sentence and iudgemente that thou arte a clene manne in veray dede than goe and offre the thyng that Moses law appoynteth to be offred of all suche as haue hadde the fortune to bee ridde from the leprie And so shall it all vnder one come to passe that neyther the priestes may fynde faulte that their gaines dooeth decreace vnto them through me nor the lawe to haue bene broken or contemned whiche I am come not to abolishe but to make perfect nor on the othersyde slaundreouslye reproue thys benefite of myne eyther by deniyng that euer thou were a lepre or els by iudgeyng that thou hast not bene made whole For the thyng self shal euen at the fyrste woord fully aunswere them if it so be that he was not full of leprie why did ye whiche take vpon you the skilfulnesse of determynyng which is a leprie geue sentence that he was a lepre and therupon disseuer him from being conuersaunt with others And on the othersyde in case he bee not whole why haue ye receyued the oblacion in the lawe appoynted and limited as of one beeyng made clene from the leprie The Lorde Iesus dyd for this consideracion with so muche circumstaunces commaunde all thissame to bee doen that it myghte bee manifestelye apparente vnto all creatures that there was one come greater then the lawe who was hable without any helpe of the lawe by mere touchyng onlye and by his only voyce and with a becke of his head alone at hys owne wyll and pleasure to geue perfect clenesse and that dydde so take awaye the vnclenesse of all â—olkes whiche woulde offer themselfes throughe feyth to bee healed as hymselfe was not stayned by the infeccion of any creature and the whiche moreouer dyd freely helpe all folkes whereas the priestes dyd not without a rewarde of a certayne offreing somuche as pronounce theyr sentence concernyng purity or clenesse of the bodye restored to anye persone For the priestes of Moses institucion neyther dydde sende the leprye into any bodye nor toke it awaye from any bodye but of the leprye eyther breded in a bodye orels taken awaye they dyd iudge onlye but onely Iesus taketh awaye all kynde of diseases from all creatures exactyng or requiryng none other sacrifice of them but a playne and a pure truste in hym that we acknoweleage in him the vertue and power of the godhed by whiche he is hable to dooe whatsoeuer his will is and that we wurshyp in hym his goodnes not possible to bee expressed in woordes and also hys mercye by whiche he woulde fayne haue all sinners to bee saued paying of his owne bodye all that euer was to bee offred in sacrifice for the synnes of theym all And that the Lorde Iesus gaue a great charge to the partye that was made clene that he should make no woordes nor no talkyng to any bodye what had happened whereas he knewe that the felowe would not kepe it vnspoken he dyd therein but ordeyne an exaumple for his disciples not to hunte or seke for anye blastes of vayneglorie for theyr well doynges emong menne For it is none of ours that God worketh by vs nor it shall not bee conueniente that we require any prayse to bee as a rewarde for such thinges but we shal with still noise declare our selfes to reioyce in the behalfe of our neyghboure to whome the benefite hath happened but all the glorie we shall referre and geue vnto God and so litle wyll shall we haue to take anye parte thereof vnto ourâ— owne lande or glory that as touching our owne behalfes we should bee muche desirous that it might be to all men vtterly vnknowen that any suche benefite of God hathe fortuned to our neighbour we beeyng the instrumentes therof No nor the pattie neither that hathe felte a beneficiall good turne oughte to refette the thanke and praise therof vnto the man by whom he hath receiued it but ought to rendre the thankes vnto God the worker and sender of it for that he vouchsalueth moste bounteously to geue vnto men suche highe and greate benefites through his seruauntes yea and glorie doeth with better successe and lucke ensue to him that â—enneth awaye from it sekyng to auoyde it and much more also to a maÌ„nes honour dooeth it come whan it is not desired nor hunted for For in veray dede that same and none other is true glory renoune that verai vertue selfe doeth purchase vnto a man beeyng vtterly vnwillyng to haue it and seking by al meanes to auoid it and such renoune as neyther the flattery of the people doeth geue nor oure ambicious desire dooeth require but suche as the partye selfe who hath well deserued it doeth not acknowlage but sincere trueth that can no skylle of flattering dooeth of it owne mere mocion lay in his lappe ¶ But so much the more went there a same abrode of hym and much people came together to heare hym and to be healed of him of theyr infirmities And he kept hym out of the nay in the wyldernesse and gaue hymselfe to prayer Through suche manier wondrefull actes as this the fame of Iesus was â—ayly more and more renoumed and bruited abrode whyle some reporte vnto others the thyng that they had seen and hearde and these agayne muche lyke as whan men deliuer thynges by hand from one to an other doe by talkyng sprede ferther and ferther abrode thesame that they hadde receiued of them whiche reported it fyrste to others Therefore there came flockyng thyther on euery syde greate coumpaignies of people multipliyng daylye more and more partely to here that same piththye doctryne that healeth all diseases of the soules and partely that they whiche wer likely to fall in this or that sickenesse of theyr bodyes myght through the power of Iesus vee made whole For the grosse carnall people doeth rather meruaill and take regarde at those thynges whiche are to bee seen with the iye then at suche thynges as were not seene They estemed it a myghtye great matter and more then a mannes acte that a pure clene skynne had been restored to a leprouse persone by the onely touchyng of Iesus hande whereas it is a greater and a more godlye benefyte by a greate oddes that thesame Iesus hath with ministring the phisicke of euangelicall doctryne put clene away from mennes soules the feure of lecherous concupistence the dropsye of couetise the diuelyshe spirite of ambicion with other deadlye pestilences of the mynde But nowe Iesus myndyng by this his dooyng to teache vs that good woorkes are not to bee dooen neyther for braggyng or pompe of the worlde as stayge plaies and open sightes are shewed nor yet so many at ons or so long together tyll menne be cloyed with them withdrewe himselfe into a place of wildernes and beeyng solytarie from all resorte of people he gaue himselfe to prayer wherein he rendred thankes vnto God the father for the benefites whiche he dyd in moste large and aumple wise sende vnto
saying that they neuer sawe suche a thyng doen of them whiche are counted the chiefe and the moste excellent men emong the Iewes But the Scribes were so put to silence that they were the more styrred and exasperate with enuye because they sought more theyr owne glorye then the glorye of God by the whiche increasyng and shynyng furth dayly through Iesus they sawe themselues to bee diminished and darkened For like as the sunne darkeneth the candle so the glory of God darkeneth and causeth to vanishe awaye the vayne glory of men But the enuy of these men profyted to none other ende but through resistaunce to make the glory of Christ more manifest and notable For god can vse the malice of men vnto his glory and renoume Therfore Iesus to geue place to the enuy of the Scribes departed thence and returned vnto the meere and poole where he taughte the multitude gathering about on euery syde ¶ And as Iesus passed furth from thence he sawe a man named Matthewe sitting 〈◊〉 the receyte of custome and he sayeth vnto him Folowe me And he arose and folowed him And it came to passe as Iesus sate at meate in his house behold many Publicanes also sinners that came sate down with Iesus and his disciples And whan the Phariseis sawe it they sayd vnto his disciples Why eateth your Maister with publicanes and sinners But whan Iesus heard that he sayed vnto them They that be strong nede not the phisicion but they that are sicke Bo ye rather and learne what that meaneth I wyll haue mercie and not sacrifice For I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentaunce Further as he passed by the custome house he espyed sitting there a certayne Publicane called Matthewe whiche also was named Leuy the soÌ„ne of Alpheus And this kynde of men because of their filthy gayne and great extorcion be defamed and slaundered many wayes especiallye emong the Iewes But Iesus whiche heretofore called vnto him Simon Andrewe Iohn and Iames from an homely a meane kinde of gayne but yet honest and lawfull now to declare openly that he despiseth vtterlye no kynde of men so that they repent and turne them to the better called vnto him Matthewe and commaunded him to folowe He without any â—arrying leauyng his accomptes vnperfecte leauying his lucre and gayne beganne to folowe Iesus and sodenly became of a Publicane a disciple For the voyce of Iesus had a certayne wonderfull efficacie and strength and a certayne secrete power maiestie shining in his countenaunce whereby whom he would he allured drewe vnto him euen lyke as the stone called Magnes draweth yron After that Matthewe desyred Iesus that he would vouchesafe to feast in his house Which thing Iesus did without any griefe to teache his disciples that they shoulde not forsake the cumpanye of wicked men if there be any hope that they wyll be the better by theyr cumpany Matthewe of suche thynges as he had than made a bountiâ—ull and a great feast vnto the whiche he brought many of his sorte of men both Publicanes and sinners whom by his example and communicacion he allured vnto admiracion and loue of Iesus Therfore wheÌ„ the Phariseis sawe Iesus and his disciples sitting at meat with them seking for matter on euery syde of blame and reprofe they dare not speake vnto him leste they might heare that whiche they would not but indeuoure to withdrawe his disciples from him Why ê™ they doth your maister whome ye folowe as one notably holye feast with Publicanes and sinners whome we forbeare as filthye and abhominable But lyke do soone flocke with the like and commonly we become suche as they be with whome we lyue When that Iesus heard his communicacioÌ„ he taketh vpon hym to defende his disciples beyng yet but weake teaching that the preachers of the gospel be not defiled with the cumpany of sinners with whom they cumpany for no nother intent but to allure them to goodnes But the Phariseis do shunne and flee from the Publicanes whiche coÌ„monly be counted sinners not because they would not be defiled with their sinfulnes but to thintent that they themselues beyng wurse than the Publicanes may be counted holy among men but they that be â—udued with the holines of the ghospell do not desire the cumpany of sinners to the entent that they would take any lucre or vauntage from them but to enrich them with godlines and they enter into their houses for no nother purpose than the good physicions enter into the houses of sicke men For it becuÌ„meth a faithfull physicion to bee more often in no place than among them which haue nede of the helpe of physicions Therfore he turnyng vnto the Phariseis whiche thought themselues iuste men whereas indede they were infected with muche wurse vice sayeth vnto them I cumpanye with the Publicanes and sinners because I am the physicion of the soules thyrste for the helth of men To what purpose is it to cumpany with the iust as ye suppose your selues to be sith they nede no physicion They nede a physicioÌ„ that be ill at ease and the phisicion is profitable vnto theÌ„ which knowlage their disease and be willing to be healed Therfore to lothe and despise theÌ„ it is no holines but pride and to succoure them it is a sacrifice muche more acceptable to god then any kind of sacrifice whiche is offered in the temple Ye which know the scriptures ought not to be ignorant in this where god speaketh thus I wyll mercye rather than sacrifice Agayn in Esai he refuseth your offeringes but the worke of mercy he neuer refuseth If ye haue not yet marked this thing go and learne what this worde of god meaneth and than if ye thinke good reproue my doyng which is not coÌ„trary to your lawe but agreable to the wil of god And why should I refuse the cumpany of sinners whiche came purposely to stirre and prouoke suche maner of men to repentaunce of their former life Many thinke themselues iust if I with drawe my self from them they ought not to be greued for they haue no nede of my helpe And it were a vayn thing and but a rebuke to cal them to repeÌ„tance whiche haue nothyng to repeÌ„t With this talking Iesus touched and in maner skorned the arrogant pride of the Phariseis whiche thought them selues to be iust and were not Than came the disciples of Iohn vnto him saying why dooe we and the Phariseis fasâ—e for the moste parâ—e but thy disciples faste not And Iesus sayed vnto them Can the brydegromes chyldren moutnt as long as the brydegrome is with them but the dayes wyll cum whan the bridegrome shal be taken from them and then shal they faste No man putteth a piece of newe clothe in an olde garmente â–ª For than taketh he away a piece from the garment and the tent is made wurse Neyther do men put newe wyne into olde bottels for then the bottels
father had better hope and comforte then he had before and declaring the great desyre of his minde with teares and weping sayed I beleue lorde and yf my belefe be vnperfite healpe thou my weakenesse ¶ When Iesus sawe that the people came â—unnyng together vnto him he rebuked the soule spirite saying vnto hym Thou dumme and deafe spirite I charge the cum oute of him and enter no more into hym And the spirite when he had cryed and rent hym soore came out of hym and he was as one that had beeâ— deade in somuche that many saied he is deade But Iesus caught his hande and lift him vp and he rose And when he was cum in to the house his disciples asked him secretly why could not we caste him out And he saied vnto them this kynde can cum forth by nothyng but by prayer and fastyng In the meane season the people came runnyng together on euery syde to see this sight When Iesus sawe they were come for his wyll was to haue them all to bee witnesses of the miracle then putte he furthe that almyghtie voyce wherwith he calletth to life again when it pleaseth him euen the dead He threatned the foule spirite to handle hym accordyngly vnlesse he would incontinente departe saying Thou deafe and dumme spirite I charge the to gette the out of the man and that thou neuer from henceforthe enter into him again Iesus is in a fume with the spirite because he may shewe mercye vpon the man geuyng vs a lesson what we ought to doe in healyng of sinners A man must so rebuke vice that he may seme to loue the soule health of the person And because we should knowe that man laboureth speaketh in vayne vnlesse Iesus speake with hym by his secrete vertue and power the disciples commaunded the spirite to go out but all was in vayne because Iesus was awaye He is awaye so oft as our fayth is colde and wauering by the which fayth his wyll is that we obtayne all thynges What was doen at the emperious voyce of Iesu By and by the spirite went out But to the entent it should appeare that he wente out agaynste his wyll he cryed and vexed the sely wretche very sore at his departure For nowe laye he vpon the grounde for dead in somuche that many sayed he was dead in dede Thou seest here a figure of a peniteÌ„t person and him who turneth from great and accustomed synnes to amendemente Nowe hathe the hatred of synne delyuered hym from synne howbeit he is at the next doore to desperaâ—ion whoso both knowleageth his owne filthinesse also hath gods iustice in remembraunce But yet lyeth he happily deade that is deade to synne For then remaineth there nothyng elles but that he begyn to lyue agayne to righteousenesse And this benefyte geueth also our most bounteous sauioure Iesus without whome there is no safetie He caught the felowe by the hande and lifted hym vp as he laye in this traunce and furthwith the same who before seemed deade recouered hys former strengthe and throughe the benefite of Christe rose vp stronge and lustie But vnlesse Iesu had nowe geuen hym newe grace to leade a godlye lyfe it had been to no purpose that he was deliuered from the dyuell at the contemplacion of his fathers fayth Nowe heareth this deafe manne whiche before had his eares stopped with worldely lustes agaynst the doctryne and woorde of the gospell Nowe speaketh this dumme felowe who before was tongue tyed speachelesse by reasoÌ„ of the passions and wilfull pangues of the fleshe Nowe is the same at rest and quiet who before styred with the furious rages sumtime of sensualitie and pleasure of the body sumtime of ambicion â–ª desire of worldly aduauÌ„cemeÌ„t others whiles of wrath nowe of enuy nowe then of couetousnesse was as it had been rauished and caryed by the constraynte of sum vncleane and violente spiriâ—e All these thinges saw the Apostles and saied nere a worde for that they durst not interupt the lorde The Scribes also helde their peace being now assured by the thing selfe howe it was not by reason the name of Iesu was vneffectuall and vertulesse that this felowe was no sooner ryd of the spirite but for the weakenes of fayth And as it chaunced vnto this yonge manne bodely so chaunced it to the Pharise is spiritually They were not healed of their sinnes bicause they beleued not the woorde by the onelye vâ—rtue wherof they mighte haue been healed But when Iesus was cum into the house the disciples now beyng with him alone asked him what was the cause why they could not cast out the deuyl syth they had afore cast out so many in his name For they were disquieted in mynde with a certayne humayne carefulnes leste they had vnwares offended the Lorde and by that meanes loste the power whiche he once gaue them to worke miracles Iesus who is not wont to take awaye agayne what he hath once geuen but to encreace the same yet wyll not he haue his gyftes negligently kepte and after a rechelesse sorâ—e and nowe hath he sufficiently declared in the father of hym that was healed how weaknesse of fayth was the only impediment why the deuyl wente not forthe the whiche faythe was not as yet so strong in the disciples as it ought of congruence to haue been Iesus I saye aunswered that there was a certayne speciall kinde of dyuels which coulde not otherwyse be expelled then by praier and fastyng For these be the two engynes which are of moste force agaynst wicked spirites For by prayer the strength of fayth is renued and quickned as it chaunced vnto the yonge mannes father who sayed Lorde helpe my vnbeliefe And by fasting bycause it contayneth a certaine forbeatyng of all carnall pleasures the rebellion of the fleshe is subdued He muste haue a cleane spirite himselfe whoso goeth about to caste out vncleane spirites of other Iesus and the thre disciples were newly retourned from prayer The reste of them kepte compaynie with the multitude and dyd neyther faste ne praye and for that cause were not able ynoughe to caste out a dyuell whiche had so faste holde and was so familiar The more the trust of our selues encreaseth in vs the more the power to worke miracles decreaseth The more the power of the fleshe is mortified in vs the stronger is the holy goste by whose onely power soule spirites are expelled We muste therfore ofte tymes praye that the strength of fayth may in vs be encreased we muste also mortifie our fleshe continually to th entent that the spirite of Iesu Christe may liue in vs. To be shorte Christe doethe nowe prepare his disciples againste that houre when they shall be commaunded to watche and praye leste they fal into temptacion But because they toke a nappe after supper the weake fleshe had the vpper hande ¶ And they departed thence toke their iourney thorow Galile and he would not that any man should know
the lordes ouer suche as be vnder their obeysaunce and subieccion And they whiche are great men among the heathen do exercise their power and authoritie ouer them that they haue rule and gouernauÌ„ce of Beware there be no suche thyng among you Here a desyre to helpe the neyghbour maketh a man greater and not the desyre of worldly prefermeÌ„t Therfore as I haue also taught you before tyme whoso desyreth to bee great in very dede among you let the same be your minister let him I say not exalte himselfe to beare rule but humble himselfe to do all men good And whosoeuer will be chiefe among you let the same be the seruaunt of all the rest let him not chalenge any soueraignitie or preeminence but serue to th ende he may do all men good not sekyng hereby his own honour but referring all the whole prayse and glory vnto God whom he serueth in his meÌ„bres Let it not greue you to counterfaite the ensample whiche you see plainly expressed in me For the sonne of man came into the world not to rule nor to lay the yoke of bondage vpoÌ„ other mens neckes but to be a minister for euery mans saluacion and not onely to serue for all mens wealth coÌ„moditie but also to geue and bestowe himselfe for the enfranchisyng of boÌ„dmen to this ende that by the death and losse of one a great many shoulde be saued Of a truthe this is the very Euangelyke and chrystian soueraigntye whiche whoso will desyre let hym desyre it as I doe and loke for a rewarde not suche a one as he appoynteth vnto himselfe but suche as it shall please the father to geue hym lyke as I without condicion obey my fathers commaundementes euen to the crosse wholy referryng the rewarde of myne obedience vnto his wyll and godly arbitrement It shal be a great shame for you to desyre dignitie as you see worldly prynces doe and to seke for a rewarde of the father of heauen Eyther desyre you the kyngdome of heauen and loke after an heauenly rewarde or els if you desyre this worldly kyngdome then require ye not the rewarde of the kyngdome of heauen With suche lessons and monicions they were before hande instructed and taught who went with Christ to Ierusalem For the cleuer that euery man is from all affeccions the better appointed is he to go to the battayle of the crosse ¶ And they came to Hierico And as he went out of the citie of Hierico with his disciples and a great numbre of people blynd Bartymeus the sonne of Timeus sat by the hye waie syde beggyng And when he hearde that it was Iesus of Nazareth he began â—o crie and saye Iesus thou sonne of Dauid haue mercy on me And many rebuked him that he should hold his peare But he cryed the more a great deale thou sonne of Dauid haue mercy on me And Iesus stode styll and commaunded hym to be called And they called the blynd saying vnto hym Be of good comforte ryse he calleth the. And be threwe awaye his cloke and rose came to Iesus And Iesus answered and saide vnto him what wilte thou that I doe vnto the The blynd sayde vnto hym mayster that I might see Iesus sayde vnto hym goe thy waye thy faythe hath saued the and immediatly he receyued hys syght and folowed Iesus in the waye Nowe were they cum to the Citie of Hierico whiche is not farre from Ierusalem Hierico in the Syrian tong signifieth the Mone By the Mone is figured this present life whiche is nothyng els but the common course of the worlde where some be borne and some dye some be sycke and some be whole some growe towarde mans state and some draw in age sometymes chaunceth glad thynges and sometymes heauy For our cause Iesus came downe from that heauenly tranquilitie yet wyll he not tarry here but hasteth to Ierusalem being very desyrous of mannes saluacion And hitherto his disciples and with them a great multitude of people folowed him Marke well howe Iesus is euery where as he is called Eyther he teacheth or healeth or els restoreth to lyfe agayne What his deathe shoulde cause through the beliefe of the ghospell that was preached he shewed nowe plainly by a corporall fygure Mankynde was blinde through ignorauÌ„ce of the trueth poore and beggerly for lacke of all vertues Unlesse Iesus had passed by vs there had bene no hope of lyght For a certaine blynde begger well knowen of the people called Bartymeus the sonne of one Timeus sate by the hyghe wayes syde who when he perceyued hym to cum began to crye and saye Iesu the sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon me Fyrst the bruite or preaching of the Ghospell sheweth vs that Iesus passeth by then the great confidence whiche we straightwaies conceiue of hym will not suffre vs to holde our peace when he goeth by For the synner knowledging and confessyng his wretched lyuing cryeth vpon the mercyfull sauiour and desyreth hym to take mercy and compassion vpon hym He is at the nexte dore to lyght whoso knowleageth his owne great blyndnes To saye Lorde haue mercy vpon me is not a saying of the Phariseis who thought themselues to be men of a perfite syght but an euaÌ„gelike and a christian saying Neither vse the Phariseis to saye O thou sonne of Dauid For they say is not this the carpenters sonne That blynd man sawe a great-deale more in the darke then the Iewes do at this present day whiche boast bragge vpon the knowledge of the lawe professe themselues to be guydes of the blynde But the multitude of people is an impediment and hynderaunce to the sely wretche thus crying and calling for mercy For what other thyng can they do but disturbe and trouble His conscience also cryeth out against hym not with one voyce but with as many as are the offences that he knoweth hymselfe giltie of saying what hast thou to doe with Iesus whiche art defyled with so many synnes The lawe cryeth and barketh against hym saying thou cryest in vaine God is iust loke after punishement for thyne offences The rulers of the Synagoge crye out againste hym commaundyng that no man preache no nor be so hardy as once to name this name Iesu saying there is no healthe and saluation in Iesu but in Moyses To be shorte the same thyng doe the Philosophers and heathen princes But that a man may knowe a very euangelike and christen faithe in this blynde man he gaue not ouer when the people thus cried against hym insomuche that being rebuked and commaunded to holde his peace he cryed louder then he did before saying Thou sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon me The people were offended with his crying Iesus alone was nothing offended herewith but stode styll and commaunded hym to be called vnto hym He hearde hym crye as he passed by but he made as though he had not heard hym This came not of any daungerousnes on Iesus behalfe but was
