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
hath gayned tenne pounde And he sayed vnto hym well thou good seruaunte because thou hast been feithfull in a veraye lytle thyng haue thou autoritie ouer tenne cities And another came saying Lord thy pound hath made fyue pound And to thesame he sayed be thou rewler also ouer fiue cyties And another came saying Lorde beholde here is thy pounde which I haue kept in a napkyn for I feared thee because thou arte a streight man thou takest vp that thou laydest not down and reapest that thou diddest not sowe He sayeth vnto hym Of thyne owne mouthe wyll I iudge thee thou eiuell seruaunte Knowest thou that I am a streight man taking vp that I layed not downe and reapyng that I dyd not sowe And wherfore gauest not thou my money into the banke and at my cummyng I might haue requyred myne owne with vauntage And he sayed vnto them that stoode by take from hym that pounde and geue it to hym that hath tenne pounde And they sayed vnto hym Lorde he hath tenne pounde For I saye vnto you that vnto euery one whiche hath shal be geuen and he shall haue aboundaunce and from hym that hath not shal be taken awaye euen that whiche he hath Moreouer those myne enemies which would not that I shoulde reigne ouer them bryng hither and sleagh them before me By this talke Iesus did declare that from hensfoorth none ought to glory in the obseruyng of the lawe but whatsoeuer good qualitie or gyfte of grace had happened vnto any man by the bounteous liberalitie of god yâ— same should bee wholy employed to suche ende that we maye drawe veray many men to grace and saluacion thereby For with suche kinde of gaynes is God moste speciallye delited who had sent his owne sonne for this purpose that freely forgeuyng theyr synnes he might ioyne all the nacions of the world vnto him And in dede some there were emong the disciples which thought that as soone as he were once come to Ierusalem whiche he begoonne nowe to drawe somewhat nere vnto the kyngdome of heauen wold immediately appere of whiche he had so many tymes made mencion wherin their imaginacion ranne vpon some kingdome lyke to a worldely reygne whereas Christ ment of a reigne of the spirite euangelicall by meane wherof the tyrannie of synnes is oppressed and troden vnder foote And that kyngdome certes consisteth not in puissaunce of armed souldiers in weapon or in force of handes but in feith and truste in god but in beneficiall goodnesse towardes the neighbour but in mercifulnesse towardes offendours but in sincere and liberall dispensyng of the worde of God But as for the maiestie of this kyngdome whiche shall honourablye rewarde the godly with immortall glorye and shall adiudge the wiekedde vnto endlesse tormentes he declared that it should not streightwayes bee shewed foorth but shoulde bee made open and manifest at the due tyme beeyng to vs vnknowen And ferther that we shoulde in the meane season by all meanes and wayes employe our earnest diligence that the good gyfte or qualitie that euerye bodye hath he should first remembre to bee the lordes moneye to whome we are debtours for al that we haue that the money whiche we haue so receyued oughte vprightly and feythfully to bee destributed abrode to the gaynes and profite of thesame Lorde not that he hath nede of any manier thyng but because that of his charitie and loue towardes mankynde he thirsteth the redemyng saluacion of all creatures and thynketh himselfe encreaced with a great auauntage and gayne yf one man emende by another from viciousnesse and bee conuerted from vice to the earnest exercise of godly deuocion whereby he maye haue what to rewarde in both parties aswel the one that helpeth with doyng benefite as also the other which hath been holpen For there is nothyng that we maye in this behalfe take into our own possession eyther of prayse oâ—els of thanke We are seruauntes euery one of vs and of bounden dutie owe our beste labour and seruice All the stocke of the money is his euery whyt of it yea and oweneâ— he is of vs ourselfes too we must no more but labour euery man to the best of his power to encrease the Lordes substaunce As touchyng the reward leat vs leaue the arbitrement there of to the Lorde who will at his conuenient tyme moste largely rewarde our prompte wil and our faithful endeuouring The discourse of the parable is this here ensuing A certain man of nobilitie and great power toke a voyage into a ferre countrey to recouer the possessioÌ„ of a realme into his haÌ„des again which an other had through tiraÌ„ny vsurped and preueÌ„ted the possessioÌ„ of afore and that doeÌ„ to returne home again But this great man before he entred his iourney called together certain of his seruauntes which he had to the numbre of tenne and deliuered teÌ„ne poundes vnto them in sort that there was an equal diuisioÌ„ of this stocke of money indifferently among them al and therwithal gaue them in commission This money saieth he I deliuer vnto you not to coÌ„sume it wastfully or to kepe it idle in your haÌ„ds but that it may eÌ„creace by the trade of occupiyng and to the ende that beyng returned home againe I may fynde my substaunce well encreased at home And all thinges thus sette in ordre at home he went forth on his voyage And so it was that the inhabitauntes of the citie whiche he was rewler and gouernour of hated hym Wherupon as soone as he was gon foorth on his iourneye they begoone to treacte of a chaunge attemptyng suche a matter that while he wer in recoueryng his other kyngdome he should be expulsed out of that that he had than already in possession Upon this they sent ambassadours vnto hym beeyng nowe a good waye onwarde on his iourney to make relacion vnto hym that his subiectes were of suche mynde that from henceforth they woulde no longer haue hym to their kyng and that therfore he should not make the labour any more to returne home again to theim from whence he had taken that present voiage But so it befell that whaÌ„ he had recouered into his possession the other kyngdome for whiche he had taken the saied voiage he returned home agayne to his owne realme and commauÌ„ded his seruauntes to bee called before him to whom he had to fore deliuered the stocke of tenne poundes that the audite and accouÌ„ptes duely made he myght knowe how muche euerye of them had gotten of clere gaynes The first came foorth who beyng demaunded of his accoumpt saied My lord thy pounde is enprowed to the summe of tenne poundes Whose industry and fidelitie his lord muche praisyng aunswered well saied my good seruaunte forasmuche as whan my substaunce was suche as might haue lien in a narow roume thou hast in a litle summe of money declared thy selfe faythfull trustie and louyng toward thy maister nowe that my substaunce is enlarged it is reason and
sonne of man cum Wherfore seing that these thynges vndoubtedly shal cum to passe and it cannot certainly be knowen vpon what daye they shal cum wake and watche coÌ„tinually leste that daie cum vpon you vnwares and vnprepared If menne watche that theyr money peryshe not muche more oughte you to watche that your soule perishe not For what householder is so negligent whych yf he knew that the thiefe would breake into hys house in the nyght season woulde sleepe all nyght and suffer hys house to be broken downe Therfore ye muste wake all your lyfe because ye be certayne that the daye wyl cum whan ye looke not for it For so ye must liue that whansoeuer the day dothe cum it may finde you doing your duty that furthwyth ye may be receiued vnto your rewarde Who is a faythful and a wyse seruaunt whome hys lorde hath made ruler ouer hys housholde to geue them meate in season Blessed is that seruaunt whome his lorde whan he cummeth shall fynde so doing Uerely I saye vnto you that he shall make him ruler ouer all his goodes But and yf that euil seruaunt saye in his hert my lord wyll be long a cummyng and so begyn to smyte his felowes yea and to eate and drincke with the dronken the same seruauntes Lorde shal cum in a daye whan he loketh not for him and in an houre that he is not ware of and shal hewe hym in pieces and geue hym hys porcion with Hiprocrites there shall be wepyng and gnashyng of teeth Wyll not a wyse and a faythfull seruaunt do thesame whome his maister going farre from home hathe made ruler ouer hys familie to geue them meate in due season The maister doth not poynte hym when he wyl retourne home leste he shoulde bee slacke in hys office but whansoeuer the mayster shall returne shal not the seruaunt be happy yf hys maister finde him doing his duty Certaynely I saye vnto you that the maister hauing a triall of his trustinciâ—e will bee bolde to truste hym with greater thynges and wyll make hym ruler ouer all hys goodes Contrary wise yf the ill and vnfaithfull seruaunt wil saye in hys harte my mayster is longe awaye and perchaunce he wyll neuer returne and vpon this hope begynneth to beate hys felowe seruauntes and neglecting the famylye eateth and drynketh with dronckardes howe vnhappy shall he be when hys mayster shal cum at the daye when he loketh not for hym and the houre when he thought that he would not returne For he shal not onely set hym beside his offyce but he will also cut him a sonder in the myddest and ioyne hys parte with the Hipocrytes which hath the title and name of the office of the ghospel where as in their doinges they be contrarye to the ghospell And there for hys sensuall pleasures of wrongshaped swetenesse wherewith beyng inebriate and drounken he had not awayted for the cummyng of hys mayster he shall be punished with intollerable torment his laughyng shal be turned into wepyng and hys songes into gnashyng of teethe ¶ The .xxv. Chapter Than shall the kyngdome of heauen be like vnto ten virgins whiche takyng theyr lampes wente furthe to meete the spouse But fyue of them were foolyshe and fyue were wyse They that were foolyshe takynge theyr lampes tooke no oyle with them but the wyse tooke oyle with them in theyr vessels with the lampes Whyle the spouse taryed they all slumbered and slepte And at midnight there was a crye made Beholde the spouse cummeth goe furth to meete hym Than all the virgins arose and prepared theyr lampes And the foolishe sayed vnto the wyse geue vs of your oyle for our lampes are out But the wyse answered saying Not so leste there be not ynoughe for vs and you but goe ye rather to the sellers and by your selues And whyle they wente to bye the bridegrome came and they that were ready went in with hym to the mariage and the doore was shutte Afterwarde cum the other virgins saiyng Lorde lorde open vnto vs. But he answeryng sayeth Uerely I saye vnto you I knowe you not Watche therfore for ye knowe not the day nor the houre in the whiche the sonne of man shal cum ANd Iesus to put in the myndes of hys disciples surely that they shoulde not slacke or sleepe in thys life but that through the continuall seruyce of godlinesse and duties towarde theyr neyghboure they shoulde get and prepare them thynges for the waye to euerlastyng lyfe for in the resurreccion we shoulde seke it to late vnlesse we shoulde prepare in tyme he sette furthe a parable of tenne virgins who takyng theyr lampes wente to meete the spouse But of these fyue were fooles whych prouided them not of oyle agaynste the cummyng of the bridegrome because they thought he woulde not cumme so sodenly but that they myghte haue had space to gette them oyle sumwhere But the wyse virgins knowyng that the tyme was vncertayne whan theyr spouse shoulde cum leste they myght bee found vnredy caryed out with them in theyr vesselles oyle for theyr lampes whereby they myght refreshe the lampes as they began to fayle Therefore when the spouse differred hys cumming longe all the virgines beganne to nappe and at length fel a slepe In the dead nighte sodainly rose a clamour and a noyse emong the seruauntes callyng them oute to meete the spouse beholde the bridegrome is at hande goe furthe and meete hym Than al the virgines wakyng from slepe prepared their lampes But the fooles when they sawe they muste departe sodainely at middenight and hadde no oyle theyr lampes nowe faylyng of lyght they desyred the wyse virgines to geue them parte of theyr oyle But they made answere we feare that we haue not inough both for vs and you Go ye rather to the oyle sellers and by of them And in the meane tyme as they went to bye the brydegrome came and they that were ready entred in with him to the mariage and furthwith the gate was shut At last come the foolyshe virgins also and knocke at the gate and saye Lorde lorde open the gate for vs. Unto whome the brydegrome made answere truely I knowe you not Wherfore after the example of the wyse virgyns and of the faythful seruaunt and the politike householder watche ye and prepare in time the stoare of good workes because ye knowe not the daye nor the houre of hys cummyng and when he shall sodenly appeare there shal be nowe no lenger time of well doyng but euery manne shall haue rewarde accordyng as he hath done before Likewise a certaine man taking his iourney into a straung countrey called his seruauntes and deliuered vnto them hys gooddes and vnto one he gaue fyue talentes and to another two and to another one accordyng to hys habilitie and streyght way departed And he that had receiued fyue talentes went and occupyed wyth the same and gayâ—ed other fiue talentes Lykewise also he that had receyued two gayned other two But he
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
people mocked him and reuyled him he gaue health vnto others nowe he cannot preserue himselfe If he be the king of Israel as he woulde appere let him declare now what he can doe let him come downe from the crosse and we will beleue hym He trusted in god whome he craked to be hys father if he loue him let him nowe deliuer hym And that of euery side the most innocente Iesus mighte be arayed with reuylynges the theues also felowes with hym in punishmente in lyke manner rebuked hym The whiche all Iesus suffered with stiffe and strong pacience to bring to passe and offer for all meÌ„ that healthfull sacrifice He kepte still the diuine power and sette furthe the whole nature humane to al maner of paynes and tormentes And he did not requited or reuenge so cruell reuylyng bestowed vpon hym as he was dying beeyng more bitter then the crosse it selfe insomuche that he prayed vnto hys father for the souldyers and the Iewes that skorned hym and one of the theues repentyng himselfe he receyued into his paradise From the sixt houâ—e was there darkenes ouer all the lande vntill the .ix. houre And aboute the .ix. houre Iesus cryed with a loude voyce saying Hely Hely Lamazabathanye that is to saye my god my god why haste thou forsaken me Some of them that stoode there when they hearde that sayde This man calleth for Helias â–ª And furthwith one of them ranne and toke a sponge and whan he had filled it full of vyneâ—ce he put it on a reede and gaue it hym to drinke But other sayde let be let us see whether Helias will come and delyuer hym Iesus when he had cryed agayne with a loude voyce yelded vp the ghost The very Sonne felte the punyshment of the innocente and coulde not abyde to beholde so wycked a dede He couered hys face with a blacke cloude and all that countreye was couered with darkenesse from syxe of the clocke vntyll nyne And yet in the meane season the darkenesse of the Iewes hartes coulde not bee shaken of Further aboute nyne of the clocke Iesus cryed with a greate voyce saying thys sentence oute of the psalme Hely Hely Lamazabathany my God my God why haste thou forsaken me And certayne that stode by and hearyng afarre of Hely and supposyng that he had called to Hely for helpe sayde Thys felowe calleth for Hely Let vs see whether he wyll helpe hym Than Iesus to shewe that it was a true deathe whiche he suffered for all menne cryed I am athirste For thys is wonte