that hath no sweord let hym sell his coate and bye one For I saye vnto you that yet thesame whiche is written must be perfourmed in me euen among the wicked was he reputed For those thinges whiche are written of me haue an ende And they sayd Lord behold here are two sweordes And he said vnto them it is enough After that he had plucked out of their hertes the puttyng of their affiaunce and trust in themselfes he eftsons beateth into their heades the thynge that he had oftentimes to fore taught them whiche was that they should not defend theimselfes with worldely defence against the violence of euil persoÌ„s because that a minister of the heauenly doctrine of the gospel ought to be fre from the vile cares of this life ne ought not with any other armour or weapon to bee appoynted against all the assaultes of the wicked sorte then with the sweorde of the spirite whiche is the woord of god At what time I sent you ê™ he for a proufe assaie to preache among the Iewes howe the kyngedome of god approched and sent you so vnfurnished of all prouision that ye had not so muche as purses aboute you to putte any money in nor so muche as a poore scrippe to kepe any meate in against an other tyme of houngre no nor yet shooes for sauyng of your fete yet did ye want any thyng Thei aunswered that they had wanted nothyng Than Iesus to the entente he would vtterly plucke vp by the roote out of their stomakes all desire of auenging beguileth them for a whyle with the deckenesse of his woordes but he suffreth theÌ„ for this purpose to renâ—e in a wrong opinion because he would the more surely the more effectually plucke out of their myndes al affeccion of auengyng any quarels For he knew that they should be enkiendled to an earneste will of defendyng and reskewyng hym whaÌ„ they should see armed soldyers with such great stiere and ruâ—felyng to inuade and fall vpoÌ„ their maister whoÌ„ they very earnestly loued though neuerthelesse it was as yet after the affeccionate sorte of humain loue and worldely Whiche humaine affeccion loue if he had not euidently chastised we would haue thought it to bee lawfull to defende our selfes with weapon against the violence of wicked persons and to putte away force with force But nowe seeyng that Peter was shent beecause that he drewe his sweorde againste a deuelishe and hainous coumpany for his maisters cause beyng a man most innocent â–ª what cause may there than bee from hensfoorth why a Christian bodye should put away wrong with wrong And thus sayed the Lorde At the first preachyng of the ghospell ye went light vnfurnished of any prouision for your liuyng But yet thorough my supportacion sure defense ye wanted nothyng And that was enough whan there was no sore storme nere towardes you But froÌ„ heÌ„sforth ye must prepare your hertes to hardier matters For the more extreme sore the storme of persecucioÌ„ shal be so muche the lighter is it mete that ye be froÌ„ al yearthely lettes and encoumbraunces Nowe is there a great battayl towardes and ye shall haue nede of a sweord Wherfore if any man percase hath a pouche or a scrippe let hym take it vp that he maye bye hym a sweorde That in case he haue not these thynges the whiche in dede may bee cast away from you and whiche ye haue lacked without any incommoditie vnto you leat hym sell his coate and bye hym a sweord It is nedeful for a bodye to come to this batail very lyght of carryage nor armed with any other thyng theÌ„ with a sweorde The matier will sure come to extremes For thei will not onely lay violeÌ„t haÌ„des on me but also it must nedes be perfourmed that Esai long agon prophecied should become of me And euen emong the wicked was he reputed If it be a sore and a grieuous matter to be killed how much sorer a thing is it to suffer such shamefull execucion and peines of death as all men speake eiuil of yea and thesame to suffer emoÌ„g heinous malefactours And yet this chaunce also is the soonne of man sure to haue For now the tyme is euen at haÌ„d that whatsoeuer hath been foresaid by the prophetes concerniÌ„g me must be accoÌ„plished The Apostles whereas thei vnderstode not the misterie of these saiynges and deemed that the lorde had said it to put them in remembraunce to haue a sweorde in readinesse to putte of from theym some violence beyng toward aunswered plainly without mening any fraud Maister behold there bee two sweordes here already supposyng in very dede that in any wise thei shoulde nede sweordes but fearyng leste that two sweordes woulde not bee enough for that fight They shewed their good hert and affeccion to fight for the Lordes sake whom they knewe was hable enough of his own power to supply if their defence and strength wanted any thyng like as he had afore that time multiplied the fiue loaues two fishes to make theÌ„ suffice manye thousandes of people In this so grosse an affeccioÌ„ did Iesus at that preseÌ„t leaue his disciples to the entent as I haue said that their weakenes might be an instruccioÌ„ for vs vnto perfite pacience in suffering tribulacion He therefore aunswered It is enough This did they take as a thyng so spokeÌ„ as though the first fray might bee borne of with the twoo sweordes which thei had theÌ„ ready whereas Christes menyng was of a ghostely fight against the worlde and the deiuill in whiche fighte the victory cuÌ„meth of an herte beyng lightened and discharged from al earthly desires and armed with the only sweord of heauenly doctrine And the said victory consisteth in the vndefeasable scripture of the olde and newe testamente so that a man maye vnderstande twoo sweordes but thesame sweordes deliuered foorth by one spirite And he came out went as he was wont to mouÌ„t Oliuere And the disciples folowed hym And whaÌ„ he came to the place he said vnto theÌ„ pray leste ye fall into temptacion And he gatte himself froÌ„ them about a stones cast and kneled doune and praied saiyng Father if thou wilt remoue this cuppe from me Neuerthelesse not my wyll but thine be fulfilled And there appered an aungel vnto him from heauen coumfortyng hym And he was in an agony prayed the longer And his sweate was lyke droppes of bloud tricklyng downe to the ground And because men of armes whan they shall entre a fight are woont against a bickering with their enemy approchyng nere theÌ„ to refreashe their bodies and to plucke vp their hertes the Lorde beyng mynded to shew vnto his seruauntes what thyng it was that might moste principally strengtheÌ„ them against suche ioynyng in battail whan it is toward weÌ„t foorth of Ierusalem and accordyng to his accustomed vsage wente to mounte Oliuete his disciples accoumpanying hym And whan they were cuÌ„ to the priuie place
his haÌ„des vnto heaueÌ„ beseching his father that he would vouchesafe that this matter of sauing mankinde which he toke in hande might be happy and fortunate to all men that he would commend and set forth his sonne vnto the world with his fatherly auctoritie and lest Iohns auctoritie should be of smal estimacioÌ„ albeit this for the time was profitable for the grosse rude people And behold the father did manyfestly auctorise his soÌ„ne in the presence of suche a multitude of people The heauens opened and shewed furthe a certayne wonderful light Iohn also sawe the heauenly spirite in the visible lykenes of a doue to descende out of heauen and to sytte vpon his holy head from thence came the voyce of the father soundyng to all mennes eares saying this is my derely beloued sonne the delight of my mynde in whoÌ„ I haue a singuler pleasure heare hym the expouÌ„der of my mynde and the distributer of my goodnes towardes you And because at that time Iesus was vnknowen to the multitude which had a great opinion of Iohn lest the voyce whiche cuÌ„ming froÌ„ aboue poynted no man certaynely to theyr vnderstandyng should be thoughte to perteine vnto Iohn therefore there was added a visible signe of the heaueÌ„ly doue whiche sitting vpon Christes head showed nowe playnely vnto al meÌ„ as a man would poynte with his fynger to whome that voyce dyd perteine With the whiche signe also Iohn hymselfe was playnely and certaynly monished that he was the sonne of God And after he did openly testifye that this sygne and token was promysed him before of the father to the intente that in suche a multitude of people he might certeynlye knowe him that afterwarde should baptyse all men in the spirite and fyer And with these ceremonyes the Lorde Iesus was declared and consecrated oure mayster whose diuinitie and heauenly doctrine who so wyll followe he shall be truly blessed The .iiii. Chapter ¶ Then was Iesus led of the spirite into wyldernes to be tempted of the Deuyll And whan he had fasted forty dayes and forty nyghtes he was at the last an hungred And whaÌ„ the â—emptoure came to hym he sayd If thou he the sonne of God commaunde that these stones be made bread But he aunswered and sayde It is written MaÌ„ shal not lyue by bread onely but by euery worde that procedeth out of the mouth of God ANd yet these entries beginninges made he lepeth not furth byanby to preache although auctoritie wer giueÌ„ him from heauen but sodenly he withdraweth himself froÌ„ the sight of the people into wildernes because that departure froÌ„ the coÌ„pany of people both increaseth auctoritie and prouoketh a desyre Now the spirite that is the prouoker of the yll doeth specyally assaulte them which leauyng the desyres of the world do fall into meditacion of the pure and heauenly life Therfore Iesus secretly teachyng vs thesame goeth into wyldernes And this he doeth not by the mocion or instigacion of any maÌ„ but moued of his own spirite For he that is baptised hath now cast of carnall affeccions being made spiritual by regeneracion is led and moued by the couÌ„sell of the holy ghost he remembreth not Bethleem he retourneth not to Nazareth he goeth not again to his mother or to his foster father but by the vehemeÌ„cy and rauishing of the spirite he goeth into deserte folowyng the exauÌ„ple of the olde prophetes Solytarines doeth quicken make lusty the mynde of a Christian souldier some tyme it is more sure for a man to commit himself to the wylde beastes than to men Baptisme taketh awaye all synnes of the former lyfe but for all that no man is sure from the assaultes of Sathan whiche lyueth sluggyshly But yet the naughty desyres endeuour to spryng agayne chiefely in them that be rude and young and lately entered and cummen to Christ. And that frowarde Satan enuying as muche mannes saluacion as Christe is desyrouse of the same styrreth and prouoketh him with merueylouse engins and sleyghtes to fall awaye and departe insomuche that he possesseth and vseth him that is relapsed with more tyranny then he dyd possesse and vse hym whan he had him before Agaynste these perilles and daungers Christe sheweth chiefelye three remedies often and harty prayers forsakyng of company auoyding of excesse and kepyng abstinence not without diligent meditacion of holye scriptures for otherwyse there maye be daunger in ydle solytarines And because the deuill goeth about to deceyue them chiefly whiche do endeuour to attaine vnto this streyght and Angelicall lyfe Christe hymselfe lyke a good captayne encounteryng with him hath taught his champions by what meanes that maliciouse and crafty olde syre maye be ouercome howe lytle he can do against them that be sober and vigilant and with all their harte do leane to the godly scriptures And this also the Lorde Iesus in the meane tyme wente aboute that this misterie mighte by litle and litle appere vnto the worlde after suche sorte that Sathan whiche desyred for none other purpose to knowe certaynly whether he were the sonne of God whome he heard that the father did honour with this tytle and name but to lette the redempcion of mankynde might bee holden in suche doubte that he might not certeynlye knowe this to be Messias before he sawe his owne tyranny vtterly subuerted ouerthrowen Christ also putteth vs in remembraunce of this that no manne is mete to preache the gospell but he that hath tryed hymselfe and is fyrme and strong agaynst worldly desyres agaynst excesse and her companions that is bodily luste ambicion auarice and suche lyke diseases of the minde wherewith oure enemye beateth and shaketh the myndes of the symple and weake as it were with most violent engyns of warre Therefore whan Christ had fasted fortye dayes folowyng Hely and Moyses whiche thing was in suche wyse aboue mannes power that yet the Iewes beleued that it was doen of men at laste to shewe a manifeste token of mannes imbecillitie in himselfe he made no couÌ„sayle but shewed playne signes that he felte the tediousnes of hungre For after the common nature of mannes bodye the lacke of humour greued and payned the stomacke Whiche thyng whan the crafty temptoure perceyued â–ª thynkyng hym to be nothyng but a man althoughe in dede a notable and a wonderfull man he casteth his hooke bayted with the enticement of vayne glory for therwith chiefly they be taken whiche seme to endeuour to the hyest perfeccion If thou bee the sonne of God ê™ he what nedest thou to be greued and piened for hungre Commaund rather these stones to be turned into bread for thy behoufe Thou canste perfourme thy desyre with a becke Ye maie well know of olde that this is thesame lyer in wayte or teptour whiche did entice that firste Adam into the snares of death by the vayte or trayne of gluttony But Christ the latter Adam beyng in spirite heauenly so auoided with his wordes this craftie
poynte of a certaine veray true maidenly tendre shamefastnesse that she made not answere out of hande but cast with herselfe in her mynde what thyng so straunge and so high a salutacioÌ„ might meane was partely a poynte of wysedome and partely of demure softenesse But forasmuche as the Aungell right well knewe what she was casting in her mynde he would not suffre her any longer to stande in doubt or perplexitie but both toke away her feare with speakyng ientely vnto her and also declared at large the cause of that his vnquod and straunge gretyng Mary sayeth he there is no cause why thou shouldest be afeard The iewell of thy virginitie and maydenhood which thou art sigularly in loue withall is safe vnto the without any daunger of lesyng it Neyther am I come to please the or to set the agog with a vaine salutacion but I am come vnto the as a messagier of a matter both passyng ioyfull and also veray great Ponder not thine owne desertes Of the mere fauour of god it is that is offered vnto the not of thine owne merite And euen in this veray poynte thou doest please God that thou standest in no conceipte of thy selfe And let this suffice the that thou haste atteyned grace fauour at Gods hand And nowe herken a thing neuer heard afore but yet a true thyng Thou shalt conceyue a babe in thy wombe and shalt bryng furth a sonne and shalt call his name Iesus because he shall bryng saluacion vnto his people And although he shal be borne in an homely place and of a mayden estemed to be of lowe degree Yet by reason of his heauenly gyftes of grace he shal euery waye be moste greatest insomuche that after he shall once be knowen to the worlde he shal be called not by the name of a Prophete but the sonne of the hyghest The surname shall be greater then any other manne maye haue forbecause the chylde that must be borne shall ferre surmounte the common rate and degree of mortall mannes state In this chylde certes wyll the Lord God perfourme and accomplishe the thyng which the prophecie being to thee not vnknowen hath promised A man borne of the stocke of Dauid shall sit in the throne of his father He shall not through the ayde and maynteinaunce of the worlde vsurpe or take vpon hym a transitorie dominion and reigne of this worlde but his heauenly father will geue him the heauenly reigne of Dauid and he shal reigne ouer the people of Israel for euer without end Neither shal there euer come any ende of his reigne as the Prophete Esay hath prophecied Than sayed Mary vnto the Aunâ—â—ll â–ª howe shall this come to passe seyng that I knowe not any man and the Aungell answered and sayd vnto her The holy ghoste shall come vpon thee and the power of the highest shall ouershadowe thee And therfore the holy that shal be borne shal be called the sonne of God The hearte of this virgin dyd not through these so high promises of the Aungell weaxe any whit the more haulte to take vpon her neither dyd she of the highnes of the matters conceiue any distrust She conceyued not in her mynde any suche presumpcion that whan her sonne should be a kyng she on her partie also should be made a quene neyther was she vnknowyng that nothyng there was of suche high difficultie to bee done whiche God was not hable with a mere becke to bryng to passe All her care and thought was onely for she iewell of her virginitie on whiche she had so muche set her loue And therfore she doeth not requyre a token of the Aungell as Zacharie had done but doeth with maidenly shamefastnes and also according to wisedom no more but enquire to knowe of the Aungell the maner how the thing should be wrought and doen and maketh answer vnto him in this maner By what meane or waye shall it come to passe sayeth she that I shall bryng furthe a sonne forasmuche as I am in suche sorte espoused to my good man whom I do nowe lyue withall that yet neuerthelesse I haue no conuersacion of his bodye suche as wedlocke requireth For continencie lyketh vs bothe and this poynte of blysfulnesse yf it myght be we would full faine haue perpetually to endure betwene vs. The Aungell therfore teacheth howe it should be doen and taketh awaye from the virgin all doubtfulnesse concernyng her virginitie O virgin sayeth the Aungell nothyng shall in this matter be doen or wrought after the common course of nature An heauenly chylde bearyng shall it be and by an heauenly worker shall it from the firste ende to the last be executed Thou shalt continue in chaste loue towardes thy chaste spouse Fruitefulnesse of issue the happiest that euer maye be shall come to thy lotte without any detrimente or violacion of thy virginitie For thou hast not an housband geuen vnto threfor any suche purpose either that he should make thee a mother or els thou make him a father but the prouidence of God hath thought good by this meanes to make a sure waye for thy safegarde and preseruacion for thy good name and fame for thy virginitie and maidenhood and for thy conuenient quietnesse It was goddes pleasure that an vndoubted witnesse of this straunge chyldebearyng should be both present and assistente to the thyng he would in no wyse but that thou shouldest haue one who with chaste and continente lyuyng in thy coumpany and with all poyntes of feithfull seruiceablenesse should geue diligent attendaunce aswell on thee as on the chylde that is to bee borne and finally it was his pleasure that by this deuise pretence this misterie should bee kept secrete from the vnbeleuing sorte and also kept secrete from the wieked spirites And this holy copulacion of the diuine nature with the nature of man shall not violate thy chastitie but shall make it altogether holy The father of heauen hath determined after a straunge sorte eft sones to be gette his sonne on thee Neither shall there any sede of a manne mortall bee requisite or nedefull to this diuine concepcion but the holy ghost shall from heauen come downe into thee and in thy wombe as it were in an heauenly workehouse shall accomplishe the working of this holy babe and in stede of the bodelye or carnall embracing of an houseband the highest shall ouershadow thee in such wyse tempering and qualifying his infinite power and vertue to the measure and capacitie of mannes nature that it maye be hable to abyde the metyng together and the conioyning therof Where filthy lust is in the carnall copulacion of man and wife there whatsoeuer is borne is borne vncleane and thrall to synne But this that shall be borne of thee because it shall be conceyued of the moste holy embracing of the highest because it shal be coÌ„ceiued by the workyng of the holy ghost who maketh all thynges holy because it shall be
as touchyng your rewarde leat your myndes be onely vpon your office and dutie it shal be mine office to prouide for you as touchyng your dignitie If ye shal be true folowers of my humilitie ye shall also be partakers of my glorie if ye shal be felowes with me in takyng suche part of affliccions as I do thē shall ye also haue suche part of immortalitie in heauen as I haue And hitherto haue ye persisted continued with me in mine affliccyons by which affliccions it hath pleased my heauēly father to haue mine obediēce throughly tried and approued Neither lownesse of degree nor pouertie not the trauailles of this life not the obloquie of men not the Phariseis laiyng await for you not the threatenyng of men of power hath disseuered you frō coumpaniyng and liuyng with me wheras others haue fallen away frō me wheras others haue not had the bold spirit to professe thēselfes disciples of mine That yf ye shall still persist in thesame mynde that ye haue hitherto had and shall not irke in the meane tyme to folowe my humilitie to the end ye may the better profit all persones I againe on my parte shall bryng to passe that ye shall an other day bee partakers of the glorye of my kyngdome For it hath so pleased my father that this shal bee the waie to the kyngdome of heauen And thesame haue I heretofore opened vnto you will doe again thorough my death By meane of lowenesse my father shall exalte me to the glorye of a kyngdome by temporall affliccions to ioyes euerlasting And like as there is a kyngdome prepared for me of my father because I in the meane whyle accordyng to his will doe behaue and vse my selfe as a minister and not as a Lorde euen so will I after that I am exalted to the dignitie of my kyngdome prepare the feloweshyppe of the same kingdome for you that folowe my steppes in suche wyse that ye whiche haue not sought for honour here in this worlde but haue behaued your selfes as ministers and seruauntes vnto all others diligently dispensing the doctrine of the ghospell shall sitte with me at my table in my kyngdome not now as ministers but as the honourable chyldren of god And where ye are nowe for my sake reputed amōg the Iewes for persones moste abiect ye shal at that houre sitte as head men of dignitie vpon twelue thrones iudgyng the twelue tribes of Israell For at that day shall the vasenesse of suche people appere as at this present seme to sitte on high benche in this world so shall your highnes who seme at this daye to be the outcastes of the world Thus muche did the lord Iesus speake vnder a figure qualifiyng and tēperyng his wordes to the rawnesse of his disciples whiche rawnesse be suffered for these causes to remaine a long season in them partly because he would in vs the more effectually plucke out suche worldly affecciōs as the disciples wer at that time subiect vnto partly because we should learne with great pacience fauour to suffre the weakenes frailtie of other folkes vntil they may growe to thinges of more perfeccion And the Lord said Simon ▪ Simon beholde Satan hath desired to lift you as it were wheat But I haue praied for thee that thy faith fail not And whan thou art conuerted strength thy brethren And he said vnto him Lord I am ready to goe with thee into prison to death And he saied I tell thee Peter the cocke shall not crowe this daye till thou hast thrise denied that thou knowest me There was no more remaining but for hym to arme the mindes of his disciples against the tempeste euen than approchyng and to roote out of theyr hertes the puttyng of their trust and confidence in themselfes For the sodain stormes of affliccions dooeth to no persones so ouer geue an ouerthrow then to suche as haue a confidence and boldenesse in their own strength But suche persones as vtterlye mistrustyng theyr owne assurednesse that is to say all worldly aide and mainteinaunce of man do wholly depend of goddes defēce and helpe suche none others are hable to stand sure against all the vproares tumultuous businesses of this presēt worlde So than tourned he his tale vnto Peter to the entent he might by exaumple of Peter trayne and correcte them all For he knewe Peter to be of a more quicke and prest spirite thē the others and to bee one that put very muche confidence in hymself of a tendre good affeccion certes but yet humain and worldly For he had not yet receyued thatsame holy spirite of god being the bounteous geuer of al vertue He therefore saied Simon Simon beholde Satan hath earnestlye desyred to haue you all that he might winow and sifte you as they do wheate of a purpose to blow you in soondre if he might And he would so haue doen in dede in case ye had been or should be leaft to your own frailtie but I haue hartyly prayed my father for thee Peter that although thy faith wil be somwhat waueryng yet it maye not fail clene away The first exaumple hereof it hath pleased hym to shewe vpon thee whiche trustest verye muche on thy selfe to the end that beeyng come to thyselfe again after thy falle thou maiest by exaumple of thy self confirme thy brethrē whā thei shal through the same frailtie bee fallen to the end they may euery one of them vnderstande that no man may possibly of his own strength bee an hable matche againste the malyce of Satan onlesse he bee stayed with my aide and mainteinaunce Peter whan he heard these wordes trustyng yet still in his owne strengthe aunswereth Lorde what fallyng a way from thee or what conuersion doest thou tell me of Naie thou shalt perceiue and fynde me a constant man in faith and vnpossible to be ouercomed And like as I haue not hitherto at any tyme forsaken thee so will I not forsake thee at any tyme hereafter neither insomuche that I am ready to put my self in extreme daūger of my life with thee whether it be to go into prisō yea or to death either This saiyng of Peter procedyng truely out of a good a plain menyng hert but yet not euē throughly knowē vnto hīself the lord immediatly repressed with this aūswer ▪ what saiest thou Peter Art thou he that wilt go into prison to death with me Naye I tell thee another contrary tale aforehād For it will so cum to passe that thou wylt thrise reneague me wilt sweare thou knowest me not euē this presēt night before the cocke crowe twise so great shal the storme of afflicciō be vpō thee And he said vnto th◠whan I sēt you without wallet or scrippe shoes lacked ye any thing And thei said no. Thou said he vnto thē but now he that hath a wallet let him take it vp and likewise his scrippe and he
presente my selfe vnto you aliue for this kynde of deathe shall not alienate vs in sundre nor kepe me out of youre syghte for I shall liue agayne yea after that I bee deade and I shall not onelye liue but there withall bryng to you lyfe euerlastyng and notwithstandyng the tyme of myne absence I beeyng alyue shall fynde you aliue and I will so spende my life for you that you shall be in health and safegarde Then shall you vnderstande more fully that as nothyng can pull my father from me nor me from my father so am I bothe to you and you agayne to me ioyned by mutuall charitie together that death can not disioyne vs let your onely care be that by youre owne faulte ye bee not vncoupled and let lewse The obseruyng of my commaundementes shal try true charytie nor he loueth not in herte that neglecteth the preceptes of his Lorde It is not sufficiente to haue accepted my commaundementes vnlesse a manne retayne them in mynde Nor it is not inoughe to remembre theym excepte they bee kept he that doth accomplishe and kepe these is he that truelye loueth me For to bee tormented in mynde for my departure is no proufe of veraye trewe loue I that truely do loue my father do kepe all his commaundementes and will kepe theym vnto death of the crosse And there is no cause why my commaundementes of sufferyng iniurye pacientelye of beatyng the crosse quietely shoulde muche putte you in feare as seuere and grieuous commaundementes and why for charitie shall sweten and make them all easie and there shall not lacke coumforte at my hande for surely whoso loueth me he shal be bothe loued of my father and I also wyll loue hym and neuer leaue him succourlesse but will see hym againe and will openlye shewe my selfe vnto hym to bee looked vpon to make it more certain that I doe not vtterly perishe by suffryng deathe of the crosse Nowe I geue my selfe to bee seen of all folke but than no manne shall see me excepte he abyde constantly in frendeshyppe Of trueth our Lorde Iesus spake these thynges sumwhat darkelye not onely signifiyng that he beeyng reuiued agayne would often after his death come among his frendes to bee seen but that he would also by the holy ghoste his spirite secretely place and wynde himselfe into theyr myndes and that finally he woulde come in the glorye of his father in the open sight of all folke ¶ Iudas saieth vnto him not Iudas Iscarioth lorde what is done that thou will shewe thy selfe vnto vs and not vnto the worlde Iesus aunswered and said if a manne loue me he will kepe my saiynges and my father will loue him and we will come vnto hym and dwell with him He that loueth me not kepeth not my sayinges And the worde which ye heare is not mine but the fathers whiche sent me These thinges haue I spoken vnto you beyng yet present with you but the comforter whithe is the holy ghost whome my father will send in my name he shall teache you al thinges and bring all thinges to your remembraunce whatsoeuer I haue sayed vnto you Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you Not as the worlde geueth geue I vnto you Let not your hettes be greued neyther feare ye haue hearde how I sayd vnto you I goe and I come againe vnto you If ye â—haâ—â— me ye woulde verely reioyce because I sayd I goe vnto the father For the father is greater than I. Now than where as Iudas not he verely that is called Iscarioth which was absente at this sermon but the other Iudas whose surname was Lebbeus did not fully vnderstande our lordes saiyng but beyng throughe sorowe and feare very sore troubled dyd suppose that our Lorde shoulde in suche wyse appeare to his frendes as terrible spirites phantastical sightes shewe themselfes many tymes in the darkenesse of the nyght or as certain visions appeare in dreames rather to the feare of men then to mennes coumforte This Iudas therfore saith Lorde what hath chaunced that when now thou maieste be seen of all folke thou shalte not than appeare to the worlde but onely to vs And howe canste thou be one that may be seen of vs yf thou be such one as other cannot see But Iesus because he knewe that his disciples were not yet able to vnderstande the misterie howe that the same bodye whiche hadde been deade and buiried but nowe made spirituall and hable to dooe as it lyste shoulde ryse agayne Iesus I saye knowyng this dyd not playnely answere to the thyng that was asked but turned his saiyng to that thyng whiche was more necessarye to bee imprinted in theyr heartes whereby they shoulde nowe bee prepared spirituallye to haue his presence for as muche as that presence whiche shoulde bee exibited vnto theim after his resurreccion coulde not long endure with theim Therefore Iesus sayed I will not presente my selfe to the worlde because it loueth me not neyther dothe it kepe my commaundementes If one loue me truely he wyll not testifie his loue with sorowe but by kepyng my commaundementes and hym wyll I loue semblablye and whome I shall loue hym wyll my father loue and we shall neuer bee pulled awaye from hym nor I wyll not onelye see hym agayne that hath my commaundementes in remembraunce but there withall my father and I wyll by the spirite whiche is common to vs both come vnto hym and we will not only come forthwith to departe againe but we will dwell with him and neuer go away from him That which is doen after the spirite is both perpetuall and effectuall bodilye ioynyng together muste nedes haue an ende euen for because ye shoulde sette at naught transitorye thynges and inure your selfes to loue eternall thinges and where ye as yet cannot come to vs we will come to you inuisible but effectually to dwell in the temple of your hertes We be three in deede but so ioyned and conuerte together that he whiche loueth one muste loue all and he that hath one of vs lacketh none of vs. Only on your behalfe let charitie be presente and that couenaunte kepte whiche I made with you of late That shal so couple you and vs together that neyther life nor deathe can vncouple vs. If membres maie bee disseuered from the heade we maie be disseuered There bee many whiche boaste themselfes to loue God the father and seme to obserue the commaundementes of the lawe but none dooeth truelye loue God yf he hatâ— and contemne his soonne and he verelye contemneth the soonne whosoeuer kepeth not my commaundemente whosoeuer neglecteth my preceptes he neglecteth withall the preceptes of God for in good sooth the thyng that I haue taught you is not so my peculiar doctrine that the same is not my fathers but is rather my fathers than myne from whome cummeth whatsoeuer I can or doe teache doyng nothyng but by his autoritie from whome I was sente into the worlde to teache these matters whiche
