as he was cum out of the water he saw heauen open and the spirite descending vpon him lyke a doue And there came a voyce from heauen Thou art my deare sonne in whom I delite After that Iohn had with wordes of lyke sentence moued and styrred vp the mynde of a great manie of theym to wayt for Messias that was cummyng then furth came Iesus when his tyme was cum forsakyng the litle village of Nazareth in the countrey of Galile where because of his educacioÌ„ and long continuaunce in thesame men thought he had bene borne Certes this is the nature and propertie of all euangelike thinges to begyn very baselye and from suche begynnynges by litle and litle to cum at the length to highest perfeccion whereas contrarily all thinges that euer the world and the deuel goeth about are after merueilous goodly beginninges sodainly cast down and brought to nought So lucifer whiles he set his feate in the northe ymagenyng to be equall with the highest was sodainlye cast downe headlyng into hell In semblable wise Adam when that thorough the diuels instigacioÌ„ he desired to be equall with God was by and by exiled and cast out of paradise Therfore if thou here considre the high excellencie and greatnesse of Iesu it will cause the muche more to wonder at his singuler humblenesse of mynd modestie He came out of a poore and homely village out of Galile the vilâ—st countrey of all Iewrie He that purifieth all thinges came as one of the raskall sort humble lowly to the baptisme of repentauÌ„ce amoÌ„g sinners souldiers brothelles publicaÌ„s without any seruauÌ„tes to wayte and atteÌ„de vpoÌ„ hym It was not ynough for hym to be circumcised accordyng to the ordynaunce of the lawe and purified after the tradicion of Moyses He desyred also to receiue Iohns baptisme teaching enstructing vs hereby that whoso maketh hym selfe ready to be a ministre and preacher of the gospell muste omitte nothing whiche in any wyse perteyneth to the increase of vertue and godlines And again â—schew all thinges wherwith the weakelinges may be offended Iohn taught vs this lessoÌ„ that a preacher of goddes word shoulde not get himselfe estimacion and auctoritie by gorgeous apparell or poÌ„pouse liuing but by honest behauiour and godly conuersacioÌ„ But the eâ—saÌ„ple that Christ shewed was of muche more perfeccion and farther from the Iewishe fashion then this for that he differyng nothyng at all from other neyther in his apparell nor yet in dyet dyd neuerthelesse by his godlye lyning mekenesse and beneficiall goodnes towardes all men vtterly duske and deface the auctoritie of Iohn For that is of hygher perfeccion whiche is geuen by the grace of the gospel then that whiche procedeth from the austeritie and straitnes of the lawe The whole intent of the lorde Iesus was this to make the worlde to know how he was the onely aucthour of saluacion to expresse and set out vnto vs a certaine fourme of euangelike and true godlynes to coÌ„firme the truth and certentie of all that euer Moyses and the Prophetes had vâ—â—itteÌ„ of thinges past and to make vs as it wer with the giuing of an earnest peny to haue a sure hope and expectacion of thinges yet to come For we right gladly beleue him of whom we haue conceyued a meruelous good opinion and vpon whom many witnesses do consent and agree Wherfore it was procured by the prouidence and wisdome of god that the Lorde Iesus shoulde euery where haue an euident recorde and testimonie of his deitie Of the whole lawe of Moses of all the Prophetes of the angels of the shepardes of the wise men called Magicians of the Scribes of Simeon and Anne of Iohn baptist of the father of the holy ghost and finally of Pylate and the deuils The miracles also that he wrought plainely declared hym to be the sonne of God He dyd many thinges not because himselfe had any nede so to do but for that he would set out vnto vs in his owne person a certaine fourme and trade of lyuing as when he fasted when he was tempted when he oftentymes prayed when he came to baptisme when he obeyed his parentes when he paciently suffered all iniuries and wronges and finallye when he came to his crosse and passion He perfourmed many thynges that the prophetes had prophecied of before lest the people should doubt of the promises afterwardes to be accomplished as when that in his baptisme he receyued the holye ghost in the lykenesse of a doue lightyng vpon the croune of his heade as when he arose agayne from death to lyfe Wherfore he came as a penitent to Iohn he desired his baptisme and obteyned it He was baptised in Iordane wherin were baptised both tanners Publicans and souldiers a sorte of people so sinful that none are more blemished or defiled wâ—â—h sinne Are not here the stately princes of this worlde ashamed who will haue nothyng common with the vulgare people No kyng nor priest cummeth to baptisme and if it were theyr pleasure so to do they would scarcely vouchesafe to receyue baptisme in a bason of golde or preciouse stones Nowe our sauiour Iesus that fountayne of all puritie that kyng of all kynges that lord of all lordes disdayned not the common bathe wherin the common sorte were washed But whoso humbleth hymselfe before man the same is highly exalted before god Iesus was baptised as the rest and euerychone of the common people there present But the father of heauen disseuered hym froÌ„ the residue by a certayne notable signe neuer sene ne heard of before For as sone as he was come out of the water of Iordane whiche he halowed with the touche of his holy body vnto lande as he was in his contemplacion and prayers Iohn sawe the heauens open and the holy ghoste flie downe from thence and light vpon the holy croune of his heade and there tarye The pride of Adam closed the gates of paradise agaynste vs The humblenesse of mynde and modestie of Christe hath for paradise opened vs the gates of Heauen There was a visible signe shewed vnto mannes iyes but by the same we were taughte what maner of myndes that heauenlye spirite both loueth and maketh The spirite of the deuill and the worlde maketh and loueth suche mindes as are haute puffed vp with pride fierce but that heauenly spirite loueth those whiche are lowely meke and peacible There is nothing more harmles and more without gyle then the doue nothing whose nature wurse agreeth with fighting and raueny It was plainlye expressed set out in the lord by this corporall figure what is spiritually wrought in all those that with a sincere and pure faith receyue the baptisme of the gospell The body is washed with water but the soule is throughly annoynted with grace inuisible Moreouer that the done abode still vpon the croune of the lordes head signified that the holy ghoste is geuen to all other godlye men and good lyuers â—atably after the
that lyke as Matthew wrote his ghospell and Peter his epistles chyefely vnto the Iewes so dyd Luke wryte his gospell most specially to the Gentiles as one that was a disciple of Paules which Paul as he was the teacher of GeÌ„tiles so did he write all his epistles vnto Gentiles except the only one epistle to the Hebrues of â—eaufouâ— writer wherof â—t hath euermore been doubted whether it were Paule or not He wrote his ghospel after Marke but yet before that Iohn â—oâ—e his by reason wherof beyng but a disciple he is set before Iohn who was an Apostle And to conclude it is written that a long lyued manne he was whiche thyng was in a physicion euen as of congruence it ought to be for he folowed the couÌ„saâ—le of Paul which wrote It is good not to touche 〈◊〉 he liued a single man fower score and fower yeres The bones of him after he was dead wer remoued and conueied out of Achaia to Constantinople together with the bones of Andrewe the apostle in the tweÌ„tieth yere of CoÌ„stancius Ye haue nowe a phiâ—icion for the soule of a physicion for the body a man by his familiaritie of conuersacion with the Apostles habled and by mo testimonies then one of Paul the apostle commended and praysed and by the wholle consent of all the faythfull congregacioÌ„s allowed For where the gospels of many were reiected and refused Luke was by the consent of al the congregacions voices receyued to make vp that same holy and mistical quaternitie which Moses in old tyme limyted out whan he expouÌ„ded vnto vs the fower-studdes or riuers welling vp out of one spryng in paradise whiche studdes do water al the earth vniuersall and the whiche quaternitie the Prophet Ezechiell afterward saw whâ—Ì„ he playnly set out vnto vs as it had been in a picture the fower mystycall beastes the fower wheles in one Nowe if it be so thought good let vs in fewe wordes sumwhat speake of the pocion or medicine that he hath geuen vs. He had been wonte out of Hyprocrates to take medicines wherewith to remedie diseases of the body but this medicine of the ghospel wherwith to cure and heale our soules he toke of the Apostles whiche had both seen and heard Christ yea or rather of the veray holy ghost himself There was among the physicions of olde time a certain kind of medicine of passyng great efficacie vertue whiche medicine they called in Greke theâ—â— Chrâ—iâ—â—â—s that is to say Gods handes lyke as there is nowe a confeccion that is called manus Christi But yet was there neuer any medicine inuented by the Phisicions that was able to remedie al diseases of the body though they make neuer so muche vauntes and boast of that same which they call paâ—â—â—â— a medicine as they affirme effectual and of muche vertue but knowen to us man Once the sicknes of olde age geueth place to no phisike But this same medicine of the ghospel is in very true dede the manus Christi â–ª whiche thorough syncere faith doeth once for altogether take away all diseases of the soules geueth immortalitie which thing apperteineth onely vnto god to do And certes it was a thyng not vnfearly ne vnskilfully spoken in the prouerbes of the Grekes that woordes and talke is the physicion of a mynde beyng dyseased and sicke yea and sum there hath been which beleued that the diseases of the body also myght be driuen away with certayne hartie wordes aduysedly spoken hauyng a certain magical vertue efficacie in them The Lord Iesê° was a phisicioÌ„ who while he liued here on earth did with his wordes put awaye diseases of the bodies were they neuer so sore or of neuer so loÌ„g continuance rooted in them Yea and with his wordes he raysed dead folkes to lyfe agayne For his woord was no woord of magike but the almightyful word of the omnipoteÌ„t father The same Christ did also with his word driue awaye diseases of the soules whan he sayd Sonne thy synnes are forgeuen theâ— and in an other place Goe thy wayes thy fayth hath made the whole And in coÌ„sideracion hereof the prophecy had afore promised yâ— Christ should be a physicion For it sayeth in the booke of Sapience For neither any hearbe ne any supplyng plaister hath healed them but thy word o Lord whiche healeth all thynges Thissame verily is that true 〈◊〉 that the phisicious speake of as afore sayd Also the mystical psalme hath this sentence He sent his woord and he healed them from their vtter peryshynges The liuelye woorde of the father is Christe He had sent Moses and the prophetes and by them was the nacion of the Iewes taken in cure to be loked vnto but they were not clene healed Onelye the woorde of the father was of sufficiente vertue and efficacie to heale the diseases of man and not onelye the lighte dyseases but also the mortall and deadly sickenesses For it is a marke whereby to know that it speaketh of deadly sickenesses whan the prophete addeth from theyr vtter perishynges At suche tyme as the stomacke is so clene fallen awaye that it abhorreth and refuseth all kynde of meate than groweth the sicke partie to wardes his death and of suche manier a disease was all the whole vniuersall worlde sicke before the cumming of the heauenly phisician Whiche thing had the psalmiste a litle tofore spoken Their solle abhorred all kynde of meate they were drawen nere euen to the gates of death There had bene manye soondry drenâ—hes tempered by the philosophiers as for exaumple by the secte of Pythagoras by the Academikes by the Stoikes by the Epicureans and by the Perepatetikes promisyng perfect healthe of the myndes yea and heauens blisse too Moses tempered many pocions prescrybyng and appoyntyng soondry ceremonies of religion and of seruyng â–ª god the prophetes also made muche and many temperynges to thesame ende and purpose but by reason of diseases growyng strong and preuayling the phisicke and medicines auailed not ne dyd any other good sauing that it encreased the diseases and bewrayed the same that it might appere The stomacke of the soule beeyng corrupte with naughtie desyres as it had beene with euell and hurtefull humoures dyd on the one syde turne theyr face awaye from the moral preceptes and lessons of the philosophiers composed with greate labour and studye and on the other syde by the ordinaunces and prescripcions of Moses â–ª they were made the more supersticious but nothyng the better men As for the bittur chydyng whiche the prophetes ministred had no good relice ne taste in theyr mouthes and therfore was there no credyte geuen to theyr promises Whiche thyng the father of heauen whan he sawe because he woulde not haue any thyng to perishe of all that he had created sente foorth his woorde who should with an heauenly medicine delyuer all people from all diseases of theyr soules onelye requiryng of vs to acknowleage our disease and put assured trust and confidence in
