherein is conteyned the summe of all felicitie What a goodly and faire vesture is the garment of innocencie and cleane lyfe What a foule mantell hath he that is clothed with lechery with couetousnesse with excesse and ambicioÌ„ Howe vile and wretched a begger is he whoe for a small and corporall commoditie croucheth and kneleth vnto this world Howe miserablye blynde is he that neyther knoweth himselfe nor almightye God his maker As ofte as thou arte called from this miserable wretchednesse vnto Iesus either when thou readest the ghospell or hearest thesame preached or els whan thou art drawen by a certaine secrete inspiracion of the holy ghoste why doeste thou not then all thynges layde aparte that are wonte to let and hinder a man to attaine so great felicitie leape vp vnto the hope of a better life Why runnest thou not with moste sure faythe vnto Iesus whiche onely is able to geue the light and will geue it to all men Iesus cometh vnto the he calleth the and doest thou again for thy part grutche to mete hym Thou pynest and wyddrest away euen tyll thy dying day in thy darkenesse but thou shalt not euer haue Iesus passing by the. Certes after death he calleth no manne to saluacion but to iudgement When he passeth by here in this worlde he heareth him that cryeth haue mercy vpon me here he standeth still here he calleth here he giueth light This begger hath made the ashamed of thy slouthfulnesse vnto whom the Lord when he was cuÌ„men vnto him sayd What ayleth the to crye what wilt thou haue me to do vnto the what â–ª knewe not Iesus why he cryed knew not he what he shoulde doe That is not so but all this was done for our custruccion Many beleued that this blynde man loked for an almes of the lorde because he was a begger For so nowe a daies many crye vnto Iesus Lorde haue mercy vpon me And beyng demaunded what they sue for what they desyre to haue one sayth graunt that I maye be riche an other that I maye gette an office this man that I maie haue a wyfe with a good dowrie an other geue me bodilye strength geue me long lyfe or graunt that I may be auenged on my enemy But these thinges Iesus many times taketh awaye from his frendes because it so behoueth for their saluacion The euangelike begger desyred none of all these thinges For he knew right well what ought to be desyred of Iesu. Therfore let vs both heare and folowe hym Rabbone sayeth he that is as muche to saye as my maister make me to see For being careles for all other thynges he desyred nothing els but light whereby he might see God and his sonne Iesus whom to knowe is euerlasting lyfe For in scripture to knowe God is nothing els but to see God O very Euangelike and christiaÌ„ praier How fewe wordes hath it but how great faith Doubtles this is that short prayer whiche pearceth the heauens Therfore Iesus answered Go thy way thy faith hath purchased the helth He is not byanby a man vndoen and cast awaye whiche seeth not awhit with bodelyiyes but whoso seeth nothing at all with the iyes of his soule thesame cannot be saued To haue recouered these iyes is life euerlasting Heare this saying thou pharisaicall felow whosoeuer thou be that sayest I ascribe my safety to myne oft fastinges to my long prayers to mine almesdedes and my sacrifices and for that cause thou criest not with the begger haue mercy on me but sayest geue me the reward due vnto my deseruinges Now Iesus doth contrarily ascribe saluacion vnto faith and not vnto woorkes The blinde man streyght wayes recouered his sighte not because he deserued it but for that he beleued And being commaunded to go his waye he folowed Iesus Lighte is geuen the freely thy blindnes is taken awaye for naught Afterward thou art left to thyne owne arbitrement whether thou wilt vse the gift of god aright or no. Thou art not compelled to folow thou hast onely power geuen the to see Iesus go now whither thou wilt but at thyne owne auenture What did that blessed blinde man Heretourned not backe agayne to his beggerly cloke or mantel he retourned not to his olde beggerye but forgote all these thinges and folowed Iesus in the waye It auaileth but litle to haue knowen Iesus vnlesse thou do thy deuoire to folowe him whom thou seest Iesus goeth straight to the crosse hither muste thou folow hym after thou hast once recouered thy syght a gain As long as thou art blynd thou maiest crye Iesu haue mercye vpon me but thou canst not folow him this way before thine iye syght be restored For who would folow him that willingly geueth his soule to death onlesse he saw by fayth that worldly reproche were the waye to euerlasting glory that bodily
tourmentes and affliccions were the waye to euerlasting ioyes that death were the way to lyfe eternall These thinges the quicke syghted of this world see not perfitely who do not onely with all theyr iyen loke after rule riches honoures pleasures and long life but also endeuoyre themselues to get thesame by vnlefull meanes as by counsayling before with Astronomiers Soothsayers Inchaunters or Necromanciers These thinges I saye they onely see whiche beleue the doctrine of the gospell and haue sure truste that they shall receyue and enioye the reward promised in thesame The .xi. Chapter ¶ And when they came nie to Ierusalem vnto â—ethphage and Bethany besides mounte Oliuete he sendeth forthe two of his disciples and sayth vnto them Go your waye into the towne that is ouer against you and assone as ye he entred into yt ye shall find a Colte bound whereon neuer man sate lewse him and bring him hither And yf any man saye vnto you why doe ye so say ye that the lord hath nede of him and streyght way he will send him hither And they went their way and found the Colte tyed by the doore without in a place where two wayes mette And they lewsed him And diuers of them that stode there sayde vnto them what do ye lewsing the Colte And they sayde vnto them euen as Iesus had commaunded And they let them go And they broughte the Colte to Iesus and cast theyr garmeÌ„tes on him And he sat vpon him And many spred theyr garmeÌ„tes in the waye other cut downe braunches of the trees and strawed them in the waie And they that wente before and they that folowed cryed saying Hosanna Blessed is he that cummeth in the name of the lorde Blessed be the kingdome that cummeth in the name of him that is Lorde of our father Dauid Hosanna in the highest THat thing was not yet wrought in the mindes of the disciples whiche Iesus expressed and set out by a figure in the blind man They yet sawe not perfitly with their inward iyes how happy is the death of those that folow Christes deathe They yet dreamed vpon this worldly kyngdom The lord therfore because he woulde the better fasteÌ„ this in their mindes how such as will folow him ought in no wise to desyre the kingdom of this world shewed them a spectacle wherby he derided and laughed to shorne all worldly pompe glorye as a thing that lasteth but for a season and soone shall perish yet by the same he plainely declared that he could haue commaunded whomsoeuer he woulde to do what it had pleased hym saue that his will and pleasure was rather to obey the wil of the heauenly father Finally he woulde haue all menne to know howe he was the selfesame persone whome the Iewes awayted for to cumme so many hundred yeares before according to the prophecies and foresayinges of the Prophetes for the saluacion of the whole worlde When therefore he approched and was nye vnto Hierusalem for he was by Bethphage and Bethany whiche are two litle townes in the mountaine called mounte Oliuete from whence a manne might haue sene Ierusalem he sente oute from thence two of his disciples geuing them in commaundement to do as foloweth Go ye saith he into that towne whiche you see yondre directly against you and by and by as ye be entred in you shall finde an Asses foale tied at the gate the whiche is not yet broken and whereupon no man hath ridden vnto this day leuse it and bring it hither vnto me And if any man aske you the question why you vntie it say again the lord hath nede of this and straight waies he shall send it hither to me The disciples went their way as they were bidden and so came and found an Asses foale tyed before the gate in a place wheras two wayes met and leused it In the meane while some of those that stode by when thei sawe straunge ment vntie the foale saide vnto them Syrs what meane you Why vntie you the foale The disciples made no other aunswere then the lorde commaunded them to make saying the Lorde hath nede herof The other notwithstanding it was vnknowen vnto them whom they called theyr Lorde did yet let the foale goe without anye further questioning or reasoning the matter with them The disciples after they had vntied it broughte it vnto Iesus Here I woulde haue the earnestly monished good reader that not onely the wordes whiche Iesus Christ spake but also whatsoeuer he did all his lyfe long was not doen at all auentures but by the counsayle and wisedome of god for mannes erudicion For there is nothing that hath not in it either an ensample set out to th entent to moue and styrre vs to vertue and godly lyuyng or a representacion of the olde prophecies or a fulfilling of the fygures wherwith the lawe dyd as it had bene with certaine darke misteries or riddles sygnifie Christe or els a sygnificacion of thinges that afterwardes shoulde happen and cum to passe And wheras the misticall sence of euerye thing is diligently to be searched out yet the more he approched vnto the tyme of his death when the busynesse of oure saluacion shoulde chiefly be wrought the more holyer mysteries were all thynges full of For nowe was that tyme at hand the whiche he greatly thirstyng and desyring all mennes saluacion spake of before saying when I shal be lifted vp from the earth I will draw all thynges vnto me For there was not roume ynoughe in Iewry for his charitie And there the fruite of the ghospell dyd not counteruayle the labour and diligence of the tiller For this cause Christe sent for the wilde and vnbroken asses foale wherupon no man had sytten before This foale signifieth the Gentiles who neyther obeyed the lawe of nature nor were vnder Moses lawes For vpon the Asses that is to saye the Synagoges backe both Moses and the prophetes had ridden Certaine of the newe disciples are nowe sent out to call the Gentiles who call them not to Moses but to Iesus Here woulde there not lacke some whiche woulde brable and speake against them and saye What do you why vntie you the foale For this foale had both many and also vncertaine Maysters and was tyed and stode where two wayes met Whoso is not obedient vnto goddes commaundementes hath as manye maisters as he hath vices that he serueth and is subdued vnto and is so tyed that he hath no house but standeth in sight where two wayes mete readie for euerye manne that wyll take hym But when Iesu calleth no man hathe power to resiste The Iewes cryed and sayde This saluacion is oures by promyse Why then are the Heathen Idolatours ioyned with vs Unto them aunswere was made he that is the Lorde of all hath nede of suche foales He is nowe wery with labouring in vayne among the Iewes and desyreth to reste hym vpon the vnbroken foale That this foale is vnbroken doeth not displease hym
reliue which of them all shall chalenge her for his wyfe for in her lyfe tyme she was like wyse maryed vnto them all seuen The Saducies thought they woulde by thyncoÌ„uenience that they inferred of this case make the resurreccion of the dead to apeare a very fonde thyng and disagreable to reason specyally yt there shoulde then ryse strife and debate among the brethren for the wyfe whiche was common vnto them all Iesus grutched not to teache those grosse felowes saying Doethe not thys question playnly declare that you be in a wrong belefe and altogether out of the waye for asmuche as ye neyther vnderstand the Scriptures nor yet perceiue the power of almighty God The Scripture is spirituall God who made manne of naught canne rayse hym agayne at his pleasure from death to lyfe He wyll not onely make the deade aliue agayne but also rewarde them with lyfe euerlastyng Nowe wedlocke was inuented among menne for this purpose because the thyng I meane mankynde whiche of it selfe and owne propre nature contyneweth not for euer myght by procreacion and encreasyng of the worlde be multiplied preserued and contynued But whereas menne neyther dye nor be borne after the common course of the world what nedeth there any matrimonye For after the resurrection of the dead neyther shall any manne mary nor any manne geue his daughter in maryage to an other but as the angels of god in heauen because there is among them no mortalitie knowe not the vse of matrimony so shall they that shall be relyued in the generall resurreccion be made lyke vnto the aungells theyr bodies beynge all spyrytuall and immortal Furthermore why do you thinke it disagreable to reason to beleue that the dead shall aryse agayne Haue ye not redde in holy scripture the auctoritie wherof is counted among you holy and inuiolable what god sayed when he spake vnto Moyses out of the bushe I am saied he the god of Abraham the god of Isaac and the god of Iacob they were then dead and yet doth he call himselfe theyr god Therfore euen the dead do verily lyue because their soules remayne styll aliue And if it be so that theyr sowles remayne what great maystrye is it then for God to call them agayne into theyr olde bodyes wherein they dwelt before But yf the dead be vtterly perished so that nether bodye nor soule remayneth alyue then standeth it not with reason that he is called the God of the deade As no man glorieth that he is a king of those that are not so is God the God of the liuyng and not of the deade Wherefore you Saduceis are farre deceiued imagyning that there shall be nothying in the lyfe to cum otherwise then you see in this present life Those thinges no doubt haue a more true and blessed beyng whiche are not vnder mans corporall light then those whiche are seene with bodelye iyes There is nothyng that more truly is then god and yet he is not seene but felte or perceyued ¶ And when there came one of the Scrybes and hearde them disputyng together and perceyued that he had aunswered theâ— well he asked hym whiche is the fyrste of all the commaundementes Iesus answered hym The fyrste of all the commaundementes is Beare O Israell The Lorde oure God is lorde onely and thou shalte loue the lorde thy God with all thy hatte and wyth all the soule and with all thy mynde and with all thy strength This is the fyrste commaundement And the second is like vnto this Thou shalte loue thy neybour as thy self There is none other commaundement greater then these And the Scribe sayde vnto hyme well Mayster thou haste sayde the trueth for there is one God and there is none â—ut he And is loue hym with all the harte and with all the mynde and with all the soule and with all the strength and to loue a mannes neyghbour as hym selfe is a greater thynge then all burnte offerynges and sacryfices And when Iesus sawe that he answered discretely he sayde vnto hym Thou art not ferre from the kyngdome of God And no man after that durst aske hym any question Yet for all this these wicked felowes made not an ende to teÌ„pte Christ. After the Saduceis came the Pharyseis and the Scrybes who were encouraged to take hym in hand because he hit the Saduceis in the teethe with ignorauÌ„ce of the law For the Scribes and the Phariseis auaunt themselfes more then other for the great knowledge they pretende to haue in the same and dissenting in opinion from the Saduceis do beleue there are angles and spirites and that mens soules remayne aliue after the bodyes be dead and finally that the dead shall ryse agayne These felowes beyng right glad that the Saduceis were put to a foyle blancked and that Iesus had aunswered to their mindes dyd lyke learned men propoune and putte forthe vnto hym by one of the scribes set vp for the nones to playe this parte a notable question out of the moste inward misteries of the law They asked hym what was the chief and greatest commaundement in the whole lawe Iesus straightwayes answered them out of the boke entyled Deuteronomium where as it is written on this wyse Heare O Israell the lorde thy God is one god and thou shalt loue the lorde thy God with all thy harte and with all thy soule and with all thy mynde and with all thy strength This is the chiefe and greatest commaundement next vnto this is that that foloweth Thou shalt loue thy neyboure none otherwise then thyselfe There is no other commaundement greater then these two because they comprise the summe and effect of the whole law WheÌ„ the Scribe heard him saye so he sayde againe Thou hast wel truly answered how there is one God and none other but he and that to loue him with all the harte and with all the vnderstandyng and with all the soule and with all the strength is a thing whiche passeth all burnt offrynges and other sacrifices Iesus perceyuyng that he had ryght discretly aunswered sayd vnto him Thou arte not far from the kyngdom of God For the euangelyke godlynes standeth not in sacrifices of beastes but in cleannes of spirite He is not farre from this meaning whoso preferreth that commaundement whiche is spirituall simple or plaine before all other preceptes whiche be rather figures and tokens of true godlines then the thyng selfe But the coÌ„mon sorte of the Iewes beleue verely that the chiefest parte of vertue and godly lyuing standeth in visible thinges as in washinges in kepyng of the sabboth daye in choyce of meates in offred giftes in sacrifices in holy dayes in fastinges and in long prayers Whoso with all his harte loueth god for gods self the whiche can neuer be loued enoughe and his neybour for goddes sake thesame hath made sufficient sacrifice After that Iesu had thus with his wisdome euery where confouÌ„ded and ouercum them that ceassed they to
shoulde lykewyse cumme when he would returne into the worlde agayne a iudge bothe of the quicke and deade but when that time shoulde come because it was not expedient he woulde in no wyse haue it knowen Therfore he began to speake of these matters in suche wyse as here ensueth Beware sayeth he lest any manne deceiue you For there shall manye come who wyll chalenge and take vpon them my name and euerye of theim wyll fayne hymselfe to be Christe and by his craftie delusion deceiue manye vncircumspect persons When ye shall heare of warres tidynges of warres be ye not troubled For suche thynges must nedes be but the ende is not yet For there shall nacion ryse agaynste nacion and kyngdome agaynst kyngdome And there shal be pearthquakes in al quarters and famishement shall there be and troubles These are the beginning of sorowes But take ye hede to your selues for they shall bryng you vp to the counsayles into the Synagoges ye shal be beaten yea and shal be brought before rulers and kynges for my sake for a testimoniall vnto them And the gospell must first be published amonge all nacions The great busynes rufflyng of the world will shew that my cuÌ„ming approcheth the worlde is nighe at an ende But you muste not strayghtwayes when warres are moued or when there is any terrible bruite or rumoure of warres to be moued be so dismayed therwith as though thesame time wer already present For these thinges shall cum and yet shall not th ende of the world furthwith ensue They shall only be preludes of the ende that is to come euen as in an olde mans bodye diseases oftetymes thauncing are foretokens that his body shal shortely decay and perishe The temperature of the qualities is the thyng whiche preserueth bodely health But when by reason thesame qualities do stryue one agaynste another the whole body is distempered then is it an argumente that the destruction thereof approchethe There shall nacion ryse agaynste nacion realme agaynst realme and one of them go about with great powers and hostes of men to destroye an other Moreouer the yearthe it selfe as thoughe it were not content to norishe so wicked and vngodlye people shal be shaken with yearthequakes and so shall there be in sondrie places of the worlde greate dearthe and famyne because it shall deny men theyr naturall foode and sustenaunce Furthermore the ayre as though it were angrye with thesame vngodly folkes vnworthy of life and breathe shal be noysomme and deadelye When ye see manye of these signes and tokens yet loke ye not byanby for domes daye For these euiles shall be onelye the begynninge of the calamitie to come Neyther shall youre selues be free from suche euils troubles And therfore loke well aboute ye leste ye bee clapte in the neckes or creye be ware For men shall accuse you and brynge you before councels and synagoges and yee shal be presented before kynges and rulers to aunswere in causes of lyfe and deathe not for any offence or euyl dede doen on your behalfe but onelye for the profession of my name and this shall they do because all the worlde maye knowe howe they were worthely caste out of the kyngdome of God sithens they so persecuted the preachers of thesame But lette not these thynges muche trouble your myndes The cruelnes of wycked persons shall brynge nothing to passe agaynst the proceding of the gospell Neither can anye man slea you before your tyme. For domes daye shall not come before the gospell be preached throughout all the worlde ¶ But when they leade you and present you take ye no thought neyther ymagine afore hande what ye shall saye but whatsoeuer is geuen you in the same houre that speake For it is not ye that speake but the holy gost The brother shall delyuer vp the brother to deathe and the father the sonne and the children shall ryse agaynst their fathers and mothers and shal put theÌ„ to death And ye shal be hated of al meÌ„ for my names sake But whoso enduceth vnto the ende thesame shal be safe You nede not therefore to prepare you any worldly succours agaynste the violence tiranny of persecutours or take thought how to escape their iudgementes When there is any accion commensed agaynst you loke ye goe appeare leste ye seme to despise the publike authoritie For this thinge also shall make much for the enlarging and spreading abrode of the gospell But when ye are goyng to appeare be you not carefull studying with your selfes what answere to make and how to tell your tale for that ye are not sene in the lawe but men ignoraunt in ciuill plees as the common sort of the people are wonte to be carefull in suche case who make Oratours and Rhetorcians theyr atturneys and proetours in pleadinge of matters But whatsoeuer cumme the vnto your myndes that speake you For your selues shall not be authours of suche wordes as you shall speake but instrumentes onely The holy ghoste shall speake by you suche thynges as shal be expedient for the busynes of the gospell But suche persecucions must ye not onely looke for of alyauntes and enemyes but also of your frendes and kynnesfolkes For one brother shall take the lawe of an other and accuse hym of deathe worthye crymes all naturall loue and affeccion cast aside And the father shall likewise accuse the sonne contrary to naturall loue and kyndnes Furthermore the children shall also rise agaynste their parentes and cause them to suffer death And where as ye hurte no body but brynge the tydinges of saluacion to all men yet shall ye be hated of all them that loue this world onelye for the dyspleasure and malyce they beare to my name whiche you shall preache But in all these euils it shal be nedefull for you to be armed with perseueraunce and constancie of minde For whoso continueth in his good beginninges to the ende shall be safe because no calamitie is able to destroye him that with constant harte and mynde beleueth the gospell Moreouer when ye see the abhominacion of desolacion wherof is spoken by Daniel the prophet stand where it ought not let him that readeth vnderstand Then let them that be in Iewry sie to the mountaines and let him that is â—n the house top not go down into the house nether enter therein to fetche any thyng out of his house And let him that is in the fielde not turne backe agayne vnto the thynges whiche he lefte behynde hym for to take his clothes with him Woe shal be then to them that are with childe and to them that geue sucke in those dayes But praye ye that your flyght be not in the winter For there shal be in those dayes suche tribulacion as was not from the beginninge of creatures whiche God created vnto this time nether shal be And except that the Lorde should shorten those dayes no fleshe shoulde be saued But for the electes
sake whome he hath chosen he hathe shortened those dayes If ye requyre a sygne to geue you knowledge when this extreme calamitie hangeth ouer your heades when ye shall see the abhominacion that maketh desolacion standing in the place where it is not beseming it should stande then let him whiche readethe Daniels prophecy vnderstande it For then it shal be hyghe tyme for euery man al other thynges omitted and lefte vndone to shyfte for hymselfe by flyeng awaye and to saue his lyfe not by wordelye aydes but by swyftnesse of flighte Then lette al that be in Iewrye the nourishingeste and moste famous parte of the countreye flye vnto the deserte and wylde Mountaynes If this calamitie take any man on the house toppe lette hym not goe downe into the house nor enter into his parloure or chambre to fetche out any thynge from thence but as he is founde so lette him gette hym awaye and begone And if at that season anye manne be labourynge in the fieldes naked and without clothes let hym not runne home againe to fetche a waye his cloke or mantel but flye strayght waye some whither els so swifte shall the floud of the miserie calamitie be whiche shal ouerflow this couÌ„treye Therfore in wofull case shall they be whiche are great with chylde they also that haue chyldren sucking on their brestes because nature wil not let suche as are with child to cast away their burthen nor natural kindenesse suffer the other to flye awaye from their children And the onely way to saue the life shal be to flye without anye taryinge Therefore desire you of god that this calamytie chaunce not in the wynter season nor vpon the Sabbothe daye For ye muste not onelye flye awaye as fast as your legges will beare you but also a greate waye of But winter season because the daye is than shorte is an yll tyme to flye far in And the law for fendeth to trauayle far vpon the Sabboth day All that the lorde hitherto sayed is spoken in suche wyse that it semeth partlye to pertayne to the destruction of the citie of Hierusalem partelye to the tymes of persecutions whiche were moste sharpe and vehemente at what season Stephan was stoned to deathe and partely to the laste ende of the worlde or domes daye Yet is there included in the same woordes a morall sence whiche teache the vs howe that beyng deliuered from all worldlye impedimentes and encumbraunces we oughte alwayes to wayte for the cummynge of that daye when we shal be presented before almyghtye god to receiue our dome and iudgemente He canne neuer be prepare agaynste thesame who eyther for loue of temporall thynges or els thorowe thenforcement of carnall affeccions that is to saye for his parentes wyfe or chyldrens sake is called backe agayne to the daunger of the losyng of euerlastyng saluacion He is laden with a vessell who beeynge ouercharged and letted with worldly ryches ceaseth to do those thynges which pertayne to eternall health He is burthened with a mantell who for takinge hede vnto the bodye regardeth not the soule He is slowe of foote by carying of an infant who by reason of naturall affections refrayneth not from those thynges whiche he knoweth ryght well are by all maner of meanes to be exchewâ—dme hasteth to that tayning of those whiche he knoweth ought all lettes and impedimentes set asyde greatly to be desyred Wynter taketh them flying who for the lytle lyght that theyr weake fayth geueth and because charitie is colde and faynte in them doe not finishe their iourney and manfully goe thorowe whither they beganne to goe Moreouer the supersticious obseruacion of the Sabboth bryngeth those persons into dauÌ„ger who by reason of an vnright and aukeward iudgement tremble and quake for feare where there is no cause of feare and where they ought chiefly to feare in dede are feareles as when a manne is bolde to transgresse the commaundement of God for fearelest he breake mannes constitucions For the Lorde himselfe taught openly that the Iewes Sabbothe was well contemned and broken for mans health and preseruacion Furthermore the wordes that ensue seeme rather to pertayne to the last day of the worlde before the which day great businesse and hurly burly shall vniuersally happen for the cummyng of Antichrist Those dayes sayethe he shall be so full of miseries on euerye syde that there hath not beene lyke tribulacion and affliction from the creacion of the worlde vnto this daye nor hereafter shal be If this affliction shoulde long while continue as it shall be fell and cruel for the season there shoulde not one man be saued But God of his infinite mercye and goodnes hath prouided that this storme shall shorte whyle endure for their sakes whom he hath chosen to lyfe euerlastyng For of these will he suffer none to perishe what storme of euils soeuer shall arise Wherfore there is no cause why any man shoulde feare himselfe so that he perseuer and abyde still in the euangelike and christian fayth as nighe vnto the shote anker or surest refuge No puissaunce shall cast them downe whiche haue a constant beliefe in me And then if any man say to you to here is Christe lo he is there beleue not For false Christes and false prophetes shall ryse and shall shewe miracles â–ª and wonders to deceiue if it were possible euen the electe But take ye hede behold I haue shewed you all thynges before Onely take heede that in stede of me you embrace not another Christe There shall bee more ieoperdy of deceyuers then of persecutours For there shall aryse in those dayes false Christes who shall vntruly chalenge and take vpon them my name and person There shall aryse also false Prophetes whiche vnder a cloke and coloured shewe of holynes shall fayne themselfes to be Prophetes and in working of Magical wonders and miracles cloked by craftie illusions of diuels folowe the prophetes and me so that euen the very electe if any power coulde preuayle agaynste God maye be deceyued by suche ligierdemayne and iuglynge castes Therefore if anye man shall saye vnto you Loe here is Christe beleue him not or if any call you backe to another place and saye loe here he is what place what apperaunce of thinges or what maner of honour or seruing of god soeuer he shewe you beleue hym not For after that Christ hath once forsaken the worlde he cannot be shewed nor pointed to with fyngers but will lye hid in mens soules and this shall be the signe and token to knowe where he is when anye dothe with his lyfe conuersacion expresse his doctrine put it in execucion Howebeit he wyll not cumme at domes daye so as he nowe cummethe but wyll sodainly and vnloked for shewe himselfe from any hygh after the maner of a flashe of lyghtening dreadfull to the wicked who shall be cast into euerlasting fire and againe amiable and louelye to godly persones whiche shall be called to
is in most ample wyse enlarged spred abrode throughout all the whole world but the swete sauour and fragrauÌ„t smell of this ointment hath filled euery corner and part therof This swete sauour allureth and causeth many a one to desyre that they maye be admitted into the same house wherin Iesus sitteth at meate with his frendes But there be sum which of spite enuy speake against the delicacies of Iesu as the Iewes who rather seke theyr own profit glorie coÌ„moditie then the glory honour of Iesu Christ. For so did certaine of his disciples yâ— yet sauoured of the flesh but specialy Iudas Iscarioth who being not contented in his mynde muttryng with himself againste this womannes facâ—e sayed on thys wyse what neded it to wast or cast away this so pure good oyntment For it myght haue been sold for thre hundred pence and with that money many a poore body haue been relieued And the losse of this oyntment greued them so muche that they made a great murmuring agaynst the godly prodigalitie of the woman That thyng is well loste which is employed vpoÌ„ Christes glorie Yea to saye the trueth there is nothyng that lesse perisheth The sinagoge is sparing to Christeward and wastefull or prodigall to her owne person Contrarilie the churche regardeth not the price and valewe of that she hath receiued of Christe but breaketh the vessell and rashlye powreth out all that euer she hath vpon her spouses heade The poore wydowe whiche cast a farthing into the treasurie pleased Christ hyghly So doth this woman content hym also whiche for his loue and sake hath lost her precious oyntment The widowe knowleagyng her pouertie broughte forth all the poore substaunce she had and caste it into the treasurye and the other beyng now riche wealthie through the lordes liberalitie did not onely geue him all that euer she had but also sustained the lose of her vessel The one gaue her goodes and lyuyng the other gaue euen body and soule yf that can perishe whiche is geuen vnto Iesu. Where be they now that grudge and murmoure against this prodigalitie whiche is so pleasaunte and acceptable to the aucthoure of grace Christ geueth of his owne plentifully to th entent that the good sauour of his liberalitie maye the more be spred abrode He requyreth no rewarde for anye thynge he geuethe but here onely he is ambicious or desirous of honour He willeth that we knowleage his well doing and benefites not because he hath any nede of suche prayse and commendacion but it hath pleased hym by thys meane to geue vs his gyftes and riches And Iesus sayed let her alone why trouble ye her She hath done a good worke on me For ye haue poore with you alwaies and whensoeuer ye wil ye may do them good but me haue ye not alwayes She hath done that she could she came aforehand to anoynt my body to the burying Uerely I say vnto you wheresoeuer this Gospell shal be preached thorowe out the whole world this also that she hath done shal be rehearsed in remembraunce of her The Lord of whome alone it is sufficient to be alowed defendeth the godly diligence of the woman agaynst his disciples muttryng and murmuryng against her Why saith he make you this busines with this woman Suffer her to take her pleasure She hath done me a good turne For whereas you cloke your couetousnesse with a pretence to socour the pore knowe ye yâ— whatsoeuer is geueÌ„ to me thesame is geueÌ„ to a poore body These commune poore folkes and beggers you shall euer haue with you whom you maye do good vnto and helpe as oft as ye wyll but ye shal not alwayes haue me present to wyn my fauour by such corporall benefytes I haue been but once in my lyfe tyme thus honoured and the thing that is done is not done to th entent that many should take ensaÌ„ple therby to vse such manour of bodilye refreshinges but because all men should after the spirituall sence and meaning doe the like This womaÌ„ wotteth not what she doth yet with a godly endeuour and diligence doeth she as muche as lyeth in her to do My death is nere hande then will she desyre to anoint my body that muste bee buried And because she shall not then haue tyme so to do she preueuteth the tyme and yeldeth me that honour whiles I am aliue which she caÌ„not geue me wheÌ„ I am dead But so true is it that her godly endeuoire whiche you speake and murmour against shall not lacke it condigne and worthye prayse that when my death shall by preaching of the gospel be renoumed and spokeÌ„ of throughout al the whole world she shall lykewyse bee remembred and spoken of because she honoured it wyth suche a gyft and present before I dyed ¶ And Iudas Iscarioth one of the twelue went awaye vnto the hye priestes to betraâ—e hym vnto them When they hearde that they were glad and promysed that they woulde geue hym moneye And he sought howe he might conueniently betraye hym With these wordes the Lorde caused his disciples to cease their muttring But Iudas Iscarioth one of the twelue who vntruely dispensed the common money geuen for the reliefe of the poore could in no wyse suffer the losse of this oyntment but went streightwayes vnto the highe priestes to betraye Iesus vnto theÌ„ For it was not vnknowen vnto hym how they studyed to take him by deceyte and treason After the highe priestes hearde this they were ryghte glad It pleased them very well that one of householde with Iesu shoulde bee the chiefe worker of this mischiefe They agreed of the sum of money that Iudas shoulde haue for his labour And there was mutuall faith founde in that wicked counsell and conspiracie whiche is seldome kept in honest and leafull couenauntes Iudas beleued the bare promise of the priestes without eyther wrytyng witnesses or sureties He ymagined with himselfe whiche waye he might betraye Iesu vnto the sayed priestes and Scribes after such a sorte as they desyred that is to saye in tyme and place conuenient leste anye busynesse or insurreccion should ryse hereof For this condicion was expressed in the couenaunt In the meane time whyles Iudas and the hye priestes counsayled together how for to destroye him Iesu went about the businesse of mannes saluacion ¶ And the fyrste daye of swete bred when they offered Passeouer his disciples saied vnto him where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou maiest eate the passeouer And he sendeth forth two of his disciples and saith vnto them Go ye into the Citie there shal mete you a man bearing a pitcher of water folowe him and whithersoeuer he goeth in saye ye to the goodman of the house the maister saith where is the geste chamber where I shal eate passeouer with my disciples And he will shewe you a greate parloure paued and prepared There make ready for vs. And his disciples wente forth
of fine linnen clothe and therin wrapped the bodye and layed it in a newe sepulchre hewed out of free stoone and then rolled a great stone to the doore or entry of the sepulchre that no man should lightly conuey awaye the body by stealth But of the women whiche behelde the lorde when he dyed two folowed hym vnto the sepulchre that is to wete Mary Magdalene Mary Ioseph markyng where the body was layde to th entent that they might at time conuenient thither repaire and honorably perfourme the solemnities and ceremonies belonging vnto burials accordyng to the manour and vsage of that nacion The .xvj. Chapter And when the Sabboth was paste Mary Magdalene and Mary Iacob and Salome bought swete odoures that they might cum and anoint hym And early in the mornyng the first daie of the Sabboth they came vnto the sepulchre when the Sunne was risen and thei sayde amoÌ„g themselues who shall rolle vs awaye the stone from the doore of the sepulchre â–ª And when they loked they sawe howe that the stone was rolled awaye For it was a very great one And they went into the sepulchre and sawe a yong man sitting on the right syde clothed in a long garment and they were afrayde BEcause that on the preparyng daye on the which daye the lord was buried a litle before the euentide immediatly after the Sunne setting it was not lawful to do any worke for the reuerence and highe solemnitie of the Sabboth these women ceased for that time to make further prouision for spices as they began to do awaytyng for the ende of the nexte daye folowing And anon as the Sunne was gone to glade and the time come agayne when men might lawfully returne to theyr businesse then came Mary Magdalene Mary of Iames and Salome with spices readie prepared to enoint Iesus And early in the mornyng vpon the fyrste daye of the sabbothes the whiche folowed next after the sabboth was ended and was the thyrd daye from the preparing daie these well disposed women came to the sepulchre what tyme the element waxed now faire bryght about the Sunne rysing sayde one of them to another Who shall rolle vs awaye the stone froÌ„ the dore of the sepulchre The stone was great and houge it passed womans strength to remoue it And they loked aboute yf they could get any body to helpe them in the meane while that they thus loked backe they sawe the stone already remoued to theyr handes TheÌ„ anone as they were entred into the doore of the sepulchre they sawe a yong man sitting on the right syde of it clothed with a long white garmeÌ„t With this sight though it were a right ioyfull syght and a token of good lucke yet because it appeared sodainly at vnwares they were amased And he sayth vnto them be not afrayed ye seke Iesus of Nazareth which was crucified He is rysen he is not here Beholde the place where they had put hym But go yonte waye and tell his disciples and Peter he goeth before you into Galile there shall ye see hym as he sayed vnto you And they went out quickly and fled froÌ„ the sepulchre For they trembled were amased neyther sayed they any thyng to any man for they were afrayed But byanby an Aungell recomforted them with swete and pleasaunt wordes saying you haue no nede to be afrayed You seke Iesus of Nazareth who was nayled on the crosse He is risen he is not here Beholde the voyde place where they had put his body Therfore all this that you haue prepared to honour and reuerence hym with all is superfluous Get you hence rather to shewe vnto his disciples beyng greatly dismayed with their Lordes death but especiallye vnto Peter who because he denied hym thryse is twyse as sory as the rest Get you hence I saye to shewe them how Iesus wyll go before them into Galile Thither let them folowe There shall you see hym alyue whome ye nowe bewayle as dead But these wemen what for great ioye and gladnes and what for the feare they were in by reason of this straunge sight fled out of the Sepulchre and spake not one worde as long as they were there so greatly were they afearde ¶ When Iesus was rysen earlye the fyrste daye after the Sabboth he appeared fyrste to Mary Magdalene oute of whome he had caste seuen dyuels And she went and tolde them that were with hym as they mourned and wept And they when they hearde that he was alyue and had appeared vnto her beleued it not After that appeared he vnto two of them in a straunge figure as they walked and went into the countrey And they wente and tolde it to the remnaunt And they beleued not these also As yet Iesus had not appeared to any bodye but after he was rysen he appeared fyrst of all to Mary Magdalene out of whome he had caste seuen diuels and this appering was the fyrste daye after the great Sabboth early She incontinent shewed the disciples who wept and mourned for theyr lordes death what she had sene But when they heard her tell howe he was aliue and that she herselfe had sene him and hearde hym speake they gaue no credence vnto her wordes So cleane out of memory was the thyng which he had so ofte tymes promised that is to saye howe he would ryse againe on the thyrde daye The same daye that he appeared vnto Mary Magdalene he appeared also vnto two disciples in the likenesse of a straunger and wayfaryng man as they went from Hierusalem into the countrey But they knowyng at the length that it was the Lorde retourned to Hierusalem and shewed vnto the resydew of the disciples what they had sene Neyther was suche thynges as they tolde beleued of the moste parte ¶ Afterwarde he appeared vnto the eleuen as they sat at meate and caste in theyr teeth theyr vnbelefe and hardnesse of hart because they beleued not them which hadde sene that he was rysen againe from death And he sayde vnto them Go ye into all the worlde and preache the gospell to all creatures he that beleueth and is baptised shal be saued But he thaâ— beleueth not shal be damned Laste of all when he was readye to departe hence and returne into heauen he appeared vnto the eleuen Apostles as they sate at meate for Iudas was then dead and hit them in the teeth with their vnbelefe and hardenesse of harte because they woulde not beleue those persons who had sene that he was rysen agayne from death For it was not requisite that all should se his death and resurreccion but sufficient for the fayth and certaintie of the gospell that the thyng was â—nce proued by mete and conuenient witnesses Els how shall the heathen geue credence to those thinges that were doen yf they would likewyse discredite the apostles reporte as Thomas and some other of them did at the begynning And Iesus sayed vnto them After all those thinges are now at the