to folowe vpon woundes and sheding of bloude whiche oftentymes is a punyshemente more sore and paynfull than death And one runnyng to hym put vnto his mouth as he hanged a sponge full of vineger putte vpon the toppe of a reede Iesus thirsted sore for the health of menne but the Iewes offered hym nothyng but vinegar and gall Therefore he dyd forbeare from it when he had tasted saying It is consummate and fynyshed sygnyfying that nothyng was omytted whiche did pertayne to the manner of the sacrifyce And anone to declare that he lefte his life of hys owne accorde after that he had commended hys spyryte vnto the father he cryed with a loude voyce and bowing down his head died And beholde the vayle of the temple did rente in two partes from the top to the bottom and the earthe quaked the stones dyd rente and graues dyd open and manye bodyes of saynctes whiche slepte arose and went oute of the graues after hys resurreccyon and came into the holy citie and appered to many Whan the Ceâ—â—â—urion and they that were with him watching Iesus saw the earthquake and those thinges whiche happened they feared greatly saying Truely thys was the sonne of god And furthwith all thinges dyd testifye the effectuall death of the lorde Iesus For the vayle of the temple whiche deuyded the holye place from the other parte of the temple of his owne accorde was cut in two partes declaring that the shadowes of Moyses lawe hereafter shoulde vanyshe awaye at the bryght light of the ghospell Furthermore the earth did quake and the stones brake a sunder reprouing the Iewes for theyr inuyncyble hardnes of hearte The graues did open and many bodyes of holy menne whiche were dead did reuyue and liue agayne and goyng out of the graues after the resurreccyon of Christe came into the holye citie of Ierusalem and appered vnto many beeyng the preachers and folowers of the resurreccyon of Iesus Furthermore the Captayne and hys seruauntes whiche were there to keepe Iesus perceyuing the earthquake the darkenesse the breakyng of the stones and other wonders were greatly afeard saying Truely this was the sonne of god ¶ And many women were there beholdyng a farre of whiche folowed Iesus from Galile mynystryng vnto hym among whiche was Marie Magdalene and Marie the mother of Iames and Ioses and the mother of the chyldren of Zebedee When the euen was come there came a riche man of Aramathia named Ioseph whiche also was Iesus disciple He wente vnto Pylate and begged the holy bodye of Iesus Than Pylate commaunded the body to be deliuered And whan Ioseph had taken the body he wrapped it in a cleane clothe and put it in his new toumbe whiche he had hewen out of the rocke and rolled a great stone to the doore of the sepulchre and departed And there was Marie Magdalene and the other Marie sitting ouer againste the Sepulchre There were also many women lookyng a farre of vpon the thynges that were doen whiche had folowed Iesus from Galile minystryng vnto hym necessaries among whome there was Marie Magdalene and Marie the mother of Iacob and Ioseph and also the mother of the sonnes of zebedee and diuers other with them And when the nyghte drewe nere a certayne ryche Captayne of Aramathia called Ioseph who also was the dyscyple of Iesus wente vnto the presidente askyng of hym the body of Iesus Pylate marueyling if that he were dead a man of lustie age and not hauyng hys legges broken as soone as he knew certaynely of the captayne that he was dead he commaunded the body to be geuen vnto him He receyued it and wrapped it in a cleane shete and layde it in a newe graue the whiche he had grauen in an whole stone And rollyng a greate stone to the doore of the graue he departed away And thys was done by the prouidence of God that they shoulde vse no crueltie vpon the dead karcas or that no man shoulde dygge vp the graue and steale hym awaye And when the other were departed Marie Magdalene and an other woman contynued there syttyng ouer against the sepulchre and markyng the place where they layde the body that at conuenient time they myght doe the dutie of annoynting to it and the lorde had styrred vp theyr great dilygence to this intente that the beliefe of his resurreccion might be more certayne ¶ The nexte daye that foloweth the Parasceue â–ª the hyghe priestes and Pharisâ—is came
thinketh it a goodlyer thyng for hym to haue in is trayne CCC horsmen well appointed wyth crosbowes iauelins and handegunnes then to bee accompanied wyth a good numbre of learned and vertuous deacons and to carry about with hym bokes of holy scripture Why dooe they thynk them selues great by the pompous shewe and setting foorth of those thynges by contemnyng wherof suche as they succeded were accompted great and worthy persons Why haue trumpettes and hornes a sweter sounde in theyr eares then the readyng of holy scripture Well then what if a kyng in steade of a Diademe and a robe of estate put on a Myter and a priestes attyre and contrary a bishop in stede of a Myter and priestes attyre weare a Diademe and a kynges robe or kyrtel-wil it not appeare a monstreous sight vnto vs Nowe if the vnright and disordered vse of suche thinges as are but signes of theyr office and ministeries dooe so greatly moue vs why then are we not a greate deale more moued to see their offices turned cleane cam misordered Certes if either kyng oâ— bishop dooe any thing priuately they must haue respect to nothing els but to the health and conseruacion of the people For yf they dooe theyr dutie aright either they admonishe such as are out of the way correct suche as haue done amysse or coumforte the dismayed or kepe vnder the proude and hye mynded or styrre vp idle persons or make those that are at variaunce frendes and louers againe This is the very office of kynges but specially of the euangelike kynges who in no wyse ought ambiciously to desyre this worldly kingdome And forasmuche as the Lorde Iesus was in very dede both a spirituall and a temperall kyng although he expressed in yerth but a spirituall kyngdom alonely it is both theyr partes to dooe what in the lyeth to counterfaicte and followe theyr prince He wholly gaue himselfe for his And how then for shame dare any that calleth hymselfe Christes vicar lyue onely to his owne priuate wealth and commoditie Christe whether he were in the temple or in the Synagoges or went abrode or taried at home in his seuerall house or were carried by water or continued in the wildernes dyd nothyng elles all his lyfe long but playe the parte of a sauiour of a comforter of a well dooer He taught the multitude he healed the diseased he clensed the lepres he restored the sycke of the palsey the lame and the blynd Further he chased awaye hurteful spirites raysed the dead deliuered those that were in peryll filled the bellies of the hungry reproued the Phariseis defended his disciples and also the synner that so lauishely poured out her oyntmente vpon hym He coumforted the synfull woman of Canaan and her that was taken in adulterye Peruse all the whole lyfe of Iesus and it shall euidently appeare that he neuer harmed any bodye notwithstanding he had so manye hurtes and displeasures done to hym of others and that he coulde easâ—ly haue been auenged yf it had pleased hym He euery where played the sauioure euerywere the well doer He restored Malchus eare agayne whiche Peter cut of with his sweâ—rd He would not haue his safegarde defeded wyth the least hurte or displeasure that might be to any body He made Herode and pilate at one Hangyng on the crosse he saued one of the theues Whan he was dead he drewe the captaine of the garison vnto the christian profession This was the very office and parte of a kyng to do all men good and hurte no bodye His example all christian princes ought as nygh as thei can to folowe And forasmuche as your grace is called the moste christian kyng the very name and title selfe that is geuen your highnes ought specially to moue you to expresse in all your doinges as nere as ye can possible the prince of all princes Christe But what sparcle of shame remayneth there in those persons who albeit they haue a pleasure to be called the vicars of Christe doe notwithstandyng require to haue I saye not theyr lyfe or dignitie but theyr auarice and pryde defended with greate effusion and shedyng of christian bloud And this wryte I ryght noble prince not for to defame or reproue any bishops albeit I woulde wishe of God that there were not some christian bishops of whome these wordes might beiustely spoken but onely to shewe wherein the true dignitie of kynges and bishoppes consisteth to the ende that bothe of them knowyng and mayntening theyr owne dignitie maye happily passeouer this transytorye lyfe to Goddes pleasure and contentacion But muche farder are those euangelike pastours from doyng theyr dutye who where it had been theyr parte to make princes beyng at debate and variaunce at one agayne do of their owne accorde incense them to warre and as it is an old prouerbe do cast brandes vpon the fyers or flames of battayle Surely yf euer it were nedefull for a good pastour or shepherde anye where to prouide for the safegarde of his flocke with the losse and spendyng of his lyfe if the example of that chiefe shepherde Christ in whose stede they are were any where to be expressed and folowed here chiefly ought they to haue do one theyr duetie whereso greate a sea of mischiefes gusseth and floweth out into the worlde But howe chaunceth it that amoÌ„g so great a noumber of Abbottes bishops and Archebishops and Cardinals not one steppeth foorth that dare putte yea euen his veraye lyfe in hasarde to make an ende of this greate stirryng and troublous buisynes of the worlde Howe happily dyeth he whoso by his deathe causeth so many thousande mennes lyues to be saued There is no crueller a thyng then is that fyghting hand to hande and bucherly manglyng and cuttyng of sweard players And yet was antiquitie so fondly delyted with this syght that the moste naughtie and detestable example remaynyng of the vse of the Gentiles continued a long season euen emong christen men namely in the Citie of Rome whiche coulde not yet forget her old paganitie But that this manoure of fyghtyng is vtterly set asyde we maye thanke as wytnesseth the historye called the tripartite history one Telemachus a manne of theyr order and profession who for christian simplicitie and a desyre they had to leade a solitarye lyfe and to eschewe the companye of the synfull multitude were commonly called monkes or solytarye persons This Telemachus came for this purpose out of the easte parties to Rome and entryng into the place whiche was called of them Theatrum that is to saye a place ordayned to beholde shewes and pastimes in when he sawe two armed men come into the fightyng place and aboute to sley one another he leaped betwixt them as they were in their furye and rage crying and saying with a loude voyce What dooe ye brethern why go ye about like wylde beastes to murther one another To make shorte tale whiles the good man wente about to saue both theyr lyues he lost his owne
woulde the depeliet fasten this doctrine in the mindes of his disciples he added a similitude very fit for the purpose When I shall forsake you sayeth he so demeane your selues as faithful and wyse seruauÌ„tes woulde do vnto whom the Lord being about to make a voyage into a strauÌ„ge couÌ„trey hath geueÌ„ auctoritie to ordre and guide his house and hathe assigned to eche of theym his worke and office Furthermore he hath commaunded the porter to watche for feare of nyght theues These seruauntes because they be vncertaine of theyr Lordes returnyng home do still endeuoyre themselues to do theyr office and dutye that whensoeuer it shall chaunce him to cum home agayne he may finde theym watching It is more certaine that I shall cum againe to you then that theyr lord shall eftsones returne vnto them There maye sum chaunce befall that he miscary whiles he is from home in the straunge countrey But as sure as God is in heaueÌ„ I will cum againe albeit the daye when be to you vncertaine Therfore do you as good and thriftie seruauntes are wont to do Euer watche loke after my retourning You cannot tell when the Lorde will cum at euen or at mydnyght whethre at the Cocke crowyng or in the dawning of the daye lest yf he cum sodainlye as he wyll cum in verye dede he fynde you sleapyng and slacke or negligent in doyng of your duetie That I speake to you I speake by you to all that shal be borne vntill the worlde be at an ende watche you Euerye man muste watche that will be saued Euery man must do the worke that the Lorde hath committed vnto hym but especially and aboue all other it behoueth the porter to watche who watcheth for the safegard of the whole familie And although the people doe sumtymes take a nappe yet hath the shepeherde no leasure to slepe Nowe is all this present lyfe wherein is no certaine differeÌ„ce betwene good thinges and bad and wherin is exceding muche ignoraunce or blyndnesse and very litle lyght all this lyfe I saye is in comparison of the lyfe to cum nothing els but nyght And albeit that in th ende of the worlde the Lord will cum once for all to all men generally yet commeth he also to euery man seuerally at the houre of death Therfore euery man particularly ought to watche against this his cumming because it is euen as vncertaine as the other For he cummeth vnto sum late in the euenyng as in growyng age to sum at mydnyghte as when they are in their flowers and beste lykyng to other sum at the Cockecrowyng that is to wete in olde age Ye muste neyther truste to youre strength nor to your age The tyme and houre of death is lyke vncertaine to all menne The .xiiij. Chapter ¶ After two dayes was Easter and the dayes of swete bread and the hie priestes and the Scribes sought howe they might take him by crafte and put him to death But they sayeâ—â— not in the least daye leaste any businesse aryse amonges the people NOwe that moste holye and solemne feaste of Easter drue nyghe that is to say of Phasc whiche worde signifiethe in the Hebrue tongue a passing ouer on the whiche daye yâ— holy bloud of the vnspotted lambe should delyuer vs from the vengeaunce of the sleying swerde and beynge brought out of Egipt through the red sea and wildernesse of this world bring vs vnto the heauenlye Hierusalem into a countreye flowing with milke and honye For the Iewes passeouer whiche they yearelye celebrate and kepe moste highe and holye was nothing els but a figure and shadowe of this sacrifice like as was this ceremony that they did on these daies forbeare leauened breade exhorting vs hereby to suche puritie and cleanesse of lyfe as becummeth a professour of the gospel After two dayes expired the daye that they called the preparyng daye should be But as the chiefe priestes and Sâ—ribes deuoutly prepared and made themselues readie to celebrate this corporall passeouer so did they like vnwise felowes wickedly make haste to offer vp thatsame trewe lambe whiche that solemne sacrifice had so many hundred yeares figured For nowe were they at a full poynt to slea Iesus but because they durste not openly do it for feare of the people they thought good to laye handes vpon hym and put hym to death by gyle treason And for this their purpose that daye of all other was moste conuenient to th entent the thyng of the newe testament shoulde agree with the fygure of the old They themselues dyd not chose this day but it was foreapointed vnto this sacrifice by the eternall decree and ordinaunce of the father For they counseylyng to gether how to slea Iesus saied Not on the feaste daye leste there arise any busynesse and hurly burly among the people Doubtlesse it is a Iewyshe feare to stande in awe of menne and all this whyle nothynge to dreade god at all Iesus knowyng the tyme was cum in the whiche it was the fathers wyll to haue that same euerlasting sacrifice to be made departed not from Ierusalem leste he shoulde haue semed to haue fayled at the place foreapointed vnto this businesse ¶ And when he was at Bethania in the house of Symon the leper euen as he sat at meate there came a woman hauyng an alabaster boâ—e of oyntment called Narde that was pure costly and she brake the boâ—e and powred it on his heade And there were sum that were not contented within themselues and sayed what nede this waste of oyntmente For it myght haue bene sould for more then three hundred pence and haue bene geuen vnto the poore and they grudged against her When he therfore feasted at Bethany with his frendes in the house of Symon surnamed the leper one of the geastes that feasted with hym was Lazarus Thys house presenteth vnto vs the agreyng and frendly felowshyp of the churche the whiche being vncleane he washed purified with his preuous bloude and beyng dead through sinne and vnrighteousnesse he made alyue againe by his death and passion With suche persones Iesus loueth to sit at table rather then with the priestes phariseis who thought themselues â—leane and alyue notwithstandyng they were suche in soule as Symon and Lazarus were in bodye As they thus feasted there came in a certaine womaÌ„ hauing and alabaster boxe full of pure good and precious oyntement called the oyntment of ryght Narde whiche brake her boxe and powred al the ointment vpon the Lordes heade as he sate there at the table Iesus who was neuer delited with the pleasures and delicacies of this worlde loueth to be anoynted with suche manoure of oyntment after the spirituall meanyng The churche is lauishe and prodigall in bestowing this oyntment vpon her dere and welbeloued spouse What precious thing soeuer she hath thesame reserueth she not to herselfe but powreth it vpon Iesus heade vnto whom all honour and glory is due The house of the churche