without muche vnclenesse of the bodye thys tender young virgyn beyng one of moste syngular demurenes and myldenesse refuseth not in thys behalfe neyther to seme lyke vnto other women whiche after the common course of nature doe bryng furth chyldren ne auoydeth to doe as they doe whereas in this her chyldebearyng there was nothyng at al defiled with any spot of vncleanesse but euery parte of it replenyshed with heauenly puritie and with holinesse For what poyncte of vnpurenesse coulde such a woman haue in bearyng chylde as without so muche as once touchyng of any man had conceiued by the only power vertue of god embracing her through the working of the holy ghoste And as touching the childe I pray you was it possyble for any spotte of fylthynesse to bee in suche a chylde as beyng borne from heauen was come into thys worlde euen for thys onely purpose that he alone and onely might pourge all mankinde from all filthynes of sinne But partely it was the will and pleasure of God by suche notable exaumples of sobrenes and humilitie as these bee to breake the pryde of manne and partely it was conuenyente that he whiche was come to pergette and close vp bothe the broken walles that is to saye was come to ioyne and knytte the people of the Iewes and the people of the Gentiles bothe together into one professyon of the ghospell shoulde in all behalfes and in all poynctes satysfie the lawe of Moyses from whiche the firste fayth and authoritie should afterward procede and come vnto the ghospell The mother therfore and Ioseph who by the determinate and aduised working of God was yet stil thought and supposed of euery manne to be the father of Iesus brought theyr young babe vnto Hierusalem to the ende he might in the temple there bee presented in the sighte of the Lord to whome he was dedycated and halowed not as thoughe God were not Lorde and true owner of all thynges but by a mystycall fygure to teache vs that suche hertes and none others bee throughlye accepted afore God as after the subduing and vanquyshyng of all the inordynate desires of the fleashe in whiche reigneth naught but the corrupcyon of nyce tendrenesse dooe with mannelye strengthe of the spirite stoutely sette furth towardes those thinges which are heauenly and euerlasting The law of Moyses meaning this same thing had prescribed and appointed that euery male kinde as sone as it had once opened the matrice of the dame were come into the world should be reputed taken for halowed and consecrated to the Lord whether it were brought furth by a woman or by any brute beastes to the entente that euen of these also the firste fruites shoulde be allotted vnto the priestes and yet vnder suche condycyon that the fyrste borne of mankynde myghte bee redemed with a small offreyng and boughte out of the priestes handes excepte it were a chylde of the trybe of Leui. But the lawe selfe doeth openly discharge and deliuer this holy childeâ— wife from the bande of the lawe whan it sayeth in the thyrde boke of Moyses entiteled Leuiticus If a Woman haue conceiued and borne a manchilde c. For thys mother was neyther properly to be called a woman forasmuche as she knew no parte of any mannes body nor had broughte furth chylde by receiuing seede from any other partie And agayne whan it sayeth Euery one of the male kinde that first openeth the matrice c. It doeth sufficientely declare it selfe to meane of the common mannier of delyueraunce that mothers haue of theyr children whiche mothers by reason that the seale of theyr virgynytie is broken vp afore by the manne doe bryng furth chylde neyther withoute muche vnclenesse nor yet without a certayne kinde of being put to shame And as for this heauenly childe neyther whan it entred nor whan it came furthe dyd by anye meanes pollute the enclosure and tabernacle of the maydenlye woumbe of his mother but rather did consecrate thesame and seale it vp that from hencefurthe neyther her bodye beyng a temple once for euer dedycated vnto God ne yet her soule being as ye woulde say a closet for the holy ghoste replenished with all odoryferous swete sauours mighte bee open to receyue any stayning or corrupcion of wordely fylthinesse He therfore whiche was the Lorde of all thinges that are bothe in heauen and in yearthe was presented and offered in the temple as one subiecte and bounde vnto the lawe And he was agreed for and redemed out of the priestes handes agayne for a small price whiche shoulde afterwarde redeme all the whole vniuersall world with the price of his bloude For the lawe had prescrybed that the parentes mighte bye out the first borne manchilde with a lambe of one yere olde which was geuen to bee a burnte offeryng and than besides the lambe there shoulde bee broughte a male Pygyon or a turtle doue for the pourgyng and dooyng away of sinne if any spotte thereof had bene gotten eyther in the carnall copulacion at the begetting of the chylde or elles afterwarde For it ought on euery side to bee pure whatsoeuer thing is to bee offered vnto the lorde That if the penurie and lacke of substance on the parentes behalfe coulde not wel suffer a lambe to bee geuen than in stede of the lambe there was geuen a turtle doue or a young pigion for the redeming and bying out of the chylde and the other byrde was offered for the pourgeyng of sinne They offred therefore the gyfte of poore folkes And there is no doubte but that they woulde haue geuen a more bountifull offreyng had not theyr pouertie beene a lette thereof They hadde hertes ryche with good loue and zeale towarde godde but for an ensaumple to be prepared for vs to folowe theyr profession and open knowlagyng of theyr pouertie was more expedyente and serued better And all these thinges were by the dispensacion of gods ordinauÌ„ce thus executed and doen partely for many other causes and consideracions and most specially for this cause and purpose that the veraye truethe of oure humayne nature myghte by so manye euydente proufes and tokens bee declared to bee in the chylde Marie was sâ—ene with her greate bellye in the ynne within a lytle space as soone as she had broughte furthe chylde her greate bealy was gone agayne the childe being but euen new borne was knowen and found out by the shepheardes he was soughte oute and wurshypped of the Magians he was circumcysed after the solemne custome vsed in that nacion and eftesons brought he was into the temple and there openly presented vnto the pryestes by these thinges it came to passe that neither any body might doubte of his birth and yet he by litle and litle came to the notice knowlage of mo and mo but moste chiefly of meane folkes yea and of none but godly deuoute persons onely For meete it was that suche a thyng shoulde neyther with a fewe proufes
owe styll vnpayed but also doe by playne extorcion pull froÌ„ poore house handmen that that is no duetie at all and so vnder the name and colour of warre they thynke nothyng what euer it bee vnlawfull for theÌ„ to do wheras in very dede there is a due lawe of armes seruing for battail and warre which in dede is not vtterly to be disallowed in case it be atteÌ„pted for a iust and a rightful cause that is to saye if it be made for the defence maynteinaunce of the publique traÌ„quillitie of a realme and countrey yf the case so stand that it cannot be auoyded yf it bee enterprysed by godly Prynces yf with the consent of them for whose behofe it is expedient or necessary that the warre should be made yf it haue been denounced or proclaymed with all rytes and circumstâ—unces accordyng to the lawe of armes yf iustice and moderacion be vsed in it that is to say if warre be so kept with asmuche sparyng of bloudshed as possibly may be if as fewe be loste as may be especially of them that neuer gaue any cause to the warre if the vnaduysed witfulnes and hastines of the souldiers be brideled by the captains if there be no buckling together of the two armies sauing only by such souldiers and meÌ„ of armes as haue geuen their othe afore to do as they ought to do and neue otherwise nor without a signe to bâ—e geuen by commaundement of the capytayne whan they shall buccle together in fight if euery body immediately hold theyr haÌ„des from fightyng â–ª assone as euer the truÌ„peâ—tes haue once blowen retraicte if also as soone as it possibly maie the warre be ended and so breake vp Unto this sorte of men therfore dooeth Iohn nothyng but shewe what their accustomed vse is to do and what thing from hensforth they ought to eschew if they mynde to escape the vengeaunce of God Stryke ne beate ye no manne saieth he accuse no manne falsely for lucres sake but bee ye contented with your ordinarie wages that is allowed you As the people were in a doubte and all men mused in their hartes of Iohn whether he were very Christ Iohn answered and said vnto them all I baptise you with water but one stroÌ„ger then I shall cum after me whosâ— shoe latchet I am not worthy to vnlooce He shall baptise you with the holy ghost and with fier Whiche hath his fanne in his hand and he will pourge his floore and gather the corne into his barne but the chaffe wil he burne with fier that neuer shal be quenched and many other thinges in his exhortacion preached he vnto the people And with suche great authoritie were the premisses handled and doen by Iohn that the people begoonne halfe to bee in opinion that himself was the very Messias of whose cummyng he preached vnto theÌ„ And this did a great many of theym with secrete thynkynge caste in theyr hertes though Iohn on his own behalfe by reason of his singular humilitie of hert did as much as he could to hide his owne greatnesse For this is the lyght and cockebrained fashion of the common multitude that suche persones as they haue a speciall mynde and regarde vnto they sette more pryce by then there is cause or reason why and suche as they beare hatred agaynst suche do they mooste slaunderously report finding fault with all thinges in theÌ„ But this earnest good fauour and opinion of the people did well declare verye perfite humilitie in this most holy man who was so ferre from taking vnto him the aduauntage of an other maÌ„s praise that he stoutely refused the same beeyng geuen vnto him of the peoples own voluntary offre And the wrong opinioÌ„ that the people wer in did muche good for this one pointe that the dignitie and worthynes of Christ being as yet knoweÌ„ but to a few was there alowed with a substanciall and an open testimonie in the face of the worlde For Iohn assone as he by inspiracioÌ„ of the holy ghost wel perceiued the secrete thoughtes of the people he spake in this maner Sirs sayth he ye do esteme me by outward thinges that may be seen as for exaÌ„ple by the meat that ye se me eate by my wede by this that I do minister baptisme vnto you but the thynges that be not seen are a great deale more effectuall euen after the same rate as in a man the vertue of the minde whiche is not seene is of muche more dignitie and worthinesse then the power of the body whiche is seen with mens iyes I on my behalfe thoughe I do baptise you with water yet am I no remitter of sinnes I am no more but a preparer of you to a baptisme of more efficacie and vertue which ye shall receiue at the handes of him whose cumming I preache vnto you being as in dede I am sum what his elder in time and suÌ„what afore him in ordre and course of preaching but in power a great way inferiour vnto him For he that cummeth after me is so ferre better theÌ„ I that I whom ye all beleue to be sum great hygh manne of price am vnworthy to vnbuccle the larchet of his shooes And I am his seruauÌ„t not his felow I am a foregoer vnto him but euen of muche like rate as the day sterre goeth before the sunne and shal anon after be darkened and drouned with the greater light of the sunne when it cuÌ„meth And eueÌ„ very this that I haue I haue of his bounteous goodnesse My doctrine is but very washe yf it bee compared vnto his doctrine my baptisme is of no vertue yf it be set by his baptisme For he because he is cum from heauen wyll teache heauenly thynges I beyng but an yearthly creature dooe speake yearthly thinges and lowe matiers I diepe your bodies in water but he shal diepe your soules baptise you with the holy ghost and with fyer And loke how muche the spirite is of more strength to â—â—tre and to perce then is water loke how muche the fier is of more strengthe and effecte then is water of so muche more power shal his baptisme bee then mine is hytherto hath it been vnknowen who were the true folowers of godlynes An easye thyng it is to bee washed with water a light matter it is to kyll a beaste in sacrifice an easye poynte it is to forbeare eatyng of swynes fleshe But now dooeth suche doctrine cum to light suche tymes doe approche euen here at hand that they can no longer be vnknowen who bee good folkes in very dede and who bee otherwise For he will cum to do thé thing that he hath so oftentimes thretened in the prophetes which is by a precise streight iudgement to disclose a perfite difference betwene the godly and the wicked For he wyll haue in his hande a fanne for vnto this man is geuen all power in heauen and on yearth and with his fanne whiche no man shall bee able to
