one as were appointed in the bishops stede and there on the altare that stood in the secrete inner part of the temple to lay holy incense made of certayne swete odoures in the olde lawe appointed that is to wete of balme onycha swete galbanum and frankyncense of the clerest sorte For this kinde of sacrifice was estemed emong the Iewes to be the moste holy aboue all others insomuche that to the seeyng of this sacrifice whan it was in doyng the lay people were not admitted to come in no nor yet any of the leuites neither But al the residue besides the priest that did execute taried without beyng separated and diuided from that place with a vaile makyng theyr deuout prayers all the meane whyle that God would vouchesalue to ratifie that that was than in offeryng for the helth safegarde of the whole people and so remained they without vntill the prieste after the sacrifice in the inner place coÌ„pleted came forth againe to the people to finish the residue of thinges which to the ordenarie obsequies and rites of sacrifice did apperteine And the priest did not only pray for the people but also for himselfe according vnto the prescripcion of the lawe as one beeyng a mortall man himselfe aswell as the others and in daunger of falling into the errours and vices of this worlde And there appeared vnto hym an Aungell of the Lord standyng on the rightsyde of the altare of incense And whan Zacharie sawe hym he was abashed feare came vpon hym Therfore whereas zacharie had many yeres afore often tymes with moste earneste desires cryed vnto God to deliuer as well his wyfe from the reproche of barrainesse as also hymselfe from the griefe pensifnesse of beyng without issue yet notwithstanding a certaine despaire of hauyng any children many a day sence conceiued in his minde he did euen at that present tyme with moste ardent prayers require of God as though he had than been present before his face the publike redeÌ„pcion of the people which had now many hundred yeres been looked for And in dede the fume of the incense mounting vp from the altare was cast abrode in the aier on euery syde but the desire of this deuoute bishoppe perced vp euen to God the Aungels carrying it whose office it is to conueigh vp to almightie God the prayers of the godly and agayne to bryng downe to vs his bounteouse largesse An Aungell therfore that had been sente from heauen stood at the ryght ende of the altare on which the swete sauours of incense was burned as one ready to declare some glad tydinges because thynges that chaunce to be on the ryghtsyde haue commonly a luckie significacion of some good happe to come Zacharie whan he had soodainly espyed this Aungell shynyng with celestiall brightnesse for he came not in openly in a bodily fourme as men vse to do but soodainly and vnware shewed himselfe visible truly he was sore dismayed in his minde and taken with a great feare not that the Aungell made a shewe of any maner thyng to be feared but for that the infirmitie of mannes body is not able to abyde the maiestie of the spirites or Aungels of heauen But the Aungell sayed vnto hym feare not Zacharie for thy prayer is heard And thy wyfe Elizabeth shall beare a sonne and thou shalt cal his name Iohn And thou shalt haue ioy and gladnesse and many shall reioyce at the birth of hym For he shall be great in the syght of the lorde But lyke as it is a poynte of mannes weakenesse to fall in a tremblyng and quakyng at the soodaine sight of an Aungell so is it the propertie of the great goodnesse of them with ientle and familiar speakyng vnto vs to take awaye our feare The Aungell therfore with a gracious looke and with ientle faire woordes speaking vnto zachary saied in this wyse zachary there is no cause why thou shouldest be afeard but there is cause why thou maiest be glad ioyfull For I bryng glad tydinges bothe vnto thee and to all the people for whom thou art nowe makyng intercession God hath graunted thy deuoute and godly peticion Thesame Messias the deliuerer and sauer of hys people whiche long and many dayes gonne hath been promysed and many hundred yeres already looked for is nowe at hande to come in dede And not only that thyng whiche thou haste made peticion for is obteyned but an other thyng also doeth the goodnesse of God adde to the heape of thy desyres which thyng thou durst not bee so bolde to aske because thou were nowe cleane out of all hope that it myght by any possibilitie come to passe Thou madest peticion for the redemer of the worlde thou shalt receyue also one that shall declare and publyshe the redemer vnto the worlde The fruitefulnesse of thy wyfe Elizabeth that hathe been hitherto by the wysedome and prouidence of God delaied and put of shall bryng vnto the no smal increase of ioyes and a generall gladnesse of al the people shal be coupled with the particular reioycing of thyne owne priuate householde â–ª Hir fruitefulnesse that all folke despaired of shall haue a commoditie and do good for this purpose that all persons maye vnderstande thissame chylde bearyng not to be of the common rate but the chylde which shal be borne to be borne God beyng the worker and dooer of it In dede thy wyfe shall bryng forth to thee a child but she shall not bryng forth child to thee alone she shall bryng forth to the whole people in generall she shal bryng forth to God by whoâ—e prouideÌ„ce all this matter euery whyt of it is tempered and wrought So muche the more to the wondre of the worlde shall she bryng forth that it is so ferre past tyme of her age ere she bryng forth so muche the more to the pleasyng and reioycyng of all parties that she had no suche hope so muche the more to her good happe and fortune that she shall bryng forth a sonne and not a sonne at all aduentures but the great publisher and foregoer and as who should say the husher and maker of way and the purseuaunt of the moste great Messias that is to come To the office of suche an high preeminence is he by the free and franke fauour of God pieked out and deputed for that cause shalt thou call his name Iohn that the people may euen therby at leste wise be aduertised that he shal be veray well accepted of God and plenteously heaped with many heauenly gyftes of grace Therfore the sorowe whiche the barainnesse of thy wyfe hath hitherto brought vnto thee shall be redubbed with plentifull ioy and with muche reioycing Neither shal this ioy be kept or inclosed within the walles or precincte of thyne owne house There shall at thy ioy a great many of thy frendes reioyce whiche were sorowefull afore for thy sorowe There shall leape for ioy at
false cloke of godlynes whiche is the very poyson of true godlines ¶ Whan Iesus came into the coastes of the citie which is called Cesaâ—ea Philippi he asked his disciples saying Whome doe men say that I the sonne of manne am they sayde some say that thou arte Iohn the Baptiste some Helias some Hieremias or one of the noumbre of the Prophetes He sayeth vnto them But whome say ye that I am Symon Peter answered Thou arte Christe the sonne of the liuing God And Iesus aunswered and sayde vnto hym happie arte thou Symon the sonne of Ionas for fleshe and bloude hath not opened that vnto thee but my father whiche is in heauen And I saye vnto thee that thou arte Peter and vpon thys rocke â–ª I will buylde my churche and the gates of hell shall not preuayle against it And I will geue vnto the the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen and whatsoeuer thou byndest in earth shall be bounde in heauen and whatsoeuer thou looceste in earthe shal be looced in heauen Here when Iesus came into the coastes of the citie called Cesarea whiche Philippe the Tetrarche so named in the honour of Ceasar folowing his brother Herode whiche chaunged the name and called that Cesarea whiche beefore was named the tower of Straton he thoughte to proue howe muche his schollers had profited by hearing so muche communicacion and by seeing so many miracles and whether they had any higher or better opinion of him than the vulgare sorte Therefore he demaundeth of them saying whome doe men talke that the sonne of man is They say some say that he is Iohn the baptist For so the Herodians suspecte Some say that he is Helias because he was taken vp they suspect that he doeth appere now according to the prophecie of Malachy Some say that he is Hieremie because he was a figure of Christ and that it was sayde of hym Beholde I haue set thee thys day ouer nacions and kinges to plucke vp and to distroy and to plant which in dede should be fulfilled in Christ. Iesus hearing these to th entent he would gette out some more certayne and hygher profession sayeth ye ê™ he whiche shoulde knowe me better who say ye that I am Here Symon Peter as he loued Iesus best as the chiefe of the Apostolicall ordre aunswered for them all Thou arte very Christe the sonne of God aliue not speaking of suspicion but professing certainely and vndoubtedly that he was Messias pronused of the Prophetes and the sonne of god after a certayne singuler manner Iesus delighted with this chereful and substaunciall profession sayde blessed art thou Symon the sonne of Iohn The affeccion of man taught thee not this word but the heauenly father put it in thy minde by a secret inspiracion For no man hath a worthy opinion of the sonne but by the inspiracion of the father â–ª which only knoweth the sonne And I agayn lest thou shouldest adourne me thankelesse with suche a noble testimony assure thee of this that thou arte very Peter that is to say a sound and a sure stone not wauering hither or thither with sundrie opinions of the vulgare sortâ— vpon this stone of thy professyon wil I builde my churche that is to saye my house and my palace whiche beyng sette vpon a sure foundacion I will so fortifie that no power or strengthe of the kingdome of hell shal be hable to beate it downe Sathan will come vpon you with many engines he will rayse a coumpany of wicked spirites against you but through my defence my buyldyng shall stande imprennable onely lette thys sure and sounde profession abyde The kyngdome of heauen is the churche the kingdome of the deuil is the worlde Of thys no man nede to bee afearde so that he bee Peter that is to saye lyke vnto thee And the keyes of this heauenly kyngdome I will deliuer vnto thee For it is meete that there he bee firste in auctoritie whiche is firste in the professyon of the faithe and in charitie And truely this kingdom of heauen is in earth but it hath to do with heauen wherof it doeth depende Wherfore he that is entangled with sinnes doeth belong to the kingdome of hell nor can not enter into the kyngdome of heauen But he shall enter yf he professe that whiche thou doeste professe and be losed from his sinnes by baptisme and so through thy leading and thy opening of the gates he shall enter into the kingdome of heauen This is my peculiar and proper power to forgeue sinnes but thys power I will geue vnto thee after a maner that that whiche thou shalte lose with my keyes receyued of me vpon earth before men shal be losed also in heauen before God On the other side that which thou shalte binde in earth shall be bounde also in heauen for God will allowe thy iudgemente cummyng from hys spiryte ¶ Than charged he dis disciples that they shoulde tell no man that he was Iesus Christe From that tyme forthe began Iesus to shewe vnto his disciples howe that he muste goe vnto Hierusalem and suffer many thinges of the elders and hye priestes and Scribes and muste be killed and raysed vp agayne the thyrde daye And whan Peter had taken hym asyde he began to rebuke him saying Maister fauour thy selfe thys shall not happen vnto thee But he turneth him aboute and sayed vnto Peter goe after me Sathan thou â—yndeâ—eâ—â—eme for thou sauerest not the thinges that be of God but those that be of men Whan Iesus had spoken these thynges he commaunded his disciples that they should as yet kepe this godly opinion of him secret with themselues nor open it to others that he was Messias For first the sacrifice of the croâ—se must be accomplished and the veritie of his manly nature declared and further by his resurreccion and the holy ghoste his diuinitie muste bee declared For although the voyce and sentence of Peter was praysed of Christ as the seÌ„tence of them whiche nowe began to profiâ—e and spring vp by little and little vnto thinges of more perfeccion yet they dreamed of a certayne kyngdome â–ª not vtterly vnlyke a worldely kingdome And therefore Iesus darkely and as in a riddle promised vnto Peter the ryght of the keyes but he delyuered them not by and by For as yet he was not mete to vse them as yet he was not suffycyently taught with the instruccion of the holy spirite And therefore Iesus calleth them backe to the mystery of the crosse and of hys deathe by the whiche misterie that kingdome must be prepared the deuil once ouercome and sinnes abolished that they mighte bee the lesse troubled in their myndes whan they should se thinges chaunce which they knew should come to passe a litle after They desyred rather to glory in the mightie and high sonne of the liuing God but no man can truely glory in hym but he whiche is not offended with hys humilitie and lownes Iesus therefore began to prepare
came into the worlde and I was sent into the worlde from him to teache you to knowe him that throughe your belefe ye might be saued For I came not of mine owne head as other dooe sekyng their owne praise rather then Goddes honour teaching their owne commentes and fantasies and not the doctrine of God And he that sent me is true and for because I haue it of him whatsoeuer I speake therfore my sayinges be also true ¶ Then they sought to take him but no man layed handes on him because his houre was not yet cum Many of the people beleued on him and sayd Whan Christe cummeth will he do moe miracles then these that this man hath doen The seniors and rulers being stirred and sore heated with these woordes weaxed more wood and chafed more in their heartes because he toke vnto him suche authoritie before the people and openly rebuked theim of their peruerse wickednes They had muche a do to holde their handes of him for now their angre was turned into woodnesse they now passed nothing of that good aduisement and deliberacion wherwith they were purposed to make him awaie secretly But though their will was readye to do that mischieuous deede yet no mā at that time laide handes vpon him Christ willing so to haue it because the time was not yet cum whiche his father had appointed to worke therin by his death the saluacion of the worlde For as he willingly dyed so coulde not he against his will be taken It lay in him to stay mennes mindes were they neuer so fierce nor no mannes power could preuaile against him vnlesse it had pleased his exceding charitie towardes man to be crucified for the saluacion of the world but the priestes Scribes Phariseis and headmen of the people whom for their holy profession and knowlage of the lawe it had behoued first of all other to haue acknowlaged Christ perseuering in their wycked purpose euen of corrupte mindes many of the comminaltie and of the vnlearned in the lawe whiche as they were of the lesse auctoritie and learning so they had more good mindes and deuocion did so beleue our Lorde Iesus woordes and miracles but not yet of trueth fully persuaded that Iesus was Messias howbeit they were brought to this poinct that they semed apte to be persuaded If this man say they be not Christ as the Phariseis thinke he is not yet it is muche to be meruailed at how he hath so great power in workyng miracles For yf Messias himselfe shoulde cum shoulde he do greater thinges then whiche this man doeth ¶ The Phariseis hearde that the people murmured suche thinges concerning hym And the Phariseis and hie priestes sente ministers to take hym Than saied Iesus vnto them yet am I a litle while with you then goe I vnto him that sente me and ye shall not fynde me whither I goe thither can ye not cum But the Phariseis and the seniors whose part had been to haue allured and inticed the vnlearned multitude vnto Christe after that they perceiued there was many of the people inclined towardes hym fel to suche furious headines that they were determined euery way without any stoppe that he ought to dye whiche was thought would obscure their honour Suche a pestilence is ambicion when it is couloured with pretence of religion and doctrine But in the meane tyme feare of daungier and neither shame nor pitie stayed theim from manifest doing of that enormitie Therfore they did hyre priuely the common catche polles to take Iesus in the sight of the people and when they had taken hym to bring him to them as an euill doer But Iesus that knewe their priuie conspiracie conspired against him and could not be taken excepte he had liste himselfe sumwhat openeth vnto them by darke sayinges that the time should come when as he would voluntarily offre himselfe to death wheras then they sought his death in vain and in a maner also gaue them warning to be more glad of him and wel to vse him whiles they had hym For the tyme should be that all in vain they shoulde desire him being absent whom they did persecute beyng present specially when as they coulde not cum to the place whiche he shoulde conuey himselfe to For he went euen to death whereunto as yet they might not folowe him He returned again to heauen thither was no mortall bodye able to pursue after him Well Iesus spake vnto them in this manier I am yet a litle while with you then goe I vnto him that sent me Ye shall then seke me and not fynde me and where I shal goe to ye cannot cum The Lorde Iesus spake these thinges vnto them couertly as he was wont to dooe many mo thinges that they should not vnderstande them before they were put in vre and finished And the darkenes of speaking maketh a man diligent to seke the matier And whē the thinges be exibite and dooen the wordes are more surely beleued Finally the thing grue to this point that it was well knowen to all men that whatsoeuer our lorde suffered he suffered it aduisedly and vpon deliberacion not of casualtie he suffered it willingly and not of necessitie Though these wordes were spoken to all men in generall yet it did most specially pricke the Phariseis seruauntes whiche were sent to take Iesus against whom they perceiued that they coulde nothyng do except he were willyng And whiles he toucheth secretly their inwarde conscience he declareth that he knoweth what thyng soeuer is moste secretely hid in mennes heartes And therwithall he winneth those hertes vnto him through his gentilnes whose wicked enterprises he did not disclose vnto the people ¶ Then sayd the Iewes among themselues whither will he got that we shall not fynde him will he goe amonge the Gentiles whiche are scattered abrode and teache the Gentiles ▪ what maner of saying is this that he sayd ye shall seke me and shall not fynde me and where I am thither can ye not cum Therfore when as the multitude did not vnderstande this his saying they reasoned among themselues what meaneth this that he sayeth where I goe to thither can ye not cum will he priuely steale awaye and goe to sum farre countrey among the heathen people will he suffre himselfe to forsake this holy lande and holy people to go dwell among wicked prophane people whither he thinketh we will neuer folowe him or will he wander hither and thither like a vagabounde among the Gentiles dwellyng farre awaye that he cannot be found of vs In the last day that great day of the feast Iesus stode and cryed saying If any man thirst let him cum vnto me and drinke He that beleueth on me as sayeth the scripture out of his belly shall flowe riuers of water of lyfe But this spake he of the spirite which they that beleue on him should receiue for the holy ghoste was not yet there because Iesus was not yet glorified But when the
them howe that man 's own power and strengthe is not to be trusted to but menne muste put their truste in heauenly ayde and succour he nowe therfore woulde teache his by very practise that in worldely affliccions whiche percase myghte sodeinly falle vpon them they shoulde looke to none other for succour but vnto the father of heauen vpon whome oughte all they wholly to depende that bee desyrouse to bee strong inough and able to beare persecucion Therfore lyfting vp his iyes to heauen to thentente he so might euen by the very semblance behauiour of body teache whither the minde shoulde bee directed and wherupon fixed he spake on this wise father sayed he nowe the tyme is cum whiche I haue alway longed for Glorifie thy sonne amoÌ„g men by death and resurreccion that thy sonne on his behalfe maye glorifie the amongest all men and so the one to be knowen by the other For so it is expediente for the saluacion of all mankynd that the worlde knowe the sonne by thee and the father again by the sonne And for this cause hath it pleased thee to geue vnto the sonne power ouer all mankynde vniuersally And for none other ende haste thou geuen this power but that all folke shoulde be saued And being deliuered from death should attein to euerlasting lyfe For it hath liked the that what thing soeuer thou grauntest and geuest to men thou geuest and grauÌ„test it by me through whose death thou geuest to all that will eternall lyfe Furthermore the very originall fountain of eternal life is that both the one and the other setting forth eche others honour and name men by fayth know vs both that is to saye thee whiche art the onely true god not only of the Iewes but of al the people of the whole world from whom procedeth whatsoeuer is any where good and to knowe him also whom thou hast sent into the worlde for the saluacion of mankynde Iesus Christ by whom thou geuest whatsoeuer it pleaseth thy goodnes to geue to men and this thou doest that they should rendre thankes to vs both to thee as to the chiefe autor of al thinges to me who at thy wil and pleasure am about willingly and gladly to finishe vp this busines that I am appointed to For he cannot cum to saluacion whiche honoureth the father in case he despise the sonne nor yet he that hath the sonne in reuerence if so be he conteÌ„ne and neglecte the father for asmuche as the praise and glorye of the one is the praise and glory of the other I haue glorified thee on the earth I haue finished the worke whiche thou gauest me to do And now glorifie thou me o father with thine owne selfe with the glorie which I had with the ere the world was I haue declared thy name vnto the men which thou gauest me out of the worlde Thine they were and thou gauest them me they haue kept thy worde Nowe haue they knowen that all thinges whatsoeuer thou hast geuen me are of the. For I haue geuen vnto them the wordes whiche thou gauest me and they haue receiued them and haue knowen surelye that I came oute from the and they haue beleued that thou diddeste sende me I haue hitherto renoumed thy name by miracles and with my doctrine here in the worlde and haue goen about and doen thy commaundement being forwarde and readie to prosecute and accomplishe that which remaineth to be doen. I haue not sought myne owne glory but thine yea I haue abased and caste downe my selfe into extreme contempte to thentente I might blase and honorably set furth thy name amoÌ„g men For thy glory is alwaye whole substanciall and sounde in it selfe without decaye nor thou haste no nede of maÌ„s prayse but it standeth them on hande that thou be knowen vnto theym And now my father bring thou it to passe that on the other parte the worlde may semblably knowe and perceiue that I am fully and wholy receyued into that same glorie whiche I had with the â—efore the worlde was made By reason of the frayle mortalitie and brittlenes of the bodie men impute me to be very base and exteme me very courselye but they hiely exteme the. Thy glory as of it selfe it hath neyther beginning nor endyng â–ª so can it neither encrease nor decrease Nor the infirmitie of this bodie that I haue put vpon me doeth not impouerishe or lessen â—y glorie whiche I haue alwaye had beyng euermore borne of the but thou haste made the worlde by me to haue folke that shoulde knowe that shoulde haue in admiracion and shoulde loue thy power wisdoÌ„ and goodnesse and nowe agayne is the time that thy goodnesse muste restore by me that whiche hath been fourmed and made It shall verelye be restored if the worlde knowe howe great thy loue is towardes mankinde whiche to saue thou haste geuen thy only sonne vnto death howe great thy power is that hath conquâ—red the deuill and vanquished his tyrannie how great is thy wisdome that hath with suche wonderfull deuice conuerted the worlde vnto thee which was alienate from thee The thing is begun and the foundacion of this worke is layed I haue made thy name knowen vnto them whom being through thy godly inspiracion exempte and priuileged from the worlde thou haste geuen and committed vnto me They could not haue beene taken out and separate from the world they could not haue been grafted in me vnles thy liberall fre goodnesse had inspired their minde Thyne they were whom thou createdst thine they were whom thou haste appointed to this businesse and geuen them to me to be taught and infourmed Neither hath thy bounteousnes nor my laboure and diligence been bestowed vpon them in vaine They haue bâ—leued my doctrine wherin I haue taught them thee and not onely geuen â—â—â—dence vnto it but they haue hitherto stande stedfastly in faythe obeying my wordes For it is well knowen and persuaded vnto them that the Iewes would not beleue that whatsoeuer I haue taught whatsoeuer I haue doen it hath proceded from the as the auctor and hath been doen through thy power and vertue For I haue taught them none other thing than that I haue learned of the who also haue al my being and whatsoeuer I am of ther and whatsoeuer is thine is also mine Therfore my worde whiche the Phariseis haue contemned haue they receiued as cum from the and beleuing thesame haue certainly knowen that I proceded from the and of the am sent into this worlde They haue thus muche profited that they be perswaded howe that I am Messyas whiche haue been so many hundreth yeares looked for whome thou haste sente into the worlde for the saluacion of all that faithfully beleue And nowe because I do leaue theim as touching companiship of body I do on my behalfe agayne commende them to thy goodnesse to be kepte and preserued that they decaye not but alwaye profit more and more and waxe better Thei knowe whom
peace and the buylder of the Lordes temple and he begate hym of Bethsabee whome he loued whome he coupled vnto hym in maryage after that Urias her former housbande was stayne by his fraude gyle and that was doen not wythout great sinne yf a man consydre nothyng besydes the outwarde parte of the historie but agayne not without significacion of thynges to cum yf a man serche the misterie Salomon begat Roboham Roboham begat Abia Abia begat Asa Asa begat Iosaphat Iosaphat begat Ioram Ioram begat Ozias Ozias begat Ioatham Ioatham begat Achas Achas begat Ezechias Ezechias begat Manasses Manasses begat Amon Amon begate Iozias Iozias begat Iechonias and his brethren about the tyme of the captiuitie of Babylon And after the captiuitie of Babylon Iechonias begat Salathiel Salathiel begate Zorobabel Zorobabel begat Abiud Abiud begat EliachiÌ„ Eliachim begat Azor Azor begat Sadoc Sadoc begat Achin Achin begat Eliud Eliud begat Eleazar Eleazar begat Matthan Matthan begat Iacob Iacob begat Ioseph the husbande of Marie of whome was borne that Iesus which is called Christ. Of Salomon was borne Roboham and of RobohaÌ„ Abias of Abias came Asa of Asa Iosaphat from whence came Ioram of him Ozias of Ozias was borne Ioatham of Ioatham Achas of Achas Ezechias and of him Manasses of Manasses was born Amon of Amon Iozias of Iozias Iechonias and the other brothers of Iechonias about the tyme whan king Nabugodonozor burned the temple of Hierusalem and caryed the king and the people of the Hebrues captiue into Babilon which wer figures signifiyng the tyranny of the deuill toward mankynde and against libertie restored thoroughe the benefit of Christ. In this nere and narowe poynt betwene seruâ—tude and libertie whan the people of God wer about to be restored to theyr religion and dwelling places Iechonias begat Salathiel Salathiel zorobabel zorobabel Abiud of Abiud came Eliachim of Eliachim Azor of Azor Sadoc of him Achim of Achim Eliud of Eliud Eleazar of Eleazar Matthan of MatthaÌ„ Iacob And this Iacob was the father of Ioseph vnto whome was maried Mary the mother of Iesus who was promised to be the sauiour of all men whome the Hebrues call Messias that is to saye Christ or anoynted because he onely beyng kyng ouer all and high priest with the sacrifice of his owne bodye hath pacified God the father beyng displeased and grieued with the sinnes of mankinde And the tiranny of death vtterly put awaye he hath opened the kingdome of heauen vnto all men The cleane was marryed to the clean the moste chaste to the chaste of thesame trybe and familie that is of Dauid accordyng to the order of Goddes lawe leste any man should thinke that this ordre and geneologie of kinred were of litle profit concernyng the declaracion of Christes stocke wherof he came as touching his humanitie All the generacions from Abraham to Dauid are xiiii generacions From Dauid vnto the captiuitie of Babilon are fouretene generacions From the captiuitie of Babilon vnto Christ are fowertene generacions And if any man list to herken the tyme that Daniel described many yeares past by certaine orders and degres of weekes he shall fynde the sayinges of the Prophetes very agreable to the thyng that is now cuÌ„ to passe The suÌ„me of the wholle geneologie resteth in three fowertenes For if ye counte froÌ„ Abraham the patriarche vnto Dauid the author of the storishing kingdoÌ„e ye shall fynde xiiii generacions Agayne yf ye counte from Dauid vnto the decaye of the kyngedome that is vnto the exile into Babilon ye shal finde .xiiii. generacions Agayne if ye counte from the time vnto Christe the beginner the finisher of the newe euangelicall generacion newe kyngdome ye shall fynde fowertene generatioÌ„s Hitherto we haue shewed you truly the geneologie of Christ to the intent it may appeare to al men that this is he whoÌ„ the true sayiÌ„ges of the ProphetesiÌ„ tymes paste promissed to the world And so many argumeÌ„tes agre in one that it cannot seme to be done by chaunce and that withall it maye be euident that he was verye man whiche came as touchyng the fleshe of suche auncestoures as wer notablie knowen The byrth of Christ is on this wise For whan his mother Mary was espoused vnto Ioseph before they came together she was found with child by the holy ghost But althoughe he were man borne of man whiche came to redeme mankynde by his death yet he was not borne after the common and vulgare sorte of them that be borne For it was seemely that he whiche came from heauen whiche called vnto heauen whiche taughte a promysed nothing but heauenlye thynges finallye whiche after so many Prophetes and doctours was made ambassadour to thintent that once and for altogether he should make al thynges newe and cum forth into the worlde with a very bodye in dede but yet after a newe maner and that the true natiuitie of man should bee declared in suche â—orte that it shoulde not be thought vnsemely for God and Esaie prophecied this thing to cum to passe that because men dyd in maner slepe at these common myracles of nature by reason of custome God shoulde shewe a newe myracle and that in the yearthe to the intente it should be more euident to all mennes sight and vnderstanding He is borne verye man and mortall and yet the same very God and immortall He is borne a man of man and yet of a virgin He is borne of the stocke of AdaÌ„ whiche was the first of maÌ„kynde and yet without the spot of sinne He is borne in matrimonye but so that the woorke of his concepcion was not of man but of the holy gost who by a woÌ„derfull meane fourmed and fashyoned the straunge and maruailous fruite of the substaunce of the vndefiled virgin as in an heauenly temple consecrated to God And he ordered this matter wyth suche a maruailous wysedome that he couered and hyd it from the wicked as a thyng incredible and persuaded it vnto godly myndes with moste certain sure argumentes the whiche no eloqueÌ„ce of man was vtterly able to proue and perswade Wherefore whan the holy virgin eternally appoynted to this great misterie to be the mother of Iesus by the aduise of her parentes whose heartes were ordered and directed by the power of God beyng spoused to an honest man of her tribe named Ioseph kepte company with him in house she was founde greate with chylde before they came and coupled together as manne and wyfe eyther because true honestie is not hastie to the luste of pleasure or because God dyd so ordre thys matter For the maidens wombe waxyng daylye greater and greater declared it vnto Ioseph to be so beyng her housbande whiche both loued her well and was not insencible in suche thynges And the fledde not from the sighte of her housbande as though she had in her conscience yelded her self culpable neyther disclosed she the secret whiche she had learned of the Angel eyether because she
was in despayre the the thyng might as yet bee beleued or perswaded or because she reserued this vnto god to be declared in tyme coÌ„uenieÌ„t Therfore the coÌ„cepcion was certayne true declaryng it selfe by manifest accustomed tokens especially vnto Ioseph who by reason of conuersacion in householde marked more easily in his spouse the habyte and fourme of her body But this young thyng came not furthe by the imbracing of man as other women by the common lawe of nature be wonte to conceyue but by the holy ghoste whiche by the angell Gabriell than messinger from heauen enteryng into the moste holy temple of the virgines wombe the inuisible power of the fatherlye god hed imbracyng and owershadoynge the whole body and mynde of the moste holy virgin without any hurt or detriment of chastitie made her great with chylde ¶ But Ioseph her husband beyng a righteous man would not put her to shame but was mynded to departe from her secretly Furthermore Ioseph beeyng yet ignorauÌ„t of so great a mistery whaÌ„ he sawe euident argumentes and tokens of concepcion in his wyfe and knewe well that he had neuer to do with the mayde whereby she myght becum great wyth chylde and yet had founde the maners of her to be suche that there coulde be no suspicion of aduoutry in her and besydes that true honesty is neyther ready to misdeme nor hasty to reuenge he began to cast in his minde by what meanes he myghte both see for the good name and the life of his wyfe and also coÌ„mit the matier vnto god whereof he himselfe coulde fynde no ende nor yssue By the reason of great familiaritie he founde the maners of the mayde vtterly without blame For that godly spirite whiche dwelled wholy in her harte dyd appere in her iyes and in her countenaunce and dyd declare it selfe euerye where in her goyng in her gesture and in her communicacion He had espied in her a certayne heauenly thing aboue the common rate of other mortall creatures And yet he sawe her great with chylde she was awaye froÌ„ home certayne monethes whyle she went to see her cosyn Elizabeth Furthermore he considered howe greate the weakenes of that age and kynde was in other maydens What busines would sum other husbande haue made here chiefely if loue had styred vp gelowsy whiche is a very sore disease of the mynde But to proue this matter to be true Ioseph was chosen out to be a witnes leste any man myght saye the chylde of Marye was eyther another womans or els vnlawfully gotten He was a man well estemed of all menne a manne of knowen and tried honestie and wisedome so that no man might suspect him eyther to be so notably naughtye that he woulde be his wyues bawde or of so foolish pacience that he would nourysh bryng vp with the child her whom he knew to be an aduoutresse There be none more cruell against their wyues that do amisse than they whiche bee defiled with many aduoutryes theÌ„selues Ioseph himself being very innocent was so far from al desyre of vengeaunce that he dyd not so muche as once in woordes fynde faulte with her leste he should discourage the virgins harte with any sorowfulnes He is troubled with himself with secrete cares of the mynde and doth deuise a gentle kinde of diuorce that he might be delyuered from her company whiche was with chylde in suche wise that she myght beare no blame nor be in any ieopardie or perill ¶ But while he thus thought beholde the Angell of the Lorde appeared vnto him in a slepe saying Ioseph thou sonne of Dauid feare not to take vnto the Mary thy wyfe For that whiche is conceyued in her is of the holy ghost She shall bring furthe a soonne thou shalt call his name Iesus For he shall saue his people from theyr synnes And thus farre God hath suffered this innocent man to be troubled and distracte with doubtefull deuises For this was expediente for the certentie of his fayth But nowe it was tyme for him to be deliuered out of these griefes of his minde being worthy doubtles to be made partaker of this mistery for the greate honour that he dyd to the virgyn thus consecrated to God And for the approued grauitie and sobrenesse in suppressyng the cares of hys mynde he was thought mere to conteyne and kepe trustely this secret mistery whiche was not yet to be published because of the peruerse and frowarde suspicion of the Iewes Beholde the angell Gabriel whiche signified vnto the virgin the maruelouse concepcion apperyng with great lyght vnto her waking because of her purenes whiche was more than angelical beyng wel acquaynted with suche kinde of visions presenteth himselfe vnto Ioseph in his sleepe as he was musing in his sleepe of suche like matter the messinger of the heauenlye oracle spake vnto him in this wyse Ioseph the sonne of Dauid what carnall suspicion troubleth thy mynde why art thou vexed why doest thou wauer in and out or why doest thou muse vpon diuorcement or why wilt thou be dimissed from her whiche is cowpled vnto the with so great loue and also by the kinred both of tribe and familie There is none other spouse worthy for that virgin and she is appointed to none other by the ordynaunce of God buâ— to the. Thou must know that Dauid is the author of thy stocke vnto whom was promised in tymes past the thyng that nowe begynneth to be perfourmed All that is done is godly Thou nedest not to feare that thy wyues wombe rising without thy doyng shal steyne thy matrimony with any spot of dishonestie Thou doest suppose that she is greate with chylde and doest suppose aright But thou must not therfore remoue her from thy companye and conuersacion but rather take her and adioyne her vnto the because thou seest her great vnto whom by goddes ordinaunce thou art geueÌ„ to be an husbaÌ„de to the intent that hereafter thou maiest be a witnes of the fruiâ—tfull virginitie founde in thy wyfe and that she in the meane tyme by that that she is maryed vnto the may be in safetie agaynste the suspiciouse crueltie of the Iewes vnto whome this misterie is not yet to bee opened especially vnto them that bee not yet worthye neither of capacitie to receiue it This matter shal be communicated and opened vnto the to the intente thy wyues innocencie shall suffer none vnworthye thyng For this newe fruite wherwith thou seest thy wyues wombe dayly to encreace lyke as it is not of the so it is of none other mortall man The Angel brought the message beyng as a goer betwene God and her in makyng this godly coniunccion the father hath ouershadowed her the holy ghoste hath prepared her wombe the sonne of god hath replenished it All is newe for that a newe chylde shall be borne It procedeth from heauen that thy wyfe shall bryng forth who shal be more chaste also after that she hath brought furth