fyerbrand in a bright sunnie day of purpose to helpe augment the clerenes of the sunne and partly superâ—luous because that on the one syde all men doe already know your incomparable vertues and do with one accord magnify thesame and on the other side for that your highnes doth so muche teÌ„dre and seke gods glory that ye euidently declare yourself nothyng lesse to mynde or desire theÌ„ the vaine prayses or commendacion of this worlde Yet lyke as the shadow doth remedilesse folowe and accumpanie the bodye in the sunne lyght so glory and renoume doeth ineuitably folowe and associate excellent vertue And where the desertes of true vertue are so great and so iust it caÌ„not be chosen but that glory and renoume must aryse and so much the more because your highnes as muche as in you lyeth doeth flee it For glory sayeth the phylosophical pâ—isee is of the nature of a Crocodile whiche beeing a beast in the floud of Nilus in Egipt hath this propertie that if one pursue him to suppresse him he fleeth will not aâ—ide and yf ye flee than will the Crocodile folowe and ouertake you And forasmuch as glory is by the phâ—losophâ—ers dâ—â—â—ined to 〈◊〉 constaunt and perpetual praise geuen to any partie by a common consent of good people for â—he excelleÌ„cie of vertue euidently shewyng it selfe in the 〈◊〉 partie as in dede vertue cannot be hidden but will appere how caÌ„ it be possible that your renoume should dye whose manifold excellente vertues do from day to day more and more encrease How can your prayse deâ—â—y whose artes monumentes are consecrated to immortalitie as thinges not builded vpon the sand of ambicious fekyng nor like bubles in the rayne water puffed vp with aâ— vnceâ—tain blast of worldly vanitie but founded vpon the sure rocke oâ— Gods worde from whence issueth the lyuelye and the same euerlastyng fountayn of true glorye in dede Neyther may your highnesse in this case refuse any mannes woordes of prayse and commendacion for as muche as it is a matter as lâ—â—dable to aâ—knowelage the good thynges whiche in dede are in vs praise worthy as it is vncommeÌ„dable through vayne arrogancie to take vp on vs that we haue not And though your grace is so farre froÌ„ all ambicion and also affecâ—ion of this worldes rewarde that ye haue no iye to any mortall maÌ„nes recompence yet cannot good folkes but extolle and magnifye the inestimable noumbre of diuine gyftes of grace so plentiousely heaped and couched in so noble a Princesse Though ye would haue your well doynges hydden and vnspoken of yet cannot the gratitude of the people hold the peace or passe it with silence Though your gracious benignitie require no thankes yet cannot the honest hertes of the people forbeare or refrayne by open protestacion to acknowelage by whom they daily receyue incoÌ„parable benefites Though your modestie nothyng lesse seketh then the fame of your good actes to be blowen abrode yet caÌ„not our duties but brast out into woordes of testifiyng howe muche we thynke our selues bound vnto your highnes so that although the great and manifold benefytes whiche I haue priuately receyued at your graces handes dyd not now moue me yet could I not in this most iust occasion of the publique gratulacioÌ„ hold my peace For your vertuous liuyng â—ueÌ„ from your teÌ„dre yeres enbraced folowed and still continued your pregnaunt wictines ioyned with right wonderful grace of eloquence your studious diligence in acquirynge knowelage aswell of other humaine disciplines as also of holy scriptures not only to your own edifiyng but also to the most godly ensauÌ„ple enstâ—uctioÌ„ of others your incoÌ„parable chastitie which as a moste precious iewell yâ— haue by auoiding all occasions of idlenes by conteÌ„nyng prouocacyons of all vayne pastimes kept not only froÌ„ al spot but also from al suspicion of stainyng your singular modestie coupled with passyng great integritie and innocency of all your behauiour your other manifold vnestimable giftes of grace and among them most principally your studious seekyng to promote the glory of God and of his most holy ghospell haue been the thynges that haue moued the most noble the most renoumed and the moste godly Prince of the vniuersall worlde our most gracious soueraigne Lord kyng Henry the eight to iudge and esteme your grace a meâ—e spouse for his maiestie and among so many women of nobilitie of honour and of muche high pryce and worthinesse you alone to picke out to be his moste deere beloued and moste lawfull wyfe Neyther do we doubte moste gracious ladie but that as the prouidence of god hath fourmed and aptised your grace to be a worthy and mete spouse for suche an housbande so hath it by a speciall eleccion deputed and preseâ—ued the same to sum high and notable benefite of the coÌ„moÌ„ weale and to be an instrument of his glory The towardnes and likelyhode wherof lyke as in mens opinions vndoubted so doeth it already begin to shewe it selfe in a noumbre of thynges whiche otherwise were not to bee loked for to procede from any woman muche lesse from a woman of nobilitie brought vp in the courte of a kyng where Fortune commonly noureeth cockereth pampereth hir derlinges suche as by hir wil she myndeth and laboureth to corrupt with wealth idlenesse and vanitie and leaste of al from a Quene being set in place where if she would becum fortunes wanton she might without controllement swimme in the delices of all such prosperitie as might occasion hir to dote on worldely felicitie and to forget god But the Psalmes and conteÌ„platife meditacions on which your highnesse in the lieu and place of vayne courtely pastimes and gaming doeth bestow your night and daies studie and whiche ye haue set forth as well to the incoÌ„parable good exaumple of al noble women as also to the ghostly consolacion and edifiyng of as many as reade them doe well declare not onely the thyng to be true whiche Socrates affirmed that is to weâ—e â–ª that women yf they doe so apply theyr myndes are no lesse apt no lesse wittie no lesse hable no lesse industrious no lesse actiue no lesse frutefull and piththy in the acquiryng or handlyng of all kyndes of disciplines then men are but also how godly ye bestow your time howe littell ye set by the worlde how muche ye thirst righteousnesse howe carefully ye seke the kingdom of god in the middes of a thousand occasioÌ„s whiche otherwyse might withdrawe your high estate therefrom And because ye so muche tendre the gâ—ory of God that accordyng to the lesson of Christe ye doe first of all other thynges and principally seke yâ— kingdome of heauen â–ª therfore hath he according to his promesse in thesame place conteyned and doeth and still will of his owne prouision encrease vnto you all kyndes of necessary coumforte and consolacion in muche better wise then your grace could deuise in muche larger maner them your own self woulde wishe and in ferre other
for any callyng vnlesse duetie moue it therunto and beeyng abrode it maketh haste in doyng any poynte of duetie it taketh more laysure Mary in all her iourney visited ne saluted not one bodye by the waye vntyll she was come to Elizabeth Neither was that same a salutacion or greting of the common sorte All good happe and blisfulnesse dyd of this gretyng eyther other encreace vnto them both and the efficacie of the spirite of God dyd in them bothe the more plenteously abounde Mary carryed with her in her wombe the fountayne of all ghostely gyftes of grace and through the inspiracion of the babe in her bealy she was nowe altogether in case that nothyng came out of her harte or her mouth but onely of God Therfore it came so to passe that as soone as the salutacion of the virgin Mary had once souned in the eares of Elizabeth the babe whiche she beyng an aged woman had than in her bealy dyd leape and spryng as ye would say skyppyng for ioy and gladnesse Iohn not yet beyng borne felte the diuine power of his Lorde but euen a 〈◊〉 afore conceiued and within the enclosure tabernacle of his mothers wombe doth with gesture magnifie him whom he should afterwarde set forth magnifie with his voice Neither did Elizabeth without fruit perceiue and fele the holy leaping of her litle babe within her Through her babe enspired from heauen the mother also is inspired and altogether is full and whole sodaynly taken with an happy and blissed kinde of infeccion Through the voyce of Mary the heauēly power of God perceth into the babe within the wombe of Elizabeth and through the babe with this sodayne blastyng so taken the mother too is adblasted in suche sorte that she on her partie also beeyng replenished with the holy ghoste did not nowe kepe in the ioyes of her herte although she had afore kept her selfe within doores and had no talke with her as one that would not for shame be acknowen to be conceyued with chylde but with a mighty great voyce which voyce her mighty great affeccion and zele did worke in her she cryed out and vttered suche thynges through the mocion of the spirite as she neither could deme of the swellyng of her bealie ne yet had learned of any mortall manne And euen as though she had heard the Aungell talkyng with Mary thus doeth she begynne her gratulacion O happy and blissed mayden sayeth she thou shalt haue and enioy the chiefe prayse emong all women worthy commendacion And holy is the fruite also of thy virginly wombe out of whiche shall come forth that same woondrefull floure who by the voyce of all nacions shall be preached throughout all the whole vniuersall worlde of whom long and many a day gone the Prophetes haue prophecied and he shal haue the chiefe laude and prayse emong all thynges bothe that are in heauen and that are in yearth I acknowlage it to bee a greater thyng and of more excellencie then a mortall man that thou bearest enclosed within the chambre and tabernacle of thy wombe If age or yeres only be estemed in vs twaine it is not vnmete for a young damisell or mayden to come to an aged womā but if the dignitie or worthynesse of both our babes that we go withall be compared it had been my duetie in all haste to come and visite thee I truly on my parte was happie and fortunate enough with this benefite of God that I go with a chylde the whiche shall in tyme to come be a person of no small dignite and estimacion but of what my deserte is so great happinesse chaunced vnto me that she whiche muste bee the mother of my Lorde shoulde thus of her owne accorde take paines to come to me For by an vndoubted tokē haue I felt the cumming hither of my Lorde For loe immediately whan the voyce of thy salutacion souned in mine eares I felt my young chylde stiere and leape vp in my wombe as one shewyng an earnest desire and gladnesse to go mete his Lorde and to do vnto him his bounden duetie of reuerence and homage And thou too forsouth beeyng a mother doest not vnlyke to the chylde in thy bealie for he beyng the Lorde and maister doeth vouchesafe to come set hys seruaunte of purpose to sanctifie hym and to replenyshe hym with the holye ghoste and thou beeyng so ferre the superiour in dignitie doest not thynke it peinfull to come to me that am thyne inferiour so muche the more lowely behauyng thy selfe as thou doest surmounte and excelle in heauenly gyftes of grace whiche gyftes thou doest veray well in that thou doest not impute them to thyne owne merites forasmuche as they are thynges geuen thee of the free bounceousnesse of God And certes in this behalfe art thou much happie that thou diddest not mistrust the promisses of the Aungell though they semed neuer so muche vnlykely to be beleued Thou haste conceyued without helpe of man and doubt is there none but that the residue of thynges whiche the Aungell hath promised vnto thee in the lordes name shal with sembleable trueth and suertie be perfourmed vnto thee ¶ And Marie sayed My soule magnifieth the Lorde and my spirite hath reioyced in God my sauiour Whan Elizabeth had by the spirite of prophecie spoken these woordes Mary also who through maydenly shamefastenesse had hitherto cōceled the ioyes of her harte being now sodainly rauished with the holy spirite of God of whom she was full and had been a good whyle erst could no longer temper herselfe ne forbeare but that with an himne of reioycing and thankes geuing she must braste out into the lande and prayse of God to whose goodnesse it is to be attributed whatsoeuer high or especiall good thyng doeth chaunce to manne or woman of this worlde O Elizabeth sayeth she not without good cause doest thou reioyce in my behalfe but yet this cummeth euerywhit of the gyfte of God yea and of his free gyfte and not one iote of it there is that I can presumpteously impute to myne owne desertes And therfore not my tongue onely but also my soule acknowledging it owne weaknesse doth euen from the botome of my harte rootes magnifie exalte the lorde with prayses and howe muche the lesse of merite it acknowlageth in it selfe so mouche more vehemently doeth it meruayle at the greatnesse of Goddes benefites I haue cause wherfore to geue hym thankes I haue cause why to talke largely of his beneficiall goodnesse but cause haue I none wherfore to reioyce to my selfe-warde Yet neuerthelesse my spirite beeyng enflamed with the spirite of God doeth for ioy not possible to be vttred in woordes skyp and leape within my body not in it selfe but in God who is both to me and to all persons the onely cause and worker of all saluacion For he hath loked vpon the lowe degree of his hande mayden so behold from henceforthe shall all generacions