Lorde Iesus dooeth afterward call him foxe For this is the wily craftines of euill prynces of this worlde vnto whome if it shall at any tyme fortune right professours of the ghospel to be called to seruice either the gospellers muste eschewe the coumpany and conuersacion of suche maysters in whose houses they shall sooner be marred and broughte to naughtinesse on their own parties then they shal turne the others to better waies orels thei muste prepare their mindes aforehande to the like rewarde for shewyng the trueth without dissimulacion that Iohn fortuned to get for his labour For whan Herode nothyng growyng out of kynde from the maners and facions of his father and others his auncestours plaied many wieked and tiraÌ„nous partes pillyng pollyng the people pulling away all libertie by oppressioÌ„ punishyng in others the same thynges in whiche he was a common offender hymself vsing all offices of magistrates vnder him as sale ware for money vsyng also to sell the ministracions of priestehood kepiÌ„g within his house openly in the face of all the world one Herodias the wife of Phylyp beyng his brother and had by force of strong hand taken her away from his sayed brother yet beyng aliue together with a doughter of the same Philippes this holy man because he coulde not abide suche incest and vnnaturalnesse of mariage in a kynges house from whens especially aboue al other places it was conuenient that example of keping the lawes should procede aduertised him to refrain himself from suche a wicked misdede But with a deiulish king the deiulishe request of a gierle beyng a minion dauncer together with the suggestion of a deiulish woman weighed more then the holsome aduertisement of so vncorrupt a man with the whiche good aduertisemeÌ„t he was nothing the better but remained stil so ferre out of the way from being ameÌ„ded that vnto his hainous enormities afore past he added one dede of myschief more the most vngracious that euer was that is to wete casting Iohn into pryson and procedyng so ferre at laste in outragious woodnes that he caused the heade of the moste innocent man to bee chopt of and so gaue it to the wenche for a reward of her vicious wanton dauncyng ¶ And it fortuned that whan all the people receiued baptysme and whan Iesus was baptysed and dyd praye the heauen was opened and the holye ghoste came downe in a bodely shape lyke a doue vpon hym And a voyce came from heauen whiche â—ayde Thou art my beloued sonne in thee do I delite But now to returne to the discourse of the storie before that the lord Iesus would entre into the buisie office of preachyng which he entended with in the coumpasse of a short tyme to accoÌ„plishe and bryng to a perfite ende to the entent that he would leaue no one poynt of humilitie or of righteousnes vnfulfilled thought no disdain to cum with the residue of folkes vnto baptisme not to be purified himself whiche he neded not but to consecrate and halow the lauacre or fount of eternall saluacion to our behofe through his baptisme He huÌ„bled himself but that notwithstanding he was aswel by the voice of Iohn as also by the most clere testimonie of his eternal father opeÌ„ly coÌ„mended in the face of all the people to the entent that they might knowe him eueÌ„ by the face to by sight of whoÌ„ the prophetes had aforetymes spoken muche by prophecie and of whoÌ„ Iohn had openly witnessed So than at that time a great numbre of the common people wer in baptising and in the same cumpany Iesus Christ cuÌ„ming as one emong the mo had instantly desired of Iohn to haue baptisme as though he had been like other meÌ„ subiect to sin Iohn would haue refused to baptise him acknowlagyng him as the autour geuer of puritie of whom he ought rather to had been baptised hymself And thissame testimony was geueÌ„ first of Iohn to the dignitie of Iesus being there personally in place eueÌ„ before al the multitude of the people but the heaueÌ„ly father did by a more euident marke disseuer his sonne Iesê° from the residue of the cuÌ„pany that wer baptised For vnto al the rest whaÌ„ they were in baptising there appered no signe ne token at al. But immediatly after that the lord Iesê° was baptised as he was now makingÌ„g his deuout praiers to god teaching vs thereby that whan the state of innocencie is perfitely renewed through baptisme we ought immediatly to coÌ„uert and bestow our selues to such studies exercises as are of the spirit emoÌ„g which deuout praier hath the first place heauen opened which his baptisme set wide opeÌ„ to vs where as vntil that day it had been shut vp froÌ„ vs. And froÌ„ thens came doun the holy ghost bâ—ing of hiÌ„self in dede inuisible but for that time enuested clad with a figure or likenesse visible because he should be seene with the iyes of men And as for the likenesse it was of a doue because that this bird beyng as a sygne to represent innocencie or simplicitie had many hundred yeres afore brought a braunche of an oliue tree into the arke of Noe for a tokeÌ„ that the wrathe of God was pacified and also a caucion or pledge of warraÌ„tise that the floudde was at an end And in dede the said floudde of Noe by whiche the worlde was at that time scoured and pourged of all naughty creatures did conteine a misticall figure of our baptisme wherby all our sinnes are drowned vp our bodies and soules bothe beyng preserued in perfyte safetie In this lykenesse than dyd the holy ghoste descende downe reste vpon the holy toppe of the lorde Iesus head openly betokenyng that he it was whom God the father had plenteously anoynted with all heauenly giftes of grace whiche gyftes he woulde afterwarde poure out vpon al persons as many as by puttyng their affiaunce and truste in him wer or should afterward bee graffed in the brotherhoode of his bodye thoroughe baptisme There came also vnto him besides this likenes of a doue an euident testimonie of his fathers voice not now declared by the prophetes not by Moses not by angels but publyshed by the father selfe not that theÌ„ father may in his verye owne lykenesse as he is bee either heard or seen or by any sence of the body coÌ„prehended or perceyued but lyke as the holy ghoste beeyng inuisible did openly shewe hymself to the iyes of men in a visible signe euen so the heaueÌ„ly father sending doune a voice through the elementes aboue did seÌ„sibly pearce the eares of meÌ„ And the voice that souned from on high was in these wordes Thou arte mine owne onely dere beloued sonne in whom I am throughly pleased satisâ—ied To none of al the holy meÌ„ that euer were in olde time was there euer any testimonye of suche lyke sorte as this geuen A doue cumming before pointed out certainly to whome this voyce did apperteine to th entent that
quenche the smokyng flaxe did not repel or refuse the saied Nicodemus that came to salute hym though he were both fearfull and came out of due tyme but doeth curteously receiue hym who was doubtlesse a weake spirited manne but yet without malyce and for that cause worthy to be promoted lytle by lytle to higher thinges Now byanby Nicodemus declaring how much he had profited by seyng Iesus doe his miracles maketh suite to gette his good will with this preface Maister saieth he we doe already euidently perceiue this thy doctrine not to be suche as the Phariâ—eis is for the thyng it selfe dooeth shewe that thine autoritie of preaching is geuen the not of man but of God For no manne coulde doe these miracles which thou doest except God were present with hym and did helpe hym Nicodemus dyd set forth this opinion concernyng Iesus as an hye and great estimacion howbeit it was farre vnder his dignitie for Nicodemus supposed him to be none other but summe Prophete whom God dyd fauour and was present with in the doing of his miracles as though he had not wrought them by his owne power Iesus answered and sayed vnto him verily verily I saye vnto the except a manne bee borne froÌ„ aboue he cannot see the kyngdome of God Nicodemus sayeth vnto hym howe can a man be borne when he is olde can he entre into his mothers wombe and be borne againe But Iesus doeth neither reproue Nicodemus vnperfite opinion coÌ„cerning him neither doeth he forthwith boast of his owne greatnes but with gentle and freÌ„dly behauiour litle by litle bringeth him that is so apte easy to bee taught vnto further knowledge of more secrete misteries of the euaÌ„gelicall doctrine The Iewes which had as yet druÌ„ke but only of the water of Moses lawe whiche had knowen nothyng els but the baptisme of Iohn neither had they yet tasted the wyne of the euangelicall doctrine nor had been baptysed by the spirite and fyer The Iewes I say vnderstode all thynges carnally and for that cause were very rude vnfit for the Philosophie of the gospel whiche â—s all spiritual Therfore our lorde did not cast him in the teeth with his ignoraunce nor with his halting minde on both sides in that he did partely apply himselfe to the worlde partely to God nor yet spake that thing to him which afterwarde he required of his disciples when they were come to more knowledge saying to them whosoeuer shal be ashamed of me afore men I will be also ashamed of hym before my father Our lorde I say did lay none of these forsaied thynges to his charge but by his darke sayinges he causeth Nicodemus to vtter his ignorauÌ„ce to the entent that litle by litle he may instruct him and bring him from carnal affeccion to spirituall vnderstanding Nicodemus sayth he take this for a very suertie except a man be borne again new as it were chauÌ„ged into a new man he caÌ„not see the kingdome of God So very new is this doctrine which thou desirest to learne of me Forasmuche as Nicodemus thought that saying to be to no purpose he aunswereth in dede ignorauntly and grossely but neuerthelesse simply and plainly saying how is it possible that a man beyng already of so many yeres as I am can be borne again Canne it any waye be brought to passe that he should entre into his mothers wombe and come thence again and so be borne a newe Iesus answereth verily verily I saye vnto the except a man be borne of water and of the spirite he cannot entre into the kyngdome of God That whiche is borne of the flesh is flesh and that whiche is borne of the spirite is spirite Iesus beyng not offended euen with this so grosse an aunswere vouchesaueth geÌ„telly to enterprete and declare what it is to be borne a new or from aboue Nicodemus sayth he the thing that I haue saied to the is most true He that hath a will and desire to be hable to receiue the euangelical doctrine must be borne again but the maner of byrthe that I speake of is after an other sorte for it is not carnall but spirituall and it doeth not consist in multiplying of bodyes by generacion but in turnyng of sowles into a new forme neither by this byrth be we made again the children of meÌ„ but the children of God Therfore be wel assured as I toulde you eueÌ„ now that excepte a man be borne again by water the holy gost of a carnall maÌ„ become spirituall he cannot entre into the kingdom of God which is altogether spiritual Lyke is borne of the lyke That which is borne of the flesh is none other thyng theÌ„ flesh but that which is borne of the spirite is spirite And verily as much difference as is betwene the flesh the spirite betwene the body God so much is this generacioÌ„ wherof I speake more excellent then that which bringeth forth one body out of an other They which be borne after the flesh doe sauer none other thing but the flesh nor beleue any thing to be but that which they fele and perceiue with their senses But those thinges which be not seen be moste excellent and of greatest strength where as the flesh is weake and impotente Meruayle not thou that I sayed to the ye must be borne from aboue The wynde bloweth where it liâ—teth and thou hearest the sounde therof but canst not tell whence it cummeth or whyther it goeth So is euery one that is borne of the spirite Wherfore seying that there be two sundry wayes how to be borne there is no cause why thou shouldest meruaile that the same veray man which is once borne naturally after the flesh wherby he might be the child of a man should be borne again of the spirite inuisible that thereby he maye be the childe of God who is a spirite also might be made apte for the kyngdom of heauen whiche is spirituall and not carnal But if thou doest not yet vnderstand me take vnto the a similitude of suche thynges as be sumwhat agreable to spirituall thynges and yet may be perceiued with our bodily senses God in very dâ—de is a moste sincere and pure spirite and very far of from all bodily senses but this ayre wherby we be coÌ„serued in life wherof we fele so great strength and profit is called a spirite or wynde bycause in coÌ„parison of our bodies it is right subtile and fyne but this kinde of spirite the wynde is not stayed at mannes wil and pleasure but of his owne violence is caryed whyther soeuer he list spreading it selfe ouer all thynges and putting into corporall thynges a meruailous force and strength Sumtyme it bryngeth lyfe sumtime death it is otherwhyle calme and still and otherwhile more boysteous violent sumtyme it bloweth out of the East sumtime out of the West sumtime out of one part of the world sumtime out of another shewing himselfe by
because their widowes wer dispised in the daily ministracion Than the twelue called the multitude of the disciples together and saied it is not meete that we should leue the worde of God and serue tables Wherfore brethren loke ye out among you seuen men of honest reporte and full of the holy gost and wisdome to whom we may commit this busines But we wil geue our selues continually to prayer and to the minystracion of the woord And the saying pleased the whole multitude And they chose SieueÌ„ a man ful of fayth and of the holy ghost Philip and Prochorus and Nichanor and Timon and Permenas Nicholas a conuerte of Antiochâ— These seuen thei set before the apostles and whan they had praied they layed their handes on them AT the same time whan the disciples for so were they than named who afterwarde were called Christians encreased daylye moe in numbre the Grekes that were amongest them whiche were none other than Iewes althoughe not borne in Iewrye by profession yet Iewes and borne amonge the Gentyles begane to murmure and grudge againste the Hebrewes The cause of this theyr grudgeyng sprange of an affeccion or loue towardes their cuntrey folkes For whereas the apostles carried about with them certayne women whiche did them seruice the Grekes were agreued that their widowes were not had in suche estimacion as that they myghte serue thapostles and disciples by dayly handreachinge For suche ministery or seruice was estemed with them to be a thinge of muche preferment And this was the first ambicion in christes churche And yet though the discorde amongest them was but litle or small forebecause thou shouldest vnderstande how sore a good shepherde ought to be displeased therwith the twelue apostles in continente whan they had called together a great company of the disciples to thintent it should be of the more authoritie that was determined with al their conseÌ„tes said in this maner to theÌ„ we see grudgeing what soeuer the matter meaneth spronge amongest vs as touching the seruice we haue at womans hande Some ordre therfore must be taken that we who are appoynted to an higher office be not in this wise often interrupted with such light matters