throughe the large gate into miseryes that caÌ„not be told and delyuereth them being deceyued with false goodnes vnto extreme and very ylles Howe narrowe is the gate howe streyght is the waye that leadeth to lyfe For it sheweth furth nothyng that is pleasaunt to the fleshe it is roughe and displeasaunt to many and furth with it doth offer vnto them thinges that be paynful to nature as pouertye fastyng watching sufferyng of wronges chastitie sobernes This gate receyueth not theÌ„ that swell with glorye of this worlde this gate receiueth not theÌ„ that be pufâ— vp with pryde this gate receiueth not them that be bolleÌ„ with excesse and ryoâ— this gate receiueth not them that drawe with them aboundaunce of worldly thynges It receiueth none but suche as be naked and vnburdened of all the desyres of this worlde and as a man wolde say theyr bodyes beyng put of extenuated and fined into the spirite Wherby it cummeth to passe that this gate is found but of a fewe because it is not spyed but with cleare iyes which do clearly see those thynges that be spirituall Beware of false prophetes whiche cum vnto you in shepes clothynge but inwardly they be rauening wolues Ye shall knowe them by theyr frutes Doe men gather grapes of thornes or fygges of thistles so euery good tree beareth good fruites but a rotten tree beareth yll fruites a good tree can not beare yll fruites neither can a rotten tree beare good fruites Euery tree that beareth not good fruites is â—ewen downe and cast into the fyer Therefore by theyr fruites ye shall knowe them But as touchyng suche men as doe dayly with lust excesse pryde auaryce with suche other fylthy desyres and laughing lyke mad menne goe hedlynge into theyr owne destruccion ye be in no perill for in folowynge of them it is rather madnes than errour Ye muste rather beware of them which companie with you hauynge a cloke of godlynes where as they be enemyes of godlynes They be alwayes talkyng of God the father of the euangelycall doctryne of the kyngdome of heauen theyr apparell is course and symple theyr chekes be leane with fasting theyr body is worne awaye with leanesse they praye long they geue to the poore they teache the people and expound the holy scriptures and being disguised with the cloke of these thynges they cum vnto you apparelled as though it were with shepe skinnes whereas inwardly they be rauenyng wolues and deuourers of the euangelycall flocke It can not be harde to knowe the wolfe from the shepe yf eche of them vtter his owne voyce and yf eche of them be couered with his owne skynne But what shal a man doe where as the wolfe counterfeytyng the shepe bothe with the shepes skynne and the shepes voyce crepeth into the shepe folde not to becumme a shepe but more cruelly to rent and teare the shepe The wolfe chaÌ„ugeth his voice and professeth the name of Christe he professeth the doctrine of the gospell but to the the intent he maye poison with his heresye them that be vnwares and negligent He counterfeyteth godly workes to thintenâ— he may the rather abuse the simplicitie of other to hys desyres Therfore ye whome I haue chosen to be the kepers and feders of my flocke muste diligently take heede of these Ye shall easely fynde out this counterfeyted iugglyng yf ye loke narrowly vpon not the tytle and vesture but the verye deedes whiche doe disclose the corrupte mynde For albeit they teache well yet they dooe not in dede the thynge that they teache Euery tree hath hys peculyar and proper fruit whiche by the taste dothe declare the flocke If ye obserue and marke dilygently theyr lyfe and manners ye shall fynde that they stande in theyr owne conceyte they loke for theyr owne profyte proude reuengers enuiouse backeviters desyryng of glorye geuen to the belly and alwayes more diligente in theyr owne matters thaÌ„ in the matters of theyr flocke or the ghospel I haue shewed you which be the frutes of the euangelycal tree that is to say a minde farre from all pryde full of gentylnes not desyrous of vengeaunce a minde despisynge all pleasures of this worlde a mynde despisynge riches and gredelye desyryng the godlynes of the ghospell a mynde prompt and ready to dooe good to all menne a mynde pure and cleane from all lustes and desyres nor hauing no nother iye but to God onely a minde refusing no affliccion or trouble so that he maye promote and sette forward the doctrine of the ghospell a mynde lokyng after no rewarde in this world for his well doynges neither glorye nor pleasure nor ryches a mynde that wyllethe well euen vnto his yll wyllers and doeth good to them whiche doe him hurte Whosoeuer trulye in dede bryngeth forth these fruites he is the euangelicall tree Therefore they that shewe themselfes to be prophetes and boaste theÌ„selfes of this tytle they that feyne themselfes by religiouse apparell to be shepe where as in harte and affeccioÌ„ they be wolues they must be estemed and iudged of these fruites Regarde not the boughes and the barke These oftentymes be common to theÌ„ that growe in the fielde and them that growe at home to the holsome and vnholsome the fruite once tasted dothe declare the iuyce of the tree And yf ye see in these auarice arrogancy enuy desyre of vengeaunce dissemblyng and such other whiche are cleane contrary to the fruites of the euangelicall myndes thynke not that any good fruite wyll spryng of the same trees For what man is so mad to gather grapes of thornes or fygges of brambles that is to saye of roughe and wylde shrubbes moste plesaunte fruite Lykewyse it is emonge menne A very good tree and bearyng gentyll iuyce in the roote of the mynde bringeth furth good fruite On the other syde a very yll tree what leaues and barke so euer it hath yet it bryngeth furth yll fruites And these can not be turned nor chaunged seyng their nature is vtterly repugnauÌ„t For he that hath a cleane and a syncere mynde muste nedes expresse in deedes the syncerenes of his heart and affeccioÌ„ and againe he that hath a faulty and an infected minde can not expresse in deedes those thinges whiche declare a very good man Although by the iuglynges and colour of holynes sumtyme he deceyueth vnware men truely he can not deceyue God Therefore they that be colourablie good let them leaue of theyr coloure and become good in dede For emonge men of an yll tree maye be made a good But yf he continue in his frowarde counterfeytyng let hym feare lesse he suffer the lyke of god that will reuenge it that the vnfruitful tree suffreth of the tyllman And what dothe it suffer It is cut down and caste in the fyer So whosoeuer beyng in the kingdome of God bryngethe furthe no fruite or suche fruite as is vncumlye for his profession vnlesse he repent he shall be caste into the euerlastynge fyer Therfore by
should be troubled with feare of infamy and not frely preache the gospel of the kyngdome It hath no dishonest thyng nor nothyng to be kept close Yea yf ye heare any thyng of me in darkenes preache ye it in the cleare light And if I haue tolde any thing secretely preache it openly Our doctrine is without any colouring It desireth to come furth before all men and it is afrayde to be knowen of no man ¶ And feare ye not them that kyll the bodye but are not able to kyll the soule But feare rather hym whiche is able to destroye both soule and body in hell Are not two litle sparowes solde for a minute one of them shall not fall to the grounde without youre father Yeâ— and all the heares of your head be nuÌ„bred Feare ye not therfore ye be of more value than many sparowes Euery one therfore that shal confesse me before men â–ª him will I confesse aâ—so before my father which is in heauen But whosoeuer deuiâ—â—â— me before men him wil I also deny before my father whiche is in heauen But there shall be some perchaunce whiche will lytle passe vpon infamye and other ylles but who can despise and set lytle by death It were mete you should feare them yf they could kyll the whole man but ye that knowe that the body is the vilest parte of man and that the soule which is the chiefe parte of man cannot be hurte of them be they neuer so sauage and cruell Ye I say nede not to feare them They should hurte you more yf they dyd not sley you folowyng theyr myndes than yf they kill you not regardyng them I wyll shewe you who is more to be feared Feare him who like as he made the whole man so he is able to condemne him to euerlastyng death and to deliuer hym into hell fyre Yet the body whiche the tiranne doeth kyll for a tyme doth not vtterly peryshe For the selfe fame at the resurreccion shall be restored in far better wise Hitherto therfore onely the body is in daunger yf in case ye be killed constantly obeying my commaundementes But yf ye obey theyr commaundementes and leaue the busâ—â—â—s of the ghospell nowe not onely the body doth peryshe whiche yf no man kill it yet by the common lawe of nature it must nedes dye but also the soule shall be deliuered to euerlastyng fier And what matter is it whether the persecutor or disease or any other chaunce take awaye the lyfe Truely more gloryous it is to die for the ghospell sake whiche death though it be violent and sore yet it shall not come before the daye whansoeuer it cummeth it shall not come without the prouideÌ„ce of God And by this it cummeth to passe that yf ye endeuour to auoyde it ye cannot God will not suffer you to be slayne but when it shall be very expedient for you to die Wherfore put out of your myndes all this feare God also will prouide for this to whome it were not hard to geue you immortalitie but that it is a greater thyng to despise death than to escape it What is of lesse value than sparrowes of the whiche two be bought for a farthing a very litle coyne And the numbre of sparrowes is great in euery place and yet not so much as one of them is loste in the yearth but by the wyll and sufferaunce of your father Doe ye feare than leste he will suffre you whom emong all he hath chosen to this busines to perishe before your tyme whom he doeth not neglecte insomuche that he kepeth the numbre of all the heares of your head Seyng that ye be of more estimacion to the father than innumerable sparrowes there is no cause why ye should feare leste men be able to do any thyng against you otherwise than shall be thought to hym who hath continuall care ouer you Wherfore leaue the care of your lyfe and death vnto hym and be not ye driuen from the open profession of my name be it neuer so hated of the worlde by any feare of displeasures that men can doe vnto men For whosoeuer litle regarding the rebukes of men doe professe me in this lyfe to bee his Lorde and maister hym wyll I acknowlege to bee my seruaunt and disciple before my heauenly father Contrarywyse whosoeuer wyll be ashamed of me before men and deny me hym will I deny before my father whiche is in heauen And this is no daynteouse and delicate profession for he doeth not professe me vnles he doeth declare by his lyfe that he doth beleue my sayinges And he hath denied me whiche so lyueth that he setteth by any sayng more than by me What winning therfore can it bee yf a maune lese that noble and euerlastyng prayse with the father and his angels for feare of a false slaunder hece which neither lasteth long nor is no slaunder in dede but with ignoraunt and folyshe menne and before God very true glory It is a great gayne lytle to passe vpon these thynges and to make haste to the euerlastyng rewarde whiche shal be geuen in due tyme to them that haue deserued it in the meane season a good conscience is a great piece of the rewarde Thynke not that I am come to sende peace into the yearth I came not to sende peace but a swearde for I am come to set a man at variauÌ„ce with his father and the doughter with her mother the doughter in lawe with the mother in lawe And a mans â—â—es shall be they that art of his householdâ— He that loueth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loueth sonne or doughter more than me is not worthy of me And he that taketh not his crosse and foloweth me is not worthy of me He that findeth his lyfe shall loose it and he that looseth his lyfe for my sake shall fynde it The profession of the ghospell is no weriche nor lyght thyng Truely the rewardes be great but ye must come vnto them with vehement and continuall desyres of the mynde they chaunce not vnto yll menne and lingerers they must be obteyned by strength and violence Thinke ye that I am cumme to so we peace in the yearth emong men It is farre otherwyse Nay I am not come to sowe peace and concorde but swearde and warâ—e and that inwarde and domesticall warre and not ciuile warre onely For where as the doctryne of the ghospell shall be hated of the moste parte and sith it requireth so feruente a desyre towarde it that all the affeccions of men be they neuer so great and vnruly must geue place it cannot be but great stryfe and dissencion must aryse emong theÌ„ that be most nere frendely whyles they that doâ—e vpon the worlde wyll rage rather agaynst theyr derest beloued than forsake theyr vices whereunto they be accustomed and whoso is once touched with the great feruencye of the euangelicall charitie he wyll not suffre hymselfe by no maner
notwithstanding of one consente and agreemente to lye in wayte for Iesus And craftely they require him to shew some token from heauen as thoughe hereafter yf he woulde haue so done they woulde haue beleued in him where as they wente about nothing els but to seke occasyon to reproue hym But Iesus when he perceyued that after so many miracles they remained yet in their malice mourned in the spirite and sayde Ye hypocrites vtteryng one thyng with your mouth and cloking another in your hart in lesse thinges when ye marke heauen ye can tel before what weather shal folow the day after For whan ye see the sunne go to glade ye say to morowe shall be fayre wether for the ayer is cleare and bright Againe when ye see the sunne rise in the morning by and by ye geue sentence that that shal be a foule and a boystiouse day because the lowring ayre is red Whan ye see the fashion and countenaunce of heauen ye can gesse whether the time will be mete for iourneing rowing sowing or mowing or for any other thinges apperteyning to the vse of the body And are ye so dul and negligeÌ„t in knowlege of the time that maketh for your soules helth â–ª Ye haue the scriptures ye see what thynges be done ye see howe the worlde is renewed and vnderstande ye not yet that the tyme spoken of beâ—ore by the Prophetes and looked for so long tyme is nowe at hande Of one signe ye geue sentence of fayre or foule weather of so many signes whiche ye see dayly doe ye not perceiue the thing that is present If ye would haue bene made better by wonders and myracles ye would haue beleued me long agon Now ye require a signe and a token to be the worse thereby O naughtie and adulterous generacion which goeth farre out of kinde from her forefathers of whose tytles she magnifieth her selfe She seketh craftely for a wondre out of heauen to pycke a quarell and to reproue it But in tyme to come she shall haue a signe that she shall feare and not reproue In the meane time she shall haue no signe nor wondre but out of the earth whiche shal frustrate and disapoynte all theyr endeuoures when they shall see hym alyue agayne whome they thoughte to bee dead and buryed It seemeth a monstruouse thyng vnto them whiche chaunced to the Prophete Ionas they shall haue a lyke monster but more wondrefull By this riddell and darke fygure the Lorde Iesus signified that he should be first slayne buried of them whome they thoughte to be nothyng elles but man and furth with shoulde ryse agayne through the power of God ¶ And he left them and departed And whan his disciples were come to the other syde of the water they had forgotten to take bread with them Than Iesus sayd vnto theÌ„ Take hede and beware of the leauen of the Phariseis the Saduceis But they thought in theÌ„selues saying we haue taken no bread with vs. Whiche when Iesus vnderstode he sayde vnto them O ye of litle fayth why take ye thought within your selues because ye haue broughte no bread Do ye not perceiue nor remeÌ„bre the .v. loaues when there were fiue thousand men and how many baskettes toke ye away Neyther the .vii. loaues when there were .iiii. thousande men and how many baskettes toke ye away How happeneth it that ye doe not vnderstande that I spake it not to you concernyng breade that ye shoulde beware of the leauen of the Phariseis and Saduceis Than vnderstoode they â—owe that he had them not beware of the leauen of bread but of the doctrine of the Phariseis and of the Saduceis Iesus therfore leauing them with their blindnes went ouer the water by ship the disciples had forgotten to prouyde theÌ„selues of bread before they entred into the shippe For they had but one lofe in the shippe Iesus therefore to put them in remembraunce saide take diligent hede and beware of the leauen of the Phariseis and the Saduceis noting and touching darkely their Iewishe supersticioÌ„ because they thought it a great matter to eate these meates or those meates whereas they were taughte beefore that man was not defyled with the thynges that entred into the mouthe The dysciples althoughe they vnderstoode not what it mente were yet monished with thys saying that they had forgotten to put vitayle in their shippe Iesus therefore chideth them beyng carefull for thys thyng blamyng theyr dulnesse whiche taughte so often both with sayinges and dooinges vtterly to cast out of theyr mynde carefulnesse for vitayle yet were incumbred with carke and care for suche manner of thynges O ê™ he ye that so litell truste to me why dooe ye vexe youre mynde with thys carefullnesse that ye haue forgotten breade as who sayeth we shall lacke any thyng althoughe ye prouyde not for it Dydde not I teache you that firste of all the kyngdome of God muste bee soughte for and that these thynges shall be cast vnto you Haue ye not seene now twyse that such a great multytude lacked not meate So many wayes taughte and monyshed vnderstande ye not yet remembre ye not yet Is youre herte yet blynded with suche manier of cares and see ye not after the Phariseys fashyon that whiche ye see with youre iyes and that whiche ye heare with youre cares ys yt as though ye hearde it not haue ye forgot that whiche was lately done your selues being not onely witnesses but also ministers When that fiue thousande men were fully fed with .v. barely loaues two fyshes the numbre of geastes being so greate the preparacion so small howe many baskettes dyd ye fyll of the scrappes whiche remayned of the feaste They aunswere hym twelue And agayne when fower thousande men were fylled with seuen loaues and a fewe fishes ye beeyng the dystrybutoures howe many baskettes filled ye with the scrappes they aunswere seuen Why doe ye not yet vnderstande the maner of my speaking whiche ye tourne to the care of bodely thinges whereas my talking studieth and prouideth for the mindes rather then the bodies Now ye shoulde of your selues haue coniectured what my riddel ment when I sayde beware of the leauen of the Phariseis and Saduceis I had nowe taught you that it little skilled what kynde of meate we eate I had nowe diuersly declared and beaten vpon it that they whiche haue in hande the matter of the ghospel shoulde vtterly cast away suche vile cares The disciples beyng more attent and diligent by this litle chyding vnderstode that Iesus ment that they should take hede diligently and baware of the doctryne of the Phariseis whiche had nothyng that was syncere and clean but was corrupte with ambicyon auaryce enuie and other vyces Whereas the doctrine of the ghospell tasted of no suche thyng For theyr doctrine doeth rather infecte man than fede hym and therefore it must be taken hede of dilygently because they bee woonte for to deceiue vnware and symple men by the
them to vnderstand that it is no saâ—e and sure thyng to flee from matrimonie vnlesse a man be of so fyrme and stable mynde that he is able vtterly to abstayn from the acte of matrimonie But there be very fewe that can doe so because that this affeccion of the body is so common to all men that there is none affeccion more violente or more inuincible Therfore though it be a greater fredome not to be tyed in matrimonie yet is it more sure to be kepte within the bondes of matrimonie than to be defyled with liyng here and there Therefore Iesus shewyng what was best and prouokyng this waye with the reward of libertie dareth not yet exactely require that whiche in maner excedeth mannes power All men ê™ he be not able to receiue this woorde but they onely vnto whome it is geuen of God who haue so great a feruencye toward the holynes of the gospell that of theyr own accorde and willyngly can neglecte this affeccion For chaste synglenesse hath no prayse vnlesse it be taken for loue of the euangelicall godlynes For there be three kyndes of Eunuches One of them whiche be so borne and abhorre from wyues thorough the defaulte of a colde nature or sum other secrete affeccion of nature Another kynde of them whom men hath gelded The chastitie of these men deserueth no prayse because it cummeth of necessitie not of the loue of vertue But the gospell also hath his Eunuches very blessed whiche be not geldynges of nature nor gelded of men but they gelded themselfes for the kyngdome of heauen not cutting of the membre of the body but for loue of the ghospell ouercummyng the desire of matrimonie Ye see victorie set out before you let hym trye that wyl and knoweth his owne strength Let him beare awaye the game that can They that contend valyauntlye and willingly shal not want the fauour of the maister of the game Because coÌ„municacion was of the puritie of virgins and of the highnesse of that noble vertue whiche chaunceth to fewe as by occasion there is brought in also an exaumple of perfecte cleannes and great modestie without the whiche virginitie deserueth no prayse Than wer there brought vnto him yong chyldren that he should put his handes on theym and pray and the disciples rebuked them But Iesus said vnto them Suffre the children forbid them not to cum to me for the kyngdome of heauen belongeth to such And whan he had laied his handes on them he departed thence There wer present fathers and mothers whiche desired to offer their babes vnto Iesus that he might lay his handes vpon them and pray for theÌ„ thinking that lykewyse as they saw diseases driuen away through his touchyng so the touchyng of Iesus should preserue them from diseases from fallyng of houses or walles or other lyke thynges vpon them from euyll spirites and from other hurtes whereby that age oftentymes miscarieth But the disciples who though they had oft tymes heard many a good lesson of great modestie and coldnes yet had not vtterly shaken of from them mans affeccions thinkyng it not mete that the greatnes or dignitie of theyr master should be letted or weried with the importunitie of babes of their mothers kept them of whan they desired to cum nere Iesus marking this to the intent that he might the better imprinte euangelicall moderacioÌ„ in the myndes of his disciples whiche doeth loth no manne be he neuer so lowe suffre ê™ he the children to be brought vnto me nor let them not to cum to me For they that be lyke vnto these bee moste acceptable vnto me whome though the world doth hate and despise yet I vouchsafe to haue none other in the kingdome of heauen What nature doth geue vnto these thesame must godlines geue vnto you if ye will be receiued into the kingdome of heauen Therfore the litle babes wer brought vnto Iesus and he put his handes vpon them inspiring into the litle babes for the simple faythes sake of theyr pareÌ„tes a secret power through the touching of his holy body Which doeÌ„ Iesus departed from thence geuyng a lesson by the same facte of his that the litle babes must be satisfied but yet that we ought not to tary loÌ„g with them but to make spede to thynges of more perfeccion ¶ And beholde one came and sayed vnto hym Good maister what good thyng shall I doe that I maye haue eternall life he sayed vnto hym why callest thou me good There is none good but one and that is God But if thou wylt enter into lyfe kepe the commaundementes He sayeth vnto hym whiche Iesus sayed Thou shalâ—e not commit manslaughter Thou shalt not commit aduenitie Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt not bear false witnes Honour father and mother And thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy self The yong maÌ„ saith vnto hym Al these thinges haue I kept from my youth vp what lacke I yet Iesus said vnto him if thou wilt be perfect go and sell al that thou hast and geue it to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen and cum and folowe me But whan the yonge man heard that saiyng he went away sorye For he had great possessions And loe as soone as he had doen with the children there cummeth nexte after them a yong man which talketh of perfeccion But Iesus like as in the litle babes he shewed his disciples an exaumple of simplicitie and modestie so in the yong man being in dede desirous of perfect godlines but ouer sore burdened with riches he setteth before their iyes how harde it is for them that be geueÌ„ to riches to cum forward to the perfeccioÌ„ of the euangelical godlines and how muche more ready they be to the cause of the gospell whiche possesse nothyng or els very littell of the goodes of this world and yet pouertie and riches stande not so muche in possessions as in the affeccioÌ„s of the mynde The yong man had a deuout mynde but because he heard of Christ certayne newe and straunge preceptes he went vnto him and fallyng doune at his knees asketh him saying good maister what good shal I do to obtayn euerlastyng lyfe The yong man called Iesus good to obteyn his good wil by fayre speakyng whereas yet he toke him to be nothing els but a very maÌ„ although of more excellencie than other men were Afterward whereas he demauÌ„ded of good he meaneth not of euery good thyng but of a certain notable good thyng whiche may deserue euerlastyng lyfe But no mortal man is absolutely good and there is no worke of men which can be so good that it maye deserue the reward of euerlastyng lyfe Iesus therfore pricking forwarde the yonge manne to haue a better opinion of him and to call hym froÌ„ the trust of his workes and to cause him to put the trust of life rather in the free gifte and benefite of God who is naturally good and freely beneficial towardes al menne
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
but rather be the teachers of errours They shall not be only furnished with craftes and a false cloke of holynes but also they shall counterfeyte my power with woonders and magicall meruailes and they shall take vpon them my person with so many marueylouse iuglynges that the electe also yf it were possible shoulde be brought into errour Ye therfore being monished beware for I haue told you before to the intent ye should beware Than if they say Christe is in the deserte goe not out loe he is in the inner parlers goe not in loe he is here or there beleue it not The seconde cuÌ„ming shall not be after such sorte as ye see this that is to say softe milde and humble but sodayne compassing the whole world with the sodayne light of maiestie For lyke as the lightnyng shynyng furth flasheth sodaynely from the East to the west so shall be the cummyng of the sonne of man And ye nede not to feare that he shall not be with me in suche a confusion and hurly burly of thinges Whersoeuer the body shal be thyther shal the Egles flocke and gather The head shall not lacke his membres ¶ Immediatly after the tribulacion of those dayes the sonne shal be derkened and the moone shall not geue her light and the sterres shall fall froÌ„ heauen and the powers of heauen shal be moued And than shall appeâ—â— in heauen the token of the sonne of man and than shall all the kyneedes of the earth mourne and shall see the sonne of man cumming in the cloudes of heauen with great power and glory And he shal sende his angels with a great voyce of a trumpet and they shall gather together his chosen froÌ„ the fower wyndes from the highest parte of heauen vnto the endes of them The heauenly bodyes also shall feele the greatnes of this calamitie For both the sonne shall be darkened and the sonne beeyng darkened whereof the moone borowed her lyght the moone shall shewe no lyght The starres shall fall from heauen and the powers of heauen shall shake beeyng in daunger of fallyng Than among the great and thycke darkenesse the signe of the sonne of man shall shyne from heauen the signe I saye wherby he ouercame Sathan and consumed al his tyranny the signe wherby Sathan craked in vayne that he had the hygher hande The which once seen the nacions of the whole worlde shall strike theyr brestes when the Iewes shall see whom they haue offended when the Gentyles shall see the maiestie of the crosse whiche they laughed to skorne For they shall see the sonne of man whom they nowe despise humble simple cummyng on hygh in the cloudes of the ayer with a great army of aungels with a wonderfull maiestie and glory Than he shall sende furthe his aungels to gather together with a sounding trump all his elect from the fower wyndes from the high toppe of heauen to the vttermoste coaste of the same Learne a similitude of the figgetree Whan his boughes be yet tendre and the leaues sprong out ye knowe that Summer is nigh So lykewyse ye when ye shall see all these thynges be ye sure that it is nere euen at the doores Uerely I saye vnto you this generacion shall not passe vntyll all these thinges be doen. Heauen and yearth shall passe but my woorde shall not passe But of that day and houre no man knoweth no not the angels of heauen but my father onely But at what tyme these thinges shall come to passe it is not in me exactly to determine But yet of those aduersities whiche I haue recited as of certayne preambles and tokens before ye maye gesse that the tyme is not far of Lyke as the figgetree doth declare before by certayne tokens that Summer is at hande as whan at the blowyng of the westerne wynde the boughes begyn to were reÌ„der and the buddes spryng fuâ—h the leaues desire to sprede abrode so ye also whan ye shall see all these thynges whiche I haue spoken of knowe ye well that the cummyng of the sonne of God is at hande I assure you this generacion shall not passe but that all thynges whiche be spoken before shall come to passe Heauen and yearth shall perishe rather than my woorde shal be vayne Therfore it is inough for you to knowe the signes whiche do portende and shewe the daye of my cummyng leste it come vpon you vnwares But it is not your parte to searche out exactly the daye or houre whan the sonne of man shall come forasmuche as the knowledge of these thynges is not geuen to the aungels of heauen no the sonne of man knoweth them not The father hath reserued this vnto hymselfe alone And so it is expedienâ—e for you to the â—â—uente ye may be alwaye in a redines ¶ But as the dayes of Noe were so shall also the cummyng of the sonne of manne be For as in the dayes that went before the â—lud they did eate and drynke marry and were maryed vntyll â—he daye that Noe entred into the ship and knewe not tyll the flud came and toke them aâ— away so shall also the cumming of the sonne of man be Than shall two â—e in the fielde the one taken the other refused Two women shal be grynding at the mâ—l the one receiued the other refused Two in a bed the one shal be receiued the other refused That day shall cum sodaynly and vnwares vnto others Lyke as in the tyme of Noe whan the fludde was tolde them certayne yeares before yet they thinkyng that it should not cum to passe dyd eate and dryncke and married furthe theyr doughters and marryed wyues vntill the last day in the whyche Noe entred into the arcke and beleued not that the fludde shoulde cum to passe vntill they sawe it nowe at hande wherewyth all they were destroyed who by example of Noe woulde not prepare themselues agaynst that day Lyke as than a fewe that were taken into the arcke were preserued the other whyche were leste without peryshed euen so at that tyme when the sonne of manne shal cum they that shall peryshe shall sodainly be deuided from them that shall be saued There shall be two labouring in one field felowes in worke wages of whom the one shall be taken and the other shall be forsaken There shall be two grynding in one myll whereof the one shal be taken the other shal be forsaken Yea and of two that lye in one bed the one shal bee taken the other shal bee forsaken For it is not the woorke or the place or the manner of lyfe but the affeccion and good desyre shal make man blessed Watche therfore for ye knowe not what houre your Lorde wyll cum Of thys yet be sure that if the good man of the house knewe what houre the theâ—e would cum he would surely watche and not suffer hys house to be broken vp Therfore â— be ye also ready for in suche an houre as ye thynke not wyl the
be restored to her owne body The whiche as soone as it shall bee doen whosoeuer shall belong to this holy felowship and sticke constantly vnto me shal be translated with me vnto euerlasting life to be partakers of felicitie which were felowes and partakers of affliccyons After they ye haue taughte these thynges yf they beleue the thinges that ye haue taught yf they repent them of their former lyfe if they be ready to embrace the doctrine of the ghospell then dippe them in water in the name of the father the sonne and the holy gost that by this wholy signe they may trust themselues to be deliuered from the filthines of al theyr sinnes freely through the benefite of my death and nowe to be chosen to the number of the children of God Lette no manne be circumcysed let no manne bee baptized in the name of Moyses or of any manne Let them all knowe to whome they be bounde for their health vpon whome they oughte wholy to hang. Let them not bee burdened with the ceremonyes of Moyses or of manne Lette this token be sufficient for all menne that cumme to the profession of the ghospell whiche is easye to bee had in euery place But leste any manne myghte thinke it sufficient to saluacion once to be baptysed and to professe the faythe of the ghospell they must be taughte agayne by what meanes they may kepe theyr innocencie by what meanes they may goe forwarde to perfeccyon of the euangelicall godlines I haue omitted nothyng whiche may make to the obteining of euerlasting health And that heauenly spirite whiche ye shall receiue will not suffer you to forget that whiche ye haue learned of me Therefore whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you deliuer ye the same to be kepte of them I haue not prescribed vnto you the ceremonies of Moyses law whiche like shadowes must now vanishe away at the light of the euangelicall trueth I haue not prescribed vnto you pharisaicall constitucions but those thinges whiche onely bringeth true innocencie and godlines and whiche onely maye make you derely beloued of God and truely happy Therefore teache these thynges to them that professe my name not onely in woorde but also in life as I whatsoeuer I taught I perfourmed it in dedâ— Whiles ye be doyng of these thynges and whyles ye bring mortall menne to heauen the worlde will ryse agaynste you lyke as it rose agaynste me For my spirite agreeth not with the spirite of thys worlde and my doctryne is wholy agaynst the affeccions of them whiche loue the thinges that be of this world They will ryse agaynste you with greate tumultes but there is no cause why ye nede to distrust though ye be but lowe and abiecte vnlearned weake and fewe I haue ouercome the worlde and ye shall ouercome through my helpe by mynâ— exaâ—mple Ye shal ouercome through my might and not your owne whatsoeuer is terrible in this worlde ¶ And loe I am with you alway vntill the ende of the worlde And although I shall take vp this body into heauen because it is so expediente for you yet I wil neuer forsake you For after that I shall ceasse to bee with you in body than I shall be more effectually with you in my spirite And I will be with you vnto the worldes ende but whan the worldes ende shal be it profiteth not nor behoueth not you to know In the meane season do what is commaunded you euer ready agaynst that daye Whiche whansoeuer it shal come than ye also your mortalitie layed aparte shal bee wholy with me felowes of my fathers kyngdome whiche shall neuer haue ende FINIS To the most excellent and vertuous princesse quene Catherine wyfe to our moste gracious soueraigne Lorde Henry the eyght Kyng of England Fraunce â–ª and Irelande defendour of the faythe and of the Churche of EnglaÌ„d and also of Irelande in earthe supreme heade Thomas Key her dayly Oratoure wisheth perpetuall felicitie AMoÌ„ge the innumerable benefites whiche we haue receiued of almighty God most worthye and excellent Princesse there is none in myne opinioÌ„ for the whiche we are more bounden vnto his merciful goodnesse then for that it hath pleased hym more clearely to illumine vs of this age with the knowledge of his holy woorde then our forefathers and elders For who knoweth not how long this realme hath bene miserably seduced through ignoraunce of the Scriptures Who euen amonge the vplandishe perceyueth not what intollerable abuses haue bene vnder pretence of true religion and Godlynesse mayntayned in this Churche of Englande tyll suche tyme that God of his infinite mercy sent vs a newe Iosias by whose righteous administracion and Godly policie the light of Gods worde that so many yeares before was here extincte began to shyne agayne to the vtter extirpacion of false doctrine the rote and chiefe cause of all such abusioÌ„s This Iosias is our mooste redoubted soueraigne Lorde Kyng Henry theyght a Prince garnished with so many excellent gyftes of grace nature Fortune that he is in very dede therfore mooste worthely called the perfite mirroure pearle of all Christen Princes To wade here in the prayse of his princely qualities noble actes atchieâ—ed to Gods honoure and the publique weale of this realme is not my purpose for that I knowe it to be an enterpryse farre exceadyng the compasse of my symple learning and barrayne eloquence But onely to declare howe muche we are bounden chiefly vnto God and nexte vnto his moste excellent Maiestie that we haue the Scriptures in our mother toÌ„gue are cured of our olde blindnesse by the medicine of veritie For nowe hauing our spirituall iyes opened and daily receyuing into the same the cleare light of Gods worde we begyn to see perfectly to knowe our onely sauiour Iesus Christ whome to knowe is euerlasting lyfe and saluacioÌ„ But so longe as the saide Scriptures were hyd and kept from the knowledge of the people fewe knewe Christ aryght and none lesse then they who appeared to be the chiefe professours of christian religion For what els is it to knowe Christ but to knowe and confesse that of him onely and by hym cummeth oure saluacion that by hâ—moure good dedes are acceptable vnto almyghty God the father that by him the fathers wrathe is appeased that by him we be enfraunchised from the captiuitie and thraldome of the deuell and to be shorte that by hym we are adopted and chosen to be the children of God and enherytours of the kyngdome of heauen Whoso knoweth Christ aryght surely beleueth to attayne saluacioÌ„ by him onely who saythe Cum vnto me all ye that do trauaile and are charged and I shall refresh you The very office of Christ is to saue therfore he was called by the high wisdome of God Iesu that is as muche to say as a sauiour because so saythe the angell in Mathew he shall saue the people from their sinnes So that it appeareth hereby how greatly they are deceiued that thinke
as he was cum out of the water he saw heauen open and the spirite descending vpon him lyke a doue And there came a voyce from heauen Thou art my deare sonne in whom I delite After that Iohn had with wordes of lyke sentence moued and styrred vp the mynde of a great manie of theym to wayt for Messias that was cummyng then furth came Iesus when his tyme was cum forsakyng the litle village of Nazareth in the countrey of Galile where because of his educacioÌ„ and long continuaunce in thesame men thought he had bene borne Certes this is the nature and propertie of all euangelike thinges to begyn very baselye and from suche begynnynges by litle and litle to cum at the length to highest perfeccion whereas contrarily all thinges that euer the world and the deuel goeth about are after merueilous goodly beginninges sodainly cast down and brought to nought So lucifer whiles he set his feate in the northe ymagenyng to be equall with the highest was sodainlye cast downe headlyng into hell In semblable wise Adam when that thorough the diuels instigacioÌ„ he desired to be equall with God was by and by exiled and cast out of paradise Therfore if thou here considre the high excellencie and greatnesse of Iesu it will cause the muche more to wonder at his singuler humblenesse of mynd modestie He came out of a poore and homely village out of Galile the vilâ—st countrey of all Iewrie He that purifieth all thinges came as one of the raskall sort humble lowly to the baptisme of repentauÌ„ce amoÌ„g sinners souldiers brothelles publicaÌ„s without any seruauÌ„tes to wayte and atteÌ„de vpoÌ„ hym It was not ynough for hym to be circumcised accordyng to the ordynaunce of the lawe and purified after the tradicion of Moyses He desyred also to receiue Iohns baptisme teaching enstructing vs hereby that whoso maketh hym selfe ready to be a ministre and preacher of the gospell muste omitte nothing whiche in any wyse perteyneth to the increase of vertue and godlines And again â—schew all thinges wherwith the weakelinges may be offended Iohn taught vs this lessoÌ„ that a preacher of goddes word shoulde not get himselfe estimacion and auctoritie by gorgeous apparell or poÌ„pouse liuing but by honest behauiour and godly conuersacioÌ„ But the eâ—saÌ„ple that Christ shewed was of muche more perfeccion and farther from the Iewishe fashion then this for that he differyng nothyng at all from other neyther in his apparell nor yet in dyet dyd neuerthelesse by his godlye lyning mekenesse and beneficiall goodnes towardes all men vtterly duske and deface the auctoritie of Iohn For that is of hygher perfeccion whiche is geuen by the grace of the gospel then that whiche procedeth from the austeritie and straitnes of the lawe The whole intent of the lorde Iesus was this to make the worlde to know how he was the onely aucthour of saluacion to expresse and set out vnto vs a certaine fourme of euangelike and true godlynes to coÌ„firme the truth and certentie of all that euer Moyses and the Prophetes had vâ—â—itteÌ„ of thinges past and to make vs as it wer with the giuing of an earnest peny to haue a sure hope and expectacion of thinges yet to come For we right gladly beleue him of whom we haue conceyued a meruelous good opinion and vpon whom many witnesses do consent and agree Wherfore it was procured by the prouidence and wisdome of god that the Lorde Iesus shoulde euery where haue an euident recorde and testimonie of his deitie Of the whole lawe of Moses of all the Prophetes of the angels of the shepardes of the wise men called Magicians of the Scribes of Simeon and Anne of Iohn baptist of the father of the holy ghost and finally of Pylate and the deuils The miracles also that he wrought plainely declared hym to be the sonne of God He dyd many thinges not because himselfe had any nede so to do but for that he would set out vnto vs in his owne person a certaine fourme and trade of lyuing as when he fasted when he was tempted when he oftentymes prayed when he came to baptisme when he obeyed his parentes when he paciently suffered all iniuries and wronges and finallye when he came to his crosse and passion He perfourmed many thynges that the prophetes had prophecied of before lest the people should doubt of the promises afterwardes to be accomplished as when that in his baptisme he receyued the holye ghost in the lykenesse of a doue lightyng vpon the croune of his heade as when he arose agayne from death to lyfe Wherfore he came as a penitent to Iohn he desired his baptisme and obteyned it He was baptised in Iordane wherin were baptised both tanners Publicans and souldiers a sorte of people so sinful that none are more blemished or defiled wâ—â—h sinne Are not here the stately princes of this worlde ashamed who will haue nothyng common with the vulgare people No kyng nor priest cummeth to baptisme and if it were theyr pleasure so to do they would scarcely vouchesafe to receyue baptisme in a bason of golde or preciouse stones Nowe our sauiour Iesus that fountayne of all puritie that kyng of all kynges that lord of all lordes disdayned not the common bathe wherin the common sorte were washed But whoso humbleth hymselfe before man the same is highly exalted before god Iesus was baptised as the rest and euerychone of the common people there present But the father of heauen disseuered hym froÌ„ the residue by a certayne notable signe neuer sene ne heard of before For as sone as he was come out of the water of Iordane whiche he halowed with the touche of his holy body vnto lande as he was in his contemplacion and prayers Iohn sawe the heauens open and the holy ghoste flie downe from thence and light vpon the holy croune of his heade and there tarye The pride of Adam closed the gates of paradise agaynste vs The humblenesse of mynde and modestie of Christe hath for paradise opened vs the gates of Heauen There was a visible signe shewed vnto mannes iyes but by the same we were taughte what maner of myndes that heauenlye spirite both loueth and maketh The spirite of the deuill and the worlde maketh and loueth suche mindes as are haute puffed vp with pride fierce but that heauenly spirite loueth those whiche are lowely meke and peacible There is nothing more harmles and more without gyle then the doue nothing whose nature wurse agreeth with fighting and raueny It was plainlye expressed set out in the lord by this corporall figure what is spiritually wrought in all those that with a sincere and pure faith receyue the baptisme of the gospell The body is washed with water but the soule is throughly annoynted with grace inuisible Moreouer that the done abode still vpon the croune of the lordes head signified that the holy ghoste is geuen to all other godlye men and good lyuers â—atably after the