vse not to lye it hath been reporâ—ed vnto me as well that Charles the Emperour in case any vacaÌ„t tyme of leysure maye in so great vnquietnesse and troubleous state of the worlde bee gotten doeth gladly bestowe thesame in readyng the ghospell boke as also the moste renoumed Prince Ferdinando brother to thesame Charles muche and often to haue in his handes the Paraphrase vpon the ghospell of Saincte Iohn whiche not very long agon I dedicated vnto hym yea and furthermore that the right noble kyng of Denmarke Christieâ—e which thing maye to your highnes also be well knowen hath bokes of christian religion often tymes in his handes and that he with greate desyrefulnesse vseth to reade my paraphrase vpon the ghospel of Matthew Why than shoulde the ghospel seme to be vnaptly sent vnto those whiche are handlers and louers of the ghospel whiche ghospell certes is to be had and vsed in the haÌ„des of all persones as many as remembre and thinke themselfes to be Christyans Nowe although after the rate of worldely dealyng suche a thyng is moste chiefely to bee geuen as the partie hath nede of to whom it is sent yet after the rule of the ghospell whoso hath already to hym muste nedes be geuen that he may haue plentie Wherfore me thought I should do but as myght best stande with congruence to sende this Euangelical physicion vnto your highnesse for asmuche as thesame is so farre from disdainyng holy scriptures that as your owne writinges dooe testifye ye haue aboue the meane rate profited in the same so that yf a man geue vnto your grace any thing to holy scripture apperteinyng he shall not seme so muche to geue a gifte as to make amendes and recompence for a pleasure receyued Moreouer if this be a thyng specially aboue others in all haste prouided for that in the kinges Emperours courtes there may from tyme to tyme be physicions ready and prest at hande beyng men exactly learned and of approued fidelitie to take charge that the princes be dye be preserued and kept in health howe muche more doeth it stande with congruence that Luke the physicion should there be reslaunte who doeth not with scammony or ellebour preserue the healthful state of the body but doth with an heauenly pocion deliuer the soule froÌ„ diseases that violently hale men to death euerlastyng that is to were that vnknowyng of the truthe mistrustfulnesse vnbelefe towardes God the loue of this worlde ambicion auarice riottous excesse hatred enuye and suche others For these diseases is all the life of mortall men subiect vnto dayly in daunger of falling into them as Iohn thapostle sayeth where he bewayleth that all the whole worlde is set in naughtinesse neyther any thing els to reigne therin but coÌ„cupiscence of the flesh concupiscence of the iyes pryde of the lyfe And in so muche the more peril and hasard of the said diseases do the princes stand as they are more then others made wantons derelynges of fortune and haue lybertie withoute checke or controllemente to fullfyll their owne sensuall lustes and appetites But nowe me seemeth I shall not spende my labour in vayne but to good purpose if I shal in a fewe wordes commend and sette Foorth vnto your highnesse first Luke himself being the physicioÌ„ and then the pocioÌ„ or medicine that he bringeth with hym albeit I put no doubtes but that as well the one as the other is already as in dede they ought to be vnto your godly ze'e and deuocion in most best wyse accepted Forsoth this same is that excellent man Luke an Antiochian by the couÌ„trey nacion that he was borne in And Antioche is a citie whiche was in old tyme of so great fame and power that so muche parte of al the countrey of Syria as reacheth vnto Cicilie butteth vpoÌ„ it had the name geuen it thereof And the sayed Antioche was in this behalf more happie and fortunate then verye Rome it self that Peter the apostle had his first see here in this citie of Antioche and that Paule and Barnabas dyd in the same citie receiue their dignitie of the charge and funccioÌ„ Apostolical Now to our present purpose this Luke was of familiar acquaintaunce and comiersacion with all the Apostles but most specially a folower and disciple of Paule and also a companion of his in all his peregrinacioÌ„ neuer separated nor deuided from his coumpany By linyng in coumpany with the Apostles he wrote his ghospell and by the thynges whiche Paule wrought and did Luke beyng a presente witnesse of theim he wrote the booke whiche he entytled the actes of the apostles And that hystorie of the Actes he continued vntill the second yere of Paul abydyng at Rome that is to say vntill the fowerth yere of Nero the Emperour there Wherof men gather a consecture that the boke was writteÌ„ in the same citie and fully agreed it is amonge the learned men that this same verye Luke it is of whom Paul the Apostle doeth so often tymes make mencion as for eâ—aumple in his second epistle to the Corinthians where he thus saith We haue seÌ„t with him our brother whose lande is in the gospel throughout all the congregacions Again where he writeth to the CollosstaÌ„s he sayth dere Lukes the physicion greteth you And agayne in the secound epystle to Timothe For Demas hath forsaken me louing this preseÌ„t world is departed vnto Thessalonica Crescens is gone into Galacia Titus into Dalmacia onely Lukas is with me Yea and this point moreouer is leaft to vs by auncyent writers that as often as Paul calleth it by the name of his gospell as he doeth to Timothe where he saieth Remembre that Iesus Christ of the seede of Dauid arose again from death accordyng to my gospell c. he â—â—neth of the ghospel of Luke because that like as Marke wrote the history of the gospell at Peters woorde by his settying on so dyd Luke at the word and biddyng of Paule Hierome is of the opinion and iudgement that Luke was more expert in the greke tongue then the other were and by reasoasoÌ„ therof wrote the discourse and processe of the story after a more eâ—act and gromidely sortâ— then the others dyd that is to were takyng his entraunce at the first concepcion of Iohn the Baptist and makyng relacion of verye muche maâ—ter touchyng the natiuitie and concernyng the babehoode â—ea and certayne poyntes furthermore concernyng the childhood of Iesus making also rehersall of many parables and miracles whiche the other euaÌ„gelistes for loue of briefnes had let passe he any thing spoken of And where â—s not one of all the others went any whâ—t ferther then the tyme of the Lorde Iesus beyng assumpted into heauen this man alone did in an other seconde boke make a further continuacioÌ„ of the story concerning the churche howe it first sprang vp and how it grewe more and more to sprede and shew it self Thus muche moreouer the wryters affyrme
that lyke as Matthew wrote his ghospell and Peter his epistles chyefely vnto the Iewes so dyd Luke wryte his gospell most specially to the Gentiles as one that was a disciple of Paules which Paul as he was the teacher of GeÌ„tiles so did he write all his epistles vnto Gentiles except the only one epistle to the Hebrues of â—eaufouâ— writer wherof â—t hath euermore been doubted whether it were Paule or not He wrote his ghospel after Marke but yet before that Iohn â—oâ—e his by reason wherof beyng but a disciple he is set before Iohn who was an Apostle And to conclude it is written that a long lyued manne he was whiche thyng was in a physicion euen as of congruence it ought to be for he folowed the couÌ„saâ—le of Paul which wrote It is good not to touche 〈◊〉 he liued a single man fower score and fower yeres The bones of him after he was dead wer remoued and conueied out of Achaia to Constantinople together with the bones of Andrewe the apostle in the tweÌ„tieth yere of CoÌ„stancius Ye haue nowe a phiâ—icion for the soule of a physicion for the body a man by his familiaritie of conuersacion with the Apostles habled and by mo testimonies then one of Paul the apostle commended and praysed and by the wholle consent of all the faythfull congregacioÌ„s allowed For where the gospels of many were reiected and refused Luke was by the consent of al the congregacions voices receyued to make vp that same holy and mistical quaternitie which Moses in old tyme limyted out whan he expouÌ„ded vnto vs the fower-studdes or riuers welling vp out of one spryng in paradise whiche studdes do water al the earth vniuersall and the whiche quaternitie the Prophet Ezechiell afterward saw whâ—Ì„ he playnly set out vnto vs as it had been in a picture the fower mystycall beastes the fower wheles in one Nowe if it be so thought good let vs in fewe wordes sumwhat speake of the pocion or medicine that he hath geuen vs. He had been wonte out of Hyprocrates to take medicines wherewith to remedie diseases of the body but this medicine of the ghospel wherwith to cure and heale our soules he toke of the Apostles whiche had both seen and heard Christ yea or rather of the veray holy ghost himself There was among the physicions of olde time a certain kind of medicine of passyng great efficacie vertue whiche medicine they called in Greke theâ—â— Chrâ—iâ—â—â—s that is to say Gods handes lyke as there is nowe a confeccion that is called manus Christi But yet was there neuer any medicine inuented by the Phisicions that was able to remedie al diseases of the body though they make neuer so muche vauntes and boast of that same which they call paâ—â—â—â— a medicine as they affirme effectual and of muche vertue but knowen to us man Once the sicknes of olde age geueth place to no phisike But this same medicine of the ghospel is in very true dede the manus Christi â–ª whiche thorough syncere faith doeth once for altogether take away all diseases of the soules geueth immortalitie which thing apperteineth onely vnto god to do And certes it was a thyng not vnfearly ne vnskilfully spoken in the prouerbes of the Grekes that woordes and talke is the physicion of a mynde beyng dyseased and sicke yea and sum there hath been which beleued that the diseases of the body also myght be driuen away with certayne hartie wordes aduysedly spoken hauyng a certain magical vertue efficacie in them The Lord Iesê° was a phisicioÌ„ who while he liued here on earth did with his wordes put awaye diseases of the bodies were they neuer so sore or of neuer so loÌ„g continuance rooted in them Yea and with his wordes he raysed dead folkes to lyfe agayne For his woord was no woord of magike but the almightyful word of the omnipoteÌ„t father The same Christ did also with his word driue awaye diseases of the soules whan he sayd Sonne thy synnes are forgeuen theâ— and in an other place Goe thy wayes thy fayth hath made the whole And in coÌ„sideracion hereof the prophecy had afore promised yâ— Christ should be a physicion For it sayeth in the booke of Sapience For neither any hearbe ne any supplyng plaister hath healed them but thy word o Lord whiche healeth all thynges Thissame verily is that true 〈◊〉 that the phisicious speake of as afore sayd Also the mystical psalme hath this sentence He sent his woord and he healed them from their vtter peryshynges The liuelye woorde of the father is Christe He had sent Moses and the prophetes and by them was the nacion of the Iewes taken in cure to be loked vnto but they were not clene healed Onelye the woorde of the father was of sufficiente vertue and efficacie to heale the diseases of man and not onelye the lighte dyseases but also the mortall and deadly sickenesses For it is a marke whereby to know that it speaketh of deadly sickenesses whan the prophete addeth from theyr vtter perishynges At suche tyme as the stomacke is so clene fallen awaye that it abhorreth and refuseth all kynde of meate than groweth the sicke partie to wardes his death and of suche manier a disease was all the whole vniuersall worlde sicke before the cumming of the heauenly phisician Whiche thing had the psalmiste a litle tofore spoken Their solle abhorred all kynde of meate they were drawen nere euen to the gates of death There had bene manye soondry drenâ—hes tempered by the philosophiers as for exaumple by the secte of Pythagoras by the Academikes by the Stoikes by the Epicureans and by the Perepatetikes promisyng perfect healthe of the myndes yea and heauens blisse too Moses tempered many pocions prescrybyng and appoyntyng soondry ceremonies of religion and of seruyng â–ª god the prophetes also made muche and many temperynges to thesame ende and purpose but by reason of diseases growyng strong and preuayling the phisicke and medicines auailed not ne dyd any other good sauing that it encreased the diseases and bewrayed the same that it might appere The stomacke of the soule beeyng corrupte with naughtie desyres as it had beene with euell and hurtefull humoures dyd on the one syde turne theyr face awaye from the moral preceptes and lessons of the philosophiers composed with greate labour and studye and on the other syde by the ordinaunces and prescripcions of Moses â–ª they were made the more supersticious but nothyng the better men As for the bittur chydyng whiche the prophetes ministred had no good relice ne taste in theyr mouthes and therfore was there no credyte geuen to theyr promises Whiche thyng the father of heauen whan he sawe because he woulde not haue any thyng to perishe of all that he had created sente foorth his woorde who should with an heauenly medicine delyuer all people from all diseases of theyr soules onelye requiryng of vs to acknowleage our disease and put assured trust and confidence in
whiche the ghospell teacheth then whiche the Paradoxes that is to saie the straunge opinions of the philosophiers dooe teache And the sayd philosophiers doctryne not one of the princes did euer make anye a dooe to destroye or suppresse and yet of it owne accorde it vanyshed awaye lyke as did also theyr lawes and the arte magicall and the rites of sacryfices For what creature dooeth at this daye sacrifyce vnto the Gods of the Heathen or slaygheth beastes in sacrifice as the Iewes did What persone dooeth now knowe of Zoroastes What man setteth an heare by the misticall riddels of Pythagoras Who readeth the lyfe of Apollonius Tyaneus any otherwyse then as a certayne dreame Yea or rather who vouchesalueth to reade it at al For where Aristotell is at these dayes of greate name and fame in the scholes leat hym neuer thanke his owne fâ—cte therefore but the Christians For euen he had perished too yf there had not been made a medley of Christe and hym together in our schooles of diuinitie Against the philosophie Euangelical beeyng yet but tendre and euen but newly spryngyng vp the worlde arose at the first chop with all his force and power by meane of the Iewes vnder the pretexte and coulour of religion fightyng agaynst the fountaine of all religion by meane of the philosophiers beeyng hable muche to doe in all kyndes of â—earnyng by meane of the Sophisters beyng felowes vnpossible to bee ouercoÌ„med in stiffenesse of holdyng argumentacions by meane of the rhetoricians beyng meruaylous in the force of eloquence by the tyrannes beeyng armed with all sortes of shewyng crueltie by meane of kynges lieutenauntes magistrates by suche as were cunnynng in magike and sorcerie and perfecte in the sleyght of castyng mystes ouer mennes iyes and other senses and by meane of eiuyll spirites beeyng the lordes of this worlde All suche tumultuous buisynesse as these as a sea of eiuils swellyng vp and ouerflowyng dydde the power of the trueth Euangelicall receiue endure breake throughe and vtterly ouercome For at the lighte of the ghospell whan it came it was reason that all counterfaictes of worldly power should clene vanishe a waye Up shot that same ghospell and shewed it selfe beeyng plaine and lowe whiche all men wâ—â— great a doe endeuoured to ouertrede and kepe downe The bokes of suche persones as with singular high witte with woondrefull learnyng and with exquisite eloquence wrote agaynst the ghospel vanished awaye of theyr owne accorde as it had been certayne dreames insomuche that they are not at this day remaynyng to bee had neyther excepte if any fragmentes or small pieces haue been saued of the Christians by reason of wrytyng agaynst them in confuting them The kynges and princes dooe nowe bough downe to honoure the thyng which to fore they weÌ„t about to destroie the power of magike is vanished awai and gone the euill spirites are cast out that they howle and rore agayn philosophie hath confessed her ignoraunce and geuyng ouer the foolishe wisedome of the world it hath enbraced the wysedome of the crosse the rethoricians write oracions in the prayse of Iesus Christ the poetes do hisse the olde goddes out of place and in the lieu and place of Goddes innumerable all their song and composyng is nowe of Iesus Christe alone Thissame so great a chaunge of the world begoonne within a fewe yeares after Christ was putte to death to be made generall and common through al the whole worlde and withoute any maintenaunce or supportacion of maÌ„ it encreaced from tyme to tyme still more and more vntyll the piece of leauen beeyng miengled in three peâ—kes of meale did â–ª â—auen and turne al the whole batche and vntill the graine of mustard seed beeyng digged into the yearth did ferre and wyde spleygh his boughes abrode ouer Asia ouer Afrike and Europe And ouer and besydes all this those persones who layed theyr battrey agaynst the trueth Euangelical to cast it â—owne and to destroye it not onely had diuerse and sondry kyndes of terroures wherwith euen very manly stomakes also might haue been quayled that is to weâ—e open coÌ„maundementes by proclamacion consistories places of iudgemente forfaityng of al theyr goodes to the princes attaindres and depriuacions banishementes priesons tormentes of burnyng plates scourgyng with â—oddis axes wherwith to choppe of theyr heades ieobettes fiers to burne them wylde beastes to cast them to that thei might be deuoured deathes but also they had diuerse and soondrye allurementes wherewith an herte though it wer right coÌ„tinent might bee corrupted Ceasar would saye to some one of them Rencague thou and forsake Christ and be thou the chiefe emong all my piers and except thou so do all thy gooddes shall be forfayte to my behoufe I wyll shewe all extremitie of rigour towarde thy wyfe and children and thyselfe for thyne own part shalt bee cast to wylde beastes in a denne Who did in suche cases as these perswade so many thousandes and bryng them in mynde with reioycyng to take it whan theyr promocions and dignities were taken from them whan theyr gooddes were spoyled that whan they sawe those parties haled with all violence to huige tormentes and execucion of death who nexte after God were moste derely beloued vnto them they should geue thankes to God and finally that themselues whan they might easly haue escaped and whan they might haue enioyed suche high commodities should of theyr owne voluntary wylles offâ—e themselues to bee cruelly martyred No power of humayne eloquence could this haue dooen but the godlye power of the trueth was hable whiche laye hidden in the graine of mustardsede Neither did the philosophiers doctrine lacke alluremente The Stoykes promised libertie and fredome true rychesse health reigne other thynges magnificent and royall to be spoken The Epicureans made highe woordes and promises of pleasure to the cares of men The Peripatetikes dyd couple the good giftes of the bodye with vertue But the doctrine of the ghospell as it did not drawe any body vnto it with any worldly terrours so on the contrary parte how feâ—re was it from hauyng any thyng commendable in outwarde shewe to see to naye rather howe many thynges did it conteine vttrely vncredible It telleth newes of one Iesus nailled on the crosse who had by his death deliuered mankynde and this Iesus to be bothe god and man borne of a virgin and one that had returned agayne from death to life and was nowe sitting at the right hande of God the father and thesame Iesus to had been a man that had taught suche persones to bee in blissed case as for the profession of his name did mourne and warle did suffre thirst or hungre were put to affliccion wer euill spoken of or were putte to death and that all men shall in time to come arise to life agayn and that the godly sorte at that daye thesame veray Iesus beeyng their iudge shall haue immortalitie to their lotte the wicked shall haue the peines of hell for euer without
by course succeded All thissame though it semed to be doen by mere chaimce at auenture yet was there no one poynte therof but it was wrought by the high wysedome and prouidence of God yea not so muche as the veray numbre of the course but it was for a purpose and a consideracion For lyke as the numbre of seuen for many causes hath the figure significacion of the olde lawe so doeth the numbre of eight well accorde to the grace of the ghospel for asmuche as the euerlasting blisse of heauen is nowe geuen not through the workes of the lawe but freely and frankly through feith And Zacharie had also a wife named Elizabeth not only the better to be estemed for the respecte of her noble birth for she came of the stocke and bloud of Aaron the first prieste of the people of Israell but also worthie to be had in reuerence and wurship for hir integritie and perfecte goodnesse of behaueour to the intente that suche an holy man as Zacharie was should not be without a wyfe accordyng ¶ They were both righteouse before God and so walked in all the commaundementes and ordeynauÌ„ces of the Lord that no man could fynde faulte with them And they had no childe because that Elizabeth was baraine and they both were now well stricken in age For it was in veray dede an holy wedlocke knitte and made vp not somuch by copulacion of their bodies as by lykenesse of theyr mindes and hertes and by the felowship of godlines because they were both of them veray good folkes and iust not with the iustice of the Phariseis whiche Phariseis vnder a false couiour and counterfaite shewe of holynesse did sette foorth theyr prynted sheathe to the iyes of men for lucre and for worldely prayse defourmyng their faces and makyng them vnsightly for the nons a troumpette blowyng before them at all suche times whan they gaue their almes sekyng to be estemed holy by reason of long prayers made in corners of the stretes whan their herte was drouned in all fylthinesse of hainous offences and trespaces against God but Zachary and Elizabeth with vncorrupt hertes dyd in suche wyse obserue and kepe all thynges whiche the Lord had commaunded by the lawe that neyther they gaue vnto men any holde or tytle to fynde faulte with them and yet the which is a poynte of no small difficultie they did also by the puritie and clenesse of their liuyng shewe themselfes pleasyng in the sight of God Yea and this veray poynte also was wrought by the high wysedome of God of a speciall prouision to the ende that suche a one as should afterwarde geue testimonie vnto Christe at his cumming might on his owne behalfe be in all maner degrees worthy acceptacion emong the people of the Iewes first for the noblenesse of his linage being descended of the ordre of priesthood aswell on the fathers syde as on the mothers syde secondarily for the linyng of both his parentes beyng vnreprouable thirdly for the vertues giftes of grace in his owne selfe beyng wonderfull and suche as were but in fewe persones to be found and finally for his gloryous death whan he should suffre for the truthes sake Suche a cryar veryly it was mete that he should haue which came to allure to hymselfe the whole worlde with the sauor as it were of the good fame and opinion that should spryng of hym Ferthermore by the prouidence of God this poynte alo was wrought that the straunge maner of his natiuitie should stiere vp the myndes of men to haue a speciall regarde of Iohn and no suche common matiers or facions as were in other folkes to be looked for at his hande the whiche was borne into this worlde not after the common course of nature but by the onely benefite of God For although the holy conuersacion of zacharie and Elizabeth was specially well approued allowed of all persons yet in this one poynte their godlynesse semed to haue but hard happe that both of them were veray ferre groweÌ„ in age without hauing any issue or childe in all their tyme. For emong the Iewes lyke as the fruitfulnesse of matrimonie was reputed for a certayne thyng of great Royaltie so was barainnesse in as muche reproche as any thyng and was rekoned in the numbre of the chiefe missehappes and euils of this lyre For the moste parte of the people did interprete and take those persons to bee reiected and cast out of the fauour of God whiche had not had the fortune and happe with some kynde of issue to encrease and multiplie the people of the Iewes beeyng a people specially chosen dedicate vnto God For the Iewes beyng altogether grosse and carnall had not yet learned that a spirituall and ghostely people it was whiche God would haue by an heauenly generacion styll from tyme to tyme more and more to be multiplied with continuall succession of issue They had not yet heard that blissed were tho persons whiche had gelded themselfes for the kingdome of heauen And this mattier dyd not a lytle grieue them bothe in theyr mindes especially Elizabeth who was now euen already by a muche reprochefull name in euery bodyes mouth called baraine and was rekoned in the numbre of women of hard happe as one of suche barainesse that she was nowe past all lykelyhood or hope to haue any chylde because that veray many yeres hauyng passed in the coumpanie of her wedded house bande she had yet brought foorth no fruite of matrimonie For the reproche of barainnesse is woont moste specially to light on the womeÌ„ And this despaire of hauing any chyld the old age of them both had encreased But the bounteous goodnesse of God did of tendre fauour geue vnto the deuoute prayers and desires of theyr hertes that thyng which the strength and power of nature dyd not geue to the coumpanying of theyr bodyes And it came to passe that whan Zacharie executed the priestes office before God as his course came accordying to the custome of the priestes office his lotte fell to burne incâ—nse And he wente into the temple of the Lorde and the whole multitude of the people were without in prayer whyle the incense was in burnyng Therfore whan zacharie executed the office of the prieste in the ordre of his course whiche as we haue sayed was in the course of Abia and continuing within the temple in the sight of God attended the ministryng of the sacres lyke a pure and a chaste man and now accordyng to the custome and maner there was one to be chosen to goe into the innermoste and priuiest place of the temple which is called Sancta sanctorum that is to say the holy of holyes or the principall holy place the chaunce of the lotte so fell that he was chosen to entre into the principall holy place which it was not leefull for any person to entre except the bishop or suche an
vertuous disposicion and shamefastnes commonly go together more then halfe ashamed for because that to suche persons as dyd not yet knowe all thissame matter to bee done God being the worker and doer of it she being now already an aged woman might seme to had wholly geuen herselfe yet still vnto the satisfying of the wanton lust of her body For she was not ignoraunte howe muche inclined the moste parte of folkes are as well to misdeme the wurst as also to speake naughtily And the prudent minde of the woman had also a ferther iye and regarde vnto this poynte too that there was no vauntes ne braggues to be made among the people of the gyfte of God vntill it were assuredly past all doubtes leste if the thing had afterward quailled or gone awaye in any behalfe the reproche of her baraines should be double for that beyng so fer strieken in yeres she had conceyued suche a vayne hope to haue a childe Neuerthelesse whan by sundry assured tokens she perfeitely knewe herselfe to be with childe she did in suche wise at all times shewe herselfe glad of her happie chaunce that all this matter euery whit of it what soeuer it were she referred vnto the onely goodnesse of God I haue hitherto sayeth she been diffamed with the reprochefull name of a baraine woman and one that neuer should haue childe among the people of Israel in whose opinion the barainnes of the body is a thing of more dishonestie shame then naughty disposicioÌ„ of the mynde But the Lord I see well hath for this purpose made a delay of my fruitfulnesse that a childe borne nowe whan no man looked for it not onely might deliuer me from the reproche of barainnes but also should cause vnto me the more aumple ioy For plainly the free gyfte of God it is who at suche time as best pleased himselfe hath vouchedsafe to cast a fauourable iye on me his simple handmaide in suche sorte that by reason of my chyld though beyng but one alone borne whan it was almost past season yet neuertheles a childe specially to be marked regarded whom I haue borne in Gods behalfe I shall from hencefurth in folkes communicacion bee reported to bee a mother muche happier then a great many of others the whiche do with a great sorte of children a piece enriche their housebandes And in the sixth moneth was the Aungell Gabriel sent from God into a citie of Galile the name wherof is Nazareth to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Ioseph of the house of Dauid and the name of the virgin was Mary And the Aungell came in vnto her sayd haâ—â—e thou full of grace the lorde is with the. Blissed art thou among women These thinges thus done it remained that the holier greater piece of this misterie shoulde bee procured by the Aungell that is to wete that the sonne of God beeyng God immortall should of a virgin beeyng a creature subiecte vnto death bee borne a man mortall the like wherof neuer had afore sence the creacion of the world been heard ne to the last ende of the world again should bee heard Therfore whan the tyme from without begynnyng by God prefixed drewe nere that God the father would by his sonne deliuer the whole vniuersall worlde from the tyranny of death and of synne he sent the selfsame Aungell Gabriell as a broker or procurer and a maker vp of this godly copulacion andioynyng with the sayed virgin And this was done in the sixth moneth after that Elizabeth was conceyued with Iohn Unto this heauenly matter there was specially deputed a tendre yong virgyn not set furth to the worlde with aboundauÌ„ce of riches or possessions not by famousnes of name not with portlynesse of lyfe ne with the other thynges whiche this worlde vseth to haue in high regarde but endued with excellente vertues of the minde the whiche do make a manne acceptable in the sight of God that is to saye with puritie of lyfe vndefiled with maidenly demurenes and with godly deuocion Her habitacion was in an homely basse litle toune of Galile called Nazareth a people nothyng regarded ne set by emong the Iewes And the virgin was espoused vnto a man of no fame ne porte in any behalfe to the worldes estimacion but for his vertues of the mynde a man to be accepted afore God a carpenter by occupacion and his name Ioseph beyng lineally descended of the stocke of Dauid from the which stocke of Dauid the espoused virgin also had her progenie to the ende that the case might not disagree with the prophecie whiche had promised that Messias should be borne of the stocke of Dauid kyng of Israel And the name of the virgin was Mary God had for the nons picked out two persons of lowe degree and of small porte to th entent that the worlde myght not in this heauenly matter clayme or chalenge to it selfe any poynte or part therof He had also pieked out persons of moste faultlesse and moste pure behauiour to the ende that no poynte of cryme myght be layed to theyr charge He had pieked out persons coupled together in chaste and leefull matrimonie to th entent partely that the priuetie of a childe to bee borne by a pure virgin myght be secrete vntyll the due tyme therof and partly that the case beyng otherwyse vnbeleuable whiche was that a virgin had without coumpaynying with any manne brought furth a chylde myght not lacke a witnesse conuenieÌ„t At a tyme whan this virgin was in her contemplacion within her priuy closet as virginitie loueth to be secrete the Aungell Gabriell apperyng visible with muche bryghtnes came in vnto her and hayled her with a straunge sorte of salutacion Rest thou well sayth he and reioyce o virgin beeyng full of grace and highly in fauour Thou hast the Lorde ryght fauourable vnto thee and muche thy frende And therfore shalt thou be siggularly renoumed and of a laudable name among all women ¶ When she sawe him she was abashed at his saying and cast in her mynde what maner of salutacion this might be And the Aungel sayd vnto her Feare not Mary For thou hast found grace afore God Beholde thou shalt conceyue in thy wombe and beare a soÌ„ne and shalt call his name Iesus He shal be great and shal be called the sonne of the highest And the Lord God shall geue vnto him the seate of his father Dauid and he shall reigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kyngdome there shal be none ende But the virgin at the sodayne sight of the Aungell and agayne also at the fourme and tenour of his salutacion beeyng straunge and suche as neuer had been heard of afore forasmuche as she on her owne behalfe conceyued no great opinion of her selfe was right muche dismayed in her minde For that she was fore adrad at the entreyng of one in the likenesse of a young man not loked for was a
Iesus to be his owne very soonne Than Ioseph the spouse of the virgin Marie who was mother to Iesus was after the fourme of the law called the sonne of Heli beyng his vncle by the fathers side but after the trueth of naturall generacion he was the soÌ„ne of Iacob whiche Iacob reised sede vnto his brother Heli beyng borne oute of yesame bealy that himself was because thesame Heli was deceassed with out issue so vpon his wife whoÌ„ he at his diyng left a widow Iacob beegot a sonne called Ioseph Heli was the sonne of Mathat and he again had Leui to his father Leui was borne of Melchi who was begotteÌ„ of Ianna the sonne of Ioseph sonne of Matatthias to whoÌ„ Amos was father And him did NauÌ„ beget who was the sonne of Helsi Helsi borne of his father Nagge and Nagge issued out of Maath the sonne of Matathias This Matathias was cum of the seede of Semei the sonne of Ioseph who was begotten and borne of Iuda Iuda had to his father Ioanna the soonne of Rhesi beyng soÌ„ne to zorobabel zorobabels father was zalathiel borne his self of Neri the sonne of Melchi who was descended of the linage of Addi the sonne of Cosam begotten of HelmadaÌ„ And he was lineallye descended of Her the sonne of Ieso who was borne of Heleazer the soonne of Ioram And father to Ioram was Mattha beyng hymselfe borne of Leui the sonne of Simeon borne of Iuda the sonne of Ioseph And him had IonaÌ„ begotteÌ„ beyng himself the sonne of Heliachim the sonne of MeleaÌ„ And he was borne of Mathatha beyng the sonne of Nathan This man had kyng Dauid begotten of Barsabee by whom was restored the stocke of Salomon whiche failed afore and decayed in Ozochias Dauid was begotten of Iesse the sonne of Obed beyng borne of Booz Father to this maÌ„ was SalmoÌ„ the sonne of Naasson beyng borne of Aminadab to whom Aram was father and Aram sonne to Esrom begotten of phares the sonne of Iuda Iuda came by lineall discente from the Patriarke Iacob the sonne of Isaac whom Abraham being an aged man had accordyng to Goddes promyse begotten of his olde wife Sara And Abraham was borne of Tharra the sonne of Nachor beyng begotteÌ„ of Saruch the soÌ„ne of Ragau to whom Phalec was father and father to him again was Heber begotten of Sale the sonne of Cainan and Cainan the sonne of Arphaxat whose father was Sem the sonne of Noe and Noe the sonne of Lamech and he the sonne of Mathusalah beyng born of Enoch whose father was Iareth and he desceÌ„ded of Malalehel the sonne of Cainan who was begotteÌ„ of Enoch the sonne of Seth whose father was Adam and begotte Seth after that he had lyued an hundred and thirtie yeres Adam was the head of al maÌ„kind hauyng none other autour ne progenitour of his generacion but onely God of whom he was created of the claie of the yearth beeyng to him as it wer in stede of a mother And for because that all mankynde was infected taynâ—ted through the synne of this our yearthly father and resemblynge the inclynacion of the same fyrst father it was now fallen into all kynde of viciousnesse there was sente the lord Iesus as a restorer and a redemer of the same mankynde whan it was so extremely fallen to the end that thesame whiche had ful whole falleÌ„ doun through the disobedience of one might be recoÌ„ciled again through the obedience of one and to the ende that lyke as all those whiche had folowed the steps of their earthly father became therby subiect vnto deathe so they whiche beyng exempted from the kynred of the synner thorough baptisme were graffed into the heauenlye Adam which is Iesus Christe and did cleue fast vnto the steppes of the same should attayne euerlastyng life in heauen And in dede the begynnynges of mankynde whan it fell and of the same at the restorynge of it dooe in many behalfes answer taunt pour taunt the one contrary to the other For nothyng at all was there doen in this matier by blynde chauÌ„ce or casualtie but all the whole processe and discourse of thynges was tempered and ordred by the wisedom and ordinaunce of God almightie The talkyng of Eue with the serpent whan she was a virgin was the begynnyng of our deadly perishyng and the talkyng of the virgin Marie with Gabriell was the begynnynge of our healthe and recouerie Eue beeyng corrupte with the lure of an apple laughyng on her both cast awaie her housbande and also brought in death into the worlde Marie beyng a virgin for euer euer vncorrupted constauntly despysynge all alluremente of the fleshe and with simple plain faythe willingly yeldyng her self vnto the will of god brought foorth the man that brought helth and saluacion to the worlde Adam also was tempted and ouercomed Christ beeyng tempted ouercame the temptour Adam folowyng the mynde of his wyfe whan she was corrupted was caste out of paradise for his laboure Christe obeiyng his father euen vnto death sette the waye into heauen wide open For the sensuall pleasure of tasting an apple was Adam made a bonde seruaunt vnto the deuill Christe by settyng all the kyngdomes and delycate pleasures of the world at naught deliuered our enemie into our handes to be subdued at oure owne pleasure The one thoroughe the eatyng of an apple lost al his posteritie and succession and the other through abstinence of meat restored them that afore were lost The one was driuen awaie out of Paradise into the yearth replenished with miserie and liyng al desert and the other hath made a waye vnto heauen safe and strongly fensed from al desertnesse AdaÌ„ through the vain desire of proude knowelage plucked his successioÌ„ after him vnto death and Christ through the huÌ„ble obedience of faith did restore life again Yea and besides al this on bothe parties woode and tree On the one syde the serpent by meane of the tree ouercame and beguiled Adam on the other side Christ by meane of the tree beguiled also ouercame the deuill By meane of the tree came death by meane of the tree came lyfe The head and chiefe captayne of our destruccion was made out of the yearth beeyng a virgin and the head of our saluacion borne of the virgin Marie Adam was created to the lykenesse of God and Christe beeyng the true lykenesse of God tooke on hym bothe the lykenesse and nature of manne Adam was deceyued through his wyfe Eue and Christe hath called backe his spouse the churche from the deceiptefull errour of the deuyll On the one partie a woman whyle she seketh to bee made wyse vttred furthe the begynnyng of all foolyshenesse and on the other partie a woman while she sheweth herselfe voyde of al suche presumpcion bryngeth furth vnto vs the fountayne of wysedome The firste Adam while he hath more desyre to be wyse then obedient brought in folishenesse into the worlde and the new Adam wheras he was the wisedome
too And all they in the Synagogue whan they hearde these thâ—nges wer filled with wrathe and arose vp and thrust hym out of the Citie and led hym euen to the edge of the hyll whereon their Citie was builte that they might cast hym down headlong But he departed and weÌ„t his waye euen through the middes of them Whan Iesus had with these sayinges plainly without any flaterie or colour laid to his countreymen of Nazareth theyr vnbelefe for the respect wherof thei made themselues vnworthie of goddes benefites and all vnder one did geue halfe a significacion that th ende would be that the free gift of the power of the ghospell shoulde passe awaye and remoue not onely from his countreymen of Nazareth beyng vnbeleuers that woulde not turne to the feith but also from all the Iewes in general vnto the wedow of SydoÌ„ that is to saie to the churche of the Gentiles to Naaman of Syria that is to saie to the Gentiles who afore that tyme wer idolaters wurshippers of false goddes the enuious grutching murmour of the NazareaÌ„s turned into manifest indignacion fuming For the hertes of them euery one were brought so ferre oute of pacience because he had been so bolde to speake suche wordes in the open Synagogue preferring the peoples of Sydon of Syria before the Israelites whereas the saied people wer meÌ„ vtterly abhorred detested emoÌ„g the Iewes that making a plain vprore sedicion they droue hym out banished hym the citie of Nazareth And not beyng therwith satisfied they brought hym euen to the brough and edge of the mountaine vpon whiche thesame citie was buylded verylye myndyng purposyng to tumble hym down euen there headlong O vnnaturall countreymeÌ„ O fauour of that waueryng mynded people into how great a madnesse sodainly chaunged And after all this is doen they meruaile that saluacioÌ„ coÌ„meth not to them wheras themselues do banishe away from them the worker and geuer of saluacioÌ„ Thei disdeyne to haue the godly beliefulnesse of the heatheÌ„ to be praised and yet do they not all the while emende their owne wicked vnbelief They did verai eagrely desire to haue a phisician yet cannot they abide to swallow downe the holsome pille of the veritie beeyng bittur in theyr mouthes Thei wyl nedes haue their bodies made hole nothing regarding the diseases of the minde And the medicine of the solle beyng sicke is true plaine speakyng whiche because it is true is thought sharpe byting They haue more mynde to pleasauÌ„t flatreyng poisoÌ„ though it worke death theÌ„ to a bitter medicine that might bring them health They require to haue miracles shewed emoÌ„g them for vainglorie of the world which Christ neuer shewed but for the health of men to goddes glorie Neither was his cuÌ„ming into the world purposely to heale the bodyes which should within short space after decaie and perishe but to cure soules that should liue for euer And now coÌ„sider me here how peruersely ouerthwartely the NazareaÌ„s wurshipped serued God It was the Sabboth day they rekoned it a thyng against al godsforbod on that day to sewe a seame in a shooe but whan a countreyman of theyr owne ientilly calleth them vnto saluacioÌ„ thei accouÌ„pte it no wicked dede at all sediciously with al theyr force to driue him before them to a place where he might breake his necke Forsouth SataÌ„ did his busie cure by these instrumentes to accomplishe the thyng that he had to fore by his owne selfe tempted Iesus vnto And here founde he bailliffes or seruauntes more gracelesse and myscheuous then himself For Satan for his part durst not presume any ferther but to moue Iesus that he would caste hymself downe headlong from the high pinnacle of the temple but these felowes swarmyng together in a plumpe hale and drawe to a stiepe edge of an high mountayne and as muche as in them lyeth do toumble downe at the same place a countreyman and tounesman of thesame citie that themselues were of beyng knowen emoÌ„g them and one that had doen them all good Their wicked wyll did asmuche as euer it was hable but their wieked will had no suche power as to do it For the tyme was not yet come in whiche it was expedient for vs that Iesus shoulde dye who in dede was come to suffre death for vs but not till his owne tyme that his heauenlye father had appoynted nor anye other kynde of death then whiche he had specially chosen Nor euerye Sabboth did like hym for the purpose but the Sabboth of Easter in whiche it was seemely for the lambe that should redeme the world to be offreed vp in sacrifice neither was a stiepe edge of a rocke or a mouÌ„taine for his purpose but the high exalting vp on the crosse Lucifer was toumbled down headlong out of heauen for his pryde and therefore is he a buisie prouoker of others to sodayne ruine and downfallyng The sonne of God had of his own disposicion leat himselfe fayre and sobrely down into yearth to the ende that beyng hoighced vp on the crosse he mighte drawe vp all thynges vnto hymselfe and might by exaumple of hymselfe lift them vp into heauen through humilitie whom that same prince and head captayne of pride laboured to toumble down headlong into hell through presumpcion and vnbelief Neither was Nazareth a place conuenient for the executing of that sacrifice but HierusaleÌ„ Iesus therefore suffred hymselfe to bee drieuen oute of the Citie to auoide bestowing of his preaching vpon people vnworthie which self same thyng to do he taughte his Apostles also But to bee touÌ„bled down the rocke headlong he would not suffre because it pleased hym willingly of his owne accorde to suffre death What than did he He turned not hymselfe into a byrde or a serpente or any other lykenesse made by some sleyght of iuglyng or legerdemayn to th eÌ„tent so to escape but wtout any hurt at all passed he fayre softely through the middes of them whiche tofore had violently haled pulled hym to cast hym down headlong wherin he openly declared the malice of maÌ„ to haue no power on hym vnlesse he would willyngly of his owne accorde delyuer hymselfe to be taken of them to be putte to death And with this onelye kynde of aueÌ„gement was the moste mercifull Lorde Iesus coÌ„tented that is to forsake leaue theÌ„ whoÌ„ he perfeictlye knewe to be vncurable Otherwise if it had so pleased hym it laye in his power eueÌ„ with a mere becke to haue drieuen them all to breakyng theyr neckes who had haled him thither for thesame purpose But his desyre was rather to haue them lyue that emedyng themself by coÌ„tinuaunce of tyme they might of malefactours be made innocent then to caste them awaye at the wurste whan they were offenders For oftetymes yf men bee restreigned of theyr benefite that they maie not haue it at theyr willes whaÌ„ they would so readye as they haue had