of charge The lorde hath inioyned vs by an especial coÌ„maundement to teache the gospel It is not therfore a thing well to be allowed that we should lay asyde the office of preaching the gospel that we be charged with al and serue at tables For like as in the bodie are sundry membres and euery membre doth his office and duetie euen so in suche a great multitude trouble and coÌ„fusion cannot be auoided except diuers offices be distributed amongest diuers persons after suche a sorte that all together be referred to the profite of the whole bodye For neyther seeth the iye for it selfe alone but for all the membres Neyther the handes laboure onely for them selues but for the whole bodye Wherfore brethren loke out of youre noumbre seuen men that are of honest reporte replenished with giftes of the holy ghoste and endowed with synguler wisdome to whom we maye committe hauyng your good wyll withall this necessarie busines wherin we haue been hitherto occupyed not without hindraunce to oure exercyse in the gospell And whan we are set at more quietnesse by their diligence than shall we apply our selues to those thynges that be long to vs for oure owne partes to do as prayer and preaching of the gospell They shall take charge with fedyng the bodyes we wyll apply oure studyes to feede your soules The whole cumpany wer wel pleased with this oracion And so were seuen than chosen with consent of all the congregacion Steuen a man in good credite and one that largely had receiued the holy gost Philip Prochorus Nichanor Timon Patmenas and Nicholas of Antioch a proselite by his profession These seuen whan they were chosen wer set before thapostles to th entent that what was done thei should allowe the same by their authoritie Thapostles whan they had made their prayers to god as they were accustomed layed their handes vpon them For according to this approued custome were holy ministers assigned at the beginnyng vpon example whiche was taken of oure maister Iesus who was wonte to laye his hande vpon those that he blessed But if any demaunde the quetion what nede suche tites to the appoyntyng of ministers that should take charge of the table let him vnderstand that handling of monye is in very dede a temporall exercise moste coÌ„mune among men yet suche that would require sum speciall credit in him that shal be charged therwithall and an vpright conscience Witnesse herof was Iudas whome his vncleane herte beyng corrupted wyth auarice styred hym to betray his maister And furthermore because that these seuen persons prescribed to other also what was thoughte in suche busines necessarie for to be done it was mete for them to be put in authoritie that all other should the rather obey them as felowes with the apostles and their furtherers Moreouer the disciples feastes wer not such as be among the vulgare people but as ofte as they toke any meate they toke it very deuoutly Euerye broken morsell of breade represented to them the bodye of our lorde euerye draught of wyne put them in remembraunce of oure lordes bloude Fynally both the lordes bodye it selfe and his bloude was ministred to the people by the Deacons And if they were any tyme at leysure besydes theyr temporall ministerie than preached they also themselues the gospell as those persons that wer next of all to the apostles ¶ And the worde of God encreased and the noumbre of the disciples multiplyed in Ierusalem greatly and a great company of the priestes wer obedyent to the faith By suche maner meanes it came to passe that the doctrine of Christes gospell was sparsed euery daye further abrode and the disciples multiplyed at Ierusalem with right good successe in all their affayres For a greate parte noâ— onely of the comens receaued the gospell but manye priestes also whiche had before conspired againste Christe and his apostles whan they had repented themselues of theyr euil liuyng and layed doune theyr pryde submitted them vnto the swete yoke of the gospel But Steuen ful of faith and power did great woÌ„ders and miracles emong the people Than there arose certain of the Synagoges whiche is called the Synagoge of the Lybertines and Sirenites and of Alexandria and of Cilicia Asia disputing with Sieuen And they coulde not re siste the wysdome and the spirit whiche spake But Steuens holines among all the deacons glistened pryncipally For so handeled he hymselfe in his office appoynted him that he was moste in fauoure with the whole multitude of the faythfull for his excelâ—ente sobernes in behauioure and towardes them that were rebellyous to the ghospell he expressed so valiaunte a courage that he was neuer by them ouercum insomuche that he wrought many and greate miracles amonge the people in
autor and cause of theyr helth But because theâ—e Gaderenes were grosse and euill they feared more the mighte of Iesus than they loued his goodnes and they regarded more the losse of theyr swyne than the health of men They went vnto Iesus and desyred him to depart from theyr coastes who if they had throughly knowen him they would haue desyred him instantly that he would haue vouched safe to come into the coastes of theyr countrey to do thesame thyng in theyr hartes which he did in the two Demoniakes for the hogges declare what was theyr lyfe the which the deuilles desyred to possesse in the stede of men Therfore Iesus taughte them nothyng content onely to put them in feare notwithstandyng he hath taught vs by this exaumple that there is no pestilence nor poyson of the mynde so sore that we should despayre of health yf we chaunce to come to Iesus For there be â—ertayne desyres so vnbrydeled so vehement and so wilde that they driue and force hym that hath them vnto withecraft manslaughter to slaughter of his dearest frendes and to other wicked dedes not to be named and sumtyme they dryue hym vnto suche madnes that he killeth hymselfe No meaues of man can heale and helpe these thynges onelye Iesus can geue healthe if he wyll vouchesafe to come vnto them There is no despayre he wyll vouchesafe yf they agayne wyll come to hym The .ix. Chapiter And entering into a shippe he passed ouer and came into his owne citie And beholde they broughte to by in a man sicke of the palsey lying in a bed And whan Iesus sawe the faythe of them he sayd vnto the sicke of the palsey sonne be of good cherr the synnes be forgeuen thee And beholde certayne of the scribes sayde within themselues This man blasphemeth And whan Iesus sawe their thought he sayde wherfore thynke ye cuyll in your hartes For whether is it easyer to saye thy synnes be forgeuen the or to saye aryse and walke But that ye maye knowe that the sonne of man hath power to forgeue sinnes in yearth than sayeth be to the sicke of the palsey arise take vp thy bed and go home and he arose and went home But the people that same it marueyled and glorified God who had geuen suche power vnto men IEsus therfore not minding to geue that that is holye vnto dogges nor to cast preciouse stones vnto swine entred into the shyp and went ouer the water agayne returnyng into his citie called CapernauÌ„ for there he had a house at that tyme. And when he was entred into the house many gathered about hym emong whom wer also doctours of the lawe that came from Galile Iewry and Hierusalem and as he sat the Scribes and the doctours sitting by him he taught them And when there came about hym so great a number of men that the house was nowe to litle nor the entrye was not hable to receyue so greate a multitude certayne there were whiche broughte vnto hym a certayne man greued and vexed with so vehement a palseye that he was carried of foure men bed and all whiche was rather a karkas of a man then a man Who when they knewe that Iesus was within and that they coulde not entre for the multitude they clymed vp vpon the house top and remouyng the tiles of the house let down by ropes through a hole the bed with the sicke man before the feete of Iesus Iesus not offended nor greued with this importunitie of the seruauntes but rather allowing the feruencie of their faith and albeit the faithe of the sicke man ought to be no lesse which eyther commaunded that he should be let down or els wiilyngly suffred it turning vnto the manne bedred to thinteÌ„t that he might coÌ„meÌ„de his fayth very muche to theÌ„ that stode about be of good courage my sonne ê™ he thy synnes be forgeuen the first deliuering that parte of the man from disease froÌ„ whence the disease of the body came and yet meruelouse gently he calleth hym sonne beyng a man wretched and miserable both in body and soule priuely casting the phariseis and Scribes in the teeth with theyr pryde and arrogancie The multitude keping silence and marueling certayne of the Scribes whiche remembred that God sayth in the holy scripture It is I that put awaye the sinnes of men wheras in suche a great resort of the fauourers of Iesus they durst not openlye murmur agaynst hym they spake secretely with themselues this is a blasphemer of God whiche beyng but man taketh vpon him the power of God But Iesus whiche had somewhat declared his godly power vnto the phariseis in forgeuing of sinnes declareth the same also by a speciall signe openyng and shewyng that it is not hyd from him what euery man doth thinke Therfore makyng aunswere vnto those thynges whiche they spake with themselues in their secret thought sayeth Why do ye enuy at well doynges thinking ill in your hartes Suppose ye because the disease of the minde is not seen with bodely iyes lyke as the health also that I take vpon me vntruly and promise vnto other that I cannot perfâ—urme But whether thinke ye more easy to saye to hym that is in sinne as I sayed euen now thy sinnes be forgeuen thee or els to saye vnto the man diseased with the palseâ— whom ye see wholy bound with diseases aryse and walke Therfore to thintent that by the reason of thinges that ye see ye may also beleue the thinges true that ye see not and that bothe are indiâ—erently easye to the sonne of manne with a worde to take awaye the disease and to pardon the sinnes I wyll geue you a signe and a token manifeste and open to euery mannes sense vnderstanding And in case ye shall see these wordes whiche I shall speake nowe not to be vayne but to haue theyr present efficacie and strength doubt not but that the sonne of man hath power in yearth to forgeue sinnes and that not by sacrifices or by holocaustes but by simple and plaine woorde And therewith turnyng to the diseased of the palsey sayed Aryse take vp thy couche and departe into thy house that they whiche haue knowen the sicke and despayred of thy health maye see and perceyue that thou art sodeÌ„ly made whole and strong insomuche that thou art not onely hable to go vpon thy feete whiche a litle before wast borne of .iiii. portes but also the course of thynges now chaunged thou art hable to beare the bed which hitherto hath borne thee And furthwith as he spake the thyng came to passe the diseased of the palsey ryseth vp and laying the bed vpon his shoulders departeth into his house after an other manner of fashyon and pompe than he was caryed a litle before Whan the multitude sawe this euident and manifest myracle and playnly perceyued that it was a thyng not of the power of man but of God they glorifyed God whiche gaue suche power vnto men in yearth
was not vnknowen vnto him what he desyred but his wil was that the notable fayth of this maÌ„ should be an ensample to all men All suche as be lecherous persons couetous full of hatred enuy or attached with other filthy lustes and appetites of the body are foule arayed with this horrible detestable leprosy And such as are herewith infected let them heare and marke the wordes of this leper to thintent they maye folow hym If thou wilt sayth he thou canste make me cleane He knowlegeth his disease and doubteth not of the power goodnes of God He wholy referrreth the iudgemeÌ„t to the lorde to iudge of him whether he be worthy to receiue so great a benefite at his handes or no readie to geue thankes yf he obtayne his desire and not to murmur and grutche agaynst hym yf he obtayne it not For he would saye thus He is able to put awaie leprosy who not onely cureth all kindes of diseases but also casteth out deuils and he wyll do it that so willingly helpeth all that are in distresse and misery whersoeuer he cummeth But so great is myne vnworthynes that I alone deserue not that whiche all other obtain of his moste mercifull goodnes This so perfite a belefe ioyned with exceding humblenes of mynde and modestie procured hym mercy of Iesu. For our sauiour shewing outwardlye euen with his countenaunce a certayne affecte of pitie and compassion therby to teache what affeccion of mynd ought to be in vs towarde synners heldeout his hande and therewith touched the leaper and by vertue of wordes that hymselfe prescribed made hym cleane The leper sayed If thou wilt thou canst make me cleane Iesus answered I will be thou cleane True fayth maketh not many wordes neyther grutcheth the charitie of the gospell to do a good deede And Christ had scarcely spoken these wordes be cleane but the disease was quite gone from the man so that no token therof remayned The lawe of Moses forfendeth to touche a leaper the spirituall meaning wherof coÌ„tayneth wholsome doctrine We must abstayne from the company of vncleane persons and synners leste we be infected by the contagiousenes of their vyces But the Lorde Iesus is aboue the lawe neyther can he be defiled with touchyng who purifieth whatsoeuer he toucheth He touched the leaper with hys hande and furthwith he healed his whole bodye Let vs therfore praye that he may in seÌ„blable wyse touche our soules with his holy worde and therwith purifie our inward vncleannes O thou that vsest to haunt the company of harlots thou that 〈◊〉 an adulterer or polluted with lyke diseases runne in lyke manner vnto Iesus for he cuÌ„meth downe from the height of his maiestie and meteth the and knowyng thine own filthines fall downe at his knees prostrate thy selfe and lye flat vpon the grounde Crye and call vpon