whiche ye cannot but of my gyfte obteyne that is to wete a Prynce and wyth him al worldely coumforte ioye and secuâ—itie that ye maye wel perceiue both that nothyng is vnpossible to God also that if ye abyde in me and my woordes abyde in you aske what ye wyll and it shal bee dooen for you Whan I saye the woorde of God the law the preceptes or the coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes of God I mene not fantastical dreames of maÌ„nes inuencioÌ„ for these thinges are nothing lesse theÌ„ the worde of God but I mene the true liuely worde of God conteyned in holy scriptures I mene his holy gospel testament purely sincâ—rely taken without the venomous corrupcion of the fylthie dregges or of the soure leauen of any the aboue rehersed pestilencies accordyng as your moste noble father our late soueraigne lorde kyng Henry the eight with vnestimable care studye and trauayll mynded and laboured to haue it sette foorth to be daily preached and taught to hys people without any declynyng eyther to the ryght hande or to the left Whiche thyng if he could not so throughly accomplishe as his moste earneste hertes desyre was I truste the almyghtâ—e god who hath prouided and sent vs your highnesse a moste woorthye soonne to succede suche a woorthye father wyl by his especial grace illumine your herte to procede in the way of trueth whiche your father hath opened vnto you wyl geue you grace al thinges to perfeâ—cte whiche your father moste godly begaÌ„ne to your handes And although to maynteine vpholde conserue that kyng Henry prepayred and hath nowe lefte to your gouernaunce is of it self so muche matter of immortall honour renoume that it wer enough for any kyng to dooâ— yet hath God prouided that ye shall not haue cause to â—aie as AlexaÌ„der the great conqueâ—our whan he considered the great manyfold actes of his father Phylip kyng of Macedonie said My father wil leaue nothing for me to doe For god of a veraie pietye that he had on kyng Henries vncomparable the same vnceaâ—â—auÌ„t trauaylles for the publique behouf welth of Englande long yeres susteined tooke hym awaie from this troubleous worlde as soone as he had prepaired your Grace in a readinesse by due successioÌ„ of inheritauÌ„ce to receyue at his haÌ„des the sceptre croune of his royalmes dominions God by a special dispeÌ„sacioÌ„ breake of the course of his life ere al thinges wer brought to a ful perfeccioÌ„ because he would declare hymselfe to haue appoynted your Maiestie not to lyue altogether in a carelesse supmitie but in a perpetual exercise of al princely vertues that ye might consuÌ„mate finishe suche regall enterpryses as he begoonne partely in other worldly affaires especially coÌ„cernyng the redresse of abuses in matters of religioÌ„ Kyng HeÌ„ry was the Moses whoÌ„ God elected stoutly to deliuer vs out of the haÌ„des of the Romishe Pharao to conueigh vs through the read sea of the waueryng iudgemeÌ„tes of meÌ„ the troubleous sourges of the popishe generacioÌ„ swelling rageyng agaynst him and through the wildrenesse of beyng lefte alone destitute of the assisteÌ„ce or coumforte of other ChristeÌ„ princes whiche in this so noble and so godly an enterprise might laudably haue sette in foote with him through this wildrenes to coÌ„ducte vs as ferre as the laÌ„de of Moab but ye are the Iosue whom god hath appoynted to bryng vs into the lande of promissioÌ„ flowyng and reÌ„nyng wyth milke and honey to sette vs Englishe men in the lande of Canaan which is the sincere knoweleage the free exercise of Goddes moste holy woorde He was the Moses who by goddes ordeinaunce dispensacion wrote the booke of Deuteronomie whaÌ„ he caused the holy Byble to bee turned into Englishe laied it in the tabernacle whaÌ„ he coÌ„mauÌ„ded thesame to bee â—aied in al singular the churches throughout his Royalmes dominioÌ„s chargeyng the Leuites that is the Byshops Pastours Curates in the time of the free yere that is at al due conuenient seasons to read and declare it vnto al the people gathered together both meÌ„ women chyldren yea the straungiers that were in any his cities that they might heare learne and feare their lorde God But where some of the priestes yâ— soÌ„nes of Leui had now in these last yeres through their iugleyng theyr false packyng and their playn sorcerie bewitched kyng Henry with a wrong persuasion had so craftily couÌ„paced and conueighed the matier that vnder the pretence coulour of religion they kept the worde of God froÌ„ the iyes and eares of the people beatyng his moste faythfull louyng subiectes froÌ„ the knowleage therof wyth a mortal whyppe made of sixe deadly knotted chordes in the meane tyme kept the booke of the lawe hiddeÌ„ vntyll they had so ferre obscured derkened oppressed the worde that all thynges were â—eplete with errour and insinceritie it now euidently appereth your Maiestie to be the faythfull Iosias in whose tyme the booke of the law is found out in the house of the Lorde by your moste godly iniunccions read in the hearyng of all your people and a couenaunt made with the Lord that they shal walke after the Lord shal kepe his commauÌ„dementes with al their hertes al their soules wherunto all your people moste willyngly dooeth consent by glad receyuyng of all suche good ordre reformacion as by your Maiesties moste godly direccion is mynistred vnto them Your most noble father was the Dauid who of a good hert zele entended yea made mocioÌ„ to build an house for the Lordes name but we all trust yâ—ur highnes to be the Salomon whoÌ„ god hath appointed and by special dispensacion elected to build finishe an house for him for euer by restoryng establishyng the true Christian religion Which thyng that your Maiestie maye haue the grace spirite to doe ye lacke not the perpetual wyshinges and prayers of al your most louyng and obedient subiectes The world seyng these your moste princely begynnynges in this your tendre yeres of chyldehood is confirmed in a sure hopâ— and expectacion that your Maiestie wil in proces of time growe to bee in this behalfe a veray Phenix emong Christian princes a mirrour and spectacle vnto them all And certes your Maiestie is in muche other case theÌ„ other kinges of England before your tyme haue been For where the frowardnes oâ— fortune beyng suche that moste parte of thynges lyke as they are through her aide and fauoure easie to bee achiued so the same through her malignaunt wiâ—kedenes are more easie to be lost again it deserueth no lesse but rather more glorie wel to kepe and maintein thynges wel gotteÌ„ theÌ„ to acquyre more to it some of your moste woorthie progenitours haue had a â—eadye path-way to renoume and haue had but an easie trauail to succede folow the prince nexte afore goyng in the laudable exauÌ„ple of politique regimente
theim yf hereafter for hatred of me they begyn falsely to blame that that is done For yf thou were not leprouse before why dyd they remoue the from the congregacion If thou be not nowe cleane why haue thei receiued of thee thy gyft as of hym that was pourged clensed Iesus would that the people should testify how muche profyte the Leaper had by his faith and howe lyghtly with a woorde he toke awaye all his disease to thintente they myght geue eare vnto his doctrine with the same faythe whereby they myght be healed of the diseases of the minde ¶ And whan Iesus was entred into Capernaum there came vnto hym a Captaynt and besought hym saying Lorde my seruaunte lyeth at home sicke of the Palseye and is sore vexed And Iesus sayethe vnto hym whan I come I wyll heale hym And the captayn aunswered and saied lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest cum into my house but onely speake the worde and my seruaunt shal be healed For I also my selfe am a man vnder the aucthoritie of another and haue soldiers vnder me and I say vnto this man go and he goeth and to another cum and he commeth and to my seruaunte do this and he doth it Whan Iesus hearde these wordes be meruayled and sayed to them that followed hym Uerely I say vnto you I haue not found so great fayth in Israell And I saye vnto you that many shal come from the Easte and weste and shal sit with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kyngdome of heauen But the chyldren of the kyngdome shal be caste out into the 〈◊〉 darkenes there shal be wepyng and gnasshyng of teethe And Iesus sayed vnto the Captayne go thy waye and as thou beleuest so be it vnto the. And his seruaunte was healed in the same houre Therfore after that he had taught the Iewes by thys facte and dede that the waye vnto ealth was easie by the sincerenes of fayth So forthwith he teacheth in the captayne of an hundred menne that the waye vnto health was not stopped from the Gentiles so that they haue fayth mete and worthy for the ghospell For whan he was entred into Capernaum whiche is a towne not farre from the poole of Genesareth in the borders of zabulou and Neptalim there came vnto hym a certayne captayne the whiche kynde of men the Iewes abhorred for two causes First because they be vncircumcysed for the moste parte and alienes from Moyses lawe secondlye because that kynd of lyfe is defamed commonly But the good Iesus whiche came to heale all men turneth not hym awaye neyther The captayne maketh a requeste vnto hym saying Lorde I haue a seruaunt at home whom I loue intierly for that he is faythfull and profitable in seruice He nowe wholy vnprofitable lyeth vpon his bedde diseased with the palseye and he is not onelye vnprofitable vnto me but also he is sore vexed with the rage of his disease being now at deathes dore And this kynde of disease lyke as it is daungerouse and greuous so is it not lyghtlye cured by the arte of Phisicians Iesus delightyng in the fayth of the man whiche doubted not but that with a worde he was hable to heale his seruaunte beyng absent to thintente he might declare vnto all menne the fayth and truste of the man ioyned wyth greate humilitie of harte aunswered I wyll come and I wyll heale hym Whereunto quod the Capitayne Lorde I am no Iewe I am a captayne to be abhorred of the Iewes for twoe causes and thereforâ— muche vnworthye that thou shouldeste enter into my house and be defyled wyth my companye There is no nede of thy bodelye presence Onelye saye the worde and suche is thy power and myght furthwith my seruaunte shall be healed Thou haste aungels and messengers to whome thou mayeste commit suche busines I knowe by my selfe I haue a ruler to whome I am subiecte I am obediente to his commaundementes neyther is it nedefull for him to do all thynges It is sufficiente for hym to committe his matters wyth authoritie Agayne I haue souldiers vnder my rule by whome I dooe those thynges whyche be not meete for me Onelye I geue my commaundemente and they obey thesame I commaund one to goe some whither and he goeth I commaund another to cum and he cummeth Agayne vnto myne owne priuate seruaunte I saye do this or do that and he spedely doeth what he is commaunded If my seruauntes obeye me beeyng a sinner and an abâ—ecte howe muche more oughte youres to be obediente vnto youre commaundementes Iesus hearynge these thynges merueyled not for that he was ignorante of the mannes faythe but because he woulde cause all men to meruayle at it and turnynge vnto the Iewes whiche folowed hym and as it were castyng theym in the teeth with their vnbelefe sayed This I assure you hitherto haue I not founde so greate faythe in my people of Israell as I haue founde in this straunger whiche neyther knowethe the Prophetes neyther hath receyued my doctryne nor hath â—een my miracles Ye stande in your owne conceyte because ye be the children of the patriarches whome god loueth â–ª because ye are the peculiare people of god to whome this healthe and saluacion is promysed But this I assure you the tyme shal be that many shall come on euery syde from the vttermoste partes of the worlde whom ye do lothe and abhorre as straungers and alyens whiche shall enter in by fayth and sytte in the kyngdome of heauen wyth Abraham Isaac and Iacob and your fathers shall acknowledge them for theyr euangelicall faythe as theyr lefull chyldren and shall take them to theyr table to be partakers of the euerlastynge felicitie Contrarye wyse the chyldren of the kyngdome whiche touchynge the fleshly kynrede cummeth of the stocke of Abraham Isaac and Iacob for theyr vnbelefe shall not onelye not be receyued to that goodlye and happye feaste but they shall bee thruste out into the outwarde darkenes because they woulde not see before the lighte that was offered them There shall they be punished for theyr vnbelefe wepyng and gnasshyng with teeth hauyng intelligence nowe to late from what greaâ—e felicitie they be fallen by theyr malyce and enuye shall make theyr sorowe the more what tyme they shall se straungers aliens to be receyued to the felicitie and honoure whyche was promysed vnto them When Iesus had spoken these thynges vnto the Iewes to the intente they should geue the more credite vnto his saying through the miracle he turnyng vnto the captayne sayeth Go thy waye and as thou haste beleued so be it done vnto the. Clerelye declaryng that helth is not geuen neyther to the stocke and kinred neyther to the other merites but to fayth onely whiche he required and founde lacke of in moste parte of the Iewes And as he sayed so the thyng folowed For it was tried that the selfe same time the Capitaynes seruaunte was sodeynlye delyuered from his disease that no manne shoulde suspecte
him vnto the crosse and passion with false accusementes Whereof a certayne monstruous blyndenes and seuen tymes more miserable than the blindnes of theyr fathers hath possessed theyr hartes and therfore they shall be more cruelly handled and destroyed than they haue been hytherto ¶ And when he yet talked to the people beholde hys mother and brethren stoode withoute desyryng to speake wyth him And one saied vnto him Behold thy mother and thy brethreÌ„ stande without desyring to speake with the. But he answered and saied vnto him that had tolde him Who is my mother or who be my brethren and he put furth hys hand towarde hys disciples saying Beholde my mother and my brethren For whoso doeth the wyll of my father whyche is in heauen thesame is my brother and sister and mother As Iesus spake these thynges to the people there came the mother of Iesus wyth certayne of hys cosens whyche desyred to speake wyth hym But when they coulde not cumme vnto hym for the multitude beyng so thycke and standyng aboute the doores of the house a voyce passyng ouer from one to another a certayne man interrupted the communicacion of Iesus and tolde hym that hys mother and hys brethren were at the doore whiche desyred to speake with hym But Iesus offended wyth this importunitie and troublesumnes and wyllyng also to teache that such affeccions should be passed litle vpon as often as the matter of the gospel is in hande and that the kinred of the myndes oughte more to be regarded than the kynred of the bodies whyche is gotten by vertue and not by the nerenes of bloud the whych also is more large than the other he aunswereth him whych interrupted him Who is my mother and who are my brethren I being occupied about the heauenly busines knowledge no mother nor brethren ioyned by carnall affinitie wherof sum bee far of perchaunce in hartes And holdyng out his hand towardes his disciples which syttyng nere receyued gredely in silence his wholsome doctryne if ye wil know ê™ he my very true kinsfolkes which be moste dere vnto me these be my mother my sisters and my brethren Here is no difference of kinde or age no respecte of kinred Whosoeuer doth obey the wyl of my father whyche is in heauen he is my mother he is my sister he is my brother I esteme hyghely the spiritual and not the bodily affinitie This affinitie euery man may come by Euery maÌ„ like as he is moste obedient vnto my fathers wyl so he is moste nere and moste dere vnto me The .xiii. Chapter The same day Iesus went out of the house and sate by the sea syde and much people were gathered vnto hym insomuche that he went and sate in a shyp and the people stood on the shoore And he spake many thynges to them by simylitudes saiyng Behold the sowyer went furth to sowe And as he sowed some sedes fel by the way syde and the foules came and deuoured them vp And some fel vpon stony places where they had not much yearthe and anon they sprong vp because they had no depenes of yearth And when the sunne was vp they caught heate and because they had no roote they wythered away Agayne some fell emong the thornes and the thornes sprong vp and choked them But some fel into good ground and brought furth fruite some an hundred folde some sixâ—y folde some thyrty folde Whosoeuer hath eares to heare let hym heare AT the same tyme whan Iesus sawe that the place was not able to receiue suche a multitude he went oute of the house to the water syde And whan he came thyther he satte vpon 〈◊〉 banke teachyng the people whiche gaped after his doctryne insaciablye Further when he sawe the multitude so great and thicke that they thruste hym and pressed hym and to thintente he myght bee at more libertye from the people he entred into a shyp and spake out of that as out of a pulpit to the people standyng vpon the banke For so he myght be both better seene and better heard of manye because the sande of the bancke and the brincke of the bancke made as though it were a rounde auditory And because in that multitude euery man had not one mynde he shewed and sette furthe manye thynges vnto them by darke similitudes eyther because thys maner of speakyng is familiar and commonlye vsed of the prophetes or because it is moste meete and conuenient for to teache and to moue the myndes of the people because that comparison taken of thynges that bee well knowen and perceyued also of them that be vnlearned by and by toucheth and moueth euery one or because by this feare and pleasaunte manner of speakyng thynges that bee spoken bothe crepeth into mennes myndes more pleasauntlye and sticketh more surely or els because that thys manner of monicion slauÌ„deryng no manne but secretly by similitude touchyng euery mannes conscieÌ„ce is wont commonly lesse to offende And fyrste of all he letteth furthe a parable signifiyng that many on euery side come runnyng to the preachyng of the gospell and yet fruite springeth not in them all whiche chaunceth not by the faulte of the teacher but by the faulte of the hearers Nor lyke fruite springeth not in all the hearers but accordyng as euery manne bryngeth a mynde voyde from worldlye cares and desyres so is the fruite of the woorde that is heard of hym greatest Therfore exhortyng to geue audience he putteth furth thys parable saiyng The sowyet went furth to sowe his sede and as he casted his sede 〈◊〉 certayne cornes fell by the waye syde and because they were baâ—e and vncouered the birdes came fliyng and eate them vp Agayne other summe feâ—â— to the rough and stony places which when they were not depely couered with yeaâ—thâ— because of stones that â—etted them nor coulde not take roote depely ynoughe they sprang vp shortelye and before theyr tyme â–ª throughe the warmnes of the sunne because there was not muche yearthe to kepe them couered vnto theyr tyme nor no deepe roote to minister hunâ—oure and moysture Agayne other sum fell into the thorny grounde and by the reason of increase of thornes they were kepte downe and choked and coulde not ryfe nor spryng vp at theyr libertye Further other sum fel vpon a good and fruitful grounde and springyng vp luckely brought furth fruite yet not al alyke but accordyng to the goodnesse of the grounde sum an hundred folde sum three score folde some thyrtye folde as muche so that of one sede sprang an eare that bare an hundred cornes of another that bare three score of another that bare thyrty Iesus speakyng these thynges did not as than explicate and declare the darke riddel and similitude but leaueth it to euery manne to coniecture and thinke vpon in hys mynde Onely he made an exhortacion that thei that had meete eares shoulde heare the parable diligently And the disciples came and saide vnto him Why speakest thou to them by
to the sea and cast an hooke and take the fyshe that cummeth first vp and whan thou hast opened his mouthe thou shalt fynde a stateâ— take it and geue it vnto them for the and me After that he came to the citie of Capernaum they that demaunded tribute in Cesars name being afraied to speake to Iesus because of his authoritie whiche he had gotten hym now by miracles they went to Peter whom they sawe in maner next about him Doth your maister ê™ they pay a didram for tribute Peter wheras he had no money and would not offende the gatherers of tribute made aunswer that he payeth For Iesus hitherto had paied such maner tributes And whan they were nowe entred into the house for Iesus had an house there Peter being perplexed thought in his mind to speake to Iesus as touching paimeÌ„t of the tribute For he had promised and had not to pay TheÌ„ Iesus not ignorant what Peter had in his harte preuented his question Symon ê™ he what thynkest thou Of whom be kynges wonte to take tribute or subsidie of their childreÌ„ or of strangers Of straÌ„gers ê™ Peter Then ê™ Iesus the children be free signifiyng therby though sumwhat darkly that he being lorde of the land and the sea and of all thynges oweth tribute or subsidie to no mortal prince and that his disciples as the childreÌ„ of the kingdome be not bounde but yet minding to teache that in such thynges whiche make nothing against godlines obedience oughte to be geuen to this kynd of men lest being prouoked they offend more greuously he added yet ê™ he lest we offend them go to the sea and take the fish which cummeth out first open his mouth and thou shalt fynd a piece of coyne called a Statere whiche is fower draÌ„mes Take it and geue it for me and the. With this dede Iesus both shewed his power wherby he was subiect to no maÌ„ his modestie wherby he would geue place vnto theÌ„ whoÌ„ it is not mete to stirre or prouoke for a thing of litle value to be set nothyng by For he that can geue after that sorte is greater than he that ought to geue and yet when he geueth that he ought not he teacheth that it is better sumtime for to geue ouer thy right then to striue for thy right with them that be froward chiefly in those thinges whiche diminishe thy substaunce but hurt nothyng godlynes The worlde hath his ordre which must not be troubled in no case by occasion of libertie of the ghospell ¶ The .xviii. Chapter ¶ At the same tyme came the disciples vnto Iesus saiyng Who is the greatteste in the kyngdome of heauen Iesus called a chylde vnto hym â–ª and set hym in the middest of them saiyng Uerelye I saye vnto you excepte ye tourne and becum as chyldren ye shall not entre into the kyngdome of heauen Whosoeuer therefore humbleth hymselfe as this chylde thesame is greatest in the kyngdome of heauen And whoso receyueth suche a childe in my name receyueth me But whoso offendeth one of these litlennes whiche beleue on me it wer better for him that a milstone wee hanged about his necke and that he wer drowned in the depe of the sea Woe to the world because of offences Necessary it is that offences cum but woe vnto the man by whome the offence cummeth AFter that these thynges were thus doen there entered into the myndes of thapostles a certain worldlye affeccion and a prycke of enuy and ambicion They hearde of the kingdome of heauen they sawe three Apostles led a parte into the mountayne they heard that the keyes of the kingdome of heauen were delyuered vnto Peter and that it was sayde vnto hym blessed art thou Symon Bariona and vpon this stone I wyll buylde my churche they saw him talkyng with their maister of certain thynges bothe familiarely and boldely and euen now they sawe hym preferred before thother Apostles in paimeÌ„t of tribute and in maner made equall vnto Christe therfore they sumwhat enuied Peter vnto whome the principalitie of the kyngdom of heauen semed to be appoynted where as he was yonger in yeares Therefore they go vnto Iesus and demaunde who shoulde be chyefe in the kyngdome of heauen For yet they dreamed vpon such certaine dignities as we see in princes courtes But Iesus to plucke this affeccion vtterlye out of theyr myndes called to hym a certayn child and sette hym in the middes of his disciples a litle one and yet farre from all affeccions of ambicion and enuie simple pure and liuyng after the onely course of nature Be ye sure of this ê™ he vnles a man be wholy chaunged and cast away vtterly all suche affeccions and be transformed into the fashion simplicitie of this chyld he shal not once be receiued into the kyngdom of heauen So that in no wyse preeminence and soueraintie ought ambiciously to be desyred Wherfore whoso doth submit himself and becum lyke vnto this babe in that he humbleth himself to be as the least of all he shal be greatest in the kingdome of heauen For whoso through modestie and sobrenes maketh hymselfe as leaste thesame is greatest in vertue Princes loue them that be lyke vnto them and amonge them is he most estemed that preferreth hiÌ„self before others I delight in my lyke In courtes of this world the prince thinketh it to redound vnto his rebuke if a man vse any of his nobles coÌ„tumeliously he taketh the gentilnes to be bestowed vpon hymself whiche is bestowed vpoÌ„ them But the fauour of true simple and humble meÌ„ is so great with me that whosoeuer receiueth any one of these for my sake I would it should be counted as done to my self euen as though he receiued me Contrariwise whoso hurreth or offeÌ„deth any one of these litle ones which trust in me and depend wholy vpoÌ„ me he shal be more greuously punyshed than if he should be drouned in the depe sea with a milstone at his necke For what is more wicked than to offend theÌ„ which beare to no man yll wyll whiche enuie no man which prefer themselues aboue no man whiche loue all men indifferently But alas woe be to the worlde for offendyng and greuyng of like litle ones The frowardnes of menne is cause that offences must nedes chaunce There shal be men whiche stirred vp with ennie and hatred wil persecute them that doe for them wyll say yll by them that wysh them well will kill them that bring euerlastyng health And truly these offences and griefes shal profit them that shal suffer them yea they shal be profitable to all the world But yet it shall turne hym to displeasure thorough whose defaulte this offence shall rise Wherfore if thy hand or thy foote hinder the cut it of and cast it from the. It is better for the to enter into lyfe halt or maymed â–ª rather then thou shouldest hauing two handes or two feete be cast into euerlastyng fyer And if thyne iye