see that you gladly and freely vse your power to the healâ—yng of al peoples diseases and miseries see that ye corrupte not the synceritie and purenesse of preachyng the ghospell by any suspicion of dooyng it for aduauntage and lucre Than appoynted he vnto them in playne wordes what it was that they ought to teache For he gaue them in commission no suche thyng as to teache the ceremonies of the lawe whiche shoulde with in a short tyme be abolished not to teache blynde constitucions of men as the Scribes and Pharises vsed to teache when they go rounde about bothe the sea and the lande to make one selie proselite or nouice of their secte But he gaue them in commauÌ„demente to teache that the kyngdome of God was at hande Which kyngdom of God did not now consist in outwarde thynges to bee dooen with the bodye but in spirite and vertue And thus muche to preache vnto the rude ignoraunt people was for that present tyme at the begynnyng sufficient for preparyng of mennes hertes vnto an higher doctrine And for because the carefulnesse of thynges necessarie for the sustentacion of the bodye should by no meanes lette them from the buisinesse of the ghosphell he sayed vnto them Carrye no kynde of baggage aboute you on the waye â–ª neither staffe to defende you withall ne scrippe to kepe your meate in for store ne purse wherein to putte any money for expenses or charges necessarie no nor twoo coates for bee ye well assured that ye shall not any where lacke any one of all these thynges yf ye shall with pure hertes according to the tenour of my commaundement diligently prouide and labour that the ghospell go forwarde and dayly encrease For euery where shal there be whose voluntary ientilnesse liberalitie shal geue as muche as for you beeyng men that lyue from hande to mouthe and can bee content with a litell maye at all tymes be sufficient Neither shall ye haue any cause to be peâ—sife or carefull where or how to bee enterteined for lodgeyng or harbour for wheresoeuer ye can knowe of any that are woorthie and mete for the kyngdome of god turne ye into theyr houses and there continue at soiourne leste yf ye should euery other whyle bee flyttyng from one house to another ye maye seme to haue dooen it for sekyng of deyntie fare But beeyng content with suche chere as ye shall there fynde tarie ye so long in the houses of thesame persones vntill the good procedyng and encrease of the ghospell shall aduertise you to go forward to another place but if it shall any where so happen that no bodye will receiue you into theyr house yet acknowlage and remembre the woorthynesse and dignitie of your office and bee not ouer earnest to thrust into their lappes whether they will or no the thyng which euery creature ought moste specially to craue but streightwayes forsake ye that same citie beeyng so ferre from takyng any kynde of commoditie by suche persones as wilfully reiecte your preachyng that ye shake of and caste backe agayne vnto them yea euen the veraye duste that maye happily chaunce to haue stycked on your feet playnly testifying and protesting vnto them that ye haue frely preached the kyngdome of God vnto them and that they haue made themselfes vnworthie of so great a gifte freely profered vnto them Whan Iesus had with these and many other woordes mo enstructed and armed his Apostles foorth they went twoo and twoo together and goyng round about to euery towne and village they preached euerywhere that the kyngdome of God was come And whersoeuer they found any menne possessed with deuils or sicke or in daungier of any other impediment of the bodye they healed them in the name of Iesus And this was the firste rudimente and entreaunce of the Apostles preachyng And Herode the Zetrarche heard of all that was doen by hym and he doubted because that it was sayed of some that Iohn was arisen agayn from death and of some that Helias had appered and of some that one of the olde Prophetes was arysen agayne And Herode sayed Iehu haue I beheaded but who is this of whom I heare suche thynges And he desired to see hym By reason of these thynges the name of Iesus was so bruited abrode and made so famous that the reporte of all his workynges and doynges came eueÌ„ to the eares of Herode the Tetrarche For whereas he knewe not Iesus and heard sate that a certain man there was who at the byddyng of his word could and did cast out deiuils did put awaye diseases did restore the lame and suche as were taken and had their sinowes shrounken did make clene the lepres did rayse vp the dead to life agayn he was in great doubte and wonderously troubled in his mynde what man this might be so sodaynly sprong vp Some boasted abrode that Iesus was Iohn whom Herode a litle tofore had flayne and the same Iohn to haue returned to lyfe agayne and therefore beyng now as it were made halfe a God to bee wexed mightye in dooyng of suche great miracles Others said that he was Helias whom beeyng taken vp in a fiery chariot the Iewes did loke for that he should cum agayn accordyng to the prophecie of Malachias Agayne sum supposed he was sum other of the olde Prophetes the memorie of whiche Prophetes was high and holy and was had in great reuerence among the Iewes Howbeit Herode fearing on his owne behalf yf Iohn were reuiued again whom he had put to death reckening it a thing vncredible that a man once dead should be returned again to life saied As for Iohn I mine own self haue caused to be beheaded who beyng dispatched rid out of the world I thought there had none been left a liue which would haue enterprised to do any suche great matters And what felow is this of whoÌ„ I heare much greater thinges theÌ„ euer Iohn wrought And hereupoÌ„ he earnestly sought sum occasioÌ„ to haue a sight of him not to be made better thereby but to satisfie his own curiositie to knowe all thynges orels in case he should so thinke good to do euen thatsame by him that he had doen by Iohn afore But Iesus forasmuche as he knew Herodes mynd welinough would not cum where to be seen of him For he was not cum for any such purpose to fede or delite the iyes of wicked princes with his miracles but to bring the simple poore folkes to helth nor to be beheaded did not like him who had predestinate vnto himself the high exalted standard of the crosse And the Apostles returned and tolde him al that they had doen. And he toke them and went aside into a solitary place high vnto the citie called Bethsaida whiche whan the people knew they folowed him And he receiued them and spake vnto them of the kingdom of god and healed them that had nede to be healed After this the twelue returned home again
many affliccions in this worlde and by the selfesame parable dooeth he feare the phariseis the Scribes the experte lawyers the priestes the headmen the ryche folkes the proude sorte the fierce perillous men and such as liue to the behoufe commoditie of themselfes and no mo to the ende they myght at leastwyse for feare of punishemente if they would none otherwyse refourme their vngodly lyfe For otherwyse it shoulde come to passe that they should there an other daye bee mocked again whiche here in this worlde were mockers and skorners of Christe whan he called them to better waies The xvii Chapter He saied vnto his disciples It cannot bee but offences will come Neuerthelesse woe vnto him through whom thei come It were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his necke and he cast into the sea then that he should offende one of these litell ones Take hede to your selfes If thy brother trespace against thee rebuke him if he repent forgeue him And though he sinne against thee seueÌ„ times in a daye and seuen tymes in a daie turne again to the saiyng it repenteth me thou shalte forgeue him NOw so was it decreed by the heauenlye father â–ª so was it expedient for the saluacion of mankynde that the proud Phariseis should bee offeÌ„ded with the weakenesse of the humain bodye nature whiche the Lorde had taken and that the same Phariseis shoulde punishe hym with affliccion yea and also should putte hym to deathe beeyng in fourme of pouerty of low degree brought in fourme of mekenes humilitie that thei should also be in mind to shew neuer a whit more of mercy or fauour to his disciples neither if they folowed the steppes of their maister But as the vnbeliefe of the eiuil disposed vngracious sort doeth wrappe the godly in affliccions so is the pacient suffreing which the good meÌ„ haue in them an occasion of the greater daÌ„nacion to the eiuil But yet neuertheles God vseth the malice of suche ferre otherwyse theÌ„ thei meane it to the benefite of the whole world Iesus therfore sayeth vnto his disciples emong whoÌ„ was Iudas who was afterwarde to bee the causer fyrste beginner of offence that is to say of slaundre grutche of conscience an occasioner to betray Iesus vnto death being a man after the worldly estimacion selie of lowe degree Albeit yâ— wickednesse of the saied Iudas made the redeÌ„pcion of the world the sooner to come his daÌ„nable ende was an holsome ensaumple to all creatures It cannot bee auoided ne chosen saieth Iesus but that offences must shall happen but yet is that none excuse to him through whose default such offence of conscieÌ„ce shal arise For it were a great deie more expedient for such an one to be cast headloÌ„g into the sea with a great lidger milstone tied about his necke then to be an occasion of suche slaundre or offence to one of these that are such litle tendre ones to the worldeward For they haue God to be an auenger of their cause who thinketh hymselfe to bee hurted in thesame litell ones whan they are hurted And a lesse my sauenture it is for a man to endure punishement here in this world bee it neuer so sharp then by offending the conscieÌ„ces of litle ones whoÌ„ God loueth wilfully to seke procure euerlasting tormentes in helle Beware ye therefore It lieth not in you to auoide but that such slaundres of conscience shal arise but it is your partes to beware that none suche arise through your faulte or occasion And the best way or meane howe for you to auoide that no such offence of conscience maye bee imputed to you is if not onelye ye shall not geue anye occasion of slaundre or offence of conscience to any body through your fault but also yf anye suche thyng bee ministred vnto you by others ye eyther wype it cleâ—e awaye through your mildenesse or elles suffre it with your good exaumple of pacience and in no wyse dooe the like to any of them again For ye shall haue vexacion and vproares arise against you not at the handes of the wicked sorte onely but also beeing as ye are mortal menne made of frail metalle there shall euen emong youre selfes manye times arise offences and trespaces whiche ye muste remedye with brotherlye and charitable admonicion whose proprety and condicion is neyther to bewraye or disclose the offendour if there may be anye reformacion in him and yet to haue pardone readye for hym in case he repente and bee willing to emende If therefore it shall by any chaunce happen that thy brother haue commytted any trespasse agaynst thee doe not â—ynke at the fault as though thou knewest it not leste the leattyng it to escape vnspoken of maye bee to the other an occasion of more boldenes eftsons to do the lyke but playe thou the faithfull phisician that is to saye shewe thou him his disease with a lighte chydyng in secrete to the ende he maye bee refourmed with beeyng ashamed of that he hath doone He wil sooner heare a frendely man that shall tell hym of hys faulte then a troubleous or brablyng accuser whome he must repute and take for an open enemie For suche is the nature of manne for the moste parte that he will with a better will sette himselfe in a staigh and quiette by good aduise and counsaile then he will yelde to be ouer troden with wrong It cannot but appere to bee a great poyncte of ientilnesse whan one secrtely telleth a bodye of his faulte But he that openlie detecteth a manne and requireth to haue hym punished semethe not to bee of any suche minde or will to cure his brothers sore but rather to notifie and publishe the same to his dishonestee and open confusion That in case thy brother beeyng tolde of his faulte by the shall emende and acknowelage his offence leat forgeuenesse bee ready whiche maye familiarly and louinglye receiue him again as soone as he is refourmed and so ferre bee thou froÌ„ on s thinkyng howe to redresse it by auengemente that thou saue the parties honestee also as muche as in thy power lyeth That if the same partye through humain frailtie shal eftsones be falleÌ„ in relapse of thesame or an other suche lyke offence yea although he trespace against the seuen tymes in a daie and than doe seuen tymes in a daye repente agayne and earnestelye appliyng himselfe to pacifye thee shall saye I haue doone amysse I am sorye for it forgeue me forgeue thou him the faulte from the botome of thy herte This ientilnesse of forgeuyng and releasyng one an others offences and trespaces shal after a muche better sorte mainteine peace and concorde emong you then mutual requiting of one shrewde turne or displeasure for an other ¶ And the Apostles sayed vnto the Lorde increace our faith And the Lord saied if ye had faith like a grain of mustard sede ye shoulde saie
heauen and in earth We will not haue thys manne say they to reygne ouer vs and while they will in no wise serue Christe they are as bonde slaues vnto all the tirannes of thys worlde they are bonde seruauntes to Satan a moste mercilesse tiranne and where they se here there in euery place throughout the whole worlde the Christians to reioyce in the freedome of the spiryte they dooe yet styll holde faste with theyr teeth the vnsauerye lettre to whome they are bounde lyke vnto men assigned and appoynted to the glebe or turfe But the sayde Iewes in vayne crying agaynste hym the kyngdome of the churche is recouered and established in geatting and establishyng wherof as many as shall haue doen theyr feythfull trauayle shall bee crouned with glory and honour in the kyngdome of heauen accordyng to the quantitee or rate of the fruicte whiche they haue broughte in the lordes vineyarde But nowe the Iewes beeyng obstinatelye vnbeleuyng what rewarde shall they haue Euen that thyng also dyd the Lorde declare in the residue of thesame parable at the latter ende For after that he had punished the vntrustie seruaunâ—e he sayde moreouer yea and those subiectes of myne in nacion my countreymen but in hearte enemies whiche by a sedicious ambassade sente vnto me praied me that I shoulde no more come to bee theyr kynge ne to reygne ouer them bryng ye them hyther that they may bee put to deathe euen here in my syghte and bee punyshed of me for theyr rebellyon Thys punyshmente is deathe euerlastyng whiche a bydethe all suche as obey not the ghospell and glad tydynges of the sonne of God For at that tyme shall they worthylye fynde hym vnpossible to bee appeaced forasmuche as they nowe obstinately contemned hym beeyng mylde and full of mercie ¶ And whan he had thus spoken he proceded furth taking his iourney to goe vp to Hierusalem And it fortuned whan he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethanie besyde the mounte whiche is called Oliuete he sent two of his diciples saying goe ye into the towne whiche is ouer agaynste you into the whiche as soone as ye are come ye shall finde an Asses colte tyed wheron yet neuer man sate looce him and bring him hither And yf any man aske you why doe ye looce hym Thus shall ye saye vnto him the Lorde hath nede thereof They that were sent went their waye and founde euen as he had sayed vnto them And as they were a loocing the colâ—e the owners therof sayde vnto them Why looce ye the colte And they sayde for the lorde hath nede of him and they brought hym to Iesus and cast theyr rayment on the colte and set Iesus theron And as he went they spred theyr clothes on the way And whan he was nowe come nigh to the going downe of the mounte Oliuete the whole multitude of the disciples began to reioyce and to prayse God with a loude voice for al the miracles that they had sene saying blissed be the king that cometh in the name of the Lorde peace in heauen and glory in the highest The lorde whan he had spoken the premisses went foorth on towardes Hierusalem where he shoulde afterwarde accomplyshe thatsame excellent sacrifice for the redempcyon of mankynde and oute of the beakon place of the crosse he should like a couetous an ambicious kyng plucke al thinges vnto hymselfe For although there haue euery where bene many in tymes paste and manye hereafter shall bee whiche will crye by theyr veray dedes we will not haue thys man to bee kyng ouer vs yet is there no nacion so ferre distauÌ„t or out of the waye from the Iewes from whence he shall not plucke a veray great noumber vnto hym Wherfore he doth eftsones beate into their heades in facte that he had afore represented in zacheus whiche thyng he dydde anon after in a longer parable expresse more at large For the lorde dooeth in the meane while procure the same thyng whiche he procured many tymes afore also whiche was that it might bee clere and euidente vnto all creatures that whatsoeuer he shoulde afterwarde suffer he did of hys owne accorde willingly wetingly suffer it otherwise that he was of power to dooe whatsoeuer his will was to doe And now forasmuch as he had determined by the meane of the moste extreme worldely shame fall that might bee to recouer into his possession the highest glorye possible emong men and the disciples beeing not yet fullye apte ne hable to receiue the vnderstandyng of thys mystery didde looke for some matier whatsoeuer it was of greate royaltie and a thyng of some high enterprise to the estymacion of the worlde at the lordes handes It pleased hym afore hys death for a litle season to flatter or rather to mocke theyr affeccions and also to mocke the glorye of thys worlde â–ª shewyng howe vayne it is and howe slippie to truste to seeyng that after so greate tokens of ioyfull receyuyng of hym after so manye cryinges and shoutes made in hys honour after so muche earneste fauour of the people deathe on the crosse dyd immediatelye folowe in the necke therof Whan Iesus therfore was come to the mounte whiche is called Oliuete nere vnto twoo lytle townes situate in the syde of the same mounte from whence Hierusalem was nowe afore them within sighte he sente out two of hys disciples on an erand Goe your wayes sayeth he to the litle towne that ye see yonder foreryght agaynste you at the entreyng whereof ye shall see a young colte of an Asse standyng tyed without the doores vnbroken as yet for any manne to ryde on on whome hathe neuer any man sitten vntie hym and bryng hym to me That if anye bodye shall bee agaynst it and demaunde wherefore doe ye vntie the colte Ye shall thus aunswere hym the lorde hath nede of hym The dyscyples departed they founde the colte tyed they addresse to looce hym And in the whyle were there certayn persones presente who asked as ye woulde saye beyng against their dooyng why doe ye looce the colte They as they had tofore bene commaunded made aunswere The Lord hath nede of him The name of the lord being oâ—s heard they suffered the colte to beled awaye Than broughte they hym vnto Iesus And whan they sawe that the lorde was mynded to mounte vpon hym the lyke whereof for all that he had neuer tofore that tyme vsed to dooe the dyscyples beecause he shoulde not vpon the bare rydge of the colte sitte to muche vneasily cast their robes abrode vpon the beastes backe And now Iesus sitting on the coltes backe goyng onward some spred abrode their garmentes euen on the veray way partly for to doe him honour and partly lest the colte being vnbroken and also vnshod should hurt his hoofes with stuÌ„blyng at the stones And whan they were nowe come to the foote of the hyll were goyng directly towardes the citie of Hierusalem a certayn woonderfull affeccion
al to crusshed if it stumble on thys stone And certes stumble he dooeth at hym whosoeuer resisteth hym and casteth hym of Nowe on the other syde drieuen to ponder shall that persone bee on whome that stone shall lyghte in hys fallyng And certes on suche doeth it lyghte whome after they haue bene a great long time suffred the stroke of God at laste falleth sodaynlye vpon ere they bee aware or thinke on it For one and the same stone is lyfe to those that reste thereon and damnacion to suche as are enemyes vnto it These parables of the Lordes declaring sette the heartes of the headmen of the priestes and of the Scribes in suche an eagre rage that they were mynded euen there presentelye to haue layed handes on hym but the drede of the people dyd at that tyme streygne them from that wieked vilannie emong whome they sawe Iesus to be had in veray great pryce For knowing themselues naughte in theyr owne conscience they had smelled the parable whiche was tolde to touche and hitte them as righte as anye thyng and yet had the parable bene tolde to suche intente as they might by the vnderstanding therof be called backe agayne from theyr moste deiulishe purpose whiche they had entended But nowe are they made the more crabbed and fierce vnto dooing of mischiefe by the selfesame thyng where by they ought to haue bene clene discouraged and drieuen from theyr malice ¶ And they watched him and sent furth spyes which should fayne themselues righteous men to take him in hys woordes and to delyuer hym vnto the power autoritie of the deputie And they asked him saying Maister we knowe that thou sayest and teachest right neither considerest thou the outward apperaunce of any man but teachest the way of God truely Is it lawful for vs to geue tribute vnto Ceasar or no He perceiued their craftinesse sayde vnto them why tempte ye me Shewe me a penye Whose image and superscripcion hath it They aunswered and saide Ceasars And he sayde vnto them geue than vnto Ceasar the thynges whiche belong vnto Ceasar and to God the thynges that perteine vnto God And they coulde not reproue his saying beefore the people and they meruayled at his aunswere and helde theyr peace Therfore beeing nowe departed by reason of standing in dreade of the people from dooing the hainous acte in the open face of the worlde whiche in their eiuill heartes they had already dooen after they had once so determined they goe about the bringing of it to effect by priuie traines of vndermyning him beyng euen somuche the more vngracious that they ioyne fraude vnto their malice lyke as a more mischieuous creature is he that sleagheth prieuely with poyson then one that killeth with a sweorde Now heare thou o Theophilus the wiles traynes of the wicked priestes whose desire was for thys cause to haue Iesus for euer destruied that is to saye to haue the trueth euangelicall vtterly oppressed because that by the same veritie of the gospell was taken awaye from theim the farming of the vineyarde the propre owning and possession wherof they had promised vnto themselues bothe perpetual foreuer also to come to them by title succession of enheritaunce They hide their angre shewing no manier countenaunce therof and watche all occasions possible to put him to deathe They colourably sende forth certain counterfeict persons who shoulde feigne theimselfes to be iust righteous afore God nothing is there in the worlde more pestilent or deadly then is counterfeict righteousnesse to the ende they shoulde out of hys woordes hunt out one poinct or other wherof he might be detected before the Emperour of Romes deputies before the lieutenaunt Pilate who at that present season was the hygh rewier in Iewry in Ceasars behalfe and thys dyd they to th entent and purpose that all the grutche and querele of thys facte myghte bee layed ouer from themselues to the others as though he had beene putte to death by the sentence and iudgemente of Ceasars officers and that they on theyr parties as men vnculpable mighte appere to haue kept theyr handes from effusion of bloude But the more they goe about by worldelye subtiltie to hyde it so muche doe they more and more notoriously bewray theyr incomparable malice The sayde disguisyng maskyng esquiers therefore of the bysshops dooe set vpon Iesus assayle hym with suche kinde of wordes as here ensue Maister we haue throughlye seene thy perfecte vpryghtenesse thou tellest thy mynde playnely without any feare or dissimulacyon and teachest euery thyng after the righte sorte neyther is there with thee any suche respecte or accepcion of persones that thou wilte tell me a lye for the fauoure of any man bee he of neuer so muche power and autoritie but thou hast euermore onelye God and none elles beefore thyne iyes What is acceptable to hym and standing with hys pleasure the same dooest thou playnely and without any feare teache Teil thou vnto vs therefore what thy veray opinyon and mynde is in a mattier about whiche there is muche controuersie and variaunce emong no smalle noumber of vs whether is it a thyng standyng with goddes pleasure and contentacion that we geue tribute vnto Ceasar or is it not Iesus than who had a perfeict vnderstanding of these smoothe and swete hony woordes mening fraude and deceipte towardes hym and knowyng veraye well to what ende thys snareful bayted question was ment whiche was that in case he had aunswered according as theyr veray hope was he woulde that it were not standing with Goddes contentacyon that a people beeyng consecrated vnto God shoulde bee in subieccyon and shoulde paye tribute to an vngodlye prynce and an ydolatre whiche opinyon the Pharises allowed though they durste not openlye speake it they woulde eftesones haue procured and addressed out some counterfeicte persones whiche shoulde haue detected him of highe treason beefore Pilate beeyng the emperours lieutenaunte he dyd by euangelycall policye in suche wyse defeate theyr maliciouse deceiptefulnesse that he dyd bothe take awaye from them the occasyon whiche was soughte to doe him harme and also put them in remembraunce what their duetie was to doe whiche thyng vndoubtedly no man shoulde leaue vndoen without assured peril ieopardye of his life For Christ was not come for any such purpose as to teache howe much was to be payed vnto Emperoures or to Emperoures deputies but what was due of the spirituall substaunce to bee payed vnto god who is the Lorde of all thynges Why come ye to tempt me sayeth he ▪ Shewe me a piece of your syluer coyne For he knoweth not the image of Ceasar forasmuche as he had nothyng in earthe Whan the piece of coyne was shewed hym in hys hande he demaunded whose phisyonomye it was and whose tytle or poysee was written about it For thys is a thing too that a true Christian dooeth not knowe But they who knewe it that is men wedded to the
whan shall it cumme to passe or by what signe maie we bee hable to knowe the saied tyme to be alreadye come But Iesus whose wyll is to haue his disciples euermore in a readinesse against all assaultes of eiuyll mysauentures dyd by his doubtfull and entrieked communicacion sette theyr myndes in suspence perplexitie makyng a medley of many soondrye matters together concernyng affliccions which they should afterwarde abide for preachyng the ghospel concernyng the beatyng down and the miserable plague of the citie of Hierusalem and concernyng the ende of the worlde the houre and tyme whereof it was his pleasure to haue vnknowen to all creatures to the entent they should continually euermore be in a readinesse The disciples mindes ranne altogether vpon a kyngdome But the Lorde was more willyng to haue theim knowe the thyng that did more nerelye touche them and to knowe those other matters the veray speakyng and mencionyng whereof their hertes vttrely abhorred because thei wer as yet but weake and fraill menne For they had better fansie and will to heare woordes pleasaunt to the eare of worldelye coumforte and solace then to heare thynges concernyng the coumforte of the soule health The foresaied blessed reigne will one daye surely come and at his due tyme wil it come but the care and charge thereof it is moste expediente to put in the handes of God and to leat hym alone withall our partes it is in the meane tyme so to behaue our selues that we maye not seme vnworthye of that kyngdome For there is no cummyng to the glorye of thesame reigne but by meane of soondrye affliccions Against such affliccions it behoueth our hertes to be well armed Iesus therefore saied Oute of all doubtes come I will and displeigh the maiestie of the reigne Euangelicall But see ye yâ— ye bee not seduced enbracing an other Christe in stede of me For before the prefixed tyme at whiche I wyll come there will come many whiche wyll vsurpe my name vnto them and will boldely auouche of themselfes and saie I am Christ. The tyme is at hande Be not ye any thyng moued with the wordes of such in case they shall call you any whether goe not ye after theim Ueraily when ye shall heare al the worlde to be in a garboile of sedicioÌ„s of warres manye persones shall plaie the prophetes and shall allege the ende of the world to approche But be not ye any thyng feared with suche rumours as though the last daie be euen than byanby at hande For in dede suche thynges as these shal fortune but the ende of the worlde cometh not euen streight waie in the necke thereof For these shall bee nothyng els but certain preauÌ„bles of the said extreme distresse which shall bee to the eiuil sorte an vttre castyng awaie and to the good it shal bee an examinacion or triall a purifâ—yng of them As whan the bodye is towardes the poyncte of diyng the signes tokens therof be stroÌ„g diseases hauing come vp growen in thesame bodyes through an vnnaturall disteÌ„perature of the humours so shall these terrible coÌ„mocioÌ„s and hurleyburley foreshew the end of the world which hurleyburley maÌ„ns self doeth procure vnto hymselfe by reason that he is infected with inordinate lustes affeccions Through mans peruersenes shal the veray nature of thynges be shaken out of al due ordre course detestyng as it wer the malice of man strongly ensourgeyng for the redresse aueÌ„gemente of their vngraâ—â—â—usnesse With greate vproares garboile shal there bee arisinges of nacion against nacion royalme against royalme And whereas there is nothyng more distresseful theÌ„ warre yet doeth man purchace wilfully procure this pernicious confusion vnto hymselfe through aÌ„bicion through folye through couetise through hatred and throughe other lyke corrupt affeccions Yea verai nature selfe shal ouer besides the premisses cause many sore yearthquakes in many soondrye places in sorte as though the world tooke high skorne disdeigne for that it wer forced to beare men beeing suche vngodly wicked creatures There shal morouer cum great pestileÌ„ces which by their infeccion shal waste awaie coÌ„sume a mightie great nouÌ„bre of people in sort as though the aire were armed weaponed to doe vengeaunce vpoÌ„ the ciuil sort whereas it was for this purpose first ordeined sette for maÌ„nes vse that with it holsome breath it should bothe geue nourish life vnto al creatures Ferthermore throughe penurie of the fruites of the yearth there shall come famiÌ„ne in case as yf the yearth should say that she would not geue foode vnto her children being so wicked agaysnt God to whom eueÌ„ the dumme elementes also doe their bounden seruice duetie The sea also shal bee throughly moued with strauÌ„ge vnwont rages of tumbleyng and tossing wheras thesame too had aforetymes been accustomed to serue to the vse of man Yea besides all the premisses the veray skye and heauen shal shewe woondreful signes testifiyng the wrathe of God For the sunne shal bee turned to derkenesse the moone into 〈◊〉 blasyng sterres shal in straunge likenesse shewe theimselfes other vnnaturall woonders shall appere beeyng vncouth worthie to bee meruayled 〈◊〉 But lyke as a mannes bodye â–ª doeth not streight waie passe out of the world whaÌ„ it is strieken with extreme great sickenesses and yet neuertheles thesame or 〈◊〉 lyke diseases euer now than cummyng vnto him taking him agayn 〈◊〉 declare that the tyme of his death is not ferre of right so whan the world 〈◊〉 with such manier eiuils as aforesaied be ratleed an shaken together yesame euils shal geue a great significacion tokening of the world drouping now apaâ—â— towardes his last date and faste growyng towardes decaye and ruine But before al these thinges they shall laie handes on you and persecute you deliueryng you vp to the Sinagogues and into priesoÌ„s and shall bring you vnto kinges rewlers for my names sake And this shal chaunce you for a testimoniall Bee at a sute poyncte therefore in your hertes not to studie before what ye shal answer For I wil geue you a mouth and wisedome where against al your aduersaries shal not be hable to speake or to resiste But ere thissame woefull distresse shall thus cease vpon all the world at once there shal excedyng great peruersenesse of men come afore which shal prouoke the goodnesse of god to wrathe For whan ye shall preache my name throughe whiche they maye be saued they shal laie handes vpon you and shal persecute you with al kynde of dooyng yll or mischiefe vnto you they shal hale you and pul you vnto their counsaile houses of assemblie as though ye wer culpable malefactours Thei shal ferthermore cast you in prieson thei shal aâ—taine and condemne you at the benches of kinges and rewlers not for anye youre transgression but for your great and high well dooyng that is to wete for the professing
of my name whiche name of myne they shal laboure by all meanes and waies to abolishe where they myghte by thesame freely atteigne euerlastyng saluacion And this shal chaunce vnto you that your conscience maie be approued and also that their malice maie well be perceiued to bee iustly condemned But as for you boldly trustyng on my sure defence and your own innocencie there is no cause why ye shoulde feare the iudgemente seates ne yet why ye should carefully deuise or recorde with your selfes how ye beeyng as ye are men of no knowlage shall pleade your own cause in the consistorie or court of estates and princes Neither is there any cause why for you to bryng in anye rhetorycian patron or man of lawe to bee your attourney I myne owne selfe will as an inuincible patrone and aduocate stande by you through my spirite who shal ministre vnto you bothe toungue wisedome suche as all your aduersaries shal not be of power to resiste ne to gaynsaye be they neuer so cruell or eloquent and well spoken in worldely wisedome Moreouer ye shal be betraied of your fathers and mothers and brethren and kinsfolke frendes and some of you shall thei put to death And hated shal ye be of all men for my names â—ake there shal not one heaâ—e of your head perishe Possesse your soules by 〈◊〉 And all thissame shal ye suffre not only at the handes of men vnknowen and of straungers but also at the handes of theim whiche are knitte and ioyned vnto you in nerenesse of bloude and with the streight bandes of frendeshippe The father shal persecute the sonne the brother shall wrappe the brother in affliccion the cousyn shall appeache and accuse the cousyn one frende shal bring an other into the lawe Yea and some there shall bee of you whome they shall for hatred of me pursue vnto death and shal slea you So eagre and greuous hatred shall all the whole world conceiue agaynst you for the profession of my name And therfore whatsoeuer thyng they shal entreprise to doe agaynst you thesame will I take as dooen in despite of me wherefore there is nothing for you to thynke or deuise of auengeyng your wronges It is I that shall haue displeasure dooen me it is I that shal be slaine in you It shal bee my dede bothe to prouide wel enough for you also to take vengeaunce on theyr malice And thoughe that stormes of persecucion at the handes of men shall neuer somuche fede and satisfie their cruelnesse against you there is no cause why for you to feare the case so standyng that I am youre protectour and defendour For I will not so dooe that any one heare of your heade shall perishe much lesse will I leue you in the briers destitute of my succoure Neyther haue ye any iye to worldelye assuraunce or defence armyes weapon engiens by your onely sufferaunce shall ye defende your liues Myscarrye be can not that is slayn for the profession of my name Ye shall not peryshe before your daye For I will not geue vnto the violence of men so much of their own wyl Yea and suche an one shal in veraye true dede haue saued his soule whoso shal constauntely take deathe for my cause And whan ye see Ierusalem besieged with an hoste than be ye sure that the desolacion of thesame is nigh Than leat them which are in Iewrie fligh to the mountaines And leat them whiche are in the middes of it departe out And leat not them that are in other countreies entre therin For these are the daies of vengeaunce that all thinges whiche are writen maie bee fulfilled As for this same riche and welthye citie of whiche the Iewes at thys present take an high pride and in whiche they thynke theymselfes to bee kynges felowes shall bee euen from the foundacion destruied by the Gentiles Therfore whan ye shal see Hierusalem to bee round about besette with siege than vnderstande ye the playne destruccion thereof to bee at hande and that there is no more to be doen but for euerye bodye to saue theymselues by spedie fleyng awaâ—e For euerie bodye moste coÌ„monly vseth in warres to flatre himselfe with the hope of victorie But beware ye that this hope beguyle none of you but whoso shall at that tyme bee in the marches of Iewrye leate hym priuely steale awaye conueigh hym self into the mountaines and desert places where no waie ne path lyeth And suche folkes as shall then bee enhabited in the veray herte of Iewrye leate theim remoue their dwellyng to some other place And whomesoeuer of theim this extreme distresse shall soodaynlye take in anye forein countreyes or regyons leate not suche recule into Iewrye leate them esteme all thynges as clene forsaken and no more a doe but euerye man saue his owne life For these thynges shall not come to passe through casual commocions of mortal men but the vengeaunce of god hauing been now a long time prouoked through the obstinate malice of man shal by the instrumente of other forein nacions scourge and plague this nacion being now many a long day a continual rebeller agaynste God And that all this shall come to passe the prophetes haue manye hundred yeres sens prophecied and especiallye Daniell And auoyded or chosen can it not bee but that it muste come to passe whatsoeuer thyng the scripture hath foreshewed shal fortune For Scripture neuer failleth as beeyng a thing wrytten by the enstincte of the spirite of God And yet shall not woefull extremitie therefore chaunce because the prophetes haue prophecied that so it shall bee but it hath therefore beene prophecied because god foresawe the obstinate wickednesse of man whiche would afterwarde prouoke the vengeaunce of god to light vpon it And surely it shal bee no lesse than an huge storme of euils because a long and an obstinate maâ—â—â—iousnesse of this nacion hath gon afore whiche nacion hauyng been so many waies prouoked to emendemente hath neuerthelesse continuallye proceded forewarde to wurse and wurse ¶ But woe vnto them that bee with child and to them that geue suche in those daies for there shal be great trouble in the lande wrathe ouer al this people And thei shal fall through the edge of the sweorde and shal be led awaie captiue into al nacions And Ierusalem shal be troden downe of the Gentiles vntill the time of the Gentiles bee fulfilled Nowe this tempeste shall enwrap al sortes of people together aswel the offendours as the innocentes But somewhat the lesse vnhappie shall they bee whome the said storme of all these mysauentures when it groweth faste vpon the worlde shall fynde prest and readye appoyncted to flee But woe vnto women with chylde and geuers of sucke because thesame beeyng charged with a burdeÌ„ which neither by their good willes they would nor though thei would they shal bee hable to lay downe from them shall not be lyght enough to renne awaye Neyther shall
where his woont was to praie he said vnto them To the enteÌ„t and purpose that ye may bee hable manfully to stande against the tempest that hangeth ouer you watche ye and pray ye leste yf thesame come soodaynely vpon you as ye lye sluggyng and idle it may take you in the trappe ere ye be aware and so maye ouercome you The Lorde whan he had thus muche spoken withdrew hymself from their cumpany to the mountenauÌ„ce in maner of a stones cast to pray solitarily for all creatures like as he should afterward in his own sole persoÌ„ suffre death for all creatures But lyke as his death did not profite idle persones so must not his prayer neither be auaillable but vnto suche as haue diligente and earnest mynde to pray for themselfes too And to geue vs a lesson that the herte is to bee submitted as often as we addresse to speake talke with God He praied his father on his knees bowed downe to the grounde saying Father if it bee thy will remoue thissame cuppe away from me I fele the humain nature which I haue taken to abhorre from death but in this behalfe leat the redempcion of man ouercome â–ª and leat that bee doen whiche thy wil beeyng vnmutable hath determined and not the thing whiche the weakenesse of this body doeth geue aduise or mocion vnto Our Lorde knewe what the wyll of his father was and on his own party he couered to driÌ„ke the cuppe of death for the redempcion of the worlde and he laied vpon hymself the affeccion of his body and studied to prescribe vnto his seruauntes a fourme and trade of praiyng For this maner of praiyng were very fitte for a martir a litle before the time of his martyrdome Thy wyll be dooen and not myne Whether thy wyll be to haue me liue or to dye And this feareful tremblyng of our nature Christe toke vpon himself because he would take it away from his But to the enteÌ„t he would teache vs that at suche tymes we should haue prest helpe readye at the lordes hand whan we had wholly coÌ„mitted our selfes to the wil of god whether it be to lyfe or death there appered vnto him an aungel doune from heauen strengthenyng him As he was cast in great agonie pangues for our behoufe so was he for our behoufe cumforted and strengthened by the auÌ„gell After all this there toke him a certain extreme agonie and trouble of mynde suche as for the moste parte is woont to chaunce vnto menne whan they haue death euen before their iyes and behold it in their myndes And this passion is coÌ„monly woont to be more grieuous theÌ„ very death self Neither did Iesê° disdayne to take this tormente of mynde also for our cause who refused not for our cause to hang on the crosse teaching vs in the meane time to what succours we ought to take our refuge as often as thatsame quaking feare shall take our infirmitie and cease vpon it For liyng doune prostrate vpon the grouÌ„d he praied yet more earnestly Forsoth hereof depeÌ„deth the whole hope of our victory And verify to the enteÌ„t we should be the more stedfaste in time of suffering paine and torment so great trouble of mind toke Christ that droppes of bloude tricled doune to the earth from all his body ouer And whan he arose vp from praier and was cum to his disciples he found them slepyng for heauinesse and saied vnto them why sleape ye Ryse and praye leste ye fall into temptacion Assoone as he arose again from praiyng stode vpright he retourned vnto his disciples and found them slepyng for sorowe and heauynesse Thatsame was not any surfaict that had made them so heauye but the weakenesse of nature it was grieuous dolour of the mynde that had caused their slepe but whoso will in suche a bataill goe awaie a conquerour muste fighte agaynste this weakenesse with the lustie streÌ„gth of the spirite Iesus therfore chideth his disciples and eftsons calleth them vp to pray saiyng why dooe ye in so great daungier and ieopardy geue your selfes to slepe Arise ye and praye leste the tempest growing fast towardes doe oppresse you and ouerwhelme you euen as ye lye sluggyng for the houre is euen now very nere at hande While he yet spake behold there came a cumpany and he that was called Iudas one of the twelue went before them and pressed nigh vnto Iesus to kysse him But Iesus said vnto him Iudas betraiest thou the sonne of man with a kisse whan they whiche were about him sawe what would folowe they said vnto him Lorde shall we smite with the sweorde And one of them smote a seruaunt of the high priest and stroke of his right eare Iesus aunswered said suffre ye thus ferre forth And whan he had touched his eare he healed hym The Lorde Iesus had not yet ended these wordes and euen nowe alreadye appered in sight a rable of vngracious souldiers whom the priestes Phariseis beeyng more vngracious then they had purposely sente for to attache Iesus And that honest maÌ„ Iudas who had but euen a little before been a folower of Christe and a companion with hym at his table and nowe become the guyde of a deuelishe bande of souldiers came afore them a good preatye waie betwene but he had geuen them a token before for so to doe is a thyng coÌ„moÌ„ly vsed in warres that to whoÌ„soeuer he should geue a kisse him should they well wete to be Iesus And whan he had cum sumwhat nere vnto Iesus eueÌ„ ready now to kysse him as he had been wont to do the lord accordyng to his accustomed mildnesse refused not the traiters kisse neither but yet eftsons pricked his conscience to th eÌ„tent that being moued at leastwise with so great pacience fauour of the lord he might haue ameÌ„ded Iudas saieth he arte thou a betraier of the soÌ„ne of man with a kisse Iudas by that word well vnderstode that his herte was not hidden froÌ„ God He knewe the innocencye of the Lorde he was so many tymes with suche myldenesse of the Lorde as neuer the lyke was heard so prouoked to chaunge from his wicked entente and purpose euen a verye flinte stone myghte haue been suppled therewith had not Satan altogether possessed his whole hert with the disease and corrupcion of couetise And truely the deuelishnesse of Iudas was cause of daÌ„nacion to hymselfe alone and no mo But suche personnes as dooe nowe in these tymes with seÌ„blable guile betray the veritie euaÌ„gelical vnto the princes of this world are causers of a more greuous coÌ„fusion are worthy of greater punishement then vnhappye Iudas ouerlate takyng repentaunce of hys facte did execute vpon himselfe Immediately vpon the kisse geuen the company of the harnessed menne came rennyng vnto Iesus to laye handes vpon hym and they were suche as for none other purpose had a mynde and wyl to knowe Iesus but that they myght take hym But happye are