a mother and bryng foorth God she disdayned not to be taken and vsed as the wyfe of a poore Carpenter though she were a woman full and whole consecrated to God ¶ And it fortuned that whyle they wer there her time was come that she should be deliuered â–ª And she broughte foorth her first begotten soonne and wrapped him in swadlyng clothes and laied him in a maungier because there was no roume for them in the ynne And so whyle they by occasion hereof made their abode there for certaine daies and remained in the citie of Bethleem it fortuned that the ful monethes of her goiyng with chylde expired and the time of her deliueraunce was now come whiche thyng God wrought to th entent it myght the more euidently bee knowen and seen to all persones that he which was then borne there was naturally veraye man in dede The Lord of heauen and yerth pieked out for himselfe to bee borne in a slender and basse litle toune in whiche neuerthelesse he had no house at all he chose out parentes of the pooreste and loweste sorte It was also his pleasure to be borne in a straunge place froÌ„ his own home to the entente that we should be ashamed both of our pride and also of oure auarice and that we might at leste wyse by his exaumple learne that mans felicitie is not to bee measured or estemed by these common gooddes of thys transitorye worlde whiche if they bee not taken awaye from vs yet we fyrst or last are taken awaye from them but the blisse of man to bee estemed by suche good thynges and treasures as endure for euer yea and that it myght ferther be a lesson for vs to gather and laye vp treasures to that same countreyward to the ende that we maye there continuallye without ende haue the fruicion of them For yf we wyll vpryghtely make comparison of the matter with true iudgemeÌ„tes there was more dignity and high estate more power more maiestie in this same moste humble and poore birth of Christ then in all the pompes triumphes and solemne shewes of royaltie of all the Emperours that euer were Thus than in Bethleem which is called the house of bread did this holy yoÌ„g virgin bring foorth vnto vs that same heauenly breade of whiche whoso eateth doth neuer dye And this was that same onely chylde bearyng of a virgin the like presideÌ„t or ensauÌ„ple wherof was neuer afore nor neuer after folowed And the chyld was to his mother her onely sonne and in respect to vs her first begotten in respecte of vs I saye whom he hath in spirite ioyned to himself and made vs bothe hys brethren and also partakers with hym of hys euerlastyng inheritaunce because he would not come alone to his father but he as the fyrst begotten sonne on his owne partie would bring with him many mo brethren besydes hymself to the felowshyp and partakynge of euerlasting saluacion Now whan this litle babe was borne the mother did not put it forth to the nourcing of other women for on the one syde for tender motherly loue that she bare to it she would none other nources but herselfe and on the other syde by reason of her pouertye she had none but her veray owne self with her owne handes lapped it vp in swadling baÌ„des and cloutes suche as she hadde And because that in the common ynne where hostery and lodgyng was kept there was by reason of the great resort of welthier geastes none other roume ne place void for her beyng but new deliuered of child she layd doune her youÌ„g babe in a maunger that was there by in stede of a cradle Geue eare thou proud ryche man what euer thou be that heapeste together possessions and landes vpon landes and that art in euery corner a builder of houses offer me holdes of mainours and of palacies He that is bothe the Lorde and also the maker of heauen and yearth and to whome thou thy selfe haste in baptisme professed and acknowlaged thy selfe a disciple and seruaunt is borne in a straung place from his owne home and hath not ne canne geat so muche as a litle corner of good roume in a common hosterie If thou acknowleage thy soueraigne Lord and maister whose commaundementes thou hast by a faithful othe bound thy selfe to obey and fulfyll leate it not gâ—eue the to folowe his exaumple but rather bee thou ashamed of thyne owne proude mynde And there were in thesame region shepeherdes watchyng and kepyng their flocke by nyght And loe the aungel of the Lorde stoode hard by them and the bryghtnesse of the Lord shone round about them and they wer sore afrayed And the Aungel sayd vnto them be not afrayed for beholde I bryng you tydinges of great ioye that shall come to all people For vnto you is borne thys daye in the citie of Dauyd a salueour whiche is Christ the Lorde And take this for a sygne ye shall fynde the chylde wrapped in swadlyng clothes and layed in a maungier And streyght way there was with the angell a multitude of heauenly souldiers praisyng god and saiyng glorye to god on hygh and peace on the yearth and vnto men a good wylle Her ken nowe in what sorte this humble poorenes of birthe is altogether full of all princely royaltye There was a tour not ferre from Bethleem called in the Hebrue toungue the toure of Ader as yf ye shoulde saye in Englishe the toure of the flocke and it was soe named because that by reason of the good pasture grouÌ„des that laie inthose parties there was veray great store of shepe and other cattall pastured there And in dede of thys toure Ader doeth the Prophete Micheas also make mencyon lyke as he doeth of Bethleem There were therfore in those quarters diuerse shepeherdes that watched abrode in the night seasons for safegarde of theyr flockes Ueryly euen by the thyng selfe geuyng a good lesson what thyng byshops ought of theyr bounden duetye to doe for the helth of the people committed to theyr spirytuall charge yf they wyll folow the ensaumple or steppes of Christ the Prince and head of all shepeherdes And in the night time was thatsame most bright sunne of righteousnesse borne which should on euery syde put awaye the darkenes of the worlde And his pleasure was fyrst of al to haue hys byrth knowen rather to men of low degree because he was borne after a poore soort and to shepeherdes because hymselfe was a ghostly pastoure then to Emperours to kynges to rulers or deputies of couÌ„treyes to Phariseis to Scribes to byshops And loe sodainly the Aungel Gabriel stoode on high derectely ouer theyr heades and besides him also a certain straung light sodainly flushed and shone round about the shepeherdes which was neyther the lyght of the sunne nor of the moone ne of any candle But although thissame were a thyng that semed no lesse then to betoken some good luckye thyng to be toward yet the shepeherdes by reason
not read what Dauid did whan he himselfe was an hungred and they which were with hym how he went into the house of God and did take and eate the shewe bread and gaue also to them that were with him whiche are not lawful to eate but for the priestes onely And he sayd vnto them The sonne of man is Lorde also of the sabboth daie ANd beholde there ensued immediatly as God woulde haue it an occasion whereby it might be playnely made open what thing was the newe wyne and whiche were the olde bottels The high and holy keping of the sabboth daye was olde wine and charitie being euer ready by all occasions to helpe our neighboure is newe wyne So it happened therfore on a certayne Sabboth day whiche the Iewes did call a sabboth secound first or secouÌ„nde principal because that falling betwene two other sabbothes it semed to haue a double holynesse and soleÌ„nitie the one because it was th eÌ„de of the sabboth aforegoyng and the other because it was the begynnyng of the sabboth nexte to folowe it happened that on suche a sabboth day Iesus goyng on hys waye passed through a fielde of corne And so his disciples beeing as it fortuned an houngred had pulled a fewe eares of the corne and also rubbed them in theyr handes and eate the grayne This was a kinde of easemente that euerye bodye might and woulde commonly take if houngre were â—o sore vpon them that they muste nedes eate somewhat In whiche case veraily whereas the charitie of the gospell woulde of it owne accorde haue geuen some susteynaunce vnto them beyng houngrie the Phariseis beeyng olde bottels require in theÌ„ the sower verdured wine of the olde supersticion saying Why doe ye this geare whiche it is agaynst al gods forbode to do on the sabboth dayes Here the Lord once agayn playing the aduocate for his disciples aunswered Ye that professe the high knowelage of the lawe haue ye not at lestwyse read that poyncte what Dauid did in a like case whan he all hys coumpainy were an houngrie like as ye se my disciples here houngrie now Dauid woulde not only haue auentured in the extremitie of hungre to haue doen that my disciples now doe but being a manne of the laitee he entred into the temple of God nor was any thing afearde to care the consecrate loaues whiche they called panes proposition it â–ª that is to saye the loaues of proposicyon or of shewyng foorthe whiche loaues to eate was by a playne ordeynaunce leefull to the pâ—â—â—stes onely and to none other persone And yet did he not onely auenture to 〈◊〉 that breade himselfe alone but of the selfesame loaues he fed al his coumpainy too nothing moued neither with the reuerence of the temple ne with the streight commaundement of the lawâ— forbidding any persone to doe so muche as touche the saide loaues sauing onely the priestes yea and that thing might the priestes selues doe so long and no longer as they remayning in the temple did execute minister the sacres there No nor the prieste neither did any thing stare or sticke to deliuer vnto Dauid those same holye loaues as one verayly which well vnderstode that suche streight obseruaunces were not first ordeyned for the destruccion of men but for theyr preseruacion and therfore to ceasse and lese their force as often as any certayne greatter cause of vrgente necessitie doeth so require And whan the Lorde Iesus had at large declared manye thinges concerning this matier at last he knit vp his talke with this sentence Take ye this for a matier of certaintie that the sonne of man who is the lorde of all thinges is lorde of the sabboth too For he that was the firste maker of the sabboth hath power to abrogate the same sabbothe And he that is come to geue health vnto al creatures is not letted from his office for the reuerence of the sabboth ¶ And it fortuned in an other sabboth also that he entred into the synagogue and taught And there was a man whose right hand was dryed vp And the scribes phariseis watched him whether he woulde heale on the sabboth daye that they myghte fynde howe to accuse him But he knew theyr thoughtes and sayd to the man which had the withered hande rise vp and stande furth in the middes And he arose and stode furth Then sayed Iesus vnto them I will aske you a question whether is it lawfull on the sabboth dayes to doe good or to doe euill to saue ones life or destroy it And he behelde them al in a coumpace and sayd vnto the man Stretch furth thy hande And he did so and his hand was restored againe as whole as the other And they were filled with madnesse and commoned together emong themselues what they might doe to Iesus There ensued shortely after an other exaumple also howe greatlye olde bottels can not abyde newe muste of the libertie of the ghospell For it happened that on a certayne other sabboth day he entred into the sinagogue as his custome was to dooe and there taughte And as for thys thyng the Phariseis could soso away withall because it was a thing both of the coÌ„mon vsage and also of the prescripcion of the law But there was present in the same place emong manye moe a certayne miserable creature much to bee pietied carriyng about with him all dried vp and cleane maymed the same hande with the helpe and labour wherof he had bene wont to fynde both himselfe his children â–ª in such wise as it had bene better not to haue had the hand than to be loden with the bearing of it whan it was dead And al the while the Scribes and Phariseis whose parte and duetie it had bene to haue takeÌ„ compassyon on the man and to haue spoken vnto Iesus for the healing of him sayd neuer a word but stode watching of him whether he woulde restore the felowes hande whole agayn vnto him for they knewe the mercyfulnesse of the lorde euery where readie to helpe all creatures And therof sought they an occasion to surmuise some false matter agaynst him of breaking the holy sabboth if he had on such a day restored vnto this woefull creature hys hande agayne on whiche sabboth the lawe had forbidden to doe any worke or laboure But Iesus not vnknowyng what mattier the Scribes and Phariseis dyd thynke and caste within themselfes speaketh vnto the man that had the dead same hande and to the entente that he might plainly bee seene of all the coumpaignye he commaunded hym to arise and to come foorthe into the middes of all the people there But the partie that ye maye at the firste woorde perceyue that he was one woorthye the benefite of Iesus dooyng as an obediente persone arose 〈◊〉 sighte of all the presence stode euen still shewing out there before them all the syghte of his extreme missehap Here Iesus turnyng hymselfe to the Scribes and Phariseis did not discouer
and ye shall bee the children of the higheste For he is kynde to the vnkynde and to the eiuil Bee ye therfore mercifull as your father also is merciful Euerie bodie is dere frende to himselfe and doeth not require of himselfe any rewarde of his loue Leat therfore the charitee and tendre loue towardes the neighbour also be playnely without fraude or guile and franke without hauing iye vnto mennes desertes ready to dooe good as oft as nede shall bee not for any respect of rewarde to growe or come vnto thee agayne therby but for this only cause that he is thy neighbour although he bee one that wil neuer make thee any emeÌ„des for it no nor yet accordingly doe his parte in louing thee agayne as thou doest him As for the rewarde both of youre loue and of youre benefite truste for it at Goddes handes onely For if ye loue no moe nor other but them that loue you what piece of rewarde will ye require at Goddes haÌ„de youre loue is with the loue of others fully requited alreadie Whoso loueth again an other that loueth him and would not loue thesame onlesse he were loued of hym suche an one is ferre from euangelycall charitie the which enbraceth as wel the enemies as the frendes And suche an one as loueth again an other that loueth hym what great high acte dooeth he or what acte mete for the high dignitie of the gospel dooe not they that are louers of this world and otherswyse also sinners yet neuerthelesse by the verai ledyng of nature make muche of one that maketh muche of theim turne their face from him that dooeth not his parte agayn in mutuall loue towardes theim And in case ye doo benefite vnto those that haue been beneficiall to you afore what piece of rewarde shal bee due to you This is no suche beneficiall dooyng as the ghospell requireth but it is a choppyng and chaungeyng of benefites one for an other For aswell suche as bee synners as also ferre out of the waye from the high perfeccion of professyng the ghospell dooe by the ledyng of nature recompence a benefite that hath beene dooen them and crye out vpon vnthankefulnesse as a thyng detestable Not to dooe these thinges therefore is the shamefullest thyng that may be to dooe them is no matter at all of any greate prayse or thanke Moreouer in case ye lende moneye to suche menne of whome ye veryly truste to receiue agayne al your owne principall that ye lent what acte doe ye woorthie or seming for the liuely herte of the ghospell dooe not the eiuil persons enterchaungeably lende one to an other and receiue theyr due suÌ„mes agayne It is but a common poyncte of pleasure doyng that euery iacke vseth to dooe an other man a commoditie at a time to the ende that the like commoditie may be dooen to thee agayne It is not a pleasure of the pure sorte that is doen to an other vpon hope of the lyke pleasure to come home agayn If thy neyghbour lacke and desyre thy helpe and requireth money in the waye of lone delyuer it him yea although there bee no hope at all that the money shall bee repayed thee but deliuer it with suche a mynde that in case he repaye it not thou canste bee contente he haue it of thy free gyfte and not of lone Let aswell your loue as also your beneficialnesse bee bothe