vnto him Lorde come and see And Iesus wept then sayed the Iewes behold how he loued hym And some of them sayde Coulde not he whiche opened the iyes of the blinde haue made also that this man shoulde not haue dyed So than Marie went furth and founde Iesus as yet vnentred within the walles of the towne but abode in that place where as Martha had late before met him For he tarried there for Marie whome he commaunded to be called to hym chosyng a place fitte to weorke the miracle in because the graue was not far from that place as the maner was than to make the dead mens sepulchres nye the hye wayes When Marie was come thither assone as euer she sawe Iesus as in dede she was very woefull she fell downe at his feete spake weping the same thing that hir syster had sayde Lord sayth she if thou haddest bene here in due time my brother had not bene dead and we had bene without this miserable weping and waylyng But Iesus seeing Marie altogether in heuinesse the Iewes lykewise that folowed her wepyng withall he dyd not reason and stande in disputacion with her as he dyd with her sister Martha with whome he talked aparte the people being remoued asyde neyther dooeth he promyse any thyng when as nowe was place and tyme to performe in dede that whiche he had promysed Martha but Iesus I say firste of al groned in the spirite and was troubled in himself euen to shew the truth of his manhoode ready anon after to bryng furth a sygne of hys diuine power and Godhead They were no fayned affeccions that he was of so lothsome a mynde and in himselfe so troubled but there was good skill why he tooke vnto hym those mocyons of mynde whiche came not of the infirmitie of nature but by the consente of reason neyther was it al one cause why other wept and why Iesus was troubled They bewayled the death of the body of a certayn worldely and naturall affeccyon Iesus rather mislyked and lothed mennes sinnes whereby so many soules shoulde peryshe he was dysquyeted throughe the inuincible dyffydence of the Iewes who wepte for theyr frendes bodelye death when as them selues as touchyng the soule were subiecte to eternall deathe and yet dyd they not wepe for themselues Iesus desyred that all men should reuiue from this deathe and had indignacion that hys doctryne miracles and deathe should be loste in many one Therefore after that by horriblenes of spirite and by trouble of mynde in countenaunce iyes and in the whole habite of his bodye he had genen a manifest profe of hys manhoode teachyng also by the waye that it behoueth not to yelde and bee subdued to suche affeccions or to be called away from thynges of vertue the turmoyle of his mind beeyng refrayned and stayed Iesus sayde where haue ye layed hym not that he was ignoraunt therof but to remoue all suspicion of disceyt from the myracle His kinsfolkes aunswereth Lorde come and see That aunswere proued that the graue was not far of And nowe as if at the sight of the graue his sorow had ben renued Iesus wept Groning and trouble went before a token of sorow that with force entred into hys mynde Teares are as it were the bloud of a minde already wounded and ouercome But these teares came not from a mind that was ouercome for they were not bestowed vpon Lazarus that was dead but they were for vs that we should beleue him to be very man and also learne how death of the soule is to bee pitied and lamented whiche yet men doe not in suche sorte abhorte and bewaile But the Iewes supposing that Iesus was in suche moode for nought elles but for the death of hys frende with whome he was acquaynted behold say they how enterely he loued Lazarus for whom being dead he wepeth in such sort and yet were they nothing of kinne And some there were that would haue layed to his charge and rebuke his teares wherwith he testifyed no meane or common loue towardes Lazarus sayng Dyd not thys felowe of late geue sight to the blinde beggar with whoÌ„ he had no acquaintaunce Why than made he not that his great frende should not die In case he had no wil to doe it why dooeth he nowe signifye with teares loue that cummeth out of season If he could not doe the thing that is more easie to be doeÌ„ how did that feat which is of more difficultie to be dooen The phisicion manye tymes saueth the sicke mans lyfe There was neuer maÌ„ before gaue sight to him that was borne blind ¶ Iesus therfore againe groned in himselfe â–ª and came to the graue It was a caue and a stone was layed on it Iesus sayed take ye away the stone Martha the sister of him that was dead said vnto him Lord by this time he â—â—inketh for he hath bene dead fower daies Iesus sayth vnto her Saied I not vnto thee that if thou didst beleue thou shouldest se the glory of God â–ª then they toke away the stone from the place where he that had bene dead was layed But Iesus nowe being nye to the graue to declare playnly how horrible is the state of a manne that hath alreadye lyen long in synne and with howe great repentaunce howe many teares are nedeful that throughe Gods mercy he may penitentely returne to the lyfe of innocencie dyd grone agayne and fared euill with hymselfe exemplyfying in hymselfe verely the thyng whiche ought to be exhibite in vs if we will eftsones repente vs of the euilles and returne from the same wherin we haue long tyme nusseled our selues Nowe than they were come to the graue It was verely a caue whose mouthe was closed with a stone layed vpon it And that made much to the beliefe of the miracle and to exclude the suspicyon of inchauntment and delusion and because the beliefe therof should be more certayne and sure if the thyng were dooen by the handes of hys frendes and not with Iesus owne handes or hys disciples for those frendes suspect no fraude or illusion Iesus than turned him to theÌ„ and sayed take awaye the stone The playne meanyng of Martha sister to the dead man did also set furth made a more certentie of the miracle For she now forgetting what Iesus had promised her did through the wepyng and heuinesse that she sawe Iesus in come agayne into her olde mynde and affeccyon and conceiued almost a certayn diffidence Uerely she feared lest the stone beeyng taken awaye the styncke of the deade bodye shoulde offende theyr noses that stode by not considering that he which in the general resurreccion should rayse all mens bodies already many hundreth yeres before turned into duste coulde rayse a dead bodye euen newlye putrifyed She I tell you thus thynking sayd Lord by this tyme he stinketh For he hath bene dead fower dayes Iesus therefore did with a litle rebuke styrre vp the vnconstaunt and wauering womans fayth saying
and true felicite Naye rather the more earnestly they laboured to cum vnto innocencie and felicitie as long as they trusted to mannes help strength the more they wer intangled with vice and filthy desyres Therfore yf the Iewes whom it behoued chiefly to accept and imbrace the thing that is offered vnto them beyng so often promysed and so longe loked for yf they alone neglect so greate godnes whiche is frely offered to all men and yf they had rather alone to lacke it than to haue it common with others they can impute their destruccion to nothyng but to theyr owne incredulitie and vnbelefe The sayinges and prophecies of the holy Prophetes prophecied these thynges chiefely for them They sawe Christe with their iyes workyng miracles they heard with theyr eares the doctrine of the gospell The kyngdome of heauen was preached first to them But trulye whosoeuer are wearye of theyr former lyfe as many as loue true innocencie and godly lyuyng whosoeuer desyreth true perfect and euerlastyng felicitie let them receyue this gospel this pleasaunte and mery tydinges with mery and cherefull hertes whether they be Grekes or Iewes or Romains or Scithians or Gallians or Britans Lyke as God is not only God of the Iewes but indifferently God ouer all and common to all lyke as there is one sunne whiche is common to the whole worlde so Iesus Christe the sonne of God came to saue all menne dyed for all arose agayne for all ascended into heauen for all and sente his holy spirite to all refusyng none neyther for diuersitie of stocke or of age or of kinde or of state or of lyfe Al the sinnes of the former life be drowned once by his death in holy baptisme And those sinnes be not imputed be they neuer so greuous for the cleansyng of whiche that blessed innocent once dyed so that the reste of the life be passed ouer after the rule of Christ that is to saye after the doctrine of the ghospell from the tyme of baptisme a man is iudged or taken to be a christian to the perfourmaunce of the whiche so high a profession he will graunt his fre succour and ayde and will graunte also plentifull rewarde to them that do perseuer vnto th ende He requireth of no man the burden of Moses lawe onelye he requyreth lyuely fayth the whiche maye redily beleue whatsoeuer is shewed and with a sure truste looke for that whiche is promysed The eternall veritie doethe not deceyue God the promiser disapointeth not Further mans lawe shall not nowe prescribe what is to be doen but Christian charitie shall playnly tell The booke of the generacion of Iesus Christe the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham Abraham begat Isaac Isaac begat Iacob Iacob begat Iudas and hys brethren And hytherto we haue trulye delyuered vnto you the ghospell by mouthe and haue made all men partetakers of those thynges whiche we haue seene with our iyes and hearde with our eares Nowe because there is daunger this thyng beyng spred abrode daylye more and more leste the tellyng of it passyng by many mennes mouthes maye varye or elles leste the tale tolde by mouthe be not so well beleued as whan it is written in a booke and furthermore to thintent that the thyng that is written maye the more easily cum vnto all men than the voyce of the mouthe we shall comprise in this booke the summe of the whole matter so muche as shall be sufficient to the obteynynge of saluacion as the natiuite the doctrine the miracles the deathe and the resurreccion And fyrste of all we shall recite the geneologie and peâ—igree of Iesus Christe takyng oure begynnyng not from the highe heade but from Dauid and Abraham eyther for because the memorye of these twoo is verye ryfe and common and verye acceptable among the Iewes for theyr glorye is chiefly of Ahraham as of the autour and beginner of theyr nacion and Dauid the kynge beeynge so muche praysed by the commendacion of God styeketh the more in theyr myndes because the memorie of hym is yet but freshe and newe or elles because Christe whiche was looked for so many yeares was promysed chyefly vnto these twoo and that in the bookes and oracles of the Hebrues to whome euen those that be directly agaynste Christe gaue great credyt For in the boke of Genesis God speakethe vnto Abraham promysyng that in tyme to come there shoulde sprynge one out of hys stocke through whose free benefit not onely the nacion of the Iewes but also all the people of the whole worlde beyng receyued into the ryght and title and loue of chyldren shoulde obteine wyth Christe the felowshyppe of the kyngdome of heauen not by circumcision whych was not as than setforth but by the faythe of the gospel For thus saythe God vnto Abraham In thy seed that is to saye in Iesus Christe all nacions shall be blessed Further Dauid in the misticall psalmes speaketh thus Of the fruite of thy wombe shall I set vpon thy seat And this shall we doe chiefly because of the Iewes leste they beyng a rebellious nacion and harde of beliefe knowyng by the authoritie of prophecies whiche they sufficiently beleue that Messias whiche shoulde come was promysed maye make cauillacions and saye that there is an other sauioure to be loked for and that this is not he whome the scriptures promysed For many of them because their mindes be blinded wyth desires of worldly thynges not takyng aryght the sayinges of the Prophetes suche was theyr carnall and grosse affeccion loked for some myghtye and glorious kynge who being valiaunt with armes or hostes weapon riches and suche other defences of this worlde shoulde promote hys people to ryches honour and emperie and shoulde subdue the whole worlde to the dominion of the Hebrues But Christ althoughe he be lorde ouer all came not into the worlde to the entent to enryche wyth worldlye gooddes one nacion of the whyche he was borne as touchyng hys body that he toke but to the intente to auaunce all the nacions of the whole worlde vnto true ryches that neuer shoulde decay and to make them blessed euerlastingly wyth heauenly ryches to ouercum the tyranny of deathe by sufferyng and diyng to subdue enemies by gentill deseruinges to kill the monsters of vice and the rebellious prouocacions of concupiscence by the sweard of the spirite and they beyng once ouercum that fighte agaynst the spirite of God to geue vs of his own righteousnesse innocencie Finally by spiritual weapons to winne vnto vs a spirituall kingdome But these Iewes cannot haue hereafter anything to saye whan they shall see all thynges to consent and agre vnto hym whome we knowe to be come and constauntly preache thesame whyche thynges the holy prophetes inspired with the heauenly spirite had prophecied with a full consent and agremente so long before in holye bookes that is to saye the stocke the familie the manner of byrthe the lyfe the doctrine the myracles the affliccions the rebukes the
peace and the buylder of the Lordes temple and he begate hym of Bethsabee whome he loued whome he coupled vnto hym in maryage after that Urias her former housbande was stayne by his fraude gyle and that was doen not wythout great sinne yf a man consydre nothyng besydes the outwarde parte of the historie but agayne not without significacion of thynges to cum yf a man serche the misterie Salomon begat Roboham Roboham begat Abia Abia begat Asa Asa begat Iosaphat Iosaphat begat Ioram Ioram begat Ozias Ozias begat Ioatham Ioatham begat Achas Achas begat Ezechias Ezechias begat Manasses Manasses begat Amon Amon begate Iozias Iozias begat Iechonias and his brethren about the tyme of the captiuitie of Babylon And after the captiuitie of Babylon Iechonias begat Salathiel Salathiel begate Zorobabel Zorobabel begat Abiud Abiud begat EliachiÌ„ Eliachim begat Azor Azor begat Sadoc Sadoc begat Achin Achin begat Eliud Eliud begat Eleazar Eleazar begat Matthan Matthan begat Iacob Iacob begat Ioseph the husbande of Marie of whome was borne that Iesus which is called Christ. Of Salomon was borne Roboham and of RobohaÌ„ Abias of Abias came Asa of Asa Iosaphat from whence came Ioram of him Ozias of Ozias was borne Ioatham of Ioatham Achas of Achas Ezechias and of him Manasses of Manasses was born Amon of Amon Iozias of Iozias Iechonias and the other brothers of Iechonias about the tyme whan king Nabugodonozor burned the temple of Hierusalem and caryed the king and the people of the Hebrues captiue into Babilon which wer figures signifiyng the tyranny of the deuill toward mankynde and against libertie restored thoroughe the benefit of Christ. In this nere and narowe poynt betwene seruâ—tude and libertie whan the people of God wer about to be restored to theyr religion and dwelling places Iechonias begat Salathiel Salathiel zorobabel zorobabel Abiud of Abiud came Eliachim of Eliachim Azor of Azor Sadoc of him Achim of Achim Eliud of Eliud Eleazar of Eleazar Matthan of MatthaÌ„ Iacob And this Iacob was the father of Ioseph vnto whome was maried Mary the mother of Iesus who was promised to be the sauiour of all men whome the Hebrues call Messias that is to saye Christ or anoynted because he onely beyng kyng ouer all and high priest with the sacrifice of his owne bodye hath pacified God the father beyng displeased and grieued with the sinnes of mankinde And the tiranny of death vtterly put awaye he hath opened the kingdome of heauen vnto all men The cleane was marryed to the clean the moste chaste to the chaste of thesame trybe and familie that is of Dauid accordyng to the order of Goddes lawe leste any man should thinke that this ordre and geneologie of kinred were of litle profit concernyng the declaracion of Christes stocke wherof he came as touching his humanitie All the generacions from Abraham to Dauid are xiiii generacions From Dauid vnto the captiuitie of Babilon are fouretene generacions From the captiuitie of Babilon vnto Christ are fowertene generacions And if any man list to herken the tyme that Daniel described many yeares past by certaine orders and degres of weekes he shall fynde the sayinges of the Prophetes very agreable to the thyng that is now cuÌ„ to passe The suÌ„me of the wholle geneologie resteth in three fowertenes For if ye counte froÌ„ Abraham the patriarche vnto Dauid the author of the storishing kingdoÌ„e ye shall fynde xiiii generacions Agayne yf ye counte from Dauid vnto the decaye of the kyngedome that is vnto the exile into Babilon ye shal finde .xiiii. generacions Agayne if ye counte from the time vnto Christe the beginner the finisher of the newe euangelicall generacion newe kyngdome ye shall fynde fowertene generatioÌ„s Hitherto we haue shewed you truly the geneologie of Christ to the intent it may appeare to al men that this is he whoÌ„ the true sayiÌ„ges of the ProphetesiÌ„ tymes paste promissed to the world And so many argumeÌ„tes agre in one that it cannot seme to be done by chaunce and that withall it maye be euident that he was verye man whiche came as touchyng the fleshe of suche auncestoures as wer notablie knowen The byrth of Christ is on this wise For whan his mother Mary was espoused vnto Ioseph before they came together she was found with child by the holy ghost But althoughe he were man borne of man whiche came to redeme mankynde by his death yet he was not borne after the common and vulgare sorte of them that be borne For it was seemely that he whiche came from heauen whiche called vnto heauen whiche taughte a promysed nothing but heauenlye thynges finallye whiche after so many Prophetes and doctours was made ambassadour to thintent that once and for altogether he should make al thynges newe and cum forth into the worlde with a very bodye in dede but yet after a newe maner and that the true natiuitie of man should bee declared in suche â—orte that it shoulde not be thought vnsemely for God and Esaie prophecied this thing to cum to passe that because men dyd in maner slepe at these common myracles of nature by reason of custome God shoulde shewe a newe myracle and that in the yearthe to the intente it should be more euident to all mennes sight and vnderstanding He is borne verye man and mortall and yet the same very God and immortall He is borne a man of man and yet of a virgin He is borne of the stocke of AdaÌ„ whiche was the first of maÌ„kynde and yet without the spot of sinne He is borne in matrimonye but so that the woorke of his concepcion was not of man but of the holy gost who by a woÌ„derfull meane fourmed and fashyoned the straunge and maruailous fruite of the substaunce of the vndefiled virgin as in an heauenly temple consecrated to God And he ordered this matter wyth suche a maruailous wysedome that he couered and hyd it from the wicked as a thyng incredible and persuaded it vnto godly myndes with moste certain sure argumentes the whiche no eloqueÌ„ce of man was vtterly able to proue and perswade Wherefore whan the holy virgin eternally appoynted to this great misterie to be the mother of Iesus by the aduise of her parentes whose heartes were ordered and directed by the power of God beyng spoused to an honest man of her tribe named Ioseph kepte company with him in house she was founde greate with chylde before they came and coupled together as manne and wyfe eyther because true honestie is not hastie to the luste of pleasure or because God dyd so ordre thys matter For the maidens wombe waxyng daylye greater and greater declared it vnto Ioseph to be so beyng her housbande whiche both loued her well and was not insencible in suche thynges And the fledde not from the sighte of her housbande as though she had in her conscience yelded her self culpable neyther disclosed she the secret whiche she had learned of the Angel eyether because she
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
Phariseis and the Herodians whiche dissented in doctrine among themselfes but in hatyng of Iesus agreed all in on Oh folysh wysdome of this worlde They that haue been so oftymes put to the worse dooe ofte tymes cumme again and assayle hym to th entent it may appeare that they are at all sayes vanquished and in conclusion depart their waye as vnequal matches to cope or encounter with Goddes wysdom For nowe was it tyme that Satan who of late assayled the Lorde but went away with losse of victorie should by his garde and mynisters bring forth all his artyllary and engins against him Therfore they that are set vp to playe this parte goe vnto Iesus and propoune vnto him a capcious question because to seke some occasion of his wordes and answeres therevnto â–ª whereby they maye haue hym condemned before themperours deputie They begin with a very flatering proheme as thoughe he could be deceiued with faire wordes who so ofte times declareth howe there is nothyng that he knoweth not Maister say they we knowe right well that thou art a teller of trouthe and fearest no man but frankely speakest the truthe without regarde of persone Neyther art thou any whyt moued with the dignitie or hygh auctoritie of any manne as many other bâ— that flatter and coury fauoure with potentates and great menne but menne contemned thou trewly teachest what god hathe commaunded Therefore tell vs also we praie the Is it lawfull for vs to pay tribute vnto themperour or is it not lawfull The phariseis helde stifly that the Iewes beyng a people dedicated vnto god ought not to be tributories vnto Heathen Emperours and worshyppers of Idolles On the other syde the herodians defended themperous right This deceitfull proheme tended hereunto that yf he had geuen sentence for the pharyseis then should he haue been accused of the Herodians for an authour of rebellyon or insurreccion againste themperour Iesus vnto whom theyr craft and wylines was not vnknowen beyng not contented with them for that they came not to learne but to tempt him aunswered Why doe you tempte me bring me forthe a peny that I maye see it And byanby it was brought him Theyr seruice was not to seke in making of the traine whiche came purposely to take him in a trippe Then loked he on the peny and sayd whose is this Image and superscripcion They answered themperours What is this knewe not Iesus vnto whome nothyng is vnknowen the Image or title of themperoure and did the Phariseis and Herodians knowe it Yes verily he knew it well ynoughe and that before he loked thereon But he sought an occasion to make a conuenient answere vnto theyr deceitful question Here was an ensample geuen to declare howe they ought to knowe nothyng of princes affaires whose duetie it is for asmuche as they professe themselfes to be Christes vicars in earthe to preachâ— and teache heauenly matters Now heare an answer worthy to cum out of Christes mouthe Yelde ye saith he those thinges that pertaine to themperour to themperour and those thinges that belong to god vnto god He disaloweth not if suche as are dedicated vnto god giue vnto themperour be he neuer so vngodly and wicked a prince that whiche is due vnto hym for gouerning of the common weale or what he otherwise violently exacteth because that losse of money doth not make men vngodlye but he monisheth vs occasion seruing him of a thyng whiche is more to the purpose that is howe all ought to be yelden to god that is due vnto god A vile piece of coyne had grauen in it a title and ymage of themperoure If thou knowest this title and art content to geue vnto him his duetie howe muche more then oughtest thou to yelde vnto almighty god whose Image euery manne beareth what he ought of duetie to haue When thou receyuedst Baptysme Goddes image was printed and grauen in thy soule Why doest thou then geue it vnto the deuell Thou gloryest in the name and tytle of a Chrystian manne Why yeideste thou not vnto Christe that thou â—west hym by reason of thy profession All that were there present maruayled at this discrete and wyse aunswere Two sectes of the Iewes were nowe put to sylence with one saying ¶ There came also vnto hym the Saduceis whiche say that there is no resurreccion And they asked hym saying Mayster Moyses wrote vnto vs yf any mannes brother dye and leaue his wyfe behynde hym and leaue no chyldren that his brother shoulde take hys wyfe and rayse vp seed to his brother There were seuen brethren and the fyrst toke a wife and when he dyed left no seede behynde hym And the seconde toke her and dyed neyther lefte he any seede And the thirde in likewyse And seuen had her and lefte no seede behinde them Laste of 〈◊〉 the wife dyed also In the resurreccion therefore when they shall ryse againe whose wife shall she be of them for seuen had her to wife And Iesus answered and sayde vnto them Doe ye not therfore erre because ye vnderstande not the Scriptures neyther the power of God For when they shall ryse agayne from death they neither marrye nor are marryed but are as the aungels whiche are in heauen As touchyng the deade that they ryse agayne haue ye not rede in the booke of Moyses howe in the bushe God spake vnto hym saying I am the god of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob he is no god of the dead but the god of liuing Ye are therfore greatly deceyued Then came the secte of Saduceis who denied the resurreccion of bodyes auouchyng manne wholy to peryshe after deathe Neyther beleued they that there was any spirite or Aungell wherein they dissented in opinion froÌ„ the Phariseis These grosse felowes had also a capcious question wherwith to tempte goddes wisdome Iesus did then take vpon him the person of an vnlearned and ignoraunte person but that thyng whiche in hym was loweste was hygher and of more excellencye then that whiche in menne is hygheste They assayled hym on this wife Mayster Moises in the booke entitled deuteronomium hath lefte vs this lawe that yf any maried manne dye without issue his next brother in age should marry the wydow and of her beget chyldren to beare the dead mans name And yf he deceasse without chyldreÌ„ to then the next vnto hym should succede in his place or roume It chaunced that of seuen brethren the eldest maried a wyfe he dyed without issue Then came the nexte brother in age according to the prescripcion of the lawe and maried the widow and he beyng lykewyse departed without children the thyrde brother succeded and after hym all the other by course vnto the seuenthe and last manne Eche of them one after another marryed her and eche of them deceassed without issue At the length the woman also dyed herself Therefore when the tyme of resurreccion shall cumme and the seuen brethren and the woman shall
strength and force to this ende and purpose that by one waye or other he myght hindre and lette the redempcion of mankynde But no crafte is hable to take place or effecte againste the wysedome of God whiche in suche sorte tempered and ordred all her doynges that it dyd not onely subdue and conquier that same our moste subtile and craftie enemy but also defeacted hym of his purpose by his woordes leauyng hym in as muche doubte and vncertayntie as he was before By the infirmitie of the fleashe he mocked and disapoynted hym of his purpose through the stoutnesse and puissaunce of the spirite together with the sure fence of holy scripture he vanquished and subdued hym so that hauyng the foyle ouerthrowe to his great shame he was drieuen awaye and departed in as muche vncertayntie whether this were the sonne of God or no as he was before at his first cummyng Satan therfore layed agaynst Iesus that same effectuall darte and artillerie that he firste vsed agaynst the firste parentes of mankynde Adam and Eue and therewith ouerthrewe them albeit he onely enticed them with the lure of a faire apple that laughed vpon them but here in Iesus case houngre also beyng an euill that no manne can endure withall was a strong helper forwarde to the thyng that the temptour wente aboute Esau bieyng compelled with hounger solde the title and interest of his birtheright that he should haue had by eldership he solde it for a messe of pottage And the Lorde Iesus yf it had been his pleasure myght through his diuine power eyther haue kept awaye hounger from cummyng to hym or els haue drieuen it awaye whan it was come Neuerthelesse he woulde not so doe but it was his full pleasure and wyll to lay a baite for the temptour to vse wherwith thesame tēptour should bee taken his owne selfe The weakenesse of his bodie beeyng suche as other men had was laied in Satans waie as a secrete baite to vse for his purpose but the temptour stumbled hit on the hooke of the power of his godhead He sawe the body of a man witheryng and drying clene awaye with hounger to be in great affliccion and paine and none other lyke but shortely to be in the ieopardie and perill of death And men playnly affirme that there is no kynde of death more peinfull then to be famyshed to death He sawe hym in the wildernesse ferre from any towne or village from whence any meate myght bee gotten or ministred vnto hym for his susteinaunce Takyng therfore a boldenesse of these thynges the spirite of wickednesse assaileth the Lorde Iesus beyng replete with the spirite of holynesse he biddeth bace and begynneth firste with hym of whom he was to be subdued he biddeth hym come furth who was so strong and valiaunte for hym to matche withall he attempteth to take in the snare one ferre wyser and more warie than hymselfe What nedest thou sayeth Satan to bee thus tormented with houngre If thou bee that same sonne of God whiche was promised to bee sente to redeme the worlde commaunde that this stone turne into breade for thy behoufe and that wyll bee an euidente token where by for the to declare that thou art the sonne of God in dede For thy father vndoubtedly wyll not in this behalfe geue a deafe eare to his sonne beyng thus in distresse and ieoperdie of death through houngre And seeyng that he created all thynges of naught it should bee an acte of no great matter if the Sonne of God turne a stone into breade But Iesus beeyng not ignoraunte what the temptour herein hunted for so tempered his aunswere that he neyther consented to the temptours counsayle nor yet disclosed the nature of his godhead to his enemy who nowe by a newe and a straunge conueighaunce was through the infirmitie and weakenesse of Iesus bodye both to bee beguiled and also to bee conquered He denyeth not but the Sonne of God had power to turne stones into breade ne disalloweth to asswage the houngre of the body with meate whiche was ordeyned therfore but by the autoritie of the holy scripture of God he plainly sheweth that there is a lyfe of the soule muche more to bee regarded then the lyfe of the bodye and that there is a spirituall meate whiche is more requisite to be desired then the meate that for a shorte tyme prolongeth the bodily lyfe whiche lyfe neuerthelesse must of necessitie perishe within a shorte space afterwarde eyther by meanes of sickenesse or of age or of some other casualtie For the meate of the spirite geueth lyfe for euer to endure and this meate is the woorde of God This firste assaulte therfore of the deuyll Iesus auoyded with this aunswer It is wrytten sayeth he in the booke of deuteronomie Manne liueth not by breade onely but by euery woorde that procedeth out of the mouthe of God And for this purpose doeth the Lorde nowe take the woorde of the diuine scriptures for his staigh first to teache vs humilitie and sobrenesse that we ought not precisely to affirme any thyng without the autoritie of Scripture geuen vnto vs from God Secondly he declareth vnto vs that there is no weapon of more effectuall strength agaynste all the instinctes and mocions of wicked deuils then the autoritie of the holy Scriptures Out of the sayed Scriptures is the true meate of the soule to bee sought and gotten if a manne be of mynde and will to lyue to god warde to whom warde whoso liueth not thesame is already but a deadman yea although to the iye he appeare to bee alyue The first parentes Adam and Eue did eate they died for their labour That yf they had geuen the temptour that same aunswere whiche the Lorde Iesus here at this present tyme gaue him and had more regarded the Lordes commaundemente the due kepyng wherof geueth lyfe euerlastyng then the appetite and lust of that mortall apple they had not endaungered both themselues and all their succession after them to death and damnacion And thus much ferther doeth the exaumple of our salueour teache that miracles are not to bee shewed for the lust or pleasure of men but at suche tymes onely whan the glorye of Christe doeth call for it or els charitie and loue towardes our brother doeth necessarily require it For eyther to worke or to feigne sightes of woondres for a vainglorious boastyng as who shoulde saye this can I doe or to satisfie the curious lust and pleasure of the lookers on whereby neyther goddes glorye is aduaunced nor any profite groweth vnto our neyghbour is nothyng els but the propertie and condicion of witches and Iuglers as for ensaumple a brennyng fyer brande to bee diepped into the water and not quenched therwith or the fearefull lykenesse of Hector or Achilles to bee made appeare to the sight or the rushes and strawes to goe crallyng aboute the house seemyng to bee snakes Iesus at no tyme shewed any miracle but
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
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
many tymes offend hym with their doynges I neuer dissent from that whiche is my fathers pleasure As he spake these wordes manye beleued on hym Then sayed Iesus to those Iewes whiche beleued on him If ye continue in my worde then aâ—â— ye my very disciplesâ— and ye shall knowe the trueth and the trueth shal make you free They aunswered hym We be Abrahams seed and were neuer bounde to any man sayeste thou than ye shall be made freeâ— Iesus aunswered them Uerely verely I saye vnto you that whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruaunt of sinne And the seruaunt â—â—â—deth not in the house for euer but the sonne abideth euer If the sonne therfore shall make you free then are ye free in dede I know that ye are Abrahams sede but ye seke meanes to â—â—l me because my worde hath no place in you I speake that whiche I haue seen with my father and ye do that whiche ye haue seen with your father When as at that season none did fully vnderstaÌ„de these sayinges yet there was many among the people whiche thought them not vngodly And diuerse conceyuyng good hope of the thynges whiche Iesus promysed them beleued hym but yet not perfitly for they were still ignoraunte but as they wer then able to vnderstande the doctrine of the gospell There was in dede a certayne way prepared to fayth already although they wer not yet so far forwarde as they should be brought afterwarde The Lorde Iesus therfore doeth exhorte them to perseuer in the thynge wherin they were metely wel entred vntill they might atteyne the perfyte knowledge of him For faith of good men doeth eueÌ„ beleue those thynges whiche it vnderstaÌ„deth not The malice of the Phariseis waxed alwaye wurse and wurse He sayeth vnto them take you no exaumple at these which do wilfully perishe it is a good beginnyng for you some deale to beleue my sayinges from which if other mens infidelitie do not withdrawe you and if ye will firmely abide in that yeare entred vnto I which do professe heauenly trueth and no Pharisaicall doctrine will take you for my very owne proper disciples And you whiche hitherto haue embraced the shadowes of Moses lawe for truthes shall in processe of tyme knowe all trueth And the knowen trueth shall make you free But the Iewes not perceiuing that Christe mente of that libertie whiche the gospell teacheth whiche libertie doth not chaunge any worldly aduauncement as to deliuer the bodye from the intereste that the maister hath ouer it but setteth the mynde at libertie from sinne from leude and worldlye desyres from the tirannye of the deuil from feare of death from bondage of Pharisaicall ordinaunces from the yoke of carnall obseruyng of the lawe The Iewes I saye not vnderstandynge this makethe aunswere disdaynefully for they wer proude of the nobilitie of theyr carnal aunceters We say they by successioÌ„ come of Abraham the Patriarche and are naturally free men borne and not onely free but noble gentlemen also neither did we euer serue any man as boÌ„de men What libertie therfore doest thou promise vs as though we were bonde seruauntes nedefull of manumission This aunswere declared the Iewes to be grosse whiche put their affiaunce and glory in carnall thynges neglectynge spirituall thinges whiche commende vs to God They tooke purenes to consiste in wasshyng of the bodye of cuppes and of vessels though they had theyr soule polluted with sinfull vices They despised other in comparison of themselues because they were bodely circumcised wheÌ„ as they had an vncircumcised mynde They thought themselues holy because they caried about with them the lawe written in brode scrolles rounde aboute theyr heade when as they be holye to God whiche haue the lawe wrytten in theyr myndes and expresse the same not in scrolles but in theyr dedes So nowe they wer proude in herte because after the fleshe they came of Abraham as though it were a great matter to be borne of holyones when before God they be noble and famouse whiche of whosoeuer they be borne do expresse the condicions of holy men in their maners Therefore when Iesus had reproued them for two causes both because thei were ignoraunt in the trueth and also because they serued as bondemenne they dissembled the fyrste and stomaked the lesse weyghty matter for ignoraunce of the trueth is a fault of the mynde to be a seruaunte is no euyll thynge of the mynde but a lacke of worldlye fortune Nowe therefore oure Lorde Iesus teacheth plainlye what seruitude he ment You sayeth he disdayne that I promâ—â—e liberty because in your owne coÌ„ceyte ye be free that is to saye the naturall â—â—ee children of Abraham but there is an other kynde of seruitude muche more vyle and myserable from which no noblenes of aunceters be it neuer so greate can clayâ—ie fredome and make a man free Ye haue not a man to your lorde from whose bondage ye are to bee made fâ—e but hereof I do wellassure you whosoeuer sinneth maketh himself seruaunt to synne and looseth his fredome he is verily a naturall borne fremaÌ„ that is subiect to no dishonestie nor giltie of sinnefull vilanye This is the fredome whereof ye maye worthely reioyce before God But whosoeuer is addicte to sinne hath the deuill his lorde and is moued and drawen at his pleaâ—re and arbitremente although he maye dayme kâ—nne and can bryng his peâ—igrue to moste holy aunceters For an other mans holynes taketh not awaye the bondage of them that succede in bloude but euery man is taken and estemed after his owne dedes a seruaunt can not make his felowe seruaunt that is also sinfull as he is partaker of his fredome but he only maketh men free and sâ—tteth at libertie whiche onely is voyde of all sinne For albeit a seruaunte do for a tyme certain thinges in the house yet because he is a seruaunt and no heyre he hath no perpetuitie or enterest there for euer but is put out of the house when it pleaseth the maister but because the sonne is heyre and Lorde of the house he hath continuall right in the house nor he hymselfe onely is free in dede without all seruitude but he may also make other folke free If ye therfore desire this freedome there is no cause why ye should loke to haue it of Moses or from the Patriarkes or your priestes whose ministracion was for a while neyther was any of these vttrely voide of all sinne nor had autoritie to abolishe or put awaye sinnes ne yet did any of them knowe the trueth exactely and at full But if one cleaue fast to the sonne to whom is geuen the whole perpetual power of the house thesame of whatsoeuer stocke he be borne maye well hope to haue true fredome Therfore Abraham dyd not begette vs free Moses did it not the Priestes did not with their sacrifice make vs free If the sonne shall make you free from errour and sinne ye shall be truely and fully free You