in that he had stiered vp a sedicion in the citie and had slain one of the tounsemeÌ„ and had for that offence beene caste into prieson And because the lieutenaunte right well knewe him to be a felow whom al the whole citie hated he trusted that it would haue come to passe that they would sooner haue suffred Iesus to bee lette goe who had doen muche good to manye people then this manne which was a distourber of the publike peace tranquillitie But the bishops and theyr adherentes were in suche a rage that they desired to haue Barabas releassed vnto theim and Iesus to be hanged vpon the crosse the which kynd of deathe like as it was moste grieuous because of the long peine so was it accoumpted also moste shamefull at that tyme. So ferfurthe dyd the Iewes leaue no kynd of cruelnesse vnministred to Iesus But it pleased the wisedom of God that Iesus the fountayne and autour of all glory should be had in so great contempte that a sedicious murdreer should bee preferred before him because we should not dispaire yf we at any tyme for the name and doctrine of Christe be despised of suche as loue this worlde Whan Pylate perceyued that he coulde doe no good this way neither he moued them yet once againe prouyng yf he coulde by any meanes mytigate theyr stomakes and deliuer Iesus beeyng innocent But they beyng eftsones the more stiered to wrath sing this furious song â–ª Crucifie hym Crucifie hym Yet did not Pilate so geue place to their clamour and crying neyther but attempted the thirde tyme to pacifye them saying I am a iudge I haue no title at all agaynste innocentes neyther can I putte a manne to death in whome I can fynde no cryme death worthie And what hath this man committed or offended why he should dye I haue streightly examined him and no cause can I fynde in him to be punyshed with death If there bee any small offence I wil thus muche doe for your mindes sakes I will punishe him geue him a sharpe rebuke and so let him goe But they frowardly still made a striuyng agaynste this equitie of the iudge not with prouffes but with furious mad outcries requiring that Iesê° might be crucified and Barrabas leat goe And whan the president had assayed all possible wayes and meanes and perceiued that they cryed out styll more and more he called for water to washe his handes and testifiyng the innoceÌ„cy of Iesus and condemnyng the frowarde maliciousnesse of the Iewes he gaue sentence of death against Iesus not after his owne mynde but after the wilfull arbitrement of the Iewes who would nedes haue Iesus put to death beeyng the autour of life and health and releassed vnto them Barrabas a sedicious murderer whom they preferred before Iesus And as for Iesus he deliuered vnto them to doe suche execucion vpon hym as themselfes would And as they led him away they caught one Simon of Cyrene cummyng out of the field and on hym layed they the crosse that he might beare it after Iesus And there folowed him a great cumpany of people and of women whiche bewailed and lamented him But Iesus turned backe vnto them and said Ye daughters of Ierusalem wepe not for me but wepe for your selues and for your children For behold the dayes will cum in the whiche they shall say happye are the barraine and the wombes that neuer bare and the pappes that neuer gaue sucke Than shall they begin to say to the mountains fall on vs and to the hilles couer vs. For yf they doe this in a grene tree what shal be dooen in the drye After that they had vsed all kynd of opprobriousnes and villany against him to satisfie their hatered they clothed him again with his owne garmentes to the entente he should the better be knowen of the people and broughte hym forth towardes the place of execucion bearing his own crosse himselfe as the maner there was And as they were goyng thitherward they met by chaunce with one Simon a man of Cyrene as he was cuÌ„myng from his ferme And vpon him whether he would or would not they layed the Lordes crosse to the entent that Iesus might goe before and he beare his crosse after him not to the entent to spare Iesus or to shewe him any fauour but that they might with the more spedie dispeche accomplishe the thyng that they went aboute But in the meane tyme by goddes prouideÌ„ce there was a figure procured of the churche to bee afterwardes gathered of the Gentiles which did willingly enbrace the crosse of Iesus and folowed the steppes of his fete There folowed Iesus also a great multitude of the people both menne and women which while the priestes Scribes reioysed did on their partes make much wailing and lamentacion for the death of the innoceÌ„t For nothing els it was that they beyng poore folkes and men of peace could doe against the wycked conspiracie of the great meÌ„ But Iesus who would not haue his death to be a thyng of lamentacion but of glory neyther would haue it to be bewayled but wurshypped as the whiche he tooke vpon him willingly for the redeÌ„pcion of all the whole worlde willed them to refraine their vncomely lamentyng although it proceded and came of a godly affeccion Ye daughters of Ierusalem saieth he bewaile not me but bewail your owne cause and your childrens for the death of an innocent is not to be lameÌ„ted but the confusion of theÌ„ is to be lamented who for theyr hainous wicked actes shall both here be punished with pieteous plagues affliccions and afterward also be adiudged to peines euerlasting For so miserable distresse and extremitie doeth there hang ouer this region that men shall call those wemen happie whiche neuer bare any childreÌ„ and the wombes happie which neuer brought furth fruite the pappes happie which neuer gaue sucke For the natural kindenesse of the mothers is more grieued with their childreÌ„s troubles theÌ„ with their owne Now they reioyce as though they had doen some noble great act but than whaÌ„ the time of goddes vengeauÌ„ce shall come there shal so great feare of mischifes which be at hand come in theyr mindes that they shal say to the mountaines ouerwhelme vs to the hilles couer vs for if they do this in a grene tree what shall be doen in a dry and withered tree By this derke sentence the Lord did testifie his imcomparable innocencie that he alone of all meÌ„ was not corrupt with any rottoÌ„nesse of vice or of inordinate desires but altogether flourishing continually budding with al kind of vertues That if theyr malice did shewe suche exauÌ„ple of cruelnesse against a maÌ„ altogether faultlesse what punishemeÌ„t ought they to haue which being wholly corrupted with naughty affeccioÌ„s could by no meanes be brought to any honestie And there wer two euill dooers led with hym to be slaine And after that they were come to the place
euen muche aboute noonetyde for so doe the Iewes rekon from this houre of noonetyde at whiche tyme of the daye the sunne is woonte to bee moste hotte and to shyne moste brightest of all there came soodaynly a great derkenesse ouer all thatsame countrey aboute Hierusalem and so continued till the nynth houre that is to saye till three of the clocke afternoone For the sunne detesting and abhorryng suche great iniquitie of men did hyde his face at suche time as he should be put to death who was the light of the worlde The yearth also dyd quake stones brake a soondre and euery parte of nature trembled at so horrible a dede of crueltie Ferthermore the vaile of the temple whiche parted the inner holy place whiche they called Sanctum sanctorum from the other parte of the temple rented quite a soondre in twoe partes no manne stieryng it shewyng openly that the shadowes and ceremonies of the Iewes should nowe ceasse after that this sacrifice was once accomplished whiche alone was sufficient to pourge and clense the sinnes of all tymes both past and to come But Iesus whan he had with a loude crye sayed Father I commende my spirite into thy handes yelded vppe the ghoste So that it myght bee euidente to all men that he dyd not fainte as others are wonte to doe the strength of theyr bodies by litle litle consuming awaye but that byanby after a strong stretche or crye and after woordes distinctely pronounced he willingly as ye woulde saye and of his owne accorde gaue vp the ghoste This thyng dyd the Centurion well apperceiue and marke who purposely stode hard by the crosse that no man should take them downe alyue from the tree And of this man also had Iesus a testimonie of his innocencie for he glorified God that he had shewed so great power in him and sayed Uerayly this man was righteous openly condemning the vnrighteousnesse of the Iewes For whosoeuer pronounceth hym an innocent that is condemned maketh hym an offendour that hath condemned thesame All the other coumpanie of them who as the common guise is had come to see the execucion in dede a great many moe then would els haue come partely the fauour and partely the hatred of Iesus had drawen thither whan they had seen the thynges whiche had fortuned returned home knockyng theyr brestes partely for sorowe that a man so innocente and a doer of suche good dedes had been so vngodly intreated and partely for feare of the stroke and vengeaunce of God whiche they knowing themselfes culpable in theyr owne conscience did of the straunge tokens that they had seen mistrust and deme to hang ouer them For thesame manne whome in his lyfe tyme they had seen of lowe and poore degree and a maÌ„ none other lyke but to be contemned thesame doe they see euen at his dying houre a manne of great power insomuche that all the elementes of this worlde were shaken and disordred â—ut of theyr course Here eftsones o Theophilus marke thou one other poâ—â—â—â— that there was at all tymes more grace founde in the Gentiles then in the Iewes who tooke vnto them the laude of deuocion towardes God and of holy conuersacion aboue all others The Centurion glorifieth God the Iewes doe no more but feare his stroke being made afearde with thynges of woondre whereas with so many benefites they could not possibly be wonne Ferthermore they that were of Iesus kynred or familiare with him in his life time stode a ferre of beholding what was doen and durst not for feare come nerer Emongst these were also the wemen which for desire and good will to minister thynges necessarie to him to his disciples had folowed him from Galile as witnesses and beholders of those thynges which were doen. And thesame beyng nowe destitute of all hope dyd nothyng els but mourne and make lamentacion for hym And beholde there was a man named Ioseph a counsaylour And he was a good man and a iust thesame had not consented to the counsayle and dede of them which was of Aramathia a citie of the Iewes whiche same also waited for the kingdome of God He went vnto Pilate and begged the body of Iesus and tooke it downe and wrapped it in a linnen cloth and laied it in a sepulchre that was hewen in stone wherein neuer manne before had been laied It beeyng therfore by many euident tokens assuredly well to be seen and knowen that the lorde was vndoubtedly dead leste any man myght fynde some poynte of cauillacion eyther that he was not a veray naturall manne in dede orels that he was not veraily dead behold there cometh in a man of his owne free offre by whom the lordes buriall myght be executed and accomplished which buriall Iesus pleasure was should be clenly and honourable His life had been milde and lowe without bearing any part his death had been a thyng of muche effecte his buriall was magnificent and his resurreccion glorious So than euen at the veray houre euen as God would cometh in willingly of his owne free offre a certain maÌ„ named Ioseph borne in Aramathia a citie of Iewry a good man and a iust and one of the noumbre of them that loked for the kingdom of God This maÌ„ although he were one of the chiefe men of that nacion for he was a noble senatour a rewler yet had he neuer consented to the couÌ„sayle and dedes of the priestes the scribes and the head meÌ„ of the people although for feare of their power which hated Iesus he durst not openly professe or acknowlage the good will and zele of his herte towardes Iesus For as yet they had not geuen vnto them boldenesse by the holy ghost that all thynges despised they might haue the power openly to professe the name of Iesus The other disciples therfore being drieuen away for feare only Ioseph together with Nicodemus dareth take in hande the office of burying the Lorde whether it were because the fauour of menne towardes them that be good doeth after the death of thesame encreace more more orels because the saied Ioseph iudged the enuy of the Iewes against Iesus to be now saciate with his death Wherfore he cometh vnto Pilate to whom he was a man well knoweÌ„ by reasoÌ„ of his nobilitie asked of him the body of Iesus But Pilate would not geue it him before he had perfect knowlage by the CenturioÌ„ that he was throughly dead Than Ioseph tokeÌ„ the body and after it was taken downe from the crosse â–ª and enbaumed all ouer with swete odoriferous sauours he wounde it vp in a fyne shete hauing in the meane time no hope at all of his resurreccion of the whiche Iesus had briefly in fewe woordes geuen knowlage but a litle afore vnto his disciples but in suche wyse had he doen it that they thesame disciples better remembred it then beleued it And because they had an opinion that Iesus was a good man and putte to
frendely countenaunce and theyr garmentes glitteryng in maner of clere brightnesse or lightning Thissame veray lightnesse and sight of the Aungels had been an open semblaunt of the triumph of an arysing agayne to lyfe And whan the weomen beeyng throughly afrayed with this straunge syght cast their countenaunce and iyes downe vpon the grounde and durst not loke streight vpon the maiestie of the visioÌ„ being a thing aboue the reache of mans nature the sayed Aungels with mylde and amiable speakyng vnto them doe ease and recoumforte the hertes of them beeyng astouned with that soodayne feare O ye weomen saye the Aungels why doe ye seke hym in the graues of the dead which is a liuesman In dede here was he layed whan he was dead but nowe forasmuche as he is reuiued agayne he is not in graue where the dead doe reste but he is arysen agayne from death to life and walketh a liuesman emong the lyuing He had by his owne woordes foreshewed that dye he should he had foreshewed the tyme also the kynde of his death but thesame had also foreshewed that he would on the third day returne to lyfe againe Ye belieue hym to bee dead because ye sawe it belieue ye also that he is arysen againe to life For he will not in this pointe deceyue you whiche on the other parte tolde you trueth Hath sorowe and trouble of mynde made you to forget all thynges that he tolde you of aforehande Lette it come to your remembraunce againe howe that of all these thynges whiche haue nowe been dooen he leafte not any one poynte vnspoken of or vntolde aforehande whan he was yet in Galile For he tolde you afore that it was so decreed by the wysedome and ordeynaunce of his father that for the redempcion of mankynde the sonne of man should be deliuered into the handes of synners and that he should bee accused should be beaten and should be setfurth to receyue al kyndes of mocking skorning and finally that beyng hoighced vp vpon the crosse he should be put to death but yet that he thesame man should on the thirde daye returne to lyfe agayne Call ye the tyme well vnto your knowlage He was taken downe from the crosse well towardes the euentyde of the preparacion daye and layed here in thissame graue that daye is rekoned for the firste daye from his death All the whole Sabboth day he rested in his sepulchre Nowe is this the dayspring of the third day which third day himselfe arising together with thesame hath willed to be gladsome and prosperous to all the whole worlde After these woordes spoken the Aungels vanished awaye from theyr sight ¶ And they remembred his woordes and returned from the sepulchre and tolde all these thynges vnto those eleuen and to all the remnaunt It was Mary Magdalene Ioanna and Mary Iacobi and other that were with them which tolde these thynges vnto the Apostles And theyr woordes semed vnto them feigned thinges neyther beleued they them Than arose Petur and ran vnto the sepulchre and loked in sawe the linen clothes layed by themselfes and departed woondreyng in himselfe at that whiche had happened Than the wemen through the Aungels bringyng them in remembraunce doe call to memorie the Lorde Iesus woordes by the whiche he had tolde aforehand vnto his disciples aswell his death as also his resurreccion Whervpon leauyng the monumente they make hast to the eleuen Apostles and the other disciples who for feare of the Iewes lay in secrete places here some and there some gathered together and had euen themselues too forgotteÌ„ in maner all thinges that Iesus had tolde them and wer now in manier in despayre and to them doe the weomen bryng newes what they had seen and what they had heard of the Aungels The first weoman Eue beeyng deceyued by the serpent allured her housebande Adam to doe amysse these deuoute weomen beeyng taught by the Aungels doe moue and exhort men to promptenesse of beleuing Therfore because the weomen kynde shoulde not euermore without any ende continue in slaunder and oblique for death that had issued out of them into men the moste gladsome tidinges of lyfe restored agayne doethe therehence procede from whence the occasion of death hath first issued Now the weomen whiche brought the fyrst newes of the premisses vnto the Apostles were Marie Magdalene the systur of Lazarus Ioanna the wyfe of Chusa Herodes agent and factour Mary the mother of Iames the younger whiche was also called the systur of Mary the Lordes mother and many other weomen whiche in coumpany of these were woont to goe with Iesus where euer he wente But for the vncredible matâ—er that they brought newes of the weomen beyng estemed to bee vessels sumwhat fraile founde no suche regarde as to bee credyted emong the Apostles whom the Lorde for suche consideracion suffred to bee the slacker to beleue that the assured trueth of hys resurreccion myghte by the moe euidente proufes and tokens bee confyâ—med Therfore what the sayed weomen reported of soodayne seeyng of the aungels of the stone in a momente remoued from the mouth of the sepulchre semed to the Apostles and disciples to bee some poynte of dotage suche as reigneth in weomen because that thys sexe of woman kynde hauyng the conceipte of their imaginacion somewhat infected and corrupte through the weakenesse of reason and of good iudgemente in them doe many times belieue themselfes to see that thei see not and heare that they heare not And although they did not belieue it to be a mattier of trueth that the weomen reported yet dyd theyr earnest affirmyng of it and standynge therin thus muche auayle that Peter arysyng from the place where he sate ran furth to the monument and puttyng hys head in and lokyng afore hym he fyndeth not the body but the pieces of linnen in whiche the body of Iesus had been wound vp he seeth liyng there aside in a place by themselfes And yet not so neyther dyd he belieue that the Lorde was arisen agayne from death to lyfe so diepe forgetfulnesse had there taken hym of the thynges which Iesus had sayed but awaye he went from the sepulchre meruaylyng with himselfe what had befallen and doubtyng whether any body had taken awaye the bodye out of the monument and castyng many soondry thynges in his minde by whom or of what entent and purpose thatsame poynte had been dooen that the body taken awaye he sawe the linen pieces leafte behynde as thynges laysurely taken of from the body whiche could not without some buisinesse haue been plucked of and for that he sawe thesame linen pieces not cast aboute at auenture here one and there one but handesomely layed vp in theyr place and ordre the kerchefe wherwith the head and face of Iesus had been couered beyng layed by it selfe aparte from the rest ¶ And beholde twoo of them went thatsame daye to a toune called Emaus whiche was from Hierusalem aboute three
The high priestes and the rewlers of our people pursued him to death before the lieutenaunt in conclusion nailled him on the crosse Nowe we had conceyued a certayne maruaylous hope of hym that he should haue redemed the people of Israel as men beyng vtterly in beliefe that he had been the Messias which was long agon promised by the Prophetes But his death which was bothe vndoubtedly true also full of open worldely shame hath taken away this hope from vs. Ye there had no smal hope been put in our heades that it would so come to passe that he would after thre dayes haue returned agayne to life but wheras he was condemned crucified and buried this veray present daye is the thirde daye sence all these thinges fortuned to be doen and yet doe not we see any whitte the more of assured hope sauyng that certayn wemē of the fraternitie of his disciples haue by the reportyng of certayn straunge newes suche as neuer was heard of made vs yea more astouned then we were afore For where these same wemen went furth before sunrisyng to the Sepulchre they say playnly they founde not the body there and affirme moreouer that certayne Aungels appered vnto them sayed that he is aliue And whā no man gaue credite to theyr reporte certayne of our coumpany went also to the graue to proue whether the fond wemens tale had any trueth in it And as concerning the graue selfe they found the matter to goe euen so as the wemen had made relacion For they found it opē and emptie the pieces of linnen also and the other thynges which the corpse had cast of they found within the graue layed vp together in one of the corners But as for hymselfe they found hym not any where at all And he sayed vnto them o fooles and slowe of herte to beleue all that the Prophetes haue spoken Ought not Christe to haue suffred these thynges to entre into his glorie And he began at Moses and all the Prophetes and enterpreted vnto them in all scriptures which were wrytten of him And they drewe nigh vnto the toune whiche they wente vnto And he made as though he would haue gon ferther And they constrayned him sayinge abyde with vs for it draweth towardes nyght and the daye is farre passed And he wente in to tary with them Whan these two disciples had by this tale tellyng simply declared howe greatly they wauered in theyr myndes howe lytle hope they were in of the Lordes promisses than Iesus in dede doeth not yet suffre hymselfe to bee knowen but like some one of Iesus disciples better enfourmed enstructed in the matter chydeth their dulnesse of capacitie rebuketh their vnbeliefe O ye hard witted felowes sayeth he vnapte to bee taught to the vnderstanding of scriptures and of an hard herte slowe to beleue so many holy sayinges of the Prophetes which they haue wrytten of Christ. Why doe these thynges nowe appere straunge vnto you when they bee wrought and doen already seeyng that the prophecies of the Prophetes dyd so many hundred yeres past tell aforehande that they should afterwarde bee doen Why doe ye not conferre and compare theyr foretellynges with the thinges that haue nowe been wrought and executed doe not the scriptures which haue by the inspiraciō of God been written teache howe that it so pleased the prouidēce of God that Christ should suffre these thynges whiche he hath suffred and should after such sorte by an vncouthe conueighaūce restore lyfe by meane of death should by meane of the crosse recouer his kyngdom through open shame of the worlde should enter into his glory This world hath it glory but it is neither true glory in dede nor yet perpetual to endure for euer And suche persons as acquire and get thesame they get it by vaine petigrewes tytles rychesse bounteous geuyng stately porte ruffleyng in the worlde yea and many tymes they get it from men whether they will or no by extorte power But Christ shall by ferre vnlyke waies and meanes recouer winne vnto him emong men his owne glory that he had before the creacion of the worlde because he will shewe vnto all mortall men by what pathway they ought stoutely to breake a passage vnto true glory that shall neuer dye Where Moses hath of this matter taught so many lessons where the Prophetes haue foretold so many thinges are ye yet stil of so grosse a minde and vnderstanding that ye looke for your Messias to be some captaihn wiche shall vsurpe vnto himselfe the kingdom of the world and entre the possessiō therof with charyottes horses elephauntes wilde asses armed hostes of men with gunnes crossebowes ingiens fyer sweorde and bloud Doe ye not yet fele the scripture to be spirituall and the power of Messias not to consiste in garrisons or fortresses by meanes of whiche the princes of this worlde doe either get into theyr handes orels enlarge their temporall kyngdomes but contrariwyse to consiste in vertue and power celestiall Why doe ye not rather serche and try out the scriptures which haue already foreshewed many thynges of Christe and conferre thesame with those thynges which Christe foreshewed of hymselfe vnto his disciples and the which haue come to effect accordyng as he had foreshewed them By that meanes it shall come to passe that neither any thyng of all these matters which haue of late be fallen shall seme vncouthe or straunge and of the thinges which he promised should afterwarde come there shall be no matter that ye will conceyue mystrust of After that the Lorde had with this lytle fitte of chidyng made them more earnest to geue better hede eare to the matter he declared vnto them all the scriptures which openly foreshewed that the thing should so come to passe in Christe which had nowe of late fortuned shewyng that there did so many prophecies figures effectes of thinges in facte cūmyng to passe so iustely accorde in time to gether that it must nedes bee on the one syde a token of a certaine exceding great dulnesse not to espie and marke the same and on the other syde of notable mystrustefulnesse not to belieue it And all his processe he begonne out of Moses and out of the Prophetes and after that gatheryng out of euery booke of holy scripture some one poynte or other which might both enforce the credite of the thinges that had to fore already happened and also purchace credite aforehand to the thinges which were afterward to come And all these places of scripture did he in such sorte conferre one with an other that the matter appered clere and euident Happy were they that euer they were borne who were thought worthy to heare that heauenly teacher with liuely voice expouning thesame thinges at large which he had afore caused to be writtē by the Prophetes hauyng the instinct of his owne holy spirite I because I am not sufficient to
euen the verai same thing whiche Christ himselfe hath promised vnto you I am with you euen vntyll the consummacion of the worlde Nowe in stede of the bloudie slaughter of beastes whiche the priestes of Moses lawe did vse what kynde of sacrifice shall succede the prophete hath not leaft vnspoken For the psalmiste by inspiracion sayeth thus Sacrifice thou vnto God the sacrifice of laude and paie thy vowes vnto the highest call on me in the daye of tribulacion and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me And agayne in thesame place Whoso offreeth me thankes and prayse honoureth me and to hym that ordreeth his conuersacion right wyll I shewe the saluacion of God And in another place Sacrifice ye the sacrifice of righteousnesse and truste ye in the Lorde Ye haue here nowe hearde a threfold manier of sacrifice that is to wete the sacrifice of prayers or vowes whereof Christe hath thus taughte you Whatsoeuer ye shall aske my father in my name he wyll geue it vnto you the sacrifice of laude and prayse whiche it is euidente enoughe that he solemnely executed and accomplished many tymes rendring thankes vnto his father and the sacrifice of righteousnesse whiche geueth and perfourmeth the strength and power of lyfe to the innocente and the seruiceable attendaunce of charitie towardes the nedie And of this righteousnesse dyd he in propre persone shewe vnto you a perfecte exaumple spendyng his own soule and lyfe for his shepe beeyng founde onely and alone emong men in whome no fraude ne guyle was He taught this thing also out of the prophetes wordes saying thus Goe ye and learne what these woordes of the Prophete dooe meane Mercye wyll I haue and not sacrifice In the spirituall temple than vnder the moste highest prieste Christe there shall not nowe bee geuen distribucion of rawe meate out of the fleashe of calfes of goates or of shepe but of the precious bodye and bloud of Iesus Christe whiche he hath once for all offred to th ende that it maye al tymes bee spirituallye taken of his enoynted renewyng vnto themselues after a certaine manier the death of their head king by that thankefull commemoracion Forsouth this is the hoste whiche shall shortely be offred all the world ouer by the priestes whom God hath enoynted of whiche sacrifice Malachias spoke afore in the spirite of Prophecie I haue no wyll in you saieth the Lorde of hosâ—es and gyfte wyll I none take of your hande For from the arisyng of the sunne vnto the goyng downe my name is greate in all nacions and in euery place there is sacrificed and offreed vnto me a clene oblacion And this was it whiche was foretolde to Hely the prieste also that it should come to passe that whosoeuer should come into the newe temple should saye Leat me goe I beseche thee to one syde of the priesthode that I maie eate a morsell This is thesame sacrifice whiche Christe in Estur supper gaue vnto his disciples puttyng foorth breade vnto them whiche he sayed to be his body and geuyng them the cuppe whiche he sayed to bee the cuppe of his bloude by whiche his bloud he consecrated vnto them a newe testamente that is to saye a bande and league of frendeshyp neuer to dye ne decaye All these thynges yf ye twoo haue not sene on your owne parties yet at leastewyse ye mighte haue hearde it of his twelue speciall Apostles by meane of whom he hath wylled all that hath been wrought and dooen to come to the knowlage of all creatures Lyke as Christe cummyng from heauen hath turned all carnall thynges into ghostly the citie the temple the priesthode the sacrifices so woulde he also his kyngdome to bee newe And for thesame cause did he muche vse to call it the kyngdome of heauen because ye should not looke for any suche manier thyng as ye see many in the kyngdome of the worlde For although he were the Lorde of all yea euen before he came downe into the yearth yet was there a ghostlye kyngdome whiche because he would recouer vnto his father he became obedient to thesame vnto the death of the crosse For by that meanes hath he ouercomed and vanquished his aduersarie that waie hath he deliuered his people and made them free by that meanes hath he recouered enlarged and establisshed his kyngdome vnto his father And in dede the Prophete promised Messias by the title of a kyng and a captaine but he assigneth a double cummyng of hym the former whiche your selues haue seen humble and peaceable For he came to heale and not to strieke in the waye of vengeaunce But he shall come in the ende of the worlde with maiestie garded and encoumpaced round about with many thousandes of Aungels to iudge the quicke and deade And now in this tyme because he hath come lowe and mylde many haue taken slaundre of conscience insomuche that euen those same twelue also whome he had out of all the coumpanie specially chosen out as moste feithfull and trustie vnto hym beeyng strieken in a drede haue fled euerie man his waye for feare yea and one hath reneagued hym too saying that he neuer knewe hym But if ye woulde diligentlye compare the writing of the Prophetes with the thynges whiche ye haue seen wrought and doen there should be no cause why ye should bee offended or slaundred but there is cause why ye should acknowlage hym who came suche an one as he was promised to come Consider ye what Zacharie sayeth Beholde thy kyng shall come vnto the righteous and a salueour beeyng hymselfe in fourme of a poore man mountyng vpon an asse and vpon a colte the foale of a she asse He that so came came not to make battaile but to destruie the battayles of the worlde whiche are made and kepte vnder Satans banners For the Prophete bryngeth in byanby after And I shall scattre soondrie waies abrode the carte from Ephraim and the horse from Hierusalem and the bowe of battayle shall be destruied and he shall speake peace to the nacions and his power shall bee from sea to sea Ye sawe him entre the citie of Hierusalem with this pompe partly to mocke the kyngdomes of this worlde and partly because he would putte you in good remembraunce of the prophecie And now marke ye well this poynte whether Esai did promise hym of any other sorte For euery violent takyng of booties and forceable ruffleyng and garment embrewed with bloud shall be for burnyng the meate of fyer For a lytle one is borne to vs a sonne is geuen to vs princely power is set vpon his shoulder and his name shall be called the meruaylous a Counsaillour the God of strength the father of the world to come the Prince of peace his empier shal be multiplied there shal be no ende of peace He shall sitte vpon the seate of Dauid and vpon his kingdome that he may conserue thesame and make
it strong in iudgemēt and righteousnesse Whan ye heare a kyngdome and princely power set vpon his shoulder doe ye not manifestly heare the kyngdom of the crosse which crosse Christ did beare to vanquishe the powers of the aier whan ye heare the prince of peace forsoth ye vnderstande a kyng alluryng with benefites and not cōpelling with violence ne with feare whan ye heare the father of the worlde to come ye see one much vnlyke to the princes of this worlde Neither doeth he describe hym a man of any other sorte where he speaketh of hym in a certaine other place And he shal strike with the rodde of his mouth and with the spirite of his lippes shall he sleagh the wicked righteousnesse shal be the girdle of his loignes feith the belt of his reines The woulfe shal dwell with the lambe the leoparde shall lie downe hard by with the goate all the reste that foloweth much dessonaunt and contrarious from the armour and battayles of worldely princes Nowe herken ye what himselfe saieth of himselfe in the misticall psalme of Dauid As for I am constituted of him a king vpō Sion his holy hill preachyng the precepte of him did he not in these woordes manifestely expresse the kyngdome of the woorde euangelicall Certes this is the sweorde wherof an other psalme maketh mencion Bee thou girt with thy sweorde vpon thy thigh o thou moste mightiest with thy beatutie fairnesse entēde thou prosperously procede reigne thou for thy veritie mekenesse and righteousnesse And who hath heard that a king hath in the beautie of his body prosperously gon foreward or els to haue gotten himselfe a kingdome with mekenesse But this was the grace of the woorde of God by which ye haue seen Iesus allure and draw vnto him great multitudes of people this was the trueth against which the Phariseis did so many times in vaine attēpt to wrastle and striue This maner a sweorde it was whiche he at the tyme whan he should die aduertised his Apostles to gette them of whiche he had afore also spoken allegeing that he was not come into the yearth to send peace but the sweorde Suche lyke ones also are the arrowes of the mighty beyng sharp with which he goreth the inordinate lustes desires of men with the which he killeth the couetous mā and reiseth the beneficiall bounteous man with the which he sleagheth the idolatre reiseth vp the professour of euāgelicall godlinesse with which he killeth the fierce man and the man of vengeaunce and reiseth vp the meke and the merciful with which he ouerthroweth the proude man setteth vp the humble Will ye vnderstand the kyngdome what sorte and nature it is of See ye what maner ministers and enlargers of his dominion and iurisdicciō he chose out for the nons Poore felowes mē of lowe degree mē of no learnyng ne knowlage but euen of the bare mother witte and toungue ne with any treasour ne weapon nor victayles ne with any strength or maintenaunce of this worlde furnished or armed against the capcious malice of the Phariseis against the power of princes against the pryde of the Philosophiers that is to say of the great schole mē And by these captaines shall he outwarre and subdue all the vniuersall kyngdomes of the worlde with none other cōplete harnesse then with the helmes of saluacion which is the right vnderstanding of holy scripture with the buckler of feith by vertue wherof God beyng their protectour they shal be in perfeite safegard against al assaultes of the wicked people with the Iacke or haberion made of the righteousnesse of al the vertues euāgelicall with the belt of chastitie with shooes of the ghospels making which is an herte pure from all yearthly affeccions but moste specially aboue al thinges with the sweorde of the spirite which is the woorde of God So was it thought good vnto God that by meane of his sonnes weakenesse he would shewe his power by preaching which should be accoūpted worldly folishenes he would declare his wisedom through the worldly shame of the crosse he would renoume his glory In these thinges consisteth the kingdome euāgelicall in the meane whyle vntill the maiestie of Christ shall in the ende of the world shewe forth it selfe his low degree laied away the blissefull state of the godly sort shal also shewe it selfe not stained or defoiled with any affliccions And yet this outward bassenesse conteineth a ghostly strength of the spirite both effectuall apt to cast downe al buildinges that lift vp themselfes to stand against the glory of God Haue ye euer seen any thing more ientill or pacient then Christ was haue ye seen any thing more lowe or basse in worldly acceptacion any thing more poorer more meke more felowlike with the people more ferther remoued from all lykenesse of a kyngdome And yet what thyng coulde there be more regall or kinglike then with a worde to cast out wicked spirites with a woorde speaking to caulme the wyndes the sourges of the seas with touching to heale folkes that were infecte with lepry with mere bidding to put away al kindes of diseases How many times escaped he harmelesse through the thickest of the Iewes working death vnto him He suffred himselfe to be taken but at the voice of him the armed soldiers fell down flat on the ground He dyed on the crosse but what thing could be of more power then this death which made all the elementes of the worlde to shake whiche caused the sunne to lese his light and to be full of derkenesse which cutte stones in soondre which opened graues which reysed the dead bodyes out of thesame There could be nothing more lowe or basse to the worldeward thē was his natiuitie but yet euen in his natiuitie also there did streight way at the first houre appere tokens moe thē one of his high maiestie which he than did would not be acknowē of He is borne of a tendre young virgin but it is by the operaciō of Gods holy spirite He was laied downe in an oxe maūger but the Aungels syng glory to God in the highest He lieth crying being an infaunte in the cradle place but Herode being a kyng trembleth for feare and the Magians wurship him on their knees These thynges being as yet knowen not to veray many shall in time to come be preached throughout all the vniuersall worlde And with suche lyke sure fenses shall he appoynte and furnishe his Apostles also That if ye shal here after reade the scriptures and marke them well shall conferre them with the thynges which ye haue seen and heard ye cannot doubt but that he is thesame Christ which was promised the priest the king and the salueour of all the worlde after whom there is none other to be looked for Rekon I pray you and consider in your mindes all his whole age which ye haue partely with your owne iyes
the middes of the day time from the sixt houre vntill the nynth Christ himselfe saied and affirmed himselfe to be the light of the worlde and gaue knowlage that the night drewe nere at what tyme he should be doen to death out of this worlde And dyd not Amos clerely prophecie this matter And it shal be in that day saieth the Lord the sunne shall goe downe in the noontide and I will make the yearth to be all ouercast with derkenesse in the daye of light Neyther did Zacharie hold his peace concernyng this matter whan he sayed And it shall be in that daie there shal be no light but colde and froste and it shal be one daie whiche is knowen to the Lorde Not daie nor night in their due time in the euentyde shall the light be It was a day knowen to the Lorde which day the Iewes knewe not by the markes therof Daye was it not because that aboute the houre of noontyde arose derkenesse night was it not because that after the nynth houre light came again Than colde and froste there was in the hertes of the disciples whan they fled euery manne his waye and despaired in the noumbre of whom was Petur who ferthermore abiured the Lord that is to saye swore that he knewe hym not nor had naught to doe with hym nor naught would he medle with hym while being throughly taken with colde he taketh warmth and heate by the coles of wicked Iewes Cōferre ye now the thynges that were doen whyle Christe was hangyng on the crosse Whan he thirsted there was raught vp vnto hym wyne mixed with myrrhe and vyneagre withall euen like as whan he should bee hoighced vpon the crosse they offered hym wyne mixed with myrrhe And did not the prophecie of the Psalme tell plainly herof afore where it sayeth They gaue me gaule for my meate and in my thirst they gaue me drinke of vineagre Ye heard the Phariseis and the rewlers lyke conquerours speakyng proudely agaynste him as he hāged on the crosse and emong other reuiling woordes laying this also against him He sayed he was the sonne of God he putteth his wholle trust and confidence in the Lorde let him nowe deliuer him yf he will haue hym See ye nowe how lustely the prophecie of the Psalme did not onely foreshewe the veray thyng but also did speake euen the verai woordes of those wicked persones where it sayeth But as for me I am a wourme and no manne a veray skorne of men and the outcast of the people All they that see me laugh me to skorne ▪ they shoote out their lippes and shake theyr head saying he trusted in God that he would deliuer him leat him deliuer him if he wil haue him Ye sawe the lambe of whiche Esai prophecied not once openyng his lippes but holdyng his peace at al opprobrious woordes yea and moreouer praying hertely for the causers and workers of his death whan he cried Father forgeue them for they knowe not what they doe Nowe loke ye whether the psalme did not fore tell this thing too They spake agaynst me with guilefull roungues they coumpaced me round about with wordes of hatred and assailed me without cause In stede of that they should haue loued me they railled againste me and as for me I did praye Ye sawe hym fastened to the crosse with nailles and hang naked his bodye stretched euerie waye to the vttermoste Heare ye nowe a clere and plain prophecie of thesame They perced my handes and my feete and they tolde all my bones Ye sawe the souldiers partyng emongst them the garmentes of Iesus whan he was crucified And this poyncte also foloweth the prophecie of thesame Psalme in this manier They parted my garmentes emong them and cast lottes vpon my vesture his other garmentes they parted emongst them for his coate that was a whole piece in it selfe because it had no seames that it might bee vnriept they drewe lottes Whan he was euen at the poynte to yelde vp the ghost ye heard hym saye with a strong voyce Father I commende my spirite into thy handes declaryng the prophecie of the psalme to had spoken afore of his death Ye sawe the twoo theues legges broken in sodre and that Iesus legges were not broken because he woulde by this signe also declare hymselfe to bee the true Paschall Lambe whose bloude hath made free and hath deliuered from euerlasting death al persones that belieue in him of whome there was a commaundemente geuen in the booke entitled Exodus Ye shall not breake any bone of hym Ye might also haue marked this poynte that he ouercame the strengthe of the worlde and Satan with the contrarie with simplicitee he maistered craftinesse with mekenesse he ouercame fiercenesse with humilitee he hadde the ouerhande of pompe and glorie with courteous behaueour he subdued pryde and in lyke manier with the weakenesse of body he conquered the power of Satan For what thyng is more weake or feble then a man dying and yet what great strength this weakenesse had ye sawe Ye beheld and sawe the sunne ouercaste with derkenesse the yearth to be cast in a quakyng stones to brast one piece frō another graues to open the vail of the temple to be cutte in soondre These thynges veraily declared that his special great strength wherwith he throughly subdued the deiuill and the world was preastly and readily shewed foorth at the houre of his death And this thyng also had the mysticall Psalme foreshewed where it sayed Tell ye in the nacions God hath reigned from the tree And this thyng did not the Prophete Abacuc leaue vnspoken His brightnesse sayeth he shal be as the lyght hornes in his handes there is his strength hidden death shall go before his face and the deiuill shall go out before his feete Ye heare the hornes or peakes of the crosse the feblenesse wherof beguyled the prynce of this worlde For the lord Iesus had there priuely hidden his heauenly vertue and strength to th ende that he might oppresse the deiuill he led death in a triumphe he made Satan to be openly knowen what he was and made hym an open shewe and his verai self before he should dye foretold that this thing should so be in that he sayed Whan I shal be exalted vp from the yearth I wyll drawe all thynges vnto my selfe And the selfsame thyng did Moses signifie beyng nere the tyme of his death although by derker woordes of a misticall sense For whan he blissed the tribes euerie one by it selfe and it was come to Ioseph who bare the figure of Christe he saied As of a firste borne oxe is the beautie of hym and his hornes as the hornes of the beaste Rhinoceros with them shal he fanne the nacions euen vnto the endes of the earth So hath it ben thought good to the wisdom of God that Christ should subdue the vniuersal world through the hornes or