franke free Beare ye good hertes euen to suche persons also as are ill willers to you doe ye benefites vnto suche as eyther will not dooe you benefite agayn orels will requite a benefite with a shrewed turne Lende also with suche a mynde that although there shall neuer come any parte therof to thy handes agayne yet thou haue a ioye and delyte to succoure thy neyghbour Neyther is there any daungyer lest ye for your parte shal lese your rewarde For how muche the lesser rewarde shall be eyther recompensed orels hoped for at the handes of men so much the more plenteous and aboundaunte rewarde will God repaye vnto you And so doyng the highest will acknowlage you as his chyldren of the right marke yf ye shall to your powers folowe hys manier of goodnesse For he is of his nature so beneficial a Lorde that like great liberalitie he bestoweth not onely vpon the good but also vpon the eiuill For vnto euery one dooeth he geue lyfe yea and besydes this bothe heauen and yearthe hath he fournished with so manye ornamentes so manye soundry kindes of richesse â–ª with so many commodities for the vse and seruice eueÌ„ of the wieked too â–ª prouoking the eiuil by his fauourable mercifulnes and also by his bounteouse liberalitie for to emende and stiering vp the good vnto thankes geuing This large beneficialnesse of your father and thesame to all creatures at all times open your duetie is lyke kindely children so to resemble and shewe in your selues that accordyng to his ensaumple as muche as in you is ye ernestelye studie by all meanes to dooe good vnto all persones aswell to the good that they maye bee made better as also to the eiuil that by youre ientle mekenesse they may be prouoked and stiered to honester wayes If God who is priuie to all mennes heartes yet neuerthelesse of the infinyte goodnesse of his nature is so beneficiall towarde veraye manye vnwoorthye creatures in whome he perfeictly knoweth that his largesse shall bee loste and caste away how muche more is it requisite for you to dooe thesame forasmuche as it is often seasons a thing to you vnknowen whether the parties that are holpen with a beneficiall good turne bee woorthye or vnwoorthye and the ende what it maye come to vs vncertayne For many times it chaunceth that those whiche at the first apparence seme naughte are good and honeste and agayne that they whiche at this presente are very naughtie men in dede dooe righte shortely after turne to a better mynde And true it is that euery creature shall fynde God suche an one towardes him as he shall haue shewed and vsed himselfe towardes his neighbour Iudge not and ye shal not bee iudged condemne not and ye shall not bee condemned forgeue and you shal bee forgeuen geue and it shal bee geuen vnto you good measure and pressed downe and shaken together and tunning ouer shall men geue into your bosomes For with the same measure that ye meate withall shall other men meate to you agayne Thys also forsoothe that foloweth is a poyncte of christian myldenesse and also of plainnesse vncounterfeict that ye enterprete and consâ—rue in the better parte all the sayinges and doynges of your neighboure as many as maye bee doubtefull of what minde they are dooen For an herte that is pure from all corrupcion is alwayes more enclined to thinke the best then to mistrust or deme eiuill As for in manifeste naughtye thynges of whiche sorte are these slaunderous backebiting filthye talke of riâ—auldie open robberie and aduoutrie it shal be
therfore sent messagers afore hym twoo or three of the Apostles to prepaire him some harbourgh and place of soiourneyng within a certaine citie of the Samaritanes throughe whiche his iourney laye And whan they came the tounesmen had shutte the gates of the citie against them because they coniectured by the veray facions and couÌ„tenaunce of the Apostles that they were gooyng towardes Hierusalem For the Samaritanes in consideracyon that all theyr woorshyppyng of God was in a mountaine of their owne hated and abhorâ—ed all such as went to HierusaleÌ„ in the way of deuocion to worship God there Upon this Iames and Iohn who hadde been sente on the sayed message when they sawe the vncourtesie of the inhabitauÌ„tes there whiche woulde not suffre them so much as to come within the precincte of their towne walles beeyng euen all out of pacience sayed to the Lord Maister is it thy pleasure that we bidde fier to come downe from heauen as Helias ons dyd whiche may consume these felowes But Iesus because he woulde shewe howe great the mildenes of a teacher of the ghospell ought to bee bridleed their wrathefulnesse with a sharpe rebuke saiyng Take ye not the dede of Helias for your exaumple He beyng led with the spirite brought the wicked people of that tyme to confusion But as for ye doe not yet vnderstand what spyrite ye ought to bee of That same spirite of the ghospel is more meke then so There shall hereafter come a time of redresse and vengeaunce But vntill that daye the sonne of man is come not to cast awaie mennes liues or soules but to saue them They that do now at this presente kepe vs out of their towne wil peradueÌ„ture an other day hereafter take vs in They are therefore to bee saued that they maie bee in case to repent emende And so leauyng the towne they turned an other waye to an other litle towne By these wordes Iesus toke out of theyr stomakes al desirefulnesse of doing vengeaunce and taught vs to vse fauourable bearyng towardes suche as at the firste begynnyng woulde exclude and kepe out the doctrine of the ghospel from theim allegeyng that it was enough to leaue such for a season vntil they might at a tyme of occasion bee conuerted to a better mynde And it chaunced that as they were walkyng in the waie a certaine man saied vnto him I will folowe the whither soeuer thou goe Iesus saied vnto hym Foxes haue holes and birdes of the ayre haue nestes but the sonne of man hath not where to laie his head Againe it fortuned as they wente that a certaine man of his own voluntarie mynde sayed vnto Iesus I will folowe the whithersoeuer thou shalt goe And Iesus myndyng to shewe that suche as broughte not with them myndes mete for suche a weighty matter were not to bee admitted to the fraternitie of preaching the ghospel for that better it were not to take the matter vpon theÌ„ then to geue it ouer again after it were once taken in hande sayed vnto him Foxes haue holes of theyr owne in the earth and birdes of the aier haue theyr nestes in the trees but the sonne of man hath not anye place where to put hys head in Suche an one therefore as hathe anye thing in this worlde whereon to sette hys delite or whereon to set his ful reste and quiet is no mete folower of the sonne of man He muste renounce all thynges that will folowe me And he saied vnto another folowe me And thesame saied Lord suffre me first to go and buirie my father Iesus saied vnto hym leat the dead buâ—rie their dead But go thou and preache the kyngdom of God An other saied Lord I wil folow the but leaâ—e me first go bid them farewel which are at home at my house Iesus saied vnto him No man that putteth his handes to the plough and looketh backe is apte to the kyngdome of God Againe whan he had cast his iye on a certaine other man he saied vnto hym folowe me But he made this aunswere Maister geue me leaue fyrste to buirie my father But Iesus geuyng a bywoorde that the cause of saluacion is to bee preferred before all poyncâ—es of carnall duetye sayed vnto hym Leate the dead buirye theyr deade but gooe thou and shewe abrode the kyngdome of God By thys exaumple dyd the Lorde forfende the excuses of suche men whiche vnder the colour of naturall affeccion and dutie dooe putte of and delaye the care and earneste appliyng of eternall saluacion And yet a wurse â—orte of menne then those are they whiche vnder the colour of fyndyng stoppes and lettes about the affaires of theyr housholde do prolong drieue of fro morowe to morowe the matter of saluacion whiche oughte euen at the first occasioÌ„ streight way to be gone through withal For there came an other man to hym who beeyng commaunded to folowe him aunswered Maister I will come after thee doe nomore but suffre me to goe bidde my familiar frendes and my housholde farewell Than saied Iesus whosoeuer hath ons put his hande to the plough and than afterwarde loketh backe again is not apte for the kyngdome of God This matter of the ghospell is an high matter and an hard to come to whiche whoso hath ons enterprised thesame must with a peâ—pertuall appliyng of it procede stil and goe forwarde to thynges of more and more perfeccion and neuer turne his mynde awaye to the vyle cares of transitorye thynges of this worlde The .x. Chapter After these thinges the Lorde appointed other seuenty also and sent them two and two before him into euerie citie and place whether he himself would come Therfore he saied vnto them the haâ—uest is great but the labourers are fewe Praie ye therefore the lord of the haruest to send forth labourers into the haruest Goe your waies Behold I send you forth as lambes emong woulfes Beare ye no wallet neither scrip nor shooes and salute no maÌ„ by the waie Into whatsoeuer house ye entre first sate Peace be to this house And if the sonne of peace be there your peace shall teste vpon hym yf not it shall turne to you againe And in the same house tarrye styll eatyng and drinkyng suche as they geue For the labourer is woorthye of his rewarde AFter these thinges the Lord chose and toke out of the noumbre of his disciples other seueÌ„tie also as he had tofore chosen his twelue Apostles and sent them two and two before hym into euerye citie place whether he himself had determined to come to the end that by theyr preaching teaching before thei might prepare and make ready the myndes of the people against the cumming of the Lord. These dyd he euen so enstructe howe to preache and teache his ghospel as he had before taught the twelue and he shewed and opened the cause why he had so encreased the noumbre of preachers saiyng The harueste is greate but the labourers are fewe praye ye
goddes hande who can not vse anye deceipte or fraude and who as he is both riche bountiful will for vile thinges repaye most precious for earthly thinges celestial for thinges transitory and shortly to bee taken awaye thynges eternally for euer and euer to endure Endeuour your selues therefore to bee grounded ryche menne in suche goodes as these geat you treasour bagges that dooe neuer weaxe olde and laye vp treasour for your vse in heauen whiche shall neuer fayle and whiche shall bee safe for you aswell from theues as from mothes For this thing we see commonlye to chaunce that in what place euery manne hath hys treasoure there hath he his hearte also For what thing a man dooeth earnestlye loue the same can he not forgeat lyke vnto a ryche manne that hath great goodes eyther layed vp at home in hys cofers or dygged in the grounde thoughe he bee abrode from home yet he hath hys hearte at home full of care and feare leste some priuye these shoulde robbe them leste any other casuall chaunce may eyther bewray or perishe hys treasour Agayne they that be in loue haue theyr myndes euermore earnestly fixed and set on the thyng that they loue But your herte muste euermore be in heauen And in heauen will it euermore bee if ye shall haue nothing on the earthe whiche ye dooe eyther hyghly esteme or loue but shall haue all your treasour safely layed vp in heauen ¶ Let your Iâ—ygnes bee girt about and your lightes burning and ye your selues like vnto men that awayte for theyr lorde when he will returne from the wedding that whaÌ„ he cometh and knocketh they may open vnto him immediatly Happie are those seruauÌ„tes whome the Lorde whan he cometh shall fynde wakyng Veryly I say vnto you that he shall girde himselfe about and make them to sit downe to meate and he walkyng by shall minyster vnto them And if he come in the seconde watche yea if he come in the third watche and fynde them so happie are those seruauntes This vnderstande ye that if the good man of the house knewe at what houre the thefe woulde come he woulde surelye watche and not suffer his house to bee broken vp Be ye therfore ready also for the sonne of manne will come at an houre whan ye thynke not The tyme is shorte with all earneste endeuour ye must attende that ye hoorde vp in heauen a great heape of good weorkes The daye approcheth euen at hande in whiche euerye one of you shall for the seede that you haue sowed of temporall thynges reape an harueste euerlastyng But because thys daie is to you vncertaine ye muste continually froÌ„ time to time bee prepayred and readie against it come And that shall ye bee if ye shall not bee stopped ne staighed with any lettes or impedimentes of wordely thinges if ye shall not haue leat slippe any occasion of doing good Agaynst the cumming of thys day than eat your loignes from time to time be wel girt about leat light burning candels be in your handes that ye may be like vnto wise and feithful seruauntes who because they are vncertayne what houre their lorde wil returne froÌ„ the wedding they stande continually in a redinesse watching with torche-light to the ende that assone as he beyng come home agayne shall knocke they may by and by open the doores vnto hym Thys diligence of seruauantes shall not be displeasaunte to the lorde or maister but happy may they bee yf the maister sodaynly cumminge shall see theym watching For this I saye vnto you for a certayntie that the maister shall geue agayne to theym an excedyng large rewarde for that pleasure and seruice whiche neuerthelesse it was their bounden dutie to doe For he agayne on hys partie shall girde hymselfe and diligently watching what euery one requireth to haue he shall as a seruitoure geue it theym hys owne handes Neyther dooeth it make any force in what parte of the night he cometh for it was his pleasure to haue that thyng vncertayne but at whatsoeuer watche of the night he cometh whether in the secounde or in the thirde or in the veray dead of the night happy shall the seruauntes bee yf the lorde shal finde them in a due readinesse There is therfore no slackenesse to be vsed in this life But so muste men liue as though that day shoulde come euen at this present houre For it shall sodainly and vnwares steale vpon the worlde therfore muste men alwaies prouyde that it maye not come vpon theim beyng vnready For after that he shall be ous already come it will by that time be ouerlate to amende the slepinesse afore paste There is none so sluggyshe a mayster of an house that woulde suffer to haue an hole dygged throughe into hys house by a nyghte these if he knewe afore hande what houre the thefe woulde come That if suche an one dooeth kepe continuall watche that he maye not bee spoyled of hys worldelye goodes howe muche more is it youre parte to watche that ye maye not lese the blisse euerlastyng As the nyghte thefe comethe stealyng at suche an houre whan the folkes of the house are moste harde and dead in slepe and leaste loking of all is for any body to vndermyne it so shall the sonne of man sodaynely come at suche an houre whan ye shall leaste of all mystruste or thynke that he will come Therefore in asmuche as that same tyme is to you vnknowen and yet vndoubted it is that come he will bee ye contynually readye well armed and furnyshed with good weorkes and lyghte as menne clene rydde and voyde from all lettes or encoumbraunces of thinges worldely ¶ Petur sayed vnto him Maister tellest thou thys similitude vnto vs or to all men And the lorde sayed Who is a feithfull and wise stewarde whome hys lorde shall make rewler ouer his householde to geue them their duetie of meat in due season happie to that seruaunte whome his lorde whan he cometh shal finde so dooing Of a trueth I say vnto you that he wil make him rewler ouer al that he hath But and if the seruaunt say in his herte my lorde will differre his cumming and shall beginne to smyte the seruauntes and maydens and to â—ate and drinke and bee dronken the lorde of that seruaunte wil come to a day whan he thinketh not and at an houre whan he is not ware and will heâ—e him in pieces and geue him his rewarde with the vnbeleuers Petur whan he had hearde these woordes sayde vnto the Lorde maister whether is it thy pleasure that thys parable shall appertayne properlye and directely to vs alone that are thy disciples or els dooeth it indifferentlye concerne and touche all people Than the lorde in suche sorte attempereth hys aunswere that he denyeth it not in some behalfe to perteyne to all menne that couet to atteygne euerlastyng saluacyon but specially he signyfyeth it to concerne suche as haue the despensacion and disbursing of
