to kepe as Christe shewed himselfe to haue towardes his for whom he bestowed his lyfe And he specially spake to Peter vtterly to put awaye the remembraunce of his denying Christ and to notise that he should haue the hiest and chiefe place in the ministerie of the gospel that did passe other in excellency of charitie towardes the flocke of the Lorde And therfore by hym whom Iesus knewe to be of a more feruente minde then the reste he would expresse to all the Apostles and their successours a proufe of a true and a perfite shepeherde And in dede Peter is wount at other tymes also to be as a mouthe of the Apostles and by hym the Lorde woulde haue it knowen and to be hearde what the other also would openly confesse For because by the expressed voice of this man the publique confession of the whole churche dyd but a late tyme before deserue a promise of the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen And in thesame wyse also he than woulde that by this mannes voyce open confession should be made of moste hye charitable loue towardes hym to the entente that by this one man the reste shoulde knowe what maner of men ought to be curates of the lordes flocke Simon Ioanna sayeth Iesus louest thou me more than these The Lorde dyd not aske these thinges as ignoraunte that he was muche loued of Peter but he woulde haue inwardelye fastened in the hertes of his disciples that moste hye charitie towardes Iesus is nedefull to him that shoulde take cure of the Lordes flocke for the whiche the Lorde himselfe suffered death vpon the crosse But Peter nowe being come to more circumspeccion than he was wount to be of made no aunswere concernyng howe muche the other loued the lord because he knewe not fully other mennes mindes for his owne parte and conscience he maketh aunswere whereof he is bolde to make the Lorde hymselfe witnesse Howe muche any other loueth thee sayeth he I knowe not Lorde I loue thee and thou askest me that knowest I doe loue thee Thou that knowest the secretes of mennes myndes art not ignoraunte that I loue thee Than sayeth Iesus If thou louest me as thou openly sayest fede my lambes whiche I loue moste dearely and for whom I haue spente my lyfe and shewe thy selfe suche towardes them as I haue shewed my self towardes you This shall be a proufe of a perfite loue towardes me He sayeth to hym agayne the seconde tymer Symon Ioanna louest thou me He sayeth vnto hym Yea Lorde thou knowest that I loue thee He sayeth vnto hym Feede my shepe He sayeth vnto hym the thyrde tyme Symon Ioanna loueste thou me and he sayed vnto hym Lorde thou knowest all thyng thou knowest that I loue thee Iesus sayeth vnto him Feede my shepe The Lorde Iesus asketh hym agayne euen with like many wordes Simon Ioanna louest thou me Peter aunswereth him euen with lyke noumbre of wordes Lorde I loue thee Thy selfe knowest that I loue thee Than sayeth Iesus agayne if thou louest mein dede feede my shepe whyche are deare to me The lorde asked Peter the thyrde tyme Symon Ioanna louest thou me The lordes askyng so often repeted caste Peter in a scruple and in a sorowe For although he knewe in his owne conscience that he loued the Lord exceadyngly yet because he had thryse denyed the Lorde after he had so stoutely promysed the contrary it caused hym also to distruste hymselfe For Peters fall into the deniall of his lorde turned hym to good and furthered his saluacion whiche falle taughte hym humble so briete and caused hym to learne a newe lesson that is not to put to muche truste and affiaunce in hymselfe suche a pestilence to euangelicall godlynesse as none canne be more perniciouse and deadely then it Therfore he aunswereth sincerely of trueth but timerouslye and very lowlye withall and where before he trusted to hymselfe he now putteth all his affiaunce in hym to whom onely truste and affiaunce oughte to be geuen saying Lord why askest thou me so often seing thou knowest al thing Thy self knowest that I loue thee Than sayed Iesus therfore feede my shepe and vpon them declare howe muche thou settest by me Thou shalte take an exaumple of a good shepeherde of me I haue spente my lyfe for my shepe thou lykewyse shalte playe the faythfull shepeherde of my shepe euen to the losse of lyfe and heade The shepe be myne whom I haue redemed with my bloud now returning againe to my father I cōmit betake them to thy fedyng Thou therfore shalt playe the shepeherde not the lorde thou shalt fede to saue not kyll or pull of theyr skyn to their vtter vndoyng Yf I be thrise deare and welbeloued of the they shal be dearely beloued of the whom I loue exceding well The lord Iesus would haue these thinges wyth so greate diligence powred into the myndes of his disciples because he knewe there would rise men that should not for the loue of Iesus but for theyr own commodities sake take cure of christen people or rather inuade and with violence take cure vpon hande which maner of persons woulde in stede of shepeherdes playe the tyrauntes and robbe altogether Moreouer the lorde didde vouchesafe to declare also what the thre tymes repeted confession of loue did meane He that for the health and safetie of the lordes flocke contemneth his ryches careth not for worldlye honoure and neglecteth his owne affeccions sheweth greate lykelyhoode of trueth that he hath a pure sincere loue but he that for sauyng the flocke letteth not to auenture his lyfe that manne ye wote well hath so doyng geuen a most sure lesson of perfite loue and charitie Verely verely I saye vnto thee when then thou wast young thou gyrdedst thy selfe and walkedst whyther thou wouldest but when thou arte olde thou shalt stretche forth thy handes and an other shall gyrde thee and leade thee whether thou wouldest not That spake he signifying by what death he should glorifie god The Lorde nowe willyng somewhat to open that Peter in tyme to come should do that thyng sayed Peter I do well assure thee therof thou shalt whē tyme is perfourme and accomplishe the thyng whiche thou nowe sayest and cōfessest For truely it is no delicate profession For when thou wast young and in bodily strength more able to suffre laboriouse and greuouse thynges thou waste more dayntely occupied and liued more at ease For thou vngirdedst or gyrdedst thy selfe at thyne owne wyll and pleasure and walkedst at libertie whither thou wouldest But when thou arte olde and than in bodily strengthe more weaker thou shalt be more hardely entreated thou than beyng in hearte and will more strong For thou shalt stretche furthe thy handes and another shall gyrde thee and leade thee whither thou wouldest not By this riddle or parable Iesus signified by what kynde of death Peter shoulde once glorifie God For because beyng very aged he was led to the crosse whiche
certaine thinges omitted by the other euangelistes because they semed not vnworthy to be knowen But the especiall cause why that he wrote this gospel men suppose was to set forth confirme the godhead of Christ against the heresye whiche euen in those daies as euill weedes emongest good corne begun to spring and namely against the heresye of the Cerinthians and Ebeonites the whiche besyde other erroniouse doctrine preached that Christ was nothing els but man only nether that he was in any wise before he was borne of the virgin Marie Now it was very necessarie that the worlde shoulde knowe and beleue Christe to be bothe very god very mā of which twoo the former article doeth principally helpe to inflame the loue of man toward him for the better we knowe a thing with the better wil we do loue it secōdarily it doth cause vs to haue more feruēt courage to folowe the steps of him For who will attēpt to folow coūterfait that thing which is doen of an aungell by a vision apperaunce only not in very dede furthermore like as it is hard to obserue the thinges which he cōmaundeth euē so the thinges be excedyng excellēt that he promiseth it was therfore requisite also that his godhed should not be vnknowen to th entent that we might haue cōfydence that he vndoubtedly would helpe his seruaūtes whō he after such sort did loue neither will defraude them of his promise that which is able with a becke to do what him list The Euāgelistes that wrote before S. Iohn made in maner no mencion of the diuinitee of Christe For I thynke this to bee the wysedome which s. Paul vsed to speake emōgst the perfit emōgst the rest professing himself to know nothing els but Iesus Christe him to be crucified Mafortune as then the time did not suffer so inexplycable a misterie to be put in wryting to al mens knowledge lest it should be had in derisiō of the wicked because they could neither beleue it neither vnderstand it For in other matters also the olde aūcient auctours as oft as they make mēcion of heauēly thinges doe vse to speake both very seldome and very reuerently therof beeyng more copious in suche thynges as doe more profite and appertaine to godly lyuing The Apostle S. Iohn was constrayned therfore by the vndiscrete boldenes of the heretikes more plainly euidently to affirme both the natures to be in Christe like as by the bolde presumpcion of the Arians the catholyke fathers were inforced more precisely to discusse certaine thinges as touching thesame matters wher as they would rather not haue medled with the diffinicion of suche matters whiche both doeth greatly passe the capacitie of mannes wittes and cannot be determined without great daunger and perill But as for this matter not without consideracion it was reserued for S. Iohn so wel beloued of Christ and so well worthy whome as he that is the well of all wysedome dyd loue aboue the reste more feruētly so is it to be beleued that thesame did more plentifully reuele and open certain secretes and misteries vnto hym if I maye so cal him his so wel beloued dearlyng Him therfore so derely beloued of Christ let vs all profoundly and groundely vnderstand that we for our part may be the louers of Christ. Well of this one thing and no more I will put the reader to acknowleage that in this present Paraphrase I folowe the mynde of moste allowed olde autours but not in euery place neyther in euery thing for they themselues do often discent emong themselues yet do I alway sincerely and faithfully declare and bring forth that the which me thinketh is the most true sence meaning for as muche as I dyd perceiue that the olde auctours contendyng against the opinion of heretikes haue wrested some places something violently to their purpose yet it is not my mynde that any manne geue more credence to this my Paraphrase then he would geue to a commentarye if I had wrytten one vpon it notwithstandyng a Paraphrase is a kynde of a commentarie As for allegories in the whiche I perceiue the olde auctours to haue been very scrupulously and supersticiously diligente haue I not medled withal but very seldome neyther more copiously then me thought conuenient Farewell redoubted prince with all your endeuour fauour and sette foorth the glory of the gospell so almightie Christ of his part graciously assist you in all your desyres Yeuen at Basile the yere of our Lord. M.D.xxiii the .v. daye of Ianuarye ¶ Saint Iohns lyfe Wrytten by Saynt Ierome IOhn the Apostle whom Iesus loued tight well beyng the sonne of Zebedeus and Iames the Apostles brother whom after the Lordes deathe Herode had beheaded wrote his ghospel last of all the rest being desired thereto by the byshops of Asia both agaynst Cerinthus and diuers other Heretickes but principally agaynste the opinion of the Ebeonites whiche euen than arose which Ebeonites auouche that Christe was not before Marie by reason wherof he was enforced to shew euen his diuine natiuitie They saye that besydes this there was an other cause of his wrytyng because that whan he had red the volumes of Matthewe Marke and Luke he well allowed the texte of the story and affirmed that they had sayd the trueth but had only made their stor◠of one yeres actes in whiche after the imprisonmente of Iohn Christe suffered Wherfore omitting that yeres actes whiche were sufficiently entreated of all three he shewed such thynges as were doen before Iohn was imprisoned Whiche thyng may euidently appeare to suche as shall diligently reade the volumes of the fower gospels the whiche thing also doeth take awaye the disagreyng that semeth to be betwene Iohn and the rest He wrote besides the premisses one Epistle which beginneth thus That which was from the beginnyng which we haue heard which we haue sene with our iyes c. The other two which begin The elder to the welbeloued Lady and her chyldren c. And the elder to the best beloued Caius whom I loue in the trueth c are affirmed to haue been written of Iohn the priest whose seuerall toumbe is at this daye to be sene at Ephesus and many suppose that there are two memorials of this same Iohn the Euangelist of whiche matter we will entreate after we shall by order come to the lyfe of Papias his scholler In the fowertenth yere than at what tyme Domicianus after Nero styred vp the seconde persecucion Ihon being banished into the Isle of Pathmos wrote the reuelacion which is entitled the Apocalipsis which Iustine the martir and Hireneus doe make commentaries vpon But after Domician was stayne and all his actes reuoked by the Senate because of his ouer muche crueltie he returned to Ephesus in the tyme of prince Nerua and continuyng there vntill the tyme of the Emperour Traiane he instituted and gouerned all the churches of Asia and there continued tyll he was impotente for
no power to the intente that here also it myght bee euidently perceiued how that no man coulde preuaile any thyng agaynste him excepte he woulde geue licence to his vngracious wyll to accomplishe in dede that thyng whiche he had determined in his mynde ¶ Therefore when he was gone out Iesus saied Nowe is the sonne of man glorified â–ª â—nd God is glorified by him If God bee glorified by him God shall also glorifie him by himselfe and shall streightwaye glorifie him Litle chyldren yet a litle while am I with you ye shall seke me as I saied vnto the Iewes whither I go thither can ye not cumme Also to you I saie nowe a newe commaundemente geue I vnto you that ye loue together as I haue loued you that euen so ye loue one an other By this shall all men knowe that ye are my disciples yf ye haue loue one to an other When he therfore was departed whiche had made hymselfe vnwoorthye to bee in coumpanye Iesus beganne to speake manye thynges to his disciples whiche should partely coumforte and stablishe them and partly arme them against the storme that was at hande vtterlye prientyng in theyr myndes those thynges whiche at the fyrste beyng ignoraunt and afterwarde dulled with so rowe and steape they coulde not fully perceiue but yet they shoulde afterward vnderstande the same And fyrste of all he shewed his death to be at hand which although in the iudgemente of the worlde it shoulde seme full of reproche yet should it set furth both his fathers glorye and his owne Nowe sayeth he this thyng is specially in hande for the whiche ye haue hearde me praye For nowe the tyme is come that the soonne of manne whiche hath semed hytherto poore and as an abiecte shoulde after a newe sorte become notable among men and that his fathers glorye shoulde likewise be set foorth by him For as he sought not his owne glory but thorowe his infirmitie sette forth his fathers glorye so in lyke manier the father which is the true fountayne of all true glory shall glorifye his soonne before men not by Aungels nor Archaungels nor yet anye other creature but by hymselfe declaryng to the worlde howe the fathers and the sonnes glorye is all one to the entente menne so maye knowe on euerye syde theyr mutuall woorkes not that they canne wynne any thyng by it but that men by knowyng the glory of them bothe myght obteine true glorye In tyme to come verily he shall throughly glorifie his sonne in his laste cumming before all the company of heauen and in the meane whyle also he shall furthwith gloryfie hym by his owne death whiche shall bee of more force them al mans power and anone after by his resurreccion and ascencion Wherfore my children let not my death discoumforte you whiche although it seme to come for wantâ— of strength yet shall it bee of more power then my lyfe Though it shall seme to be shamefull and vyle yet shall it sette foorth bothe my glory and my fathers yea and though it shall seme an vtter a bolishyng of me yet shall it bryng saluacion bothe to you and to the whole worlde lette these thynges comforte the heauinesse of your myndes For it is expedient for you that this mortall bodye of myne bee withdrawen from your syght and nowe the â—yme is euen at hand for it to bee dooen In the meane whyle vse my coumpanye as one that shall gooe shortelye from you and printe well in your hertes those thynges that I commaunde you or els as I haue tolde the Iewes ye shall seke me in vayne when I am gone hence For within a while I goe away and that to suche a place whither at this tyme ye cannot folowe me Therefore nowe there is no more to do but take my departure paciently and fasten well in your myndes both my doctrine and the remembraunce of me This is the thyng that shall make you happye rather then the syghte of this mortall bodye There bee many preceptes of Moses lawe I nowe at my departure commaunde you one and that a newe precepte that lyke as I haue loued you so one of you loue an other I haue vsed no tyranny againste you I haue not coueted praise or lucâ—e nor haue gotâ—en any worldelye commoditie by you I haue loued youre welthe yea and that freelye and I haue loued you euen vnto the death for I will willingly bestowe this life for you In like manner loue you one an other Other mens disciples are knowen by their naâ—es appaul and by the obseruing of certaine ordinaunces of menne ye haue learned none of these thinges By this onely signe menne shall knowe that ye bee my verie disciples in dede if ye haue suche mutuall loue among youre selues as I haue effectuously shewed to you all this is a rare thing among menne but yet is it the fruite whereby the good tree is knowen ¶ Simon Peter saied vnto him Lorde whither goest thou Iesus aunswered him Whither I goâ— thou canste not folowe me nowe but thou shalte folowe me afterwardes Peter saied vnto him Lorde why cannot I folowe the nowe I will iâ—operde my life for thy sake Iesus aunswered him Wilte thou ieoperde thy life for my sake Uerely verely I saye vnto thee the cocke shall not crowe till thou haue denied me thrise Peter whiche was all set on fier with the loue of his maister althoughe he tooke his death grieuously yet because he hadde said vnto him go after me Satan he durste no more moue and moleste him concerning that matter but this thing troubled Peters minde who loued him so well that he coulde haue no leaue to folowe him when he shoulde departe from his frendes For it is a great comfort if a manne loue one vnfainedlye to folowe him in all chaunces wheresoeuer he shall become Therefore Peter asketh Lorde whether goest thou that I maie not folowe the To this Iesus aunswereth Thou maiest not presencely folow me thither as I gooe but hereafter thou shalte Peter not vnderstanding as yet to what purpose Iesus spake these woordes wheras he mente it of his owne deathe whiche they were not yet apte to beare well Lorde saieth he why maie not I folowe thee what perilles woulde I refuse for thee whiche am readie to die for thee His loue beeing vâ—â—aâ— earnest in dede neuerthelesse as yet but worldly not throughlye knowen to himselfe caused hym thus to speake beyonde his power Iesus therefore to th entent he would frame his successoure litle by litle and vtterly pull out of his disciples mindes confidence in mannes power like as before he hadde somewhat remoued and put backe thesame at suche time as Peter didde boldelye aduise him not to die and againe he rebuked the saied Peter when he had rashelye caste himselfe into the water and furthwith beganne to doubte yea and but a while agooe also he was controlled for so muche as when he woulde not haue obeyed hym at suche time
the roote and I the stocke the spirite beyng distribute thorowe out al the membres and both these braunches and the other that shall be brought to the fayth by these beyng dispersed thorowe out the whole worlde farre neare I can do nothing withâ—â—t thee these coulde do nothing without me The same thing that I receyued of thee haue I poured into them by the spirite whiche is common to all that as thou extendest foorth thy power and strength in me and I inseparably do cleane vnto the euen so bothe we maye extende foorth our power in these cleaning vnto vs and will not be disseuered to thintent that the worlde being prouoked with these meÌ„s vniforme doctrine miracles and honest chaste maners maye beleue that I am come from thee that whatsoeuer I haue doen may redound to the glory of thy name and that the worlde also may vnderstande and perceyue our spirite to bee in these persones shewyng foorth and bryngyng to light his force and power by miracles and other diuers proufes For as I haue not chalenged to my selfe the prayse and glorie whiche the miracles that I haue wroughte haue gotten me amongest men but I haue translate surrendred and put it ouer to thee o father whome I haue confessed to be the auctor thereof so the glorie whiche these shall prepare by theyr great acres for the tyme to come shall be altogether ours because they shall do nothyng in theyr owne name but shall referre all thynges to the commendacion and glory of our name And so therfore the world shall perceyue suche a concorde betwene them and me as is betwene thee and me I wil worke in them by my spirite as thou hast set abroche thy trueth in me And so it wyll come to passe that they also as membres of one bodye cleaning to one heade and quickened with one spirite maye by mutuall concorde sticke together among themselues that on all parties there maye be a consummate and a very perfite concorde in heauen and in yearth The â—iscencion in opinions doeth take awaye the beliefe of doctrine If they agreyng one with another shall teache thesame that I haue taughte yf lyfe agre with doctrine doubtles the world shall perceyue it is no worldlye or humayne doctrine but to be come from whome thou sendeste into the worlde It shall also vnderstande that they be beloued of thee obeying thy will as I am beloued of thee one that no where declineth or swarueth from thy mynde and purpose Father my desyre is that as these whom beyng disseuered from the world thou haste geuen to me shall be folowers of myne affliccions and crosse so they maye be partakers with me of glorie that like as they haue bene beholders of my base and meane state and witnesses of my payne and tormentes so they maye likewyse see and beholde the glorye whiche thou shalte giue me after I haue passed thorowe these euils and haue finished my whole passion that also they maye learne by affliccions to go to the eternall ioye and by reproche and ignominte to go to immortall glorye For it is no newe glory whiche thou shalâ— geue me nor newe charitie wherwith thou louest me but therfore thou shewest tokens and argumentes among menne of thy loue towardes me to the intente that those whiche wyll be myne shoulde by lyke waye and meane cumpasse and seke for thy loue and by lyke dedes laboure to be promoted vnto the glorye of heauen They whome thou hast vouchesafed to loue and shalt alowe them as wurthy thy glorye haue been loued of the before the creacion of the worlde O righteouse father the worlde also hath not knowen the but I haue knowen the and these haue knowen that thou haste sent me and I haue declared vnto them thy name and wil declare it that the loue wherwith thou haste loued me maye be in them and I in them O righteouse father nothyng hath been ouerslipt or omitted of me whereby thou shouldest haue been brought to be knowen of all folke but the worlde beyng for the more parte blynded in the sinne faultes therof would not know thee because it would not beleue me whiles I taught thee vnto the worlde But I beyng pure from the worlde haue knowen thee and haue taughte thee beyng knowen vnto me Neyther hath my preachyng been altogether in vaine They whome thou specially diddest chose for that purpose haue knowen thee by me they knewe that I came from thee although the Phariseis with open clamoure sayeth that I came from Beelzebub the prince of deiuils But as thy goodnes had sent me to haue saued all folke if it could by any waye haue been brought to passe so thy righteousnesse will not suffre the desires of the faythful to be frustrate and voyde for the infidelitie of some that be vnfaythfull The learned the potentates the chiefe heades of religion haue contemned thy doctrine but these rude ignoraunt meke and vnlearned persones haue by me receyued the knowleage of thy name and I shall cause it to be more and more knowen vnto them that thou mayest with the same great charitable loue wherwith thou enbracest me lykewise enbrace them and so they beeyng more fully taught by my spirite maye on theyr behalfe agayne bothe loue vs and one of them by mutuall gentlenes nourishe cherishe and defende eche one the other For so shall they be strong agaynst all the troublesome hurly burlies of this worlde and shall persist vnuanquished The. xviii Chapter When Iesus had spoken these wordes he went foorth with his disciples ouer the brooke Cedron where was a gardeyne into the which he entred and his disciples Iudas also which betrayed hym knewe the place for Iesus oft tymes resorted thither with his disciples Iudas then after he had receyued a bande of men and ministers of the hye priestes and Phariseis came thither with lanternes and fyre brandes and weapons And Iesus knowyng all thynges that shoulde come vpon hym went foorth and sayed vnto them whom seke ye They aunswered hym Iesus of Nazareth Iesus sayeth vnto them I am he Iudas also whiche betrayed hym stoode with them Assone then as he had sayed vnto them I am he they wente backewarde and fell to the grounde WIth this kynde of talke our Lorde Iesus did confirme stablishe and bolden the hertes of his and after he had so doen and commeÌ„ded his flocke to his father he departed thence of his owne voluntary wyll to go mete them that shoulde apprehende hym therein declaryng playnly to his disciples that he woulde willynglye and gladly suffer whatsoeuer payne shoulde be put vnto hym for it was midnight and except it had been a well knowen place he could not haue been taken Therfore he departed out of that place whereas he had thus spoken to his disciples And when he was goen ouer the brooke whiche the Hebrewes call Cedron because many Cedre trees growe there he and his disciples wayting on hym wente into a gardeyne not