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
I dooe teache But nowe these thynges haue I spoken according to youre capacitie as yet a mortall manne beeyng conuersaunte among mortall menne soone hereafter I wyll repayre to see you againe for certayne dayes space and beeyng immortall wyll kepe cumpany with menne mortall to the entente I maye coumforte teache and geue you my counsell Neyther is it vnawares to me that ye shal not fully vnderstande these thinges whiche I nowe speake and shall speake anone after my deathe because ye be yet styll carnall and rude notwithstandyng they are not spoken all in vayne for after that I shall take away this body from you an other comforter shall come to you yf ye aske hym of God in my name a comforter I saye not bodily as ye seme to to be but that holy spirite which doeth sanctify spirites and mindes whome my father shall sende you in my roume yf you require hym in my name Ye shall not after this neede my corporall presence whiche for a season was geuen in consideracion of mens grossenes to the entente that theâ— myght by degrees and orderlye go forwarde to more perfeite thynges for that spirite in asmuche as he is myne and my fathers shall putte you in remembraunce of all the thynges whiche I nowe speake vnto you that bee as yet ignoraunte and of small capacitie and besides that obliuious And he also shall make you vnderstande these thynges whiche ye hadde not vnderstande before neyther will he suffre you to forget anye thyng or to lacke knoweledge of anye thing that perteineth to saluacion Of menne obliuious he shall make you of good remembraunce of slowe witted easie to bee taughte of sleapishe sluâ—gardes vigilante and watchefull of sorowfull men cherefull of yearthly folâ—â— heauenly Onelye perseuer you in charitie hauing in remembraunce my commaundementes There is no cause why that ye should in the meane while feare the troublesumnesse of this worlde whiche ye shall see ryse agaynste me and in tyme to come againste you also let it suffise you that at my departure I shall leaue peace vnto you and geue you my peace No worldelye storme can destroye and vndoe hym that hath my peace The worlde also hath his kynde of peace whiche it bestoweth vpon them whome it loueth but this is a peace not to be trusted on My peace whiche I doe geue you doeth make frendeshyppe betwene God and you and who can hurte hym whiche hath God his protectour and gouernour The peace whiche â–ª I do leaue vnto you ioynyng you together among your selfes by mutuall concord shall make your felowship strong and inuincible agaynst all that the worlde or Satan prince of the world can dooe What meaneth it than that my goyng hence whiche shall bee veray commodious vnto you doth so muche feare you Let not your hertes therefore bee troubled nor strieken in feare ye haue heard me saye alreadye and that ye shoulde the more credite me I eftsones tell you that of trueth I goe hence for a tyme but I wyll anone returne againe vnto you And in the meane tyme I will bryng to effecte that I shall fynde you at my returne safe and in health This blusterous storme of cruell persecucion shall for this one tyme be executed vpon me onelye And soone after I am come againe to my father I wyll bee presente with you agayne throughe the spirite that is the comforter And by hym my father shall also bee with you and we shall neuer bee separate from you vntyll you be fully placed with vs in the kyngdome of heauen Ye are sorowfull because I goe my waye but if ye did rightly loue me forsooth ye woulde reioyce both for your owne sake and mine for I wyll not playe the runagate and gooe euerye where but I will returne agayne to my father to obteyne for you more excellent giftes at his hand for because my father is greatter then I am and from him it cumâ—eth what thyng soeuer I doe departe with you If ye stande in dread of any harme towardes me and are sorowefull for my cause it were more semyng ye should be ioyfull on my behalfe that am remoued and taken a waye from these euils of the world and goe to my fathers coumpany and yf ye be sory for your selfes my departure shall bring to you muche profite And nowe haue I shewed you before it come that when it is come to passe ye might beleue Hereafter will I not talke many woordes with you for the prince of this worlde â—ummeth and hath nothing in me But that the world may know that I loue the father â—nd as the father gaue me commaundemente euen â—o doe I â—â—se leate vs goe hence I knowe that I speake this to them that neyther greatlye take hede nor vnderstande thesame but I do therefore repete and often inculcate and bryng in thesame that after the dede shal effectuously verifie the thing that I haue spoken ye may than therewith beleue all the rest to be true which I haue tolde aforehande shoulde folowe after this I beyng a mortall man shall not speake many thynges with theÌ„ that he mortall for the time is at hande when I shal be taken away from you in body Uerye Satan the prynce of this worlde is presente by his minysters ready to set vpon me with his full myght force vtterlye to caste awaye and to extinguishe me But at his hande is no ieopardie for he hath no right nor autoritie ouer me and when he moste â—euâ—teth to haue the ouerhande and victorye than shall he bee vanquished and ouerthrowen he hath no ryghte but vpon theim whiche bee in synne and because the worlde is in bondage to synne he maye playe the tyraunte ouer them that make the worlde theyr God for in dede I am neyther forced to dye nor for any faulte do I dye but I suffre throughe my deathe to redeme those that bee ioyned to me by faythe as membres to the bodye from the tyrannye of sinne and deathe and my father hath commaunded me thus to doe whiche his commaundemente I dooe accordyng to his minde wherefore we haue nowe already sitte here long inough Because I doe my fathers commaundemente willingly it is tyme to goe mete death whiche is at hande Arise therefore and goe we hence Our Lorde Iesus seeyng his disciples many wayes dismayed partely with sorowe because that they sawe that theyr Lordes death was nye whom they loued somewhat worldly but yet moste vehementelye partelye for feare of harmes whiche they thoughte did hang ouer hym beeyng once abrode and he also seeyng them heauye of slepe whiche both the nyght prouoked and also sorowe of mynde augmented and theyr sittyng made theym of more sluggishe mynde he commaundeth theym to ryse that so at the least dulnesse beeyng auoided they myghte bee made more pregnaunte and quicke witted to those thynges whiche he shoulde saye vnto them and therewithall he monished theÌ„ a farre of and darkely that nowe is the
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
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
his haÌ„des vnto heaueÌ„ beseching his father that he would vouchesafe that this matter of sauing mankinde which he toke in hande might be happy and fortunate to all men that he would commend and set forth his sonne vnto the world with his fatherly auctoritie and lest Iohns auctoritie should be of smal estimacioÌ„ albeit this for the time was profitable for the grosse rude people And behold the father did manyfestly auctorise his soÌ„ne in the presence of suche a multitude of people The heauens opened and shewed furthe a certayne wonderful light Iohn also sawe the heauenly spirite in the visible lykenes of a doue to descende out of heauen and to sytte vpon his holy head from thence came the voyce of the father soundyng to all mennes eares saying this is my derely beloued sonne the delight of my mynde in whoÌ„ I haue a singuler pleasure heare hym the expouÌ„der of my mynde and the distributer of my goodnes towardes you And because at that time Iesus was vnknowen to the multitude which had a great opinion of Iohn lest the voyce whiche cuÌ„ming froÌ„ aboue poynted no man certaynely to theyr vnderstandyng should be thoughte to perteine vnto Iohn therefore there was added a visible signe of the heaueÌ„ly doue whiche sitting vpon Christes head showed nowe playnely vnto al meÌ„ as a man would poynte with his fynger to whome that voyce dyd perteine With the whiche signe also Iohn hymselfe was playnely and certaynly monished that he was the sonne of God And after he did openly testifye that this sygne and token was promysed him before of the father to the intente that in suche a multitude of people he might certeynlye knowe him that afterwarde should baptyse all men in the spirite and fyer And with these ceremonyes the Lorde Iesus was declared and consecrated oure mayster whose diuinitie and heauenly doctrine who so wyll followe he shall be truly blessed The .iiii. Chapter ¶ Then was Iesus led of the spirite into wyldernes to be tempted of the Deuyll And whan he had fasted forty dayes and forty nyghtes he was at the last an hungred And whaÌ„ the â—emptoure came to hym he sayd If thou he the sonne of God commaunde that these stones be made bread But he aunswered and sayde It is written MaÌ„ shal not lyue by bread onely but by euery worde that procedeth out of the mouth of God ANd yet these entries beginninges made he lepeth not furth byanby to preache although auctoritie wer giueÌ„ him from heauen but sodenly he withdraweth himself froÌ„ the sight of the people into wildernes because that departure froÌ„ the coÌ„pany of people both increaseth auctoritie and prouoketh a desyre Now the spirite that is the prouoker of the yll doeth specyally assaulte them which leauyng the desyres of the world do fall into meditacion of the pure and heauenly life Therfore Iesus secretly teachyng vs thesame goeth into wyldernes And this he doeth not by the mocion or instigacion of any maÌ„ but moued of his own spirite For he that is baptised hath now cast of carnall affeccions being made spiritual by regeneracion is led and moued by the couÌ„sell of the holy ghost he remembreth not Bethleem he retourneth not to Nazareth he goeth not again to his mother or to his foster father but by the vehemeÌ„cy and rauishing of the spirite he goeth into deserte folowyng the exauÌ„ple of the olde prophetes Solytarines doeth quicken make lusty the mynde of a Christian souldier some tyme it is more sure for a man to commit himself to the wylde beastes than to men Baptisme taketh awaye all synnes of the former lyfe but for all that no man is sure from the assaultes of Sathan whiche lyueth sluggyshly But yet the naughty desyres endeuour to spryng agayne chiefely in them that be rude and young and lately entered and cummen to Christ. And that frowarde Satan enuying as muche mannes saluacion as Christe is desyrouse of the same styrreth and prouoketh him with merueylouse engins and sleyghtes to fall awaye and departe insomuche that he possesseth and vseth him that is relapsed with more tyranny then he dyd possesse and vse hym whan he had him before Agaynste these perilles and daungers Christe sheweth chiefelye three remedies often and harty prayers forsakyng of company auoyding of excesse and kepyng abstinence not without diligent meditacion of holye scriptures for otherwyse there maye be daunger in ydle solytarines And because the deuill goeth about to deceyue them chiefly whiche do endeuour to attaine vnto this streyght and Angelicall lyfe Christe hymselfe lyke a good captayne encounteryng with him hath taught his champions by what meanes that maliciouse and crafty olde syre maye be ouercome howe lytle he can do against them that be sober and vigilant and with all their harte do leane to the godly scriptures And this also the Lorde Iesus in the meane tyme wente aboute that this misterie mighte by litle and litle appere vnto the worlde after suche sorte that Sathan whiche desyred for none other purpose to knowe certaynly whether he were the sonne of God whome he heard that the father did honour with this tytle and name but to lette the redempcion of mankynde might bee holden in suche doubte that he might not certeynlye knowe this to be Messias before he sawe his owne tyranny vtterly subuerted ouerthrowen Christ also putteth vs in remembraunce of this that no manne is mete to preache the gospell but he that hath tryed hymselfe and is fyrme and strong agaynst worldly desyres agaynst excesse and her companions that is bodily luste ambicion auarice and suche lyke diseases of the minde wherewith oure enemye beateth and shaketh the myndes of the symple and weake as it were with most violent engyns of warre Therefore whan Christ had fasted fortye dayes folowyng Hely and Moyses whiche thing was in suche wyse aboue mannes power that yet the Iewes beleued that it was doen of men at laste to shewe a manifeste token of mannes imbecillitie in himselfe he made no couÌ„sayle but shewed playne signes that he felte the tediousnes of hungre For after the common nature of mannes bodye the lacke of humour greued and payned the stomacke Whiche thyng whan the crafty temptoure perceyued â–ª thynkyng hym to be nothyng but a man althoughe in dede a notable and a wonderfull man he casteth his hooke bayted with the enticement of vayne glory for therwith chiefly they be taken whiche seme to endeuour to the hyest perfeccion If thou bee the sonne of God ê™ he what nedest thou to be greued and piened for hungre Commaund rather these stones to be turned into bread for thy behoufe Thou canste perfourme thy desyre with a becke Ye maie well know of olde that this is thesame lyer in wayte or teptour whiche did entice that firste Adam into the snares of death by the vayte or trayne of gluttony But Christ the latter Adam beyng in spirite heauenly so auoided with his wordes this craftie
your almesse and the almesse of the phariseis and betwene your prayers their prayers Now harken what difference ought to be betwene youre fastes and theyrs if ye will haue them acceptable to the father and profitable to your selues It is not the forbearing of the meate that commendeth fastyng vnto god but the pure and cleane affeccion of the minde feruently desiring to please god onely Wherefore as often as godlynes shal prouoke you to fast folow not certeine menne whiche be not fasters but counterfeyters of fasting setting foorthe the colour and cloke of fasting with a sower countenaunce not intending that in dede wherefore fasting shoulde be vsed that is to say eyther to pacyfie god or to chastice the body wherby the minde might be the more free and redy to apply and ensue holy thinges but by this coulour they hunt for vaine prayse of men for whose sake despising god they play this pagent For to this purpose they disfigure theyr faces with palenes and sowernes that by the behauiour of their body menne may see that they doe fast This is certayne There is no cause why they should looke after any rewarde of God for these good dedes For now they haue their rewarde attayning that which they hunted for with theyr fasting But so often as thou doest fast appeare rather not to faste and appeare to be mery annointing thy head and washing thy face leste men perceiue that thou doest fast And thinke not that fast to be vnprofitable whiche is hid from men It suffiseth to thee that thy father seeth it from whome nothing is hid And he that seeth in secrete in the stede of vaine praise of meÌ„ wil rewarde thee with the perfect rewarde Againe I say not this that it should be wicked that men shoulde know of thy fasting but that thy minde shoulde abhorre from the desire of vayne praise Than no man seeth thy fasting when thou doest fast not to thintent to be scene of any man Than onely god doth see thy fasting when thou dost fast with this entent that thou wouldest as gladly fast though no man should see thee when thou doest faste ¶ Lay not vp for your selues treasures vpon yearthe where the rust and mothe doeth corrupte and where theues breake through and steale But lay vp youre treasures in heauen where neither rust nor mothe doeth corrupte and where theues doe not breake through nor steale For where your treasure is there wil your hearte be also The common sorte of men not considering these thinges whiles they hunt for smal and visible rewardes of men be disapoincted of the inuisible and true rewarde which for wel doing God doeth geue aboundauntly In liâ—â— ease be they whiche with much thought and care doe gather together and heape vp riches and hide them in the ground for losing albeit this is euen to lose them in dede He that dealeth and bestoweth his riches rightly it is he that layeth them vp surely For that that thou hidest in the grounde is not profitable vnto thee but is in daungier of mothes rust theues so that thou hast nothing of them but a miserable carefulnes to get them to kepe them These thinges must be gotten neither carefully nor vnmeasurably And when they be gotten or come by chaunce they must be redily distributed if any haue nede or els so bestowed that necessitie of nature may be holpen and not ryot maynteyned nor any disease of the minde be serued and satisfied And yet all menne for the moste parte vnto this thing apply theyr whole studie and care as though pouertie made men miserable and ryches indued them with felicitie And whyles they folow after these false goodes which will shortely forsake theyr maisters they forake the eternall goodes whiche indue them with true felicitie and can not be taken away But ye of the other side hasting with all endeuour to the best and most perfect thynges whereby ye shall be riche in dede lay vp your treasures in heauen the keping of the whiche can not trouble you with cumberous carefulnes For neyther ruste nor mothe dooeth destroy suche maner of riches nor theues doeth not digge it vp nor steale it of whiche chaunces worldely goodes be in daunger If ye lay vp these goodes with your father he will kepe them safely for you and your minde shall not sticke grouelyng on the grounde beeyng oppressed with these filthy cares but it shall despise these vile and fading thinges and be rauished vp vnto heauenly thynges for where as a mannes treasour is which he loueth entierely there is his harte also Therfore they haue no high nor heauenly thought which hath gathered riches and hid theÌ„ in the ground They walke and wander hither and thither but their harte is in the hole where the money is hid And if the minde be corrupt either by the disease of vayne glory or auarice whatsoeuer is done must nedes be vicyouse The light of the body is the 〈◊〉 Wherefore if thine â—ye be single all thy body shal be ful of light But if thine iye be nâ—ught all thy body shal be full of darkenes Wherefore yf the light that is in thee be darkenes how great is the darkenes For first it is to be considered what is chiefely to be desired and whereby we may obteine that which we doe aske furthermore as the candel is in the house as the iye is in the body so is the minde in man If the light of the minde bee not faultie through the darkenes of false opinions and yll desires if the iye of the minde deeth looke none other way than to the true marke whatsoeuer is done throughout all the life is acceptable vnto God and euery thing helpeth towardes the heape of felicitie Like as if there be a great candel in the house there is no stumbling nor falling so if thine iye be cleare and whole it geueth sight to al the membres and no parte stumbleth or wandreth the iye being the captaine and guide Againe if the iye of the body be faultie no membre doeth his duetie well For there is no right iudgement whan that parte of oures is faultie by the which only we do iudge Therfore if that part of thee which is geuen thee for light be turned into darkenes how great shal the darkenes of the other partes be whiche haue no lighte of themselues If reason be blynded with desires and iudgeth that to be good which is miserable â–ª iudgeth that chieâ—â—â—â—â— bee desyred which is to be despised or not to be regarded into what darkenes shal men be drawen through ambicion filthy luste auarice folishenes angre enuy hatred and other perturbacions and troubles of the minde whiche of theyr owne nature be full of darkenes Therefore let youre iye bee cleane and sincere that it may beholde the beste and let it beholde and looke vpon the best thinges either onely or chiefely No manne can serue two maisters For either he shall hate the one and loue
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
came And whan they had song the hymne they went out vnto the mount Oliuete Than sayd Iesus to them All ye shall be offended because of me this nyght For it is written I wyll smite the shepeherde and the shepe of the flocke â—alâ—e scatered But after I am rysen againe I wil go before you into Galile Peter answered and saâ—ed vnto him Though al meÌ„ be offended because of the yet I wyl not be offended Iesus sayd vnto hym Uerely I saye vnto thee that in this nyght before the cocke crowe thou shalt deny me thryse Peter sayed vnto hym Yea though I should dye with the I wyll not deny the. Likewise also saied al the disciples And after that they hadde song an hymne in the prayse of god they arose and went into the mounte of Oliues whiche place he knewe to bee well knowen vnto the traytoure lest he should seme to desyre to be hyd as fearyng deathe but purposelye he withdrawed hymselfe into a solitarye place that he myghte bee taken without tumulte of the people which thyng they went about and loked after There he telleth his disciples agayne how it should cum to passe that byanby they should be sore troubled seing the punishemeÌ„t of their lord but lest they should be vtterly discouraged he doethe coumfort them with a prophecie and with the resurreccion that shoulde folowe furthwith poyntyng also the time and the place nere at hande where they should see hym agayne all ye ê™ he shall be troubled thys nyghte for my cause For so God the father prophecied by the mouth of hys Prophete zacharye I wyll strike the sheperde and the shepe of the flocke shal be scatered abrode But ye nede not to despayre Deathe shall trouble your myndes but byanby the resurreccion shal comforte you For I will rise agayne the thirde daye and after that I am rysen I wyll goe before you into Galile There I will offer my selfe to bee sene of you Iesus suffered al his disciples to be thus troubled to thintent he myght teache theÌ„ by the very dedes howe great the weakenes of mans nature was and how folish a thing it is for a man to trust to himselfe that hauing experience of themselues they myght learne to helpe other mennes weakenes Peter therefore not well knowyng hymselfe with a certayne manly and worldly boldnes denieth that it shall cumme to passe which Christe by the Prophecie sayed shoulde cumme to passe and whiche was a poyncte of more rashenesse he preferreth hymselfe before all other If all bee troubled ê™ he in thy cause yet I wyll not bee troubled To whome Iesus aunswered what sayeste thou Peter wylt thou alone not be troubled Nay this I tell the of a suerty before that the cocke crowe twyse this nyght thou shalt denye me thryse Yet Peter not knowleagyng hys weakenes for all thys aunswered stoutly yea yf I shoulde dye with the I wyl not denye the. And the other of the Apostles folowed the rashenes of Peter who would haue denied Christ also yf they had bene brought to a lyke streight as Peter was ¶ Then came Iesus with them vnto a village whiche is called Gethsemany and sayed vnto the disciples Sit ye here whyle I go and praye yonder and he toke with hym Peâ—er and the two sonnes of zebedee and began to were sorowfull and â—euy Than sayde Iesus vnto them My soule is heuy euen vnto the death â—arry ye â—ere watche with me And he wente a litâ—e farther and fâ—ll downe on hâ—s face and prayed saiyng â—y faâ—her yf it bee possible let thys cuppe passe from me Neuerthelesse not as I wyl â—ut as thou wilt Than Iesus knowyng that the tyme drewe nere that the laste storme shoulde cum he led aparte his eleuen disciples for Iudas was gone oute from supper into a village called Gethsemany Here he commaunded eight of them to tary whiche yet were loth to departe from theyr maister whom they loued hartelye but as yet with a worldly affeccion Tary ê™ he in this place whiles I goe into my accustomed place and praye there For he durst not make them priuye of his conflicte sith they were yet but weake lâ—ste they shoulde be discouraged and taketh with hym but only thre Peter and the two sonnes of zebedee that he myght haue them to be witnesses of hys extreme manly weakenesse whome he tooke with hym into the mounte to beholde hys maiestie and to teache with all that as often as any greater storme of suche troubles than mans strength can abyde is at hande that we vtterly distrustyng our selues commit vs wholy to the helpe of God And the feare of deathe whan it cummeth vpon a man is more bitter than deathe it selfe Therfore this horryblenes beganne than to cum vpon Iesus and he felte great sorow and heuines of mynde For he would not that hys chosen frendes should be ignoraunt of the griefe of his mind that they myght playnly see that he was very man troubled with affeccions bothe of body and mynde my soule ê™ he is heuy euen vnto deathe Taâ—ry here and watche with me For this time requireth not slepe but wakyng and earneste prayer Therfore Iesus goyng forwarde a litle from hys three disciples hangyng downe his heade bowed his face to the yearth and so prostrate prayed vnto his father saiyng My father if it be possible take away this cup of death from me for I feele the affeccion of the body much abhorring from death Notwithstanding let it be not as I wyl after the weakenes of the body but as thou wilt to the health and saluacion of mankynde And he came vnto hys disciples and founde them slepyng and sayed vnto Peter could ye not watche with me one houre Watche and praye that ye enter not into temptacion The spirite is ready but the fleshe is weake When he had thus prayed he returned vnto his disciples and found them slepyng and sayeth vnto Peter Thou that diddest crake a litle before that thou wouldest dye with me couldest thou not wake with me one houre I wake and praye for you Wake you with me and praye to the father that ye fall not into temptacion and be ouercum The victorye chaunceth not but vnto them that wake Therfore we must wake leste the fleshe ouercum the spirite and the spirite mâ—ste be susteyned with the helpe of God Againe he went the second tyme and prayed saiyng My father if this cup can not passe awaye from me but that I drinke it thy wyl bee done And he came and found them again slepyng For theyr iyes were heuy And he left them and went agayn â–ª and praied the third time saiyng the same woordes Than cummeth he to hys disciples and sayeth vnto them Slepe now take your rest Behold the houre is at hande the sonne of man is betrayed into the haÌ„des of sinners Arise let vs be going Behold he is at hand that doeth betray me So hys disciples beyng raysed Iesus went agayne and
together vnto Pilate saying Sir we remember that this deceyuer sayde while he was yet aliue â–ª after three dayes I will rise agayne commaunde therefore that the sepulchre bee made sure vntyl the thyrd daye leste his disciples come and steale him away and say vnto the people he is risen from the dead And the last errour shall bee wurse then the firste Pilate sayde vnto them Ye haue a watche goe your waye make it as sure as ye can And they wente and made the sepulchre sure with watche men and sealed the stone But the daye after the Parasceue whiche is the daye of preparacion agayne the heades of the priestes and the pharisâ—is come vnto Pilate confirming the trueth of the resurreccion whiles they goe about to lette it and they saye vnto the president Sir we remember that this deceiuer being yet alyue sayde that he woulde rise agayne after three dayes Therfore commaunde the sepulchre to be kepte vnto the thyrde day leste his disciples come and steale away hys body and perswade the people that he is risen agayne Which if it come to passe we shall preuayle nothyng but the latter erroure shal be wurse then the fyrste Pylate sayeth vnto them ye haue a watche goe and kepe as ye knowe But they whiles they goe about to stoppe hym that woulde ryse agayne they encrease the miracle and the faythe of the resurreccyon They sette kepers and made sure the sepulchre they sealed the stone also whiche dyd shut the mouth of the Sepulchre leste there mighte be any deceyte in the kepers also The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon ¶ The .xxviii. Chapter And vpon the euen of the Sabbothes whiche spryngeth in the first day of the Sabbothes Marie Magdalene and the other Marie came for to see the Sepulchre And beholde there was a greate earthequake For the Aungell of the Lorde came downe from heauen and came and rolled downe the stone from the doore and sat vpon it And hys countenaunce was like vnto the lightening and his garment white as snowe And for feare of him the kepers were astonied and were made as dead men ANd when the euen of the firste Sabbothe daye was come after the ende of the whiche was the mornyng of the daye folowyng whiche was the fyrste daye of the weeke next ensuing Marie Magdalene and the other Marie theyr swete spices prepared ouer night went agayne in the mornyng to the Sepulchre to see what was dooen and to enbaulme the bodye of Iesus And there was a great yearthquake And whan the women deuysed emong themselues howe they mighte remoue the stone from the doore of the graue for it was to greate to bee remoued by the strength of women beholde the aungel of the lorde came downe from heauen and remoued the stone from the doore of the graue and than sate vpon it And the countenaunce of the aungell was lyke vnto the lyghtening and hys garmentes shinyng as white as snowe The kepers of the Sepulchre loking vpon him were afrayde and so amased that they laye astonied like dead men And the aungell made aunswere vnto the women and sayde Feare ye not For I knowe that ye seke Iesus whiche was crucified he is not here for he is risen as he sayde Come see the place where the Lorde was layde And go quickely and tell his disciples that he is risen agayne from deathe And beholde he goeth before you into Galile there ye shall see hym Loe I haue tolde you But the aungell comforted the women saying These men worthyly be amased at the glory of the resurreccion whiche doe perseuer and continue styll in theyr vnbeliefe But feare not ye for I know that ye seeke Iesus who was crucifyed Nowe he hath left hys sepulchre and hath perfourmed that he promised to do This is the morning of the third day Therfore he is risen Come and see the place whiche beyng voyde of the bodye hath yet a sygne where the body laye It hath also the apparell of the bodye the lynnen wherein he was wrapped Lette these thynges make you beleue yf ye beleue not me But spedely departe hence and tel these thinges that ye haue sene to the other discyples being sadde for the deathe of the lorde that he is rysen agayne Whome if ye desire to see beholde he will goe before you into Galile like as before his death he promised There ye may see hym alyue for whome ye mourned when he was dead Loe I haue tolde you before And they departed quickely from the sepulchre with feare and great ioye and did runne to bring his disciples worde And as they went to tel his disciples beholde Iesus met them saying Al hayle And they came and helde his feete and wurshipped him Than Iesus sayd vnto them be not affrayde goe and tel my brethren that they goe into Galile and there they shall see me And whan they had looked in the voyde graue whiche they had founde shut spedely they returned partely fearefull for the greatnes of the miracle partely rauyshed with greate ioye for the desyre and hope to see theyr Lorde alyue agayne and they runne to communicate thys ioye to the dyscyples of Iesus And as they wente Iesus met them that they myghte tell the more certayne tidinges And to encourage them being fearefull he sayde All hayle They seyng and knowing the lorde went vnto him and embracing his feete wurshipped him Agayne Iesus to take from them all feare that they mighte the better perceiue the thynges that shoulde be spoken he sayeth feare not goe and tell my brethren the thinges that ye haue seene and bid them go forward into Galile there they shall see me ¶ Whan they were gone beholde some of the kepers came into the citie and tolde the chiefe of the priestes all thynges that had happened And they assembled together with the elders and tooke counsell and gaue muche money to the souldiers saying Saye ye that hys discyples came in the nyghte and stole hym awaye whan ye were aslepe And if thys come to the presidentes eares we wyll perswade him and saue you harmelesse But they tooke the money and did as they were taught and this saying is noysed amoÌ„g the Iewes vntil this day And when they were departed to thintent the trueth of the resurreccyon myght be confirmed also by the testymonie of the aduersaries certayne of the kepers leuing the Sepulchre went vnto Ierusalem and tolde the heades of the priestes what thinges had bene dooen howe the sepulchre beyng shut and sealed the body was not founde And howe the aungelâ— being of merueilouse beautie remoued the stone and of the earthequake and howe they were amased for feare And how they hearde the aungell talking with the women Whan the priestes hearde these thinges of the kepers they went to counsel agayne with the Seniours forasmuche as the thyng was to manyfeste to bee doubted they bye a lye of the kepers for money lyke as before they boughte the helpe of the traytour for