saying â–ª These last hath wrought but one houre and thou hast made theÌ„ equall with vs whiche haue borne the burden and heate of the day But he answered one of them sayinge Frende I dothe no wrong 〈◊〉 an thou not coâ—enaunted with me for a denary Take Haâ—ts thine and go thy waye I will geue vnto this laste euen as to the. Is it not lawfull for me to do as I will with mine owne goodes Is thyne iye euil because I am good So the last shall be firste and the first last For many â—e called but fewe are chosen Further toward night the lorde of the vineyarde geueth commaundement to his bayly Call all the workemen and pay them theyr hyer so that thou begin with the last and cum to the firste Therfore they that came last that is aboute eleuen of the clocke and laboured in the vineyarde the leaste parte of the daye were called firste of all and a denarye was geuen to eche of them Whan they that were called earely in the morninge perceyued this because they came longe before into the vineyarde they thought that after the raâ—e of the time they shoulde receyue greater wages But a denary was geuen vnto eche of theÌ„ Therfore when they sawe that they which were not like in space of time yet were made lyke in wages they departe murmurynge agaynste the lorde of the vineyarde and saye These whiche came at eleuen of the clocke haue laboured but one houre and yet thou makeste them lyke vnto vs in wages who haue continued the whole daye in laboure and haue suffered the heate of the daye whereas they came a lytle before nyght when the heate was nowe paste But the householder made aunswere to one of them for all Frende why hast thou enuy that I am liberall vnto others My fre liberalytie towardes other hurteth not the. For I doe the no wrong Did I not bargayne with the so that thou shouldeste haue a denarye for thy dayes laboure Thou haste done thy laboure thou haste thy couenaunte I haue nothinge more to doe with the. Take that that is owed vnto the and departe Thou werte hiered hither for wages to doe thy labour not to appoynte me what I shall doe Thus it is thought good vnto me to geue him that came last as muche wages as I geue the. Thou doest lese none of thyne if I geue this man any thyng of my liberalitie Shall I not be at libertie because of the to do with my own what I will Is thy iye therefore vexed with enuy because thou seest me liberal toward whom it pleaseth me This similitude Iesus brought willing depely to graffe in theyr mindes that God naturally beneficiall towardes al men ceasseth not by diuers wayes and in diuers ages to prouoke and moue al men to the seruice of true godlines In whiche they that haue exercised themselues diligently shall haue for rewarde euerlasting lyfe from the which none is excluded geuing eare whan he is called This reward like as it is in no case due vnto our merites but is of the goodnes of god yet it cummeth not without our endeuour yet we be bound to the caâ—ler for this also that we cum to the seruice of godlynes and that we continue in it vnto the euentide of the day For they that be called and refuse to go into the vineyarde they disapoynte themselues of theyr wages And although among sayneâ—es there is neyther enuy nor murmuryng against god yet with these saynges he expressed the high honoure that was shewed to the last whiche had the first place in rewarde Whiche dignitie in so noble that a man might haue cause to enuy Yet the good Iewes also at the beginning murmured against the Gentiles because they cumming of idolaters straungers from Moyses law finally vncircumcised should sodenly be made equall vnto them in the grace of the gospel and be admitted to the same saluacion beeyng incumbred with no burden of the lawe whereas they long exercised in the ordinaunces of Moyses were nothyng better than Gentiles whiche were now admitted to the profession of the gospell being a litle before of a wicked life Therfore the Gentiles had more forgeuen them but the Iewes haue no cause to brawle with God therfore sithe they also maye attayne to like felicitie And if they had rather enuy than folowe let them thanke themselues that they be cast of for theyr vnbelefe the Gentiles in the meane tyme obteining for the redines of theyr faith that thing which the Iewes thought that they onely ought to haue Therfore whoso is called let him furthwith make haste or els he shall be called in vayne excepte he take hede that he be also elected And all be called but few deserue to be counted among the elect Therefore Iesus ended his parable with thesame clause that he began with â–ª So shall they be last that were firste and firste that were laste For many be called and fewe chosen And Iesus goyng vp to Hierusalem toke his twelue disciples asyde in the waye and sayeth vnto them Beholde we do goe vp to Hierusalem and the sonne of man shal be betrayed to the chiefe of the pristes and to the Scribes and they shall condemne him to death and shall deliuer him to the gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified and the thirde day he shall ryse agayne After this Iesus beyng a whyle in Galile began to drawe nere to the place of his death going towarde Hierusalem And now whan he had instructed and framed his disciples many wayes as concernyng despysing of ryches neglecting of parentes and kinsfolkes of chastitie of great modestie of the rewardes that they should haue also in this lyfe he leadeth secretly aparte his twelue apostles whom he had chosen and thoughte mete to commit the mistery of the crosse vnto whiche the multitude was not yet able to beare And yet he tolde of his deathe vnto the people when he spake of Ionas and of the pulling downe of the temple and the making vp of it againe in three daies but so he tolde them of it that they vnderstode not what was sayed before that they sawe it done He had opened the mistery of the crosse vnto his disciples as to them that were more strong and able now once or twyse speaking vnto them playnly But because men forget lightly that whiche they be not glad to heare of and doe not lightly let sinke into theyr hartes the thing whiche the mynde abhorrethe the Lorde Iesus to confyrme hys apostles agaynste the storme that was at hande openethe vnto them more playnely and distinctly not onelye that his death was nere but also telleth them of the mockes and affliccions whiche oftentymes be more greuouse than deathe itselfe Beholde ê™ he we go to Hierusalem and the sonne of man shal be betrayed to the chiefe priestes and Scribes whiche nowe goe aboute to laye in wayte for him And they will not rest to blame and accuse him vntill
him Furthermore for his wonderfull wisedome whom mannes craftines wente about to deceiue in bayne They maruailed truely but they were not chaunged And forsaking him they left of to prouoke him syth thei could not ouercome him but they did not leaue of to hate hym whom they ought to loue The same daye came vnto hym the Sadduceis whiche saye that there is no resurreccion and asked hym saying Maister Moyses sayed yf a man dye not hauyng a chylde that his brother should marry his wyfe and rayse vp seede to his brother There were with vs seuen brethren and the first maried a wyfe and dyed without issue and lefte his wyfe to his brother likewise the seconde the thirde vnto the seuenth Laste of all dyed the woman also Therfore in the resurreccion whose wyfe shall she be of the seuen For they all had her Iesus aunswered and sayed vnto them ye do erre not knowyng the Scripture nor the power of God For in the resurreccioÌ„ they neyther marry nor be marryed but are as the aungels in heauen Therfore whan the Phariseis and the Herodians were departed the Sadduceis came vnto him That faccion emong the Iewes is more grosse and lesse learned disagreing from the Phariseis in this that they denye the resurreccion In somuche that they beleue not the Aungels to bee nor the soules to bee after they bee separate from the body thynkyng nothing to bee but that whiche they see They whan they heard Christe make often mencion of euerlasting life and of the world to come and of the resurreccioÌ„ of the iust they come vnto him to trye whether he agreed with the Phariseis or taught contrary to them that they might reproue him if he were against them orels laugh him to skorne if he agreed with the Phariseis Therfore they do obiect vnto him this hard question Maister ê™ they Moyses made this lawe If a man hauing maried a wyfe departe without chyldren that the brother of the dead should marry the widowe lefte of his brother and couplyng wyth her should rayse vp issue to his brother departed There were emong vs seuen brethren of whom the firste married a wyfe and departed without children The nexte brother married her who also died without issue Lykewyse it chaunced to the thirde the fowerth vnto the seuenth all dyed without issue At laste the wyfe dyed also whiche was married to seuen brethren Therfore in the resurreccion whiche of all them shall haue her to his wife â–ª For she caÌ„not be a common wyfe for them all and all married her indifferently To this question because it was more of ignorauÌ„ce than of malyce Iesus did vouchsafe to make aunswere For he that erreth by ignoraunce is woorthy to be taught But they that propose questioÌ„s of mere malice be not woorthy to be aunswered Ye erre ê™ he whiche rede the sciptures but ye vnderstande them not and imagining nothing aboue bodily thinges which ye see ye knowe not the power of god who is more wonderfull in thinges which be not seen Here where men by courses be borne to dye wedlocke is vsed for propagacion and bryngyng furth of mankynde But where nowe mortalitie shal be swalowed vp and consumed and men shal be spirituall whiche thyng shall come to passe in the resurreccion the whiche shall restore vs agayne beyng thesame in dede that we were but yet chaunged after another sorte there shall no man marry nor no woman shal be married For there shall nede no generacion where no death shall be Further they that pertayne to the resurreccion of the iust lyue without matrimony lyke the aungels of God in heauen recording now here and mynding to theyr power that they shall come to in the resurreccion For they had rather get soules to God than bodyes to the worlde ¶ But as touching the resurreccion of the dead haue ye not red that which was spoken to you of God who saith I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob God is not the God of dead but of liuyng And whan the people heard this they were astonied at his doctryne After this Iesus notyng secretely this so folishe a question to spring of a false perswasion for that they beleued not the resurreccion disdayned not to wede this opinion also out of theyr myndes teachyng them also that this is taken out of the bokes of Moyses by whose authoritie they apposed Iesus Why haue ye an yll opinion of the resurreccion of the dead as though Moyses taught it not openly whose wrytinges ye reade grossely and nothing diligently Haue ye not red in his bokes what god sayth I am the god of Abraham and the god of Isaac and the god of Iacob If they had peryshed wholy by the deathe of the bodyes he would not saye that he is theyr god but that he was their god But yf he be theyr god truly theyr soules doe lyue and they wholy do lyue in maner by the hope of resurreccion that shall be God is lyfe and he is not God of the dead whiche nowe be not but of the liuyng So he taught them resurreccion to be but not to be after suche sorte as they imagined it to bee whan they proposed a folyshe question of seuen brethren The people when they sawe euery mannes mouthe stopped with wyse aunswers they merueiled at his effectuall and redy doctryne ¶ But whan the Phariseis had heard that he had stopped the mouth of the Sadduceis they came together and one of them being Doctor of lawe asked him a questioÌ„ temptyng him and saying Maister whiche is the great commaundement in the lawe Iesus saied vnto him Thou shalt loue the lorde thy God with al thy harte and with al thy soule and with all thy mynde This is the first and great commaundemente And the second is lyke vnto it Thou shalt loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe In these two commaundementes hang all the lawe and the Prophetes The Phariseis were not displeased that the Sadduceis were put to sylence chiefly in a matter wherin they were cleane coÌ„trary one against another Therfore whan the Phariseis sawe them put to sylence and rebuked also for ignorauÌ„ce of scripture they taking harte of grace againe gather together and set forwarde a certayne doctour of lawe whiche should goe vnto Iesus with a clerkly question that eyther he myght reproue hym of ignoraunce orels he hymselfe beare awaye the prayse of learnyng Maister ê™ he whiche is the chiefe commaundemente in the lawe Iesus purposyng to shewe that they which crake of the profession of the lawe be furthest from keping of the greatest commaundement in the lawe which wholy flame with enuy and hatred of theyr neyghboure and with other vices whiche haue none affinitie with Christian charitie and that no man loueth God whiche is vniust to his neyghbour aunswered Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy harte and with all thy soule and all thy mynde This is the chiefe and
greatest commaundemente The whiche no manne doeth perfourme and kepe vnlesse he kepe also the seconde lyke vnto that For this Thou shalt loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe doeth depende of the other And whatsoeuer is commaunded in the whole lawe whatsoeuer the Prophetes teache all that is comprysed in these two commaundementes For whosoeuer loueth God with all his hearte will neglecte nothyng that he hath commaunded And he that loueth his neyghboure as himselfe he will not steale he will not commyt aduoutry he will not beare false witnesse he will not desyre his neyghbours substaunce Finally he will do nothing to an other which he would not to be doen to himselfe Than the Pharisey which was become nowe almoste of a tempter a disciple sayed Maister thou hast spoken truely and rightly that there is one God and no nother but he and that he onely ought to be loued aboue all thynges with all our power and that we must bende all our affeccions towardes hym onely and that to loue our neyghbour as our selfe is more than all the holocaustes and sacrifices Iesus seyng that he had aunswered wyselye and went not forwarde to lye in wayte sayeth vnto him thou arte not farre from the kyngdome of God For he perceyued what was best he lacked onely this to folowe in affeccion and harte that that he vnderstode And in the meane tyme he touched secretly the conscyence of certayne Phariseis whiche layed deadly wayte for Iesus And therfore whereas they demaunded onely of the chiefe commaundement the kepyng of the whiche they falsly toke vpoÌ„ them he purposely added the seconde concernyng the loue of their neyghboure for as yet they supposed not that Christe was God but to be theyr neyghbour and one that had doen muche for them they could not deny agaynste whome notwithstandyng they did deuise that that no man would should haue come vnto hymselfe Whan the Phariseis were gathered together Iesus asked them saying What thinke ye of Christe whose sonne is he They sayed vnto him The sonne of Dauid He sayed vnto them Howe than doth Dauid in spirite call hym Lord saying The Lord sayed vnto my Lord sit thou on my ryghthand till I make thâ—ie enemies thy footestoole If Dauid than call him Lord howe is he his sonne And no man was able to answer him any thing neyther durst any man from that daye furth aske hym any moe questions But nowe whereas a greater company of Phariseis were gathered together Iesus beyng tempted of them with so many questions proposed vnto them againe a question signifying vnto them sumwhat obscurely and darkely that whiche he lefte to be declared afterward by his Apostles in tyme conuenient that he had not onely the nature of manne whiche they sawe and vpon which they would shewe their crueltie but also that he had the nature of God the which sum what they myght haue coÌ„iectured of â—is dedes vnles enuy hatred ambicion auarice and other vices had blinded their mindes Therfore he demauÌ„deth of them being gathered together what they thought of Messias whose soÌ„ne he should be that is of whose stocke he should come They answer furthwith of Dauid Than saied Iesus what meaneth it that Dauid in the misticall Psalme inspired with the heauenly ghost calleth him Lord wheras he is his sonne For it is wrytten The Lorde sayed vnto my Lorde sitte on my ryghthande vntyll I make thyne enemyes the stoole of thy feete Howe agreeth it yf he be the sonne of Dauid that the father calleth his sonne Lorde And there was not one of them that coulde looce this knot because that they coulde as yet thynke nothyng of the godly nature of Iesus For Christe as he was the sonne of Dauid touchyng the body of man so touchyng the diuyne nature he was Lorde of all and not of Dauid onely And after this no manne durst question with hym when they sawe that the baytes and snares whiche were layed for hym redounded vpon theyr owne head ¶ The .xxiii. Chapter Than spake Iesus to the people and to his disciples saying The Scribes and the Phariseis sit in Moyses seate All therfore whatsoeuer they did you kepe kepe and do but do not after their workes for they saye and do not For they bynde together heauy burdens and hard to be borne and laye them on mennes shoulders but they themselues wyll not lyfte at them with one of theyr fyngers And they do all their workes to be seen of men THerefore whan Iesus had put them so often to sylence in the presence of the multitude leste their authoritie should vtterly decay with the people ouer whom they were sette to be doctours and teachers he declared that they ought to be hearde but not to be folowed For although it is moste agreable that he that taketh vpon him the office of a teacher should get credite and autoritie to his doctrine by vertuouse liuyng yet it is not expediente vtterly to despise the holsome doctryne for the naughtie lyfe of the doctour The reuerence whiche their maners doe not deserue muste be geuen vnto the author whose commaundementes they recite and preache For the lawe of god is not polluted though it be vttered by the mouth of a naughty preacher Truly vnto hym it is vnprofitable but it is profitable to the taker Therfore Iesus tournyng awaye from the Phariseis in whom he sawe no hope of better lyfe he speaketh vnto the people and the disciples on this maner The Scribes the Phariseis vtter themselues what corrupte myndes they haue how enuiouse how couetouse how gredy of vayne glory they be But yet for the authoritie of their office they must be hearde They occupye the chayre of Moyses whose lawe they teache The thinges that they teache are holy for they reache the doctryne of other and not their owne but their lyfe is farre and wyde in distaunce from theyr doctryne Wherfore whatsoeuer they prescribe and pointe vnto you by thautoritie of Moyses kepe it and do it but beware that ye frame not your maners after theyr lyfe If they liued as they teache ye ought wholy to folowe them Nowe they do not as they teache They exacte more than the lawe of other men with great seueritie and they pardon themselues They be very rigorouse towarde others and gentle to themselues For they bynde together heaâ—y and intolerable bundels of coÌ„maundementes and laye them vpon other mennes shoulders whiche they wyll not vouchesafe to touche with their finger For they lode the lawe heuy ynough of it selfe with their constitucioÌ„s to get them a fame of learning and holines And if they perfourme any thyng accordyng to the commaundement of the lawe they do it not with their hart but for prayse and fame of the people They be players and as disgised persons they playe their parte with a counterfayte viser of religion to be seen of men But no man kepeth the lawe but he that doeth as the lawemaker would he requireth chiefly a pure and sincere
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
was not vnknowen vnto him what he desyred but his wil was that the notable fayth of this maÌ„ should be an ensample to all men All suche as be lecherous persons couetous full of hatred enuy or attached with other filthy lustes and appetites of the body are foule arayed with this horrible detestable leprosy And such as are herewith infected let them heare and marke the wordes of this leper to thintent they maye folow hym If thou wilt sayth he thou canste make me cleane He knowlegeth his disease and doubteth not of the power goodnes of God He wholy referrreth the iudgemeÌ„t to the lorde to iudge of him whether he be worthy to receiue so great a benefite at his handes or no readie to geue thankes yf he obtayne his desire and not to murmur and grutche agaynst hym yf he obtayne it not For he would saye thus He is able to put awaie leprosy who not onely cureth all kindes of diseases but also casteth out deuils and he wyll do it that so willingly helpeth all that are in distresse and misery whersoeuer he cummeth But so great is myne vnworthynes that I alone deserue not that whiche all other obtain of his moste mercifull goodnes This so perfite a belefe ioyned with exceding humblenes of mynde and modestie procured hym mercy of Iesu. For our sauiour shewing outwardlye euen with his countenaunce a certayne affecte of pitie and compassion therby to teache what affeccion of mynd ought to be in vs towarde synners heldeout his hande and therewith touched the leaper and by vertue of wordes that hymselfe prescribed made hym cleane The leper sayed If thou wilt thou canst make me cleane Iesus answered I will be thou cleane True fayth maketh not many wordes neyther grutcheth the charitie of the gospell to do a good deede And Christ had scarcely spoken these wordes be cleane but the disease was quite gone from the man so that no token therof remayned The lawe of Moses forfendeth to touche a leaper the spirituall meaning wherof coÌ„tayneth wholsome doctrine We must abstayne from the company of vncleane persons and synners leste we be infected by the contagiousenes of their vyces But the Lorde Iesus is aboue the lawe neyther can he be defiled with touchyng who purifieth whatsoeuer he toucheth He touched the leaper with hys hande and furthwith he healed his whole bodye Let vs therfore praye that he may in seÌ„blable wyse touche our soules with his holy worde and therwith purifie our inward vncleannes O thou that vsest to haunt the company of harlots thou that 〈◊〉 an adulterer or polluted with lyke diseases runne in lyke manner vnto Iesus for he cuÌ„meth downe from the height of his maiestie and meteth the and knowyng thine own filthines fall downe at his knees prostrate thy selfe and lye flat vpon the grounde Crye and call vpon him but crye with moste stedfaste belife of harte and mynde Lorde if thou wilt thou canste make me cleane And anon thou shalt heare these wordes agayne of thy mercifull sauioure I will be thou cleane After these thynges were done in maner before rehearsed the Lorde suffered not the man to folowe him but caused him to departe commaunding hym straytly to disclose nothing of this matter to any creature lyuyng but rather ê™ he get the hence and shew thy selfe to the priest by whose iudgemeÌ„t accordyng to the ceremonies of the lawe thou wast iudged to be a leaper And if he geue sentence that thou arte clensed in dede of thy leprosy then offer that Moses hath commaunded to be offered of those that should fortune to be deliuered therof Thus shalt thou with more credeÌ„ce publishe gods benefit towardes the theÌ„ if thou straight wayes tell euery body that thou arte made cleane For by this meanes it shall appeare euen vnto the Phariseis themselues whiche depraue my benefites that thou wast a verye leper and hast bene clensed without eyther help of the PhisiciaÌ„s or els of Moses law by bare worde of mouthe and touche onely so shall they know how there is one present that farre passeth their priestes who can easely cure leprosy thoughe it be detestable abhorted wher as they haue muche a doe truly to dicerne thesame This felow departed in stede of a leper cleane in bodye and wente to the priest and was sene and iudged to be cleansed of all leprosie And anon after he conceled not this dede but published it euerywhere reportyng bothe this and many other thynges of Iesu. Sum will here aske Why did this man as he was commaunded in the one thyng and in the other nothyng regarde the Lordes commaundement Truely for that the one serued to confirme the certaintie of the miracle because the priest not knowing as yet who had healed the man shoulde pronounce his healthe restored by Iesu to be a perfit health who els peraduenture woulde haue depraued Christes benefit yf the autour therof had bene knowen before he had geuen his verdite But after the miracle was once confirmed by his sentence then made it muche for Gods glory to haue it published abrode Wherefore then coÌ„maunded Iesu that thing to be kept secret which in dede his will was should be blased abrode and vttred Forsoth to monishe vs that we ought to seke no glorye and prayse of man for the benefites whiche it pleaseth God to worke by vs because the goodlyer praise euer foloweth them whiche refuse thesame It procedeth of an high courage so to do a good turne that thou wouldest haue no thankes therfore yelden the of him whom thou hast doen good pleasure vnto beyng only contented with this that it lay in thy lot to helpe thyne euen Christen in his necessitie But he that is holpen by suche benefite as he hath receyued at thy handes ought with so muche the more diligence to publish and set out thy well doing euerywhere to thy prayse coÌ„mendacion Christ was in no daunger to offende in vainglory and therfore this ensample was ordeyned for our instruccion whiche are continually in very great ieoperdy to fall therein Neyther did this man contemne Christes commaundementes but the great gladnes that he was in by reason of the restitucion of his health and a certaine feruent loue whiche he was kyendeled withall towardes Christe the autour therof would not suffer hym to kepe sileÌ„ce any â—nger Uerely it chaunceth for the most parte that we are best beleued when we tell those thinges whiche we had rather in very dede kepe secret theÌ„ disclose if the matter it selfe enforced not vs to vtter that which lyeth hyd in our stomakes Nowe what came of it that this man did thus blase abrode this miracle Truly by reason therof euery man conceyued suche an opinion of the Lorde Iesu that he could not now for the great throng and prease of people that thyther resorted openly enter into the citie as he was wont to doe but was constrayned to auoyde the good tounes and make his abode in the
that euery man ought to loue his neyghbour with lyke affeccion as he loueth hymselfe Nowe synce this is the moste principall and greatest of all the commaundementes in the whole lawe why doe you then of an vnright iudgement breake that whiche is chiefest and alwayes continueth for the obseruacion of those thynges whiche are of lesse value and shall not endure for euer The tyme once hath been when the Sabboth was not holy daye And the tyme shall cum when to all true and Godly men euery day shal be lyke holy But the tyme neuer was nor neuer shall be when it hath not or shall not be an holy dede for man to succour his neyghbour in his nede The law forbyddeth murder Truely he murthereth whoso when it lyeth in his power to saue a manne doeth not succour hym at all And this lawe is permanent and shall continue for euermore The same lawe forbiddeth also to woorke vpon the Sabboth daye Nowe what a wrong shapen holynesse is this yf a man whiles he feareth to breake the Sabboth suffer his brother to peryshe when he wyll not sticke to plucke out his asse fallen by chaunce into a dyche vpon the same daye without anye feare or scruple of conscience to breake the seuenth or Sabboth daye When Iesus had with these and suche lyke manifeste reasons declared how aukewardly deuout and holy they were he added this generall sentence The Sabboth day ê™ he was instituted for mens cause and not men made for the Sabboth daye The sonne of manne came not to destroye men but to saue them And for that cause hath he power yea cleane to take awaye the Sabboth so ofte as mans health so requireth And that whiche I haue spoken of the Sabboth is to be thought and demed of all like constitucioÌ„s They were all instituted for a season to this ende that the sturdye and disobediente people shoulde by little and little accustome themselfes to obey goddes commaundementes to thintent that they might by corporal figures be brought and as it were ledde by the hande to the vnderstanding of spirituall thynges He breaketh the Sabboth daye godlily who nothyng troubled with euill lustes breaketh it onely for the good zeale he hath to helpe his euen Christen Fastyng is a godly thing but thesame is made vngodly and detestable if it beyng only instituted for mannes soule helth be abused to the destruccion both of body and soule Againe a vowe is a holy thing but thesame is made vnholy yf a man by reason of a supersticious mynde he hath to perfourme it bee withdrawen from the perfourmaunce of suche thinges as nerer appertayne to true godlynesse He doeth well and lyke a good holy manne whoso maketh his oblacion at the aulter But agayne that is an vnholy gift which a manne offereth before his neighbour be made at one So is it also well doen to passe litle vpon the coulour and fashioÌ„ of apparell so oft as it behoueth a man so to do because man was not made for the garmentes sake but the garment first inuented for the vse and commoditie of man In lyke manner meate is ordained for mans cause and not man made for meates sake Wherfore it is lofull to eate all kyndes of meate when mans necessitie so requireth For all these corporall thinges wherin you put perfit righteousnesse as your temple sacrifices meate clothing holy dayes fastynges vowes and offered giftes are vnholily obserued yf for the obseruacion therof the health of your euen christen be in any wise hurt or appairâ—d And againe they are well and holily kept if charitie towardes your neighbour so requiriÌ„g you nothing regarde whatsoeuer is carnall but truly perfourme in your hertes that whiche suche corporall thinges be figures significacions of Of such manier of constitucions Moyses was the minister and not the auctour the seruaunte not the maister Suche as with a seruile minde cleue still vnto him do very supersticiouslye keepe those thynges that are comprised in the letter of the lawe But they that sticke vnto the sonne of man who is Lord ouer the whole lawe and teacheth howe all thinges whiche were figured by those corporall shadowes and figures ought to bee obserued after the spirituall sence and meanyng are free and clene discharged in conscience from any longer obseruing of suche Iewishe ceremonies The .iij. Chapter ¶ And he entred agayne into the Sinagoge and there was a man there whiche had a withered haÌ„de And they watched him whether he woulde heale him on the Sabboth day that they myght accuse him And he sayed vnto the man whiche had the withered hande Aryse and stande in the middes And he sayth vnto them whether is it lawfull to do good on the Sabboth dayes or to do euill to saue lyfe or to kyll But they helde theyr peace And when he had looked rounde aboute on them with anger morning on the blindnesse of their hartes he sayeth to the man stretche forth thy hand and he stretched it out And his hande was restored euen as whole as the other WIth suche wordes the lord Iesus as he walked on the way in the fielde both disproued the false reprofe of the Phariseis and also defended his innoceÌ„t disciples But to the intent we should plainly learne that none are more geuen to pieke quarrelles then suche as haue conceyued a wrong opinion of theyr owne holinesse after Iesus was entred into the Synagoge there to teache the people accordyng vnto his accustomed maner occasion was eftsones ministred bothe to hym to dooe a good and a charitable deede and also to the Phariseis to surmyse sum matter agaynst him For there was one there present among the people who had whiche was a pytifull syghte to beholde a withered and a lame hande and therfore carryed about with hym a dead member that dyd hym no slede and so muche the more miserable was he because he was wonte with his hand labor to fynde both himselfe and also all his poore houshold But oh malicious and wicked Phariseis quicke syghted to depraue and finde faute with Christes benefites but blynde to vnderstand the heauenly doctrine By those thinges that they sawe with theyr corporall iyes they knewe that he was a naturall man and yet by his deedes and miracles that he wrought they perceyued not his diuine power They sawe howe the sely felowe was in a miserable case knew ryght well that Iesus was mercifull and straight wayes gessed what would cum of it And nowe 〈◊〉 they about to seke a quarell not agaynste the disciples as they dyd before for pluckyng the eares of corne but againste the Maister himselfe who defended them They marke whether he beeyng of nature ready to helpe all that are in distres and misery dare in the presence and syght of the Synagoge heale a man vpon the sabboth daye because that yf he so do they may accuse him of breakyng the Sabboth for as muche as they shall haue the people to beare witnesse with them