tyme and he wil defraude no man of his reward Ye in the meane whyle remembre youre selfes to bee none other but seruauntes oughyng all your woorke and labour of a bounden dutie And it chaunced as he wente to Hierusalem that he passed through Samaria and Galile And as he entred into a certaine toune there merte him tenne men that were lepres Which stood a fette of and putte forth their voices and sayed Iesu maister haue mercye on vs. Whan he sawe theim he saied vnto theim Goe shewe your selfes vnto the priestes And it came to passe that as thei went thei wer clensed And one of theÌ„ whaÌ„ he saw that he was clensed turned backe againe and with a loude voice praised God and fell downe on his face at his fete and gaue him thankes And thesame was a Samaritane And Iesê° aunswered and saied Are there not tenne clensed but where are those nine There are not found that returned again to geue God praise saue only this straungier And he saied vnto him â–ª arise goe thy waie thy faithe hath made the whole And so it befell that as the Lorde was goyng towardes Hierusalem he made his waye lye throughe the countreyes of Samaria and Galilee For he had oftentimes a fansy whaÌ„ he myght haue anye occasion to take Samaria and Galile in his waye that he myght enbraide the inhabitauntes of Hierusalem with their hardenesse of beleuyng whereas they abhorred the Samaritanes wurse then the heathen and reputed the Galileans for more then half Paganes miscroâ—auÌ„tes And as he was entreing into a litle village there met him teÌ„ne men beyng lepres euerye one of them Ye maie wel thinke that by these lepres are signified hereticall persones beeyng within foorth altogether defourmed and corrupted with eiuil affeccions the skinne withoutfoorth spotted speckled as by this reseÌ„blaunce to vnderstand that in heretical persones vnpure doctrine altogether entremedleth false thynges with the true An infectiue kynde of people and sore to bee abhorred and therefore be they streightly kepte from coumpaigniyng emong men yet no kinde of sore there is which Iesus dooeth not heale so that the diseased come in his sight and so that the disease be vttred vnto hym and perfecte affiaunce reste in the parties These lepres agnised and knowlaged their disease and therefore thei approche not nere to the persone of Iesus but standyng a ferre of they lifte vp theyr voice on high and crie aloud vnto the Lorde O Iesus our maister haue thou mercie and pietie vpon vs. Iesus hearde their crye whiche was a good witnesse of their affiaunce in hym and turned his iyes towarde theim Blissed is suche a criyng as maketh the Lorde earneste to geue eare and blissed is that castyng of the iye on them whiche moueth hym to shewe mercie But none other aunswere made Iesus vnto theim sauyng that they shoulde goe theyr waies and shewe theimselfes to the priestes For in the priestes rested the autoritie to discerne the lepre from a clene manne They dooe as he biddeth them and departe theyr waies replenished with faythe and assured truste in god for their health And euen in their goyng they were made all clene They hadde euerye one of them eguall fayth and affyaunce but they hadde not euerye one eguall thankefulnesse of herte for the benefite receyued The Samarytane onelye and no mo of theym whan he perceyued and felte hymselfe plainly in veray dede deliuered from his disease he made no counsail of the beneficial goodnesse of God towardes him but returned immediately vnto Iesus gloryfiyng god with a loude voyce and fallyng downe prostrate on his face he layed hymself at the fete of Iesus wurshippyng hym geuyng hym thankes But Iesus knowing well enough that the benefite of health hadde come vnto al the tenne but myndyng to checke the vnthankefulnesse of them who did as much as they could in theyr mynde by priuye stealth to enioye so great a benefite saied were there not tenne lepres made whole and nine of them where are they become For the Lorde knoweth none vnthankefull people and sheweth suche one 's to bee vnworthye a benefite receyued as doe not geue thankes to hym that hath dooen theim good For god cannot abyde to haue his benefites kepte secrete in hugger mugger Whan the Samaritane kept â—ilence being a man not onely thankefull but also full of humilitie sobrenesse as one yâ— was come thyther to dooe his owne duetye and not to accuse anye others Iesus turnyng to the coumpaignie whiche stood round about saied of all the tenne hath there not one beene founde that would returne backe again and glorify God but this one straungier beeyng a foremer borne in an other countreye But it had more become the others thus to dooe who because thei be Iewes haunte theimselfes to bee true seruers and wurshippers of God And yet in the veray thyng selfe this Samaritane passeth their deuoute holinesse And whaÌ„ the Lorde had thus muche sayed he spake to the Samaritane liyng prostrate on the ground Arise vp saied he and goe thy wayes assured that thys my benefite shall continue with thee for euer whiche benefite thy faithfull affiaunce in me hath purchased and obteined vnto thee ¶ Whan he was demaunded of the phariseis whan the kingdome of God should come he aunswered them and saied The kingdome of God shall not come wyth waiting for neither shal thei saie loe here or loe there For beholde the kingdome of God is within you Nowe for because Iesus hadde the kyngdome of god oftentimes in hys mouth the Phariseis who dyd not yet vnderstande the kingdome euangelicall to bee a ghostelye kyngdome but dreamed that it was some other kyngdome whâ—rein the nacion of the Iewes should haue dominion ouer other nacions came vnto hym demaunded whaÌ„ the kyngdome of god should come But Iesus who at all times whan anye mencion was made of the laste daye vsed euen of a custome to aunswer doubtefully saied The kyngdome of God will not come after the manier of a worldlye kyngdome in sorte that either the tyme therof or the place maie bee watched for and espied For it is not a kyngdome of the bodies but of the soules neither dooeth it stande by visible mayntenaunce but inuisible Therefore it shal not bee saied vnto you loe here or loe there For what nedeth it to awaite for any place seyng the kyngdome of God is within you why dooe ye looke without foorth for the thyng whiche ye haue within you and is carried aboute with you whereuer ye goe yf ye bee so disposed youre selfes Why dooe ye looke for the thyng as thoughe it were yet hereafter to come whiche is already present Wheresoeuer is a mynde or hert beeing maister ouer riches sensual pleasures dignitie and promocions of this world yea and finally a contemner of death whersoeuer is a mind strong and stout in feith burnyng in charitie enspired with the holye ghoste in thatsame place is the kingdom of God
of god And whoso casteth hymselfe doune in his owne herte shal be exalted on high in the sight of God They brought vnto him also young children that he should touche theÌ„ When his discyples â—â—we it they rebuked them But Iesus whan he had called them vnto him said Suffer children to cum vnto me and forbid them not For of suche is the kingdom of god Uerilye I saye vnto you Whosoeuer receiueth not the kingdom of god as a child shall not enter therein And beholde an other occasion whereby for the Lorde to commende vnto vs humilitie and softenes coupled with simplicitie and plainnesse Mothers brought their young babes vnto Iesus to the entente he should touche them and blisse them thinkyng that it shoulde come to passe that thesame chyldren should by that meanes be in the more safetie froÌ„ suche chaunces and diseases as that age is commonly woont to bee in daungier of The dyscyples whan they saw the thyng rebuked the women because thei did with suche tryftyng matters trouble the lorde hauyng otherwyse as they thoughte his handes ful enough of bussinesse already But Iesus although he knewe al thissame to bee dooen by his said disciples of a certayn good diligence declaring their readinesse to dooe their duetie towardes hym yet to expresse vnto vs an exaumple of simplicitie of humilitie and of innocencie and al vnder one to geue â— lessoÌ„ vnto pastours that they ought not to despise any body be he neuer so meane or so weake he called his disciples together vnto him saied Suffre ye the children to cum vnto me nor be not against it that thei may be brought vnto me for vnto suche belongeth the kyngdom of god Leat an exaumple be shewed foorth vnto all creatures that they may vnderstande to what degree of perfeccion they ought to grow These litle ones knowe no fashions of clokyng ne counterfaityng they are not acquaynted with pryde ne haultnesse of â—ooke they knowe not the way to strike agayn whan they are steiken they can no skill to geue reuiling wordes again thei know not what auarice meaneth they can no skill of ambicioÌ„ it is mere innoceÌ„cy that is in them it is mere simplicitie without any fraude or guile This woorde I saye vnto you to truste vnto the kyngdome of God receyueth none but suche as bee reforged and chaunged accordyng to this paterne Therfore onlesse a man cum to the doctrine of the gospell with the lyke simplicitie that these children are of he shal not enter into the kingdome of God And a certain rewler asked him saiyng Good maister what ought I to do to obtein eternall life Iesus said vnto him why callest thou me good None is good saue god onely Thou knowest the coÌ„maundemâ—â—es Thou shalt not coÌ„mitte aduoutry thou shalt not kill thou shalt not steale thou shalt not beaâ—e false witnesse honour thy father and thy mother And he said aâ— these haue I kept froÌ„ my youth vp Whan Iesus heard that he said vnto him yet lackest thou one thyng Sell al that thou hast and distribute vnto the poore thou shalte haue treasure in heauen and cum folowe me Whan he heard this he was sorye for he was very ryche Whan Iesus sawe that he was sorye he said With what difficultie shal they that haue money entre into the kingdom of god It is easier for a camel to go through a nedles iye then for a riche maÌ„ to enter into the kingdome of god And they that heard it said And who than can bee saued And he said The thynges whiche are vnpossible with men are possible with God Than agayne came there vnto Iesus one of the great states and the heademen as one that shoulde bee euen in verye facte a plain declaracion what it ment that Iesus had saied concernyng the state of chyldren And thus sayed the great man Good maister what maye I dooe to atteyne euerlastyng lyfe Than Iesus willyng to notifie that this surname good serueth to none but to god onely who of his very propre nature is good aunswered hym thus Why dooest thou cal me good None is good sauyng god only not for that the lorde dooeth not acknowlage the surname of good as due vnto hym as touchyng that he was God but because the sayed ryche man attributed the woorde good vnto Iesus as beeyng a man yea and woulde peraduenture haue taken it to himself too if any such occasion had cum in place He therfore did not after a right sorte call Iesus good whom he did not yet beleue to bee god And for this cause did the lord at that time refuse the honour of this title because he wel vnderstâ—de the demaunder of the question not to be vtterly voyde of swellyng pryde as one that thought himself to abounde in many good woorkes And Iesus because he would shewe foorth the mannes sore saied Thou knowest the preceptes of Moses lawe that is to wete Thou shalt not kyll thou shalt not committe aduoutrye Thou shalt not doe thefte Thou shalt not beare false witnesse Honour thy father and thy mother To these woordes sayed the other as one myndyng to beare a way a prayse and commendacion of perfite righteousnesse Al these poyntes euery one of them haue I duely kept euen from the beginnyng of my youth This saiyng was not ferre from that saiyng of the Pharisee aboue specified but it was a great dele short of the symplicitie of the young chyldren laâ—t afore declared One faulte therfore there was opened hereby but there was an other priuie faulte hidden besides also whiche made him vnapte for the kyngdome of God Iesus therefore because he woulde discouer the other fault too said Thou lackest one pointe yet That if thou wylt enter the kingdome of the gospell goe thy waies sell all that euer thou hast in thy possession and by distributyng it abrode in almes to the poore laye vp a treasure for thy selfe in heauen That dooen beeyng free and rydde from all lette and vncoumbraunce come than and folowe me The sayed demaunder whan he had heard these wordes was striken with great sorow for he was exceding ryche He was not yet reduced nor broughte to the paterne of a young child forasmuche as the loue of rychesse had possessed his herte Than Iesus seing hym to depart an heauy man who did in suche sort sue for to come to the blisse of the kyngdome of heauen that neuerthelesse he coulde not contemne the rychesse of this world turned to his disciples and as one beyng in a great meruail he saied How hardely shall those whiche are heauy laden with the burden of rychesse enter into the kyngdome of God through the narowe gate For an easier thing it is for a camell to perce through the iye of a nedle then for a riche man to entre the kingdoÌ„e of god The disciples beeyng with these woordes sore troubled in their myndes saied If no ryche maÌ„ do entre thyther who