in suche wyse restored that she arisyng out froÌ„ the bedde where she had lyen sicke dressed the supper for Iesus and his disciples and serued them whyle they sate at the table ¶ Whan the sunne was downe all they that had sycke taken with diuerse diseases broughte them vnto hym and he layed his handes on euerye one of them and healed them And deuils also came out of many crying and saying thou arte Christe the sonne of god And he rebuked them and suffred them not to speake for they knewe that he was Christe And so readye was the Lorde to dooe good and to helpe all men that he neuer did so muche as laye for his excuse the importunitie or vnseasonablenes of tyme â–ª to any that of simple and mere fayth and truste in hym requyred his helpe and succour For the matier beyng now openly blowen abrode throughout all the whole citie as many as had any sicke folkes in theyr house whiche were troubled with diseases of diuerse sortes broughte their sicke folkes to the doore of the house where Iesus lodged And he beeyng a mooste â—entell salueour neyther layed for his excuse that he was nowe from the people within doores where he oughte of reason to haue quiete reposyng of hymselfe from labour ne that it was night and therfore an vnseasonable tyme for suche doynges but vpon all that euer were brought vnto him he layed his haÌ„des that were euermore geuers of health and helpe And all kyndes of diseases did he bothe easily and freely put awaye from all personnes as one that mynded by this exaumple to teache all men that suche as wyll be free from the diseases of the mindes they must flee to none other but to Iesus onely which is euermore readie freely to pardone and forgeue how grieuous soeuer the offense committed hath been so that with sincere fayth they turne wholly vnto hym beeyng the onely auctour of true saluacion For there is no kynde of syckensse so incurable â–ª so rooted to sticke by a man so deadly but at his touche and commaundemente it maye bee healed And here is by the waye set foorth a paterne or exaumple to bishops â–ª and pastoures or curates that succede in Christes place with what myldenesse they oughte to receyue synners that are desyrous to emende from theyr vyce and synfulnesse For yf the Lorde Iesus in whom there was not so muche as any one litle prient or marke either of sickenesse or of vice woulde neuer turne awaye his face from any disease were it neuer so ougly or lothely to see but that he would receiue them to him but that he would touche and handle them and also would heale them how muche more than dooeth it beseme those persones thesame to do whom the benignitie of Iesus hath tofore pourged from the sickenesse of the mynde and who yet neuerthelâ—sse in the meane tyme are not all free from all faultes especially forasmuche as it is not they that take awaye the sickenesse but they are only ministers of the gifte that commeth from heauen and haue nothyng but the office of exortyng and stieryng others to aske and desyre health and of bringyng them vnto that mightye Phisician and mouyng thesame to mercie by theyr intercession that he will vouchesalue to touche theyr hertes and myndes with his handes and so to heale them And not onely syckenesse fledde at the commaundement of his voyce and at the touchyng of his handes but also the deuils not beeyng hable to abyde the godly power of Iesus by and by ere he commaunded them wyâ—lyngly fled out of the bodyes of those myserable creatures whom they had long tyme tofore possessed So great a piece of felicitie and blisse it is to come nere vnto Iesus And nere towardes hym dooeth that persone drawe and come who myslikyng hymself is desyrous and fayn to be made better and the whiche conceyueth an assured confidence and feyth that all his synnes be they neuer so haynous and grieuous yet by the vnspeakeable mercie of Iesus are freely and clerely forgeuen There bee in the bodyes diuerse kiendes of sickenesse and neuer a whir fewer diseases of the soule yea and these of the bothe the more perillous except perchaunce ye will thynke that there are fewer kyndes of intemperancie and mysgouernaunce then there are kyndes of feuers or to bee a thyng of more ieopardie and daungier that the bodye boyle in a feuer then it is perillous for the soule to rage or renne mad in lecherous lustes And emong the diseases of the bodye some are so foule and lothely to see that a mans next frendes cannot abyde to come nere hym â–ª as for exaumple to bee eaten with lyce some agayn are so contagious infectiue that a man shal hee in ieoperdye to come nere vnto suche as haue them â–ª as the leprie in especial and the pestilence albeit the trueth to speake fewe sickenesses or diseases there bee but that one waye or other they are infectiue Agayne some diseases there are either so strong and sore vpon a bodye or els of suche long continuaunce that they ouercome and passe all cunnyng and cure of the phisicians But the power of oure phisician is so great that there is no sickenesse whose greatnesse is aboue it or to bee compared vnto it more is his purenesse then that it maye bee stayned with any sinnes or eiuils of anye mortall creatures greater is his mercie then that it can lothe or abhorre any mannes ouglye fylthynesse He receiueth all men to hym as one of moste singulare goodnesse he toucheth all men hymselfe beeyng moste pureste he healeth all menne as one moste mightyest But on no diseases of the bodye are the phisicians lesse hable to dooe any cure then vpon those sicknesses whiche corrupte the tabernacle of the mynde and reason as for exaumple the fransie the forgetful slepie disease called of the phisicians letharge albeeit in dede men possessed with deiuils are more incurable then either of bothe these because the wicked spirites beeyng more stronger then mannes nature dooe tosse and turmoyle bothe theyr soules and bodyes and vexe them at theyr pleasures Neyther is it the custome to bryng suche vnto phisicians that are but men but they are lefte to the heauenly helpe of God For so greate is the strength and power of this eiuill that euen to beholde theÌ„ is a pieteous matier But peraduenture they seme not miserable although in dede they are more wretched caitifes that through the desyre of reignyng or bearyng a rewle ouer others are drawen to poisonyng or to witchecraftes and nigromancie to sleaghing yea the nerest of theyr kynne to sacrilege and other mo dedes of mischief more hainous then these and suche persones also whom wrathe carryeth violently out of the right waye to the spoylyng of inculpable poore men to the murdre of innocentes whiche haue nothyng deserued to makyng of warre to burnyng to settyng the whole worlde in a rose howe lytle a porcion is that
fleshe and drynke his bloude And finally whā he promysed that hymselfe would within three dayes space reedifie the temple after it were destroyed by the Iewes with suche suspicions and coniectures as these did the Apostles flattre their affeccion and in dede hearde the woordes of Iesus but they hearde them as it had been halfe in their slepe but as for the pith and effectuall meanyng of the wordes they did vttrely not vnderstande And this was doen as the state of the tyme than required by the Lordes permission and sufferaunce to thend partely that they might by a litle at once better and better bee enured to the thyng whiche shoulde afterwarde bee incomparably bitter vnto them and partely because they shoulde not before the tyme scattre themselues abrode by fleyng from their mayster by whose communicacion they were yet in many matiers to be schooled They could not yet throughlye see ne perceyue the priuities of Goddes workyng and conueighaunce because they had the iyes of theyr mynde in manier sterke blinde with muche foggie derkenesse And it came to passe that as he was come nigh vnto Hierico a certayne blynde man sate by the wayes syde beggyng And whan he hearde the people passe by he asked what it mente And they sayed vnto hym that Iesus of Nazareth passed by And he cryed saying Iesu thou sonne of Dauid haue mercie on me And they which went before rebuked hym that he should holde his peace But he cryed so muche the more thou sonne of Dauid haue mercie on me And Iesus stoode styll and commaunded hym to be brought vnto hym And whan he was come nere he asked hym saying what wilt thou that I doe vnto thee And he sayed Lorde that I maye receyue my sight And Iesus sayed vnto hym receyue thy sighte thy faythe hath saued thee And immediately he receyued his syght and folowed hym praysyng God And all the people whan they sawe it gaue prayse vnto God But yet muche more wer the others dymme of sight which were of lesse familiaritie with the Lorde For the fountayne of health is the knowyng of Iesus For to know him is to haue perfect sight Feith is bright light the earthly desires and lustes of this world are darknesse And beholde a casuall chaunce which maie laye playn before your iyes how we maye see Iesus in one blind man is set foorth an exaumple how the blindnesse of the soule maye bee taken awaye from many There sate one in his waye a man depriued of the sighte of his bodily iyes But Lorde how many were here folowyng the trayne of Iesus which sawe a great deale wurse in theyr soules whan euen the verai twelue Apostles had theyr iyes yet styll ouergon with the derke slyme of ignoraunce that they coulde not vnderstande the Lordes manifest sayinges Than so it befell that when Iesus beeyng on his waye towardes Hierusalem was nowe not farre from Hierico there sate a certayne blynde manne by the highe wayes syde beggyng This blynde creature whan aswell by the noyse of hearyng folkes speake as also by trampleyng of feete he perceyued veraye well that a great multitude of people passed by demaunded what the matter was as in dede suche kynde of people are so muche the more curious and inquisitiue of suche thynges because they lacke theyr iyes Aunswere was made vnto him that Iesus of Nazareth was passyng by thatsame waye The partie immediately hauyng conceyued in his herte a feythful trust by reason of suche thynges as he had hearde of Iesus cryed out aloude saying Thou Iesus the sonne of Dauid haue pitie and compassion vpon me Unto his importunitie he added also swete woordes of flatterye and that was euen metely well accordyng to the facion and guyse of beggers But the companye that went afore Iesus rebuked him and bidde him to holde his peace suspectyng that he would haue craued an almes of the common rate and also fearyng leste beyng a slouenly felowe and vnsightly in his geare and a common begger by the high wayes syde he should haue been somewhat noyfull or troublesome vnto the Lorde But the blynde manne the more that the people clattered agaynst hym so muche the more earnestly dyd he crye repeatyng styll thesame wordes whiche he had spoken afore Thou Iesus sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon me Because he could not see Iesus he did so muche the more streygne his voyce as a man beyng ignoraunt how ferre Iesus whom he called vnto was from him Than Iesus who had made as though he heard hym not though he had cried out with a loude voyce once or twyse or thryse afore of purpose to make the faithfull truste of the partie the more euident to all the cumpanye at the laste stayghed on his waye and commaunded the blynde man to be broughte vnto hym of purpose to occasion the iyes of all the whole cumpanye to the diligente beholdyng of the myracle And whan he was come to Iesus the lord asked this question of him what is thy wyll that I should dooe vnto thee It was not ignoraunte to him what thyng the blynde man wished to haue but he woulde haue the confession of the euill vttered in wordes to th ende the myracle might bee the more euident For some are wont to feigne a blyndnesse in themselues that they maye thereby receyue the larger almes yea and some there were peraduēture in the company which if they had been in the blynde mannes case would not haue been bolde to hope for any ferther thyng then some almes or rewarde in money For the Lorde also though after the estimacion of the worlde he was but poore yet did he vse to geue vnto the poore some porcion of suche thynges as were geuen hym by his frendes for his sustentacion But the blynde man with a great affiaunce and faith sayed lorde make thou that I maye haue my sight agayne In these wordes did he craue the thyng whiche by any that was no more but a mere man could not bee assured vnto hym castyng no doubtes but that Iesus foorth with bothe could do it as one moste mightiest and also woulde as one moste mercifull Iesus therfore makyng a lyke quicke aunswere to this quicke and ready fayth restored hym his iyes with a worde agayn saying receiue thou thy sight agayn Thy faith hath saued thee He had seen Christ with his faith ere he sawe hym with the iyes of his body This fayth verily is that thyng whiche obteyneth all without excepcion of the moste merciful lorde this fayth it is whiche in the thickest derkenesse of synne yet calleth a ferre of to Iesus that he maye shewe mercie The conscience and priuie knowelage of his naughty synnefull actes paste doeth iangle agaynst him whan he cryeth but feruentnesse of fayth doeth so muche the more eagrely streygne the voyce Suche maner beggers doeth the Lord Iesus loue and for none other consideracion doeth he many tymes make delaye of that that is asked sauing
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
the filthines of her disease she durst not speake vnto Iesê° before so many witnesses Therfore as though she would steal a benefite secretely she came priuely behynd his backe and touched the hem of his garment For thus she perswaded her self if I touche but the vttermost part of his garmente I shall he whole and by and by his garment once touched the flyxe stayed the woman perceiued that the helth of her body was restored But Iesus willyng suche a notable exaumple of faythe not to bee hid and teachyng withall that the glory of God ought not to be conceled to then tent he would haue the benefite to be confessed he turneth vnto the multitude saying who touched me Whan all denied it Yet sum body touched me ê™ he For I feele a power goyng out from me Here Peter and the other disciples not knowyng what Iesus mente saye Lord thou seest the thicke multitude thrusting the on euery side doest thou aske who touched the sith so many touche the But whan Iesus as ignorant who had touched him loked about hym as seking for the priuie toucher the womaÌ„ being onely priuy of the thing perceiuing that she could not be hid froÌ„ Iesus al shame fastnes set apart fearing and trembling fell downe at Iesus feete and confessed al the matter as it was what disease she had how many yeres she had been sicke and how she had spent al her substance in vain vpon phisicioÌ„s and how that she perswaded her selfe that by the onely touching of the skirt of his garment she myght be healed and howe by and by after the touchyng she felt perfit health of her body It was the wil of Christ that these thiÌ„ges should be declared before the multitude not to put the womaÌ„ to shame neither to purchase himself prayse of men but by this example to teach all meÌ„ what sure confidence and trust is hable to do and by the example of the woman to establishe the faith of the warden of the Synagogue which he perceyued sumwhat waueryng and withall to reproue the Phariseis for their vnbelefe Therfore Iesus lest he should seme to be angry and to take away his benefite againe comforted the woman trembling for feare and said my dâ—ughter be of good comfort Thy faith hath obtained thee health Depart in peace with a quiet and a careles mynde My wil is that this benefite shal continue with the though thou hast stollen it from me As Iesus was speaking these thynges certayne came from the wardens of the Sinagoges house and tolde him that his doughter was dead that there was no cause why to trouble Iesus For they toke Iesê° to be nothing els but sum notable phisicion whiche was hable by his facultie to restore health to them that were alyue but not to restore the dead to lyfe And therfore they thoughte it but vayne to call a phisicion bee he neuer so excellente to a dead maÌ„ Iesus perceiuyng that the father of the maide was muche amased with this tidinges comforted him saying Feare not only haue faith and trust that the maide shal be whole and she shall be whole It is in thee that thy doughter may be whole And now whan they wer cum to the warden of the Synagoges house Iesus suffered not the multitude to enter in nor the other disciples besyde Peter Iames and Iohn and the father and mother of the mayden But al her kinsemen and frendes did wepe and after the countrey maner they beate their bodies bewailing her and criyng out and such other thinges as men be wente to do very folishely in the funerals of riche men and greate men Iesus bad them cease from theyr wailing for the mayden was not deade but a slepe Meanyng thereby that the mayden was dead to them whiche coulde not rayse her but vnto him she slept only to whoÌ„ it was more easy to raise her from death than to other to rayse her from slepe Whan the familiars and frendes of the warden perceyued not these thinges they laughed Iesus to skorne because they knew certaily that she was dead seing her whaÌ„ she died Therfore after that he had thrust forth from the funerals the mourning multitude he taking the father and the mother of the maiden entred into the parler where as the corps of the mayden dyd lye And Iesus takyng the virgin by the hande said MaideÌ„ aryse And furthwith whan at the word the mayden rose she walked also that the fayth of the miracle might be the more certain For he did not onely restore lyfe sodainly but also strength and cherefulnes And wheÌ„ the parentes of the maiden were greatly amased he gaue theÌ„ in commauÌ„dement and desyred them instantly to tell no body what was doen both that he myght auoid the suspicion of vayne glory for this chiefly ought to be doen with the heades of the Sâ—nagoge which did al thinges possible to obtaine the praise of men and also that they myght shew furth with greater faith and credite the thyng that was doen if they commaunded to kepe silence yet would nedes tel the thinges that they had seen doen to the Phariseis and to the Prelates of the Synagoge For he knewe the disposicion of man which he minded to vse to the profite of others And whan he departed he badde them geue the maideÌ„ meate vsing the part of a phisicioÌ„ making as though it had been no myracle whiche thyng established the fayth of the miracle the more And whan Iesus departed thence two blynde men folowed him criyng and saying O thou sonne of Dauid haue mercy on vs. And whan he was cum into the house the blynde came to hym and Iesus sayeth vnto theÌ„ beleue ye that I am hable to do this They said vnto hym Lord we beleue Then touched he their â—yes saiyng accordyng to your faithe be it vnto you And their iyes were opened And Iesus charged them saiyng see that no manne knowe of it But they when they were departed spred abrode his name in al that lande Now whan Iesus left the house of the warden of the Sinagoge and returned to his owne house two blinde men folowed hym whiche had heard the fame of his miracles and therof conceyued an hope to obtain health especially hearing of his goodnes towardes al men wer they neuer so meane But when they coulde neither see Iesus nor cum vnto him yet with a loud crie for loue of health and for feruentnes of faith farre of they crie vpoÌ„ Iesus with gentle praier saiyng O soÌ„ne of Dauid haue mercie vpon vs. Iesê° in the way aunswered them nothing differring his benefite that the miracle might be the more manifest endeuouring alway to allure yâ— Iewes to faith and by the very thynges many wayes to reproue the Phariseis vnbelefe The captain had faith trust the woman had faith and trust they that caried the man sicke of the palsey did beleue and trust the Iewes and Phariseys dyd distrust
thought of many to be Messias Truly euery man thought hym to be a man indued with the spirite of prophecy and of greate holynes But afterwardes excesse and ryote and vnresonable loue towarde the mayde hys neece shaked of this feare For whan after the manner of the heathens he dyd solempnisate the daye of his byrth vpon the which there was al maner of voluptuous pleasures vsed Herodias doughter daunsed at the kinges table wyth wanton gesture and so pleased Herode which was nowe warme wyth wyne that he swore that he woulde geue vnto the mayden whatsoeuer she asked yea yf she woulde aske halfe of hys kyngdome The wenche leste she shoulde leefe so greate oportunitie and by and by to abuse this filthy lust of the kynges hart she counselled with her mother what was to bee asked She fearyng leste the kynges mynde beyng reconciled agayne to Iohn myght breake of the incest mariage counselled her doughter to aske nothing but that furthwith she myghte haue the head of Iohn Baptiste geuen vnto her in a dishe The wenche by the counsell of her vngracious mother came into the feaste and euery man loking what she woulde wishe and desyre she asked forthwyth that she myght haue geuen vnto her the heade of Iohn in a dyshe as thoughe her mother woulde esteme and make more of thys dyshe than of halfe the kyngdome Whan they heard thys otherwyse than they loked for the kyng counterfeyteth heuynesse in hys countenaunce and alleageth for a cloke of hys crueltie the feare he hadde to breake his othe chiefly because he made it before so many geastes and leste he shoulde seeme lyghte or periured he commaunded that the thyng whyche the wenche desired shoulde be doen. By and by the executours of death were sente into the prison and the head of the innocent man was cut of and was brought in a dishe and geuen to the wenche the wenche gaue it to her mother whiche was the chiefe deuiser and doer of all this matter And thus luckely was the birth day of Herode celebrated This rewarde was geuen vnto him that moued and called to honest thinges With this sight were the iyes of the geastes fed whome the king did vouchsafe to set at his table Therefore the vnchaste woman had Iohns head ¶ And his disciples came toke vp the body and buried it went and tolde Iesus Whan Iesus hearde of it he departed thence in a â—â—ippe vnto a deserte place out of the way And when the people had hearde thereof they folowed hym on foote and lefte the cities And Iesus went furth and sawe muche people and was moued with mercy towarde them and he healed of them those that were sicke And when euen drew on hys disciples came to hym saying This is a deserte place and the houre is nowe pasâ—e let the people departe that they maye goe into the townes and bye them vitailes But Iesus sayde vnto them they haue no nede to goe away Geue ye them to eate They sayde vnto hym we haue here but fyue loaues and two fishes He sayde Bryng them hither to me And he commaunded the people to sit downe on the grasse and he tooke the fiâ—e loaues and twoo fishes and lift vp hys iyes towarde heauen and blessed And when he had broken them he gaue the loaues to the discyples and the disciples gaue to the people and they did all eate â—nd were filled And they gathered vp the fragmentes that remayned twelue basketâ—es full And they that did eate were about fiue thousande men beside women and children But the disciples of Iohn caried away his body and buried it Whan Iesus by the telling of Iohns disciples knewe of this so cruel a dede for as man he suffered it to be tolde vnto hym as though he knew it not wheras he knew it before it was doen he departed into a ship that being separate from the multitude he might go into some desert secrete place shewing a certain apperaunce of manly feare but in dede cutting of occasion from the wicked king that he shoulde not heape murder vpon murder Chiefely sith the tyme of Iesus was not yet come and therwith also teaching vs to geue place sumtime to the furies of prynces leste they beyng prouoked and chaâ—ed with well doinges both hurte the innocentes and they themselues bee made the wurse It is lawful to shunne the wicked ready to dooe vngraciously that we maye profitte and helpe the good men And this going aside declareth the notable faith of certaine For assoone as it was hearde that Iesus had left the cityes and was abidyng in desert for feare of Herode as they thought they went out of the cities into wildernes to him whiche hid himselfe in secrete places and because they coulde not goe to him by bote or by wagon and suche like for the â—ombrouse places they folowed him on foote neyther feared nor discouraged by the hardnesse of the way nor by the daungier of lacke of foode So gredely now they began to hunger for the doctrine of the gospel Iesus perceiuing that cummeth out of the darke corners and came to mete them that were desirouse of hym like as he withdrewe himselfe from the wicked And whan he sawe a great multitude of men flockyng thither whiche broughte with them many encoumbred with dyuers dyseases he moued with pitye and consyderyng and perceiuyng their faythe by the dyfficultie and hardnes of the waye of hys owne accorde he healed all that were dyseased And so greate was the feruencye of the multytude that where as they broughte with them into wildernes sicke folkes children and many womeÌ„ yet they brought no vitail with them Therefore when the nyghte nowe drewe nere and theyr stomakes were pricked with hunger the disciples whiche had sene so many myracles hauing not yet throughly a perfect opinion of Iesus for so it was thought good vnto the diuine wisdome to frame them by little and little vnto perfeccion to the entent the faith of thinges that were done might be the more firme and sure to teache them withal by what meanes they should heale helpe the infirmitie of others put their maister in remeÌ„brance that night was at hande the multitude was great and that it was high time than to take meate to send them away that they might goe into the nexte villages and euery man to prouyde him of vitailes But Iesus to the intent the myracle mighte be the more euident and open aunswered They nede not to goe any whither rather geue ye them to eate But the disciples as though they had forgotten all that they had seene nothing awaked at this saying aunswerd very grosly but so that theyr wekenes set furth the greaâ—nes of the miracle shall we ê™ they geue a supper to so many where as we be but thirteneâ—th noumber we haue very littel vytaile truely nothing els but fiue barely loaues two fishes In case they despyse not and lothe not this supper how