In hym that is a Christian nouice the corne is yet vnperfite lacketh his naturall shape In them that be lately borne agayne in Christe through baptisme the sede is sprongen into grasse whiche by the grenenes of innocencie puttethe euery manne in a ioyefull hope that it wyll proue well and come to good Nowe when they are growen vp higher by goyng forewarde in Christian vertue and godlynesse then be they eared And when eche of them is rype after his manoure then is he cutte downe with the sickle This sickle is deathe after whiche the wheate neyther waxethe more ne lesse neyther is made worse nor better The barne signifieth the life celestiall ¶ And he sayde whereunto shall we lyken the kyngdome of God or with what comparison shall we compare it It is lyke a grayne of mustarde seede whiche when it is sowen in the earthe is lesse than all seedes that be in the earth When it is sowen it groweth vp and is greater than all hearbes and beareth greater braunches so that the fowles of the ayre maye make their nestes vnder the shadowe of it And with manye suche parables spake he the worde vnto them after as they might heare it but without parables spake he nothing vnto them But when they were alone he expounded all thinges to his disciples And the same daye when euen was cumme he sayed vnto them let vs passe ouer vnto the other side And they lefte the people and toke hym euen as he was in the shyp And there were also with hym other shippes Furthermore the Lorde Iesus shewed them by another parable a figure of the successe and prosperous going forwarde of the Gospell to the entente that they who as then vnderstoode not his sayinges shoulde afterwarde knowe by the ende and profe of the matter that these thynges were not dooen at all aduentures nor by worldlye policie but by the prouidence of Goddes wysedome And because he woulde make his hearers to take better hede vnto his wordes he lettynge as thoughe he had stande in doubte vnto what thynge he myght beste compare the kyngdome of heauen sayed Unto what thinge shal we saye that the kyngdome of heauen is lyke or what comparison shall I vse wherby I maye expresse the nature and vertue therof vnto theÌ„ that perceiue nothynge saue alonely what they see with theyr iyes It is lyke safethe he a graâ—â—e or corne of mustarde seede whiche when it is sowen is lesse then all other seedes of hearbes that are sowen in the earthe in so muche that yf a man marke the quantitie or forme therof he loketh not that any greate thynge shoulde come of it But as soone as the same is once spronge vp and gotten out of the grounde then draweth it to the nature of a tree waxyng harde from the stemme or stalke and spreadyng abrode his braunches beyonde the quantitie and measure of al other hearbes in so muche that it geueth shadowe vnto the fowles and also conuenient places for them to buylde and make their nestes in With these and many other like parables the Lorde Iesus shewed the rude and grosse people a figure of the successe that the Gospell shoulde haue attemperynge his wordes vnto their capacities He spake nothyng vnto them at that tyme but in darke parables because they were not as then receyueable of playne communicacion For yf he had sayed that he shoulde shortely haue beene slayne of the Iewes but woulde anon after reliue and spreade abrode his glorye throughoute all the worlde so that he who then seemed loweste and mooste abiecte of all persons shoulde be righte well knowen to be the soueraygne gouernoure of the whole worlde and that no manns were he neuer so hyghe in dignitie shoulde fynde any quietnesse or sure harborowe vnlesse he fled for succoure vndernethe hys boughes or braunches yf he had I saye spoken thus plainelye vnto them not one of them all woulde haue abyden hys woordes nor geuen anye credence thereunto And yet was it verye expediente for them as it were by a dreame to remember these thynges because afterwarde the thynge selfe shoulde teache them what was meante by the same parables He shewed them in secrete communicacion the secrete vnderstandynge of euerye parable that he spake vnto them Thus was that daye spente When it was nowe almoste nyghte he commaunded his disciples to rowe hym ouer to the other syde of the water Bicause faythe towardes Christe and by Christe to Godwarde is the originall cause of the encrease of the gospell the Lorde perceiuing that his disciples who were as yet but rude and weaklynges dyd geue no tredence vnto his doctrine attempted many wayes to brynge forth in them and stablishe this fayth Whensoeuer nyght that is to saye the storme of worldlye trouble or aduersities cummethe vpon vs then haue we chiefelye nede of a stronge and stedfaste faith towardes Christe Therefore the disciples obeyed his commaundemente and so after the people who coulde not folowe him were sente awaye they accompanyed with certayne other boates beganne to rowe hym ouer to the farther syde in the same shippe that he then taughte and preached in The Apostles carye ouer Iesus whensoeuer they goe from place to place to sette forthe and preache the Ghospell He knewe righte well that against suche as so do and be ministers of Goddes worde there shoulde in tyme to cum be much sore businesse and trowble stirred vp by them that loue better the vanities of this worlde theÌ„ those thynges that appertayne to euerlastinge saluacion And there arose a great storme of wynde and the waues dashed into the shyp so that it was now full and he was in the sterne a slepe on a pillowe and they awaked hym and said vnto hym master carest thou not that we perishe and he rose vp and rebuked the wynde and sayde vnto the sea peace be still and the wind ceased and there folowed a great calme And he sayde vnto them why are ye so feareful how happenethe it that ye haue no fayth And they feared exceadynglye and sayde one to another who is this For bothe wynde and sea obey hym Wherfore to harten and strengthen his disciples agaynste suche persecutours and to teache them also that no power be it neuer so cruel and terrible oughte to be feared of those that with full harte and mynde put theyr affiauÌ„ce in the lorde Iesu he suffered them to be in daunger euen to desperacion For after they had sayled farre from the shore there sodainely arose a greate storme of wyndes whiche set the water in suche a rage that the waues enforced by the violence of the tempeste dashed into the shyppe so that they were then in great daunger leste the shyppe already filled with the great fourges of the sea woulde haue soncken In the meane whyle Iesus layed his heade vpon a pillowe and slept in the shyp This was no fayned slepe he slepte in verye dede beyng weryed with trauayle and watchynges as
Apostles must nedes be troubled when the comforter of all men Iesus is awaye how can it be chosen but contrary wyndes must nedes staye and hynder the successe of mans diligence if Iesus helpe not forward He is many times awaye but yet doeth he not forsake sucke as be his vnto th ende He semeth sumtymes to forsake them for a season because to exercise them in aduersyties and to learne theym to haue sure beliefe and confidence in hym For now was he cum doune from the mountayne now stode he on the sea banke but alone without any company The disciples sawe hym not neuerthelesse he sawe them Wherfore we muste not despayre what trouble or distresse soeuer we be in but in oure hartes conceyue this stedfaste belefe that the Lorde although he no where appeare and shewe hymselfe vysyblye wyll not fayle to helpe hys when tyme requireth Nowe standeth he on the shore and seeth what laboure and payne they take in rowing For the wynde was against them When therfore they had thus striuen a pretye whyle with the waues and bousteous wyndes of this worlde and were at the next doore to desperacion about the fourth watche of the nyght that is a litle before the daunyng of the daye Iesus came vnto theim not in a shippe but quietlye walkyng on the water for the element knewe it maker and made semblaunt as thoughe he woulde haue passed by them For so doeth he other whiles suffer his to continue in aduersytie and tribulacion as thoughe he passed not vpon theim at all whereas in dede he neuer stynteth to care for them The Apostles after they had spyed him in the darke walking vpon the water forgetting so many miracles as they had sene hym worke before and beleuing it to be vnpossible for the liquid clement to beare the massy bodye of a man supposed he had been sum spirite or ghost whiche had deceyued theyr iye sight with a vayne and phantasticall illusion Wherefore they were sore afrayed and for feare cried oute For they all sawe the verye shape and likenes of Iesu and yet beleued not it was he The Lord is euer terrible vnto those that beleue he is an auenger and knowe him not to be a sauiour Neyther is it possible for him to be knowen in the great darkenes of this worlde vnlesse he brynge himselfe into our knowledge Wherefore he suffered not his disciples to be any lenger dismaide with feare but straigth waies spake vnto them with the voyce whyche they knewe right well and sayed Be of good chere it is I feare ye not And then came he vnto them into the shippe and furthwith the tempest ceased Nowe after their feare was past and gone then beganne they to maruayle howe a mannes body might walke vpon the water They were so dull so rude and forgetfull that they remembred not so muche as the miracle whyche they sawe hym worke a litle before when he filled so manye thousand folkes belies with fiue loaues and two fishes And theyr hartes were so blynded that they thought it a thyng muche to bee wondred at to see Iesus walke vpon the water wheras in deede it was a muche more wonderfull facte to suffice so muche people with so litle meate The Lord suffered this brutishe dulnesse to continue in his disciples to the entent they also should enure themselues to beare with the dulnes and simplicitie of weaklynges till they were cum to more perfeccion ¶ And when they were ouer the water they came into the lâ—nd of Genazareth drew vp into the hauen And assone as they wer cum out of the ship strayght waye they knewe â—â—m and â—anne furth throughout all the region rounde aboute and began to cary aboute in beddes those that were sicke when they heard that he was there and whither soeuer he entred into tounes cittes or villages they layed the sicke folkes in the streates and prayed him that they myght touche and it were but the hemme of his vesture and as manye as touched hym were safe In the daunyng of the daye they came vnto the shore and arriued at the hauen where they appoynted to arriue in the lande called Genazareth Iesus was scarcely entred the lande but thither were cum diuers of the inhabitauntes that knew him For now was the sunne disclosed the night gone whiche had darkened the myndes of the disciples and manye there were who marked him whithersoeuer he went Besyde this he was now knowen vnto very many euen by the phisnamye but a great mayny mo knewe hym by the fame of his doctrine and miracles Now those that sawe him and knew who he was byanby as though they had cum as spyes departed awaye from hym and wente throughe all the region and shewed howe Iesus was landed As sone as this rumour was once noysed abrode very many beganne to cary aboute sicke folkes in beddes And whithersoeuer Iesus went whether it wer to the countrey tounes or cities there was euer present a greate number of importune and vnquiet people more carefull to be delyuered of theyr bodily diseases then to be cured of the diseases and maladies of theyr soules whiche layed out in the stretes pitifull sightes of sicke folkes diseased with diuerse sickenesses and besoughte Iâ—sus as he passed by that they might touche euen but the hem of his garmente For there was suche a busines and hurly burly amonge them that harde and scarce any one could be suffred so to do It came not of any daungerousnes or difficultie on his behalfe that they coulde not touche him who grutched not to touche and handle the Leper but the ensample of theyr fayth highly pleased him the whiche his pleasure was to haue set forth and commended to all men and good cause why it should so be As manye as touched him were healed what diseases soeuer they were payned withall They with perfite beliefe touched the hemme of his garment whiche afterward those persons chauÌ„ced to haue who crucified him and put him to death and by touching therof were rid of theyr corporall diseases How muche more then ought all men to endeuour themselues to touche Iesus himselfe with harte and minde to the intent they maye be healed of the infirmities of their soules Touchynge auayle the nothing without faith The cruell Iewes that buffeted him that bound him that scourged him that nayled him on the crosse touched his bare bodye but that they so touched him did nothing profite any of them at all Thou readeste the ghospell and in so doynge thou toucheste Iesu but thou readeste it to this ende to disproue it or els thou readest it negligentlye and takest no heede therâ—unto and therefore thou touchest Iesus in vayne Reade it with a pure and a syncere fayth and then shalt thou anon be healed â–ª But thou must sue vnto Iesus by prayer and peticion that thou maiest touche him That man is neuer the better for touchyng hym whome he hath not foretouched If thou
in dede Therfore Iesus eftsones humbled himselfe to theyr lownes and forsakyng the toppe of the mountayne came downe to the reste of his disciples and the multitude Here remembre thou that art a preacher of the ghospell howe muche more it becuÌ„meth the to humble and abase thyselfe to the capacitie of the weake the whiche wast once lyke weake as they be yf thou haue any hygh or excellent qualitye in thee the same is Christes and none of thyne ¶ And as they came doune from the hyll he charged them that they shoulde tell no man those thynges that they had sene tyll the sonne of manne were risen from deathe againe And they kepte that saying with them â–ª and demaunded one of another what the rising froÌ„ death againe shoulde meane And they asked hym saying why then say the Scribes that Helyas muste fyrst cum He answered and sayd vnto them Helias verely when he coÌ„meth fyrst restoreth all thynges And the sonne of man as it is wrytten of hym shall suffre many thynges be sette at naught But I saye vnto you that Helyas is come and they haue done vnto hym whatsoeuer they would as it was wrytten of him As they were cummyng doune from the hyll or ere they camme to the multitude the Lorde Iesus forbad those three to tell any bodye what they hadde sene tyll after the tyme that the sonne of manne were rysen agayn from the dead Other heretofore when they were lykewise commaunded to holde their peace did so much the more blase abrode those thinges whiche they were charged not to disclose But these .iii. bycause they heard the fathers voyce saying heare hym c. did as they were commauÌ„ded kepe secrete what they had seâ—e insomuch that they disclosed it not to the residue of the Apostles before the time appointed They wyste not what the matter meante but yet they supposed there was some earnest cause why Iesus woulde not haue it published vnto the people before his resurreccion were knowen For what other good shoulde they haue done by tellyng it abrode but made themselues a laâ—ghyng stocke vnto they faythles Who woulde haue beleued it to haue been matter in dede that Iesu had appeared in such wyse syth menne shoulde se hym sone after putte to so muche shame and villany and in conclusion suffer death vpon the crosse But the disciples whoe durst not after they had once hearde the fathers voyce distruste the wordes of Iesu not vnderstandyng what he meante by these wordes ensuing When the sonne of manne shall ryse from death c. fell to reasoning the matter among themselues and supposed verely that incoÌ„tinent after his resurreccion the glory of that kyngdome shoulde begynne whereof they had nowe taken a saye howbeit there was a certaine scruple or doubt whiche made muche against them and that was because his death was at hande the whiche he had ofte tymes warned them of before promisyng he would relyue on the thyrd daye after thesame But they had learned of the prophecy of Malachy howe Hely should come before the great daye of the Lorde And because they coulde not assoyle this doubte among themselues they moued the question to Iesus Lord say they thou hast perfourmed thy promise We haue seene the brightenes of the kyngdome of God Therefore we beleue that after thy resurreccion thou wilt cum in semblable likenes and suche a one as thou diddeste whylere appeare vnto our syght But what is the cause that the Scrybes takyng theyr authoritye of the prophecy of Malachy doe saye that the same daye shall not come vnlesse Hely the Thesâ—ite come before to make the people in a readines agaynste the cumming therof leste the Lord smyte al menne with cursyng Certes Hely whome we sawe with the in the mountayne is not yet come Neyther is there as yet anye thynge done by hym Therefore eyther the kyngdome of God shall not come byanby after thy resurreccion or els there is an other sence and meanyng of the prophecy then the Scribes doe teache Unto this question of the disciples the Lorde Iesus made a doubtfull aunswere for that they were not as yet receyuable of the whole mystery hereof For abhorryng those thynges whiche pertayned a greate deale more vnto theyr saluacion they dreamed onely vpon the glorye of that kyngdome whereof they had taken a taste perceyuinge not howe this is also the kyngdome of God when the holy ghoste the ghospell beeing sprede abrode and euery where preached subduethe all the puissaunce bothe of this worlde and also of oure ghostlye enemy the deuyll That kyngdome beganne to appeare what tyme the lame walked the blynde sawe the dumme spake the lepers were clensed and the deuils caste out Nowe whan this kyngdome shoulde come whereof they had a litle before taken a taste the Lord would not haue them to knowe yet to thintente they should more pacyentely take his deathe whom they loued out of measure he suffred them to dreame for a whyle that the bryghtnes of the same kyngdome shoulde shortelye cumme whereof there was a saye geuen in the mountayne Therefore he temperethe hys answere so discretelye that he approueth the prophecye and yet dothe not altogether condemne the interpretacyon of the Scrybes but only reproueth theyr vngodlye argumentacyon wherby they concluded that the kyngdome of God was not yet come because that same Hely whiche was promysed long agoe of the Prophete Malachy had not as then appeared in the worlde For nowe the spyrytuall kingedome of God whiche thynge the proude Scrybes and Phariseis vnderstode not began to come Nowe was Hely after the mysticall vnderstandynge alredy come Therefore Iesus sayde bothe that whiche Malachy prophecyed of Hely and also that whiche the Prophetes spake before of the sonne of man shal come doubtles You reade of Hely how he shall come before the great â–ª and dreadfull daye of the Lorde to tourne the hartes of the fathers to theyr chyldren and the heartes of the chyldren to theyr fathers to th entent that the yonger sorte and posteritie maye perceyue howe that is already come and perfourmed whiche theyr forefathers and elders awayted for Therefore this Hely goynge before restore the all thynges and amendethe whatsoeuer is not right leste the Lorde come to the great mischief and vengeaunce of all men if he fynde them vnprepared But like as the prophecie of Malachy speakyng of Hely the forecurrour is true euen so are the prophecies of other Prophetes like true whiche foretell howe it shall cumme to passe that the sonne of manne or euer he shewe hys maiestie shall suffer many thynges shal be sette at naught be mocked and in conclusion putte to death Yea to saye the truthe whatsoeuer was prophecied of Hely to cumme is already accomplished and fulfylled the whiche thing beyng as yet vnknowen vnto the Scribes and Phariseis I disclose vnto you my deare frendes For Hely is already cumme whoe shewed how the kyngdome of God was present
peace nor salte Therfore the philosophers be at contencion and braule one with an other because they haue not this salte For this cause also the phariseis cannot agree with the Saduces the HerodiaÌ„s because they all corrupted with naughtie affeccions lacke the salte of the gospell Your doctrine shall season the folye of the worlde yf the people perceiue nothing in your affeccions that is corrupted and rotten eyther by desyre of glorye loue of money gredinesse of reuengemente feare of death desyre of lyfe or to be short by any other worldely affeccion And if they also perceyue that lyke as your lyfe and doctrine shall agree so in semblable wise you wyll agree one with an other Undoubtedly you shall agree if you vtterly abandonyng all ambicion wherwith suche persones are attached as desyre to rule and play the lordes in this world do syncerely preache and teache other the heauenly doctrine whiche you haue receiued of me The .x. Chapter ¶ And when he rose from thence he went in to the coastes of Iury through the regioÌ„ that is beyond Iordan and the people resorted vnto hym afreshe as he was wont he taught them again And the phariseis came and asked him Is it lawfull for a man to putte away his wife to proue hym And he answered and said vnto them What did Moyses bid you do and they sayd Moyses suffered to write a testimoniall of diuorcemeÌ„t and to putte her away And Iesus answered and said vnto them for the hardenesse of your harte he wrote this precepte vnto you but at the first creacioÌ„ God made them man and woman Therfore shall a man leaue his father and mother and abide by his wyfe and they twayne shall be one fleshe So then are they now not twayne but one fleshe Therfore what God hath coupled together let not man separate And in the howse his disciples asked him agayn of the same matter And he sayeth vnto them whosoeuer putteth away his wife and marieth an other breaketh wedlock to her ward And if a woman forsake her housband and be maried to an other she committeth aduoutrie AFter the Lord Iesus had with such lessons sufficieÌ„tly prepared the mindes of his disciples against the storme that was at hand he departed oute of Galile and went into that parte of Iewry which lyeth beyond Iordan wheras Iohn first taught Now was Iesus so much renoumed in all places that he could no where be hid Therfore anon as he was cummen the people came flocking hither in like manour as they were woÌ„t to doe in other places Neyther was he at any tyme wery of doing all men good of curyng theyr bodyes of enstructing theyr sowles There lacked not here the phariseis euery where one manour of menne and like themselfes The multitude sought for health and were desyrous to heare his doctrine but the other desired more to take hym in a trip then to be healed to proue him rather then to learne And whiles they so did they coloured their maliciousnesse with a visure of holynesse and cloked theyr disceitfulnesse with a pretensed desire to learne Oh wisdom vnapte to receiue doctrine They came to Iesus with bodie whome they were farre from with mynde They put forthe vnto hym a captious question saying What is thyne opinion our Maister Is is lofull for the husbande to forsake his wife This captiouse question deuised they among themselfes trusting th end would be that answering therunto he shoulde be driuen to graunt eyther one inconuenience or an other Before he pronounced those blessed who gelded themselfes for the kingdom of God Therfore if he being a fauourer of chastitie had now giuen sentence that it had bene leful for a man to cast of his wife because to mary a new as the Iewes vsed communely to doe theÌ„ should he haue semed to haue taught coÌ„trary doctrines Againe yf he had answered that it had bene â—â—no wise lefull so to doe then would they haue layed against him howe he had made the law of none authoritie whiche geueth the husband libertie to put away the wife The lord because he would take these crafty felowes in theyr owne craftinesse for they prepared a snare for him out of the law asked theÌ„ agayne what nede you to aske me this question synce yourselfes do professe the knowleage of the lawe What coÌ„maundement hath Moyses giuen you touching these matiers They answered Moyses suffered the husband yf there were any thing in the wife that offended him by by after a libel of diuorcemente geuen vp to put her awaye and mary an other if it pleased him so to doe The Phariseis did so interprete this sufferaunce of the lawe as thoughe those men dyd very well who for euery trifling cause woulde be diuorced from theyr wiues marie agayne not vnderstaÌ„ding the mind of the lawe maker whiche they might haue perceiued by the beginning of the boke of Genesis Iesus therfore sayd vnto them In that Moyses gaue you this libertie to forsake your wyues he fauoured not diuorcement but suffred the husbandes to doe what carnall desyre and sensualitie moued them vnto and would rather permit the lesse yuell then open a wyndowe to more greuouse enormities He would rather suffre vnlawfull separacion then manslaughter poysoning or detestable murthering of wyues For he knewe the hardnesse of your hartes vnto the which vice this thing was geuen as a remeadie lest greater mischiefe shoulde haue ensued But in paradise before the nature of man was fallen to this wickednesse matrimonie was not so instituted that diuorce should be made at the sensuall will and pleasure of the husband but for euer to continue betwen man and wife and neuer to be dissolued For at the first time god ioyned one to one that is to saye man to woman betwene whome he would haue so great loue and charitie to be that no separacion might chaunce For this cause saith he a man shall leaue his father and his mother and sticke vnto his wyfe and they bothe shall becum one fleshe so that being now conioyned in bodie soule they are no lenger two persons but one to th enteÌ„t there maie be a mutual participacion of weale and woe betwene them These wordes plainly declare that God was not pleased with diuorce els would he disanull his fyrst ordinaunce But Moyses permitting diuorce besydes the will of God prouided for a seasoÌ„ for the hardnesse of your hartes supposing aduoutry to be a smaller offence then murthering of wiues If this gentle permission of Moyses do please you know you also the cause compelling hym to geue you this libertie Therfore what god himselfe hath so conioyned at the begynning that it shoulde alwayes continue vndissolued let not man parte asunder Put awaye the hardnesse of your harte then shall there be no nede of diuorce then shall separacion of manne and wyfe haue no place With suche a sobre and a discrete answere Iesus defended goddes commaundement and yet neyther