measure and proporcion of their faithe as it is presently expedient But in Iesus was the continuall fountaine of al heauenly grace For the doue brought hym not then any new grace whiche he had not before but euidently declared howe he was full of grace and showed moreouer from whence all grace and goodnes issueth and cummeth vnto vs. Iohn beyng stablyshed in mynde with this so euident a signe receiued of the father of heauen doubted not to pronounce Iesus to be the very sonne of God The witnes that he gaue vnto Christ was of great waight and authoritie amoÌ„g the Iewes but much greater was the testimonie of the father himselfe whose voyce sounded doune from the heaueÌ„s saying Thou art that my derely beloued sonne in whome my minde delighteth For a wyse childe is the fathers ioy and comforte That heauenly spirit of God is not ydle weake faynt or feble but of nature all fiery and by and by wurketh and putteth furth his vertue as soone as it is once entred into the soule of man The spirite of man is slacke and slowe and thinketh vpon nothing but that whiche is lowe vile and worldly But they that haue the spirite of the fleash mortified and are led with the spirite of God do furthwith goe in hande with high thinges and of manly enterprise that is to say doe fight against the vncleane spirite their ghostly enemy the deuil whoÌ„ they are not afrayed euen to prouoke to battayle as men puttyng theyr whole confidence in the ayde and succour of the heauenly spirite whiche is of muche more vertue and puissauÌ„ce than all that withstande the gospell ¶ And immediatly the spirite droue him into wildernes and he was there in the wildernes fowerty dayes and was tempted of Sathan and was with wild beastes and the aungels ministred vnto hym After that Iohn was taken Iesus came into Galile preachyng the gospell of the kyngdome of God and saying The tyme is cum and the kyngdome of God is at hande Repent and beleue the gospell Wherfore Iesus plainly expressing in himselfe what he woulde haue vs to doe incontinent after we haue receyued baptisme was brought by force of the holy goste into wildernesse There he made his abode fowertie dayes and as many nyghtes styll continuyng in prayer and fastyng and in the meane season he was tempted of the deuyll whom after he had discoumfited and ouerthrowen hym he delyuered vnto vs to ouercum shewyng vs also the verye waye and meane howe to gette the victorye He is ouerthrowen by the spirite of Christe by continuall prayer and sobernesse of lyfe and by the weapon of holy Scripture The whyle that Christe continued thus in wyldernesse he lyued among saluage beastes vtterly abstayning from all comfort and solace taken of the company of man There had been no daunger for hym yf he had bene conuersaunt with the multitude of people but he shewed hereby howe expedient it is for a Christian souldiour to exchewe the compainye of the conmon sorte vntill he haue sufficiently tamed the fleshe and ouercome the deuyl and by continuall recordyng of Goddes lawe and deuout prayers made him selfe strong ynough in spirite For many be in more safetie when they lyue among beastes as Christ dyd then when they be conuersaunt with suche meÌ„ne as are more noysome then any brute beastes The Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christe kept company with beastes but whiles he lacked the ministery of meÌ„ Angels were alwayes present and serued hym They that vtterly despyse alâ— the pastimes and pleasures of this worlde neuer wante heauenlye pleasures and solaces For vs and our profite Christ was baptised For vs he prayed for vs he was notably described by the testimony of the father and the holye ghost for vs he went into wyldernesse for vs he fasted for vs he was tempted for vs he gatte the victorye ouer the deuil Here consyder thou Christian souldiour the very true and right order of thy perfeccion The first instruccion and teaching by mouth of Christes religion causeth hatred of the former lyfe and hope of clensyng or remission of synnes With these capitaines thou runnest to Iordane and there throughe fayth in Christe washest awaye the fylthynesse of all thy synnes And anon after at thine owne praier and at the petiâ—ion and praier of the churche thou hast a newe spirite geuen the from heauen and by it arte admitted to be of the number of the children of God and emplaÌ„ted into the body of Iesu Christ as a member of hym who is the very heade of the churche In the meane whyle it behoueth not the souldiour of Christe to be carelesse Thou hast promysed thy seruice to Christe thyne Emperour Thou hast renounced the deuill Thou haste receyued the holy ghoste as it were gifte money a bond and an earnest penye of thy salarye Thou must enforce thyselfe with thy vtter endeuour to get victory But that neuer chauÌ„ceth to the negligente and recheleâ—â—e person Thou must take to thee armoure and weapon leste thyne ennemie whiche euerywhere lyeth in wayte for the cum vpon the vnwaâ—es and when thou arte vnarmed Thou shalte incontinent be assaulted with the world the deuil and the fleshe Thou muste alwaies fight to th entent thou mayest alwayes gette victory For this battaile shal not â—nde before thou make an ende of thy lyfe But yet the oftener thou chaunce to vanquishe thine ennemye the weaker shall he departe from battayle and thou the stronger When thou haste here behaued thyselfe valiantly and played the manne a while then at the lengthe addresse thy selfe to the ministracion of the ghospell specially yf thou feele that the spirite of God driue the therunto The Lorde Iesus was meete to preache the ghospell then whiche ministerie there is none of greater perfeccion euen when he was a verye lytle â—hylde But he ordeyned a patarne or an example in hymselfe for vs to counterfayte and folowe wherby we are taught that we ought not by and by after our profession rashely to hasten ourselues to this so high and holy a ministracion The lawe of Moyses had her tyme. There was also a tyme when it behoued that as the lyght of the euangelyke veritie beganne by litle and litle to shine furth vnto the worlde euen so shoulde the shadowes of the olde lawe vanishe awaye and the carnall lawe gyue place vnto the spirituall puttyng furth her vertue Lyke as in transformacions and naturall chaungynges of thynges there is a certaine meane whiche hath some affinitie with both the extremes to the intent that thinges of muche contrarietie maye easely be traÌ„sformed and to â—rned one into another Euâ—n so Iohn came as a meane betwene the carnall law of Moyses and the spirituall law of the ghospell to this ende that men might the soner be transformed and brought from the fleshe or litterall sence of the lawe to the spirite and true meanyng of the same For ayre is not sodainly and immediatly made of yearth but in this transformacion
wildernesse Suche as goe about to get a name and gaynes by iugglyng castes and woorkyng of Magicall miracles desyer to be in those cities whereas moste haunt and resorte of people is But oure sauiour Iesus in that he ofte tymes shunneth muche assembly of people plainly teacheth vs what we ought to do He that is able to worke the miracles of the gospell doeth not so muche desyer the great multitude as the feruent mynde and affeccion of beholders In great cities many resorted vnto hym for this purpose only to delite their iyes with newe and straunge sightes No man foloweth Iesus into the wyldernesse vnlesse he long after hym with a certaine vehement desire and affeccion He that forgoeth al pleasures of good tounes and foloweth Christ thorow rough and cumberous places foloweth hym to his great commoditie For he that loueth hym vnfaynedly doeth in all thinges folowe hym whome he loueth through reproche hungre despoylyng of substauÌ„ce banishmeÌ„t imprisonment tourmentes and death And suche folowers of Christ were figured by those that came flockyng out of all countreis and partes of Galile vnto Iesu who kept hymselfe close in desert and solitary places The .ij. Chapter BUT whithersoeuer a man flieth vertue hath euer her fame and glory folowyng her euen as the shadow foloweth the body For he that is vnfainedly good caÌ„ neuer be but one maner of man and lyke himselfe And as there is alwayes light whithersoeuer the body of the suÌ„ne remoueth euen so to what place soeuer true godlinesse remoueth there is alwayes great resort of people Now wildernesse was no longer wildernesse after the lorde Iesus the true light of this world was gon thither And yet the persone in whome is the power to worke the myracles of the ghospell ceaseth not asmuche as in him lyeth to auoyde such places wheras muche people is assembled to beholde hym for that he knoweth certainly what a perilous vice vainglory is Neuerthelesse the feruent desyre he hath to helpe and do all men good doeth oftimes cause hym though it be againste his nature to haue recourse thither againe And by this meanes cummeth it to passe that whiles the good man is compelled to remoue from place to place the moe receiueth benefite at his handes ¶ After a few dayes also he entred into Capernaum agayne and it was noysed that he was in the house and anon many were gathered together insomuche that now there was no roume to receiue them no not somuche as about the dore He preached the worlde vnto them And there came certaine vnto him bringyng one sicke of the Palsey whiche was borne of fower men And when they could not come nye vnto him for prease they vncouered the roofe of the house that he was in And when they had broken vp the â—oofe they did with â—dâ—des let downe the bed wherin the sicke of the Palsey lay When Iesus sawe their fayth he sayd vnto the sicke of the Palsey sonne thy sinnes be forgeuen thee Wherfore Iesus geuyng vs ensample bothe to flye vayne glory and also continually to doe good to our euen christen within fewe dayes after returned agayne to Capernaum from whence he semed to be dryuen away before by reason of the great importunitie of the people whiche euen in the night tyme lay about the gates of the house wherin he soiourned For as he made Bethleem muche renoumed by his byrthe and Nazareth very famous by his educacion and the countrey of Egypt happy because he fled thyther for his preseruacion and safegarde so did he as it were adopte and choose Capernaum to be his countrey bothe by his ofte tarrying there and also by shewyng of many fayer miracles in the same He came agayn hyther in maner by stealth and fyrste kepte hymselfe secrete in a house before it was knowen in the citye that he was cum But as the Sunne can not be hyd so the Lorde Iesus can not be kept close and secret The rumour whiche as it is commonly seen rose of a few persons had now bloweÌ„ abrode throughout the whole citie that Iesus was in the house And furthwith thither flocked suche a multitude of people that all the house was fylled and not onely that but also the porche and al the places about the dore were not sufficient to receiue them It is a blessed house whither Iesus is cum to dwell and neuer departeth thence agaynt That house is the churche For Capernaum beareth the figure of the whole worlde wheresoeuer the Gentyles inhabite Certes at Ierusalem the Iewes cast Iesus out of the temple and among the Gentiles the kyngdome of heauen suffereth violence and the multitude of all sortes of people entreth into it after a certaine forcible fashion The Christian Nouices sitte aboute the gates greatly desyring to be admitted into the Lordes house muche houngryng and thirstyng after the rightuousnes of the kyngdom of heauen And verily Iesus excludeth no manne from this house neyther poore nor ryche whole nor sycke so that he haue a vehement desyre to heare hym Wherefore the Lorde teachyng vs that we ought alwayes chyeflye to care for our soule health and afterwarde for our bodies fyrste of all ministred vnto them the doctrine of the ghospell wherwith the diseases and maladies of the soule are cured For this cause such as are disposed to geue almes to the poore do very well yf they geue them fyrste a bryefe exhortacion that maye make them the better in mynde and soule and then departe with theyr charitie For the common sort of people be of suche a disordered iudgement that they are more desyrous of those thynges whiche are expedient for the body then of those that pertayne to theyr soule health The lord euidently declared vnto vs by his ensample that our chiefe care oughte to be for that parte whiche is the chiefeste parte or porcion of man in that he fyrste taught and then by and by healed suche as were diseased Nowe whyles Iesus was teachyng and busye about curyng the diseases of theyr soules there came vnto hym certain men bringyng with theim one that was sycke of a Palsey whose synowes were so resolued in all partes of his body through the violence of the disease that he could not styrre out of his bed but was fayne to be caried thither vpon fower mennes shoulders Here hast thou plainly set out the very ymage and fygure of a minde whiche is by worldly lustes and desyres made so womanlyke and dissolute that it can in no wise lift vp it selfe to doe any thyng that is good godly but lyeth styl in the bedde of lowe and filthy cares and neuer remembreth any thyng that is hygh or celestiall Nowe when they sawe howe they coulde not for prease of people that sate so thicke about the gate and porche bryng this sycke man to the sight of Iesus they lifted hym vp vpon the house and after they had remoued the slates and made a way in they let hym doune bed and all
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
the felowship of the heauenly kyngdom Therfore if you chaunce to liue in these dayes bee ware ye embrace not in stede of me sum counterfayte Christe Loe I haue tolde you all thynges beforehande There remayneth behynde that you retayne and kepe my woordes in memory ¶ Moreouer in those dayes after that tribulacion the Sunne shal ware darcke and the Moone shall not geue her lyght and the starres of heauen shall fall and the powers whiche are in heauen shall moue And then shall they see the sonne of manne cumming in the cloudes with great power and glory And then shall â—e send his aungels and shall gather together his elect from the fower windes from the endes of the yearth to the vttermost parte of heauen Nowe after these forsayed calamities warres persecucions famyne pestilence and earthquakes be paste there shall also ensue manye other wonderfull signes and tokens out of heauen all the elementes beyng as it were yrefully set to take vengeaunce vpon the wicked people For the Sunne the fountaine of light shall wexe darke therby as it were embraiding the vngodlye with theyr blyndnes because they woulde not see the euerlastyng sunne and lanterne of the worlde Neyther shall the Moone whiche is wonte to shine in the night and put awaye the darknesse therof geue her light that she boroweth of the SuÌ„ne Furthermore men shall see the starres fal doune from the firmament to the earth which haue bene so many huÌ„ndred yeares there fastened for mans behoue commoditie And besides this the powers of the heauens by vertue whereof those merueylouse bodies haue coÌ„tinued euen froÌ„ the creation of the worlde their courses and offices appoynted theÌ„ of god shal be moued so great shall the feare be of the dreadfull day of dome approching These thinges done all that be then aliue shall sodaynly and with the twynkelyng of an iye see the soonne of man whoe is nowe taken for an vnderlynge and not regarded appeare in the hyghest cloudes with greate puyssaunce in the glory of the father and with him innumerable multitudes of Aungels Then will he sende out his Aungels who wyll let none of his chosen be awaye but wyll assemble theÌ„ altogether froÌ„ euery quarter whether they be quycâ—e or els dead but must sodainly be reliued again he wyll send them out I say to gather all the membres of the misticall bodie vnto their head to th enteÌ„t that they which haue bene partakers of afflictions persecutions for the gospelles sake maye lykewyse be companions and partakers with hym of euerlastynge ioye and blysfulnesse It skylleth not whither that good meÌ„ns soules haue gone neyther into what place their karkases haue bene throwen Aungeles shall fynde them out and gather them together from the fower quarters of the worlde and againe from the hyghest pole of heauen to the low moste Euery soule shal be ioyned vnto his owne proper bodie and all the electe and chosen people shall lykewise be conioyned vnto theyr head Learne a similitude of the figâ—tee when his braunche is yet tendre and hath brought forth leaues ye â—â—owe that summer is nere So in lyke maner when ye se these thynges cum to paâ—se vnderstand that he is â—ye euen at the doores Uerely â–ª I saie vnto you that this generacion shall not passe tyll these thynges be doen. Heauen and earth shall passe but my wordes shall not passe But of the daye tyme knoweth no man 〈◊〉 not the Aungels whiche are in heauen neither the sonne himselfe saue the father onely Now leste this day cum sodaynly vpon you when ye are nothyng at all prepared you maye gesse by certayne foresygnes and coniectures when it is nere hande euen as ye may coniecture and gather by the fygge tree that summer wil shortly cum For when the braunches of this tree begin once to waxe soft and tender being about to bring forth their first fruite called grossi and when the leaues be alreadye budded out ye knowe that suÌ„mer is not farre of But it is muche certayner that that day shall cum then it is certayne that summer foloweth after wynter This thyng do I auouche vnto you This age shall not passe till all these thinges shall happen Among corporall thinges there is nothing more stable sure then heauen nothing more vnmouable then is the earth but yet both heauen and earthe shall sooner alter and chauÌ„ge their nature then my wordes be vayne and of none effect Be ye not careful to knowe certeynly when that same laste daye shall cum forasmuche as it is not geuen vnto the Angels to know it no nor yet to the sonne himselfe For the father hathe reserued this secrete knowledge to himself alone because he perceiued it was expedient for your soule helth he should so do Be you moste certaynly assured that it shall cum but aske ye not when leste by this meanes ye becum careles ¶ Take hede watch and pray for ye knowe not when the time is As a man which is goen into a straunge countrey and hath left his house and geuen his substance to his seruauntes to euery man his worke coÌ„maunded the porter to watche Watche ye therfore ye know not when the mayster of the house will cum at euen or at midnight whether at the cocke crowyng or in the dawnyng lest if he cum sodaynly he fynde you slepyng and that I saye vnto you I saye vnto all watche Beware alwayes take good hede watche praie continually since you are vncertaine when that dreadfull daie shall cum vpon you You shal take good hede if you wyll not truste vnto worldly aides neither put confidence in any worldly creature but wholy hang vpon me my coÌ„maundementes Ye shal watche if by refraining froÌ„ superfluitie all bodely pleasures you will wholy bend youre selues to holynes of spirite vertuous liuing You shal pray if you wil most feruently desire those thinges which are promised vnto theÌ„ that stil perseuer coÌ„tinue in the profession of the gospell SataÌ„ hath his craftes to deceiue euen wise circuÌ„spect persons Against these craftes you must vse the wysedom policy of the serpent The world the flesh haue their entisinges wherwith they so delite the mindes of recheles folkes that as I maye cal it slepe securitie forgetfulnes of thinges eternall crepeth vpon theÌ„ ere they be ware Of these thinges spryngeth eyther conteÌ„pt or els desperaÌ„ce of the kingdom of heaueÌ„ God wil not cleane forsake his choseÌ„ but he loueth wakefull heedefull persons yet will he that wheÌ„ they haue done what may be done by mans endeuoyre diligence they neuertheles cease not to pray fully persuadyng theÌ„selfes how it is God that geueth the beginning proceding consuÌ„mation of euerlastyng blisfulnes So watche you as thoughe God wyll forsake you for a time so praye you as thoughe whatsoeuer ye go about shall cum to none effecte without he put to his helping hande And because the Lord Iesê°
sorte then ye could imagine to loke for These blessinges hath his eternal truth and vnfallible promiâ—se perfourmed vnto your highnes because ye seke hym more then the worlde because ye more mynde godly contemplacion then courtly solaces because ye more tendre his glory than any temporal coÌ„modities because ye esteme the knowlage of his word more precious then perle golde or any treasoures subiecte to corrupcioÌ„ because ye preferre the aduaâ—cyng of his holy word before and aboue al other thynges because ye ceasse not with all your power with all your dilygence and with all your industrie to sette foorth to all mennes knowlage his holy ghospell and testament the onely foode and coumfort of our soules And not only doeth your grace with most ernest zele from the first houre of the daye to the twelfth labour in the vineyarde of Christ susteinyng the burden of al the whoâ—e daye and the parcâ—yng 〈◊〉 of the smouldring nonetide in youre own â—erâ—oâ—e â—ut alâ—o at your eâ—â—eding great cost and charges do hire other workemen to labour in the â—ame vineyarde of Christes ghospell to the ende thesame may frucâ—â—fy and so pleÌ„tuouâ—ly bryng forth that al English people maye to their health and ghostly conâ—olacion be aboundauntely replenyshed with the frute therof And as a good captayne partly to the encouraging of his forward â—ouldiers and partly to the shaming of dastardes or false haâ—ted loyterers ledeth and guideth his armie and gâ—eth himself before theÌ„ so your grace ferre otherwyse then in the weake vesselles of woman sexe is to be loked for doe shewe vnto menne a notable exaumple of forwardene â—e in settyng penne to the boke parâ—ely to the great coumfortyng of suche as faine would doe good yf they durste and partely to the shame and consumelye of sluggardes who hauyng good talentes dooe kepe them faste lapped vp in their napkins and liue idely And by this meanes doth your highnesse ryght well declare that all your delite al your studie and all your endeuour is by al possible meanes enploied to the publique commoditie of al good English people the kynges moste louyng and obedient subiectes to bee nouâ—led and trayned in the readyng of Gods woorde and in the meditacion of his moste holy ghospell For this ghospel is thesame treasour hidden vnder yâ— cloddy hard grounde in the field of the letter which your grace after ye had found did for ioye selle all that ye had to bye thatsame fielde withal And wel may such persons be sayed to haue solde al that they had who sette lesse by al the worlde then by the ghospell and aswel for the obteining of the knowlage to themselfes as also of desire to helpe make thesame common to others doth not spare to spend oute the treasoures of their golde and substance This is that same precious margarite that Christ speaketh of which your grace seekyng for with great desire whan ye had once founde solde al that ye had to bye thought your treasoures wel bestowed if it mighte so fortune that ye myght fynde meanes to make all English men whiche would reade or heare it to bee partakers of the same This is the grayne of mustardesede whiche whan it was so fine and so litle that the vnlearned sort of English meÌ„ could scarce possibly fele or see it ye of your excediÌ„g charitie zele towards your countrey folkes did in such wise helpe to sowe in the field of Englande and did so cherishe with the faâ—â—e â—atleing yearth of the Paraphrase that where before it was in the iyes of the vnletâ—red the least of al sedes it is now shot vp and groweÌ„ muche larger in bredth theÌ„ any other herbe of the field so that it now spredeth the braunches in suche a coumpact that al Englishe readers may therein fynd many places where to lyght and to bylde them nestes in whiche their soules and consciences may â—o theyr ghostely coumfort quietly repose themselfes This is the spirituall leauen whiche your grace beyng a ghostly housewyfe for the behoufe of all the whole royalme of England other the kynges maiesties dominions â–ª hath in suche wyfe hydden in all the whole fower peckes of English meale East west North South that by the benefite and meane of this paraphrase it is now al made sauoury and of a pleasannt reâ—ice to al English peoples taste Where the texte of the gospel afore was in sum partes though alwayes speciall good and holsom foode and very restoratiue to suche as were able to brooke it yet to the coÌ„plexcioÌ„ of grosse rude and grene stomaked EnglishmeÌ„ disagreeyng and harde of digestion yet ye by procuring the whole paraphrase of Erasmus to be diligeÌ„tly translated into Englishe haue minâ—ed it and made it euery English mans meate though his stomake be neuer so weake or teÌ„dre Where afore in sum partes agayn it seemed to be so light meate that the grossest makes dyd no lesse to the it then the children of Israell dyd Manna in deserte whan they sayed Our soule is qualmishe ouer this meate beyng toto light and is readie to cast it vp again your godly cure in conseruyng it with the paraphrase of Erasmus in Englishe hath made so â—ounde and substanciall meate for all complexcions of people that it may be to euery body lyke the aboundaunce of quailles rainyng downe in wildernesse from heauen suche as best stoode with euery bodyes stomake appetite and most desire to be pleÌ„teously fedde withall Where of it self it is a meate most pure and simple therfore to suÌ„ defutie mouthes vsed to none but fine termes to the painted colours exornacions of Rethorike it semeth drye vnpleasauÌ„t it is now by the eagredulce sauce of the paraphrase made more liquide to ruÌ„ne pleasauntly in the mouth of any man whiche is not to muche infected with indurate blindnes of herte with malicious cancardnes and with to to muche peruerse a iudgemeÌ„t For Erasmus lyke as he doeth in all his workes excell and passe the most parte of al other writers so in this worke of the paraphrase vpon the new Testamente he passeth hymselfe Therfore most gracious Ladye althoughe your demerites are so ferre aboue al praises of man that how fer soeuer I made in magnifiyng your vertuous disposicion your deuout study and endeuour to do good thinges I shal be sure not to incurre any suspicion of flatery â–ª yet do I at this present omittyng al other thynges onely in Englandes behalf make one emong the rest in rendring publique thankes to your highnesse as well for your other godly trauaile in furtheryng the knowledge of Goddes worde as also most specially in settyng men in worke to translate the Paraphrase of Erasmus vpon all the newe Testament wherein ye do both to the young and to the olde as well to the high as to the low no lesse to the ryche then to the poore shew muche more bounteous liberalitie in deling about in makyng common vnto all good Englishe people the
the phisician And lyke as the louyng frendely phisiciaÌ„s if at any time they cannot styll remayne to bee euermore present with theyr pacientes doe commonly vse to leaue some boxe or receypt of phisicke with them whereby the parties that are sicke maye be theyr owne phisicians if the case shoulde so require so the lorde Iesus when he returned into heauen leafte vnto vs by his Apostles a medicinable electuarie of the gospell bothe easye and readie for euery bodye that wyll take it but of great vertue and effecte if a man receyue it as it ought to be and certes to take it to ones profite and benefite the chiefe thyng that worketh it is his assured trust and affiaunce in the phisician Neither is it enough to haue taken a stendre taste or assaye thereof but it muste be receiued and conueyghed into the veraye bowels that as soone as it is receyued within the stomacke the vertue therof maye haue full course to renne euery waye throughout all the veynes At suche tyme and neuer till than it begynneth to roumble and shake all the partie from toppe to toe with the hatred of his former life but after this great troublyng and confusion immediately ensueth greate tranquillitie of mynde and quiet of the conscience The phisicians of the bodyes haue practicioners and poticaries that dooe ministre theyr arte vnder them and theimselues are the prescribers and appoyneters what it is that must bee geuen to the sicke Christ alone it is and none els that hath prescribed the medicine of euerlastyng saluacion The Apostles and their successours the bishops are no more but ministers they temper in due proporcion they fyne and beate to powder they laye to the places diseased not receiptes of theyr owne but of Christes They baptise in water but Christe it is that washeth the soule cleane they teache the thynges whiche he taught and deliuered vnto theim but Christes owne selfe it is whiche maketh that theyr wordes maye take effecte The corporall phisicians dooe often tymes varie aswell in their iudicials of the diseases as also in appoyntyng medicines for thesame yea and many tymes in stede of medicines they appoynte thynges that are beray poyson to the sickenes accordyng to the saying of the greke Poete Many of the medicines be good that are wrought And many of theim again are sterke staryng nought But of the phisicke and medicine Euangelicall there is but onely one receipâ—t whiche ought of no mortall creature to bee either corrupted or altered And fynally to conclude it is confect of no mo but one simple so that althoughe they whose parte and duetie it were to be ministers of the same woulde bee slacke to dooe theyr office euery man maye take it and ministre vnto hymselfe so that he haue a mynde feithfully trustyng a mynde syncere and desirous of health For euen that same chiefe and head phisician of all who alone and none but he is of power hable to heale all the whole manne did at some seasons geue health by hymselfe in his owne persone and many tymes also by the ministerie of his Apostles and disciples Now ferthermore all the whole facultie and arte of phisicke hath two markes that it principally shoteth at the one that it maye deliuer the bodye from diseases and from suche thynges as doe brede diseases this parte is by the phisicans terme called therapeutica that is to saye the arte of curyng or healyng diseases secondelye theyr arte is to preserue and continue the healthfull state of the bodye and to encreace the strength and this parte of phisicke they place in the ordreing of the diete For the phisicians dooe not euermore sere with hote yrons or cutte they doe not euermore geue pocions of scammonie to consume and waste the fleashe as men in manier sleaghyng and martiring the bodye to kepe it in lyfe but sometymes they ministre suche thynges as maye make the herte lyghte and mâ—rie yea and also they geue the bodye sustinaunce at large So there is firste of all ministred vnto vs the pocion of faith whiche troubleth the soule and conscience with repentaunce and emptying vs dooeth discharge and vnlade vs of oure synne Than immediatly therupon is geuen an electuarie of consolacion of exortyng and of more perfeict doctrine For if a phisician as soone as he hath made the bodye emptie by purgacion should soodaynely geue vp the sicke pacient and leat hym alone it is an hazarde and ieopardie leste whan it is destytute of all the strength some power and rage of a greater sickenesse maye take it as for example the paulsey the generall taking or dissolucion of all the limmes and senewes wherupon men lye bedred or a consumpcion So after that repentaunce hath cast downe our combe and hath well shaken our disease whaÌ„ baptisme hath scoured or pourged vs and made vs emptie and voyde from al synnes there bee suche thinges ministred and geuen to vs as maye holsomlye replenishe the soule agayne beeyng now well clensed and made voyde Wrathfulnes is voyded out and tentilnesse and mekenesse is in stede thereof infused Enuie is sucked out and taking of all thynges to the best put in for it Picling and pollyng is voyded out and in place therof succedeth liberalitie The feruent desyre of makyng warre is consumed awaye and the earnest zele of peace cometh in for it The loue of sensuall pleasures of the fleshe is expelled and in their stede entreth the loue of thynges celestiall Wyll ye heare what is the sâ—ammonie euangelicall Dooe ye penaunce The axe is nowe alreadie sette at the roote of the tree And euerie tree that bringeth not foorth good fruicte is cutte vp And Paule in lyke manier Mortifie your membres whiche are vpon yearth whoorehuntyng vncleannesse wanton lust euill concupiscence and auarice And within fewe woordes after it foloweth spoysyng your selues of the olde man with all his actes He hathe now voyded out the ill humoures how doeth he fill vp the emptie place agayne Dooe vpon youre selues sayth he as the saintes the elected of God the bowels of mercie bounteousnesse submission humilitie pacience supportyng one another and forgeuyng your selues emong you if any persone haue a querele agaynste an other lyke as the Lorde also hathe giuen to you And aboue all these thynges haue ye charitie whiche is the bande of perfeccion and seat the peace of Christe reioyce in your heartes Suche mannier an house swapâ—â— cleane with broomes and replenished on euery syde with suche ornamentes â–ª the eiuell spirite shall not eftsones entre vpon whan he returneth with seuen wurse then himselfe Thus than the Euangelicall medicine hath wyne of it owne wherewith to scoure the mattier of oure woundes that they smarte agayne Auaunt come behynde me Satan thou sauourest not tho thynges whiche are of god but whiche are of men Now see the suppleyng oyle oâ— thesame Haue ye a perfecte trust and confidence for I haue ouercommed the worlde A heare of heade shall not
by course succeded All thissame though it semed to be doen by mere chaimce at auenture yet was there no one poynte therof but it was wrought by the high wysedome and prouidence of God yea not so muche as the veray numbre of the course but it was for a purpose and a consideracion For lyke as the numbre of seuen for many causes hath the figure significacion of the olde lawe so doeth the numbre of eight well accorde to the grace of the ghospel for asmuche as the euerlasting blisse of heauen is nowe geuen not through the workes of the lawe but freely and frankly through feith And Zacharie had also a wife named Elizabeth not only the better to be estemed for the respecte of her noble birth for she came of the stocke and bloud of Aaron the first prieste of the people of Israell but also worthie to be had in reuerence and wurship for hir integritie and perfecte goodnesse of behaueour to the intente that suche an holy man as Zacharie was should not be without a wyfe accordyng ¶ They were both righteouse before God and so walked in all the commaundementes and ordeynauÌ„ces of the Lord that no man could fynde faulte with them And they had no childe because that Elizabeth was baraine and they both were now well stricken in age For it was in veray dede an holy wedlocke knitte and made vp not somuch by copulacion of their bodies as by lykenesse of theyr mindes and hertes and by the felowship of godlines because they were both of them veray good folkes and iust not with the iustice of the Phariseis whiche Phariseis vnder a false couiour and counterfaite shewe of holynesse did sette foorth theyr prynted sheathe to the iyes of men for lucre and for worldely prayse defourmyng their faces and makyng them vnsightly for the nons a troumpette blowyng before them at all suche times whan they gaue their almes sekyng to be estemed holy by reason of long prayers made in corners of the stretes whan their herte was drouned in all fylthinesse of hainous offences and trespaces against God but Zachary and Elizabeth with vncorrupt hertes dyd in suche wyse obserue and kepe all thynges whiche the Lord had commaunded by the lawe that neyther they gaue vnto men any holde or tytle to fynde faulte with them and yet the which is a poynte of no small difficultie they did also by the puritie and clenesse of their liuyng shewe themselfes pleasyng in the sight of God Yea and this veray poynte also was wrought by the high wysedome of God of a speciall prouision to the ende that suche a one as should afterwarde geue testimonie vnto Christe at his cumming might on his owne behalfe be in all maner degrees worthy acceptacion emong the people of the Iewes first for the noblenesse of his linage being descended of the ordre of priesthood aswell on the fathers syde as on the mothers syde secondarily for the linyng of both his parentes beyng vnreprouable thirdly for the vertues giftes of grace in his owne selfe beyng wonderfull and suche as were but in fewe persones to be found and finally for his gloryous death whan he should suffre for the truthes sake Suche a cryar veryly it was mete that he should haue which came to allure to hymselfe the whole worlde with the sauor as it were of the good fame and opinion that should spryng of hym Ferthermore by the prouidence of God this poynte alo was wrought that the straunge maner of his natiuitie should stiere vp the myndes of men to haue a speciall regarde of Iohn and no suche common matiers or facions as were in other folkes to be looked for at his hande the whiche was borne into this worlde not after the common course of nature but by the onely benefite of God For although the holy conuersacion of zacharie and Elizabeth was specially well approued allowed of all persons yet in this one poynte their godlynesse semed to haue but hard happe that both of them were veray ferre groweÌ„ in age without hauing any issue or childe in all their tyme. For emong the Iewes lyke as the fruitfulnesse of matrimonie was reputed for a certayne thyng of great Royaltie so was barainnesse in as muche reproche as any thyng and was rekoned in the numbre of the chiefe missehappes and euils of this lyre For the moste parte of the people did interprete and take those persons to bee reiected and cast out of the fauour of God whiche had not had the fortune and happe with some kynde of issue to encrease and multiplie the people of the Iewes beeyng a people specially chosen dedicate vnto God For the Iewes beyng altogether grosse and carnall had not yet learned that a spirituall and ghostely people it was whiche God would haue by an heauenly generacion styll from tyme to tyme more and more to be multiplied with continuall succession of issue They had not yet heard that blissed were tho persons whiche had gelded themselfes for the kingdome of heauen And this mattier dyd not a lytle grieue them bothe in theyr mindes especially Elizabeth who was now euen already by a muche reprochefull name in euery bodyes mouth called baraine and was rekoned in the numbre of women of hard happe as one of suche barainesse that she was nowe past all lykelyhood or hope to haue any chylde because that veray many yeres hauyng passed in the coumpanie of her wedded house bande she had yet brought foorth no fruite of matrimonie For the reproche of barainnesse is woont moste specially to light on the womeÌ„ And this despaire of hauing any chyld the old age of them both had encreased But the bounteous goodnesse of God did of tendre fauour geue vnto the deuoute prayers and desires of theyr hertes that thyng which the strength and power of nature dyd not geue to the coumpanying of theyr bodyes And it came to passe that whan Zacharie executed the priestes office before God as his course came accordying to the custome of the priestes office his lotte fell to burne incâ—nse And he wente into the temple of the Lorde and the whole multitude of the people were without in prayer whyle the incense was in burnyng Therfore whan zacharie executed the office of the prieste in the ordre of his course whiche as we haue sayed was in the course of Abia and continuing within the temple in the sight of God attended the ministryng of the sacres lyke a pure and a chaste man and now accordyng to the custome and maner there was one to be chosen to goe into the innermoste and priuiest place of the temple which is called Sancta sanctorum that is to say the holy of holyes or the principall holy place the chaunce of the lotte so fell that he was chosen to entre into the principall holy place which it was not leefull for any person to entre except the bishop or suche an