him but crye with moste stedfaste belife of harte and mynde Lorde if thou wilt thou canste make me cleane And anon thou shalt heare these wordes agayne of thy mercifull sauioure I will be thou cleane After these thynges were done in maner before rehearsed the Lorde suffered not the man to folowe him but caused him to departe commaunding hym straytly to disclose nothing of this matter to any creature lyuyng but rather ê™ he get the hence and shew thy selfe to the priest by whose iudgemeÌ„t accordyng to the ceremonies of the lawe thou wast iudged to be a leaper And if he geue sentence that thou arte clensed in dede of thy leprosy then offer that Moses hath commaunded to be offered of those that should fortune to be deliuered therof Thus shalt thou with more credeÌ„ce publishe gods benefit towardes the theÌ„ if thou straight wayes tell euery body that thou arte made cleane For by this meanes it shall appeare euen vnto the Phariseis themselues whiche depraue my benefites that thou wast a verye leper and hast bene clensed without eyther help of the PhisiciaÌ„s or els of Moses law by bare worde of mouthe and touche onely so shall they know how there is one present that farre passeth their priestes who can easely cure leprosy thoughe it be detestable abhorted wher as they haue muche a doe truly to dicerne thesame This felow departed in stede of a leper cleane in bodye and wente to the priest and was sene and iudged to be cleansed of all leprosie And anon after he conceled not this dede but published it euerywhere reportyng bothe this and many other thynges of Iesu. Sum will here aske Why did this man as he was commaunded in the one thyng and in the other nothyng regarde the Lordes commaundement Truely for that the one serued to confirme the certaintie of the miracle because the priest not knowing as yet who had healed the man shoulde pronounce his healthe restored by Iesu to be a perfit health who els peraduenture woulde haue depraued Christes benefit yf the autour therof had bene knowen before he had geuen his verdite But after the miracle was once confirmed by his sentence then made it muche for Gods glory to haue it published abrode Wherefore then coÌ„maunded Iesu that thing to be kept secret which in dede his will was should be blased abrode and vttred Forsoth to monishe vs that we ought to seke no glorye and prayse of man for the benefites whiche it pleaseth God to worke by vs because the goodlyer praise euer foloweth them whiche refuse thesame It procedeth of an high courage so to do a good turne that thou wouldest haue no thankes therfore yelden the of him whom thou hast doen good pleasure vnto beyng only contented with this that it lay in thy lot to helpe thyne euen Christen in his necessitie But he that is holpen by suche benefite as he hath receyued at thy handes ought with so muche the more diligence to publish and set out thy well doing euerywhere to thy prayse coÌ„mendacion Christ was in no daunger to offende in vainglory and therfore this ensample was ordeyned for our instruccion whiche are continually in very great ieoperdy to fall therein Neyther did this man contemne Christes commaundementes but the great gladnes that he was in by reason of the restitucion of his health and a certaine feruent loue whiche he was kyendeled withall towardes Christe the autour therof would not suffer hym to kepe sileÌ„ce any â—nger Uerely it chaunceth for the most parte that we are best beleued when we tell those thinges whiche we had rather in very dede kepe secret theÌ„ disclose if the matter it selfe enforced not vs to vtter that which lyeth hyd in our stomakes Nowe what came of it that this man did thus blase abrode this miracle Truly by reason therof euery man conceyued suche an opinion of the Lorde Iesu that he could not now for the great throng and prease of people that thyther resorted openly enter into the citie as he was wont to doe but was constrayned to auoyde the good tounes and make his abode in the
that euery man ought to loue his neyghbour with lyke affeccion as he loueth hymselfe Nowe synce this is the moste principall and greatest of all the commaundementes in the whole lawe why doe you then of an vnright iudgement breake that whiche is chiefest and alwayes continueth for the obseruacion of those thynges whiche are of lesse value and shall not endure for euer The tyme once hath been when the Sabboth was not holy daye And the tyme shall cum when to all true and Godly men euery day shal be lyke holy But the tyme neuer was nor neuer shall be when it hath not or shall not be an holy dede for man to succour his neyghbour in his nede The law forbyddeth murder Truely he murthereth whoso when it lyeth in his power to saue a manne doeth not succour hym at all And this lawe is permanent and shall continue for euermore The same lawe forbiddeth also to woorke vpon the Sabboth daye Nowe what a wrong shapen holynesse is this yf a man whiles he feareth to breake the Sabboth suffer his brother to peryshe when he wyll not sticke to plucke out his asse fallen by chaunce into a dyche vpon the same daye without anye feare or scruple of conscience to breake the seuenth or Sabboth daye When Iesus had with these and suche lyke manifeste reasons declared how aukewardly deuout and holy they were he added this generall sentence The Sabboth day ê™ he was instituted for mens cause and not men made for the Sabboth daye The sonne of manne came not to destroye men but to saue them And for that cause hath he power yea cleane to take awaye the Sabboth so ofte as mans health so requireth And that whiche I haue spoken of the Sabboth is to be thought and demed of all like constitucioÌ„s They were all instituted for a season to this ende that the sturdye and disobediente people shoulde by little and little accustome themselfes to obey goddes commaundementes to thintent that they might by corporal figures be brought and as it were ledde by the hande to the vnderstanding of spirituall thynges He breaketh the Sabboth daye godlily who nothyng troubled with euill lustes breaketh it onely for the good zeale he hath to helpe his euen Christen Fastyng is a godly thing but thesame is made vngodly and detestable if it beyng only instituted for mannes soule helth be abused to the destruccion both of body and soule Againe a vowe is a holy thing but thesame is made vnholy yf a man by reason of a supersticious mynde he hath to perfourme it bee withdrawen from the perfourmaunce of suche thinges as nerer appertayne to true godlynesse He doeth well and lyke a good holy manne whoso maketh his oblacion at the aulter But agayne that is an vnholy gift which a manne offereth before his neighbour be made at one So is it also well doen to passe litle vpon the coulour and fashioÌ„ of apparell so oft as it behoueth a man so to do because man was not made for the garmentes sake but the garment first inuented for the vse and commoditie of man In lyke manner meate is ordained for mans cause and not man made for meates sake Wherfore it is lofull to eate all kyndes of meate when mans necessitie so requireth For all these corporall thinges wherin you put perfit righteousnesse as your temple sacrifices meate clothing holy dayes fastynges vowes and offered giftes are vnholily obserued yf for the obseruacion therof the health of your euen christen be in any wise hurt or appairâ—d And againe they are well and holily kept if charitie towardes your neighbour so requiriÌ„g you nothing regarde whatsoeuer is carnall but truly perfourme in your hertes that whiche suche corporall thinges be figures significacions of Of such manier of constitucions Moyses was the minister and not the auctour the seruaunte not the maister Suche as with a seruile minde cleue still vnto him do very supersticiouslye keepe those thynges that are comprised in the letter of the lawe But they that sticke vnto the sonne of man who is Lord ouer the whole lawe and teacheth howe all thinges whiche were figured by those corporall shadowes and figures ought to bee obserued after the spirituall sence and meanyng are free and clene discharged in conscience from any longer obseruing of suche Iewishe ceremonies The .iij. Chapter ¶ And he entred agayne into the Sinagoge and there was a man there whiche had a withered haÌ„de And they watched him whether he woulde heale him on the Sabboth day that they myght accuse him And he sayed vnto the man whiche had the withered hande Aryse and stande in the middes And he sayth vnto them whether is it lawfull to do good on the Sabboth dayes or to do euill to saue lyfe or to kyll But they helde theyr peace And when he had looked rounde aboute on them with anger morning on the blindnesse of their hartes he sayeth to the man stretche forth thy hand and he stretched it out And his hande was restored euen as whole as the other WIth suche wordes the lord Iesus as he walked on the way in the fielde both disproued the false reprofe of the Phariseis and also defended his innoceÌ„t disciples But to the intent we should plainly learne that none are more geuen to pieke quarrelles then suche as haue conceyued a wrong opinion of theyr owne holinesse after Iesus was entred into the Synagoge there to teache the people accordyng vnto his accustomed maner occasion was eftsones ministred bothe to hym to dooe a good and a charitable deede and also to the Phariseis to surmyse sum matter agaynst him For there was one there present among the people who had whiche was a pytifull syghte to beholde a withered and a lame hande and therfore carryed about with hym a dead member that dyd hym no slede and so muche the more miserable was he because he was wonte with his hand labor to fynde both himselfe and also all his poore houshold But oh malicious and wicked Phariseis quicke syghted to depraue and finde faute with Christes benefites but blynde to vnderstand the heauenly doctrine By those thinges that they sawe with theyr corporall iyes they knewe that he was a naturall man and yet by his deedes and miracles that he wrought they perceyued not his diuine power They sawe howe the sely felowe was in a miserable case knew ryght well that Iesus was mercifull and straight wayes gessed what would cum of it And nowe 〈◊〉 they about to seke a quarell not agaynste the disciples as they dyd before for pluckyng the eares of corne but againste the Maister himselfe who defended them They marke whether he beeyng of nature ready to helpe all that are in distres and misery dare in the presence and syght of the Synagoge heale a man vpon the sabboth daye because that yf he so do they may accuse him of breakyng the Sabboth for as muche as they shall haue the people to beare witnesse with them
what is doeÌ„ That pitifull creature desyred not Iesus to helpe hym but yet to saye the trueth it was a kynde of desyre for hym to cum in to the syght of mercyfull Iesu. The Lord because he woulde haue them all to take good heede vnto the miracle that he entended to worke called forth the man with the lame hande and sayed aryse and stande in the myddes of the people And with that he arose and conceyued good hope that he should be made wholle Then Iesus turned hym to the Phariseis whose secrete thoughtes he was priuey vnto and sayed vnto theym What is your opinion whiche take vpon you to knowe the lawe Howe and with what thynges is the Sabboth daye broken With doing of good deedes or of euill by preseruyng of a mans lyfe or destroying thesame They knewe right well for what purpose he moued this capcious question If they had answered that it had been better for the reuerence and solemnitie of the Sabboth to suffer their neighbour to perishe then without scruple of conscience to helpe him in perill and necessitie the people coulde not haue suffered so vnreasonable an answere cleane repugnaunt to the lawe of nature Agayne yf they had sayed he might lawfully haue dooen it then had they brought themselfes in case that they coulde not haue charged him with any false surmise as theyr entente and purpose was to do Therfore they thought good to holde theyr peace and saye neuer a worde And yet whiles they so dyd they plainely declared vnto the people theyr malicious wilines for that beyng prouoked by this question to amendement of lyfe they of an obstinate mynde were still desyrous to picke quarels Nowe to the intent that this question shoulde the easlier be assoyled and answered to he put furth another lyke questioÌ„ asking whether there were any among them that kept the sabboth daye so hygh and holy that if a shepe of his chaunced to fall into a dyche on that daye woulde suffre it to peryshe and in no wyse be so hardye as to drawe it out There was none so blynde in that assembly but he knewe ryght well howe muche the helth of manne ought to be regarded before the helth and preseruacioÌ„ of a shepe Truly he killeth whoso maye saue that thing whiche he suffereth to peryshe Wherfore after the Lorde had loked for an answere and perceyued howe all the Phariseis lyke confederates not because they were ignoraunte of the trueth but of an ostinate malice helde theyr peace he loked rounde about and behelde them she wyng outwardly with his countenaunce howe wrothe and sorye he was for theyr vncurable wickednes who when they toke vpon theÌ„ to be gydes of the blynde had themselues heartes so blynded with worldely lustes that they willyngly refused to see the moste radiant and cleare light of veritie For there is no blindnes more vncurable then when a manne is bothe wittingly willyngly blynde They sawe that the dumme beast might lawfully be drawen out of the hole lest it shoulde peryshe without anye violacion or breache of the sabboth and woulde in no wyse see that it was lyke lawfull to prouyde for mannes helth vpon thesame daye Therfore the most gracious Lorde to teache vs that we ought not to withdrawe our selfes from helping of our neyghboure for the vncurable frowardnes of the euill the Phariseis contemned turned him to the manne with the withered hande and in the audience of the people who were desyrous to see the ende of this matter