ointementes wherwith the body had bene wrapped and also the napkyn that Iesus head had bene bound in not the linnen clothes and it lying together but wrapt vp and layed aside by it selfe so that it was easy to perceyue that the body was not taken awaye by theues whiche woulde haue rather purloyned the whole corps as it laye wrapped and wounde vp with the swete smellyng spices with the linnen clothes and the fine kercher though it had not bene for the valure therof at least they would so haue doen because thei should haue lacked laisure to haue separate the oyntmentes and swete spices from the bodye seeyng they cleaued as fast therunto as byrdelime woulde haue doen and because also they should not haue had sufficient tyme to folde vp and couche euery thyng hande somely and seuerally in his place This suche as it was was in dede the firste comforte and hope that was geuen to them of his resurreccion Then came Simon Peter folowyng hym and went into the sepulchre and sawe the linnen clothes lye and the napkyn that was about his head not lying with the linnen clothes but wrapped together in a place by it self Then wente in also the other disciple whiche came first to the sepulchre and he sawe and beleued For as yet they knewe not the scripture that he shoulde â—pse agayne from death Now than anon after cummeth Peter also who after that he was certified of the thing by Iohn as he was slower in running so was he both bolder and more diligent in trying out the trueth of the thyng For not beyng content with lokyng into the graue he also went into it The other disciple a loker in as wel as he whiche yet durst not by hymselfe alone go in howebeit in dede his companion beyng with hym tooke parte of the feare awaye nowe folowed Peter into the sepulchre And so nowe they sawe certaynly at very hande the thing to be true whiche the one of them had seen as it had been a shadowe or a glymmering sight therof that no corse or dead corps was any where in that place but in dede they sawe the clothes wherin the body had been wrapped in suche sorte pulled of and laied aside that it appeared to be doen not of theues in hast sleyghtly and shuffled vp but quietly and layserly Howbeit as yet they did not beleue that he was risen agayn to lyfe they onely beleued that to be true which Marie had tolde them Verelye that the corps was taken awaye out of the sepulchre For although they had heard Iesus saye that he would rise againe yet did not the saying sticke inwardly in theyr mindes and though some hope therof were in theyr hertes yet that whiche had already place in theyr myndes the feare and tumulte of the crosse and his passion draue it out of theyr myndes For they did not fully vnderstand as yet the saying of the Prophet which had prophecied that certaynly Iesus should suffer death and rise againe the thirde daye from death to lyfe Then the disciples went away agayne vnto theyr owne home Marie stode without at the sepulchre wepyng So as she wepte she bowed hirselfe into the sepulchre and seeth two angels clothed in white sitting the one at the heade and the other at the feete where they had layed the body of Iesus They saye vnto her Woman why wepest thou She sayeth vnto them For they haue taken awaye my Lorde and I woâ—e not where they haue layed hym Therefore the two disciples departed thence and wente backe again to the place from whence they came But Marie of a certain excedyng loue and wonderfull desire that she had to the lorde coulde not be drawen from the sepulchre sekyng hym that was now deade whome she had loued beyng aliue and was desirouse to shew gentilnes and to do seruice vpon the dead bodye forsomuche as she now could not haue the fruicion of his liuely body and she stoode without nye vnto the doore of the graue and did nought els but all to wepe loke about her if she coulde haue any hope or lykelyhoode to finde the bodye Nowe than as she was weping and in dede durst not go into the graue she turned her head aside and loked into the graue and she sawe two angels goodly to looke too both of good semblaunce and in pleasaunt white apparell sittyng in seuerall places the one at the head and the other at the feete of the place where the dead corps was laied And in very dede this pleasauÌ„t this chereful and peaceable sight did somedeale asswage the extreme feare of the night and of her carefulnesse The angels also to comforte her sorowfull pensifenesse of theyr owne accorde and gentlenes speake vnto the wepyng woman and saye O woman what is it thou wepest for She than beyng all rauyshed and as one drounke with a certayne vehemencie of loue sayeth They haue taken awaye my lorde and I know not where they haue laied hym She calleth him her lorde and she also loueth hym being dead hauing yet no hope of the resurreccion She was onely herewithall grieued that is because she coulde not haue the sighte of his bodye Whan she had thus sayed she turned herselfe backe and sawe Iesus standyng and knew not that it was Iesus Iesus sayeth vnto her Woman why wepest thou whome sekest thou She supposyng it had been a gardiner sayeth vnto hym Sir if thou haue borne hym hence tell me where thou hast layed hym and I wyl fetche hym Iesus sayeth vnto her Mary She turned herselfe and sayed vnto hym Rabboni whiche is to saye Maister Iesus sayeth vnto her Touche me not for I am not yet ascended to my father but go vnto my brethren and saie vnto them I ascende vnto my father and your father and to my God and your God Whiles she speaketh thus she coniectured by the semblaunce of the angels that some man stode behinde at her backe and not tarying for the angels aunswer she cast her iye aside and incontinently she sawe Iesus standyng whom yâ— angels had wurshipped but yet Marie knewe not that it was Iesus For he did appere in the forme of a poore simple man lest he being sodainly seen in his owne foâ—me and shape should haue muche astonished the woman Therfore to bolden her withall he calleth speaketh gently vnto her with thesame faier wordes that the angels did saying Woman why wepest thou whome sekest thou loking about the hither and thither She suspecting him to be a gardiner the workeman and keper of the ground wherein the sepulchre was for it was in a garden with a womanly simplicitie sayed vnto hym Sir if thou hast taken him away tel me where thou hast hid him that I maie go fetche him theÌ„ce For she supposed that some frend for feare of the Iewes had procured the body to be secretly caryed awaye leste it shoulde come into the Iewes handes and should be otherwyse handled than she woulde it shoulde be
soone as we had throughe better instruccyons conformed our selues to the expulsyng of the Romyshe Antichriste to the gladde enbracyng of hys woorde and to the receyuyng of his ghospell in all partyes immediately heard our lamentable peticions and sent your most noble mother Quene Iane of famous memorie whom as it maie be thoughte hys prouydence and consailles vnscrutable had purposely ordeyned prepaired caused to be borne for none other office but that she myght bee moste dere wife to suche a kyng and mother to suche a Prynce For as soone as she had in moste lawful matrymonye brought foorth your grace she departed this worlde as thoughe she should haue saied I haue dooen the offyce that I was borne for nowe fare ye well The freashe floure of my pure virginitie I haue moste safely committed to my moste dere spouse kyng Henry for to kepe and to you his moste feithfull louyng subiectes I leaue behynde me my onely soonne the iewell that ye haue so long desired so sore longed for and so often craued of God As loÌ„g as ye shal tendre his welfare ye shall satisfye my desyre whome I broughte foorthe for that purpose If it maye please God to sende hym longe lyfe I haue the full fruicte of my trauaylle I haue my deathe abundauntely recompâ—nsed and my roume emong you euen to my mynde supplyed I haue nowe no more to dooe on yearth If I haue demerited any loue or thanke at your handes bestowe it wholly on my soonne whan I am gone from you Thus departed the moste vertuous ladye Quene Iane whose deathe we haue the lesse cause to lamente because that by hope we are assured that she is gone from peyne to ioye from care to reste froÌ„ sorowe to blisse froÌ„ this traÌ„sitorie world to immortalitie We haue cause to suppose that God for the exceadyng great loue and fauoure that he beareth towardes Englande whan she had broughte foorthe to the worlde suche a soonne tooke her awaye immediately of purpose to rewarde her wyth a croune eternall for whome all temporall and worldely rewardes were incomparably ouer basse ne any yearthly croune sufficient so that to lamente her is rather to enuye her felicitie and blisse And she beeyng nowe in heauen with her moste desired ioye Christe inuiteth and requireth vs that our beneuolente loue and affeccion whiche muste haue been deuided betwene you and her maye bee wholy transferred and bestowed on your highnesse whome to bryng foorthe she was not onely well contented but also muche desyrous to dye So that we are all double bounde to loue youre Maiestie fyrste because youre moste dere mother was taken from vs ere she myght receyue any fruicte of our grate and thankfull hertes for bryngyng foorth to her couÌ„trey suche a soonne and than muche more because that in your moste Royall persone is reposed al the worldly ioye coumforte hope and expectacion bothe of vs that are nowe liuyng whom I truste your Grace shall surutue and also of our posteritie Neyther can Iiustely affyrme her to be dead that hath leafte behynde her suche fruicte of her bodye whome to bryng foorth I dare auouche she though her death so well bestowed that in case she myght returne to lyfe again and be in her former state of mayde Quene she woulde readily paryshe couenauÌ„t with God on thesame pryce to bryng foorth your Grace vnto her countrey And so greate was the ioye and gladnesse of Englande in the natiuitie of your highnesse that the veray prouidence of God thought it necessarie to temper our immoderate mirth reioysing with the death of your most vertuous mother for neuer was the deceasse of any Quene in England more lameÌ„ted lest we myght haue ben so inebriate with our vnestimable felicitie that thesame might haue made vs proud and percase haue brought vs in suche flaterye of our selues that we woulde haue forgotten or perchaunce not acknowelaged no nor espied you to bee sente vnto vs aswell by the most mightie and most woondrefull power of Goddes hand as also of his exceadyng mercie and fauoure towardes Englande He myghte haue taken her away ere she had cum to the bearing or conceiuing of you in her wombe if he had not specially loued and tendred our good king Henry and vs. It was in his hande and pleasure to haue taken you bothe whiche thynge god forbydde if he had nâ—t by leauing the better of the twoo with vs been willing bothe many festelye to declare his almyghtifull power ioyned wyth hys moste gracious mercie and tendre compassion towardes England and also to bridle the insolencie which by hauyng you both still wyth vs suche is mannes frailte and readinesse to swerue he paraduenture foresawe would haue growen in vs. God in takyng awaye her at your birthe did plainlye ministre vnto vs both an earnest warning and also a iust prouocacion of vncessaunt praying for the life and prosperous continuaunce of your Grace being of nature and by the condicion of your birth mortal as your mother was The birth of your Maiestie was the more swete because it was so long wished for so long loked for and so long craued ere it came A great benefite is muche the sweter that it is not obteyned without great and long suit The pleasure of a good turne is much diminished whan it is at the fyrst obteyned The desirefulnesse of our myndes muche augmenteth and encreseth our pleasure The admixtion also and as who shoulde saye the sawcyng of pleasures with some kind of misfortune either afore going or in the middes adtempered graceth altogether and maketh it the more acceptable Honey is waloweish and ouercasteth the stomake if it be plenteously taken by it selfe alone but if wyth vinegre it be made eagredoulce than is it not onely delectable and plesaunt of relice but also comfortatiue and holsome too The deathe of the moste vertuous lady and moste woorthie Quene Iane your mother beyng ioyned with your birth made such a â—â—mperature of sorowe and ioye together that bothe our mournyng whiche otherwyse shoulde scaree haue founde anye ende was soone mitigated and also our moste tendre desire of enioying your Maiestie much the more encreased We had so long groned we hadde so long cryed to God for a Prynce that excepte he hadde in the moste desiâ—ed birthe of the same aspersed the deathe of your mooste â—ere Mother we shoulde by our immoderate felicitee haue tempted and prouoked hym to take you bothe from vs. It was hys goodnessâ— that woulde not suffre vs to fall For muche sooner and sorer doeth immoderate ioye drounde mannes reason then immoderate doloure Thus than as I haue sayd as soone as we willingly applyed our selfes aswell to the exiling of al papâ—strie as also to thenbracing of the woorde of God he immediately fulfylled and satisfyed ourâ— desyres by sending your Grace vnto vs after a woondreful sorte as if he shoulde in playn wordes haue saide Now that ye haue gladly receiued my word ye shal haue that
men he chose not Philosophers not Phariseis not Priestes not ryche men For he woulde not that the glorie of the gospel should be defiled ' with any worldlye ayde and succour But as he walked neere the water whiche as we sayed before was in the border of bothe Galilees he espied twoo brothers germaine the name of the one was Symon and he was called also Peter the other was named Andrewe whose fathers name was Iohn These before that tyme heard Iohn through whose prouocacion they began to folowe Iesus But they lefte them both and turned agayn to theyr facultie and crafte whereby they were wont to get theyr lyuyng And nowe they were bustlye occupied castyng theyr nettes into the sea It was a sygne of good lucke Fyrste youth more ready to receyue the newe doctryne further the agreablenes of brethren one readye to helpe another Agayn a craft and facultie in whiche was no hurt wherby they got a poore liuyng out of the common mere or poole Fynally the fishyng put them in remembraunce of the newe fisshyng whiche serued not to take fishes with nettes to feade the belly but wyth the nette of the gospell to catche men drouned wyth worldly cares vnto desyre of the heauenly lyfe Therfore as they were occupied about necessaries for theyr bodye Christ speaketh vnto them saiyng Folowe me ye shall learne a science of me better than euer ye learned of your father And yet ye shall not leaue your science but ye shall chaunge it to a better fashyon For I will make you hereafter fysshers of men that ye whiche wayte for fishes to destroye them maye catche and take men into euerlasting saluacion They knewe the voyce of hym whome before they did beleue and whose gentilnes they hadde proued before wyth familiar communicacion But through the strength and efficacie of his voyce he brought to passe that foorthwith at the word of the caller thei forgat not onely theyr fishe but also theyr nettes as they were they lefte them there and not byddyng theyr acquayntaunce once fare well they folowed Iesus euen as he walked They sawe no greate thyng yet in Iesus notwithstandyng they stayed not nor lingered nothyng nor were not careful howe they should gette theyr liuing hereafter but ioyned themselues to hym callyng them with hys onelye woorde and folowed him and would not awaie to dye therfore And whan he was gone foorth from thence he saw other two brethren Iames the sonne of Zebede and Iohn hys brother in the shyp with theyr father Zebede mending theyr â—ettes and he called them and they furthwyth lefte the shyp and their father and folowed hym Iesus going a litell further espyed other two brothers Iames and Iohn the sonnes of zebedeus he was the better pleaseâ— for that the brethren and the father agreed so well together They wer al in one botâ— endeuoryng one thing euen the fame that Peter and Andrewe were aboute But these went not spedely forwarde with theyr businesse because theyr nettes were broken with longe wearyng whiche was a token of pouertye Iesus therfore passing by as they were earnestly occupyed in mendyng of theyr nettes spake vnto them and bad them folowe hym The young men of a playne confidence and truste without any tariyng furthwith leauyng theyr nettes and forgetting theyr father also bend themselues to folowe Iesus so the preaching of Iohn hadde framed and fashioned them so deserued the towardenesse and redinesse of theyr hartes so had the inspiracion of Christe drawen them who wholly breathed and sauoured of the heauenly spirite wherwith he was replenished And Iesus wente about al Galile teachyng in theyr Sinagoges and preachyng the ghospel of the kyngdome and healyng al maner of sickenes and al manier of diseases emong the people And his fame spred abrode throughoute all Siria And they brought vnto hym all sycke people that were taken with diuerse diseases and grypynges and them that were possessed wyth deuils and those that were lunatike and those that had the palsey and he healed them And there folowed hym great multitudes of people from Galile and from Decapolis and Ierusalem and Iewry and froÌ„ the countreyes that lye beyond Iordane Ye see the entrynges of our Philosophye whereby it was thoughte good vnto god to saue all mankynde Ye se the pompe and ruffling of the euangelycall schole Poore Iesus beyng accumpanyed with these few fishers vnlerned of the common sorte and poore men walked ouer all Galile not nowe in corners nor in deserte but in theyr Synagoges where was moste resorte preachyng and shewyng that the kyngdome of heauen whiche had heretofore been promysed was nowe at hande not puttyng them in feare of helle fyer lyke as Iohn dyd but inuiting and allurynge all men with free benefites For wheresoeuer he wente he healed all mennes diseases indifferently and freely refusing no man were he neuer so vile and of the meanest sorte and with lyke easynesse he chased a waye all diseases were they neuer so incurable to thintent bothe to set furth and declare by miracles his power to be greater than mannes and also through free benefites to purchase and winne the loue of all menne For hym we gladly truste and beleue whome we loue Yea euen the wylde beastes also bee wunne with benefits Surelye there is no benefite more godly than freelye to restore health By these meanes it came to passe that the fame of hym spredde abrode throughout all Syria and manye brought from a farre theyr diseased folke incumbred with diuerse dyseases and griefes and besydes these suche as were possessed with diuels and Lunatikes and diseased with the palsey whome Phisicyons commonly eyther take not vpon them to cure or els be wonte to cure in vayne because the dysease passeth theyr arte and cunnyng But Iesus healed all easily not with mannes medicynes but wyth heauenly vertue wherwyth he was hable also to rayse the dead It was a small matter to hym to take awaye the diseases of the bodyes whiche toke awaye the diseases of the myndes It was a smalle matter for hym to prolong the lyfe of the bodye whiche came to geue euerlastyng lyfe vnto all men There came therfore from thys parte and that parte a wonderfull numbre of people not onely from Galile of the Gentiles where he was but also out of the other Galile whiche was beyonde the water and oute of the countrey that was called Decapolis because of the tenne cities whiche were in it also out of Hierusalem and the residew of Iewry and out of the places whyche were beyonde Iordane All men as they haue nede runne to a benefit Many be moued wyth nouelties Sum came for malice with a mynde to wayte displeasure Iesus for his parte draweth all vnto hym but fewe bee mete for the heauâ—nly Philosophye for the teachyng and deliuery of the which he chiefly came into the worlde The people is moued wyth care of the bodye and is desyrouse and deliteth muche in newe syghtes and gasinges But