owe styll vnpayed but also doe by playne extorcion pull froÌ„ poore house handmen that that is no duetie at all and so vnder the name and colour of warre they thynke nothyng what euer it bee vnlawfull for theÌ„ to do wheras in very dede there is a due lawe of armes seruing for battail and warre which in dede is not vtterly to be disallowed in case it be atteÌ„pted for a iust and a rightful cause that is to saye if it be made for the defence maynteinaunce of the publique traÌ„quillitie of a realme and countrey yf the case so stand that it cannot be auoyded yf it bee enterprysed by godly Prynces yf with the consent of them for whose behofe it is expedient or necessary that the warre should be made yf it haue been denounced or proclaymed with all rytes and circumstâ—unces accordyng to the lawe of armes yf iustice and moderacion be vsed in it that is to say if warre be so kept with asmuche sparyng of bloudshed as possibly may be if as fewe be loste as may be especially of them that neuer gaue any cause to the warre if the vnaduysed witfulnes and hastines of the souldiers be brideled by the captains if there be no buckling together of the two armies sauing only by such souldiers and meÌ„ of armes as haue geuen their othe afore to do as they ought to do and neue otherwise nor without a signe to bâ—e geuen by commaundement of the capytayne whan they shall buccle together in fight if euery body immediately hold theyr haÌ„des from fightyng â–ª assone as euer the truÌ„peâ—tes haue once blowen retraicte if also as soone as it possibly maie the warre be ended and so breake vp Unto this sorte of men therfore dooeth Iohn nothyng but shewe what their accustomed vse is to do and what thing from hensforth they ought to eschew if they mynde to escape the vengeaunce of God Stryke ne beate ye no manne saieth he accuse no manne falsely for lucres sake but bee ye contented with your ordinarie wages that is allowed you As the people were in a doubte and all men mused in their hartes of Iohn whether he were very Christ Iohn answered and said vnto them all I baptise you with water but one stroÌ„ger then I shall cum after me whosâ— shoe latchet I am not worthy to vnlooce He shall baptise you with the holy ghost and with fier Whiche hath his fanne in his hand and he will pourge his floore and gather the corne into his barne but the chaffe wil he burne with fier that neuer shal be quenched and many other thinges in his exhortacion preached he vnto the people And with suche great authoritie were the premisses handled and doen by Iohn that the people begoonne halfe to bee in opinion that himself was the very Messias of whose cummyng he preached vnto theÌ„ And this did a great many of theym with secrete thynkynge caste in theyr hertes though Iohn on his own behalfe by reason of his singular humilitie of hert did as much as he could to hide his owne greatnesse For this is the lyght and cockebrained fashion of the common multitude that suche persones as they haue a speciall mynde and regarde vnto they sette more pryce by then there is cause or reason why and suche as they beare hatred agaynst suche do they mooste slaunderously report finding fault with all thinges in theÌ„ But this earnest good fauour and opinion of the people did well declare verye perfite humilitie in this most holy man who was so ferre from taking vnto him the aduauntage of an other maÌ„s praise that he stoutely refused the same beeyng geuen vnto him of the peoples own voluntary offre And the wrong opinioÌ„ that the people wer in did muche good for this one pointe that the dignitie and worthynes of Christ being as yet knoweÌ„ but to a few was there alowed with a substanciall and an open testimonie in the face of the worlde For Iohn assone as he by inspiracioÌ„ of the holy ghost wel perceiued the secrete thoughtes of the people he spake in this maner Sirs sayth he ye do esteme me by outward thinges that may be seen as for exaÌ„ple by the meat that ye se me eate by my wede by this that I do minister baptisme vnto you but the thynges that be not seen are a great deale more effectuall euen after the same rate as in a man the vertue of the minde whiche is not seene is of muche more dignitie and worthinesse then the power of the body whiche is seen with mens iyes I on my behalfe thoughe I do baptise you with water yet am I no remitter of sinnes I am no more but a preparer of you to a baptisme of more efficacie and vertue which ye shall receiue at the handes of him whose cumming I preache vnto you being as in dede I am sum what his elder in time and suÌ„what afore him in ordre and course of preaching but in power a great way inferiour vnto him For he that cummeth after me is so ferre better theÌ„ I that I whom ye all beleue to be sum great hygh manne of price am vnworthy to vnbuccle the larchet of his shooes And I am his seruauÌ„t not his felow I am a foregoer vnto him but euen of muche like rate as the day sterre goeth before the sunne and shal anon after be darkened and drouned with the greater light of the sunne when it cuÌ„meth And eueÌ„ very this that I haue I haue of his bounteous goodnesse My doctrine is but very washe yf it bee compared vnto his doctrine my baptisme is of no vertue yf it be set by his baptisme For he because he is cum from heauen wyll teache heauenly thynges I beyng but an yearthly creature dooe speake yearthly thinges and lowe matiers I diepe your bodies in water but he shal diepe your soules baptise you with the holy ghost and with fyer And loke how muche the spirite is of more strength to â—â—tre and to perce then is water loke how muche the fier is of more strengthe and effecte then is water of so muche more power shal his baptisme bee then mine is hytherto hath it been vnknowen who were the true folowers of godlynes An easye thyng it is to bee washed with water a light matter it is to kyll a beaste in sacrifice an easye poynte it is to forbeare eatyng of swynes fleshe But now dooeth suche doctrine cum to light suche tymes doe approche euen here at hand that they can no longer be vnknowen who bee good folkes in very dede and who bee otherwise For he will cum to do thé thing that he hath so oftentimes thretened in the prophetes which is by a precise streight iudgement to disclose a perfite difference betwene the godly and the wicked For he wyll haue in his hande a fanne for vnto this man is geuen all power in heauen and on yearth and with his fanne whiche no man shall bee able to
Lorde Iesus dooeth afterward call him foxe For this is the wily craftines of euill prynces of this worlde vnto whome if it shall at any tyme fortune right professours of the ghospel to be called to seruice either the gospellers muste eschewe the coumpany and conuersacion of suche maysters in whose houses they shall sooner be marred and broughte to naughtinesse on their own parties then they shal turne the others to better waies orels thei muste prepare their mindes aforehande to the like rewarde for shewyng the trueth without dissimulacion that Iohn fortuned to get for his labour For whan Herode nothyng growyng out of kynde from the maners and facions of his father and others his auncestours plaied many wieked and tiraÌ„nous partes pillyng pollyng the people pulling away all libertie by oppressioÌ„ punishyng in others the same thynges in whiche he was a common offender hymself vsing all offices of magistrates vnder him as sale ware for money vsyng also to sell the ministracions of priestehood kepiÌ„g within his house openly in the face of all the world one Herodias the wife of Phylyp beyng his brother and had by force of strong hand taken her away from his sayed brother yet beyng aliue together with a doughter of the same Philippes this holy man because he coulde not abide suche incest and vnnaturalnesse of mariage in a kynges house from whens especially aboue al other places it was conuenient that example of keping the lawes should procede aduertised him to refrain himself from suche a wicked misdede But with a deiulish king the deiulishe request of a gierle beyng a minion dauncer together with the suggestion of a deiulish woman weighed more then the holsome aduertisement of so vncorrupt a man with the whiche good aduertisemeÌ„t he was nothing the better but remained stil so ferre out of the way from being ameÌ„ded that vnto his hainous enormities afore past he added one dede of myschief more the most vngracious that euer was that is to wete casting Iohn into pryson and procedyng so ferre at laste in outragious woodnes that he caused the heade of the moste innocent man to bee chopt of and so gaue it to the wenche for a reward of her vicious wanton dauncyng ¶ And it fortuned that whan all the people receiued baptysme and whan Iesus was baptysed and dyd praye the heauen was opened and the holye ghoste came downe in a bodely shape lyke a doue vpon hym And a voyce came from heauen whiche â—ayde Thou art my beloued sonne in thee do I delite But now to returne to the discourse of the storie before that the lord Iesus would entre into the buisie office of preachyng which he entended with in the coumpasse of a short tyme to accoÌ„plishe and bryng to a perfite ende to the entent that he would leaue no one poynt of humilitie or of righteousnes vnfulfilled thought no disdain to cum with the residue of folkes vnto baptisme not to be purified himself whiche he neded not but to consecrate and halow the lauacre or fount of eternall saluacion to our behofe through his baptisme He huÌ„bled himself but that notwithstanding he was aswel by the voice of Iohn as also by the most clere testimonie of his eternal father opeÌ„ly coÌ„mended in the face of all the people to the entent that they might knowe him eueÌ„ by the face to by sight of whoÌ„ the prophetes had aforetymes spoken muche by prophecie and of whoÌ„ Iohn had openly witnessed So than at that time a great numbre of the common people wer in baptising and in the same cumpany Iesus Christ cuÌ„ming as one emong the mo had instantly desired of Iohn to haue baptisme as though he had been like other meÌ„ subiect to sin Iohn would haue refused to baptise him acknowlagyng him as the autour geuer of puritie of whom he ought rather to had been baptised hymself And thissame testimony was geueÌ„ first of Iohn to the dignitie of Iesus being there personally in place eueÌ„ before al the multitude of the people but the heaueÌ„ly father did by a more euident marke disseuer his sonne Iesê° from the residue of the cuÌ„pany that wer baptised For vnto al the rest whaÌ„ they were in baptising there appered no signe ne token at al. But immediatly after that the lord Iesê° was baptised as he was now makingÌ„g his deuout praiers to god teaching vs thereby that whan the state of innocencie is perfitely renewed through baptisme we ought immediatly to coÌ„uert and bestow our selues to such studies exercises as are of the spirit emoÌ„g which deuout praier hath the first place heauen opened which his baptisme set wide opeÌ„ to vs where as vntil that day it had been shut vp froÌ„ vs. And froÌ„ thens came doun the holy ghost bâ—ing of hiÌ„self in dede inuisible but for that time enuested clad with a figure or likenesse visible because he should be seene with the iyes of men And as for the likenesse it was of a doue because that this bird beyng as a sygne to represent innocencie or simplicitie had many hundred yeres afore brought a braunche of an oliue tree into the arke of Noe for a tokeÌ„ that the wrathe of God was pacified and also a caucion or pledge of warraÌ„tise that the floudde was at an end And in dede the said floudde of Noe by whiche the worlde was at that time scoured and pourged of all naughty creatures did conteine a misticall figure of our baptisme wherby all our sinnes are drowned vp our bodies and soules bothe beyng preserued in perfyte safetie In this lykenesse than dyd the holy ghoste descende downe reste vpon the holy toppe of the lorde Iesus head openly betokenyng that he it was whom God the father had plenteously anoynted with all heauenly giftes of grace whiche gyftes he woulde afterwarde poure out vpon al persons as many as by puttyng their affiaunce and truste in him wer or should afterward bee graffed in the brotherhoode of his bodye thoroughe baptisme There came also vnto him besides this likenes of a doue an euident testimonie of his fathers voice not now declared by the prophetes not by Moses not by angels but publyshed by the father selfe not that theÌ„ father may in his verye owne lykenesse as he is bee either heard or seen or by any sence of the body coÌ„prehended or perceyued but lyke as the holy ghoste beeyng inuisible did openly shewe hymself to the iyes of men in a visible signe euen so the heaueÌ„ly father sending doune a voice through the elementes aboue did seÌ„sibly pearce the eares of meÌ„ And the voice that souned from on high was in these wordes Thou arte mine owne onely dere beloued sonne in whom I am throughly pleased satisâ—ied To none of al the holy meÌ„ that euer were in olde time was there euer any testimonye of suche lyke sorte as this geuen A doue cumming before pointed out certainly to whome this voyce did apperteine to th entent that
for a salueoure he was and was come into the worlde for the perfeict healyng of all creatures And he lifted vp his iyes vpon the disciples and sayde blissed be ye poore for yours is the kingdome of God Than immediatly vpon this he begoonne to shewe furth some new muste of the doctrine of the ghospell wherunto he had specially chosen out a certayn number of a sum what more stedfast and sure sorte as new bottels to receiue and holde it Blissed are ye sayeth Iesus that haue no spice of proude hert but rather do mislike your selfes For although to the worldward ye seme to bee persons abiect and to be refused of all companies yet is the kingdome of god youres whiche is by a greate oddes higher in honour and royaltie than all the kingdomes of this world Ye see diseases to be drieuen away deuils to flee out of men sinnes to be clene abolished What hath any regal estate of this world to be compared with this heauenly hyghnesse Is it not a kyngdome of hygh regalitie to be thrall to no vice to bee cloggued with no inordinate desires to haue troden vnder feete the deiuill and all hys armie to haue ouercomed the worlde withal the terrours and also the flattering enticementes belonging to thesame to be men called and taken to the familiaritie very brotherhood of God and to bee registred emong the inheritours of the kyngdome of heauen Blissed are ye that hounger now for ye shal bee satisfyed Blissed are ye who being now men in pouertie and penurie doe liue in houngre and thirste and being contented with spare repastes doe despise the richesse and the excessiue fare of thys worlde and the hounger that ye haue is for meate of the soule whiche is the woorde of god and your thirste is for the liuely water of the spirite of the ghospel for ye shall be assured to be sacyated and filled with these restoratiue delicates whiche ye are so faine to haue Blissed are ye that wepe now for ye shall laugh Blissed are ye whiche haue of your owne myndes and willes exempted and depriued your selfes of all sensuall voluptuousnesse of this worlde for the earnest rendreing of euangelicall deuocion and sette more by suche thinges as by meane of temporal affliccions enduryng but a whyle dooe bryng men vnto the ioyes of life euerlastyng For the tyme shal come whan all thynges beeing clene chaunged to a contrarie course your sorowe shal be turned into ioye and your mournyng into laughter Blissed shall ye bee whan men hate you and thrust you out of their coumpaignie and taâ—lon you and abhorte your name as an 〈◊〉 thyng for the soonne of mannes sake â–ª Reioyce ye in that daie and bee glad for beholde your towarde is great in heauen For thus did their fathers vnto the Prophetes The moste parte of the people dooe calle suche men happie and fortunate vnto whome the people sheweth tokens of high fauour and lykewyse them that are auaunced to honours and sache throughe glorious titles are muche renoumed But ye on my woorde and warrantyse shall bee blissed whan men shall haue you in decision whan they shall cast you out of their coumpaignies as persones to bee deâ—ested and abhorred whan they shall speake manye sore woordes of reproche and vilanie against you for my sake whan theâ— shal earnestly endeuour and labour either vtterly to abolishe your name and memorie for euer or els to make it detestable vnto all that shal come after and that not for any faulte of youres but for the hatred of the soonne of man whose doctrine and glorye ye shall be preachers of But dooe ye neuer the more therefore mislyke yourselfes but rather bee ye glad whan suche thynges shall chaunce vnto you and reioyce ye For if the fauour of eiuill men shall not dooe by you according to your desertes yet a plenteouse rewarde for your well dooynges abydeth you in heauen It shall not lye in the power of men to abolishe the names of you whiche bee written in heauen it shall not lye in them with theyr woordes of reproche or despite to appale or derken youre glorye whiche shal for euermore be coupled with my glorye Naie contrariewyse the more that they shall persecute your name and fame so muche the more shall they make it renoumed For to bee misliked of the vngodly is the highest prayse and commendacion that may be Nor ye shal not be the first that haue bene thus vsed For excellent vertue hath euermore bene hated of eiuil persones What men of this present time shal now do against you the selfesame thing haue their forefathers dooen in tymes paste agaynste the holy prophetes for none other respecte but because thesame Prophetes accordyng to the will of God dyd not holde theyr tongues from speakyng the trueth which trueth hath to eiuil disposed persons bene euermore odiouse By example of the sayd prophetes shal ye comforte your selues For whose names they attempted vtterly to abolish the memory of thesame is now high and holy with al creatures Yet neuerthelesse ye beyng in assured comforte through your innocencie and perfeict good liuing must haue no mynde ne thoughte to auenge your owne cause For they shal be assured not to escape without smarte in the ende for that they shall doe vnto you though for a season they seeme fortunate and flourishing rufflers in all pleasure and welth of thys worlde For suche are differred and reserued to tormentes whiche neuer shall haue ende But woe vnto you that are riche For ye haue your consolacion And therfore woe unto you ryche cobbes the whiche while ye may dooe solace delite your mindes with the treasoures honoures delectable enticementes of this worlde and dooe not remember ne thynke that it will erelong come to passe that this vayne felicitie and pleasaunce shall be taken away from you and after thesame shall ensue woefulnesse and sorowe neuer to haue ende Woe vnto you that are full for ye shall houngre Woe vnto you whiche nowe in this worlde hauing mynde on nothing but your bealies plaie the gluttons and take excesse of all delicate meates and drinkes more to pampre vp the bodie in luste then for the necessitie of nature as though ye were borne to beastly feedyng onely and to nothyng els and as though ye rather mayntayned your lyfe of purpose to eate and drinke then eate and drinke to maynteyne lyfeâ— and beeyng full paunched with gorge vpon gorge haue no mynde to relieue your poore brethren perishing for famyne as though ye were borne to fede none but your own selues and were not bounde to relieue the necessitie of your neighbour Woe vnto you for whan both these corporal meates and drinkes wherwith ye so delicately and volupteously fede your selfes yea and the bealie too which gourmauÌ„deth shal be consumed than shall ye be houngrie and fynde no reliefe Than shall ye wishe that ye might be so happie as to haue but one of the lytle crummes that
falleth from the table of God than shall ye wishe that ye mighte haue but one droppe of water caste vpon your tongue to coole your mouthe whan ye shall lye in burning heate of fyer vnquencheable Then shall ye wyshe that ye had in this lyfe houngred the ryghteousenesse of God whan ye shal se the litle poore ones plenteously saciate with the aboundaunce of al felicitie and glory in heauen whome in this world ye accoumpted miserable and so muche the more despised because ye saw theÌ„ in penurie and houngre destitute of al reliefe and coumfort and lacking foode and susteynaunce necessarie for the bodye Woe vnto you that nowe laugh For ye shall waille and wepe Woe vnto you that doe now make much good mirth and laughing as folkes pleased euen to youre owne mindes with the prosperous luckinesse of thinges transitorie and as men made drounken with sweete fortune for within a litle shorte space all thinges turned contrarie ye shall wayle and wepe and youre plesaunce that lasted but a moment shal be turned into peyne and torment for euer to endure Doe vnto you when all men prayse you for so dyd theyr fathers to the false propheces Take ye no high conceyte ne pride in your selues whan the world vpon a counterfeicte likenesse of being happie and fortunate doe eyther in woordes or by any other tokens shewe themselues to reioyce on your behalfes as persons not knowing what true felicitie and blisfulnesse is whan they highly extolle and praâ—â—e tho thinges which are abominably and wickedly doeÌ„ of you geuyng vnto deiulishe persecutyng of the truethe of the ghospell the name of zâ—le towardes the lawe the affliccion also and slaughter of good men they call deuour seruice doen vnto god This same most false praise shal not deliuer you from the vengeaunce of god but shall make you worthie of double grieuous punishemente for that ye haue not onely not bene ashamed of dooyng manye wieked dedes of mischiefe but also haue sought laude and prayse for your eiuil doynges And they that shall prayse your wicked doynges the forefathers of the same persons did in lyke manier shewe muche tokens of hygh fauoure long agone to the false prophetes that rebelled agaynste the prophetes of the lorde and vtterly stiered vp aswel the princes as the people to the sleaghing of the same But the prophetes of the lorde did not seke to haue vengeauÌ„ce against theyr persecutours and yet neyther haue the godlye lacked theyr condigne rewarde nor the wieked shall lacke theyr punishmente according And ouerlate shall it than bee for suche to repent theyr extreme hainous offences as at this presente doe nothyng regarde the gener of better aduertisement But I say vnto you which heare loue your enemies doe good vnto them which hate you blisse them that curse you and pray you for them which wroâ—gfully trouble you And vnto him that smiteth thee on the one cheke offer also the other And hym that taketh away thy gowne forbid not to take thy coate also geue to euery man that asketh thee And of him that taketh away thy gooddes aske them not agayne And as ye woulde that men shoulde doe vnto you doe ye also vnto them likewise But choose them hardylye what they are woorthy to haue whiche for good dooen vnto them dooe rendre mischiefe But vnto you that geue eare to my sayinges I geue this new lesson rewle as muste of the mightie strong verdure of the ghospell Not onely requite ye not an eiuill turne dooen to you with an eiuil turne again but also loue ye your enemies doe ye good to theÌ„ that doe eiuill to you For rayling and reprochefull woordes rendre ye frendely woordes agayne and suche woordes as may be for the others welth and benefite Praye ye for them that surmnise false accusacions agaynste you that through youre prayers they maye bee reconciled to God and haue theyr true crymes clerely forgeuen whiche detecte you of false crimes afore men And be ye in any wise so ferre from all hertes desyre to doe a displeasure agayne for a displeasure doen to you that in case a bodie geue thee a blow on the one cheke thou rather offer foorth the other cheke to be strieken too then thou wouldest auenge the first And in case any shoulde attempte to take away thy cloke from thy backe suffer him rather to take awaye thy cote too then thou to come into contencion for the wrong dooen vnto thee The other in this case hath had the displeasure in very dede that did the displeasure and contrariewise he that to his owne damage and losse of the thing hath seene to the keping of peace and tranquilitie hath had aduauntage and gayne thereby and not damage Lette your earneste endeuour bee to doe good vnto all folkes and to hurte no body If any other bodie shall dooe you harme ye haue God to be a redressour and auenger therof If ye shall dooe any manne good in any behalfe ye are sure to this present time shal now do against you the selfesame thing haue their forefathers dooen in tymes paste agaynste the holy prophetes for none other respecte but because the same Prophetes accordyng to the will of God dyd not holde theyr tongues from speakyng the trueth which trueth hath to eiuil disposed persons bene euermore odiouse By example of the sayd prophetes shal ye comforte yourselues For whose names they attempted vtterly to abolish the memory of thesame is now high and holy with al creatures Yet neuerthelesse ye beyng in a assured coumforte through your innocencie and perfeict good liuing must haue no mynde ne thoughte to auenge your owne cause For they shal be assured not to escape without smarte in the ende for that they shall doe vnto you though for a season they seeme fortunate and flourishing rufflers in all pleasure and welth of thys worlde For suche are differred and reserued to tormentes whiche neuer shall haue ende But woe vnto you that are riche For ye haue your consolacion And therfore woe vnto you ryche cobbes the whiche while ye may dooe solace delite your mindes with the treasoures honoures delectable enticementes of this worlde and dooe not remember ne thynke that it will erelong come to passe that this vayne felicitie and pleasaunce shall be taken away from you and after thesame shall ensue woefulnesse and sorowe neuer to haue ende Woe vnto you that are full for ye shall houngre Woe vnto you whiche nowe in this worlde hauing mynde on nothing but your bealies plaie the gluttons and take excesse of all delicate meates and drinkes more to pampre vp the bodie in luste then for the necessitie of nature as though ye were borne to beastly feedyng onely and to nothyng els and as though ye rather mayntayned your lyfe of purpose to eate and drinke then eate and drinke to maynteyne lyfe and beeyng full paunched with gorge vpon gorge haue no mynde to relieue your poore brethren perishing for famyne
as though ye were borne to fede none but your own selues and were not bounde to relieue the necessitie of your neighbour Woe vnto you for whan both these corporal meates and drinkes wherwith ye so delicately and volupteously fede your selfes yea and the bealie too which gourmauÌ„deth shal be consumed than shall ye be houngrie and fynde no reliefe Than shall ye wishe that ye might be so happie as to haue but one of the lytle crummes that falleth from the table of God than shall ye wishe that ye mighte haue but one droppe of water caste vpon your tongue to coole your mouthe whan ye shall lye in burning heate of fyer vnquencheable Then shall ye wyshe that ye had in this lyfe houngred the ryghteousenesse of God whan ye shal se the litle poore ones plenteously saciate with the aboundaunce of al felicitie and glory in heauen whome in this world ye accoumpted miserable and so muche the more despised because ye saw theÌ„ in penurie and houngre destitute of al reliefe and coumfort and lacking foode and susteynaunce necessarie for the bodye Woe vnto you that nowe laugh For ye shall waille and wepe Woe vnto you that doe now make much good mirth and laughing as folkes pleased euen to youre owne mindes with the prosperous luckinesse of thinges transitorie and as men made drounken with sweete fortune for within a litle shorte space all thinges turned contrarie ye shall wayle and wepe and youre plesaunce that lasted but a moment shal be turned into peyne and torment for euer to endure Woe vnto you when all men prayse you for so dyd theyr fathers to the false prophetes Take ye no high conceyte ne pride in your selues whan the world vpon a counterfeicte likenesse of being happie and fortunate doe eyther in woordes or by any other tokens shewe themselues to reioyce â—n your behalfes as persons not knowing what true felicitie and blisfulnesse is whan they highly extolle and praise tho thinges which are abominably and wickedly doeÌ„ of you geuyng vnto deiulishe persecutyng of the truethe of the ghospell the name of zâ—le towardes the lawe the affliccion also and slaughter of good men they call deuout seruice doen vnto god This same most false praise shal not deliuer you from the vengeaunce of god but shall make you worthie of double grieuous punishemente for that ye haue not onely not bene ashamed of dooyng manye wicked dedes of mischiefe but also haue sought laude and prayse for your eiuil doynges And they that shall prayse your wicked doynges the forefathers of the same persons did in lyke manier shewe muche tokens of hygh fauoure long agone to the false prophetes that rebelled agaynste the prophetes of the lorde and vtterly stiered vp aswel the princes as the people to the sleaghing of the same But the prophetes of the lorde did not seke to haue vengeauÌ„ce against theyr persecutours and yet neyther haue the godlye lacked theyr condigne rewarde nor the wieked shall lacke theyr punishmente according And ouer late shall it than bee for suche to repent theyr extreme hainous offences as at this presente doe nothyng regarde the geuer of better aduertisement But I say vnto you which heare loue your enemies doe good vnto them which hate you blisse them that curse you and pray you for them which wrongfully trouble you And vnto him that smiteth thee on the one cheke offer also the other And hym that taketh away thy gownâ— forbid not to take thy coate also geue to euery man that asketh thee And of him that taketh away thy gooddes aske them not agayne And as ye woulde that men shoulde doe vnto you doe ye also vnto them likewise But choose them hardylye what they are woorthy to haue whiche for good dooen vnto them dooe rendre mischiefe But vnto you that geue eare to my sayinges I geue this new lesson rewle as muste of the mightie strong verdure of the ghospell Not onely requite ye not an eiuill turne dooen to you with an eiuil turne again but also loue ye your enemies doe ye good to theÌ„ that doe eiuill to you For rayling and reprochefull woordes rendre ye frendely woordes agayne and suche woordes as may be for the others welth and benefite Praye ye for them that surmuise false accusacions agaynste you that through youre prayers they maye bee reconciled to God and haue theyr true crymes clerely forgeuen whiche detecte you of false crimes afore men And be ye in any wise so ferre from all hertes desyre to doe a displeasure agayne for a displeasure doen to you that in case a bodie geue thee a blow on the one cheke thou rather offer foorth the other cheke to be strieken too then thou wouldest auenge the first And in case any shoulde attempte to take away thy cloke from thy backe suffer him rather to take awaye thy cote too then thou to come into contencion for the wrong dooen vnto thee The other in this case hath had the displeasure in very dede that did the displeasure and contrariewise he that to his owne damage and losse of the thing hath seene to the keping of peace and tranquilitie hath had aduauntage and gayne thereby and not damage Lette your earneste endeuour bee to doe good vnto all folkes and to hurte no body If any other bodie shall dooe you harme ye haue God to be a redressour and auenger therof If ye shall dooe any manne good in any behalfe ye are sure to haue GOD a rewarder of the same In hys handes leat the care of al bothe remayne Bee thou prompte and readye to geue if any body shall desyre any thyng of thee for by suche meanes is mutuall loue of one to an other purchaced and knitte together That if any persone take awaye from thee any thyng of thyne by fraude or by strong hande leatte hym rather haue it then thou to come to make strife or businesse for it Better it is for one to lese his money his house or any piece of his lande then for recoueryng of these thynges wilfully to forsake better And in any wise leat all false guile bee awaye from all youre lyfe but what euerye one woulde with hys good will haue dooen of others towardes himselfe if the case shoulde so require thesame leat him doe towardes his neyghboure and what he woulde not with his good will haue doen to himselfe the same leat him not labour to doe agaynst another For that is to loue the neighboure as one loueth himselfe ¶ And if ye loue them that loue you what thanke haue ye for sinners also loue their louers And yf ye dooe good for theim whiche dooe good for you what thanke haue ye for synners also do euen thesame And if ye lende to them of whome ye hope to receiue what thanke haue ye for sinners also lende to sinners to receiue such like agayn But loue your enemies and doe good lende loking for nothing again and your rewarde shal be greate
spice of enuie at his name waxyng euery one day more famous then other and in maner derkenyng the glorye of Iohn of whoÌ„ they had an hyghe opinion make relacion vnto Iohn liyng fast bounde in the pryson of all the thynges that Iesus spake and dyd Iohn therfore of purpose to remedie and cure this affeccyonate mynde of his disciples called two of them apart vnto him seÌ„t theÌ„ vnto Iesus to demauÌ„d of him this questioÌ„ Are thou he that was sayd should cum or els dooe we loke for an other Iohn had so often alreadie geuen testimonie of Christe and also pointyng at him with his finger had said of him Behold the lambe of God Beholde hym that taketh awaye the sinnes of the worlde And nothyng is there more contrary to al reason then to thinke that so great a Prophete as Iohn beyng now nere vnto his death should begynne to doubte For though his body were in prison yet was not his testymonye of Christe bound in â—haines neither did the derkenes of the prison any thing dimme his iudgemente concernyng Christe For whom he acknowlaged in his mothers wombe hym dyd he no lese acknowelage in the pryson But the synguler good man iudged it so to be most expedient that he might by this way as it wer make deliuerie of his disciples into the handes of Iesus Whan Iohns disciples therfore had dooen their message to Christe after thesame maner fourme as their maister had geuen them in commission the Lorde Iesus did at the first make them no aunswer But many miracles doen in their presence right many sundrie maladies driuen out from suche as were sicke many vncurable euils put away froÌ„ men vnclene spirites cast out of meÌ„ with a word the sight restored vnto many that were blind at last thus he aunswered theÌ„ To what purpose is it for me to geue sentence of my self who I am There is no testimonie more clere oute of doubte then the testimonye of a 〈◊〉 actes Goe your waies and beare word vnto Iohn what ye haue seene with your iyes and what ye haue heard with your eares The blynd receiue their sight they that werlaine are made hable to walke lepres are made clene the deafe haue their hearyng restored the dead returne to life again the poore lowe dooe enbrace the glad newes of saluacion according to the prophecy of Esaye whiche sayeth He hath sent me to preache the ghospell vnto the poore Iohn preached the kyngdome of heauen to be at hande Weigh ye with your selues whether these thynges whiche ye see be thynges worthie and semyng for the kyngdom of heaueÌ„ And blissed is he that shal not turne these thinges which I doe for the health of men into an occasion of slaundre to hymselfewarde For as the greatnesse of the thinges wrought by me shall stiere many persones to enuie agaynst me so shall the weakenesse of this body bee occasion of slaundre to a great many With this saying Iesus did secretly checke the enuie of Iohns disciples geuing also therwithall a by woorde of knowledge that it would so cum to passe that the worldly open shame of the crosse by whiche in any wyse the mystery of the kingdome of heauen was to bee executed and accomplished would turne many mennes hertes a way from the doctrine of the ghospell and ferther that blessed shoulde they bee who neither woulde beare enuie ne grutche at his glory ne as men dismaied or troubled with the reproche of open deathe would sterte backe from his holsome doctrine ¶ And whan the messengers of Iohn were departed he began to speake vnto the people concerning Iohn What went ye out into the wildernesse for to see A rede shaken with the wind But what went ye out for to see A man clothed in softe raiment Behold they whiche are gorgeously apparelled and liue delicately are in kynges courtes But what went ye foorth to see A prophete yea I say to you and more then a prophete This is he of whom it is written Behold send my aungell before thy face whiche shal prepare thy way before thee For I say vnto you among womens children is there not a greatter prophete then Iohn Baptiste And whan Iohns disciples were gon their way to reporte vnto hym the aunswer of Iesus the Lorde begonne largely to speake in the praise of Iohn to the entent that none of them should by reason of demaundyng the former question by his disciples mystrust or suspecte Iohn hymself to be any thyng waueryng or concernyng his owne testimonie that he had afore geuen of Iesus to haue now chaunged his mynde and to be halfe in a doubte of the same Iesus therefore remoueth a waye from Iohn the suspicion of inconstauncie and also maketh Iohns testimony concernyng hym to be of the more credeÌ„ce and weight in such wise extolling Iohns excelleÌ„t vertues that yet neuerthelesse he gaue hym not the tytle of Messias whiche tytle certain persons for a good long space did labour to geue vnto him And in this maner it was that Iesus spake Yf ye suspecte saieth he that Iohn who a good while sens gaue testimonie of me to be nowe of a waueryng mynde why than did ye a greate while agon leaue the tounes after that sorte and rennefull and whole into deserte places to see the man to see a rede trowe ye that is blowen to and fro with the winde and neuer long abideth stedfaste But goe to yet what went ye foorth at laste to see A man trowe ye gaily apparelled in softe sylkes that he may with deliciousnes of fare or with ambicion of honour bee corrupted But this suspicioÌ„ cannot light on a maÌ„ which went clothed in a camels hide whiche gyrt his loynes with a roughe thong of heary leather whiche lyued with grassehoppers to his meate and with plaine water to his drinke and whiche wheras he susteined his life with no fyner diete then this did besides also fast very often WhoÌ„ gorgeous araie doneth best please whoÌ„ deliciousnesse of meates dooeth delite suche dooe seke and make shift to be in kynges courtes And on suche persones as haue a great desire to the thynges aboue said the suspicion of a corrupt sentence and mynde of inconstancie and waueryng or of plain flattery may perchauÌ„ce light But Iohn hath preferred wildernes before the courtes of princes he hath preferred the hearie hide of camels before veluets and silkes and before garmeÌ„tes of clothe of golde or set with precious stones wilde honey and locustes hath he preferred before the martspaines and other swete delicates of kynges plain water before the swete hypocras of the riche meÌ„ And how that Iohn can in no wise flatter the very prison that he is in dooeth sufficiently trye There is therefore no cause why any man should suspecte that Iohn dyd afore for any mannes pleasure or fauour geue so high and worthie testimony of me and now to haue chaunged his mynde But yet would I fain know what