your hertes if any body haue ought offended you For vnder this condicion shall your father in heauen release you your trespaces If you will not forgeue youre neighboure the fault whiche he hath committed againste you neyther will the father of heauen pardon the offences wherby ye haue trespaced his goodnesse ¶ And they came againe to Ierusalem And as he walked in the temple there came to him the hye priestes and the Scribes â–ª and elders and sayde vnto hym by what authoritie doest thou these thinges And who gaue the this authoritie to do these thinges Iesus answered and sayd vnto them I wil also aske of you a certaine thing and answere ye me and I will tell you by what auctoritie I do these thinges The baptisme of Iohn whether was it from heauen or of man Answere me And they thought in themselues saying yf we saye from heauen he wyll saye why then dyd ye not beleue hym But yf they had sayde of men they feared the people For all men counted Iohn that he was a very prophete And they answered and sayd vnto Iesu we can not tell And Iesus aunswered neyther tell I you by what auctoritie I do these thinges These thinges done on the waye they came againe to Ierusalem and Iesus according to his accustomed manoure went vnto the temple The presence of Iesus in the temple is soule health in the churche Neyther besemeth it suche as are in Christes stede to be any where oftener then in the temple They be in the temple whiche entermeddle with those thinges that pertayne to god and not vnto this worlde What maketh a bishop in a caÌ„pe amoÌ„g warriers what hath he to do in theatres that is to saye in stages places ordayned for the people to behold sightes and enterludes in what maketh he in princes courtes The phariseis Scribes priestes and elders were by bodily presence ofte in the temple but as touching the spirite they were a great waye of Therfore when the hye priestes ioyning vnto them the Scribes and headmen of the people because the matter shoulde seme to be done by a lawfull counsaile sawe howe Iesus had all the multitude in the temple diligently harkening and listening vnto his doctrine and also howe by reason of his miracles he raygned and played the kyng as it had ben in another princes kyngdom for he droue â—ut marchantmen and suche as carried vessels through the temple they went and interrupted hym in his preachyng renuing their olde manoure of false reprouing and saying by what authoritie doest thou these thynges And who hath gyuen the licence thus to do They were not able to disproue his doctrine neyther coulde they denie his miracles being so many and so euident with all nor fynde faute with them sithe he wrought them all for mannes preseruacion and that freely They sought occasion of authoritie whereby they mighte haue some quarell against him For they would not in any wise that this glory should haue been geuen vnto God but all their whole dryft was to haue their owne authoritie euery where highliest estemed If Iesus whome they beleued to be nothing els but a man had taken vpon hym goddes authoritie then would thei by an by haue made a matier of blasphemy of it If not then had there not been to seke a forged matter of sedicion to laye againste hym for that by his owne priuate authoritie without leaue and licence of the priestes and elders he presumed to do suche a thing in the temple What neded them to moue this question of authoritie sith his very dedes declared that all that was done was done by the might and power of God sithe the thyng it selfe plainlye shewed how this was he whom God by his Prophetes promised long ago to cumme sithe the father after his baptisme declared with his owne voyce that this was his singularlye beloued sonne whome they should obeye Nowe the authoritie of the priestes whiche they misused was good for nothing els but to lette gods glorye Howbeit their frowarde wilfulnesse dyd also make muche for the aduauncyng and setting forth of his power and goodnesse Iesus therfore because he was not ignoraunt where about they wente for what aunswere soeuer he had made they would haue found faute ther with and as yet the time was not cum for him to disclose and confesse who he was Iesus I saye auoyded this deceitfull question with another wise demaunde On this condicion sayth he will I make aunswer vnto your question yf you will aunswer me firste vnto mine The baptisme of Iohn whether was it from heauen or of men Soyle me this question Marke howe easlye goddes wysdome snarleth mannes wylinesse whiche vseth all the crafte and policie that maye be againste it They hadde hartes replenished with all worldlye subtiltie they deuised all the gylefull wayes that could be inuented And yet whyles they made traines to entrap hym they perceiued that there were snares prepared and layed for themselues For they thought thus in their mindes If we saye from heauen then will he replie Why dyd you not then beleue him when he bare witnesse of me If we saye of men we stande in ieopardie to be assaulted of the people For Iohn was of very great authoritie among the people and the memorie of him was reputed blessed and holy because no man doubted but he was a prophet in dede And for this cause albeit they were proud felowes and of an haut courage yet thought they it better to be a litle ashamed then openly to be reproued or stoned to death Therfore vnto Iesu who required an aunswere they sayde We cannot tell Then Iesus paying them home againe with a lyke aunswere sayd vnto them If you know not to me warde that ye know neither will I shew you by what authoritie I do these thinges that I do Compare my dedes with Iohns and then waye and ponder with your selues whether it be mete if ye doubted not of his authoritie to doubte of mine The .xij. Chapter ¶ And he began to speake vnto them by parables A certaine man planted a â—ynty 〈◊〉 compassed it about with an hedge ordeined a wynepresse and bustded a toure and let it out to hier vnto husbande men and went into a straunge couÌ„trey And when the time was cum he sent to the husbandmen a seruaunt that he mighte receyue of the husbande meâ—ne of the fruite of the vyneyarde And they caught him and beat him and sent him awaye again emptie and morâ—ouer he sent vnto them another seruaunt and at him they caâ—◠〈◊〉 and brake his deade and sent him awaye againe all to reuiled and againe he sent another and hym they kylled and manye other beatyng sum and kyllyng sum And so when he hadde yet but one beloued sonne he sent hym also at the laste vnto them saying they will feare my sonne But the husbandemen sayde among themselues this is the beyre cum let vs kyll hym and the inheritaunce shall
reliue which of them all shall chalenge her for his wyfe for in her lyfe tyme she was like wyse maryed vnto them all seuen The Saducies thought they woulde by thyncoÌ„uenience that they inferred of this case make the resurreccion of the dead to apeare a very fonde thyng and disagreable to reason specyally yt there shoulde then ryse strife and debate among the brethren for the wyfe whiche was common vnto them all Iesus grutched not to teache those grosse felowes saying Doethe not thys question playnly declare that you be in a wrong belefe and altogether out of the waye for asmuche as ye neyther vnderstand the Scriptures nor yet perceiue the power of almighty God The Scripture is spirituall God who made manne of naught canne rayse hym agayne at his pleasure from death to lyfe He wyll not onely make the deade aliue agayne but also rewarde them with lyfe euerlastyng Nowe wedlocke was inuented among menne for this purpose because the thyng I meane mankynde whiche of it selfe and owne propre nature contyneweth not for euer myght by procreacion and encreasyng of the worlde be multiplied preserued and contynued But whereas menne neyther dye nor be borne after the common course of the world what nedeth there any matrimonye For after the resurrection of the dead neyther shall any manne mary nor any manne geue his daughter in maryage to an other but as the angels of god in heauen because there is among them no mortalitie knowe not the vse of matrimony so shall they that shall be relyued in the generall resurreccion be made lyke vnto the aungells theyr bodies beynge all spyrytuall and immortal Furthermore why do you thinke it disagreable to reason to beleue that the dead shall aryse agayne Haue ye not redde in holy scripture the auctoritie wherof is counted among you holy and inuiolable what god sayed when he spake vnto Moyses out of the bushe I am saied he the god of Abraham the god of Isaac and the god of Iacob they were then dead and yet doth he call himselfe theyr god Therfore euen the dead do verily lyue because their soules remayne styll aliue And if it be so that theyr sowles remayne what great maystrye is it then for God to call them agayne into theyr olde bodyes wherein they dwelt before But yf the dead be vtterly perished so that nether bodye nor soule remayneth alyue then standeth it not with reason that he is called the God of the deade As no man glorieth that he is a king of those that are not so is God the God of the liuyng and not of the deade Wherefore you Saduceis are farre deceiued imagyning that there shall be nothying in the lyfe to cum otherwise then you see in this present life Those thinges no doubt haue a more true and blessed beyng whiche are not vnder mans corporall light then those whiche are seene with bodelye iyes There is nothyng that more truly is then god and yet he is not seene but felte or perceyued ¶ And when there came one of the Scrybes and hearde them disputyng together and perceyued that he had aunswered theâ— well he asked hym whiche is the fyrste of all the commaundementes Iesus answered hym The fyrste of all the commaundementes is Beare O Israell The Lorde oure God is lorde onely and thou shalte loue the lorde thy God with all thy hatte and wyth all the soule and with all thy mynde and with all thy strength This is the fyrste commaundement And the second is like vnto this Thou shalte loue thy neybour as thy self There is none other commaundement greater then these And the Scribe sayde vnto hyme well Mayster thou haste sayde the trueth for there is one God and there is none â—ut he And is loue hym with all the harte and with all the mynde and with all the soule and with all the strength and to loue a mannes neyghbour as hym selfe is a greater thynge then all burnte offerynges and sacryfices And when Iesus sawe that he answered discretely he sayde vnto hym Thou art not ferre from the kyngdome of God And no man after that durst aske hym any question Yet for all this these wicked felowes made not an ende to teÌ„pte Christ. After the Saduceis came the Pharyseis and the Scrybes who were encouraged to take hym in hand because he hit the Saduceis in the teethe with ignorauÌ„ce of the law For the Scribes and the Phariseis auaunt themselfes more then other for the great knowledge they pretende to haue in the same and dissenting in opinion from the Saduceis do beleue there are angles and spirites and that mens soules remayne aliue after the bodyes be dead and finally that the dead shall ryse agayne These felowes beyng right glad that the Saduceis were put to a foyle blancked and that Iesus had aunswered to their mindes dyd lyke learned men propoune and putte forthe vnto hym by one of the scribes set vp for the nones to playe this parte a notable question out of the moste inward misteries of the law They asked hym what was the chief and greatest commaundement in the whole lawe Iesus straightwayes answered them out of the boke entyled Deuteronomium where as it is written on this wyse Heare O Israell the lorde thy God is one god and thou shalt loue the lorde thy God with all thy harte and with all thy soule and with all thy mynde and with all thy strength This is the chiefe and greatest commaundement next vnto this is that that foloweth Thou shalt loue thy neyboure none otherwise then thyselfe There is no other commaundement greater then these two because they comprise the summe and effect of the whole law WheÌ„ the Scribe heard him saye so he sayde againe Thou hast wel truly answered how there is one God and none other but he and that to loue him with all the harte and with all the vnderstandyng and with all the soule and with all the strength is a thing whiche passeth all burnt offrynges and other sacrifices Iesus perceyuyng that he had ryght discretly aunswered sayd vnto him Thou arte not far from the kyngdom of God For the euangelyke godlynes standeth not in sacrifices of beastes but in cleannes of spirite He is not farre from this meaning whoso preferreth that commaundement whiche is spirituall simple or plaine before all other preceptes whiche be rather figures and tokens of true godlines then the thyng selfe But the coÌ„mon sorte of the Iewes beleue verely that the chiefest parte of vertue and godly lyuing standeth in visible thinges as in washinges in kepyng of the sabboth daye in choyce of meates in offred giftes in sacrifices in holy dayes in fastinges and in long prayers Whoso with all his harte loueth god for gods self the whiche can neuer be loued enoughe and his neybour for goddes sake thesame hath made sufficient sacrifice After that Iesu had thus with his wisdome euery where confouÌ„ded and ouercum them that ceassed they to
heauenly Iewels of Christes doctrine then if ye shoulde open all â—inges cofers of worldly treasures and deale to euery one suche abundaunce as might make them al welthy and riche for euer in this world And as ye haue herein doen a dede worthy suche thankes and rewardes as lieth in none but only God to repay and a dede to vs your most louing and obedieÌ„t subiectes so beneficial as no hert can esteme muchelesse any tongue or pen expresse so doubte I not but that ye haue doen a good thyng to your most regal spouse the kynges maiestie so acceptable that he wil not suffre it to lye buried in sileÌ„ce but wyll one daye whan his godly wysedome shall so thynke expediente cause the same Paraphrase to be published and set abrode in print to the same vse that your highnesse hath ment it that is to say to the publique commoditie and benefyâ—e of good English people now a long tyme foore thirstyng and houngrynge the synâ—ere and playne knowledge of Gods word For his most excellente Maiestie beyng a man after the hert of the Lord being a right Dauid chosen to destroy Goliah the huge and cumbreous enemy of Israell without any armour and with none other weapon but the stone of Gods word cast out of the â—yng of the diuine spirite workyng in him his lawes made here in England being the elected instrument of god to plucke downe the Idoll of the Romishe Antichrist who folowyng the steppes of his father Lucifer hathe not onely vsurped a kind of supremitie tyrannie ouer all princes on earthe â–ª aswell christen as heathen but also hath ensourged against heauen and hath lifte vp and exalted hymself aboue al thyng that is called God making void the plain commaundementes for the aduauncing of his own more then Pharisaical tradicions peruertyng the true sence of the holy scriptures and wiestyng them to the maintenaunce of his abominacions beyng both afore God and manne detestable his hyghnesse beyng our Ezechias by the prouidence of God deputed and sent to be the destroier not onely of al counterfait relygioâ—s who swarmed amoÌ„g vs like disguised maskers not mummers but mumblers who vnder the cloke of holines seduced the people and deuoured the houses of riche widowes and were mainteners of al supersticion idolatry rebellioÌ„ but also to roote vp al Idolatry doen to dead images of stone and tymber as vnto God and committed to other creatures in steade of the treatour directly against the expresse woordes of the precepte Thou shalt haue no mo goddes but me his most excellent maiestie I say from the first daye that he wore the emperiall Croune of this realme foresaw that to the executing of the premisses it was necessary that his people should be reduced to the sinceritie of Christes religion by knowyng of Goddes worde he considered that requisite it was his subiectes were nousled in Christ by reading the scriptures whose knowlage should easily induce them to the clere espiyng of al the fleightes of the Romishe iugglyng And therfore as soone as myght bee his highnesse by most holsome and godly lawes prouided that it myght be leful for al his most faithful louyng subiectes to reade the word of god and the rules of Christes discipline whiche they professed he prouided that the holy Bible should be setforth in our owne vulgar language to the ende that Englande myghte the better attayne to the synceritie of Christes doctryne whiche they might draw out of the clere fouÌ„tain and spring of the ghospell running euermore clere without any more or mud rather then out of the muddie lakes puddles purposely infected with the filthy dregges of our Philistines the papistes who had stopped our spriges to driue vs to their poysoned muddy gutters and forowes By this his maiesties most godly prouision it hath cum to passe that the people which long time had been led in errour and blindnes by blind guides moÌ„kes fryers chauons and papistical preachers do now so plainly see the clere light that they do williÌ„gly abhorre idolatry supersticion they do now know their dutie towardes God their prince they do now enbrace yâ— veritie for verities sake they see where and how the leauen of the papistes hath by continuauÌ„ce of time for default of scripture soured all the whole batche of Christes doctrine they see howe being led by blynd guydes and pastours in the derkenes of ignoraunce they fel daily in the depe pitâ—e of manifold errours with thesame guides thei see that lyke as the olde Phariseis in the time of Christes being vpon earth had corrupted the sincere doctrine of gods word and the pure vnderstanding of the lawe teachyng the people to leaue their poore fathers and mothers destitute contrary to the playne commaundement rather then to let their treasurie to be not enriched whiche kynd of offring themselues of meâ—e couetise had inueâ—ted and dyd apply thesame to the mainteynaunce of themselfes in gluttony and sensualitie so now had the wicked papistry deuised a meane to picke the riche folkes purses the poore vulgare people clene to dengur vnder the colour of goyng on pilgremage to this or that stocke of mans handy makyng vnder pretence of sekyng health of the soule remission of sinnes at the handes of Peter Iames Iohn Marie which could not geue it but whan suche thinges were asked them blushed to beare god thoâ—ly autour gener of all good thinges to be so blasphemed They see now that lyke as the couetous Phariseis passed lesse at the violacioÌ„ or breakyng of gods preceptes then of their tradicions and put more justice in washyng the outesyde of their dishe or their cuppe then in the innocencie of life and puritie of the conscience within in offryng of myntes and rue for their lucre then in perfourmyng the office of charitie to the neyghbour sooner to wynke at their owne blasphemies against god then to remit a small trespace committed by their weake brother against the fond ceremonies which they and the lawyers had deuised and added besides the lawe so the beaste of romishe abominacion to had clene subuerted the true interpretacion of Christes ghospell and by his mere tiraÌ„nie ioyned with most crafty delusion to had inuected into Christes church and holy congregacion al thinges that were contrary to Christ that is to wete in stede of pure faith such as Christ requireth a faith lapped in a patched cloke of beggerly workes and ceremonies of his owne dressyng settyng forth in stede of religion supersticion offrynges in stede of charitie buildyng of chauntries in place of releuyng and mainteining the liuely temple and image of God in the poore encensyng of images in stede of the pure sacrifice of an innoceÌ„t life in stede of trusting in gods mercies trusting in treÌ„tals masses of scala cell in stede of heaueÌ„ a purgatory consisting of material fier thesame to be redemed with money geuen to him in stede of declaryng our free
the byrth of thy sonne all suche as do thirst the cummyng of Messias This Messias beeyng as it were the sunne in the skye thy sonne shall go before as it were a certayne day sterre to geue knowlage afore by his woonderfull brightnesse that the arisyng of him is euen at hande which shall on euery syde put awaye the derkenesse of all the whole vniuersall worlde In dede the other shall be out of all comparison moste greatest but yet thy sonne too lyke as he shal be muche inferiour to the other so shall he in dignitie excell and passe all the reste of the other Prophetes that hitherto haue been For he shall in veray dede be great not only in the opinion of men but also in the iyes of the Lorde vnto whom no man is great but by the vertues and gyftes of grace whiche himselfe doeth frankly geue For he shall be great not in worldly richesse and ruffleyng porte of this lyfe or in worldely dominion but rather by the contempte and despisyng of those thinges which make certayne persones great in the iyes of men And the lesse that he shall desyre the commodities or welth of this worlde somuche the more plenteously shall he be couched full of gooddes heauenly ¶ Wyne also and strong drynke shall he not drynke and he shall bee replenished with the holy ghost euen from his mothers wombe and many of the chyldren of Israel shall he turne to their lorde God And he shall goe before hym in the spirite and power of Helias to turne the hertes of the fathers vnto the chyldren and the vnbelieuers to the wysedome of the iust men to make ready a perfecte people vnto the lorde And as for all kynde of excessiue or delicate fedyng withall the other obiectacions and pleasures of the body he shall so muche abhorre that he wyll not at any tyme drynke any wyne or any other delicious or strong drynke ne any liquour at all that is hable to take awaye so briete from a manne or to distemper his braine For these filthy delites of sensualitie haue no place in such an one in whose breste the holy ghost hathe taken possession afore to dwell in which holy ghost shall replenishe the mynde and soule of thy sonne euen whyle he lyeth secrete within the enclosure of his mothers wombe that he may play the parte of a Prophete in gesture before he be able to haue any vtteraunce of woordes by speakyng And in short processe of yeres whan the gyftes of the spirite of God shall haue growen as his yeres and age shall do he shall worke wondres on the one syde by the exaumple of his moste holy life and on the other syde through suche his preachyng as men shall maruayle at For accordyng to the prophecie of Malachias many of the children of Israel beeyng fallen from the fauour of God by reason that whyle they bearyng themselfes bolde on the carnall lawe tooke no regarde to do those thynges whiche the figures of the lawe do signifie he shall conuerte to theyr Lord God preaching with great frankenesse and plainnesse the kyngdome of God to be at hande exhortyng them to the repentaunte emendyng of theyr former lyfe makyng withoutwarde baptisyng in water a foreprofer to the abolishyng of synne whiche abolishing of synne was to come through Messias and finally vnto all persons openly shewyng that same manne whom God for this purpose would shortly after send into the worlde that by hym alone and onely euerlastyng saluacion should come vnto all men Thissame Messias shall first come as a poore humble mā of lowe degree to the ende that he may conferre geue euerlastyng saluacion vnto all persons putting their trust affiaunce in hym Then afterwardes shall he eftsones come in maiestie to geue rewardes vnto euery one accordyng to their dedes that is to were to the good and the godly euerlastyng lyfe and to the vnbeleuyng and wiked persons euerlasting death And lyke as by Malachias prophecie Helias shal be the foremessagier of his second cumming to prepare the heartes of mē by his preaching agaynst that same great and terrible daye of the Lorde ryght so shall thy sonne be the foremessagier of the former cummyng in whiche God by his sonne Messias shall descend downe into the yearth to lure prouoke all persons in generall without excepcion by Iohns preaching vnto the knowledge and loue of himselfe And for this poynte he shall of a great many he thought to be Helias Neyther shall he without good cause be sayd to be Helias in that he shall in the spirite and power of Helias come before the cummyng of the Lorde to the ende that as the Prophete Malachias hath wrytten he maye turne the hartes of the fathers to the children wherby the Iewes who haue so farre growē out of kynde and fallen from the holy trade of their forefathers may amende and come agayne to better grace and that thesame Iewes beleuyng in the woordes of Messias by whom God shall speake vnto them may truely deserue to bee called the children of Abraham in that they folowe the prompte readynesse of beleuyng whiche was in Abraham and also that suche persons as whyle they cleaue fast to the outwarde rynde or barke of the lawe do not vnderstand the minde and effectuall pith of the lawe he may conuerte and bryng vnto the wysedome of the iust whiche haue learned that vnder the vtter playster or pergetyng of the lawe there lyeth hydden some higher pointe and some holyer matter the whiche shall ere long be vttered abrode by the preachyng of Messias who shall perfeitely accomplyshe and fulfyll the lawe in the right kynde as it ought to be but thy sonne beeyng as a waye leader vnto the heauenly preaching of thissame Messias shall prepare the heartes of menne that he may deliuer vp vnto Messias at his cumming a people not vtterlye vntraded or vnentred in his discipline but somewhat prepared already and instructed therunto with the agnisyng and knowledgyng of theyr owne synfulnesse with the expectacion of the kyngdom of heauen and with feling a great misse and lacke of the Messias to come For so was it thought best vnto almyghtye God by castyng fyrst of all certeine entreinges and principles to bryng man whiche had been fallen to vtter ignoraunce and wickednesse a lytle and a lytle by degrees vp to the highest poyntes of godly perfeccion And Zacharie sayed vnto the Aungell vp what token shall I knowe this For I am olde and my wyfe is well stricken in age And the Aungell aunswered and sayed vnto hym I am Gabriell that do stand in the presence of God and am sent to speake vnto the and to shewe the these glad tydinges And beholde thou shalt be dumme and not hable to speake vntyll the daye that these thynges come to passe because thou diddest not beleue my woordes whiche shal be fulfilled in theyr tyme. The Aungell vsyng all thissame frendely talke zacharie hath nowe
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
trustyng to hymselfe is shut a parte and debarred from the kyngdome of god and the gentiles are elected and taken to the honour of the children of Abraham The proude Pharisee is refus'd cast of the harlotes the lowely publicane is receyued and taken in The stif standers and the sturdy holders vp of theyr snoute he hath cast downe those that layt as outcastes nothyng regarded and such as were in peryll of miscarrying those he puttyng foorth hys mercifull hand hath reised vp and holden Suche as had theyr syght he hath made blynde and to such as lamented their blindnesse he hath opened their iyes To those that acknowelage their infirmycye and sickenesse he hath geuen health and suche as in theyr own cōceiptes semed to bee perfectly whole he hath euen leaft to theyr disease Those that vaunted themselfes to be the children of Abraham he hath plainly declared to bee the children of the deiuill and suche as had no poynte of kynred with Abraham as touchyng the fleashe those hath he throughe the fayth of the gospell made the veray true chyldren of Abraham in dede Those that vaunted theimselues by the glorious name of Israell those hath he reneagued and put away from the inheritaunce of the promisses made vnto Israell but whatsoeuer persone of whatsoeuer nacion whether beeyng bond or beyng free dyd willyngly offre hymselfe to the ghostely seruyng of God hym hathe God taken vnto hym and in euery suche hath he perfectly shewed hys long delayed mercy which mercy he had a fore promysed by his woorde beeyng vttered by the mouthes of the prophetes to the people of Israel whom as a people more derely beloued and fansyed euen for hys owne tooth he doeth in the holy scriptures call hys seruaunt He had neuer been forgetfull of his promysse but by reason of the long delaye as though he had forgotten it despayre had creped vpon men but now hathe he euidently declared hymselfe to be in no poynte vnmyndefull of hys people For this is that same veray true succession of Abraham This is that same true Israell whom not the nerenesse of bloud dooeth make acceptable to God but the sinceritie and purenesse of feith by which feith onely is God seen And these thynges are not wrought ne dooen by chaunce or by casualtye but the thyng is now shewed in facte which long and many yeres past God hath promysed vnto our fathers Abraham and hys succession For to Abraham it was sayed In thy sede shal all nacions be blessed And to Dauid it was saied of the fruicte of thy body wyll I sette vpon thy seate These thinges long time afore promysed of good men looked for and of manye an one despatred it hath pleased God nowe in these dayes to perfourme vnto the true posteritye of Abraham the stocke and kynted of whiche posteritie shall neuer decaye ne fayle vnto the ende of the worlde And Marie abode with her aboute three monethes space and returned again to her owne house All these thynges which wer yet to come Marye dydde in the spirite of prophecye speake foorth in playn wordes euen as though it had been come to passe and effect already And than muche lyke aboute the space of three monethes dyd she make her abode with her cousin Elizabeth coumfortyng the olde woman bothe with holye and vertuous communicacion and also withall louyng and frendly attendaunce And euen but a litle before the tyme of her sayd cousins deliueraunce Marie returned home to her own dwelling place again For on the one syde to helpe playe the midwifes parte at a womans laboure was no fitte nor decent office for a maiden that had neuer borne childe and on the other syde she gote her awaye from the great resorte of weomen that were to come shortely after to be at Elizabethes chylde bearyng Elizabethes tyme came that she should bee deliuered and she brought foorth a sonne And her neighbours and kynsfolke heard how that the Lorde had shewed great mercie vpon her and they reioyced with her And now was the full tyme come that Elizabeth shoulde bee deliuered of chylde And a sonne in dede borne did assuredly verifie the promisses of God The matter was by a common bruite or noyse spred abrode by meane of her neighboures and kynsfolke whome euen lyke as the barainnesse of Elizabeth had grieued afore so dyd it now reioyce thesame that of the greate mercye of God by reason of a manchylde now borne the name of a mother hadde happened vnto an olde woman of barainnesse desperate and seemyng to bee paste all recouerye to whom it had been an happye chaunce to haue brought foorth a wenthe but a muche more luckie happe it was to haue brought forth a sonne And euen in thys poynte also appered the promyse of the Aungell who hadde saied that it should come to passe that manye an one shoulde bee gladde in the birth of that childe For thither came renning many an one and declared themselfes to reioyce that she had well sped and hadde brought foorth a sonne And good reason it was that many shoulde reioyce in the byrth of hym who hadde been borne to the hygh benefite of a veraye great maygnie And it fortuned that on the eight daie they came to circumcise the child and they called hym Zacharye after the name of hys father And hys mother makyng answere said not so but he shall bee called Iohn And they sayd vnto her there is no man in thy kynred that is called by that name And they made signes to hys father how he would haue hym named And he called for writing tables and wrote saiyng Iohn is his name And they did all meruail And immediatly was hys mouth opened and hys toungue also and he spake and praised God And feare came vpon al them that dwelt nyghe vnto them And al these saiynges were noysed abrode throughout all the whole countrey of Iewrye And al they that heard the same layed them vp in theyr heartes saiyng what mance a chylde trowe ye shall thys childe bee And the hand of the Lorde was wyth hym And nowe was come the eyght day after Elizabeths deliueraunce in the whyche day by the priscripcion and appoynetemente of the lawe the chylde must bee circumcised and haue hys name geuen hym Her kynsfolkes therefore resorted thyther whiche by the order and course of kynred thought it their partes to see that the childe wer duely circumcised as it ought to bee And because the chyldes father had hys speche taken from hym who commonlye vseth at hys pleasure to appoynte howe the chyld shall be named the kynsfolkes supposyng and demyng the father to be of the mynde and wyll to haue that that commonly is woont to bee moste to mennes cōtentacions called him zacharie after the name of hys father But hys mother contrary wyse beeyng taughte that thynge by the inspiracion of the holye ghoste whyche of her house bande beeyng than dumme she could not learne