landes and he goeth not aboute gredely to get other mennes but is rather driuen out from the possessions of hys auncetry But this is a newe fashyon of enlargyng of possessions for mekenesse obteyneth more of them that geue wyllyngly and of theyr owne accord than violence and rauenye can purchase or obtaine by right or wrong The stout and fierce lord doth not possesse the thing that he hath But the meke and quiete man wil rather geue place and leaue hys goodes than contende or striue for them therfore is his possession in all places whereas he fyndethe louers of the euangelicall mekenesse Stoutnes and stifnes is hated of all men softenes and mekenes is fauoured of the heathen Finally yf the meke lese hys possession it is no losse vnto hym but greate gayne and lucre He hath loste hys lande but he reserueth quietnes of mynde He hath wel solde hys lande whiche hath auoyded trouble and busines and hath kept styll quietnesse of mynde Finally if the meke man be put from all that he hath the more sure and certayne is he to possesse the lande of heauen out of the whych he can not be thrust The worlde lamenteth and counteth them vnhappie which be banyshed and driuen out of theyr countreye but Christe pronounceth them blessed whiche be banisshed for the gospell sake For they be made denisens in heauen They bee driuen out of the libertie of one cytie and caste out of theyr house and chased oute of one countrey but the gospell man hath the whole worlde for his countrey And the godly men be sure of heauen for theyr house and theyr countreye Blessed be they that mourne for they shall receyue comforte Lacke of chyldren or parentes and suche other as we entierly loue commonly is counted a miserable thing insomuche that sum lacking theyr desyres and depriued of theyr affeccions as of wife parentes brothers or chyldren do sumtyme kyll themselues for sorow And for that cause frendes vse to repayre vnto them in suche cases to comforte them and to mitigate the bitternesse of theyr sorow But blessed be they that mourne for the loue of the gospel which be plucked awaye from theyr wyfe chyldren and other that they loue and see them that they loue moste derely to be punished and slayne for the reghteousnes of the gospell whyche also despyse the pleasures of thys worlde and leade theyr lyfe in wepyng watching and fastyng With these the heauenly spirite wyll be present he wyll be theyr secrete comforter He wyll recompence theyr temporall waylyng with inestimable hartes ioye and afterwarde they shal bee translated vnto euerlastyng blisse Mannes comforte entending to heale the griefe doeth oftentymes make it worse But the spirite whiche is the true comforter doeth so inwardly refreshe the mynde beyng cleare in conscience and ascertayned of the rewardes of the lyfe to cum that in moste grieuous affliccions of theyr bodyes they thynke not themselues infortunate but rather do most ioyfully reioyce ¶ Blessed be they whyche hungar and thyrste for ryghtâ—â—usnes for they shall be satisfied Famyn and hungar by the opinion of al men is a grieuouse thing and pouertie is a thyng with all endeuour to be auoyded and euery man calleth them fortunate and blessed whiche do notably encrease and establishe theyr householde and substaunce and haue abundantly to vse and occupye but it is not the ryches whorded and heaped vp that satisfieth the mynde and the felicitye of man is not to be measured by the fulnce of the belly What be they than in thys kynde of men whom Christe calleth blessed Blessed sayeth he bee they whiche hungar and thyrst for ryghteousnes The thynges wherewith the body is nouryshed and fostred vp oughte to bee desyred but lyghtly and yet the common sorte are sore turmoiled with care for them And sumtime the saturitie doeth more vexe them that bee full than the hunger dyd trouble them before and by and by after theyr saturitie thurste and hunger retourne agayne and must oftentymes be repayred And these thynges be present euerye where to the godly whiche be contente wyth a litle and desyre nothyng but necessaries and are without al carefulnes for he doeth geue and mynistre vnto them which fedeth the sparowes and doeth clothe the lillies Happy be they whiche doe take thys hunger and thurst from bodilye and casuall thynges and applie them to the desyre of the euangelicall iustice where there is euermore that is to be hungred for euermore that is to be thyrsted for and blessed sacietie and fulnes And this is one parte of blessednes to hunger for that breade of the mynde wherof whoso eateth he shal liue euerlastingly and to thurst for that liuely water wherof who so drynketh in hym there shall spring a well of water runnyng into euerlastyng lyfe Blessed be the mercifull for they shall obteyne mercy The common sorte supposeth them to be blessed whiche be holpen wyth other mennes aide and they reioyce and be glad rather for their sakes that bee holpen than for their cause that helpe them But I saye Blessed be the merciful who for brotherly charitie counte an other mannes miserye to bee theyr owne and bee sory for theyr neyghboures hurte and doe bewayle theyr miseries and of theyr owne do feede the nedy and clothe the naked and monyshe them that do amysse and teache the ignoraunt and pardon the offender Fynallye what soeuer gifte or good thyng they haue they bestowe it in helpyng and refreshyng others And they leese nothyng by it but they gayne For the mercifull and beneficiall man â–ª towarde his neyghboure shall fynde God much more mercifull and beneficial toward hym Thou hast pardoned thy neyghbour of sum lyght offence God wil forgeue thee all thy synnes Thou haste passed ouer for thy neyghboures sake a temporall vengeaunce God wyll pardon thee of euerlastyng punishement Thou haste socoured wyth thy substaunce thy brothers pouertye God wyll restore vnto the hys heauenlye ryches They that be mercifull waxe poore as concernyng worldlye thynges for by geuyng theyr rychesse are consumed but towardes God they wexe ryche for theyr worldly store beeyng consumed theyr harte is heaped vp wyth the fruites of godlines ¶ Blessed are the cleane of harte for they shal see God The common sorte of men calleth them vnhappye that bee blynde and because they haue loste theyr moste pleasaunte sense they saye they bee no longer aliue but that they abyde in darknes lyke deade men So pleasaunte a thyng it semeth to the iyes to loke vpon the lyght and to beholde this goodlye spectacle and syght of the worlde That if it bee a thyng so muche to bee wisshed for to beholde the sunne with the bodilye â—yes â–ª how muche more pleasaunt and blessed a thyng is it with the iyes of the mynde to beholde God the maker of the sunne and of all thynges Ye see howe they leape for ioye whiche haue beene blyndâ— and nowe do see the sunne agayne Yea they reioyce as muche as
if they had â—â—en deliuered from hell Howe muche more blessed be they who beyng destrusted from blindnes of the mynde haue the gift inwardly to see god the fountayne of all ioyeÌ„ whom to beholde is high felicitie and blessednes As the sunne is to cleare iyes so is God to pure and cleane myndes As matter of skumme or a webbe is to the iyes so are sinnes to the mindes Therfore blessed be thei whose harte is pure and cleane from all filthines For they shal haue thys gyfte which is more to be desyred than al the pleasures of the worlde They shall see God Blessed be the peace makers for they shall be called the chyldren of God The common sorte of men iudgeth them to be blessed whiche hauyng theyr thynges in good frame and staye liue in reste and quieâ—nes and haue no manne to trouble them But after my iudgemente they bee blessed whiche after they haue repressed in theyr hartes the rebellion and rage of all theyr fowle lustes dâ—â—â— studye and endeuour to make vnitie and concorde emong suche as bee at strife and variaunce not only not reuenging themselues yf they haue bene hurt of any bodye but wyllynglye on theyr owne accorde prouokyng them to peace of whome they haue suffered harme And if any manne thynke it harde to bee doen let hym harken to the rewarde For they shall be called the sonnes of God What is more honorable than this title and prayse Yea what is more blessed For it is no vayne title He that is the sonne must nedes be heyre also But the vnlykenes of manners declareth and argueth a bastarde The folowyng of the fathers steppes declareth a true and a naturall chylde God forgeuyng freely all offences doeth stirre and prouoke all men whiche hath offended hym to peace and amitie He offereth hymself of his owne accorde verye mercifull to all them that do repent He wyll not knoweledge them for hys children whiche do not shewe themselfe to theyr brethren as he hath shewed hymselfe towardes all Carnall fathers disherit theyr sonnes whiche do not agree with theyr other brethren So the heauenly father wil abdicate and put away the haters of peace and causers of discorde from thinheritaunce of heauen Blessed be thei that suffer persecution for ryghteousnes â—ake for theyrs is the kyngdome of heauen Blessed be ye when men teâ—yle you and persecute you and speake falsly all manes of euyll against you for my sake Reioyce and be glad for great is your rewarde in heauen for so persecuted they the Prophetes whiche were before you And because there be many frowarde euill men in euery place peace cannot be stayed continue wyth al men but thorow sufferaunce of displeasures It is the part of gâ—dly men vtterly to endeuour themselues that thei be at debate with no man whether thei be good or euill they muste moue and allure all men with curtesy gentilnes and pleasures as much as maie be to loue and concord But the frowardnes of sum is such that they wil bee stirred to anger yea with benefites also and wyll vexe them that do for them and vse cruelnes agaynst wel doers and count them for theyr enemyes that studye to preserue them If in this case peace cannot be conserued on bothe sydes yet blessed be thâ—â—â—â—r the loue they beare to peace whom the wicked do persecute for none other cause but for the ryghteousnes of the gospell which hurteth none but profiteth all For the selfe same thing prouoketh theyr hatred for the whiche they oughte to loue and they do iniury for none other thyng but for the whiche they ought to render thankes Sum wil saye who can loue such that for gentylnes requireth hatred and ill doynges It is a greate matter I graunte but greate is the rewarde And what rewarde not a crowne of oke or laurell not a bullocke or a goate or any suche lyke rewarde whiche worldly men vse to geue to suche as get the ouerhand in worldly mastryes but the kyngdome of heauen Ye that be my dysciples muste make you ready to this wrastling if ye esteme the rewardes of the gospell Ye muste not feare the cruelnes of men No man can hurte you yf ye sticke stifly to ryghteousnes The persecucion of euil men shall not take away your innocencye but shal increase your blessednes In the midde stormes of aduersytye ye shall be blessed yea whan they curse you moste bitterlye whan they shall assaulte you with all kyndes of hurtes whan they shall rebuke you and laye at offences agaynste you and that falsely not for your faulte but for the hatred and displeasure of me for the summe of the crymes whiche they shall laye agaynst you shal be that ye are christen men Do not lament and bewaile your selues as men thrust out afflicted and beaten misreported and infamed but rather for these thynges be glad and reioyce because the more fierfe they be in persecutyng so muche the more your rewarde is increased and heaped vp for you in heauen of the heauenly father God will tourne theyr naughtynes to your good He wyll tourne the hurtes that they do to your aduauntage and lucâ—e He will tourne the ignominie rebuke and reproche that they put you to into euerlastyng and true glory He wyll tourne the crymes and reprofe whiche they falslye laye to youre charges into the titles and commendacions of true godlynes He wil tourne theyr malediccions and curses into prayse and reioysyng on your parties not onely before God and yet to please him it is sufficieÌ„tly enough yea though ye displease the whole world but also before men For to be rebuked of wicked men for godlynes is a prayse to be tormented of the haters of God is to be crowned Glory is not to be sought for of men but glory of her owne accorde customably doeth folowe true vertue Wil ye haue a redy and playne example It this daie what is more holy and honourable than the memorye of the Prophetes And yet whan they were aliue did the wicked sorte persecute them with all kyndes of affliccions as they shall dooe you They persecuted the Prophetes for the hatred of my father ye shall be persecuted for the hatred that menne beare towarde me These bee vehemente thynges I graunte and passyng mannes weakenes But it muste nedes bee an excellent and a notable thyng whiche by his myghte shoulde moue and drawe the whole worlde beeyng ouerwhelmed with weryshe opinions and vayne desyres For whiche of all these worldly men doeth not abhorre the tormenting of the bodye who is not afrayed at the daunger of lyfe Who is not styrred with desyre of auengyng whan he is prouoked with sore checkes and rebukes who can quietelye suffer his name to bee spotted and hindred withoute any deserte But to the intente ye maye be blessed I require more of you that is to thynke youre selues blessed for suche euill affliccions and rather to haue pytye of youre blynde persecutours than to bee agreued with them
of affeccions to be plucte awaye from the thing whiche he hath begoonne to embrace and make muche of But happy is that stryfe and dissencion whiche doeth auaunce sincere and good thynges and cutteth awaye rotten thynges Happy is that swearde whiche pareth awaye from the soule all noysome lustes and desyres Lette this tumulte and hurly-burly be layed vnto me and not to you whiche haue geuen a medicine troubled all the body but so that they that stryue against theyr beloued that is to saye theyr nerest kinsfolkes for the hatred of my name ought to impute it to themselues and not to me For they myght folowe them whome they persecute I offer helth and saluation to all men whyche yf all men do embrace there shall be no stryfe nor dissencion Truly the ghospell of it selfe is a thyng of peace and of quietnes but sedicion is raysed by the faulte of others Lyke as the medicine is a holsome thyng of it selfe but in the body it maketh a rumblyng and trouble whiles it prouideth that all the membres may be in quiet But it is expediente that the noysome thynges be pared away that true and holy concorde may be established the more emong the pure cleane This sweard therfore I bring into the earth to breake concorde betwixt the sonne and the father to deuide the sure and streight bande of nature betwene the doughter and the mother to disceuer the loue and concorde betwene the mother and daughter in lawe There is no knot of nature or amitie so sure which this swerde is not able to breake Whom domesticall acquaintaunce hath made louers and very nere frendes them the swerde of the gospell shall set in sundre But so ferre and no ferther shall this batrayle extende and so farre shall this warre go that they whiche be of our syde shall onely despise their enemies but not hurte them and asmuche as in them lyeth saue them also yf they can â–ª And thus farre shall this despising goe not to disgayne them and abhorâ—e them but soberly to make them an aunswere and not to obey theyr wicked commaundementes Ye must take hede by all meanes that the common state of the publique weale be not troubled by you Be not slacke in the duty which by the law of nature the sonne oweth to the father the daughter to the mother the brother to the brother the husbande to the wyfe the cosen to the cosen the frende to the frende and the familiar to his familiar and acquaintaunce For I do not abrogate and put awaye the lawe of nature but make it perfecte Ye must be obediente in all thynges vnto the publique magistrates and ministers vnlesse they prescribe and commaunde wicked thinges They call you to the lawe ye must go they require an accompte ye must make it but yf they commaunde you to do honour and sacrifice to ymages and pictures yf they commaunde you to cease from preachyng of my name ye ought not to obey them And yet they must not be stirred with checkes railinges but they must be aunswered soberly why it is more mete to obey God the prynce ouer all than the power of man For it is reason that the commaundementes of God should be preferred before the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes of men And yf they prescribe vniust thinges which yet do not make menne wicked yf they obey them they must be suffered leste they beyng stirred they fall into a rage As for an exaumple if they take away vniustly thy garment or money if they cast thee into pryson if they scourge thee with whippes For these thynges do not take awaye godlines but rather by occasion increase set furth the vertue of the gospell Lykewyse the duetie of the naturall loue must be perfourmed to the parent yf he haue nede though he be an heathen and alienate from the ghospell But yf the authoritie of the parent withdrawe from the ghospell the heauenly father ought more to be obeyed than the yerthly father And yet the father must not be churlishly despised but gently reuerently monished not to repung against God In lyke maner also we must do with other vnto whom we owe the dutie of humanitie either of nature or els of curtesy Some wil say it is heard to master suche affeccions which nature hath inwardly graffed in vs. But suche stronge and manly menne the profession of the ghospel doth require and such as wyll be moued from the heauenly busynes by none affeccions Ye shall see me go this waye he must nedes folowe in the same which will be taken in the numbre of my disciples The sonne that loueth the father or the mother more than me is not mete for me Agayne the father whiche loueth the sonne or the doughter more than me is not mete for me And he loueth him more than me yf in doyng hym pleasures he neglecteth my commauÌ„dementes It is wicked loue so to tendre thy parentes being but men that thou offende thy parent being God And leste it should seme to be muche to set more by the wyll of God than all mennes affeccions whereas nothing is more deare to man than life except he despise this also for the ghospell sake and be alwaies in a redines to all kyndes of death and punishmente and take vp his crosse and folowe me dayly he is no mete disciple to haue me to his maister For lyke as the disordered loue of the parent or childe is hatred rather than loue sith it is noysome vnto both so the disordered care to preserue the lyfe is a verye destruccion of the life He hath preserued his life that loste it well he hath loste it which hath kept it naughtily He that by forsakyng the ghospel and denying me hath pacified the iudge hath escaped prison hath escaped haÌ„ging hath escaped death whereas he semeth to men to haue wonne his life he hath loste his life in dede Agayne he that constauntly stickyng vnto the ghospell putteth furth hymselfe boldely to all daungers deathes he semeth vnto men to loose his lyfe where in dede he winneth his lyfe The lyfe doth not perishe when it is taken awaye for professing of the ghospell but is preserued euerlastyngly It doth perishe in dede if it bargayne to haue a short tarrying in the bodye with vngodlines and yet it liueth not than in the body whiche liueth in the hatred of God ¶ He that receyueth you receyueth me and he that receyueth me receyueth hym that sent me He that receyueth a Prophete in the name of a Prophete shall receyue a Prophetes reward And he that receiueth a iust maÌ„ in the name of a iust maÌ„ shall receiue a iust mans reward And whosoeuer shall geue to one of these litle ones to drinke a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple verely I say vnto you he shall not loose his reward Neyther is there any daunger leste if it chaunce you to be forsaken of your parentes kynnesfolkes
deare then life will you then despayre that there shal be sum who will set lesse by their riches then by the gospell â–ª These thinges seme vnpossible to humaine affeccions But al this is easily brought about by goddes helpe God requireth hard thynges and suche as be farre aboue the strengthe and power of man but thesame putteth to his helping hande that man may be able to accomplishe his commaundementes And so cummeth it to passe that man can do that by god almighties helpe whiche of himselfe he is in no case able to do Whoso with all the harte of his body trusteth him shal be able to do all thynges by hym Therfore he that passeth not vpon his goodes for the kyngdome of god sustaineth no losse therby but hath great profite and vauntage And to know this is a thing pertainyng not to mans wisdom but to faith geuen vs from heauen For whosoeuer he be that with harte and minde beleueth that for the goodes forsaken whiche hindred vs from doyng the busynes of saluacion a hundreth fold so much is geuen vs here in this world and in the world to cum lyfe euerlasting the same will with right good wyll make suche an exchaunge ¶ And Peter began to say vnto him Lâ—e we haue forsaken all and haue folowed the. Iesus answered and said verely I say vnto you there is no man that hath forsaken house or brethren or systers or father or mother or wife or children or laâ—des for my sake and the Gospels but he shall receiue an hundreth folde nowe in this life houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and landes wiâ—h persecucions and in the world to cum eternall lyfe But many that are first shal be last and the last first And they were iÌ„ the way going vp to Ierusalem Iesus went before them and they were amased and folowed and were afrayed Of these wordes wherby Iesus broughte his disciples out of despaire the same receyued more courage and boldenesse â–ª then they shoulde haue done For nowe Peter by coÌ„paryng himselfe to the yong man who departed away all heauy and mourning began to stand muche in his owne conceipt saying Loe we haue forgoÌ„ne all that euer we had for thy sake and folowed the. We haue done what thou while ere requiredst of the yong man To him thou promisedst treasure in heauen what rewarde then ought we to hope after If a man regarde the valuacion of the Apostles goodes they forsoke not muche especially Peter who was a fysher man with muche a doe gate his lyuing with his daily trauaile labour But vnto euery man his owen propre substance is greatest And he forgoeth very muche whiche so forsaketh all his goodes and ryches that he hathe no mâ—nde neyther to restore nor to encrease the same agayn He that hath cleane put away all affeccion and gredy desyre of riches thesame hath forsaken not onely so muche as he was worthe but also so muche as he myght haue desyred The lorde after this rule estemyng the goodes forsaken of the Apostles who with right good will did also forsake suche thynges as were muche dearer vnto them as theyr parentes theyr wyues and theyr kynsfolkes answered in this wyse I tell you this for a suretie Not onely you shall not be defeated of your reward but also there shall be none who for my sake the loue of the gospel hath forsaken house brethreÌ„ or sisters or father or mother or children or landes but he shall receiue for euery of these thinges so forsaken a hundreth folde so muche and that euen in this presente life be the stormes of persecution neuer so great For muche more shall encrease through the charitie of the gospell then was taken awaye by the crueltie of persecutours For one carnal brother or sister forsaken he shall haue so many brethren and systers as felowes in professing of the ghospell The affeccions of the spirite be more behemeÌ„te pleasanter withall then are thaffeccioÌ„s of nature For one father and mother he shall haue so many fathers as teachers for one house forsaken he shall haue euery where a house whersoeuer theuangelike and christen charitie shall raigne which doubtles maketh al thinges common For a litle piece of land forsaken he shal be partaker of all the landes whiche the true professours of the ghospell haue possession of And if these thinges came not to passe yet the losse of temporall goodes shal be sufficiently recompenced with the ghostely giftes of the soule so that a man had a huÌ„dreth times leueâ— haue the thinges receiued then the thinges forsaken There is no comparison betwene such thinges as be transitory will sone perish although no maÌ„ take them away and the riches of the soule whiche no man can geue but god alone no maÌ„ can take away but he that geueth them And if this seme but a small gaine there shal be added therto the possession of eternall life in the world to cum With these sayinges the lorde stayed the weake mindes of his disciples leste they should eyther forthynke that they had forsaken suche thinges as thy forsoke or els fall againe in time to cum to the loue of worldly riches goyng about to be enriched with vile thinges waxe miserable poore as touchyng the goodes and riches of the soule It is a naughtie chauÌ„ce wheÌ„ a man falleth againe from the loue of the goodes of the soule to the desyre of the goodes of the body from true riches to vayne and deceiuable riches from euerlasting commodities to fading and transytory Now leste that by praysyng of his disciples for forsaking theyr goodes and maisterynge theyr affeccions he should haue geuen them occasion to be careles he spake further a litle sentence of lyke tenour as here ensueth But many that nowe seme first shall once be last Neither are they to be despayred of who be not yet able to perfourme what the vertue and strength of christian perfeccion requireth neyther ought suche to truste themselfe as haue profited to a certain degree therin For there are sum who haue done the like as you haue and yet for all that they shall fall againe to a more mischieuous couetousnesse And there be sum who at this presente cannot contemne and set naught by their goodes of the whiche sorte that yong man was one the whiche in tyme to cum shall excell suche as appeared to haue forsaken all the worlde Finally it shal be found that those were poorest of all who after the iudgement of the worlde semed richest and contrarily suche as appeared to contemne al worldly thinges were moste gredy and desyrous therof For this prayse and commendacion standeth not in thinges but in affeccions He is the poorer man of both who possesseth suche goodes as fortune hath lente hym as though he had them not ready to departe therwith so ofte as his neyghboure is to be holpen not reioycynge ouer muche yf anye encrease be nor pynyng awaye for sorowe