beate him and than thrust him out by the shoulders and sent him home agayne emptie For to whome of the Prophetes hath not crueltie bene shewed But so great was the Lordes ientlenesse and pacience that although he were with an acte of greate despyâ—e prouoked to indignacyon yet did he shewe none extremitie ne rigour towardes the housebandmenne but he sente an other seruaunte to assaye whether he coulde call them home agayne to dooe theyr duetie as beecomed them But they handled the secounde messagyer with no more ientlenesse ne fauoure then they hadde vsed the other afore For whan they hadde sore coyled hym and had reuyled hym with muche despyteous language they sent hym also emptie home to hys Lorde emptie I say of the fruicte whiche he looked for but loden with his backe burden of wrong of ill handleing For whither shoulde they goe but to the Lorde who sayed The redresse be left to me and I shall acquite it The pacience of the Lorde though it were after thys extreme sorte eftsones encensed to wrath yet did he not for all thys steppe furthe to doe vengeaunce neither but sent yet the thyrde seruaunte And him too did the housebandemen sore wounde so send him home againe to hys maister emptie For the goodnesse of their Lorde which prouoked them to repentaunce did enceÌ„ce theyr malice yea wurse then it was afore And though al the despite wherwith they had grieuously handled the seruauntes that were sente did of good cause touche the maister that had sente them thoughe they oughte nowe of good right to haue bene punished which being so often occasioned to goodnesse had euermore groweÌ„ forward to haynous dedes of mischiefe euery one act wurse then an other yet did the Lorde of his exceding great mercifulnes make yet a ferther delay of his stroke and vengeaunce therfore as one that was more desyrous to trye the vttermoste remedie possible then to shewe or execute any rigour vpon the housbandmen And thus he caste with hymselfe in hys mynde What may I dooe to bryng these wieked housbandemen of myne to a better minde agayne through whose defaute the fruicte of my vineyarde doeth now of a long continuaunce perishe vnto me I haue sent so many seruauntes it is not one whit the better emended The thing whiche onely is yet behynde that will I dooe I will sende my onely sonne whome I loue tendrely They whiche sette my seruauntes at naughte yet peraduenture whan they shall see my sonne though they will not loue him yet certes they will beare some reuerence vnto him and will wurshippe me my selfe in hym Naughtie persones are woonte now than at leastwise for very shame to be brydled from a dede of mischiefe whiche they woulde els doe This deuise therfore that is with the hasarding of his owne sonne to seke the sauing and recouery of his housbandemen lyked the moste mercifull Lorde as a Lorde being righte desyrous to saue men and most slowe to strieke The sonne being obedient to hys father wente The housbandmen whan they sawe the sonne they did not onely not reuerence hym but also with wieked stomakes turned themselues full and whole to the deuises and purposes of moste extreme madnesse saying emong themselues Hitherto haue we shaken of the seruauntes that haue come to vs thissame is the sonne and the heyre who entendeth one daye to auenge the despyte dooen by vs vnto hys father Leatte vs kylle hym and so shall we recouer the enheritaunce of this vineyarde for our owne behoufes stoutelye settyng the Lorde at naughte Thys deiuelyshe deuyse was well lyked emonge them being confederate altogether and so they cast the sonne out of the vineyarde and slewe hym Whan the Lorde Iesus had with thys processe playnely shewed to the pryestes to the Scribes and to the chiefe rewlers theyr veray owne conscience who euen at that presente houre with all theyr endeuour aâ—tempted thesame that withyn a lytle whyle afterwarde they commytted in facte and dede leadyng Iesus foorthe and crucifying hym withoute the citie turnyng hymselfe vnto them asked thys questyon of them The matier goyng thus what shall the Lorde of the vineyarde dooe vnto suche housebandemenne Whan they eftesones vse theyr euasions to auoyde makyng of an aunswere the Lorde sayed moreouer The Lorde hymselfe will come and will sende a shamefull ende to those housebandemenne who coulde not bee woonne with any ientle fauour and those same persones vtterly destruied by death he will sette foorth his vineyarde to other housebandemen By this saying dyd the Lord sygnyfie that the religion of the Iewes should euen by the roote bee abolished and the fruicte of the ghospell bee transposed and remoued vnto the Gentiles by the ministery of the Apostles Whan they heard this â–ª they saied God forbidde And he beheld them and said what is this than that is writteÌ„ The stone that the builders refused the same is become the head of the corner whosoeuer dooeth stumble vpon that stone shal be broken but on whomesoeuer it falleth it will grinde him to poudre And the hygh priestes and the Scribes the same houre went about to lay handes on him and they feared the people for they perceiued that he had spoken this similitude against them But the Phariseis as men that coulde in no wyse away with the hearing of this aunswered God forbydde it shall not bee so For they well perceyued all thys parable to had bene tolde agaynste them and where they coulde veray well away with the deiulishe purpose and deuyse to kyll Iesus yet doe they vtterlye deteste and abhorre the iuste vengeaunce of God due for suche a wyeked purpose But Iesus purposelye to shewe that the veraye same thyng which they denyed had bene foresayed of the Prophetes that it would so fortune cast an earnest iye vpon them and as ye woulde say speaking vnto their conscience sayed If ye geue not credite to my parable what is it than that ye reade in the Psalmes That same stone whiche the builders cast aside and woulde none of is become the head stone of the corner whosoeuer shall light on that stone to stumble on it shall be all to crushed and agayn on whome the same stone shall fall hym shall it grynde to poudre Christe sygnifyethe hymselfe to be the celestiall stone sent of god whome the Iewes refused building vp theyr Synagogue without Christe but God made hym the corner stone whiche knitteth together and closethe vp bothe the walles into one and coupleth twoo soondrye peoples into one churche and congregacion throughe euangelicall fayth without the ceremonies of the lawe And thys stone is a moste sure buckeler and defence agaynste all the assaultes of the worlde and of Satan vnto all suche as beleuyng on hym doe cleue fast vnto hym and dooe rest or staygh on hym But he is sounde and vnresistable vnto suche as will rebell agaynste hym For none there is so great a power of thys worlde but that it is
playne blasphemous because he beyng a mortall man semed to take vpon hym the eternalitie a thyng for God only cōuenient they coulde not withholde theyr handes but toke vp stones and wente in hande to ouerthrowe and presse hym with stones But Iesus professyng hymselfe to be God to declare hymselfe to be a very man also gaue place to their fury not because he feared theyr forcible violence whiche he had power to kepe of but to teache vs by the waye that when time requireth that the trueth of the ghospell should be preached valiantly and boldely and again that when we had once executed our duetie the fury of euill men should not causelesse and in vayne be prouoked and exasperate for our Lorde Iesus knewe that it coulde not haue been beate into the heades I will not say of the grosse and ignoraunte multitude but not of his disciples and they to be brought to belefe therof in case he had openly preached himselfe to be both God man and thesame to be all at once both mortall as touching his manhed and also immortall as touching his deitie and as perteyning to the fleshe to be a man borne of a virgin in time as touchyng diuine power to haue been alwaye before all time God of God Surely this so secrete a misterie was rather to be at time conueniente perswaded to the worlde by miracles death resurreccion ascendyng to heauen and by the inspiracion of the holy ghoste then before due tyme to be brought in and vttered in open playne woordes to them that would not belue it Therfore Iesus withdrewe hymselfe from them geuyng place to theyr fury and wente secretly forth of the temple by that acte declaryng beforehande that afterwarde the light of the ghospell beyng repelled of the wicked and voluntary blynde Iewes should be put ouer to the Gentiles their house left to them desolate which only thought themselfes the true seruauntes of God and obseruers of true religiō And so Iesus which is the author of true godlines wente to an other place The .ix. Chapter And as Iesus passed by he sawe a manne whiche was blynde from his byrth and his disciples asked him saying Master who did sinne this manne or his father or mother that he was borne blynde Iesus sayed neyther hath this manne sinned nor yet his father and mother but that the workes of God should be shewed THerfore our Lorde Iesus did now for a while geue place to the fury of them whom as yet he sawe incurable and falleth in hande with miracles to declare his Godly power whiche he coulde not all this while dryue into theyr headdes by any perswasion of woordes And loe there fel forthwith a matter in his waye not vnlike those thynges which were doen in the temple For of trueth much a doe was there with the blynde But suche as were blynde in soule not in body whiche is the moste vnhappy kynde of blyndnesse And so muche also the wurse as that although they were more then blynde yet they thought themselues quicke sighted so that they were not only miserable but also vnworthy to be cured For somuch as miser was not that blynde man whom Iesus sawe as he passed by whiche man lacked onely bodily sight and was borne blinde so that it was a maladie aboue the Phisicions cure but yet coulde Christe heale it This man had an inwarde sight sawe with iyes of the soule when Iesus therfore sawe the man and had compassion on him much pitying his misery the disciples which called to their remembraunce that Christe had sayd to the man that was healed of his palsey Go and hereafter sinne no more leste some wurse thing come vpon the supposing that euery blemishe of the body had come of some faulte of the soule axed Christe of the blinde man and sayed through whose sinne chaunced it that this man should be borne blinde for where as none coulde sinne or he were borne whosoeuer is borne with any sickenes or impediment of body is to be thought punished for some other mans faulte which thyng should yet seme against equitie the disciples therfore sayed Maister whēce came so great euill to this felowe that he should be borne blinde Whether came it of his owne or of the sinne of his parentes Iesus aunswered Neyther did this man through his owne sinne deserue to be borne blinde who coulde not sinne when as yet he was not nor his parentes For as the lawe teacheth God punysheth not the chyldren for the faultes of theyr parentes excepte the children folowe the sinnes of theyr parentes But blyndnesse chaunced to this man vpon a casualtie and not through any mans sinne as in the course of mans life many thinges chaūce to many folke This mans misery lacke of sight was not prohibit but suffered to chaunce vnto hym because that by hym the mightie power and goodnesse of God whom the blinde Iewes so obstinately cryeth out vpon should be declared to mē The more vncurable the disease is the more famous and commendable shall be the healing of thesame I must worke the worke of hym that sent me whyle it is daye The night cummeth when no manne can worke As long as I am in the worlde I am the light of the worlde Assoone as he had thus spoken he spatte on the grounde and made clay of the spettell and rubbed the clay on the iyes of the blynde layed vnto hym Goe washe the in the poole of Siloe which by interpretacion is asmuche to saye as sent He wente his waye therfore and washed and came agayne seeyng For this cause was I sent into the worlde euē to procure the glory of God with suche dedes as should cause the vnfaythfull to beleue my woordes to be true and to thintent also that those whiche will beleue should be cured of their blindnes I must doe this commaundement diligently while it is daye for yf menne haue any worke in hande they be wonte to doe it in the day The night perdy is vnhansome to worke in Therfore in the meane tyme whyle prensent day geueth vs leaue to worke we may not cease For the night shall come when as men all in vaine would worke and cannot As long as I am in the worlde I am the light of the worlde If men make spede to finishe the worke which they goe about for some commoditie of this life before night how muche more behoueth it euery man to labour that while they haue me with them they may go thorowe with the busines of the eternall saluacion In fauour wherof whatsoeuer in the meane season I doe in this worlde I doe it for that thing sake and to further saluacion For what other thing doe I then that all folke should through iyes of faith see and acknowlege God and his sonne whom he sent into the worlde I shall within a while departe hence than shall those that haue nowe had no will to worke desyre lyght in vaine The Lord
in them any gospellers voyce because they were not true shepeherdes For their voyce soundeth nothyng shepeheardlyke But more lyke the voyce of a robber and of a rauenous woulfe I am I tell you the dore There is no healthfull entryng into the churche and kingdoÌ„ of heauen but by me whether thou wilt be shepeherde or shepe If any entre in by me he shall attain eternall health and shal be without all daunger of theues and murderers but through this shepehearde shall go into the shepefolde safe and take the fruicion of the blessed quietnes of contemplacion and shall again go out into the pastures to practise and put in vre the office of charitie And there shal no where lacke pastures but in all places shall be matter to do good vpon to the intente he maye bothe profit other and he hymselfe through good dedes repayre home agayne to the shepefolde more fatter and better likyng Thus now ye haue one token wherby ye maye discerne a shepe from a goate a true shepeherde from a false He that beleueth not on me yet maketh himself a shepeheard of the people of him ought men to beware And his voice shal thaÌ„ disclose what manier one he is if his woordes haue no taste of Goddes glorye if they sauoure not of the peoples health but of his owne praise of gaine of worldly subtiltie and of tiranny let the shepe take hede to themselues and beware of him for he is a thefe and a murtherer he is no shepehearde And he is the more daungerous because he fameth himselfe to be a shepeheard And in case the voyce be not a sufficient profe take hede to theyr dedes A thefe cummeth not but for to steale kyll and to destroye I am come that they mighte haue lyfe and that they might haue it more aboundauntly I am the good shepeherde A good shepeherde geueth his life for his shepe an hired seruaunt and he whiche is not the shepeherd neither the shepe are his owne seeth the woulfe comming and leaueth the shepe and flieth and the woulfe catcheth and scattereth the shepe The hired seruaunte flyeth because he is an hyred seruaunte and careth not for the shepe I am the good shepeheard and know my shepe and am knowen of myne The thefe cummeth for none other purpose but to steale and to get himselfe vile and filthy gaine of the harmes of an other mans flocke The murderer cuÌ„meth not but to worry and destroye and to practise tiraÌ„ny vpon the flocke vnto the whiche to haue dooen good had been his parte and duetie Thre wayes therefore it shal be lefull to decerne the true shepeheard from the thefe or prayecatcher If he entre not in by the doore that is to saye yf he dooe not acknowlage me by whome onely there is hope of eternall healthe If he speake not those thynges whiche agreeth with the doctrine of God thyrdely if his intente be directed any other waye than to those thynges that appartayne to Goddes glory and saluacion of the people If none of these faultes can be found in me but if rather the father of heauen haue opened the doore if I speake those thinges whiche accordeth with the meanyng of the lawe whiche are agreable to the will of the father of heauen yf I doe no where hunte for lucre or mine own prayse but obeying my fathers pleasure thirst after nothyng els but al folkes health than vnderstande ye that I am the true shepehearde and acknowlage ye my founder my voyce my desyre and study They that auaunt themselues to be shepeheardes goe aboute this verely euen to get themselues commoditie of your discommodities who than fare best whan the flocke fareth wurst I that haue entred in by the doore came for none other thing but that the diseased shepe should bee healed the dead should liue and the quicke shoulde be fatted with all kynde of vertues He is taken for a good shepehearde which liueth in dede of the reuenewes and yearely profites that come of his shepe whiche purloyneth nothyng or nothyng deuoureth But an euangelicall shepehearde ferre passeth this vpright dealyng For he doeth not onely not spoyle as the thefe doeth not onelye not teare in pieces as the praie catcher doeth but also bestoweth his owne life for to defend his shepe so farre of it is that he would for any gayne sake hurt the flocke that he is put in trust withal or lose that which he hath taken in hand to kepe Therfore the other sort that braggue vpon theyr beyng shepherdes are woulfes no shepeherdes But if ye demaunde an exaumple and a profe of a good shepherde it is I that am a good shepherde whiche do not onely my selfe not seke my commoditie of the flockes harme â–ª but I also dooe frely geue of myne own goodes yea and my lyfe too to resiste theim that come againste the flocke to endammage or greue it I dooe that for my shepe that one frende will not doe for another He cannot be a shepherde vnlesse he be pure from all singular profite and priuate commoditie except also he set euen his owne life at naught whan at any time the flocke standeth in ieopardy For ther be many thinges that make incursion against the health of the flocke Therfore he that is a true shephearde and in his herte careth for the flocke for none other skill but because he louâ—th the flocke redy to do his commaundemente that gaue him that flocke to be kepte safe and not to be nye shorne spoyled slayn or worried he defendeth the health of his shepe euen with the losse of his owne lyfe But contrary he that is an hierelinge hath taken the ouersight of the flocke for his owne aduauntage yet although he doe rightlye gouerne and rule the flocke whiles al thinges be caulme and quiet yet if there hange any ieopardye of life thereupon that is to were if he see the woulfe prease vpon him furyously he betrayeth the shepe and leaueth the flocke to the woulfe to be scattered abrode and so pece meale to be worried and saueth his owne lyfe by runnyng awaie And what is the cause Nothing els but because he is an hired seruauÌ„t and no shepeherd True charitie hath no respecte to the rewarde Whereas consideracion of the reward hath place there is either no charitie â–ª or vnperfite charitie And if there be any duetie doen it is not doen with that good wyll that a true shepehearde would dooe it with all But where the thyng moste requireth the very naturall shepehearde there thaÌ„ is the flocke deceitfully betrayed whiles the hired shepeherde runneth awaye And why is that Because when that he hath considered the matter after worldly iudgement he counteth it better that an other mans flocke do perishe than himselfe to come in perill of life And yet is this maner of men some deale better than they whiche playe the woulfes themselues against the flocke vnder the false title of shepeheardes For there be