many that would els make haste to saluacion Neuerthelesse thatsame poynt here in this matter although it stopped and hyndred the sicke mans gettyng into Iesus yet dyd it make both the great desirefulnes and also the truste and confidence aswell of the partie that had the paulseye as also of the others that carried hym to be the more famouslye knowen For althoughe God is of his nature propence and ready to shewe mercye vnto all creatures yet doeth he many times make some delay of his beneficiall goodnesse to the entent he maye the more sharpen oure desyres and also to teache vs that we ought to leaue nothyng vnattempted or vnassaied that we maye bee deliuered from the diseases of the soule He loueth in this behalfe to see vs impoâ—tune and by our importunitye he is as ye woulde say compelled of force vnto thesame thyng which neuerthelesse of his veraye owne nature he is moste enclined to dooe Therefore marke me now what a bolde and auenturous parte these carriers of the sycke man played or rather what the partye that had the disease with muche importunitie made them parforce to dooe Up they gotte theyr heauye cariage to the house roufe in the out syde and the tilyng pulled awaye they let downe the sicke man with cordes as it hadde beene in at a windoore euen as he was liyng styll in his bed emong the thickest of all the people directelye before the feete of Iesus What a more shamelesse or sawcie pranke coulde there bee then to take downe the tilyng of an other mannes house and to tumble in suche a lothelye sight before suche a presence to behold it And here the thicke presse which at the doore woulde not geue way to the pieteous bodye to come in coulde not choose but of force to make roume for him whan he came sliding downe from the house toppe And what dooeth the moste ientill and mylde phisician therewhyle He casteth not them in the teeth with theyr shamelesse facion and theyr importunitie he maketh no tailyng nor bitter chidyng that his preachyng was interrupted with a sight muche to be lothed and abhorred The bearers of the sicke bodye lookyng downe from the house toppe asked nothyng of hym the manne selfe that had the paulsey asked nothyng neyther from whome the great disease had taken awaye the vse of his toungue also And yet all the more dydde he speake to this mercifull phisician in that he coulde not speake at all nor had no power therto Neither was there any nede of making peticion for the miserable sight it selfe dyd in moste earneste wyse make requeste for mercy and the thing that his bearers had dooen dyd euidentely enoughe declare what theyr truste was to haue at the Lordes handes Iesus therefore whan he hadde throughlye perceyued and seene their woondrefull affiaunce in hym dyd accomplishe more vnto them then they loked for The summe of theyr hertes desire was no more but that the partye whiche had the paulsey myght bee deliuered of the sickenes of his body But Iesus declaring it to bee a more godly thing for him to doo and a thyng more to bee desired and sought for on oure behalfe to bee deliuered from the diseases of the soule turned hymself to the sicke man and sayed Thou man thy sinnes are forgeuen thee ¶ And the Scribes and the Phariseis began to thinke saiyng What felow is this whiche speaketh blasphemye â–ª who can forgeue sinnes but God onely But whan Iesus perceiued their thoughtes he aunswered and saied vnto them What thinke ye in your hertes Whether is it easier to saie thy sinnes be forgeuen thee or to saie arise vp and walke But that ye maye knowe that the sonne of man hath power to forgeue sinnes on yearth he sayed to the sicke of the paulsey I saie vnto the arise take vp thy bed and goe vnto thy house And immediatly he arose vp before them and tooke vp his bed whereon he lay and departed to his owne house praising God And they were all amased â—nd they gaue the glory vnto God And were filled with feare saiyng We haue seen straunge thinges to daye This woord because it plainely souned of a certayne power perteynyng to the godhed dyd throughlye moue the myndes of the Scribes and Phariseis beyng menne neuer vnreadye or vndisposed to forge matters of crime againste him For the priestes whose offyce was to offre the sacrifices for sinnes dyd not theyr owne selues remitte synnes but onelye made intercession to God by meanes of prayer that he would forgeue offences trespaced agaynst him But Iesus withoute brente sacrifices suche as the priestes dydde offer and without prayers as it had bene of his owne propre autoritie and an autoritie of perpetuall continuauÌ„ce sayeth Thy sinnes are forgeuen thee comprehendyng vnder a generall name the suÌ„me and the corpse of all sinnes together in general wheras the priestes dyd procure no more but certayne offences to bee pourged by meane of sacrifice and not all sinnes vniuersally Esay had thus muche taught them that onelye God it was who myghte geue remission of synnes vnto men For in this manier speaketh he by the mouthe of his sayed prophete I it is euen veraye I it is that dooe wype awaye thy iniquities for myne owne sake and I shall nomore beare thy sinnes in remembraunce But the Scribes and Phariseis thoughe they espyed and sawe in hym playne tokens of the power of God yet beyng offended with the infirmytye of his body whan they sawe it and partely also beyng with enuye had more will to forge some slaundre agaynste him then to beleue on hym For with secrete thoughtes thus dyd they speake within theimselfes and as the propertye of Pharisaicall diuisyng of slaundres is vnto theyr moste deuilishe wickednesse they pretende a cloke of hygh deuocion towardes God and the earneste zele of tendreyng his glory For there is not any more pernicious a kynde of vngodlinesse then so to dooe What felowe is thissame here say they that speaketh woordes of blasphemye presumyng on hym the thing that is appropriate vnto God alone For who is of power to remitte sinnes but onelye God But than the Lorde Iesus to declare that in this behalf also he had an equality of the diuine nature made aunswere in this manier to the secrete thynkinges of theyr heartes Wherfore haue ye suche thoughtes in youre heartes whether of these twoo dooe ye iudge more easy eyther to saye to a man that is cloggued with sinne thy sinnes are forgeuen thee or els to saye vnto thys partye whome ye see here to haue euerye ioynte of hys bodie vnknitte and looce one from an other with the paulseye aryse and walke That yf ye shall see perfeicte healthe of the bodye to bee restored with a mere woorde vnto a man beeyng of hymselfe paste all remedye and cure than beleue ye that the soule also is with lyke easinesse restored to his perfeict health By thys that ye euidentelye see with
a figurate representacion of a more secrete doctrine The Apostles had prouision of viaundrie but it is suche as belongeth to Iesus This viaundrie lyke as it is of lyght pryce and course geare for poore folkes eatyng so is it but litle in quantitie For the doctrine of Moses is manyfolde and the philosophiers learnyng is of soondrie manier sortes of matiers and ful of plenteous stuffe but the worde of the ghospell is playne homely geare and short and yet suche as maie suffise for the soules of all nacions to be refreashed in case it be deliuered and receyued as it ought to bee To men of the apostles profession is the worde committed wherewith soules are made fatte but thesame woorde doe they not sette afore the people to fede on except it be firste consecrated and broken of Christe For than and neuer els is it the true fruite of preachyng the ghospell if the teacher dooe not presumpteouslye vsurpe to hymselfe the gift of learnyng whiche he hath as a thyng commytted to his credite ne vndiscretely or misaduisedly shewe foorth the same as thoughe it were of his owne but yelde it vnto Christe to bee made holy of him Otherwyse all in vain shall the teachers labour bee when he preacheth onlesse Iesus shall firste haue blissed the woorde onlesse he shall haue broken it onlesse he shal with his own handes deliuer it to be distributed to the people For piththye and effectuall it is whatsoeuer procedeth out of hys holy handes he only it is that fedeth that refresheth that maketh full bishops are nothing els but ministers and distributoures of an other mannes liberalitie The people all the while sitteth down in coumpanies vpon the ground nothyng stickyng or doubtyng nothyng murmuryng or repinyng whereby is signified that in the faithfull congregacion of Christes churche there oughte to be sobre humilitie and plain faithfull truste of the heart in god without any doublenesse and that all discorde and sedicious vproare ought to be away CoÌ„sider me ferthermore this mysterie too The Lorde Iesus firste of all thynges taught and healed the people and than fedde them afterward The woorde of God also is the heauenly meate of the soule But sum porcion hereof is not denayed to the vngodly and to the newely entered or instructed in the faythe For it is the medicine of mennes soules and the refeccion of the weake For holsome doctrine worketh the like effect in the soules of sinners that Iesus with his worde and his touchyng did in diseases of the body But there is a mistical bread whiche is not geuen but to persones now already wel taught and also throughly healed Thesame forsouth is that heauenly breade of the lordes body which is not geueÌ„ to those that are not yet through baptisme receyued into the body of the churche and congregacion ne vnto suche whose mynde and soule is holden with some grieuous cryme as it wer with a mortall sickenesse And that same meate of the priuie hidden wysedome of God which Paule the Apostle dyd not shewe foorth but emong the perfect is not to be vttered vnto all persones at auenture ¶ And it fortuned as he was alone praying his disciples were with hym and he asked them saying Who saye the people that I am They aunswered and sayed Iohn Baptyste some saye Helias and some saye that one of the olde Prophetes is aâ—iâ—eu He sayed vnto them But who saye ye that I am Simon Peter aunswered and sayed thou art the Christe of god and he warned and commaunded them that they should tell no man that thyng saying the sonne of man must suffre many thynges and be reproued of the elders and of the high priestes and Scribes and bee slayne and ryse agayn the thyrde daye Now because the lorde had so tempered all his sayinges and dooynges that some whiles he would shewe forth tokeÌ„s of his godly power and another tyme he would manifestely shew the veritie of his humayn nature the opinioÌ„s of men concernyng hym dyd muche varie But because it was requisite that emong them by whom he had appoynted to renewe the world there should bee one vniforme profession perfectly agreyng in it selfe concernyng hym at a time whan he was in his prayer solitarie with his disciples he demaunded of them what opinion the people had of hym or whom they sayed that he was The disciples aunswere some suppose thee to bee Iohn the Baptiste reuiued agayn some saye that thou arte Helias of whom the Iewes thynke that he shall come agayne before that Messias shall come and some others beleue the to be some one man of the olde Prophetes called to lyfe agayn Than sayed Iesus As for the people they are inconstaunt and waueryng as they are woont to be But ye that knowe me nerer and familiarly who dooeye saye that I am There Petur beeyng more ardent and fyerie then the residue made aunswere in the name of them al we know thee to be Messias whom God hath enoynted with all heauenly gyftes of grace And this theyr right profession Iesus in dede alloweth well but yet he geueth them a great charge that they shoulde make no woordes to no creature what opinion they were of For he sayed the tyme of openyng that misterie in the open face of all the worlde was not yet come and that the sacrifice of his death muste firste bee executed and accomplished and that he was appoynted to come to the glorie of that name by many kyndes of despite and reproche For the sonne of man sayeth he muste abyde muche woe and must bee reproued of thelders and of the Scribes and of the chiefe of the priestes yea and at length bee slaine too and aryse agayne from death to lyfe the third daie Ye muste therfore beware leste the glorye euen of this name if it should now at this present be preached should not fynd feyth to be credited because of the affliccion and death of the bodye and so might be a let to my death ¶ And he sayed vnto them all If any man wyll come after me leat hym denye hymselfe and take vp his crosse dayly and folow me For whosoeuer wyll saue his lyfe shall loose it But whosoeuer dooeth lose his life for my sake the same shall saue it For what auauntageth it a man if he winne the whole worlde and lose himselfe or runne in damage of himselfe For whoso is ashamed of me and of my woordes of him shall the soonne of manne be ashamed when he cometh in his maiestie and in the maiestie of his father and of the holye Aungels I tell you of a trueth There be some standing here which shall not â—ast of death till they see the kyngdome of God Than where Petur at the mencionyng of deathe trembled and quaked for veraye feare and aduised Christe to some other better waies then so whan Iesus had putte hym to silence he begoonne to exorte his other disciples also to the folowyng of his deathe saiyng Thus
that it hath so pleased thy eternall prouidence and wysedome that the proude men beyng reiected and cast down thou mightest by suche lowenesse exalt and lift vp men to the true heigth of heaueÌ„ly thynges There is no power ne autoritee whiche my father hath not deliuered into my handes and therefore feare ye not the worlde beeyng ryght wel assured that ye haue a maister hable to defende you For an eguall feloweshyp of all thynges is betwene my father and me truely no man knoweth the sonne who he is and howe great he is sauyng onelye the father whiche begatte hym nor no manne knoweth the father who he is and howe greate he is but onely the sonne borne of hym and suche as it maie please the sonne to open it vnto He openeth and sheweth hym to none but to suche as bee humble meke spirited enclined or apte to beleue Afterward turnyng hymselfe to his disciples he declared hymselfe to be veray glad that thei had the blissefull happe which had been denied to men euen of veray high dignitie saiyng Blessed are the iyes whiche see the thynges that ye see for this I tell you for a thyng of certaintye that many prophetes kinges would faine haue seen that ye poore and abiect persones doe see and yet thei haue not seen it and to heare these thinges which ye heare and they heard them not See ye acknowlage and take to you youre good happe but flee ye the takyng of any pride or presumpcion therby Take ye suche a pride as may stand with holinesse that is to wete a pride agaynste all thynges whiche this worlde dooeth gase vpon for meruail takyng theim for high thynges wheras they are but small trifles and veraye filthynesse in comparison of the thinges that are geuen vnto you ¶ And beholde a certayne lawier stoode vp and tempted hym saiyng Maister what shal I dooe to inherite eternall lyfe He saied vnto hym what is written in the lawe How tradest thou And he aunswered and sayed loue the lord thy God with al thy hert and with al thy soule and with al thy strength and with al thy mind and thy neighbour as thy self And he saied vnto him thou hast aunswered righte Thus do and thou shalte liue But he willing to iustifie himself saied vnto Iesus and who is my neighbour Iesus aunswered and saied A certayne man went downe from Hierusalem to Hierico fel emong theues which robbed him of his rayment and wounded him and departed leauing him half dead And it chaunced that there came downe a certaine priest that same way whan he sawe him he passed by And likewyse a Leuite whan he went nigh to the place came and looked on him and passed by â–ª But a certain Samaritane as he iourneyed came vnto hym and whan he sawe hym he had compassion on hym and went to him and bound vp his woundes and poured in oyle and wine and set hym on his own beast and brought hym to a common ynne made prouision for hym And on the morow whan he departed he tooke out twoo pens and gaue them to the hoste and saied vnto him Take cure of him and whatsoeuer thou spendest more whan I come again I will recompence thee Whiâ—h nowe of these three thinkest thou was neighbour vnto him that fel emong the theues and he saied he that shewed mercie on hym Than sayed Iesus vnto hym Goe and dooe thou lykewyse And on a certaine day whan Iesus disputing with the Iewes had put the Sadducees to silence who in the waye of prouyng hym had putte foorthe a question of a woman hauyng been married to seuen soondrye housebandes whiche of all these should haue her at the daye of the generall resurrectioÌ„ there came vnto hym one of the Scribes well seene in the lawe as one that woulde putte foorth a question out of the diepeste and most profounde knowelage of the law and sayed Maister whiche is the chiefeste commaundemente of God by kepyng wherof I maye atteigne euerlastyng lyfe Iesus aunswered That thyng which thou demaundeste of me thesame shoulde other men haue learned of thee For thou dooest professe the knowelage of the lawe What is there writen and how doest thou reade that is there writen Than made he aunswer Thou shalt loue the lorde thy God with all thy herte with all thy soule with al thy power with all thy mynde because he cannot bee loued enoughe and nexte after hym thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Iesus allowying hys aunswer saied in this wyse Thou knoweste what is beste there remaineth nothyng but that thou put in vre and daily practise that thou doeste vnderstande whiche thyng yf thou so dooe in facte and dede thou shalt liue For it is not the knowelage that geuethe lyfe but the kepyng and dooyng of the lawe The Pharisee beeyng somewhat touched with the aunswere of oure Lorde for that he knewe the woordes of the lawe and dydde not kepe that whiche was the chiefeste poynte in the lawe yet because he was puffed vp with vayne glorye he woulde not acknowelage hys owne faulte but euen as though he hadde nowe alreadye at large fulfylled the commaundemente of louyng God he moued a newe question of his neighboure saiyng Who is my neighbour as thoughe a man myght loue GOD and yet neuerthelesse bee cruell and hurtefull to hys neighbour The Iewes dyd in manier interprete the name of neighboure to extende no ferther but to men of their owne nacioÌ„ supposyng that it was lawfull for theim to hate alienes and foreinours and to leate theim alone withoute dooeyng theim any benefite or good at all Iesus therefore knowyng the Pharisees mynde aunswereth hym by a parable here ensuwyng painctyng oute all the whole matter and settyng it before the iye by a certayne misticall exaumple or representacion of the thyng and teachyng that the precepte of louing the neighbour ought not to bee enclosed within so narowe and streighte boundes of kynred and countreye but thesame to enlarge and extende it selfe to a more ferther coumpace that is to wete vnto all menne forasmuche as oftentimes it chaunceth that he whiche is nighest to vs in byrth or countreye is ferther from vs in affeccion and loue then our veraye foe A certayne man sayeth Iesus takyng hys iourney from Hierusalem to Hierico chaunced to lyghte on a counpaignie of theues who not beeyng contented ne thinkyng it enoughe to spoyle the poore soule and to turne hym out of his clothes but moreouer geuyng him soondrye woundes they lefte hym by the high wayes syde half for dead there to perishe out right yf no man had holpen hym and this doen themselfes wente their waies And it chaunced that a certain priest was goyng a iourney whiche laye the veraye same waye and whereas for the veraye ordre and profession of priestehoode whiche he had taken hym vnto he ought chieflye aboue others to haue fulfylled the commaundemente of God yet notwithstandyng hymselfe beyng a
gods worde committed vnto them And he added an other parable to that that wente afore to the ende he woulde the better enkiendle his disciples perpetually to bee incuÌ„bent vpon theyr office and he also propouned and set before them aswel a rewarde whan they had duely executed theyr office as also a punishmente to any suche as were slacke in his office A rare thing it is saieth he emong men to finde an experte and a feithfull stewarde to haue the dysposicyon of ones goodes who whan hys maister is from home in a straunge countrey will see well to hys householde of whiche he is made ouerseer and deputye not to vse hymselfe as a Lorde or a tyranne ouer it but oute of the tresoures of hys Lorde to bring furth pay vnto euery body his due allowaunce as much as conuenieÌ„t is and at suche times as is requisite Blessed shall that seruaunt be whome hys lorde sodaynly returnyng home shall finde attendaunt vpon his office For hauing approued and tryed hys vpright trueth and diligence in the proporcions assigned out vnto him he wil make him rewler of all his goodes and wil â—ouchesalue to vse hym in manyer as halfe a partener with hymselfe of all his goodes and substaunce In the contrary parte in case the said seruaunt be neither one of honestye to truste vnto nor yet wyse and experte in hys offyce but taking a pryde through the absence of his lorde and by reason of the office of stewarde or deputie commytted vnto hym shall saye in hys owne mynde my maister doothe nowe sette a long daye of cummyng home agayne and peraduenture he will neuer come agayne in the meane tyme I will dooe all as myne owne fansie seruethe me and thus shall beegynne to vse crueltie ouer his felowe seruauntes bothe men and weomen not onely not feedyng them of his wheate that is theyr mayster aswell as hys but also pumbleyng and beatyng them and vsurpyng a certayne tyrannye ouer hys other felowes he dooe for hys owne parte all the whyle eate and drynke and bankette and vse to drinke himselfe dronke wastfully consuming his maisters goodes in filthye sensuall pleasures and in tyottous excesse what iudge ye that suche a stewarde shall haue for hys laboure Forsouth hys lorde shall returne home agayne at suche a daye whan he was not looked for and at suche an houre as he was not knowen of and the seruaunte dooynge whatsoeuer hymselfe lusteth without feare or care hys lorde shall separate and cutte of from hys housholde nor shal vouchsalue to suffer hym to bee one of hys house but shall rekon hym in the noumber of the other vnfeithfull persones assured to suffre condygne punyshemente forasmuche as he woulde not bee myndefull of hys office An euangelicall stewarde and dispenser of Goddes woorde can not by any thyng better winne his lorde and maisters herte vnto hym then whan his lorde is absent to represent the gracious bountie of him towardes the neighboure and not to thynke himselfe a lorde ouer the neighboure but remembre that he is a felowe seruaunte with him ¶ The seruaunte that knewe his maisters will and prepared not himselfe neyther did according to his will shall bee beaten with many stripes But he that knewe not and did commit thinges worthy of stripes shal be beaten with fewe stripes For vnto whomesoeuer much is geuen of hym much shal be required And to whome men haue committed muche of him will they aske the more And certes the more perfeict knowlage that a man hath or shall haue of the veritie euangelicall so muche the more grieuous shall hys condemnacion be if he be negligente or slacke to folowe that he hath learned to be the righte way For the Gentiles to whome the trueth hath neither by meane of the law ne by meane of the gospell bene shewed shall be nothing so sore punished as the Iewes whome the law of Moses did instruct to some forwardnes in godly exercise And emong these againe the Phariseis suche as are experte in all the poynctes of the lawe shall be more sharpelye punished then the symple ignorauntes But moste grieuous punyshemente of all others shall they haue whome the trueth being wel knowen whom so many miracles whome my liuely exaumple hath not moued to the zele and earneste exercyse of theyr duetie towarde God I haue hydden nothyng from you Whatsoeuer thyng my heauenly fathers will hath bene that ye shoulde knowe by meane of me I haue opened and declared it vnto you Beware ye therefore by the exaumple afore goyng of the negligent seruaunt that regardeth not hys maysters commaundemente For suche a seruaunte as hys maister hathe had and vsed in higher degree aboue the rest as one to whome he hathe commytted the disbursing and bestowing of hys goodes to whome he hathe opened the priueties of his counsayle whome he hath put his truste in whan he went into fer parties from home excepte he shall dooe that he is commaunded to dooe and shall prepayre hymselfe to the executyng and dooyng of suche mattyers as he knewe that hys maister woulde with all his hearte haue to bee dooen he shall abye with manye a sore strype But whoso shall bee of the noumber of the seruauntes to whome the lorde hath not opened the will of hys hearte yf suche an one shall dooe any offence woorthye punishmente he shall drinke but with a fewe stripes Than is there no cause why the despensacion of Goddes woorde and of the ghospell beeyng commytted to youre charge shoulde make you any thyng the more haulte in takyng vpon you but rather the more carefull to discharge youre duetie well He dooeth more verayly take vpon hym a charge then an honoure whoso taketh in hande any office or ministracion in the churche It is a thyng of free gratuitee that is so commytted vnto anye man and it is committed vnto euerye man of veray purpose to bee broughte furth and vsed to the common vtilitie of all the whole housholde indifferently And lyke as maisters doe require a more streight and precise accoumpte at the handes of suche an one whome they haue put in trust with moe thinges then an other so at the handes of such an one to whome a larger gifte or ministracion of knowlage and of autoritie hath bene geuen of God there shall more be required then at the handes of the others and to whose credyte a larger and greater ministery hath bene deputed the moe persones that he oughte to haue dooen good vnto so muche the more shall there at hys hande bee required The more learning that thou hast with so muche the better will teache thou the richer that thou arte so muche the more gladly relieue thou the poore the more that thy power is so manye the moe persones leat thyne auctoritie draw and bryng vnto the ghospell It is an other mannes that thou haste and not thyne owne and the true owners will is to haue lyberally bestowed vpon others that
that the paâ—tie whiche is the begger maye be worthie to haue the more benefite And in moste diepe derkenesse do suche people lye which wurship stockes and stones in stede of God to whome theyr moneye to whome their bealye is their god who are bondeseruauntes to ambicion to leacherie and suche as set the world in an vproare through furious rageyng warres Suche persones if they cannot yet come to approche nere vnto Iesus because they cannot see yet at lestewise at the noyse of suche as doe throughoute the whole worlde preache the glorie of Iesus leat them aske what matier is this And whan they shall knowe that Iesus is passyng by leat them not suffre the presente occasion to slippe away but leat them with pieteous criyng wery his eares And in case the priuie conscience of their naughty and eiuil dedes afore past counsail theÌ„ to kepe silence leat the clamoure of the faythfull beleuyng herte so muche the more instauntly knocke at the dores of his eares Iesus is not deafe ne harde of hearyng to any body that asketh with faithful trust in hiÌ„ he is of power hable to geue that is asked He ceâ—ies passeth by but he wil not go very ferre paste if one strayne his voyce And happy is the begger that euer he was born at whose voice Iesus stayeth on his way And what meruaill if he stayed at the voice of one speakyng vnto him sence he vouchsalued to cuÌ„ so ferre a iourney vnto a shepe that was lost But more happy is the blind man after he is brought vnto Iesus For now is he very nere to his health Neither caÌ„ he loÌ„g be blind whoso hath approched to the fountain of al light Thatsame lord beyng the fountain of all glory doeth not put away the begger from him man being a sinner disdaineth the neighbour After that thou art cum in preseÌ„ce afore Iesus after that thou art gon away froÌ„ thy selfe there is no nede of any long praiyng no more but speake the woord what thou wouldest haue but speake it with a perfite faith and affiauÌ„ce coÌ„ceiued not on thine own merites but on his great power and no lesse goodnes And immediatly shal thy sight cum again and saluacioÌ„ both together For at once assone as Iesus had said Loke thou vp he had his sight and of a beggar became a folower of Iesus traine and an open declarer of gods goodnesse Yea and moreouer the people also whan thei had seen so notable a miracle gaue laude and praise vnto god The .xix. Chapter And he entered in and went through Hiericho and behold there was a maÌ„ named Zacheus whiche was a rewler among the Publicanes and was riche also And he sought meanes to see Iesus â–ª what he should be and could not for the presse because he was litle of stature And he ranne before and clymed vp into a wild figgetter to see him for he was to cum that way And wheÌ„ Iesus came to the place he loked vp and saw him and said vnto him Zachee cum doune at once for to day I must abide at thy house And he came doune hastily and receiued him ioyfully And whan they sawe it they all grutched saiyng he is gon to tarry with a man that is a sinner And Zacheus stode forth and said vnto the Lord behold Lord the half of my goodes I geue to the poore And if I haue doen any man wrong I restore him fower folde Iesus sayed vnto him this day is health happened vnto this house because that he also is becum the chylde of Abraham For the sonne of man is cum to seke and to saue that whiche was lost ANd this same blynde man to whome the Lord restored the vse of the light doeth in a figure not vnaptly signyfie the people of the Gentiles For as for the Iewes the lawe gaue sum piece of lyghte vnto them But the Gentiles laye in moste diepe derknesse of ignoraunce in so muche that among thesame a greate manye there were whiche verily beleued that there was no God at all and some others beleued that there were Goddes innumerable but thesame more full of mischief and abominacion then the very men selfe Againe sum thought that God tooke no care for the gouernaunce of worldly thinges Yea and sum also there were which reputed and vsed the soÌ„ne the moone oxen dogges apes yea and lekes and oynioÌ„s for Gods Among the Gentiles there were that knewe no laweful ne determinate bandes of matrimony but fulfilled the lust of the body in going together one with another after the maner of bruit beastes Sum there were also with whom it was accounted a naturall thyng to haue killed theyr parentes whaÌ„ they were aged Others again there were among whom it was a thyng lawful and vsuall to eate mans fleashe Sum there were with whom it was an highe poynte of deuocion and of seruyng God to kyll their mooste derely beloued children for a sacrifice to this or that deuil What caÌ„ there be more lamentable then this blyndnesse And yet this blynd man beeyng poore and destitute of all vertues perceiued Iesus whan he passed by whoÌ„ the nacion of the Iewes put away whan he came to them he streyned his voyce of fayth criyng aloude Thou sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon me He coÌ„strained Iesus to stay in his goyng he deserued to be asked what he would haue doen to hym he confessed his blindnesse he shewed the desire of his hert lord that I may haue my syght he receiued that he plainely in fewe woordes craued Of a wurshipper of monstreous thynges he was made a wurshipper of Iesus of a bondseruaunt to deuils and to all maner vices he was made a disciple and a folower of Iesus of a common beggar and crauer of a miserable almes he was made a publisher of the power of god And many a tyme more then once or twise are exauÌ„ples of this kinde laied in the lappes of the Iewes to the end that either thei should ameÌ„d froÌ„ their vnbelefe orels they should make it open manifest for the time to cum that they were worthilye cast of as meÌ„ that would not be made whol And this figure certes was shewed at the enterauÌ„ce of the citie of Hiericho but an other more euident exauÌ„ple sheweth it self anon after within the citie selfe For as the lord beiÌ„g entred into Hiericho was goyng along through the middes of the citie encouÌ„paced on euerye side with an exceadyng thicke presse of the multitude of all sortes there was a certain man zacheus hauyng his name of the thing and propertie that was in him that is to wete a man feruent in the earnest loue and desyre of righteousnesse whereas in dede he was an head man among the publicans yea and riche withall and whereas neither the kynde or trade of his liuyng ne the paÌ„pering of fortune did very well agree with suche an hert And holdeÌ„ he was with a great desire to see Iesus to the entent