should a laye prince and a younge manne do with the gospell And wil make cauillacion saye that I geue frogges wine as the Greke prouerbe speaketh As though it wer to be thought that only suche do presente princes with mete giftes that which bryng vnto them bokes written in barbarous tōgue conteyning matters of huntyng kepyng of dogges and horses of ingines for warre yea mafortune of dising carding Uerily I am in a contrary opiniō for I deame that where the euangelical and heauenlye philosophie is thought to be to all of the hyghest lowest and myddle estate wonderfull profitable yet it is to none more necessarie then to the supreme heades powers of the worlde For the more weight charge burden that they susteyne the more daungerous the storme is that apperteineth vnto them for to caulme and assuage the more manyfold occasions they haue whereby good wyttes well inclined by nature and well instructed by educacion maye be marred and corrupted so muche the more it is semyng that they shoulde be instructed and armed more diligently then the reste with the moste godly and infallible preceptes of holy doctrine for suche cannot offende withoute the great dammage of the whole world It is the peculiar office of the prelates to nourishe the people with plentifull and abundant foode of the euangelicall doctrine For the which cause they be called pastours and herdes in scripture I graunte all these to bee true Yet the poete Homer of the most cōmendable christian auctors is commēded not vnworthily because he calleth a kyng a herd ouer his people howe muche more then it is mete that this name title agre with euery christiā prince A prince doeth not preache teache the gospell but he doeth obserue practise fulfill it yet doeth he after a sort teache it whosoeuer doeth kepe obserue it But how can he fulfil it if he knowe it not how shall he know it excepte by diligente and frequent readyng he peruse it except with a great studie he profoundly print it in his memorie whom behoueth more stedfastlye to beleue that the celestial king is gouernour of this world vnto whō nothing is vnknowen whose iyes no man can deceiue whose power no man can resiste who shal iudge euery man accordyng to his merites then the supreme powers whiche by reason of their power do dreade no man and can if they list easilye deceyue whome they list whiche if they trespasse any thyng bee not cited to appere at any mortall mans consistory but be commended also oftymes for their misdedes In whose mindes ought it to be more depely grauen that after this present lyfe wherof the kynges thēselues haue no assuraunce no not asmuche as of an houre and whiche no man can enioye long there is to come another lyfe that neuer shall haue ende in the whiche indifferentlye without respecte of estate or dignitie sauing that the strayter iudgement shall be to them straiter accōpt shal they make that which in this world hath surmounted other in roume office and auctoritie euery man shall by the sentence of the moste righteous iust iudge whose iudgemēt no man shall escape reape the croppe of that which he hath sowen in this presēt life neither shall any escape but that either for his good dedes he shall receyue the croune of eternal glory and blisse or els for his offences be committed to euerlastyng fier in whose myndes I say is it more necessarie this thyng to be depely infixed then theirs whom al kynd of prosperitie and flatterye of man doeth prouoke both to set their affiaunce in thinges present to forget what is hereafter to come In whose memorie is it requisite more depely to be printed that Christ hath plainlye threatenned vs in these wordes wo be to the riche the high powers of this world which hath their comfort in this world than in theirs whiche haue plentie and store of all suche thinges wherby mans minde is corrupt degenerate In whose eares is it more cōueniēt diligently to be beate that euery man ought warely to bestowe his talent which the lorde hath committed vnto him in the waye of vsurie for the lordes auauntage and wil cal euerye man to make accoumpte thereof then theirs whiche by reason of their power committed vnto them by God may at their pleasure either profit most or disprofit most in this world Who ought more assuredly to beleue that all men be they neuer so puissant in high auctoritie can of themselues do nothyng that all thynges that be good commēdable do come of God of whom al thinges ought to be desired that maye by christian peticion lawefully be desired and that vnto him the whole glory and prayse of all that we prosperously do in our affaires ought only to be attributed and ascribed then they whom the world doeth commēde and magnifie by reason they haue suche thinges as Christ taught should be despised whō because of certaine vaine and fantastical apparent shadowes of thinges that seeme cōmendable the base sorte doeth in maner regard and wurship as goddes who ought more thorowly be perswaded that sternnes is hated of God that iniurie ought not to be reuenged by iniury that nothing is more commendable thē peace nothing more acceptable to God then meaknes clemencie then suche whome so muche busynes dayly doeth prouoke to vnquietnes to warre reuengyng of displeasures In whose minde oughte it more depely be printed that neyther for desire of life neither feare of death it is lawfull to swarue from honesty that in this present life no man oughte to loke for to be rewarded for his merites desertes seyng that in the nexte world no man shall be defrauded of his dewe rewarde then in the mindes of princes whom so manye prouocaciōs so much troublesome busines so many occasions doeth oft and many tymes entise allure to dishonestie Uerely such a minde vpon which y◠general felicitie or miserie of the whole world doeth depend ought with weightie profoūd persuasiōs of philosophy be armed whereby it maye vprightly nothing shrinking perseuer againste all policies and engines of this worlde but suche doctrine whiche doeth so peyse the minde that it be not tossed by the waues and surges of fortune and worldly busines no otherwyse then the balans dothe staye the shippes in tyme of tempest can neither more conueniently neither of more certayne veritie neyther yet of more efficacie and power be collected out of any other woorke then the ghospel of God If the profane princes for asmuch as thei must commonly trauaile in worldly affaires maintenaunce of publique trāquillite and reste cannot alwayes obserue suche thynges as they perceiue and iudge to be most conuenient to be kepte obserued yet at the least if the euangelical doctrine be profoundly rooted in them they shal be able to do this that forasmuche as liethe in them to do they shall alwaye endeuoure themselfes to
man we haue touched him with our handes and by all profes and tokenes we haue founde him to be very man yea and also we haue seen his godly glory in very dede mete for the onely sonne of God the like whereof was neuer shewed to any of the angels Prophetes or Patriarches but it was suche as God the father woulde haue his onely sonne to be honoured with And this glory we haue seen in the workinge of his miracles in the vttringe of his heauenly doctrine and in the vision vpon the mounte Thabor when he was transfigured before our iyes when also the very voice of his father cumming downe from heauen professed him to be his dearly beloued sonne as the saied father did notably set him furth in his baptisme both with his voice and with the holy goste vnder the figure and similitude of a dooâ—e And againe when the sonne before his death desired hym to glorify hym with that glorye whiche he had before the worlde was made a voyce came downe from heauen and knowledged him to bee his sonne saying Bothe I haue and will glorifye the. In conclusion we haue seen hym in his resurreccion both when he already beeyng risen from death to lyfe did shewe furthe to vs his body whiche we mighte touche and handle but yet was it subiecte to no euill and also when before oure iyes he was carried vp into heauen And his glory did appeare and shine vnto vs not onely by these thinges but also his very death did aproue his godly power and strengthe when as the vaile of the temple was deuided the earth quaked the stones braste in soundre the graues and monumentes did open the dead bodies did rise againe the sunne losinge his lighte broughte sodaine darkenes into the worlde And whiles immediatly after a vehementcrie he yelded vp his goste as who sayeth he forsoke his life wyllyngly and not for lacke of strengthe By thys so wonderfull a death he did so glorify the father that both the thefe whiche did hange by him and also the Centurion did acknowledge him to bee the sonne of God And albeit when he was conuersaunt here in earth and went about the busines of our saluacion he had leauer shewe vs exaumple of sobrenes mekenes and obedience then to boast his owne greatnes yet all his communicacion all his dedes yea his very behauiour and countenaunce did declare hym to bee full of all godly giftes full of eternall and suche trueth as cannot bee confounded For although God doeth geue to other holy men also large giftes of his grace trueth yet he did powre into him as into his onely sonne the whole fountaine of heauenly giftes to thintent that in hym alone might be so muche as shoulde suffice all men And we did thorowly see him to be suche one euen vntill his ascencion ¶ Iohn beareth witnes of hym and crieth saying This was he of whom I spake whiche though he came after me went before me for he was before me Let vs now procede and declare how he was first knowen vnto the world wheras vntil this time not so muche as his owne brethren beleued hym to be any other but man for he woulde be knowen lytle by lytle lest so straunge a thing shoulde not haue been beleued emonges men if it had risen sodainly And truly many thinges went before whiche might some maner of way haue prepared mens mindes to faithfull beliefe as the auctoritie of the prophetes the shadowes of the lawe the agreable song of the Angels at his natiuitie the godly deuocion of the shephardes the guiding starre the deuout behauiour of the three wise men the vnquietnes of kyng Herode with all Ierusalem for the birth of this new kyng the prophecies of Simeon and Anna and also certain thinges that he did beyond the reche course of mans nature wherat his mother and Ioseph meruailed with theim selfe what those thinges should meane yet neuertheles when the tyme was come wherin it was deereed eternally that he should openly take in hande the busynes of preaching the kingdome of heauen it pleased hym as I sayd before to be commended and set furth by the witnes of Iohn also for a tyme not that he neded mans witnes but because so it was expedient eyther to allure the Iewes to beleue of whom euery one had Iohn in hye estimacion or els to rebuke the vnbeliefe of the wicked when they woulde not beleue no not hym bearing witnes of Christ to whom in other thinges they did attribute so much that they toke him to be Messias which was promysed by the prophecies of the prophetes to deliuer the people of Israell Therfore when Iohn preaching the kyngdom of God to bee at hand had alredy gathered together many disciples dyd dayly baptise many was had in great auctoritie emong al men but in very dede men had an ill opinion of Iesu the said Iohn doth openly beate into the heades of the multitude and eftsons reherseth that thing whiche diuers times before he had witnessed of him And accordyng to Esaies prophecy whiche dyd tell before hand that he shoulde in wildernes say with a loud voice make redy the way of the lorde he nowe not priuely vnto his owne disciples but to all people indifferenly which euery day resorted to him accustomably because of his baptisme and doctrine yea and came purposely to heare the very certaintie what opinion so notable a man had of Iesu he I say spake out with a plain and a cleare voice saying This is he of whom heretofore I haue often spoken vnto you before whome thorow errour you do prefer me when that I tolde you there shoulde be one which should folowe me in age and time of preaching and shoulde also be rekened inferiour to me in the opinion of the multitude he hath nowe ouertaken me and whereas he semed to bee after me he hath begun to be before me And no meruaile seing that euen then also he did excell me in all giftes although in the iudgemente of men he semed inferiour vnto me ¶ And of his fulnes haue all we â—eceiued euen grace for grace for the law was giuen by Moses but grace and trueth came by Iesus Christe He is the fountain of all truth and grace All we whom ye haue in so great admyracion bee nothing els but as it were litle brookes or furth cumming streames for the litle that we haue euery man according to his porcion is drawen furth out of the fulnes of this fountain froÌ„ whence whatsoeuer apperteineth to euerlasting saluacion springeth vnto all men All the vertue that was in the patriarkes in the prophetes and in Moses dyd come from this fountain I am nothing els but the goer before of hym that is cumming he is both the very publisher and also the auctour of the grace of the ghospell whiche geueth true and euerlastyng saluacion to all men thorow faithe We are bounde to thanke hym for that by the
to all reason Then sayde the Iewes xlvi yeres was this temple a building and wilt thou reare it vp in three dayes But he spake of the temple of hys bodye Assone therefore as he was risen from deathe agayn his disciples remembred that he had thus sayd And they beleued the scripture and the woordes whiche Iesus had sayde And as they vnderstode the thing so they answered accordingly saying Men labored very sore the space of .xlvi. yeres after that the BabiloniaÌ„s had brought Iewry into captiuitie to repayre this temple and wilt thou set it vp again in thre daies Our lord Iesus made no aunswer to that obieccion knowing that he should haue doen no good in case he had made playne his darke saying wheÌ„ not so much as his owne disciples yea after they were instructed by his doing of so many miracles his so manifolde preachinges could abide to heare hys death spoken of nor beleue the mistery of his resurreccion Yet this saying did cleue and remayne still as a certayne seede in the myndes of the hearers but it brought furth sundry fruites in soondry persones For the Iewes kepyng the same still in theyr remembraunce did lay thys saying to hys charge before the wicked priestes as a cryine worthye of deathe The disciples in as muche as at that time they could not vnderstande it yet bearing it in theyr mindes dyd meruayl what it should meane vntyl the tyme that after hys resurreccion the holy ghost taught them how Christ by the name of the temple ment his own bodye that was muche more holy then the temple whiche the Iewes dydde honour so religiously for so muche as the fulnesse of the godheade dyd dwell therin And yet emongeste them it was sacrilege to defile and violate that temple of stone but they were nothing afrayed synfully to throw downe the most holy temple of hys moste holy and precious bodye Howbeit Iesus the verye Salomon who had builded this temple for his owne selfe of the virgin Marie did restore it agayne within three dayes after they had pulled it downe according to the prophecies of the prophetes Therfore the disciples conferring the scryptures with Iesus saying at thys tyme dyd perceyue thys hys resurreccion to be the greatest token wherby he declared to the Iewes his godhed For albeit we haue red that some men haue risen againe from death to life yet no man did raise vp himselfe to life but onely our lord Iesus For he onely had power in himselfe to leaue his life and to reuiue it agayn when he would And so by these principles beginninges Iesus did stiâ—re vp al the Iewes mindes to loke for greater thinges in hym against theyr hye feast which was nowe at hande When he was in IerusaleÌ„ at Ester in the feast day many beleued on his name wheÌ„ they saw his miracles which he did but Iesus did not commit himselfe vnto them because he knew al men neded not that any maÌ„ should testify of him for he knew what was in maÌ„ But after that he had taried at Ierusalem certayn dayes of the feaste of Ester by his miracles and doctrine had as it were sowen some sedes of the faythe of the ghospel many being moued rather with the miracles whiche he did theÌ„ with his woordes did credite his saying and beleued him to bee the sonne of god whome he preached himselfe to be For the Iewes be not so much moued with reason as with the sight of miracles but Iesus then shewyng to vs the very forme and fashion of a teacher of the gospel to whose wisedome it apperteyneth not euen at the firste to commit to the myndes of ignoraunte persones all the misteries of his hye doctrine whose geÌ„tlenesse it behoueth to beare with and to suffer them that be yet but weake and vnperfit vntill they may attayne to hier thinges Iesus I say because he knewe theyr fayth was yet but wauering and vnperfite and theyr myndes not hable to receyue the mysteryes of the wisedome of the gospel he dyd not auenture himselfe emong the common sort lest the peoples affeccions should be sodainly altered where by some commocion were like to rise For there were many that were sore vexed with this auctoritie of Iesus specially they whiche dyd suppose that hys doctryne and glory shoulde hinder theyr lucre and auctoritie The enuie of the Phariseis and Scribes had not yet brast foorth into open slaundering of hym but neuerthelesse they kepte enuie and malice close in theyr heartes deceitfullye sekyng occasion to hurte hym And therfore because at this time Iesus coulde dooe litle good emong them lest he should geue euil persones occasyon of greater euyll he withdrewe himselfe from them forasmuch as he knew the secret thoughtes of them all neither neded he to bee tolde any thyng of any manne For he who was ignoraunte in nothing knewe euen of hymselfe the verye secrecie of euery man there Neyther yet in the meane whyle dyd Iesus make any prouisyon to saue himselfe who willyngly came of veraye purpose to suffer deathe for the saluacion of the world but he toke away from theyr malice occasyon wherby they shoulde els haue sinned ¶ The .iii. Chapter ¶ There was a man of the phariseis named Nicodemus a ruler of the Iewes Thesame came to Iesus by night and said vnto him Rabbi we know that thou art a teacher come from god for no man coulde doe suche miracles as thou doest except god were with him AMongest many whiche had conceiued some good opinion of Iesu by seing him do his miracles there was a certain man called Nicodemus who was of the phariseis secte and one of the noumber of them whiche were taken emong the Iewes for chiefe rulers Thys Nicodemus knowing right wel that there were many of his ordre and secte which did enuie Iesu and lay in waite to doe hym displeasure went vnto Iesu but it was in the night tyme declaring by that dede how he was as yet but weake wauering in hys loue toward Iesu whome although heretofore he had in great admiracion neuertheles he woulde not for hys sake sustayne anye losse of hys own renoume glory emong men nor yet for his loue would he be brought to be hated enuied of his own cumpany but this came rather of feare then of vngodlines and surely more of worldly shamefastnes then of frowardnesse and of trueth this maner of shamefastnes hath so great power in some folkes myndes that they whiche can litle regarde bothe theyr goodes and their lyfe cannot ouercome this kinde of affeccion which is specially graffed in those hertes that be naturally disposed to gentlenes For he which was the chiefest emong the rulers of the Iewes was ashamed to bee taken for poore Iesus disciple And he who was placed in the hiest seate of the Synagogue feared to be put out of that place But Iesus the moste milde and gentle teacher who doeth not breake the broused reede nor
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
that bread wherewith the bodie is satisfyed and be ye desirous of that heauenly bread whiche geueth eternall lyfe This bread is receiued by fayth and fayth is to be obteyned of god the father be ye well assured thereof that whosoeuer hath affiaunce in me thesame hathe already eternall lyfe for so muche as he hath the fountaine of immortalitie ¶ I am the bread of life your fathers did eate Manna in wildernes and are dead This is that breade whiche cummeth down from heauen that a man maie eate therof and not die I am that liuing bread whiche came downe from heauen If any manne eate of this breade he shall liue for euer And the breade that I will geue is my fleshe whiche I will geue for the life of the world I am that very bread whiche geueth not a bodily and a transitorye life but the lyfe of the soule and eternall lyfe Althoughe ye haue me presente yet neuerthelesse ye desyre Manna as a woondrefull thyng And albeit Manna whiche youre auncestours didde eate and feede vpon for a certaine tyme in the wildernesse didde cum from heauen as you suppose yet it dyd theim no ferther pleasure then wheaten or barlye breade woulde haue dooen It putte awaye for a whyle the hunger of the bodye whiche shortelye after woulde returne agayne and require more meate but it coulde not geue them immortalitie For though your forefathers were neuer so happye yet dyd as manye of them dye as dyd feede of that Manna This breade whiche I speake of descended out of heauen in veraye deede and it hath receiued of god celestiall strengthe to make hym that eateth of it to liue in bodye and soule euerlastynglye and neuer to bee subiecte vnto deathe Ye neede not therefore aske importunately any Manna from heauen when as ye haue very heauenly breade presente and ready prepared for you whiche geueth eternall lyfe in case ye wyll receiue it by fayth For I my selfe am that bread the grauÌ„ter of immortall lyfe who alone came down from heauen whome you beeyng offended with the infirmitie of this bodye take and thynke to be nothyng els but the sonne of Ioseph and Marye Truely I am the very woorde of god the father whiche whoso beleueth shall haue immortall lyfe If any man wyll conueye and digeste this heauenlye bread into the inwarde partes of the soule he shal bee quickened and growe into eternall lyfe And yf you beyng but carnall do not yet vnderstande spirituall thynges I wyll shew you a more a plain and grosser matter and a thyng that is more apperteinyng vnto the fleshe Euen thys fleshe whiche you see and loke vpon and whiche I shall bestowe and geue vnto deathe for to redeme the lyfe of the whole worlde is the liuyng breade Beleue eate it and lyue By thys sayyng our Lord Iesus did sumwhat after an obscure sorte open vnto them the misterie of his godhed whereby he was alwaye with God the father and of his death also by the whiche he should deliuer and sauethe worlde from the tyrannye of deathe Finallye he did insinuate herein vnto them the priuitie of hys mysticall bodye whereof he that is not a membre and by fayth annexed therevnto and so styll cleaue and sticke fast vnto it as the branche dooeth cleaue vnto the vyne he shall not haue life in hym And Iesus knewe well enough that at that tyme the Iewes dyd not vnderstande his saiynges but yet for all that he was assured that in tyme to cum it should cum to passe howe that these sedes and as ye would say norishmentes of misteryes beeyng shutte and closed vp within the myndes of good men should growe vp and bryng forth plenteouse fruite The Iewes therfore stroue among theimselfes saiyng howe can this felow geue vs that flesh of his to eat Then Iesê° said vnto theÌ„ vâ—raily veraily I saie vnto you except ye eat the fleshe of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye haue no life in you Whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloude hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last daie For my fleshe is meate in dede and my bloude is drinke in dede He that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloude dwelleth in me and I in hym Therfore wheÌ„ as these thynges semed to them very incoÌ„uenient and to folish to be spokeokeÌ„ durst not talke homely familiarly with yÌ„e lord himself there arose a great discorde in opinions amoÌ„g them diuerse of them diuersly interpretyng the thyng that was spoken For euen as Nicodemus vnderstode not Iesus when he spake of a newe heauenlye birth nor the woman of Samaria knewe what Iesus ment in his darke speakyng of the water that should flowe into euerlastyng life so this rude grosse people coÌ„teÌ„ded how it could be brought to passe that a maÌ„ should geue hys flesh to be eaten of other and that in suche sorte as it should suffyse al men to perpetual lyfe For he dyd bid inuited all meÌ„ to eate heauenly bread sayd moreouer that his flesh was bread How shall we say they eate the flesh of a liuyng maÌ„ne And again Iesus beeyng not ignoraunte about what matter they contended dyd not declare vnto them by what way meanes that flesh might be eaten in steade of breade but here now confirmeth the thyng to be nedeful a very necessarie thyng which they iudged but a vayne thing and a plaine absurditie and that it could not be doen. Take this for a veray suertye saieth he excepte ye receiue me whole that is to saye vnlesse ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man in steade of breade and in the place of wyne drinke his bloud ye shall not haue life in you On the contrarye syde whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath by eating and drinking therof eternal life Neyther shall the soule alone liue blessed most happy by reason of this meat drinke but also after the resurreccion of the bodye the whole man bothe bodye and soule shall haue with me the fruicion of euerlastyng lyfe For like as mans naturall meate beeyng conueyed downe into the stomake and after it bee digested is conueyed thence throughout all the membres of the bodye so turnethe into the substaunce of the bodye so that then the meate and the man that eateth it is al one in lyke maner on the othersyde he that hath eaten me shal be spirituallye transformed and turned into me Furthermore forsomuche as I am the chefe auctour of the resurreccion I wyl not suffre my membres to bee disseueted and pulled awaye from me but whosoeuer is surelye ioyned to me by thys meate and drinke I shall rayse hym vp agayne in the last day that because the whole man hauyng bothe bodye and soule beleued me the whole man no we also maye liue with me euerlastynglye Bodelye meate woorketh not this effecte neyther yet Manna wherein ye reioyce but the eatyng of my bodye and the
with greate softnesse signifying that carnal kinred hath no inrresse in that he did concerning the saluacion of mankinde but that all suche businesse because it is heauenly is to be moderate by thauctoritie of the father of heauen he declared also that he neyther feared death which he was ready willingly to suffer for the saluacion of mankind nor that he desired the glorie of this world the hatred wherof he did prouoke towardes himselfe by speaking trueth thiÌ„ges coÌ„trary to mens worldly affeccions and in consideracion hereof Iesus sayed My tyme is not yet cum Whan that shall exhorte me then shall not nede your aduertisementes It dependeth of the father of heauens determinacion not of mans deuise how whan it behoueth me to be knowen to the world I that came at the fathers pleasure and arbitremente haue my tyme. But your tyme whiche beyng led with worldly affeccions seketh for the glorye of this world woulde haue me according to the iudgement of the worlde to glory is alway ready Ye may safely go whither ye list when as the world loueth you as men coÌ„formable therunto I do not seke glorye at the worldes hande with this affeccion loue that ye hunte about for it for I seke my fathers glory and go about the saluacion of man It is so vnlike far of that I should by any kynde of fâ—attery get glory and prayse in the world that I do rather bring the hatred of the world vpoÌ„ me by dissentinge from the lustes and carnall pleasures therof by testifying openly that the woorkes of it are euel not withstanding that the world selfe putteth forged godlynesse and false felicitie in such workes as be but carnall and worldly The Iewes haue theyr feastfull dayes whiche now of late time God abhorreth For they offre vnthankfull sacrifices and odiouse to God seying in the meane tyme they haue their handes all bloudie and in the self same daies which they would should be thought pure and holye they go about the death of innocentes There is one true feastfull daye which I must celebrate spiritually wherewith the father is pleased and delited That day is not yet cuÌ„ but when it shal cuÌ„ I shal willingly go mete with it You that are yet stil carnal and worldly wise get you vp to this soleÌ„ne feast I intend not to go with you to this greate feast that is now me at hande for because my time is not yet fullye accomplished With these woordes our lorde Iesus sent awaye from hym his natural kynsmen being alwaye wont to set asyde the regarde and affeccion towardes theim as often as the vusynes of the gospel was to be gone in hand withall whiche matter because he woulde it shoulde be wholly ascribed to his fathers wil arbitremeÌ„t he would not suffre it to be polluted with any worldly thing Thus did he restraine stint the autoritie of his mother at the mariage and again he was euil apaied and in maner thought scorne and disdayned that he should be called out by his mother kynsfolkes from talking of the gospel after that he had made his abode a while with his nye frendes at CapernauÌ„ he left them and set in hande to preache furthermore hanging vpon the crosse he called his mother woman as though he had knowen no mother in the businesse Yea and also beyng a child but of .xii. yeres old he semed to disdayne that by theyr autoritie he shoulde be called from his fathers affaires Now therfore they supposyng that for feare of the Iewes Iesus woulde not cum to the hye and solemne feast weÌ„t thither alone And they going vp to Hierusalem Iesus taried still in Galile so tempering al his doinges and with moderacion duelye bestowing theÌ„ that somtime he proued himself to be verye man lest he shoulde not haue semed to be man and sum other time he shewed great likelihood of his godlye power lest men should beleue that he was but man only But after that his brethren were departed and gon towardes the feast then did he himself go after so that the matter is plain he did not so muche refrain going to the solemne meting for feare of the Iewes as he did to eschewe the coumpany of his kinsmen whom being as yet carnall he would not haue to be associate with hym in the gospels cause or to haue anye medlyng therwith But he came to Hierusalem not to auaunt himself but as it were by stelth and priuely as a man would say to cause them the more earnestlye to loke for his cuÌ„myng and when his time were to cum abrode and declare himselfe to the brode worlde with more fruite For he knewe the Phariseis mindes how that they had been a great while about in their conuenticles and secrete counsels to fynde sum occasion vpon the holy daye to attache and apprehende him Now therfore when he was of trueth cum to Hierusalem but as yet he went not abrode into the common resorte and assemblie of people as he was wont to doe the Iewes marked him and layed spyal for him whether he went to the keping of the holy day or no and forasmuche as they desyred to se him they enquired one of an other where he was And euen nowe alredy many sundry tales went of him amonge the people as if he had been absent because all men had not one opinion nor were not lyke affected towardes Iesus For of suretie manye of the homely sort of the people whiche had been present at his miracles workyng had heard him preache who also had had experience of his gentlenes by being in his cumpany said that Iesus was a good man and one not mete to be euil entreated and cruelly haÌ„dled Of the coÌ„trarye side the Priestes and Phariseis whom the prayse and renoume which was of Iesus had vexed a great while denyed that he was a good man â–ª who lyke a sedicious felowe did allure the people to hym and turne theÌ„ from hauing the Priestes Scribes Phariseis in reuereÌ„ce Uerely these sayinges were by secrete whisperinges sperpled abrode concernyng Iesus whereas no man durst in the meane while opeÌ„ly make any good reporte of hym Howbeit there was many whiche had a good opinion of hym For they feared the head men of the Iewes of whome they knewe Iesus to be muche hated because he semed with his woordes and dedes to diminishe theyr auctoritie Moreouer as touchynge the kepinge of hym selfe out of the waye he so did of very mekenes and modestie lest he should be thought wittingly and willingly to haue prouoked the malice of the Phariseis who soughte for nothinge els but matter and occasion to put him to deathe That he did go abrode was doen for theyr cause whoÌ„ he knewe shoulde bee furthered to saluacion by his doctrine whereas he was not ignoraunt that the Phariseis Scribes would growe more heady and fierce through that he should saye and doe for the
came into the worlde and I was sent into the worlde from him to teache you to knowe him that throughe your belefe ye might be saued For I came not of mine owne head as other dooe sekyng their owne praise rather then Goddes honour teaching their owne commentes and fantasies and not the doctrine of God And he that sent me is true and for because I haue it of him whatsoeuer I speake therfore my sayinges be also true ¶ Then they sought to take him but no man layed handes on him because his houre was not yet cum Many of the people beleued on him and sayd Whan Christe cummeth will he do moe miracles then these that this man hath doen The seniors and rulers being stirred and sore heated with these woordes weaxed more wood and chafed more in their heartes because he toke vnto him suche authoritie before the people and openly rebuked theim of their peruerse wickednes They had muche a do to holde their handes of him for now their angre was turned into woodnesse they now passed nothing of that good aduisement and deliberacion wherwith they were purposed to make him awaie secretly But though their will was readye to do that mischieuous deede yet no mā at that time laide handes vpon him Christ willing so to haue it because the time was not yet cum whiche his father had appointed to worke therin by his death the saluacion of the worlde For as he willingly dyed so coulde not he against his will be taken It lay in him to stay mennes mindes were they neuer so fierce nor no mannes power could preuaile against him vnlesse it had pleased his exceding charitie towardes man to be crucified for the saluacion of the world but the priestes Scribes Phariseis and headmen of the people whom for their holy profession and knowlage of the lawe it had behoued first of all other to haue acknowlaged Christ perseuering in their wycked purpose euen of corrupte mindes many of the comminaltie and of the vnlearned in the lawe whiche as they were of the lesse auctoritie and learning so they had more good mindes and deuocion did so beleue our Lorde Iesus woordes and miracles but not yet of trueth fully persuaded that Iesus was Messias howbeit they were brought to this poinct that they semed apte to be persuaded If this man say they be not Christ as the Phariseis thinke he is not yet it is muche to be meruailed at how he hath so great power in workyng miracles For yf Messias himselfe shoulde cum shoulde he do greater thinges then whiche this man doeth ¶ The Phariseis hearde that the people murmured suche thinges concerning hym And the Phariseis and hie priestes sente ministers to take hym Than saied Iesus vnto them yet am I a litle while with you then goe I vnto him that sente me and ye shall not fynde me whither I goe thither can ye not cum But the Phariseis and the seniors whose part had been to haue allured and inticed the vnlearned multitude vnto Christe after that they perceiued there was many of the people inclined towardes hym fel to suche furious headines that they were determined euery way without any stoppe that he ought to dye whiche was thought would obscure their honour Suche a pestilence is ambicion when it is couloured with pretence of religion and doctrine But in the meane tyme feare of daungier and neither shame nor pitie stayed theim from manifest doing of that enormitie Therfore they did hyre priuely the common catche polles to take Iesus in the sight of the people and when they had taken hym to bring him to them as an euill doer But Iesus that knewe their priuie conspiracie conspired against him and could not be taken excepte he had liste himselfe sumwhat openeth vnto them by darke sayinges that the time should come when as he would voluntarily offre himselfe to death wheras then they sought his death in vain and in a maner also gaue them warning to be more glad of him and wel to vse him whiles they had hym For the tyme should be that all in vain they shoulde desire him being absent whom they did persecute beyng present specially when as they coulde not cum to the place whiche he shoulde conuey himselfe to For he went euen to death whereunto as yet they might not folowe him He returned again to heauen thither was no mortall bodye able to pursue after him Well Iesus spake vnto them in this manier I am yet a litle while with you then goe I vnto him that sent me Ye shall then seke me and not fynde me and where I shal goe to ye cannot cum The Lorde Iesus spake these thinges vnto them couertly as he was wont to dooe many mo thinges that they should not vnderstande them before they were put in vre and finished And the darkenes of speaking maketh a man diligent to seke the matier And whē the thinges be exibite and dooen the wordes are more surely beleued Finally the thing grue to this point that it was well knowen to all men that whatsoeuer our lorde suffered he suffered it aduisedly and vpon deliberacion not of casualtie he suffered it willingly and not of necessitie Though these wordes were spoken to all men in generall yet it did most specially pricke the Phariseis seruauntes whiche were sent to take Iesus against whom they perceiued that they coulde nothyng do except he were willyng And whiles he toucheth secretly their inwarde conscience he declareth that he knoweth what thyng soeuer is moste secretely hid in mennes heartes And therwithall he winneth those hertes vnto him through his gentilnes whose wicked enterprises he did not disclose vnto the people ¶ Then sayd the Iewes among themselues whither will he got that we shall not fynde him will he goe amonge the Gentiles whiche are scattered abrode and teache the Gentiles ▪ what maner of saying is this that he sayd ye shall seke me and shall not fynde me and where I am thither can ye not cum Therfore when as the multitude did not vnderstande this his saying they reasoned among themselues what meaneth this that he sayeth where I goe to thither can ye not cum will he priuely steale awaye and goe to sum farre countrey among the heathen people will he suffre himselfe to forsake this holy lande and holy people to go dwell among wicked prophane people whither he thinketh we will neuer folowe him or will he wander hither and thither like a vagabounde among the Gentiles dwellyng farre awaye that he cannot be found of vs In the last day that great day of the feast Iesus stode and cryed saying If any man thirst let him cum vnto me and drinke He that beleueth on me as sayeth the scripture out of his belly shall flowe riuers of water of lyfe But this spake he of the spirite which they that beleue on him should receiue for the holy ghoste was not yet there because Iesus was not yet glorified But when the
father Abraham whiche is dead and the Prophetes are dead who maâ—est thou thy selfe To glory in names as ye doe profiteth nothyng for in that sorte neyther Abraham the originall begynnyng of your stocke nor Moses nor the Priestes nor the Pharisees ne God the father shal do you any good Be ye well assured hereof if any man obey my wordes as I haue sayed ofte he shall neuer see death onely belefe is the way and entrie to immortalitie Althoughe the Iewes ought with this so caulme and gentle an aunswere to haue ben appeased and with this so great a rewarde to haue ben allured vnto fayth yet accordyng to theyr rudenesse dooe they interpretate that thyng whiche was spiritually spoken of life of the soule to be spoken of bodily lyfe and that whiche was told them for their instruccion they sediciously marre and frowardly turne into the reproche of the Patriarkes studyng euerye waie to procure some hatred agaynst our Lord Iesus among the multitude They aunswere verely in thys manier We haue also of that thy saying more certayn knowlege that thou art possessed with a deiuill wood and frantike which promisest this thing to them that kepe thy worde whiche manier of thing our Patriarkes menne of moste highe prayse neuer had â–ª vnto whome God himselfe spake God spake vnto Abraham as he did also to other Prophetes They were obedient to Goddes worde and neuerthelesse they be all deade and thou promiseste perpetuall lyfe to them that obserue those thinges whiche thou teachest With what countenaunce or howe dareste thou bee bolde to promise other that thyng whiche thou haste not thy selfe Doeste thou promise immortalitie to other beyng mortall thy selfe Arte thou greater then oure father Abraham whiche is deade Yea and moreouer the Prophetes also be all dead They durste promise no suche thyng to any man How highly doest thou presume of thy selfe Whome makest thou thy selfe Thou preferreste thy selfe before the Prophetes and Abraham and in promising that thing which is gods thou makest thy selfe god ¶ Iesus aunswered if I honour my selfe my honour is nothyng It is my father that honoureth me which ye saye is your God and yet ye haue not knowen him but I know hym And yf I saye I knowe hym not I shall bee a lyar lyke vnto you but I knowe hym and kepe his saying Your father Abraham was glad to see my daye and he sawe it and reioysed Then sayed the Iewes vnto hym thou arte not yet fiftie yere olde and haste thou seene Abraham Iesus sayed vnto them Uerely verely I saye vnto you ere Abraham was borne I am TheÌ„ toke they vp stones to caste at him But Iesus hid himselfe and wente out of the temple The Lorde Iesus did so moderate his aunswere vnto these fonde peuyshe reproches wherewith the Iewes taunted hym that because they were not yet able to receyue so great a mistery he dyd of trueth somewhat by insinuacion open that he was greater then the Prophetes and Abraham hymselfe too and that he was one that might perfourme by Gods power that thyng which he did promyse yet he would not appeare arrogant amonges the ignoraunte But he tempered his sayinges leste he shoulde kyndle more wrathe in them that were moued already and sayeth I attribute nothyng vntruely to my selfe For yf I shoulde after the manner of men seeke for prayse at mannes hande then were my prayse false and vayne And in case I were curiouse to seeke for prayse and glory it were not nedefull to hunte for it amongest men For it is my father from whom all true glory cummeth that glorifyeth me He that is honoured of hym the rebukefull woordes of menne doe not dishonoure thesame And yf ye wyll algates knowe hym that is my father it is very he whome ye boaste to be both your God and father Whose chyldreÌ„ if ye were in dede forsothe ye would recognyse his embassadour and yf ye were true wurshippers of hym ye would fauour his glory and not bryng hym in contempte whome he sente into the worlde for your saluacion But as ye wurshippe hym with false religion so ye vntruely clayme vnto you the knowledge of hym He is spiritual and you fauour and knowe nothyng els but carnall thynges I who am his very sonne in dede doe verely knowe hym which thyng I doe not of arrogancye vntruely chalenge but I saye that whiche is true and yf I shoulde saye I knowe hym not I should be a lyar and lyke vnto you that professe the knowledge of God whom ye knowe not I am sent from hym and was with hym before I came into the worlde Therefore I knowe hym and what thyng soeuer he hath commaunded me I doe it But whosoeuer contemneth my worde contemneth god in whose name I exercise the commission of his embassage and that faithfully And whosoeuer despyseth gods worde he neither knoweth God nor taketh him as God Furthermore whereas ye neuer ceasse braggyng of youre father Abraham to whom ye be moste farre vnlike and that ye procure hatred vnto me for that I take my selfe to be Abrahams better verely I do neyther vainly boaste mine owne greatnes nor diminishe his dignitie This I will now saye vnto you that Abraham whome you doe rather wonder at then folowe how great a man soeuer he was yet he was glad and thought he should be happy if it myght be his lucke to see my daye And he sawe that thyng whiche he desired and that great man greatly ioyed to haue my daye chaunce to hym and yet you contemne me Iesus dyd herein and by this straunge saying signifie that whan Abraham made hymselfe ready to offre in sacrifice his sonne Isaac he sawe by the spirite of prophecie that our Lord Iesus should be geuen of his father vnto the death of the crosse for the saluacion of the worlde and yet should not through that death vtterly peryshe but within three dayes after reuiue againe to an immortall lyfe The Iewes not yet vnderstandyng this misterie doe nowe againe according to theyr carnall iudgement fall in hand with checking supposyng Iesus to be no nother thyng then man nor that he had any beyng before he was borne of Mary Thou art not yet say they fiftie yeres olde and haste thou seen Abraham that died so many hundred yeres agoe Finally the Lorde Iesus as a man prouoked with theyr opprobrious woordes some deale openeth and as it were vttereth a lytle sparke of his Godhed through whiche he knoweth no tyme nor number of yeres but was alwaye all one before all course of tyme lyke as God the father being without the limites of tyme alwaie is that he is For thus he speaketh vnto Moses I am that I am signifyinge an eternalitie and a nature that cannot chaunge And in lyke maner the soÌ„ne vsing the woordes of his father sayeth This I doe assuredly confirme vnto you though as yet ye wil not beleue it or euer Abraham was borne I am At these woordes as