and touche nothing but the body As for the solle they neyther helpe nor hurt vnlesse a man misuse them And to misuse them is not the faulte of the meates but of the misuser But the thinges which goe out of the mouth bee the thinges whiche men doe speake Talking cummeth not from the belly but from the harte And that is in mannes harte that in dede is pure and cleane or els vnpure and vncleane For from that fountaine doe spring noysom thoughtes wherwith meÌ„ go about to lye in wayte to hurt their brother from thence do spring murder adultry rape theft fraude deceite enuie arrogancie strife false witnes blasphemie These thynges though they go not out by the mouth yet they make men vncleane and abhominable in the sight of God If they burste out in maner of a pestilente breath out of a filthy siege lyke as they declare man to be vncleane so with theyr infeccion and blasting they do defile others also But whether thou take thy meate with handes washed or vnwashed so thou take it to the vse of nature maketh not man vncleane Neither drinke taken out of an vncleane cup defileth not man so thou take it mesurably for the vse not for the excesse Likewyse to syt vpon an vnwashed seate doeth not defile the minde of man like as the washed seate doth not make pure and cleane hym that sitteth in it Therefore whereas the Phariseis teache and obserue supersticiously these folishe trifles yet they dooe not abhorre those thinges wherby the minde is defiled in dede They lye in wayte for him that doeth them good they do subornate and prepare false witnes they do backbite the fame of their neighbour and so seke for theyr owne glory that they enuy the glory of god falsely reprouing the workes which be done by his spirite and ascribing them to Beelzebub They should abhorre these thinges if they woulde seme cleane in dede But what aukewarde kinde of holynes is this to haue washed and cleane handes and to haue both minde and tongue defiled with so many mischeuous vices ¶ And Iesus goyng thence departed into the coaste of Tyre and Sydon And beholde a woman of Canaan whiche came from the same coaste cryed vnto hym saying Haue mercye vpon me lorde the sonne of Dauyd my daughter is myserably vexed with a deuyll But he aunswered her nothing at all And his dysciples came and besoughte hym saying sende her away for she crieth after vs But he answered and sayde I am not sente but vnto the loâ—e shepe of the house of Israell Than came she and wurshipped him saying Lorde helpe me But he aunswered and sayde It is not mere to take the childrens bread and to cast it to dogges She aunswered and sayde Trueth lorde for the dogges eate of the crummes which fal from their maisters table Than Iesus aunswered and sayde vnto her O woman greate is thy fayth be it vnto thee as thou wilt And her daughter was made whole from that tyme. After that Iesus had spoken these thinges he left that countrey and went into the coastes of Cyrus Sydon in maner prophecying with that dede that the Iewes through the supersticion of their lawe should expell the doctrine of the gospel which the GeÌ„tiles through sinceritie of fayth should take vnto theÌ„ For Cyrus and Sidon were inhabited of Idolaters Iesus went thither not to preache as he did in Iewry for the time was not yet come but to be secret hid there for he entred into a house desiring to be secret but the fame did vtter him This was done for the inuincible malice of the Iewes leste they mighte complaine that the wicked and prophane GeÌ„tiles were preferred before them Therfore he would that the miracle that he shewed there should not seme to be sought after or done of purpose but offered by chaunce in maner extorted obteyned of him by force Therfore when the rumour was spred abrode that Iesus was present whose fame increasing by litle and litle went beyond the coastes of the Iewes a certayne woman of Canaan cuÌ„ming out of her coastes durst not come nere to Iesus lest she beyng vnclean might seme to defile him which was clean but a far of called vpon him with a miserable crie haue mercy vpon me the sonne of Dauid telling him that she had a daughter at home miserably vexed with a deuil This Iesus so merciful and easy to be intreated which was wont to be prompt and ready vnto al men to thintent both that he might make open vnto al men the very constaÌ„t fayth of the woman also leye vnto the Iewes charge theyr very styffe obstynate vnbelefe to teache vs with all of what efficacy and power importune and earneste prayers powred out of an humble harte be with god he despiseth the peticyoner whiche cryed out for sorow of her harte insomuche that he woulde not vouchesafe to make her aunswere shewing therby a certayn fashion of the Iewes arrogancie because the Iewes couÌ„ted the Cananees their olde enemies and wurshippers of Idolles to be abhominable and that they be defyled if they do but talke with them And the apostles at that time were yet of the same affeccion and minde But the woman ceased not although she were repelled Sorowe and faythe made her importune she foloweth at hys backe and cryeth lamentably haue mercy vpon me lorde the sonne of Dauid The disciples not yet vnderstanding what was in dooyng moued with shame rather than with pitie because of the importune crying of the woman of a straunge countrey speake vnto Iesus not desyring hym to haue mercye of the wretched woman but because of her importunitie to sende her away with some aunswere Therefore Iesus made an answere more sore and harde than the former repulse shaking of to the intent he might make the constancie and coldenes of the straunge woman more marueilouse also by the example of her to charge the Iewes with their pride and arrogancie I am not sent ê™ he but vnto the lost shepe of the house of Israell For the Iewes stode merueilously in theyr owne conceyte because of this title that they were the stocke of Israell The woman was not weryed with so many repulses and denials insomuche that she durste yet drawe nere vnto Iesus and falling downe at his knees sayde Lorde succoure me She did not confute the saying of Iesus but with often repeting of her prayers she went about to wery him She layed not for her righte and iustice she requireth nothyng but mercy Iesus not contente with this goeth on still to trye the sobre importunitie of the woman It is not mete ê™ he to take the childrens bread and cast it to the dogges calling the fruite of the gospel which is by fayth bread callyng the children the Iewes which did glory that they had god to their father calling the dogges straungers aliens froÌ„ the religioÌ„ and wurshipping of God Which of the Iewes would
neyther why any should be enuiouse at an other mannes dignitie for who can enuye him whiche studieth no nother thynge but to do an other man good and that if nede be with the losse of hys lyfe Also if honour be geuen vnto them they take it not vnto themselues but yelde it vnto God And when they departed from Ierico muche people folowed hym And beholde two blinde men sitting by the way whan they heard that Iesus passed by they cryed sayinge O lord the sonne of Dauid haue mercy on vs. And the people rebuked them that they should holde theyr peace But they cryed the more saying Haue mercy on vs o lorde the sonne of Dauid And Iesus stoode still and called them and sayde What will yeâ— that I shall do vnto you They say vnto him Lorde that our iyes maye be opened And Iesus had compassion on them and touched theyr iyes and immediately theyr iyes receyued sight and they folowed him And whan he went with his disciples out of Ierico a great multitude of men folowed him And behold two blind men sate by the wayes side whiche wheÌ„ they perceyued by the noyse that it was a great multitude and askynge what it shoulde be knew that it was Iesus whiche passed by wheÌ„ they could not see him and if they had sene him coulde not go vnto hym for the multitude they spake vnto Iesus with a loude voyce saying Lord Iesu the sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon vs. Iesus made as though he hearde them not to thintente that theyr faythe and feruentnes might be the more manifeste to all men The people seyng that Iesus made no aunswere at their crying and suppossing that it was paynefull to him that twoe blinde common beggers made such a clamoure at his eares rebuked them and bad them holde theyr peace But they through a constante truste in Iesus whom they heard saye to be beneficiall towardes all men cried out louder and sayde agaâ—ne Lorde the sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon vs. Iesus therfore when he had sufficiently declared theyr fayth to them all had taught vs by theyr exaÌ„ple that we should beate at the eares of God feruently and constantly yf we will obtayne anye thynge stode still for they could not folow but onely with crying and commaunded theÌ„ to cum to him At his worde they cum Iesus askethe them what they would with theyr great crying and what they woulde that he shoulde do for them Iesus was not ignoraunte what they desired but he would that the disease that they were troubled wyth should be knowen to all menne by theyr owne confession that the faythe of the miracle mighte be the more certayne Lorde ê™ they we desire that oure iyes maye be opened by your helpe They speakyng these thynges with a great affeccion declare that blyndnes was a great griefe vnto them And he is nexte vnto light whiche is very wery of his blindenes Than Iesus shewyng his pietifull affeccion both in countenaunce and iyes with whiche affeccion euery gospeller ought to bee sory for other mens harmes touched theyr iyes and forthwith their iyes beyng opened they saw and with others they folowed Iesus So Iesus with his touching healeth the mynde blinded with worldly desyres and lighte is geuen to this ende that we maye folowe his steppes The .xxi. Chapiter And when they drewe nye vnto Hierusalem and came to Bethphage vnto mounte Oliuete Then sent Iesus two disciples saying vnto them Go into the towne that is oâ—ce agaynst you and anone ye shall fynde an asse bounden and a colte with her looce them and bring them to me And if any man saye ought vnto you saye ye The lord hath nede of them and streyght waye he wyll let them go All this was done that it might be fulfilled whiche was spoken by the Prophete saying Speake ye to the doughâ—er of Syon beholde thy kyng cummeth vnto the meke sitting vpon an asse and a colt the fole of the asse vsed to the yoke THerfore Iesus goyng forwarde to HierusaleÌ„ laboured about this diligently with his disciples to fasten in theyr mindes that he went to his death wittingly and willyngly and that no man shoulde hurte him yf he woulde resiste Therfore he beate it into them so often that he must go to Hierusalem and there suffre death And wheras sumtyme he semed to wythdrawe himselfe from perill it was not for feare but to kepe himselfe vnto the tyme apoynted of the father The whiche when it was than at hande he dyd not onely not hyde hymselfe but willyngly put furthe hymselfe and so putte furth himself that with the noueltie of his pompe he styrred the mindes of the whole cytie againste him and in the meane season he ceaseth not from myracles he ceaseth not from preachyng of the trueth also he reproueth the lyfe of the Phariseis more frely or frankely he casteth the marchauntes out of the temple by the whiche thinges he knewe that all theyr myndes woulde bee the more vehemently styrred against him Whome because he had prouoked against him with well doyng he made them not vnfaultie but gaue them lybertie that they might do the thing that they would do Therfore now being nere to the citie of Hierusalem he came into the mount of Oliues where he thought good to frame a new maner of pompe of his cumming by the which in maner he mocked the pryde of this worlde and by this spectacle he somewhat comforted his disciples beyng yet but weake that they might the more quietly beare the death of theyr Lorde Therfore from this hill he sente two of his disciples saying go ye into the village that is ouer agaynste you and as soone as ye enter in there ye shall fynde a female Asse tyed and her fole with her whereon neuer hath any manne yet sitten looce them bothe and bring them hither vnto me And if any manne saye any thing vnto you demaundyng why ye looce them whither or to whom ye leade them make none other aunswere but that the Lorde hath nede of them At this worde they will suffer them furthwith to be brought These thinges were doen partlye because they shoulde vnderstande that nothing is to hym vnknowen and that he hath power to commaunde whom he will and what he will if he woulde vse his power partely that the Iewes might know at lest wise by this very token that he was Messias because they sawe this strauÌ„ge kinde of entring prophecied in tyme paste by the Prophete Zacharie For thus he did prophecie Saye ye doughters of Syon beholde thy kyng cummeth to thee meke and humble sitting vpon a she asse and vpon a colte the fole of a yoked beaste The disciples went and did as Iesus commaunded them and brought the Asse and the â—olt and put on them theyr clothes and set him theron And many of the people spred theyr garmentes in the waye And other cut downe â—oughes from the trees and strawed them in the waye Ferther the
meane season Peter sate without in the courte beholding a farre of the heauie sight and loking for the ende of the matter for he durste not come nere lest he shoulde be knowen of the ministers And a certayne wenche came vnto hym whiche partely knewe hym and sayde Thou also waste one of the folowers of this Galilean Here Peter beyng amased at the wenches woorde and forgetting that stout woorde that he spake to Christ and if I should dye with thee I wil not deny thee denied his lorde before theÌ„ al saying I cannot tell what thou sayest And furthwith the cocke did crowe And as he prepared to goe out euen in the doore an other wenche spyed him which vttering hym to the ministers standyng by sayeth Thys man also was with Iesus of Nazareth And agayne he denyed it swearing that he knew not the manne And a little after certayne of them that stoode by knowing Peter sayd Truely thou arte one of this numbre For not onely thy face but also thy speche doeth vtter thee to be a Galilean Than Peter being more afrayde began not onely to abiure and forsake Iesus but also to execrate and ban himselfe if euer he knewe the manne And furthewith the cocke crowed agayne After these Iesus dyd beholde him and speaking as it were vnto him with his iyes monished him Than at length Peter cumming to himselfe remembred that Iesus tolde him before when he craked of hys boldenes and valiantnes before the cocke crow twise thou shalt denye me thryse But because he sinned thorough the weakenes of man being amased with feare and not of purposed malice he deserued mercy Christe suffered this in hys chosen apostle that no man offende he nouer so sore shoulde dispayre of pardon so that he repent and washe the spot of his mynde with teares For Peter whiche was as it were besyde hymselfe at the looke of Iesus by and by came to hymselfe agayne and repented and goyng furth wepte bitterly ¶ The .xxvii. Chapiter ¶ Whan the morning was come all the chiefe priestes and elders of the people helde a counsel against Iesus to put him to death And broughte hym bounde and deliuered hym to Pontius Pilate the deviâ—ie THerfore that night was throughly watched of the heades of religion with these wicked cruell deedes And when day drew nere againe the chiefe priestes and the seniours of the people went to counsayl against Iesus to put hym to death Therfore they deliuered him bound vnto Pontius Pilate president to take punishment of the condemned man Here Iudas that betrayed hym seeing that he was now condemned and that they went to extremities moued with repentaunce broughte agayne the thirtie pieces of syluer to the heades of the priestes and senioures of the people saying I haue synned because I haue betrayed the innocente bloud Truely this mannes confessyon should haue moued the prynces mindes He confesseth that it was doen by the infeccion of auarice and he confesseth that he hath betrayed an innocent But they vtterly raging and thirsting after nothing els but innocent bloud aunswered what is that to vs whether thou hast betrayed an yll doer or an innocente Looke thou to that ¶ Than Iudas whiche had betrayed him seing that he was condemned repented hymselfe and brought againe the thirtie plates of siluer to the chiefe priestes and elders saying haue sinned betraying the innocente bloude but they sayde what is that to vs See thou to that and he cast downe the siluer plates in the temple and departed and hong himselfe Iudas now repenting of his gayne desired to breake of his bargayne but theyr crueltie coulde by no meanes be mitigated Iudas therefore casting the pieces of siluer at their feete departed away heaping and increasing his wicked dede with a more wicked dede He knowledged the greatnes of his sinne but he knowledged not the greatnes of goddes mercy Peter wepte bitterly and obtayned mercy Iudas wept also but with a desperate minde rather thaÌ„ a conuerted minde and therfore he went asyde and hanged himselfe and burst in the middes and his bowels fell out And the chiefe priestes tooke the pieces of siluer and sayde It is not lawfull to put them into â—orâ—on because it is the price of bloude And they tooke counâ—el and bought with them a potters fielde to bury straungiers in Wherefore the fielde is called the fielde of bloude vnto this day Than was fulfilled that whiche was spoken by the Prophete Hieremye saying They tooke thirtie siluer pieces the price of hym that was valued whome they bought of the children of Israell and gaue them for the potters fielde as the lorde appoynted me After this the heades of the priestes went to counsayl agayne and that theyr crueltie mighte be the better knowen to all menne they dyd nothing without a common counsell They consulte to what vse the thirtye pieces of syluer shoulde goe whiche Iudas had cast at theyr feete And being menne of aukewarde religion hauing no religion nor feare in killing of an innocente who had doone so muche for them It is not lawfull ê™ they to put this money into Corbon that is emong the gyftes of the temple whiche they woulde haue estemed and regarded religiousely For it is the price of bloude But the holines of the temple must not be poluted with bloud And in the meane season they dysclose theyr vngraciouse conscyence confessyng hym to bee innocente whose betraymente they had boughte Therefore because that they all shoulde bee partakers of the synne they counselled together and with that money they bought a grounde of a certayn potter for godly vses that straungiers mighte be buried there as though they woulde haue recompenced the sinfull dede that they had in haâ—de with thys good dede And yet by thys meanes they prouyded very yll for theyr good name For they coulde not by any other meanes more blase abrode theyr wickednes For the thyng is come to suche a common saying that at this daye that grounde is called of the Sirians Acheldema that is to saye the grounde of bloude Neyther was thys thing done by chaunce for Hieremie prophecied that it shoulde come to passe and they tooke thirtie pieces of siluer the price of him that was prised whome they boughte of the children of Israell and they gaue them for the grounde of a potter as the lorde appoynted me Iesus stode before the debitie and the debitie asked him saying Arte thou the king of Iewes Iesus sayeth vnto him Thou sayest And whan he was accused of the chiefe priestes and elders he aunswered nothing Than sayde Pilate vnto him hearest thou not how many witnesses they laye agaynste thee And he aunswered hym to neuer a woorde insomuch that the debitie matuayled greatly Therfore whan Iesus stode before the president as giltie they accused hym busily of many thinges speaking nothing in the meane season of blasphemy of the relygyon of the temple defyled and broken and of the cummyng of the sonne of man with the whiche thinges
was not vnknowen vnto him what he desyred but his wil was that the notable fayth of this maÌ„ should be an ensample to all men All suche as be lecherous persons couetous full of hatred enuy or attached with other filthy lustes and appetites of the body are foule arayed with this horrible detestable leprosy And such as are herewith infected let them heare and marke the wordes of this leper to thintent they maye folow hym If thou wilt sayth he thou canste make me cleane He knowlegeth his disease and doubteth not of the power goodnes of God He wholy referrreth the iudgemeÌ„t to the lorde to iudge of him whether he be worthy to receiue so great a benefite at his handes or no readie to geue thankes yf he obtayne his desire and not to murmur and grutche agaynst hym yf he obtayne it not For he would saye thus He is able to put awaie leprosy who not onely cureth all kindes of diseases but also casteth out deuils and he wyll do it that so willingly helpeth all that are in distresse and misery whersoeuer he cummeth But so great is myne vnworthynes that I alone deserue not that whiche all other obtain of his moste mercifull goodnes This so perfite a belefe ioyned with exceding humblenes of mynde and modestie procured hym mercy of Iesu. For our sauiour shewing outwardlye euen with his countenaunce a certayne affecte of pitie and compassion therby to teache what affeccion of mynd ought to be in vs towarde synners heldeout his hande and therewith touched the leaper and by vertue of wordes that hymselfe prescribed made hym cleane The leper sayed If thou wilt thou canst make me cleane Iesus answered I will be thou cleane True fayth maketh not many wordes neyther grutcheth the charitie of the gospell to do a good deede And Christ had scarcely spoken these wordes be cleane but the disease was quite gone from the man so that no token therof remayned The lawe of Moses forfendeth to touche a leaper the spirituall meaning wherof coÌ„tayneth wholsome doctrine We must abstayne from the company of vncleane persons and synners leste we be infected by the contagiousenes of their vyces But the Lorde Iesus is aboue the lawe neyther can he be defiled with touchyng who purifieth whatsoeuer he toucheth He touched the leaper with hys hande and furthwith he healed his whole bodye Let vs therfore praye that he may in seÌ„blable wyse touche our soules with his holy worde and therwith purifie our inward vncleannes O thou that vsest to haunt the company of harlots thou that 〈◊〉 an adulterer or polluted with lyke diseases runne in lyke manner vnto Iesus for he cuÌ„meth downe from the height of his maiestie and meteth the and knowyng thine own filthines fall downe at his knees prostrate thy selfe and lye flat vpon the grounde Crye and call vpon him but crye with moste stedfaste belife of harte and mynde Lorde if thou wilt thou canste make me cleane And anon thou shalt heare these wordes agayne of thy mercifull sauioure I will be thou cleane After these thynges were done in maner before rehearsed the Lorde suffered not the man to folowe him but caused him to departe commaunding hym straytly to disclose nothing of this matter to any creature lyuyng but rather ê™ he get the hence and shew thy selfe to the priest by whose iudgemeÌ„t accordyng to the ceremonies of the lawe thou wast iudged to be a leaper And if he geue sentence that thou arte clensed in dede of thy leprosy then offer that Moses hath commaunded to be offered of those that should fortune to be deliuered therof Thus shalt thou with more credeÌ„ce publishe gods benefit towardes the theÌ„ if thou straight wayes tell euery body that thou arte made cleane For by this meanes it shall appeare euen vnto the Phariseis themselues whiche depraue my benefites that thou wast a verye leper and hast bene clensed without eyther help of the PhisiciaÌ„s or els of Moses law by bare worde of mouthe and touche onely so shall they know how there is one present that farre passeth their priestes who can easely cure leprosy thoughe it be detestable abhorted wher as they haue muche a doe truly to dicerne thesame This felow departed in stede of a leper cleane in bodye and wente to the priest and was sene and iudged to be cleansed of all leprosie And anon after he conceled not this dede but published it euerywhere reportyng bothe this and many other thynges of Iesu. Sum will here aske Why did this man as he was commaunded in the one thyng and in the other nothyng regarde the Lordes commaundement Truely for that the one serued to confirme the certaintie of the miracle because the priest not knowing as yet who had healed the man shoulde pronounce his healthe restored by Iesu to be a perfit health who els peraduenture woulde haue depraued Christes benefit yf the autour therof had bene knowen before he had geuen his verdite But after the miracle was once confirmed by his sentence then made it muche for Gods glory to haue it published abrode Wherefore then coÌ„maunded Iesu that thing to be kept secret which in dede his will was should be blased abrode and vttred Forsoth to monishe vs that we ought to seke no glorye and prayse of man for the benefites whiche it pleaseth God to worke by vs because the goodlyer praise euer foloweth them whiche refuse thesame It procedeth of an high courage so to do a good turne that thou wouldest haue no thankes therfore yelden the of him whom thou hast doen good pleasure vnto beyng only contented with this that it lay in thy lot to helpe thyne euen Christen in his necessitie But he that is holpen by suche benefite as he hath receyued at thy handes ought with so muche the more diligence to publish and set out thy well doing euerywhere to thy prayse coÌ„mendacion Christ was in no daunger to offende in vainglory and therfore this ensample was ordeyned for our instruccion whiche are continually in very great ieoperdy to fall therein Neyther did this man contemne Christes commaundementes but the great gladnes that he was in by reason of the restitucion of his health and a certaine feruent loue whiche he was kyendeled withall towardes Christe the autour therof would not suffer hym to kepe sileÌ„ce any â—nger Uerely it chaunceth for the most parte that we are best beleued when we tell those thinges whiche we had rather in very dede kepe secret theÌ„ disclose if the matter it selfe enforced not vs to vtter that which lyeth hyd in our stomakes Nowe what came of it that this man did thus blase abrode this miracle Truly by reason therof euery man conceyued suche an opinion of the Lorde Iesu that he could not now for the great throng and prease of people that thyther resorted openly enter into the citie as he was wont to doe but was constrayned to auoyde the good tounes and make his abode in the