thyng called you foorth into wildernes was it trowe ye to see a prophet In dede he opēly cōfessed that he was not the Messias yet this one thing do I affirme vnto you if ye ranne forth into wildernes for that cause to see a prophete ye are not frustrate ne deceiued of the thyng ye loked for Ye haue in very true dede seen a prophet yea and more then a prophet too For this same is very he of whom Esaye long many a day gonne dyd prophecie that he shoulde bee the foregoer of Messias Beholde saieth he I sende my messenger before thy face whiche shall prepare thy way before thee For the prophetes did by derke mysticall sayinges foreshew certain thinges long after to cum but this Iohn did with his fynger point to Messias and shewe him whan he came Therefore they that thinke highly of Iohn dooe thinke rightly and well For thus muche I affirme vnto you all Emong al the men that are now in this tyme or afore tymes hitherto haue been borne of women there hath not any prophet arisen greatter or more excellent then Iohn Neuerthelesse he that is lesse in the kingdome of god is greatter then he And all the people and Publicans that hard him iustified god and were baptised with the baptisme of Ihō But the Phariseis and lawiers despised the counsail of god against thēselfes were not baptised of him and the lord sayd Wherunto shal I lyken the men of this generacion and what thyng are they like They are lyke vnto children sittyng in the mercate place and criyng one to an other and saiyng We haue pyped vnto you and ye haue not daunced we haue mourned vnto you and ye haue not wept For Iohn Baptist came neyther eatyng bread nor drynkyng wine and ye say He hath the deuil The sonne of man is cum and eateth and drinketh and ye say behold a gluttonous man and an vnmeasurable drinker of wine a frende of Publicās and sinners And wisdome is iustified of all her children It is great and great enough that I dooe nowe witnesse of hym But the thyng that sum assygne vnto him he wyll not hymselfe acknowlage ne take as due vnto hym For there is one greatter then he in vertue to dooe thynges and also in dignitie who neuertheles after the opinion and acceptacion of the people is inferiour to him in the kyngdom of heauē The strayght liuyng of him and his goyng into deserte oute of all coumpanye they dooe highly esteme and the familiaritie of this other do they contemne The dignitie of Iohn they haue in reuerēce at the glory of this other they haue enuy The doctrine of hym they did enbrace the doctrine of this other they slaūdre depraue He preached baptisme vnto repentaūce for he affirmed the kingdōe of heauen to approche and to the voice of hym herkened euery body as wel the ignoraūt and inferiour people as also Publicanes souldiers harlotes making haste to the baptisme that Iohn ministred vnto thē confessing theimselfes to be synners and beyng desirous and fain to be washed from their sīnes And so did they glorifie the righteousnesse of god acknowlagyng theyr owne vnrighteousnesse forasmuche as no creature is clene from great sinne sauyng onely God and enbracyng the goodnes of God who hath made promisse that he will freely forgeue al the offences and transgressions of the former lyfe vnto all persones that with syncere trust and affiaūce wil take their refuge vnto him And cōtrariwise the Pharises the Scribes the lawiers while they reken shame to acknowlage their owne iniquitie they haue rather willed to make God a lier thē to enbrace the trueth therfore thought they skorne to bee baptised of Iohn vnto their cōfusion and castyng away despysyng the mercifull counsaill of God who hath appoynted and determined to abolishe the sinnes of all mortall people by this moste easy and ientle waye For what is a more easy thyng then to confesse and so to be diep◠in water not for that innocencie was or might be geuen by Iohn but for that the baptisme and preachyng of Iohn did make a preparatife to the same innocencie to the end that the more noumbre of persones might be brought to saluacion through the preachyng of him to whom Iohn was as a forerenner and messenger in case he should finde their hertes and myndes already prepared to receiue it There was nothyng of all the premisses vnaduisedly doē or wtout a good grounde but the prouidence of god disposed all thynges to the health and saluacion of mankynde And the poore commoners the people of moste lowest sorte and synners who semed to be ferthest out of the way frō true godlynesse and very farre short of the knowlage of the lawe suche men embraced the beneficial and mercifull goodnes of god And contraryewyse they whom it behoued moste of all to vnderstand that these thynges wer promysed by the holy saiynges of the prophetes and who also seemed to be the very pillours of al deuout holines haue vtterly refused the bounteous goodnes of God beyng offred vnto them and haue felt no maner compunccion to repentaunce or amendment neither at Iohns preachyng nor yet at mine And Iesus laiyng this obstinate malice plain in their face brought in a similitude of this sorte in his communicacion What shall I than say of the people of this peruerse generacion or to what thyng shall I say them to be like They may bee lykened vnto boyes whom we see sitting together in the open strete which boies aunswering one another in their plaiyng vse thus to saye we haue plased you mery songes vpon our pypes and yet haue ye been therby nothing moued to daūce we haue played you mourning songes and yet haue ye not wept Thissame prouerbe beeyng taken of the common guise of children in the strete did the Lord Iesus apply and compare vnto the obstinate Iewes who neyther with the streight liuing of Iohn were moued to any feare of gods vēgeaūce nor yet with the courteous familiaritie and beneficial doinges of Christ wer any thing stirred vnto the loue of him For there came Iohn saieth Iesus with singular streightnes of liuyng bothe preachyng repentaunce and also geuing an exaumple of repentaūce neither eating any breade ne drinkyng any wine but liuing in wildernesse clothed in a pilche of a Camels hyde girte with a gyrdle of lether But for all these thynges so ferre wer ye from all repentaunce that the thyng which was doen for to emende you ye turned into surmised slaundres and querels saying He lacketh common reason he hath a deiuil in hym The sonne of man is come seking by the contrary waye to bring you to saluacion that is to wete as a man familiar and readie to mete or speake with all persones that woulde makyng no shew of any new streightnesse of lyuyng nor manacyng or threatenyng any punishement but alluryng all persones with benefites vnto the loue of hym eatyng and
the veraie name and remembraunce of the saied zodomites whome the wrath of God by a terrible exaumple and presidente for menne to beeware by dyd vtterlye destroye but a more horrible and dredefull punishement abideth thesame Iewes if they beeyng stirred and prouoked with so many benefites and so many miracles shall neglecte and despise the goodnesse of God Woe vnto the Corazin woe vnto the Bethsaida For if the miracles had been doen in Tyre and Sidon which haue been doen in you thei had a great while agoe repented of their sinnes sitting in heaâ—en cloth and ashes neuerthelesse it shal bee easier for Tyre and Sydon at the iudgement then for you And thou Capernaum which are exalted to heaueÌ„ shalt be thrust down to hell He that heareth you heareth meâ— and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth hym that sent me Woe bee to thee Corazain woe bee to the Bethsaida cities of Israell For if the miracles whiche haue been shewed in you had been shewed in the cities of the Gentiles Tyrus and Sidon whiche ye crie fye vpon accoumptyng theim abhominable they would haue called themselfes home to emendement yea and sittyng in heareclothe and ashes they woulde haue dooen penaunce for theyr synnes whereas ye beeyng veraye styffe necked agaynst God dooe stand highly in your own conceiptes and thinke your selfes faultlesse Woe bee to the Capernaum whiche swellyng nowe in pride of richesse and swymmyng in the delices of sensualitie appearest to be exalted aboue the moone as high as heauen on that daye shalte thou bee caste downe euen vnto the diepe pitte of helle For albeit ye be homelye and lowe messagiers yet for that you shall come vnto them in my name and shal shew vnto them the vnestimable gift of God the condemnacion of suche as shall despise you shall not bee small For he that heareth you heareth me whiche speake vnto theim by the instrument of your mouthes and contraryewyse he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth hym that hathe sente me For I dooe not of myne owne head any thyng speake whiche I haue not receiued first of my father nor ye shall speake nothyng whiche ye shall not first haue learned of me Therfore as my doctrine is the doctrine of my father and not myne so youre preachyng shall bee my preachyng and not yours The lorde Iesus whan he had with suche woordes as these duelye enstructed and armed the threscore and tenne disciples he sent them foorth to assaye and proue themselfes how well they coulde dooe in preachyng of the ghospell And the seuentye returned again with idye saiyng Lorde euen the veray deiuils are subdued to vs through thy name And he saied vnto theÌ„ I sawe Satan as it had been lightenyng fallyng downe from heauen Beholde I geue you power to treade on serpentes and scorpions and ouer all manier power of the enemye and nothyng shall hurte you Neuerthelesse in this reioyce not that the spirites are subdued vnto you but reioice that your names are written in heauen And whan the matter had woondrefullye well prospered in their handes they returned home again with great mirth ioye saying Maister not only diseases are driuen awaye by vs but vncleane spirites also are subiect vnto vs in the name of thee Then Iesus to arme and fense theyr myndes agaynst the disease of vainglorie which vleth by stealth to crepe and enter yea into holy meÌ„ also putteth foorth vnto them the exaumple of Lucifer who for his pride was sodainly cast downe from so great felicitie I sawe quod he Satan fall out from heauen euen like the lightening Great was his dignitie in heauen and yet for that he was puffed vp with pride sodainly was he cast from the higheste place in heaueÌ„ into the botome of helle pitte How much more than ought you to beware of pride whiche carrye aboute with you a mortall bodye subiecte to all perilles and daungiers here in yearth Great is the power which I haue geueÌ„ you but I haue geuen it you not to any such entent yâ— ye should therby weare proude and high minded but to the ende yâ— by your miracles men should geue and attribute greater fayth and belefe to the ghospell I dooe not require at your handes again that which I haue ons geuen you so that ye wil not abuse it For I geue you power by the whiche you shall trede serpentes scorpions vnder your foote yea if there bee any other thyng by meane wherof Satan your enemie maie be hable to hurt you Not one of all suche thinges shal haue power to do you hurt And yet is it not expediente for you to glory oâ— to vaunt your selfes concernyng any suche thing because spirites are subiecte to you For these thinges shal be dooen also by wicked and euil men but reioyce ye in this thyng that youre names are alreadye written in heauen for thither shall your mekenesse and lowelinesse thither shall your simplicitie bring you from whens Lucifer through his pride and haultenesse of mynde fel yf ye shal still persiste and continue in this your entente and purpose That same houre reioyced Iesus in the holy gost and saied I thanke the O father lord of heauen and earth that thou hast hid these thinges from the wise and prudent and hast opened theÌ„ vnto babes Euen so father for so pleased if the. Al thinges are geuen me of my father No man knoweth who the soonne is but the father and who the father is but the sonne and he to whom the sonne wil shewe him And he turned to his disciples and saied secretely Happie are the iyes which see the thinges that ye see For I tell you that many Prophetes and kinges haue desired to see those thinges whiche ye see and haue not seen theim and to heare those thinges whiche ye heare and haue not heard them And whan the lorde had saied these woordes byanby he beganne to reâ—oyce in the holye ghoste and to geue thankes to his father for the prosperous successe of the ghospell teachyng vs euen at thesame tyme by exaumple of hymselfe that in case any thyng come luckilye to passe through our handes whan we go about it we should reioyce not with any humaine affeccion but with spiritual and ghostely reioycing not taking to our selfes any parte of the prayse or glory but euermore reioycyng that the glory of god is so set foorthe and magnified and reioycyng at the profite of our neighbour I rendre thankes saieth he vnto thee o lord and father the maker of heauen and yeâ—rth for that these so hygh thynges thou hast kepte secrete hidden from such as after the worlde are reputed wyse and politique hast opened the same to the litell tendre ones to the inferiour meane sorte to the ignorauntes and to suche as after the iudgemente of the worlde haue no great wytte nor experience And thus veraily is it dooen o father for
Iewe sawe one that was a Iewe and beeyng himself a man of Hierusalem saw one of Hierusalem spoiled wounded and liyng halfe for deade and yet passed by no whyt moued with any drop of pietie or compassion After all this it chaunced a certaine Leuite to passe by thesame way at whose hande a man might iustelye haue looked for the due obseruyng and kepyng of goddes commaundemente for that he beeyng a manne dedicated to the temple was a ministre of goddes holye seruice and therefore oughte to haue beene a man of deuocion And this man euen as the other hadde dooen thoughe he sawe the wounded man well enough yet passed foorth on his waye and dyd no helpe at all to his brother and countreyman of thesame citie that himself was of After both these it happened that a certaine Samaritane passyng thesame waye on a iourney that he had to goe espied the man that had bene robbed and laye halfe aliue halfe deade and meruailyng what the matter was he drewe nere vnto him and perceiuyng the extreme mysfortune of the man was moued with pietye and compassion towarde this Iewe whereas himselfe was a Samaritane and yet the Iewes do veraie sore abhorre and hate al Samaritanes Nor he did not onelye take pietye on him but also the hindraunce of his iourney nothyng passed on he wente vnto him and poured wine and oyle into his woundes and than bound them vp And not thinkyng enoughe to haue played him suche a kinde parte he tooke and sette him on thesame beaste that hymselfe rode on and carried him to an ynne and there made prouision that he shoulde bee diligentely attended and looked vnto for that his iourneye required suche haste that he coulde no longer tarye he drewe foorth twoo pieces of siluer coyne whiche they called denaries amountyng as is afore saied to a couple of shillynges sterlyng or thereaboute and deliuered theim to his hoste the ynne keper that he shoulde see the wounded man well attended and kepte vntil suche tyme as his iourney beeyng dooen he shoulde returne thesame waye backe agayne saying Myne hoste ye haue money for the purpose see to this man at my coste and charge That yf ye shall bestow any thyng aboue this summe that I haue deliuered you ye for your parte shall not be a loser of a mite by it rekon it to me whan I returne again this way and whatsoeuer ye laye oute vpon him I shall paie it you again Whan our Lorde had all this spoken he saied vnto the lawier Whiche of these three seme vnto thee to bee neigh boure vnto the partye that had fallen into the handes of the theues then aunswered the lawier He whiche beeyng moued with pietye did coumforte and helpe him in his distresse Then sayed Iesus ferther and in this poynte also hast thou made a right aunswere and a true see thy lyfe bee lyke aunswerable vnto thy woordes and bee thou willyng rather to bee lyke to the Samaritane then to the pryeste or the Leuite With this parable the lorde Iesus reproued and checked the pride of the Iewes whiche thought themselfes enoughe and enoughe againe to loue God because they wer good churche mē and daily goers to his temple because they kylled beastes in sacrifice vnto hym because they carried his commaundementes about with theym written in the skirtes of their garmentes because they had God and the lorde euermore in theyr mouth whereas God doeth nothyng passe on such wurshippyng but is more delited with the secrete affeccion of the syncere and pure mynde But towardes the neighbour they felte no mocion at all of charitie as men liuyng to the behoufe of theymselfes and no moe yea and also repynyng at the welfare of theym whome it had beene their partes to helpe that if they dyd any good turne or pleasure they dyd it not to any other persones then of their owne fecte wheras euery one man ought to be neighbour to an other yf the case at anye tyme require helpe or succour The priest and the leuite by birth and nacion were neighboure to the wounded man but the Samaritane where by birthe and kynde he was his enemie in charitee and loue became his neighbour The religion of the Iewes diuideth nacion from nacion But the ghospell knoweth not suche manyer diuersyties ne difference but is euer glad to profite and doe good to all men withoute respecte or accepcion of the persone As the lorde hymselfe came to saue all creatures beeyng called of the Iewes a Samaritane in the waye of reproche at a tyme whan it was but the vilainy of callyng hym by that woord doeth not offende al the vniuersal nacions of the worlde forasmuche as they fynde the thyng that is comprised vnder that name to bee for theyr healthe and safegarde For Samaritanus emong the Syrians is as muche to saye as a keper And veraylye he was the true keper and shepehearde which dyd suffre nothyng of his to perishe whether they were sickelye bruised or wandreyng aboute as straighes but wished all menne to bee partakers of the eternall lyfe at leaste wise as muche as in him laye All the vniuersall progenye of mankynde beeyng throughe the malice of Satan spoiled out of the clothing of innocencye sore wounded with all kynde of vyce cast aside destitute of healpe halfe dead and euen at the nexte doore to desperacion Iesus cummyng down from heauen vouchesalued to visite and see them and to the ende he myghte the better helpe them by takyng mannes nature on him he came veray nere to manne bothe seeyng and beeyng seene hearyng and beyng heard felyng and beeyng felt and hauing pietie on our extreme distresse he tooke vp our synnes and beare them on his owne bodye he dyd in his owne propre persone suffre that we had deserued and thesame Iesus hath seene to the curyng of vs who neuer turned his face from any synner were he neuer so vyle or abiecie whereas the proude and disdeignefull prieste passethe by hym euen then geuyng vp the ghoste whereas the Leuite neglecteth hym biddyng God haue mercye vpon him and so goyng foorth on his waye as he hadde begonne lefte he shoulde susteine some hindreaunce or damage in the thynges of the worlde whyle he helpeth hys neyghboure And this Samaritane Iesus too hath his hostes and inneholders to whom he leaning the yearth and ascendyng into heauen dooethe committe the wounded man to bee well looked vnto promysyng a rewarde in heauen yf through the aboundaunce of charitie they shal haue layed oute anye thyng more then was commaunded for the healyng of the pieteous bodye And by these inneholders are to bee vnderstanded the Apostles and theyr successours by whome euen at this daye he doeth cure and healpe mankynde and gathereth thesame from the violence of theues into the hostrye of the churche where the woundes of synne are healed Therfore where by the doctryne of the ghospell euen our veray enemye also muste be loued and whereas accordyng to the profession of the
towardes you to denie vnto you that was naughtly sued for but in stede of the thyng ye wyshed he would geue that might bee for your welth If the sonne shall aske breade of any of you that is a father wyll he geue hym a stone Or if he aske fishe wyll he for fyshe geue hym a serpent or yf he aske an egge wyll he offre him a Scorpion yf ye then beyng euill can geue good giftes vnto your children how muche more shall your father of heauen geue the holy spirite to them that desire it of hym The naturall affeccion of carnall parentes towardes their children doeth so worke that they cannot saye naye vnto them whome they haue begotten yf thesame shoulde make peticion for a thyng perteynyng to the health of the bodye Makeye a coniecture by comparison of your owne selues For who is it of you all that in case he should aske a piece of breade of his father can suppose that thesame would geue his sonne a stone in stede of a piece of bread or in case he shoulde aske fishe can thynke that the father would offre his sonne a serpent in stede of a fishe or in case he should desire to haue an egge can rekon that the father in stede of an egge would geue hym a Scorpion hidden in an egshell That if the tendre loue and affeccion of nature be of so great force and strength emong men beyng many other wayes naughtie persones that towardes theyr chyldren askyng thynges profitable they are frendly geuers how much more your heauenly father who is the father of spirites and who of nature is good will geue vnto you from heauen his spirite beyng good whiche shall aboundauntely geue you all goodnesse yf ye shall make peticion to him for it And he was casting out a deuill and thesame was dumme And whan he had cast out the deâ—â—ill the dumme spake and the people woondred But some of them sayed he casteth out deuilles through Beelzebub the chiefest of the deuils And other tempted hym and required of hym a signe from heauen But he knowyng their thoughtes sayed vnto them Euery kyngdome deuided agaynst it selfe is desolate and one house doeth fall vpon another If Satan also bee deuided agaynst hymselfe how shall his kyngdome endure Because ye saye that I cast out deuils through Beelzebub If I by the helpe of Beelzebub caste out deuils by whose helpe doe your children caste them out Therfore shall they bee your iudges But if I with the fyâ—ger of God caste out deiuils no doubte the kyngdome of God is come vpon you Whan a strong man armed watcheth his house the thynges that he possesseth are in peace But whan a stronger then he commeth vpon hym and ouercommeth hym he taketh from hym al his harnesse wherin he trusted and diuideth his goodes He that is not with me is agaynst me And hâ— that gathereth not with me scattereth abrode Satan also hath a spirite of his owne whome he enspireth to all his seruauntes to be a prouoker and a mouer of them to all naughtinesse Yea and the worlde too hath a spirite belongyng to it whiche allureth men to the loue of thynges transitory But with this spirite your heauenly fathers spirite hath no manier entremedlyng at all If therfore the spirite of your heauenly father shall dwell in you the spirite of Satan must bee expoulsed and the one spirite must nedes auoyd out for to make roume that the other maie come and inhabite in your brestes And behold a chaunce that might laye manifestlye before their iyes what thyng the euill spirite wrought in the hertes of the Iewes beyng euermore wrastlers agaynst the holy spirite of God There was broughte vnto Iesus a certayne man possessed with a mischieuous deuill and it was a deuill not of one sorte onely but both a dumme deiuill and also a blynde so that he could neither loke vp vpon Iesus nor yet speake vnto him ThaÌ„ Iesus of his owne accorde takyng pietie on the man beeyng in suche affliccion commaunded the deuill to voyde out of him and he voyded And beholde there wer certain Iewes present standing by whose soules the spirite of Satan did more daungierfully possesse then that same vnclene spirite had possessed the body of this man For some of them slaunderously saied that the miracle had been doen of the deiuill allegyng that Iesus did suche thinges not by the power of God but by the helpe of Beelzebub the prince of deiuils Some others agayne after seeyng so many miracles yet stil remayning in vnbelefe required of hym some notable token from heauen whereby it might euidently appere that he had familiaritie with God who dwelleth in heauen and not with vnclene spirites whose blindyng of mennes iyes doeth commonly spryng from the yearth And this did they speake temptyng the lorde neuer a whitte the more myndyng to beleue on hym although he had doen the thyng that they requyred but whether he had doen it or not doen it they had surmised a matier or slaundre one or other readie to obiecte agaynst hym But Iesus as soone as he sawe theyr vngodly thoughtes made aunswer to their wiâ—ked surmises in suche sorte as foloweth How dooeth your slaundreous reprouyng of me stande together We see that no kyngdome is hable to stande if it bee at strife within it selfe by ciuill discorde of one of the same realme agaynst another Whiche thyng yf it so bee it cannot be chosen but that it muste come to desolacion and one house to fall downe vpon another by an vniuersall ruine That if the thyng bee true whiche ye thynke that throughe the maintenaunce and ayde of Beelzebub prince of deiuils I dooe cast out hurtefull spirites who veraily bee his felowes and souldiers than it foloweth as a true conclusion that eiuill spirites beeyng at variaunce within theymselfes dooe fyght together and one of theim to bee chaced awaye by an other Nowe if Satan fighte against Satan how shall his kyngdome stande Ye see deuils to be cast oute and ye graunt that euill they be whom I dooe cast out on what grounde than dooe ye coniecture these thynges to bee dooen by the supportacion of Beelzebub rather then of god Is Beelzebub woont to doe for the health and safegarde of men and to chace his souldiers out of their possessions by whom he exerciseth his tirannie And yet if this bee dooen it argueth and proueth that the kyngdome of Satan shall shortely bee destroyed and the kyngdome of God to bee nowe at hande I caste out deuils with a mere worde I cast them oute freely I vse thereunto no charmyng woordes of witchecraft ne of iugleyng or blyndyng mennes iyes The acte ye cannot disproue why than haue ye more mynde to referre the glorye of a good worke to Beelzebub theÌ„ to god Than yf the hatered whiche ye beare vnto me dooeth perswade you that I cast out deuils by the ayde of Beelzebub these young men beeyng your own sonnes whome ye haue seen doyng the
none of the thinges whiche he hath created Howe muche more than will he beeyng youre father prouyde for you whome he so muche more derely loueth aboue all crowes and rauens ¶ Which of you with his taking thought can adde to his stature one cubite if ye than bee not hable to doe that thing whiche is leaste why take ye thought for the remnaunte Consider the lilies how they growe They labour not they sprune not and yet I say vnto you that Salomon in al his royaltie was not clothed like one of these If god so cloth the grasse which is to day in the fielde and tomorow is cast into the fornace how much more will he cloth you O ye of litle fayth And aske not ye what ye shall eate or what ye shall drinke neither clime ye vp on high for al such thinges do the heathen people of the world seâ—e For your father knoweth that ye haue nede of such thinges Wherfore seke ye after the kingdome of god and all these thinges shall bee ministred vnto you And what that to be troubleously vexed with the care of suche thinges is a poyncte not onelye of mistrustefulnesse towardes God but also of folye For it is a playne folye to bee vexed with carefulnesse of mynde whiche shall nothing auayle No manne is hable with all hys carefulnesse to make hys lyfe one day longer then it shoulde bee What that not so muche as the quantitie or stature of youre bodye no nor the shape therof is in your hande God geueth it suche shape as himselfe beste pleaseth he geueth it suche stature as hys will is and euen so dooethe he geue it lyfe too as long as hym lyketh And who of you I praye you is hable throughe hys carefulnesse to adde one cubite more of heithe vnto the stature of his bodye or what man is hable by his carefull thoughte takyng to make one whyte heare of his head blacke or one blacke heare whyte If than in thynges whiche are in mannyer of no weighte at all your carefulnesse can nothyng auayle to what purpose is it to bee carefull concernynge lyfe Nowe to the entente ye maye not bee troubled with care about clothing of your body considre me the lilies whiche growe in the fieldes without anye mannes laboure howe they shoote vp to theyr full heithe and quantitie no manne dressyng them or bestowyng anye laboure aboute them The lilies dooe neyther laboure ne spynne ne weaue and yet the prouydence of youre father dooeth insomuche not suffer them to lacke clothyng that the moste ryche kyng Salomon whan he moste of all shewed the princely porte of hys regall estate was not at anye suche tyme so well arayed as anye one whiche soeuer it bee of the fyelde lilyes whiche shall last but for a shorte tyme. That if god dooe with so greate prouidence cloth a blade euen commonly growing euery where and anone after to vade and perishe away and suche a blade as this daye is freashe and greene in the fielde and the nexte morowe whan it is dryed vp is caste into the fournace mouthe to be burned howe muche more will he not suffer you to bee vnclothed o ye of litle feyth For thys carefulnesse of youres commeth of none other thyng but onely of a mystrustfulnesse towardes youre father beeyng aswell moste mightyfull as also moste lyberall yea and also moste prouydente If he feedethe if he clotheth if he gouernethe all thynges whiche he hathe created than dooe ye also caste awaye all care concernyng thynges of the basseste sorâ—e that is to wete meate drynke and clothyng lette neyther penurye of suche thynges as these kylle your heartes nor more then suffysaunce sette you in pryde Neyther as ydle folkes hange ye all together of the weather obseruyng and markyng all lykelyhoodes and fore geassynges of tempestes weaxing pale for woe as often as the planetes shall threaten penurie or derth of Corne. For concerning suche thinges as these to make great inquisicion and serche afore a long tyme to come is the condicyon of the Gentiles who beeyng wholly wedded vnto the world doe not knowe God But ye that knowe howe gracious and bountyfull a father ye haue in heauen why dooe ye with vayne carefulnesse tormente youre owne heartes For youre father knoweth well enough that ye haue nede of suche thynges as appertayne to the necessitie of nouryshyng and coueryng the bodye Neyther is he so harde that he will suffer you to peryshe for defaulte of suche thynges forasmuche as ye are earnestly occupied about his businesse But rather leat youre chiefe and pryncipall care bee to sette foorth the kyngdome of god whereof I haue specially chosen and appoyncted you to bee publishers and also the mynysters Especially afore al other thynges seke ye the ryghteousnesse therof not consistyng in Iudaicall ceremonyes but in those thynges whiche I haue aforetaughte you and with whole hearte and mynde bee ye earnest in thys thyng whiche is of all the moste greatest The other smaller thynges god himselfe will of hys owne accorde and mocyon geue vnto you euerye one of them and will not suffer any thyng to be wanting ¶ Feare not litle flocke for it is your fathers pleasure to geue you the kingdome Sell that ye haue and geue almes And prepare you bagges whiche were not olde euen a treasure that sayleth not in heauen where no these cometh neither mothe corrupteth For where your treasure is there will your hearte bee also Leat nothyng make you afearde o litle litle flocke ye are but afewe ye are of meane and lowe degree ignoraunt persons ye are of learning or worldly knowelage ye are not wth anye richesse with anye power with any weapon or with any bendes of harnessed men armed agynst thys worlde beeyng full of wiekednesse and readye to aryse agaynste you with all kynde of engyens Yet is there no cause why ye shoulde bee afearde So hath it lyked youre father to reiecte men of power men of learnyng and the proude hearted and vnto you being in worldely acceptacyon persones moste abiecte to geue hys kingdome whiche throughe priuie richesse of the soule and whiche by reason of celestiall fortresses is vnpossyble to bee subdued Wherefore beeyng specially chosen out to so highe a dignitie of the kingdome celestyall contemne ye these basse and vile thinges and being marked to goodes that shall euermore contynue in theyr perfeccyon take ye no regarde of thynges that shall in shorte space decaye and come to naughte That yf yearthlye possessyons dooe hynder you or pulle you backe from thinges beeyng so ferre better then they fel ye that ye haue in your possession and deale the money that is made thereof about for relieuing the nede of the poore Richesse cannot be layed vp in more safe custodie they can not be put to the banke of exchaunge with greatter and more assured encrease or intereste Whoso geueth an almes layeth out hys goodes to receiue intereste at
whan shall it cumme to passe or by what signe maie we bee hable to knowe the saied tyme to be alreadye come But Iesus whose wyll is to haue his disciples euermore in a readinesse against all assaultes of eiuyll mysauentures dyd by his doubtfull and entrieked communicacion sette theyr myndes in suspence perplexitie makyng a medley of many soondrye matters together concernyng affliccions which they should afterwarde abide for preachyng the ghospel concernyng the beatyng down and the miserable plague of the citie of Hierusalem and concernyng the ende of the worlde the houre and tyme whereof it was his pleasure to haue vnknowen to all creatures to the entent they should continually euermore be in a readinesse The disciples mindes ranne altogether vpon a kyngdome But the Lorde was more willyng to haue theim knowe the thyng that did more nerelye touche them and to knowe those other matters the veray speakyng and mencionyng whereof their hertes vttrely abhorred because thei wer as yet but weake and fraill menne For they had better fansie and will to heare woordes pleasaunt to the eare of worldelye coumforte and solace then to heare thynges concernyng the coumforte of the soule health The foresaied blessed reigne will one daye surely come and at his due tyme wil it come but the care and charge thereof it is moste expediente to put in the handes of God and to leat hym alone withall our partes it is in the meane tyme so to behaue our selues that we maye not seme vnworthye of that kyngdome For there is no cummyng to the glorye of thesame reigne but by meane of soondrye affliccions Against such affliccions it behoueth our hertes to be well armed Iesus therefore saied Oute of all doubtes come I will and displeigh the maiestie of the reigne Euangelicall But see ye yâ— ye bee not seduced enbracing an other Christe in stede of me For before the prefixed tyme at whiche I wyll come there will come many whiche wyll vsurpe my name vnto them and will boldely auouche of themselfes and saie I am Christ. The tyme is at hande Be not ye any thyng moued with the wordes of such in case they shall call you any whether goe not ye after theim Ueraily when ye shall heare al the worlde to be in a garboile of sedicioÌ„s of warres manye persones shall plaie the prophetes and shall allege the ende of the world to approche But be not ye any thyng feared with suche rumours as though the last daie be euen than byanby at hande For in dede suche thynges as these shal fortune but the ende of the worlde cometh not euen streight waie in the necke thereof For these shall bee nothyng els but certain preauÌ„bles of the said extreme distresse which shall bee to the eiuil sorte an vttre castyng awaie and to the good it shal bee an examinacion or triall a purifâ—yng of them As whan the bodye is towardes the poyncte of diyng the signes tokens therof be stroÌ„g diseases hauing come vp growen in thesame bodyes through an vnnaturall disteÌ„perature of the humours so shall these terrible coÌ„mocioÌ„s and hurleyburley foreshew the end of the world which hurleyburley maÌ„ns self doeth procure vnto hymselfe by reason that he is infected with inordinate lustes affeccions Through mans peruersenes shal the veray nature of thynges be shaken out of al due ordre course detestyng as it wer the malice of man strongly ensourgeyng for the redresse aueÌ„gemente of their vngraâ—â—â—usnesse With greate vproares garboile shal there bee arisinges of nacion against nacion royalme against royalme And whereas there is nothyng more distresseful theÌ„ warre yet doeth man purchace wilfully procure this pernicious confusion vnto hymselfe through aÌ„bicion through folye through couetise through hatred and throughe other lyke corrupt affeccions Yea verai nature selfe shal ouer besides the premisses cause many sore yearthquakes in many soondrye places in sorte as though the world tooke high skorne disdeigne for that it wer forced to beare men beeing suche vngodly wicked creatures There shal morouer cum great pestileÌ„ces which by their infeccion shal waste awaie coÌ„sume a mightie great nouÌ„bre of people in sort as though the aire were armed weaponed to doe vengeaunce vpoÌ„ the ciuil sort whereas it was for this purpose first ordeined sette for maÌ„nes vse that with it holsome breath it should bothe geue nourish life vnto al creatures Ferthermore throughe penurie of the fruites of the yearth there shall come famiÌ„ne in case as yf the yearth should say that she would not geue foode vnto her children being so wicked agaysnt God to whom eueÌ„ the dumme elementes also doe their bounden seruice duetie The sea also shal bee throughly moued with strauÌ„ge vnwont rages of tumbleyng and tossing wheras thesame too had aforetymes been accustomed to serue to the vse of man Yea besides all the premisses the veray skye and heauen shal shewe woondreful signes testifiyng the wrathe of God For the sunne shal bee turned to derkenesse the moone into 〈◊〉 blasyng sterres shal in straunge likenesse shewe theimselfes other vnnaturall woonders shall appere beeyng vncouth worthie to bee meruayled 〈◊〉 But lyke as a mannes bodye â–ª doeth not streight waie passe out of the world whaÌ„ it is strieken with extreme great sickenesses and yet neuertheles thesame or 〈◊〉 lyke diseases euer now than cummyng vnto him taking him agayn 〈◊〉 declare that the tyme of his death is not ferre of right so whan the world 〈◊〉 with such manier eiuils as aforesaied be ratleed an shaken together yesame euils shal geue a great significacion tokening of the world drouping now apaâ—â— towardes his last date and faste growyng towardes decaye and ruine But before al these thinges they shall laie handes on you and persecute you deliueryng you vp to the Sinagogues and into priesoÌ„s and shall bring you vnto kinges rewlers for my names sake And this shal chaunce you for a testimoniall Bee at a sute poyncte therefore in your hertes not to studie before what ye shal answer For I wil geue you a mouth and wisedome where against al your aduersaries shal not be hable to speake or to resiste But ere thissame woefull distresse shall thus cease vpon all the world at once there shal excedyng great peruersenesse of men come afore which shal prouoke the goodnesse of god to wrathe For whan ye shall preache my name throughe whiche they maye be saued they shal laie handes vpon you and shal persecute you with al kynde of dooyng yll or mischiefe vnto you they shal hale you and pul you vnto their counsaile houses of assemblie as though ye wer culpable malefactours Thei shal ferthermore cast you in prieson thei shal aâ—taine and condemne you at the benches of kinges and rewlers not for anye youre transgression but for your great and high well dooyng that is to wete for the professing
that 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