shorte they had nothyng els but a plaine and a symple faythe in Iesu whome they as yet knewe not perfectlye ¶ And kyng Herode heard of him for his name was spread abroâ—â— I he said Iohn Baptist is risen agayne from the dead and therfore myracles are wrought by hym other saide it is Helias some saied it is a prophet as one of the prophetes But when Herode heard of byâ—s he sayd it is Iohn whome I be headed he is tysen from deaâ—h â–ª agaynt For Herode hymselfe had sent furth mâ—nne of warre and layed handes vpon Iohn and bounde hym and caste hym into pryson for Herodias sake his brother Philippes wyfe because he had maried her For Iohn sayde vnto Herode It is not lawfult for the to haue thy brothers wyfe Herodias layed wayte for hym and would haue kylled hym but she could not For Herode feared Iohn knowyng that he was a iust man and an holy and gaue hym reuerence And when he hearde hym he dyd many thynges and hearde hym gladlye By these thynges Iesu waxed euery daye more famous then other so that his name was nowe knowen euen vnto kyng Herode For it is very late ere kynges knowe Iesu whome it behoueth firste and chiefly to knowe hym neyther are there any that know him worse and lesse for theyr soule healthe then they do After that Iesu had wrought so many and so euident miracles that no man could cauill and saye they were fayned thynges and the same myracles had done so many menne good that no manne coulde sclaunderouslye reporte and say they were done by the power and operacion of euill spirites And after diuerse menne had diuersly spoken theyr myndes and conceites what they thoughte of hym at the length Herode shewed also his opinion Iohn sayth he is rysen from death and therfore now hath he power to worke myracles Agayne other there were who taking coniecture of the prophecy of Malachy sayed howe Iesu was Helye whiche is promysed in scripture to cum againe before the great and terrible daye of the lorde There were other sum whiche denied hym to be Hely who was of greatest authoritie among the Iewes auouchyng him to be one of the meane sorte of prophetes reliued and rysen agayne When Herode had hearde all theyr opinions yet stacke he styll vnto his owne and sayd Yea this is the selfefame Iohn whose heade I caused to be striken of He is alyue agayne and beyng nowe made a faynete worketh suche thynges as passeth mannes power There was none of all those whiche beleued not that the bodies shall reliue And yet are there manye at this daye who beleue not that Christe rose agayne from death to lyfe And to th entent thou mayest here perceyue how vnright are the iudgementes of the wicked they beleued that Iohn who neuer hadde any name for workyng of miracles was aliue agayne and moste stifly denyed the resurreccion of Iesu whose godly power was so many wayes declared Consydre also the foÌ„dnesse of wicked kinges Herode affirmeth Iohn to be alyue agayne and coÌ„fesseth he hath now greater power then he had when he was firste alyue and yet for all that he in a manour maketh his vaunt howe he caused hym to deputte to death ready to slea hym afreshe yf it laye in his power Here it is expedient to heare what occasion Herode hadde to committe so haynous a dede For at the prouocacion of an vnchaste woman he commaunded Iohn to be taken and layed in yrons not for anye offence committed on his behalfe but to gratifie Herodias the daughter of kyng Areta the whiche Herodias notwithstanding she was maried before vnto Phylyppe one of the fower rulers of the countreyes of Iturea and Trachonitis the Kyng hee father by reason of a certayne debate that befell bewixt them toke awaye from his sonne in lawe Philippe by whom she had then a daughter and maried her to this Herode brother vnto the sayde Philippe but yet his enemie Iohn to th entent he might the better resemble Helye who verye frankely rebuked Achab and Iezabela could not abyde this vnchaste and filthye matrimonie but sayde vnto kyng Herode It is not lawfull for the to kepe still in house with the thy brothers wyfe synce he is not barrayne and is yet alyue Herodias who was then diuorced from her former husbande fearyng leste she should by Iohns procurement by lykewyse diuorced from this weÌ„t aboute to entrappe him and sought occasion to make him awaye but all that euer she went about came to none effecte For albeit Herode loued not Iohn hartely yet did he feare hym True vertue is of suche force that kynges and mightie princes feare it Herode knewe right well he was a iuste manne and an holy lyuer and therfore had hym in awe and reuerence and folowed his counsayle in manye thynges and gladlye hearde him speake These thynges letted the wicked womanne to destroye hym according as she purposed to do She entended mischiefe but occasion woulde not serue therunto whiche is the thing that onely lacketh vnto yuell folkes to do harme ¶ And when a conuenient daye was cumme that Herode on his byrthe daye made a supper to the lordes high capitaines and chiefe eâ—ates of Galile and when the daughter of the same Herodias came in daunced and pleased Herode and theÌ„ that sate at borde also the kyng sayde vnto the damsell Aske of me what thou wylte and I will geue it the and he sware vnto her Whatsoeuer thou shalte aske of me I wyll geue it the euen to the one halfâ— of my kyngdome And she went foorth and saide vnto her mother what shall I aske she sayed Iohn Baptistes heade And she came in streyghtwaye with haste vnto the kyng and asked saying I will that thou gyue me by and by in a charger the head of Iohn Baptiste and the kyng was sorye howbeit for his othe sake and for theyr sakes whiche sate at supper also he would not caste her of And immediatly the king sent the hangmaÌ„ and commaunded his head to be brought in and he went and beheaded him in the prison brought his heade in a charger and gaue it to the damsell and the damsell gaue it to her mother And when his disciples heard of it they came and toke vp his body and layed it in a graue Nowe was Herodes byrthe daye come a tyme verye propise and meete to worke this vngracious dede in It was besemyng that the natyue daye of a wicked kyng shoulde be polluted with the death of a man of moste holye lyuyng and godly conuersacion and that the mâ—ddes of the excessiue banketting and courtlye delicacies shoulde be distayned with the cruell murtheryng of an innocent and gyltlesse person Wherfore when that in the honoure of his byrth daye he made a souper of gorgious and excessiue furniture to the princes capitaines and great estates of Galile because there shoulde be the moo present to beare witnesse of his crueltie
and moued all menne to be repentaunt for theyr former lyfe And yet this notwithstanding they whiche boaste and crake vpon the perfite knowledge of the prophecy knewe him not And they whiche loued better theyr owne kyngdome then the kyngdome of God delte by him not as he deserued but as them lyked For he camme accordyng to the prophecies of Esaye and Malachy crying in wildernesse how the great and terrible daye of the Lorde was present howe the axe was alredy put to the rote of the tree and that euery manne shoulde spedely endeuour him selfe to auoyde the vengeaunce of God cumming But this Hely who openly without regarde of person rebuked euery mannes vices they despised and put to deathe Neyther wyll they more gently entreate Messias then they haue done his forecurroure Hereby Iesus declared howe Iohn was Hely not after the body but after the similitude of spirite who whyles he neyther spared kynges ne phariseis was caste into prison and beheaded As they dyd by the forewalker so wyll they doe by his Lorde The same thyng wyll they lykewyse doe by those Apostles that shall folowe hym For whosoeuer hath sincerely preached that goddes kyngdome should cumme thesame hath suffred many affliccions of the vngodly And whoso syncerely preacheth yâ— it is already come must nedes suffre the lyke With these wordes Iesus called backe his disciples froÌ„ the dreame of glorye to the remembrauÌ„ce of the storme that was to cum and hanged ouer theyr heades that is to saye from pleasaunt thynges to necessarye ¶ And when he came to â—is disciples he sawe much people about them and the Scrybes disputyng with them And sâ—â—ayghtwaye all the people when they beheld hym were amased and ranâ—e to him and saluted hym And he asked the Scryâ—es what dispute ye among them And one of the company aunswered and sayed Mayster I haue brought vnto the my sonne which hath a dumme spirite and whensoeuer he taketh hym he teareth hym and â—e someth and gnasheth with his teethe and pyneth awaye And I spake to thy disciples that they should caste hym out and they could not In the meane whyle that they had thus commoned together they were come into the sight of the people at what seasoÌ„ a great multitude were gathered about the disciples whome Iesus left beneath in the playne He sawe also the scribes reasonyng the mattier I wot not wherupon with his disciples Now when the people had espyed Iesus vnloked for on theyr behalfe forasmuch as he had preuely conueyed himselfe awaye with a fewe of his disciples they were astonyed and met him cummyng full and whole and saluted hym Iesus was not ignoraunt what the scribes disputed on but yet he asked what the mattier was where vpon they reasoned to th entent that euery body might knowe what was done And when both the disciples the scribes helde their peace for very shame the disciples for that they assayed to cast oute a diuell and coulde not bryng it to passe and the other because that in the presence of the disciples they depraued the name of Iesu as a thyng vertulesse and of no efficacie one of that multitude who ministred the occasion of the â—â—asoning shewed the whole matier euen as it was vnto Iesu. Mayster sayeth he I brought hither my sonne vnto thee who is vexed with a dumme spirite of whome he is pitifully tourmented For whensoeuer the spirite teketh hym he dasheth hym agaynste the grounde and then the childe fometh at the mouth gnasheth with his teeth and cryeth out and all this whyle he pyneth and consumeth awaye by reason he is thus vexed Because thou wast not here I desyred thy disciples that they would chase awaye this spirite and deliuer my sonne They assayed to doe it and coulde not ¶ He answereth him and sayeth O faythles naâ—ion howe longe shal I be with you howe long shal I suffer you Bryng him vnto me And they brought him vnto him And assone as the spirite sawe him be taâ—e him and fell downe on the grounde walowinge and fominge And he askethe his father howe longe it is ago sence this happened him And he sayeâ— of a childe and oftetymes it hath caste him into the fier into the water to destroye him But yf thou canst do any thing haue mercy vpon vs and helpe vs. Iesus sayed vnto him yf thou couldest beleue all thinges are possible to him that beleueth And strayght waye the father of the childe cryed with teares saying lorde I beleue helpe thou my vnbelefe When the lorde heard this to shewe that feblenes of fayth was the verye cause why the yonge man was not delyuered of the spirite he makynge as thoughe he had been wrothe and in a fume sayed O faythlesse nacion whiche yet canst not by so many miracles as I haue done be brought to belefe Howe longe shall I lyuynge here in earth striue with your vnfaythfull obstaclenesse howe long shall I beare with you when wyll you come forwarde in those thynges that be of the spirite when wyll you beleue those thynges that you see not syth you beleue not the thynges whiche you see with your corporall â—yes bryng hym hyther to me And they brought hym vnto hym That sinne cleaueth fast wherunto the synner hath from his chyldehood accustomed But after he was brought vnto Iesus he was wurse vexed then he was before by reason of the conflicte which arose betwene the spirite desirous to amende and sensualitie tollyng and alluryng hym agayne to his accustomed synfull lyuyng For anon as the fiende sawe Iesus he feelyng a contrarye power to his tooke the younge manne and soore vexed hym insomuche that beeyng dashed agaynste the grounde and rolled to and fro he fomed at the mouth This was a pitifull syght to all the people But it is a muche more pitifull syght when the sinner possessed with greuous suâ—â—es and of long continuaunce is lykewyse vexed in soule Howbeit there is no synne vncurable vnto Iesu. The Lorde because the other shoulde also knowe in howe euyll case he was asked his father howe long it was since his sonne fyrste beganne to bee thus vexed he answered againe of an infante And the spirite doth not onely sayeth he thus vexe hym as thou seest but also casteth hym oftetymes headlong into the fyre and many tymes into the water because to destroy hym Here thou hearest a very sore and cruel malady tourned into nature and therfore the father feared leste it had been vncurable For he sayed moreouer But yf â—ou bee able to doe any thyng haue mercye on vs and helpe vs. He dyd well to desyre the mercy of Iesu who could alleage no merites howbeit thou hearest a waueryng faythe when he sayeth But yf thou bee able to doe any thyng c. That faythe Iesus refourmeth saying doubte thou not what I am able to doe For yf thou couldest beleue there is nothyng but strong and stedfast fayth may obteyne it Assone as Iesu had sayed so the
made to whippe all those into the fyre of hell that be defilers of the holy temple ¶ And the scribes and hyé priestes heard it and sought howe to destroy him for they â—eared him because all the people meruayled at his docâ—eâ—â—e And when euen was cum Iesus went out of the citie And in the morning as they passed by they sawe the figge tree dryed vp by the rootes and Peter remembred sayd vnto him Maister beholde the figge tree whiche thou cursedst is withered awaye And Iesus answered and sayd vnto them Haue confidence in God And that it maye appeare what a great mischiefe the couetousnesse of priestes and phariseis is when the chief of the priestes and scribes who had the greatest porcioÌ„ of the gaynes saw these thinges they sought a meane how they might destroy Iesus Oh figge tree barayne and cursed in dede They boast and aduaunt themselues for the chiefe prelates of pâ—re religion and yet in the name of God be they sore displeased that the defilers of the temple are driuen out a dores There lacked not in them a wicked minde ready to commit haynous murdre but thei sought occasion how they might safely accomplishe theyr desyre They alone coulde not fynde in theyr hartes to loue that louely and amiable Iesus who hurt no body but did all men good They feared him onely because the people meruayled at his doctrine and conceiued an high opinion of him for the miracles they had seen him worke before Oh wrong shapen holinesse in them that were professours of holinesse After they had purposed to do so wicked a dede they were not afrayed leste God vnto whome nothing is vnknowen would be auenged and yet stode they in dreade of the people Why did they not at the leaste wise feare Iesus himselfe They had bothe seen and hearde tell of the greate numbre of miracles that he wrought which were an euident testimony that goddes power was presently with hym so oft as he would hymselfe He that iâ— able to chase away diuels and put them to flighte can muche easlyer put them in He that with the bare worde of his mouthe rayseth the dead and calleth them to life againe can with muche lesse difficultie take awaye the lyfe If they beleue he is so gracious and mercifull that though he be able yet wyll he hurt no body why then go they about to put suche a one to death If they beleue that he will also do what he is able to do why do they not euen for verye feare of punishment and vengeaunce refrayne from so wicked a purpose Doubtelesse this was that vncurable blinddenesse of them who thought in their owne conceytes none had iyes and could haue sene but they Now when the nighte eftsones approched Iesus who had bene all the daye in the temple fasting and without meate departed from Ierusalem So ofte forsaketh he the citie offended with the obstinate vnbelefe of the inhabitauntes so oft cummeth he thyther to find sum fruite if it would be in so goodly a shew of leaues But would to god this cursed figtre had bene nothing els but barain and not brought foorth deadly poyson Iesus the time of his death and passion being now at hand suffered no time to passe away fruitlesse He spent all the day in the temple and bestowed the nighte in praier and priuatelye animating and encouraging of his disciples Agayne whan early in the mourning they retourned from Bethany to Hierusalem and passed by the figge tree the disciples perceiued how it was withered euen from the very rootes to the highest top Peter called to remembraunce what Iesus had done the day before and knewe righte well howe he had cursed the tree and yet meruayling that it was sodainly withered in all partes from the very rootes sayd to the lord Maister Loe the figge tree that thou cursedst is now withered Peter meruayled here at not withstanding he had oft tymes before seen hym do farre greater thinges than this Surely he had forgotten this lesson howe there is nothing so harde that faith is not able to bring to passe Of fayth springeth all the fruite of the gospell And because the Sinagoge wanted this faith we see howe she is cleane withered The churche of the Gentiles blossometh brauncheth out with many crownes of Martirs with many precious stones of virgins with many ensamples of vertue On the other side what is further paste all grace and goodnesse more abiect vile and barayne then the Iewes are Where is the auctoritie of the law becum where is the merueilous shewe of religion or holynesse where is the temple where are the stately Scribes Phariseis Is not the figge tree all withered Therfore sayth he yf ye will blossome and bring foorth fruite put confidence not in your owne strength but in God ¶ Uerely I say vnto you that whosoeuer shall say vnto this mountaine remoue and cast thy selfe into the sea shall not doubte in his harte but shall beleue that those thynges which he sayeth shall cum to passe whatsoeuer he saieth he shall haue Therfore I say vnto you what thinges soeuer ye desyre when ye pray beleue that ye receyue them ye shall haue them And when ye stand and pray forgeue yf ye haue oughte againste anye mâ—â—ne that your father also whiche is in heauen maie forgeue you your trespaces I assure you of this one thing yf a man hauing a sure belefe in god commaunde this figge tree to wither whiche thing you meruayle at now it is done not onely that shall foorth with cum to passe but also yf he saye vnto this mountayne Auoyd out of thy place and cast thy selfe into the sea albeit it seme a thing very impossible yet yf he speake the worde nothyng doubting or mistrusting in his hart but haue conceyued a sure beliefe of mind that whatsoeuer he say shall in very dede cum to passe then vndoubtedlye whatsoeuer he commaundeth shall be done This beliefe towardes god shall cause that ye shall desyre nothing of him in vayne Therfore trust ye on my waâ—randise that whatsoeuer ye demaunde of the father not mistrusting but he will graunt you your request you shall obtain it so that your mindes be fre from desyre of reuengement and on condicion ye desyre but what shall be expedient for your soule health He that distrusteth obtaineth nothing For such a one beleueth that the father either cannot acomplish his desyre whereas in dede he his able to do all thinges with a becke or at the least wise will not let him haue what he lawfully asketh that man also obtaineth not his request and if he beleue his faith is a naughty shamlesse fayth whoso desireth the father to pardon the trespaces that he hath committed againste his maiestie whereas he will not againe for his parte release vnto his christian brother suche offences as his sayd brother had committed againste hym Wherfore when ye settle your selues to prayer forgeue with all
death He sought for comfort euery where found none at all But yet is it a certaine kynde of solace and comforte to complayne vnto our freÌ„des of our calamitie though they will not helpe vs. Therfore he commaunded also these three to tarry here and watche That done he went forth a litle and as one cleane destitute of all worldly comforte and vtterly forlorne and paste helpe as touchyng mans helpe fled vnto the father for socoure of whom yet he should not byanby be eased of his griefe Wherfore he fell down flatte on the grounde and lying grouelyng prayed the father that if it were possible the tyme of this battaile might passe awaye The nature of his body feared the tourment death that was nye hand Abba father sayd he Thou canste do all thinges take awaye this cup from me that I drinke not therof Neuertheles let that be doen that thy will hath decreed whiche wylleth nothing but what is moste expedient and best and not as the weakenesse of this body desyreth ¶ And he came and founde them sleping saith to Peter Symon â–ª slepest thou Couldest not thou watche one houre watche ye and praie lest ye enter into temptacion The spirite truly is ready But the fleshe is weake And agayne he went asyde and prayed and spake thesame wordes And he returned and found theÌ„ aslepe agayn For their â—yes were heauy Neyther wyst they what to answere him And he came the thyrde tyme sayde vnto them slepe hence forth take your ease it is enough The houre is cum beholde the sonne of man is betrayed into the handes of sinners ryse ye vp let vs go Loe he that betrayeth me is at hand And iâ—mediatly whyle he yet spake climeth Iudas which was one of the twelue and with him a greate numbre of people with swerdes and staues from the hye priestes scribes and elders And he that betrayed him had geuen theÌ„ a general token saying Whosoeuer I do kisse that same is he take him and leade hym away warely And as sone as he was cum he goeth streightway to hym and saieth vnto hym Maister maister and kyssed hym And they layed theyr handes on him and toke hym And one of them that stoode by drue out a swerde and smote a seruaunt of the hie priest and cut of his eare When he had thus prayed he returned vnto his three disciples whome he left behinde him and found them nowe sleping And then called he Peter who a litle before had made so stout a promyse saying SimoÌ„ slepest thou Couldest thou not watche as much as one houre with me This tyme admitteth no sluggishenesse For he slepeth not that goeth about to destroye vs. Watche and praye lest ye entre into temptacion because ye shall bee in ieopardy to bee ouercomen therwith if it cum vpon you when ye are nothyng prepared The perill is like commune vnto vs all I watche and praye for your health safetie doe you like wyse watche and praye as I do that you maye ouercome with me The spirite is ready and wyllyng but the fleshe is weake The spirite must be stayed and stablyshed with watchyng and prayer leste the fleshe haue the vpper hande When Iesus had thus spoken he went eftsones to the place froÌ„ wheÌ„ce he came made his prayers vnto the father with like tenour of wordes as he dyd before desyring hym that he might not drinke of the cup which was at hand and anon he returned to his disciples and founde them agayne slepyng They napped in the beholdyng of his maiestie insomuch that Peter wiste not what he sayde In like manour do they here slepe in the beholdyng of his infirmitie and weakenesse and knowe not well what answere to make hym rebukynge them Iesus returned the third tyme from prayer vnto his sayed disciples and the thirde time he founde them a slepe Bothe they and we had perished vnles Iesus had watched and prayed for vs al. Therfore after they were wakened he rebuked them because he would by them styrre vp and awaken all slewthfull persons Slepe ye sayde he from henceforth and take your reast You haue slepte ynoughe The thing selfe will now waken you whether you will or no. The very point and momente of the tyme is already cumme Lo the sonne of manne shall anon be betrayed and delyuered into theyr handes that are all set on mischiefe Ryse vp and let vs go mete them For now the lord Iesus had by prayer made himself strong in mynde against the storme of affliccions that was at hand Neither shewed he any time afterward any token of feare or werines but gaue vs an ensaÌ„ple of moste coÌ„staunt and stedfast pacience vnto the last houre He had no sooner spoken these wordes but Iudas Iscarioth one of the numbre of the twelue chosen disciples amonges them taken for the chiefe was cum and with hym a great bende of souldiers fensed with sweardes and staues against Iesus being without armour and weaponlesse Neither lacked there here authoritie The hie priestes scribes and head men of the people sent this power Here marke me good reader the notable conflicte of the euangelike and christian godlynesse againste fayned and counterfayte holynesse Thus is the truthe of the ghospell daylye assaulted thus doeth it alwayes ouercum and get the victorie There is none meter to betraye it then he who professing hymselfe to be a preacher teacher of thesame teacheth those thinges that are of the fleshe There is muche more ieopardie of false doctrine then of the swerdes and staues of souldiours that are notorious and open misdoers Yet dyd not Iudas well trust to his owne strength and policie when he should betraye the lorde He ioyned vnto hym a great bende of souldiers wel weaponed besydes them the authoritie of both the states that is to saye both of the spiritualitie and teÌ„poralitie And all these thynges dyd they in the night hauing awayted as well oportunitie of place as of tyme. There muste nedes be moste horrible darkenesse where Iesus is bound and taken This was the power of darkenesse Satan was suffered a whyle to seme to haue vanquished and ouercum Christ. What greater blindnesse could there be then to go about by mannes policie to betraye hym vnto whom nothyng is vnknowen then with swerdes and staues to assault him who with a becke can do what hym luste Iudas dyd not openly shewe hymselfe to be the captaine of this vngracious compaignie but gaue them firste a token saying whomsoeuer I kysse the same is Iesus Laye ye handes vpon hym and leade hym charely lest he scape froÌ„ you The priestes were well ware of this that the money should not be disbursed vnlesse Iesus were in their handes and custodie Then began Iudas to go a prety waye before the souldiers as though he had goen about sumwhat els but yet he went so before theÌ„ that he was euer in their sight And anon as he was cuÌ„ vnto
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
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
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
a syncere hearte and mynde and dooeth so heare my woordes that whan the case requirethe he will shewe furthe euident tokens of perfecte vertue out of the treasour of hys sayde hearte I will shewe you to whome he is lyke He is lyke to a prouydent and circumspect buylder that buildeth his house not for a vaine braggue or shewe onelye nor to serue hym for a shorte whyle and no longer but for a firmenesse and stedfastenesse to stande and endure without perishyng agaynste any bloustreous storme or tempeste to come And therefore he diggeth downe of a great depth and layeth a sounde and substauncial foundacion vpon a sure rocke Thys dooen he maketh the vpper buyldyng Than afterwarde whan any fluddes arise and beate agaynst it or any mightie tempest of windes light vpon it neyther with the swift rage of the flud extremely roushing vpon it nor yet with the forceable vyolence of the wyndes blousteryng agaynste it can suche an house bee ouerthrowen or appayred because it standeth sure vpon a strong foundacion And contrarywyse he that so cummeth to me that suche thinges as I teache in dede he heareth them but he suffereth not my preceptes and good lessons to sinke throughly downe euen to the bottom of his hearte is like to a builder that hath but a slender forcast who maketh his buildinges after such a sort as if there were no tempeste like at anytime after to arise And forasmuche as suche an one hath no care at all ne passeth not on a substauncial foundacion but goeth vp with his buildinges of a great height for a braggue and a shew onely as soone as eyther any renning ouer of the fluddes doth come or any blustryng storme of wyndes doeth aryse by and by downe cummeth all that euer he hath buylded and the more statelye or royallye that he hath made his building for a vayne shewe with so muche the greatter ruyne dooeth all the house fall downe And truelye whatsoeuer standeth on the foundacion of ceremonies pharisaicall constitucions obseruacions of thinges outwardly belonging to the body is an house or buildyng vndoubtedly to quaile and falle as often as there shall light vpon it wronges or displeasures losse or damage of goodes open shames or punyshementes of the worlde deathes or any sore storme of vnluckie fortune otherwise ¶ The seuenth Chapter Whan he had ended all his sayinges in the audience of the people he entred into Capernaum And a certaine centurions seruaunte whiche was dere vnto hym laye sicke and was in peril of death And whan he heard of Iesus he sent vnto him the elders of the Iewes beseching him that he woulde come and heale his seruaunt And whan they came to Iesus they besought him instauÌ„tly saying He is worthie that thou shouldest do this for him For he loueth our nacion And hath built vs a Synagogue And Iesus went with them And whan he was now not fer from the house the Centurion sente freÌ„des to hym saying vnto him lord trouble not thy selfe For I am not worthie that thou shouldest enter vnder my roufe Wherefore I thought not my selfe woorthie to come vnto thee But say thou the worde â–ª and my seruaunt shal be whole For I also am a man set vnder power and haue vnder me souldiers I saye vnto one goe and he goeth and to an other come and he commeth and to my seruaunt doe this and he doeth it Whan Iesus hearde this he merueiled at him and turned him about sayde to the people that folowed him I say vnto you I haue not found so greate feith no not in Israel And they that were sent turned backe home agayne and founde the seruaunt whole that had bene sicke AFter that the Lorde Iesus had spoken many woordes of the muche lyke sorte as is afore rehearsed by the whiche he trayned his discyples and the people to sette them in a trade towardes the excellent high perfeccion of euangelical philosophie he went again to the citie of Capernaum in whiche citie he vsed muche and often to bee conuâ—rsaunte And there eftsons befalleth many a soondrye occasyon to weorke and shewe miracles to the ende that the autoritie of hys doctryne myghte bee confirmed and ratified with the most highe excellencie of his actes and dedes There was in the same place a certain CeÌ„turion who had at home in his house a seruaunt whiche was in suche perill and daungier of his lyfe with the disease of the paulsey that he was euen nowe at deathes doore Thys matier did not a litle vexe the hearte of the Centurion who estemed his bondeseruaunte not by hys vile state of bondage but by the fidelitie and trustinesse that he founde in him and by the pure honestie of his behauiour and by thesame his exaumple did also reproue the inhumanitie of certayne maisters whiche doe commonlye esteme and vse theyr seruauntes in no better degree of regarde then they dooe their horses or their oxen But to the purpose whan this Centurion had gotteÌ„ knowleage that Iesus was gone into Capernaum he procured and made out certayn auncient head men of the Iewes to make instaunt request to the Lord in theyr owne names that he woulde vouchsalue to go vnto his house to make his seruaunt whole agayn It came of reuerence and shamefastnes not of mistruste that the Centurion first beeyng a Gentile and secoundly a man of armes whiche to bee was thought an vngodly thing maketh suite to the Lord by meane of others and not by himselfe But they whan they were come vnto Iesus suspecting and halfe deming it to be a thing like enough that so greate a benefit would not without much a doe bee obteyned firste for a bondeman secoundlye for an heathen and thirdely for a Centurion that is to saye a petâ—captayne for a Crue of souldyers they entreate hym with muche carefulnesse and earneste woordes saying Syr haue no respecte that he is a Gentile that he is a man of armes ne for that thys benefyte is asked for one that is but a bondeseruaunt vnder him in his Crue For he is soondry wayes a man worthie for whome to doe as good a pleasure as this cometh to For he is right louing and frendly to oure nacion and hath builded vs a Synagogue Than Iesus because he woulde shewe that no persone is vyle afore hym if the same bee commended and sette furthe to hym by feyth wente to thesame place that he was called vnto And whan he was nowe come somewhat nere to the house where the partie laye sycke in hys bedde the Centurion perceiuyng that the Lorde approched willed hys frendes to goe mete hym and thus to saye vnto himâ— Maister there is no cause why for thee to take all thys laboure of cumming hither Thy bounteous goodnesse doeth more now then I durste haue presumed to desire I knowe thy dygnitie well enoughe and I knowe myne owne selfe An heathen creature I am â–ª a Centurion I am and all this businesse that I make is about
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
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
a figurate representacion of a more secrete doctrine The Apostles had prouision of viaundrie but it is suche as belongeth to Iesus This viaundrie lyke as it is of lyght pryce and course geare for poore folkes eatyng so is it but litle in quantitie For the doctrine of Moses is manyfolde and the philosophiers learnyng is of soondrie manier sortes of matiers and ful of plenteous stuffe but the worde of the ghospell is playne homely geare and short and yet suche as maie suffise for the soules of all nacions to be refreashed in case it be deliuered and receyued as it ought to bee To men of the apostles profession is the worde committed wherewith soules are made fatte but thesame woorde doe they not sette afore the people to fede on except it be firste consecrated and broken of Christe For than and neuer els is it the true fruite of preachyng the ghospell if the teacher dooe not presumpteouslye vsurpe to hymselfe the gift of learnyng whiche he hath as a thyng commytted to his credite ne vndiscretely or misaduisedly shewe foorth the same as thoughe it were of his owne but yelde it vnto Christe to bee made holy of him Otherwyse all in vain shall the teachers labour bee when he preacheth onlesse Iesus shall firste haue blissed the woorde onlesse he shall haue broken it onlesse he shal with his own handes deliuer it to be distributed to the people For piththye and effectuall it is whatsoeuer procedeth out of hys holy handes he only it is that fedeth that refresheth that maketh full bishops are nothing els but ministers and distributoures of an other mannes liberalitie The people all the while sitteth down in coumpanies vpon the ground nothyng stickyng or doubtyng nothyng murmuryng or repinyng whereby is signified that in the faithfull congregacion of Christes churche there oughte to be sobre humilitie and plain faithfull truste of the heart in god without any doublenesse and that all discorde and sedicious vproare ought to be away CoÌ„sider me ferthermore this mysterie too The Lorde Iesus firste of all thynges taught and healed the people and than fedde them afterward The woorde of God also is the heauenly meate of the soule But sum porcion hereof is not denayed to the vngodly and to the newely entered or instructed in the faythe For it is the medicine of mennes soules and the refeccion of the weake For holsome doctrine worketh the like effect in the soules of sinners that Iesus with his worde and his touchyng did in diseases of the body But there is a mistical bread whiche is not geuen but to persones now already wel taught and also throughly healed Thesame forsouth is that heauenly breade of the lordes body which is not geueÌ„ to those that are not yet through baptisme receyued into the body of the churche and congregacion ne vnto suche whose mynde and soule is holden with some grieuous cryme as it wer with a mortall sickenesse And that same meate of the priuie hidden wysedome of God which Paule the Apostle dyd not shewe foorth but emong the perfect is not to be vttered vnto all persones at auenture ¶ And it fortuned as he was alone praying his disciples were with hym and he asked them saying Who saye the people that I am They aunswered and sayed Iohn Baptyste some saye Helias and some saye that one of the olde Prophetes is aâ—iâ—eu He sayed vnto them But who saye ye that I am Simon Peter aunswered and sayed thou art the Christe of god and he warned and commaunded them that they should tell no man that thyng saying the sonne of man must suffre many thynges and be reproued of the elders and of the high priestes and Scribes and bee slayne and ryse agayn the thyrde daye Now because the lorde had so tempered all his sayinges and dooynges that some whiles he would shewe forth tokeÌ„s of his godly power and another tyme he would manifestely shew the veritie of his humayn nature the opinioÌ„s of men concernyng hym dyd muche varie But because it was requisite that emong them by whom he had appoynted to renewe the world there should bee one vniforme profession perfectly agreyng in it selfe concernyng hym at a time whan he was in his prayer solitarie with his disciples he demaunded of them what opinion the people had of hym or whom they sayed that he was The disciples aunswere some suppose thee to bee Iohn the Baptiste reuiued agayn some saye that thou arte Helias of whom the Iewes thynke that he shall come agayne before that Messias shall come and some others beleue the to be some one man of the olde Prophetes called to lyfe agayn Than sayed Iesus As for the people they are inconstaunt and waueryng as they are woont to be But ye that knowe me nerer and familiarly who dooeye saye that I am There Petur beeyng more ardent and fyerie then the residue made aunswere in the name of them al we know thee to be Messias whom God hath enoynted with all heauenly gyftes of grace And this theyr right profession Iesus in dede alloweth well but yet he geueth them a great charge that they shoulde make no woordes to no creature what opinion they were of For he sayed the tyme of openyng that misterie in the open face of all the worlde was not yet come and that the sacrifice of his death muste firste bee executed and accomplished and that he was appoynted to come to the glorie of that name by many kyndes of despite and reproche For the sonne of man sayeth he muste abyde muche woe and must bee reproued of thelders and of the Scribes and of the chiefe of the priestes yea and at length bee slaine too and aryse agayne from death to lyfe the third daie Ye muste therfore beware leste the glorye euen of this name if it should now at this present be preached should not fynd feyth to be credited because of the affliccion and death of the bodye and so might be a let to my death ¶ And he sayed vnto them all If any man wyll come after me leat hym denye hymselfe and take vp his crosse dayly and folow me For whosoeuer wyll saue his lyfe shall loose it But whosoeuer dooeth lose his life for my sake the same shall saue it For what auauntageth it a man if he winne the whole worlde and lose himselfe or runne in damage of himselfe For whoso is ashamed of me and of my woordes of him shall the soonne of manne be ashamed when he cometh in his maiestie and in the maiestie of his father and of the holye Aungels I tell you of a trueth There be some standing here which shall not â—ast of death till they see the kyngdome of God Than where Petur at the mencionyng of deathe trembled and quaked for veraye feare and aduised Christe to some other better waies then so whan Iesus had putte hym to silence he begoonne to exorte his other disciples also to the folowyng of his deathe saiyng Thus