woulde speake more of the same matters the sabboth day next folowing in audience of the synagoge And whan the cumpany was dimissed many that were partly Iewes borne and partely other straungers whiche yet lyued accordynge to the trade of the Iewes and were lykewyse desirous to know this kinde of religion folowed Paule and Barnabas coueting to be more playnly and familiarely taught of the Apostles And than talked they with them aparte exhortinge them to continue in that fauoure and grace whiche once they had begun to embrace of free gifte at the hand of god and what they had once begun in the same to procede with continuall increase In the meane time the rumoure of this matter was publisshed far abrode one telling another what he had hard as men commonly do And the nexte Sabboth daye came almost the whole citie together to heare the worde of God But when the Iewes sawe the people they were full of indignacion and spake against those thinges whiche were spoken of Paul speaking against it and rayling on it Than Paul and Barnabas wared bolde and saied it was mete that the woorde of God shoulde fiest haue been preached to you But seeyng ye put it from you and thynke your selues vnworthy of euerlastyng lyfe loe we turne to the Gentiles For so hath the Lord commaunded vs. I haue made the a lighte of the Gentiles that thou be the saluacion vnto the ende of the worlde So the next sabboth daye not onely the Iewes and suche straungiers as obserued the Iewes lawes but also all the whole citie came to the Synagoge to heare the ghospell preached But the Iewes for the most parte of them that had perswaded themselues that this fauoure through beleuing the gospell was promised to suche onely as were carnally dyscended and came of Abrahams stocke whan they sawe that a great multitude of Iewes and suche other as kept their lawe whiche were proselites and Gentiles also were gathered together indifferently the said Iewes grudgeyng in their minde dysdayned at it meruelouâ—y speaking against suche thinges as had ben spoken of by Paule â–ª and not absteyning from vnsitting oprobrius and rayling wordes Whan Paule and Barnabas perceyued their malicious stubbernes remembring that the lord had commauÌ„ded the apostles that if in any place they chaunced to mete with suche as woulde reiecte the ghospell whan it is profered them they shoulde leaue that citie and place shakyng the dust of theyr feete also to such stubberne persons againe sayde freely we haue doen out duties For according to the commaundement of Iesus the lorde the gospel first was to be preached vnto you Suche reputacion Christ had you in But seeyng that you refuse so great fauour that hath ben freely and without suyte profered vnto you thinke your selues vnworthy of eternal life beholde we wyll turne our preaching to the Gentiles And yet wyll not we so dooe vpon our head But Iesus oure lorde so commaunded hys disciples that after they had preached his gospel throughout Iewry they should afterwardes preache it to all nacions vnto the ende of the worlde This was long since prophecied by the prophet Esay that Iesus should saue not the Iewes onely but all the nacions also in the worlde For in his booke of prophecy the father speaketh vnto the sonne in this wyse I haue set the to be a lighte vnto all nacions and to saue all the whole worlde ¶ Whan the Gentiles hearde this thei were glad and glorified the worde of the Lorde and beleued euen as many as were ordeyned vnto eternall lyfe And the woorde of the Lorde was published throughout all the regyon But the Iewes moued the deuout and honest women and the chiefe menne of the citie and reysed persecucion against Paul and Barnabas and expelled theÌ„ out of their coastes But they shoke of the dust of their feete againste them and came vnto Iconium And the disciples were filled with ioye and with the holy ghosts Whan those that were of the gentiles hearde this they muche reioyced not because that the Iewes shoulde perishe but so that they rendred to God thankes that had turned the Iewes incredulitie vnto their saluacion The Iewes spake blasphemously againste this healthfull doctrine but the gentiles beyng sodenly conuerted did receiue it very promptly and readily and glorified the worde of the lorde Whiche worde many of the gentiles beleued but yet not all but as many as god of his mercye had ordeyned to haue euerlasting lyfe whereunto no manne attayneth vnlesse he be called and chosen of god In this wise the worde of god was sowen abrod thorowout all that countrey But the Iewes enuying the gentiles stirred vp certayne deuout women for suche commonly are sooneste deceiued vnder the fayned pretence of holynesse and those that were in estimacion honorable to th entent that all might bee doen with the more autoritic and furthermore they moued diuerse of the head men of the citie and through them caused Paule and Barnabas to bee persecuted and banished them out of their coastes Here marke good Theophilus the crafte that the Iewes had to styrre vp the myndes of men againste those that sincerely preached Iesus Malyce first moueth them that doe counterfet holynesse and soone after thinwarde sorowe of their malicious myndes breaketh out into woordes of reproche Than vpon this sad women and suche as be deuoute be meanes wherby they call the commons vnto sedicion for by the aunciente matrones they stirre vp the rewlers And in this wise were the Apostles drieuen out Than Paule and Barnabas shaking of from them the dust of their feete tooke theyr iourney to Iconium which is a citie in Licaonia The disciples also reioycing that the ghospell had so good successe were replenished with gladnesse and with the holy ghoste The .xiiii. Chapter ¶ And it fortuned in Iconium that they went bothe together into the Synagoge of the Iewes and so spake that a great multitude bothe of the Iewes and also of the Grekes beleued But the vnbeleuing Iewes styrted vp and vnquyered the myndes of the Gentiles against the brethren Long tyme abode they there and quit themselues boldly with the â–ª helpe of the lorde whiche gaue testimony vnto the worde of his grace and graunted signes and woonders to bee dooen by their handes But the multitude of the citie was deuided and parte helde with the Iewes and parte with the Apostles BUt â—han as they were come to Iconium they went together as their custome was into the Synagoge of the Iewes there they preached also the ghospell of Iesus Christe lyke as they had before done at Antioche insomuch that a great numbre aswell of Iewes as of Grecians were conuerted to the faith Here againe likewyse the Iewishe malice was occasion of sedicion For the Iewes that woulde not obey the ghospell beyng not contente to perishe themselues except they might drawe many with them to damnacion stirred vp corrupted the myndes of the gentiles againste them that did beleue But
woulde hym to doe shooke his lappe as who shoulde saye that he cast in their teeth that he had freely brought vnto them the message of saluacion whiche they ought to haue ioyfully receyued and sayed vnto them If you had rather perishe then to be saued stande ye to your owne harme for asmuche as ye are the occasion of your owne death For seeyng that I haue doen my duetye the fault cannot be layed to me Wherefore I wyll hereafter go to the Gentiles accordynge as the lorde commaunded vs. And in this wyse he withdrawyngâ— himselfe from the cumpany of the Iewes entred into the house of a certaynâ— man named Titus and Iustus by syrname a man that was well dysposed who dwelte harde by the Synagoge Than Crispus whiche was chiefe of the Sinagoge by reason that he dwelled nere beleued in the Lorde with all hys whole householde and diuerse others of the Corinthians after they had heard Paule beleued and were christened ¶ Than spake the lord to Paule in the night by a vision be not afrayed but speake and holde not thy peace for I am with the no man shall inuade thee that shall hurte thee For I haue muche people in this citie And he contynued theâ—e a yeare syxe monethes and taught them the worde of God But whan Paul had there neyther not profited so muche as his moste gredie desyre and dilygente sekyng was by reason that the Iewes didde stiffelyâ— barke agaynste hym and he had in hys mynde purposed to leaue Corinthus the Lorde stayed hys wauerynge mynde apperyng to hym in hys sleepe in a vision and saying let not the stubbernesse of the Iewes feare thee neyther kepe thou close the doctrine of the ghospell for theyr cause for thou muste not more regarde the inuincible malice of a fewe then the health of many Wherfore continue boldly in preachyng the gospell and put thy truste in me and I shall reskewe and defende the agaynste theym be they neuer so manye And nâ— man shall set handes on thee to vexe or trouble thee for I wyll be thy defendoure Wherfore departe not hence for in this citie thoughe it bee vicious there is a greate numbre of people whiche I haue already appointed to lyfe euerlastyng Whan Paul hearde this he leauyng and forsaking his own purpose and determynacion whiche was but of mannes deuise and obeyng the counsell of God continued at Corinthe a yeare and an halfe constantely and frankly preaching the ghospell ¶ Whan Gallio was rewler of the cuntrey of Achaia the Iewes made an insurreccion with one accorde against Paul brought him to the iudgement seat saying this fellow couÌ„selleth men to wurshyp God contrary to yâ— law And now whan Paul was aboute to open his mouth Gallio sayd vnto the Iewes yf it were a matter of wrong or an euyll dede O ye Iewes reason would that I shuld heare you but if it be a questioÌ„ of wordes or of names or of your law loke ye to it your selues For I wil be no iudge of such matters he draue them from yâ— seat Than all the Grekes toke Sosthenes the chiefe rewler of yâ— Synagoge smote hym before yâ— iudges seat And Gallio cared for none of those thynges And whereas one Gallio beyng proconsull that is to saye the lorde deputie there dyd in those dayes rule the realme of Achaia vnder Ceasar the Emperoure within whiche countreye the sayed citie of Corinthe is situate the Iewes whiche had made conspiracie agaynst Paule and a coÌ„mocion among the people drewe hym before the place of iudgement where the lorde deputie sate accusyng hym and saying This man contrarye to Moyses lawe counseleth men to wurshyp God after a newe sorte and bryngeth in newe trades of religion Whiche complaynte whan Paul openyng his mouthe was about to make answere vnto Gallio perceyuyng by the accusacion or enditement that was brought in and declared howe the controuersye betwene theym concerned the Iewishe religion dyd fynd a meane to ridde his handes of the examinacion thereof And preuentyng Paule who was than in a redinesse to speake in defence and declaracion of hymselfe sayed vnto the Iewes Maysters I occupie here the roume of an officer to minister iustice in causes by the authoritie of the Emperour and to see ciuile iustice kepte and that nothing be doen agaynst the common ciuile lawes of Rome Wherfore yf wrong were doen to any man or anye haynous dede of mischiefe commytted that ought to be punyshed by the lawes ye myght iustly compell me yea and it were my duety to heare you For the serchyng out of suche matiers appertayneth vnto me But if it be no suche matier but some speciall or priuate contencion that is groweÌ„ emong your selues about names of sectes or coÌ„municacion of the Iewes religion of your own countrey lawes emong certayne pryuate persones of your own selfe because neither it appertayneth to myne office nor I can discusse theÌ„ whiche am ignoraunte of your lawe it were beste for you to make an ende of it youre selues For I will medle in no suche matiers With these woordes he caused them to auoyde from the place where he sate in iudgemeÌ„t The Grekes seeyng thys smote Sosthenes whyche was of the chief of the Sinagoge because that he and his household had takeÌ„ Paules part forsakyng the Iewes and were more moued with Sosthenes then with Paul because they supposed that Paule could haue doen nothyng at Corinthe vnlesse that he had bene maynteyned by Sosthenes Yet for all this the proconsul would not meddle seyng this businesse but dissembleth that he sawe it Forasmuche as the Romaynes hated the Iewes and yet put no difference betwene a Iewe and a christen man the proconsull whiche was a Romayne did not passe or regarde what one Iewe dyd vnto another beeyng perfecte that that sorte of people had wonte to be euery where busy and full of trouble and contencion Paule after this taried there yet a good while than toke his leaue of the brethren sayled thence into Siria Priscilla Aquila accouÌ„panying him And shore his heade in Cenchrea for he had a vowe And he came to Ephesus left theÌ„ there but he himself entred into yâ— sinagoge reasoned with the Iewes WheÌ„ they desyred him to tarye loÌ„get time with theÌ„ he consented not but had theÌ„ fare well saying I must nedes at this feast that cuÌ„meth be in HierusaleÌ„ but I wil returne agayne vnto you yf god wil. And he departed froÌ„ Ephesus whan he was come vnto Cesarea asseÌ„ded vp saluted the congregacioÌ„ he departed vnto Antioche wheÌ„ he had taried there a while he departed wente ouer al the countrey of Galacia and Phrigia by order strengthenyng all the disciples But Paul hauyng in mynde the warnyng that god had gyuen hym thoughe he perceyued the rage of the Iewes daylye to encrease more and more yet he contynued there a good sorte of dayes more And at the laste perceyuyng that the
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