sayd vnto him Stretche out thy hande That voyce was scarcely heard But he stretched it out sodainly chaunged and seruing him aswell to do euery thing withall as the other whiche was neuer lame Whome would not these reasones haue conuerted and brought from his erroure whom would not so euident a miracle haue moued to glorify God But the Phariseis infected with the leuen of enuie were therby prouoked to imagine more mischiefe Certes these are those same corrupt and alwayes vnryght iudgementes of the Phariseis They passe more vpon a dumme beaste then vpon a manne more vpon the apparell then the body more vpon meate then lyfe more vpon the bodye then the soule more vpon worldly thinges then heauenly thinges more vpon the fleshe then the spirite more vpon menne then God So true is it that there is no greater mischiefe in the worlde then is peruerse and aukewarde holynes Among men it is counted to cum of a wonderfull vertue with worde onely to restore a mans lame hande and make it whole agayne But it is a much greater vertue and benefite to restore the dead and lame powers of the soule What a pitifull lame hande hath he how dead how voide of all pitie and compassion who when he seeth his neyghbour in necessitie doeth not geue him his almes when he seeth him erre and stray out of the right waye doeth not teache and refourme him when he seeth him oppressed with iniuries doeth not helpe hym when he seeth him ydle doeth not styrre hym to good woorkes Suche handes had the Phariseis who woulde rather enuy the Lord then be restored by him vnto the helth of theyr soules Such feble and weake persones hath the Synagoge But the churche of Christ receiueth neither deafe dumme blynde feble halte nor lame Whoso is diseased and vexed with any euils let him cum into the syght of Iesu and he shal be cured He will inspire vs with his holy spirite and that whiche was before lame and without lyfe shal then be made quicke and alyne agayne They that with true faithe wholy committe themselues vnto the Lorde do returne home cured of theyr diseases Contrariwise such as trust to theyr owne righteousnesse are made wurse by other mennes benefites and good deedes They that are puffed vp with a Pharifaicall spirite wylleth well to none but to themselues Agayne suche as haue receyued the spirite of Iesu goe about nothing els but to dooe good to all men ¶ And the Phariseis departed and strayghtwaye gathered a counsell with theym that belonged to Herode agaynst him that they myght destroye hym But Iesus auoyded with his disciples to the sea And a great multitude folowed him from Galile and from Iewry and from Ierusalem and Idâ—â—ea from beyond Iordane and they that dwelled about Tyre and Sydon a great multitude of menne whiche when they had hearde what thinges he dyd came vnto him For assone as the Phariseis were departed out of the temple albeit in the presence of the people they durst not speake one worde against Iesu yet now after they had sent for suche as belonged to Herode to the intente theyr conspiracy should be the stronger for none knewe better the feate howe to worke mischiefe then the Herodians they all layed theyr heades together secretly debated the matter betwene themselues howe they myght destroye Iesus whom as they sawe ferre to excell them in myghtie dedes so they perceyued that it was not possible for them
benefites in theyr soules and there digeste the meate whiche they haue receyued who after they be cum home their bodies beyng now as it were well fedde do by good workes doing practise suche thynges as they haue learned ¶ Anon he entred into a ship with his disciples and came into the partes of Dalmanutha And the Phariseis came furth and began to dispute with him sekinge of him a signe from heauen tempting him And when he had sighed in his spirite he saythe why doth this generacion seke a signe Uerely I saye vnto you there shall no signe be giuen vnto this generation And he left them and went into the shippe agayne And departed ouer the water These thynges so doen Iesus forthwith departed thence and hasted an other waye The heardman muste neuer be conuersaunt with his flocke but when it is to be holpen He hath healed the sicke taughte the people and fedde those that were in ieopardy to perishe for hungre After all these benefites stiâ—â— to tarrie with them semeth to bee a pointe of suche a one as loketh for summe thankes or gramercies The necessitie of the multitude whether it be bodily or ghostly is by all manour of meanes to be holpen but the nature of the people is suche that for the least good tournes of all they are wonte to geue moste hartie thankes It is the smallest benefyte that canne be to feede and nourishe the body it is a greater to heale it and the greatest of all to heale and feede the soule with holy doctrine None of them made him a kyng for the doctrine that he preached â–ª the diseases he cured But for meate they gaue him a kyngdome And leste they woulde nowe haue done the like agayne he departed straighte wayes from them and takyng with him his disciples whom he chose because they shoulde alwayes accompanye him he toke ship and so came vnto the coastes and borders of Dalmanutha or Magedan And that the vnbeliefe of the Phariseis may the oftener appeare they came likewyse hither out of theyr countrey not to be healed but to pike quarels For they had enuy at his miracles and enuied also the people whiche were holpen with so manye of his benefytes For this cause they began to reason the mattier with him as though the miracles which he shewed had not been wrought by the heauenly power because they were as they sayed but base and after a common cast Wherfore in case he would haue them being men far aboue the commune sorte and as you would saye heauenlike felowes to beleue in hym they required hym to shewe some signe from heauen as Moyses obteyned Manna from thence and Helye brought to passe by his prayers that fyre sodaynlye discended from thesame place and consumed both the burnt sacrifice and the wood and to be shorte al the water that was in the trenches or cesternes by the altare The Lorde knowing right well that whatsoeuer he had done they would haue had a quarell to him therfore for if there had been any wonderfull signe or token shewed theÌ„ from aboue wheras the princes of darkenesse do raigne they might with much more apparaunce of trueth haue ascribed it vnto Beelzebub then those thynges whiche they saw with theyr iyes hearde with theyr eares and handled with theyr handes chiefly because it is a commune practise among the experte in arte Magike to cause sodayne showers and dasshes of rayne thunder lightnyng hayle and tempest the Lorde I saye perceyuing this sighed in his spirite shewyng thereby how wofull he was for theyr so obstinate vnbeliefe And as though he had been in a fume and chafed with anger spake vnto himselfe on this wife What a froward nacion is this whiche after so manye miracles sene yet neuerthelesse requireth a signe as thoughe she had neuer sene none before Then he tourned him to the Phariseis and sayed Of this one thing I assure you there shall no signe be nowe geuen vnto this nacion the whiche onely to tempt me she requireth from heauen But she shall haue a signe geuen her that she loketh not for from beneath And it shall bee the signe of Ionas For this Ionas after he was swalowed vp the space of three dayes and beleued to haue been dead was deliuered againe out of the whales bely when no man thought it euen so the sonne of man after he hath been hid about thre dayes space in the belly of the earth shall rise vp alyue agayne contrary to all your expectacion and wening When the Phariseis vnderstode not these wordes Iesus departed from them as from desperate persons and retourned vnto the shippe and so passed ouer the water Thus the Lorde Iesus desirous of mannes helth ofte times chaungeth place not seking for sacrifices wherof he had long agoe his fyl but true faith This scarcely found he in the worlde but yet euery where rather then among the priestes Scribes Phariseis and head men of the people So yll doth the faith of the gospel agre with theÌ„ that haue the world at will ¶ And they had forgotten to take bread with them neyther had they in the shippe with them more then one loafe And he charged them saying take hede beware of the leauen of the Phariseis and of the leauen of Herode and they reasoned among them selues saying We haue no bread and Iesus knewe it and sayth vnto them why take ye thought because yeÌ„ haue no bread perceyue ye not per neyther vnderstand haue ye your â—erâ—es yet blynded haue ye â—yes and se not And haue ye cares and heare not Do ye not also remember when I brake fyue loaues among fiue thousande men How many baskettes full of broken meat toke ye vp They sayde vnto hym twelue When I brake seuen among fower thousand how many basketes of the leauing of the broken meate toke ye vp They said seuen And he sayde vnto them howe happeneth it that ye do not vnderstand Here as they sailed the disciples called not to remembraunce how they had forgotten to prouide themselues of breade For they hadde but one loafe with them in the shippe Iesus perceiuing howe they were carelesse by reason of forgetfulnesse and not for the faith they had in him gaue them warning therof and by that meanes caused them to be carefull afreshe Albeit this their carefulnesse came not so muche of distrust as it did of an humaine negligence and forgetfulnesse For hauing theyr myndes wholy fixed vpon the woordes â–ª and deedes of Iesu thei hadde no remembraunce of breade and it was expedient for vs that they so oft tymes forgatte howe a greate numbre of people was suffised with fiue loaues to th entent it shoulde the deplier be fastened in oure mindes howe those personnes shall wante nothyng who with pure harte and mynde continuallye cleaue vnto Christe That shippe is sufficientlye prouided for that hathe in it that one loafe which is Christe Iesus Wherfore his pleasure was to sturre vp this
redempcion in Israell Now had the lorde Iesus receyued witnesse of his cumming into this world of Aungels of the virgyn Marie of her spouse Ioseph who had neuer hadde to do with her of zacharie being a prieste of the young babe Iohn being yet in his mothers woumbe vnborne of Elizabeth being a maried woman of shepeheardes of wyise menne called Magians of Scribes who gaue vndoubted sentence and iudgemente oute of the prophecie in what place Christe shoulde bee borne of Herode being in drede and feare leste some eiuyll shoulde growe to him by Christes natiuytie of Symeon who was neyther pryeste ne leuite but an vpright liuyng man and nothyng els nowe remayned that he myghte haue semblable testymonie of a wedowe too So greate was the efficacye and vertue of thys young babe not yet shewing furthe his full mighte and power that he rauyshed all thynges with the spiryte of God enspiryng the humble and poore sorte with the holye ghoste stryekyng the proude with sore trouble of mynde and with feare so that of these preambles of thinges it might without anye dyfficultie bee gathered what chaunge of the worlde was lykelye in tyme comming to be whan the same childe being once come to full age would openlye vtter foorthe that same godlye voyce of hys and whan he shoulde through doing miracles daily more and more weare famouse whaÌ„ he should dye and arise agayne to lyfe and whan he shoulde plenteouslye power furthe the holye ghoste from heauen vpon all suche as beleued on hym So then nexte after an olde manne that had long tyme liued withoute anye wife foloweth and olde woman that had many yeres liued a wedowe without an housbande For a certayne woman there was called Anna whiche had that name geuen her of the thyng that was in her that is to saye of Grace for hyghlye endued she was with the spyryte of prophecye She was the daughter of Phanuell beeyng a manne of good fame and muche commended and of the tribe of Aser whiche trybe beyng the eyght in order emong the twelue dooeth vnder a certayne pryuie fygure sygnifye the blyssednesse of the resurreccyon whiche solemnytye the doctryne of the ghospell hath added to the hallowyng of the Sabbothes that the Iewes dydde vse For Aser in Hebrue is as muche to saye in Englyshe as Blissed Thys Anna in that she was so ferre stryeken in age seemed to haue beene delayed from dying and preserued in thys lyfe for none other purpose but that being an olde woman she mighte according as she had afore tymes with moste feruente prayers wyshed and desired see the young babe that was promysed whiche shoulde bryng healthe and saluacyon to the people of Israell For the holye ghoste had put in hâ—r minde that he was alreadye borne euen by the same suggestion of the spirite of God whiche Symeon had tofore bene enspired withall came thys Anna vpon them euen in the veraye same houre whyle these thynges whiche we haue alreadye tolde were in doyng within the temple This Anna in the tyme whan virginitie was not yet honourable neto bee gloryed of emong the Iewes had liued with an housbande of her owne by the space of seuen yeres from her maydenhood So muche tyme she was contente because of the custome to bestowe in hauing an housbande for brynging furthe of chyldren But all the resydue of her lyfe she consecrated to the onelye seruing of god in contemplacion For she contynued in the state of wedowhod about the space of fourescore and foure yeres After that she had once assayed wedlocke although she were yet of lustie age and in the veraye floure of her tyme yet had she no manyer mynde ne thoughte to marrye any more agayn but eueÌ„ as a woman being dead to the world and now wholy dedicated vnto god she almoste neuer departed from the temple but was there busilye doing sacrifice vnto him with euangelical oblacions not only in the day time but also by night offering herselfe vnto the lorde a liuely a reasonable and an acceptable hoste For her bodye she offered with often fastyng and her soule with deuoute meditacyons and prayers And euen while the aforesayde rytes and ceremonies of