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
pleasure art worthyly tormented Thou turnedst thy face from the Lazare beeyng ful of sores biddedst away with hym out of thy syght whereas for thyne owne parte thou were all in thy swete sauoures and perfumes and now is he in mine armes smooth and clere skynned from top to toe Thou wouldeste not vouchsalue to leate hym come within thy house and I am content to haue hym sytte in my lappe Thou diddest neither with meate ne drinke refreash hym beeyng in extreme penury and nowe is he refreashed with eternall rest whiche knoweth no vexacion of houngre ne thirste And with what face dooest thou at his hande aske refreashemēt of cooling thy mouth seyng that he not veraye long sens could obteine no refreashyng at all of the In case thou haddest cladde him whan he was naked if thou haddest fedde hym whan he was houngrie if thou haddest geuen him drynke in his thirst if whan he laye without thy gates thou haddest gathered hym into thy house if thou haddest doen some cure on hym beeyng all full of sores he would nowe again obtein some coumforte for thee and some releace of thy tormentes and would receiue the again on his partie into his brotherhoode and coumpaignie Thou wreatched miser where is nowe thy fine silkes and thy purple where bee thy perfumes where be thy feastinges and bāquettynges where is thy pipyng and dauncyng where bee so many thy pleasures mixt with ambicion and vain glory Whyle thou wer aliue no kynde of wyne could please thee for beeyng cloyed with theim so great was the deliciousnesse of thy mouth neither wouldeste thou all the whyle so muche as geue a lyttell water to Lazarus beyng thirstie and nowe thou canst not obteine no not soe muche as a poore droppe of water to refreashe the scaldyng heate of thy tōge In stede of thy galaunte manours whiche thou haddeste than thou haste nowe the derke doungeon of hell for thy delicate pastimes euerlasting peine for thy testynges and songes continuall wepyng and owlyng And so much the more past remedye is your extreme distresse that an huige great gapyng hole dooeth kepe vs and you in soondre in sorte that if any would gooe from hens thither where ye are and helpe you thei cannot nor if any of you would assay to come vp from thens hither he cannot nowe that by the iudgemente of God which cannot be chaunged there is vnto al sortes their due place limited for theim to remayne in In the life season there was a tyme to refreashe the neighbour by dooing good turnes and pleasures one man to an other and to be relieued the one of the other agayn now is it ouer late here to wyl or desire that cannot possibly bee doen. In thy delicate pleasaunt pastimes thou wouldeste nedes bee alone with suche as thou wer thy selfe but Lazarus and such other as Lazarus was thou wouldest not suffre to come ons in thy coumpaignie And nowe art thou again serued of thesame sauce for thy labour Whā Abraham had this spoken the riche man beeyng put of from all hope that himselfe should obteine any reliefe is desirous at leastwise to prouide some good waies for certain brethren of his whiche he had yet aliue lest that if they ledyng their liues after the same facion should come into the same place the felyng of his peine and woe should by suche coumpaignie being ioyned vnto hym increace vnto hym whereas he was in myserie and extremitie enough al ready But he dooeth nowe in vain become an humble suiter whiche tofore vsed to putte of from hym the lazare man when thesame made muche crouchyng and knelyng vnto him for succour If the great derke doungeon saieth he bee a let that there can no helpe be ministred or dooen to my selfe yet thus much I praie thee that thou wilt send Lazarus to my fathers house For I haue fiue brethren aliue that he may geue warnyng and aduertisemente vnto theim leste that in case they folowe my steppes they shall come hither to bee felowes and partakers here with me of these wofull sorowes and peines that I am in But rather leat theim relieue the necessitie of the poore with suche gooddes as they haue and leate them not vse their rychesse to the sensualitie of the fleash but to the godly deuocion of the mynde ne leate theim not sette their fansye and loue on suche thinges as for a season are swere and delectable in the worldly life but on such thynges as maye purchase rest for euer to endure Thus saied the riche man whom the extrem◠tormentes whiche he nowe hadde experience of made bothe an humble suppliaunte and also a teacher of other though it were nowe ouer late But after death there is no praiers that wil serue ne yet maie a man haue lycence to geue any warnynge or counsaill For nothyng haue the deade to dooe with the liuyng Abraham therefore made him this aunswere It is nothyng requisite that Lazarus bee for anye suche cause as this called awaye frō his quiete reste Thy brethren if they bee disposed to bee honeste men and to do wel haue Moses and the prophetes leat them herken to them For they in theyr bookes speake vnto al creatures Than the riche man beyng an hard suiter and a peticioner that would not be satisfied yet neuerthelesse ouerlate saied to Abraham O father Abraham as for Moses they will not heare no nor the prophetes neither but yf one of the dead might come to theym to bring theim sure and perfecte woorde howe sore and grieuous tormentes tho persones doe here suffre whiche dooe there passe their liues after myne exaumple whiche all ryche folkes for the moste parte doe they will amend and frame theimselfes to better rewle and gouernaunce Hereunto Abraham said yea that thou speakeste is the colourable laiyng of excuses of suche persones as are disposed neuer to leaue ne forsake that they doe naughtily and viciously loue The autoritie of Moses and of the prophetes is greater with theym then the autoritie of Lazarus a poore begger shoulde bee That yf they geue no eare ne regarde to them truely if one should arise again from death to life they would not heare him neither Than would they fynde stoppes and cauillacions that it were the walkyng of some ghoste or to bee some eiuill spirite By these wordes dyd the Lord Iesus couertely geue a nippe to the vnbeliefe of the Iewishe nacion who because thei did not in verai true dede beleue Moses and the prophetes doe euen yet still at this present crie out agaynst Christ also beeyng restored aliue oute of his sepulchre and nowe sitting on the righte hande of his father whereas in veraye dede they woulde beleue that hath bee doen yf they had truely beleued Moses and the prophetes tellyng shewyng long afore that it should so bee By this parable dyd Christe coumforte hys disciples who shoulde afterwarde for the loue of the kyngdome of heauen endure and abyde
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
vnto this Sicamine tree plucke thy selfe vp by the rootes and plant thy selfe in the sea and it shoulde obeie you The Apostles because they well perceyued by these saiynges of Iesus that faithe is the fountaine of all euangelicall vertues whiche fayth the Lord did so diligentely require in them as a thyng necessarye yf they should bee hable to worke miracles whiche faith he dyd so many times allow and cōmend yea euen in many alienes too that wer not borne in Iewry which faithe could obteine any manier thyng what euer it were and throughe whiche fayth euen theyr owne selfes also had putte awaye soondry diseases from men and hadde cast out deiuils and because they knewe and remembred well that onely through defaulte and wante of faithe in theim it hadde hapened that they coulde not deliuer a certaine persone afore beeyng possessed with a dumme deiuill Albeit one shall not be a fitte man for the other necessarie preceptes of the ghospell neither onlesse he haue conceiued an vndoubted faith and truste in hys herte For whan will he despise the sensuall pleasures of this worlde whan will he poure oute his gooddes to bestowe theim on the poore whan wyll he releasse and clerelye forgeue a displeasure or a wrong dooen vnto hym by his brother whan will he dooe suche persones good as haue dooen hym the contrarye whan will he mekely and pacientelye take enpriesonmente scourgeyng with roddes and the peines of death which is not fully and throughly perswaded that he hathe an vnestimable large rewarde prepared for hym in heauen Thys thyng I saye because the Apostles well vnderstoode they saye vnto the lorde Maister forasmuche as we haue no goodnesse at all but of thee we praye thee that thou wilte encreace our faythe in vs. The Lorde hereupon as one that well knewe the Apostles to bee as yet grosse and vnperfeicte and to make requeste to haue their fayth encreace chiefly for such a purpose that they myghte haue the more power to shewe myracles dooethe in dede allowe and ratifye the strength and power of fayth yf it bee syncere and pure in a body as it ought to bee but he opened vnto theim that thesame oughte to bee coupled with humilitie and sobrenesse of the moste perfeicte degree and that it oughte not to bee shewed foorth for vainglorious bostyng but at suche times alwaies as either the preseruacion of the neighbour orels the glorye of God dooeth at the poynte of some extremitie necessarily require it And hereupon sayeth he by a similitude or comparison If ye haue fayth as a graine or corne of mustarsede whiche is litell in quantye and lowe by the grounde ne putteth not foorth his vertue of bityng the toungue excepte it be bruised in some thing or broken betwene the teeth ye shall saye to this Sycamine tree whiche by reason that the rootes are taken of a great wyde coumpace within the grounde semeth vnpossible by any strength or power to be plucked vp out of his place bee thou plucked vp by the roote and bee thou remoued into the sea there to stande as fast rooted as thou standest here nowe it shal obey your bidding Tertes by the graine of mustardsede the Lorde signifyed himselfe who wheras he shewed and vsed hymselfe the moste lowest and meanesse of al creatures yet dyd he hyde within hym a secrete power of the nature of the godhed which thā neuer afore vttred it selfe whan the grayne of his bodye was bruised on the crosse was in deathe as it were burried within the grounde The effectuall strengthe of this grayne wrought in the disciples whereof they oughte not to haue vsurped any porcion to theyr owneselfes as the which were not the principall autours ne heade dooers of the thynges that they wroughte but onelye ministers and seruauntes assured to be punished if they had lingred or slacked to goe through with executyng that was geuen theim in charge commission to dooe and bounde to putte ouer all the lande prayse vnto god if any thing had or shoulde by meane of theim bee iolyly or royally wel doen. ¶ Who is it of you if he had a seruaunte ploughing or feding cattalle that wil say vnto him whan he cometh from the fielde Goe quickely and sitte down to meate saieth not rather vnto him dresse wherewith I maie sup and girde vp thy self and serue me til I haue eaten and drounken afterward eate thou and drinke thou dooeth he thanke the seruaunte because he did the thinges that wer commaunded vnto him I trowe not So likewise ye whan ye haue dooen all those thinges whiche are commaunded you saye we are vnprofitable seruauntes we haue dooen that whiche was our duetie to dooe This good lesson afore goyng the lorde dyd by addyng thereunto an other parable engraue in the hertes of his disciples Whiche of you sayed he is a maister so muche for a seruauntes ease or commoditie to dwelle withall that in case he haue a seruaunt that is a tiller of hys grounde or his hearde to kepe hys cattall wyll saye to hym by and by as soone as he is come home from hys weorke out of the fielde Geat thee yonder goe sitte the downe to meate and well not rather thus speake come on make readye somewhat for me to haue to my supper and girde thy clothes to thee and come awaite vpon me vntill I shall haue taken my repaste of meate and drinke and than shalte thou take thee some meate and drinke afterwarde And yet this notwithstandyng that the saied seruaunte dyd vprightly and faythfully that his duetye was to do in the fielde dooeth his maister vse to geue hym thankes because he hath dooen all that was geuen hym in commaundemente to bee dooen I thynke not but he would haue punished hym well and truelye in case he had not dooen it And why so veraily for none other respecte or consideracion but because they are seruauntes and euen of duetye oughe all theyr seruyce to theyr mayster to whom theimselfes and all are due as to the true owener And as for the thanke and praise of all that euer is dooen the maister taketh to hymselfe who is accoumpted for the dooer of the thynges whatsoeuer he dooeth by meane of theim who without hym can vtterly dooe no manier good thyng at all And in lyke manier euen ye too take not vnto youre selfes the glorie of youre well dooynges but onely do ye your faithfull labour as your duetie is And whan ye shall haue dooen all thynges whiche been enioyned or commaunded you yet saye ye Unprofitable seruauntes we are what our duetye was to dooe we haue dooen and no more For this humilitie shal conserue and kepe the Iewel of feyth perfecte in you Al the rest of thynges leaue ye vnto your Lord. Leat none of you take into his owne handes as due vnto hym any honour ne preuent he not the iudgement of the Lorde He best knoweth hys owne
worlde sayed Ceasars phisionomye and pryente it is Than ê™ Iesus byanby than render and paye ye vnto Ceasar yf anye thyng belongeth to his righte For I force nothyng what the prynces of thys worlde dooe require by theyr exaccions But thys is yet a greater poyncte of your charge and more requisite to the purpose that ye tendre vnto God that ye oughe vnto hym know ye therfore the image of hym stricken and coined in youre hertes acknowelage ye his title and poisee All the soule is due to hym euery whit of it and oughte not to bee in bondage to any other persone then to hym who created bothe the bodye and the soule too And bearing as it doeth the image of God wherefore is it paied for tribute to the deiuill The subtyll awaiters to haue taken him in a trippe meruayle at so warie and circumspect an answer For the euangelical simplicitie hath a politique cast of it own too Yet this notwithstandyng they woulde not acknowelage the heauenlye wysedome of God in him but sorowed because there was nothing which they could reproue in all his talke ¶ Then came to him certaine of the Sadducees which deny that there is any resurreccion and they asked him saiyng Maister Moses wrote vnto us if any mannes brother dye hauing a wife and he dye without children that then his brother should take his wyfe reise vp sede vnto his brother There were therfore seuen brethren the first toke a wife and dyed without children And the seconde tooke her and he died childelesse And the thirde tooke her and likewise the residue of the seuen and leaft no children behind them and died Last of all the woman died also Nowe in the resurreccion whose wife of theim shall she be For seuen had her to wife Iesus aunswered and saied vnto them The childreÌ„ of this worlde marye wiues and are maried but they whiche shal be coumpted worthye of that world and the resurreccion from the dead doe not marie wiues neither are maried nor yet cannot dye anye more For they are eguall vnto the aungels and are the sonnes of God in somuch as thei are children of the resurreccion And that the dead shal rise again Moses also shewed besides the bushe whan he calleth the lorde the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob For he is not a God of dead but of liuing For al liue vnto him Than certain of the Phariseis aunswered and saied Maister thou haste well saied And after that durste they not aske him any question at all Whan the saied parties were departed from hym there came vnto him of the secte of the Sadducees who vnder a false title of righteousnesse made much high solemnitie of theimselfes in like manier as the Phariseis had their name of excellencie in outward apparence to the sighte of menne wherein they thought theimselfes ferre to surmounte and passe the other sectes And the secte of the Sadducees hathe this one propreâ—ie by theimselfes that they dooe not beleue any arisyng again of the bodyes to bee after this lyfe neither any parte of man to remayne after death ne that there be anye Aungels These Sadducees propoune to the Lorde suche a question as foloweth Maister such manier a law hath there been geueÌ„ to vs by Moses that in case anye man after he hath maried a wyfe shal bee deceassed without chyldren the brother of the partye so deceassed shall marye the wedowe leaft by hym and succedyng in the place of his brother shal reise succession and issue vnto his brother of thesame womans bodye So than it fortuned that there were seuen brethreÌ„ of whome the fyrst maried a wife and died without issue The nexte eldest brother tooke her that was leaft to wyfe and dyed hymselfe lykewyse hauing had no chyldren by her Nexte after hym succeded the thirde brother into wedlocke accordyng to the course of his age who on his partie also dyed withoute chyldren And short tale to make in semblable manier was this womaÌ„ maried vnto euerye one of them vntill the seuenth and al had her and yet made she neuer an one of theim a father ne brought hym forth any chyld In processe of tyme dyed the woman too Now than at the general resurreccion which of the seuen brethren shall recouer the possession of this woman to his wyfe For ons maryed she was to euerye one of theim and she can not bee common to theym al ne to any mo housebandes then one By this toye hauing in it neither time nor reason the Sadducees supposed that the opinion of the Phariseis myght bee wyped clene awaye whiche Phariseis dyd stiefflye holde argumente that the soules doe remayne after the bodyes be dead yea and ferthermore that the bodyes of the dead shall one daye returne to lyfe againe Now because these mennes apposyng of hym conteined in it more foolishenesse theÌ„ malice Iesus vouchesalued to enstructe theÌ„ saiyng ye are in a wroÌ„g opinion in that ye imagyne the like state of thynges to bee in the lyfe to come as ye see in this presente world here The children of this world which worlde is neuer without successiue alteracion of some diyng euery day and othersome daily cummyng into the worlde dooe remedilesse seke out and procure wiues for their sonnes and doe sette out theyr daughters in mariage to housebaÌ„des for mankynde cannot by any other possible meanes bee continued in progeneracion of issue And therefore matrimonie emong them is not a thyng of blissefulnesse but of necessitie But those persones to whose lotte suche blisse shall falle that they maye be reputed woorthie the resurreccion of the iust and worthye thatsame worlde whiche knoweth no mortalitie suche neyther shall procure wyues for theyr soonnes nor shall geue theyr daughters to housebandes in mariage For what nede shall there bee of mariage or a carnall copulacion whan no bodye shall nowe dye For they haue nowe alreadye succeassed any longer to bee carnall and to bee subiecte to the incommodityes of this worlde but haue nowe receiued a bodye that shall neuer dye and shall nowe from hencefoorth none otherwyse liue then the Aungels dooe liue emong whome there is no mariage ne vse of wedlocke because there is no necessitie of dying Here in this worlde they that of mortall parentes are borne mortall dooe by the vse of matrimonye make prouision and meanes for continuing the succession of mankynde But those others beeyng nowe by the vertue of the spyrite newe borne againe and made the sonnes of God liuyng for euer withoute ende shall fele no misse of matrimonie because they shall not knowe death as beeyng nowe through resurreccion restored vnto lyfe immortall And because thissame doubtefull question hadde bene propouned of the Sadducees purposely to mocke the arisyng again of the deade because they beleued not that the soules dooe remayne aliue after the death of the bodye Iesus vouchesalued to enstructe their ignoraunt hertes concernyng this case too
by autoritye of holy scripture whiche holy scripture in dede they dyd not disalowe but yet they dydde reade thesame not hauyng theyr myndes on it to marke it as they should doe Ueraily saieth he to be a thyng possible enough that the dead may arise agayn and that the soules dooe not dye together with the bodyes euen Moses hymselfe dooeth teache you to bee true whose autoritie forasmuche as ye dooe in other matters acknowlage ye ought not in this case to reiecte For Moses hath written that God spake vnto hym after this manier oute of the bushe whiche he had seen in redde flamyng fyer to burne without anye consumyng or wastyng I am the God of thy father the God of Abraham the God of Isaac the God of Iacob c. Now were Abraham Isaac and Iacob at that tyme alreadye buiried in graue That if according to your opinion euery one which dyeth dyeth for altogether and dyeth neuer to be recouered agayn how doeth god call hymselfe god of theim that be none suche For seing that God is the veray true liuing god himself or rather more truely to speake is veray lyfe selfe it is a thyng vnconueniente that he should call hym self the God of suche as by meane of deathe are vtterly perished and gonne for euer But they are not so gon forasmuch as the chieffer parte of theim remaineth aliue that is to were the soule beeing the parte whereby our life is in vs. In other liuyng creatures besydes man death is an vttre perishing for euer for in theim aswell the bodye falleth altogether downe as soone as it is destitute of lyfe as also the soule which in theim is naught els but a certayne harmonye and proporcionate agreyng together of the qualites and humours of the bodye whiche as soone as thatsame temperature is dissolued vanisheth awaye immediately as a thyng of nothyng But in man deathe is nothyng els but a pluckyng of the soule in soondre from the bodye so that the better parte of the twoo that are in vs remayneth styll vncorrupted and the bodye only is for a season not vttrely perished neyther but as ye woulde say putrified And thesame body to be restored agayn by the power of god at the resurreccion ought not to seme any meruaill vnto you forasmuche as ye daily see of a dry graine of sede caste awaye into the earth and there putrified a newe and a liue tree to spryng vp whiche laie hydden in a litle smale and deade selâ—e grayne now buiried in the grounde Therefore such as are dead to you ward are dead in dede forasmuche as ye are not hable to reuiue them agayne but euerie one of them yea euen they that are deade also dooe lyue to godwarde in whose hande it is whansoeuer his wyll shall bee to restore the soules that haue beene plucked awaye euerie one to theyr owne bodies agayn Whan the Sadducees at these saiynges helde theyr peace not hauyng a worde to speake certayne Scrybes allowed the talke of Iesus because that concernyng this case the Pharyseis and the Scribes did consente in opinion agaynste the secte of the Sadducees Notwithstandyng lyke as the opinion of the Phariseis and Scrybes was in this behalfe righter then the opinion of the Sadducees so were their hertes more replete with mischiefe and vngraciousnesse For in suche a place dooeth there lesse parte of malice remayn where there resteth more of grosse ignorauÌ„ce and defaulte of learnyng Thus after that Iesus had in vayne beene tempted and proued of soondrye sectes of the Iewes for he had afore this tyme aunswered the Phariseis to their question concerning the greateste precepte of the law and not one of them al had had suche spede as he woulde in that yâ— he had attempted no man durst auenture any more to be buisie or to beginne with him in demaundyng of any questions ¶ And he saied vnto theim Howe saie they that Christe is Dauids soonne And Dauyd himselfe saieth in the booke of the Psalmes The Lorde saied vnto my Lord sitte thou on my right hande till I make thine enemies thy foote stoole Dauid therefore calleth hym Lorde and howe is he than his sonne Iesus therefore of his own mocion whan thei wer gathered together in a pâ—uÌ„pe did bid theim aunswere him who would to a question that he would demaunde not beeyng a question full of baites to take theim in trippes but a questioÌ„ that concerned their soule health He demauÌ„ded whose sonne the scripture dyd pronounce that Messias should be â–ª They beyng not ignoraunt that it had by prophecie bene foresaied that Messias should in tyme cummyng bee borne of the linage of Dauid made answere without any stoppes or staighes Dauids sonne To this Iesus said But Dauid being enspired with the holy ghoste speaketh of Messias after this manier in the Psalmes The Lord said vnto my Lord sitte thou on my righte hande vntil I make thyne enemies thy foote stoole Howe agreeth it that Dauid â–ª shoulde calle him Lorde whome he acknowelageth and taketh for his sonne For the sonne is inferiour to the father and more reason it wer that the soonne should in the waye of honour and reuerence call the father Lorde then contrarie wise This question coulde not one of theim all soile and for that presente Iesus thoughte it sufficiente as ye would saye by a misticall â—iedell to haue geuen theim a litle intimacion or inclyng of his nature of Godhed by the whiche nature of his Godhed he was superiour vnto all the Patriaâ—kes forasmuch as he was egual vnto God the father albeit euen after his humain nature also he excelled all creatures And they reputed the memorie of Dauid to bee holy and precious but hym whome Dauid acknowelaged bothe for his soonne and also for his Lorde hym they caste of not through ignoraunce of the lawe but of a iudgemente beyng blinded with peruerse and corrupte affeccions Than in the audience of al the people he saied vnto his disciples Beware of the Scribes whiche wil goe in long clothing and loue gretinges in the markettes and the highest seates in the Sinagogues and the chiefe roumes at feastes whiche deuoure wedowes houses feigning lâ—ng praiers thesame shall receiue great damnacion Forasmuche therfore as the malice of this generacion was past al hope of grace and not curable by any salues that could be it remained that the simple and vnlettred multitude of the people should haue good warning geuen them that they might not bee trained in and deceiued by coulouring and crafty conueighaunce of the others who whereas they were voyde of al religion or true deuocion yet dyd they countrefeicte the highest godlinesse possible hauyng iye to none other marke but only to theyr own glory and lucre and for that same onely cause murmouryng and pratyng all manier wayes possible agaynst the glory of God and agaynst the health of their neighboures For there be none more deadlye enemies of true godlinesse then suche as by
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
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
disciples The partie shal byanby know the title of maister euen as an other did one day acknowlage thee calling of me Lorde at what time ye vntyed the Asses colte This partie shall without any delaye shewe you a great wyde parlour with a bourde already couered and all thynges prepared for a repast there to be taken in it and there make ye the pascall lambe ready for me Nowe consider me this point o frēde Theophilus an hoste of none acquaintaunce it is that findeth Christe the parloure to suppe in and a bearer of water is that leder vnto the house where Christ kepeth the solemnitie of his pasche For by meane of baptisme and by the doctrine of gods woord is the entering into the churche the liuely water of gods word doeth clense and the water also of the sacrament doeth clense The good mā of the house hath no name expressed because the churche of Christe is euerywhere springyng first vp of derke and lowe beginnynges but spreadyng it self ferther ferther abrode frō day to day into the whole vniuersal world And because the beginnyng of all health and saluacion is faith the discyples beleue the lord and are obediently rewled by him They departe into the citie they fynde him that was carriyng the pitcher of water they folowe thesame as he goeth before and leadeth the way They declared to the good mā of the house suche message as they had been cōmaunded He sheweth theim a great large dinyng parlour For wyde large it must nedes be which is able to receiue all the naciōs of the worlde For the Iewes Synagogue is but a place of narow roume And ferre frō earthly thinges must such people be sequestred as are disposed to eate the meate celestiall Here in this place than do the disciples prepare the supper verily executyng the office of pastours And whan the houre was cum he sate doune and the twelue Apostles with him And he said vnto thē I haue inwardly desired to eate this passeouer with you before that I suffre for I say vnto you henceforth I wil not eate of it any more vntill it bee fulfilled in the kingdome of god And he toke the cuppe gaue thankes and said Take this and deuide it among you for I say vnto you I will not drinke of the fruite of the vyne vntill the kingdom of god be come And he toke bread whan he had geuen thankes he brake it and gaue vnto thē saiyng This is my body which is geuen for you This do in the remēbraunce of me Likewise also whan he had supped he toke the cuppe saiyng This cuppe is the newe testament in my bloud which is shed for you Yet behold the hand of him that betraieth me is with me on the table and truely the soonne of man goeth as it is appoynted But woe vnto that man by whom he is betrayed And they began to enquire among themselfes whiche of them it was that shoulde dooe it And whan it was nowe supper tyme Iesus came thyther and sate downe to eate with his twelue specially chosen disciples because the residue were not yet able to receiue the depe hiddē mistery whiche his pleasure was that it should by meane of his Apostles be made common vnto such as were once already entred in the misticall rules and profession of the ghospell Than as sone as meate and drynke was sette before theim on the table the lord to the entent he might depely enprient in the mindes of his Apostles that he would suffre the death of the crosse not for any necessitie at all to himself warde but onely for the loue of redemyng mankynde sayed vnto theym With great and earnest desire haue I desired to eat this pascal lābe with you before my death the time wherof I reioyce to be now come because I thirst the redēpcion of man For this woorde I assure you of from this tyme forthward I wyll not eate this pasche with you according to the litterall ordeinaunce and prescripcion of the lawe but an other pasche of more perfeccion shal after the spirite bee accomplished in the kyngdome of god This lambe here whiche is euery yere once solēnely killed of the Iewes cōprised a figure of my death Now is the true thyng self come in place and the shadow shall ceasse ye shal from hensforth solemnise vnto me a ghostly and an effectuall passeouer the eatyng whereof shall make you immortall So after that they had euery one tasted of the lambes fleashe Iesus tooke the cuppe in his hande and gaue thankes vnto his father than geuing the firste assaye of the cuppe and holdyng it foorth vnto them he sayed vnto his disciples Take ye and deuide ye this emongst you And take ye this for a true woorde of my mouth I wyll not from hensforth drynke of the fruite of the vynetree for the necessitie of the fleashe but the kyngdome of God shall immediately bee present Euery one of these thynges whiche the lawe hath had outward and carnall shall be spiritually shewed and ministred And thus ferre is an ende of the figures of the lawe Immediatly hereupon the lorde Iesus entendyng by a misticall figure or token to consecrate to his seruauntes a newe testament tooke breade and after thankes geuing to his father he brake it with his owne handes and deliuered it vnto the disciples saying This is my body whiche is betrayed vnto death for you My death shall not be doen any more then this once For this onely one sacrifice of my death is sufficient for the synnes of all ages and tymes aswell paste as to come But ye shall oftentymes renewe vnto yourselues the memory of my tendre loue towardes you dooyng the lyke emong your selues that ye nowe see doen of me For this shal be an high and holy signe of a bande and league made betwene me and you Than as soone as supper was doen he tooke the cuppe also and reachyng it foorth to them he sayed This is the newe testament consecrated not with the bloud of a calfe or a goat but with mine owne bloude whiche is poured foorth for the redemyng and sauing of you ye haue nowe the highest token and pledge that can be of myne entier loue towardes you And in dede there ought to bee a like loue in you towardes me agayne but yet there is one here at the table emongest you who will betraye me into the handes of them whiche seke me vnto death Neither is all this doen by casualtie but it is so prefixed by the determinacion of God it is so foreshewed by the prophetes that the sonne of man should by suche a processe redeme mankynde Indede a good necessarie poynt of seruice it is that he doeth herein towardes the vniuersal redempciō of man but yet because he doeth it of a wicked minde thesame thyng shall in conclusion turne to his damnacion the whiche shal bee the instrumente of saluacion to others The determinacion of
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
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