he had caryed tofore sayed vnto them Why dooe ye yet feare me as the sight of a ghoste seeyng that ye playnly beholde me with your iyes and knowe my fauour of olde and seeyng that ye heare my voyce beyng acquainted and familiar vnto you yet neuerthelesse dooe thoughtes of vnbelief mystrustyng aryse yet still in your hertes euen suche like as are woont to come commonly in mēnes myndes Satisfie ye euery one of your senses vieu and beholde you my hādes my feete they haue manifest prientes of the nailes touche handle ye my syde it hathe the gashe of the speare fele ye my bodye come nerer me with your iyes leaue ye suspectyng of any spirite For a ghoste hath neither fleashe nor bones as ye see that I haue That I entred in hither the doores beeyng shutte that whan my wyll is I am seen and whan my will is I am inuisible it is not any blyndyng of mennes iyes by any sleyght but the gifte of the body beyng now made immortall And euen suche lyke shal your body also be after the resurreccion Whan the lorde had by suche woordes as these taken awaye the feare from thē and had put them in a comforte he shewed foorth vnto them his handes and his feete to be viewed he opened his side that they might handle the manifest dientes of the woundes For it was the lordes pleasure to reserue thesame to the entente that by those euidēt tokens he might than emong his disciples perfectly auouche the trueth of his humain bodye and also that he maye in tyme to come at the laste daie of iudgement enbraide to the Iewes their vnbelief accordyng to the prophecie which sayeth They shall see in whom they haue perced and made holes Nowe wheras some there wer yet still which did not plainly belieue it to bee thesame bodye that they had seen dead but were in case that a certain inebriacion as ye would saye of drounkenship or gladnesse did so holde theyr myndes that they did neither perfectly beleue theyr owne iyes nor theyr eares nor theyr handes for oft tymes we be afeard to belieue the thyng whiche we doe rather then our liues wishe to be true as men fearing leste we should caste our selues into some fooles paradise or false ioye wherof to bee anon after depriued again Iesus vouchesaluyng with all tokens of euidence to bee a Phisician to their vnbelief because there should no spiece of the lyke mistrustfulnesse remaine in vs saied Haue ye any thyng here that maie be eaten For none there is a more vndoubted token or prouf of a man to be aliue then yf thesame take meate And therfore Iesus willed meate to be geuen to the damisell whā she was called again to life sembleably also vnto Lazarus not that we shall fele any hūger after that we be reised agayn to immortalitie but because he woulde as that presēt tyme requyred confirme and make euidente vnto his disciples the veritie of his humain body There wer present at that tyme in the same place a good nūber of his disciples and yet was there but veraye small prouision of viandrye Therfore that that they had they bryng foorth whiche was a morsell of fishe that had been bruiled and a honey combe Than Iesus in the sight of them al eate parte of the thinges whiche were set before hym And he sayed vnto them These are the woordes whiche I spake vnto you whyle I was yet with you that all must nedes be fulfilled whiche were written of me in the lawe of Moses and in the Prophetes and in the Psalmes Than opened he theyr wittes that they might vnderstande the scryptures and sayed vnto them Thus it is written and thus it behoued Christe to suffer and to aryse agayn from death the thyrde day and that repentaunce and remissyon of sinnes shoulde bee preached in hys name emong all nacions and muste beginne at Hierusalem And ye are witnesses of these thynges And beholde I will sende the promisse of my father vpon you But tarye ye in the citie of Hierusalem vntyll ye bee endowed with power from on high And whan he had nowe made all theyr senses perfectely to belieue that he was no sighte of any ghoste but a verai and a liuyng man euen thesame whō they had tofore seen bothe liuing and also dying he taketh recourse vnto the holy scriptures wherunto there ought credite to bee geuen although the sēses of man should neuer so muche crye against it Ye ought not sayeth he to meruaill at the thynges whiche ye see to haue been doen. The scripture cannot lye forasmuche as it hath been wrytten by the inspiracion of the holy ghoste Whatsoeuer thyng hath hitherto been doen thesame had been foreshewed and prefigurate afore in the bokes of Moses in the prophetes and in the psalmes For euen I am veray he whom the figures of Moses lawe did signifie I am the man of whom the holy prophetes promised so many thynges and it is I whose first springyng vp whose progression or goyng foreward and whose cōsummacion the misticall psalmes doe describe And with no lesse trueth shall all the rest of thynges also bee perfourmed which haue in thesame scriptures been foreshewed concernyng my returnyng into heauen concernyng the spirite of God to be sent who after that this bodye of myne shal be taken awaye from you shall make you the more stedfast concernyng the ghospell to bee spredde throughout the whole vniuersall worlde and concernyng the laste ende of this worlde These are the thynges whiche I did so many tymes labour to beate into your heades whan hauyng yet a mortall bodye subiect vnto death I lyued conuersaunt emong you beeyng also mortall At that tyme had not the premisses setled in your hertes now can ye not any longer doubte whan ye see my sayinges to agree with the misticall scriptures and the cummyng to passe or sequele of thynges to agree with them bothe Hitherto as the tyme hath required I haue tendrelye borne with the weakenesse of your fleashe and I haue with grosse proufes laied the trueth of matiers before you From hensforthe growe ye forewarde to a spiritual vnderstandyng of the scriptures There shal ye frō henceforth see me there shall ye heare me And because the misticall bokes are not vnderstanded excepte God open our mynde and reason Iesus opened vnto them the iyes of theyr herte that thei might reade belieue and vnderstād that was written in the scripture For no man doeth vnderstande scripture but he that dooeth beleue it In this ordre sayed Iesus it hath semed good vnto my father to restore mankynde And the thyng whiche he had decreed hath ben set forthe by his inspiracion in bookes of holy scripture The selfe same thyng hath been foreshewed by me before it was doen neither was it possible that it should any otherwyse come to passe because the determinacions of God are immutable and the holy scriptures can as litle
skille to lye as the selfe spirite of God by whole instincte they haue been wrytten By death and by open shame of the crosse the waie did lye vnto glory it was necessarie that I shoulde arise again to lyfe on the thyrd daye to the ende ye might know your selfes to haue a Lorde and an aduocate beyng a liuesman and one that from hensfoorth shall dye nomore And thesame your aduocate beeyng admitted into heauen shall from thence send vnto you the spirite of god Than muste ye in the name of Iesus Christe preache repentaunce of the lyfe past and the remission of all synnes without the kepyng of Moses lawe Thesame remission of synnes shall bee geuen to all people through euangelicall feith onely I haue suffred the peines in the behalfe of all creatures leat them no more but beleue and they shall atteigne the state of innocencie And these thynges muste be preached not onely to the Iewes but also to all nacyons of the worlde but yet prouyded alwayes that ye begynne firste with Hierusalem In Iewrye was I borne there haue I wroughte miracles at Hierusalem haue I taught and suffered death Emōg this people shall ye fynde hertes by meanes and wayes nowe already prepaired vnto feith Unto these people shal ye renewe the memorie of the thynges whiche ye haue seen an heard My doctrine whiche I firste receiued of my father and than taught vnto you ye shall poure out again into them The world will gainsaye and withstand your testimonie lyke as it did vnceassauntly crye out against me But I as I haue heretofore saied will from my father sende vnto you the spirite whiche he long agone promysed by the prophetes that he woulde sende whan he spake by the mouth of Iohell And it shall bee I shall hereafter poure out my spirite vpon all fleashe and your soonnes and your daughters shall prophecie whiche spirite holy Dauid also did wishe for whā he saied Sende thou furth thy spirite and they shal be created and thou shalt renewe the face of the yearth Thatsame spirite shall make you strong inuincible against all terrours to bee shewed of this world Thesame spirite shall morouer geue you eloquence whiche no creature shall bee hable to gaynesaye he shall also geue you power to worke miracles in sorte that your testimonie concernyng me shall bee a thyng of condigne pith and efficacie Ye in the meane tyme vntil than bee ye in perfecte quiete and rest with yourselues and beeyng congregated together in one coumpainie remayne ye in this citie of Hierusalem begynnyng there the concorde and vnitie of the churche that shall spryng vp and exhorte ye one another with holy communicacions deuoutly praying and geuyng thankes vnto God vntill thatsame spirite come from aboue who shall enstructe and arme you with power and strength celestial ¶ And he led them out into Bethanie and lift vp his handes and blissed them And it came to passe as he blissed them he departed from them and was caryed vp into heauen And they wurshypped him and returned to Hierusalem with great ioye and were continuallye in the temple praysyng and laudyng God Herupon after that Iesus had by soondry euidente prouffes confirmed the veritie of his resurreccion he led his disciples into Bethanie and beeyng euen now readie to departe from hence into heauen he lift vp his hādes and blissed them representyng euen in this veraye poynte also thexāple of the patriarkes and of Moses And in thesame instaunte while he wisheth well vnto his disciples he was lifted vp from the yearth and in sighte of them al was carryed vp into heauen Than the disciples fallyng prostrate on the grounde wurshipped the Lord lookyng after him with theyr iyes as long as they might But muche more did thei looke after hym with their hertes after that his bodye was taken awaye from their iyes The premisses thus executed and dooen they returned to Hierusalem accordyng as the Lorde had enioyned them and returne thei did with great ioye For nowe had feith shaken of from theim all sorow and heauinesse and assured hope of the promises did geue thē cherefulnesse In the meane season thei wer muche and oftē in the temple as men euen thā alreadie offreing euangelicall sacrifices praysing and magnifying the bounteous goodnesse of god towardes mankynde and rendryng thankes vnto hym for that he had decreed freely to geue suche high benefites vnto mortall men through his sonne FINIS To the moste vertuous Ladie and moste gracious Quene Katherine late wife to the moste noble kyng Henry the eight of moste famous memorie deceassed Nicolas Udall your highnesse moste humble seruaūt wisheth health and all prosperitee in Christ. WHen I cōsider most gracious Quene Katerine the greate noumbre of noble weomen in this our time and countreye of Englande not onelye geuen to the studie of humaine sciences and of straunge tongues but also so throughlye experte in holy scriptures that they are hable to compare wyth the beste wryters aswell in endictynge and pennynge of godlye and fruitfull treatises to the enstruccion and edifiynge of whole realmes in the knowleage of god as also in translating good bokes out of Latine or Greke into Englishe for the vse and commoditie of suche as are rude and ignoraunte of the sayd tounges I cannot but thynke and esteme the famous learned Antiquitee so ferre behynde these tymes that there cannot iustelye bee made any comparison betwene them Cornelia a noble matrone of Rome throughe longe conuersacion and continuance with her learned housebande was in the processe of tyme so wel learned so eloquent that hirself was the chiefe principall instructrice and brynger vp of hir two sonnes Caius Gracchus and Tyberius Gracchus in all their learning and made thesame at lengthe so fyne that they yet to this daye remayne registred in the noumbre of the absolute and perfecte Oratours of olde tyme. We reade of one Amesia in Rome a woman so well spoken so fine of toungue that beynge on a time indicted and arrained of a grieuous offēce she so wittily so piththily and wich suche grace made answer for hirself that all the whole benche Courte than presente iudged her for the mere respecte of her eloquence and witte in that present perill and ieoperdie there shewed worthy by theyr whole cōsentes sentences to be quit and discharged of the law for that crime Hortensia the daughter of Quintus Hortensius brought vp continually frō hir cradle and tendre infancye in the house and companye of suche a noble Oratour came at lengthe so nere to the perfect eloquēce of her father that she was hable in publique hearing to make oracions and thesame of so piththye a sorte that where the noble weomen of Rome were on a time sore taxed to departe with their golde iewels toward certayne necessarie charges of that cōmon weale Hortensia came before the cōmissioners to speake in the behalfe of the matrones with her exquisite
age He dyed the three score and eight yere after the passion of the Lorde Iesu and was buried a lytle besyde thesame Citie The paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the gospell of sainct Iohn ¶ The first Chapiter BEcause the nature of God doeth passe beyond measure the weaknesse of mans wit although in other thinges it be right good and of quicke sight yet that diuine nature can neither be perceiued with our senses as it is in dede ne conceyued in mynde imagyned nor expressed with woordes And although in thinges create certain apparauÌ„ce of godly power wisdome and goodnesse is shewed and so it commeth to passe that the similitudes brought foorthe of those thinges whiche we dooe sumwhat perceyue with our senses and witte maye bringe vs into summe small and shadowelyke knowlage of incomprehensible thinges that we may behold theim as it wer in a dreame and a cloude yet that not withstanding no similitude maye bee taken out of any thinges create whether ye behold the Aungels the woorkemanship of the heauens or els these inferiour bodies whiche although they bee familiare to our senses neuerthelesse we cannot fully perceiue theim no similitude I say canne bee broughte foorth of any of these forsaied thinges whiche maye in all poynctes agree to the reason and nature of those thinges of the whiche for to attaine the knowelage those comparisons are brought in place Therfore it behoueth manne to apply all the study of his minde to this that he may rather loue the goodnesse of God then meruail at or comprehende his highnesse whiche neither Cherubin or Seraphin dooeth fully attayne to And although God cannot but bee meruaylous in all his workes yet he had rather be beloued of vs for his goodnesse then to be meruayled at for his excelleÌ„cy But the more full knowlage of the diuine nature is reserued in the worlde to come for theym whiche haue purged the iyes of their herte here through godlynesse of innocent lyfe No man knoweth the father as he is in dede but the sonne and suche as the sonne will manifeste him vnto Therfore to serche the knowlage of Goddes nature with mans reason is presumptuous boldenesse to speake of those thinges that cannot bee expressed with wordes is madnesse to geue iudgemente therof is wickednesse If we haue grace in the meane while to beholde any parte therof it is more truely comprehended with pure faith then with the helpe of mans wisedome And in the meane tyme it is enough for to attayne eternall saluacion to beleue those thinges of God whiche he did openly sette furth of himselfe in holy scripture by men chosen for that purpose whiche were inspired with his spirite and suche thinges as he hymselfe afterwarde being conuersaunt in yerth opened to his disciples and last of all hath vouchsaued to declare manifestly by the holy gost to the same disciples chosen for that entent To beleue these thinges simply and truly is christen wisedome to reuerence these thinges with a pure hert is true religion By these thynges to goe forewarde vnto the meditacion of an heauenly lyfe is godlynesse to continue and perseuer in these thinges is victorye to haue had the victorie by these thinges is the whole summe of felicitie But for man to serche of godly causes with mans reasons ferther then thinges is a certaine perilous and wicked boldnes And although it semed to be enoughy that was bothe trulye preached and set furthe in writinge of the other Euangelistes whiche declaring in order the natiuitie of Iesu Christe as concerning his manhed life deathe did affirme him to haue the true nature of man and ferthermore by declaringe his sermones rehersinge his miracles and resurreccion from death did so declare his godly nature as that time required speaking nothynge all that while of his diuine natiuitie by the whiche he was borne by an vnspeakable waye of his father without beginninge and refreyninge also to call him manifestly by the name of God to thintente that neyther the trueth should be hidden from those that were godly disposed and easy to be taughte neither occasion should be geuen to the weake and vntaught Iewes to go backe froÌ„ the doctrine of the ghospell whiche had vttrely perswaded themselfes by the tradicion of their elders and also out of Moyses holy bookes that the name of God could not bee rightfullye attributed but onelye to God the father whom they had alwaies wurshipped And besides that also leste the gentiles whiche did wurshippe innumerable goddes yea goddes made of men should haue taken occasion to continue in their peruerse errour if they had perceiued that in the ghospell the name of god had beene made common to many which thinge the â—ares of the Iewes not hable to receiue this mistery as thinkinge that name to bee approiprate but to one at the firste could by no meanes haue borne And the minde of the Gentiles beynge broughte vp in the opinion of many goddes coulde not at the firste bee perfeictly taughte that there were thre deuided in proprietie of persones of the whiche thre euerye one was very God and yet thre was but one God â–ª by the occasion of one godly nature whiche was common to all thre equally Yet thus it hath pleased God that to thintente the faith of the ghospell shoulde bee the more stablished he woulde haue it declared to mankinde by litle and litle as shoulde beste serue the time and mans capacitie So the nacion of the Iewes did wurshyppe God the father deuoutly many hundrethe yeres being ignoraunte bothe of the sonne the holy goste And the sonne of God himselfe whan he was herein yerthe averay man and as we can witnes did hungre thirste slepe sorowe wepe was displeased had compassion longe suffred to be reputed for none other but manne yea euen of his owne disciples Also after his resurreccion he would haue theim ignoraunt in some thinges In so muche that by the holy goste he did not open all thynges to them but those thinges onelye whiche helped forwarde the perswasion and beliefe of the euangelical doctrine and saluacion of mankinde For considering that the nature of godly thinges is in comprehensible yea to the highest wittes of men or Angels and the profession of the gospel pertainethe indifferently to all men the heauenlye father hath opened vnto vs so muche of godly thinges by his sonne as he hath willed to be sufficiente for the obtaininge of our saluacion Therefore it comethe of a certaine perilous presumpcion to affirme any thyng of the godly nature more then that whiche either Christ himselfe or the holy goste haue opened vnto vs. ¶ In the beginning was the woorde and the woorde was with God â–ª and God was the woorde But because in these daies as the wheate of gods woorde hath growen in the hertes of good folkes so also the cockle of the wieked hath ouergrowen whose cursed presumpcion hath braste out so far that some hath not ben afraide to take from Iesu Christe
man we haue touched him with our handes and by all profes and tokenes we haue founde him to be very man yea and also we haue seen his godly glory in very dede mete for the onely sonne of God the like whereof was neuer shewed to any of the angels Prophetes or Patriarches but it was suche as God the father woulde haue his onely sonne to be honoured with And this glory we haue seen in the workinge of his miracles in the vttringe of his heauenly doctrine and in the vision vpon the mounte Thabor when he was transfigured before our iyes when also the very voice of his father cumming downe from heauen professed him to be his dearly beloued sonne as the saied father did notably set him furth in his baptisme both with his voice and with the holy goste vnder the figure and similitude of a dooâ—e And againe when the sonne before his death desired hym to glorify hym with that glorye whiche he had before the worlde was made a voyce came downe from heauen and knowledged him to bee his sonne saying Bothe I haue and will glorifye the. In conclusion we haue seen hym in his resurreccion both when he already beeyng risen from death to lyfe did shewe furthe to vs his body whiche we mighte touche and handle but yet was it subiecte to no euill and also when before oure iyes he was carried vp into heauen And his glory did appeare and shine vnto vs not onely by these thinges but also his very death did aproue his godly power and strengthe when as the vaile of the temple was deuided the earth quaked the stones braste in soundre the graues and monumentes did open the dead bodies did rise againe the sunne losinge his lighte broughte sodaine darkenes into the worlde And whiles immediatly after a vehementcrie he yelded vp his goste as who sayeth he forsoke his life wyllyngly and not for lacke of strengthe By thys so wonderfull a death he did so glorify the father that both the thefe whiche did hange by him and also the Centurion did acknowledge him to bee the sonne of God And albeit when he was conuersaunt here in earth and went about the busines of our saluacion he had leauer shewe vs exaumple of sobrenes mekenes and obedience then to boast his owne greatnes yet all his communicacion all his dedes yea his very behauiour and countenaunce did declare hym to bee full of all godly giftes full of eternall and suche trueth as cannot bee confounded For although God doeth geue to other holy men also large giftes of his grace trueth yet he did powre into him as into his onely sonne the whole fountaine of heauenly giftes to thintent that in hym alone might be so muche as shoulde suffice all men And we did thorowly see him to be suche one euen vntill his ascencion ¶ Iohn beareth witnes of hym and crieth saying This was he of whom I spake whiche though he came after me went before me for he was before me Let vs now procede and declare how he was first knowen vnto the world wheras vntil this time not so muche as his owne brethren beleued hym to be any other but man for he woulde be knowen lytle by lytle lest so straunge a thing shoulde not haue been beleued emonges men if it had risen sodainly And truly many thinges went before whiche might some maner of way haue prepared mens mindes to faithfull beliefe as the auctoritie of the prophetes the shadowes of the lawe the agreable song of the Angels at his natiuitie the godly deuocion of the shephardes the guiding starre the deuout behauiour of the three wise men the vnquietnes of kyng Herode with all Ierusalem for the birth of this new kyng the prophecies of Simeon and Anna and also certain thinges that he did beyond the reche course of mans nature wherat his mother and Ioseph meruailed with theim selfe what those thinges should meane yet neuertheles when the tyme was come wherin it was deereed eternally that he should openly take in hande the busynes of preaching the kingdome of heauen it pleased hym as I sayd before to be commended and set furth by the witnes of Iohn also for a tyme not that he neded mans witnes but because so it was expedient eyther to allure the Iewes to beleue of whom euery one had Iohn in hye estimacion or els to rebuke the vnbeliefe of the wicked when they woulde not beleue no not hym bearing witnes of Christ to whom in other thinges they did attribute so much that they toke him to be Messias which was promysed by the prophecies of the prophetes to deliuer the people of Israell Therfore when Iohn preaching the kyngdom of God to bee at hand had alredy gathered together many disciples dyd dayly baptise many was had in great auctoritie emong al men but in very dede men had an ill opinion of Iesu the said Iohn doth openly beate into the heades of the multitude and eftsons reherseth that thing whiche diuers times before he had witnessed of him And accordyng to Esaies prophecy whiche dyd tell before hand that he shoulde in wildernes say with a loud voice make redy the way of the lorde he nowe not priuely vnto his owne disciples but to all people indifferenly which euery day resorted to him accustomably because of his baptisme and doctrine yea and came purposely to heare the very certaintie what opinion so notable a man had of Iesu he I say spake out with a plain and a cleare voice saying This is he of whom heretofore I haue often spoken vnto you before whome thorow errour you do prefer me when that I tolde you there shoulde be one which should folowe me in age and time of preaching and shoulde also be rekened inferiour to me in the opinion of the multitude he hath nowe ouertaken me and whereas he semed to bee after me he hath begun to be before me And no meruaile seing that euen then also he did excell me in all giftes although in the iudgemente of men he semed inferiour vnto me ¶ And of his fulnes haue all we â—eceiued euen grace for grace for the law was giuen by Moses but grace and trueth came by Iesus Christe He is the fountain of all truth and grace All we whom ye haue in so great admyracion bee nothing els but as it were litle brookes or furth cumming streames for the litle that we haue euery man according to his porcion is drawen furth out of the fulnes of this fountain froÌ„ whence whatsoeuer apperteineth to euerlasting saluacion springeth vnto all men All the vertue that was in the patriarkes in the prophetes and in Moses dyd come from this fountain I am nothing els but the goer before of hym that is cumming he is both the very publisher and also the auctour of the grace of the ghospell whiche geueth true and euerlastyng saluacion to all men thorow faithe We are bounde to thanke hym for that by the
thoughe it wer sumwhat derkely that one should come after me who going before me in dignitie and power did ouerreche me for because although he semed to come after me both in byrth of hys manhed in the tyme of hys preaching and also in auctoritie yet in godly gyftes he was far before me In so much that I myselfe did not certainly knowe at the fyrst howe great he was or what he was For he is so great that I whome ye haue in suche reuerence am no maner of way to be compared vnto him He is the lorde and auctour of all health I am none other but his seruaunte and goer before neyther is my baptisme or preaching any other thing but an introduccioÌ„ to the heauenly doctrine and vertue whiche he shall bryng vnto you Neyther yet am I sent for any other purpose by the commaundemente of God but to preache repentaunce of your former sinnes to shewe you that the kyngdome of heauen is at hande and to washe you with water to thintent that after he should be shewed to me of his father by sure tokens he might at his coming be the better conceiued in your mindes being already prepared with these principles His conuersacyon and life was simple and pure and beyng in no poyncte notable emong men he ioyned hymselfe to the multitude as one of the common sorte of the people and came to be baptised as though he had bene subiect to sinne ¶ And Iohn bare recorde saying I sawe the spirite descende from heauen lyke vnto a dooue and abode vpon him And I knew him not Therfore I coulde not knowe surely by the disposicion of hys body nor by mans coniecture that he was the onely sonne of God and that moste pure lambe whiche through faythe shoulde put awaye all the sinnes of the worlde but that I was taught by a notable sygne from heauen that thys was he to whome I was appoynted to bee the goer before And what this sygne was Iohn did openly declare to the multitude When Christe sayeth he willynge to shewe to the worlde an exaumple of humilitie and ioynyng hymselfe to the company of sinners came to be baptised the father of heauen did honour hym with an heauenly token For I my selfe sawe the holy ghost cummyng downe vpon his head in the likenesse of a dooue and there remayning Until that time I did not certaynly knowe hym whose goer before I was by reason that his corporall estate did hyde hys celestial excellencie But he that sent me to baptise in water the same sayed vnto me Upon whom thou shalt see the spirite descende and â—â—â—y stil on him the same is he which baptiseth with the holy goste and I sawe and bare recorde that he is the sonne of God For as yet the tyme was not come in the whiche the father of heauen woulde haue him to be openly knoweÌ„ to the people Therfore when I knew by the inspiracion of the sayde father that Messias was alreadye come then to take awaye the errour and mistakyng of hys persone or leste mannes coniecture should haue any doubt therin he by whose commaundement I toke vpon me the office baptise you with water taught me by a sure token by the shewing wherof I might assuredly knowe who he was that shoulde baptise you with an effectuall baptisme and should by the holy gost wherwith he was replenished freely geue to all them that trusted in hym remyssyon of all theyr synnes For before Iesus came to me to be baptised the father of heauen did aduertise me before hande saying By thys token thou shalt surely know my sonne Emonges many whom thou shalt wash with water vpoÌ„ whomsoeuer thou shalt see the holy ghost in the lykenesse of a dooue descending and remaynyng be wel assured that thesame is he which hath power to baptise with the holy gost For man washeth with water but he onely by his heauenly power taketh away sinnes and geueth righteousnesse I saw this token according to the fathers promyse in hym whan he was baptised And for thys cause he gaue me grace to see him that you also through my preaching should know the autour of your saluacioÌ„ Wherfore like as heretofore I haue witnessed so doe I now also openly testifie that this is the sonne of god from whence as froÌ„ the heauenly fountayn ye must require all thynges whiche perteyne to righteousnes and eternall felicitie For I will suffer you no longer to suspecte greater thinges of me then I deserue nor yet to be ignoraunte of hym whome to knowe is saluacion By these manier of witnesses Iohn did often commend Iesus beyng as yet vnknowen to the multitude and gaue ouer his owne auctoritie to him as to his better to the entent that from that time furth the people should leaue hym and cleaue to the gouernaunce of Iesu Goddes prouydence in the meane tyme procuring this to th entent that they both might be to vs an holsome exaumple of a true preacher of the Ghospell For truely Iohn neyther with the encisemente of so great renoume beeing willingly offered vnto hym was so much corrupt that he would take vpon hym an other mannes praise nor yet so afrayed of the enuie of the Priestes and Phariseis whose ambicyous enuie and enuious ambicyon woulde suffer no bodye to bee exalted but themselfe that therefore he dyd ceasse to speake of the glory of Chryst neyther did he regarde his owne commoditie but what was expedient for the people hereby teachyng how a preacher of the ghospel ought to haue a constaunt and sure stayed mynde yea euen to the auenturyng of hys lyfe not onely agaynste excesse couetousnes but also against al ambicion And as for Iesus Christ when he came as one of the common sorte of the people to be baptised and also when he behaued himselfe amongest Iohns disciples as if he had bene one of them wheras he was lorde of all he taught vs how we must come to true glorye by great humilitie and modestie of mynde and that none is mete to be a mayster vnlesse he haue played the parte of a good scoller neyther that anye ought to take rashely in hande the office of preachyng excepte he hath bene all manier of wayes well tryed and approued and in manier appointed therunto of God The next day after Iohn stode agayn and two of his disciples and he beheld Iesus as he walked by and sayeth Beholde the lambe of God And the two disciples heard him speake and they folowed Iesus Now to th entent that Iohns most excellent purenes and honestie might more clerely appere he thought it not inough to turne thaffeccions of the people from him to Christ but he laboureth also to despatch from himselfe his owne peculier disciples whome he had and to put them to Christ. For the day after these thinges which I haue already rehearsed vnto you were doen in the presence of the people Iohn stoode there agayne and twoo of hys
hundred yeres beefore the sayde Andrew I say as soone as he had found Simon Peter his brother whose presence he desyred greatlye for thys purpose that Peter whome he knewe dyd looke for Christe with greate feruencie myghte be made partaker of the felicitie of that assured knowledge whiche Andrewe hymselfe had of Christe We haue founde sayeth he that Messias whome the Prophetes had promysed shoulde bee redemer of the worlde And Messias in the Sirians tounge is as muche to say as Christe that is to vnderstande anoynted because that anoynting perteineth to kynges and priestes But Christe was the onelye anoynted of God to hym onely all power was geuen both in heauen and yearth and he onely was the priest eternally after Melchisedechs ordre which hath reconciled God to mankynde with the sacrifice of hys bodye Symon beeing glad of so pleasaunte and welcome a message and not satisfyed onely to haue heardest ioyfully preaseth hymselfe also to see Iesu. Andrew who had already proued the gentlenes and graciousnesse of Iesu furthwith broughte Simon to hym And when Iesus behelde Peter he did not onely vewe his face wherin neuerthelesse did shine a purenes of hert but he rather loked vpon his minde which was endued with doouelyke simplicitie and thereby apte to receyue the grace of the ghospell The sayde Iesus takyng pleasure in hys pure affeccion dooeth tell the name of Peters father by that declaryng how nothyng was hydden from hym and therewithall prayseth the godly simplicitie of Peters minde gathering an argument thereof by the propertie of hys fathers name and by the darke sence of the chaungeing of Peters owne name he telleth before that in time to come there shall be in hym stablenesse of inuyncible faythe For Ionas is asmuch to saye as a dooue or grace Simon by interpretacion signifieth obedient for out of the obedience of Moses law is had some furtheraunce to the fayth of the gospell Therefore after that Iesus had loked vpon hym he doeth lyke both hys present simplicitie and also doeth sum what open as you woulde saye darkely his stedfastnesse to come saying Thou arte that Simon the sonne of Ioanna right aptly agreyng both to thyne owne name and thy fathers But hereafter when this fayth shall haue gathered strength that it may be able to stand stable and vnshaken against al temptacions of the deiuill thou shalte be called Cephas whiche in Greke is as muche to saye as Peter in Latine ▪ saxum and in Englishe a stone And this was the firste instruccion and principle of Christes church this was also the first beginning of the schole of the ghospell The day folowing Iesus would goe into Galile and found Philip and saieth vnto him folow me Philip was of Bethsaida the citie of Andrew and Peter Philip founde Nathanael and saieth vnto him We haue found him of whom Moses in the law and in the prophetes did write Iesus the sonne of Ioseph of Nazareth And Nathanael said vnto him Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth Philip sayeth to him Come see The day after it pleased Iesus to goe into Galile whche was least set by of al the prouinces of Iewrie because no man of any great renoume or fame had at any tyme come from thence and yet neuerthelesse Esay dyd prophecie before that the light of the ghospell should first appeare and haue hys begynning about the place Also the diuine counsayl thought it good so to be because he woulde beginne his churche of meane persones vntaught and vnlearned borne and come out of a countrey that was barayne and of no regarde For both Peter and Andrew whiche without calling folowed Christe were men of Galile and that the one brother did perswade and drawe the other to Iesu was a fortunate pronosticacion of the churche nowe newly beginning whiche consisteth in brotherly charitie and mutual concorde Therfore when Iesus should goe his way into Galile hauing alreadie two disciples of Galile to wayte vpon hym because he myghte come sum what the better accompanied he taketh to hym two other also of the same countrey and of lyke nobilitie For Iesus founde one called Philip borne in Bethsaida a citie of Galile whiche is nye vnto the lake of Genazareth being the countrey of Andrew and Simon to whome the name of Peter was added Furthermore in that they were all of one countrey it betokeneth the concorde and agreement of the ghospell And that the diuersities of all maner of people should be ioyned and brought together into one churche as it wer into one citie Philip semed to haue met with Christe by chaunce but the very thyng in dede was doen altogether by the prouidence of God whiche had eternallye decreed and appoynted whome he woulde haue to be the first rulers and beginners of his churche Therefore Iesus sayed to Philip when he met with him folow me He taried nothyng at all but byan by folowed Iesus ▪ of whome alredy he had knowen many thinges both by the witnesse of Iohn and also by the common rumour of the people The woord of the speaker was of so great effect and the mind of the hearer was ready of hys owne good will It chaunced verely that as Andrew had allured and drawen hys brother Simon so Philip nowe reioysing that he was in the seruice of Iesu when he had found Nathanell whome he knew to be wondrefully desyrous of Messias cummyng for whiche cause he was woont very diligentlye to marke and obserue in the prophecies of the lawe and the Prophetes from whence and when the same Messias shoulde come Philip I say because he would make Nathanaell partaker of that ioye wherin he did reioyce withall his hert sayeth vnto hym We haue found that true Messias of whome Moses hath written that there should a Prophet rise out of the kinred of Israel of whome the prophecies of the Prophetes hath vttered and declared so many thynges Thys is Iesus the sonne of Ioseph of Nazareth for al that time euery man toke Iesus to be Iosephs sonne and he was better knowen by that name then by the name of Marie hys mother Moreouer he was called emong the cōmon sorte a Nazarean not that he was borne there for Bethleem was halowed with hys birth and infancie but because he was conuersaunt and brought vp there of a childe with his parentes When Nathanael hearde this truely he lyketh wel the most ioyfull tydinges but he is offēded with that doubt wherwith he was secretly troubled through the prophecie whiche as euery man knew doeth promise that Christ shoulde come furth out of Bethleem therfore he desyring to be taught more certainly sayeth vnto Philip Can any good thing come out of Nazareth of the whiche towne the prophecies of the Prophetes hath made no mencion When Philip himselfe being yet vntaught and hauing no ferther knowledge but hys plaine simple faith could not discusse this hard matier he aduiseth and