purificacion were in doing within the temple in the veray houre whyle Symeon is in hys prophetycall talke in the veraye momente whyle all thinges are full of holye and godlye wordes both of reioysing and of thankes geuyng for thys heauenlye young babe thys Anna too euen as god woulde haue it commeth emong them that she also might be a witnesse of the same childe that borne he was and that she myghte ioyne the affeccyons of her hearte with the ioyfulnesse of the others extollyng and hyghelye praysyng the bounteouse goodnesse of god for that he had caste so mercifull an iye vpon his people Neyther did she whan she was in coumpaigny and presence of others kepe secret the thing that she had seene with her iyes and the whiche she hadde learned by Goddes inspiracyon but she woulde euermore bee speaking and talking of thys chylde vnto all suche as were in Hierusalem and loked for the redempcion of the people of Israell And thys was enough for a womanne being a wedowe onelye in the temple to talke and to auouche that Christe was come and the same to entimate and disclose vnto a fewe persones abrode beeyng desyrouse and hungrie of it For that same tyme was not yet come which was reserued for the Apostles whan they shoulde bee replenished with the holy gost of the whiche Apostles it is sayde in the Psalme of Dauid Into all the yearthe is theyr sonne gone furth and their wordes into all the endes of the worlde throughout ¶ And whan they had perfourmed all thynges accordyng to the lawe of the Lorde they returned into Galile to theyr owne citie Nazareth And the childe grewe and waxed strong in spirite and was filled with wisedome and the grace of God was vpon hym All thinges being at the last fully and ordrely executed as muche as the lawe of Moyses had prescribed for the purificacyon of women late delyuered of childe they returned into Bethleem where the chylde was borne But whan king Herode beeyng doone to wete by the Magians that there was a newe king of the people of Israell borne had commaunded all the infantes to bee flayne as many as within two yeres daye next afore passed had bene borne in Bethleem and in all the circuite of the same lordeship or countie Ioseph being aduertised and warned in his slepe so to doe conueighed awaye prieuelye bothe the childe and the mother that bore it into Egipte and there made their abode vntill the death of the wieked kyng That thyng done they eftesons returned at the warnyng of an aungell not into Bethleem leste some occasyon of shewing ferther crueltie mighte perchaunce thereby haue bene geuen to the sonne of Herode who had at that tyme succeded his father in a porcion of his
acte at all but suche as can accordyng to mine ordinaunce sette at naught the glory of this worlde passe nothing on sensuall pleasures despise ryches esteme all affeccions as thynges of nothing refreine wrath and enuy beare true louing hertes to theyr yl willers say well by them that speake euill of theim praye for suche as dooe persecute theim and finallye sette not a penye by theyr lyfe in respecte of sauyng theyr brother suche will I acknowlage as dysciples worthie and meete for me The presence of my fleshly bodye dooeth for the season make theim to bee weake but whan thys bodye shal bee taken awaye in such wise as they may not haue me whan they would and whan they shall haue diepely receyued the spirit of the ghospell then shal they through theyr priuye giftes of grace within theim bee strong and vnuanquishable And suche persones as dooe put all the prayse of ryghteousnesse in corporall obseruacions because they truste in theyr owne weorkes are founde weake to perceiue those thynges whiche I prepayre my seruauntes vnto but whoso mistrustyng theyr owne doiynges sette al theyr defence and sauegarde in the vertuous qualities of the mynd which vertuous qualities they shal acknowelage to haue receyued of me and no man els suche men shall no manier aduersitee cause for to quaile Iohns training of his disciples my breaking of myne are of twoo sundrye sortes because the marke that we shoote at is not all lyke These twoo hys and myne cannot haue a full myxture made of theim For he that is wyllyng to be my disciple muste be altogether spirituall puttyng no manyer truste at all in thinges corporall in whiche the ryghteousnesse of the Phariseis dooeth altogether consiste And therefore I enioyne my disciples not a whit of any such thinges as haue any affinity with the carnall obseruacion of the lawe leste that in case I shoulde admitte or suffre but euen neuer so litle they woulde altogether slyde backe agayn to the same state that I wil in any wyse haue theim to be moste fertheste from And the Lorde Iesus to the entente that he woulde shewe howe greate diuersitye there was betwene Iohn who trayned hys disciples accordyng to the fyrste smatche of the olde lawe that he had bene nouzeled in from his infancye and himself that by a muche other waie dyd breake his disciples to thynges of more higher perfeccion he put furth a similitude of thys sorte here folowyng There is no man sayethe he so folyshe that in case he were mynded to patche vp a broken hole of hys olde cote woulde bee soe mad to sette in a pece of newe clothe cut with a payer of shiers oute of a newe garmente whiche thing yf he shoulde doe there were in it a double incommodity For fyrst and formost he renteth a newe vesture to patche vp an olde secondarilye the newe clothe standyng in the old garmente because it agreeth not wyll not leate the ilfauoured syght of the patching be hydden Agayne there is no man so folish that he wil put newe muste into olde bottels to bee kepte or yf he dooe it will surelye soe come to passe that the strengthe of the muste boylyng and weorkyng in theim wil breake the olde bottels in soonder and so shal consequentely folowe a double losse For bothe the bottels shall pertshe and also the wyne renne out What is therfore to be dooen Leat there be no mixture made of such thinges as agree not the one with the other Leat an olde garmente bee botched with olde clothe and in a newe garmente leate there not bee any pece of olde clothe put in Leate also newe muste bee put in newe bottels to bee kepte soe shall it come to passe that the bottels shall be saued whole and the wyne too I know how heard a thyng it is to make thissame new and ghostely doctrine of mine acceptable vnto those that haue nowe a long time bene enured with the olde For vneath any thyng dooeth lyke any persone yf it bee contrarye to that that he hath long tyme bene accustomed vnto For at once is he offended at the first tastyng of a thyng that hath not bene in vse with hym Therfore like as he whiche hath long tyme bene accustomed to drynke olde wine is not at the first assaiyng delited with new muste for he mysseth the tast that he would haue and saith that the olde was better but he sayeth so for none other cause sauing onely that he hathe bene vsed to the other soe they that haue liued all theyr dayes afore in the olde trade of the Iewes carnall constitucions dooe at the first tasting of this ghostly doctrine sterte backe and desyre to haue their other grosser thinges again which they haue bene vsed vnto that is to wete circumcision holy dayes solemne rites of sabbothes difference of meates diuersitie of vestures feastes Hierusalem the temple slayne sacrifices or oblacious washynges vowes blinde coÌ„stitucions of the Phariseis with other thinges mo not vnlike vnto these And these premisses thei not only requyre to haue again but also doe preferre thesame before such thynges as bee a greate deale better and more necessary to be had which thynges are an harte circuÌ„cised from peruerse desyres a mynd continually keping holy day from all worldly or vngosâ—ly appliyng it selfe a breste throughly quieted from all troubleous vexacions or assaultes of euill passions a spirit abhorryng from the infeccion of al thinges which stayneth or defoileth the puritie of the mynd a soule enuironed and besette rounde aboute with feyth charitye humilitye and purenesse an herte euermore temperate and refreinyng form all euilles a mynde alwayes labouryng to come to his heauenly countrey a soule euer being a temple and a place of soiournyng for the holy goste a soule from tyme to tyme offreeyng it selfe an acceptable and a pure sacrifice to God a soule beyng pure cleane from al spot of synne through the feith of the ghospell a soule clene mortified from all thinges that belong to thys worlde and dedicatyng it selfe altogether vnto godly thynges a mynde most ready and diligent to obserue such thinges as the doctryne of the ghospell doeth enioyne and require And the thing that it requireth forsoothe is feithe the thyng that it enioyneth and commaundeth is charitie And thissame is verayly the newe muste of my doctryne which muste or new wyne the vessels that haue been vsed to the olde soure turned wyne of Moses law shall not wel abide but it requireth new pure vessels that are through the gostlye giftes of grace strong made to endure substauÌ„ciall sure to holde ¶ The .vi. Chapter ¶ It happened on an after principall Sabboth day that he went through a corne fielde and his disciples plucked the eares of corne and did eate and rubbed them in their haÌ„des And certaine of the Phariseis sayde vnto them Why doe ye that whiche is not lawefull to do on the sabboth dayes And Iesus aunswered them and sayd haue ye
by autoritye of holy scripture whiche holy scripture in dede they dyd not disalowe but yet they dydde reade thesame not hauyng theyr myndes on it to marke it as they should doe Ueraily saieth he to be a thyng possible enough that the dead may arise agayn and that the soules dooe not dye together with the bodyes euen Moses hymselfe dooeth teache you to bee true whose autoritie forasmuche as ye dooe in other matters acknowlage ye ought not in this case to reiecte For Moses hath written that God spake vnto hym after this manier oute of the bushe whiche he had seen in redde flamyng fyer to burne without anye consumyng or wastyng I am the God of thy father the God of Abraham the God of Isaac the God of Iacob c. Now were Abraham Isaac and Iacob at that tyme alreadye buiried in graue That if according to your opinion euery one which dyeth dyeth for altogether and dyeth neuer to be recouered agayn how doeth god call hymselfe god of theim that be none suche For seing that God is the veray true liuing god himself or rather more truely to speake is veray lyfe selfe it is a thyng vnconueniente that he should call hym self the God of suche as by meane of deathe are vtterly perished and gonne for euer But they are not so gon forasmuch as the chieffer parte of theim remaineth aliue that is to were the soule beeing the parte whereby our life is in vs. In other liuyng creatures besydes man death is an vttre perishing for euer for in theim aswell the bodye falleth altogether downe as soone as it is destitute of lyfe as also the soule which in theim is naught els but a certayne harmonye and proporcionate agreyng together of the qualites and humours of the bodye whiche as soone as thatsame temperature is dissolued vanisheth awaye immediately as a thyng of nothyng But in man deathe is nothyng els but a pluckyng of the soule in soondre from the bodye so that the better parte of the twoo that are in vs remayneth styll vncorrupted and the bodye only is for a season not vttrely perished neyther but as ye woulde say putrified And thesame body to be restored agayn by the power of god at the resurreccion ought not to seme any meruaill vnto you forasmuche as ye daily see of a dry graine of sede caste awaye into the earth and there putrified a newe and a liue tree to spryng vp whiche laie hydden in a litle smale and deade selâ—e grayne now buiried in the grounde Therefore such as are dead to you ward are dead in dede forasmuche as ye are not hable to reuiue them agayne but euerie one of them yea euen they that are deade also dooe lyue to godwarde in whose hande it is whansoeuer his wyll shall bee to restore the soules that haue beene plucked awaye euerie one to theyr owne bodies agayn Whan the Sadducees at these saiynges helde theyr peace not hauyng a worde to speake certayne Scrybes allowed the talke of Iesus because that concernyng this case the Pharyseis and the Scribes did consente in opinion agaynste the secte of the Sadducees Notwithstandyng lyke as the opinion of the Phariseis and Scrybes was in this behalfe righter then the opinion of the Sadducees so were their hertes more replete with mischiefe and vngraciousnesse For in suche a place dooeth there lesse parte of malice remayn where there resteth more of grosse ignorauÌ„ce and defaulte of learnyng Thus after that Iesus had in vayne beene tempted and proued of soondrye sectes of the Iewes for he had afore this tyme aunswered the Phariseis to their question concerning the greateste precepte of the law and not one of them al had had suche spede as he woulde in that yâ— he had attempted no man durst auenture any more to be buisie or to beginne with him in demaundyng of any questions ¶ And he saied vnto theim Howe saie they that Christe is Dauids soonne And Dauyd himselfe saieth in the booke of the Psalmes The Lorde saied vnto my Lord sitte thou on my right hande till I make thine enemies thy foote stoole Dauid therefore calleth hym Lorde and howe is he than his sonne Iesus therefore of his own mocion whan thei wer gathered together in a pâ—uÌ„pe did bid theim aunswere him who would to a question that he would demaunde not beeyng a question full of baites to take theim in trippes but a questioÌ„ that concerned their soule health He demauÌ„ded whose sonne the scripture dyd pronounce that Messias should be â–ª They beyng not ignoraunt that it had by prophecie bene foresaied that Messias should in tyme cummyng bee borne of the linage of Dauid made answere without any stoppes or staighes Dauids sonne To this Iesus said But Dauid being enspired with the holy ghoste speaketh of Messias after this manier in the Psalmes The Lord said vnto my Lord sitte thou on my righte hande vntil I make thyne enemies thy foote stoole Howe agreeth it that Dauid â–ª shoulde calle him Lorde whome he acknowelageth and taketh for his sonne For the sonne is inferiour to the father and more reason it wer that the soonne should in the waye of honour and reuerence call the father Lorde then contrarie wise This question coulde not one of theim all soile and for that presente Iesus thoughte it sufficiente as ye would saye by a misticall â—iedell to haue geuen theim a litle intimacion or inclyng of his nature of Godhed by the whiche nature of his Godhed he was superiour vnto all the Patriaâ—kes forasmuch as he was egual vnto God the father albeit euen after his humain nature also he excelled all creatures And they reputed the memorie of Dauid to bee holy and precious but hym whome Dauid acknowelaged bothe for his soonne and also for his Lorde hym they caste of not through ignoraunce of the lawe but of a iudgemente beyng blinded with peruerse and corrupte affeccions Than in the audience of al the people he saied vnto his disciples Beware of the Scribes whiche wil goe in long clothing and loue gretinges in the markettes and the highest seates in the Sinagogues and the chiefe roumes at feastes whiche deuoure wedowes houses feigning lâ—ng praiers thesame shall receiue great damnacion Forasmuche therfore as the malice of this generacion was past al hope of grace and not curable by any salues that could be it remained that the simple and vnlettred multitude of the people should haue good warning geuen them that they might not bee trained in and deceiued by coulouring and crafty conueighaunce of the others who whereas they were voyde of al religion or true deuocion yet dyd they countrefeicte the highest godlinesse possible hauyng iye to none other marke but only to theyr own glory and lucre and for that same onely cause murmouryng and pratyng all manier wayes possible agaynst the glory of God and agaynst the health of their neighboures For there be none more deadlye enemies of true godlinesse then suche as by