score furlonges and they talked together of all these thinges that had happened And it chaunced that while they commoned together and reasoned Iesus himselfe drewe nere and wente with them But theyr iyes were holden that they shoulde not knowe hym And he sayed vnto them what manier of communicaâ—ions are these that ye haue one to another as ye walke and are sad And the one of them whose name was Cleophas aunswered and sayed vnto him Arte thou onely a straungier in Hierusalem and hast not knowen the thynges whiche haue chaunced there in these dayes He sayed vnto them what thynges And they sayed vnto hym of Iesus of Nazareth whiche was a Prophete mightie in dede and woorde before God and al the people and howe the high priestes and our rewlers deliuered him to be condemned to death and haue crucified him But we trusted that it had been he whiche should haue redemed Israel And as touchyng all these thynges to daye is euen the thirde daye that they were doen. Yea and certaine weomen also of our companie made vs astouned whiche came erely vnto the sepulchre and founde not his bodye and came saying that they had seen a vision of Aungels whiche sayed that he was aliue And certayne of them whiche were with vs went to the sepulchre and founde it euen so as the weomen had sayed but hym they sawe not And so it befell that euen the veray same daye twoo of his disciples vnto whom the newes had tofore been reported of the sepulchre of Iesê° how it was found voyde without the body in it although there had no credence been geueÌ„ to theyr wordes the sayed two disciples leauyng the citie of Hierusalem wente vnto a towne called Emaus This Emaus is distaunte from Hierusalem the mountenaunce of thre score furlonges of whiche eight goe to a myle so that it was from Hierusalem to Emaus seuen myles and one halfe myle after that rekonyng And in theyr goyng on the waye they talked together of many sondrie matiers as men commonly vse to doe namely whan any sorowe or pensifenesse is in theyr hertes For they were men greatly dismaied and caste in heauinesse with the Lordes death and were euen nowe in a manier at the veraye poynte of desperacion and had cast awaye all hope But as for theyr talkyng was altogether about Iesus and about all the thynges whiche they had seen and whiche they had heard in these latter dayes aforegoyng For they hadde borne a great loue towardes hym as one that was a notable man and full of beneficiall goodnesse And albeit that same gaye royall hope of restoryng the kyngdom of Israel was out of theyr mindes almoste cleane forgotten yet had they a delite with mutuall talking the one with the other to renewe the memorie of hym euen dead as he was For theyr myndes beyng altogether vnquiete and troubled a certayn kynde of slumbre as ye would saye had creped vpon them so that as it were in a slepe they beare a loue towardes hym whom they could not forget At last as they were diuising and tellyng betwene themselues many thynges of Iesus and talkyng many matiers of him to and fro the one to the other behold he was euen personallye presente there with them that they talked of For Iesus who tofore had promised that he would bee in the myddes betwene them wheresoeuer he should fynde any two persones talking together of hym did at that tyme euen after the corporall presence of his body also shew the thing whiche in spirite he neuer ceasseth to doe So that he ioyned himselfe in coumpanye with them as a waifaryng manne and offred hymselfe to kepe them company on the waye but it was in a likenesse to them vnknowen not that he had any other body then the verai same whiche he had before his death but for that because it pleased Iesus so to haue it theyr iye sight had such an impediment that they could not knowe him though they sawe hym corporally Happie is that coumpanye and blyssed of Goddes hande as often as twoo persons haue none other talke ne make none other serchyng out but of Iesus Happie are they that euer they were borne to whome Iesus vouchesalueth to ioyne hymselfe as a mate or a coumpanion And as the Lorde Iesus hath a good fansie to bee presente with suche as talke of hym so doeth Satan reioyce to bee present emong them which vse suche communicacions together emong them as may corrupt honest behaueour as for exaumple of leacherie of falsehood of auengeyng of pryde of gaynes and luâ—re of the slauÌ„dre of the neighbour But for because these two men dyd so burne in the loue of Iesus that by reason of humaine frailtie they doubted of his promisses the Lorde for a litle season deceyuyng theyr iyesyght sercheth out what opnion they had of him not for that any thing was to him vnknowen but because he would remedie their vnbeliefe for the better coÌ„firming of our feith He therfore sayeth what talke is all thissame that ye two haue betwene you on the waye as ye goe your countenaunce and moode shewyng all the whyle a sorowe and heauinesse of herte For euen this thyng also doeth commonly asswage sorowe yf we may fortune to haue any body into whose lap we may poure out the thyng that grieueth vs. Yea and this one propertie ferthermore hath mans affeccion that yf a thyng be to on s veray high contentacion and delite he thynketh thesame to be vnknowen to no maÌ„ and that euery body hath a speciall care and regarde therof Muche after the rate of this affeccion doeth the one of the disciples aunswer whose name was Cleophas It is sayeth he a thyng veray well knowen to all meÌ„ as many as enhabite or liue at HierusaleÌ„ and seeing that thou comest out of that citie aswel as we how can it be possible that thou alone as it wer sum newcome straunger shouldest be ignoraunt of these thynges which haue been doen there nowe in these last dayes and which no man alyue but he knoweth them Than Iesus as one couetyng to learne where in veray dede he was come to teache aunswered What thynges are these ye speake of They playnly mening good feith vp declare at large vnto Iesus the summe of all the whole matter as to a straunger and one that was ignoraunte of all that had been doen frankely makyng open confession howe fer they wer from hauyng as yet any opinion of Iesus wurthy for his wurthinesse and howe they had clene cast awaye all hope in a maner of his arisyng again from death to life We were talking say they telling the story of one Iesus of Nazareth which was an excellent man and a Prophete mightie both in woorde and dede not onely afore God to whom he was veray dere beloued but also emoÌ„g all the people vniuersall with whom he had by his miracles and doctrine and benefites purchaced and gotten most high autoritie
for and he aunswered and sayed Goe youre wayes beare woorde agayne to Iohn of the thynges whiche ye haue hearde and seen The blynd see the haulte goe the lepres are clensed the deaf heare the dead arise agayne and to the poore is the glad tydinges preached And that the chiefe rewlers of the synagogue woulde bee with these benefites yet stil wurse and wurse incensed did not Esai after a goodly sorte peinte out vnder the parable of a vyneyarde which beyng with excedyng many poyntes of diligente cure and good housebandyng occasioned to bryng forth good fruite dyd not aunswere the expectacion of his tiller I looked saieth he that it should haue brought forth grapes and it hath brought forth wylde grapes I looked that it should haue doen iudgemente and beholde wickednesse that it should haue doen righteousnesse beholde crying and misery And doeth not the parable iustely agree with thesame sentence of prophecie whiche ye haue heard of Iesus hymselfe concerning a vineyard enclosed and fensed with a toure and furnished with a wyne presse and a gutter whiche vineyard neuerthelesse through defaulte of the housebandmen yelded not condigne fruite to the Lord and owner Thesame thyng also was noted by thatsame figtree whiche would not begynne to be fruitfull no not than neyther whan much doungyng and cherishyng had been doen to it Neyther was there any thyng els mente by the parable of the sede that was cast vpon ill grounde He founde thesame selfe fault els where also in the Prophetes I haue all the daye long euermore holden out my handes to an vnfaithful people that goe not the rightway but after their owne imaginacions to a people that is euer defying me to my face The menne of power had enuy at his vertue and slauÌ„dreously surmuised those miracles to be wrought by the supportacion of Beelzebub But the weakenesse of his body the meannesse of his degree and the affliccions whiche he suffred was a matter of offence and slaundre of conscience to the weake though they were no euyll men For whan he was taken of the Iewes euen those same twelue specially chosen Apostles fled and ranne euery man his waye See ye whether the Prophete Zachary leaft euen this poynte vnspoken of too I shal strieke the shepeheard saieth he the shepe of the flock shal be scattred abrode Wherunto accordeth the song of the eightie seuenth psalme Thou hast put awaye myne acquaintaunce ferre from me and made me to bee abhorred of them For dyd not Petur with a detestacion forsweare his mayster and the other Apostles ready to doe thesame if lyke perill had bloustreously come vpon them And that this would so come to passe Christ had foresaied to Petur before it came to passe in dede He was betrayed by Iudas who was one of the noumbre of the twelue CoÌ„sider ye whether the propheticall psalme did not foretell of the also For if mine enemy sayth he had spokeÌ„ ill of me I would verayly haue paciently borne it and yf he that hated me had spoken great thinges vpon me I would peraduenture haue hidden my selfe froÌ„ him But thou a maÌ„ of myne owne minde my guyde my familiar Now if ye haue learned the Christe whan Iudas comyng of purpose to betray the lord vnto the souldiers by meane of a deceiptfull kisse did thus speake vnto him Frende for what purpose art thou come Betraiest thou the sonne of man with a kisse Did he not manifestly lay vnto him in his veray teeth the saying of the prophete he calleth him a guyde because this Iudas semed in maner as one made a rewler ouer the Apostles because he had the charge of doyng all affaires abrode coÌ„mitted vnto him Again an other psalme speaketh yet more clerly For the maÌ„ of my peace in whoÌ„ I haue trusted who eate my loanes hath magnified supplanting ouer me And see I pray you howe the wordes of Christe whiche he spake to his disciples of the betraier at his last supper with them doe iustely agree with this prophecie He that eateth breade with me saith Christ shal lift vs his foote sole against me An other psalme again sayth My frendes and my next neighbours haue approched nere and haue stande against me Yea and an other psalme yet again his woordes are suppled aboue honey and they be very dartes And is it not a woorde softer theÌ„ honey to say haill maister being spoken with a kisse geuing And was it not a darte infected with deadly poison to say Thatsame is he hold ye him fast Thus might ye haue heard of his Apostles or in case ye haue not yet heard it ye may yet learne it in time to come Iudas demauÌ„ded of couenaunt of the bishops the chiefe rewlers the suÌ„me of thirtie pens or denaries of siluer with which deadly suÌ„me of money there was forthwithall a piece of ground bought for the buriall of poore folkes And both these poyntes did the Prophete forespeake of in his prophecie As concerning the pryce that he was sold for thus did one of the Prophetes say And they toke thirtie plates the pryce of him that was valued whom they bought of the children of Israel gaue them for the potters field These thinges thus executed Iudas ouerlate repenting him of his facte honge himselfe diminishing therby the nouÌ„bre of the twelue chosen making a roume for an other to bee supplied into the ordre of the Apostles Neither was this vnspokeÌ„ of by the Prophetes For thus sayth the processe of the misticall psame Let their abyding be made to lye waste let there not be he that dwelleth in it and his shepeherdship let an other body take And as for the deuilishe conuocacioÌ„ for the putting of Iesus to death which was solemnely kept in the house of Caiphas beeyng the highest bishop by the Scribes the Phariseis the rewlers of the people the coÌ„mons being sworne to thesame marke ye whether thesame poynte also hath not been wrytten declared by the prophecie of the psalme which sayth Why doe the heatheÌ„ so furiously rage together why doe the people imagine vaine thinges The kynges of the earth stand vp the rewlers take couÌ„cell together against the Lorde against his enoincted Ye heare the namyng of the heathen ye knowe that Iesus was crucified by Pilates seruauntes of his crue ye heare the woorde peoples ye knowe that the multitude of all â—ortes of the Iewes cryed crucifie him crucifie him ye heare the name of kinges ye know the Pilate was the rewler gouernour of Iewry in Ceasars behalfe by whose senteÌ„ce Iesus was coÌ„deÌ„ned ye heare this woorde the rewlers of the earth ye vnderstaÌ„de the headmen of the people of Iewry who not vnderstaÌ„ding the lawe spirituall sought earthly thinges while they will in no wise be pulled froÌ„ thesame they put the king of heaueÌ„ to death Yea Esai also doth fore
angles of the crosse Neyther did the Prophetes leaue his buiriall vnspoken of neyther For Hieremie representyng the persone of Christe wryteth in this manier My lyfe fell downe into the lake and they put a stone vpon me For ye knowe that he was buiried in a sepulchre of stone and that the mouth of the monumeÌ„te was shutte with a mightie great stone because no body should take awaie his corpse On the preparyng daye well towardes euentide he was laied in his graue there did he rest all the Sabboth that is to saye whan the weorke of mannes redempcion was nowe finished and completed Consider ye whether the prophecie did not foreshewe euen of thissame thing also From the sight of iniquitie saieth the prophecie was the righteous taken awaie his place shall bee in peace Moreouer vntill the tyme of his death he suffred hymselfe to be touched of the wieked after his death he would not be handled ne touched of no body but of his frendes Neither did he from that tyme forthward shewe him selfe to be seen but only to his frendes And of this matier had the aunciente prophecie of Iacob the patriarke geuen a darke significacion and tokenyng who whan he should dye prophecied in this manier of Iuda Naye I shoulde rather saye of Christe Thou layest a long as a lyon who shall reise hym vp Ferthermore lyke as it was his will to dye and to bee buiried so that it shoulde not come to passe that he should rotte in his sepulchre but that after tarying a veray shorte tyme he should arise to lyfe agayn was it not a thyng openly foreshewed of the prophetes doeth not the holy ghoste speake after this manier in the fifteenth psalme Thou shalt not leaue my soule in hell nor shalt suffre thy holy one to see corrupcion No spieces no swete baulmes doe geue this gifte that a dead carkesse shall neuer putrifie forasmuche as continuaunce of tyme doeth forweare the verai spices selfe whiche tyme consumeth euen the monumentes though they be of marble stone but this gifte doeth resurreccion geue whiche geueth immortalitie but all the whole figure of this matier did not Ionas the prophete many yeares sence plainly presente The tempest was imputed vnto him and to entent lest al the companie should perishe he was headlong toumbled into the sea to th ende that by the losse of him being but one maÌ„ the tempeste might be alayed wheras otherwise it threatened death vnto al the company Christe dyed for the sauyng of all creatures to the ende that he alone might pourge awaye the sinnes of all the people Ionas was swallowed vp of a whale and out of the bealye of thesame whale was he rendred againe on the thyrde daye after otherwyse then all folkes loked for Christe was layed in his graue wherhence he promised that he woulde come forth on the thyrde daye For vnto the Iewes requiring a signe from heauen he promised the signe of Ionas the prophete and that hymselfe would after the exaumple of thesame Ionas come forth on the thyrde daye out of the caues of the yearth And howe many tymes did he repeate this thing to drieue it into the disciples myndes that he should dye and returne agayn to life on the thyrde daie And that thing had Oseas the prophete told long afore who sayed After twoo dayes shall he reuiue vs on the thyrde daye shall he reise vs agayn to lyfe Forasmuche therfore as ye haue hitherto seen all thynges agree together the figures of the law the foresayinges of the prophetes the foretellinges of Christ himself and finally the ende of thynges as they haue from tyme to tyme folowed and come to passe howe happeneth that ye nowe as men beyng halfe in a sloumbre or a dreame are vnbelieuers and doe not rather of thynges alreadie pasâ—e coniecture thynges afterwarde to ensue He tolde you afore that betraied he shoulde be and deliuered to the Gentiles that he should be bound scourged skorned and crucified Not one iote of all these thynges but it hath come to passe All the premisses ye haue seen and dooe belieue them but euen he the verai same man told also afore that on the thyrd daye he would arise to life again and that he would by the space of a certain of dayes shewe hymself not vnto the worlde but vnto his disciples Wherefore than do ye not credite those weomen which reporte them selues to haue been adcertayned by the Aungels that he was arisen to lyfe agayn Doth the frailtie and feblenesse of his body deceassed so greatly offende you that ye nowe fall into vtter dispaire as though al thatsame noble promises of his wer vtterly extinct and dead concernyng his kyngdome concerning the power of heauen and yearth to be deliuered vnto the sonne concernyng his ascending vp into heauen and his returnyng from hence vnto his father concernyng his sittyng at the right hande of his father of extendyng and spreding the gospel throughout all the nacions of the world concernyng his glorious cummyng a little before the ende of the world concernyng the immortalitie of the holy concerning the euerlastyng paines and tormentes of the wicked Naâ— wete ye well that death it was whiche opened the waye and entreaunce into the maiestie of all these thynges Euen as ye haue seen hym dying and buried so shall ye see hym returned to lyfe agayne so shall ye see him ascending vp into heauen Ye shall receyue the spirite of God ye shal see the celestial power of god shewe foorth it self in men of lowe degree and of no learnyng ne knowlage worldly ye shall see the light of the ghospell by meane of thesame persones in a litell tyme to sprede ouer all the world with his â—adiaunt beames And that same Iesus who hath here bâ—n set at naught spetted at and had in derision the same Iesus shall all the world wurship as equall with God the father and an eguall partener with him in his kyngdome Finally all mankynde without excepcion shall see him in the maiestie of his father encoumpaced with coumpanies of Aungels iudgeing the quicke and the dead And it hath pleased him that the cummyng of thatsame daye shoulde bee vncertayne to all creatures In the meane season his wille was that his seruauntes shoulde care for nothyng but the kyngdome of the ghospell And all the premisses haue been foreshewed by the prophetes they haue been marked and appoynted out by fygures of Moses lawe they haue been a great porcion of them alreadie perfourmed neyther ought there any manne to doubte but that all thynges shall in theyr due tymes bee presently shewed These wordes of the Lorde Iesus mouthe not onely striekyng the eares of the saied twoo disciples but also percyng and throughly sinking into theyr hertes did so possesse them that neither they felte the trauayle of the waie nor tooke any markes of his face while he spake nor yet remembred to thynke with themselues in theyr myndes
he had caryed tofore sayed vnto them Why dooe ye yet feare me as the sight of a ghoste seeyng that ye playnly beholde me with your iyes and knowe my fauour of olde and seeyng that ye heare my voyce beyng acquainted and familiar vnto you yet neuerthelesse dooe thoughtes of vnbelief mystrustyng aryse yet still in your hertes euen suche like as are woont to come commonly in mēnes myndes Satisfie ye euery one of your senses vieu and beholde you my hādes my feete they haue manifest prientes of the nailes touche handle ye my syde it hathe the gashe of the speare fele ye my bodye come nerer me with your iyes leaue ye suspectyng of any spirite For a ghoste hath neither fleashe nor bones as ye see that I haue That I entred in hither the doores beeyng shutte that whan my wyll is I am seen and whan my will is I am inuisible it is not any blyndyng of mennes iyes by any sleyght but the gifte of the body beyng now made immortall And euen suche lyke shal your body also be after the resurreccion Whan the lorde had by suche woordes as these taken awaye the feare from thē and had put them in a comforte he shewed foorth vnto them his handes and his feete to be viewed he opened his side that they might handle the manifest dientes of the woundes For it was the lordes pleasure to reserue thesame to the entente that by those euidēt tokens he might than emong his disciples perfectly auouche the trueth of his humain bodye and also that he maye in tyme to come at the laste daie of iudgement enbraide to the Iewes their vnbelief accordyng to the prophecie which sayeth They shall see in whom they haue perced and made holes Nowe wheras some there wer yet still which did not plainly belieue it to bee thesame bodye that they had seen dead but were in case that a certain inebriacion as ye would saye of drounkenship or gladnesse did so holde theyr myndes that they did neither perfectly beleue theyr owne iyes nor theyr eares nor theyr handes for oft tymes we be afeard to belieue the thyng whiche we doe rather then our liues wishe to be true as men fearing leste we should caste our selues into some fooles paradise or false ioye wherof to bee anon after depriued again Iesus vouchesaluyng with all tokens of euidence to bee a Phisician to their vnbelief because there should no spiece of the lyke mistrustfulnesse remaine in vs saied Haue ye any thyng here that maie be eaten For none there is a more vndoubted token or prouf of a man to be aliue then yf thesame take meate And therfore Iesus willed meate to be geuen to the damisell whā she was called again to life sembleably also vnto Lazarus not that we shall fele any hūger after that we be reised agayn to immortalitie but because he woulde as that presēt tyme requyred confirme and make euidente vnto his disciples the veritie of his humain body There wer present at that tyme in the same place a good nūber of his disciples and yet was there but veraye small prouision of viandrye Therfore that that they had they bryng foorth whiche was a morsell of fishe that had been bruiled and a honey combe Than Iesus in the sight of them al eate parte of the thinges whiche were set before hym And he sayed vnto them These are the woordes whiche I spake vnto you whyle I was yet with you that all must nedes be fulfilled whiche were written of me in the lawe of Moses and in the Prophetes and in the Psalmes Than opened he theyr wittes that they might vnderstande the scryptures and sayed vnto them Thus it is written and thus it behoued Christe to suffer and to aryse agayn from death the thyrde day and that repentaunce and remissyon of sinnes shoulde bee preached in hys name emong all nacions and muste beginne at Hierusalem And ye are witnesses of these thynges And beholde I will sende the promisse of my father vpon you But tarye ye in the citie of Hierusalem vntyll ye bee endowed with power from on high And whan he had nowe made all theyr senses perfectely to belieue that he was no sighte of any ghoste but a verai and a liuyng man euen thesame whō they had tofore seen bothe liuing and also dying he taketh recourse vnto the holy scriptures wherunto there ought credite to bee geuen although the sēses of man should neuer so muche crye against it Ye ought not sayeth he to meruaill at the thynges whiche ye see to haue been doen. The scripture cannot lye forasmuche as it hath been wrytten by the inspiracion of the holy ghoste Whatsoeuer thyng hath hitherto been doen thesame had been foreshewed and prefigurate afore in the bokes of Moses in the prophetes and in the psalmes For euen I am veray he whom the figures of Moses lawe did signifie I am the man of whom the holy prophetes promised so many thynges and it is I whose first springyng vp whose progression or goyng foreward and whose cōsummacion the misticall psalmes doe describe And with no lesse trueth shall all the rest of thynges also bee perfourmed which haue in thesame scriptures been foreshewed concernyng my returnyng into heauen concernyng the spirite of God to be sent who after that this bodye of myne shal be taken awaye from you shall make you the more stedfast concernyng the ghospell to bee spredde throughout the whole vniuersall worlde and concernyng the laste ende of this worlde These are the thynges whiche I did so many tymes labour to beate into your heades whan hauyng yet a mortall bodye subiect vnto death I lyued conuersaunt emong you beeyng also mortall At that tyme had not the premisses setled in your hertes now can ye not any longer doubte whan ye see my sayinges to agree with the misticall scriptures and the cummyng to passe or sequele of thynges to agree with them bothe Hitherto as the tyme hath required I haue tendrelye borne with the weakenesse of your fleashe and I haue with grosse proufes laied the trueth of matiers before you From hensforthe growe ye forewarde to a spiritual vnderstandyng of the scriptures There shal ye frō henceforth see me there shall ye heare me And because the misticall bokes are not vnderstanded excepte God open our mynde and reason Iesus opened vnto them the iyes of theyr herte that thei might reade belieue and vnderstād that was written in the scripture For no man doeth vnderstande scripture but he that dooeth beleue it In this ordre sayed Iesus it hath semed good vnto my father to restore mankynde And the thyng whiche he had decreed hath ben set forthe by his inspiracion in bookes of holy scripture The selfe same thyng hath been foreshewed by me before it was doen neither was it possible that it should any otherwyse come to passe because the determinacions of God are immutable and the holy scriptures can as litle
law had promised Therfore by their malice it came to passe that the light whiche brought eternall lyfe to the beleuers therof was to them occasion of greater blyndnes But their frowardnes could not hinder the health of theym that beleued in it but rather the blindnes of the Iewes made open way for the Gentiles to the lyght of the ghospel They which vnto that time were taken for the people of God which onely did boaste theimselues in the wurshipping of the true God in the religion of the lawe in the kynred of the fathers and in the promises of Gods testament turned theimselues from the sonne of god when he came to theim And therefore the Iewes being righteously caste out as rebels to the ghospell the grace of the ghospell remoued thence to the Gentiles that the course of thinges being altered they whiche before swelled in pride thorowe the false colour of religion shoulde openly declare their wickednes reiecting the sonne of him whom they wurshipped for God And on the other parte thei which before were vtterly contrary to true religion and dyd wurship beastes and stockes for their goddes shoulde enbrace the holynes of the ghospell by faith howebeit vpon this occasion the Gentyles were so admitted to bee saued by the ghospell that neyther the Iewes nor any other nacions at all shoulde be excluded from hauing entry therunto so they woulde put away their stubbernes and shewe theymselues obedience to faith which is the principall and onely gate to eternall saluacion But as many as receyued hym to theim gaue he power to be the sonnes of God euen them that beleued on his name And albeit many both of the Iewes and the Gentiles whiche loued the worlde more then God withdrewe themselfes from this lighte yet the cumming thereof was not in vayne Firste of all it did manifeste their infelicitie whiche thorowe their owne faulte did depriue themselues of so greate goodnes frely offered vnto them Neyther coulde any man doubte but that by the iuste iudge mente of God they shoulde be reserued to eternall deathe Furthermore it caused that of the contrary parte it shoulde more euidently appeare howe notable the liberalitie of God was to them which with a simple redy faith would receiue the woord of the gospel And for that cause he that was bothe the sonne of God and God did humble himselfe to our lowe estate to thintente that thorowe faith he might exalte vs to his highnes Therfore he toke vpon him the rebukefull misery of our mortalitie to make vs partakers of his godly glory Therefore also he woulde be borne a corporal man of the virgin to thintente we should be borne again spiritual of God and for that purpose he came downe into the earth to carry vs vp into heauen The stately scribes and pharisees the proud kinges and powers of the worlde the stoute and hau◠philosophers were reiected because they woulde not beleue But to this high dignitie were admitted men of lowe degre of litle estimacion without renoume vnlearned persons bondemen barbarous men and sinners whom the worlde hath in no estimacion at all of whom nothing is required but pure faithe neither cunninge nor noblenes of bloode nor yet the professyon of Moses lawe but all that did receyue this worde of what nacion or condicion so euer they were of his behalfe he gaue to theim this dignitie that they beinge graffed in Christ thorow faith and baptisme and hauing professed his name should be made euen the children of God that they mighte bee made by adopcion the same thinge whiche Christe was by nature And what can bee higher then this honour that they whiche before were the children of the deuill inheritours of hell shoulde thorowe faithe onely be made the children of God the brethren of Iesu Christe and coinheritours of the kingdome of heauen As touching the flesh we were all borne the children of wrath of our firste father Adam but by the worde of God we be released from that sinfull kinred touching the spirite we be happily borne again of God by Iesu Christ. Which wer borne not of blood nor of the will of the fleshe nor yet of the will of man but of God For finally God takethe for his children not suche as bee borne the children of Abraham by mans sede or actuall luste in generacion but those that be borne of God by faith Our first father Adam had begotten vs after an vnfortunate and miserable sorte for he begate vs to deathe and hell Moreouer they whiche are borne touchinge the carnal birthe bee not all borne to one estate for some he borne to a kingdome some to bondage But Christe Iesus the auctor of our newe generacion doth regenerate al men without difference to like dignitie that the bondage of sinne and the misery of mortalitie put awaye thorow faith and grace they may be made children of the lyuyng God And the same woorde became fleshe and dwell emong 〈◊〉 Neyther is it any meruail though man be transformed after a sorte into the felowship of the godly nature seyng the woord of God did submit it selfe for this cause to take our fleshe that is to say a mortall body of the virgine ioyning together in himselfe two thynges moste vnlyke God and manne what thing is more frayle or more vile then mans fleash and what thing is more mighty or more excellente then God Neuer meruaill that these thinges were knit to gither It was God that did it Neither mistrust that men may be made the children of God seynge he loued vs so that for our sake he himselfe would be made the sonne of man doubtles he toke vpon him no fantasticall body for who coulde loue a vain vision or a disceitful illusion but truely he toke vpon him the body of a manne that is to say the full and perfect nature of man abhorring not so muche as that parte wherby we be subiect to death and dooe very litel diffre from the kinde of brute beastes And he bacame not man for a small time redy by and by to put awaye that thinge whiche he had taken but to proue assuredly that he toke his manhed not deceitfully or vnder a colour he was long conuersaunt in earth he was hungrie thirstie diuers waies punished suffred death was seen with iyes hearde with eares and touched with handes And to thintent this dignitie should alwaye remaine with mankinde the godhed hauing the manhed with it and in it being glorified sittinge on the righte hande of the father allmighty dooeth stil dwell in vs. And we sawe the glory of it as the glory of the onely begotten sonne of the father full of grace and trueth Neuertheles he lacked not his godly maiestie when he in his manhed walked here in earth for we whiche liued familiarlye with him are witnes that he was both God and man we haue seen him hungry athirst slepinge wepinge vexed and dyinge We haue hearde him speake with the voice of a
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
had receiued of his heauenly father not of men For euen then the most high and solemne feast of the Iewes was at hand which is called Easter and after the Hebrewe tounge is as much to say as a passing ouer They did kepe this day as an holy feast euery yere in the remembraunce of the olde story because their elders had safelye passed ouer oute of Egipte when they wente into the lande whiche God had promised them But now that thing whiche they did honour but in figure was doen in dede by Christ that is to say he now brought to passe that men hauing forsaken the darkenes of errours and cloude of sinne should be remoued and brought through the fayth of the gospelâ— â—o innocencie light and immortalitie forasmuch therfore as at that time there was at Ierusalem a great number of people which out of al the partes of Sirya did asseÌ„ble there againste that feastful day Iesus wente thither nowe going vp towardes hys fathers busines wheras before he went down to CapernauÌ„ to obey please his kinsfolks withal And furthwith he goeth into the temple which place is wont to be ofte gone to of a religiouse minde to serue god therin And verelye Christ was the maister of true religion who when he entered into the temple which was ordeyned for deuout religion wurshipping of god founde there thapparaunce not of a teÌ„ple but rather of a market place For he founde verye many there which in that holy place did exercise themselues about filthie yea sinful gaine so turned into robbery that which was ordeined to geue occasioÌ„ of godly religion For to thinteÌ„t that straungiers might haue somewhat to offer they solde to them of an hye pryce shepe oxen dooues other suche lyke thinges whiche according to the custome of the Iewes were woonte to be offered or geuen to the priestes but in the meane while the sellers bargained with the priestes and leuites that the sayd priestes leuites should sel agayne to theÌ„ by a lesse pryce the selfesame beastes that the priestes had receyued of them which had offered whiche thing the sellers did because they myghte sell those beastes agayn to other straungiers with a double gaine So it was brought to passe that by powling the straungers the filthie gayne whiche rose double by selling one thing twyse shoulde be deuyded betwene the merchauntes and the ministers of the temple And to haue more quicke and readye marchaundise ther was presente according to the custome of their coÌ„mon market chaungers of money and bankers such as did chaunge the greater coynes for money of smaller coyne or golde for siluer or els did exchaunge strange coyne for coyne of that place And thereby also they had shamefull gayne litle dyfferyng from vsurie Iesus then declaryng by hys very acte how great a pestilence corrupt desyre of lucre is to the church and howe far al they ought to be from thys disease which professe themselues rulers of religyon of the gospell made him as it wer a scourge of smal cordes as though he would driue dogges out of goddes temple And both with great indignacion and auctoritie he droue them all out of the temple displacyng and throwyng downe bothe the merchauntes and their wares And did not onely put out the men but also the shepe and oxen that there shoulde remayne behynde no suche filthie baggage Yea and besydes that he scattered abrode the chaungers money vpon the ground and ouerthrew also their boardes teaching how these thinges ought vtterly to be troden vnder foote of the wurshippers of true religioÌ„ Moreouer as if he had bene moued with indignacion therat he sayd to them which sould the dooues haue these thinges hence and make not my fathers house an house of marchaundise And hys disciples when they sawe Iesus beyng at all other times quiete and meke here now how earnestly he chased out those which did vnsemely vse and defyle the godly religion of the temple with theyr fowle and sinnefull gayne the disciples I say remembred the prophecie whiche is in the three score and eyght psalme The zele of thy house hath euen eaten me Then aunswered the Iewes and sayd vnto him what token shewest thou vnto vs seeing that thou doest these thinges Iesus aunswered and sayed vnto them destroy this teÌ„ple and in three daies I will reare it vp But as for the Iewes when they had hearde that he namyng his fathers house did as it were by a certayne peculier and singular way declare himselfe to be the sonne of god and saw hym also so hyely take vpon hym openlye and in apparaunce to be so very angrye with them whiche semed to further bothe the priestes profite also the religiouse seruice of god they crie out vpon hym and saye If god be thy father and if thou wilt reuenge the contempte and iniurie of thy father doe soÌ„e miracle that we may perceyue thou doest these thinges by the auctoritie of thy father If thou doest these thinges by thyne owne auctoritie it is presumpcion And if thou dost them by goddes autoritie what token she west thou that we may beleue thee But Iesus knowing that they would slaunder him in case he had wrought any miracle to shew himselfe therby seeyng he neuer yet did any miracle but onely to succoure them that lacked helpe in theyr nede to thintente that the same thyng whiche was a proufe of hys godly power should be also a benefit helpe vnto the necessitie of man he promised theÌ„ a tokeÌ„ vnder a parable which tokeÌ„ if he had theÌ„ opeÌ„ly declared they would not haue beleued in so much as they did not beleue it wheÌ„ it was doeÌ„ in dede The tokeÌ„ was coÌ„cerning his death resurreccioÌ„ The same was also signified by Ionas which tokeÌ„ Iesus had promised after he had doen many miracles also at such time as they required him to shew suÌ„ tokeÌ„ that should cuÌ„ froÌ„ heaueÌ„ But now he promiseth although more darkely that selfesame token to theÌ„ who as yet were but ignorauÌ„â— The teÌ„ple wherin they were at that time occasioned him to say as he did of the which teÌ„ple yâ— Iewes dyd boast theÌ„selues beyond measure Breake down this temple sayth he in three dayes I wil set it vp agayn This parable not so much as his Apostles did vnderstand But at leÌ„gth wheÌ„ they had knoweÌ„ sene his resurreccioÌ„ they perceiued the meaning of his saying by theffect of the thing it selfe For Iesus ment it by the temple of hys owne body whiche they through their malice should pul downe by putting it to death he by his godly power should raise it vp again within thre daies The Iewes thought thys saying not onely to fonde and without reason but also vngodly and wiâ—ked For it was an vngodly thyng to commaund a temple of so great religion to bee broken and to set vp agayne within three dayes so laboriouse a building semed to be a saying contrarye
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