sodaynly toke the hertes of all the people of whome some had come in the traine of Iesus and some had come foorthe of Hierusalem to mete hym For euerye body who coulde dooe best strawed the way that the lorde went on with the braunches of trees euery where broken of both with great ioye also with loude voyces they begoon to laude god for al his benfites miracles which they had sene heard wrought by Iesus There souned on euery side the voices of people reioycing at his cummyng as it had bene to God cummyng in triumph and of men crying in honour of hym Osanna in the hygheste Blessed bee he that cummeth in the name of the Lorde peace in heauen and glorye in the highest This was the voyce of the multytude of al sortes and especially of young folkes who as it had bene by a certayne inspiracion of God the enuie and grutchyng of the Phariseis contemned dyd in the open face of the worlde geue testimonie vnto the lorde Iesus ¶ And some of the Phariseis of the coumpanye sayed vnto him Maister rebuke thy disciples He sayed vnto them I tell you that if these holde theyr peace than shall the stones crye But there were in the same multytude certayne Phariseis whome thyssame crying out to Christe in welcummynge hym dyd muche agrieue because the same did outwardelye shewe as thoughe they woulde haue all the worlde to knowe that some thyng there was in Iesus whatsoeuer it was aboue the rate of a man And emonge these Phariseis some there were that warned Iesus that himselfe with his owne mouth by his autoritie should restreigne these same vngodlye shoutes of the multytude procedynge of a certayne vnmeasurable fauour of the people towardes theyr maister and therefore vnpleasaunte euen to the lorde selfe who did not vse to acknowlage suche hyghe prayses Maister saye the Phariseis rebuke thy dyscyple 〈◊〉 Iesus neuer went about to styll the deuout profession of the playne meanyng people but by a byword cheeked the blindenes of the Phariseis who were not ashamed to attribute vnto Beelzebub the prince of deuylles suche thynges as Iesus hyghlye well dyd and wroughte But he made aunswere agayne With what face shoulde I suppresse them that woorthily syng glorye vnto god and with deuout voyces nowe synging thesame which was many a long day sens spoken by the prophetes Thus muche I saye vnto you for a certayntie God so muche willeth thys hys laude not to be vndeclared that in case men woulde altogether holde theyr peace the veraye stones here woulde crye it oute And truely harder then the stones be those whiche being with so many benefytes with so manye miracles prouoked can not yet bee moued in theyr heartes to speake in the aduauncemente of Goddes glorye Than with suche pompe as this triumphaunt lyke and with suche a trayne about hym dyd the lorde Iesus goe vnto Hierusalem For suche a litle tast of thys worldes glory it lyked hym to take before he woulde take the crosse vpon hym and this professing of his godhed did he parforce wring out of the same nacion by which he should anon after bee moste cruelly dooen to death to th ende the Iewes mighte bee condemned by their owne sentence for that they had crucifyed theyr Messias and salueour But nowe in thys story of these gestes there is hidden and comprised no small poynte of mistery The she Asse that was the dame was standing the colte also was standyng whiche was the Asses fole The dame had already bene woonte to bee ryden on as beyng of long continuaunce enured to weare the yoke of the lawe sygnifying doubtlesse the nacion of the Iewes The colte beeyng the fole of thys she Asse for redempcion toke the fyrste beginning of the Iewes the colte I saye betokenyng the people of the Gentiles was yet vnbroken neyther at anye tyme charged with the yoke of the lawe nor yet throughe euangelicall obedyence carrying Iesus as a sitter on his backe Both beastes were tyed for on the one syde the Sinagogue lyued in bondage vnder the carnalitie of the lawe not atteygnynge to the freedome of the spiryte and the Gentiles on the other syde were entangled with the decrees of the philosophiers subiecte to the wurshippyng of Idolles and deiuilles They had at that season owners indifferente aswell of the one as of the other yea suche maisters not a fewe For in the peoples aswell of the Iewes as also of the Gentiles a great mayny were bounde to couetise to Leachery to ambicion to enuie and to manye other both filthie and also mercilesse maysters Than twoo Apostles dooe at the lordes commaundement vntye them that is to wete Peter the teacher of circumcision that is to say of the Iewes and Paule the teacher of the Gentiles whan through euangelicall fayth and baptisme they forgeue both the one and the other all the transgressions of their former life so that being nowe looced they may from hensfurth be worthy to haue Iesus a sitter on them For thys power gaue he vnto hys dysciples not onely emong the Iewes but also emong the Gentiles that whatsoeuer they looced in yearthe the same shoulde bee looâ—ed in heauen too And what meruayl if the other former owners can not lette the vntying of them seeyng that they whiche doe vntie them doe vntye them by the commaundemente of that same newer maister whose will no creature can resiste Thys newe maister hath nede of suche manier beastes and on the backe of suche ones dooeth he reioyce to sitte as dooe simplye obey without anye fraude or drawing backe suche as with good hearte and mynde dooe take vpon them the swete yoke of euangelicall doctryne suche as will not bee skittishe ne prauncynge agaynste the sytter on them suche as with a quiete and ientle softe pace dooe beare and glorifye the Lorde Iesus in theyr bodyes vntyll they come euen full into the holy citie temple of the lorde I meane not that same citie the common murderer of prophetes but that other heauenlye citie whiche knoweth not what rebellion doeth meane Worldely prynces loue fyerce stieryng coursers foled euen purposely for warres and well broken and taughte thereafter the lorde Iesus loueth suche manier Asses as will mekelye and stilly carry theyr meke maister and will not caste hym whan he sitteth on them Thys facyon of carying doe the haulte princes of this world laughe at the Philosophiers with theyr disdaynfull lookes dooe laugh at the Phariseis swellyng in pryde dooe laughe at and thynke themselues fortunate that they carry the deiuill on theyr backes the rougheste sytter possyble and the moste vnfauourable that they lyue in bondage of so many moste mercilesse maisters whereas to serue thys one maister Christe is an heauen There is nothynge in more happie and blissed case then these litle and simple ones after they be once looced from bondage and after they haue once receiued Iesus vpon theyr backe After worldely estimacion the
of his mynde with the swearde of the gospell and then yf he lyste lette hym drawe his swearde against the ennemies of the ghospell But these thynges haue I spoken moste renoumed Prynce in the waye of aduertisement without reproche of any person I open the matter onelye I reprehende no person and the more boldelye vnto your grace I wryte thus because no kynde of suspicion at al of any suche faulte or enormitee can be suspected to be in you There bee none Byshoppes except that of congruence ought to liue more after the gospell then Princes But they oftentymes by simplicitie vnder an assemblaunce of deuocion be deceyued For by the perswasion of suche whiche be thoughte the perfite professours of religion they ofttymes esteme it a poynt of great perfeccion if they daily saie ouer their praiers the which they call their mattens if they see a masse euery daye once The whiche thinges as in a lay prince and a young man also I graunt is a certaine token signe of a well disposed mind yet be there many other thinges that which do more straitly appertayn to a christeÌ„ princes office theÌ„ these For if he foresee that no storme of warre arise that the publike libertie be not diminished ne violated that the poore comminaltie bee not compelled to famishe that no naughty officers be made and permitted in my opinion he shall do a more acceptable seruice to God then yf he should saye these praieres â–ª vi yeres together Yet do I commende the said thinges if that whiche is more principall bee coupled and ioyned therto But and if a prince do suppose that he lacketh no porcion of godly perfeccion putting his confidence in the obseruacion of those thinges settyng a part suche thinges whiche do peculiarly appertain vnto a kynges office and dutie plainly that is the confusion of all religioÌ„ that is the subuersion of the common welth and they that geue suche councel do neither geue profitable nor holsome councell for the prince neither yet for his subiectes It is a good dede to heare seruice if thei be pure that do it but how can I cum in pure life vnto the sacrifice doen in remembraunce of the true and highest prince the which for to redeme his seruauntes bestowed his own life if through my fury my vain glory and negligence so many thousande men bee eyther vexed or vtterlye perishe I thinke it not nedefull to shewe that for the most part princes be neuer at more leisure neither lesse carefull then when thei be at diuine seruice What great thyng is it if a prince saye those praiers at an houre prescribed therfore whiche cannot haue sufficiente tyme and leisure to order and disposeth affayres of a common wealth A prince shall pray inough at full if he saye daily and recite from his hearte the notable prayer of the wyse kyng Salomon Lorde geue me wisdome and knowledge how to behaue my selfe vnto thy people Or the other praier muche lyke vnto thesame the whiche the wyse man as I remember reciteth in the boke of wisdome Geue me wisdome whiche is euer about thy seate that she maie be with me and labour with me that I may knowe what is acceptable in thy sighte for she knowethe and vnderstandethe all thinges and she shall leade me sobrely in my workes and preserue me in her power So shall my workes be acceptable and then shall I gouerne thy people righteously be worthy to sitte in my fathers seate who can haue knowledge of thy vnderstandynge and meanynge except thou geue wisdome and sende thy holy ghost from aboue that the waies of them which are vpon earth maye be refourmed that men may learne the thinges that are pleasaunt vnto the This wisdome that this most wise young maÌ„ desireth to haue may a man chiefly fynde in the holy scripture if a maÌ„ list vnfainedly and with a godly curiositie seke to haue it Otherwise howe is it cuÌ„ to passe that christen mens behauiour and maners partely bee decayed into a conuersacion wurse then the Gentiles or Ethnickes were partly degenerated into a certaine Iudaical supersticion but by reason that the doctrine of the ghospell hath not been had in regarde Notwithstandyng to saye the very trueth in all tymes there hath been euer sum of whome the gospell hath beene hadde in due honoure and reuerence yet neuerthelesse for this fower hundred yeres past the liuely heate and feruencie therof hath been greatlye abated with the most part Wherfore the more we ought to the vttermoste of our power endeuour our selfe that euery man for his parte do reuiue thissame sparkle of heauenly fire again the whiche the eternall veritie Iesus Christe our Lorde hath sent down into the earth wishyng nothyng els but that it maye be feruentlye kyndled and in great circuite to spreade it selfe abrode and be set all on fyer In this our tyme when mans condicions be so corrupted and of so great dissencions in opinions wherby at this houre all thinges be confounded out of order whither shall we rather flee to haue redresse then as S. Hilarie doeth well admonishe vs vnto the most pure fountaine and well spring of holy scripture wherof the moste pure and vnderfiled part be the gospels Neyther oughte the gospel to be mislyked of the supreme powers for this cause as thoughe it dyd as sum saye cause suche to be sedicious and disobedient whose parte and duetie is to bee obedient vnto their princes nay it rather profiteth princes in this pointe insomuche as it doeth teache them to execute the true offices of princes and not to be tirauntes and causeth the people more gladlye to obey euery good prince and more quietly to tollerate and beare with the bad Finally the gospell is not to be blamed if any man do not vse all of the best that thing whiche of his nature is moste excellent and the very best It is called the gospel of peace reconcilyng god and vs to vnitie and secondlye couplyng mutuall loue and amitie betwene eche of vs together If any man stumble at this stone let him blame hymselfe and not the gospell There is no power that man hath no policy no coÌ„spiracy or coniuracion together that is able to â—anquishe oppresse the veritie of the gospel whiche moste mightily setteth furth it self when it is most greuously persecuted But as touchyng these matters I feare me I haue heretofore spoken inough and to muche Now that this paraphrase may with the more fruite bee red after I haue spoken a worde or two of the euangelistes entent and purpose I wyll make an ende After that the lyfe and doctrine of our Lord Iesus Christ by thapostles preachyng and the other Euangelistes wrytinges was spred at large ouer all the world the Euangelist S. Iohn whome Christ so notably loued after all the other toke on hande to write this present gospell not so muche for th entent to compile the historie of the gospel as to make rehersall of
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
becummeth not you to be ignoraunt of my fathers wyll verely I shall than speake vnto you whishtlie and without wordes but I shall speake assured and manifeste thinges if so bee ye aske them yea and than also the holy ghoste shall incense you what to aske and howe to aske in my name whiche in case ye so do surely though it were a great matter and a thing of difficultie yet shall the father for my sake not deny it you askyng it And I doe not nowe speake this as if ye shall obtaine your requeste by my mediacion in suche sorte as men doe sumtime at a kinges hande that is but a maÌ„ obtaine their requeste at the desyre and suite of sum one that is in fauour with the kyng whiche peticion the kyng woulde not els haue graunted but that he was content to geue it for his sake whiche did commende set forward the suters supplicacion but as for my father althoughe he loueth to bee asked of by his sonne by whome his will hath beene to graunte all thynges to menne yet that notwithstandynge he wyll otherwise consente to your desyres not onlye for the loue that he beareth towardes his sonne but whiche he hath also towardes you for he loueth not his sonne so that he loueth not you but whomsoeuer the sonne loueth those the father loueth also Therefore he loueth you not for your workes sake but for that ye loue me semblablie and beleue that I am cum out from hym for this is to loue the father euen to loue his sone and to beleue the father is euen to beleue the sonne He of trueth dooeth not beleue whiche denyeth the sonne to haue cum from the father and not to haue sayed and doen all thyng euen by the fathers auctoritie I was already with the father before I came into the worlde euen for to cary you vp takyng vnto me this mortall body that ye se but for your cause came I into the worlde euen for to cary you vp into heauen Now than the thynges beyng once doâ—n whiche the father gaue me in commaundemente I doe euen for your sake leaue the world as touchyng bodily presence and returne again vnto the father and truely whatsoeuer is or shal be doen here it is and shall bee doen to bryng you to saluacion ¶ His disciples sayed vnto hym lo nowe â—alkeste thou plainly and speakeste no prouerbe Nowe are we sure that thou knowest all thynges and nedest not shal any man should aske the any question Therfore beleue we that thou camest from god Iesus aunswered them Nowe ye do beleue beholde the houre draweth nye and is already cum â–ª that ye shal be scattered euery maÌ„ to his owne and shall leaue me alone And yet am I not alone for the father is with me These wordes haue I spoken vnto you that in me ye mighte haue peace For in the worlde shall ye haue tribulacion but be of good there I haue ouercum the world The disciples beynge boldened with these sayinges begunne sumwhat to stande in their owne conceite and as though they had of theyr owne strength beene able to abide and heare their lordes death that was at hande they answere on this wyse loke saye they euen now at this present doest thou fullfill the selfe thynge whiche thou promisedâ—t afterwarde to doe for nowe withoute any darkenes of parables thou speakeste plainly out what thou wilte do neyther nedeth it to aske the any further question For thou knoweste all thynges and with thy good wordes hast deliuered our hertes from sorowe so that we nede no further communicacion why we nothinge doubte but that through hope of thy ioye to come wee shall boldly and paciently suffre the thynge that is imminent and cumming towardes vs and we do therfore finallye and verily beleue that thou art cum out from god because thou seest throughly the very botome and secrecie of our hertes And than the Lord Iesus whose maner was euery where sharply to controll and restraine whatsoeuer humayne and worldely arrogancie ambicion or selfe affiance he perceiued to arise in his discyples heartes that they mighte plainely learne to distruste their owne strength and vertue whereby they myghte dooe nothyng and wholly to depende vpon the hande of God the father The Lorde Iesus I saye dyd thus abate and acoole that arrogancie whiche was suche that thoughe they yet vnderstoode not what he sayed thoughe they had no true belefe and as yet were not meete for the stormes that wer cummyng vpon theÌ„ for all that they tooke on hande the thing that was to be asked of God by prayer And he aunswereth them after this sorte What dooe I heare the thynge whyche I promyse to geue you hereafter whan ye shal be made stronge and be staied by my doctrine and by the inspiracion of the holy ghost ye now proudely take on hande before due time as if ye might do at least sumwhat by the helpe and assistence of maÌ„s owne power and vertue when as rather the tyme is full nyghe that ye shall declare howe strengthelesse yeare of your selfes For ye shall not onely bee vnable to go through the instante tempeste but leauing me alone in the handes of the sergeauntes catchpolles whiche shall violently draw me to the deathe of the crosse ye shall run awaye eche one a â—ere waye through feare so amased that ye shall not one beare cuÌ„pany with another to your succoure and comforte whyles euery one shall feare other leste by any others telling he mighte be bewrayed and come in daunger albeit in dede I nede not your aide and helpe I shall of trueth be forsaken of all my frendes but yet shall I not be desolate because the father shall neuer leaue me Therefore I do speake these thynges vnto you that distrusting your owne strength ye maye reste and staye your selfe in me The worlde shall make greate commocioÌ„ and fiercely rise againste you as it doeth agaynst me but bee bolde and shrynke not remeÌ„bryng that I haue conquered the worlde ye shall take exaumple at me and shall trust to be holpen by me ye shall also haue victorie but through me beyng of youre owne nature very weake and yet when tyme and occasion shall require ye shal be throughe my spirite stronge and vnuanquished The .xvii. Chapter ¶ There wordes spake Iesus and lift vp his iyes to heauen and sayen father the houre iâ— cum â–ª glorifie thy sonne that thy sonne also may glorifie the. As thou haâ—â— geueÌ„ him power ouer all 〈◊〉 that he should geue eternall lyfe to as many as thou hast geuen him This is life eternall that they might know thee the only true god and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sente AFter that Iesus had with this kynde of talke partelye comforted his disciples and partely taughte them and geuen them also instruccion againste the daungerouse storme that was imminence and cumming vpon theim than for so muche as he had by woorde of mouthe aduertised
or of any other nacion This theyr couÌ„sell which was as folyshe as myght be spoken pleased all the whole assembly and euery man with one assent agreed therto For than had they perceiued that the apostles were valiaunt of courage and would not alter or chaunge their myndes Thei perceyued lykewyse that this miracle was not vnknowen to all the people they were not to learne that Iesus name was with them of no small efficacie and for mans health a present remedy Howe could they than for shame commauÌ„d or what hope had they to haue that name kepte vnder specially seyng they myght thorowe the selfesame name attayne vnto eternall saluacion Suche verely are the counsels of prynces of Byshoppes priestes and of other the chiefe of the comminaltie as ofte as they gather theyr assemblyes together by policie of mannes witte Sometyme there be amonges them whiche canne playnely see what doeth well agree with good reason but yet they perceyue in folowyng of thesame some losse should ensue of their renowme decaye of ryches or some other suche lyke incommoditie ¶ And they called them and comâ—aunded them that in no wyse they should speake ne teache in the name of Iesu. But Peter and Iohn answered and sayed vnto them whether it be right in the sight of God to herken vnto you more then to god iudge ye For we cannot but speake that whiche we haue sene and heard So threatned they them and let them goe and found nothyng howe to punyshe them because at the people For all men praysed God because of that whiche was doen For the man was aboue fowertie yeare olde on whom this miracle of healyng was shewed Whan eche of them had well allowed this decree they called in the apostles it was declared to them in name of the whole counsell that they shoulde teache no man on lyue Iesus doctrine ne make in any wyse mencion of hys name eyther by stelth vnwares to them ne yet in hearyng of any multitude neyther openly ne priuely at home or els abrode O the folyshe wysdome of the worlde they could not kepe him in his graue whan he was deade nowe goe they about to bury or suppresse the name whiche is wunte alwayes after death to be better knowen Peter and Iohn after the counsels decree was rehearsed them with solempne authoritie made this aunswere thereunto very constauntly but without any woorde spoken to mans rebuke Iudge ye your selues that knowe the lawe whether it be well before God that we shoulde be more obedient to you than to Gods commaundemente God hath heretofore sayed by the mouth of his Prophetes that it should euen thus come to passe Christe the sonne of God thus commaunded vs and so lykewyse that heauenly spirite whom he promysed vs to sende downe from his father infourmeth vs secretly and putteth into our myndes that we should for all mennes saluacion publyshe the name of our lorde Iesus Christe bearyng wytnesse also to that that we haue sene and heard Yf ye mynde to be of an vpright iudgement ye also will submit your selues to the wyll of God If not whatsoeuer ye decree of vs truly we may not otherwise do than speake that we sawe with oure iyes what we heard with our eares and that God who ought to bee aboue all men obeyed would haue preached abrode to all men Whan the counsell had hearde of them this aunswere so wysely made and franckly they wente nought els about but to make them sore afrayed wyth threatnynges Alas a counsell without all hope of recouery they haue no argument to perswade no reasons or causes why they shoulde rebuke neyther testimonies they haue of scripture wherwithall to teache Their whole authoritie is but threatninges O the wicked conscience alwayes fearful Their desyre was to punishe the innocentes a malicious will was ready in them but they beyng as they were prynces yet were afraied of theyr symple poore subiectes meÌ„ in publike office in dreade of pryuate persones many in numbre in feare of fewe yea men defensed of them that were vnarmed men of learnyng of men vnlearned as for thapostles had neither any retinewe nor garde for their defence nor bandes of noble estate assured to them But lordes they were of that that no yearthly power was hable to geue as to make the lame at the name of Iesus Christe to aryse and walke To do man good thapostles were in power myghtie but as touchyng hurte they were voyde of all strength And so were the apostles for that tyme dimissed of that counsell beyng charged with their sore threatenynges Yet had not the chiefe counsellers cast of theyr caÌ„kred malice but differred it in mynde to get afterward some other occasion For they could fynde no waye to punishe them and that because of the people whome they feared hauing no regarde in themselfe at all to god For all men highly praised them as touchyng that miracle whiche was done in healyng the lame criple And eche manne noted it the more bycause the persone in whome this miracle was wrought was aboue fowertie yeres of age So was he borne and thus many yeres set foorth this begger to the open sight of the worlde his infirmitie so that no man coulde accuse or finde fault with their doinges as though his impediment had be counterfeite or els some lyght or small deformitie not worthy consideracion Assone as they were let go they came to theyr fellowes and shewed all that the hie priestes and elders had sayed And whan they heard that they lift by their voices to god with one accorde and sayed Lorde thou art God whiche hast made heauen and earth the sea and al that in them is which in the holy ghost by the mouth of thy seruaunt Dauid our father hast sayed why dyd the heatheÌ„ cage the people imagine vaine thinges The kinges of the earth stode vp and the rulers came together against the Lorde and against his anointed Than Peter and Iohn beyng dispatched of the counsell retourned to their company beyng than in theyr high parlour altogether carefull in mynde what ende should come of that consultacion whiche was in hande and rehearsed to them in ordre all the whole matter what the princes had layed to theyr charge and of the aunswer that they had made thereunto The inward true loue that eche one bare to other replenyshed theyr heartes vpon these tydynges tolde them with excedyng Ioye The disciples were glad that the chiefe and pieres of all thapostles were dimyssed Thapostles on the other parte reioysed in the bountâ—ousnes of their lorde by whome his disciples attained vnto suche ioye God after this maner and sorte tempereth all thynges in his seruauntes so that with sorowe he mingleth ioy to the ende that they may be hable paciently to suffer and endure aduersitie and that they on thother syde may for gladsome thynges rendre hertie thankes and in heauinesse pray vnto the Lorde After the whole company had than heard the