shoulde lykewyse cumme when he would returne into the worlde agayne a iudge bothe of the quicke and deade but when that time shoulde come because it was not expedient he woulde in no wyse haue it knowen Therfore he began to speake of these matters in suche wyse as here ensueth Beware sayeth he lest any manne deceiue you For there shall manye come who wyll chalenge and take vpon them my name and euerye of theim wyll fayne hymselfe to be Christe and by his craftie delusion deceiue manye vncircumspect persons When ye shall heare of warres tidynges of warres be ye not troubled For suche thynges must nedes be but the ende is not yet For there shall nacion ryse agaynste nacion and kyngdome agaynst kyngdome And there shal be pearthquakes in al quarters and famishement shall there be and troubles These are the beginning of sorowes But take ye hede to your selues for they shall bryng you vp to the counsayles into the Synagoges ye shal be beaten yea and shal be brought before rulers and kynges for my sake for a testimoniall vnto them And the gospell must first be published amonge all nacions The great busynes rufflyng of the world will shew that my cuÌ„ming approcheth the worlde is nighe at an ende But you muste not strayghtwayes when warres are moued or when there is any terrible bruite or rumoure of warres to be moued be so dismayed therwith as though thesame time wer already present For these thinges shall cum and yet shall not th ende of the world furthwith ensue They shall only be preludes of the ende that is to come euen as in an olde mans bodye diseases oftetymes thauncing are foretokens that his body shal shortely decay and perishe The temperature of the qualities is the thyng whiche preserueth bodely health But when by reason thesame qualities do stryue one agaynste another the whole body is distempered then is it an argumente that the destruction thereof approchethe There shall nacion ryse agaynste nacion realme agaynst realme and one of them go about with great powers and hostes of men to destroye an other Moreouer the yearthe it selfe as thoughe it were not content to norishe so wicked and vngodlye people shal be shaken with yearthequakes and so shall there be in sondrie places of the worlde greate dearthe and famyne because it shall deny men theyr naturall foode and sustenaunce Furthermore the ayre as though it were angrye with thesame vngodly folkes vnworthy of life and breathe shal be noysomme and deadelye When ye see manye of these signes and tokens yet loke ye not byanby for domes daye For these euiles shall be onelye the begynninge of the calamitie to come Neyther shall youre selues be free from suche euils troubles And therfore loke well aboute ye leste ye bee clapte in the neckes or creye be ware For men shall accuse you and brynge you before councels and synagoges and yee shal be presented before kynges and rulers to aunswere in causes of lyfe and deathe not for any offence or euyl dede doen on your behalfe but onelye for the profession of my name and this shall they do because all the worlde maye knowe howe they were worthely caste out of the kyngdome of God sithens they so persecuted the preachers of thesame But lette not these thynges muche trouble your myndes The cruelnes of wycked persons shall brynge nothing to passe agaynst the proceding of the gospell Neither can anye man slea you before your tyme. For domes daye shall not come before the gospell be preached throughout all the worlde ¶ But when they leade you and present you take ye no thought neyther ymagine afore hande what ye shall saye but whatsoeuer is geuen you in the same houre that speake For it is not ye that speake but the holy gost The brother shall delyuer vp the brother to deathe and the father the sonne and the children shall ryse agaynst their fathers and mothers and shal put theÌ„ to death And ye shal be hated of al meÌ„ for my names sake But whoso enduceth vnto the ende thesame shal be safe You nede not therefore to prepare you any worldly succours agaynste the violence tiranny of persecutours or take thought how to escape their iudgementes When there is any accion commensed agaynst you loke ye goe appeare leste ye seme to despise the publike authoritie For this thinge also shall make much for the enlarging and spreading abrode of the gospell But when ye are goyng to appeare be you not carefull studying with your selfes what answere to make and how to tell your tale for that ye are not sene in the lawe but men ignoraunt in ciuill plees as the common sort of the people are wonte to be carefull in suche case who make Oratours and Rhetorcians theyr atturneys and proetours in pleadinge of matters But whatsoeuer cumme the vnto your myndes that speake you For your selues shall not be authours of suche wordes as you shall speake but instrumentes onely The holy ghoste shall speake by you suche thynges as shal be expedient for the busynes of the gospell But suche persecucions must ye not onely looke for of alyauntes and enemyes but also of your frendes and kynnesfolkes For one brother shall take the lawe of an other and accuse hym of deathe worthye crymes all naturall loue and affeccion cast aside And the father shall likewise accuse the sonne contrary to naturall loue and kyndnes Furthermore the children shall also rise agaynste their parentes and cause them to suffer death And where as ye hurte no body but brynge the tydinges of saluacion to all men yet shall ye be hated of all them that loue this world onelye for the dyspleasure and malyce they beare to my name whiche you shall preache But in all these euils it shal be nedefull for you to be armed with perseueraunce and constancie of minde For whoso continueth in his good beginninges to the ende shall be safe because no calamitie is able to destroye him that with constant harte and mynde beleueth the gospell Moreouer when ye see the abhominacion of desolacion wherof is spoken by Daniel the prophet stand where it ought not let him that readeth vnderstand Then let them that be in Iewry sie to the mountaines and let him that is â—n the house top not go down into the house nether enter therein to fetche any thyng out of his house And let him that is in the fielde not turne backe agayne vnto the thynges whiche he lefte behynde hym for to take his clothes with him Woe shal be then to them that are with childe and to them that geue sucke in those dayes But praye ye that your flyght be not in the winter For there shal be in those dayes suche tribulacion as was not from the beginninge of creatures whiche God created vnto this time nether shal be And except that the Lorde should shorten those dayes no fleshe shoulde be saued But for the electes
and ye shall bee the children of the higheste For he is kynde to the vnkynde and to the eiuil Bee ye therfore mercifull as your father also is merciful Euerie bodie is dere frende to himselfe and doeth not require of himselfe any rewarde of his loue Leat therfore the charitee and tendre loue towardes the neighbour also be playnely without fraude or guile and franke without hauing iye vnto mennes desertes ready to dooe good as oft as nede shall bee not for any respect of rewarde to growe or come vnto thee agayne therby but for this only cause that he is thy neighbour although he bee one that wil neuer make thee any emeÌ„des for it no nor yet accordingly doe his parte in louing thee agayne as thou doest him As for the rewarde both of youre loue and of youre benefite truste for it at Goddes handes onely For if ye loue no moe nor other but them that loue you what piece of rewarde will ye require at Goddes haÌ„de youre loue is with the loue of others fully requited alreadie Whoso loueth again an other that loueth him and would not loue thesame onlesse he were loued of hym suche an one is ferre from euangelycall charitie the which enbraceth as wel the enemies as the frendes And suche an one as loueth again an other that loueth hym what great high acte dooeth he or what acte mete for the high dignitie of the gospel dooe not they that are louers of this world and otherswyse also sinners yet neuerthelesse by the verai ledyng of nature make muche of one that maketh muche of theim turne their face from him that dooeth not his parte agayn in mutuall loue towardes theim And in case ye doo benefite vnto those that haue been beneficiall to you afore what piece of rewarde shal bee due to you This is no suche beneficiall dooyng as the ghospell requireth but it is a choppyng and chaungeyng of benefites one for an other For aswell suche as bee synners as also ferre out of the waye from the high perfeccion of professyng the ghospell dooe by the ledyng of nature recompence a benefite that hath beene dooen them and crye out vpon vnthankefulnesse as a thyng detestable Not to dooe these thinges therefore is the shamefullest thyng that may be to dooe them is no matter at all of any greate prayse or thanke Moreouer in case ye lende moneye to suche menne of whome ye veryly truste to receiue agayne al your owne principall that ye lent what acte doe ye woorthie or seming for the liuely herte of the ghospell dooe not the eiuil persons enterchaungeably lende one to an other and receiue theyr due suÌ„mes agayne It is but a common poyncte of pleasure doyng that euery iacke vseth to dooe an other man a commoditie at a time to the ende that the like commoditie may be dooen to thee agayne It is not a pleasure of the pure sorte that is doen to an other vpon hope of the lyke pleasure to come home agayn If thy neyghbour lacke and desyre thy helpe and requireth money in the waye of lone delyuer it him yea although there bee no hope at all that the money shall bee repayed thee but deliuer it with suche a mynde that in case he repaye it not thou canste bee contente he haue it of thy free gyfte and not of lone Let aswell your loue as also your beneficialnesse bee bothe franke free Beare ye good hertes euen to suche persons also as are ill willers to you doe ye benefites vnto suche as eyther will not dooe you benefite agayn orels will requite a benefite with a shrewed turne Lende also with suche a mynde that although there shall neuer come any parte therof to thy handes agayne yet thou haue a ioye and delyte to succoure thy neyghbour Neyther is there any daungyer lest ye for your parte shal lese your rewarde For how muche the lesser rewarde shall be eyther recompensed orels hoped for at the handes of men so much the more plenteous and aboundaunte rewarde will God repaye vnto you And so doyng the highest will acknowlage you as his chyldren of the right marke yf ye shall to your powers folowe hys manier of goodnesse For he is of his nature so beneficial a Lorde that like great liberalitie he bestoweth not onely vpon the good but also vpon the eiuill For vnto euery one dooeth he geue lyfe yea and besydes this bothe heauen and yearthe hath he fournished with so manye ornamentes so manye soundry kindes of richesse â–ª with so many commodities for the vse and seruice eueÌ„ of the wieked too â–ª prouoking the eiuil by his fauourable mercifulnes and also by his bounteouse liberalitie for to emende and stiering vp the good vnto thankes geuing This large beneficialnesse of your father and thesame to all creatures at all times open your duetie is lyke kindely children so to resemble and shewe in your selues that accordyng to his ensaumple as muche as in you is ye ernestelye studie by all meanes to dooe good vnto all persones aswell to the good that they maye bee made better as also to the eiuil that by youre ientle mekenesse they may be prouoked and stiered to honester wayes If God who is priuie to all mennes heartes yet neuerthelesse of the infinyte goodnesse of his nature is so beneficiall towarde veraye manye vnwoorthye creatures in whome he perfeictly knoweth that his largesse shall bee loste and caste away how muche more is it requisite for you to dooe thesame forasmuche as it is often seasons a thing to you vnknowen whether the parties that are holpen with a beneficiall good turne bee woorthye or vnwoorthye and the ende what it maye come to vs vncertayne For many times it chaunceth that those whiche at the first apparence seme naughte are good and honeste and agayne that they whiche at this presente are very naughtie men in dede dooe righte shortely after turne to a better mynde And true it is that euery creature shall fynde God suche an one towardes him as he shall haue shewed and vsed himselfe towardes his neighbour Iudge not and ye shal not bee iudged condemne not and ye shall not bee condemned forgeue and you shal bee forgeuen geue and it shal bee geuen vnto you good measure and pressed downe and shaken together and tunning ouer shall men geue into your bosomes For with the same measure that ye meate withall shall other men meate to you agayne Thys also forsoothe that foloweth is a poyncte of christian myldenesse and also of plainnesse vncounterfeict that ye enterprete and consâ—rue in the better parte all the sayinges and doynges of your neighboure as many as maye bee doubtefull of what minde they are dooen For an herte that is pure from all corrupcion is alwayes more enclined to thinke the best then to mistrust or deme eiuill As for in manifeste naughtye thynges of whiche sorte are these slaunderous backebiting filthye talke of riâ—auldie open robberie and aduoutrie it shal be
loue me through whose free mercy she hath been deliuered from her many fold synnesâ— So hath the greatnes of sinnes turned to a gracious and a blissed good end for her part And on the other side to whom lesse is forgeuen that partie doth not loue so greatly as for exaumple ye Pharyseis thinke your selues righteous for yâ— obseruyng of the lawe and not to haue any great thinges in you that nedeth Gods pardone and therfore your loue and affeccion is the colder towardes the geuer of remission The Lord whan he had spoken all this to the Pharisee sayed vnto the woman Thy synnes are forgeuen thee She had made no praiers in wordes she had made no confession at all in wordes but she dyd muche the more euidently confesse herselfe by her doinges and muche the more effectually did she praye with her teares And this is to Christe the moste acceptable confession of all And with this sorte of prayers is he moste soonest moued to shewe mercie Happie are those teares blissed is that waste losse of swete oyle blessed are those kysses which winne of Iesus to speake suche a worde as this Thy synnes are forgeuen thee For Christ is not one that forgeueth some and other some reserueth backe but he doeth freely pardone all sinnes together not imputyng any parte at all of the former naughtie liuing vnto any persone that is penitent from the botome of the herte ¶ And they that sate at meate with hym began to saye within themselues who is this whiche forgeueth synnes also And he sayed to the woman Thy fayth hath saued thee Goe in peace And now marke me agayne the pharisaicall holynesse True godlynesse doeth as veraily reioyce at an other bodyes good chaunces as at his owne But the Phariseis that sate there altogether at the table enuying the mercifulnesse of Iesus vnto the womanne beeyng oppressed with synne begoonne with secrete thoughtes to murmoure agaynst hym in theyr hertes saying what felowe is this whiche taketh so muche vpon hym that hauyng none other authoritie but his owne he remitteth sinnes too whiche power not one of all the prophetes or patriarkes hitherto hath vsurped No nor the priestes neither do take any ferther thyng vnto them then to praye for the synnes of the people But Iesus knowyng theyr secrete thoughtes because he would the more confirme the womans herte and sende her home agayne to her house a glad woman of a sorowfull sayed vnto her Thy feith and constaunt truste in me hath saued thee Goe thy wayes in peace The Phariseis had perswaded themselues that synnes were forgeuen through burnt sacrifices and through washynges And in dede those thynges had in them a certayne figure of thynges ghostly But the lorde Iesus playnly shewed vnto them that all synnes are throughe the feith of the ghospell full and whole forgeuen for euer to all suche as repente and emende And thus in these thinges whiche we haue made rehersall of hath as it were vnder a certayn shadowe been sette forth a certayne representyng of both peoples that is to wete the Iewes and the Gentyles of whiche two peoples the one that is to saye the Iewes did with kynde and louyng pretense of wordes call and bydde Christe vnto them crying by the space of many hundred yeres Come thou o Lorde and tarye not But whan he was come neyther did they on theyr owne parties receyue him as theyr bounden duetie was to haue doen because they beare themselues bolde on a false perswasion of holynesse whiche they had conceyued in theyr hertes throughe the outewarde obseruyng of the lawe and yet morouer did they murmoure and whine agaynst others that wer willyng to embrace saluacion whan it is offred For while they attempte and laboure throughe the oblacion of outwarde bodily thynges to establyshe their owne righteousnesse â–ª they were not subiecte to the righteousnesse of God which through feyth is freely geuen But the people of the Gentiles to whome Christe was not come forasmuche as besides ydolatrie which reigned in them they wer morouer altogether wedded to al kinde of vices ne had any affiaunce in the woorkes of the lawe in whiche they were altogether ignoraunte assoone as they had knowleage of Iesus did as ye might saie forceably breake in to him where he was and through the plain simplicitie of feith were made woorthie to haue remission of their grieuous offences and did withall possible earnest good myndes embrace kysse the fre gift of god whiche the Iewes did either set at naught or els at leste wyse did coldely and faintlye embrace Albeit there is in this woman an exaumple of repentaunce sette foorth vnto all creatures in generall whosoeuer shall begynne to lothe and hate synnefull dooynges that he turne not hymselfe to Moses or to the Phariseis ne vnto the philosophiers leat him make haste to Iesus onely and to none other None there is more mercifull then he none more enclined to pardone and to forgeue On Iesus leat hym poure oute that he hath tofore been accustomed wastefully to bestowe on his wicked sensualitee vnto the obedient seruice of Iesus leat hym consecrate al his membres whiche to fore did serue his filthy abhominable lustes The touchyng of Iesus shal take awaie all his synnes If he cannot come to touche Iesus head leat hym touche hym by the fete There is no parte of Iesus so basse but that it maye make hym whole from al his synnes A woman there was perfeictely cured and healed from a bloudy flixe whiche had no more but touched the skirtes of Iesus garmente And Iesus is wel contented that it bee imputed to himselfe whatsoeuer ientilnesse or pleasure hath been bestowed on the neighbours yea â—ueÌ„ of the moste lowest degree He will acknowelege any benefite that is doen to any membres of his Leate not therefore all the consideracion of a sinner bee howe muche he hath offended Leat hym not kepe any audite or accompte of his well doinges as though he would be at an euen poynte and rekonyng with Iesus in suche sorte as the Pharisees did But let him only with his veray hert thinke himself to bee naught with all his whole breste conceiue assured hope and truste on Iesus Leat hym begyn to hate that he did once after a naughtie facion loue let hym begyn to loue that once he wiekedly refused and cared not for Faythe shal at the moste mercifull Lordes handes obteigne that merites coulde by no possibilitie hope for And here emong al thynges o moste honeste Theophylus consider me three fold soondrie persones the firste of the woman beeyng a synner the second of the Pharisee and the third of the Iudge The Iudge onely and none but he is in veraye true dede pure from all staynyng or filthinesse of vice and synne or rather is the veray true fountayne of al puritie The woman a synner dooeth nothyng els but wepe wasshe wype kysse and enoynte Here haste thou the markes to knowe the