mercye then is he altogether benummed taken with a palsey so that he hath neyther handes to relieue the pore at theyr nede nor feete to goe to Iesus nor tongue to desyre his sauiour to helpe hym but as one cleane dead to Iustice is carried about hither and thither whithersoeuer it pleaseth the sensuall lustes and appetites of his body whiche be as it were his porters to carry hym What shall the sely soule do whiche because it is altogether dissolute and weakened by superfluitie by carnall pleasure by inordinate desyre of vayne glorye and worldly riches hath no strength at all to lyfte vp it selfe from the filthy cares of this world to the loue of heauenly thynges It is altogether fastened to the naughty bed of carnall lustes and therein lieth and resteth And beyng in this case it farre passeth mannes power to helpe it Only Iesus is able with his almighty commaundement to put awaye all the violence of this disease Wherfore we ought to resorte vnto this physyciaÌ„ vnto whome no disease is vncurable but not without a greate faythe which may doe so muche with him that this pacient was holpen euen for the belefe of other men They prayed not with woordes but yet were they earneste suters in dede When fayth hartely desyreth any thyng of Christe her request is very affectuall and no meruayle syth that euen we mortal men fele great carefulnesse in our mindes suche are the naturall affeccions of man when we se one that haÌ„geth vpon vs with all his harte and mynde hath put his sure confidence and trust in vs. God requireth of synners neyther burnt sacrifices nor offered gyftes Onely acknowleage thy sycknes and truste in thy phisycian and yet no man can make the able thus to doe but god alone For after that he of his inestimable goodnes hathe once decreed to heale the soule taken with the palsey he fyrst of all putteth into it a certaine wonderfull heauinesse yrkesomnesse of ones selfe in so much that the sinner hateth himselfe and is wery of his former lyfe Nowe he seeth in what ignorauÌ„ce and darkenesse he hathe ben of long season what greuous offences he was wonte to coÌ„mitte and abhorreth himselfe and woulde without doubte be in vtter dispayre of saluacion vnlesse he that put in the vinegre of sorowe dyd also giue hym the oyle of good hope The iustice of God â—ore troubleth the synnefull soule It threateneth with vengeaunce and punishmeÌ„t due vnto the synnes It threatneth with hell and damnacion But on the othersyde the remembraunce of the goodnes and great mercy of God calleth backe the synner from desperacion for that god seketh not the death of a synner but wylleth rather that he tourne and lyue The lorde Iesus who restored the lawe of nature and destroyed not Moyses lawe but made it perfite did also applye hymselfe to the common reason and iudgement of the vulgare people As the pocion ministred by a faythfull phisician sore vexeth the whole bodye and bryngeth it out of quiet specially in a ieperdous disease and the more it worketh and troubleth the pacient the more hope is there of health euen so the nearer vnto despera cion the penitent synner is the nearer is he to his soule healthe Iesu being his phisycian Now marke me well a shamefast vnshamefastnesse For shame as it is commonly sayde is vnprofitable to the neady man Shame putteth awaye shame euen as one nayle dryueth out an other It is an vnprofitable shame that causeth a man to hyde and kepe secrete his sycknesse This shame is put awaye by the longe werinesse of the disease and the great hope that a manne hath to recouer his health and nowe is he not ashamed to confesse his sycknesse because he is ashamed to be sycke What manne yf he be greuously diseased in his bodye hathe any regarde of shame at all Dooe not menne in suche case discouer euen the moste priuie membres of theyr bodyes and suffer the phisycian to handle them Lyke affeccion of minde is in hym who hath begonne to knowledge the fylthie disease of his soule For what lewder pageaunte or pranke cowld there be played then to clime vp vpon another mans house to cast downe the tiles to make an hole and conuey doune from aboue a fowle lothsome syght that euery body abhorred and lay it before all theyr iyes What woulde the proude pharisey haue sayde here Certes he woulde haue cryed Oh vilaynous dede and ouer this haue rayled out of measure agaynst theyr lewdnesse who had contrary to the common lawe made an hole and forciblie entred into an other mans seuerall house and with suche a deadly syght bothe interrupted the holy preachyng of goddes worde and also defiled the iyes of the audience He woulde haue commaunded the karkaslyke sycke man to be had away and then haue all to wasshed himselfe with water But with those thinges in as muche as they were an euident profe and argument of a notable faythe towardes him the Lorde Iesus was hyghly delyted whiche they that crake vpon the righteousnesse of Moyses lawe woulde haue bene offended with all in somuche that he and that not lokyng to be desyred healed this miserable creature and fyrst of all he cured the diseases of his soule whiche are synnes and then forthwith deliuered his body of the palsey because that as there are many vices whiche after they haue taken theyr begynning of the body doe from thence redounde into the soule so it chaunceth oftentimes that the body is infected with the disease that is first bred and ingendred in the soule as when lecherye whiche is engendred of the humours of the fleshe defyleth the sowle and from thence returneth agayne her maladie and euyll effect into the body there causyng eyther the palsey or the fallyng euyll or els when that enuie whiche taketh her begynnyng of a vicious soule dothe also wast the body and bryng it to a coÌ„sumption He onely is able to cure bothe the partes of man whiche made bothe Here is it also to be consydered howe greate was the largesse of Iesu in forgeuyng of synnes For wheÌ„ he saithe thy sinnes are remitted he lewseth theÌ„ all together Neyther is there any mencion made of the merites paste nor any requiring of sacrifices or satisfaccion but mencion of faythe only It is inoughe humbly to haue cum to the feet of Iesus That man hathe made sufficient sacrifice who with perfecte faythe hath shewed hymselfe vnto Iesu then whiche sacrifice there is none more acceptable vnto him The sycke of the palsey was wholy displeased with himselfe bothe for that he knewe his owne synfull liuing and also because his body was oppressed with so miserable a sicknesse All his trust was in the mightye goodnes of Iesu who made hym all whole because he wholy committed himselfe vnto this phisician he coÌ„sidered not how vncurable was his disease but only regarded how myghty and good was the phisician vnto whome he committed himselfe Nowe
palsey when he whipte out of his bed and went home vnto his house The pharisey heareth Iesus reasoning or disputing on many matiers and seeth him worke sundry miracles and yet distrusteth and murmureth agaynst hym The publycane who neuer heard ne sawe suche thynges before obeyed thonly worde of Iesu. And beholde an other occasion wherby bothe the wickednesse of the phariseis and also the bounteous goodnesse of Iesu maye the better be set forthe and knowen For Mathew being now the assured disciple of Iesu to th entent he myght commend his maister to moe and bryng suche as were his late companions and felowes of the same state and condicion that he was to the lucre of the ghospell was not afearde to desyre the lorde that he woulde vouchesafe to be his geast at home in his house Iesus lightely condescended vnto his request because that before he so wyllingly obeyed when he was called Mathew supposyng that he had obteyned no small thyng prepared a right gorgious and a royall feaste whiche shoulde suffice a great many that is to wete certaine disciples whom the lorde had now gathered and besydes them diuerse other which then folowed Iesus and went with him as vnbidden geastes to this feaste and many publicans yea and sinners to whom for olde familiaritie and acquayntaunce Mathew had bidden therunto beyng nothing ashamed what manoure of companions he once had sithe he was theÌ„ departed from them to an other felowshyp For he trusted it woulde cumme to passe that lyke as he was called of the lorde so should he throughe the lordes mercyfull vocacion haue many of them scholefelowes with him in learnyng the doctrine of the ghospell whereby is geuen aboundaunce of heauenly treasure who were before his felowes in vicious lyuing and getting of slaunderous gaines He receiued this great confidence through the gracious goodnes that he perceiued in Iesu towardes all menne Truly it was mete this shoulde be a great feaste which represented the churche that should be gathered together of the gentiles For the feastes of the Iewes be small and receyuable but of fewe persons because they onely folowe the fleshe or litterall sence of the lawe where as the spirite and true meaning thereof dilateth it selfe in most ample wyse and receiueth al sortes of people All menne loue libertie and haue neede of mercy few haue rightuousnesse and yet did the phariseis chaleÌ„ge thesame notwithstanding they lacked it were in very dede vnrightuous who when they sawe Iesus feasting with publicaÌ„s and synners whome they as menne of great perfeccion and holynesse would not vouchsafe so muche as to speake vnto went vnto his disciples being then but symple ignoraunt persons and suche as they thought might easely be plucked from theyr mayster and them dyd they hunt after and assaye to wynne with theyr venemous whisperyng Why ê™ they doeth your maister whom you Iohn forsaken folowe as the more holy and perfite manne eate and drinke with synners since that the communion of table is the greatest token of familiaritie that maye be Hath not hered this scripture folowing with the holy thou shalte be holy and with the froward thou shalt be froward Doth not he coÌ„sidre how that by reason he is thus familiar kepeth company with sinners he doeth encourage theÌ„ to coÌ„tinewe still in sinne whiche els peraduenture yf menne woulde auoyde theyr companye woulde amende theyr lyues When the disciples who were as yet rawe in theyr profession had no ready aunswere to make them but onely with a symple plaine fayth hanged vpoÌ„ theyr Lorde then Iesus vnto whom neyther the secrete wordes nor yet the hid thoughtes of the phariseis were vnknowen made answere for them in this wyse O you phariseis why do you grudge and murmour agaynst me for that I rather feaste with theÌ„ whome you take for wycked and abominable persons then with the priestes scribes and phariseis The physicians are praysed who being themselues in good health go yet vnto the sycke when they are sent for And am I blamed for going vnto them who acknowledge the disease of theyr soule and desyre a physycian to cure them Suche as are in good health do not quarell with the physycian saye Why visytest thou suche and suche not vs For they that are whole haue no nede of a physycian The facultie of phisycke muste alwayes be ready for those that be euyll at ease These folkes which acknowledge theyr disease are right glad that the physician is cum For you sawe by that I did vnto the sicke of the palsey howe I haue power geuen me to take away sinne You that thinke your selues whole take vpon you to be right wisemen haue no cause to quarell with the physiciaÌ„ if he cum not vnto you I was sent into the worlde to take awaye the sinne of the worlde Whoso knowleageth his sicknesse and desyreth the physycians helpe him will not I fayle at his nede Nowe he that thynketh hymselfe faultles yf he be in a right beliefe neadeth nothing that I can do But if he be deceiued in his opinioÌ„ or els knowe right wel his inwarde infirmitie and yet dissembleth thesame then is he paste all hope of recouery And for this cause the physyciaÌ„ should but lose his labour if he weÌ„t vnto him For who can heale a manne agaynst his wyll Therfore the physyciaÌ„ is vniustely reproued yf he folow the rules of his facultie but they are very vncurtuous who when theÌ„selues are in good healthe haue great disdayne and enuy that the physyciaÌ„ should be present with the sicke And this my facte ought not to seme straunge and vncouth vnto you whiche professe the knowledge of the lawe For you reade therin as foloweth I will mercy rather then sacrifice God spake these wordes by his Prophete sygnifying therby that the carnall iustice of the lawe whiche standeth in abstayning from open offences and the obseruacion of ceremonies shoulde be set asyde and abolyshed He that neyther coÌ„mitteth murther theft nor aduoutry he that resteth on the Sabboth day fasteth vpon dayes apointed washeth maketh sacrifice is righteous after thestimacioÌ„ of man But god requireth another maner of righteousnes which standeth in free beneficence or well doyng to our neyghbour in forgenyng theÌ„ that haue offended vs in mekenesse and gentle demeanour Now how farre are they from this prayse which do not onely themselues not helpe their neighbour in his necessytie but also haue great despite and bable agaynst it yf anye manne so do God promised to sende you suche a Messias not as should excell the Phariseis in sacrifices phylacteries fastinges and long prayers for thobseruacioÌ„ wherof they magnify set out themselues vnto the people but suche a one as shoulde be beneficiall to all men a lanterne to them that be out of the way a helper to oppressed persoÌ„s a coÌ„forter to suche as are in aduersity a phisiciaÌ„ to all that are coÌ„trite in herte and finally suche a one as
in the fieldes And they wente out for to see what had happened and came to Iesus and sawe him that was vexed with the find and had the Legion sit both clothed and in his right mynde and they were afrayed and they that sawe it told them howe it happened to hym that was possessed with the deuill and also of the swine And they began to praye hym that he would depart out of theyr coast When that vnto this requeste and peticion of the deuill Iesus made no aunswere there was not farre of a great hearde of swine nighe vnto the mouÌ„tayne feedynge in the fieldes Thou knoweste here good reader the beaste that was abhorred of all the righte Iewes and wherewith the Gentiles a people geuen to Idolatrye were chefly delyted Therefore the deuils desyred that they myghte be suffred at the leaste wyse to enter into the swyne And yf we maye not saye they destroy the man whom thou delyuerest from vs yet geue vs leaue sumwhat to wreake oure malice by destroyinge of the vncleane beastes That Iesus graunted them without any stycking who cared not for the safegard and preseruacion of swyne but of men teaching vs hereby that for to saue euen but one man we ought not to passe vpon the losse of other worldly thynges be it neuer so greate The Legion of the vncleane spirites forsoke the man who remayned to be purified with the spirite of Christe and went into the heard of swyne whiche were forthwith caryed headlong with greate violence doune the stepe hill into the lake or sea and there drowned The swyne were almoste twoe thousande in number Lette menne beware that they bee not founde like vnto swyne For into suche soules the diuels are ryght glad to enter Nowe the swyneheardes after they had sene this wonderfull facte dyd not helpe theyr swyne but fled awaye for feare into the nexte citie and into the countrey there aboute and shewed euery body what they had sene That good shepehearde helpethe hys flocke being in ieopardye But when the pastoures or shepeheardes are themselues as bad as theyr naughty flocke that is paste all grace and goodnes then both the flocke goeth to wrecke and vtterly perishethe and the shepeheardes do nothyng els but flye awaye for feare Assone as this thynge was noysed abrode the people came runnyng thicke and threfolde oute of the toune and countrey desyrous to see with theyr iyes what they had hearde before with theyr eares For all semed vnto them incredible that the swyneheardes had tolde them Wherfore they came themselues vnto Iesu and sawe the manne whome they all knewe before vexed with a spirite of exceding cruelnes and wont by reason of his great fury and madnes to braste al his chaynes and fetters in pieces to rent and teare a soundre his clothes to beate hymselfe with stones violentlye to assaulte those that passed by and to make all the places there aboute to ryng with his furious crying and roring sawe him I say then sit quietly at Iesus feete both clothed and in his right mynde Nowe they whiche were presente and sawe what was doue recounted to suche as came thyther the whole history of all that befel euen from the beginning both howe the Legion of diuels was caste out of the man and also how the hogges were drowned in the water Wherfore when they the mattier now diligently examined and tried out were throughlye persuaded that all was of truthe which had bene tolde them of the swyne heardes then were they afraied and beganne to desyre Iesu to departe out of theyr quarters This wicked and grosse nacion knew not Iesu throughly They perceyued his power but they marked not his goodnes manifestlye declared in that he restored this man to his ryght mynde and they were a greate deale more moued in theyr myndes for the losse of theyr swyne then glad of the mannes health and recouery They feared their Oxen theyr Asses and theyr hogges and toke great care for the bely and none at al for the soule And yet for al that it is a certayne begynnyng of saluacion sum what to stande in dreade of Gods power And when he was come into the shyp he that had the deuyll prayed hym that he might be with hym howbeit Iesus would not suffer him but sayde vnto hym go to thyne owne howse and to thy frendes and shewe them how greate thynges the lorde hathe done for the and how he hath compassion on the. And he departed and beganne to publishe in the .x. Cyties howe great thynges Iesus had done for him and all men dyd meruayle The Lorde teachyng vs by dede that the roses of Goddes worde and the gospell oughte not in anye wyse to be caste vnto hogges reculed vnto the water syde and toke shyppe In the meane whyle the felowe whyche was deliuered from the deuil perceiuing the authour of his health to departe beganne to desyre hym that he might be one of his trayne The Lordes pleasure was that he shoulde rather be a publisher of his mercie and goodnes then one that should accompany him in his iourneys because it was expediente for the soule health of many that he should so be Get the hence rather ê™ he vnto thy house and to thy kynsfolkes and acquayntaunce and shewe them howe muche god hathe done for the and howe he toke compassion vpon the when all manne pitied the but yet demed the paste all remedye That countreye conteyned in it ten cities and therfore was called in the Greke language Decapolis The man obeying the commaundemente of Iesu departed and tolde in all those cities bothe what case he was once in and in what case he was nowe made againe throughe the benefite of Iesus Euery man beleued that his wordes were true by reason very many of the same countrey knewe hym before and also because he shewed by his outwarde behauiour that he was by the power of Iesu perfitely restored vnto his ryght minde He was not ashamed to speake of his olde calamities whyles he wente aboute to set furth Gods glory Heare these thinges thou wurshypper of Idols thou whoremonger thou dyser thou ryotous folowe thou waster thou ertorcioner thou robber thou house burner thou warryer thou poysoner thou murtherer dispayre not onlye runne vnto Iesus Consider not the multitude greuousnes of thine offences only regarde that Iesus is he that came to saue all men and is able to dooe all thynges with a becke When the legion of deuiles hathe forsaken the when thou arte restored to thy ryght mynde againe then blase especially amonge thy frendes and acquaintaunce the great mercy of God towardes the. Be not ashamed to confesse thy former lyfe For this also shall make greately for the aduauÌ„cyng and settyng furth of the mercy of Iesu if it be knowen to as many as maye be possible howe abhominably thou lyâ—eddest before Knowledge and confesse what thou haste bene And where as thou arte nowe sodainly chaunged and become another manne ascribe it not
her bodye that she was wonte to haue before or euer she began to be sycke of this disease Lette suche as be effeminate persones and made woman lyke throughe excesse and worldely delicacies or pleasures haue recourse no whitherels for succoure saue vnto Iesu. If they truste to Philosophiers lawyers arte Magike or Pharisaicall ceremonies then shall they after bothe tyme and wytte consumed here in dooe nothynge els but encrease theyr disease and wynne pouertie excepte peraduenture suche pouertie be lesse grieuous vnto them by reason that age is nowe spente and wytte cleane decayed and gone The woman highly reioyced when she had as it were stollen this benefite of Christe whom she thoughte mighte as a man be deceyued and kepte from the knowledge of the thynge that was done or els yf he could not so be then trusted she verelye that he woulde of his goodnes pardon the shamefastnes of womanhood ¶ And Iesus immediatly felyng in hymselfe that vertue proceded from hym turned hym aboute in the prease and sayed who touched my clothes And his disciples sayde vnto hym thou seest the people thruste the and askeâ—â—e thou who dyd touche me And he toked rounde about for to see her that had doen this thing but the woman fearing and trenâ—dlyng knowynge what was done within her came and fell downe before hym and tolde hym all the truthe and he sayed vnto her daughter thy faith hathe saued the go in peace â—â—d be whole of thy plage The Lorde hauyng more regarde to Gods glory and the healthe of a greate manye than to the shamefastnes of one woman knowynge righte well that he was touched and that the woman had receyued the benefite of health therby turned hym to the multitude preasynge behynde hym and sayed who touched my clothes The disciples thynkynge nothyng vpon this that befell answerede the lorde agayne and sayde Thou scest a greate prease of people thrusting and throngyng the on euery syde and yet askest thou who toucheth the They that reade the gospell do touche Christe Suche as do consecrate or receyue hys holy bodye do the same but al are not healed whiche do touche hym The womâ—n alone that touched hym with a stronge faythe was healed Iesus required no other reward for his benefite but onelye a confession of the disease and a knoweledge of Gods mercy Therfore when the woman constrayned by shamefastenes helde her peace trustynge that she mighte styl haue beene vndiscryed he looked rounde aboute on the people as thoughe he had bene desirous to knowe her that had touched hym This lokyng about of Iesus was a gesture of hym that courteously requyred a confession of the benefite receiued He woulde not vtter her by name lefte he shoulde haue semed to haue hit her in the teethe wyth the good turne he dyd her The woman of a woman lye shamefastenesse and not of any vnthankfullnesse helde her peace Then was there a prycke or prouocacion geuen to make her to put awaye that vnprofitable shamefastenes and to wrynge out of her an holsome confession For what is not the looke of Iesu able to dooe In this wyse he beheld Peter and furth with he came vnto hymselfe agayne The woman knowyng in what case she came vnto Iesu and what greate benefite she had receyued of hym durste nor dissemble the matter but all womanlye bashefulnes layde aparte came fearynge and tremblinge before hym For she stode in greate dreade leste he woulde haue rebuked her for her leudnes Then fell she downe at his knees and in the audience of them all shewed the whole matter as it was in euery poynte without anye dissimulacion or colouryng howe longe the disease had hanged vpon her howe physicke had beene practysed in vayne howe she touched his garmente priuily and what a greate truste she had conceyued of him The lorde Iesus loueth suche a confession as causethe the synner to knowe himselfe and to geue all the glorye vnto God for the restitucion of his healthe and fynally that maketh him to prouoke many mo to haue like fayth puttyng vs in remembraunce that of him onelye cummeth free health and saluacion and that it make the no matter howe manye and howe abominable mannes enormities be but howe muche confidence one hath either in the power or els in the goodnes of almightie God If the disease of thy mynde be secrete and vnknowen yet confesse it vnto Iesu who neyther vttereth it agayne nor imbraydeth that therwith but maketh the whole If thou haue openly offended then make thou open confession that like as thou haste entised manye by thy naughtye ensample to vice and synfull lyuynge so contrarye wyse beyng turned from synne thou mayste prouoke many to amende theyr liues That shamefastnes is vtterly to be putte awaye which bothe enuyeth God hys glory and our neyghboure hys soule healthe Assuredly thou shalt be well apayed that thou art rid therof when thou once felest thy selfe more quiet in coÌ„science through thy confession then thou waste before as though thou haddest hearde the selfe same wordes of the Lord Iesu that the woman hearde What hearde she Daughter the fayth thou haddest in me hathe restored the vnto healthe whiche physike was not able to geue the. Departe wyth a ioyfull and a quiete mynde I wyll that thou enioye this my benefite continually O thou ruler of the synagoge seest thou not Hearest thou not these wordes For all this was done to enstructe the and suche as thou art The woman was sicke of an vncurable disease she waxed dayelye worse and worse and yet for the notable fayth she had in Iesu she was healed by the onelye touchynge of his garmente And thou casleste as one woulde saye the Physician home to thy house thou commaundeste hym to laye hys hande vpon the paciente and requirest haste ¶ While he yet spake there came from the ruler of the Sinagoges house certayne whiche sayde thy daughter is deade why diseasest thou the mayster any further And assonâ— as Iesus hearde the worde that was spoken he fayde vnto the ruler of the Synagoge Be not afrayde onely beleue And be suffered no man to folowe him saue Peter and Iames and Iohn the brother of Iames and he came vnto the house of the ruler of the Synagoge and sawe the wundring and them that wept and wayled greatly and went in and sayde vnto them why make ye this a do and wepe The damosell is not dead but slepeth and they laughed him to scorne But he put them all out and taketh the father and the mother of the damosell and them that were with him and entreth in where the damosell saye and taketh the damosell by the hande and sayth vnto her Tabith a cumi which is if one do enterprete it damosell I saye vnto the arise And straight waye the damosell arose and walked For she was of the age of twelue yeres And they were a stoned out of measure and he charged them straightly that no man shoulde knowe of it and commaunded to