them Helyas verely when he coÌ„mmeth fyrst restoreth c. And the soÌ„ne of man as it is written of hym c. But I saye vnto you yâ— Helias is cumme And 〈…〉 c. But if thou canst do any thing c. And wet afâ—ayed to aske him c. And he cam to Capernaum c. Wherfore yf thy hand hynder thee c. And if thy foote be an hinderaunce c. Salt is good c. Haue ye salt in your selues Is it lawâ—ful for a maÌ„ to put awaye his wyfe c â–ª And Iesus answered sayd c. But at the first creacioÌ„ God made them c. Suffre the children to cum vnto me c. why callest thou me good c. One thing thou lackest c. With meâ— it is vnpossible c â–ª Theâ— is no man that hath forsaken house or brethren c. And they were in the way goyng vp to Ierusalem Beholde we c. They saâ—â—â— vnto him c. CaÌ„ ye driÌ„ke of the cuppe â–ª c. But Iesus wheÌ„ he had called them c. For the soÌ„ne of man also came not c. Blind Bartymeus the sonne of Tymeus And they called the blynd saying And threw away his cloke The blind sayd vnto hym c. Go youre waye into the towne c. And they brought the Coalte to Iesus And caste their garmeÌ„tes on him The Byshop of Romes pompe is couertly described And nowe the eueÌ„tyde was cum And Iesus went into the temple c. And he taught theÌ„ salyng c. For thei feared him because all the people c â–ª And as he walked in the teÌ„ple c And they thought in themselues c. And again he sent an other c. And so wheÌ„ he had yet but one beloued soÌ„ne c. But the husbandmen sayd among themselues c. They went about also to take him For thou considerest not â–ª c. But â—e vnderstoode their simulacion And Iesus answered and sayde vnto them 〈◊〉 wer seuen brethren For when they shal aryse agayne c. Ye are therfore greately deceiued He asked him whiche is the first c. And no man after that durst aske hym any question Nowe saye the Scribes yâ—â—orâ—â— c And he said vnto them Whiche deuouâ— wydowes houses c. Thâ—se shall receiue greater â—aÌ„nâ—cioÌ„ And manye that were riche cast in muche One of his disciples sayed vnto him And as he sat on moâ—t Oliuete For there shall nacion aryse agaiÌ„st nacion For it is not ye that speake The brother shall deliuer vp the brother c Let hym that readeth vnderstand Wo shal be then to theÌ„ that are with chylde 〈…〉 that youre flight For there shall be in those daies Loe here is 〈◊〉 c. And then shall they see the sonne of man c. As a man whiche is gone into a straunge couÌ„trey c. And that I saye vnto you c But they say not in yeâ—east daye c. What nede this waste of oyntmeÌ„t c. For ye haue poore c. When they heard that they were glad It is one of the twelue c. But wo is that man All ye shalâ— be offended â–ª c. Before the cocke crowe twyse c. My soul is heuy eueÌ„ vnto the death And againe he went asyde c. And immediatlye while he yet spake c And he thaâ— beâ—rayed hym had geuen them c. And one of them that â—â—ode by â–ª c. I was dayly with you in the temple And there folowed hiÌ„ a certayne young man For maâ—â— bare false witnesse But yet theyr witnesses Then the hye prieste reÌ„t his clâ—thes What thiÌ„k ye â–ª c. Peter remeÌ„bred the worde And Pilate asked hym again And they brought him to a place named Golgotha c. And they brought him to a place named Golgotha c. He that beleueth and is baptised shal be saued In my naÌ„e shall they caste out diuels ii Cor. viii Colloss iii. i. Tim. iiii ii Tim. ii Of the actes that are coÌ„e to passe emong vs. That if mighie not bee denyed but that they hadde seen hearde and felte these thynges In the actes of the apoâ—â—les Theophilus iÌ„ Greke is in english the louer of god Of Herode the kyng A certayne priest Daniel ix Named zacharie Of the course of Abia. And his wife of the daughters of Aaron They were both righteouse before God And they had no childe Because Elizabeth was baraiÌ„ And they bothe were nowe well stricken in age Whan he executed Before god His lotte fel to burne incense Exod. xxx d And the multitude of the people were without in prayer There appered vnto hym an Angell Whan Zacharie sawe him he was abashed and feare came vpon hym And the Aungell sayed Feare not Thy praier is heard Thy wife Elizabeth shall beare a sonne And thou shalt calle his name Iohn And thou shalt haue ioy c. Wyne and stroÌ„g drink shall he noâ— drinke 〈◊〉 Many of the children of Israel shal be turne to their Lord. And he shal goe before hym c. Mala. iiii To turne the heartes of the fathers vnto the children To make redy a perfeâ—ct people vnto the Lorde For I am old and my wyfe is wel strieken in age c. I am Gabriell that stande iÌ„ the presence of God And behold thou shalt be dumme And after those dayes his wyfe And she hid her selfe fiue monethes Saying thus hath the Lorde delte with me In the daies wherein he hath loked vpon me c. And in the sixth moneth was the AuÌ„gell Gabriell sente from God Into a citee of Galile c. And the name of the virgin was Marie Haile thou full of grace And the Angel said vnto her â–ª Feare not Mary c. Beholde thou shalt conceyue in thy woÌ„be And of his kyngdome there shall be no ende Esay vii Than sayd Mary to the Aungell c. And the Aungel answered and sayde vnto her c. And the power of the highest shal ouer shadowe thee For nothing shal be vnpossible with God And Mary said behold I am the handmaideÌ„ of yâ— Lorde Be it vnto me according to thy woorde And saluted Elizabeth And so it was that whaÌ„ Elizabeth heard the salutacioÌ„ of Marie c. And Elizabeth was filled with the holy ghost Blissed art thou emoÌ„g women c. For loe as soone as the voice of thy salutacion souned c. And blâ—ssed art thou that thou haste beleued My soule magnifieth the Lorde And my spirite hath reioyced in God my sauioure From heÌ„ceforâ— he shall all generacioÌ„s call me blessed â—ecause he 〈…〉 c. Hys serâ—â—unte Israel be hath taken to hym In remembraunce of hys mercie Then as he spake vnto out fathers Abraham c And to the sede of hym For euer And retourned agayne to her owne house And they reioysed with her And thei called hym zachary after the name of his father And they sayde vnto her there is no man in al thy kynred that
one cubite â–ª Considre the lâ—lies howe they grow c. Seke ye after the kyngdom of god c. For it is your fathers pleasure to geue you the kingdome Sel that ye haue and geue almes where your treasour is there will your hearte be also Leate you loâ—gnes bee girt about And yt he come in the seconde watche c. Be ye therfore readye also for the sonne of man will come c Who is a seithful stewarde whome his lorde shal make rewler ouer his housholde But if the seruauÌ„t saie in his hert my Lorde will differ his cumming The Lorde of that seruaunte wil come For vnto whome soeuer muche is geuen of him shal bee muche required c. But I must be baptised with a baptisme c. The father shall bee diuided against the â—onne Whan ye see a cloude arise out of the west c. But how happeneth it yâ— ye can not skill of this time Whan the goeste with thine aduersarie to the reweler Thou shalte not departe thence c. Certain meÌ„ that shewed him of the Galileans c. Excepte ye repente ye shall all lykewise perishe A certaine man had a figtre planted in his vineyard c. There was a woman whiche had a spirite of infirmitie eighteene yeres c. When Iessawe hir he called hir vnto hym c. And ought not this daughter of Abraham c. What is the kingdoÌ„e of god like c. It is lyke a grayne of mustardsede c. Then saied one vnto him Lord are there fewe that be saued Many will seke to entre in c Departe from me al ye that worke iniquitie There shal bee weping c. And they shal cuÌ„from the east and froÌ„ the west There are last whiche shal be first For it cannot be that a Prophete perishe any other where saue at Ierusalem c Beholde your habytacioÌ„ is left vnto you desolate And behold there was a certaine man before hym which hadde the dropsy And they could not aunswer him again to these thinges And he put forth also a simylytude to the geastes whan he marked howe they pressed to the higheste roumes c And thou than with shame begyn to take the loweste roume But rather whan thou art bidden goe and syâ— in the lowest roume For whosoeuer exalteth himself c. Whan thou makest a dyner or supper call not thy freÌ„des c. But whan thou makest a feast call the poore But thou shalt be recompensed at the resurreccion A certaylie man ordeined a great supper c. An other saied I haue bought fiue yoke of oxen c. Go quickly into the stretes c. Go out vnto the highe wayes and hedges and compell theÌ„ to cum in For I saye vnto you c Whiche of you disposed to build a toure So likewise whosoâ—uer he be of you that forsakethe not all c. It is neythâ—r good for â— lande nor yet for the dounghill He that hath eares to heare let hym heare What man among you hauyng an hundred sâ—epâ— â–ª I saâ—e vnto you yâ— lykewyse ioye shall bee in heauen Eyther what womaÌ„ hauing reÌ„ne grotes yf she lose one Geue me the porcion of the goodes c. And there he wasted his goodes c. And cam to a citezen of thatsame countrey Than he came to him self c. And he said How many hyred seruauntes at my fathers haue bread enough c. I wil aryse goe to my father c. And wyll say to hym father I haue sinned c. And am no more woorthye to bee called thy soonne And hadde compassion And ranne fell on his necke and kissed hym Father I haue sinned against heauen c. But his father sayd to his seruauntes c And putte a tyng on his hande c And leat vs eate and be merie The elder sonne was in the field And called one of the seruauÌ„tes and asked what these thynges ment Loe these many yeres haue I doeÌ„ thee seruice c. It was mete that we shoulde make mery c. What shall I dooe for my mayster taketh froÌ„ me the stewardship c Take thy bill c. and write fiftie Make you frendes of the vnrighteous MaÌ„mon That when ye shal haue nede they mai receiue you into euerlastynge habitacioÌ„s He that is faitheful in that whiche is leaste is faithful also in much And he that is vnrighteous in that least c. No seruauÌ„t can serue two maysters c. Ye are they which iustifie your selues afore men But God knoweth your hertes And euerye 〈◊〉 striueth 〈…〉 in Whosoeueâ— forsakethe hys wyfe maryeth an other committeth aduoutrye Easier it is for heauen yearth to perishâ— c. And there was a certain begger namâ—d Lazarus c. The dogges came 〈◊〉 and liâ—ked his sores And he cried Father Abraham haue mercie vpoÌ„ me Betwene vs and you there is a great space sette Than he sayed I â—raye thee send him to my fathers house c. But yf one come to them from the deade they wil repente c. It caÌ„not be but offences will come If thy brother trespace against thee rebuke hym And if he repente forgeue hym Lorde encrease our faith If ye had faith lyke a grain of mustardesede Whiche of you if he hadde a seruaunte ploughing c. Dooeth he thanke yâ— seruaunte because he did the thinges c. We are vnprofitable seruauntes Goe â–ª shewe your selfes vnto the priestes c. And one of theim c. turned backe There are not founde that returned Thy faythe hathe made the whole The kyngdome of god shall not coÌ„â— with waytyng And they shall saye to you se here But fyrste must he suffre manye thynges And it happened in the dayes of Noe. Gene. viii v. Mat. xxiiii Likewise also as it chauÌ„ced in the dayes of Lot Gene. .xix. â— At that daye he that is on the house toppe c. Remembre Lottes wife In the nyght there shal be two in one bedde c That meâ— ought alwaie to praie c. There was in a certaine citie a iudge whiche feared not God c. And shal not God auenge his elect Neuerthelesse whan the sonne of maÌ„ cometh Twoo men went vp into the temple to praie I saie vnto you this man departed iustifyed more thaÌ„ the other But Iesus saied Suffer the children to cum vnto me Whosoeuer receiueth not the. c. Good mayster what oughte I to doe why callest thou me good c. Thou knowest the coÌ„maundemeÌ„ntes Sel al that thou hast He was sorye for he was veraie ryche It is easier for a camell to goe thorough a nedles iye c. The thynges whiche are vnpossible c. He cryeth saying Iesus thou soÌ„ne of Dauid haue mercie vpoÌ„ me What wilt thou that I doe vnto thee The fayth hath saued thee There was a man named Zacheus Math. xiii Luke â–ª x. Math. xvi Luke ix Iohn vi Marke vi Math. xiii Luke iiii And he ran beefore and clymed into
seuerally is it I Lorde Than Iesus sūwhat to confirme and establyshe the others almoste dead for feare and to touche the conscience of Iudas more sharpely yf perhappes he myght be moued vnto penaūce pointed the authour of the dede with a more certayne sygne and withal put hym in remembraunce of the great familiaritye whiche ought to haue withdrawen him from such a mad mischiefe faiyng He that putteth his hand with me in the dishe and is my felow not onelye of the table but also of the dishe shall betraye me and for the offyce of familiaritye he shal rendre vnto me the office of extreme enmitie whereas the communion and felowshypp of breade and salte bee wonte for to ioyne men vnknowen and vnacquaynted with the bonde of amitie And that these thynges should chaunce to the sonne of man it was ordeyned heretofore of the father and prophecied before of the prophetes But yet wo be to that man through whose wickednes the sonne of man is betrayed The diuine wisedome dothe vse hys wickednes to the saluacion of mankynde but yet he is no lesse in fault which through his owne malice was brought to this dede whereas I omitted nothyng whereby I myghte heale hys mynd Wherfore for so wicked a deed he shall be cruellye punished vnlesse he repente that it had bene better for him neuer to haue been borne This communicacion whiche with shame might haue healed an yll man or with payne myght haue feared a wicked manne made Iudas nothyng the better insomuche that he ioyned impudencie and vnshame fastnes to hys wicked deed and as thoughe he had knowen himself to be nothing culpable asked the Lord Is it I And here Iesus not forgettyng his wont tentilnes answered Thou haste sayde geuyng an incklyng rather than expressyng playnly that it was he and maketh as though he had a suspicion and not knowledge of it Whan they wer eatyng Iesus toke bread and when he had geuen thankes brake it and gaue it to the disciples and sayed Take eate this is my body And he toke the cup and gaue thankes and deliuered it to them saiyng drynke ye all of this for this is my bloud whiche is of the newe testament that is shed for many for the remission of sinnes But I say vnto you I wyl not drynke hencefurth of this fruit of the vyne tree vntil the day when I shall drynke it newe with you in my fathers kingdome Therfore in this latter supper that he made with his disciples before his deathe he dyd institute that most holye remembraunce of hys death that beyng often renewed it should be a perpetuall memorial emong them of his great charytie whereby he sticked not to bestowe his lyfe to redeme mankinde that the remembraunce of that godly sacrifice shoulde neuer out of our myndes wherein that most pure and immaculate lambe the newe and trewe paasse offered him selfe in the aulter of the crosse for vs to God the father whom beyng angrye he hath made mercifull to vs by hys bloud sufferyng paynes himselfe for our offenses whiche were due to our sinfulnes Iesus dyd institute and consecrate this secrete signe and memoriall in two thynges by the which amitie emong men is wont to be intertayned that the charitie by the which Christ gaue himselfe to his shoulde couple vs together also who oftentymes eate together of one breade and drynke of one cuppe And also shewyng by a certayne spiritual figure the rites and manners of Moses his lawe in the whiche was no purgacion of sinne but by bloude of the sacrifice Furthermore signifiyng that he did consecrate a new league of the euangelicall profession by this misterie For whan Moses had recited the roll of the lawe wherin the preceptes of the law were conteyned and the people had aunswered We will do al thynges that the lorde hath spoken and wyll be obediente wyth parte of the bloude of the sacrifices whiche they had kylled receyued in a vessell he sprinkeled the people saiyng this is the bloude of the league whiche the lorde hath made wyth you touchyng these wordes And truely all these thynges signifyed with certayne figures and shadowes this most holye sacrifice wherin the lorde Iesus delyueryng his body willingly vnto death and sheding his bloud went aboute to clense the synnes of the whole worlde reconcilyng vnto God all men freelye whosoeuer woulde professe this league of the newe testament And he would that this sacrifice and this league shoulde be commended and set furth to the myndes of hys disciples with certayne misticall sygnes before that it was offered to thyntente that they shoulde vnderstande that his death was not a common or an idle but an effectuall sacrifice to purge the synnes not onelye of the Iewes but also of al nacions and of al tymes But because the deathe of Christe oughte not to bee iterated leste so greate abenifite myght go out of mennes mindes or leste they myghte forget the holye league once entred and the authour of theyr health also he did institute and ordayne that with often communion of the holye breade and the cup the memorie should be renewed among the professours of the euangelicall lawe And he would that this sygne should be very holy among hys souldiers and to be had in such veneracion that lyke as much godly grace shoulde bee geuen to them whiche shoulde receyue the body and bloude of the lorde purely and worthely so they that should take them vnworthely should be the cause of their grenous dānacion Therfore Iesus toke the breade into hys handes and when he had offered the sacrifice of prayse vnto God he breake it and distributed it vnto his disciples saiyng Take ye eate ye thys is my body Afterwarde he toke the cup into hys handes when he had geuen thankes vnto the father he drancke before and reched it vnto them saying Dryncke all ye of thys cuppe For thys is my bloud of the newe testament which shal be shed for many for the forgeuenes of synnes As often as ye shall do thys doe it in the remembraunce of me For as often as ye shall eate of this breade and dryncke of this cuppe ye shall declare the lordes death vntil he cum not now as a sauiour but as a iudge In the meane time none other sacrifice for synnes shal be loked after For this one is sufficient for to take awaye the synnes of the whole world And I saye vnto you I wyll not eate of this bread hereafter vntil I shall eate it with you complete and perfect in my fathers kyngdome and I will drinke no more of this fruite of the vine vntil I shal drinke it new with you in my fathers kingdom And the moste meke and gentil lorde did not exclude Iudas the traytour from thys holy memoriall that by thys so great clemencie and gentilnes he myght be refourmed But because he receyued the sygne of the league and testament hauyng treason in hys harte he departed more vncleane than he
be not able to attayne that secrete wysdome whiche S. Paul speakethe of amonge such as are perfite then the hem of his garment touched so that thy faythe be perfite wall shall restore the to health The hemmes of the Phariseis garmentes be they neuer so brode are not of power and vertue to do the lyke There is nothyng so lowe in the Lorde Iesu that through fayth geueth not healthe ¶ The .vii. Chapiter THus went the ghospell forward among the simple and lightly beleuyng people But it had not lyke successe amonge the Scribes and Phariseis who thought in theyr owne conceiptes that they had in theyr keapynge the castle of all pure religion and true doctrine and scantly estemed the vnlearned and ignoraunt sorte of the commoÌ„ people for men For of the priestes there is scarcely any where any mencioÌ„ made but when Iesus should be put to deathe Therefore lyke as in Comedies or playes there are diuerse sceanes and pageauntes to the intent that by the comparing together of sundry persons and matters euery thing maye the playnlyer appeare so in thys euangelyke busines the Lorde Iesus so ordred all thynges that were doen from tyme to tyme that it shoulde playnlye appeare to all men after they sawe howe ready the simple people and Gentyles were to beleue howe vncurable was theyr froward obstinacy who of congruence ought to haue refourmed other if they had been hard of beliefe To the vnlearned and common sorte it was sufficient for the recoueryng of theyr health that they touched but the hem of Christes garment But the Phariseis were neuer the better neyther for that they vnderstode the prophecies and foresayinges of the Prophetes neither because they had so oftetymes heard Iesu preache vnto thâ—m the heauenly doctryne nor for so many miracles as they had sene him woorke before ¶ And the Phareseis came together vnto him diuers of the Scribes whiche came from Ierusalem And when they sawe certayne of his disciples eate bread with coÌ„mon that is to saye with vnwashen handes they complayned For the Phariseis and all the Iewes â–ª excepte they washe theyr handes ofte eate not obseruing the tradicions of the elders And when they cum from the market except they washe they eate not And manie other thinges there be whiche they haue taken vpon them to obserue as the washyng of cuppes and censes and brasen vessels and of the tables Nowe after all this was doen thither came certayne of the Phariseis and Scribes in companye together forsoth a worshypfull sorte of gentilmen and worthy to be had in greate reuerence and the more a greate deale because they came from Ierusalem where they bare men in hande that the well of godlynes and holy doctrine was whereas in deede there was the verye well springe and head of all ambicion all hipocrisie and all vngodlynes These felowes because they thought themselues ryghteous men and well learned came not hither to learne any thing of Christ neither to be healed but to picke quarels And loe byanby was there a ready occasion for them so to doe This occasion beyng much desirous therof they toke of the supersticious obseruacion of ceremonies whereof rysen almost all quarelinges and wrongfull accusacions amonge christian men The Iewes call that common whiche is vncleane and vnholy abhorryng all impuritie and endeuouryng in no wyse to seme to haue any where any maner of vncleane or filthye thyng And this cleanesse they measured not by puritie of mynde the whiche is the onely and true puritie before God but by corporall ceremonies And of these ceremonies a fewe were commaunded by Moyses lawe not to this ende that they shoulde be earnestly obserued for euer but partly to the entent the ignoraunte and disobediente people should by this meanes accustome theÌ„selues to obey Gods commaundementes and partely because they should by suche mauer as a manne would say of shadowes and rudimentes be by litle and title enâ—tructed to those thinges that belong vnto true godlynes which is in the soule of man Nowe sum of them not contented with the ceremonies commaunded by the lawe added thereunto constitucions of their owne makyng out of numbre whiche the Phariseis more rigorously compelled the people to kepe then suche thynges as were commaunded by God alwayes and euery where to be obserued And for suche folishe trifles they chalenged the prayse of holines and brought the people in a fonde beliefe that they were made holy therby and finally the whiche was a muche wickeder deede they wente aboute to forge a matter of vngodlines or heresy against their neighbour for the breache of suche ceremonies thobseruacion wherof conduced nothing at all vnto true godlynes For when they saw certayne of his disciples eate meate with vnwashed handes that is as they vse to speake with commune and vncleane handes they rebuked them as wicked persons and theyr maister too who had naughtely instructed them They condemned not this facte because it was either of it owne proper nature vicious or els forbidden by almightye God but because it disagreed with their vse and custome Assuredly the wurst rule that can be to iudge by is to disalow any thyng because thou vsest not to do the same For it chaunceth many tymes that the folishest thinges of all grow to a commune custome whiche ought not in any wyse to be made the rule of godlines in asmuche as puritie is to be estemed not by custome but by those thynges whiche are true and commaunded by God But the Scribes Phariseis yea and almoste all the whole packe of the Iewes most folishely iudgeing puritie of mynde to stande in corporall thynges dyd contrarie to this supersticiously obserue the maner taught them not of God but of theyr forefathers and elders in suche wyse that yf they had been in daunger to sterue for hunger they woulde haue eaten no meate vnlesse they had first washed theyr handes And yf they be compelled to take theyr repaste ofte tymes a daye then washe they ofte tymes and therfore suppose that they cumme cleane vnto the table Further if they retourne home from the market then do they as though they had gathered sum filthe by touching of the people washe theyr whole bodies afreshe before they eate any meate wheras all this while hauyng theyr soules moste polluted with hatred enuy ambicion couetousnes hypocrisye and manye other detestable vyces they neuer haue anye mynde of washyng at all These and suche other like tradicions were taught them of theyr forefathers besydes the constitucions of the law wheras the law expresly forfendeth that anye thynge be eyther added â–ª or taken awaye from Gods commaundementes Neyther thought they it sufficient ofte tymes to washe theyr bodies therby to appere the cleaner They washed also theyr cruses theyr brasen vessels and theiâ— tables ¶ Then asked hym the Phariseis and Scribes why walke not thy disciples accordinge to the custome ordeyned by the elders but eate bread with vnwashen handes He answered and sayed vnto
them well prophecied Esay of you hypocrites as it is written This people honoreth me with theyr lyppes but theyr harte is fat from me Howbeit in vayne do they serue me teaching the doctrines and commaundementes of men for ye laye the commaundement of God apart and obserue the constitucione of men as the washing of cruses and of cuppes and many other suche lyke thinges ye do Nowe coulde they no lenger kepe in this foule scabbe of false reprouyng yet quarelled not they with the disciples but assayled the maister himself as though he had committed sum haynous enormitie Why say they do not thy disciples who folowe the and hang vpon thyne instruccion and teachyng kepe the custome begon of our elders but eate their meate with vnwashen and vncleane handes Iesus intending to teache vs that there is no more noysom or mischeuous kinde of quarrelling then when a man vnder pretence of godlynes fyndeth faute with the well doynges of his neyghboure sharpely reproueth theyr malice and coloured righteousnes By your deedes sayeth he you playnely declare that the Prophete Esay prophecied of you hypocrites full well and worthely whyche make an outwarde shewe of holynes wheras inwardly ye are replenished withall sinne wickednes In this Prophete God complaynethe in this wyse This people honorethe me with theyr lyppes but theyr heart is far from me And as theÌ„selues do liue so do they enstructe other I passe nothing vpon this cleanes of theyr bodies and houshold stuffe but require of them inward puritie cleanes of soule They serue me in vayne wyth this coloured kynde of godlynes auauntyng and magnifying it as thoughe it were a thyng of great worthynes and wherein perfite godlynes did stande teaching mans tradicions whiche make no man commemdable and prayse worthy before God and of a supersticious mynde they haue to obserue thesame tradicions nothynge passynge vpon Gods commaundementes Looke howe muche differâ—nce there is betwene God and manne so muche differencâ— oughte there to be betwene mens constitucions and Gods commaundementes God is a spirite and that whiche is spirituall and ghostly continueth for euer and oughte neuer to bee neglected Agayne what thynge soeuer is corporall thesame lastethe but for a season If it be lawfull to passe litle vpon the ceremonies whiche god himselfe hathe commaunded to be kepte whensoeuer charitie towardes the neyghboure exhorteth so to doe Howe muche lesse then is it meete to breake the commaundementes of God for kepyng of mans tradicions It is a wrong shapen godlines and an vnholy holines to bee supersticious in kepyng of suche ceremonies as your forefathers â–ª instituted and taught you of theyr owne mynde and in the meane while litle to regard those thinges which God himselfe hath commaunded you to obserue You thinke it to be one of the chiefeste pointes of godlines to washe your handes your cuppes your cruces and to obserue manye other lyke thinges the whiche your doinges by reason they haue a certayne counterâ—ayte apparaunce or visure of holines doe highly set you furth and make you seeme prayse worthy vnto the worlde and this prayse so gotten by coloured holynes you set more by then by Goddes auctoritie For you loue your selues and neyther seke Goddes glorye nor the soule health of the people whose guydes and teachers you professe your selfes to be ¶ And he sayed vnto them wel ye cast aside the commaundement of god to mayntayne your owne constitucions For Moyses sayd Honour thy father and thy mother and whoso cursethe father or mother let him dye the death But ye saye a man shall say to father or mother Corban which is what gifte soeuer cummeth from me shal be for thy profite And so ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother and make the worde of God of none effect through your owne constitucion whiche ye haue ordayned and manye such thinges do ye Therfore it is no maruayle yf ye disanull and cleane take awaye that God hath commaunded to be obserued of all men for euer to th entent that mannes tradicions whiche procure you great gaynes and authoritie maye still continue Doth not all the worlde see that you thus do Dyd not god geue this law by Moyses Honour thy father and mother And he that curseth his father or mother shall dye the death This God commaundeth not in one place but doth oft times repete it and put euerye man in remembraunce thereof because that children shoulde to theyr power helpe theyr parentes when they be olde impotent or fallen into pouertie or otherwise so ofte as they are oppressed with any maner of necessitie and by this meanes paye them home agayne the benefyte of theyr nourishing The same thing the lawe of nature commaundethe whiche is likewise emplanted in manye brute beastes as in Storkes But you hauinge an iye to your owne peculiar vauntage doe with your fayned doctrine make Gods commaundemente of none effect and require that this lawe whiche God woulde so fayne haue euery body to kepe shoulde geue place vnto your sayed coloured doctrine God himselfe cryethe honour thy father and thy mother ye are bolde to saye the contrary Honour not thy father and thy mother You crye not so with wordes but you do it in very dede So muche the more detestable is your wickednes because you cloke the same with an ymage or colour of godlynes For to the intente your treasury wherewith all your excesse and pride is mayntayned maye be filled you craftely alure whomsoeuer you can to bringe very many giftes vnto the temple by defeatinge euen of theyr owne parentes whom they shoulde according to Gods commaundemeÌ„t succour at theyr nede perswading them that by this meanes the commaundement is fulfilled as thoughe the thynge whiche is dedicated vnto the temple were geuen to God and that God were the very naturall father of all menne Wherfore vnto him who hath caste anye moneye into the treasurye you saye that he nowe nedethe not to geue anye thynge to the reliefe of his poore parentes because the commaundemente is otherwyse fulfilled and in the meane while you so feare the parentes with vayne supersticion that they dare not require of theyr children anye thinge whiche semethe once dedicated vnto God leste in so doynge they shoulde brynge themselues in daunger to be accused of sacrilege Doubtles God hath no nede of your moneye neyther is the same employed to his glorie but turned to your owne priuate commoditie and thoughe it were bestowed vpon the buildynge of the temple yet with God there is no temple so holy that for the maynteynaunce therof he would haue the children forsake theyr parentes at theyr nâ—de Do not you when that by suche fayned doctrines ye both so deceyue the chyldren that they refuse to helpe theyr parentes and also so feare the parentes that they dare not touche anye thynge once consecrated vnto the temple dooe not you I saye whiles you thus stablishe and vpholde your owne commaundementes