Phariseye euen the Samaritane is to bee loued of the Iewe yf he dooâ— hym good yet the Iewes who coulde perfeictlye saye by rote at their fingers endes Thou shalte loue thy God aboue all thynges thou shalte loue thy neighbour as well as thine owneself in the veraye owne person of Christe dyd breake both those commaundementes at ons being on the one parte reprochefull of theyr woordes agaynste God whose woordes they woulde not beleue whose miracles they staundreously reported to bee doen by the power of Beelzebub for the father beeing veraye God was in the sonne beyng veraye God and on the other parte they hated the neighbour which did them benefite for that they wroughte alwayes to destruye and putte hym to death who freely broughte healthe and saluacion vnto all creatures And suche an one hathe fulfilled aswell the one as the other of the commaundementes aboue rehersed which doeth in Christe both loue god aboue al thinges and man also hauyng moste highly doen for hym as himselfe For true it is that he is loued in hys membres in whome sembleablye he is offended whan their weake conscience is offended and is putte to open shame of the worlde whan they bee putte to shame and is putte to death whan they be putte to death ¶ It fortuned that as they went he entred into a certain toune And a certain woman named Martha receiued him into her house And this woman had a sistur called Marie whiche also sate at Iesus feete and hearde his woord But Martha was coumbred about muche seruing and stoode and saied lord doest thou not care that my sistur hath lefte me to serue alone Bidde her therefore that she helpe me And Iesus aunswered and saied vnto her Martha Martha thou arte carefull and troubled aboute manye thynges veraylye one is nedefull Marie hath chosen the good parte whiche shall not bee taken awaie from her With this Parable whan Iesus had taughte howe muche they were to bee loued who bestowyng theyr wholle tyme in thattendaunce of euangelicall doctryne haue none other care ne entente but to learne of Iesus the doctryne of lyfe whereof they maye geue parte vnto all persones and also how greately they are to bee loued who forsakyng and leauyng all seruice that is to be doen with the bodye dooe altogether attende suche thynges as concerne the soule there was a chaunce euen there to bee seene by the whiche thys documente and lesson may be the better enpriented in our minde for by suche plaine exaumples of experience the hertes of the grosse and ignoraunt sort are the more piththily and effectually framed For whan Iesus hauing voyd time of laisure froÌ„ other businesse was walkyng vp and downe with his disciples who hauyng geuen ouer all care of worldely matters attended onely to the gospel and nothing els it fortuned that they entred into a certain litle toune And there a certain womaÌ„ called Martha receiued and entreteined hym in her house This woman had a sistur called Marie They had eyther of theym eguall loue towardes the lorde but theyr course of liuyng was of twoo soondrye sortes The exercise also of theyr deuocion towardes God was of twoo soondry sortes lyke as in one bodye there bee soondrye vses of the lymmes and in the bodye of Iesus whyche is the churche there bee soondrye gyftes of the spirite For Marye as ye would saie makyng holy daye from all businesse that was to bee doen about the house set herselfe downe at our lord Iesus feete listenyng to hys talke wherewith she was so rauished that forgeattyng all other thynges she coulde not be plucked awaye from hym Contrariewyse Martha beeyng carefull aboute the prouydyng of the dyner ranne vp and down she was much vnquiete as one hauyng bothe her handes full and as buisye as coulde be that no manier pointe myght bee wantyng of all suche thinges as belonged to the sweteentreteinyng of the lorde and of his disciples It was one loue towardes the lorde that possessed them both but it would not suffre Mary to bee pulled awaie from his fete and it made Martha to destiere her vp and downe about the house and suffred not her to stande still by the lorde Thus dyd one and thesame zele force two sisturs vnto dooynges of two soondrye sortes whereas in louyng and making muche of Iesus they did throughly accorde Notwythstandyng Martha forasmuche as she was not hable but to her great paines to doe al thynges alone whych apperteined to the prepayryng of all thinges in ordre as it should be and sawe her sistur lyke an holydaye woman sittyng at the feete of Iesus she made no querele of vnkyndnesse to her sistur whom she knewe wel enough could not be pulled away but she halfe blamed Iesus who with suche wordes as he spake kept her awaye from puttyng to her helpyng hande beeyng than requisite Maister saith she doest thou nothyng care that my syster suffreth me to doe all the seruice my self alone Commaund thou her therfore that she helpe me orels I knowe she wyll not be pluckt away from thee except thou bidde her so great is the swetenesse of thy talke But yet in the meane time the diner must bee dressed and I beeyng but one sole woman am not able inough to dooe al that is to bee dooen At these woordes our lorde being delited with the zele of dothe the women dooeth nor disallow the diligence of Martha nor chydeth her whan she murmured against her syster but yet sumwhat taketh Maries parte saiyng O Martha Martha in dede thou art tormented with carefulnesse of dressyng the diner and art all vnquiet and drawen this way and that way about many thynges But there is one thing aboue all others necessary whiche ought continually to be doen if it might bee dooe thou make an ende of thy busynes that thou hast in hande howsoeuer thy prouidyng makyng ready for vs shall frame we shall be coÌ„tented with it But Marie hath choseÌ„ to her a great dele the better parte who hauyng forgotten thynges requisite for the body is altogether occupied in suche matters as do concerne the soule Therfore it were not reason that she should be pluckt away from thynges of the principall best sorte whiche she hath specially chosen and to be thrust oute to offices of basser seruice I doe in very good parte take this good loue and zele of thyâ—r whiche now at this tyme prepareth a repaste for me my dysciples but I am more refreshed and better filled at their handes which take into their soules my woordes that they may haue saluacion therby This is the meate whiche dooeth moste singulerly fede me this is the drinke wherwith I am refreshed Whoso is embusâ—ed with prouidyng for thynges perteinyng to the body is drawen many wayes into soondrie cares and an ende of all suche poyntes of takyng paynes shall at suche tyme cum wheÌ„ through she apperyng of immortalitie all necessities shal ceasse with whiche the wekenesse of
goddes hande who can not vse anye deceipte or fraude and who as he is both riche bountiful will for vile thinges repaye most precious for earthly thinges celestial for thinges transitory and shortly to bee taken awaye thynges eternally for euer and euer to endure Endeuour your selues therefore to bee grounded ryche menne in suche goodes as these geat you treasour bagges that dooe neuer weaxe olde and laye vp treasour for your vse in heauen whiche shall neuer fayle and whiche shall bee safe for you aswell from theues as from mothes For this thing we see commonlye to chaunce that in what place euery manne hath hys treasoure there hath he his hearte also For what thing a man dooeth earnestlye loue the same can he not forgeat lyke vnto a ryche manne that hath great goodes eyther layed vp at home in hys cofers or dygged in the grounde thoughe he bee abrode from home yet he hath hys hearte at home full of care and feare leste some priuye these shoulde robbe them leste any other casuall chaunce may eyther bewray or perishe hys treasour Agayne they that be in loue haue theyr myndes euermore earnestly fixed and set on the thyng that they loue But your herte muste euermore be in heauen And in heauen will it euermore bee if ye shall haue nothing on the earthe whiche ye dooe eyther hyghly esteme or loue but shall haue all your treasour safely layed vp in heauen ¶ Let your Iâ—ygnes bee girt about and your lightes burning and ye your selues like vnto men that awayte for theyr lorde when he will returne from the wedding that whaÌ„ he cometh and knocketh they may open vnto him immediatly Happie are those seruauÌ„tes whome the Lorde whan he cometh shall fynde wakyng Veryly I say vnto you that he shall girde himselfe about and make them to sit downe to meate and he walkyng by shall minyster vnto them And if he come in the seconde watche yea if he come in the third watche and fynde them so happie are those seruauntes This vnderstande ye that if the good man of the house knewe at what houre the thefe woulde come he woulde surelye watche and not suffer his house to bee broken vp Be ye therfore ready also for the sonne of manne will come at an houre whan ye thynke not The tyme is shorte with all earneste endeuour ye must attende that ye hoorde vp in heauen a great heape of good weorkes The daye approcheth euen at hande in whiche euerye one of you shall for the seede that you haue sowed of temporall thynges reape an harueste euerlastyng But because thys daie is to you vncertaine ye muste continually froÌ„ time to time bee prepayred and readie against it come And that shall ye bee if ye shall not bee stopped ne staighed with any lettes or impedimentes of wordely thinges if ye shall not haue leat slippe any occasion of doing good Agaynst the cumming of thys day than eat your loignes from time to time be wel girt about leat light burning candels be in your handes that ye may be like vnto wise and feithful seruauntes who because they are vncertayne what houre their lorde wil returne froÌ„ the wedding they stande continually in a redinesse watching with torche-light to the ende that assone as he beyng come home agayne shall knocke they may by and by open the doores vnto hym Thys diligence of seruauantes shall not be displeasaunte to the lorde or maister but happy may they bee yf the maister sodaynly cumminge shall see theym watching For this I saye vnto you for a certayntie that the maister shall geue agayne to theym an excedyng large rewarde for that pleasure and seruice whiche neuerthelesse it was their bounden dutie to doe For he agayne on hys partie shall girde hymselfe and diligently watching what euery one requireth to haue he shall as a seruitoure geue it theym hys owne handes Neyther dooeth it make any force in what parte of the night he cometh for it was his pleasure to haue that thyng vncertayne but at whatsoeuer watche of the night he cometh whether in the secounde or in the thirde or in the veray dead of the night happy shall the seruauntes bee yf the lorde shal finde them in a due readinesse There is therfore no slackenesse to be vsed in this life But so muste men liue as though that day shoulde come euen at this present houre For it shall sodainly and vnwares steale vpon the worlde therfore muste men alwaies prouyde that it maye not come vpon theim beyng vnready For after that he shall be ous already come it will by that time be ouerlate to amende the slepinesse afore paste There is none so sluggyshe a mayster of an house that woulde suffer to haue an hole dygged throughe into hys house by a nyghte these if he knewe afore hande what houre the thefe woulde come That if suche an one dooeth kepe continuall watche that he maye not bee spoyled of hys worldelye goodes howe muche more is it youre parte to watche that ye maye not lese the blisse euerlastyng As the nyghte thefe comethe stealyng at suche an houre whan the folkes of the house are moste harde and dead in slepe and leaste loking of all is for any body to vndermyne it so shall the sonne of man sodaynely come at suche an houre whan ye shall leaste of all mystruste or thynke that he will come Therefore in asmuche as that same tyme is to you vnknowen and yet vndoubted it is that come he will bee ye contynually readye well armed and furnyshed with good weorkes and lyghte as menne clene rydde and voyde from all lettes or encoumbraunces of thinges worldely ¶ Petur sayed vnto him Maister tellest thou thys similitude vnto vs or to all men And the lorde sayed Who is a feithfull and wise stewarde whome hys lorde shall make rewler ouer his householde to geue them their duetie of meat in due season happie to that seruaunte whome his lorde whan he cometh shal finde so dooing Of a trueth I say vnto you that he wil make him rewler ouer al that he hath But and if the seruaunt say in his herte my lorde will differre his cumming and shall beginne to smyte the seruauntes and maydens and to â—ate and drinke and bee dronken the lorde of that seruaunte wil come to a day whan he thinketh not and at an houre whan he is not ware and will heâ—e him in pieces and geue him his rewarde with the vnbeleuers Petur whan he had hearde these woordes sayde vnto the Lorde maister whether is it thy pleasure that thys parable shall appertayne properlye and directely to vs alone that are thy disciples or els dooeth it indifferentlye concerne and touche all people Than the lorde in suche sorte attempereth hys aunswere that he denyeth it not in some behalfe to perteyne to all menne that couet to atteygne euerlastyng saluacyon but specially he signyfyeth it to concerne suche as haue the despensacion and disbursing of
of lyuyng he remembreth none of all this geare he doeth so greatly reioyce that he hath got his sonne agayne The sonne thought hymselfe vnwoorthie the title or name of his sonne yet the father restoreth hym to his old state and degree agayn The sonne doeth vttrely condemne hymselfe the father doeth absolue and quitte hym The sonne did cast himselfe downe to bee a seruaunte the father setteth hym perfectly agayn in his olde state and dignitie For the father turnyng hymselfe to his seruauntes sayed bryng ye foorth quickely his former robe and apparell that he was woont to weare and put it on hym and sette also a ryng on his fynger and put on a payre of shooes on his fete And this doen fette ye also out of my pastures thatsame beste and fattest calfe that is there and kyll it Let vs prepare a feast and let vs reioyce for that this my sonne was once dead and is now come to lyfe and for that he was once perished and vtterly lost and is now found agayne So great a matier it is that a true penitent herte maye dooe with God There is no punishement ministred vnto hym onely to be of a penitente and coutriâ—e herte suffised his moste louyng father He whiche by his yll demeanour had made himselfe vnwoorthy to come in his fathers sight or presence thesame did the father espie and cast a mercifull iye vpon cummyng to wardes hym a great waye of He that hath deserued for euer to be thrust out of his fathers house whiche beyng an vnthankefull persone he had tofore wilfully and vnhonestly forsakeÌ„ to him returnyng and cuÌ„ming home agayne the father in his own persone came forth of the doores mette hym for he hath none in all his whole house more mercifull then he hymselfe is Hym that had cast hymself into the bondeseruice of abhominable maisters that is to wete the filthie pleasures of the bodye hym did his father vouchesafe to embrace in his armes To hym that had deserued to be scourged with many a sore stripe is geuen a kysse for a token of perfeicte loue and attonement Happie is that synner whom the Lord vouchesalueth to embrace and kysse Because he confessed his offences and refused the name of a sonne for that in his conscience he knewe himselfe faultie there was brought foorth and restored vnto hym all the tokens of his old dignitie He had loste all his apparell that was mete for suche a mannes sonne to weare but there was brought vnto hym the principall best robe and vesture of his former innoceÌ„cie whiche he had lost He had lost all the worthinesse and dignitie of a soonne of the house by his owne wilfull seruitude and yet is the ryng deliuered him agayn And because he should lacke nothyng that might serue for the deckyng and trymmyng of hym to the vttremoste he hath shooes put on his feete The young man hymselfe durst not hope to haue any suche thyng and how muche the lesse he hopeth or looketh for it so muche the sooner dooeth he obteyne and geat it And to thentente that none in the house should the lesse esteme hym or set by hym for his lyght and homely pranke of youth his father as soone as the calfe was killed moueth and prouoketh al his whole householde to reioyce altogether and allegeth good causes vnto them why they should be glad Howsoeuer he hath behaued hymselfe sayeth he my sonne he was he hath been dead and now is he called to life agayne For synne is the death of the soule And he renneth towarde death which leaueth and forsaketh the autour of life He leaueth and forsaketh the autour of lyfe whosoeuer is in loue with the thinges of this worlde for the worldly pleasures are ferre wyde from god almighties schoolyng And suche an one is reuiued agayne as dooeth repente and refourme his synnefull lyfe He was lost without any hope euer to bee recouered agayne as concernyng hymselfe howebeit he was found and gotten agayn To departe awaye froÌ„ the fathers house is to perishe for out of thesame house there is no health Neither is there any waye to returne excepte his father selfe putte it into his sonnes mynde beeyng now brought to extremities That the father putteth the remembraunce of hymselfe in the sonnes mynde is of his owne beneficiall goodnesse towardes the sonne but in that the sonne dooeth not neglecte it whan it is so putte vnto him this is imputed to hym as a thyng meritorious and the veraye confessyng of the fault is receyued and accoumpted for satisfaccion He was loste through his owne folye And was founde agayne by his fathers loue And because he repented and emended euen from the botome of the herte forasmuche as he did vttrely myslyke hymselfe his fathers mercifulnesse did not onely restore hym to his old dignitie â–ª but made also a feaste that he might commende and settefoorth his sonne to the hertie loue of all that were belongyng vnto hym ¶ The elder brother was in the fielde and whan he came and drewe nighe to the house he heard minstrelsie and dauncyng and called one of his seruauntes and asked what those thynges ment And he sayed vnto hym thy brother is come and thy father hath kylled the fatte calfe because he hath receyued hym safe and sounde And he was angrye and woulde not goe in Than came his father out and entreated hym He aunswered and sayed to his father loe these many yeares haue I dooen thee seruice neither brake at any tyme thy commaundement and yet gauest thou me neuer a kidde to make mery with my frendes but as soone as this thy sonne was come which hath deuouted al thy gooddes with harlottes thou hast for his pleasure killed the fatte calfe And he sayed vnto hym sonne thou arte euer with me and all that I haue is thyne It was mere that we should make merie and bee glad for this thy brother was dead and is aliue agayn and was lost and is found And suche manier an one as the father here beeyng expressed by the similitude of a parable shewed hymselfe towarde his sonne euen suche ones ought curates and bishops to shewe themselues towardes the penitent synner But the proude Phariseis who fauouryng theyr owne faultes dooe nothyng but shewe moste cruell tyrannie vpon other mennes faultes are ferre wyde froÌ„ this exaumple And beholde whyle al the wholle house of the father that is to saye the wholle congregacion of deuout and godly persones was altogether merie and full of all reioycyng onely the brother beeyng well resembled to the Pharisees doeth enuie and grutche at it For whyle these thynges were in doyng the elder sonne was not at home but was busily occupied in the fielde of Moyses lawe labouryng till he sweate agayne with carrying the burdens of the coÌ„maundementes and moste peinefullye wadyng and strougleyng to beare the heauye woorkes of the lawe whereas the younger brother dydde in the meane tyme receyue and take the moste
who is thissame that hath the holy scriptures and all the doctrine and lyfe of Iesus so prompte at his fingers endes and the whiche doeth in suche wise hold vs stil moueth the verai bottome of our herte roote◠with talke of suche efficacie and pith This man did we neuer see emōg the disciples and yet doeth nothyng escape him but he knoweth it They dyd nomore but cast a fansie of loue vnto him halfe in a dreame and hadde a great delite to learne Iesus of Iesus self For neuer is he with better lucke or successe learned then whan himselfe vouchesalueth to teache hymselfe vnto vs. Theyr iourney beyng with this other lyke cōmunicacion wel ouerpassed they did now drawe nere to the litle towne called Emaus Than Iesus because he would the more enkiendle their desirefulnesse fēbled made coūtenaunce as though he woulde not make any tariaunce at Emaus but made as though he had yet somewhat ferther waie to goe for the others as men fallen in despatre had forsaken Hierusalem and were in returnyng home into theyr owne countrey where they were borne wheras suche persones as haue truelye belieued in Christe haue here in this world no parmanent citie but doe by continual iourneyng make haste vnto thatsame other citie celestiall But the sayed two disciples because they could not bee plucked awaye from suche a ioly talkyng companion on the waye they praye hym they beseche hym for Goddes sake they make al possible instaunte requeste vnto him yea and in conclusion bothe with desyryng which wolde not haue any nay also with takyng and holdyng him fast by the cloke and vesture that he went in wheras he refused so to dooe they compel him without choyce or remedie to take lodgeyng with them that night now callyng hym by the name maister not that they knewe hym to bee Iesus but because that by his meruaylous talke they coniectured hym to bee no common waifaryng man And this sayed they vnto hym Maister thou haste hytherto shewed thyselfe a swete and frendly coumpanion on the waye now shew thy self also a like geaste vnto vs. Why wouldest thou committe thyself to goyng of a ferther iourney The euentyde now draweth faste on and the sunne draweth well towardes setting in the west Of veray good cause dooe they hate the nighte as many as loue Iesus and yet ought not suche people to feare the nighte of this worlde as haue Iesus to theyr coumpanion And Iesus loueth to be prayed to doe the thyng whiche he dooeth with glad will partely to the entent he maye geue his giftes to persones ientilly deseruyng it and worthie of it and partely to teache vs a lesson that a benefite or good turne is to bee put in the lappe and will he nill he to bee dooen to the neighbour beeyng in necessitee For some persons do in suche sorte offre a good turne to the neighbour as thoughe they were in feare leste the partie to whom it is offreed ▪ would not refuse it and they geue it with suche a countenaunce that they seme to geue it agaynst their stomakes Iesus hereupon entreed the toune and vouchesalued to vse their courteous entreteinmente ¶ And it came to passe as he sate at meate with them he tooke breade and blissed it and brake and gaue to them And their iyes were opened and they knewe hym he vanished out of their sight And they sayed betwene themselues did not our hertes burne within vs ▪ while he talked with vs by the waye and opened to vs the scriptures And they arose vp thesame houre and returned agayn to Hierusalem and found the eleuen gathered together and them that were with them saying the Lorde is risen in dede and hath appered to Symon And thei told what thynges were doen in the waye and how thei knew him in breakyng of breade The sayed twoo disciples beyng glad men of so great and noble a geaste wha◠they had ministred vnto him all manier of thynges whiche are wont to bee ministred to geastes that are welcome to ones house they also layed a table and made readie for supper and as apperteined for men of their slendre hauour thei sette theron for hym suche poore parte as they had The fare was competent meane without any excesse but aboue al thinges their countenaunces that they set theron were good and frendely aunswerable to their moste sincere hertes And now that Iesus was sette at the table with them he tooke bread he blissed it and brake it and than raught it forth to them And because thei knewe this guyse to be as a thyng peculiarly vsed of Christ and no man els that he would before meate geue thankes vnto the father and thā afterward he would breake it with his owne handes and so distribute it emong his disciples These twoo disciples as it had ben sodaynly awakened out of slepe begonne bothe at once to thynke in theyr myndes vpon Iesus And immediatly the impediment that had hitherto been therof beyng now taken away thei knew by that marke that it was veray Iesus in dede And while that a certain sodain kynde of beyng amazed entred into theyr hertes Iesus vanished awaie out of their sight For after the time of his death forthward he did but a litle at once and after a sparing facion shewe hymselfe in presence either for that the infirmitie of mortall men was not hable to abyde the maiestie of his bodye beyng returned to life again or els because they might by litell and litell enure themselues to lacke the sight of his body which was verai shortely after to bee had awaye from them to the ende they should now loue him after the spirite Ferthermore they haue perfect markes to know Iesus but in the house whiche is the churche or holy congregacion they haue no sure markes of him but whan himselfe reacheth forth vnto them the breade of the worde euangelicall For he it is that openeth the iyes wherwith Iesus is by sure markes and tokens knowen On the waye had he broken and geuen them thatsame bread after a misticall sorte whan he opened the scriptures vnto them And the thyng that he had there dooen after the spirite he did afterwarde renewe by a corporall and bodyly token And whan Iesus was in body goen they did now better see him then at suche tyme whan he was in bodye present with them Theyr iyes were holden because they beleued not Now whan he is absent they see him with the iyes of theyr faith After the departure of Iesus awaie from them they ceasse not to talke of Iesus betwene themselues saying how happened that it was so late ere we knew Iesus A certayn kynde of slepe possessed our myndes the blessyng of the bread the breakyng and the geuyng of it vnto vs was the firste thyng that did shake awaye thesame slepe but had we not been as men half a slepe we mighte of his veray talkyng with vs euen aswel