before should make redy the waye for him against he came I am his seruaunt he is Lord of all thynges But if he now begin to be knowen to the worlde that his fame and renoume doeth derken myne I reioyce that my witnes was true For I did only wish desire that my seruice myght growe to that ende and effecte For as the bryde is his by right whiche is the very bridegrome in dede and yet he whiche is not the bridegrome but onely his frende doeth not enuy the bridegromes felicitie nor taketh his spouse from him but reioyseth on his behalfe whom he loueth in his herte and holdyng his peace standeth by him also with great ioy of mynde heareth the voice of the bridegrome whiles he talketh with his spouse so I who haue wished for nothing more then that he should knowen to be so great a man as of trueth he is that I should be no more taken for a greater man than I am in dede doe greatly reioyce in that I perceiue this matter to haue so good successe Of right he must encrease which hitherto hath been reputed to be much lesse then he is in dede And it is mere that I should decrease who haue alwaye be taken to be greater then I was Thus it is expedient for mans saluacion both that myne estimacion should be darkened and his glory should dayly growe greater and that my disciples should leaue me goe to him in comparison of whose power myne is but weake and of none effecte And my baptisme is as farre vnderneth his as fire is of more might then water He that cummeth from on hye is aboue all He that is of the yearth is yearthly and speaketh of the yearth He that cummeth from heauen is aboue al and what he hath seen heard that he testifieth no mā receiueth his testimonie He that hath receiued his testimonie hath set to his scale that God is true for he whom God hath sent speaketh the woordes of God It is mete that yearthly thinges should geue place to heauenly worldely to Godly vnperfite to thynges perfite He that cummeth from the earth is earthly and speaketh thinges that be earthly and base For what other thing can man speake but thynges pertayning to man but he whiche is come from heauē excelleth al men be they neuer so great We haue receyued but a small knowledge of heauenly thinges as we are able so we testifie but he doeth beare witnes moste faithfully emong men of that thyng whiche he hath seen and heard in heauen with his father And men haue me in admiracion who am muche his inferiour but no man almoste receiueth his witnes they doe require me that am but a seruaunt to beare recorde of hym And they refuse the witnes that he beareth of his father And in dede yf any bodie doe not trust me he doeth but mistrust a man yf any doe not beleue hym whiche is the only sonne as the father hath witnessed with his owne voice that person maketh God a lier The Iewes doe wurship the father and they contemne and dishonor his sonne whom he sent howbeit euery reproche iniury doen to the sonne redoūdeth to the father Therfore whosoeuer receiueth the witnes of the sonne he geuing credit to the sonne doeth certainly affirme God to be true whiche speaketh in the sonne For the sonne which is sent from the father speaketh not the woordes of a mā but the woordes of God God hath spoken bothe by the Prophetes and also hath made euery man partaker of his spirite accordyng as they haue been able to receyue it But God hath geuen his spirite to this his onely sonne not after any certaine measure but he hath powred vpō him the whole fulnes of his spirite so that the father hath nothyng but the sonne hath thesame The father loueth the sonne and hath geuen all thynges into his hande He that beleueth on the sonne hath euerlastyng lyfe He that beleueth not the sonne shall not see lyfe but the wrath of God abideth on hym And whatsoeuer the incredulitie of men would take from the sonne the father imputeth it to be taken from himselfe for the father loueth his only sōne most intierly and hath put in his hande the whole summe of all thynges not depriuing himselfe of his owne power but maketh that vertue and power which he hath common to both And what thing soeuer God hath willed to geue and bestowe vpon mankynde his pleasure was to geue it by his sonne And verily he offreth to all men no small or meane thyng for he offreth euerlastyng lyfe but by hym whiche is the only fountayne of eternall lyfe howbeit that person maketh hymselfe vnapte to receyue this so excellent a gyfte whiche refuseth to take it And surely he refuseth it whiche doeth not beleue that the sonne can geue and perfourme that whiche he promiseth Moreouer he doeth charge the father with vntrueth as who sayeth he should promise by his sonne vaine vntrue thinges Therfore the rewarde of belefe is great and the punishment of vnbelefe is fierce and terrible For of trueth whosoeuer putteth his hope and trust in the sonne hath already the sonne and whoso hath the sonne hath eternall lyfe Contrariwyse he that trusteth not in the sonne forasmuch as he hath as it were closed vp his owne iyes that he cannot behold the light he shall not see lyfe because this lyght is the lyfe of men but he continewyng in his sinnes remaineth bounde and gyltie of the vengeaunce and wrath of God that is to say euerlastyng death The .iiii. Chapter As soone as the Lorde knewe howe the Phariseis had heard that Iesus made and baptysed moe disciples then Iohn though that Iesus himselfe baptised not but his disciples he leaft Iewry and departed againe into Galile ANd so Iohn with these woordes corrected the vnmesurable loue and affecion of his disciples toward hymselfe and their euill and wicked opinion concernyng Iesus secretely prouokyng them that they should leaue him and now folowe Iesus of whom all men ought to aske al thynges Therfore when Iesus frō whom nothyng at all was hid dyd perceiue the like thing to haue chaunced to him which is wonte to happen emongest men that is to saye that enuy foloweth prayse and renoume and also that now already the Phariseis took in euyll parte that he should allure and drawe to hym many disciples and that more people had recourse to his baptisme thē to Iohns although in dede not Iesus himselfe but his disciples did baptise Euen thē declaring that to preache the gospel was a more excellent office then to baptise And the Phariseis were so muche the more greued displeased because his disciples dyd take so muche vpon them as they scantly would haue suffred Iohn to haue doen to whom they dyd attribute very muche Iesus I saye partly because he would not prouoke sharpen and stiere vp theyr enuy in case
vnto the old auncient Iewes they picke out that chiefly which apperteineth to fedyng so muche care had they of theyr bellie ¶ Then Iesus said vnto them verely verely I saye vnto you Moses gaue you not that bread from heauen but my father geueth you the true bread from heauen For the breade of God is he whiche cummeth down from heauen and geueth life vnto the world Therfore Iesus as it wer dissembleyng the ignoraunce of the people thus little by litle bringeth theim to the perceiuyng of spirituall thinges saiyng If Moses auctoritie bee therefore weightie and regarded among you because he gaue you Manna from heauen and ye honour it as heauenlye foode because it came doun from heauen God is moste then to be thanked herein from whome Manna dyd flow and to whom the glorie and praise of al myracles is due For neyther Moses could do this thyng of himself who was nothyng els but gods ministre neyther was that bread very heaueÌ„ly breade in deede although Dauid that wrote the Psalmes cal it bread of heaueÌ„ for it came not from very heaueÌ„ but it rained doune out of the ayer lyke as byrdes liuyng in the ayer are called byrdes of heauen and truely this Manna was but onely a figure of the heauenlye bread And euen as god gaue corporall breade to a carnall people by Moses that serued him in the world so now my father by his heauenly sonne geueth vnto you as to a spiritual people that bread whiche vndoubtedly came from heauen and doeth not onely fill and saciate the bodyes for a time but geueth immortalitie of soule to them that will receiue it That was but materiall breade and gaue lyfe onely to the bodye for a tyme and howâ— great a benefite so euer it was yet did it profit but the people of one nacion alone but the bread that I speake of is neyther corporall neyther dyd it distyll out of the ayer but did procede euen from very god hymselfe and is of suche efficacie that it geueth lyfe not to bodyes but to soules and not to one sorte of people alone but to the whole world As touchyng the autour thereof in case ye passe muche therupon well in stede of Moses in whome ye muche glorye ye haue God the very auctour of this gyfte and for the seruaunte of god ye haue goddes owne sonne And yf ye regarde the gift there is as great diuersitie betwene these as is betwene the bodye and the soule and as is betwene this life which shal shortly â—ease and euerlastyng lyfe in heauen ¶ Then said thei vnto him lord euermore geue vs this bread And Iesus said vnto them I am the breade of life He that cuÌ„meth to me shal not hungre and he that beleueth on me shall neuer thyrst But I said vnto you that ye also haue sene me yet ye beleued me not Whan the Iewes had heard all these thynges yet wer not they for all that lifte vp to the loue of celestiall thynges but styll dreamyng vpon matteâ—s touchyng the belly sayde vnto Iesus Syr geue vs alwaye this breade They loued the sacietie of meate better then healthe and soughte rather for a plentifull geuer of meate and drynke then for a sauiour Therefore to take from theÌ„ their dreame of corporall foode Iesus expresseth more plainelye vnto theym that he did not speake of bread that is chewed with teeth and whiche beeyng conueied throughe the throte into the stomake swageth bodilye hungre for a season but of heauenly bread whiche is the woord of God Therefore he saith I am that bread the very geuer of eternall life He that hungrely lusteth after this breade and will cumme to me and suffre it to haue passage into the bowelles of the soule by fayth shall not feele any grief of hungre that shall cum to hym after he bee once fullye satisfied but it shall tarrye stil and abide in hym that hath receyued it vnto eternall lyfe And my woorde hath in it a fountaine of spirituall water whereof the soule drynketh by fayth and not the bodye therfore he that beleueth in me shall not onely be without hungre but also without thirst eternally This bread is not receiued by gapyng of the mouthe but through beliefe of the soule And therfore I haue spoken these thynges vnto you to let you knowe that thoroughe your owne faulte ye shall perishe in case ye dooe persiste and continue in your infidelitie My father denieth this breade to no man and to you of all men it hath been fyrste offered notwithstandyng ye care more for the bread that shal vtterly cum to naught â–ª Ye haue sene me do greatter thynges then yf I should feede you with Manna and I promyse vnto you and thinges of greatter felicitie and for al this ye beleue me not ¶ All that the father geueth me shall cum to me and he that cummeth to me I cast not away for I came doune from heauen not to do that I will but yâ— he will which hath sent me And this is the fathers will whiche hath sent me that of all which he hath geuen me I shall loose nothing but raise them vp againe at the last day And this is the wil of him that sent me that euery one which seeth the sonne and beleueth on him haue euerlasting life And I wil rayse him vp at the last day And albeit ye do through vnbeliefe loeth this breade yet for all that my father hath not sent it into this worlde without cause There shall bee sum folke to whom this breade shall bryng euerlastyng lyfe althoughe the whole nacion of the Iewes shall reiecte gods sonne and therefore be euen wicked towardes god because they do contemne the said sonne whome the father hathe sent to saue the whole worlde For my father is God not onely of the Iewes but also of al Gentyles I haue nothyng in dede of myselfe but yet whatsoeuer my father hath geuen to me what kynde of people so euer it bee of thesame shall cum to me by fayth although it hath nothyng to dooe at all wyth Moses law And whosoeuer wyll cumme to me hym will I not reiecte yea and woulde to God all folke woulde cum vnto me For my fathers will is as muche as lyeth in hym that all men shoulde bee saued by fayth And for as muche as his wyll and myne is all one for this ende therfore I descended from heauen not to doe what I wyll as it were disagreyng with my father but to dooe my fathers wyl whiche sente me from whose wyll myne cannot dissente And truely my fathers wyll that sente me is this that what thyng so euer he hath through faith geuen vnto me no deale thereof dooe peâ—ishe I beeyng the preseruer of thesame leste the worlde shoulde violently drawe vnto death that thyng whiche my father hath ordeined to liue Furthermore although the bodye do dye by the course of mans nature yet doâ—eth the soule whiche is the better parte
that bread wherewith the bodie is satisfyed and be ye desirous of that heauenly bread whiche geueth eternall lyfe This bread is receiued by fayth and fayth is to be obteyned of god the father be ye well assured thereof that whosoeuer hath affiaunce in me thesame hathe already eternall lyfe for so muche as he hath the fountaine of immortalitie ¶ I am the bread of life your fathers did eate Manna in wildernes and are dead This is that breade whiche cummeth down from heauen that a man maie eate therof and not die I am that liuing bread whiche came downe from heauen If any manne eate of this breade he shall liue for euer And the breade that I will geue is my fleshe whiche I will geue for the life of the world I am that very bread whiche geueth not a bodily and a transitorye life but the lyfe of the soule and eternall lyfe Althoughe ye haue me presente yet neuerthelesse ye desyre Manna as a woondrefull thyng And albeit Manna whiche youre auncestours didde eate and feede vpon for a certaine tyme in the wildernesse didde cum from heauen as you suppose yet it dyd theim no ferther pleasure then wheaten or barlye breade woulde haue dooen It putte awaye for a whyle the hunger of the bodye whiche shortelye after woulde returne agayne and require more meate but it coulde not geue them immortalitie For though your forefathers were neuer so happye yet dyd as manye of them dye as dyd feede of that Manna This breade whiche I speake of descended out of heauen in veraye deede and it hath receiued of god celestiall strengthe to make hym that eateth of it to liue in bodye and soule euerlastynglye and neuer to bee subiecte vnto deathe Ye neede not therefore aske importunately any Manna from heauen when as ye haue very heauenly breade presente and ready prepared for you whiche geueth eternall lyfe in case ye wyll receiue it by fayth For I my selfe am that bread the grauÌ„ter of immortall lyfe who alone came down from heauen whome you beeyng offended with the infirmitie of this bodye take and thynke to be nothyng els but the sonne of Ioseph and Marye Truely I am the very woorde of god the father whiche whoso beleueth shall haue immortall lyfe If any man wyll conueye and digeste this heauenlye bread into the inwarde partes of the soule he shal bee quickened and growe into eternall lyfe And yf you beyng but carnall do not yet vnderstande spirituall thynges I wyll shew you a more a plain and grosser matter and a thyng that is more apperteinyng vnto the fleshe Euen thys fleshe whiche you see and loke vpon and whiche I shall bestowe and geue vnto deathe for to redeme the lyfe of the whole worlde is the liuyng breade Beleue eate it and lyue By thys sayyng our Lord Iesus did sumwhat after an obscure sorte open vnto them the misterie of his godhed whereby he was alwaye with God the father and of his death also by the whiche he should deliuer and sauethe worlde from the tyrannye of deathe Finallye he did insinuate herein vnto them the priuitie of hys mysticall bodye whereof he that is not a membre and by fayth annexed therevnto and so styll cleaue and sticke fast vnto it as the branche dooeth cleaue vnto the vyne he shall not haue life in hym And Iesus knewe well enough that at that tyme the Iewes dyd not vnderstande his saiynges but yet for all that he was assured that in tyme to cum it should cum to passe howe that these sedes and as ye would say norishmentes of misteryes beeyng shutte and closed vp within the myndes of good men should growe vp and bryng forth plenteouse fruite The Iewes therfore stroue among theimselfes saiyng howe can this felow geue vs that flesh of his to eat Then Iesê° said vnto theÌ„ vâ—raily veraily I saie vnto you except ye eat the fleshe of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye haue no life in you Whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloude hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last daie For my fleshe is meate in dede and my bloude is drinke in dede He that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloude dwelleth in me and I in hym Therfore wheÌ„ as these thynges semed to them very incoÌ„uenient and to folish to be spokeokeÌ„ durst not talke homely familiarly with yÌ„e lord himself there arose a great discorde in opinions amoÌ„g them diuerse of them diuersly interpretyng the thyng that was spoken For euen as Nicodemus vnderstode not Iesus when he spake of a newe heauenlye birth nor the woman of Samaria knewe what Iesus ment in his darke speakyng of the water that should flowe into euerlastyng life so this rude grosse people coÌ„teÌ„ded how it could be brought to passe that a maÌ„ should geue hys flesh to be eaten of other and that in suche sorte as it should suffyse al men to perpetual lyfe For he dyd bid inuited all meÌ„ to eate heauenly bread sayd moreouer that his flesh was bread How shall we say they eate the flesh of a liuyng maÌ„ne And again Iesus beeyng not ignoraunte about what matter they contended dyd not declare vnto them by what way meanes that flesh might be eaten in steade of breade but here now confirmeth the thyng to be nedeful a very necessarie thyng which they iudged but a vayne thing and a plaine absurditie and that it could not be doen. Take this for a veray suertye saieth he excepte ye receiue me whole that is to saye vnlesse ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man in steade of breade and in the place of wyne drinke his bloud ye shall not haue life in you On the contrarye syde whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath by eating and drinking therof eternal life Neyther shall the soule alone liue blessed most happy by reason of this meat drinke but also after the resurreccion of the bodye the whole man bothe bodye and soule shall haue with me the fruicion of euerlastyng lyfe For like as mans naturall meate beeyng conueyed downe into the stomake and after it bee digested is conueyed thence throughout all the membres of the bodye so turnethe into the substaunce of the bodye so that then the meate and the man that eateth it is al one in lyke maner on the othersyde he that hath eaten me shal be spirituallye transformed and turned into me Furthermore forsomuche as I am the chefe auctour of the resurreccion I wyl not suffre my membres to bee disseueted and pulled awaye from me but whosoeuer is surelye ioyned to me by thys meate and drinke I shall rayse hym vp agayne in the last day that because the whole man hauyng bothe bodye and soule beleued me the whole man no we also maye liue with me euerlastynglye Bodelye meate woorketh not this effecte neyther yet Manna wherein ye reioyce but the eatyng of my bodye and the
drinkyng of my bloude bringeth this thyng to passe And therefore my flesh is truelye meate whyche geueth immortalitie and my bloude is truely drynke which doeth procure eternal life not only to the body but to the whole man both bodye and soule And as the lyfe of the bodye whiche is nourished with dayly sustenaunce lest it shoulde perishe before the tyme is common to all the membres of the body by reason of the indiuisible felowshippe that all the partes of the bodye hathe togetherwardes in so muche that though the membres of the bodye be diuerse and sundrye yet there is but one bodye because that one soule geueth lyfe to euerye parte of the bodye so he that eateth my fleshe and drynketh my bloude is in suche sorte coupled and ioyned to me that neither can I be seperate from hym nor he from me For I am in hym by my spirite by whoÌ„ I wyll geue lyfe to hym And he is in me as a membre in the bodye and as the braunche is in the vyne by suche a participacion as cannot bee dissolued ¶ As the liuing father hath sente me and I true for the father Euen so be that eateth me shal liue by the meanes of me This is the bread which came downe from heauen not as your fathers did eate Manna and are dead He that eateth of this breade shall liue euer These thinges sayed he in the sinagogue as he taught in Capernaum Many therefore of his disciples when they had heard this sayd this is an hard saiyng Who can abide the hearing of it The father that sent me is the principall fountaine of al life Whosoeuer is ioyned to hym is made partaker of life And therefore as the father is in me geueth me life and also power to geue life vnto other euen likewyse to him that eateth me and is so annexed to me by reason of that misticall eatyng and drinkyng that he is made one with with me doe I geue lyfe not to endure for a shorte tyme but eternall life What thyng soeuer is of earthly nature thesame dooeth continue but for a time and is of small efficacie Manna whiche stylled downe from heauen for you then beyng vnder Moses tuicion and conductyng because it was foode pertainyng to the bodye it coulde not geue eternall lyfe to your elders for whereas all men did eat therof they neuertheles dyed neyther did any one of so great a numbre remain vndead yea more part of theÌ„ died also in soule because they prouoked god manye waies to wrath But certes this bread that vndoubtedly came downe from heauen hath a celestiall vertue in it and geueth eternall lyfe to the eater thereof The Lorde Iesus did instruct the ignorant and grosse multitude with such wordes very desirous to stirre them vp from the loue of vysible and corporal thynges to the loue and desire of heauenly and eternall thynges And he spake these woordes in the Sinagogue amoÌ„gest a great assembly of people exercising the office of a teacher Howebeit the grosse people was so farre of from the capacitye of these heauenlye mystiries that a great sorte of his disciples also beyng offeÌ„ded herewith wer about to fall from theyr maister murmuryng amongest themselfes and whisperyng this saiyng This is an harde cruell saiyng saye they concernyng the eatyng of a lyuyng mannes fleshe and drinkyng his bloude whose eares can abyde to heare such doctryne Iesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it he said vnto them doeth this offend you What if ye shal se the sonne of maÌ„ asceÌ„d vp thither where as he was before It is yâ— spirit that quickeneth the flesh â—rosueth nothing The wordes that I speake vnto you are the spirit life But there are sum of you yâ— beleue not For Iesus knew froÌ„ the beginning which thei wer yâ— beleued not who should betraie him And he said Therefore said I vnto you that no man can cum vnto me excepte it wer geueÌ„ vnto him of my father Iesus vnderstandyng what they murmured at secretly among themselfes labored to remedie the thing that they were offeÌ„ded with geuing knowledge beforehand vnto them that they shoulde see greater thinges with their iyes then that they heard hym at this tyme speake of hymselfe And he shewed them that the wordes whiche he had spoken as touchyng the eatyng of his fleshe and to drinke his blood was no incoÌ„uenieÌ„t thing nor to be abhorred but a right pleasaunt graciouse and fruitfull saying in case it were taken and vnderstande not after their course and grosse intelligence but after a spirituall sence Nowe therfore being turned towardes his disciples whom it had behoued to haue further consydered and to haue been wyser then the base sorte of people by reason of the acquaintance and familiaritie whiche they had with Iesus and also for the myracles which they had seen hym worke Iesus I say loking vpon his disciples rebuked theyr dulnes in this wyse saying Doeth it offend your eares to heare me saye that I am the breade which came out of heauen to geue lyfe to the worlde whether is it a greater difficultie after the grosse vnderstandyng of mannes wit to haue descended from heauen or to ascend vp into heauen What then yf hereafter ye do see the sonne of man whom ye nowe see to haue the natural body of a man ascende into heauen where he was before he came downe thence and before he had this mortal bodye This is doen and graunted by reason of your senses not that ye shoulde bee alwaye carnall and vnderstand all thinges fleshly but that ye shoulde leaue the fleshe and go forwarde to the spirite The spirit descended from heauen and was incarnate the fleshe beeyng now made spirituall shal be carryed awaye vp into heauen leste ye should all waye loue the fleshe and be carnall but yet beeing first instructed by the flesh ye ought to profit and go forward toward heauenly thinges For the flesh alone of himselfe profiteth nothing it is the spirite that geueth life For what is bodily substance of men if the spirit lacke euen so my woord carnally vnderstand shall not geue life vnles ye take it as an heauenly thing and vnderstaÌ„d it spiritually By my fleshe and blood I meane my doctrine and so I tearme it whiche doctrine yf ye do by true faith receiue it desyrously and effectuously and than conueigh it into the bowels of your minde and retaine it there it will quicken and make your mindes liuely and cause you and me to be al one so that ye shal through my spirite liue euerlastingly like as the membres of one bodye lyueth by one common spirite so long as they do adhere and cleaue fast together And I shall leaue vnto you my fleshe and blood as a hid secret mystery and mistical token of this copulacion and felowship which selfe thing although ye do receiue it yet will it not profit you vnles ye receyue it spiritually Therfore do not
repugne and refuse my saying though being still carnal ye do not rightly vnderstande it nor take it as it ought to be taken but rather labour for the true vnderstanding therof For the woordes which I haue spoken vnto you are not carnall as you interpretate them but be spirite and lyfe and whye Uerely because they beeing spiritually vnderstand do conferre and geue lyfe to the soule He that receiueth these woordes rightly and truely eateth my fleshe and drinketh my blood being coupled to me gayneth thereby euerlasting lyfe But he that willingly refuseth them continueth in death thorough the synnes of his former lyfe and doubleth his owne damnacion of eternall death by reason of infidelitie And all they refuse this bread when it is offered them which beleue not my woordes And I knowe that these thinges are spoken al in vaine to sum folkes being right wel assured that there be sum among you which dooeth not credite my woordes and therefore reiectyng life when it is offered them they be cause of their owne vtter destruccion And for that cause our Lorde Iesus spake these thynges who was ignorant in nothyng yet he knewe well ynough or euer he spake these woordes whiche of his disciples woulde geue faith vnto hym And moreouer he coulde tell this also that euen amongest the twelue Apostles whom he so surnamed for honour sake and whome hee dyd also choose specially to bee aboute hymselfe as most sure frendes He knewe I say that there should be one of theim whiche woulde betraye hym to the Iewes that shoulde put hym to death Therefore to note them whiche though they dyd heare all one woorde and saying with the reste and though also one of the twelue should eate of thesame bread and drinke of the same cup which his felowes shoulde eate and drinke of yet shoulde not they obtaine lyfe thereby because they tooke and receiued that heauenlye bread not spirituallye but carnally Iesus added more and sayde for this cause I tolde you a litle before that no man coulde cum vnto me excepte it were geuen him so to do from heauen of my father To haue heard this my voyce is nothing to haue seen and felte this body is nothyng except the father of heauen haue geuen withall the iyes of fayth with the whiche I am loked vpon to the beholders health and vnles he shall geue therwith heauenly eares of the mynde with the whiche I am heard fruitefully and to the hearers commoditie From that tyme many of his disciples went backe and forsooke hym and walked no more with hym Then sayed Iesus to the twelue wyll ye also go awaye Then Symon Peter answered hym Lorde to whom shall we goe thou hast the woordes of eternall lyfe and we beleue and are sure that thou arte Christe the soonne of the lyuing God Iesus answered them Haue not I chosen you twelue and one of you is a deuill He spake of Iudas Iscarioth the sonne of Simon for he it was that should betraye hym beeyng one of the twelue These wordes of Iesus beyng full of the doctrine of saluacion dyd not descende doune into theyr myndes whose mindes were occupied with earthly desyres and couetousnesse who also vnderstood no heauēly thinges besides the grosse and carnall religion as they vsed it of Moses lawe Therefore after that Iesus had this communicacion among them the more parte not onely of the common people but also of his owne disciples fell awaye from theyr maister and thereby are made wurse whereby they myght haue been muche better in case they had taken all thinges well and receiued hym accordynglye and they so muche forsooke hym that they withdrewe themselfes from his cumpany and from eating and drinking with hym as men that by that facte woulde condemne his doctrine But Iesus to shewe euen now the maner and way how that preachers of the ghospel should behaue themselfes doeth neyther make to humble and vile suite to haue them tarie styll with hym leste he shoulde seme to dooe the thing that other are wounte to dooe that is to shew himselfe to stande in nede of their cumpany Neyther doeth he speake to the reproche of theyr goyng awaye leste therein he myght haue been thought to haue more sought his owne prayse and glory then theyr saluacion and yet he doeth not vtterly put them away from hym because they myght perchaunce afterwarde haue been better aduised but to declare that through their owne faute they were offended and so without any occasion geuen thē went awaye and that his saying shoulde not altogether lacke fruite although that sum made themselfes through infidelitie vnworthie any heauenly gifte Iesus I saye vpon these skylles tourning him towardes the twelue Apostles whom he had admitted and taken vnto hym to be the speciall witnesses and bruters abrode of all the thinges that he wroughte did so get out of theim the open confession of theyr belefe that he neyther retaineth these with flatterye as thoughe he had gonne about his owne buisinesse rather then theyrs neither did he to much feare theym with threatening and chiding leste they shoulde seeme to folowe Iesus rather compelled then with their owne consent perswaded For no man is to be compelled vnto the fayth of the ghospell And Iesus had leauer men should openly forsake him then to haue a disciple colourably aud fayuedly And therfore whiles other were departing from him Iesus saieth to the twelue And will ye also goe away from me ye maye tarye styl and ye lust vnlesse ye thinke it more your commoditie to departe Uerely I doe desyre that it might be euery mans lucke to haue this heauenly gyft by me but it is neither to be geuen to theim that refuse it for they dooe not deserue it nor any manne can attaine to cum by it excepte he be desirouse of it And yet it is the gift of the father that any man doeth couet and earnestly desyre it Here nowe doeth Simon Peter a man alway of a plaine and ardent faith towardes Iesus representyng in his person the whole churche and in the name also of other maketh aunswer cherefully and with great courage saying O Lorde God forbyd that we should forsake the for considering that we be muche desyrous of eternal saluacion and also knowe right wel how bare and vnpleasaunt how colde and vnprofitable those thinges are which the Phariseis teache and seing also that we haue hearde Iohn testifying of the whither els and to what other man should we go from thee ▪ for thou alone speakest the woordes which bring with them euerlasting lyfe Thou that receyuest euery one that will cum shalt not driue vs from the whom thou hast once admitted to thy seruice neyther do we desyre to chaunge our lorde and maister for we shoulde change for the wourse what new maister soeuer we shall choose For we not only trusting vpon thy woordes beleue thee but also wee knowe by the very dedes that thou doest and haue certainlye
Iesus did with this saying couertly notise vnto them that were present that al infidâ—litie set aparte they should quickely go about to beleue the sonne of God whom they coulde not long after see bodily Moreouer he did insinnate therwithall that those which otherwyse coulde not be brought to beliefe than by hearing him speake and seeyng him worke miracles should to none effecte desire to haue him made away whom they despised beyng present And at whose light beyng obiecte to all mennes sight they shut their iyes Furthermore he signified likewise that al suche as of obstinate minde did persist in wilful blindnesse of minde should when time were as menne vnrecouerable and without hope to be amended be lefte to theyr owne folly vnto eternall destruccion euen when aduersaunte miserye is immynent and ready to inuade them whiche calamitie wyll rather cause them perishe than heale them And ouer all this he dyd ensigne them in tyme to come a terrible iudgemente at what season the wicked shall couet to labour aboute businesse of theyr saluacion And it shall not bee lefull for that the night will not suffre it for as muche as they neglected the day in which they myght haue wrought yet for all this euery one whyle he is in state of this bodely lyfe and also after Christes ascencion into heauen hath this dayes lyght of the Apostles and of holy scripture whiche geueth habilitie to doe the thyng that appertayneth to our saluacion But after the bodye be once dead than is his daye awaye from hym nor it cannot worke any thing more but the rewarde of his foredoen dedes is to be hoped vpon and loked for These diffuse sayinges our Lord Iesus than had to quicken and pricke forwarde with feare of the thyng to come men that were slowe to beleue But nowe while the disciples looked for a miracle Iesus spatte on the grounde and of his spattle and duste mixed together he made clay and he anoynted the blinde mans iyes with the clay euen therby resemblyng his fathers or rather his owne worke wherein he made the firste manne of hard clay molified with licoure And to restore that whiche was loste pertayneth to thesame author which fyrst made thesame thynges of nought And to purifie or make whole agayne a thyng that is corrupted is of more power strength than to begette a thyng that is not borne Well but in the meane tyme the noueltie of this plaster made all theyr myndes attentiue and quietely to geue hede and well to considre the miracle that should be wrought and it also proued a stedfast fayth in the blynde man whiche murmured nothyng at hym that anoynted hym but simply obeyeth hym that doeth what hymselfe liste doubtyng nothyng at all of the benefyte what waye so euer it should be geuen The blynde dyd not furthwith receyue his sight but as soone as he was anoynted with the clay he is commaunded to goe to the poole Siloe and there to washe awaye the clay wherewith his iyes were embrued to thentente that both the blynde mannes faithfull affiaunce should be of greater fame for that he made no refusall to doe that he was commaunded and that the noueltie of that straunge sight also the delay whiche was through length of the Iourney should bryng furthmoe recordes of the miracle for the blynde manne â—at not farre of from the temple beggyng by the waye syde And the well Syloe wherof ryseth the poole is at the foote of the mounte Syon of whiche water Esay speaketh too and complayneth that that water was contemned not that the water geueth to any manne helthe but because it beareth the figure of holy scripture Which scriptures of God wheÌ„ as without blusteryng of worldely eloquence they issue furth caulmely and smoothely yet because they bubble out of the priuy hid caues of godly wisedome they haue heauenly violence to remoâ—e the blyndenesse of mannes mynde howe long soeuer it hath continued and to open those iyes wherwith God is seen whom to haue seen is felicitie For Syloe in the Syrians tongue sygnifieth sent For one there is euen specially sente from the father whiche only geueth lyght to mennes myndes for he is the fountayne It did represente Christe hymselfe who euen at this presente tyme also beyng as it were with a secrete power enclosed in holy scripture openeth the iyes of the blynde yf so be that they will acknowledge theyr blyndenesse He must be made more then blynde that will receyue light of Christe He that is wyse to the worlde is very farre of from hope of heaueÌ„ly wisedome he that thinketh himselfe well sighted nor vouchesaueth to haue his iyes closed vp with the clay of Iesus there is no cause why he should hope for the lyght of the ghospell Nowe than whan the blynde felowe a notable knowen manne for his beggyng and knowen also to bee borne blynde wente thither as he was commaunded no doubte but a great croude of people folowed hym as he wente not without laughyng to see his iyes blurred with clay and so twise blynde goyng to a water whiche was of no name through any miracle that euer was doen therin when they were come to the water he washeth awaye the clay from his iyes and returneth home with open iyes and and cleare sight ¶ So the neyghbours and they that had seen hym before howe that he was a begger sayed is not this he that sate and begged Some sayed this is he Agayne other sayed no but he is lyke hym He hymselfe sayed I am euen he Therfore saied they vnto hym howe are thine iyes opened He aunswered and sayed The manne that is called Iesus made clay and anoynted myne iyes and sayed vnto me Goe to the poole Sâ—loe and washe â—nd whan I went and washed I receiued my sight Then sayed they vnto hym where is he He sayed I cannot tell They brought to the Pharisees hym that a litle before was blynd and it was the Sabboth daye when Iesus made the claye and opened his iyes Neighboures therfore and other whiche had knowen hym before neither coulde he but be well knowen to many considering he was a common beggar when they knewe his face but as for his iyes they sawe altered they sayed Is not this he whome we sawe sitting before the temple and begged by the waye syde Some sayde It is he Other contrarie it is not he but it is an other like hym Whyle they disagreed among themselues the blynde himselfe sayed Yes verely I am the same beggar and he that was borne blynde whome ye haue often seen And he thus sayed that his voyce also beyng knowen should cause the miracle be the better beleued But we say they sawe the blinde now see we the see with open iyes How chaunced it that thyne iyes were shut and now are open The man saieth he that is called Iesus made claye and therwith anoynted mine iyes and that doen he sayed goe thy waye to the poole Siloe and there washe thine
they ought to thanke for theyr saluacion They knowe of whom to bee succoured and whome to leane to They doe depende vpon thee I praye for them I praye not for the worlde but for them whiche thou hast geuen me for they are thyne And all myne are thyne and thine are myne and I am glorifyed in them And nowe I am not in the worlde and they are in the worlde and I come to thee Holye father kepe thorowe thyne owne name them whiche thou hast geuen me that they also maye be one as we are Whyles I was with them in the worlde I kepte them in thy name Those that thou gauest me haue I kepte and none of them is loste but that loste chylde that the scripture might be fulfylled Therefore I praye for them whome beyng withdrawen out of the worlde thou wouldest shoulde be thine and my prayer is that thy goodnes would stablyshe and make the thyng perpetually theyr owne which thou haste begun in them I do not nowe praye for the worlde which being blynded in euyl desyres doeth stubbernly oppugne and reclayme agaynste my doctrine hauyng enuie at theyr owne saluacion when it is freely offred them I praye for them whom thou hast committed to my tuicion because thei be not of this worlde but thine and agaynst the malyce of the deuill they cannot be in sauetie but by thy continuall ayde I therefore o father commende them to thee that it maye please thee to let them be alwaye thyne lyke as I am perpetually thyne for euer And therfore are they myne because they bee thyne For betwene vs are all thynges common For whatsoeuer is myne thesame is also thyne And whatsoeuer is thine thesame is also myne And like as thou arte honoured and glorifyed by my doctryne among menne so am I glorifyed by the beliefe of these whiche sticke vnto me constauntly when as the Phariseis and the scribes stāde obstinately in the deniall therof For these shall after a sorte succede me in offyce and come into my roume and after that I be takē a way out of this world they shall make bothe thy name and myne to be of famouse memorye throughout all the worlde I haue played the preachers parte and dooen my funccion and office therein wherein these shall succede me and come to lyke offyce And nowe am I not in the worlde whiche I do furth with leaue and goe out of it but yet these abyde styll in the worlde in my steade to disperse abrode throughout all nacions of the worlde that whiche they haue learned of me But I leauyng them behynde me come whole to thee O holy father kepe and preserue them in preachyng of thy name whome thou gauest me to teache and so kepe them that they maye preache and teache those thynges which thou haste wylled me to preache and whiche thynges I haue taughte obeying thy wyll in all thynges And this do that as I neuer went from thy commaundementes but in all thynges haue agreed and consented to thy wyll so bothe the doctrine of these and also theyr lyfe do neuer dissent frō myne For so shall our name be truely glorifyed by them yf as we agreyng within ourselues do bothe the one and the other glorifie eche other so euen these neuer dissentyng from vs doe make our name famouse all the worlde thorowe For whatsoeuer they haue taught and doen ▪ because it shall be perceyued to haue come from vs it shall therfore redound and be referred to the prayse and glorie of our name As long as I lyued in theyr company familiarly as a man with men I was diligente to kepe them as thyne and as men that thou haste put me in truste withall euē with bodely seruice and doynges also and I haue reteyned and continued thē hitherto in league with vs. So manye as thou gauest me haue I faythfullye kepte safe and neuer one of this couente or felowship hath perished except one whiche though he lyued in my companye yet was he none of myne but borne to damnacion whiche hymselfe through his owne faulte willinglye called for and occasioned to fall vpon hym For I omitted nothyng that should haue reuoked him and haue brought him to better mynde And this thyng truely dyd not happē by casualtie but holy scripture dyd long tyme before shewe it should come to passe that a familiar and a companion of householde shoulde betraye to death his owne lorde and Maister Notwithstandyng throughe thy godlye deuise and diuine prouidence it is come to effecte and purpose that also this mannes death and damnacion shall be profitable and do good to the publique healthe and saluacion of the whole worlde synce that by hym is procured the thyng without whiche saluacion coulde not be had and sithe also an example is gotten thereby whiche ought to counsayle and admonishe euery man to abyde constantly and to perceyuer in the thyng that he hath once begunne and taken in hande leste he by his owne folie turne to his owne vtter destruccion and cause of his owne damnacion that thyng whiche by the mere bountie and free goodnes of God was geuen hym to obteyne thereby eternall health and saluacion Nowe come I to thee and these wordes speake I in the world that they might haue my ioye full in them I haue geuen them thy worde and the world hath hated them because they are not of the worlde euen as I also am not of the worlde I desyre not that thou shouldeste take them out of the worlde But that thou kepe them from euill They are not of the worlde as I also am not of the worlde Sanctifie them thorow thy trueth Thy worde is the trueth As thou dyddest sende me into the worlde euen so haue I also sent them into the worlde and for theyr sakes sanctifie I my selfe that they also might be sanctified thorowe the trueth But nowe lyke as these matters are dooen by thy eternall wisedome and iudgement euen accordyng as thou wouldest haue it so I now after I haue finished the thynges that thou commaundedst me do leaue the worlde and come to thee But I that shall go hence do in the meane while speake these thynges vnto thee not that I am any thyng doubtfull of thy wyll but that I maye by this prayer comforte and stablishe my disciples to the entent they maye vnderstand how that thou wilt care and prouide for them after that they shall wante the presence and sight of my body and that they maye also put awaye sorowfull pensiuenesse for that they knowe howe that I shall lyue agayne and so theyr ioye to be soone renued agayne when they haue sene me risen from death to life and in conclusion after they haue seene me taken vp into heauen and they to haue receiued that heauēly spirite the holy ghost one that shal be both in steade of thee and me they maye conceyue and receyue no temporall or vnperfite ioye whiche maye ryse by the sight of my body when it is