the acte of him who went about to wryng out of the man a notable faythe for the ensample of other and his pleasure was to teache all men by this blinde man howe by what meanes light maie be extorted or gotten perforce of Iesu. The fyrst hope to obtaine light is to haue Iesus to stand still at our crying The secoÌ„de to be called vnto him eyther by the teachers of the ghospell or els by the secrete inspiracions of the holy ghost For the blynde man could not go vnto hym vnlesse he had bene led and guided by holy scripture which we ought in no wise to despise although it be ministred by maÌ„ The Apostles and preachers of the ghospell do happily call a blynde maÌ„ when they call him at the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of Iesu. But nowe adayes they call without his coÌ„maundement not vnto him but to the aydes of humaine Philosophie or Heathen learning to thobseruacion of Moises law to the coÌ„modities pleasures of this preseÌ„t lyfe Assuredly these â—allers make the blinde more blinde then he was before But the Apostles obeyng their maisters coÌ„maundement called this man vnto Iesus and so true is it that they dyd not crie brable against him as the people did that they put him hauing good hope already in more hope and comforte saying Be of good chere aryse Iesus calleth thee The blinde man conceyued so great hope herewith that he cast awaye his cloke whiche defended hym againste the cold weather and skypped out of the place where he sate and ranne to Iesus Here will I staye the a lytle while good reader because thou mayest marke the greate readinesse of mynde and feruent courage of this blynde begger Howe ofte arte thou called vnto Iesus doest neither caste awaye thy cloke or maÌ„tell nor skyp out of thy deÌ„ne of misery nor run vnto hym the calleth thee but tournest thy backe but lingrest from day to day but castest doubtes but â—â—dest cauillacions and fayned excuses but waxest luskyshe in thy fylthe and darkenesse haddest rather aske an almes of the worlde in a foule beggerly cloke then receiue light of Iesus wherein is conteyned the summe of all felicitie What a goodly and faire vesture is the garment of innocencie and cleane lyfe What a foule mantell hath he that is clothed with lechery with couetousnesse with excesse and ambicioÌ„ Howe vile and wretched a begger is he whoe for a small and corporall commoditie croucheth and kneleth vnto this world Howe miserablye blynde is he that neyther knoweth himselfe nor almightye God his maker As ofte as thou arte called from this miserable wretchednesse vnto Iesus either when thou readest the ghospell or hearest thesame preached or els whan thou art drawen by a certaine secrete inspiracion of the holy ghoste why doeste thou not then all thynges layde aparte that are wonte to let and hinder a man to attaine so great felicitie leape vp vnto the hope of a better life Why runnest thou not with moste sure faythe vnto Iesus whiche onely is able to geue the light and will geue it to all men Iesus cometh vnto the he calleth the and doest thou again for thy part grutche to mete hym Thou pynest and wyddrest away euen tyll thy dying day in thy darkenesse but thou shalt not euer haue Iesus passing by the. Certes after death he calleth no manne to saluacion but to iudgement When he passeth by here in this worlde he heareth him that cryeth haue mercy vpon me here he standeth still here he calleth here he giueth light This begger hath made the ashamed of thy slouthfulnesse vnto whom the Lord when he was cuÌ„men vnto him sayd What ayleth the to crye what wilt thou haue me to do vnto the what â–ª knewe not Iesus why he cryed knew not he what he shoulde doe That is not so but all this was done for our custruccion Many beleued that this blynde man loked for an almes of the lorde because he was a begger For so nowe a daies many crye vnto Iesus Lorde haue mercy vpon me And beyng demaunded what they sue for what they desyre to haue one sayth graunt that I maye be riche an other that I maye gette an office this man that I maie haue a wyfe with a good dowrie an other geue me bodilye strength geue me long lyfe or graunt that I may be auenged on my enemy But these thinges Iesus many times taketh awaye from his frendes because it so behoueth for their saluacion The euangelike begger desyred none of all these thinges For he knew right well what ought to be desyred of Iesu. Therfore let vs both heare and folowe hym Rabbone sayeth he that is as muche to saye as my maister make me to see For being careles for all other thynges he desyred nothing els but light whereby he might see God and his sonne Iesus whom to knowe is euerlasting lyfe For in scripture to knowe God is nothing els but to see God O very Euangelike and christiaÌ„ praier How fewe wordes hath it but how great faith Doubtles this is that short prayer whiche pearceth the heauens Therfore Iesus answered Go thy way thy faith hath purchased the helth He is not byanby a man vndoen and cast awaye whiche seeth not awhit with bodelyiyes but whoso seeth nothing at all with the iyes of his soule thesame cannot be saued To haue recouered these iyes is life euerlasting Heare this saying thou pharisaicall felow whosoeuer thou be that sayest I ascribe my safety to myne oft fastinges to my long prayers to mine almesdedes and my sacrifices and for that cause thou criest not with the begger haue mercy on me but sayest geue me the reward due vnto my deseruinges Now Iesus doth contrarily ascribe saluacion vnto faith and not vnto woorkes The blinde man streyght wayes recouered his sighte not because he deserued it but for that he beleued And being commaunded to go his waye he folowed Iesus Lighte is geuen the freely thy blindnes is taken awaye for naught Afterward thou art left to thyne owne arbitrement whether thou wilt vse the gift of god aright or no. Thou art not compelled to folow thou hast onely power geuen the to see Iesus go now whither thou wilt but at thyne owne auenture What did that blessed blinde man Heretourned not backe agayne to his beggerly cloke or mantel he retourned not to his olde beggerye but forgote all these thinges and folowed Iesus in the waye It auaileth but litle to haue knowen Iesus vnlesse thou do thy deuoire to folowe him whom thou seest Iesus goeth straight to the crosse hither muste thou folow hym after thou hast once recouered thy syght a gain As long as thou art blynd thou maiest crye Iesu haue mercye vpon me but thou canst not folow him this way before thine iye syght be restored For who would folow him that willingly geueth his soule to death onlesse he saw by fayth that worldly reproche were the waye to euerlasting glory that bodily
many that would els make haste to saluacion Neuerthelesse thatsame poynt here in this matter although it stopped and hyndred the sicke mans gettyng into Iesus yet dyd it make both the great desirefulnes and also the truste and confidence aswell of the partie that had the paulseye as also of the others that carried hym to be the more famouslye knowen For althoughe God is of his nature propence and ready to shewe mercye vnto all creatures yet doeth he many times make some delay of his beneficiall goodnesse to the entent he maye the more sharpen oure desyres and also to teache vs that we ought to leaue nothyng vnattempted or vnassaied that we maye bee deliuered from the diseases of the soule He loueth in this behalfe to see vs impoâ—tune and by our importunitye he is as ye woulde say compelled of force vnto thesame thyng which neuerthelesse of his veraye owne nature he is moste enclined to dooe Therefore marke me now what a bolde and auenturous parte these carriers of the sycke man played or rather what the partye that had the disease with muche importunitie made them parforce to dooe Up they gotte theyr heauye cariage to the house roufe in the out syde and the tilyng pulled awaye they let downe the sicke man with cordes as it hadde beene in at a windoore euen as he was liyng styll in his bed emong the thickest of all the people directelye before the feete of Iesus What a more shamelesse or sawcie pranke coulde there bee then to take downe the tilyng of an other mannes house and to tumble in suche a lothelye sight before suche a presence to behold it And here the thicke presse which at the doore woulde not geue way to the pieteous bodye to come in coulde not choose but of force to make roume for him whan he came sliding downe from the house toppe And what dooeth the moste ientill and mylde phisician therewhyle He casteth not them in the teeth with theyr shamelesse facion and theyr importunitie he maketh no tailyng nor bitter chidyng that his preachyng was interrupted with a sight muche to be lothed and abhorred The bearers of the sicke bodye lookyng downe from the house toppe asked nothyng of hym the manne selfe that had the paulsey asked nothyng neyther from whome the great disease had taken awaye the vse of his toungue also And yet all the more dydde he speake to this mercifull phisician in that he coulde not speake at all nor had no power therto Neither was there any nede of making peticion for the miserable sight it selfe dyd in moste earneste wyse make requeste for mercy and the thing that his bearers had dooen dyd euidentely enoughe declare what theyr truste was to haue at the Lordes handes Iesus therefore whan he hadde throughlye perceyued and seene their woondrefull affiaunce in hym dyd accomplishe more vnto them then they loked for The summe of theyr hertes desire was no more but that the partye whiche had the paulsey myght bee deliuered of the sickenes of his body But Iesus declaring it to bee a more godly thing for him to doo and a thyng more to bee desired and sought for on oure behalfe to bee deliuered from the diseases of the soule turned hymself to the sicke man and sayed Thou man thy sinnes are forgeuen thee ¶ And the Scribes and the Phariseis began to thinke saiyng What felow is this whiche speaketh blasphemye â–ª who can forgeue sinnes but God onely But whan Iesus perceiued their thoughtes he aunswered and saied vnto them What thinke ye in your hertes Whether is it easier to saie thy sinnes be forgeuen thee or to saie arise vp and walke But that ye maye knowe that the sonne of man hath power to forgeue sinnes on yearth he sayed to the sicke of the paulsey I saie vnto the arise take vp thy bed and goe vnto thy house And immediatly he arose vp before them and tooke vp his bed whereon he lay and departed to his owne house praising God And they were all amased â—nd they gaue the glory vnto God And were filled with feare saiyng We haue seen straunge thinges to daye This woord because it plainely souned of a certayne power perteynyng to the godhed dyd throughlye moue the myndes of the Scribes and Phariseis beyng menne neuer vnreadye or vndisposed to forge matters of crime againste him For the priestes whose offyce was to offre the sacrifices for sinnes dyd not theyr owne selues remitte synnes but onelye made intercession to God by meanes of prayer that he would forgeue offences trespaced agaynst him But Iesus withoute brente sacrifices suche as the priestes dydde offer and without prayers as it had bene of his owne propre autoritie and an autoritie of perpetuall continuauÌ„ce sayeth Thy sinnes are forgeuen thee comprehendyng vnder a generall name the suÌ„me and the corpse of all sinnes together in general wheras the priestes dyd procure no more but certayne offences to bee pourged by meane of sacrifice and not all sinnes vniuersally Esay had thus muche taught them that onelye God it was who myghte geue remission of synnes vnto men For in this manier speaketh he by the mouthe of his sayed prophete I it is euen veraye I it is that dooe wype awaye thy iniquities for myne owne sake and I shall nomore beare thy sinnes in remembraunce But the Scribes and Phariseis thoughe they espyed and sawe in hym playne tokens of the power of God yet beyng offended with the infirmytye of his body whan they sawe it and partely also beyng with enuye had more will to forge some slaundre agaynste him then to beleue on hym For with secrete thoughtes thus dyd they speake within theimselfes and as the propertye of Pharisaicall diuisyng of slaundres is vnto theyr moste deuilishe wickednesse they pretende a cloke of hygh deuocion towardes God and the earneste zele of tendreyng his glory For there is not any more pernicious a kynde of vngodlinesse then so to dooe What felowe is thissame here say they that speaketh woordes of blasphemye presumyng on hym the thing that is appropriate vnto God alone For who is of power to remitte sinnes but onelye God But than the Lorde Iesus to declare that in this behalf also he had an equality of the diuine nature made aunswere in this manier to the secrete thynkinges of theyr heartes Wherfore haue ye suche thoughtes in youre heartes whether of these twoo dooe ye iudge more easy eyther to saye to a man that is cloggued with sinne thy sinnes are forgeuen thee or els to saye vnto thys partye whome ye see here to haue euerye ioynte of hys bodie vnknitte and looce one from an other with the paulseye aryse and walke That yf ye shall see perfeicte healthe of the bodye to bee restored with a mere woorde vnto a man beeyng of hymselfe paste all remedye and cure than beleue ye that the soule also is with lyke easinesse restored to his perfeict health By thys that ye euidentelye see with
shewyng a poincted shieth to the iyes of the worlde vnder the counterfeicte pretence of ryghteousnesse whereas within foorth they are vexed with more grieuous eiuels and haue diseases a great deale more vncurable then they whose sickenesse is open to bee perceyued Forasmuche therefore as I am a phisician it is not mete that menne beyng as they thynke themselfes righteous should take indignacioÌ„ at me if I kepe no coumpaigny with them seeing that whole soules haue no nede of a leache And trulye suche as are righteous in verai dede ought not to haue enuy or grutch at sinners endeuouryng to emende to a better lyfe That if they doe than are they no lesse worthie to bee condemned reproued therefore then if one that is whole should take indignacion at a phisician visityng a sicke persone to helpe hym in his sickenesse For as concerning the cause of the foule he is no whole maÌ„ himselfe the enuieth health vnto an other beeyng sicke and himselfe is not vnholden with a disease that whan he may doeth not release his neyghbour of his sickenesse With thissame aunswere so ientle and so well to bee allowed the Lorde Iesus bothe played the parte of an aduocate for his disciples who were not as yet sufficiently armed to dampe and choke the malicious capciousnes of the Phariseis and of the Scribes also did plainly teache the said Phariseis that his curteous demeaning of hymselfe towardes sinners was mercy and not fauouryng of vnrighteousnesse and thirdelye he dyd with couerte woordes but yet sharpely rebuke theyr presumpteous takyng vpon them in that they dyd with a great solemne countenaunce despyse other persones whereas themselfes were euen for this veraye poynte vncurably wicked enemies of God that they stoode in their owne conceiptes vpon a false and a countrefaict title of holinesse ¶ And they saied vnto him why dooe the disciples of Iohn fast often and praie and the disciples of the Phariseis also but thyne eate and drinke He sayed vnto them Can ye make the children of the wedding faste while the bridegrome is with them The dayes will come when the bridegrome also shall bee taken awaie from them then shall they faste in those daies He spake also vnto theym a similitude No man putteth a piece of a newe garmente into an olde vesture For if he doe then breaketh he the newe and the piece that was taken out of the newe agreeth not with the olde And no man poureth nâ—we wine into olde bottels For if he dooe the newe wine will burste the bottels and renne oute it selfe and the bottels shall peryshe But newe wyne muste bee putte into newe bottels and both are preserued No man also that drinketh old wyne strayght waye can awaye with newe for he saieth the old is better But one slaunderous querell comethe on an others necke And it fyrste arose partely of certain that had bene disciples of Iohn For Iohn where he was as a marching border betwene the lawe that shoulde afterwarde cease and the liberty of the ghospell shortely after to aryse he gaue certaine tradicions which dyd not vtterly disagree from the Phariseis ordeinaunces whereas Christe who was by the opinion of many thoughte muche inferiour to Iohn did vse his disciples with more sufferaunce and tendernesse especially in such thinges as to bodily obseruaunces doe aparteyne of which sorte are fastes and prayers for by these two thynges moste speciallye did the Phariseis purchase to theimselfes a fame of holines emong the people But Christe though in hys owne persone he prayed often yet dyd he teache hys dysciples that praying ought to be both in fewe woordes and also priuely in places secrete Neither did he pricisely require any fast yea and at certain thinges would he winke in whiche the prescripcions of the lawe did partely seeme to bee neglected whan he dyd in the meane while after a nother facion frame theÌ„ to higher stoute matters whiche dyd more speciallye apparteyne to euangelicall stoutnesse For a muche more higher poynte of stoutenesse it is from the botome of the herte to forgeue a displeasure or a wrong dooen vnto vs to dooe good euen to veraye those that haue harmed vs and to susteyn the losse of our owne lyfe for sauyng of oure neyghbour then to forbeare eatyng of a litle meate tyll it be towardes nyght or to humme out a fewe psalmes with the toungue The Phariseis made woonderous muche hygh seruyce about that that might be outwardly seen and that myght bee doen by hipocrisie neglectyng in the meane while and icaâ—tyng goe suche thynges as are matters of true and perfeict vertue in dede But these Phariseis beyng felowes more shamelesse then the Scribes boldelye presumed to chop logike euen with the Lorde hymselfe saiyng vnto him What is the cause why Iohns disciples dooe often times faste and are a great long while together in their prayers and thy disciples eate and drinke at their own lustes ne are not after the lyke sorte seen much in prayer Iâ— thou constauntly allowe the holinesse of Iohn why dooeste thou varie from his institucion and ordeinaunce Unto this surmuised chalenge the Lorde because it touched himself and no man els aunswered ciuillye and nothing impaciently saiyng I dooe not saye that praiyng and fasting are naught but in these twoo thynges I dooe in the meane time suffer my disciples to doe as they lust themselues that I may after an other facion bring them forwarde to more hygher matters of stoutenesse In those thynges whiche concerne the bodye and come somewhat nere to the ceremonies of the lawe my traynyng of theim is somewhat with fauour and ientilnesse but in such matters as perteine to the soule it is a greate waye streighter and sharper The thynges that ye esteme for the hyghest degree of holinesse my seruauntes shall of theyr own voluÌ„tary willes readilye dooe yf the case shall at any tyme so require Dooe not ye in the meane time enuy my disciples The endes of thinges shal shewe whethers institucion of Iohn or me shall be of more efficacie vertue Iohn in hys moste gloriyng protested hymself to be a frende of the bridegroomes not the bridegroome selfe And veraily it is not coâ—uenient that those which doe familiarly remain stil about the bridegrome and bee conuersaunt with him in the spousal chambre where reason would that all thynges should be ful of mirth and iocoundnesse shoulde be compelled to abstinence from eatyng and drinking They are yet but tendre and they depende altogether on the bridegrome And hym shall they not haue anye long tyme emong them But a tyme shall come whan they shall be depriued of the spouse And than beeyng made more firme and stable they shall not onely of their own accorde willingly faste but also to death and into prieson shall they be contente to goe as often as charitie shall earnestelye require it Fastyng of it selfe is neyther good nor ill Therfore they that faste onely for to faste dooe no greate
froÌ„ Endor And whan he thyther wente his disciples folowed hym of whome by this tyme there was a great noÌ„bre and besides theÌ„ there weÌ„t also a great multitude of the common people of all sortes and degrees And whaÌ„ the Lord was now not ferre from the gate of the citie beholde an occasion of an other newe miracle There came a dead corpse carried on meÌ„nes backes towardes buriâ—ng with a great coumpanye of people And a doulful matier it was first because it was a very young man that was dead and taken froÌ„ his lyfe euen in the very floure of his age secondarily because it was the onely sonne of a wedowe who beeyng depriued of the coumforte of an housebande had sette all the hope and staye of her lyfe in the same her soonne This wedow therfore testified the woful tormenting of her hert both with weping teares and also with many piteous woordes of lamentacion suche as extreme raging dolour doth commonly putte in folkes myndes to speake The great wailyng of the wedowe together with the vnripe deathe of the yong strieplyng caused the reste of the coumpanye also to wepe as many as for kyndenes and bonde of neighbourhode went folowyng the corpse Whan the Lorde Iesus beeyng mostefull of mercie and pitie had seen this sight he toke compassion on the wedowe and shewed himself an effectuall comforter vnto her that had none els to bee hir comforter he holpe her bothe in wordes and also in dede WomaÌ„ saith he make no more weping And whan he had so said he came vnto the biere wheron the dead maÌ„ was carried and put his hand to it And immediatly they whiche carryed the corpse stayed Here bothe coumpanies earnestly herkenyng aswell they that accoumpanyed the wedowe as also they that came with the Lord Iesus turnyng to the yong maÌ„ that was dead young man ê™ he I saie vnto thee Arise At this worde immediatly the yong maÌ„ euen as it had been one newly awakened reysed out of his slepe sate vpright on the biere and to the entent that it should be the more euideÌ„t a token that his life was restored hym he begoonne to speake And this speakyng dyd ferthermore also declare the lustye freashenesse and heartynesse of spirite in him And when he had now lept doun from the biere and cleuyng faste vnto Iesus by whom he perceiued that his lyfe had been restored vnto him was stil rendryng thankes for it the Lorde deliuered hym vnto his mother to haue him home with her goyng now on his own feete whom she had caused after he was dead to be carryed towardes burâ—yng on fower mennes shoulders And thus truely was the matier doen as touching the story but not without a significacion of ghostly doctrine The wedow beyng a mother represeÌ„teth the churche Forsooth euen this is thesame wedow whoÌ„ the prophete Esaye doeth coÌ„forte saiyng Be glad thou barain that bringest not foorth chyldren reioyce thou the art nothyng towardes bearyng for mo are the children of the forsaken than of her that hath an husbande The synagogue trusteth altogether in her spouse Moses it maketh great vauntes of the children of AbrahaÌ„ beyng equall in noumber to the sande that lieth on the sea shore The churche after the estimacion of the worlde semeth destitute of her spouse who hath conueyed hymselfe vp into heauen at the first she semed barain and without hope of any issue or successioÌ„ the Iewes also the prices of this world labouryng that al memorie of Iesus whom they supposed to be vtterly destroyed and dead might vtterly be takeÌ„ away and abolished for euer This wedow doth daily bring forth not children of this world but childreÌ„ of the lyght neyther dooeth she bryng them foorth to Moses who taught thinges earthly but vnto Christ who teacheth and also promiseth thinges heauenly She bryngeth them foorth not to death but to immortalitie She groneth daily in bringing forth childreÌ„ yet vnshapen vnperfite vntil thei haue receiued the spirite of the gospel and vntil Christ be brought to perfite shape in theÌ„ A true mother she is singularly doth she loue her childreÌ„ whoÌ„ with gret carefulnesse she frameth and trayneth vntill they may growe to full age and may bee brought vp to the strength of perfite men For loue and deuocion towardes god also hath it infaÌ„cie it hath it cumming forward in growthe of age That if at any tyme it fortune any of her chyldren to dye she wepeth and can not be coumforted nor wepeth any lesse for hym then if she had had none but hym alone whom she loste Innocencie whiche is geuen through euangelical fayth is life and sinne is death We see with howe great affeccion mothers do mourne for the bodily corpses of their children but muche more tenderly doeth the churche wepe and waill for one that after baptisme is fallen again to any deadly synne and more pensife she is for the death of one sinner theÌ„ the Synagogue is glad of fourescore and nynetene ryghteous Well than forth is the dead maÌ„ borne of foure carriers that is to say of the inordinate desires of this worlde which hauing the dead corpse on theyr shoulders benng now destitute of the holy ghost lackyng now all felyng of himself beyng now dead aslepe in his ownnaughty vices carrye hym down streighte to the graue of euerlastyng despaire The church ferthermore hath gates by which she casteth out dead folkes lest that with the stinkyng of the dead corpse the others also that are yet whole maye bee infected She hathe other gates also by whiche to receiue in suche as are called to life agayn of the Lorde As she bringeth not foorth into life but by the spirite of Christe so doeth she not receiue into life again but whom Christ doeth call backe again The porters that carry the dead neuer stop ne stay vntill they cum euen to the graue For whoso hath made al his restyng place here in this worlde whoso hath once let himself at large to be ledde with sinfull affeccions ceasseth not with damnable proceding to fail coÌ„tinually into wurse wurse vntill he cum to the mayne depth of euils and is deliuered to his lustes abominable And all the while naught doeth the mother but wepe yea and all the coumpanye of his couÌ„treimen do wepe sorowyng that the deade is cast out whom they wishe to returne to life again And these verilye are the prayers of our mother the churche these been her teares and these are the sighes and grouynges of the godly persones makyng mone and sorowe for the death of a synner This young strieplyng was dead not beeyng yet confirmed with the spirite of the ghospel and so muche the more worthye of mercie because that thesame maÌ„ whoÌ„ they had hoped trusted should through the spirite of Christ haue prospered and growen foreward vnto the highest degree of euangelical godlynesse hym they see now past life and void of any spirite and by most merciles