againe if they will heare the voice of the sonne of God but he doeth not heare it whiche heareth it without fayth In tyme to come all dead bodyes shall ryse agayne at the voyce of the sonne of God now hauyng shewed a likelyhoode of the resurreccion to come by raysing of a fewe from death to lyfe a greater matter is in haÌ„de to rayse vp soules from death to lyfe at his worde and call As nothyng is more preciouse than lyfe so nothyng is more godlike than to geue lyfe or to restore thesame There is no cause why any man should mistrust the power of the sonne yf he beleue in the power of the father No man doubteth but God is the fountaine of all life from whence all lâ—uing thinges eyther in heauen or earth haue theyr lyfe but as the father hath life in himselfe to geue it or restore it to whom he list so hath he also geuen to his sonne to haue in himselfe the fouÌ„taine of all lyfe And besides that hath geuen him power to iudge both quicke and dead For by the sentence of the sayed sonne whiche cannot be exchewed they that haue oâ—eyed his doctryne shall go from hence to eternall lyfe and contrarye they that woulde not obey it shall be appoynted and iudged to eternall punishment Meruayle not that so great power is geuen to a man consideryng that thesame is the sonne of God The selfe thyng is nowe committed to hym whiche he alwaye had common betwene hym and the father Endeuour your selues in the meane tyme that thorowe fayth ye maye be wurthy to haue lyfe For the tyme shal come that all whiche be dead and buryed shall heare the almightie voyce of the sonne of God and furthwith the bodyes shall liue agayne Then shall they which haue been dead and buried come out of theyr graues to be rewarded in sundry sorte eyther accordyng to theyr beliefe or vnbeliefe for they whiche haue doen good workes in this lyfe shall than lyue agayne to enherite immortall lyfe on the other syde those whiche haue doen euill here shall lyue agayne to suffre paines of eternall death And lyke as fayth is the well and fountayne of all goodnes so is infidelitie the spryng of all euill I can of myne owne selfe do nothyng As I heare I iudge and my iudgemente is iuste because I seâ—â— not mâ—ne owne will but the wyll of the father whiche hath sente me If I should beare witnes of my self my witnes were not true There is another that beareth witnes of me and I am sure that the witnes whiche he beareth of me is true Neither is there cause why any man should slaundre the iudgement of the sonne as though it were not indifferent If the fathers iudgement cannot bee but indifferent no more can the sonnes iudgement whiche is all one with the fathers be but in like maner indifferent For the sonne iudgeth none otherwise but as the father hath appoynted and prescribed vnto him Whoso feareth the fathers iudgement ought also to feare the sonnes iudgemeÌ„t I can do nothing of my selfe As I heare of my father so I iudge and therfore my iudgement is iust because I haue no other will â–ª but that whiche is my fathers so that in no wyse there can be a corrupt will wherof maye procede a corrupte iudgemente Among men small credite is geuen to him whiche beareth witnes of himselfe and he is counted arrogant and proude whiche by his owne reporte attributeth great thynges to hymselfe If I alone be myne owne witnes then let my witnes be taken emong you to be but vayne and vntrue but there is one which hath borne witnes of me that is to saye Iohn to whom ye dooe attribute very muche in other thynges but here nowe as vnstedfast men ye dooe noâ— credite him wheras I knowe his witnes to be true forasmuche as he hath not vttered it of hymselfe but by the inspiracion of my father Ye cannot deny but that Iohns recorde and witnes is muche set by amonges you your selues haue sent graue men vnto him that by trustie men you might knowe of him as of a moste true auctor whether he were Messias or no. He did not take vpon hym that false prayse whiche ye would haue attributed vnto hym but confessed the trueth openly testifying himself not to be the manne that he was taken for â–ª but sayed that I was the Messias whiche shoulde take awaye the sinnes of the worlde and geue lyfe to thesame Ye sent vnto Iohn and he bare witnes vnto the trueth but I receiue not the recorde of man Neuerthelesse this thing I saye that ye maye be safe He was a burning and a shining light and ye would for a season haue reioyced in his light but I haue greater witnes then the witnes of Iohn for the workes whiche the father hath geuen me to finishe thesame workes that I do beare witnes of me that the father hath sent me And the father himself which hath sent me â–ª hath borne witnes of me Ye haue not heard his voyce at any tyme nor seen his shape his woorde haue ye not abydyng in you for whom he hath sent hym ye beleue not At the least his witnes whom ye did so muche exteeme that ye dyd beleue hym to be Messias ought to haue been regarded among you specially seyng it was not procured on my behalfe but brought to light by your owne selues I as concernyng my selfe haue no nede to bee commended by mannes witnes but I do reporte vnto you Ihons witnes of me not because I who care nothyng for worldly glory would be the more made of among you but to thintent that you whiche so muche regarde Iohns auctoritie shoulde credite me of whom he hath borne witnes whereby ye maye exchewe the condemnacion of infidelitie and thorowe faith obteyne saluacion Iohn doubtles was a greate man yet was not he that light whiche was promised to the world but onlye a burnyng candell tynded at our fyre and geuyng light by our light And yet whereas ye ought at his tellyng and declaracion to haue made hast to the true light which doeth alwaie illuminate euery man that cummeth into this world ye had leauer for a shorte tyme to boast and glory in his lighte than to embrace the true light which geueth euerlastyng glory is neuer darkened nor dyeth Iohn gaue light before the sonne as one that should immediatelye geue place to thesame and be derkened thorowe the shining of the true light You woulde haue taken hym for Messias which denyed hymselfe to be woorthy to vnleuse the latchet of Messias shooes Why doe you then so litle regarde his witnes that he bare of me seing in other thynges ye haue had so good an opinion of hym I do not depende vpon Iohns witnes but yet I woulde wishe that ye woulde geue credite vnto it that ye do not perishe thorowe infidelitie And though ye do not
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
last day of that feast was cum whiche was moste solemnely kept with moste great resorte of people with great religion for when this day was past euery mā was glad to repayre home againe Iesus stode vp in the temple as though he also would leaue the coūtrey of Iurye doth halow that moste solemne day of that great feast with a notable sermō and therwith purueyed vitailes of euangelicall faith of the ghospell for theim that should iourney Nor he did not onely speake openly but also cryed with a firme and a stayed voyce therby declaryng that the matier was mete to be heard of all folke The Phariseis had babished the simple people with fained and colde religion and had tangled theyr consciences with mannes ordinaunces And surely the multitude had nothing els almost in admiracion that Iesus sayd or did but his miracles But for somuche as they had not drounke of the spirite of the gospell they toke the lesse spirituall profite at his handes Therfore Iesus called and allured all menne openly from the barren and colde doctrine of the Phariseis vnto himselfe promisyng them the spirite whiche once being receiued not only they by his grace themselues shall attaine to the true euangelicall doctrine but shall also by theyr preachyng issue foorth vpō other great aboundaunce and efficacie of wysedome I am sayth he the fountaine of helthfull wysedome whoso thirsteth let him aske nothing of Moses the Phariseis the Scribes or of the priestes Let him cum to me and drinke of this well And whosoeuer beleueth my wordes thesame drinketh Therfore whosoeuer beleueth on me desyrously drinketh vp my wordes as the scripture biddeth bearing witnesse of me he shal not weaxe dry throwe infidelitie but the draught that he dronke of the spirite of God shall bring foorth in his heart a well that shall runne euermore and plentifully in suche wyse that out of his heart shall flowe not onely small litle streames but also great plēteous fluddes wherwith the drynesse of the Gentiles shal be watered therof shall spring muche fruite of the ghospell By this parable far of speakyng Iesus did meane that fertile and plēteous spirite whiche afterwarde they should receiue that woulde beleue on him whiche spirite after that the Apostles had receiued foorthwith they begon with great confidence to preache in diuers toungues to the whole worlde the philosophie of the gospel to distil into the soules of all that beleued on Christ thesame spirite that they receyued from heauen For albeit that many at that time had sum smattering and were sumwhat entered into knowlage of the faith for all that the verye effectuall and plentifull spirite was not yet cum to any of them for because Iesus was not by his death and resurreccion glorified nor had not ascended vp to heauen to sitte on the fathers right hande from whence he should sende that spirite to his Apostles But the misterie of the crosse was to be perfourmed before whiche thing could not be doen and accomplished except his glorious maiestie had been kept secret and as it were dissembled for a season and they also could not be made able to receyue that diuine spirite vnlesse they had first been framed and fashioned therunto by many miracles sayinges and doinges Therfore the Lorde Iesus doeth call and byd all folke to this well of the water of lyfe yet he compelleth no man againste his wyll nor he excludeth no man so that he cum athirst Many of the people therfore when they heard this saying sayed of a trueth this is a prophte but other sayd this is Christ but sum sayd shall Christe cum out of Galile Sayeth not the scripture that Christe shall cum of the sede of Dauid and out of the toune of Bethleem where Dauid was So there was discencion amōg the people because of him And sum of them woulde haue taken hym but no man layed handes on hym When the Lorde Iesus had spoken this and many mo lyke thynges though they were not fullye vnderstande yet they dyd woorke sundrie myndes and affeccions in the multitude of the people for sum vpon sight of so many miracles and the great auctoritie of his wordes sayed truly this is a very prophete Again other that thought more hyghly of him sayed yea this is that very Messias whom the prophetes haue promised in their prophecies On the contrary syde other being corrupted with pharisaicall leuen went about to reproue and confute these mens opinion by the very woordes of the prophetes whiche tolde before that he shoulde ryse out of the tribe of Iuda and out of the towne of Bethleem Christe was thought with moste part of men to be borne in Nazareth because he was nursed there and broughte vp with his parentes whiche dwelte there and also because he beganne his preaching in Galile and for the moste part had his abode there But the people of Ierusalē and the Iewes that were of the tribes of Iurie toke the people of Galile as men nigh neighbours vnto the heathen and were myxte together but for halfe their countreymen because they neyther excelled in knowledge of the lawe nor euer had any prophete in whome they might worthily reioyce They knewe verily that Messias was promysed to the tribe of Iuda not to men of Galile and that he shoulde cum of the seede of Dauid who had his princely palace at Ierusalem And thus therfore they dyd chalenge vnto them honour of Christ to cum whom they themselfes being with malice corrupted nowe at his very cumming did persecute They say therfore it is not lyke to be true that this man should be Messias if you do ponder and straitly examine the prophecies When Christe shall cum shall he cum to vs oute of Galile doth not the prophecies manifestly saye that Messias shall come of the sede of Dauid who was certainly of the trybe of Iuda And further more it also expresseth the tounes name where he shoulde bee borne that is to say Bethleem whiche is the citie of Dauid that was geuen to Iudas for his parte or tribe Therefore forasmuche as the prophecie dooeth plainlye shewe that he shoulde cum of a kynges stocke of the moste holye tribe of all Iuda out of a princely toune howe can it stande and accorde that this man shoulde be Messias whose parentes be poore and of no estimacion and cummeth to vs out of a vile toune of no name whiche standeth in Galile a countrey of no renowme After this sorte the people disputed of Iesus with diuers iudgementes and there was dissencion among theim for his sake Yet did not Iesus accumpany himselfe with theim in this disputacion because they did not dispute with suche simple purenesse of mynde that they dyd deserue to bee taught and it was not yet tyme to declare hymselfe howe great and excellent a man he was For yf they had vprightly and truely desyred to knowe who he was they themselues might haue learned of Iesus kinsfolkes
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
his disciples kepyng silence for feare because he of late escaping the handes of the Iewes was thought to be more safe in the deserte Iesus sayd vnto them Let vs go into Iewrie again WheÌ„ the disciples heard Iewry named remembryng howe vengeable and cruell the Phariseis hatred was cowardes him and how often they had taken vp stones to cast at him how ofteÌ„ they endeuored themselues to apprehende hym the disciples I saye stoode in dreade not onely of theyr maisters harme but also of theyr owne For as yet they had not receiued the holy ghost and bare a certayne worldely affeccion towardes Iesus themselues lykewise through feblenes lothyng death Therefore dissuading him from goyng agayne into Iewrie they say Sir haue you forgotten how that there a while agoe the Iewes would haue stoned you vnlesse ye had secretely withdrawen youre selfe And will you goe thither agayne puttyng your selfe in open daunger But Iesus did coumforte theyr fearefulnesse by a parable signifying that nothing is to be dredde of them that cleane to Christ who is the light of the worlde For the night hath vayn feares The daye knoweth no suche terrours Hathe not the daye sayeth Christe twelue houres The night shall not come before his tyme. In the meane tyme whosoeuer walketh in the daye stumbleth not for why the sunne maketh him to see and to eschewe stumblyng But the sunne beeynge taken awaye whosoeuer walketh in the night stumbleth because he lacketh light I am the light of the worlde it is right mete that you be guided by me and folow my conductyng and not to goe before the lighte Be not afrayde before the tyme. So long as I geue light vnto you there is no ieopardie The night shall come wheÌ„ you beeing disseuered from me shall bee troubled ¶ This sayd he and after he sayd vnto them our frende Lazarus sleapeth but I got to wake him out of slepe Then sayd his disciples Lord if he slepe he shal doe well inough Howbeit Iesus spake of hys death but they thought that he had spoken of the naturall slepe Then sayd Iesus vnto theÌ„ playnly Lazarus is dead and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there because ye may beleue neuertheles let vs goe vnto him When Iesus had with this saying mitigate the Apostles feare he sheweth the cause of his goyng furth on his iourney saying Our frende Lazarus sleapeth I therfore go hence to wake him When as the disciples that were troubled with feare supposed that Iesus dyd not speake of very deathe but of the common slepe they aunswer Sir if he slepe there is no cause why you should goe thither for slepe in sicke folke is woont to bee a token of recouery of health The disciples wer loth to go into Iewry again and therfore to the vttermost of theyr power they doe auoyde the causes of going thither But Iesus did by litle and litle prepare the myndes of his earnestly to consyder and beholde the miracle to come For he had therfore leauer say fyrst he was aslepe then dead to the entente he might after the vsage of holye scripture shewe the hope of the resurreccion For they be rather aslepe then dead whiche reste to lyue agayne Neyther is it so easy for any of vs to awake hym that sleapeth as it is for the Lorde to call the dead to lyfe Therefore the discyples not vnderstandyng the thyng that he spake of sleape and waking out of sleape to let them know that no hidde thyng was vnknowen to him he sayth vnto them more playnly Lazarus is dead nor he added not the thing that was than more stoute to be spoken as concerning the raysing him vp agayn For he woulde rather that to be signifyed than expressed and hys mynde was rather to dooe the thyng than promyse it euery where makyng readye for vs an exaumple of modestye and temperaunce And because he aunswered them that tolde hym his frende was sicke that that sickenes was not deadly but chaunced to the entente that Goddes glorye and hys sonnes also shoulde bee set furthe by it a lyke thyng sheweth he to his disciples saying I am glad that I was not there while my freÌ„de was sicke and dyed and for youre cause I reioyce that youre truste whiche I perceyue to bee weake as yet may bee strengthed and confirmed with a more euident miracle For if the sicke man had mended and recouered healthe I being present it might haue bene thought a casualtie in case I had at hys sisters requestes raysed hym that had bene newly dead the Phariseis whiche fynde faulte with all thynges mighte haue layed for them that it had bene a lacking of senses or but a swouning no death for that sumtimes happeneth in some diseases that the bodies lying a long time in swoune come to lyfe agayn Now for asmuche as it is a very death in dede there shal be a more plenteouse matter of beliefe Therfore let vs go to him The going thither pleased not the disciples for feare of the Iewes which feare slacke sore in theyr mindes and yet coulde they not improue the godly and weightie cause of that iourney And albeit Iesus was not ignoraunt what thing troubled the myndes of his disciples and though also he swaged theyr dreade by reason that he sayed he shoulde goe to Bethania and not to Hierusalem yet neuerthelesse the nyenesse of the place that they feared made also theyr timorouse myndes afrayd Then sayed Thomas which is called Didimus vnto the disciples let vs also â—o that we may die with hym Then went Iesus and fouÌ„d that he had lien in his graue tower daies already Bethanie was â—yt vnto Hierusalem about fiftene furlonges of and many of the Iewes came to Martha and Marie to coumfortt them ouer theyr brother The disciples being carefull and pensyfe and yet durste they not refuse to do their maisters commaundement Thomas whome the Grekes cal Didimus and in Latine is named geminus a twinne being more timorouse than the rest sayeth vnto his felowes let vs also goe if it be certaynly thus to dye with him for as muche as his determinate mynde is to bring bothe himselfe and his into a manyfeste peril of lyfe wheras he may so deuise that bothe shall be in safetie Iesus than went furth with hys disciples to Bethania founde that Lazarus had lyen in hys graue fower dayes alreadye Uerily Bethania was about fiftene furlonges of from Hierusalem and thereof came the discyples feare and thereupon also arose occasion that caused the miracle haue moe witnesses and lokers vpon For the nighnes of the place caused many to come thither out of Hierusalem euen of fauoure they beare to Marie and Martha and of neyghbourlye duetie to coumforte them in the deathe of theyr brother Whiche kinde of office and duetie was wont to be doen to riche folke euen for honour sake Martha assone as she hearde that Iesus was cumming went and met him but Marie sate stil in the
house Then sayde Martha vnto Iesus Lorde if thou hadste bene here my brother had not dyed neuerthelesse now I know that whatsoeuer thou askest of god god will geue it the. Iesus sayth vnto her thy brother shall rise agayne Martha sayeth vnto him I knowe that he shall rise agayne in the resurreccion at the last day Martha that diligently bestirred her wente about all thinges with diligence when one had tolde her that Iesus was come nyghe at hande she with spede went out to mete hym Marie kept still the house Martha therefore when she was within the sight of Iesus vpon ryght good hope that she had conceiued of her brother to be called to life again with a doleful voice she sayd vnto him lord if thou hadst bene here my brother had not bene dead for thou couldeste soone haue healed him with a woorde Although in dede the thing is not yet euen at this present vtterly without hope For I know that what thyng soeuer thou askest of God he will deny the nothing although thou wouldest aske life in hym that is dead and buried These sayinges were spoken of Martha with a minde that neither did vtterly despayre nor yet fully beleue Therfore to confirme her beliefe Iesus sayed vnto her be of good coumforte thy brother shal ryse agayne Neither did this promise satisfye Marthaes minde who because she had but a siely piteouse hope of her brothers rysing agayne coulde not but feare the matter She was afrayd verilye that lyke as he aunswered the messengers saying that the sickenes was not deathlyke and with that doubtefull aunswere beguiled them so was there nowe lykewise some mistery in his wordes that should disapoynt and deceiue her hope I knowe sayeth she that my brother shal ryse agayne but that shall bee in the laste daye when we shall all ryse agayne for some Iewes namely they that were of the Phariseis secte beleued that there should bee a generall resurreccyon Iesus sayeth vnto her I am the resurreccion and the lyfe he that beleueth on me yea though he were dead yet shal he liue and whosoeuer liueth and beleueth on me shall neuer dye Beleuest thou this She sayde vnto him Ye Lorde I beleue that thou arte Christ the sonne of God whiche should come into this worlde Iesus therefore to further the womans affiaunce and opinion of hym by litle and litle to greater thynges and that he might declare himselfe to be very he that not onely could obteyn by prayer of God lyfe to the dead a thing that is redde ofte to bee dooen of other holy men but to be the very fountayne selfe and authour of lyfe both already geuen and to bee geuen to all thynges nor that any death is to be feared of them that putteth theyr confidence and hope in him forasmuche as thoughe deathe chaunce it can nothyng hurte hym that cleaueth fast to the fountayne of all lyfe Iesus I saye vpon these consideracions aunswereth Martha on thys wise Thou beleueste Martha that with my prayers I may obtayne of my father lyfe for thy brother whiche is deade thou beleueste that thy brother shall bee restored to lyfe agayne as other shall be in the last day Yea but thou must beleue this also that they which shal ryse in the last daye shall haue lyfe by me nor that any man hath lyfe at all but by my gifte neyther is any restored to lyfe agayne but by me not onely touchyng death of body which is not muche to be feared but as concernyng the death of the soule also whiche is most of all to be feared And the soule that liueth liueth by me And the reuiuing soule reuiueth by me for I am the very fountayne of resurreccion and lyfe He that cleueth to me by fayth although he bee dead in bodye yet shall he lyue And take not thys saying to be onely spoken of thy brother but generally what man or woman soeuer hath faythful affiaūce in me he shall not dye euerlastingly although his body lyuelesse lye at rest for a tyme. Martha beleuest thou the thyng that I saye Martha beeyng at thys tyme altogether myndeful to haue her brother reuiued againe geueth no very apre aunswere to Iesus saying but yet she did confesse generally how hiely she iudged of him saying Lorde I doe beleue I beleue that thou arte Messias the sonne of the liuing God who beeing promised of the Prophetes and many hundreth yeres looked for art come into the worlde And assone as he had so sayd she went her waye and called Marie her sister secretly saying The maister is come and calleth for the assone as she heard that she arose quickly and came vnto him Iesus was not yet come into the towne but was in that place where Martha met him The Iewes then which were with her in the house and comforted her when they sawe Marie that she rose vp hastely woure out and folowed her saying She goeth vnto the graue to wepe there Martha vpon these wordes being commaunded to returne home agayne and to call her sister Marie her lamentable mourning already aswaged doth nowe leaue Iesus and goeth al chearefull and full of good hope home to her sister and calleth her secretly out of the throng of suche as were sette rounde about her and prieuely telleth her in her eare the ioyfull thyng saying The master is come and calleth for the. Assone as Marie knew that Iesus was come and saw her sister chearefull and of good coumfort she her selfe also conceiued some good hope although Iesus semed to haue come alredy to late on whome therfore they dyd not often call by messenger because they thoughte it inoughe if he once knewe his frendes perill committyng all other thynges to hys arbinement And so Marie supposing that his cūming was not for nought without delaye rose vp to goe mete him before he should entre into the house And so it was expedient for the better bestowing of that miracle that was to be shewed for fitte it was that many Phariseis shoulde be present which although they came of very duetie for priuate frendeship sake to se Marie yet dyd they hate Iesus These surely woulde not haue folowed Marie in case they had knowē howe that she went to mete Iesus But therefore the Iewes that were with Marie in the house to coumfort hir when they saw that with so great hast she arose vp and wente furth of the house they folowed hir suspectyng that vpon a soden pangue and brunte of heuynesse she woulde haue gooen to the graue and there to wepe hir belly full to saciate her sorowful harte with teares Then when Marie was come where Iesus was and sawe him she cummeth nye vnto his feete and sayth vnto him Lord if thou hadst bene here my brother had not bene dead When Iesus therfore sawe her wepe and the Iewes also weping which came with her he groned in the spirit and was troubled in himselfe and sayd where haue ye laied him They sayd
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
you Therefore beleue this retaine this haue this surely fixte in youre hertes whiche thyng yf you doe in dede the withdrawyng of the syghte of this bodye shal bee no harme vnto you ye shall better see me beeyng absente with the iyes of faythe and thesame thing whiche ye nowe see my father dooe by me whiche doe faste cleaue vnto him all manner of wayes shall I dooe by you if you will cleaue to me by fayth and charitie Yea and I shall also more euidently extende foorth the mightie power of my godheade after that I shall remoue awaye from you this my manhead yea and moreouer whoso euer dooeth ioyne himselfe to me by true christen fayth like as I am naturally alwaie ioyned and neuer disseuered from the company of my father thesame persone shall also dooe greater thynges than I doe so often as the glorye of God requireth a miracle For as my father worketh nowe by me so shall I worke by you And because it is so expediente for the saluation of manne that I doe goe againe to my father ye shall succede me and by course enter into my roume concernyng the ministracion of the ghospell Nor this thyng shal onelye bee doen but what thing soeuer elles ye shall aske of my father in my name whiche shal appertayne vnto the prayse and glorye of my fathers name and myne that same shall I doe to the ende that by you also I maie bee glorified emong men as my father hath beene hitherto glorified by his soonne Let not my departure therefore trouble you whiche shall tourne to your greate commoditie and prefermente Than moste of all shall I bee youre ayde in al affayres and purposes whiche make for true health when as I shall take awaye from you this sielye body Onely aske the thing that you couete my father shall heare your desires and I beeing a continuall presente aduocate vnto him will bring to passe that what soeuer ye shall aske shall bee obteined for as he denieth me nothing whiche dooe no manner of thing that redoundeth not to his glorye so will I denye you nothyng so long as ye doe that whiche shall set forth the honoure of my name Forsooth my spirite shall put into your myndes what you ought to aske Thus to be greued with my going hence is no proufe of christen charitie for so men are dismaied when a frende remoueth whome they shall soone after forget If ye loue me truely as I dooe loue my father declare your charitie towardes me in very dede ye shall soothly and certainelye declare it if ye dooe kepe my commaundementes So shall it come to passe that as my father loueth me and denieth me nothyng In like wise shall he also loue you obeying my preceptes whiche be the veray commaundementes of my father Thus it is nedefull for the saluacion of the worlde that I doe absente my selfe from you And yet going awaie I wyll not leaue you desolate and altogether without coumforte But rather if ye abide firmelie in my loue and kepe my commaundementes I shall obteine of my father by praier after my returne againe vnto him that he which denieth me nothing shall sende you an other coumforter whiche after he be once sente shall not goe awaie from you as I nowe do concerning this manner of corporall presence I am pulled awaie from you but he shall continue with you for euer He shall be the spirite of me and my father whiche shall make you of carnall folke spirituall and he shall tourne this worldelye affeccion whiche ye nowe beare towardes me into an heauenlye loue he shall also with secrete inspiracions putte in you the treweth of all thinges whiche ye nowe vnderstande as it were but by a dreame and throughe a cloude This speciall pledge of me shall bee peculiar and propre vnto you For I haue all this while exhibite my selfe generallye and in common to eiuill and good leste anye mighte make excuse that he was not inuited to saluacion But this worlde whiche coueteth muche and gapeth for goodes that bee of the worlde and deceitfull cannot receiue that spirite beecause he is heauenlye and true And why can it not because it hath grosse iyes whiche deliteth and loueth not but grosse and earthlye thynges it seethe not hym nor knoweth hym for he withoute noyse beyng all whisshed and still tasteth in hymselfe to the secrete senses of the mynde if he fynde anye where a conueniente place to reste in But truelye you in case that the delusions and deceytfull thynges of this worlde beeyng despysed ye wyll folowe thynges that be good in deede and liue well you I saie shall then knowe hym because he will not onely come vnto you as I am come one that may bee seen but he shal also abyde continually with you nor he shall not in suche sorte be conuersaunte emong you as the aduocate is with his client but he shall inhabyte hymselfe in the secrete inner partes of your soules and shall toyne hymselfe as it were giued to your spirite that he maye become one spirite in all folkes and because he shal be as it were bred and planted in your hertes he shall accumpany and assist you in all thynges and the meane tyme shall not bee long ere this coumforter that shal be in the steade of me and my vicegerante shall come vnto you Wherfore there is no cause why your hertes should be discoumforted or afeard good children whom I haue perfeitly begotten and sumwhat framed with the heauenly doctryne of gods woorde and do nourishe you beeyng as yet but vnperfite and not fully taught vntill ye growe vnto the strength of the ghospell ¶ I will not leaue you coumfortlesse but will come to you yet a litle while and the world seeth me no more but ye see me For I liue and ye shall liue That daye shall ye knowe that I am in my father and you in me and I in you He that hathe my commaundementes kepeth thē thesame is he that loueth me And he that loueth me shal be loued of my father and I will loue him and will shewe mine own selfe to him Although I goe hence for a tyme and shal no longer liue a manne with men yet wyl I not leaue you in the meanetyme fatherlesse and without confortable succoure at my hande For I will cumine to you agayne before I returne to my father and I wyll shewe my selfe before your iyes and bee seene of you with a very bodye in dede but than not mortal to the entente that I maye aduaunce and bryng you from loue of the fleshe to the spirite for it were no great matter yf I should geue this my bodye to you alwaye to looke thereupon because euen the wicked dooe also beholde it to theyr damnacion within a whyle therfore I shal be out of the worldes syghte for death and the graue shall take me awaye frō the syght of worldly folkes Neuerthelesse I wyll see you again and
presente my selfe vnto you aliue for this kynde of deathe shall not alienate vs in sundre nor kepe me out of youre syghte for I shall liue agayne yea after that I bee deade and I shall not onelye liue but there withall bryng to you lyfe euerlastyng and notwithstandyng the tyme of myne absence I beeyng alyue shall fynde you aliue and I will so spende my life for you that you shall be in health and safegarde Then shall you vnderstande more fully that as nothyng can pull my father from me nor me from my father so am I bothe to you and you agayne to me ioyned by mutuall charitie together that death can not disioyne vs let your onely care be that by youre owne faulte ye bee not vncoupled and let lewse The obseruyng of my commaundementes shal try true charytie nor he loueth not in herte that neglecteth the preceptes of his Lorde It is not sufficiente to haue accepted my commaundementes vnlesse a manne retayne them in mynde Nor it is not inoughe to remembre theym excepte they bee kept he that doth accomplishe and kepe these is he that truelye loueth me For to bee tormented in mynde for my departure is no proufe of veraye trewe loue I that truely do loue my father do kepe all his commaundementes and will kepe theym vnto death of the crosse And there is no cause why my commaundementes of sufferyng iniurye pacientelye of beatyng the crosse quietely shoulde muche putte you in feare as seuere and grieuous commaundementes and why for charitie shall sweten and make them all easie and there shall not lacke coumforte at my hande for surely whoso loueth me he shal be bothe loued of my father and I also wyll loue hym and neuer leaue him succourlesse but will see hym againe and will openlye shewe my selfe vnto hym to bee looked vpon to make it more certain that I doe not vtterly perishe by suffryng deathe of the crosse Nowe I geue my selfe to bee seen of all folke but than no manne shall see me excepte he abyde constantly in frendeshyppe Of trueth our Lorde Iesus spake these thynges sumwhat darkelye not onely signifiyng that he beeyng reuiued agayne would often after his death come among his frendes to bee seen but that he would also by the holy ghoste his spirite secretely place and wynde himselfe into theyr myndes and that finally he woulde come in the glorye of his father in the open sight of all folke ¶ Iudas saieth vnto him not Iudas Iscarioth lorde what is done that thou will shewe thy selfe vnto vs and not vnto the worlde Iesus aunswered and said if a manne loue me he will kepe my saiynges and my father will loue him and we will come vnto hym and dwell with him He that loueth me not kepeth not my sayinges And the worde which ye heare is not mine but the fathers whiche sent me These thinges haue I spoken vnto you beyng yet present with you but the comforter whithe is the holy ghost whome my father will send in my name he shall teache you al thinges and bring all thinges to your remembraunce whatsoeuer I haue sayed vnto you Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you Not as the worlde geueth geue I vnto you Let not your hettes be greued neyther feare ye haue hearde how I sayd vnto you I goe and I come againe vnto you If ye â—haâ—â— me ye woulde verely reioyce because I sayd I goe vnto the father For the father is greater than I. Now than where as Iudas not he verely that is called Iscarioth which was absente at this sermon but the other Iudas whose surname was Lebbeus did not fully vnderstande our lordes saiyng but beyng throughe sorowe and feare very sore troubled dyd suppose that our Lorde shoulde in suche wyse appeare to his frendes as terrible spirites phantastical sightes shewe themselfes many tymes in the darkenesse of the nyght or as certain visions appeare in dreames rather to the feare of men then to mennes coumforte This Iudas therfore saith Lorde what hath chaunced that when now thou maieste be seen of all folke thou shalte not than appeare to the worlde but onely to vs And howe canste thou be one that may be seen of vs yf thou be such one as other cannot see But Iesus because he knewe that his disciples were not yet able to vnderstande the misterie howe that the same bodye whiche hadde been deade and buiried but nowe made spirituall and hable to dooe as it lyste shoulde ryse agayne Iesus I saye knowyng this dyd not playnely answere to the thyng that was asked but turned his saiyng to that thyng whiche was more necessarye to bee imprinted in theyr heartes whereby they shoulde nowe bee prepared spirituallye to haue his presence for as muche as that presence whiche shoulde bee exibited vnto theim after his resurreccion coulde not long endure with theim Therefore Iesus sayed I will not presente my selfe to the worlde because it loueth me not neyther dothe it kepe my commaundementes If one loue me truely he wyll not testifie his loue with sorowe but by kepyng my commaundementes and hym wyll I loue semblablye and whome I shall loue hym wyll my father loue and we shall neuer bee pulled awaye from hym nor I wyll not onelye see hym agayne that hath my commaundementes in remembraunce but there withall my father and I wyll by the spirite whiche is common to vs both come vnto hym and we will not only come forthwith to departe againe but we will dwell with him and neuer go away from him That which is doen after the spirite is both perpetuall and effectuall bodilye ioynyng together muste nedes haue an ende euen for because ye shoulde sette at naught transitorye thynges and inure your selfes to loue eternall thinges and where ye as yet cannot come to vs we will come to you inuisible but effectually to dwell in the temple of your hertes We be three in deede but so ioyned and conuerte together that he whiche loueth one muste loue all and he that hath one of vs lacketh none of vs. Only on your behalfe let charitie be presente and that couenaunte kepte whiche I made with you of late That shal so couple you and vs together that neyther life nor deathe can vncouple vs. If membres maie bee disseuered from the heade we maie be disseuered There bee many whiche boaste themselfes to loue God the father and seme to obserue the commaundementes of the lawe but none dooeth truelye loue God yf he hatâ— and contemne his soonne and he verelye contemneth the soonne whosoeuer kepeth not my commaundemente whosoeuer neglecteth my preceptes he neglecteth withall the preceptes of God for in good sooth the thyng that I haue taught you is not so my peculiar doctrine that the same is not my fathers but is rather my fathers than myne from whome cummeth whatsoeuer I can or doe teache doyng nothyng but by his autoritie from whome I was sente into the worlde to teache these matters whiche