vp on hyght a cloude receyued him vp out of their sight And while thei loked stedfastly vp toward heauen behold two men as he went stode by theÌ„ in white apparell whiche also sayed ye men of Galâ—le why stande ye gasyng vp into heauen The same Iesus which is take vp from you into heauen shall so cum euen as ye haue sene him go into heauen These were the last wordes that our lorde Iesus spake to all his disciples beyng gathered together into one place at Bethany After which wordes wheÌ„ he had blessed them in syght of them al caryed he was vp on hygh so long vntil that a bryght cloude toke the bodie of him cleane out of syght For thaÌ„ was it full tyme for theym to truste no longer vnto his bodely presence that they might were the more spiritual and myght behold Iesus none otherwise than with the iyes of theyr fayth And for this cause when Iesus was taken vp on hygh the disciples stode with their iyes stedfastly fyxed towarde heauen So hard a thing was it to pul them from him whoÌ„ they loued excedyngly though beyng yet but weake They loked also whether that any miracle should be shewed them from aboue Therfore sodenly two messagers frome heauen appered in mannes likenesse in white garmentes the verye fourme caused them not to feare the bryghtnesse of theyr garmentes was conuenient for the messengers of hym that than hastened to his glory These two did with frendly wordes asswage the disciples sorow that they had conceyued by the departure of their lord and called them backe againe from theyr gasing vp which profited them nothyng vnto theyr vocacion saying ye men of Galile why stande ye here loking vp towardes heauen This same Iesus whiche is nowe taken from you to heauen is returned whence he came as ye haue often heard of hym that he came from his father and that he woulde leauyng you in the worlde returne to his father againe He is not taken vp into the ayre as Helyas was but he is receyued into his fathers Palayce and there shall sitte at hys right hande as partener of the kingdom of heaueÌ„ You sawe him going to heauen with a visible body and yet immortall And likewise in tyme to cum shal he returne that they which would not whiles he was here knowledge him to bee theyr sauiour shal than feele hym to bee a iudge He shal not cum againe to you poorely but from on high shal he shewe himselfe to the iyes of al men with greate glory But a fewe of you sawe him goyng vp but euery manne shall see him at his seconde comming Albeit ye must not loke for him immediatly to returne He himselfe shewed you that the gospel of god should fyrste be preached throughout the world Nowe therfore endeuour youreselues rather to do that For ye were not bidden tarye here but to continue at Hierusalem to the ende that after ye haue there receyued the holye ghoste ye maye luckely take in hande this heauenly businesse Than returned they vnto Hierusalem from the mount that is called Oliuete Whiche is from Hierusalem a sabboth dayes iourney And when they wer cum in they went vp into a parlour where abode both Peter and Iames Iohn Andrewe Phylip Thomas Berthelmew Mathew Iames the sonne of Alpheus Symon zelotes Iudas the brother of Iames. These euery one continued with one accorde in prayer supplicacion with the women and Mary the mother of Iesu and with his brethren The numbre of the names that were together were about an hundred and twentye The disciples than obeyed these wordes departyng from the mount called Olyuete whiche our lorde before his death was so delyted with that veraye often he resorted vnto it and vpon the whiche he last also stoode when he was ready to returne vnto heauen repayred to Hierusalem That hyl is from Hierusalem as farre as it were a lawful iourney on the Sabboth daye that is to saye almoste two myles From this hill went he to suffer that shamefull death of the crosse and froÌ„ thence lykewyse he went to glorye within the sight of this hill is Hierusalem situate and sittyng thereupon had he Prophecied with weping teres the distruccion of thesame Citie In this cytie whiche was a murtherer of the prophetes the lorde willed first the lyght of the gospell to sprede partely for because it was so foresaid by prophetes partely that they should haue no pretexte ne cloke lefte them for their excuse whiche otherwise through theyr owne infidelitie woulde vtterly haue perished Chapostles were more desirous to looke vpward to heauen whither their lorde went before theim but we for profite of our neyghbour must often come doune to thinges which bee rather necessary then pleasaunt When they came to Hierusalem they went vp into a certaine parlour where those discyples abode that were emong the reste moste famylyar with Christe that is to saye Simon Peter and Iohn Iames and Andrewe Philippe and Thomas Bartholomewe and Mathewe Iames the soonne of Alpheus and Simon zelotes whiche in Hebrewe was called Cananeus and Iudas by sirname called Thadeus or Lebbeus brother to Iames the yonger Certayne women besydes tarryed in the same parloure whiche of a deuoute loue folowed the Lorde in hys waie rydyng to Hierusalem and had serued him with their goodes Among those was also Marye the mother of Iesus with certayne other hys kynsâ—olkes whome the Hebrues called his brethren Marke me here a litle the beginning of the churche which was than as young borne They were delyted with the cytie Hierusalem whiche signifieth with the Hebrues the sight of peace But suche that take this worlde for theyr cuntrey dwell not in Hierusalem neither attayne they to the quietnesse of an heuenly lyfe Neyther they that haue their myndes troubled with worldlye desyres dwell in Hierusalem The holy ghoste cutteth not into such hertes They were also delited to be in a parloure whiche is an high place of the house For shoppes or worke houses are wonte to occupye the lower partes of houses But he that maketh himselfe readye to bee a dwellyng place for the holy goste must be vtterly voide of all vile cares This is that holye congregacion whiche oure Lorde Iesus chose among all others This parlour was the first house wherin that godly churche dwelled Nowe marke what was here done They spent not the tyme in brablyng or in idle tales but continued all together of one mynde in holye prayer Christes church is not there where is not agrement and concorde Theyr prayers God accepteth not whiche loue not brotherly Neyther is he woorthye to be heard the prayeth not instantly The holy congregation prayeth al one thyng Where one prayeth for riches an other wisheth the deathe of his enemye an other for long lyfe another for promocion an other an other thinge there is no praier mete for Christes congregacion The reste also of the disciples resorted to the
and sawe fower foted beastes of the yearth and vermine and wormes and foules of the ayre In this matter it becommed not Peter to holde his peace but he tolde all the matter euen frome the begynnyng howe as it had chauÌ„ced in this wise Certes I duâ—st not breake the lawe whiche we haue deliuered vs of our forefathers but in this poincte folowed I him whiche is aboue the lawe I was in the citie Ioppa fastyng and in my prayers that no manne can suspecte it to be a vayne dreame And whan I had commaunded as very hungre enforced me some meate to be dressed I was in the meane time rauyshed and in a traunce sawe this vision A great vessell muche after the fourme of a greate linen sheete knitte fast at fower corners was let downe from heaueÌ„ and came to me Werupon whan I had sette myne iye being very hungry I loked what maner of meate there was And there I sawe dyuerse kyndes of fowerfoted beastes besydes those that were noxious beastes with other sondrye kyndes also of beastes â–ª that crepe on the yearthe and fowles of the ayre whome the lawe by expressed commaundement woulde vs to abstayne fro And I hearde a voyce saying vnto me Aryse Peter sley and eate But I sayed not so Lord for nothing commen or vncleane hath at any tyme entred into my mouthe But the voyce answered me againe saying from heauen count not thou those thinges coÌ„me which God hath clensed And this was done thre times And all wer taken vp againe into heauen And beholde immediatly there were thre men all ready cum vnto the house where I was sent froÌ„ Cesarca vnto me And the spirite sayed vnto me that I should go with them wtout doubtyng Moreouer these .vi. brethren accoumpanyed me and we entred into the mans house And he shewed vs how he had seen an angell in his house which stoode and sayed to hym sende menne to Ioppa and call for Symon whose sirname is Peter he shall tell thee woordes wherby both thou and all thyne house shal be saued Whiles I was lookyng on this I hearde also a voyce whiche exhorted me that I shoulde not sticke to eate thereof and sayed vnto me aryse Peter kyll and eate To whome I made than answere God forbyd For to this daye hath no vnclene meate entred into my mouthe Than aunswered the voyce eftsones in this maner call not thou whiche art but man those meates vncleane whiche god hath purified This vysion dyd three tymes appere And afterwardes all those meates whiche I thought worthy to be abhorred were taken vp into heauen And after I was cum to my selfe whyles I reuolued in my mynde what this vision whiche so often apered shoulde meane the spirite of god forthwith gaue me knowlege that there were three men at the doore where I hosted sent from Cesarea that would speake with me And the same spirite commaunded me that I shoulde not sticke to goe with them I obeyed the visyon and by the holy ghostes sendyng I tooke my iorney to Cesarea not alone but I tooke syxe brethren with me to beare wytnesse of all those thynges whiche I dyd by the commaundement of God And brefely er entred into the mannes house that had sente for vs. There he in presence of vs all shewed howe that fewe dayes before whyles he was fastyng and hys prayers at home in hys house he had seene an Aungell standyng before hym in a glistenyng garment when it was brode daye and saying vnto hym Cornelius sende some of thy seruauntes to Ioppa and let theym desyre Symon otherwyse named Peter in thy behalfe to take the paynes to come speake with the. He shall tell the those thynges whereby thou and all thy housholde maye be saued I perceyuyng these visions to had agreed on both partes and perceyuyng farder howe earnest theyr desyre was with out all dissimulacion beganne to teache them those thynges that our Lorde Iesus had willed vs to preache And as I began to preache the holy gost fell on them as he did on vs at the begynnyng Than came it to my remembraunce howe that the lorde sayed Iohn baptised with water but ye shall be baptised with the holy ghost For as muche than as god gaue theÌ„ like gyftes as he dyd vnto vs when we beleued on the Lord Iesus Christ what was I that I should haue withstand god Whan they heard this they helde theyr peace glorified God saying than hath God also to the Gentyles graunted repentaunce vnto lyfe I had not fully fynished my communication but beholde the holy ghost cummyng from heauen entred into theym in lyke maner as he at the fyrste tyme had into vs and they began to speake dyuerse languages euen as we than spake Thys was an euident token that their faythe was approued before God And euen than the very thyng it selfe shewed what this hard vision to vnderstande that I had seene dyd meane For these were those same fowerfooted creping beastes and fowles whiche we that are circumcised do abhorre but goddes wyll is to haue theym purifyed thorowe faythe yea he wyll not that we take anye thyng as vncleane whiche thorowe faythe of the ghospell is made holy And farther I remembred the wordes that the Lorde spake vnto vs whan he was ready to ascende to heauen Iohn baptised in water but you shal be baptised in the holy ghoste And we diepe the body in water but it is not water that gyueth saluacion vnlesse by faythe we obtaine the fierye baptisme And whan as the matter of it selfe in effect was euident enoughe that they had receyued the baptisme whiche Iesus the lorde had promysed and that the same fauoure thorowe faythe was employed on those whiche wer not circumcised whiche we before had receyued not because we had so deserued by kepyng of the lawe but thorowe our fayth wherby we beleued our lorde Iesus Christ how coulde I be agaynste the wil of god Was it for me to staye that they shoulde not be baptised in water whiche were than already baptised in the spirite of God seyng that water is nothyng elles but a token of the grace that shal be geuen vs from heauen But than was grace gyuen them before without oure ministerie So that to deny them to be baptysed in water had bene nothynge elles but to improue that whyche God had done Whan they had hearde these hys wordes they helde theyr peace and praysed God saying than the verye thyng in effect is euidently declared that God hath gyuen repentaunce not to the Israelytes onely but to the Gentyles also that they therby maye obteyne lyfe euerlastynge And these were the firste frutes of the Gospell that the churche had of heathen by Peters procurement For before hym none other durste so doo but Philip onely and that also not without monicion of an aungell They also which were scattered abrode through the affliccion that arose about SteueÌ„ walked throughout vnto Phenice and Cypres and Antioche preachyng
fyne painted termes And therefore althoughe the Iewes haue layed dyuerse trespaces to my charge yet I thynke my selfe happy for this cause that I shall this day pleade this matter before you whiche knowe ryght wel the customes and ordre and also the doubtfull questions and poyntes that concerne the law of the Iewes Wherefore I wyll desire you to heare me paciently My liuing that I haue led of a childe whiche was at the firste amonge myne owne nacion at Ierusalem knowe al the Iewes which knew me from the beginning yf they woulde testifie For after the most streigth secte of our religion I liued a Pharise And now I stād and am iudged for the hope of the promyse made of God vnto our fathers vnto which promyse our twelue tribes instantly seruing God day night doe hope to cum Nor which hopes sake kyng Agrippa I am accused of the Iewes First and formoste wheras they laye vnto my charge that I haue trespaced against the lawe howe false that is al my whole lyfe whiche I haue hitherto led shall declare For although I was borne at Tarsus yet haue I euen from my chyldehode been brought vp among the Iewes at Ierusalē where I diligently applyed the lawe at the feete of Gamaliel So that the Iewes know wel ynough how syncerely and godly I dyd lede my lyfe among my countrey men and in the most royal citye for they knewe me many yeres agoe sence that I was fyrste conuersaunt at Iierusalem yf they would speake as they knowe it to be true in dede For I did not onely kepe the Iewes religiō dilygently but I professed that secte also whiche excelleth the reste bothe in obseruinge the religion and also in moste perfecte knowledge of the lawe that is to saye the secte of the Phariseis And it is a thing doen without al shame to accuse me that I am not a Iewe seeyng that I was and euen yet at this present also am a Pharisee by profession as who say that any man could denye him to be a Iewe that is borne at Ierusalem For among the Iewes the secte of the Phariseis especially doeth beleue that the bodies shal arise again and that euery manne shal be rewarded according to his liuing and dedes that he did here in this world Neither haue I at any tyme shronken from the Phariseis secte for euen now am I here artayned because I beleue that they shal be in a great felicitie ▪ that haue here lyued well accordyng as god made promyse to our forefathers But if it be a faulte to looke for that that god promysed to them that wurship him not I onely but many one moe than I are in the same faulte For why do the twelue trybes of our countrey wurship god daye and nyght but onely for because they trust the they shall come to this blisse which he hath promised And therefore scarcely is he worthye to be called a Iewe which trusteth not to that that god hath promised And yet O kyng Agrippa for this cause chiefely that I so beleue I am nowe endicted here of the Iewes ¶ Why should it be thought a thing incredible vnto you that God should rayse agayne the dead I also verely thought in my selfe that I ought to doe many thinges contrary cleane againste the name of Iesus of Nazareth which thing I also did at Ierusalē And many of the sainctes did I shut vp in prison had receiued authoritie of the hye priestes And whan they were put to death I gaue the sentence And I punished them oft in euery sinagoge and compelled them to blaspeme and was yet more mad vpō them and persecuted them euen vnto straunge cities About which thinges as I wōt to Damasco with authoritye and licence of the hye Priestes euen at mydday O kyng I saw in the way a light from heauen aboue the bryghtnes of the Sunne shyne round about me thē which iorneyed with me I knowe many wil thinke it a thing impossible yf a man should affirme that the bodye whan it is once dead and putrified shoulde aryse againe But many thinges seme to menne impossible whiche afterwarde yet they finde true If a manne should saye the one manne might rayse an other from death to lyfe he might iustely seme to speake a thing impossible and y◠not without a cause But wherefore shoulde you thinke it impossible that god whiche is hable to doe whatsoeuer shall please him should raise the dead to lyfe againe Can not he whiche gaue euery manne lyfe restore to lyfe whome shal please him Shal we thinke him to be a lyar or breakyng promyse in that whiche he hath made Yea I my selfe haue supposed thinges to be impossible whiche I afterwarde proued true and thinges to bee contrarye to oure lawe and vngodlye which I tried afterwarde to bee the principall pointes of perfeict godlynes and religyon In somuche that once I was of the same mynde towarde the discyples of Iesus of Nazareth that the Iewes are now towarde me for I stryued with al my power against thaduaūcing of his name and thought that I did wonderfull godly whan that I persecuted those that professed him to the vttermost y◠I coulde and so did I euen at Ierusalem For many holy men did I caste into pryson hauyng a commission of the high Priestes so to doe and pronounced the sentence of deathe against them whan they should suffre And I punyshed thē not onely at Ierusalē but in al Sinagogues whersoeuer I could heare of thē in any assembly purposing earnestly to bring them by veracion once to suche a pointe as to make them to speake in dispite of that moste blessed name lyke as I my selfe dyd in those dayes Neyther was I thus contented but more madly raged against them insomuche that I rode to forein cities and suche as were farre from Ierusalem to th entent that I myghte punyshe suche as professed his name And vpon a tyme whan I was most sette and bent to this cruell businesse whiche I dyd not yet of malyce but onely of zele that I bare to the lawe of my countrey and in this mynde tooke my iourney towarde Damasco being supported with authoritie of the high priestes euē at mydde day O king Agrippa I sawe a certayne light whiche was muche clerer then the brightnesse of the Sunne sodainlie to shine from heauen And it shyned round aboute me and those that were with me ¶ Whan we were all fallen to the yearth I hearde a voyce speakyng vnto me and saying in the Hebrewe toung Saule Saule why persecutest thou me It is harde for the to kycke againste the pryches And I sayde who art thou lorde And he sayde I am Iesus whom thou persecutest but ryse and stande vpon thy feete For I haue appered vnto the for this purpose to make the a ministre and a witnesse of these thinges which thou hast seen and of those thinges in the whiche I wyll appere vnto the delyueryng the from
townes of Galile And whan thei could not fynde c. And whan he sawe 〈…〉 c. Esai xlii d and .xliiii. â— What felow is this that speaketh blasphemy c. But th ye may knowe c. Praising God And wer filled with feare And sawe a Publicane called Leuy And Leuy made a great feast They that are wholenede not the phisiciaÌ„ c. And they sayde vnto hym why do the disciples of IhoÌ„ faste c. The dayes will come whan the bridegrome also shall be takeÌ„ away c. No maÌ„ putteth a piece of a newe garmente into an old â–ª He went through the corne fielde Why dooe ye that whiche is not leful to doe on the sabboth daies The sonne of maÌ„ is lorde also of the sabboth daye whether is it lawfull on the sabboth daies to do good or eiuil c. Whiche came to heare hym c. Blissed bee ye poore For so did theyr fathers to the false prophetes And him that taketh awaye thy goun c. For so did theyr fathers to the false prophetes And him that taketh awaye thy goun c. Geue to euerye man that asketh of thee And if ye doe good for them whiche doe good for you c. And if ye lende to them of whome ye hope to receiue c. And ye shall bee like vnto the highest Geue and it shal be geueÌ„ vnto you For with the same measure c Why seest thou a more in thy brothers iye c Thou hypocrite cast out the beame that is in thyne owne iye first c And an eiuill man out of the il treasure of his herte bringeth c. Whosoâ—â—â—â— cometh â—â—ne and â—eareth my sayinges and dooeth thesame c. But he that heareth and dooeth not is like c Beholde there was â— dead 〈◊〉 caried ouâ—â— â–ª Whan the Lorde sawe her â–ª he had compassion on her And he that was deade sate vp and beganne to speake And there came a feare on them all A great prophete is ariseÌ„ vp emong vs. Go your wais briÌ„g word again to Iohn what ye haue seen And happy is he that is not offeÌ„ded in me What weÌ„t ye oute into the wildernes for to se A rede And all the people publicans that heard hym iustified god We haue piped to you and ye haue not â—aunced The soonne of manne is come and eateth and drynketh Wysedome is iustyfyed of all hir chyldren A womaÌ„ in the citie which was a sinner c. she brought an Alablaâ—â—re bore of oyntmente And did wipe them with the heare of her head c. Whan the pharise which had biddeÌ„ him c There was a certayne leÌ„der which had twoo debtours And said vnto Symon dooest thou see this woman I entred in to thy house c. And he sayed vnto her thy sinnes are forgeuen thee And he said to the woman thy feyth hath saued thee He himself wente thoroughoute the cities preachyng The sower went out to sow his â—ede Sum fel by the high way syde c. And sum fel emoÌ„g thornes The sede is the word of God And that whiche fell emong thornes c. No man wheÌ„ he lighteth a candle couereth it with a vessel c Take hede therfore howe yâ— heare Than came to hym hys mother and his brethreÌ„ My mother and brethreÌ„ are these which hear the word of God and do it There met with hym a certayne man which had a deuill long tyme. He fell downe before him c There was an heard of swyne c. And they found the maÌ„ sitting at the feete of Iesus And shewe what thiâ—â—ges soeuer god hath doen for 〈◊〉 I perceyue that vertue is gone out of me The â—eiâ—â— hath saued the. Beleuâ— only and she shal be made whole Wepe not c. And hâ— commauÌ„dâ—d to gâ—uâ— hâ—r mâ—ate The 〈◊〉 And gaue theÌ„ power and autoritie ouer all deuils Take nothiÌ„g to your iourney nether staâ— nor scrip And what soeuer house ye entre intoâ— And they departed IhoÌ„ haue I beheaded And he receiued theÌ„ And spake vnto theÌ„ of the kingdoÌ„e of god We haue no mo but fiue loaues and two fyshes And they were about fiue thousand men And hâ— toke the fiue loaues and blissed them Who saye yâ— people that I am Simon Peter aunswered and saied thou art the Christe of God c And spake of his deparâ—yng c. There came a cloude ouer shadowed them c. Iesus was found alone And they kept it close c. I besought thy disciples to caste him out and they coulde not And they were all amased at yâ— myghtye power of God For it wyll come to pas that the soÌ„n of man And they feared to aske hym of that saiyng Whosoeuer receiueth this chylde in my name We sawe ne castyng out deuils in thy name For he that is not agist vs is with vs. Leat the dead buirye their dead No man that putteth hys handes to the plough and loketh backe The haruest is great but the labourers are fewe And heale the sickâ— And say vnto them the kyngdome of God is come It shal bee easier in yâ— daye for zodome And yâ— Capernaum whych are exalted to heauen c. And he that despiseth you despiseth me And he said vnto them I sawe Satan as it had beene lighteâ—yng fall downe from heauen c. Reioyce ye not that spirites are subdued vnto you câ— Euen so father For so pleased it thee What is written in yâ— lawe c. Who is my neighbour A certayne man fell emoÌ„g theues c. As thei weÌ„t And a certaine womaÌ„ called Martha receiued him into her house Lorde doest yâ— not care that my sistur hath left me Uerely one is nedefull Mari hath chosen the good parte which shall not be takeÌ„ away from her Lord teach vs to praye Our father whiche art in heaueÌ„ c And lede vs not into reptacion Seke and ye shall fynde c. He casteth out deiuils through Beelzebub Euerie kyngdome deuided agaynst it selfe c. WheÌ„ the vnclene spirite is gone oute of a man c Whan the iye is single all the body also shal bee full of light Did not he that made that which is withoâ—â— c. geue almes and behold all thynges are clene vnto you Wo vnto youâ—e lawiers for ye lade menne with burdens Ye beare witnesse yâ— ye allow the dedes of youre fathers Gene. iiii ii Paralip xxiiii Ye entre not in your selues and theym that came in ye forbad The veraye beares of your heade are all nuÌ„bred Whosoeuer confesseth me before men c. Unto him that blasphemeth the holye goste it shall not be forgeueÌ„ Take ye ne thought how or what ye shall aunswere Take hede beware of coueâ—ousnesse No mans life staÌ„deth in the aboundaunce of the thinges that he hath Soule â–ª c take thine caâ—e eate drinke and be mery Considre the rauens for thei â—â—ither sowe nor reape c. Whiche of you c. can adde to his stature
the bisshops and the diuynes that is to wete for theyr couetise theyr ambicion and theyr tirannie And albeit neyther of these both dooeth commonly loue the others yet by wicked collusyon they diligentlye ayde and mayntayne eyther others forwarde to the suppressyng and destruiyng of the trueth of Goddes woorde And truely the pernicyons conspiryng of suche causeth more mischiefe and castyng away of men in the worlde now then the conspiracie of the bisshopes scrybes phariseys and headmen of the people did at those dayes emong the Iewes ¶ The .xx. Chapter ¶ And it fortuned in one of those daies as he â—aught the people in the temple and preached the gospell the high priestes and the scribes came together with the elders spake vnto him saying Tell vs by what autoritie dooest thou these thinges Eyther who is he that gaue thee this autoritie Iesus aunswered and sayd vnto them I also wil aske you one thing and aunswere me The baptisme of Iohn was it from heauen or of men And they thought within themselues saying if we saye from heauen he will say Why than beleue ye him not But if we say of men all the people will stone vs. For they be persuaded that Iohn is a prophete And they aunswered that they could not tell whens it was And Iesus sayed vnto them neyther tell I you by what autoritie I dooe these thynges AN occasyon therfore is sought that although theyr faynesse to putte Christe to death was vngodly yet they might afore men seme to dooe it of an earnest zele and fauour to righteousenesse It befell therefore vpon a certayne daye that as Iesus was â—eaching the people in the temple and was styll dylygently repeating vnto them the newes gladsome to bee wished for of euerlastyng saluacyon the sayde hygh pryestes together with the scribes the phariseis and the chiefe men of the lattee being in a confederacie did assemble together in a clustre to the ende they might at leastwise by theyr autoritie bridle Iesus from the teachyng of his holy doctryne They â—ould not condeÌ„ne his wondrefull actes to be naught whiche he had in so great a noumber wrought in presence and sighâ—e of the people They were not hable to confounde his doctrine forasmuch as it was altogether consonaunt and agreable with the law and with the will of God Upon thys ground therfore doe they deuyse theyr slaundreous querell agaynste hym that thys autoritie to bee a teacher of the people he had taken vpon hym of hymselfe where he oughte to haue receiued it aâ— their handes wherein theyr drift was none other but either to take ouer vnto themselues the glory whiche was due vnto God or elles thereupon to frame some surmuised querelle of mouyng a sedicion to charge Christe withall in that he called the people together and kepte them about hym without the publique autoritie of the prynces They goe therfore altogether into the temple to Iesus saying If thy will bee that we also shoulde beleue in thee tell vs by what autorytie thou dooest all thyssame that thou dooeste Thou doest baptise thou doest preache thou healest folkes on the Sabboth dayes thou reacheste in the temple thou gatherest disciples about thee thou calleste people from theyr home and businesse and kepeste them with thee Thou arte a manne to vs vnknowen and as for publique autoritie or power haste thou none at all Therefore who is it that hath geuen thee thys autoritie But Iesus veraye well perceyuyng thys questyon to haue proceded from a wiâ—ked thoughte in them that is to wete of a purpose to laye some surmuised matier vnto hym and not to learne went not about to teache them but damped theyr malice with an other question agayne as if a bodye shoulde dryue out one nayle with an other out of a bourde For they had had Iohn the Baptiste in veraye great estimacion and had come very thicke vnto hym whan he baptised And he sayde Iohn also had gathered disciples vnto hym and he also preached to great multitudes of people in soundrye places of the wildernesse and about â—â—â—ime Iordane the kingdom of god to approche he boldly and frankely declared the damnable vices of all persones indifferently and prouoked them to repentaunce And yet had not Iohn neyther anye autorytie geuen hym of the priestes the Phariseis and the chyefe men of the laytie but he had come furth out of the wildernesse as a manne but newly come vp of late being enspired and sente of God accordyng to the Prophecye of Esaie But the question of these headmen beyng put foorth as a bayre to take hym in a trippe ment none other conclusyoâ— ne purpose but thys In case Christe had aunswered thatsame autoritie to had bene geuen hym of God they would haue accused hym of blasphemie in that he beeyng but a manne tooke vpon hym that he had familiare talke or conuersacyon with God And as for the bishoppes the Phariseis and the scribes he had had no suche autoritie geuen hym by them It remayned than by the conclusyon of theyr argumente that the power whiche he tooke vpon hym was sediciouse and comen of the instinete of Satan For they were veraye stiffe in thys poynâ—te that all power autoritie of God was by due succession come vnto them and none others and that nothyng was deuoutly or godly executed whiche were not executed and dooen by autoritie of them And yet all the while beyng bâ—ynded with hatred they had no remembraunce how they had highly regarded Iohn tofore doing thynges sembleable without any autoritie of all of men yea in so muche that they woulde in anye wyse holde an argumente that Iohn was the Messyas sauing that Iohn wrought no miracles And yet for thys behalfe of working miracles they ought so much the lesse to haue iangled for murmoured against Christe No nor thys poynte neyther came not to theyr mynde that God of long continuaunce afore tymes hadde geuen thys kynde of power whan he spake by hys prophetes The autoritie of the Prophetes they receyued and alowed but the thing foreshewed by the prophetes they woulde not receiue The lorde therefore beeyng mynded to defeacte the malicious policie and the loutishe false packyng of them shaped them an aunswere in thys mannyer Before that I make any aunswere vnto your demaunde I on my partie also will demaunde a certayne questyon of you whiche ye will be hable quickly to despetche with a woorde And as soone as ye shall haue despetched that than will I make aunswere vnto your question that ye nowe demaunde of me Tel me thys The baptysme that Iohn minystred vnto the people whether was it from heauen or elles from menne And by whose auctoritie dyd he baptise whether receyuyng it from heauen by the power of God or els receyuyng it at your handes The peruerse conseyence of the Iewes had at once a smelle and felyng of thys forked questyon whiche the sophisters call an horned question because that to whether
of both partyes a bodye shall make a direct aunswere he shall renne on the sharpe poyncte of the horne that is to saye shall incurre inconuenyence and bee taken in hys aunswere If they had mynded to aunswere the veraye trueth of the mattier the woordes of the trueth was a playne and a ready tale to bee spoken but they smelle themselues to be layed for by the same policie and trayne wherewith they layed a bayte for hym Herupon goe they to a wyly counsayll together emong themselues For none there is a more busye piece of woorke then the framyng of a countrefaycte matyer and commonly one fraude halethan other at hys â—ayle and one guyle draweth an other after hym Therefore they laye theyr heades together thus conferryng emong themselues what aunswere shall we make to thys doubtfull questyon If we shall say that Iohns autoritye came immediately from heauen he will strayght way hitte vs in the forehead with it and will say Why than dyd ye not geue credyte to hym whan he testyfyed of me He playnely confessed hymselfe to be inferyour to me and vnwoorthye to beare my shoes after me He openly confessed hymselfe to be an earthly manne and to speake earthelye thynges and beeyng a basse slender persone to speake basse matiers and that I beeyng issued from heauen was aboue all creatures Howe doe ye receiue his autoritie as a thyng procedyng from God and doe openly in the face of the worlde fynde slaundreous cauillacyons at myne autoritie of whiche he gaue playne testimonie That if on the other syde we shall auouche that Iohn dyd nothyng by the autorytie of God but of an humayne spirite onely all the vnyuersall people will vpon vs with stones because it is a thyng rooted in the heartes of them all full and whole that Iohn was a Prophete and that he wroughte by the inspiracyon of God whateuer he wrought They had no care to aunswere trueth but to aunswere that might best serue to their purpose So doe false doctoures auÌ„swer not the thyng that scripture teacheth but takyng suche sence therout by their interpretacion as maketh to their affeccions In case they shoulde haue aunswered trueth theyr autoritie emong the people stode in great hasard if they had aunswered false they feared theyr lyues They stode in great feare of men wheras they cast of from theÌ„ the feare of God Wherupon they aunswered that they could not tel There was none other hole but thys alone left open for them to escape oute at but whan they had gotten suche an euasion they doe all vnder one seâ—blably deliuer the lorde from aunswering to their question For he saied vnto theÌ„ Because ye fynde such euasions and sterting holes and wil not aunswer that ye knowe well enoughe nor I neyther will not tell you by what autoritye I doe these thynges whiche ye see albeit ye are not ignoraunte of this thing neyther whiche ye nowe demaunde ¶ Than began he to put foorthe to the people this parable A certain man planted a vineyard and let it foorth to husbandmen and went himselfe into a straunge countrey for a greate season And whan the tyme was come he sente a seruaunte to the houseband men that they shoulde geue hym of the fruicte of the vineyard And they beate him sent him away emptie And agane he sent yet an other seruaunte and him they did beate entreacted him shamfully and sent him away emptie And a gayne he sent the third also hym they wounded and caste hym out Then sayed the Lorde of the vineyard What shal I dooe I will sende my dere sonne peraduenture they will stande in awe of hym whan they see hym But whan the housebandmen sawe him they thought within themselues saying this is the heyre come leat vs kill him that the enheritaunce maye bee ours And they cast him out of the vineyarde and killed him What shall the Lorde of the vineyard therefore doe vnto them he shall come and destroye these housebandemen and shall leat out his vineyarde to other The priestes the Phariseis the Scribes and the headmen of the laitie beyng thus confuted the Lorde by an by brought in a parable whiche might laye playnely before theyr iyes theyr vncurable malice woorthie of damnacioÌ„ who hauing bene so many wayes prouoked of god to amendement had â—tyll growen euermore to wurse and wurse rennyng in contempte of the lawe striekyng the Prophetes and puttyng them to deathe and entendyng no lesse then afterwardes to put to deathe the sonne of god also beeyng the extreme remedie of al eiuils yea and to put him afterward agayne to more affliccioÌ„ in the Apostles and martirs The tenour of the paraple is thys A certayne man ê™ Iesus planted a vineyard which he was singularly in loue withall doing all that mighte possibly bee doen that he might at length haue some fruict of the same For he hedged it diligently rounde about builded a towre within it for watching and kepyng of it he dygged out a gutter to receyue the wyne when it were pressed and he sette ferthermore a wyne presse in it And whan it was thus well furnished with all thynges apperteynyng he putte it foorthe to the handes of housebandemen that they shoulde dooe all requisite housebandry vnto it and gather the fruicte therof at tyme conueniente Thys doen he taketh a voyage into a ferre countrey continued a greate long season absent from home This same verayly is the vineyarde of the Lorde Sabaoth whiche the same lorde transposed remoued out of Egipt and set in the lande of beheaste he hedged it aboute with the precincte of the lawe he protected it with watching and keping of it his owne selfe in proper persone he beautified it with a goodly temple he added moreouer in it priestes iudges capitaynes and teachers he omitted nothing that to the ordreing or dressing therof might appertayne And thys vineyarde beeyng thus furnyshed to the poynte deuyse whaÌ„ it had bene a long season loked for that it should bring furth good grapes did yet neuerthelesse through the defaulte of the housebandemen bryng furth wylde grapes The lorde all this while who in dede is no where not present yet semed vnto them to bee absente ferre of because hys conuersacyon was in heauen Therfore whan it was a time due and seasonable for the people of Israel at last to bring furth fruicte according for such the bountiful goodnesse of God towardes them the maister of the vineyarde sent a seruaunt of hys that is to say one prophet or an other vnto the housebandmen that is to the princes to the priestes to the Scribes who wer the bearers of all the swaigh and stroke that they shoulde rendre and yelde vnto hym parte of suche fruicte as had growen vp in the vineyarde The housebandemenne who had tilled and vsed the vineyard to the behoufe of themselfes and not of the Lord firste pumbled the seruaunte aboute the eares and