porters to be euen in carriyng out toward the derke pitte of the graue But yet neuerthelesse the mother al the while foloweth the folke of the toune also do folow for charitie caÌ„ scarcely by any meane despaire with teres with fettyng sighes with wofull lameÌ„tacions they declare what thyng they wish But the thyng that they wishe lyeth not in their power to geue neither be they able to kepe him stil whan lyfe was once departed nor yet of power to reise hym vp again after he was dead To mans power he was dead and past all possibilitie of callyng again to life But al is welinough At the weping teres of his churche Iesus cumeth and meteth them luckie and blessed at al tymes is the metyng of our sauiour with any body He casteth an iye on his wedowe luckye and blessed at all times is the merciful lordes beholdyng of any body He casteth no iye on the dead bodye who because he thought not hymselfe to be in any nede of mercy did not yet seme woorthy the mercy of Iesus but the earnest affeccion and zele of the churche dooeth that obteyne whiche the synner beyng desperate and past all grace dooeth not so muche as wishe The Lord biddeth the mournyng to be ceassed bringyng them in hope of ioye to folowe after he putteth his hande to the biere The porters of the dead corpse dooe stand stil. The first poynt of hope that one is in the way of amendyng again towardes innocencie is not to go any ferther in naughtines He that ceasseth to be wurse theÌ„ he was geueth yet sum token of hope on himself that he wil one day were better And yet doeth this not so fortune onlesse Iesus vouchsafe with his mightifull hande to touche the biere The hande of Iesus setteth an end vnto all wicked desires or appetites that the partie shal now ceasse from all naughtines which was in cariyng to the graue The church in dede praieth she maketh great intreatyng she exhorteth she chydeth suche persones as dooe offende because she would haue them to amende and bee in perfite reste from their viciousnesse But all this in vayn onlesse Iesus with his secrete vertue and power should touch the soule of the sinner being dead For Iesus is the lyfe of euery man yea euen of the dead too And good hope there is that lyfe wil cum again whan Iesus vouchesalueth to touch the biere but the hertines of lyfe doeth not yet retourne onlesse the Lorde do speake vnto the dead At the voice of whom only and none els the dead do reuiue agayn yea although they haue been laied in graue yea and haue lien of fower daies continuaunce there to the entent that no man shoulde thynke any synners to bee so ferre past grace of whose recouerye to grace again the charitye of the churche shoulde despaire Lazarus was carryed oute he was buryed he laye stynkyng already in his graue yet was there wepynge and wayliynge made for hym all the whyle and at the voice of Iesus callyng hym he came foorthe of hys sepulchre And in dede Lazarus was with sumwhat more a dooe reysed to lyfe For Iesus at that present dyd as it wer rore out in his spirite he wept and was sore troubled in himselfe not for that it was any harder for him to reise one that had lien fower daies buried then one whose lyfe departed but euen nowe oute of his bodye but to shewe howe hardely suche personnes cum to amendemente as haue of longe continuaunce accustomed themselfes vnto viciousnes Iesus caste an iye on the wedowe she leaft weepyng he shall lykewyse caste an iye on the dead persone and he shall begynne to lyue The moste mercifull Lorde therefore turned himself to the partie that laye there dead thou young man ê™ he I saye vnto thee Aryse He cannot choose but reuiue againe to whom any woordes shall bee spoken out of Iesus mouth yea although he were dead For the wordes he speaketh are al spirit life What folowed of al this He reuiued again to innoceÌ„cy that was dead in sinnes he setteth himself vpright who afore laie still hauyng no felyng of himselfe and the whiche is the moste euident token of a mynd corrected to goodnes he beginneth to speake coÌ„fessyng his own synnes geuyng thankes to the mercie of God He is restored to his mother aliues man againe and where he was afore in carriyng to his graue with great mournyng of many people he is nowe with muche greatter ioye of them all brought home again For this propertie hath true godlines that it loueth such men muche the better whiche haue ameÌ„ded froÌ„ greate enormities to the ernest endeuour of ledyng a better life For in these dooeth the goodnesse of god more better appere theÌ„ in suche as haue neuer falleÌ„ into any greuous crime or enormitie The mother reioyceth that she hathe receyued her soÌ„ne again And thei which afore did mourn for the corpse do now reioyce and not only do thei reioyce but also euery one of theÌ„ as many as wer preseÌ„t at this sight were taken with a certain feare For suche as are opeÌ„ly eiuill and vncurable the churche casteth out of her felowship as dead corpses to the end that by the exaumple of one many may be afeard to sinne But yesame cumpany doe praise and magnify the mercye of God â–ª by whose power the dead retourne to life again For so notable a miracle seen yesame people said A great prophete is there sprong vp emongest vs god hath taken regard to his people For the Iewes did as yet deme ne suppose no higher thynge of Christe but that he was sum notable prophete And of this act also did the fame of the Lord Iesus growe the bruite of the matter being spred abrode not only throughout al Iewry but also throughout all the coastes on euery side that lyeth about fluime Iordane where Iohn had afore baptised aswel the other people as also Iesus self And the disciples of Iohn shewed hym of all these thinges And Iohn called vnto him twoo of his disciples and sent them to Iesus saiyng Art thou he that should cum or shal we loke for another When the men were cuÌ„ vnto him they sayd Iohn Baptist hath sent vs vnto thee saying Art thou he that should cum or shall we awaite for another And in thatsame houre he cured many of their infirmities and plagues and of euill spirites and vnto many that wer blind he gaue light And he aunswered and said vnto them Goe your waies and bring woord again to Iohn what thynges ye haue seen and heard how that the blynd see the halt goe the lepres are clensed the deafe here the dead rise agayn to the poore is the glad tidynges preached and happy is he that is not offended at me Than certain of Iohns disciples halfe enuiyng at so great successe of the thinges that were wrought and doen by the handes of Iesus and hauyng a certain
Iewe sawe one that was a Iewe and beeyng himself a man of Hierusalem saw one of Hierusalem spoiled wounded and liyng halfe for deade and yet passed by no whyt moued with any drop of pietie or compassion After all this it chaunced a certaine Leuite to passe by thesame way at whose hande a man might iustelye haue looked for the due obseruyng and kepyng of goddes commaundemente for that he beeyng a manne dedicated to the temple was a ministre of goddes holye seruice and therefore oughte to haue beene a man of deuocion And this man euen as the other hadde dooen thoughe he sawe the wounded man well enough yet passed foorth on his waye and dyd no helpe at all to his brother and countreyman of thesame citie that himself was of After both these it happened that a certaine Samaritane passyng thesame waye on a iourney that he had to goe espied the man that had bene robbed and laye halfe aliue halfe deade and meruailyng what the matter was he drewe nere vnto him and perceiuyng the extreme mysfortune of the man was moued with pietye and compassion towarde this Iewe whereas himselfe was a Samaritane and yet the Iewes do veraie sore abhorre and hate al Samaritanes Nor he did not onelye take pietye on him but also the hindraunce of his iourney nothyng passed on he wente vnto him and poured wine and oyle into his woundes and than bound them vp And not thinkyng enoughe to haue played him suche a kinde parte he tooke and sette him on thesame beaste that hymselfe rode on and carried him to an ynne and there made prouision that he shoulde bee diligentely attended and looked vnto for that his iourneye required suche haste that he coulde no longer tarye he drewe foorth twoo pieces of siluer coyne whiche they called denaries amountyng as is afore saied to a couple of shillynges sterlyng or thereaboute and deliuered theim to his hoste the ynne keper that he shoulde see the wounded man well attended and kepte vntil suche tyme as his iourney beeyng dooen he shoulde returne thesame waye backe agayne saying Myne hoste ye haue money for the purpose see to this man at my coste and charge That yf ye shall bestow any thyng aboue this summe that I haue deliuered you ye for your parte shall not be a loser of a mite by it rekon it to me whan I returne again this way and whatsoeuer ye laye oute vpon him I shall paie it you again Whan our Lorde had all this spoken he saied vnto the lawier Whiche of these three seme vnto thee to bee neigh boure vnto the partye that had fallen into the handes of the theues then aunswered the lawier He whiche beeyng moued with pietye did coumforte and helpe him in his distresse Then sayed Iesus ferther and in this poynte also hast thou made a right aunswere and a true see thy lyfe bee lyke aunswerable vnto thy woordes and bee thou willyng rather to bee lyke to the Samaritane then to the pryeste or the Leuite With this parable the lorde Iesus reproued and checked the pride of the Iewes whiche thought themselfes enoughe and enoughe againe to loue God because they wer good churche mē and daily goers to his temple because they kylled beastes in sacrifice vnto hym because they carried his commaundementes about with theym written in the skirtes of their garmentes because they had God and the lorde euermore in theyr mouth whereas God doeth nothyng passe on such wurshippyng but is more delited with the secrete affeccion of the syncere and pure mynde But towardes the neighbour they felte no mocion at all of charitie as men liuyng to the behoufe of theymselfes and no moe yea and also repynyng at the welfare of theym whome it had beene their partes to helpe that if they dyd any good turne or pleasure they dyd it not to any other persones then of their owne fecte wheras euery one man ought to be neighbour to an other yf the case at anye tyme require helpe or succour The priest and the leuite by birth and nacion were neighboure to the wounded man but the Samaritane where by birthe and kynde he was his enemie in charitee and loue became his neighbour The religion of the Iewes diuideth nacion from nacion But the ghospell knoweth not suche manyer diuersyties ne difference but is euer glad to profite and doe good to all men withoute respecte or accepcion of the persone As the lorde hymselfe came to saue all creatures beeyng called of the Iewes a Samaritane in the waye of reproche at a tyme whan it was but the vilainy of callyng hym by that woord doeth not offende al the vniuersal nacions of the worlde forasmuche as they fynde the thyng that is comprised vnder that name to bee for theyr healthe and safegarde For Samaritanus emong the Syrians is as muche to saye as a keper And veraylye he was the true keper and shepehearde which dyd suffre nothyng of his to perishe whether they were sickelye bruised or wandreyng aboute as straighes but wished all menne to bee partakers of the eternall lyfe at leaste wise as muche as in him laye All the vniuersall progenye of mankynde beeyng throughe the malice of Satan spoiled out of the clothing of innocencye sore wounded with all kynde of vyce cast aside destitute of healpe halfe dead and euen at the nexte doore to desperacion Iesus cummyng down from heauen vouchesalued to visite and see them and to the ende he myghte the better helpe them by takyng mannes nature on him he came veray nere to manne bothe seeyng and beeyng seene hearyng and beyng heard felyng and beeyng felt and hauing pietie on our extreme distresse he tooke vp our synnes and beare them on his owne bodye he dyd in his owne propre persone suffre that we had deserued and thesame Iesus hath seene to the curyng of vs who neuer turned his face from any synner were he neuer so vyle or abiecie whereas the proude and disdeignefull prieste passethe by hym euen then geuyng vp the ghoste whereas the Leuite neglecteth hym biddyng God haue mercye vpon him and so goyng foorth on his waye as he hadde begonne lefte he shoulde susteine some hindreaunce or damage in the thynges of the worlde whyle he helpeth hys neyghboure And this Samaritane Iesus too hath his hostes and inneholders to whom he leaning the yearth and ascendyng into heauen dooethe committe the wounded man to bee well looked vnto promysyng a rewarde in heauen yf through the aboundaunce of charitie they shal haue layed oute anye thyng more then was commaunded for the healyng of the pieteous bodye And by these inneholders are to bee vnderstanded the Apostles and theyr successours by whome euen at this daye he doeth cure and healpe mankynde and gathereth thesame from the violence of theues into the hostrye of the churche where the woundes of synne are healed Therfore where by the doctryne of the ghospell euen our veray enemye also muste be loued and whereas accordyng to the profession of the
world then by eternall felicitie goe ye hence to the place where there shal be wepyng and gnashyng of teeth For the blissefull state whan ye shall see it of others whom ye had persecuted afore here in this worlde shall encrease your woefull distresse For ye shall se your progenitours Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all the prophetes whome your forefathers eyther persecuted or els slewe sitting at the glorious feast in the kyngdome of God and your selues that haue been descended of theyr stocke and linnage to be shutte withoute doores neither the prerogatiue of bloud or kynred to haue any thyng at all auayled you your obseruyng of the lawe to haue nothing at all auayled you the hearyng of vs or the workyng of miracles in tymes past to haue nothyng at all auailed you Ye should haue entred into this blisse through faith There shal an other thing moreouer be added vnto the premisses which shal yet more bitterly cause your hertes to burne You beeyng putte of who beleued your selfes alone and no moe to be receyued in there shall come out of euery nacion of all the whole world out of all coastes and quarters of the world meÌ„gled one with an other of al ages and degrees without any choice or accepcion of persones many whiche neuer had any kinred with Abraham Isaac and Iacob no knowelage at all of the lawe ne any familiaritie of conuersacioÌ„ with me and all these beyng so dainly through fayth made the childreÌ„ of AbrahaÌ„ by adopcion shall sytte at the feaste in the kyngdome of God Thus shall the matter muche otherwyse then ye looked for be turned to the contrary Thei that semed to be nerest to saluacion shall bee reiected and cast ferre from saluacion and they that by your iudgement were reputed to bee fertheste out of fauour froÌ„ god as Idolaters captains of garrisoÌ„s publicanes souldiers harlottes shall haue the chefe principall honour in the kyngdome of God Thesame day came there certayne of the Phariseis and said vnto him geai thee oute of the way and depart hens for Herode wil kyl thee And he said vnto them Goe ye and tel that foxe behold I cast out deuils and heale the people to day and to morowe and the third day I make an end Neuertheles I must walke to day and tomorow and the day folowyng for it cannot be that a prophet perish any other where saue at IerusaleÌ„ Ierusalem Ierusalem whiche killest Prophetes and stoâ—est them that are sent vnto thee How oft would I haue gathered thy chyldren together as a byrd doeth gather her young vnder her wynges and ye would not Behold your habitacion is leaft vnto you desolate I tell you ye shall not see me vntyll the tyme come that ye shall say blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lorde Now because Iesus did here and there abrode with great playnnesse and without sparyng of any body teache suche thinges as I haue a fore rehersed beyng thinges odious hateful vnto the eares of the Iewes certaine Phariseis of a purpose to stoppe the mouthe of the ghospell by castyng hym in a feare came to Iesus and sayed vnto hym Take a wyse way for sauynge and sparyng of thy lyfe and forsake Galile For Herode the king of this prouince beareth the malice and seeketh an occasion to slea thee That excepte thou beware he wyll handle the with no more fauour ne mercy then he dyd handle Iohn the baptiste But Iesus declaryng that there coulde bee no daungyer towardes hym at the handes of any mortall man onlesse hymself wer coÌ„tented therwith declaryng that he should not dye but at suche time as it was decreed by his heauenly father neither by any kynd of death nor in any other place thaÌ„ was appoynted and determined sayed vnto them Go ye and thus say vnto thatsame foxe who veryly thinketh himself by his worldly subtyltie and wylinesse hable to doe feates againste the wisdome and workyng of God Beholde it is no workes of manne that I dooe nor I may not leaue of before the time prefixed by god Herode hath no maner power ne medling at all in this buisinesse For lyke as his autoritie or woorde cannot geue vnto any man the gyft to dooe the lyke of these thynges whiche I dooe so hath not he any power to lette any man to goe thorough with that he hath begoonne till he hath ended it And why should he lette me if the thynges be good that I doe I caste deuils out of men I put away diseases and all this I dooe freely and shal not long doe them The time is but short which many people would full fain that it wer longer but so is it determined by me my father that I shall for the health of man continue doyng suche lyke actes this daye and to morowe and the third day I make a finall accomplishemente and full ende of al this kynd of my doinges Wherfore duryng this so little and short tyme I must not ceasse from the offyce appoynted vnto me but the shorter space of time that I haue to worke in with so muche the more earnest endeuour must I doe that is by commission deputed vnto me I therfore must not fle from Herode but to Ierusalem muste I goe where it is decreed that I must dye to the ende the vngodlynesse of that citie maye bee made open to all creatures where it vaunteth it selfe in the name and behalfe of deuoute wurshippyng and seruyng of God For Ierusalem is thatsame auncyente sleacâ— and murderer of the prophetes Neither is it conueniente that any prophete perishe by suche death in any other place then at Ierusalem And yet in the meane tyme the mercifull Lord who for his goodnesse was desirous faine to haue all people saued because he foresaw an vtter destruccioÌ„ and ruine to hang ouer the said vncurable citie of Ierusalem bewaileth thesame for that by reason of so often tymes settyng at naught and despising the goodnesse of god callyng it to better wayes it had woorthyly deserued to haue extreme vengeaunce of god to light vpon it Ierusalem Ierusalem thatsame auncyent murderer of prophetes and stoner of suche men to death as are sent vnto thee how many a time and oft haue I assaied to gather thy children together and to ioyne them vnto my selfe none otherwise then the hen gathereth in her chickens vnder her winges that thei may not miscarry But thy stubbernes hath gon beyond my goodnes and as though thou haddest euen vowed and beheasted thy selfe to vtter ruine so dooest thou refuse all thynges whereby thou mightest bee recouered and made whole Therfore sence thou makest no measure ne ende of thy wickednesse there hangeth ouer thee a mercylesse destruccion For your house shall bee leaft vnto you deserte and waste in suche sorte as there shall scarcely remayn any marke or token that euer there was any suche citie as this which now at this day vaunteth it selfe
dooeth in so muche not flee ne abhorre to haue them come and bee with hym in coumpanye that he euen eateth also with theim nothyng remembryng howe that the good men are defoiled by the coumpany and conuersacion of the eiuill emong them Than Iesus to the entente he woulde vttrely wede out of hys disciples hertes this merciles disdeyne putte foorthe three parables of soondrie tenours but yet cumming all to one poynt and conclusion in the effect of theyr exhortacion that is to wete to all possible mercifulnes towardes a sinner refourmyng hys naughtye lyfe For suche an one is not onely not to bee cast of and reiected whan he returneth agayne to better grace but also by all manier wayes to bee exhorted that he will amende The firste parable renneth thus How greatly God tendreth a sinner sayeth Iesus and turneth not awaye his face from thesame synner turnyng agayne to grace and amending euery man maye coniecture by his owne herte and affeccion Is there any man of you whiche hath an hundred shepe of his owne for in dede euery man derely loueth any thyng that is his owne nor would not haue any parte therof perishe or miscarrye And what would he do if it should chaunce that one of the hundred shoulde breake of and straygh from the flocke would he not with the losse of thatsame one bee so greatly moued that the nyntie nyne residue leafte in the wielde field he would carefully go rennyng about to the other that were loste and would not be in quiet vntill he had founde hym And what yf he chaunce to fynde agayne the litle selye shepe whiche to fore was loste Forsooth as a man muche reioycyng he wyll laye him on his shoulder and putte hym among the residue of the flocke a gladder man of that one shepe receyued agayne whiche he feared had been loste then of the safetie of all the rest of his flocke for whiche he hadde taken no feare of miscarying And so great is his gladnesse that it cannot staigh ne refreyne it selfe but it must breake out in the presence of others For so soone as he commeth home euen as one that had gotten some notable great gaines he calleth his frendes neighboures together saying vnto them Declare and shewe your selues glad on my behalfe reioyce ye lyke true frendes at my ioye for among frendes it becummeth that all thynges bee in common because that I haue founde my shepe whiche I had loste If this bee the affeccion of a good shepeherde towarde his flocke of what affeccion doe ye thynke God to be towardes mankynde whom he created whoÌ„ he nourisheth whom he hath for the glorye of his owne name predestinate to euerlastyng blysse will he trowe ye despise the sinner whom Satan hath seduced and led a contrary waye from the flocke â–ª or els as he is al mercifull and tendre louyng ouer all thynges whiche hymselfe hath made will he not rather doe all that maye bee doen to recouer and wynne suche an one into his owne handes and possession agayne and with great ioye receyue the synner agayne when he repenteth for whom he tooke great griefe and thoughte that he was loste Be ye on my woorde right well assured that as the sayed shepeherde for the receyuyng of thesame one litle seâ—â—e shepe maketh muche reioycyng with his frendes and neyghbours euen so there shall be greater ioye to all the aungels in heauen for one synner repenting and amendyng his naughtie lyfe then of nynetie and nyne iust menne the which haue no â—ede of repentaunce This image or parable did in dede moste directly and properly signifie and represent the Lorde Iesus who onely is that same shepeherde of goodnesse incomparable who whan mankynde had fallen and trespaced dyd reconcile thesame agayne to his father paying of his owne body that whyche we had deserued and carrying in his owne bodye all our transgressions And albeit he found neuer a nacion that was not muche burdened and endaungered with sinne yet the Iewes if they were compared to the other heathen nacions semed to haue a lykelyhood and a shewe of righteousnesse for that they wurshipped one God alone and for that they obserued and kept a lawe geuen by god And some there wer emoÌ„g the Iewes who because they dyd after a more streighter sorte cleue to the outwarde preceptes of the lawe thought themselues in theyr owne opinions to nede no repeÌ„taunce But the righteousnesse of these brought lesse ioye vnto the tendre louyng shepeheard then did the heathen nacions turnyng from great and manifest synnes as from idolatries from adultries froÌ„ straunge and vnnatural misusages of the body And emong the Iewes Paule did more sette foorth the mercie of god in that he chaunged from a persecutour and became an Apostle then if he had secretely miengled Christe with the lawes and supersticious customes of the Iewishe profession whiche thyng was at that tyme doen of no small noumbre As for the parable dooeth generally concerne the apostles and their successours the bishops For these ought to beare the affeccions of Christ theyr guyde and captayne towardes his flocke at leastwyse if they be not hyrelynges but true shepeheardes For oftentimes it coÌ„meth in vre that suche as bee once reclaymed and throughly conuerted from manyfest synnes of great enormitie vnto true godlinesse dooe in the ensuyng of godly conuersacion outrenne and passe those whiche neuer fell into the lyke haynous enormities Suche persones will not the euangelical shepeheard despise or disdeyne but rather seke alwayes possible vntill he shal eftsoÌ„s haue brought them home agayne and restored them to the shepecotes of the churche The repentaunt synner endeuouryng to walke a newe life he will take to hym again with great gladnesse and with a common reioycyng of all the feythfull congregacion Leat the Pharisees murmour and clatter agaynst him whiche trustyng to their deceiptfull and false righteousnesse doe not perceyue nor vnderstande how muche more acceptable mercie is vnto the lorde then any kynde of sacrifice dooen vnto hym Suche as are righteous in veray dede suche as are vnfeigned frendes and fauourers of that good shepeheard will shewe themselues more gladder for the receiuyng again the recoueryng of one lost shepe then for many suche as doe put their trust and confidence in theyr owne colde and naked righteousnesse For they doe not any ferther charge or burden hym with his old faultes and misdooynges whiche God of his mercie hath freely remitted and forgotten but with muche reioycyng they shewe forth their gladnesse whiche they conceyue for the returnyng of a synner vnto a newe life He could not haue returned except the shepeheard laying hym on his shoulders had brought hym home againe and therefore the whole compainye of saynctes rendreth thankes and reioyceth at the goodnesse of God not enuying thesame benefite vnto another of the whiche benefite euery one of them haue had experience and proufe in themselues before estemyng and reputyng it common to them all