effect for I shall not long be conuersaunt among you in this visible bodie but shall dye and goe to my father And yet ye shall perceyue me to be one that liueth and hath power and that shall accomplishe all that I haue promised Moreouer the worlde also shal be rebuked and reproueâ— of iudgement because that by seing men euery where through penaunce coâ—â—erte from synne to innocencie of lyfe leaue the grosse ceremonies of Moses lawe and ruine to godlynesse of the ghospell the nacions of the whole worlde forsake theyr wurshipping of diuels and images and falle to the true wurshipping of God the father the sonne and the holy ghost it shall manifestly appere the prince of the worlde who hath heretofore by synne practised 〈◊〉 to be already with his owne weapons vanquished put out of the waye and iudged as one that hath procured my death by whom innocencie libertie of the gospell and immortalitie is recouered employed and geuen Than shall it well appere to haue been a triumphe whiche semed to be a thing of shame and reproche and that to haue been a victory whiche was imputed and counted for an ouerthrowe and an vtter destruccion for whan deuils shall eche where be cast out of the temples â–ª and shall crye out at the signe of the crosse when they shall leaue the bodyes whiche they had of long tyme possessed at naming of me shall not that openly proue theyr prince to be iudged and condemned Shall it not bee apparante and a clere matter that they also be woorthely iudged and condemned whiche had leuer folow hym being alreadye vanquished and iudged to eternall deathe than me whom as a conquerour and to all folke the verye auctour of innocencie and of life God shall carrye vp and auaunce to the felowship of his kyngdome ¶ I haue yet many thinges to saye vnto you but ye cannot beare them awaye nowe Howbeit when he is cum whiche is the spirite of trueth he will leade you into al trueth he wil not speake of hym selfe but whatsoeuer he shall heare that shall be speake and he wil shewe you thinges to cum He shall glorifie me for he shall receyue of myne and shall shewe vnto you All thinges that the father hathe are myne Therefore sayed I vnto you that he shall take of myne and shewe vnto you I coulde tell you many mo thinges but the tyme serueth not nor your weakenesse wyll not as yet beare them and since I haue not yet altogether goen thorow with this mine ambassade I do therfore reserue them to the cummyng of the holy ghoste he beyng once come shall fynde you more apte to receyue a more full knowledge euen when the busynesse of my deathe resurreccion and ascencion shall be dispatched and fynished This spirite that I speake of shall be no lying or worldely spirite but my very spirite that is to saye the spirite of trueth he shall teache you all trueth whiche ye are not nowe able to receiue at ful He also shall speake vnto you but that shall be by secrete inspiracions He shall not with mouing the ayer touche your bodely eares but by a priuey secrete vertue shall moue the inwarde myndes neyther shall he speake thynges of vncertaintye but in lyke maner as I haue spoken nothyng whiche I haue not heard of my father so shall he inspire nothyng into your hertes but that he hearde of my father and me and he shall out onely open vnto you all trueth of thynges paste but also he shall foreshewe you thynges to cumme ere they happen so often as nede shall require for he is not alone only almighty but hathe withall knowleage of all thinges He shall by you make the glory of my name be knowen to all men lyke as I by my deathe and resurreccion shall make my fathers glory notable and famouse for as what thing soeuer I doe redoundeth to my fathers praise and glory of whome I haue my being and of him haue receiued all that I haue cum so shall it growe to my honour and praise whatsoeuer he shall woorke by you He shall mocion you to nothing contrary to those thinges whiche I receiuing them of my father haue taught you All thinges is common betwene vs all thinges procede from my father but whosoeuer is his is mine nor any thing is my fathers or mine whiche is not common to the spirite Therefore by the sayde spirite shall I speake to you as my father hathe spoken to you by me he that beleueth me beleueth my father and he that beleueth the spirite beleueth vs both ¶ After a while ye shall not see me and againe after a while ye shall see me for I go to the father Then sayed sum of his disciples betwene themselues what is this that he sayeth vnto vs after a while ye shal not see me and againe after a while ye shall see me and that I go to the father They sayed therefore what is this that he sayeth after a whyle we cannot tell what he sayeth Iesus perceiuing that they woulde aske hym sayed vnto them Ye enquire of this betwene your selues because I sayed after a while ye shall not see me and againe after a while ye shall see me Uerily verily I saye vnto you ye shall wepe and lament but contrariwyse the worlde shall reioyce ye shall sorowe but your sorowe shall be turned into ioy Now than being corroborate and stablished with many thinges be ye bold and take good hearte vnto you againste the storme that hangeth ouer you in aduersitie saue your selues to the prosperitie whiche shall folowe within a whyle ye shall lacke the syght of me but ye shall be without it no longe time for within a shorte space after I shall be presented to your syght agayne that so ye may litle by litle be brought in vre to wante the sight of this body which is not moste commodiouse for you For I returne to my father to thentente that after I cease to be seen of you I maye endue you with greater giftes But not withstanding all this so great sorowe did possesse the disciples mindes at that time that they neyther vnderstood nor coulde kepe in memorie thinges that were often repeted and reiterate for whereas our lord Iesus did declare in these wordes not very obscurely that by death and buryall he should be absent out of his disciples sight yet none otherwyse but that within thre dayes after he would appeare vnto them againe euen in the self same bodye but now immortall so after he had for a fewe dayes space confirmed and stayed the mindes of his disciples to conuaye hymselfe again into heaueÌ„ And to th entent that hauing his bodely sight withdrawen from them which letted them to be spirituall they mighte deserue that heauenly spirite and after that to looke no more for their lordes bodely presence saue onely when at the laste daye he shall once for all shewe hymselfe to the whole worlde for
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
presumpcion be busy to entremedle Moste humbly therfore beseching your highnesse moste gracious Ladie in good parte to take my good zele and diligence and in case any thyng shall not suffyciently answere your mynde or desyre the same to impute rather to the lacke of facultee and knowlage then to any default of good wil in me I shal here without any ferther circuÌ„staunce of woordes commend and leue this whole worke to the diligent readyng and folowyng of all the deuout Englyshe congregacyon and wyth moste hertye prayer beseche almyghty God long yeres to preserue and coÌ„tynewe the prosperous estate of your highnesse to th ende that by your good help and meanes the deuout people that are willing and foreward to learne and to liue Christianlye maye receiue many lyke godly weorkes and fruictful traictises to theyr continuall ghostly profite coumfort and edifying in the same our Lorde Iesus Christe to whome with the father and with the holy ghoste be al laude honour and glory both in heauen and yearth for euer and euer Amen The Actes of the Apostles The .i. Chapter In the former treatise deare Theophilus we haue spoken of all that Iesus began to do and teache vntyll the daye in which he was taken vp after that he through the holy ghost had geuen commaundementes vnto the Apostles whom he had chosen to whome also he shewed himself aliue after his passion and that by many tokens appering vnto them fourty dayes speakyng vnto them of the kyngdome of God and gathered them together and commaunded them that they should not departe from Hierusalem but to wayte for the promise of the father wherof saieth he ye haue heard of me For Iohn truly baptised with water but ye shal be baptised with the holy ghost after these fewe daies NOwe haue I accomplished th one halfe of my promyse deare freÌ„de Theophilus forasmuche as I coÌ„prised in my former treatise the life of Iesus Christ more groundly rehersyng the history then other that write therof that is to weâ—e euen froÌ„ the time that Iohn Baptist which was the foremessagier of the Lorde was conceaued because the in this same rehearsal certaine prophecies were also disclosed affirmiÌ„g by expressed wordes of promise that Messias should sone after come This done sum thinges haue I rehearsed more at large which of the other wryters were lefte vntouched as of Christes conception of hys byrthe of his circumcision and of the purificacyon of Marye somwhat also I touched of his godly towardnes wherof he shewed a proufe tokeÌ„ being but xii yeres olde These thinges thought I for that cause worthy to be recited the by many tokens it myght bee euident that this was he whome the prophecies had notablye spoken of and that euen the tender youthe of Iesus lacked not wytnesse of good menne and of those whiche were inspired with the holy gost And thoughe it be not to be doubted but the Iesus whole trade of lyfe was an excellent example of perfecte holynesse yet those thynges omitted whiche were doone in the meane space we passed ouer vntyll that tyme that Iohn by his preachyng and baptisyng began to shew hymselfe the foremessagier of Christ forasmuche as oure lorde Iesus began from that tyme forwarde chieflye to be occupied aboute the healthe of mannes soule accordyngly as it was conteyned in the figures and darke sayinges of Moyses lawe and in the foreshewinges of the prophetes All whiche his busye endeuour resteth in these two poyntes in dedes that is as muche to saye as in workynge of myracles sufferyng paines of the crosse and in resurrection wherâ—in he lefte none of al those thynges vndoen that either by shadowes of the lawe wer signifyed or spoken of before by the prophetes and in wordes by meane whereof he taught a newe kynde of philosophie and a ioyfull so that we might bothe learne of him and take example to liue a godly lyfe All these thynges haue I treated of in ordre euen vnto that daye that he was receiued into heauen from whence he came after he had arisen from death to lyfe and commaunded his .xii. Apostles and other his disciples to the numbre of threscore .x. whoÌ„e he had specially chosen to th ende that they whan thei had receiued the holy ghost whom he euen than breathyng in the very face of them endued them with and afterward sente the same from heauen more aboundauntlye shoulde go throughe all the worlde and preache this ghospell not to the Iewes onely but vnto all maner nacions of the world And fyrst of all it was expedient that they by whom he had purposed to bryng all menne in belefe of his wonderful actes shoulde be throughly confyrmed in fayth themselues The chyefe poynt among the rest was this that all menne shoulde be fully perswaded that Iesus was in veraye dede deade and that he verayly arose from death to lyfe the thyrd daye not with a phantasticall body but with the veray same beeing now immortall whiche he before tyme had carryed on yearthe subiecte to deathe and whiche had been layed voyde of lyfe in the graue For this cause thought he it not sufficient once onely to shewe hym selfe to his disciples after he had arisen from deathe to lyfe but often tymes appered he to them not lyke as ghostes are wonte to appere but in sundrywyse declaryng by euident tokens to them that he had taken vnto him his liuely bodye agayne fowerty dayes taryed he with them on yearth for the same cause purposely yet of all this tyme would not he be seene of any but of his owne disciples And not onely his pleasure was to be sene of them hearde and felte but also familiarely he eate and dranke with them which is the moste euident token that maye be of a lyuely body And in the meane space he often commoned with them of the kyngdome of god puttyng them in mynd of those thynges whiche he had done and taught before his deathe that they myght finally perceyue that euery thyng was cumme to passe whiche he sayed shoulde cumme warning them farder what they from thence forthe shoulde eyther doe or awayte for For thoughe he had already geuen them authorytee to preache the ghospell yet forbade he them they shoulde not hastely set vpon the exercyse of so weightie a matier and that they shoulde not departe from Hierusalem but that they assembled there and together applying themselues eache with other to fasting geuing laudes to God and praying should awayt for the cummiÌ„g of the holy ghoste whome he before his death had promysed that hys father should sende to bee an other comfortour to them I sayed he promysed with myne owne mouthe and doubte not ye but my father will see the same vnfeignedly perfourmed that I haue promysed you in his name For his will and myne bee bothe one Thentrepryse that ye shall take in hande is of heuen and of no yearthely mannes inuencyon ye shall not teache carnall thynges as the Phariseis haue
in him I speake of a thing not vnknowen to you for the fame of his miracles is not alonely blased wide abrode thorough out all Iewry but is come vnto other cities also bordering nyghe vpon the same For why He himselfe wente on wayfaryng from place to place ouer all this region healyng euery where the sicke with hys woorde restoryng the lame and impotent to their strength agayne geuing syghte to the blynde clensyng the leprye casting out deiuils a great sorte of you hathe seen the thynges that I reherse None of all these miracles was doen but God before purposed the same And it was the wyll of god thus to saue the worlde After that ye had taken this man not by chaunce or at aduenture but as one delyuered by the determinate wyll or counsell of God and hys foreknowledge for the saluacyon of hys people of Israell ye crucyfyed hym by the handes of the vnrighteous souldiers and slewe hym For the souldiers were nought els in doyng that haynous fact sauynge onely your ministers But he slayeth the manne that procureth hys death The matter is to playne for to be denyed This manne whome ye haue slayne as God woulde haue it who had deliuered hym for to bee slayne the veray selfe same god accordyng to the soothe saying of hys Prophetes hathe called vp the thyrd day to lyfe agayne that all whiche truely shall beleue the ghospell shoulde hope for the same thyng to bee doen hereafter in themselues whyche was by the power of God once dooen in hym For he in obeyinge hys fathers will suffered the spitefull reproche of the crosse pacientlye puttyng hys whole affiaunce trust of saluation not in mans ayde and defence but in the mercyfulnes of God and therfore was he delyuered by him of all deadly sorowes and paynes infernall whiche truely he myghte by reason that he was man haue tasted or felt But as he was cleane without synne so he coulde be kepte in no wyse in their bondage For death and hell hath no perpetuall authoritie and power but vpon theym that are subiecte vnto synne Wherefore lyke as death was of might to swallow hym so was it not able to holde hym beyng once deuowred but caste hym vp as it was thereto constreyned the thyrd day euen as dyd the whale reuomet the prophete Ionas Than was it the wyll of God that this innocent should suffre all these iniuries to thintent that he woulde delyuer vs all by hym both of synne deathes tyranny yf that we accordyng to Iesus example of Nazareth put our whole trust affyaūce in God What I haue tolde you nowe my brethren of Israell ye oughte not to thynke it incredible sens that Dauid beeyng enspyred wyth the celestyall spirite of prophecie tolde you longe heretofore that it shoulde euen thus come to passe For in his fiftenth psalme he speaketh of Iesus of Nazareth whome we preache to you in this manier Aforehande haue I set the Lorde alwayes before me for he is on my ryght hande that I shoulde not bee moued Therfore dyd my herte reioyce and my tongue was glad moreouer also my fleshe shall reste in hope beecause thou shalte not leaue my soule in hell neyther shalte thou suffer thy holye to see corruption Thou haste shewed me the wayes of lyfe thou shalte make me full of ioye wyth thy countenaunce Ye see howe euidently hath that kynge and prophete Dauid described and as it were in a lyuely picture sette beefore youre iyes that whiche ye knowe well ynough is dooen and paste in Iesus of Nazareth He had made God alone hys fortresse of defence and trustyng to hys onely helpe suffered he wyllingly and gladlye all those peynes whyche he as you dooe knowe hath suffered And in sufferyng bodyly peynes he reioyced inwardely Hys toung for ioy neuer ceased to speake neuer kept in silence the wyll of God He was contented for to bee buried although he nothing mistrusted but that his father woulde call him vp to lyfe agayne the third day and woulde not suffer hym who had put his whole trust in god beeyng in no poynt giltie to purrefye in his graue For whosoeuer trusteth to be saued by his owne woorkes or putteth his trust in worldely succoure he shal be founde far vnmete to suffre the paynful dolours of death paciently neither shal he be hable whan he is once entangled to looce hymselfe out of deathes snare But he that continually fixeth the inwarde iye of his soule to godward whiche to al people is mercyful he knoweth alredy the wayes of lyfe and although god semeth to turne away his countenaunce from him for a time yet shall he againe or it be long disclose to hym the beames of his mercy and requite him for his tormentes whiche endureth but for a time with ioyes eternall and for death yelde euerlastyng lyfe for yearthely reproche the glory of heauen Wherefore than we also are taught by him and his example the way to lyfe euerlastyng ¶ Ye men and brethren let me frely speake vnto you of the Patriarke Dauid For he is bothe dead and buried and his sepulchre remayneth with vs vnto this day Therefore seyng he was a prophete knew that God had sworne with an othe to him that Christe as cōcerning the fleshe should come of the fruite of his loynes and should sit on his fear he knowing this before spake of the resurreccion of Christ that his soule should not be left in hell neyther his fleshe shoulde see corrupcion This Iesus hath God araysed vp ▪ whereof all we are witnesses Some peraduenture shall suppose that this prophecy doth perteine to Dauid himselfe and not to Iesus I am not ignoraunt howe highlye ye esteme Dauid the Patriarke and that not without a cause are ye in suche an opinion of him For he was blessed and derely beloued with god but frankelye to speake the trueth to you welbeloued brethren we muste not set so muche by Dauid the Patriarke as to ascribe to him that as his owne which is due vnto Messias The thing trewly it selfe declareth that this prophecy agreeth neyther with Dauid ne with any other Patriarke or prophete For Dauid as eche one of you knowe full well is dead and buryed and neuer came afterwarde to lyfe agayne seeyng that his sepulchre is with vs vnto thys present day conteynyng noughte in yt els but dead drye bones wythout any lyfe at all in theym Wherefore Dauid who knewe that he hymselfe shoulde bee as other were buryed and as touching his bodye shoulde rotte in his graue disclosed not this prophecye of hymselfe But where as he was enspyred with the spyryte of prophecye and knewe ryghte well that that shoulde come to passe whiche god had assured to hym vpon an othe that is to say that Christ as touching his humanitie shoulde be borne of his progeny and after the spirituall vnderstanding shoulde sit vpon his throne to reigne for euer prophecied as one that
apostles because they stycked not openly to publyshe that Iesus was rysen from death to lyfe and to promise that al men thorowe him should ryse agayne For the Sadduces beleue nother aungell to be nor soule on lyue after they be once separate from the body Wherfore they coulde in no wyse abyde any rehersall of resurrection Here doeth nowe the wycked busshoppes eftsones make assault against the ghospel which thyng Iesus had tolde before to his disciples shoulde come to passe But lyke as mannes malice the more it wrastled and stroue agaynst Christe the more it set forth his glorye and renoume euen so the more they dyd rebell agaynste the preachers of his ghospell the more vehemently brast out the strength therof and vertue But nowe what do they They reason not with the apostles but laye fast handes vpon them furth awaye they hale theym to pryson for a tyme that they myght be furth cummyng the nexte morowe For than was euentyde at hande The cruell and mischeuouse priestes were ready in wyll euen there furthwith to haue slayne Iesus disciples but for feare on the other parte of the people they stayghed theyr handes and imagined the meane time some coulourable pretence of that cursed acte that they myghte appeare to bryng about theyr pretensed purpose lawfully But as they malyce coulde naught preuyale agaynste Christe vntyll the tyme was come that he himselfe was contented to dye so in lyke maner was their conspiracie nought able to doe againste Christes disciples before the day came that the father of heauen had prescribed to eche of theim For Christes power was with hys Apostles And yet was not that sermon whiche these twoo apostles made thoughe it were interrupted by the priestes wythout condigne frute For many that hearde the Apostles preache were therby perswaded to beleue Than was the nette encreased the lytle grayne of Mustarde sede was stretched out in the bredth the leuen of the ghospell scattered abrode his vertue in sondry partes For the faythfull at that tyme amounted to the noumbre of fyue thousande men Note that the ghospell is a thyng accepted commonly and fauoured of the meane people seldome doeth the nobles of the worlde well agree with it Note also the successe of the ghospell The chiefe of all and capitaines moste excellent are led to prison Neither stryued they agayne their guydes nor any trouble made the people therat whiche were taught noughte els but to obey Christe and to put theyr trust in hym ¶ And it chaunced on the morowe that their rulers and elders and scribes and Annas the chiefe prieste and Cayphas and Iohn and Alexander as many as were of the kinred of the high priestes gathered together at Ierusalem And whan they had sette them before them they asked by what power or in what name haue ye done this On the morowe the wicked counsell assembled together no where in one consent of myndes but to put Iesus to death and the trueth to oppresse The priestes and temple rulers the elders and auncientes of the people wyth the Scribes of Hierusalem assembled in one place together Besydes these came Annas thyther the hygh byshop and Cayphas in one confederacie with him by reason of aliaunce moreouer Iohn and Alexandre the chiefe at that tyme emong the priestes And fynally as many as were of the priestes kinred emong whome the higher that eche manne was at that tyme in authoritie the more was he mischieuous But well it doeth appeare of this theyr busy and paynfull diligence that it was no common or smalle matter whyche they so carefully labored to stente For what should the matter meane that all they should bee afrayed of a fewe persons men vnknowen out of reputacion vnlearned yea the disciples of a condemned persone whiche was crucified But foorthe were brought bothe Peter and Iohn and for giltie persons before them were they presented What simple persone and vnlearned would not be abashed at the syght of so greate an assemblie and in autoritie so honourable fyrst sat downe the stoute stately bishoppes and priestes with them the heade men of theyr religyon than next to them the rewlers of the temple afterwarde the elders among the people eche thyng there was doen with solemne authoritie Euen than consydered the apostles with themselues the cruel and vnryghteous iudgementes that they had vsed towarde theyr maister Iesus And yet for all that stode they in countenaunce cleare and vndismayed Their Lorde vndoubtedly and theyr mayster Iesus had tolde them before that all these thynges shoulde betyde them and had armed their myndes stowtely to stande agaynst suche casuall aduersitie Here agayne marke me wel and example of that iudgemente that Iesus himselfe was condemned by Upon the demaunde of a question was Christ taken And here lykewyse enquired they as concernyng the creple that was healed by what authoritie or in whose name doe ye thys Thys question myghte they haue asked in the temple before they brought them to pryson thys thyng myght they haue learned as the people dyd for Peter declared the cause of this facte euidently But liefer had they to pyke a quarell with theym And as for the trueth afterwarde passed they nothyng vpon but sought occasion to worke them displeasure A token this was that theyr ordre of priesthood should within a shorte whyle haue an ende seyng that they both faultie and vicious had nought els to defende their authoritie but counselles of conspiracie prysons and soondrye kyndes of death ¶ Than Peter full of the holy gost sayed vnto theym Ye rewlers of the people and elders of Israell yf we this day bee examined of the good dede that we haue doen to the sicke man by what meanes he is made whole Be it knowen vnto you al and to al the people of Israell that by the name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth whom ye crucified whom God raysed agayne from death euen by him â–ª doeth this man here stande presente before you woole This is the stone whiche was cast asyde of you buylders whiche is become the chiefe of the corner Neyther is there saluation in any other For amonge men vnder heauen there is geuen none other name wherin we must be saued Nowe what doeth Peter in this case he that thryse before with an othe denyed his mayster at the threatninges of a litle poore wenche being seruauÌ„t Doeth he tremble for feare Is he as one that lacketh his ryght wyttes dismayed Or cannot he speake No none of al these What than he vndoubtedly was framed after an other sorte For while Peter lyued after his own will and phantasie he sticked not to â—â—ake and promise of himselfe veray largely shortely after renneth he awaye and falsely forswereth himselfe all promyses whiche he before had vnaduisedly made cleane forgotten but in thys place constantly as one replenished with the holy ghost reasoned he his cause without any deliberation fully to an ende temperyng his tale with woondrefull wysedome in suche
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
wer vanquished in their accion by piththy reasons There was nothing here spoken by him of god but godlye nothing of Moses but honorably of the lawe nothyng but accordyng to the meaning therof of the temple nothynge contumelyously And yet their hartes for anger were a breakyng in sundre and thei grinded their teethe togither lyke woode men and frantyke So loth were they to see their owne glorie dimynished and his glorye published and praysed whose glorye alone god woulde haue openly declared to all men If he hadde praysed Moyses or Abraham they woulde haue forborne hym but now that Iesus should be alyue that he should stande on the ryght hande of god lyke as Dauid prophecied that coulde not they abide But as they had be al stryken than or turned into a fury or madnes thei stopped their eares againste so holsome doctrine and communicacion and ran al at once vpon Steuen violently with outragious cries And as though he had ben thā conuict and condemned for blasphemie they cast hym oute of the citie expressyng in this one poynte alone Moyses lawe and there they stoned hym And the witnesses as though they had gotten the vpperhande of hym whose dewtye was after Moyses lawe to cast the first stone to thintente they myght the redier be to that cruel murther layed downe their garmētes at a young mans feete called Saule who than of ignoraunce and loue towarde hys countrey law fauoured the wicked parte Soone vpō this they began to stone Steuen who neither contended againe neither spake woordes to thē of any reproche but made to him whome he had seen his inuocacion and sayde Lorde Iesu take to the my soule Therby mayst thou know him to be Iesus disciple For in lyke maner sayed he vpon the crosse father I commend my spirite into thy handes After this whyle the stones flygh on euery syde and he was kneling vpon the grounde he cried out aloude with an highe voyce and an inwarde great affeccion of mynde and sayed lorde laye not this vnto their charge for they know not what they do how playnly doth the seruaunt expresse his mayster This was the laste woorde before his deathe after the whiche he departed this lyfe as it were with a sounde slepe in the lorde in whome whosoeuer dyeth doth not dye in very dede but falleth into a slepe and shall agayne after he hath taken his pleasaunt test awake to lyfe euerlasting It besemeth as many as be trewe christians to dye in suche a mynde And so Steuen ryghte well agreyng to his name deserued first of all the crowne of martyrdome and offered vp to the Lorde the first fruytes of sacrifice that were seamely for the gospell The .viii. Chapter Saule consented vnto his death And at that tyme there was a great persecuciō against the congregacion whiche was at Ierusalem And they wer all scattered abrode throwout the regions of Iewry and Samaria But deuout persons dressed Steuen and made greate lamentacion ouer hym As for Saul he made hauocke of the congregacion entred into euery house drewe out both men and women thrust theim into prison Therfore they that were scattered abrode went euerye where preachyng the woorde of God SOme there were emong that multitude whiche were not than perswaded that Iesus was the sonne of God and so by meane of suche ignoraunce their offence was the lesse thoughe it excused them not of murther forasmuche as they beyng so blinded of their owne inordinate desyres had leauer auenge then learne the trueth Yet of all other none were lesse to be holden excused than the byshoppes scribes and phariseis Sum agayne there were whiche of very ignoraunce not of any malice beleued that it was a pleasant sacrifice to god to dispatche the worlde of them whiche went aboute to subuert the lawe that god had left to man Albeit charitie of the gospell excuseth yea those thinges whiche cannot be with man excused Amongest those that of plaine ignoraunce did amysse and of no maliciouse mynde Saule was accompted one who was borne in the Isle Tarsus a young man fauoryng Moyses lawe excedyngly whiche afterwarde became of a rauenynge woulfe a meke lambe of a cruel persecutor of Christes gospell and egre defender of the lybertye therof But stones verely cast he none that tyme at Steuen but was assentyng to them that had condemned and stoned hym and for this purpose kepte he their garmentes that he myghte be accounted one amongest the rest of them that stoned him And yet were not the malyciouse Iewes quieted in their mindes with the murther of this one person but a wonderful great persecution begūne sone after to ryse against the church of Christ whiche than was at Hierusalem in somuche as all they were scatered into sondry coastes of Iudea and Samaria sauyng the twelue apostles whiche were more constante in mynde and stedfast than other were neyther coulde the maliciouse Iewes ought do agaynst them no more coulde they agaynst the other but vpon Iesus the lordes sufferaunce The lorde had permytted them in tyme of persecucion to flye from citie to citie And this theyr fliyng proceded not so muche of anye feare the disciples were in as it came of the wil and ordinaunce of god that of their teachinges as it were of seedes cast in many places abrode a plentifull haruest myght the soner cum forth in Christes religion The twelue apostles and no moo like faithfull shepherdes shranke not awaye for all the great storme but abode styll by it at Hierusalē But sum well dysposed persones because they perceiued Steuen vnworthely oppressed by subornate witnesse caused the dead body to be buried Of suche a godly loue or affecciō was Ioseph moued and Nycodemus to prouide dyligently for the lorde Iesus funeralles but Steuens death was celebrate after the Iewishe facion or maner with weapynge and wailynge of good men For Christen people taketh the death of suche that dye for Christes glory to their great Ioye and comforte and as it were for the victorie of goddes enemyes and yf there be any teares shedde it is not for his sake that is dead but eyther for suche manquellers that purchaseth them selues helle either els for Christes flocke beyng destitute of a necessary shepherd In these daies Saul whiche had before declared at the stoning of Steuē sum tryal of his zeale began of a great displeasure that he had conceyued against the Christiās lyke an hungry woulfe that teareth in peces scattereth abrode a flocke of shepe euē so to wast goddes congregacion pursuynge them that fledde searching them oute that lay hid walkynge about to euery house and wher he thought any to be of Christes professiō furiously there russhed he in haling men and lykewyse women into prison more cruell the trueth to say then were the priestes Scribes of the which none at al put womē to any trouble or busines This did that yong man of a good zeale but of a noughty iudgemēt And