beleue his witnes yet haue I a more certaine testimonye of my selfe that is to saye my fathers testimonie and witnes who is greater than Iohn and whose witnes cannot be reproued There is no recorde more sure than the very dedes that a man doeth yf ye do perceyue those workes to be worthy for God whiche ye haue seen me dooâ— they beare sufficient witnesse of me that I doe nothyng of my selfe but by hym whiche for your saluacion hath sente me into the worlde wherfore ye haue no cause whereby to excuse your infidelitie and diminishe my credence as who sayeth I alonely were myne owne witnesse and did declare great thynges of my selfe Ye haue Iohns witnes whiche among you is muche regarded and taken to be very weightie howbeit in dede he rather nedeth my witnesse lesâ—e he seme to haue borne false witnes Ye haue the testimonie of my workes so that nowe ye nede not to beleue any mannes sayinges when ye looke vpon the dedes themselfe And if all this dooe not satisfie your vnbeliefe yet haue ye hearde at Iordane the voice of my father from aboue bearing witnes of me But yet my father forasmuche as he is a spirite neither hathe voice whiche maye be perceyued with mannes eares nor fourme or shape that maye bee seen with bodely iyes For Moses did neyther heare him nor see hym in the veraye fourme of his owne mere nature as you suppose he did Onely his sonne hath seen hym and heard him after that sorte â–ª yet neuertheles he hath made himselfe knowen to your senses by some kynde of voyce and thorowe some manner of fourme He spake to the Prophetes and by the Prophetes hath spoken to you He hath spoken to Iohn and by Iohn to you but vnto me he hath spoken as he is of his owne very nature and by me he speaketh vnto you If ye can make no excuse but that Iohn did beare playne manifest witnesse why do ye not beleue hym If ye thinke that God in very dede did speake and was seen of Moses and the Prophetes wherfore do ye not credite those thynges which he hath spoken by them ¶ Searche the scriptures for in them ye thinke ye haue eternall lyfe And they are they whiche testifie of me and yet will ye not come to me that ye mighte haue lyfe I receyue not prayse of men but I knowe you that ye haue nor the loue of God in you I am come in my fathers name and ye receyue me not if an other come in his owne name him will ye receiue Howe can ye beleue whiche receiue honour one of another and seke not the honour that cummeth of God Do not thinke that I will accuse you to my father There is one that accuseth you euen Moses in whome ye truste For had ye beleued Moses ye would haue beleued me for he wrote of me but yf ye beleue not his wrytynges howe shall ye beleue my woordes Uerely ye beleue that the scriptures are come from God and albeit you do diligentely occupie your selues in searchyng of them and put the â—ope and felicitie of your lyfe in them yet euen as ye would not beleue Iohn to whom in other thynges ye gaue very great credite when he bare witnes of me so you beleue not the very scriptures in that whiche is the chiefe poynte of all for they promyse life but through me The father doeth there beare witnesses of me and promiseth that he wil send his sonne by whom men shall be saued But as ye haue heard Iohn and not beleued hym and also the voice of the father and not geuen credite vnto it so neither the witnesse of the lawe nor of the Prophetes sticketh in your myndes And although ye haue theyr bookes euer in your handes and their woordes alwaye in your mouthes yet doe ye reiecte hym whome those scâ—iptures dooe promyse and doe not beleue hym whome the father hath sent accordyng to the promyses of the Prophetes and wheras there is none other entrie into life but by me who hathe been approued to you by so manye testimonies yet ye wyll not forsake all thing and come to me wherby ye maie obtain life withoute difficultie For the gate and entrie of saluacion is to haue beleued the sonne whoÌ„ the father sent There is no cause why I should seke for worldlye glory amonges you by the testimonie of Iohn or the Prophetes but I am sory for youre destruccion whiche through your incredulitie dooe in maner enuye your owne saluacion And besides that I leaue you no maner of excuse to make for your selfe if you will not beleue for I haue brought foorth thus manye witnesses whiche in other thynges be of veray great auctoritie among you and onelye in matters concernyng me for whose cause all thynges wer written and spokeÌ„ ye doe not alowe them ye pretende to wurship and loue God ye haue the prophetes in reuerence by whom he spake and yet you do despise him which was promised of God and doeth declare himselfe by his workes what he is This is a playne argument that ye wurship God with counterfaicte holynes and that ye loue not God in dede whom the lawe commaundeth you to loue with all the power of your soule and your streÌ„gth inasmuche as ye contemne and regarde not his sonne Therfore your infidelitie is not for wante of witnesses but for lacke of true loue towardes God You loue worldly glory you loue money â–ª you loue pleasures and to get these thynges you misuse your selues with false pretence of religion But ye persecute the sonne of God because he teacheth those thynges whiche be contrary to these your wicked desyres albeit his reachyng agreeth with the will of the father These thynges declare that ye loue not god with your herte For he whiche loueth doeth also beleue and obeye and whoso loueth the father cannot hate his moste entierly beloued sonne In lyke maner he that loueth the sender cannot mislyke and contemne the messanger specially consideryng I couet neither glory kyngdome nor richesse among meÌ„ but onely the glory of my father And also I couet that to th entent you maye be saued You see workes wurthy for God and yet I doe not ascribe the worldlye prayse to my selfe but to my father who worketh by me Therfore although ye would â—eme religiously to wurship my father yet ye do not receyue me who am come in his name and doe none other thyng but that whiche he hath prescribed vnto me And looke howe peruersely you do discredite me who cummyng in my fathers name do freely offer lyfe and saluacion euen so fondely shall ye beleue whosoeuer cummeth in his owne name presumpteously takyng vpon hym the glory of God and therewith attendeth his owne busines and not Gods bringyng suche thyngâ—s vnto you as maye leade you into eternal death If ye loue God why do ye murmure and crie out agaynst him that seketh his glory If ye loue euerlastyng lyfe why
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
vnto him Lorde come and see And Iesus wept then sayed the Iewes behold how he loued hym And some of them sayde Coulde not he whiche opened the iyes of the blinde haue made also that this man shoulde not haue dyed So than Marie went furth and founde Iesus as yet vnentred within the walles of the towne but abode in that place where as Martha had late before met him For he tarried there for Marie whome he commaunded to be called to hym chosyng a place fitte to weorke the miracle in because the graue was not far from that place as the maner was than to make the dead mens sepulchres nye the hye wayes When Marie was come thither assone as euer she sawe Iesus as in dede she was very woefull she fell downe at his feete spake weping the same thing that hir syster had sayde Lord sayth she if thou haddest bene here in due time my brother had not bene dead and we had bene without this miserable weping and waylyng But Iesus seeing Marie altogether in heuinesse the Iewes lykewise that folowed her wepyng withall he dyd not reason and stande in disputacion with her as he dyd with her sister Martha with whome he talked aparte the people being remoued asyde neyther dooeth he promyse any thyng when as nowe was place and tyme to performe in dede that whiche he had promysed Martha but Iesus I say firste of al groned in the spirite and was troubled in himself euen to shew the truth of his manhoode ready anon after to bryng furth a sygne of hys diuine power and Godhead They were no fayned affeccions that he was of so lothsome a mynde and in himselfe so troubled but there was good skill why he tooke vnto hym those mocyons of mynde whiche came not of the infirmitie of nature but by the consente of reason neyther was it al one cause why other wept and why Iesus was troubled They bewayled the death of the body of a certayn worldely and naturall affeccyon Iesus rather mislyked and lothed mennes sinnes whereby so many soules shoulde peryshe he was dysquyeted throughe the inuincible dyffydence of the Iewes who wepte for theyr frendes bodelye death when as them selues as touchyng the soule were subiecte to eternall deathe and yet dyd they not wepe for themselues Iesus desyred that all men should reuiue from this deathe and had indignacion that hys doctryne miracles and deathe should be loste in many one Therefore after that by horriblenes of spirite and by trouble of mynde in countenaunce iyes and in the whole habite of his bodye he had genen a manifest profe of hys manhoode teachyng also by the waye that it behoueth not to yelde and bee subdued to suche affeccions or to be called away from thynges of vertue the turmoyle of his mind beeyng refrayned and stayed Iesus sayde where haue ye layed hym not that he was ignoraunt therof but to remoue all suspicion of disceyt from the myracle His kinsfolkes aunswereth Lorde come and see That aunswere proued that the graue was not far of And nowe as if at the sight of the graue his sorow had ben renued Iesus wept Groning and trouble went before a token of sorow that with force entred into hys mynde Teares are as it were the bloud of a minde already wounded and ouercome But these teares came not from a mind that was ouercome for they were not bestowed vpon Lazarus that was dead but they were for vs that we should beleue him to be very man and also learne how death of the soule is to bee pitied and lamented whiche yet men doe not in suche sorte abhorte and bewaile But the Iewes supposing that Iesus was in suche moode for nought elles but for the death of hys frende with whome he was acquaynted behold say they how enterely he loued Lazarus for whom being dead he wepeth in such sort and yet were they nothing of kinne And some there were that would haue layed to his charge and rebuke his teares wherwith he testifyed no meane or common loue towardes Lazarus sayng Dyd not thys felowe of late geue sight to the blinde beggar with whoÌ„ he had no acquaintaunce Why than made he not that his great frende should not die In case he had no wil to doe it why dooeth he nowe signifye with teares loue that cummeth out of season If he could not doe the thing that is more easie to be doeÌ„ how did that feat which is of more difficultie to be dooen The phisicion manye tymes saueth the sicke mans lyfe There was neuer maÌ„ before gaue sight to him that was borne blind ¶ Iesus therfore againe groned in himselfe â–ª and came to the graue It was a caue and a stone was layed on it Iesus sayed take ye away the stone Martha the sister of him that was dead said vnto him Lord by this time he â—â—inketh for he hath bene dead fower daies Iesus sayth vnto her Saied I not vnto thee that if thou didst beleue thou shouldest se the glory of God â–ª then they toke away the stone from the place where he that had bene dead was layed But Iesus nowe being nye to the graue to declare playnly how horrible is the state of a manne that hath alreadye lyen long in synne and with howe great repentaunce howe many teares are nedeful that throughe Gods mercy he may penitentely returne to the lyfe of innocencie dyd grone agayne and fared euill with hymselfe exemplyfying in hymselfe verely the thyng whiche ought to be exhibite in vs if we will eftsones repente vs of the euilles and returne from the same wherin we haue long tyme nusseled our selues Nowe than they were come to the graue It was verely a caue whose mouthe was closed with a stone layed vpon it And that made much to the beliefe of the miracle and to exclude the suspicyon of inchauntment and delusion and because the beliefe therof should be more certayne and sure if the thyng were dooen by the handes of hys frendes and not with Iesus owne handes or hys disciples for those frendes suspect no fraude or illusion Iesus than turned him to theÌ„ and sayed take awaye the stone The playne meanyng of Martha sister to the dead man did also set furth made a more certentie of the miracle For she now forgetting what Iesus had promised her did through the wepyng and heuinesse that she sawe Iesus in come agayne into her olde mynde and affeccyon and conceiued almost a certayn diffidence Uerely she feared lest the stone beeyng taken awaye the styncke of the deade bodye shoulde offende theyr noses that stode by not considering that he which in the general resurreccion should rayse all mens bodies already many hundreth yeres before turned into duste coulde rayse a dead bodye euen newlye putrifyed She I tell you thus thynking sayd Lord by this tyme he stinketh For he hath bene dead fower dayes Iesus therefore did with a litle rebuke styrre vp the vnconstaunt and wauering womans fayth saying
a commaundemeÌ„t yea with an autoritie also that if any maÌ„ knew where he were in secrete that they should shew it that he might be appreheÌ„ded With these approued holy customes the bishops and Phariseis that were guides maisters of religion prepared themselfes to the feastful day but in the meane while they vnwares procured the saluacion of the worlde ¶ The .xii. Chapter Then Iesus sixe dayes before Easter came to Bethanie where Lazarus had been dead whom he raysed from death There they made him a supper and Martha serued but Lazarus was one of them that sate at the table with hym IEsus therfore knowyng that they had concluded vpon his death and that the tyme also was nigh when as he had determined willingly to be offred in sacrifice an vnspotted lambe for the saluacioÌ„ of the worlde he would no longer kepe hymselfe in secrete but as one offreyng hymselfe to be a sacrifice the seuenth daye before the feast of Easter in whiche daye the Iewes were wount at a solemne supper as it were to â—aste before hand the pascall lambe he retourned againe to Bethania both to call to remembraunce the lately doen miracle and also to impriente the hope of the resurreccion in the myndes of his disciples whom he knewe should be with his death excedyngly troubled in mynde For there dwelt Lazarus whom he had a fewe dayes before raysed from death to lyfe And the place was more notable for beeyng nigh to Ierusalem There therfore a supper was made readie for Iesus Martha serued him at supper But Lazarus was one of the numbre that sate at supper with him to make it more certain to them all that it was no vision nor gost whiche lately was seen to goe out of the graue home to his house forasmuche as he had nowe liued after his death many dayes and had also both commoned and eaten with other Then toke Mary a pounde of oyntmente called Nardus perfite and precious and anoynted Iesus feete and wiped his feete with hir heare and the house was filled with the odour of the oyntment There did Mary who with a siguler loue loued the Lorde Iesus ardently come to the feast as wel for many other causes as for the late benefite shewed vpon her brother and shedde vpon Iesus head sitting at the table a great quantitie of very precious oyntmente whiche was made of the beste kynde of Nardus to the mountenaunce of a pounde Insomuche that the whole house was filled with the sauour of the oyntmente And yet was the womans suche loue as hath not been heard not herewith content but annointed his fete with oyntmente and washed them with teares and wiped them with her heer not that she thought Iesus did delite in suche delicacies whose moderate sobrietie she knew but great ferueÌ„cie of loue caused her doe as her minde gaue her without stay of herselfe for truely she knew not nor coÌ„sidered what she did but yet through doing honor she gaue aduertisemeÌ„t before hand of Iesus death buriall was a figure of the churche whiche should embrace with godly honor the lord whom the Synagogue despised Than sayed one of the disciples euen Iudas Iscarioth Symons sonne which afterward betraied him why was not this oyntmente solde for thre hundred pence geuen to the poore This he sayed not that he cared for the poore but because he was a thefe and had the bagge and bare that whiche was geuen The disciples thought much at the bestowing of this oyntmente as a thing wastfully spente but specially Iudas Iscarioth was moued withall to whom as to the wurst of them al the purse was committed to thintent that the wurst man should be the disposer laier out of the naughtiest thyng he was wonte as the maner of theÌ„ that hath the handelyng of money is which is common to many to steale priuily somewhat therof to himselfe not with a single pure minde depending of the maistership autoritie that Iesus had ouer him but euen than making prouision for himselfe wherwith he might liue after he were departed out of Iesus felowship He therfore repining against Mary sayed to what purpose is it to loose so precious a thing For neither is our Lord maister delighted in suche nyce thinges neither is this sumptuousnes seming for our feast And in case this woman had been determined to bestowe so precious a thing when it had been geuen it might haue been solde and the price therof geuen to the poore This ye wote well had been more godly and more seming for our maister and vs too Albeit in dede the other Apostles also did speake these thynges of a simplicitie and mente none euill therin yet had Iudas a farre vnlike mynde though his woordes were like vnto theirs for he had no care of the poore mens cause but he kept the purse and the thing whiche frendes sente of their free good will dyd he full vniustly kepe therof priuily stole somewhat euen than shewyng some profe of hymselfe howe vnfit he is for the ministracion of Gods woorde whose mynde the inordinate desire of money doth possesse Than sayed Iesus let her alone against the daye of my burying hath she kept this for the poore alwayes shall ye haue with you but me haue ye not alwaye Muche people of the Iewes therfore had knowledge that he was there And they came not for Iesus sake onely but that they might see Lazarus also whom he raised from death but the hye priestes helde a councell that they myght put Lazarus to death also because that for his sake many of the Iewes went awaye and beleued on Christe But Iesus did so apease his disciples murmuryng that yet he did not openly disclose the malice of Iudas in suche wise he toke Maries part that he signified howe of his owne voluntarie wil he should dye For our Lord Iesus most coueted to haue all folke induced to beleue not that by compulsion of man but by his owne good aduisement he should suffre death for the saluacioÌ„ of man euen as he would and when he would Grudge ye not sayeth he at this womans obsequiousnesse benefite towardes me This coste is not lost but this honor is doen and bestowed against the time of my buriyng which honor this woman doth now preuenting the thing for than shall there lacke wherwith to anoynte You do iudge well of me that beyng aliue I haue alwaie refused suche plesante thinges yet I will that my death and burial be cumly and honorable doe not haue enuy at this my honor which is bestowed on me that shall shortely departe hence Ye shall haue alway with you ready at your hand great plenty of these common sorte of poore men whose nede ye maye succour ye shall haue me but a while And because many of Ierusalem came much to Bethania by reason of the nynesse and bycause of Lazarus in that he was a notable a tyche man and therby knowen to many but
more to moue them all to beleue and to leaue them no excuse at al that through theyr owne wilful malice would perishe declaryng what great profite should come to them that beleued and how great destruccion to them that did persiste in theyr vnbeliefe Iesus I saye cryed and sayd all you do professe that ye beleue on God But forasmuche than as I am come from god nor saye or do any thyng vnlesse he beyng the auctour whosoeuer beleueth on me beleueth not on me that do nothing of my self but on him that sent me into the worlde The worlde is full of darkenesse of errour and sinnes And therfore dyd I descend into the world from my father that is the fountayne of al light as a beame from the sūne that errours beyng remoued and synnes taken awaye I should be the lighte of the worlde Truely by faythe are the iyes of the blynde opened that they maye see lighte and no more fall in darkenesse All my doctrine miracles and what thyng soeuer I haue doen or shall do to this hath respecte that he whiche beleueth on me and putteth his whole affiaunce in me doeth not abyde in darkenesse but beyng lightned with knowledge of trueth and pourged from al sinnes of their old lyfe maye through leadyng of the light and by godlinesse of the ghospel procede to euerlastyng lyfe And if any man heare my wordes and beleue not I iudge hym not for I came not to iudge the worlde but to saue the world He that refuseth me receyueth not my wordes hath one that iudgeth him The worde that I haue spoken thesame shal iudge him in the last daye But if a man heare my wordes and obey them not that hearing doeth so not profite him that for his vnbelefe he shal haue a more sory ende not that I shall iudge him For I came not to condemne the worlde for the sinnefull enormities therof but to saue it beyng once purged by fayth But neyther yet shall that man escape terrible iudgemente whiche when he hath hearde my woordes casteth thē awaye and contemneth thē Uerily at this present I omitte nothyng wherby I may drawe al folke to eternal saluaciō nor any man shal be loste through my faulte But whosoeuer shall contemne saluacion when it is offred hym this selfe sayed woorde whiche I now speake shall condemne hym and shall in the laste daye rebuke him because he did perishe through his owne wilfull malice I for my parte haue inuited menne with promising them rewardes I haue feared them by threatnyng them with punishementes I haue allured thē with benefites I haue prouoked them with miracles I repell no bodye from saluacion I set open a ready waye for euery man and woman to life What excuse therfore in the laste daye shall he pretende that beyng so many wayes prouoked to belefe doeth continue still in his blindnesse For I haue not spoken of my selfe but the father whiche sent me he gaue me a commaūdemente what I should saye and what I shoulde speake And I knowe that his commaundemente is lyfe euerlastyng whatsoeuer I speake therfore euen as the father bad me so I speake If ye be wurshippers of God as ye thinke your selues to be in case ye haue the lawe in reuerence ye cannot contemne my woordes For I do not speake of myne owne heade as they be woont to do whiche dooe feine what they liste to theyr owne prayse and aduauntage nor I do not teache thynges repugnaunte to the law but I do perfourme in dede those thynges whiche the lawe did shadow in figures and prophecied should come Futhermore my father who is the auctour of the lawe and from whom I came hither hath prescribed me what I shall saye and do Therfore consideryng that I do obeye his commaundementes in all thynges how can ye honour hym when as ye do cōtemne his ambassadour And truely the thing whiche he hath geuen me in commaundement he hath onely commaunded it of loue towardes you that you throughe beleuyng the thinges whiche I shewe vnto you maye obtayne euerlastyng lyfe Lyke as my father thirsteth the saluacion of all and seketh no mans damnacion so verely do I desyre to haue all saued and wyll suffre none to perishe as muche as in me lyeth verily Wherfore because I am well assured that whatsoeuer he hath willed me to saye doeth perteyne to your saluacion therefore doe I leaue naught vnspoken that he hath assigned me to saye vnto you As touchyng this good will of God the father towardes you and myne also which throughly agreeth with my fathers wil and minde see there be no defaulte on your behalfe wilfully sekyng your owne damnacion when as ye maie attaine to eternal saluacion The .xiii. Chapter Before the feast of Easter when Iesus knewe that his houre was come that he should departe out of this worlde vnto the father when he loued his whiche were in the worlde vnto the ende he loued them OUr Lorde Iesus didde with these kynde of woordes exhorte the wicked people to prouide for theyr owne saluaciō and to leaue their vngracious purpose consideryng he had leafte nothyng vnassayed whereby they might be recouered and brought to a better minde and emendmente Nowe then was no more a doe but to enstructe his disciples whom he had speciallye chosen whome he should shortely leaue behinde him and whome he knewe would be muche discoumfited with the deathe of theyr maister against the storme that was imminente and nye at hand and throughly to pull out of theyr myndes those Pestilences whiche corrupteth the sinceritie of the ghospell that is to saye enuie hatred pride ambicion and graffe in them affeccions contrary to these declaryng therein the tokens of perfite charitie whose example and steppes they should folow in louing eche other mutually shewing also the mannier of suche mekenesse and humilitie as hath not been hearde of wherby one shoulde preuente an other sembleably with mutuall benefites Therfore the daye before Easter whiche the Hebrues as was sayed before did call Phase that is to saye a passeouer forasmuche as oure Lorde Iesus from whom nothyng was hid knewe the tyme nowe to bee at hande when as hymselfe aunsweryng to the name of that feastefull daye shoulde passe out of this worlde and go agayn to his father from whēce he came seyng he had alwaies loued his Apostles whom he had specially chosē to hymselfe as his familiares and frendes whiche shoulde not yet depart out of the worlde but shoulde haue a great and long battayle with the world he didde declare his continuall loue and charitie towardes them Neyther the storme of his death beeyng nowe at hande did put awaye the zele and affeccion whiche he bare towardes them but at his veray departyng from them he did speciallye shewe tokens of a certayne rare loue not that he had fayntly loued them before but because those thinges whiche he shoulde printe into theyr myndes at his goyng from them mighte more diepely remayne in memorie