ientyll yoke of his father And whan the saied elder sonne drewe nere vnto his fathers house he heard the straunge noyse of them that songe and daunced for ioye For stickyng wholy to the vnsauourye lettre of the lawe he did not knowe kowe great ioye it is that the spirite of the ghospell hath Whyle the Iewes neglecteth all the premisses dooyng nothyng but digge and beare burdens in the fielde of the lawe in the meane tyme is the people of the Gentiles with great ioye receyued and taken into the house of the father who nothyng els desireth but the saluacion of his Than the folower of the olde lawe meruaylyng muche at the straungenesse of this newe matier and woondreyng what should bee the cause of suche vnwoont mirth would not vouchesalue to entre in where he might bee partaker of the common gladnesse emong all the rest whiche thyng his father dyd earnestelie wishe For the Gentiles were not so receyued in that the Israelites should bee excluded and shutte out But euen yet styll they stande without the doores fumyng and freating for that the churche reioyceth for the Gentiles receiued to the saluacion of the ghospell The elder sonne therfore called out one of his fathers seruauntes and demaunded of hym what newe ioye and gladnesse all thissame was He made aūswer your brother is come whome whan your father had gotten agayne he was veraye glad and kylled thatsame principall best calfe which he had so lōg fatted because he had him safe and sound again whom he thought to had been vttrely loste for euer Here beholde a Iudaicall herte stomake which wheras it ought to haue reioyced for the receyuing of his brother which ought to haue praysed the mercifulnesse of his father yet had rather to enuie his brother and to take indignacion agaynst his father He caried still therfore without the doores murmouryng and full of chafyng And whan his moste louyng father had perceyued hym who desyred the ioye to bee in common to all that were of his house he went vnto hym and begon courteously to praye him that casting all enuie and grutche out of his stomake he woulde come in and make one at the feast emong all the reste and woulde bee partaker of his fathers ioye Yet would not the elder sonne any thyng bough or relente with this his fathers courteous entreatyng but proudely quereled and reasoned the mattier with his father and vnnaturally accuseth his brother Beholde sayeth he so many yeres am I as a bondeseruaunte to you within your house nor neuer brake or transgressed any commaundement of yours and yet this my godly obedience hath neuer been regarded For ye neuer gaue me so muche as a young kidde wherwith I might make merie emong my frendes But now that thissame sonne of yours who hath wasted and spent your substaunce on whoores and harlottes is come home again ye haue killed for hym thatsame your principall best and fattest calfe Doest thou not Theophilus thinke thy selfe to see this elder sonne to entre in fumyng and chafyng and thus murmouring against his father whan thou readest of the Phariseis backebityng Christe because he did eate with Publicanes and synners whan thou readest of the Iewes repinyng agaynste the Grekes for that thesame Grekes were admitted to the ministerie and office of Apostles whan thou readest thesame Iewes scoldyng and raylyng without ende that the gentyles leauyng theyr ydolatry without the burden of the law by fayth only should bee admitted to the grace of the ghospell and shoulde bee baptysed and so confyrmed with the holy ghoste whan thou readest of them hauing enuie that they absteynyng from the feast the congregacion churche of the Gentiles with an vnspeakeable ioye of the spirite dooeth eate thatsame speciall goodly calfe whom the father commaunded to be slayne for the redēpcion of the whole worlde And yet this man also beyng a murmourer as he is the gracious goodnesse of his moste good father goeth aboute to appeace Sonne saieth he thou shalt fare neuer a whit the wurse for that though I vse ientilnesse and mercie towardes thy brother For thou art continually with me and all that is myne is thyne For continuall felicitie neuer interrupted or broken of hath not so muche pleasure or delectacion in it But lyke as a disease or sickenesse afore goyng doeth commende health vnto vs and make it seme the sweter vnto vs after we bee restored to it agayne euen so the misfortune which I haue had afore for my sonne maketh our mirth now the more for that he is gotten agayne And thou oughtest to reioyce in thy brothers behalfe and not to be awaye from the mirth of this feaste for because thissame thy brother was once dead is returned to lyfe againe he was once loste and is now founde againe Therefore dooe not thou thynke that he is returned home to thee thesame man that he was but thynke hym of an vnthrifte to bee newe borne an honeste and well disposed manne Thou must not remembre what he hath been but bee glad that he is nowe become suche an one as we wishe and desire to haue him With these three parables the Lorde dyd exhorte all his disciples to mercie and ientilnesse in receiuing of synners For the glorie of God is neuer more shewed or better sette foorth then whan he whiche was veray notoriously eiuil is sodaynly by the grace of God made a newe manne of an ydolatre made the seruaunt of Iesus Christe of a rauiner and extorcioner made a defendour and helper of the poore of an vnchaste liuer made chaste of an ambicious persone brought to humilitie of a reuenger chaunged into a bearer and long sufferer Furthermore the younger sonne found his fathers mynde so muche the more redier to forgeue hym for that the Gentiles whiche did not knowe God faulted agaynst hym more through ignoraunce then of any stubberne or indurate pretensed malice For ignoraunce and lacke of thynkyng and castyng afore what wil come after is alwayes for the moste parte ioyned and coupled with youth And therfore so muche the more willingly we dooe forgeue youth and beare the more with this age whan it doeth offende But the Iewe whiche to hymselfe semeth iust and standeth muche in his owne conceypte for fulfillyng of the lawe dooeth trespace more grieuously with enuying against his brother then the other had synned by sweruyng and strayghyng out of the right waye The .xvi. Chapter ¶ And he sayed also vnto his disciples There was also a certayne ryche man which had a steward and thesame was accused vnto hym that he had wasted his gooddes And he called hym and sayed vnto hym how is it that I heare this of thee Geue accoumptes of thy stewardshyp For thou maiest bee no longer stewarde The stewarde sayed within hymselfe what shall I dooe For my maister taketh awaye from me the stewardshyp I cannot digge and to begge I am ashamed I wote what to dooe that whan I am put out of
tyme and he wil defraude no man of his reward Ye in the meane whyle remembre youre selfes to bee none other but seruauntes oughyng all your woorke and labour of a bounden dutie And it chaunced as he wente to Hierusalem that he passed through Samaria and Galile And as he entred into a certaine toune there merte him tenne men that were lepres Which stood a fette of and putte forth their voices and sayed Iesu maister haue mercye on vs. Whan he sawe theim he saied vnto theim Goe shewe your selfes vnto the priestes And it came to passe that as thei went thei wer clensed And one of theÌ„ whaÌ„ he saw that he was clensed turned backe againe and with a loude voice praised God and fell downe on his face at his fete and gaue him thankes And thesame was a Samaritane And Iesê° aunswered and saied Are there not tenne clensed but where are those nine There are not found that returned again to geue God praise saue only this straungier And he saied vnto him â–ª arise goe thy waie thy faithe hath made the whole And so it befell that as the Lorde was goyng towardes Hierusalem he made his waye lye throughe the countreyes of Samaria and Galilee For he had oftentimes a fansy whaÌ„ he myght haue anye occasion to take Samaria and Galile in his waye that he myght enbraide the inhabitauntes of Hierusalem with their hardenesse of beleuyng whereas they abhorred the Samaritanes wurse then the heathen and reputed the Galileans for more then half Paganes miscroâ—auÌ„tes And as he was entreing into a litle village there met him teÌ„ne men beyng lepres euerye one of them Ye maie wel thinke that by these lepres are signified hereticall persones beeyng within foorth altogether defourmed and corrupted with eiuil affeccions the skinne withoutfoorth spotted speckled as by this reseÌ„blaunce to vnderstand that in heretical persones vnpure doctrine altogether entremedleth false thynges with the true An infectiue kynde of people and sore to bee abhorred and therefore be they streightly kepte from coumpaigniyng emong men yet no kinde of sore there is which Iesus dooeth not heale so that the diseased come in his sight and so that the disease be vttred vnto hym and perfecte affiaunce reste in the parties These lepres agnised and knowlaged their disease and therefore thei approche not nere to the persone of Iesus but standyng a ferre of they lifte vp theyr voice on high and crie aloud vnto the Lorde O Iesus our maister haue thou mercie and pietie vpon vs. Iesus hearde their crye whiche was a good witnesse of their affiaunce in hym and turned his iyes towarde theim Blissed is suche a criyng as maketh the Lorde earneste to geue eare and blissed is that castyng of the iye on them whiche moueth hym to shewe mercie But none other aunswere made Iesus vnto theim sauyng that they shoulde goe theyr waies and shewe theimselfes to the priestes For in the priestes rested the autoritie to discerne the lepre from a clene manne They dooe as he biddeth them and departe theyr waies replenished with faythe and assured truste in god for their health And euen in their goyng they were made all clene They hadde euerye one of them eguall fayth and affyaunce but they hadde not euerye one eguall thankefulnesse of herte for the benefite receyued The Samarytane onelye and no mo of theym whan he perceyued and felte hymselfe plainly in veray dede deliuered from his disease he made no counsail of the beneficial goodnesse of God towardes him but returned immediately vnto Iesus gloryfiyng god with a loude voyce and fallyng downe prostrate on his face he layed hymself at the fete of Iesus wurshippyng hym geuyng hym thankes But Iesus knowing well enough that the benefite of health hadde come vnto al the tenne but myndyng to checke the vnthankefulnesse of them who did as much as they could in theyr mynde by priuye stealth to enioye so great a benefite saied were there not tenne lepres made whole and nine of them where are they become For the Lorde knoweth none vnthankefull people and sheweth suche one 's to bee vnworthye a benefite receyued as doe not geue thankes to hym that hath dooen theim good For god cannot abyde to haue his benefites kepte secrete in hugger mugger Whan the Samaritane kept â—ilence being a man not onely thankefull but also full of humilitie sobrenesse as one yâ— was come thyther to dooe his owne duetye and not to accuse anye others Iesus turnyng to the coumpaignie whiche stood round about saied of all the tenne hath there not one beene founde that would returne backe again and glorify God but this one straungier beeyng a foremer borne in an other countreye But it had more become the others thus to dooe who because thei be Iewes haunte theimselfes to bee true seruers and wurshippers of God And yet in the veray thyng selfe this Samaritane passeth their deuoute holinesse And whaÌ„ the Lorde had thus muche sayed he spake to the Samaritane liyng prostrate on the ground Arise vp saied he and goe thy wayes assured that thys my benefite shall continue with thee for euer whiche benefite thy faithfull affiaunce in me hath purchased and obteined vnto thee ¶ Whan he was demaunded of the phariseis whan the kingdome of God should come he aunswered them and saied The kingdome of God shall not come wyth waiting for neither shal thei saie loe here or loe there For beholde the kingdome of God is within you Nowe for because Iesus hadde the kyngdome of god oftentimes in hys mouth the Phariseis who dyd not yet vnderstande the kingdome euangelicall to bee a ghostelye kyngdome but dreamed that it was some other kyngdome whâ—rein the nacion of the Iewes should haue dominion ouer other nacions came vnto hym demaunded whaÌ„ the kyngdome of god should come But Iesus who at all times whan anye mencion was made of the laste daye vsed euen of a custome to aunswer doubtefully saied The kyngdome of God will not come after the manier of a worldlye kyngdome in sorte that either the tyme therof or the place maie bee watched for and espied For it is not a kyngdome of the bodies but of the soules neither dooeth it stande by visible mayntenaunce but inuisible Therefore it shal not bee saied vnto you loe here or loe there For what nedeth it to awaite for any place seyng the kyngdome of God is within you why dooe ye looke without foorth for the thyng whiche ye haue within you and is carried aboute with you whereuer ye goe yf ye bee so disposed youre selfes Why dooe ye looke for the thyng as thoughe it were yet hereafter to come whiche is already present Wheresoeuer is a mynde or hert beeing maister ouer riches sensual pleasures dignitie and promocions of this world yea and finally a contemner of death whersoeuer is a mind strong and stout in feith burnyng in charitie enspired with the holye ghoste in thatsame place is the kingdom of God
last whan she woulde make none ende of criyng vpon hym the iudge begoonne thus to thinke within himself Although I neither stand in feare of God ne beare any reuerence to any man aliue yet because this wedowe is importune vpon me with her vnsaciablenesse in that she will not bee aunswered I wyll help to rid her from the oppression of her aduersarie not for any good mynde that I beare her but leste she wil els at length come againe and beeing so many times shaken of will with her raillyng sette a greate blurre on myne honestee and good name in that I occupiyng the roume of the chiefe iustice iudge in this citee haue yet neuerthelesse wilfullye and stiffely leate a wedowe bee without helpe or redresse whan she was wrongfullye ouertroden Whan Iesus had thus tolde out all this parable he sayed by and by after it Doe ye heare what this iudge saieth being both an vngodly man and an il disposed Beeyng ouercomed with the importunitie of praiyng and entreatyng he holpe the wedowe and God who is moste iuste and mercifull towardes hys elected beeyng called vpon with nightly and also daily praiers and criynges wyll he weaxe deaffer and deaffer and not deliuer his seruauntes from the violence of such as oppresse them but wyll with a slowe and a pacient mynde suffre theim to bee oppressed with affliccions and neuer see anye auengemente ne redresse therof Nay this I saie vnto you to bee bold on he wil not suffre it to bee so but eyther he wyll conuerte theyr hertes in sort that their wyll being chaunged they shall ceasse to dooe you any more affliccion or els he wil take awaie from theim habylitie and power to dooe harme or els suche as bee hys elected he wyl for altogether quickely deliuer from all eiuil and remoue them to a place of rest euerlastyng I wys whan that same laste daye of iudgemente shall bee ons come nowe shal neither Satan nor his weorking tooles the yll men bee of power any thyng to doe against those whome God hath specially chosen asyde to be partakers of hys kyngdome For whan the wickdenesse of the eiuill sorte shall bee weaxen so high that it can growe no higher than shal the sonne of manne sodainly come and in verai dede sooner shal he come than the eiuill menne thynketh for But at the tyme whan the sonne of manne shall come shall he trowe ye â—ynd feith vpon the yearth For aswell the multitude as also the peruersenesse of eiuill persones shall bee so greate that feith shal remaine perfeict and whole but with a fewe Yet not withstanding with whomesoeuer thatsame constaunt feyth and trust in God shal be found thesame persones shall be deliuered God beyng the auenger of their cause ¶ And he tolde this parable vnto certaine whiche trusted in theimselfes that they were perfeict and despised other Twoo men went vp into the temple to praie the one a pharisee and the other a publicane The pharisee stoode and praied thus with hymself God I thanke thee that I am not as other men are extorcioners vniust aduouterers or as this Publicane I fait twife in the weeke I geue sithe of al that I possesse And the Publicane standing a ferre of would not lift vp his iyes to heauen but smote vpon his brest saying God be thou mercifull to me a sinner I tel you this man departed home to his house iustified more then the other For euerye one that exalteth hymselfe shall be brought lowe And he that humbleth hymselfe shal bee exalted So with the parable afore goyng he putte suche people in a feare as beeyng openly wieked were daily scourges vnto the godlye But there was a pharisaicall sorte of ryghteous men puttyng their trust in their owne weorkes and presumpteously taking vnto themselfes the lande and title of righteousnesse by the same weorkes wheras no creature is iust afore God and such dyd not onely stande in their owne conceiptes like fooles but also in comparison of theim selfes despised others as sinners whereas the humilitie of the others is more acceptable before God then the woorkes of anye suche The Lorde Iesus aswell against persones of suche pharisaicall righteousnesse as also to the coumforte of synners from the botome of theyr hertes mislikyng themselfes putte foorth suche a parable as here ensueth So it befel that twoo certaine persones went vp into the temple for to praie of whiche persones the one was a Pharisee and the other a Publicane The Pharisee staÌ„dyng nigh to the propiciatorie or mercie seate as if ye should saie in Englishe the high aulter like one that was woorthye to talke wyth God eueÌ„ at his veray elbowe praied in this sorte within himselfe I thanke the o God for that I am not lyke vnto other menne whiche liue by robbyng and stealyng whiche encrease their substaunce by fraude and guyle whiche pollute other marryed mennes beddes wyth aduoutrye or finallye whyche bearyng offices of infamye and slaundre dooe piele the people of God for their princes pleasure of whiche sorte thys publicane here is one I dooe not geue my selfe to excessiue eating and drinking as the most parte of people dooe but I fast twyse in the Sabboth that is to saie twyse euery weke and so farre am I from defrauding of any bodye that I geue coÌ„tinually the tenth part of al my goodes in almes to the poore This was the manier of praiynâ— of this the swellyng proude pharisee who althoughe he recited thynges thâ—â— wer true and gaue thankes to God yet euen in this verai pointe he displeaseâ— the iyes of god that he liked hymselfe well plaiyng the flaterer towarde hymself and full of despitefull woordes againste the neighbour The Publicane contrariewise alltogether mislikyng hymself because hys conscience yeldeâ— hym gyltie of many sinnes stode a farre of from the holy thynges so muche ashamed and repentaunt in hymselfe that he durst noâ— so much as lyft vp his iyes to heauen but he knocked his brest saiyng O God be thou mercifull vnto me a synner The pharisâ—y did no more but geue thankes as one that thought hymselfe to want nothyng vnto perfite godlynesse neither dooeth he confesse any offences wheras eueÌ„ in this very praiyng he did most grieuouslye synne makyng vauntes of his owne doynges and despising one that was penitent a proud presumptuous prayser of hymselfe and a rashe accuser of the neighbour The Publicane on the other parte maketh no rehersall ne mencyon at all of his well dooynges He onely acknowelagyng his eiuils knocketh his brest that knewe what state it stode in and lamentably calleth for the lordes mercie Wyll ye knowe the ende of these contrarye maners of praiyng The said Publicane who had cum a synner into the temple wente his waye home more righteous in the sighte of God then that same Pharisee who thoughte hymself a man of moste perfite iustice For whosoeuer magnifyeth hymselfe in his owne mynde shal be cast downe in the syghte
that the paâ—tie whiche is the begger maye be worthie to haue the more benefite And in moste diepe derkenesse do suche people lye which wurship stockes and stones in stede of God to whome theyr moneye to whome their bealye is their god who are bondeseruauntes to ambicion to leacherie and suche as set the world in an vproare through furious rageyng warres Suche persones if they cannot yet come to approche nere vnto Iesus because they cannot see yet at lestewise at the noyse of suche as doe throughoute the whole worlde preache the glorie of Iesus leat them aske what matier is this And whan they shall knowe that Iesus is passyng by leat them not suffre the presente occasion to slippe away but leat them with pieteous criyng wery his eares And in case the priuie conscience of their naughty and eiuil dedes afore past counsail theÌ„ to kepe silence leat the clamoure of the faythfull beleuyng herte so muche the more instauntly knocke at the dores of his eares Iesus is not deafe ne harde of hearyng to any body that asketh with faithful trust in hiÌ„ he is of power hable to geue that is asked He ceâ—ies passeth by but he wil not go very ferre paste if one strayne his voyce And happy is the begger that euer he was born at whose voice Iesus stayeth on his way And what meruaill if he stayed at the voice of one speakyng vnto him sence he vouchsalued to cuÌ„ so ferre a iourney vnto a shepe that was lost But more happy is the blind man after he is brought vnto Iesus For now is he very nere to his health Neither caÌ„ he loÌ„g be blind whoso hath approched to the fountain of al light Thatsame lord beyng the fountain of all glory doeth not put away the begger from him man being a sinner disdaineth the neighbour After that thou art cum in preseÌ„ce afore Iesus after that thou art gon away froÌ„ thy selfe there is no nede of any long praiyng no more but speake the woord what thou wouldest haue but speake it with a perfite faith and affiauÌ„ce coÌ„ceiued not on thine own merites but on his great power and no lesse goodnes And immediatly shal thy sight cum again and saluacioÌ„ both together For at once assone as Iesus had said Loke thou vp he had his sight and of a beggar became a folower of Iesus traine and an open declarer of gods goodnesse Yea and moreouer the people also whan thei had seen so notable a miracle gaue laude and praise vnto god The .xix. Chapter And he entered in and went through Hiericho and behold there was a maÌ„ named Zacheus whiche was a rewler among the Publicanes and was riche also And he sought meanes to see Iesus â–ª what he should be and could not for the presse because he was litle of stature And he ranne before and clymed vp into a wild figgetter to see him for he was to cum that way And wheÌ„ Iesus came to the place he loked vp and saw him and said vnto him Zachee cum doune at once for to day I must abide at thy house And he came doune hastily and receiued him ioyfully And whan they sawe it they all grutched saiyng he is gon to tarry with a man that is a sinner And Zacheus stode forth and said vnto the Lord behold Lord the half of my goodes I geue to the poore And if I haue doen any man wrong I restore him fower folde Iesus sayed vnto him this day is health happened vnto this house because that he also is becum the chylde of Abraham For the sonne of man is cum to seke and to saue that whiche was lost ANd this same blynde man to whome the Lord restored the vse of the light doeth in a figure not vnaptly signyfie the people of the Gentiles For as for the Iewes the lawe gaue sum piece of lyghte vnto them But the Gentiles laye in moste diepe derknesse of ignoraunce in so muche that among thesame a greate manye there were whiche verily beleued that there was no God at all and some others beleued that there were Goddes innumerable but thesame more full of mischief and abominacion then the very men selfe Againe sum thought that God tooke no care for the gouernaunce of worldly thinges Yea and sum also there were which reputed and vsed the soÌ„ne the moone oxen dogges apes yea and lekes and oynioÌ„s for Gods Among the Gentiles there were that knewe no laweful ne determinate bandes of matrimony but fulfilled the lust of the body in going together one with another after the maner of bruit beastes Sum there were also with whom it was accounted a naturall thyng to haue killed theyr parentes whaÌ„ they were aged Others again there were among whom it was a thyng lawful and vsuall to eate mans fleashe Sum there were with whom it was an highe poynte of deuocion and of seruyng God to kyll their mooste derely beloued children for a sacrifice to this or that deuil What caÌ„ there be more lamentable then this blyndnesse And yet this blynd man beeyng poore and destitute of all vertues perceiued Iesus whan he passed by whoÌ„ the nacion of the Iewes put away whan he came to them he streyned his voyce of fayth criyng aloude Thou sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon me He coÌ„strained Iesus to stay in his goyng he deserued to be asked what he would haue doen to hym he confessed his blindnesse he shewed the desire of his hert lord that I may haue my syght he receiued that he plainely in fewe woordes craued Of a wurshipper of monstreous thynges he was made a wurshipper of Iesus of a bondseruaunt to deuils and to all maner vices he was made a disciple and a folower of Iesus of a common beggar and crauer of a miserable almes he was made a publisher of the power of god And many a tyme more then once or twise are exauÌ„ples of this kinde laied in the lappes of the Iewes to the end that either thei should ameÌ„d froÌ„ their vnbelefe orels they should make it open manifest for the time to cum that they were worthilye cast of as meÌ„ that would not be made whol And this figure certes was shewed at the enterauÌ„ce of the citie of Hiericho but an other more euident exauÌ„ple sheweth it self anon after within the citie selfe For as the lord beiÌ„g entred into Hiericho was goyng along through the middes of the citie encouÌ„paced on euerye side with an exceadyng thicke presse of the multitude of all sortes there was a certain man zacheus hauyng his name of the thing and propertie that was in him that is to wete a man feruent in the earnest loue and desyre of righteousnesse whereas in dede he was an head man among the publicans yea and riche withall and whereas neither the kynde or trade of his liuyng ne the paÌ„pering of fortune did very well agree with suche an hert And holdeÌ„ he was with a great desire to see Iesus to the entent