moue you any thing or of those that be rewlers there whiche in condemning Iesus to death whome they woulde not knowleage for their Messias nor vnderstande the Prophetes whiche yet bee read euery sabboth daye to them hath vnawares fulfilled that that was before prophecyed For so was it determyned by the wyll of god and so did the Prophetes with one conseÌ„t signifie and declare before that one that was free from al sinne should be sacrifysed as a lambe without spotte for the sinnes of all men And what the priestes Pharisees Scribes and other of the piers with the conseite also of the commons had assayed all meanes and coulde finde no iust câ—use why they shoulde put him to death yet obteyned they with importunâ— clamours of Pilate that he woulde put him to death And whan they haâ— this vnaduisedly fulfilled all those thynges that wer spoken before of hyâ— by the mouth of the prophetes they toke him downe from the crosse aâ—â—â—ayed hym in his graue But he whom man of malyce had slayne by the permission of god the very same was reysed from death by the power lykewâ—se of God the thirde daye according as it was before prophecied And leseâ—â— shoulde thinke this to bee but a vayne tale that I tel you he was seene â—â—arde felt and in his owne person knowen of his dysciples that folowed hym whan he went from Galile to Hierusalem to suffre by the space after he rose from death to lyfe of fowertie dayes and they be almoste all aliuâ— vntâ—ll this day testifying faythfully before all the people those thinges that they sawe with their eyes and heard with their eares and felt with their hands ¶ And we declare vnto you how that the promise whiche was made to the fathers God hath fulfylled vnto their children euen vnto vs in that he reâ—ed vp Iesus again euen as it is written in the first psalme Thou art my sonne this dâ— haue I begotteÌ„ the. As concerniâ—â— that he reysed him vp from death now no more to returne to corrupcioÌ„ he 〈…〉 wise The holy promises to Dauid made wyll I geue faithfully to you â—â—â—fore he saith also in an other place Thou shalt not suffre thine holy to see corrupcioÌ„ For Dauid afâ—er he had in his tyme fulfilled the will of god fell on sleape was laid vnto his fathers sawe corrupcion but he whome god reysed againe saw no corrupcioÌ„ And we lykewyse beyng commaunded by our sauiour to execute the office of apostles doe witnesse that god hath now fulfylled his promyse to you and your posteritie in raysing Iesus from death to lyfe whiche thing long ago was promysed to Abraham and Dauid your forefathers and to your other auncestâ—â—â— by the mouthes of the prophetes For this is the same sonne of god borne of the virgin Mary as concerning his humayne nature and bodye of whome the father himselfe speaketh in the first misticall psalme saying thou art my sonne I haue begotten the this daye And that he hath reysed him from death to lyfe who shall neuer after be more subiecte to mortalitie or death he affirmeth by his prophete Esaye saying I wil perforume vnto you faithfully the promyse that I made vnto Dauid Now had he kept no promise if he had not raysed Iesus to lyfe euerlasting For this was his promyse vnto Dauid I haue once sworne to Dauid as I am holy and I wil not deceiue hym his seed shall continue for euer and his throne or royall seate shall continue as the Sunne in my sight as the full Moone without ende as a faithfull witnesse in heauen But ye see now that none of the lynage of Dauid obtayneth this kindom but this prophecie signified Christ that sitteth on the right-hand of his father and enioyeth the kyngdom that neuer shall haue ende Of this selfe same matter speaketh also the .xv. psalme in this wyse Thou shalt not suffre thy holy to see corrupcion Whiche prophecie can not be referred to kyng Dauid in his owne personne of whome we certaynly knowe that after that he had liued and reigned as long as pleased god he than died was buried sembleably as his auncestry was before him But if to see corrupcion be nothing els but to die than his graue whiche yet vnto this daye is remaining among vs where his bones lye dothe euidently proue that he hath sene corrupcion Wherfore this prophecy cannot be referred vnto hym but to thother whome we preache vnto you of whom god raysed from death to lyfe â—re his body began to putrifie and made him immortall ¶ Be it knowen vnto you therefore ye men and brethren that through this man is preached vnto you remission of sinnes and that by him all that beleue are iustified from all thinges from whiche ye coulde not be iustified by the law of Moyses Beware therefore lest that fal on you whiche is spoken of in the prophetes Beholde ye despisers wondre and perish ye for I dooe a woorke in your dayes whiche ye shal not beleue though a man declare it to you Be it therfore knowen vnto you brethren that thorow thaforesayde Iesus ye haue profered vnto you remission of sinnes and freedom from all offenses which you coulde not hitherto be cleane ridde of by keping of the lawe For the lawe was vnperfect takeÌ„ carnally neither coulde it put awaye all sinnes but punished sum of them nether it helped all nacions But through this same Iesus eche man without respecte of any persone or els offence hath righteousnesse or iustificacion and innocencie profered vnto him so that he beleue the promyses of the ghospel Beware therfore lest it may be spoken of you that god threteneth to the vnfaithful and those that resiste the preaching of his ghospell saying by the mouthe of his prophet Abacuc Looke ye dispisers and maruayle ye beyng amased and euen dye for angre for I woorke in your dayes a woorke that ye shall not beleue thoughe a man tell you of it Who euer yet did beleue that a virgin shoulde beare a childe Who woulde haue thought that all countreyes should obtaine life euerlasting by the death of one man Who woulde haue beleued that a man beyng slaine and buried coulde within three dayes aryse agayne from death to lyfe euerlasting This wondrefull woorke god accordynge to his promyse heretofore made hath wrought nowe in your time Become not ye despisers bee not occasion that your selues perish through stubberne and wylfull vnbeliefe but beleue ye in him embrace ye that health of soule whiche is now frely profered vnto you ¶ When the Iewes were gon out of the congregacion the Gentiles besought that they would preache the worde to them the next Sabboth When the congregacion was broken vp many of the Iewes and vertuous proselites folowed Paule Barnabas which spake to them and exhorted them to continue in the grace of God After Paule had concluded and she hearers began to departe they desyred Paule and Barnabas that they
discouraged by the malice of the Iewes who for the settyng foorth and magnifying of the lawe doe withstande the gospell nor yet dryuen from it by the fiercenes of the Gentiles whiche do so stiffelye vpholde and maynteyne the supersticion whiche they haue receyued of theyr forefathers For thatsame affliccion and persecucion in whiche I was here dyd moue me rather because I sawe that the cōgregacion was in some daungier leste any man beyng offended with mine aduersitie might be alienated and turned awaye from the ghospell then because that I passed for the shame that I was put to or for the sorowes or woe whyche I suffred and endured And in case I did at any tyme eschewe perill or daungier I dyd it rather for your pleasure to satisfye your appetites hauyng respecte to your profit then because I cared or passed any thyng for the losse of myne owne lyfe ¶ And now beholde I go bound in the spirit vnto Hierusalē not knowyng the thynges that shall come on me there but that the holy gost witnesseth in euerye citie saying that bondes and trouble abyde me But none of these thynges do moue me neyther is my life deare vnto my selfe that I might fulfyl my course with ioye the ministraciō of the word whiche I haue receiued of the lorde Iesu to testifye the ghospell of the grace of god And I am very glad that I haue so done Yea and nowe thoughe I bee free in bodye and not in any bandes yet beyng in spirite or mynde as it were in holde I take my iourney towardes Hierusalem where I am not verye certeyne what wyll become of me but onely because that the holy ghost in euerye citie partely by mouthes of the prophetes and partely in myne owne mynde doeth sygnifie vnto me that it shall come to passe that I shal be bothe fettered and tormented Whiche thing though I bothe beleue and knowe certaynelye shall chaunce vnto me yet none of al these thinges make me afrayed to execute the dutie of an apostle whiche I am called vnto though I shoulde be assured to abyde the paynes of death for my labour For it is not this lyfe that I so muche regarde whiche cannot perishe beyng vnder the tuicion of Christe but more do I esteme my maysters commaundemente then my lyfe and that I may ende this my course in preachyng the ghospel as cherefully as I haue hitherto ioyfully abyden it Nothing is there that more deliteth me then that the ghospell maye be furthered by my affliccions I haue delite in nothyng els but styll to runne forwardes in the race of the gospell wherein the lorde hath set me vntyll that I come to the marke beyng well assured that I shall accordyngly be rewarded at his handes whyche is mayster of the game whan he shall see tyme at his owne pleasure who is without deceite I auaunced not my selfe vnto this office but the lorde Iesus set me in this roume for to preach aswell to the Iewes as also to the Gentiles these mooste gladsome tydynges whiche is that it hath pleased god frely to saue euery man by beleuyng in the ghospell Wherfore willyngly and with all my herte wyll I nowe fulfyl this my vocacion not regardyng whether I lyue or dye And now behold I am sure that henceforth ye all thorow whom I haue goen preaching the kyngdōe of god shal se my face no more Wherefore I take you to recorde this daye that I am pure frō the bloud of all men For I haue spared no labour but haue shewed you al the counsel of god Take hede therfore vnto your selues to all the flocke among whō the holy gost hath made you ouersears to rule the congregacion of god whiche he hath purchased with his bloud As long as I conueniently myght I was present with you and holpe towardes your saluacion teachyng admonishyng exhortyng comfortynge rebukyng as I sawe occasion with ofte recourse to see you But nowe am I certayne by inspiration of the holye ghoste that ye shall neuer more see me in this worlde agayne neither ye Ephesians nor yet any others that are inhabitours of the lesse Asia vnto whom I haue already preached the kyngdome of God I haue done my duetie with all diligence and vprightly Wherfore seyng that I muste departe from you without any hope of returne this do I proteste before you all that yf any man peryshe eyther by hys owne or els by others defaulte I am not gylty of theyr death I haue shewed euery man the true way to euerlastyng lyfe I haue opened vnto you the wyll of God howe he is mynded to saue mankynde and what they muste do that continue in stedfast belefe towarde oure lorde Iesus in suche wise that no man can saye for excuse of himselfe that he knewe it not I my selfe haue gyuen you ensaumple both doyng and also sufferyng al that I myght to haue you continue in puritie of the gospell No mannes death can be imputed to me And nowe it ariseth not of my free wyll that I muste hence departe frome you nor yet do I for feare of anye persecucion conuey my selfe awaye but wittingly and willyngly goe I to vndoubted daungier of my lyfe beeyng so wylled by the spirite of Christ. Wherfore what ye cannot come by through my presence that muste ye supplye wyth youre owne dylygence See that your owne hertes fayle you not or els that your foote slyde not backe from those thynges that ye haue well entred into but ye that are the elders and vnto whom I haue cōmytted cure of this flocke watche partely for your own behalfes lest ye be seduced by false apostles and partely for the flockes sake whyche ye haue taken in hande to feede I haue vprightly executed myne office that was assygned and deputed to me of oure lorde Take ye lyke care and thought and with semblable good wyll and vprightnes of behauiour for the flocke that the holy ghost hath made you bisshoppes of that is to saye ouerseers to take diligent hede that Christes shepe lacke no holsome foode and not to playe the partes of woulues but of faithfull shepeherdes towarde goddes owne congregacion whiche ye muste not neglygently looke vpon forasmuche as god did set so muche store by it that he purchased it by the bloud sheddyng of his onely begotten sonne Ye must therfore beware that in no wyse the ware whiche god hath so derely boughte maye perishe or miscary through your negligence ¶ For I am sure of this that after my departyng shal greuous woulues enter in among you not sparing the flocke Moreouer of your own selues shall mē arise speaking peruerse thynges to drawe disciples after thē Therfore awake and remēbre that by the space of iii. yeares I ceased not to warne euery one of you both night and day with teares I do not warne you of these thynges aforehande so earnestly for nothyng For tight certaynly assured I am that you shall not still haue Paules wyth you
to bee smitten before thou hearest the matter contrary to the lawe whiche forbyddeth that any man shoulde be punyshed excepte he be lawfully conuicted and cast Than they whiche stoode nexte vnto Paule sayed vnto hym Doest thou in this wise reuyle Gods high priest To suche extreme tyranny was than the priesthoode of the Iewes come that they claymed it as a thing lawfull for them againste right and equytie to do euery man hurte and yet would not they permit other meÌ„ freely to speake Whiche was an euideÌ„t token that their priesthood shoulde not long continue after it was come to the extremitie of all mischiefe Than Paul perceyuing that he should nothing furder his cause vnder such a iudge thought that best it was onely to seke occasion howe that assembly myght be dissolued Wherefore he aunswerd Brethren I was vncertayne that this man was the high priest Els I remembre well that it is written in the booke of Exodus Thou shalte not speake euyll by the Prince or rewler of the people After he had with this aunswere somewhat appeased these that warned hym thereof he ymagined some occasion howe he myght auoyde the tumulte and murmouring of the people For lawfull it is to voyde peryll by crafte wheras appereth no hope of profityng Whan Paule perceyued that the one parte were Saduceis and the other Phariseis he cryed out in the councell Men brethren I am a Pharisee the sonne of Pharisee Of the hope resurrecion froÌ„ death I am iudged And whaÌ„ he had so sayd there arose a debate betwene the Phariseis the Saduceis and the multitude was deuyded For the Saduceis say that there is no resurreccion neither aungell nor spirit but the Phariseis graunt both Wherfore Paul consideryng that in the congregacion there were two sortes of menne the one Sadduceis the other Phariseis whiche agreed not one with an other sayed with a loude voyce in audience of the counsell so that euery man might here him Brethren I am a Pharisey and my parentes were Phariseis and I am arrayned for because that I preache that the dead shal aryse agayne After he had thus sayed there arose dyssencion betwene the Phariseis and the Sadduceis And the multitude also that was presente seeyng them at variaunce varyed among themselues and were of sundrye opinions and partes For the Sadduceis in asmuche as they beleue that the soule dieth with the body do neyther alowe resurreccion nor suppose that there is any spirite or aungell The Phariseis on the other part beleue both that resurreccion shal be and that there be bothe Angelles and spirites Wherefore the multitude with great clamour began to make trouble And there arose a great crye and whan the Scribes whiche were of the Phariseis parte arose they stroue saying we finde no euil in this man Though a spirite or an angel hath appered to him let vs not striue against God And whan there arose great debate the captayne fearing â—est Paul shoulde haue ben plucte a sundre of them commaunded the souldiers to go downe and to take him from among them and to bring him into the castle In the meane space certayne Scribes of the Phariseis secte arose and contended in the fauour of Paule and sayed We perceyue nothynge wherein this man hath transgressed And yf that the holy ghoste or an aungell hath spoken vnto him it is not oure parte to contende ne striue with God This they sayed vpon the occasion that Paule the day before had shewed theÌ„ that the lorde had appered vnto hym by a vision in the temple So muche doeth it auayle in cases alredye râ—wled and determined to be of this secte or of that But whan this dyssencion encreased more and more by reason that the Sadduceis cryed out so sore against the Phariseis and the matter seamed lyke to growe to nothing els but to an extreme and deadly commocion the marciall fearing lest that Paule shoulde be plucked in pieces among them commaunded the souldiers to go downe and take Paule from the throng and to bring him into the castell againe The night folowynge God stoode by him and sayed bee of good chere Paul for as thou hast testified of me in Ierusalem so must thou beare witnes also at Rome Than was it tyme that God shoulde somewhat coumforte him that so manfully had wrastled for hym seyng that these troubles were so sore and yet sorer wer at hande Wherefore the nexte night againe the Lorde stoode by hym saying Be of good courage Paul These troubles shal not make an end of the for the tyme of death is not yet come but yet is it to come that euen as thou hast valiauntly borne witnesse of me at Ierusalem so shalte thou witnesse of me at Rome also Thou hast doen thy parte in this citie whiche is the chiefe in all Iewry it remayneth nexte that thou do the same in Rome whiche is the head citie of all the worlde And whan it was daye certayne of the Iewes gathered themselues together and made a vowe saying that they would neither eate nor drinke tyll they had killed Paul They were moe then fowertie men which had made this conspiracion And thei came to the chiefe priestes elders and sayed we haue bounde our selues with a vowe that we wil eate nothing vntyll we haue slayne Paul Nowe therefore geue ye knowledge to the vpper captayne and to the councell that he bring him forth vnto vs to morowe as though we would knowe some thinge more perfectly of him But we or euer he come nere are ready to kyll hym But as soone as it was day certayne Iewes made a conspiracion and cursed them selues to the deuyll and to damnacion yf they dyd eyther eate or drinke before they had slayne Paule so greate malyce had they conceyued againste hym And it was no small noumbre that had made this conspiracie but they were aboue fowertie These persons wente to the high priestes and elders and shewed them their entente and purpose sayinge We haue moste depely cursed our selues to be perpetually damned in hell if we eyther eate or drynke before we shall haue slayne Paule Nowe must ye lykewyse put vnto your helpyng handes to the furtheraunce of our request that we maye the more easely bryng to passe that thinge whiche we are all desyrous to doe Sende ye woorde to the highe marciall both in your names and also in the name of the whole counsell that he bryng Paule before you againe pretendynge that ye wyll enquyre more dilygently of him forasmuche as yesterdaye ye coulde not by reason of the commocion And we shall so prouyde that he shall not come safely into the castell againe as he yesterdaye dyd but before he come to the place where the counsell shal be kepte we wyll be ready to slay him ¶ When Paules syster sonne heard of their laying wayte he wente and entred into the castell and tolde Paul And Paul called one of the vnder captaynes vnto him said Bryng this
fyne painted termes And therefore althoughe the Iewes haue layed dyuerse trespaces to my charge yet I thynke my selfe happy for this cause that I shall this day pleade this matter before you whiche knowe ryght wel the customes and ordre and also the doubtfull questions and poyntes that concerne the law of the Iewes Wherefore I wyll desire you to heare me paciently My liuing that I haue led of a childe whiche was at the firste amonge myne owne nacion at Ierusalem knowe al the Iewes which knew me from the beginning yf they woulde testifie For after the most streigth secte of our religion I liued a Pharise And now I stād and am iudged for the hope of the promyse made of God vnto our fathers vnto which promyse our twelue tribes instantly seruing God day night doe hope to cum Nor which hopes sake kyng Agrippa I am accused of the Iewes First and formoste wheras they laye vnto my charge that I haue trespaced against the lawe howe false that is al my whole lyfe whiche I haue hitherto led shall declare For although I was borne at Tarsus yet haue I euen from my chyldehode been brought vp among the Iewes at Ierusalē where I diligently applyed the lawe at the feete of Gamaliel So that the Iewes know wel ynough how syncerely and godly I dyd lede my lyfe among my countrey men and in the most royal citye for they knewe me many yeres agoe sence that I was fyrste conuersaunt at Iierusalem yf they would speake as they knowe it to be true in dede For I did not onely kepe the Iewes religiō dilygently but I professed that secte also whiche excelleth the reste bothe in obseruinge the religion and also in moste perfecte knowledge of the lawe that is to saye the secte of the Phariseis And it is a thing doen without al shame to accuse me that I am not a Iewe seeyng that I was and euen yet at this present also am a Pharisee by profession as who say that any man could denye him to be a Iewe that is borne at Ierusalem For among the Iewes the secte of the Phariseis especially doeth beleue that the bodies shal arise again and that euery manne shal be rewarded according to his liuing and dedes that he did here in this world Neither haue I at any tyme shronken from the Phariseis secte for euen now am I here artayned because I beleue that they shal be in a great felicitie ▪ that haue here lyued well accordyng as god made promyse to our forefathers But if it be a faulte to looke for that that god promysed to them that wurship him not I onely but many one moe than I are in the same faulte For why do the twelue trybes of our countrey wurship god daye and nyght but onely for because they trust the they shall come to this blisse which he hath promised And therefore scarcely is he worthye to be called a Iewe which trusteth not to that that god hath promised And yet O kyng Agrippa for this cause chiefely that I so beleue I am nowe endicted here of the Iewes ¶ Why should it be thought a thing incredible vnto you that God should rayse agayne the dead I also verely thought in my selfe that I ought to doe many thinges contrary cleane againste the name of Iesus of Nazareth which thing I also did at Ierusalē And many of the sainctes did I shut vp in prison had receiued authoritie of the hye priestes And whan they were put to death I gaue the sentence And I punished them oft in euery sinagoge and compelled them to blaspeme and was yet more mad vpō them and persecuted them euen vnto straunge cities About which thinges as I wōt to Damasco with authoritye and licence of the hye Priestes euen at mydday O kyng I saw in the way a light from heauen aboue the bryghtnes of the Sunne shyne round about me thē which iorneyed with me I knowe many wil thinke it a thing impossible yf a man should affirme that the bodye whan it is once dead and putrified shoulde aryse againe But many thinges seme to menne impossible whiche afterwarde yet they finde true If a manne should saye the one manne might rayse an other from death to lyfe he might iustely seme to speake a thing impossible and y◠not without a cause But wherefore shoulde you thinke it impossible that god whiche is hable to doe whatsoeuer shall please him should raise the dead to lyfe againe Can not he whiche gaue euery manne lyfe restore to lyfe whome shal please him Shal we thinke him to be a lyar or breakyng promyse in that whiche he hath made Yea I my selfe haue supposed thinges to be impossible whiche I afterwarde proued true and thinges to bee contrarye to oure lawe and vngodlye which I tried afterwarde to bee the principall pointes of perfeict godlynes and religyon In somuche that once I was of the same mynde towarde the discyples of Iesus of Nazareth that the Iewes are now towarde me for I stryued with al my power against thaduaūcing of his name and thought that I did wonderfull godly whan that I persecuted those that professed him to the vttermost y◠I coulde and so did I euen at Ierusalem For many holy men did I caste into pryson hauyng a commission of the high Priestes so to doe and pronounced the sentence of deathe against them whan they should suffre And I punyshed thē not onely at Ierusalē but in al Sinagogues whersoeuer I could heare of thē in any assembly purposing earnestly to bring them by veracion once to suche a pointe as to make them to speake in dispite of that moste blessed name lyke as I my selfe dyd in those dayes Neyther was I thus contented but more madly raged against them insomuche that I rode to forein cities and suche as were farre from Ierusalem to th entent that I myghte punyshe suche as professed his name And vpon a tyme whan I was most sette and bent to this cruell businesse whiche I dyd not yet of malyce but onely of zele that I bare to the lawe of my countrey and in this mynde tooke my iourney towarde Damasco being supported with authoritie of the high priestes euē at mydde day O king Agrippa I sawe a certayne light whiche was muche clerer then the brightnesse of the Sunne sodainlie to shine from heauen And it shyned round aboute me and those that were with me ¶ Whan we were all fallen to the yearth I hearde a voyce speakyng vnto me and saying in the Hebrewe toung Saule Saule why persecutest thou me It is harde for the to kycke againste the pryches And I sayde who art thou lorde And he sayde I am Iesus whom thou persecutest but ryse and stande vpon thy feete For I haue appered vnto the for this purpose to make the a ministre and a witnesse of these thinges which thou hast seen and of those thinges in the whiche I wyll appere vnto the delyueryng the from
geue her meate Whyles Iesus was aunswerynge the woman there came messengers from the ruler of the Synagoges house which saide vnto him Thy doughter is deade Why doest thou put the mayster to further paynes in vayne These wordes spoken the ruler of the Synagoge who had before a doubtfull hope mengled with muche feare beeyng nowe as a manne in despayre durst make no farther suite vnto the Lorde The messangers put hym in despaire sayinge She is deade So manye are wonte to speake by those persons whiche haue fallen to the committing of some haynous enormitie as for an ensample of aduoutrie inceste thefte or manslaughter sayinge He is at a poynte he is paste all goodnesse Surely Iesus sufferethe none to fall into desperacion but suche a one as refuseth to beleue in hym It is the propertie of Iewes to despaire The good Christian who knoweth the goodnesse of the Lorde to bee â—gâ—ll with his power neuer despaireth Christe therefore holpe and lyfted vp the fayntyng hope of the ruler of the Synagoge with swete and confortable wordes sayinge be not afrayed althoughe it be so that thy doughter be deade in dede Onelye haue belefe It skylleth not in howe euell case she be but howe stronge and stedfaste is thy faythe When he had thus spoken he came vnto the ruler of the Synagoges house and entred in but leauyng all the rablemente of people without dores sufferyng not so muche as his disciples to goe in with hym saue alonely Simon Peter Iames and Iohn who was Iames his brother These folowynge hym he entred into the ruler of the Synagoges house there founde he al thinges ryght gorgiouslly and with great pompe prepared for the buryall of the mayden and besyde this manye of her kynsmen and kynswomen lamentably bewaylyng her ouertymely deathe For she common sorte are wounte to take the death of young folkes much greuouslyer then of olde wher as in dede nothing is more to be desyred of god then in that age to dye when it is moste pleasure to lyue or euer the soule be blemished with the manifolde euyls of this present lyfe For it litle forceth howe longe a man liue but howe well and vertuously Iesus therfore teaching vs that we oughte not to bewayle the deade with vayne funerall songes caused the mourners to cease theyr noyse Why â—aythe he make you such a clamoure and noyse in the house with your wepynge and waylynge The mayde is not deade but a slepe Truly vnto hym she dyd but slepe who could much easlyer wakeÌ„ relyue her with a worde of his mouthe then one of vs can wake another oute of his slepe And slepe is in euery point a resemblaunce and meditacion of death For it bryngeth to reste the powers of the sowle and taketh awaye sence so that if it were continuall it were verye deathe in dede But suche as stode by when she died not perceyuing what Iesus meante by these wordes laughed hym to skorne because he beleued she was yet aliue sithe it euidently appeared that she was deade Iesus droue all these folkes out a doores whiche fylled the house full of noyse and dynne with theyr vayne wepyng and waylyng and dyd not onelye nothyng at all profyte the deade bodye therwith but also encreaced the woefullnesse of her parentes and laughed hym the aucthour of healthe to skorne There nedethe not the presence of suche people where the soule beeyng dead throughe synne is to bee called agayne to the lyfe of innocencie and vertuous lyuyng This thyng dyd Iesus then in a nother mannes seuerall house What woulde he nowe doe yf he sawe the great pompe that some vse in funerals euen to very madnesse There are certayne persones hiered to fayne mourninge and weping to crye out to teare the heare that manye tymes is none of theyrs to knocke themselues on the breste to scratche theyr faces to caste out wordes that no frantycke manne woulde speake the lyke full of distruste and vnbelefe They set mylke by the deade karkes therewyth to allure the soule strayinge and wandryng abrode into the body agayne They oftetymes crye and call vpon the dead body by name Phylip cum againe Come agayne to vs good Phylip. They chyde and braule with him saying Why hast thou forsakeÌ„ thy frendes Why wouldes thou kyll vs with mourning Thou lackeddest nothyng to liue all at pleasure neyther ryches nobilitie honorable aduauncemeÌ„tes beautie nor age O thou cruel felowe O wretches that we be c. Nowe put me hereunto trumpettes that sounde vnto the deafe the syngyng menne that syng vayne funerall songes vnto the deade bodie whiche hearethe them not and dooe not thereby take awaye the sorowe of the lyuinge but encrease it Furthermore put hereto the long rowes of torch-bearers and the raye of those that are clad all in blacke and mournyng apparell Yea there be summe also whiche cause horses trapped in blacke to bee brought into this pompous shewe to cary the deade maÌ„nes flagge and cootearmoure and with theyr downe lokyng for theyr neckes are fast bounde vnto theyr legges to make as though they sought for their maister that is descended and gone downe to hell What shall I rehearse the great feastes and solemne baÌ„kettes that they are wonte to make The magnificke and costlye buildynges of tombes as thoughe there were litle pompes and superâ—â—uite vsed in life excepte dead folkes dyd also declare themselues to be attached wyth these vices Nowe sytheÌ„s euen those that are of the wysest sorte of the heathen suppose these to be mad and fonde customes howe muche more then oughte they not to be had in vse amonge christen menne whiche dooe all slepe rather then dye and shal awake agayne the last daye at the sownyng of the Aungels trumpet Therefore to retourne to the order and processe of thy storye when Iesu had put all these folkes out a doores he toke the parentes of the mayden and wente into the secrete chambre whereas the coarse laye For his pleasure was that they shoulde be witnesses of the miracle whiche he entended to worke Here the Lord toke the mayden by the hand and as though he woulde haue wakened her out of her slepe sayde vnto her Tabitha cumy the whiche in the Syrian language is as muche to saye as howe mayden aryse Suche as are in a depe or sounde slepe cannot many tymes be wakened althoughe a manne call them ofte tymes with a loude voyce and pinche them neuer so muche and when they be called vp yet doe they not by an by awake but beeyng a good while halfe a slepe or drousy gape stretch theyr armes nod with theyr heades that many tymes the chynne stryketh the brest and if a man call not styll vpon them they fall aslepe agayne This deade mayden arose furthwith and walked at the voyce of Iesu beyng not only relyued but also very mery and iocunde For the soule which throughe thenforcement of disease had forsaken the bodye knewe the voyce of his maker and
without delaye retourned againe into the house that it went out of The more sorowfull that her death was by reason of her yong age for she was but twelue yeare olde the greater was the myrthe and ioye which was made for her relyuyng Her father and mother were greatly amased with this straunge wonderfull syght Iesus who neyther required reward or mede of them nor yet thankes for his laboure onely commaunded them to geue her meate bycause it myght thereby more certainely appeare how she was restored to life For catyng is not onely a sure token of lyfe but also of welfare and good healthe He lykewyse charged them that they shoulde not blase this thyng abrode whiche was priuely done and in the presence of a few persons eyther because he would haue it rather published by suche as he putte out a doores then by the ruler of the Sinagoge who should haue bene more enuyed but lesse beleued if he had bene the publisher hereof eyther because in that he commaunded them to kepe the thyng secrete whiche he knew ryght well they would not do his will was to teache vs how that in all the good dedes we dooe we ought vtterlye to exchewe all vayne glory and worldly prayse If a man wade deper herein and serche what secret learning lyeth hid in this miracle for euen the very doinges of Iesu be parables it shall appeare that this dead mayden of twelue yeare olde and scarcely yet mariable sygnifieth a man whiche by frayeltye of nature hathe fyrste fallen to the committing of some priuie cryme or synne and therfore because he is not yet past regarde of honestye nor by long custome rooted in synne maye with the medicine of shame easlye be holpen and cured therof When any suche offendeth it becoÌ„meth the Curates and pastours to folow the gentle demeanour of Iesu who without makyng any great a doe raysed the mayden at home in the presence of a fewe witnesses It shall be sufficient to rebuke suche as haue thus offended and done amisse secretly leste theyr faulte beyng once disclosed they eyther sette all shame aparte or els pyne awaye throughe ouermuche sorowe and heauinesse The fyrst offence if it happen throughe frayltie and weaknesse is very sone amended It is muche harder to cure hym whose wickednesse is once cum to the knowledge of the people and hardest of all to heale suche a one as is hardened and rooted in synne by long custome of synnyng And therfore he rayseth the mayden by vertue of his bare worde in her fathers seuerall house sufferyng fewe to be present thereat But he maketh more a doe when the young springalte whiche was borne out vpon mennes shoulders to be buryed is restored to lyfe agayne His mother and all the people that go with her make great mene and lamentacion The yong man is had out to burying and fyrst his mother heareth Christ saye wepe not Then Christ toucheth the coffin and causeth the porters to staye Anon he calleth the dead man with a loude voyce saying How I say to the aryse Then fyrst he rayseth himselfe and sitteth in the coffin afterward he begynneth to speake at the length he whippeth out of the coffyn and is deliuered vnto his mother But Christ commaundeth Lazarus graue to be shewed hym as thoughe he knew not where it were he wepeth once or twyse He is troubled and groneth in spirite He commauÌ„deth the graue stone to be remoued and calleth out Lazarus with a loude voyce The dead man cummeth out but bounde At the length he is vnbound and falleth to his meate It was no more maisterie for Christ to rayse vp the karkas whiche had layne fower daies deade then the bodie newly deade who at the daye of dome will by the voyce of thaungell rayse and call to lyfe agayne all mennes bodies that haue bene buryed in so many thousand yeares before but by thys fygure his wyll was to shewe vs howe muche a doe it is for them to turne from sinful lyuing who of long tyme haue bene accustomed to vices not to the ende that we should despayre of suche persons but because we should endeuoure to amende oure lyues in season and more earnestly goe about to bryng all that are in suche case to amendement Moreouer I thynke it also here worthye to be noted that where as Iesus woulde haue hys benefyte publyshed of the Gerasyte possessed of the deuyll yet commaunded he the ruler of the Synagoge to kepe sylence For the enuyous Synagoge went aboute by al meanes to ouerwhelme and oppresse the glorye of the Lorde Iesu the whiche Synagoge did also afterward beate the Apostles and charged theÌ„ that they should not be so hardy as once to speake of his name But theyr enuye preuayled nothyng at all The more they went aboute to oppresse his holsome name the more was it preached amonge the Gentyles The priestes holden theyr peace The Phariseis crye out and speake agaynst him The Scribes rayle vpon him Herod laugheth him to skorne but wurshyppers of Idolles theues extorcioners and such as are attached with the vyces of inceste and aduoutry sodainly delyuered by the grace of the ghospell from theyr olde synnes as from most fell and cruell dyuels doe magnifye and prayse hym The .vj. Chapter ¶ And he departed thence and came into his owne countrey and his disciples folowed him and when the Sabboth day was cum he begaÌ„ to teache in the sinagoge And many that heard him were astonied and sayde From whence hath he these thinges And what wisdoÌ„ is this that is geuen vnto hym and suche vertues as are wrought by his handes Is not this the carpenter Maries sonne the brother of Iames and Ioâ—es and of Iuda and Symon and are not his systers here with vs â–ª And they were offended with hym Iesus sayed vnto them a Prophet is not despised but in his owne countrey and among his owne kinne and in his owne housholde And he could there shewe no miracle but layde his handes vpon a fewe sycke folke and healed them and merueled because of theyr vnbeliefe WHat occasyon soeuer Christ haue to goe any whyther he is alwayes after one fashyon and lyke hymselfe that is he euer bryngeth healthe to teache his disciples that accompany hym how we christians ought neuer to cease to doe the busynesse of the ghospell but still to goe aboute whensoeuer occasion serueth thereunto to make of euell men good and of good better whether it happen vs to continew and leade our lyues at home in our owne houses or els in foreyne and straunge countreys in publyke place or in pryuate Moreouer he that is vnfaynedly indewed with suche vertue and goodnesse as belongeth to christian profession â–ª whether it chaunce hym to be in shyppe or in wagan or to haue familiar talke and communicacion or els to be present at feaste or at banket yea to make shorte tale euen when he bourdeth to or maketh any game or pastyme he so demeaneth hymselfe that euer
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