presente my selfe vnto you aliue for this kynde of deathe shall not alienate vs in sundre nor kepe me out of youre syghte for I shall liue agayne yea after that I bee deade and I shall not onelye liue but there withall bryng to you lyfe euerlastyng and notwithstandyng the tyme of myne absence I beeyng alyue shall fynde you aliue and I will so spende my life for you that you shall be in health and safegarde Then shall you vnderstande more fully that as nothyng can pull my father from me nor me from my father so am I bothe to you and you agayne to me ioyned by mutuall charitie together that death can not disioyne vs let your onely care be that by youre owne faulte ye bee not vncoupled and let lewse The obseruyng of my commaundementes shal try true charytie nor he loueth not in herte that neglecteth the preceptes of his Lorde It is not sufficiente to haue accepted my commaundementes vnlesse a manne retayne them in mynde Nor it is not inoughe to remembre theym excepte they bee kept he that doth accomplishe and kepe these is he that truelye loueth me For to bee tormented in mynde for my departure is no proufe of veraye trewe loue I that truely do loue my father do kepe all his commaundementes and will kepe theym vnto death of the crosse And there is no cause why my commaundementes of sufferyng iniurye pacientelye of beatyng the crosse quietely shoulde muche putte you in feare as seuere and grieuous commaundementes and why for charitie shall sweten and make them all easie and there shall not lacke coumforte at my hande for surely whoso loueth me he shal be bothe loued of my father and I also wyll loue hym and neuer leaue him succourlesse but will see hym againe and will openlye shewe my selfe vnto hym to bee looked vpon to make it more certain that I doe not vtterly perishe by suffryng deathe of the crosse Nowe I geue my selfe to bee seen of all folke but than no manne shall see me excepte he abyde constantly in frendeshyppe Of trueth our Lorde Iesus spake these thynges sumwhat darkelye not onely signifiyng that he beeyng reuiued agayne would often after his death come among his frendes to bee seen but that he would also by the holy ghoste his spirite secretely place and wynde himselfe into theyr myndes and that finally he woulde come in the glorye of his father in the open sight of all folke ¶ Iudas saieth vnto him not Iudas Iscarioth lorde what is done that thou will shewe thy selfe vnto vs and not vnto the worlde Iesus aunswered and said if a manne loue me he will kepe my saiynges and my father will loue him and we will come vnto hym and dwell with him He that loueth me not kepeth not my sayinges And the worde which ye heare is not mine but the fathers whiche sent me These thinges haue I spoken vnto you beyng yet present with you but the comforter whithe is the holy ghost whome my father will send in my name he shall teache you al thinges and bring all thinges to your remembraunce whatsoeuer I haue sayed vnto you Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you Not as the worlde geueth geue I vnto you Let not your hettes be greued neyther feare ye haue hearde how I sayd vnto you I goe and I come againe vnto you If ye â—haâ—â— me ye woulde verely reioyce because I sayd I goe vnto the father For the father is greater than I. Now than where as Iudas not he verely that is called Iscarioth which was absente at this sermon but the other Iudas whose surname was Lebbeus did not fully vnderstande our lordes saiyng but beyng throughe sorowe and feare very sore troubled dyd suppose that our Lorde shoulde in suche wyse appeare to his frendes as terrible spirites phantastical sightes shewe themselfes many tymes in the darkenesse of the nyght or as certain visions appeare in dreames rather to the feare of men then to mennes coumforte This Iudas therfore saith Lorde what hath chaunced that when now thou maieste be seen of all folke thou shalte not than appeare to the worlde but onely to vs And howe canste thou be one that may be seen of vs yf thou be such one as other cannot see But Iesus because he knewe that his disciples were not yet able to vnderstande the misterie howe that the same bodye whiche hadde been deade and buiried but nowe made spirituall and hable to dooe as it lyste shoulde ryse agayne Iesus I saye knowyng this dyd not playnely answere to the thyng that was asked but turned his saiyng to that thyng whiche was more necessarye to bee imprinted in theyr heartes whereby they shoulde nowe bee prepared spirituallye to haue his presence for as muche as that presence whiche shoulde bee exibited vnto theim after his resurreccion coulde not long endure with theim Therefore Iesus sayed I will not presente my selfe to the worlde because it loueth me not neyther dothe it kepe my commaundementes If one loue me truely he wyll not testifie his loue with sorowe but by kepyng my commaundementes and hym wyll I loue semblablye and whome I shall loue hym wyll my father loue and we shall neuer bee pulled awaye from hym nor I wyll not onelye see hym agayne that hath my commaundementes in remembraunce but there withall my father and I wyll by the spirite whiche is common to vs both come vnto hym and we will not only come forthwith to departe againe but we will dwell with him and neuer go away from him That which is doen after the spirite is both perpetuall and effectuall bodilye ioynyng together muste nedes haue an ende euen for because ye shoulde sette at naught transitorye thynges and inure your selfes to loue eternall thinges and where ye as yet cannot come to vs we will come to you inuisible but effectually to dwell in the temple of your hertes We be three in deede but so ioyned and conuerte together that he whiche loueth one muste loue all and he that hath one of vs lacketh none of vs. Only on your behalfe let charitie be presente and that couenaunte kepte whiche I made with you of late That shal so couple you and vs together that neyther life nor deathe can vncouple vs. If membres maie bee disseuered from the heade we maie be disseuered There bee many whiche boaste themselfes to loue God the father and seme to obserue the commaundementes of the lawe but none dooeth truelye loue God yf he hatâ— and contemne his soonne and he verelye contemneth the soonne whosoeuer kepeth not my commaundemente whosoeuer neglecteth my preceptes he neglecteth withall the preceptes of God for in good sooth the thyng that I haue taught you is not so my peculiar doctrine that the same is not my fathers but is rather my fathers than myne from whome cummeth whatsoeuer I can or doe teache doyng nothyng but by his autoritie from whome I was sente into the worlde to teache these matters whiche
menne to the atteinyng of eternall saluacion Therfore remembre this well that without me ye can doe nothyng that good is But if anye braunche dooe through his owne faulte pull hymselfe backe againe from me he not onely bringeth foorth no fruite at all but like as an vnprofitable braunche when it is cut of with a shreadyng hooke withereth and afterwarde beeyng gathered vp with other twigges that bee shred of is caste into the fyer to burne so thesame braunche destitute of my moysture spirite dyeth spirituallye althoughe he liue bodilye And beeyng after this life seperate withoute recouerie from the vyne is caste into euerlastyng fyer there to burne for euer to his great tormente for somuche as he woulde not abyde styll in the vyne so bryng forth fruite of eternall felicitie And ye shall abyde in me yf my woorde abyde in you if ye kepe in mynde the thinges whiche ye beleue and execute in dede that whiche ye remembre If ye wyll do this ye neede not feare any worldelye stormes for thoughe I bee not still presente with you in bodye yet both my father and I will heare you And yf ye do rightly aske all such thinges as ye would haue ye shal obtayne your asking But like as of your selfes ye are not able to bryng foorth fruite euen so ye ought not presumptuously to attribute to your selfes the prayse of your good dedes for as I haue not sought mine owne glorye but my fathers of whome I haue all my being and power so shall ye referre all the thanke and commendacion of your good deedes to my father and me When menne shall perceiue you to bryng foorth muche euangelical fruite then is my father glorified among theim for what prayse soeuer I shall gette by you thesame shall redounde to my fathers glorye whome ye shall cause to be praysed among menne by shewyng your selfes the ryght disciples of his sonne not that we neede worldely praise but because so it is expedient for the saluacion of mankynde which thyng we do thriste for and couete It cummeth of charitie and not of ambicion that my father thus desireth to bee glorified amonges men ¶ As the father hath loued me euen so haue I also loued you Continue ye in my loue If ye kepe my commaundementes ye shall byde in my loue euen as I haue kept my fathers commaundementes and haue byden in his loue These thinges haue I spoken vnto you that my ioye might remaine vnto you and that your ioye might bee full I haue loued you whiche are my braunches euen as my father hath loued me that am the stocke Be carefull to kepe this so great a benefite freelye geuen you leste ye lease it through your negligence and ye shall not lease it Lyke as I alwaies procuring my fathers glorye haue continewed euen to the death in my loue towardes hym so will ye perseuer in your loue towardes me Wherin ye shall perseuer not by the obseruing of the Phariseis or phylosophers preceptes but by keping of my commaundementes so that neither any flattery or feare of the world may separate you from thē no more then it doeth me which do constantly to the death kepe my fathers commaūdementes being neuer disseuered frō the loue of hym but by very deedes declaring my selfe to requite his loue with lyke loue Wherfore as it shall be my fathers glory to haue so naturall a sonne and so worthy for hym no lesse shall it be for both our honours that I may haue you my disciples obseruers of my woordes and folowers of my doinges Albeit these thinges be sumwhat painful tedious yet do I therfore vse so long cōmunicacion therin to thintent that as I haue not labored for the ioye of this worlde but herein do reioyce that for obeying my fathers cōmaundemēt I am beloued of him no more should you seke comfort of the worlde but reioyce in this my kynde of ioye whensoeuer ye folowing my steppes shall be afflicted and let that ioy remayne in you euer increasyng into greater and better vntill it cum perfitly to the perpetuall felicitie of immortall life One of you charitably to loue an other shal be a great cumforte to you euen in the myddest of all your troubles when ye be at the wurste ¶ This is my commaundemēt that ye loue together as I haue loued you Greater loue hath no man than this that a man bestowe his life for his frendes Ye are my frendes yf ye do whatsoeuer I commaund you Hence furth call I you not seruauntes for the seruaunt knoweth not what hys Lorde doth but you haue I called frendes for all thynges that I haue heard of my father haue I opened to you There be diuerse preceptes of the Phariseis and Moses hath also manye but this one precept is my very owne whiche includeth all thinges that I do teache and shall make pleasaunt all aduersities whiche shall happen that is to say that ye beare such loue one to an other as I haue borne towardes you I doe testifie my loue not with woordes onely but also with deedes and that loue not to be after the commune sorte but excellent and the greatest that any man lyuing can haue for there can bee no greater token of loue amonge men than a man to bestowe his lyfe for his frendes sake for euery man setteth by his lyfe aboue all thinges Many perchaunce myght bee found that coulde bee content to bestowe money or labour for an other mans sake but the person is rare to bee found out whiche will bestowe his lyfe for his frendes sake I doe more then all this whiche bestowe my lyfe for mine enemies so they will becum my frendes And in the meane while I call them my frendes in the waye of honour whom I haue good right to call my seruauntes Neuertheles I will not take you for my seruauntes but for my frendes yf ye wyll as cherefully and gladly perfourme these thinges that I commaunde you as I dooe willingly obey my fathers commaundement They that are vnder Moses lawe be rightfully called seruauntes because they depend vpon diuerse rules prescribed vnto them and rather for feare then for loue doe the thing that is apointed them But as for you whom I haue called from the bondage of the law vnto the libertie of the gospell from hence foorth I will no more call seruauntes but frendes as them whome mutuall loue and not necessitie doeth ioyne vnto me For the seruaunte perceiueth not his Lordes intent but onely dooeth that he is bydden lokyng for no greate rewarde yf he dooe it and well assured to bee punished yf he dooe it not besydes that for euerye sundrie doyng must be had a sundry commaundement as goe cum agayne doe this ▪ eschewe that For the maister telleth not his owne counsell to his seruauntes whiche are therfore euil to be trusted because they rather feare then loue hym The cause wherfore I haue called you my frendes is for that I
once haue opened vnto you all the purpose of my minde to thintent there should be no nede hereafter of mennes preceptes contrary to myne Whatsoeuer my father hath willed me to shewe you therof I haue made you partakers as my trust ye frendes Those thinges whiche I haue taught you be out of all doubte for I haue taught you none other saue what I haue hearde of my father My preceptes be his preceptes by kepyng wherof he shall count you his frendes in stede of seruauntes ¶ Ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you and ordeined you to goe and bryngt foorth fruite and your fruite shall remayne that whatsoeuer ye aske of the father in my name he mayâ— geue it you And because ye maye the better vnderstand how great the honor of this my gentlenes towardes you is consider how that ye haue neyther prouoked me with your seruice doing to my frendship that of duetie I ought to loue you again nor yet haue you willyngly cum to my frendshippe that for geÌ„tlenes sake I should requite you with lyke loue but when ye wer in bondage of the lawe and farre of from the fauour of God then did I of myne owne voluntarye wil chose you from among al the reste without your desert And for this purpose haue I chosen you that ye should more and more increase in goodnes beeyng grafted in me thorow mutuall loue whiche ye coulde not haue towardes me except I had first loued you As the braunche is alwaye norished by the moysture of the vine and spredeth it self in many braunches so must you lykewise plentifully bring forth fruite of the ghospell throughout the whole world and so do good to other that your self loose no fruite therby For the common vyne bringeth foorth fruite but for other and that suche as soone decayeth wherfore the braunches thereof be fruitefull but for a tyme because they growe in a vine that soone fadeth Contrarywise you because ye cleaue to an immortal stocke shall bryng forth fruite that neuer shall perishe but continue sâ—unde to your eternall saluacion And ye haue no cause in the meane while to say it is a great payne to trauayle about the worlde to teache the Gentiles to suffer the dispites of wicked people What wages what ayde what rewarde is apointâ—d for vs passe not vpon these worldely defenses Let this stand you in stede of all rewardes and helpes that whatsoeuer ye shall rightly aske my father in my name he shall geue it you What thinge is more easy then to aske And what is it that he is not able to geue Furthermore what is the thyng that he will not geue for my sake This commaunde I you that ye loue together Yf the world hate you ye knowe that it hated me before it hated you If ye were of the worlde the worlde woulde loue his own Hou beit because ye are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the worlde therfore the world hateth you Remember the word that I sayed vnto you the seruaunt is not greater then the lord If they haue persecuted me they will also persecute you If they haue kept my saying they will kepe yours also Besides this my commaundementes be not tedious for what is more pleasaunt then one to loue an other Who bee so weake but mutuall loue maye make them strong what thyng is so greuous but mutuall charitie can make it delectable Neither let this trouble you that whiles you and I bee frendes and one of you charitablie doe agree with an other ye shall be at discorde and strife with the worlde but rather the selfe same thyng ought to couÌ„fort your myndes for so muche as by thys token ye shall well perceiue your selfes to bee my very disciples and frendes that is to saye contrary to the worlde whiche is all sette vpon malice whereas you are apointed for heauen disdayne not to suffer that in the world which I haue suffered before you The worlde hateth me also not for my deserte but because I reproue and disclose the euill dedes therof teachyng thynges whiche do not agree with theyr worldly affeccions The worlde knoweth menne of his secte and them doeth it loue and exalte as lyke louethe lyke and as an euyll itche coueteth an handsume scratcher Therfore be they vnhappy whom this worlde flattereth and fauoreth for that declareth them to bee farre from the fauour of God whiche is that onely thyng that make the man happie in dede Whan the worlde hateth you remember myne exaumple and reioyce in your owne behalfe that ye haue no feloweshyp with the worlde but do cleaue faste vnto me For this shall ye perceiue by the hatred the worlde beareth you howe that ye be myne In case ye were of the world if ye loued wordly thinges and taught according to worldly desyres then the worlde woulde knowe you and loue you as hys owne but because ye folowe not the wayes of the fleshe but of the spirite and couete not worldly goodes but heauenly therefore the worlde hateth you not that ye deserue it but for that ye be vnlyke to thesame whiche is euill wicked In tymes paste when ye thoughte perfitte righteousnes to consiste in the grosse ceremonyes of Moses lawe and setting your mindes on transytorie thinges had no loue to heauenly thinges the worlde did then well lyke you but after that I had once called you from this secte to the euangelicall and heauenly doctrine and graffed you in me as braunches in the stocke the worlde beganne to hate you and that onely because ye bee myne Yet of trueth for no cause elles shall ye bee blessed then for that ye be mine Meruayle nothing at all though your innocence shall not defende you from the hatred of the worlde Remember howe I haue tolde you the seruauntes state is no better then his lordes For neither coulde my innocencie which is greater then yours defende me from the malice of the worlde neyther were they afearde to despise my doctrine nor yet for all my benefites would they waxe gentle and call themselfes backe from theyr cruell purposes That thing whiche they durst enterprise against me who am your Lorde and Maister muche more boldely will they do it to you Seâ—ing they haue deâ—â—sed so many snares to bring me euen to the most reprocheful death and haue so often spitefully railed vpon me they wil also persecute you my disciples nay but rather me in you If they will obey my woordes they wil also obey vnto yours but lyke as they haue not well borne my doctrine no more wil they yours because ye shal teache the selfe same thinges that I teache But all these thinges will they doe vnto you for my names sake because they haue not knowen him that sent me If I had not cum and spokeÌ„ vnto them they should haue had no synne but nowe haue they nothing to clocke theyr sinne withall He that hateth me hateth my father If I had