Iesus I saye beeyng moued with mercy sayed vnto hym wilt thou be made whole wyllyng to declare hereby to the standers by the fayth sufferaunce of that man also to make them besydes this perceyue the violence of that disease declaryng therby howe no man can be cured of the vyces of the soule vnles he hate his owne sickenes haue a desyre to be made whole For it is not to be doubted but that he desired health whiche so many yeres had lyen besydes that poole with a constante hope of health and being so ofte disapointed ceased not from his hope nor dispaired Therfore the sicke man of the palsey made no aunswer to Iesus question and yet conceyuing some good hope vpon his so cherefull demaunde sheweth that he lacketh no will nor that he mistrusteth for all the greatnesse and long continuaunce of his disease but that he should be healed in case he were brought into the poole howbeit he sayth he lacketh a man to helpe to beare hym who myght in due season cary hym into the poole assone as the water should be stirred For when other perceiued that the poole was stirred euery man made haste for himselfe to entre first so to obteine alone the benefite of helth but as for the sayed sicke man being slowe by reason of his disease lackyng one to beare hym dyd but in vayne crepe forth towarde the lake for asmuche as an other had gon into it before hym Truely the sicke mannes meaning in this his saying was lowely and shamefastly to desire Iesus that he beyng a man of strength piteouse as it semed by his woordes would when time were cary him downe into the poole whiche thing he durst not requyre of hym opēly but yet after he had disclosed his necessitie he shewed what hindred his helth for the sicke man knew not Iesus But Iesus being well pleased with the mans pacient sufferaūce whiche did not as the moste parte of suche miserable creatures are wont to doe that is to say cry out wishe himselfe dead and cursse the daye he was borne in neyther was he offended with Iesus askyng him whether he would be made whole or no and therfore did not saye or make any clamour that Iesus had him in derision our Lord being in likewyse moued with his so constant hope to recouer his helth and in conclusion willing to shewe both that they which were healed by the mouyng of the foresayd poole were cured by his power that it was an easy ready thing for hym euen only with a becke to take awaye all diseases both of body and soule he saied vnto the sicke man ryse take vp thy couche and goe thy waye And the woorde was no soner spoken but the man was healed so healed that not only he was clerely deliuered frō his disease who els should haue been fainte and feble like as they are wont to be which are cured by phisike but this man I saye was so throughly healed y◠without any stay of mans helpe he rose vp vpon his fete caried awaye his bed vpon his shoulders so beyng strong inough to beare his owne bed did walke forth and bare it home in all mennes sight as a remembraunce of his long continued disease And thesame daye was the Sabboth The Iewes therfore sayed vnto him that was made whole It is the Sabboth daye it is not lawfull for the to carry thy bed He aunswered them he that made me whole saied vnto me take vp thy bed and walke Then asked they him what man is that whiche saied vnto the take vp thy bed and walke He that was healed wist not who it was for Iesus had gotten himselfe awaye because that there was prease of people in that place And it was the Sabboth daye whan the sicke man of the palsey dyd these thinges wherat the Phariseis toke occasion to finde faulte with him which Phariseis did supersticiously mainteine suche thinges of the lawe as were carnall geuen but for a time and contēned those thinges which were chiefe and should still continue amonges thē it was counted a wicked dede to doe any busines on the Sabboth daye but to deceyue their neyghbour vpon the Sabboth daye they toke it but for a trifle They would haue it seme an vngodly thing that a poore sicke mā should cary away his bed vpon the Sabboth daye but to grudge and enuy his helth they thought it no faulte They knew this man which was sicke of the palsey well inough that he had lyen sicke many yeres They did well perceiue that he was nowe strong and had no tokē or apparance of his disease in him Of so great a miracle they ought both to haue glorified God and to haue reioysed in his behalfe which was cured vnles they had been very wicked against god enuiouse toward their neighbour Therfore these like peruerters of true religion fall in hand and chide with him which caried awaye his couche This is the Sabboth daye say they which ought to be kept with rest quiet It is not lawfull for the to cary awaye thy couche he not dissemblyng the benefite that he had receyued to deliuer hymselfe from their enuy of that faulte by the autoritie of Iesu shewyng that he which coulde doe so great a thyng with his woorde semed to be greater than either man or the Sabboth daye the poore man I say maketh this answer to the spitefull Iewes he that made me whole with his very woorde only commaunded me to cary awaye my couche walke When they heard this wheras they ought by reason of the miracle to haue beleued it they did not only enuy him that was cured but also wēt about to deuise matter against him by whom he was cured who is the man saye they whiche badde thee cary awaye thy couche and walke for they would haue burdened him with the faulte of breaking the Sabboth day as they had doen many tymes before Nowe he that was healed knewe not Iesus by name but onely by sight howbeit at that tyme he coulde not shewe hym vnto them because that Iesus after he had spoken to the sicke man of the palsey immediately withdrewe hymselfe from the multitude partely lest his presence shoulde more prouoke the Iewes enuy and partly that he beeyng absente the miracle should be the better knowen by the reporte of hym whiche had felte the benefite of health Afterwarde Iesus found him in the temple and sayde vnto hym behold thou arte made whole sinne no more lest a wurse thyng happen vnto thee The man departed and tolde the Iewes that it was Iesus whiche had made hym whole And therfore the Iewes dyd persecute Iesus and sought the meanes to slea hym because he had doen these thinges on the Sabboth daye But after the miracle was made manifest and euidently proued Iesus willyng that the autour therof also should be knowen when he met with the man
one cubite â–ª Considre the lâ—lies howe they grow c. Seke ye after the kyngdom of god c. For it is your fathers pleasure to geue you the kingdome Sel that ye haue and geue almes where your treasour is there will your hearte be also Leate you loâ—gnes bee girt about And yt he come in the seconde watche c. Be ye therfore readye also for the sonne of man will come c Who is a seithful stewarde whome his lorde shal make rewler ouer his housholde But if the seruauÌ„t saie in his hert my Lorde will differ his cumming The Lorde of that seruaunte wil come For vnto whome soeuer muche is geuen of him shal bee muche required c. But I must be baptised with a baptisme c. The father shall bee diuided against the â—onne Whan ye see a cloude arise out of the west c. But how happeneth it yâ— ye can not skill of this time Whan the goeste with thine aduersarie to the reweler Thou shalte not departe thence c. Certain meÌ„ that shewed him of the Galileans c. Excepte ye repente ye shall all lykewise perishe A certaine man had a figtre planted in his vineyard c. There was a woman whiche had a spirite of infirmitie eighteene yeres c. When Iessawe hir he called hir vnto hym c. And ought not this daughter of Abraham c. What is the kingdoÌ„e of god like c. It is lyke a grayne of mustardsede c. Then saied one vnto him Lord are there fewe that be saued Many will seke to entre in c Departe from me al ye that worke iniquitie There shal bee weping c. And they shal cuÌ„from the east and froÌ„ the west There are last whiche shal be first For it cannot be that a Prophete perishe any other where saue at Ierusalem c Beholde your habytacioÌ„ is left vnto you desolate And behold there was a certaine man before hym which hadde the dropsy And they could not aunswer him again to these thinges And he put forth also a simylytude to the geastes whan he marked howe they pressed to the higheste roumes c And thou than with shame begyn to take the loweste roume But rather whan thou art bidden goe and syâ— in the lowest roume For whosoeuer exalteth himself c. Whan thou makest a dyner or supper call not thy freÌ„des c. But whan thou makest a feast call the poore But thou shalt be recompensed at the resurreccion A certaylie man ordeined a great supper c. An other saied I haue bought fiue yoke of oxen c. Go quickly into the stretes c. Go out vnto the highe wayes and hedges and compell theÌ„ to cum in For I saye vnto you c Whiche of you disposed to build a toure So likewise whosoâ—uer he be of you that forsakethe not all c. It is neythâ—r good for â— lande nor yet for the dounghill He that hath eares to heare let hym heare What man among you hauyng an hundred sâ—epâ— â–ª I saâ—e vnto you yâ— lykewyse ioye shall bee in heauen Eyther what womaÌ„ hauing reÌ„ne grotes yf she lose one Geue me the porcion of the goodes c. And there he wasted his goodes c. And cam to a citezen of thatsame countrey Than he came to him self c. And he said How many hyred seruauntes at my fathers haue bread enough c. I wil aryse goe to my father c. And wyll say to hym father I haue sinned c. And am no more woorthye to bee called thy soonne And hadde compassion And ranne fell on his necke and kissed hym Father I haue sinned against heauen c. But his father sayd to his seruauntes c And putte a tyng on his hande c And leat vs eate and be merie The elder sonne was in the field And called one of the seruauÌ„tes and asked what these thynges ment Loe these many yeres haue I doeÌ„ thee seruice c. It was mete that we shoulde make mery c. What shall I dooe for my mayster taketh froÌ„ me the stewardship c Take thy bill c. and write fiftie Make you frendes of the vnrighteous MaÌ„mon That when ye shal haue nede they mai receiue you into euerlastynge habitacioÌ„s He that is faitheful in that whiche is leaste is faithful also in much And he that is vnrighteous in that least c. No seruauÌ„t can serue two maysters c. Ye are they which iustifie your selues afore men But God knoweth your hertes And euerye 〈◊〉 striueth 〈…〉 in Whosoeueâ— forsakethe hys wyfe maryeth an other committeth aduoutrye Easier it is for heauen yearth to perishâ— c. And there was a certain begger namâ—d Lazarus c. The dogges came 〈◊〉 and liâ—ked his sores And he cried Father Abraham haue mercie vpoÌ„ me Betwene vs and you there is a great space sette Than he sayed I â—raye thee send him to my fathers house c. But yf one come to them from the deade they wil repente c. It caÌ„not be but offences will come If thy brother trespace against thee rebuke hym And if he repente forgeue hym Lorde encrease our faith If ye had faith lyke a grain of mustardesede Whiche of you if he hadde a seruaunte ploughing c. Dooeth he thanke yâ— seruaunte because he did the thinges c. We are vnprofitable seruauntes Goe â–ª shewe your selfes vnto the priestes c. And one of theim c. turned backe There are not founde that returned Thy faythe hathe made the whole The kyngdome of god shall not coÌ„â— with waytyng And they shall saye to you se here But fyrste must he suffre manye thynges And it happened in the dayes of Noe. Gene. viii v. Mat. xxiiii Likewise also as it chauÌ„ced in the dayes of Lot Gene. .xix. â— At that daye he that is on the house toppe c. Remembre Lottes wife In the nyght there shal be two in one bedde c That meâ— ought alwaie to praie c. There was in a certaine citie a iudge whiche feared not God c. And shal not God auenge his elect Neuerthelesse whan the sonne of maÌ„ cometh Twoo men went vp into the temple to praie I saie vnto you this man departed iustifyed more thaÌ„ the other But Iesus saied Suffer the children to cum vnto me Whosoeuer receiueth not the. c. Good mayster what oughte I to doe why callest thou me good c. Thou knowest the coÌ„maundemeÌ„ntes Sel al that thou hast He was sorye for he was veraie ryche It is easier for a camell to goe thorough a nedles iye c. The thynges whiche are vnpossible c. He cryeth saying Iesus thou soÌ„ne of Dauid haue mercie vpoÌ„ me What wilt thou that I doe vnto thee The fayth hath saued thee There was a man named Zacheus Math. xiii Luke â–ª x. Math. xvi Luke ix Iohn vi Marke vi Math. xiii Luke iiii And he ran beefore and clymed into
wildernesse Suche as goe about to get a name and gaynes by iugglyng castes and woorkyng of Magicall miracles desyer to be in those cities whereas moste haunt and resorte of people is But oure sauiour Iesus in that he ofte tymes shunneth muche assembly of people plainly teacheth vs what we ought to do He that is able to worke the miracles of the gospell doeth not so muche desyer the great multitude as the feruent mynde and affeccion of beholders In great cities many resorted vnto hym for this purpose only to delite their iyes with newe and straunge sightes No man foloweth Iesus into the wyldernesse vnlesse he long after hym with a certaine vehement desire and affeccion He that forgoeth al pleasures of good tounes and foloweth Christ thorow rough and cumberous places foloweth hym to his great commoditie For he that loueth hym vnfaynedly doeth in all thinges folowe hym whome he loueth through reproche hungre despoylyng of substauÌ„ce banishmeÌ„t imprisonment tourmentes and death And suche folowers of Christ were figured by those that came flockyng out of all countreis and partes of Galile vnto Iesu who kept hymselfe close in desert and solitary places The .ij. Chapter BUT whithersoeuer a man flieth vertue hath euer her fame and glory folowyng her euen as the shadow foloweth the body For he that is vnfainedly good caÌ„ neuer be but one maner of man and lyke himselfe And as there is alwayes light whithersoeuer the body of the suÌ„ne remoueth euen so to what place soeuer true godlinesse remoueth there is alwayes great resort of people Now wildernesse was no longer wildernesse after the lorde Iesus the true light of this world was gon thither And yet the persone in whome is the power to worke the myracles of the ghospell ceaseth not asmuche as in him lyeth to auoyde such places wheras muche people is assembled to beholde hym for that he knoweth certainly what a perilous vice vainglory is Neuerthelesse the feruent desyre he hath to helpe and do all men good doeth oftimes cause hym though it be againste his nature to haue recourse thither againe And by this meanes cummeth it to passe that whiles the good man is compelled to remoue from place to place the moe receiueth benefite at his handes ¶ After a few dayes also he entred into Capernaum agayne and it was noysed that he was in the house and anon many were gathered together insomuche that now there was no roume to receiue them no not somuche as about the dore He preached the worlde vnto them And there came certaine vnto him bringyng one sicke of the Palsey whiche was borne of fower men And when they could not come nye vnto him for prease they vncouered the roofe of the house that he was in And when they had broken vp the â—oofe they did with â—dâ—des let downe the bed wherin the sicke of the Palsey lay When Iesus sawe their fayth he sayd vnto the sicke of the Palsey sonne thy sinnes be forgeuen thee Wherfore Iesus geuyng vs ensample bothe to flye vayne glory and also continually to doe good to our euen christen within fewe dayes after returned agayne to Capernaum from whence he semed to be dryuen away before by reason of the great importunitie of the people whiche euen in the night tyme lay about the gates of the house wherin he soiourned For as he made Bethleem muche renoumed by his byrthe and Nazareth very famous by his educacion and the countrey of Egypt happy because he fled thyther for his preseruacion and safegarde so did he as it were adopte and choose Capernaum to be his countrey bothe by his ofte tarrying there and also by shewyng of many fayer miracles in the same He came agayn hyther in maner by stealth and fyrste kepte hymselfe secrete in a house before it was knowen in the citye that he was cum But as the Sunne can not be hyd so the Lorde Iesus can not be kept close and secret The rumour whiche as it is commonly seen rose of a few persons had now bloweÌ„ abrode throughout the whole citie that Iesus was in the house And furthwith thither flocked suche a multitude of people that all the house was fylled and not onely that but also the porche and al the places about the dore were not sufficient to receiue them It is a blessed house whither Iesus is cum to dwell and neuer departeth thence agaynt That house is the churche For Capernaum beareth the figure of the whole worlde wheresoeuer the Gentyles inhabite Certes at Ierusalem the Iewes cast Iesus out of the temple and among the Gentiles the kyngdome of heauen suffereth violence and the multitude of all sortes of people entreth into it after a certaine forcible fashion The Christian Nouices sitte aboute the gates greatly desyring to be admitted into the Lordes house muche houngryng and thirstyng after the rightuousnes of the kyngdom of heauen And verily Iesus excludeth no manne from this house neyther poore nor ryche whole nor sycke so that he haue a vehement desyre to heare hym Wherefore the Lorde teachyng vs that we ought alwayes chyeflye to care for our soule health and afterwarde for our bodies fyrste of all ministred vnto them the doctrine of the ghospell wherwith the diseases and maladies of the soule are cured For this cause such as are disposed to geue almes to the poore do very well yf they geue them fyrste a bryefe exhortacion that maye make them the better in mynde and soule and then departe with theyr charitie For the common sort of people be of suche a disordered iudgement that they are more desyrous of those thynges whiche are expedient for the body then of those that pertayne to theyr soule health The lord euidently declared vnto vs by his ensample that our chiefe care oughte to be for that parte whiche is the chiefeste parte or porcion of man in that he fyrste taught and then by and by healed suche as were diseased Nowe whyles Iesus was teachyng and busye about curyng the diseases of theyr soules there came vnto hym certain men bringyng with theim one that was sycke of a Palsey whose synowes were so resolued in all partes of his body through the violence of the disease that he could not styrre out of his bed but was fayne to be caried thither vpon fower mennes shoulders Here hast thou plainly set out the very ymage and fygure of a minde whiche is by worldly lustes and desyres made so womanlyke and dissolute that it can in no wise lift vp it selfe to doe any thyng that is good godly but lyeth styl in the bedde of lowe and filthy cares and neuer remembreth any thyng that is hygh or celestiall Nowe when they sawe howe they coulde not for prease of people that sate so thicke about the gate and porche bryng this sycke man to the sight of Iesus they lifted hym vp vpon the house and after they had remoued the slates and made a way in they let hym doune bed and all
with a long corde and layed hym at the feete of Iesu nothyng doubtyng but that he of his great mercie and goodnesse woulde help the selye wretche assone as he once cast those his pitifull iyes vpon hym and beheld how he laye in his bed lyke a quicke karkas impotent and benummed in all his lymmes Iesus sawe this miserable person euen before he was broughte vnto his presence and knewe right well the great faith of those that brought hym He could if it had liked hym without leauiÌ„g of or breaking his tale haue sygnified his pleasure vnto them by whom he had luste in this wise Let the sycke of the palsye aryse and beyng sodainly healed cary home his bed again But his will was to shewe al men there present that piteous sight and also to declare of what great strength and efficacie true belief vpon hym is wyth almighty God the father The disease was vncurable and of long continuaunce the cummyng to Christe very cumberous And yet the gracious goodnesse of the lorde ioyned with lyke power put them in a sure hope to obtaine theyr request Wherfore after he sawe theyr notable fayth the more he perceyued the man to be diseased in soule then in body the more pitye and compassion he toke on hym Euery man thought hym in a miserable case that thus lacked the vse of all his membres but more miserable was his soule beeyng in subieccion and bondage of sinne They loked after nothing els but that the poore wretche should be restored to perfite health of body which was a thing farre aboue mannes power But Iesus beyng highly pleased with so notable a faithe and therfore willyng to make hym all and in euery part whole turned vnto hym and sayed Sonne thy synnes are forgeuen ¶ But there were certaine of the Scribes sittyng there and thinking in their hertes Why doeth he speake these blasphemies Who can forgeue sinnes but God onelye And immediately when Iesus perceiued in his spiâ—ite that they so thoughte within themselues he sayeth vnto theym why thinke ye suche thynges in your heartes whether is it easier to saye to the sicke of the Palsey thy synnes be forgeuen thee or to saye aryse take vp thy bed and walke But that ye maye knowe that the sonne of man hath power in earth to forgeue sinnes he spake vnto the sicke of the Palsey I saye vnto thee arise and take vp thy bed and get the hence vnto thine owne house And immediately he arose tooke vp the bed and went forth before them all in so muche that they were all amased and glorified God saiyng we neuer sawe it on this fashion There were present in that assembly certaine Scribes who for the knowledge they had in the scriptures were neuer the godlyer and better in theyr liuyng but rather more enclined to surmise matiers agaynst hym They had learned of the bokes of the Prophetes and Moses that it perteyneth to God alone to pardon sinnes For the priest dyd not release sinne but made intercession vnto God for other mens offences and that not withoute sacrifice Because the Scribes knewe this right well they had suche secrete thoughtes imaginacions with themselues What newe saying is this that he speaketh whiche neyther Moses nor Aaron nor any of the auncient Prophetes durst presume to speake For he sayeth thy synnes are released Trulye he is a blasphemous person against God that thus taketh vpon hym gods power The law coÌ„mauÌ„deth sum offeÌ„ces to be punished with death And other sum there are for the whiche satisfaccion is made with burnt offerynges and diuers other kyndes of sacrifices by the mediacion or intercession of the priest But he passyng nothyng vpon suche rites and ceremonies doeth at once forgeue all sinnes with bare worde of mouth This thing that he taketh vpon hym and promyseth pertayneth not to manne It lyeth in Goddes power alone to perfourme it Surely they were offended with the imbecillitie and weakenesse of his manhode that they sawe and therefore coulde suppose nothing of hym aboue the state and condicioÌ„ of man Neyther had the vulgar people any greater opinion of him whiche yet by reason of theyr simplicitie were not so muche enclined to pycke quarels as the other were The spirite of this worlde putte those thoughtes in theyr myndes who whyles they stacke harde to the litterall sence of Moyses lawe were farre froÌ„ the spirite and true meaning thereof and were somuch the more vnapte to be taught thesame because thei thought themselues very well skilled in the scriptures in somuche that thesame thyng hath here also place and is verified whiche we see chaunce among paynters and singing men who are wonte to take lesse for teachyng of one that is altogether rude and ignoraunt in theyr arte or science then for him who hath ben euell enstructed of an other mayster in the same and the reason is because in teachyng of the ignorant there is but one labour to be takeÌ„ whereas yf a man take vpon hym to instruct the other as it is the firste so is it the more paynfull labour to teache hym to forget what he hath learned before then to teache hym And these vngodly thoughtes they of a certain worldely pollicie kepte in theyr stomakes for feare of the people in whose presence they muche aduaunced and magnified themselues for their greate knowledge vnderstandyng The Lord Iesus who rather desyred to declare his diuine power by deedes then to vtter thesame by wordes because he woulde plainly shewe vnto the Scribes howe there is nothyng so closely hydde in mennes brestes be they neuer so suttle and craftie that his holy spirite which searcheth and throughly seeth all thynges knoweth not tourned him vnto them and as though they had spoken out those thynges whiche they inwardlye thought in theyr myndes sayed in this wise Why haue you suche slauÌ„derous imaginacions in your hertes why do you rather iudge me by this weake and feble body of myne then by my deedes Why do you not gather of these my workes which you see with your iyes and cannot deny that those thynges are of trueth whiche can in no wyse be sene with your corporall iyes you are offended with me because I sayde Thy synnes are forgeuen and deme it to be a vayne saying and of none effect because you see not the efficacie therof whiche putteth forth and sheweth it selfe in the soule of man But you that haue your bodely iyes whole and faultlesse haue spirituall iyes faultie and blemished What yf I speake like wordes vnto the other and make the efficacie therof appeare vnto your iyes Is it not then reason that you beleue the thyng whiche you see not beyng thereunto enduced by the thyng you see There is nothing that man can easelyer do then speake and contrarilye there is nothing so harde as to perfourme what is spokeÌ„ God alone caÌ„ as easely do the one as the other And though hytherto he neuer gaue this power to manne yet it