they whiche in tyme of prosperitie doeth right faythfully take hede to theyr flocke but yet when there is a great daunger they leaue traiterously the flocke to the woulf to be disperpled abrode and torne in pieces for he fantasieth thus In case thei go to wracke what than I haue no losse therby My wage is safe and though I lose some deale therof I had rather lose it than to cope and fight with the woulfe for another mannes cattell There shal another flocke be foūd out whiche I shall bee hyred to haue the ouersight of thoughe the maister of this flocke loose it Neyther doeth the death of the flocke greue the hyred mans mynd So it happeneth that both the owner hath losse of that thing which he entierely loueth and the flocke cummeth to destruccion whiche mighte haue bene saued It is therfore no meruayl though euangelike shepe knew not the voyce of such like shepeherdes The shepe be not in faute but the lewde shepherdes are to blame Nor it is not to be disdained at if they whome my father so draweth do folow me forsakyng the hyred shepherdes that are but very theues and murderers For they feele and perceiue that I am all maner of wayes a good shepeherde euen to spend my lyfe therfore I know my shepe cōmitted to me of my father al whose goodes are mine and on the other syde the shepe that are drawen by the inspiracion of the father acknowlageth their shepeherd loueth him and foloweth hym knowing right well that there is no hope of saluacion but by me As my father knoweth me ▪ euen so know I also my father and I geue my lyfe for the shepe and other shepe I haue which are not of this folde Them also must I bring they shal heare my voice and there shal be one folde and one shepeherd Therfore doeth my father loue me because I put my life from me that I might take it againe No man taketh it from me but I put it away of my self I haue power to put it from me and I haue power to take it againe this commaundement haue I receiued of my father The father knoweth me as his owne naturall sonne obeying his wil in all thynges and agayne I know the father who desyreth that all menne shoulde be saued At his commaundemēt I bestowe my life for the safetie of my shepe whiche he hathe geuen me to haue them saued nor any thyng wyll I so dooe that this worlde while I am the shepherd shall haue power to harme them nor yet the prince of this world the deuil but to kepe my shepe whol and soūd I will geue my selfe to death by that meannes to abate the woulfes violence and to deliuer my obedient shepe out of his chawes Nor it doeth not fully content the fathers wil and my charitie if I should saue these shepe alone whiche beyng of the people of Israell he hath geuen to me to be saued first but my cure reacheth further than so There bee also in other nacions shepe scattered and in daungier of snares of woulfes theues and murderers neyther will I rest vntil I bring these also into the common shepefold And although they heare not the voice of Moses or of the prophetes yet shal they knowe and geue eare to my voyce I meane suche as be ordayned to saluacion For the countrey dooeth not exclude from saluacion Whosoeuer heareth the voyce of the sonne of God who is the very true shepeherd shal be saued Hitherto the flocke of God hath bene scattered through the multitude of false shepeherdes All doeth promise saluacion and euery one hath his voyce and one calleth this waye and an other the other waye In the meane whyle the flocke being destitute is scattered here and there and dyuers wayes perisheth But so soone as they shall heare me all they wyll knowe the voyce of the true shepeherde and they shall come together out of all partes of the worlde And so shall be made one folde of all and no moe shepeherdes but one He that is without this folde cannot be saued He that dooethe not acknowlage thys shepeherd shal goe to perdicion But lest that should happen through my fault I so throughly play the good shepeherde that I lose my lyfe clerely There is no decay in my father thoughe all thyng that be create doe peryshe for he hath nede of nothing but of mere charitie towardes mankynde he sente hys sonne to saue all menne if it coulde be And because I am of thesame mynde that my father is of therfore he doeth derely loue me as hys owne sonne and no hired manne because of myne owne good will I bestowe my lyfe for the health of my fathers flocke it is so muche more vnlyke that I would to hurt the flocke withal seke out myne owne cōmoditie Amongest men it is a great loue if one when there is ieopardie towardes and daungier imminente doeth not priuely steale awaye I doe more who with a free good will geue my selfe to deathe There be that lyeth in wayte to haue my lyfe well theyr malice could not preuaile agaynste me excepte I were determyned of myne owne free will to dye for the saluaciō of mine These folke of truth are in mind to murther yet could they not kyl me vnlesse I would my selfe Therfore they shal not take from me my life but I will willyngly yelde it vp to redeme my shepe with my death to euerlasting lyfe Doe not beleue that I shall willingly geue my selfe vnto death except I take agayn that willingly left lyfe euen of myn own power when I will Herein consisteth the prayse of a true shepeherde that of hys free will he offereth himself to death for the flockes helth when it lieth in his owne power to eschew death if he list No mans power could take my lyfe from me against my wil but I geue it willingly for the flockes saluacyon Other dye when as they would not being dead they reuiue not And though a mā may wickedly kill himselfe yet cannot he reuiue hys bodye agayne with the lyfe that is once gone I haue power to doe both to sende foorth this lyfe out of the bodye and to call agayn the same into the very selfe sayd body In case it seme a thyng incredible vnto you that any manne shoulde willingly redeme an other mannes lyfe with his owne death no more to say but it is so thought to my father that sente me into this worlde by this waye to weorke the feate of mannes saluacion I willingly and gladly doe obey his commaundement whose wil and mine are all one and who hath geuen me power to perfourme my will There was a discencion therfore agayne among the Iewes for these sayinges and many of them sayd He hath a deuil and is madde why heare ye him Other sayd these are not the wordes of him that hath the deuil Can the deuil opē the iyes of the blind And it was at
Ierusalē the feast of the dedicacion and it was winter And Iesus walked in the temple euen in Salomons porche Than came the Iewes rounde about him and sayde vnto him How long doest thou make vs doubt If thou be Christ tell vs playnly When Iesus had tolde a long tale of these thinges that were straunge vnhearde of and far aboue the common capacitie of most men there fel a newe iar in opinions among the people for some sayde that whiche they had already many tymes sayed whensoeuer he disclosed theyr secrete conspiracies or if he spake or did any thyng aboue the power of manne he hath the deuyll saye they and is madde For the wordes whiche he speaketh lacke common sence What pleasure is it to heare this felowe Againe some folke els sayde these be no suche mans wordes as is in the deuils daunger For his woordes smelleth of the power of God specially for as muche as his deedes be agreable to his wordes As his wordes be suche be his dedes He speaketh thinges farre passing mans wit but the same doth thinges which far excede mans power Can a mad man and he that is possessed with a deuil open blinde mens iyes It is the propertie of deuils to put out ones iyes that seeth but to geue fyght to him that is borne blind cummeth of the power of God Forasmuche than as it is euident that that thyng is doen by hym hys talke cannot procede of a noysome deuil whose dedes appereth playne to come from a beneficiall God The Lorde Iesus maketh no aunswere to thys altercacyon teachyng vs by the way that the wieked are not alway to be striuen with in wordes and that by dedes it is rather to bee declared what we can dooe than by woordes and sumtimes place is to bee geuen to the furie of the eiuil sorte nor the moderate temperaunce of the ghospell is at any tyme to bee forgotten After all thys the feastful daye ministred newe matter to sette in hande and dispute with hym agayne That solemne feaste was than whiche they call the dedicacyon of the temple for because the temple was reedefyed and repayred after the exile that was made at Hierusalem by the Persians Neyther was Iesus absent at this feasteful daye a newe maker of the law and of a new temple that is to say the churche chefe deuyser and maister of the woorkes And it was winter A full very mere tyme for theyr myndes whiche throughe loue of the colde lawe dyd not burne in the loue of the ghospell Therfore Iesus was not nowe in the inner parte of the temple but walked in the porche which ioyneth to the temple that is called Salomons temple to the intent that the very place shoulde declare that peacemaker to be presente whiche shoulde reconcyle all thynges in heauen and earth There walked truely the aucthor of the lawe of the ghospel Moses lawe being nowe at a poynte to cease The Iewes therefore leste he should escape theyr handes came rounde about him whyle he was walkyng there sore moued with many of his sayinges and dooynges neyther dyd they well agree among themselues some maliciously fynding faulte with al thing some gathering of hys dedes and wordes a certain thing to be honored in him aboue mannes power And they set vpon hym with these woordes Howe long wilt thou kepe vs in a doubtful mynde and therewith sette the people on a rore If thou bee that verye Messias whome we looke for tell it vs openly without all colour Iesus aunswered them I tolde you and ye beleue not The workes that I doe in my fathers name they beare witnes of me But ye beleue not because ye are not of my shepe as I sayd vnto you My shepe heare my voyce and I know them and they folow me and I geue vnto them eternal life and they shal neuer perishe neyther shal any man plucke them out of my hande My father whiche gaue them me is greatter than all and no man is able to take them out of my fathers hande I and my father are one But although Iesus was not ignoraunt that they dyd demaunde of a peruerse mynde this thing whiche they had both oftentymes hearde and myght also haue perceiued the same by his doinges yet he maketh them a gentle aunswere more desyrous to enstruct them then to angre them What nedeth it me sayth he so often to speake of my selfe and tell who I am namely forasmuch as if I doe openly testifie the trueth ye call the recorde therof arrogancie I haue already tolde you if ye woulde beleue me who I am Yea though ye dooe not credite my woordes yet ye cannot be ignoraunt of the thyng whiche ye desyre knowe of me There is no surer profe than dedes Ye see my doynges which your selues doe witnesse I doe at my fathers will and not the deuilles as some doe misreporte If my actes be worthie to bee imputed to God beleue that I am sente of God But ye dooe neyther beleue my dedes nor my woordes whereof I am not the cause but your owne corrupte and suspiciouse mynde They that meane well and playnelye and bee not polluted with the naughtynesse of thys worlde beeleue my woordes and lyke good shepe knowe the voyce of a good shepeherd and semblably I knowlage them for my shepe though after the worlde they be poore sely thinges But ye therfore doe not knowledge my voyce because ye are not of the number of my shepe whose simplicitie is lightely taughte when as youre myndes be swollen with ambicion leuened with malice with enuie corrupted infected with couetousnes and with sundrie affeccions of this worlde defyled from whiche vices if ye would purge your minde verely euen you also should heare my voice neither should you so doe without benefit For first of al ye should therby auoide death which hangeth ouer all rebels agaynst the sonne of God moreouer ye shall obteyne therby euerlasting life For of trueth those my shepe how simple and vnlerned soeuer they be after the iudgement of the worlde as long as they doe knowleage me the shepeherde and all the while they folow me as gyde dooe through my liberalitie get euerlasting life when as other that are taken in the worlde for men of great felicitie goe to euerlastyng death They be symple shepe harmelesse weake lacking all worldely succour The world riseth against these with all engiens and force But the aduersarye shall not haue so greate power that he shall be hable to take them out of my handes The world hath auctoritie of phariseis dignitie of priestes it hath armed kynges hye magistrates iudges places of iudgement prisones cheines roddes axes broddes to pricke with exile deathes whatsoeuer is wont to bring feare yea euen to stedfast myndes On the other syde it hath riches pleasures dignities honours and what soeuer is wont to corrupt most vncorrupt myndes The world vseth all these engines to plucke my shepe out of my handes but I beeyng theyr
at libertie the Romaines will make cruell warre agaynst vs And so with al the prophane Gentiles shall kepe with force thys holy place and with mannes slaughter make hauocke and destroy the whole flocke of the Iewes And one of them named Caiphas being the hie priest the same yere said vnto them ye perceiue nothing at all nor consider that it is expedient for vs that one man die for the people and not that all the people perishe This spake he not of himselfe but being highe priest the same yere he prophecied that Iesus should dye for the people not for the people only but that he should gather together in one the childreÌ„ of god that weâ— scattered abrod Whereas this their aduice vnder the pretence of a publike health tended to the destruccion of Iesus Christ thautour of all health yet was it thoughte vnto Cayphas to slender a deuice and to weake a counsell He was the bishop of that yeare For that dignitie as thoughe within a whyle it shoulde fayle for altogether had ceassed to be a continuall roume but beyng a benefice sette to sale it was fined for euery yere to the prynces Therfore he that professed him selfe chiefe prelate of religion being more wieked then all other blameth the cowardship of them that with deliberate counsell did further debate the matter whether Iesus were to be put to death or nay whereas it thought he all other thynges set aparte was to be dooen incontinently and with spede You sayeth he that sitte deliberatyng whether thys felow that doeth suche thynges is to be put to execucyon or no seme not to wey the matter as it is nor ye consider not howe it is profitable and expedyent for euery man that thys one should dye for the people rather than that he being saued al the people should perishe This saying came not of the byshops owne mynde that was vngracious and full of murder but by reason of the office of priestehode whiche he than bare the spirite of prophecie dyd bryng foorthe a godly prophecie by the mouth of a wiâ—ked man which sayd prophecie did geue foreknowledge how it should come to passe that Iesus should by his death redeme saue the Iewes not onelye to bryng thys to effecte that suche of the Iewes as dydde beleue shoulde be saued alone but that those also among the Gentiles whiche lyued in diuers countreys dispersed through the wholle worlde but to thys ende apoynted that they shoulde once be made the children of God through fayth of the ghospell might be counite together and that the man of Iâ—de the manne of Ethiope the Greke the Scithian and the Britan should ioyne together in felowship of a common vniuersall churche Then from that day furth they toke counsel together for to put him to death Iesus therfore walked no more openly among the Iewes but went his way thence into a countrey nighe to a wildernesse into a citie whiche is called Ephraim and there continued with his disciples Now therfore the Phariseis being stablished with this voyce of the wieked bishop doe in theyr hertes certaynly determine which thyng they often before atteÌ„pted as occasion serued to rid Iesus out of the way by all meanes possible as though therby they well prouided for the preseruacion of the common weale and agayne leste theyr vngracious act shoulde be the lesse sinfull they coulour their impietie supposing they had now found out matter to stiere and prouoke al the people likewise openly and by the lawe to put Iesus to death as a hurtefull man to the whole nacyon of the Iewes neyther neded they as they thought any fault or any new cause to lay to hys charge Iesus therfore from whom nothyng was hid although the rumoure of the people did not aduertise him of the Phariseis and priestes pretenced malyce shewyng himselfe a very man al the while he was in Iury came not abrode leste he should increase their fury But he conueied himselfe a farre of from the bondes of the citie of Ierusalem the killer of Prophetes went to the citie of Ephraim wherunto the deserte was nye signifying by that dede that the wicked Iewes should forgoe their Synagogue and a newe people that should not sticke to the vnfrutefull workes of Moses lawe but to the fayth of the gospell should be gathered together and a churche made of them whiche people should also as the significacion of the Hebrue woorde betokeneth grow of a small beginnyng into an exceadyng great thing for Ephraim to the Hebrues signifieth encreasing Iesus therfore tarryed here with his fewe disciples whiche though they were wofully afearde of themselfes also yet durst they not forsake their Lorde And the Iewes Eâ—ster was nye at hande and many went out of the countrey vp to Ierusalem before the easter to purifie themselfes Then sought they for Iesus and spake among themselfes as they stode in the temple what thinke ye seyng he cummeth not to the feast day The hye priestes and Phariseis had geuen a commaundement that if any man knewe where he were he should shewe it that they myght take hym Now the very time was come sothly apoynted of the father when Christ should be offered vp in sacrifice for the saluacion of mankinde For that most religiouse day of the Iewes was at hande which they call phase that is to weâ—e a passing ouer in English Easter by that name calling to their remeÌ„braunce that dede which was that long before the tyme the bloud of a lambe striken on the postes did saue the Hebrues from the sworde of the Aungell that kylled the Egypcians and those only houses passed ouer that had their postes marked with the lambes bloud Now therfore before the feast which was verie nie many went out of diuerse coastes of Palestine to Ierusalem there being purified with ceremonies of their law to solemnise the most holy feast And to let vs know that nothing is more vnreligiouse than Iewish religion which consisteth in visible thinges sith also the while they take great hede with much vaine deuocioÌ„ leste they ouerslip any thing that was prescribed them of Moses or that was added to by the Phariseis they be not loth to doe that thing on the moste sacred daye whiche is of al thinges most wieked that is to wete to shead the bloud of an innocent maÌ„ Therfore wheÌ„ there was a great throng of people together many of theÌ„ knewe Iesus whose maner was to be present at suche feastes they wondered that he was not there present and standing in the temple they talked one to an other what should be the cause that contrary to his customable maner Iesus was absent froÌ„ so solemne high a feast From which solemnitie would not he yet altogether absent himselfe but to thentente he myght come more loked for he deferred his cumming vntill such time as he thought best Furthermore the bishops and Phariseis suspecting him sumwhere to hide himselfe for feare they traueyled gaue
a commaundemeÌ„t yea with an autoritie also that if any maÌ„ knew where he were in secrete that they should shew it that he might be appreheÌ„ded With these approued holy customes the bishops and Phariseis that were guides maisters of religion prepared themselfes to the feastful day but in the meane while they vnwares procured the saluacion of the worlde ¶ The .xii. Chapter Then Iesus sixe dayes before Easter came to Bethanie where Lazarus had been dead whom he raysed from death There they made him a supper and Martha serued but Lazarus was one of them that sate at the table with hym IEsus therfore knowyng that they had concluded vpon his death and that the tyme also was nigh when as he had determined willingly to be offred in sacrifice an vnspotted lambe for the saluacioÌ„ of the worlde he would no longer kepe hymselfe in secrete but as one offreyng hymselfe to be a sacrifice the seuenth daye before the feast of Easter in whiche daye the Iewes were wount at a solemne supper as it were to â—aste before hand the pascall lambe he retourned againe to Bethania both to call to remembraunce the lately doen miracle and also to impriente the hope of the resurreccion in the myndes of his disciples whom he knewe should be with his death excedyngly troubled in mynde For there dwelt Lazarus whom he had a fewe dayes before raysed from death to lyfe And the place was more notable for beeyng nigh to Ierusalem There therfore a supper was made readie for Iesus Martha serued him at supper But Lazarus was one of the numbre that sate at supper with him to make it more certain to them all that it was no vision nor gost whiche lately was seen to goe out of the graue home to his house forasmuche as he had nowe liued after his death many dayes and had also both commoned and eaten with other Then toke Mary a pounde of oyntmente called Nardus perfite and precious and anoynted Iesus feete and wiped his feete with hir heare and the house was filled with the odour of the oyntment There did Mary who with a siguler loue loued the Lorde Iesus ardently come to the feast as wel for many other causes as for the late benefite shewed vpon her brother and shedde vpon Iesus head sitting at the table a great quantitie of very precious oyntmente whiche was made of the beste kynde of Nardus to the mountenaunce of a pounde Insomuche that the whole house was filled with the sauour of the oyntmente And yet was the womans suche loue as hath not been heard not herewith content but annointed his fete with oyntmente and washed them with teares and wiped them with her heer not that she thought Iesus did delite in suche delicacies whose moderate sobrietie she knew but great ferueÌ„cie of loue caused her doe as her minde gaue her without stay of herselfe for truely she knew not nor coÌ„sidered what she did but yet through doing honor she gaue aduertisemeÌ„t before hand of Iesus death buriall was a figure of the churche whiche should embrace with godly honor the lord whom the Synagogue despised Than sayed one of the disciples euen Iudas Iscarioth Symons sonne which afterward betraied him why was not this oyntmente solde for thre hundred pence geuen to the poore This he sayed not that he cared for the poore but because he was a thefe and had the bagge and bare that whiche was geuen The disciples thought much at the bestowing of this oyntmente as a thing wastfully spente but specially Iudas Iscarioth was moued withall to whom as to the wurst of them al the purse was committed to thintent that the wurst man should be the disposer laier out of the naughtiest thyng he was wonte as the maner of theÌ„ that hath the handelyng of money is which is common to many to steale priuily somewhat therof to himselfe not with a single pure minde depending of the maistership autoritie that Iesus had ouer him but euen than making prouision for himselfe wherwith he might liue after he were departed out of Iesus felowship He therfore repining against Mary sayed to what purpose is it to loose so precious a thing For neither is our Lord maister delighted in suche nyce thinges neither is this sumptuousnes seming for our feast And in case this woman had been determined to bestowe so precious a thing when it had been geuen it might haue been solde and the price therof geuen to the poore This ye wote well had been more godly and more seming for our maister and vs too Albeit in dede the other Apostles also did speake these thynges of a simplicitie and mente none euill therin yet had Iudas a farre vnlike mynde though his woordes were like vnto theirs for he had no care of the poore mens cause but he kept the purse and the thing whiche frendes sente of their free good will dyd he full vniustly kepe therof priuily stole somewhat euen than shewyng some profe of hymselfe howe vnfit he is for the ministracion of Gods woorde whose mynde the inordinate desire of money doth possesse Than sayed Iesus let her alone against the daye of my burying hath she kept this for the poore alwayes shall ye haue with you but me haue ye not alwaye Muche people of the Iewes therfore had knowledge that he was there And they came not for Iesus sake onely but that they might see Lazarus also whom he raised from death but the hye priestes helde a councell that they myght put Lazarus to death also because that for his sake many of the Iewes went awaye and beleued on Christe But Iesus did so apease his disciples murmuryng that yet he did not openly disclose the malice of Iudas in suche wise he toke Maries part that he signified howe of his owne voluntarie wil he should dye For our Lord Iesus most coueted to haue all folke induced to beleue not that by compulsion of man but by his owne good aduisement he should suffre death for the saluacioÌ„ of man euen as he would and when he would Grudge ye not sayeth he at this womans obsequiousnesse benefite towardes me This coste is not lost but this honor is doen and bestowed against the time of my buriyng which honor this woman doth now preuenting the thing for than shall there lacke wherwith to anoynte You do iudge well of me that beyng aliue I haue alwaie refused suche plesante thinges yet I will that my death and burial be cumly and honorable doe not haue enuy at this my honor which is bestowed on me that shall shortely departe hence Ye shall haue alway with you ready at your hand great plenty of these common sorte of poore men whose nede ye maye succour ye shall haue me but a while And because many of Ierusalem came much to Bethania by reason of the nynesse and bycause of Lazarus in that he was a notable a tyche man and therby knowen to many but
religion sake Uerily from that tyme a certayne likelyhood of a thyng to be was shewed that is to wit that the Gentiles being before Idolaters should haue recourse come to be of Christes churche wherof that temple at Ierusalem bare the figure and should louingly embrace Iesus with due religion whome the Phariseis reiected These folke therfore beyng very desirous to see Iesus of whom they had heard so wonderful thinges yet they were bashefull and with shamefastnesse letted to approche vnto hym for in dede they coueted not only as he passed by lightly to se him in the throng but also to salute him and to heare hym speake nere hande these persones I saye do come to Philip to whom by reason of nighnesse of countrey for he was borne in Bethsaida a citie in Galilee of the Gentiles they were knowen and their cummyng to hym was that he would make them waye into Iesus For they gaue knowledge that they were very desirous to se Iesus Philip brake the matter to Andrewe they being coÌ„panions of one citie For Andrewe was of a greater auctoritie with the lorde because he was fyrst of all called They both therfore wente to Iesus and declared vnto him that certayne folke there was not Iewes but Gentiles whiche out of measure desyred to se him if he woulde vouchesafe to admitte them And Iesus aunswered them saying The houre is come that the sonne of manne must be glorified Uerely verely I saye vnto you excepte the wheate corne fall into the grounde and dye it bideth alone If it dye it bryngeth furth muche fruite He that loueth his lyfe shall destroye it and he that hateth his lyfe in this world shall kepe it vnto lyfe eternall But when Iesus was certified by his disciples that the heathen also longed to see him when as so leudly he was contemned of the Phariseis and priestes vpon this occasion he began to open his death to his disciples and what great fruite it should bring not onely to the Iewes but to al the world for because in like maner as the miracle of raysing vp Lazarus alone did drawe and prouoke not onely many Iewes but also Gentiles to his loue so shoulde his death and resurreccion moue and drawe all the countreyes of the whole worlde Than Iesus gaue aunswer to his disciples that shewed him the godly minde and affeccion of the heathen and sayed ye dyd heare the Iewes saie with a loude voice blessed is he that cummeth in the name of the Lorde Ye see the Gentiles drawe to me with lyke desyre and why Because now the tyme is nygh that whan the Phariseis beleueth that the sonne of man shall bee vtterlye extincte than shall he bee most glorified with all nacions of the worlde It is a newe kinde of glory and by a newe waye must it be gotten I beyng aliue haue drawen â—ewe to me but when I am dead my fame shal be spred abrode and drawe mo than my bodily presence hath doen. Ye be loth to heare of death yet take that for moste sure vnlesse the wheat corne be caste into the grounde and beyng buryed there dooe rotte and dye it shall bring furth no fruite but it only alone abideth safe But if it be dead and lye buried in the grounde it sprouteth vp againe with muche gayne of fruite yealdyng for one corne an hundreth and nowe the corne standing ioyfully vpon the grounde garnisheth the fieldes abrode in many places and with a plenteous encrease enricheth the countreye The thing that is commodious to many is the more to be coueted and the saluacion of many is to be redemed with the death of a fewe So to bestowe life is no perishemente but auauÌ„tage and this is not to loose the lyfe but to kepe it For the soule doeth not perishe whiche departeth from the bodye nor the bodye dooeth not altogether go to destruccion that in tyme to come shal liue more blessedlye and be immortall Therfore whosoeuer loueth his life in this worlde whyle he euill kepeth it he loseth it Contrary whosoeuer hateth his life in this worlde and for the furtheraunce of the ghospel casteth it into perils and betaketh it to death he doeth not loose lyfe whiche he so bestoweth but kepeth it and for a mortall a shorte and a wretched lyfe shal receyue at the time of resurreccion an eternal and blessed lyfe In lyke maner he that kepeth the wheat corne looseth it that euen els of it selfe would perishe but he that soweth and burieth it in the ground in conclusion well saueth it within a whyle after to receiue thesame agayne with auantage whiche he thought he had loste If any man minister vnto me let him folowe me and where I am there shall also my minister be if any minister vnto me him will my father honour Nowe is my soule troubled and what shall I saye Father deliuer me from this houre but therfore came I vnto this houre Father glorifie thy name There is therfore no cause why my death should trouble you whiche death once shal be folowed to thintent that you whiche shal be folowers of death may be partakers both of glory immortalitie I as the autour of the ghospels businesse doe bestowe my life willingly for the saluacion of the world and my fathers glory You shall be ministers of the same businesse reporting and publishing abrode through the whole world with your preaching those thinges that I haue both wrought and taught Thesame thing that the Byshoppes and Phariseis doe now with great craft deuise against me shal the wicked execute vpon you whiche vngraciouse persones loueth the worlde more than God and whiles ful folishly they kepe this life they loose euerlasting life and cast themselfes headling into euerlasting death If one professe himselfe my disciple or minister it behoueth thesame to folowe me theyr maister and Lord. For it is mete that the seruaunte be not pulled away from his Lord neither in prosperouse thinges nor aduersant Whom I haue partakers and companioÌ„s in afflâ—cious and aduersitie them will not I diâ—â—euer from the felowshyp of felicitie but wheresoeuer I become there shall also my seruaunt be And though the worlde reiecte me neuer so muche yet shall my father enhaunce me to glory And in case any manne behaue hymselfe as a faithfull seruaunt to me hym in recompence of transitorie harmes and for ignominie wherwith he liueth in rebuke among men my father shal bewtifie and honour with eternall felicitie true glory For my father shall acknowledge not me only but the ministers also of his only sonne and shall vouchesafe like reward vpon theÌ„ whom he hath knowen to suffre suche like thinges as his sayed sonne did suffre Affliccion had here hath of trueth his anguishe and paine by reason of the infirmitie of mans body But the saluacion of many well considered the felicitie of euerlasting life well poudered whiche are redemed and recouered with a short torment ought to conuince this quiuering feare of
sonne of man so often as thou speakest of him to be taken for thee thy selfe eyther shalt thou not dye or els that sonne of man is not Messias if the prophecie saye trueth Well because these sayinges were spoken of malice Iesus made no aunswere to them Uerely he myght haue aunswered that he was not only man but also God that he should of trueth die as concerning his natural mans body but yet so that it should so one rise againe nor yet should that death let the perpetuitie of his kingdome because it should not be worldly but a spirituall kyngdome But neyther did they vnderstande these misteries nor yet was there oportunitie to declare them openly He doeth onely councell them that setting aparte all blyndenesses of harte they would cease theyr crying out on the trueth that was come to light specially seyng that it should within a whyle be taken awaye Not that the light of the ghospell should euer be throughly abolished but that they should not after this heare of his owne mouthe his doctrine nor see hym worke any myracles whiche myght geue them sight to see theyr foly and repente them of it yet a lytle while sayeth he is the lyght with you Wherfore while ye haue this lyght walke ye and amende sith there is good cause leste the lyght being sodainly taken awaye darke night come on you and than ye desyre all in vayne the thing that is taken from you which nowe being offered vnto you ye doe contemne Whoso foloweth the blinde affeccions of his owne minde walketh in darkenesse and knoweth not whither he goeth and whiles he beleueth that he doeth wel and godly he falleth into death I am the lyght of the worlde whoso beleueth in me shall not erre or swarue from the trueth The children of darkenesse flyeth from the light while you therfore haue light beleue on the light that ye maye be seen the children of light He that beleueth seeth whoso beleueth not thesame hauyng syght is blinde These thynges spake Iesus and departed and hid hymselfe from them But though he had doen so many miracles before them yet beleued not they on him that the saying of the Prophete Esaias might be fulfilled whiche he spake Lorde who shall beleue our saying and to whom is the arme of the Lorde declared Iesus spake no more to them at that time leste he should the more prouoke the fury of them whom he knewe to be very prone vnto all mischiefe but he went thence and hidde himselfe from them and so would he through his absence and with silence assuage their cruell woodnes and there withall admonishing vs by the way that according to his exaumple as often as we haue to doe with wilful persones and that there is no hope to doe them good we than ought to geue place for a time leste not only we doe them no good at al but also make other the wurse For what is more to be lamented than the myndes of those Iewes For where as our Lorde Iesus through so many so cleare and so woonderfull miracles wrought before their iyes ought to haue brought them moste surely to haue beleued his sayinges yet dyd they stande stifly in their vnbeliefe no doubte but euen blinded with enuy hatred ambicion auarice and other vngraciouse concupiscence of the mynde And euen so Esai long ago dyd prophecie that some suche should be saying Lord who hath beleued our woordes and to whom is the arme of the Lord opened Uerily therfore they did not see the power of God in Iesus his doynges because beyng blynded with their malice they did not beleue Therfore coulde they not beleue because that Esaias sayeth agayne He hath blynded their iyes and hath hardened theyr harte that they should not see with theyr iyes and leste they shoulde vnderstande with their harte and shoulde de conuerted and I shoulde heale them Suche thinges sayed Esaias when he sawe his glorye and spake of hym Yea and they did not beleue because they would not caste awaye theyr naughtie desires And this also did Esai speake of before He hath sayth Esai blinded their iyes hardened their hartes that they should not see with their iyes and vnderstand with their hartes and should be conuerted and I shoud heale them For they seeyng did not see and vnderstanding did not vnderstand And contrarye to their owne saluacion they made all they could against him at whose hand alone saluaciō was to be hoped for These thīges tolde Esai long ago who beeyng spiritually inspired sawe with the iyes of prophecie the glory of the sonne of God whiche in tyme to come he should haue beyng a very man And he prophecied that he sawe and the thing which he prophecied should be haue we seen doen. Neuerthelesse among the chiefe rulers also many beleued on him but because of the Phariseis they would not be knowen of it leste they should be excommunicate for they loued the prayse of men more then the prayse of God Yet for al this these mens vnbelefe did not exclude the saluaciō of other that did beleue for many gaue faith to Iesus not only of the vulgar people but of the nobles also But neuerthelesse the men of wurship durst not confesse the faith openly for feare of the Phariseis whiche had made a decre that whosoeuer did confesse himselfe to be a disciple of Iesus should be excōmunicate thrust out of the Synagogue Ouer this those whiche haue preeminēce in the worlde ignominie irketh them much For as yet theyr faith was not stable perfite but notwithstanding that it was for that time a good beginning of an euāgelicall minde to thinke well of Iesus though feare shamefastnesse letted thē to shewe it furth Enuy stopped some couetousnes letted other othersome did ambicion hinder why they did not with an whole harte cleaue to Christ for whose sake all thynges are to be contemned But because the holye ghoste whiche corroborateth a man towardes the ghospell was not yet geuen many beleued fearfully as yet settyng more by mans glorie than Goddes To be hiely placed in the synagogue was honorable among men but to be reiecte out of the wicked mens synagogue for Christes sake is honour prayse before God But feare and infirmitie in men that be of nature weake soone obteineth forgeuenesse Howbeit those whiche were so blynded with eiuill desyres that with a wicked conscience they spake agaynst Christe turned awaye the people from him layed snares for hym and ouer that craftely sought his death it is nedefull I saye that those perishe because they would not bee saued Iesus cried and sayed he that beleueth on me beleueth not on me but on hym that sent me and he that seeth me seeth hym that sent me I am come a light into the world that whosoeuer beleueth on me shoulde not abide in darkenesse Another tyme agayne Iesus goyng abrode in the sight of the Iewes now when their fury ought to haue been well appeased the
no power to the intente that here also it myght bee euidently perceiued how that no man coulde preuaile any thyng agaynste him excepte he woulde geue licence to his vngracious wyll to accomplishe in dede that thyng whiche he had determined in his mynde ¶ Therefore when he was gone out Iesus saied Nowe is the sonne of man glorified â–ª â—nd God is glorified by him If God bee glorified by him God shall also glorifie him by himselfe and shall streightwaye glorifie him Litle chyldren yet a litle while am I with you ye shall seke me as I saied vnto the Iewes whither I go thither can ye not cumme Also to you I saie nowe a newe commaundemente geue I vnto you that ye loue together as I haue loued you that euen so ye loue one an other By this shall all men knowe that ye are my disciples yf ye haue loue one to an other When he therfore was departed whiche had made hymselfe vnwoorthye to bee in coumpanye Iesus beganne to speake manye thynges to his disciples whiche should partely coumforte and stablishe them and partly arme them against the storme that was at hande vtterlye prientyng in theyr myndes those thynges whiche at the fyrste beyng ignoraunt and afterwarde dulled with so rowe and steape they coulde not fully perceiue but yet they shoulde afterward vnderstande the same And fyrste of all he shewed his death to be at hand which although in the iudgemente of the worlde it shoulde seme full of reproche yet should it set furth both his fathers glorye and his owne Nowe sayeth he this thyng is specially in hande for the whiche ye haue hearde me praye For nowe the tyme is come that the soonne of manne whiche hath semed hytherto poore and as an abiecte shoulde after a newe sorte become notable among men and that his fathers glorye shoulde likewise be set foorth by him For as he sought not his owne glory but thorowe his infirmitie sette forth his fathers glorye so in lyke manier the father which is the true fountayne of all true glory shall glorifye his soonne before men not by Aungels nor Archaungels nor yet anye other creature but by hymselfe declaryng to the worlde howe the fathers and the sonnes glorye is all one to the entente menne so maye knowe on euerye syde theyr mutuall woorkes not that they canne wynne any thyng by it but that men by knowyng the glory of them bothe myght obteine true glorye In tyme to come verily he shall throughly glorifie his sonne in his laste cumming before all the company of heauen and in the meane whyle also he shall furthwith gloryfie hym by his owne death whiche shall bee of more force them al mans power and anone after by his resurreccion and ascencion Wherfore my children let not my death discoumforte you whiche although it seme to come for wantâ— of strength yet shall it bee of more power then my lyfe Though it shall seme to be shamefull and vyle yet shall it sette foorth bothe my glory and my fathers yea and though it shall seme an vtter a bolishyng of me yet shall it bryng saluacion bothe to you and to the whole worlde lette these thynges comforte the heauinesse of your myndes For it is expedient for you that this mortall bodye of myne bee withdrawen from your syght and nowe the â—yme is euen at hand for it to bee dooen In the meane whyle vse my coumpanye as one that shall gooe shortelye from you and printe well in your hertes those thynges that I commaunde you or els as I haue tolde the Iewes ye shall seke me in vayne when I am gone hence For within a while I goe away and that to suche a place whither at this tyme ye cannot folowe me Therefore nowe there is no more to do but take my departure paciently and fasten well in your myndes both my doctrine and the remembraunce of me This is the thyng that shall make you happye rather then the syghte of this mortall bodye There bee many preceptes of Moses lawe I nowe at my departure commaunde you one and that a newe precepte that lyke as I haue loued you so one of you loue an other I haue vsed no tyranny againste you I haue not coueted praise or lucâ—e nor haue gotâ—en any worldelye commoditie by you I haue loued youre welthe yea and that freelye and I haue loued you euen vnto the death for I will willingly bestowe this life for you In like manner loue you one an other Other mens disciples are knowen by their naâ—es appaul and by the obseruing of certaine ordinaunces of menne ye haue learned none of these thinges By this onely signe menne shall knowe that ye bee my verie disciples in dede if ye haue suche mutuall loue among youre selues as I haue effectuously shewed to you all this is a rare thing among menne but yet is it the fruite whereby the good tree is knowen ¶ Simon Peter saied vnto him Lorde whither goest thou Iesus aunswered him Whither I goâ— thou canste not folowe me nowe but thou shalte folowe me afterwardes Peter saied vnto him Lorde why cannot I folowe the nowe I will iâ—operde my life for thy sake Iesus aunswered him Wilte thou ieoperde thy life for my sake Uerely verely I saye vnto thee the cocke shall not crowe till thou haue denied me thrise Peter whiche was all set on fier with the loue of his maister althoughe he tooke his death grieuously yet because he hadde said vnto him go after me Satan he durste no more moue and moleste him concerning that matter but this thing troubled Peters minde who loued him so well that he coulde haue no leaue to folowe him when he shoulde departe from his frendes For it is a great comfort if a manne loue one vnfainedlye to folowe him in all chaunces wheresoeuer he shall become Therefore Peter asketh Lorde whether goest thou that I maie not folowe the To this Iesus aunswereth Thou maiest not presencely folow me thither as I gooe but hereafter thou shalte Peter not vnderstanding as yet to what purpose Iesus spake these woordes wheras he mente it of his owne deathe whiche they were not yet apte to beare well Lorde saieth he why maie not I folowe thee what perilles woulde I refuse for thee whiche am readie to die for thee His loue beeing vâ—â—aâ— earnest in dede neuerthelesse as yet but worldly not throughlye knowen to himselfe caused hym thus to speake beyonde his power Iesus therefore to th entent he would frame his successoure litle by litle and vtterly pull out of his disciples mindes confidence in mannes power like as before he hadde somewhat remoued and put backe thesame at suche time as Peter didde boldelye aduise him not to die and againe he rebuked the saied Peter when he had rashelye caste himselfe into the water and furthwith beganne to doubte yea and but a while agooe also he was controlled for so muche as when he woulde not haue obeyed hym at suche time