not doen among them the workes which none other man did they should haue had no sinne But now haue they bothe seen and heard not onely me but also my father But this happeneth that the saying might be fulfilled that is written in theyr lawe They hated me without a cause And whatsoeuer despite they shall doe against you I will thinke it doen to me for all thynges that they shall do agaynste you they shall doe it for the hatred they beare to me when they curse you they shal curse me when thei reiecte you they shal reiecte me when they beate you they shall beate me For whatsoeuer displeasure is doen to the membres thesame redoundeth to the head And they would doe the lyke to me if they had me present with them Now because they cannot shewe their crueltie to me they wil shewe it to you But as all the iniurie that is dooen to you toucheth me In lyke maner whatsoeuer is committed against my name tourneth to my fathers dishonour also whom if they did rightlye knowe as they thynke they doe they woulde neuer so shamfully haue handled his sonne They arrogantlye pretende loue towardes God and yet they bee wickedly minded againste his sonne They aske saluacion of God and goe aboute to destroye his sonne They boaste themselues to be kepers of Gods commaundementes and doe reiecte the preceptes whiche his sonne geueth by the auctoritie of his father They glorie in their knowledge of the lawe and doe not receiue the knowledge of hym whom the lawe setteth forth They wurship the sender and persecute hym whome he hath sente Therefore they knowe not God whome they boaste themselfes to knowe And yet thys ignoraunce shall not excuse them in the daye of punishemente They be ignoraunte in dede but why because they woulde not learne And therfore woulde they not learne because they loued more theyr owne glorye then the glorye of god They did set more by their owne aduauntage then to winne saluacion by the gospell Wherefore that thynge whiche my father hath ordeyned for theyr saluacion haue they through their owne stubberâ—esse heaped vp to theyr eternall damnacion For verily I am come and was sente for this purpose if it mighte be to saue all men If I the sonne of God and greatest persone that could be sent had not come my selfe and declared vnto them all suche thinges as might haue brought them to a better minde If I had not also doen these thinges whiche had been inough to haue forced euen stouye hertes to faythe and belefe surely theyr destruccion shoulde haue been the more easie as giltlesse of this infidelitie the addicion wherof shall make the burden of theyr eternall damnacion the heauyer But nowe sith I haue leafte nothing vndoen wherby they might be saued and they againe with obstinate malice haue resisted him whiche frely offereth saluacion they can alledge no excuse for theyr incredulitie If one hate a straunger it maie bee thought sumwhat woorthie of pardon because he hateth him whom he neuer sawe but me they haue bothe seene and hearde They haue seene me doe good to all folkes and haue hearde me speake thinges woorthy for God Neuerthelesse they hate me for those thinges for whiche they ought to loue me But whoso hateth me must nedes hate my father by whose auctoritie I speake that I speake by whose power I do all that I do And I haue not onelye spoken by wordes but also by my dedes yet were they so blinded that they did neither beleue my woordes not dedes And this selfe thing shall make their damnacion more greuouse in that they haue so stubbernely abused the goodnesse of God being alwaye so ready for them If I had not doen suche miracles among them as neuer any of the Prophetes afore me did whether a man consider the noumber or greatnesse of them and that not to make them afeard or astonished therewith but to helpe them that were afflicted If I had not doen al this I say they should not haue been giltie of this moste greuouse sinne but nowe they haue both heard and seene and so muche the more haue hated not only me that haue both spoken and doen but also my father whiche hath spoken by me and set furth his power by me They neuer sawe Moses and yet hym they doe exteme hylye they beleue the Prophetes whom they neuer hearde but they turne cleane awaye from me whom they haue presentely seene before theyr iyes whom they haue hearde speake of whose benefites they haue so manye wayes had the profe And not herewith satisfyed they take my lyfe from me In the meane while they pretende a reuerente loue to God the father whereas whoso truely loueth the father cannot hate his sonne Howbeit these thinges happen not by chaunce for the very same thing that these men doe the Psalmes whiche they haue and reade did long agon prophecie should cum to passe that is to saye that in stede of thankes they shoulde recompence good turnes with euill will For thus spake I there by the mouthe of the Prophete let them not reioyce and triumphe ouer me whiche vniustely are myne enemies hate me without cause If a man being prouoked hate an other it maye bee suffered if one hate a straunger it maye sumwhat be pardoned but who can forgiue him that hateth one whom he bothe knoweth and hath found beneficiall But when the comforter is cum whom I will sende vnto you from the father euen the spirite of trueth whiche procedeth of the father he shall testifie of me And ye shall beare witnesse also because ye haue been with me from the begynning Neuerthelesse the incredulitie of these persones shall not make their fruite vneffectuall whiche will cleane to me For when I shall haue accomplished al that my father hath geuen me in commaundement and after that the comforter is come whom proceding from my father I wil sende you according to my promisse whiche is the holy goste beyng the inspirer and teacher of all trueth he shall declare all that euer I haue sayd and doen wherby bothe my goodnesse and their obstinate blindnesse shall euideÌ„tly appeare He shall shewe how there hath been nothing doen against me but the same hath been prophecied before in their owne bookes whiche they reade and yet vnderstande not Ye also whiche are now but weake then being made strong through the inspiracion of my spirite shall testifie of me before all menne for so muche as ye haue seene in ordre what I haue doen and hearde what I haue sayed Lyke as I haue tolde you thinges certaine euen the very whiche I haue seene and heard of my father neyther shall the holye goste put any thing but trueth in youre mindes for so muche as he procedeth from my father so shall ye beare witnesse of thinges not doubtefull but suche as be throughly tryed by all your senses And there will be sum whiche will not beleue you but yet muste not the saluacion
becummeth not you to be ignoraunt of my fathers wyll verely I shall than speake vnto you whishtlie and without wordes but I shall speake assured and manifeste thinges if so bee ye aske them yea and than also the holy ghoste shall incense you what to aske and howe to aske in my name whiche in case ye so do surely though it were a great matter and a thing of difficultie yet shall the father for my sake not deny it you askyng it And I doe not nowe speake this as if ye shall obtaine your requeste by my mediacion in suche sorte as men doe sumtime at a kinges hande that is but a maÌ„ obtaine their requeste at the desyre and suite of sum one that is in fauour with the kyng whiche peticion the kyng woulde not els haue graunted but that he was content to geue it for his sake whiche did commende set forward the suters supplicacion but as for my father althoughe he loueth to bee asked of by his sonne by whome his will hath beene to graunte all thynges to menne yet that notwithstandynge he wyll otherwise consente to your desyres not onlye for the loue that he beareth towardes his sonne but whiche he hath also towardes you for he loueth not his sonne so that he loueth not you but whomsoeuer the sonne loueth those the father loueth also Therefore he loueth you not for your workes sake but for that ye loue me semblablie and beleue that I am cum out from hym for this is to loue the father euen to loue his sone and to beleue the father is euen to beleue the sonne He of trueth dooeth not beleue whiche denyeth the sonne to haue cum from the father and not to haue sayed and doen all thyng euen by the fathers auctoritie I was already with the father before I came into the worlde euen for to cary you vp takyng vnto me this mortall body that ye se but for your cause came I into the worlde euen for to cary you vp into heauen Now than the thynges beyng once doâ—n whiche the father gaue me in commaundemente I doe euen for your sake leaue the world as touchyng bodily presence and returne again vnto the father and truely whatsoeuer is or shal be doen here it is and shall bee doen to bryng you to saluacion ¶ His disciples sayed vnto hym lo nowe â—alkeste thou plainly and speakeste no prouerbe Nowe are we sure that thou knowest all thynges and nedest not shal any man should aske the any question Therfore beleue we that thou camest from god Iesus aunswered them Nowe ye do beleue beholde the houre draweth nye and is already cum â–ª that ye shal be scattered euery maÌ„ to his owne and shall leaue me alone And yet am I not alone for the father is with me These wordes haue I spoken vnto you that in me ye mighte haue peace For in the worlde shall ye haue tribulacion but be of good there I haue ouercum the world The disciples beynge boldened with these sayinges begunne sumwhat to stande in their owne conceite and as though they had of theyr owne strength beene able to abide and heare their lordes death that was at hande they answere on this wyse loke saye they euen now at this present doest thou fullfill the selfe thynge whiche thou promisedâ—t afterwarde to doe for nowe withoute any darkenes of parables thou speakeste plainly out what thou wilte do neyther nedeth it to aske the any further question For thou knoweste all thynges and with thy good wordes hast deliuered our hertes from sorowe so that we nede no further communicacion why we nothinge doubte but that through hope of thy ioye to come wee shall boldly and paciently suffre the thynge that is imminent and cumming towardes vs and we do therfore finallye and verily beleue that thou art cum out from god because thou seest throughly the very botome and secrecie of our hertes And than the Lord Iesus whose maner was euery where sharply to controll and restraine whatsoeuer humayne and worldely arrogancie ambicion or selfe affiance he perceiued to arise in his discyples heartes that they mighte plainely learne to distruste their owne strength and vertue whereby they myghte dooe nothyng and wholly to depende vpon the hande of God the father The Lorde Iesus I saye dyd thus abate and acoole that arrogancie whiche was suche that thoughe they yet vnderstoode not what he sayed thoughe they had no true belefe and as yet were not meete for the stormes that wer cummyng vpon theÌ„ for all that they tooke on hande the thing that was to be asked of God by prayer And he aunswereth them after this sorte What dooe I heare the thynge whyche I promyse to geue you hereafter whan ye shal be made stronge and be staied by my doctrine and by the inspiracion of the holy ghost ye now proudely take on hande before due time as if ye might do at least sumwhat by the helpe and assistence of maÌ„s owne power and vertue when as rather the tyme is full nyghe that ye shall declare howe strengthelesse yeare of your selfes For ye shall not onely bee vnable to go through the instante tempeste but leauing me alone in the handes of the sergeauntes catchpolles whiche shall violently draw me to the deathe of the crosse ye shall run awaye eche one a â—ere waye through feare so amased that ye shall not one beare cuÌ„pany with another to your succoure and comforte whyles euery one shall feare other leste by any others telling he mighte be bewrayed and come in daunger albeit in dede I nede not your aide and helpe I shall of trueth be forsaken of all my frendes but yet shall I not be desolate because the father shall neuer leaue me Therefore I do speake these thynges vnto you that distrusting your owne strength ye maye reste and staye your selfe in me The worlde shall make greate commocioÌ„ and fiercely rise againste you as it doeth agaynst me but bee bolde and shrynke not remeÌ„bryng that I haue conquered the worlde ye shall take exaumple at me and shall trust to be holpen by me ye shall also haue victorie but through me beyng of youre owne nature very weake and yet when tyme and occasion shall require ye shal be throughe my spirite stronge and vnuanquished The .xvii. Chapter ¶ There wordes spake Iesus and lift vp his iyes to heauen and sayen father the houre iâ— cum â–ª glorifie thy sonne that thy sonne also may glorifie the. As thou haâ—â— geueÌ„ him power ouer all 〈◊〉 that he should geue eternall lyfe to as many as thou hast geuen him This is life eternall that they might know thee the only true god and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sente AFter that Iesus had with this kynde of talke partelye comforted his disciples and partely taughte them and geuen them also instruccion againste the daungerouse storme that was imminence and cumming vpon theim than for so muche as he had by woorde of mouthe aduertised
though he suffred gladlye for the excellente loue that he bare towardes his Lorde yet the weakenesse of mannes nature lothed it ¶ And when he had spoken this he sayeth vnto hym Folowe me Peter turned aboute and sawe the disciple whom Iesus loued folowyng whiche also leaâ—ed on his breast at supper and sayed Lorde whiche is he that betrayeth thee When Peter therfore sawe hym he sayeth to Iesus Lorde what shall he â—ere do Iesus sayeth vnto hym If I wyl haue him to â—aâ—â—ye tyll I come what is that to thee folowe thou me Then went this saying abrode among the brethren that the disciple should not dye Yet Iesus sayed not vnto hym he shal not dye but yf I wyll that he tary tyll I come what is that to thee When Iesus had sayed thus he begunne to walke and sayed to Peter folowe me so once agayne prouokyng and inuityng hym to the folowyng of his charitie and death When Peter turned and loked aboute hym he seeth euen that disciple whome Iesus loued and that leaned on the Lordes breast at his laste supper whilest he asked of him who should betraye hym Forasmuche as Peter did entierly loue this disciple and knewe that he was alwaye better beloued of the lord then the rest and than sawe thesame vnbidden folow nexte vnto Peter Peter asked the lorde what should become of that maÌ„ For he now knewe already of his owne death and he desyreth to knowe whether that he shoulde haue this man a companion to dye with hym For he thoughte that to be a gloriouse thing vnto hym and a great token of the Lordes loue towardes hym that he might dye after the exaumple of Iesus But Iesus to correct this vnnecessarie care that Peter hadde of an other mannes death sayed If I will haue hym tary tyll I come what is that to thee He is myne and after mine aduise wyll I ordeyne and determyne for hym that shal be for the beste Care and prepare thou for that whiche apperteyneth to thy selfe that is to saye that thou folowe me And than vpon the occasion of this saying there arose a bruite among the disciples that Iesus his welbeloued disciple shoulde dye no violent death but should liue styll vntyll the Lord shall come agayne to iudge the quicke and the deade which they all thought than should be sone after Albeit the Lorde did not saye he shall not dye but to make dull abate and repulse Peters curiositie and ouermuche diligence he denied it to perteyne vnto hym though hys wyll and pleasure had been that the man shoulde styll lyue vnto his laste cummyng Thesame disciple is he whiche testifieth of these thynges and wrote thesame thynges And we knowe that hys testimony is true There are also many other thynges whiche Iesus did the whiche yf thei shoulde be written euery one I suppose the worlde coulde not conteine the bookes that shoulde be written And in dede this is thatsame disciple that witnesseth these thynges thus to bee dooen and that wrote thesame to the entente they maye more truely and more farre abrode bee scattered and dispersed to the knowledge of all folke And we haue knowen that his testimonie is true For he wrote not other mennes hearynges but at whiche hymselfe was presente Nor he hath not made mencion of all the thinges whiche Iesus sayed and did For if a manne shoulde goe about to tell them euery thyng by it selfe an vnmeasurable sorte of bokes shoulde bee made therof But so muche is written as suffiseth to the obteyning of saluacion Therfore the rest is that beleuyng these and stickyng to the steppes and wayes of Iesus we labour diligently to get the rewarde of immortall lyfe Thus endeth the Paraphrase vpon the Ghospell of S. Iohn To the moste uertuous Ladie Quene Kateryne late wyfe to Kyng Henry the eyght of moste famous memorye deceassed Nycolas Udall your graces most humble oratour and seruaunt wysheth perpetuall felicitee and ioye in Iesus Christ our lorde FOr as much as nothyng doeth with lyke spede or with better effecte eyther open to the worlde or engraue in mennes heartes the knowelage of Goddes commaundementes and the rules of true christian doctrine then deuout and godly tractises for the expoundyng and declaryng of holy scrypture howe happie and blyssed are we and howe greatly bounde to thanke God that in these our tymes there dayly cum foorth so many and the same so fruictfull and Godly weorkes in our owne toung to the ghostely coumfort and edifiyng of all deuout chrystian readers in the true fayeth and relygyon For where in tymes past the studyous wryters of bookes wer enforced with much highe suite and seruice to procure the fauoure and good wyll of prynces or other estates to whome to dedicate such weorkes as thei wrote to th entent that vnder the name and protection of such noble personages the sayd weorkes might be the better habled to the readers and the better accepted of the people nowe dooe Kynges Quenes prynces and other piers especyally here in Englande of their owne mere mocions and good zele not only with their propense fauour and with their benefycyall ayde coumforte and lyberalitee helpe forewarde the good endeuour and sedulytee of studious wryters myndyng by their godly monumentes to edifie the feithfull congregacion but also are dylygent and peynefull bothe to put to theyr owne handes to the endictyng and pennyng of many holsome traictises for that purpose yea and ferther by their exaumple and prouocacion to set other in hande with wrytyng or translatyng to the fructefull exercise of the learned to the holsome enstruccion of Englyshe readers and to the effectuall edifiyng of the simple ignoraunt multitude if the same can bee content for their solle helthe to gyue eare and mynde thereto And emong this sorte of publique benefactours your excellent highnesse Quene Kateryne deserueth no lesse then next after our soueraygne lorde the kynges maiestee whoe euen nowe already at the fyrst entreaunce of this his moste noble reigne and within the yeres of tendre minoritee doth with the aduice and consent of the moste prudent and the same his moste dere vncle Edwarde duke of Somersette aswell of his moste royall persone in the tyme of his mynorytee gouernoure as also of all hys Maiestees realmes dominyons and subiectes Protector together with the assent and consent of the other his moste honourable moste trusty and moste feythfull Counsaillours moste forewardly moste earnestly and with all possible diligence labour daye and nyght as well by moste holsoÌ„ lawes as also by Oâ—â—elyes of moste pure doctryne and by true preachers to refourme abuses to sowe abrode the woorde of God and to plante true relygyon in all partes of his realmes and domynons youre hyghnesse I saye next vnto these twoe deserueth no lesse then to be estemed and called the chiefe patronesse not onely for dyuers moste godly Psalmes and meditacions of your owne penning and settyng foorthe but also for procuryng thys present weorke of Erasmus
apostles doctrine and feloweship and in breaking of bread and in prayers And feare came ouer euery soule and many woonders and sygnes were shewed by the apostles at Ierusalem And all that beleued kept them selues together had all thinges in common and sold their possessions and goodes and parted them to al men as euery man had nede and they continued dayly with one accorde in the temple brake bread from house to house and did eare their meate together with gladnesse singlenes of herte praysing God and had fauour with al the people And the lorde added to the congregacion dayly suche as shoulde be saued Than such as kept themselues in company with the disciples folowed on continually the apostles teachinges for thereby came moste profite and lykewyse continued still in receiuing a token of a couenaunte that shall neuer bee broken which they called communion That token of couenaunt which the lord taught and committed to vs of trust was doen in this maner The bread was broken and dealed to euery man a pece thereof they in their practising of this in a remembraunce of the lordes passion gaue thankes to god for his bountifull goodnes that had clensed them from sinne by the innocent bloud of his owne sonne alone had chosen them for the deathes sake which he suffered on his parte vndeserued to enherite life euerlasting They offered vp also their prayers with clenes of herte whose peticion was that the kingdome of Iesus mighte bee made to spreade euery daye further abrode than other that his glory might throughout all the worlde bee knowen that his wyll euery where might bee folowed that suche as had once professed the fayth of the gospell might through the holy woorde and grace celestiall profit euery day and procede better and better and so might liue in concorde one with an other eche one in peace with his brother forgeuing all iniuries if any faute were doen by mans frayltie being at one with god whiche is mercifull to them that bee mercyfull to theyr neyghboure and that they beeyng dayly strengthned by the goodnes of god myght stedfastly abyde all the assautes of Satan vntill they myght after long bickering with the sayde Sathan at laste receiue eternall rewarde These were than the sacrifices that christen men vsed This wonderfull miracle of tongues Peters exhortacion so liuely made the sodaine mutacion of so many men so great puritie an clennesse of lyfe of the same menne wrought suche an effect in all theyr myndes whiche were giltie and priuie to theyr owne offences that they were sore afrayed of some eiuell to come towarde them For they sawe playnely that this thing was not broughte about by mannes conspyracy but by some celestiall power And for because thapostles did not alonely speake in all mennes languages but wrought also at Hierusalem many wonderfull miracles at thinuocacion of Iesus name in healyng diseases in putting deiuils to flyght in reising the dead to lyfe This tremblyng feare that they were in encroched and grew stil more and more vpon theim This was some beginning in the people towardes theyr amendement But the celestiall spirite wrought in theyr hertes whome secretly he inspired aboue all other thinges in mutuall good wyll and concorde For this truely is the very cognisaunce that Iesus woulde haue his disciples knowen by And as many as beleued the gospell assembled vnto a place ordinately together for theyr consolacion exhorting one an other in mutuall communycacions They were than many in numbre and men of al sortes were admitted without accepcion of persons young olde menne women free bonde poore and ryche The loue of Christe beeyng planted in theyr hertes dyd in so greate conformitie of myndes and mutuall concorde knyt and ioyne together them all beyng otherwise so ferre odde eche to other that all thinges were common emōgest them whiche is a thing seldome sene yea emong brethren that came all out of one belly And to thintent that eche of them might the better departe somewhat of that he had to an other suche as had manoures of theyr owne or other possessions solde them and of the money or prise thereof made a common dole as euery mannes nede required so that neyther they wanted whiche had noughte of theyr owne nor they had more than was sufficient whiche before had muche in possession And so made they theyr dole not as it were of theyr owne proper goodes but as of thinges in common For perfite charytie chalengeth no goodes as her owne and emong them whiche bee all of one mynde no man is accoumpted a lorde of his owne goodes and where eche man is content with litel thereit wyll bee harde to find lacke of thinges necessary But the distribucion of the common was made to euery man accordinge to his necessitie and not to his sensualitie The apostles prescribed none of all these thynges for them to doe but charitie did more among them without compulsion than any lawe of Moyses durst require And euery day were they also in the temple in muche vnitie of minde stedfast in prayer rendryng thankes to god and exhortinge theimselues together and entising other to that peace of conscience whiche the gospel requireth all that euer they were hable to coumpace Moreouer whan they had thus spent the whole daye in suche godly excercises they brake in euery house theyr breade and eate their meate together with ioy that herte cannot thinke and eche one with other in perfecte clenlynes of herte gaue prayse to god through whose goodnes they had gotten them so muche loue and fauour They were in fauour and good estimacion with all the people For who is he that woulde not loue suche persons that hurt no man and be ready to do euery man good in whom also appered manyfestly so muche godly power so great sobrenesse and mekenes withall Here mayest thou well marke Theophilus howe the churche had at her beginning by reason of ioy in mens hertes and vnitie with all luckie tokens well to prosper There muste nedes bee conformitee of myndes and vnitie where that spirite is whiche is the pacifier of all troubleous hertes there cannot be but ioy and gladnes where is a cleane conscience without any dystruste of the promises whiche are made in the gospell But as the bishopes Pharisees Scribes and chiefe auncientes or head men among the people wer euery where alwayes redy to slea Iesus so here at the luckye beegynnynges of this young churche no mencion is made of theim Noe persone was enforced to come to this feloweship no violente authoritie kept theym together in league Suche as thither came abode there still with other of theyr owne ientle courage and the lorde allured to theim whom he had appoincted to bee saued euery day more and more whyle the smale musterd-seede was by litell and litell springyng whiche shoulde afterwarde spreade his braunches abrode through al the worlde The .iii. Chapter ¶ Peter and Iohn