menne to the atteinyng of eternall saluacion Therfore remembre this well that without me ye can doe nothyng that good is But if anye braunche dooe through his owne faulte pull hymselfe backe againe from me he not onely bringeth foorth no fruite at all but like as an vnprofitable braunche when it is cut of with a shreadyng hooke withereth and afterwarde beeyng gathered vp with other twigges that bee shred of is caste into the fyer to burne so thesame braunche destitute of my moysture spirite dyeth spirituallye althoughe he liue bodilye And beeyng after this life seperate withoute recouerie from the vyne is caste into euerlastyng fyer there to burne for euer to his great tormente for somuche as he woulde not abyde styll in the vyne so bryng forth fruite of eternall felicitie And ye shall abyde in me yf my woorde abyde in you if ye kepe in mynde the thinges whiche ye beleue and execute in dede that whiche ye remembre If ye wyll do this ye neede not feare any worldelye stormes for thoughe I bee not still presente with you in bodye yet both my father and I will heare you And yf ye do rightly aske all such thinges as ye would haue ye shal obtayne your asking But like as of your selfes ye are not able to bryng foorth fruite euen so ye ought not presumptuously to attribute to your selfes the prayse of your good dedes for as I haue not sought mine owne glorye but my fathers of whome I haue all my being and power so shall ye referre all the thanke and commendacion of your good deedes to my father and me When menne shall perceiue you to bryng foorth muche euangelical fruite then is my father glorified among theim for what prayse soeuer I shall gette by you thesame shall redounde to my fathers glorye whome ye shall cause to be praysed among menne by shewyng your selfes the ryght disciples of his sonne not that we neede worldely praise but because so it is expedient for the saluacion of mankynde which thyng we do thriste for and couete It cummeth of charitie and not of ambicion that my father thus desireth to bee glorified amonges men ¶ As the father hath loued me euen so haue I also loued you Continue ye in my loue If ye kepe my commaundementes ye shall byde in my loue euen as I haue kept my fathers commaundementes and haue byden in his loue These thinges haue I spoken vnto you that my ioye might remaine vnto you and that your ioye might bee full I haue loued you whiche are my braunches euen as my father hath loued me that am the stocke Be carefull to kepe this so great a benefite freelye geuen you leste ye lease it through your negligence and ye shall not lease it Lyke as I alwaies procuring my fathers glorye haue continewed euen to the death in my loue towardes hym so will ye perseuer in your loue towardes me Wherin ye shall perseuer not by the obseruing of the Phariseis or phylosophers preceptes but by keping of my commaundementes so that neither any flattery or feare of the world may separate you from thē no more then it doeth me which do constantly to the death kepe my fathers commaūdementes being neuer disseuered frō the loue of hym but by very deedes declaring my selfe to requite his loue with lyke loue Wherfore as it shall be my fathers glory to haue so naturall a sonne and so worthy for hym no lesse shall it be for both our honours that I may haue you my disciples obseruers of my woordes and folowers of my doinges Albeit these thinges be sumwhat painful tedious yet do I therfore vse so long cōmunicacion therin to thintent that as I haue not labored for the ioye of this worlde but herein do reioyce that for obeying my fathers cōmaundemēt I am beloued of him no more should you seke comfort of the worlde but reioyce in this my kynde of ioye whensoeuer ye folowing my steppes shall be afflicted and let that ioy remayne in you euer increasyng into greater and better vntill it cum perfitly to the perpetuall felicitie of immortall life One of you charitably to loue an other shal be a great cumforte to you euen in the myddest of all your troubles when ye be at the wurste ¶ This is my commaundemēt that ye loue together as I haue loued you Greater loue hath no man than this that a man bestowe his life for his frendes Ye are my frendes yf ye do whatsoeuer I commaund you Hence furth call I you not seruauntes for the seruaunt knoweth not what hys Lorde doth but you haue I called frendes for all thynges that I haue heard of my father haue I opened to you There be diuerse preceptes of the Phariseis and Moses hath also manye but this one precept is my very owne whiche includeth all thinges that I do teache and shall make pleasaunt all aduersities whiche shall happen that is to say that ye beare such loue one to an other as I haue borne towardes you I doe testifie my loue not with woordes onely but also with deedes and that loue not to be after the commune sorte but excellent and the greatest that any man lyuing can haue for there can bee no greater token of loue amonge men than a man to bestowe his lyfe for his frendes sake for euery man setteth by his lyfe aboue all thinges Many perchaunce myght bee found that coulde bee content to bestowe money or labour for an other mans sake but the person is rare to bee found out whiche will bestowe his lyfe for his frendes sake I doe more then all this whiche bestowe my lyfe for mine enemies so they will becum my frendes And in the meane while I call them my frendes in the waye of honour whom I haue good right to call my seruauntes Neuertheles I will not take you for my seruauntes but for my frendes yf ye wyll as cherefully and gladly perfourme these thinges that I commaunde you as I dooe willingly obey my fathers commaundement They that are vnder Moses lawe be rightfully called seruauntes because they depend vpon diuerse rules prescribed vnto them and rather for feare then for loue doe the thing that is apointed them But as for you whom I haue called from the bondage of the law vnto the libertie of the gospell from hence foorth I will no more call seruauntes but frendes as them whome mutuall loue and not necessitie doeth ioyne vnto me For the seruaunte perceiueth not his Lordes intent but onely dooeth that he is bydden lokyng for no greate rewarde yf he dooe it and well assured to bee punished yf he dooe it not besydes that for euerye sundrie doyng must be had a sundry commaundement as goe cum agayne doe this ▪ eschewe that For the maister telleth not his owne counsell to his seruauntes whiche are therfore euil to be trusted because they rather feare then loue hym The cause wherfore I haue called you my frendes is for that I
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
them howe that man 's own power and strengthe is not to be trusted to but menne muste put their truste in heauenly ayde and succour he nowe therfore woulde teache his by very practise that in worldely affliccions whiche percase myghte sodeinly falle vpon them they shoulde looke to none other for succour but vnto the father of heauen vpon whome oughte all they wholly to depende that bee desyrouse to bee strong inough and able to beare persecucion Therfore lyfting vp his iyes to heauen to thentente he so might euen by the very semblance behauiour of body teache whither the minde shoulde bee directed and wherupon fixed he spake on this wise father sayed he nowe the tyme is cum whiche I haue alway longed for Glorifie thy sonne amoÌ„g men by death and resurreccion that thy sonne on his behalfe maye glorifie the amongest all men and so the one to be knowen by the other For so it is expediente for the saluacion of all mankynd that the worlde knowe the sonne by thee and the father again by the sonne And for this cause hath it pleased thee to geue vnto the sonne power ouer all mankynde vniuersally And for none other ende haste thou geuen this power but that all folke shoulde be saued And being deliuered from death should attein to euerlasting lyfe For it hath liked the that what thing soeuer thou grauntest and geuest to men thou geuest and grauÌ„test it by me through whose death thou geuest to all that will eternall lyfe Furthermore the very originall fountain of eternal life is that both the one and the other setting forth eche others honour and name men by fayth know vs both that is to saye thee whiche art the onely true god not only of the Iewes but of al the people of the whole world from whom procedeth whatsoeuer is any where good and to knowe him also whom thou hast sent into the worlde for the saluacion of mankynde Iesus Christ by whom thou geuest whatsoeuer it pleaseth thy goodnes to geue to men and this thou doest that they should rendre thankes to vs both to thee as to the chiefe autor of al thinges to me who at thy wil and pleasure am about willingly and gladly to finishe vp this busines that I am appointed to For he cannot cum to saluacion whiche honoureth the father in case he despise the sonne nor yet he that hath the sonne in reuerence if so be he conteÌ„ne and neglecte the father for asmuche as the praise and glorye of the one is the praise and glory of the other I haue glorified thee on the earth I haue finished the worke whiche thou gauest me to do And now glorifie thou me o father with thine owne selfe with the glorie which I had with the ere the world was I haue declared thy name vnto the men which thou gauest me out of the worlde Thine they were and thou gauest them me they haue kept thy worde Nowe haue they knowen that all thinges whatsoeuer thou hast geuen me are of the. For I haue geuen vnto them the wordes whiche thou gauest me and they haue receiued them and haue knowen surelye that I came oute from the and they haue beleued that thou diddeste sende me I haue hitherto renoumed thy name by miracles and with my doctrine here in the worlde and haue goen about and doen thy commaundement being forwarde and readie to prosecute and accomplishe that which remaineth to be doen. I haue not sought myne owne glory but thine yea I haue abased and caste downe my selfe into extreme contempte to thentente I might blase and honorably set furth thy name amoÌ„g men For thy glory is alwaye whole substanciall and sounde in it selfe without decaye nor thou haste no nede of maÌ„s prayse but it standeth them on hande that thou be knowen vnto theym And now my father bring thou it to passe that on the other parte the worlde may semblably knowe and perceiue that I am fully and wholy receyued into that same glorie whiche I had with the â—efore the worlde was made By reason of the frayle mortalitie and brittlenes of the bodie men impute me to be very base and exteme me very courselye but they hiely exteme the. Thy glory as of it selfe it hath neyther beginning nor endyng â–ª so can it neither encrease nor decrease Nor the infirmitie of this bodie that I haue put vpon me doeth not impouerishe or lessen â—y glorie whiche I haue alwaye had beyng euermore borne of the but thou haste made the worlde by me to haue folke that shoulde knowe that shoulde haue in admiracion and shoulde loue thy power wisdoÌ„ and goodnesse and nowe agayne is the time that thy goodnesse muste restore by me that whiche hath been fourmed and made It shall verelye be restored if the worlde knowe howe great thy loue is towardes mankinde whiche to saue thou haste geuen thy only sonne vnto death howe great thy power is that hath conquâ—red the deuill and vanquished his tyrannie how great is thy wisdome that hath with suche wonderfull deuice conuerted the worlde vnto thee which was alienate from thee The thing is begun and the foundacion of this worke is layed I haue made thy name knowen vnto them whom being through thy godly inspiracion exempte and priuileged from the worlde thou haste geuen and committed vnto me They could not haue beene taken out and separate from the world they could not haue been grafted in me vnles thy liberall fre goodnesse had inspired their minde Thyne they were whom thou createdst thine they were whom thou haste appointed to this businesse and geuen them to me to be taught and infourmed Neither hath thy bounteousnes nor my laboure and diligence been bestowed vpon them in vaine They haue bâ—leued my doctrine wherin I haue taught them thee and not onely geuen â—â—â—dence vnto it but they haue hitherto stande stedfastly in faythe obeying my wordes For it is well knowen and persuaded vnto them that the Iewes would not beleue that whatsoeuer I haue taught whatsoeuer I haue doen it hath proceded from the as the auctor and hath been doen through thy power and vertue For I haue taught them none other thing than that I haue learned of the who also haue al my being and whatsoeuer I am of ther and whatsoeuer is thine is also mine Therfore my worde whiche the Phariseis haue contemned haue they receiued as cum from the and beleuing thesame haue certainly knowen that I proceded from the and of the am sent into this worlde They haue thus muche profited that they be perswaded howe that I am Messyas whiche haue been so many hundreth yeares looked for whome thou haste sente into the worlde for the saluacion of all that faithfully beleue And nowe because I do leaue theim as touching companiship of body I do on my behalfe agayne commende them to thy goodnesse to be kepte and preserued that they decaye not but alwaye profit more and more and waxe better Thei knowe whom
they ought to thanke for theyr saluacion They knowe of whom to bee succoured and whome to leane to They doe depende vpon thee I praye for them I praye not for the worlde but for them whiche thou hast geuen me for they are thyne And all myne are thyne and thine are myne and I am glorifyed in them And nowe I am not in the worlde and they are in the worlde and I come to thee Holye father kepe thorowe thyne owne name them whiche thou hast geuen me that they also maye be one as we are Whyles I was with them in the worlde I kepte them in thy name Those that thou gauest me haue I kepte and none of them is loste but that loste chylde that the scripture might be fulfylled Therefore I praye for them whome beyng withdrawen out of the worlde thou wouldest shoulde be thine and my prayer is that thy goodnes would stablyshe and make the thyng perpetually theyr owne which thou haste begun in them I do not nowe praye for the worlde which being blynded in euyl desyres doeth stubbernly oppugne and reclayme agaynste my doctrine hauyng enuie at theyr owne saluacion when it is freely offred them I praye for them whom thou hast committed to my tuicion because thei be not of this worlde but thine and agaynst the malyce of the deuill they cannot be in sauetie but by thy continuall ayde I therefore o father commende them to thee that it maye please thee to let them be alwaye thyne lyke as I am perpetually thyne for euer And therfore are they myne because they bee thyne For betwene vs are all thynges common For whatsoeuer is myne thesame is also thyne And whatsoeuer is thine thesame is also myne And like as thou arte honoured and glorifyed by my doctryne among menne so am I glorifyed by the beliefe of these whiche sticke vnto me constauntly when as the Phariseis and the scribes stāde obstinately in the deniall therof For these shall after a sorte succede me in offyce and come into my roume and after that I be takē a way out of this world they shall make bothe thy name and myne to be of famouse memorye throughout all the worlde I haue played the preachers parte and dooen my funccion and office therein wherein these shall succede me and come to lyke offyce And nowe am I not in the worlde whiche I do furth with leaue and goe out of it but yet these abyde styll in the worlde in my steade to disperse abrode throughout all nacions of the worlde that whiche they haue learned of me But I leauyng them behynde me come whole to thee O holy father kepe and preserue them in preachyng of thy name whome thou gauest me to teache and so kepe them that they maye preache and teache those thynges which thou haste wylled me to preache and whiche thynges I haue taughte obeying thy wyll in all thynges And this do that as I neuer went from thy commaundementes but in all thynges haue agreed and consented to thy wyll so bothe the doctrine of these and also theyr lyfe do neuer dissent frō myne For so shall our name be truely glorifyed by them yf as we agreyng within ourselues do bothe the one and the other glorifie eche other so euen these neuer dissentyng from vs doe make our name famouse all the worlde thorowe For whatsoeuer they haue taught and doen ▪ because it shall be perceyued to haue come from vs it shall therfore redound and be referred to the prayse and glorie of our name As long as I lyued in theyr company familiarly as a man with men I was diligente to kepe them as thyne and as men that thou haste put me in truste withall euē with bodely seruice and doynges also and I haue reteyned and continued thē hitherto in league with vs. So manye as thou gauest me haue I faythfullye kepte safe and neuer one of this couente or felowship hath perished except one whiche though he lyued in my companye yet was he none of myne but borne to damnacion whiche hymselfe through his owne faulte willinglye called for and occasioned to fall vpon hym For I omitted nothyng that should haue reuoked him and haue brought him to better mynde And this thyng truely dyd not happē by casualtie but holy scripture dyd long tyme before shewe it should come to passe that a familiar and a companion of householde shoulde betraye to death his owne lorde and Maister Notwithstandyng throughe thy godlye deuise and diuine prouidence it is come to effecte and purpose that also this mannes death and damnacion shall be profitable and do good to the publique healthe and saluacion of the whole worlde synce that by hym is procured the thyng without whiche saluacion coulde not be had and sithe also an example is gotten thereby whiche ought to counsayle and admonishe euery man to abyde constantly and to perceyuer in the thyng that he hath once begunne and taken in hande leste he by his owne folie turne to his owne vtter destruccion and cause of his owne damnacion that thyng whiche by the mere bountie and free goodnes of God was geuen hym to obteyne thereby eternall health and saluacion Nowe come I to thee and these wordes speake I in the world that they might haue my ioye full in them I haue geuen them thy worde and the world hath hated them because they are not of the worlde euen as I also am not of the worlde I desyre not that thou shouldeste take them out of the worlde But that thou kepe them from euill They are not of the worlde as I also am not of the worlde Sanctifie them thorow thy trueth Thy worde is the trueth As thou dyddest sende me into the worlde euen so haue I also sent them into the worlde and for theyr sakes sanctifie I my selfe that they also might be sanctified thorowe the trueth But nowe lyke as these matters are dooen by thy eternall wisedome and iudgement euen accordyng as thou wouldest haue it so I now after I haue finished the thynges that thou commaundedst me do leaue the worlde and come to thee But I that shall go hence do in the meane while speake these thynges vnto thee not that I am any thyng doubtfull of thy wyll but that I maye by this prayer comforte and stablishe my disciples to the entent they maye vnderstand how that thou wilt care and prouide for them after that they shall wante the presence and sight of my body and that they maye also put awaye sorowfull pensiuenesse for that they knowe howe that I shall lyue agayne and so theyr ioye to be soone renued agayne when they haue sene me risen from death to life and in conclusion after they haue seene me taken vp into heauen and they to haue receiued that heauēly spirite the holy ghost one that shal be both in steade of thee and me they maye conceyue and receyue no temporall or vnperfite ioye whiche maye ryse by the sight of my body when it is
read I saye this superscripcion and sum knewe well the name of Iesus of Nazareth And howe litle he desyred any worldly kyngdome many had truâ— knowledge whiche had seen hym hyde hymselfe when he shoulde haue been drawen by force to a kyngdome That very kyng whiche was promysed by the prophetes and whome the Iewes call Messias was of very truthe loked for among all the Iewes And althoughe Pilate was ouersene herein yet vnawares he gaue hym that tytle which dyd moste demonstrate notise to all folke who he was that hong vpon the crosse For of very trueth that selfe kynge of kynges honge there crucifyed whiche by his deathe dyd vanquishe the tirannye of the deuyll Thou oughtest to call it rather the token and banner of victorie than a crosse Thoughe all thynge semed full of shame and rebuke to the byshops scribes and to the Phariseis yet this intitleing and superscripcion did greue theyr myndes because it was more honorablye set out than they woulde haue had it So great was the desyre of the wycked to abolysh a name to the which onely all glory of the whole world ought to be geuen And therefore they treate and common with the president of chaungeing the title and that it should not be written the king of the Iewes but that he dyd vsurpe and vniustly take vpon hym that name But the presydent notwithstandyng that euen then vnawares he dyd pronosticate what should folow that is to were that the profession of that healthfull name whiche the Iewes falsely denyed should departe thence to the redy beleuyng Gentiles that is to saye to the true Iewes in dede yet I saye this notwithstanding and that also heretofore he did condescende and folowe theyr malyce the presydente woulde not alter and chaunge the title but sayeth that I haue wrytten I haue wrytten For because it was in verie deed to the commoditie and profit of all folke that Christe shoulde be put to death and agayne also it was for all mennes weale that his name should be of most fame and renoume thorowe the whole worlde by the profession whereof saluacion shoulde bee brought to all folke Than the souldiers when they had crucified Iesus they toke hys garmentes and made â—ower partes to euery souldier a parte and also his coate The coate was without seame wrought vpon throughout They sayed therfore among themselues let vs not diuide it but cast lottes for it who shall haue it That the scrypture myght be fulfylled saying They parted my rayment among them and for my coate dyd they calle lottes And the souldiers dyd suche thynges in dede There stoode by the crosse of Iesus his mother and his mothers sister Mary the wife of Cleophas and Mary Magdalene when Iesus therfore sawe his mother and the disciple standyng whome he loued he sayeth vnto his mother Woman beholde thy sonne Than sayed he to the disciple Beholde thy mother and from that houre the disciple toke her for his owne Nowe therefore when the Lorde Iesus was nayled as the maner was all naked vnto the crosse and the foresayed superscripcion aboue his heade the souldiers that crucified hym accordyng to the vsage parted among them Iesus garmentes For this thyng came to them as amendes and reward for theyr paynes taking And forasmuche as they were fower in noumbre they so deuided the resydue of his garmentes saue his coate by cause they were made of soundrye pieces and sowed together that euery manne had hys parte porcionately But than his coate or iacket a garmeÌ„t verely whiche was more inner and nere his bodye no sewed garment but so wouen from thouer hem to the lower that beyng leusyd or rypte it woulde haue been good for nothinge and nought wourth Therefore the souldiers thought good that it shoulde bee kept whole vncut and that sum one of them shoulde haue the whole iacket to whose lotte it should chaunce But not withstandynge that the souldiers dyd these thinges of a prophane mynde and of a worldlye purpose yet vnawares they fulfylled in their so doyng the prophecies of the Prophetes that hereby also he might haue bene knowen to bee he of whome the holy ghoste had spoken in the Psalmes thus they haue deuyded myne apparel amonge theÌ„ and caste lottes vpon my garmentes And these thinges perdye the souldiers did whiles yet the Lord honge vpon the crosse alyue But there stoode by the crosse of Iesus Mary his mother associate with her syster Marye the daughter of Cleophas and Marie Magdalene Therefore Iesus lokynge from the crosse vpon his mother and castynge his iye withall vpon the disciple whom he loued more familiarly than the reste to thentente that as his clothes beyng distributed he lefte no worldly substaunce behynde him so he woulde leaue vpoÌ„ earthe no worldly or mannes affeccion Iesus I saye turned towardes his mother and sayed Woman beholde that thy sonne poyntynge with a nod of his head and with a wincke of his iye to the disciple And turning furthwith to the disciple sayeth Beholde thy mother And verily from that tyme the sayd disciple bore a very soÌ„nes mynde and affectioÌ„ toward the mother of Iesus and toke the whole charge and care of her After these thinges Iesus knowyng that all thinges were now perfourmed that the scripture myght be fulfilled he sayeth I thirst So there stoode a vessell by ful of vinegre therfore they filled a sponge with vinegre and wounde it about with Isope putte it to his mouthe Assone as Iesus receyued of the vynegre he sayd it is finished bowed his heade and gaue vp the ghoste When these thinges were doen and Iesus knew that nothing wanted perteyning to a lawfull sacrifice yet to bryng therunto and to accomplyshe the Prophetes saying where he sayeth They gaue me gall to eate and when I was thirstye they gaue me vinegre to drinke he cried from the crosse I am athirst For a trueth suche as dye in this kynde of death are wonte to be sore greued with vehement thirst by reason that through the woundes of the body the bloude is exhaust and cleane draweÌ„ out And euen this now too did much proue and declare him to be a very man to be oute of doubte punyshed to his great payne Now thaÌ„ a vessel full of vinegre stoode there at haÌ„d which was wont to be reached vp geuen to theÌ„ that were athirste to make them the sooner dye The souldiers therfore fylled a sponge with vinegre wouÌ„de it about with ysope and helde it to his mouthe But as sone as Iesus had tasted the vinegre he saied It is finished signifying that the sacrifice was rightely doen and accomplyshed accordynge to his fathers wyll and byanby he bowed his héade and gaue vp the ghoste The Iewes therfore bicause it was the preparing of the Sabbothe that the bodies should not remayne on the crosse on the Sabboth day for the Sabboth day was an hye day besought By late that their legges might be brokeÌ„ and that they might
bee taken downe Then came the souldiers and brake the legges of the first and of the other which was crucified with him but whan they came to Iesus and sawe that he was dead already they brake not his legges but one of the souldiers with a speare thrust him into the syde and furthwith came there out bloud water And he that sawe it bare recorde his recorde is true he knoweth that he sayeth true that ye myght beleue also for these thinges were doen that the scripture should be fulfilled Ye shall not breake a bone of him and agayne another scripture sayeth They shall looke on hym whome they pearced But it is a sporte an a wonder withall to heare now againe in this case the peruerse religion of the Iewes so farre out of course and mysordred The Iewes vpon a myscheuous malice and by wicked meanes brought with violence vnto the crosse an innocent and one that had bene beneficiall vnto them beyng nothing abashed with the relygion of the feastfull daye to do so cruel and so vngraciouse a dede but they were very supersticiouse and made muche a do about taking the bodies of frō the crosse They came vnto Pilate and besought him the by his commaundement the legges of them which were crucified might be broken to th entent they might the sooner be deade and then their corpses be taken downe and had out of the waye lesse beyng sene they shoulde violate and breake the feastfull daye That daye was a solemne greate daye whiche of the great apareylyng and fournature of holy adournmētes and dyuine seruice is called of the Grekes Parasceue that is to saye a preparacion And their holy and solemne Sabbothe daye was nye at hande vpon whyche daye to worke was a detestable thing For at this season the men beeynge ye wote well very precise in their relygion after they had finished and accomplyshed so horryble an acte as thoughe the thinge had been well doen they bente their myndes to celebrate the sacrifice that was to be offered by Moyses lawe solemnely and purely not knowyng that the very true Easter lambe was already offered vp in sacrifice Suche a poyson and so pestiferouse a thing is holynesse that consisteth in outwarde and bodily thinges and hath not holynes and godlynes of herte and mynde ioyned and annexed vnto it Nowe therfore Pilate grauntyng them their request the souldiers brake bothe the theues legges whome they found yet aliue And then when they were come to Iesus because they saw him alreadye deade and therefore thought it a vayne and superfluous thynge to breake his legges they lefte them whole vnbroken For to this ende and purpose were the legges broken that those whiche hung vpon the crosse shoulde the sooner gyue vp the ghoste But among the souldiers stoode a certaine man whiche for the more certeintie of the Lorde Iesus death opened his syde with a speare and immediatly out of the wounde there gushed forth bloude and water in a great misterye declaryng that his death shoulde washe and cleanse vs from synne and the same also geue to vs euerlastinge lyfe and saluacion For baptisme standeth in water and with water are we baptised And the lyfe of a manne is in the bloude But it is againste the course of nature for water to runne out of a bodye that is wounded Howbeit he that sawe the thing with his iyes testified and beareth witnes hereof And we knowe his recorde to bee true And leste any of you shoulde stande in doubte whether ye maye or no beleue the thing whiche els mighte seme incredible I assure you that Iesus himselfe knewe that witnes to tell trueth And althoughe these thinges semed to be doen by chaunce or casualtie that is to saye that in stede of breakyng his legges as the others were his chaunce was to haue his side thruste thorowe yet for all that were they doen by the foresight and prouidence of God and as his diuine councell disposed that in this pointe also theffecte and conclusion of the thing myght aunswere and agre with the prophecies of the Prophetes For among other rites and customes wherwith Moses teacheth in Exodus that the paske or passouer ought to be obserued and celebrate he had prescribed euē that thing specially by name that is to wete that lambe which was sacrifised should be so slaine that no bone of it should be broken euen thereby notyng and declaryng that Iesus was the very true phase or passeouer the figure whereof that Mosaicall lambe did beare resembled thesame For the bloud of this true lambe Iesus saueth them that beleue in hym from death And the spirituall eatyng of this lambe conueyeth vs beeyng made free from the seruitude of Egypte that is to saye from the sinfull lustes of the worlde and from the tyranny of sinne into an heauenly region And againe the holy ghoste speaketh thus by Zacharye They shall see hym whom they pearsed For he shall once come with thesame body wherwith he hong on the crosse though it be alreadye a gloryouse body yet shall he shewe the printe of the wounde to all folke and he shall shewe the vnfaythfull to theyr rebuke the fountayne that was open all in vayne to them that would not beleue with the flowyng and streames wherof they might haue been cured After this Ioseph of Aramathia which was a disciple of Iesus but secretely for feare of the Iewes besought Pilate that he might take downe the body of Iesus And Pilate gaue hym licence he came therfore and tooke downe the body of Iesus And then came also Nicodemus which at the begynning came to Iesus by night and brought of myrthe and aloes mengled together aboute an hundred pounde weyght Then tooke they the body of Iesus and wounde it in lynnen clothes with odours as the maner of the Iewes is to bury And in the place where he was crucified there was a gardeyne and in the gardeyne a newe sepulchre wherin was neuer man layed There layed they Iesus therfore because of the preparyng of the Sabboth of the Iewes for the sepulchre was nye at hande And so nowe his death beyng already certayne and himselfe founde dead by the experience of many it behoued furthermore that his buryall should many wayes confyrme the belefe of the resurreccion And as Christe would perdie his whole life to be base and of a lowe porte so he would that his buriall should be honorable and of a great maiestie not intendyng therby to teache vs to be carefull of a sepulchre but to th entent that those thinges once accomplyshed whiche concerned the abasyng of hymselfe and the whole ministery thereof he might make a waye to the honour and prayse of his resurreccion And in very dede the honour whiche is geuen to a manne alyue is not without either suspicion or daunger but the honour whiche voluntarily we geue to the dead is a sure wytnes of prowes goodnes and vertue Nowe therfore Ioseph beyng a manne of
Iesus therfore beyng delited in the great desyre of the woman doeth now with a knowen familier voyce speake vnto her and calleth her Marie At this knowen voyce the woman sodainly turnyng herselfe for euen at this very presente she had bowed downe herselfe agayne towardes the angels so muche was she by sodayne mocions of mynde stiered to loke this waye and that waye the woman I saie knewe Iesus and rauished with a sodayne ioye she a disciple speaketh to the master and calleth hym Rabboni whiche worde in the Syrians tonge signifieth Master And withal she falleth flatte downe to the grounde and would haue kissed his feete hauyng yet in remembraunce theyr olde familiaritie But Iesus knowyng that as yet she thought no great excellente thyng of hym although she loued him sincerely and ardently did prohibite her to touche his bodye For Marie sawe well that he was aliue agayne but she thought that he was reuiued for none other cause but as he did before to liue familiarlye with his frendes beyng now a man aliue where as before he was dead and ignoraunt she was that he now caryed about with hym an immortall body which was to be handled with muche greater reuerence whiche bodye the Lorde did neuer exhibite or present to the wicked nor suffered it to be handled of euerye man to th entent he might litle by litle altogether withdrawe them from the loue of the bodye Touche me not sayeth he it is thesame bodye whiche hong vpon the crosse but it is nowe beautified and adourned with the glory of immortalitie But truely thine affeccion is yet somedeale carnall because I haue not yet ascended vp to my father whiche thyng once doen I shall sende vnto you the spirite that is the comforter and he shall make you perfite and wurthy to haue the spirituall felowship of me In the meane time content thy selfe with that thou hast seen me and heard me speake and specially now go thou to my brethren whiche are throughe my death comforteles and foorth with make them partakers with thee of the ioye and comforte whiche thou haste receyued by the sight of me and vpon these my wordes shewe them that to this ende I am rysen from death to lyfe euen that after I haue taried a certayne dayes among them I maye leaue the worlde and ascende vp to my father who is also your father and thesame is both your god and mine common to bothe Let them therfore put away earthly affeccions and rectifie their mindes applying thesame to spiritual and heauenly thinges Mary Magdalene came and tolde the disciples that she had seue the lorde and that he had spoken suche thynges vnto her Thesaâ—e daye at night whiche was the firste daye of the â—abbothes when the dores were shâ—t where thâ— disciples were assembled together for feare of the Iewes came Iesus and stoode in the middes and sayeth vnto them Peace bee vnto you And whâ—n he had so sayed he sheweth vnto them his handes and his syde Then were the disciples glad when they sawe the lorde Now than Mary did as he bad her and returnyng againe to the disciples shewed them that she had seen the lorde and tolde them the thynges whiche he had commaunded to be made relacion of in his name and this was doen that they should take right great comforte of that he nowe called them his brethren and prepare also theyr myndes to the loue and desyre of eternall and heauenly thynges for as muche as the preseÌ„t vse of his body should not endure long with them After that with these and certayne other apparicions the lord Iesus had litle by litle lift vp theyr myndes to quicknesse of spirite and to the hope of the resurreccion already past the selfe same daye that was the morowe after the sabboth daye whiche next to folowed the sabboth of Easter when it was nighte and the disciples secretelye gathered together whiche for feare of the Iewes durste not assemble together in the daye tyme. Iesus went in to them when the doores were shut and standyng in the middes in the sight of them all to take awaye al feare from them he saluted them amiably and full gentlye saying with a voyce well knowen vnto them Peace with you And lest they shoulde suspect it to be a ghost or another bodye he sheweth vnto them the printe of the nayles in his handes and the scarre of the wounde whiche the souldier hadde made in his side with a speare With this salutacion and sight the fayth of his disciples was confirmed the sorowe takeÌ„ awaye and theyr myndes muche recreate and made ioyouse For Iesus had promised them before that thus it shoulde be that within a shorte tyme he woulde see them agayne and after they hadde seen hym and theyr sorowe put awaye that he would make their hertes gladde and merye And therewithal he tolde them this also should folow that in the world they should haue sorow and heuinesse but in hym they shoulde haue peace and quietnesse Then sayed Iesus to them agayne Peace be vnto you As my father sent me euen so sende I you also â–ª And when he had sayed these woordes he brethed on them and sayeth vnto them Whosoeuers sinnes ye remit they are remitted vnto theÌ„ and whosoeuers synnes ye retayne they are retayned But Thomas one of the twelue which is called Didimus was not with them when Iesus came The other disciples therfore sayed vnto hym We haue seen the lord But he sayed vnto them Excepte I see in his handes the printe of the uayles and thruste my hande into his syde I wyll not beleue Therfore to confirme the Apostles in theyr ioye and coumforte the more he once agayne saluteth them with good lucke of peace saying Peace with you And at the same tyme withal he hiely auctoriseth them and commaundeth theÌ„ to preache the thinges whiche they had seen and sayeth As my father sent me so do I sende you I haue truely and faithfully glorifyed my fathers name and you agreyng amoÌ„g your selues shal with lyke trueth and faithfulnesse preache my fathers name and mine Prepare your mindes to this fuÌ„ccion and office for asmuche as I nowe that I haue doen diligently the thyng that I had in commission to do go agayne to my father and from thence I shall sende vnto you more plentie and more power of the holy ghost In the meane while shall I also make you partakers of the holy ghost accordyng to your capacitie and euen as he was thus speakyng he brethed on them and gaue them the spirite with auctoritie to forgeue all men theyr sinnes that woulde be ioyned to hym by profession of the ghospel and by baptisme and that woulde forthinke their former life and be eftsones amended where they haue erred Whosoeuers synnes ye remit sayeth he they are remitted vnto them and whosoeuers ye retayne they shall abide subiecte to theyr synnes When these thinges were doen the residue of the disciples were assembled together Thomas onely
except that than was absent whiche name Thomas signifieth in the Greke tongue Didimus and in the Latin Geminus in Englyshe doubtefull For he was one of the twelue whoÌ„ the lorde did specially and peculiarly choose to the office of preachyng the gospell Therfore after that he was come in to them the disciples that could scant stande for ioye shewed openly vnto him that they had seen the lorde Thomas supposyng them to be deceyued and illuded by some vision or spirite denyed to beleue vnles he might see hym with his owne iyes and not to beleue his owne iyes as sufficient witnesse except he might see withall the printe of the nailes euen freshe in his handes yea and with putting his owne handes into Iesus side perceyue by felyng the wounde that the speare made And trulye this incredulitie of the Apostle by the dispensacion of God as he shall dispose didde muche good to the confirmacion and stablishement of our fayth ¶ And after eyght dayes agayne his disciples were within and Thomas with them Then came Iesus when the doores were shut and stoode in the middes and sayed Peace be vnto you After that sayed he to Thomas Bryng thy fynger hither and see my handes and reache hither thy hande and thrust it into my syde and be not faythlesse but beleuyng Thomas aunswered and sayed My Lorde and my God Iesus sayeth vnto hym Thomas because thou haste sene me thou haste beleued blessed are they that haue not sene and yet haue beleued And many other thinges truly did Iesus in the preâ—â—ce of his disciples which are noâ— written in this boke These are written that ye might beleue that Iesus is Christe the sonne of God and that in beleuyng ye might haue life thorowe his name Therfore eyght dayes after when the Apostles met together agayne by stealthe and at this tyme with the reste Thomas was in coumpanye whiche hitherto woulde not beleue that Christe was rysen the Lorde came in to them where they were the gates beyng hard faste shut and standyng in the middes of them he saluted them after his vsuall and well knowen maner and facion saying Peace with you And turnyng hym by and by to Thomas whose vnbelefe he knewe that was ignoraunt in nothyng whiche lacke of beliefe because Iesus knewe it came not as the phariseis infidelitie did that is of malice but of mans infirmitie he vouched safe to heale it He sayeth thus to hym Thomas sayeth he forasmuche as it dooeth not suffise the to haue hearde of many that I was rysen to lyfe agayne whiche hath seen me and hearde me except thy senses mighte feale and perceyue thesame bring hither thy finger and feele the woundes of the nayles and see that I truelye carye the very true markes therof Put thy hande into my syde and handle the wounde whiche the speare made and hereafter be not vnfaythful and harde of belefe in other mattiers but after thou haste nowe seen this thing proued certainly true whiche persemed to thee incredible see thou geue fayth to my promises howe incredible soeuer they seme to the common sence and iudgement of men After that Thomas had seen and felte knowyng bothe the face and accustomed voyce of the Lorde he than conceyued a full fayth and spake aloude My Lorde and my God For as he was more harde of belefe so no body did more clearlye confesse Iesus to be God and man for because the handlyng of the body which late before hong dead vpon the crosse witnessed that he whiche was rysen to lyfe agayne was a very man in dede and the knowleage of hidde secrete thynges proued well his godhead So than of trueth Iesus did well accepte and embrace Thomas his confession but yet withall he did reproue his hardnesse of belefe saying Thomas because thou hast seen me hearde me and handled me thou beleuest but blessed shall they be whiche though they see not will yet beleue Verely the Lorde Iesus declared vnto his disciples his diuine power and godheade by many other tokens whiche are not written in this booke but some thynges are reported and declared by other Euangelistes and some thynges also were reported and tolde by worde of mouthe and euen they were the tellers therof which bothe sawe and hearde the thynges themselues For to set out and write all thynges whiche woulde haue bene a worke that for the greatnes it coulde not haue been measured was not cared for but yet it was thoughte necessarye to write of some thinges that thereby ye mought come to the beliefe that Iesus was the sonne of God Whiche thyng yf ye do in dede ye shall haue that full blisse and beatitude whiche our Lorde Iesus promised to them that when they see not beleue For lyke as he suffered death and liueth immortal so shall ye also by profession of his name in true faythe obtayne eternall lyfe The .xxi. Chapter ¶ Afterwarde did Iesus shewe himselfe againe at the sea of Tiberias And on this wyse shewed he hymselfe There were together Symon Peter and Thomas whiche is called Didimus and Nathanael of Cana in Galile and the sonnes of Zebedei and two other of his disciples ANd verely to confirme more and more the faythe of his disciples Iesus oft times appeared vnto them and talked with them sometyme also eate meate in theyr company leâ—te any suspicion shoulde setle in theyr myndes that it was but a delusion or some ghoste whiche they had sene neyther was he therwhiles continuallye for all that present in their company as he was wont before his death nor so familiarly handled himself among them nor yet was seen of all menne because he hadde sayed before that he would appere to his and not to the world nor to his neyther but euen when he list For nowe immortalitie shewed a certaine semblaunce full of maiestie that was to be had in reuerence to th entent that their faith beyng full stayed and establyshed he might withdrawe from them altogether the sight of the body and spirituallye to be now amongst his And so now therefore he appered and shewed himselfe againe to his disciples at the depe lake called Tyberias And he presented himselfe vnto them on this wyse The disciples which before that tyme kept theÌ„selues secrete in Hierusalem to be in sauetie out of the Phariseis daunger repayred againe into Galile there was a good sorte of theÌ„ together euen no fewer thaÌ„ Simon Peter and Thomas called Didimus also Nathanael of Cana a citie of Galile where Iesus turned water into wine And besides these the two sonnes of zebedei Iohn Iames the greater with these was two other disciples ¶ Symon Peter saieth vnto them I wyll go a fishyng They saye vnto him We also wyl go with the. They went theyr waye and entred into a shippe immediatlye and that night caught they nothing But when the mornyng was nowe come Iesus stoode on the shore neuerthelesse the disciples knewe not that it was Iesus Iesus sayeth vnto
Paraphrases to be translated to the vse of the vnlearned multytude whiche can go no ferther then the vnderstandyng or readyng of Englyshe For in this Paraphrase of Erasmus is conteined in maner a whole librarie of deuout catholyke expositours vpon the whole new testamente in which new testament is conteyned the plenteous richesse most precious treasoures of Christes ghospell that is of the glad newes of Goddes fauour and mercy towardes mankynd Which fauour and mercy of God whosoeuer doth feithfully syncerely enbrace cannot but fauour and ferther the setting foorth of scripture in the vulgare language that al folkes maye knowe it and also of any other godly traictises whereby that same generall benefyte of God towardes mankynde maye the more clerelye and certainly be perceiued And to this effecte forasmuche as Desiderius Erasmus of Roterodam doeth especially directe aswell these his Paraphrases vpon the newe testament as also all other his right christian wrytinges and that with as much indifferencie as is possible to be I cannot but iudge that whoso are prompte and hasty condemners of Erasmus or eagre aduersaries vnto his doctrine do vnder the name and colour of Erasmus rather vtter their stomake hatred againste Goddes woord and the grace of the ghospell which Erasmus for his parte moste diligently and moste simply laboureth to bryng to lyght His doctryne wyll some vneguall iudges saye is scarcely sincere If there shall no more insynceritee of doctrine appere in the wrytynges of them that so wyll say then the comon coÌ„sent of the chrystian world doeth fynde and iudge in Erasmus I doubte not but theyr weorkes shal be of all good people approued desyred enbraced and folowed Erasmus wyl some such headie persones say doth somewhere erre It maye so be forasmuch as a man he is and so estemeth hymself and woulde his weorkes none other wyse to be reade or accepted then the wrytynges of other mortall men But in case he should in some place saie now then a worde to much or to litel or putte a wurse word for a more apte terme or if he should in some place stoumble or swarue whiche poincte of humayne frayltee the best doctours that wrote sence the apostles tyme hathe not escaped nor Erasmus so standeth in his owne wylfull opynion but that beeyng found and tryed a faulte he woulde haue been as readye to retracte it as euer any other godly catholike wryter hath ben yet were one lytle tryppe after my poore iudgement emong so many notable good workes for the enterpretacion of scrypture and for the helpe of the symple rather to bee borne withall then so many good thinges to be either reiected or kept away from the hungry christian readers it is a colde charitee that can beare with nothing and an eagre malice it is that for a trifle or a matier of nothing woulde haue the ignoraunt multitude to lacke so much good edifying as may be taken of Erasmus aswel in all hys other ryght deuoute and catholyke woorkes as also moste specyally in these his paraphrases in which he laboureth so to enlarge the processe and tenour of the texte as the sense therof may bothe euedentlye be gathered may well hange together Erasmus therfore lyke as he hathe by a paraphrasticall discourse playnly sette foorth the ghospelles of the fower Euangelistes aforeâ—so dooeth he now here expoune the seconde parte of Lukes ghospel entitled the Actes of the Apostles whiche woorke Athanasius at leste wyâ—e if it were Athanasius in dede that wrote the litle traictise entitled of the bokes of bothe the olde and the newe testament c. testifieth that Luke wrote out of Peturs mouthe â–ª that Petur endicted vnto Luke what and how he should wryte theÌ„ as Paule endicted to the same Luke whan he wrote his ghospell Whereof as Erasmus in the preface to his paraphrase vpoÌ„ Lukes ghospel recordeth it is gathered and thought that the sayde Actes wer wryten in Rome But whersoeuer they were wryten certes the worke was no lesse expediente necessarie to be wrytten ne the paraphrase vpon the same any thyng lesse requisite to bee translated into Englysh then the reste of the newe testament firste for that it is a plain historical narracion a piece of the veray ghospel in that it declareth aswell the ascencion of Christe from yearthe vp into heauen as also hys sendyng â—oune of the holy ghoste from his heauenly father together with the spryngyng vp of the prymatiue churche the fourme and ordre of preachyng that the Apostles than first begonne with secondely because it was as Erasmus hymselfe testifieth the last parte that he did of all the whole paraphrases vpon the testament and by reason thereof as I iudge the moste absolute piece of worke and best dooen of the reste by reason of his long exercise afore in this kynde of writing and thyrdely because this piece of the new testament is no lesse profytable for the publishyng and furtheraunce of the ghospel then Luke dyd deuise and entende it ne to the poore younglynges in Christes dyscipline any thyng lesse auaillable For here may we learne the beginninges of Christes churche by whome and by what manier persones the feythe of Christe fyrste sprong vp howe it proceded and grewe howe it was persecuted and how by persecucyon it wexed stronger stronger For as the Paulme tree the more weight and burdeÌ„ is layed vpon it the more it ariseth and shootheth vpryght so the ghospel the more persecucion that was inflycted vnto it and the more rigour wrong â–ª reproche cheynes and aduersytee that was mynistred vnto it the more it grewe the more it prospered the better it wente forewarde and the more it floryshed In the Actes is to be reade by what meanes and dryftes of humayne polycy the enemyes of Christes bloude and ghospell wrastled to suppresse the glorye of his crosse howe the more that the wysedoÌ„ of the world thought to euacuate the fruicte of Christes deathe and passion the more dyd the humylytee of preachyng the Crosse worke in the hartes of yâ— simple to contemne not onely the pleasures and flattery of the worlde but also the persecucion tyranny therof so that dayly encreased in euery place where the ghospell was preached thousandes vpoÌ„ thousandes to augmente the feithfull congregation The Actes therefore were no lesse necessary to be translated then the rest of the paraphrases which Actes I haue by occasioÌ„ of adding digesting and sorting the texte with the paraphrase throughly perused and conferryng the same with the Latine I haue here and there dooen my good wyll and diligence to make the Englysh aunswerable to the Latyne booke at lestwyse in sense as by the same occasion I did also with Mathewe In Iohn I haue in manier dooen nothing at all sauing only placed the texte and diuided the paraphrase because I knew the translatours thereof with whose erquysite dooynges I myght not without the cryme of great arrogancie and
doen hitherto but ghostely thynges and greate trouble shal ye haue for preachyng of my ghospell Wherefore it is necessarye that ye bee strēgthed with power from heauē that ye may be hable to susteyne so chargefull an entrepryse that shall not be brought to passe by mannes policie but by helpe of the holy ghoste For those thynges that haue been hitherto done are but as rules instruccions princyples for young begynners in respecte of setting forward the gospell As that Iohn Baptyzed with water but the holy ghoste gaue he not for it passeth mannes power to geue hym and nothing els preached he but the man should repent and that the kyngdome of heauen was at hand Nowe muste ye haue stronger mayntenaunce to sette forthe the lyuelye doctryne of the ghospell and to beare of the assaultes of the worlde whiche shall stryue agaynste it To bryng that about it is not sufficient that y◠be voyde of synne but ye haue nede of a newe spirite to the settyng forth of this newe kinde of lerning a plenteous spirite that shal aboūdantly assist you an heuenly spirite a spirit lyke fier in whō ye shal be christened within fewe daies This is the baptisme that Iohn could not geue but prophecied that I should geue it For thus sayde he in bearyng wytnesse of me he shall christen you sayed he with the holy ghoste and fyer In tymes past also god endewed hys Prophetes and other holy men with his spirite And I haue brethed my holy spirite on you It is euen the veray same spirite but nowe shall he most plenteously be powred ouerall the whole worlde and shall renewe all thynges Agaynst his cummyng make your selues ready with fastyng and prayer but specially with full truste and confydence that ye maye be fytte instrumentes for hym to spreade abrode his heauenly power Whan they therefore were cum together they asked of him saying Lorde wilte thou at this time testore agayne the kyngdome of Israell And he sayed vnto them It is not for you to knowe the tymes or the seasons which the father hath put in his own power but ye shall receyue power after that the holy ghost is cum vpon you And ye shal be witnesses vnto me not onely in Hierusalē but also in all Iewrye in Samaria euen vnto the worldes ende After Iesus had spoken these wordes vnto his disciples beyng assembled into one place because he woulde haue no variaunce lefte emong theim at hys departyng for euen to that houre they had not yet put oute of theyr heades theyr phantasticall dreame of the kyngdome of Israell to be aduaunced and enlarged by hym they enquyred of the Lorde as he was euen readye streight wayes to departe whether that as soone as he had sente downe the holy ghost he woulde restore his people of Israell to theyr worldelye kyngdome agayne and whether he woulde immediatlye appere before the face of the woorlde in his maiestie For they had not yet conceyued what manner a thyng thys ghostely kyngdome shoulde bee Peter woulde haue had hym establyshe a kyngdome whan he was on the hille The reste also of thapostles what tyme mencion was made of rysyng from deathe to lyfe enquired of hys kyngdome and nowe eftsones vpon that communicacion whiche they had hearde of sending down the holy ghoste they came to remembraunce of a temporall kyngdome For they trusted that it shoulde cum to passe that the Iewes shoulde bee rewlers ouer all the world And in veray dede sure it was to cum that Israell shoulde reigne not that fleashly Israell but he that truelye had deserued this name that is to saye he that in dede were strong in God For Iacob deserued well to haue that name whan he wrastled with thaungell As longe as the worldly manne trusted to his owne desertes he was not hable to satisfye the Iustice of god For all the world for sinne was reproued and subdued vnto punishment But after that manne began to mystruste his owne workes and to sticke vnto the promyses of the gospell he dyd as a man woulde saye ouercum the iustice of god and by force obtayned mercye This kingdome beeyng decayed in euerye place but speciallye emong the Iewes Christe restored through hys gospell The disciples not vnderstandyng thys phansied with them selfes that sum good chaunce woulde cum whiche shoulde delyuer them from all persecucion of the wycked But as for that was not to be loked for before the ende of the worlde Whiche tyme the lorde woulde not haue theim to knowe because it was not expediente for them to knowe it And therfore whan they curyouslye demaunded it he put them to silence with this answer Enquire not of those thynges whyche are not expediente for you to knowe Onely beleue stedfastly dooe that ye are commaunded Ye shal be but ministers in this matier Leaue the procedynges herin the ende of the same to my heauenly father It is not therfore your parte to knowe what yeare what moneth or what houre that kingdome of Israel shal cum which thinges the folysh Calkers curiously seke for As much as my fathers pleasure was that you should knowe I haue tolde you but that time haue I not vttered vnto you because my father reteineth to hymselfe the knowleage therof to this ende that ye be diligent in doing your duties The kingdome of god shal cum finally wheras both the good the bad shal bee rewarded accordyng to their desertes againste whose cummyng must ye bee alwayes ready Albeit this spirituall kyngdome shall in the meane season also appeare in setting forthe whereof god shall vse your helpe but as for rewardyng you therfore let him alone with that Wherfore settyng aparte your desyre to knowe those matters whiche ye oughte not to know make redy youre selues to that that is at hand To the whiche thyng because ye of your own habilitie are not sufficient the holy ghoste accordyng to my promyse shal be powred on you from heauen to augment your strength of mynde and to bryng into youre remembraunce agayne whatsoeuer I haue heretofore taughte you and farther to put in your myndes whatsoeuer thing els it shal behoue you to know And so shal ye being taught by his instructiō and strengthed wyth hys ayde beare wytnesse of me fyrste at Hierusalem accordyng to the saying of the prophete out of Syon shall the lawe procede and the word of the lord out of Hierusalem and sone after throughout all Iewry nexte throughout Samaria which is nygh adioyning to Iewry and fynally through al cuntreys in the world where euer any dwelling of man is For I came indifferently for all mens sakes I died for euery man and eche man hath the gracious fauour of my gospel profered him Hitherto the law hath reigned onely among the Iewes but my father wyl haue his gospel to reigne as farre abrode as the worlde is open or wyde And when he had spoken these wordes while they behelde he was taken
apostles doctrine and feloweship and in breaking of bread and in prayers And feare came ouer euery soule and many woonders and sygnes were shewed by the apostles at Ierusalem And all that beleued kept them selues together had all thinges in common and sold their possessions and goodes and parted them to al men as euery man had nede and they continued dayly with one accorde in the temple brake bread from house to house and did eare their meate together with gladnesse singlenes of herte praysing God and had fauour with al the people And the lorde added to the congregacion dayly suche as shoulde be saued Than such as kept themselues in company with the disciples folowed on continually the apostles teachinges for thereby came moste profite and lykewyse continued still in receiuing a token of a couenaunte that shall neuer bee broken which they called communion That token of couenaunt which the lord taught and committed to vs of trust was doen in this maner The bread was broken and dealed to euery man a pece thereof they in their practising of this in a remembraunce of the lordes passion gaue thankes to god for his bountifull goodnes that had clensed them from sinne by the innocent bloud of his owne sonne alone had chosen them for the deathes sake which he suffered on his parte vndeserued to enherite life euerlasting They offered vp also their prayers with clenes of herte whose peticion was that the kingdome of Iesus mighte bee made to spreade euery daye further abrode than other that his glory might throughout all the worlde bee knowen that his wyll euery where might bee folowed that suche as had once professed the fayth of the gospell might through the holy woorde and grace celestiall profit euery day and procede better and better and so might liue in concorde one with an other eche one in peace with his brother forgeuing all iniuries if any faute were doen by mans frayltie being at one with god whiche is mercifull to them that bee mercyfull to theyr neyghboure and that they beeyng dayly strengthned by the goodnes of god myght stedfastly abyde all the assautes of Satan vntill they myght after long bickering with the sayde Sathan at laste receiue eternall rewarde These were than the sacrifices that christen men vsed This wonderfull miracle of tongues Peters exhortacion so liuely made the sodaine mutacion of so many men so great puritie an clennesse of lyfe of the same menne wrought suche an effect in all theyr myndes whiche were giltie and priuie to theyr owne offences that they were sore afrayed of some eiuell to come towarde them For they sawe playnely that this thing was not broughte about by mannes conspyracy but by some celestiall power And for because thapostles did not alonely speake in all mennes languages but wrought also at Hierusalem many wonderfull miracles at thinuocacion of Iesus name in healyng diseases in putting deiuils to flyght in reising the dead to lyfe This tremblyng feare that they were in encroched and grew stil more and more vpon theim This was some beginning in the people towardes theyr amendement But the celestiall spirite wrought in theyr hertes whome secretly he inspired aboue all other thinges in mutuall good wyll and concorde For this truely is the very cognisaunce that Iesus woulde haue his disciples knowen by And as many as beleued the gospell assembled vnto a place ordinately together for theyr consolacion exhorting one an other in mutuall communycacions They were than many in numbre and men of al sortes were admitted without accepcion of persons young olde menne women free bonde poore and ryche The loue of Christe beeyng planted in theyr hertes dyd in so greate conformitie of myndes and mutuall concorde knyt and ioyne together them all beyng otherwise so ferre odde eche to other that all thinges were common emōgest them whiche is a thing seldome sene yea emong brethren that came all out of one belly And to thintent that eche of them might the better departe somewhat of that he had to an other suche as had manoures of theyr owne or other possessions solde them and of the money or prise thereof made a common dole as euery mannes nede required so that neyther they wanted whiche had noughte of theyr owne nor they had more than was sufficient whiche before had muche in possession And so made they theyr dole not as it were of theyr owne proper goodes but as of thinges in common For perfite charytie chalengeth no goodes as her owne and emong them whiche bee all of one mynde no man is accoumpted a lorde of his owne goodes and where eche man is content with litel thereit wyll bee harde to find lacke of thinges necessary But the distribucion of the common was made to euery man accordinge to his necessitie and not to his sensualitie The apostles prescribed none of all these thynges for them to doe but charitie did more among them without compulsion than any lawe of Moyses durst require And euery day were they also in the temple in muche vnitie of minde stedfast in prayer rendryng thankes to god and exhortinge theimselues together and entising other to that peace of conscience whiche the gospel requireth all that euer they were hable to coumpace Moreouer whan they had thus spent the whole daye in suche godly excercises they brake in euery house theyr breade and eate their meate together with ioy that herte cannot thinke and eche one with other in perfecte clenlynes of herte gaue prayse to god through whose goodnes they had gotten them so muche loue and fauour They were in fauour and good estimacion with all the people For who is he that woulde not loue suche persons that hurt no man and be ready to do euery man good in whom also appered manyfestly so muche godly power so great sobrenesse and mekenes withall Here mayest thou well marke Theophilus howe the churche had at her beginning by reason of ioy in mens hertes and vnitie with all luckie tokens well to prosper There muste nedes bee conformitee of myndes and vnitie where that spirite is whiche is the pacifier of all troubleous hertes there cannot be but ioy and gladnes where is a cleane conscience without any dystruste of the promises whiche are made in the gospell But as the bishopes Pharisees Scribes and chiefe auncientes or head men among the people wer euery where alwayes redy to slea Iesus so here at the luckye beegynnynges of this young churche no mencion is made of theim Noe persone was enforced to come to this feloweship no violente authoritie kept theym together in league Suche as thither came abode there still with other of theyr owne ientle courage and the lorde allured to theim whom he had appoincted to bee saued euery day more and more whyle the smale musterd-seede was by litell and litell springyng whiche shoulde afterwarde spreade his braunches abrode through al the worlde The .iii. Chapter ¶ Peter and Iohn
And it is not to bee doubted but God wyll perfourme all the rest also which he hath promised as faythfully Iesus Christ shal come agayne but by and by shall not he come agayne For the gospell and chereful tidinges from god must be preached ouer all the worlde before his cumming In the meane while liueth he in all glory sitteth and reigneth in high heauens aboue vntil that prescript time wherof the Prophetes Iohel hath spoken and Malachie whan all thinges shall come by restitucion agayne and be made vp and all at a poynte perfectly finished whiche god hath spoken of by the mouth of all his holy Prophetes as many as hath been since the beginning of the world For of this one persone haue al they prophecied Moses truely sayed vnto the fathers Prophet shal the lorde your God rayse vp to you euen of your brethren lyke vnto me him shal ye heare in all thinges whatsoeuer he shall say vnto you For the time shall come that euery soule which wil not heare the same Prophete shal be destroies from emong the people All the Prophetes also from Samuel and thence foorth as many as haue spoken haue in likewise tolde of these dayes Moses is with you of autoritie most auncient for vnder his proteccyon as vnder your chiefe guide and capitain ye left Egipt ye traueled through wildernesse ye receiued the lawe but yet a promyse made he to you of this Iesus of Nazareth whome ye haue flayne speakyng after this manier to the fathers in hys booke of Deuteronomii a prophete shall the lorde your god reyse vp vnto you euen from emong your brethren lyke vnto me hym shall ye heare in all that he shall saye vnto you And it shall come to passe that what soule soeuer shall not heare that prophete shall be destroyed from emong the people Now dooe ye acknowelage this prophecye of Moses recognise ye the true Moses knowledge ye that Iesus Christe was borne of Dauids linage of the trybe of Iuda in the Citie of Bethelem according to the prophetes sayinges By this your guide capitaine god calleth you out of bondage to that libertie whiche alway shall endure by this capitayn hath he disclosed a new law supernal and euangelicall and by this persone he offereth remission of all synnes and lyfe euerlastyng Moses woulde that all men shoulde heare hym eche man heareth that in him beleueth What person soeuer shal beleue in him shal be saued who that refuseth to beleue shal be banished out of the feloweship out of the name of the Israelites shall peryshe with out all recouery For without faith in Iesus Chryste no hope there is of saluacion If you geue faythe to Moses than muste ye hartely loue Iesus whome he hath so highly commended to you in his prophecy Neyther hath Moses alone thus prophecied of Iesus but all the Prophetes also from Samuels time vntill Iohn the baptist hath prophecied describing his natiuitie doctrine miracles punyshmentes infamie death on the crosse hys buryinge and resurreccion his goyng vp to heauen and the sending forth of the holy goste vpon all that beleueth whiche thinges euery one are euidentlye come to passe the spreading of the ghospell ouer all the worlde abrode and the gloryous cumming of the lorde agayne at the ende of the worlde Ye are the children of the Prophetes and of the couenaunt whiche God made vnto oure fathers saying to Abraham Euen in thy sede shall all the kinreds of the yerth be blessed First whan God had reised vp his sonne Iesus vnto you he sent him to blesse you that euery one of you should turne from his wickednesse But if that ye in very dede be the prophetes children wherof ye auaunte your selfes not without a cause haue ye than no distruste in their promyses yf ye be the children of the patriarches whiche wer the chiefe fathers of all your auncestry vnderstande ye and perceiue that to you pertayneth the couenaunt and promyse that god made to Abraham saying thorow thy sede shall all the nacions of the worlde be blessed This blessing perfourmed not he in Isaac for he is dead and to life is not he come againe but in Iesus of Nazareth whom Isaac in figure represented offrynge hymselfe vp in sacrifice willyngly like as Christe obeying his father was offred as a sacrifyce on the crosse This is that seede of Abraham wherby shall not onely all Israelites but all nacions also of the worlde if they beleue the gospell be delyuered of the curse whiche is due for sinne and obteyne therwithal this blessing that after they haue once receyued the holy ghoste they may bee called the children of the liuing God Wherfore the promise that god made vnto Abraham perteyneth vndoubtedly to all nacions of the worlde yet that not withstanding his pleasure was to haue you thus honourably preferred that his promise shoulde firste of all bee profered to you and that he woulde according to Moses prophecie rayse one vp of your nacion and sende to you no meane prophet but his owne onely sonne Iesus that shoulde disclose this blessyng whiche god promised to Abraham This is than that blessing that euery person obeying the woorde of the ghospell maye vtterly forsake all vice and naughty liuyng and frankely confesse Iesus to bee the author of mannes saluacion The .iiii. Chapter ¶ As they spake vnto the people the priestes and the rulers of the temple and the Saâ—duceis came vpon them takyng it greuously that they taught the people and preached in Iesus the resurreccion froÌ„ death And they laied handes on them put them in holde vntyll the next daye for it was nowe euentide howbeit many of them which hearde the woordes beleued and the noumbre of the men was about fyue thousande WHyle Peter that heauenly Oratour and Iohn his felow in office wyth hym were occupyed in these and suche other Oracions exhortyng the people to embrace the gospell without coloure of flattery towarde any manne enducyng them to the knowledge of the trueth by wytnesse of Prophetes sometymes makyng theym afrayed wyth dreadfulnes of the great Iudgement that was to come eftesones appeasyng them and pleasauntly intreatyng by meanes of an easy waye to come by pardon euen than ready at hande and for the certayntye that was in the promyse of their saluation sodaynly there came vpon theim the pryestes and rewlers of the temple accompanyed also with Sadduces who caused them to breake of in the myddes theyr holsome communication The pryestes and rulers felt themselues in this poynte agreued that men of the laitie vnlearned should beare rule in the temple and teach the people where none els ought to speake but doctours of the lawe Phariseis and Scribes and in that also they were offended that so honourably they spake of Iesus whom they for a gyltie person had put to deathe whose name to abolyshe was theyr earnest desyre and study But of all other thynges that set the Sadduces on fyre agaynst the
in came one the troubled more their myndes with heauy tydynges saying beholde the men that ye emprysoned yesterday nowe stand in the temple teachyng no smalle noumber of people Than the templerewlers bycause it perteyned peculiarlye to theyr office to see that nothynge shoulde be other wise doen in the temple then ought to be toke theyr waye according to the priestes commaundement vnto the temple with a company of seruing men for theyr garde agaynste all assaultes or violence of the people They founde them lyke as it was reported standyng in the temple and preachyng Iesus to a great sorte of people Albeit they laide no handes on them lyke as they had doen before For they sawe there present a great numbre of people were afrayed themselues lest they yf any commocion should haue rysen among the people should be stoned But neyther was that companye of suche a sorte that would make busines neither thapostles those persons that desyred ayde of any temporall powre They were in themselues very stedfaste and sobre in theyr doinges without any fearsenes at all They behelde thofficers which led them the day before to pryson And yet for al that they neyther feared themselues neyther fled away nor brake once of their preaching of the ghospel vntyll the offycer of the temple entreated them gently to goe vnto the counsell The Apostles obeyed lest they shoulde in any wise seme to despise the publike authoritie For theyr maister had not taught them that they shoulde whan they were called refuse to goe but that they should boldly speake nothyng at all afrayed In came these two fyshers to the counsell house presented they were before a company of hygh and great officers with no small trayne folowing them Than began Annas the high prieste with highe authoritie and no lesse statelines of mynde hys oracion in this maner did not we streightly commaund you at our last assembly by authority of the hygh powers that ye should nomore teache the people nor make mencion priuely nor appartly to any maÌ„ straungier or Iewe of this name Iesus whiche we wyll shal be abolyshed And nowe wyll ye see howe contemptuously agaynst the authoritie of the whole counsell â–ª ye haue not alonely kepte no sylence herein at all but the more vehemently haue ye also preached insomuche that ye haue fylled all Heirusalem wyth your doctryne and the rumoures of youre doynges are the meane whyle publyshed abrode yea to the cities that border about vs. Well ye goe about maliciously to bryng vs in hatred for the death of this man For openly ye do preache that we slewe him which thing cannot we deny Ye publyshe also that the selfesame persone was good and holy well with God approued and in his name ye worke miracles whiche is as it were to dishonour condemne vs before the multitude of crueltie that haue procured suche a mans death This was the hgyhe Byshoppes oracion whyche contayned no honest matters to defende it selfe only it made some afrayed with woordes of hyghe authoritie that the trueth in dede whiche ought to be for mans health publisshed to all men should be kepte in silence for the wicked mennes glory ¶ Peter and the other apostles aunswered and sayed we ought more to obey God then men The God of our fathers raysed vp Iesus whome ye slewe and hanged on tree him hath God lyfte vp with his ryght hand to be a ruler and salueour for to geue repentauÌ„ce to Israell and forgeuenes of synnes And we are recordes of these thynges whiche we saye and so is also the holy ghost whom God hath geuen to them that obey hym Whan they hearde this they claue a sundre and sought meanes to slay them Nowe let vs on the other parte heare a fisher the very Archebysshop of Christes ghospell howe boldly and soberly also maketh he an aunswere for all the apostles High and bountifull Bushop he sayeth and ye that are rewlers of great authoritie with other also the elders very wurshipfull men that sit here in counsell together we despyse not youre authoritie but we preferre the authoritie of God to mannes authoritie and so promysed we to do in that aunswere we made you whan ye forbode vs to speake any woorde at all of Iesus name And as I suppose there is not one in this assembly that thinketh it mete that we shoulde for mannes prohibicion take lyghte regarde to goddes commaundementes and whyles we feare youre wrathe renne into Goddes dyspleasure If your commaundementes stoode with the wyll of god we woulde with all our hertes satisfyâ— both you and hym Nowe sence youre prohibicions doe vtterly square wyth hys commaundementes and that we cannot satisfye both the one and â—ke the other we had lieffer obey God than manne And it is not our desyre to bryng any in hatred by preachyng of Iesus name but to procure saluation to euery manne And more it were for you expedient rather to submitte your authoritie to the will of God then to bryng vs hither refusyng vtterly to saye ought or els to doe contrary to goddes wil. The waye is open for eche manne to come by remyssion of his synnes yf he a mende his lyfe and louyngly doe embrace the trueth of the ghospel Euen thus shall ye fynde it as we haue shewed you heretofore the God of oure fathers whome ye and we and we with you doe wurshyppe hath reysed vp from death his sonne Iesus whome ye faste naylyng hym on a crosse haue sâ—ayne And veryly so was it decreed by the diuine counsell so it was heretofore spoken by the Prophetes that one shoulde dye to saue the worlde This selfe same persone euen lyke as he was but feble in bodye manne hath put to death but almyghtie God hath called him to lyfe agayne and of hys infinite power hath him exalted to suche renowne and glorye as to bee a guide for all menne and the chiefest worker of mannes saluacion but pryncipally for the children of Israell and that all maye redily come thorowe hym to remission of synne whiche bee contente to forsake theyr euell lyuyng and to professe his holy name And to these thynges that we rehearse to you beare we recorde that kepte in house wyth hym familiar companie before he died and after he was from death reuiued oftentymes heard hym sawe hym and handled hym vntill he ascended vp all vs beholdyng hym to heauen But if ye esteme our wytnes to be of small importaunce the holy ghoste beareth wytnes of the same whome he powreth vpon all that receyue his ghospell as ye see it in vs a ready You heare straunge languages you see woondrefull thynges wrought excedyng common reason There is nought here of our owne doynges it is Iesus holy spirite that putteth forth his power and vertue abrode by his ministers This oracion of Peters well besemyng for an apostle to make which ought eyther for dreade of punishment to feare them or els for the hope of saluacion
that was euen at hande to allure theym chafed theyr myndes and made them the more incensed against them insomuch that theyr hertes would haue braste for anger laying theyr heades together howe they myght slea them Than had the priestes for their parte of a long tyme customably vsed murther and to cutte lyke buchers shepe goates in the temple wherby they had gotten themselues nought els but a slayght to kyl men also the more easely In all this their communication not a worde was heard of diuyne scripture nothing godly spoken for mans erudicion no reason at all Onely this commaund we this is our wil pleasure eyther obey thesame or els shalte thou suffre death ¶ Then stode there vp one in the councell a Pharisey named Gamaliel a doctoure of lawe had in reputacion among al the people and commaunded the apostles to goe aside a litle space sayed vnto them ye men of Israell take hede to your selues what ye entende to do as touching these menne For before these daies rose vp one Theâ—das boasting himselfe to whome resorted a noumbre of men aboute fower hundred which was slayne and they al whiche beleued hym wer scattered abrode brought to nought And after this man was one Iudas of Galile in the dayes of the tribute and drewe awaye muche people after hym and he also perished and al euen as many as harkened to him were scattered abrode And now I say vnto you refraine your selues from these men and let them alone For yf this counsell or this worke be of men it wil cum to nought But yf it be of God ye cannot destroye it lest ye be haplye founde to stryue against God In that councell sat one Gamaliell a Pharisey at whose fete Paule the apostle learned the lawe a man in high estimacion with the whole people of Israel both for his excellente knowleage in the lawe for his singuler wysdome This Gamaliel whan he sawe them so bent to vnthriftie councell stood vp and desyred that the apostles might for a while departe out of the councel That doen this sayed he to them that were there sittyng ye my brethren of Israel procede not headlyng in your councell neyther determine any thinge vnaduisedly whiche afterwarde may turne remediles vnto your shame but take good hede what ordinaunce ye make or iudgemente ye geue of these persones Take counsayle of thinges past what shal be expediente for you to determyne for the tyme to cum I wyll reherse no auncient examples of old tyme. That as I shall reherse to you was done sence al ye may well remembre There was of late dayes one Theudas an enchauÌ„ter and a false deceauer who by boastyng hymselfe to the people and promysing of prodigiouse thinges drue to his factiouse opinion a great number of men nigh vnto the poinct of fower hundred But hys busie enterpryse because it proceaded of a maliciouse stomake had an vnthriftye ende For both he hymselfe suffered paynes of death and as many as had taken his parte were sum slaine sum taken prysoners Whan all wer thus scattered abrode the secte was brought to nought After hym was Iudas of Galile a countreyman to these persons that ye now consulte vpon the same tyme that the whole worlde was taxed by commaundement of Augustus Cesar. And this same Iudas for as muche as he taught thynges pleasaunt to the people that they bryng dedycate to god ought to pay no tribute to Emperours whiche were woorshyppers of false goddes drew to his faccion a greate parte of the comens And afterwarde both he the capitaine of this faccion was slaine as many as toke his parte were scattered abrode Wherfore this is myne aduise that more wisely shall ye do yf ye forbeare these persones and let theim goe seyng that no man hytherto is hurte by them For yf this that they haue enterprysed or that that they goe about to bryng to passe procede of mans witte it shall of it selfe cum to nought But yf god be the worker of this so woonderfull a matter it were both an vngodly poynte in you to mynde the destruccion of that thing which God is the principall doer of for what were that els but to resiste god and besydes that lacke of foresight to goe aboute that that ye cannot bring to passe For who shal be able to withstand the wil of god And to hym agreed the other and when they had called the apostles they bet them and commaunded that thei should nor speake in the name of Iesus and so let theÌ„ go And thei departed from the counsell reioysing that they were counted worthie to suffâ—e rebuke for his name And dayly in the temple and in euery house they ceased not to teache and preache Iesus Christ. This his councell was so estemed with the whole assemblye that the sentence of death which they would haue pronounced on them was differred vntill an other tyme. And as for this tyme they agreed to Gamalyels councell not that they would vtterly holde their handes of thapostles but that after they wer al twelue called together and beaten they should be charged agayne vpon a strayte commaundemente not to speake from that daye forwardes so muche as one woorde of the name of Iesus And so were they contented vpon this punishement to dimitte them thinkyng that though they had made lyght at their thundryng woordes and threatninges yet would thei be better aduised what they did or said beyng once punyshed for a warning esteminge thapostles whiche wer to loke vpon abiect persons and of the base coÌ„minaltie to be like in condicion to the rude and barbarouse people that are amended with strokes But the liuely spirite in a preacher of the woorde of god is wont after suche iniurious afficcions to gather his strength together Thapostles because they wer well assured that the woordes the Iesus spake wer trewe that they should be called before iudges and that they shoulde be scourged in their Synagoges and congregacions for no euil dede but for professing his holsum name departed from the councell lufty in courage and ioyous takyng their reprocheful beatinges whiche to other wer thought intollerable to their prayse and glory for as muche that god would recognyse them his apostles worthy such honour that they might for his owne sonnes sake spitefully be entreated They had in remembraunce what Iesus had saied to them before reioyce ye be glad for great is your reward in heauen So litle this punishment and menacing auayled the princes to holde them abacke froÌ„ preachyng Iesus name that thapostles toke therof the more courage to preache continuallye what thei had heard of their maister Iesus both openly in the temple and in euery mannes house priuily and to bryng to eche man gladsum tydynges that this was very Messias by whome all shoulde be saued The .vi. Chapiter In those daies whan the numbre of the disciples grewe there arose a grudge among the Grekes against the Hebrues
saluacion of the worlde For the Lorde beynge moste desirous of mans saluacion coueted that yf it mighte be possible his doctrine should worke saluacion in al men but yet so muche was not to be geuen to the frowardnes of certaine that the doctrine of the gospel was to be withdrawen and kept from the good simple people Now whan half the feast was done ▪ Iesus went vp into the temple and taught And the Iewes meruailed saying how knoweth he the scriptures seing that he neuer learned Iesus aunswered and saied My doctrine is not mine but his that sente me If any man wil be obedient to his will he shall knowe of my doctrine whether it be of god or whether I speake of my self He that speaketh of himselfe seketh his owne prayse but he that seketh his prayse that sent him the same is true and no vnrighteousnes is in hym Therfore when as the highe an solemne feast was halfe doen Iesus went openly in the syght of all men into the temple and there taught the people not pharisaicall ordinaunces or ceremonies of the lawe whiche should anon after cease but the philosophy and wisdom of the ghospell But when the Iewes could picke no quarell against his doctrine yet they deuise and studie to brynge him out of credence to diminishe his autoritie amōge the people meruailinge how that he being not learned and vnlettred for in dede he was neuer brought vp in pharisaicall doctrine in the reading and profession whereof they swelled for pride should cū by those sayinges whiche he alledged and brought out of holy scripture with great wisdom to muche purpose in maner appeaching him as one that had a deuill to teache hym or that he had cū by the knowledge of that learning whiche he learned of no man by sum other magical arte and deiuilishe witchecraft The Iewes therfore in consyderaciō hereof sayed how doeth this felowe a Carpēter himself a Carpenters sonne read vnderstād sciences when as he neuer learned thē Uerely Iesus to shewe vs an exaūple of sobrietie and gentle behauiour very courteously and with muche lenitie put awaye and confuted their so sinfull and wicked suspicion declaring plainlye that his doctrine came neyther of man nor deuill but euen of God whom they also did wurship whose glorye and honor they ought of duetie to fauour yf thei woulde be taken for true godly men and as for himself he told them plainly that he did neyther chalenge to himselfe the doctrine which they woondred at nor the honour and prayse which they did enuie but that altogether came of the father of heauen whose businesse he did He told them furthermore that forasmuche as they had taken vpon them the perfite knowledge of the lawe which God gaue vnto thē and did disdainfullie lothe other as vnlearned and very ideotes it were indifferentlye doen that in case they had the very true knowledge of scripture they shoulde embrace and acknowledge the doctrine whiche proceded from thesame from whom the law came vnlesse they would make men knowe that enuie hatred desyre of their owne glory loue of gain and lucre and suche lyke inordinate and carnall desyres whiche procedeth of a leude minde had blinded their iudgement For God is not sayeth he contrary to himselfe that now he would teache by his sonne a contrary thing to that he gaue in his lawe Therfore Iesus knowyng all their secretes made this answer to their secrete murmuring saying My doctrine which ye wōder of whome I shoulde haue it for so muche as I haue learned no letter of any man is not mine for in dede I do bring you no newe learning of mā that differeth from the will of God and the minde of the lawe whiche was geuen you of God but it is my fathers doctrine which hath sent me into the worlde that the worlde being seduced with the sundry and manifolde doctrines of men and blinded with wicked affeccions and naughty desyres might by me knowe my fathers will when it is knowen folowe it and so by folowyng of it obtein eternall lyfe For of trueth his will is this that they that beleue his sonnes sayinges by whom he teacheth you and speaketh vnto you shoulde get thereby euerlasting health And the cause why many do lesse minde and desyre that thing is enuie hatred ambition aduauntage and other euill desyres and carnall lustes But if any man would setting asyde all malice with a true meaning and a plain simple herte obey my fathers wil rather then his own lewde and vngraciouse affeccions he will soone recognyse my doctrine not to be of man or any newe and straunge inuencion of the deuill but to becum frō God nor that I do speake those thinges which I saye of mannes reason and witte but after my fathers minde whose ambassadour I am Men that be more studiouse of their owne glorye than of Goddes do preferre newe doctrine of their owne inuenciō before the doctrine of God to be made more of in the worlde themselues For they had rather be taken for authors of mans doctrine the whole glorye wherof shoulde altogether continually redound to themselfes then to bee publike preachers of Gods doctrine and had leauer teache those thinges which might get to themselfes prayse aduauntage then that which should bring glory and honour to God or saluacion to their neyghbour But he that seketh not his owne prayse but his from whom he is sent speaketh all thinges purely and vncorruptely neyther is his doctrine in daunger of any errour or fauty through the lustes of ambicion of auarice enuie or hatred Did not Moses geue you a lawe and yet none of you kepeth the lawe Why go ye about to kill me The people aunswered and saied Thou haste a deuil who goeth aboute to kill the ▪ Iesus aunswered and sayed vnto them I haue 〈◊〉 one woorke and ye all meruail Moses therfore gaue vnto you the circumcision not because it is of Moses but of the father And yet ye on the Sabboth day circumcise a men If a man on the Sabboth day receyue circumcision without breakyng of the lawe of Moses disdain ye at me because I haue made a man euery whit wholle on the Sabboth day Iudge not after the vttre apperaunce but iudge with a righteous iudgement I teache no other thing then that which God had taught you by his lawe if a man vnderstand the meaning of the lawe nor I do nothyng els but that the lawe prescribeth vnto me The auctoritie of Moses is an halowed thing and had in reuerence with you that despise me And did not he take you a lawe whiche he receiued at Gods hande Ye take vpon you the right vnderstanding and keping of the lawe whereas none of you doeth truely obserue the law after the wil of God who gaue you the lawe yea rather vnder a coulour and pretence of the lawe ye go about those thinges whiche he doeth moste deteste and punishe Ye laye