blasphemie vnto my charge because I doe more seke the glory of God then mans prayse Ye obiect against me the breakyng of the Sabboth daye who haue saued a man on the Sabboth day when as the holy religion of the Sabboth doeth not stay you from deuisyng and labouring to destroye an innocent and not only an innocent but suche one as hath deserued good at your handes Is this to magnifie Moses whom ye preferre before me Is this to honour and reuerence God whom ye with feyned religion wurshippe Doeth not the law curse him that sheadeth innocentes bloud â–ª Neither doeth it permitte any power or autoritie of putting to death but vpon malefactours nor vpon them neyther except they be lawfully conuicted and condeÌ„ned Why than do ye contrary to the lawe trauaill about my death that being sent of God do preache his wil and pleasure to you according to the intent of the law that do seke his glorye and not mine owne that do not effectuously seke a kingdome or riches to myself but that do frely offre saluacion to all men that hurte no maÌ„ but do good to all men This saying of Iesus did vexe and trouble the Phariseis mindes for two causes first because they perceiued well that their craftie inuencions though they were secretly doen were not hid from his knowledge whom they supposed mighte soone without difficultie haue been made awaye yf the thing that they went about could haue been kepte secrete from him Secondarily his woordes pinched their mindes because he did appeale them of sinnefull transgression of the lawe in the presence of the people who would haue been thought moste true obseruers of the law They laying snares for the innoceÌ„t bloud feared not the knowledge of God but they feared to haue their dedes knowen to the people Therfore to face out the thyng by dissimulacioÌ„ they let fare as if they thought the multitude did not knowe their wickednes so fell to open rebukes and checkes as is the maner of all wicked persons that are taken with the maner in a mischeuouse dede that caÌ„not be excused Thou hast say they the deuill seyng thou makest the father of heauen very God himselfe to be auctour of thy doctrine to auaunt thy selfe thereby God is true and thou by the deuils instigacion art vntrue Who goeth about to deuise thy death â–ª The Lorde Iesus did not brawle with them again with any checking answere to their so furiouse blasphemie lest he should haue made them more woode by putting to of furie to them that were already cruel and furâ—ouse but geuing vs an ensaumple of mildenesse full gentelly he telleth them the cause why he did the dede for the whiche they quarelled with hym And where as themselfes in very dede were breakers of the lawe in all thinges yet did they accuse Iesus as a transgressour of the lawe because he had healed a man sycke of the Palsey on the Sabboth day I saieth Iesus did one certain dede on the Sabboth daye which was neyther euil sinfull nor yet vnhonest but wherwith I gaue health to a man that was miserably diseased which you your selues could not but allowe commend in case it had not been doen on the Sabboth day But they do rather breake the Sabboth whiche goeth about that thing on the Sabboth which is sinful and wicked on what daye soeuer it bee doen. The religion of the Sabboth is not so great but it ought to giue place to those thinges whiche are of more weight â—nd greatter importaunce and good and godly euery daye whensoeuer they be doen. If Moses himselfe whom ye highly esteme and attribute so much vnto haue geuen you the same exaumple and hath doen before me like wise as I haue doeÌ„ If also the very lawe do teache that worke maye be doen on the Sabboth day without breakyng the lawe of the Sabboth eyther ye muste nedes absolue and cleare me or els â—n case ye condemne me ye must also coÌ„demne Moses with me and the lawe it selfe to because whatsoeuer he gaue vnto you was a lawe Moses gaue circumcision vnto you not that circumcision began euen very than whan Moses lawe began for it was geuen of God to the Patriarches before the lawe was writen for that cause circumcision is a greatter matter in religion then the Sabboth daye because it went before the lawe and is as it wer the head of the lawe But the very same Moses whiche commaunded circumcision commaunded the Sabboth daye You do circumcise a man on the Sabboth daye and ye thinke not that ye violate the Sabboth day therin because of the dignitie of circuÌ„cision wherunto ye thinke that the religion of the Sabboth ought of right to geue place like as the Deacons and Priestes doe also in the temple these thinges whiche be pertaining to Goddes seruice and yet in so doyng they take not theymselfes to be breakers of the Sabboth daye for somuche as they esteme the thyng that they doe to be of more holynesse then that it should be omitted because of the Sabboth daye Consideryng therefore that ye doe circuÌ„cise a man on the Sabbothe daye leste throughe not beynge circumcised he should not be one of you neyther doe you wene that the Sabboth day is by that worke the wurse kept I meruaill why than do you like disdainfull men make suche clamour that by my worke the Sabboth daye is vnkept and broken who haue healed not one parte alone of maÌ„ but haue preserued and saued the whole manne altogether on the Sabboth daye Although circumcision were before the lawe and is after a sorte the very beginning chiefe parte of the lawe â–ª yet it is not perpetuall For men were acceptable and dearly beloued of God before there was any circumcisioÌ„ and the time shal be when God shall mislyke and refuse the ouerthwarte circuÌ„cision of the fleshe beyng without the inward circumcision of the herte But to geue health both of body and soule to a mans â—â—ly wretched neighbour as it is a greater acte and a more holy dede than to circumcise a man so is it alwaye good before the law in the tyme of the law and after the law because it is of it owne selfe good Why than doe ye in a cause not vnlyke yea in a much better matter as touchyng my behalfe wurship and haue Moses in reuerence and accuse me as giltye of a greater crime For I doe not now dispute whiche of vs twayne is greatter then the other Take Moses still as he is for an excellent man let it be so that I am euen as you suppose me to be a mean and an abiect person yet if ye loke well about you and do consider the matter rightly either ye ought to coÌ„demne vs bothe or to assoyle vs bothe And the very lawe of trueth teacheth vs this that in geuyng iudgement ye should loke vpon the matter and not the persone and he standeth accursed that through fauouring the
many tymes offend hym with their doynges I neuer dissent from that whiche is my fathers pleasure As he spake these wordes manye beleued on hym Then sayed Iesus to those Iewes whiche beleued on him If ye continue in my worde then aâ—â— ye my very disciplesâ— and ye shall knowe the trueth and the trueth shal make you free They aunswered hym We be Abrahams seed and were neuer bounde to any man sayeste thou than ye shall be made freeâ— Iesus aunswered them Uerely verely I saye vnto you that whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruaunt of sinne And the seruaunt â—â—â—deth not in the house for euer but the sonne abideth euer If the sonne therfore shall make you free then are ye free in dede I know that ye are Abrahams sede but ye seke meanes to â—â—l me because my worde hath no place in you I speake that whiche I haue seen with my father and ye do that whiche ye haue seen with your father When as at that season none did fully vnderstaÌ„de these sayinges yet there was many among the people whiche thought them not vngodly And diuerse conceyuyng good hope of the thynges whiche Iesus promysed them beleued hym but yet not perfitly for they were still ignoraunte but as they wer then able to vnderstande the doctrine of the gospell There was in dede a certayne way prepared to fayth already although they wer not yet so far forwarde as they should be brought afterwarde The Lorde Iesus therfore doeth exhorte them to perseuer in the thynge wherin they were metely wel entred vntill they might atteyne the perfyte knowledge of him For faith of good men doeth eueÌ„ beleue those thynges whiche it vnderstaÌ„deth not The malice of the Phariseis waxed alwaye wurse and wurse He sayeth vnto them take you no exaumple at these which do wilfully perishe it is a good beginnyng for you some deale to beleue my sayinges from which if other mens infidelitie do not withdrawe you and if ye will firmely abide in that yeare entred vnto I which do professe heauenly trueth and no Pharisaicall doctrine will take you for my very owne proper disciples And you whiche hitherto haue embraced the shadowes of Moses lawe for truthes shall in processe of tyme knowe all trueth And the knowen trueth shall make you free But the Iewes not perceiuing that Christe mente of that libertie whiche the gospell teacheth whiche libertie doth not chaunge any worldly aduauncement as to deliuer the bodye from the intereste that the maister hath ouer it but setteth the mynde at libertie from sinne from leude and worldlye desyres from the tirannye of the deuil from feare of death from bondage of Pharisaicall ordinaunces from the yoke of carnall obseruyng of the lawe The Iewes I saye not vnderstandynge this makethe aunswere disdaynefully for they wer proude of the nobilitie of theyr carnal aunceters We say they by successioÌ„ come of Abraham the Patriarche and are naturally free men borne and not onely free but noble gentlemen also neither did we euer serue any man as boÌ„de men What libertie therfore doest thou promise vs as though we were bonde seruauntes nedefull of manumission This aunswere declared the Iewes to be grosse whiche put their affiaunce and glory in carnall thynges neglectynge spirituall thinges whiche commende vs to God They tooke purenes to consiste in wasshyng of the bodye of cuppes and of vessels though they had theyr soule polluted with sinfull vices They despised other in comparison of themselues because they were bodely circumcised wheÌ„ as they had an vncircumcised mynde They thought themselues holy because they caried about with them the lawe written in brode scrolles rounde aboute theyr heade when as they be holye to God whiche haue the lawe wrytten in theyr myndes and expresse the same not in scrolles but in theyr dedes So nowe they wer proude in herte because after the fleshe they came of Abraham as though it were a great matter to be borne of holyones when before God they be noble and famouse whiche of whosoeuer they be borne do expresse the condicions of holy men in their maners Therefore when Iesus had reproued them for two causes both because thei were ignoraunt in the trueth and also because they serued as bondemenne they dissembled the fyrste and stomaked the lesse weyghty matter for ignoraunce of the trueth is a fault of the mynde to be a seruaunte is no euyll thynge of the mynde but a lacke of worldlye fortune Nowe therefore oure Lorde Iesus teacheth plainlye what seruitude he ment You sayeth he disdayne that I promâ—â—e liberty because in your owne coÌ„ceyte ye be free that is to saye the naturall â—â—ee children of Abraham but there is an other kynde of seruitude muche more vyle and myserable from which no noblenes of aunceters be it neuer so greate can clayâ—ie fredome and make a man free Ye haue not a man to your lorde from whose bondage ye are to bee made fâ—e but hereof I do wellassure you whosoeuer sinneth maketh himself seruaunt to synne and looseth his fredome he is verily a naturall borne fremaÌ„ that is subiect to no dishonestie nor giltie of sinnefull vilanye This is the fredome whereof ye maye worthely reioyce before God But whosoeuer is addicte to sinne hath the deuill his lorde and is moued and drawen at his pleaâ—re and arbitremente although he maye dayme kâ—nne and can bryng his peâ—igrue to moste holy aunceters For an other mans holynes taketh not awaye the bondage of them that succede in bloude but euery man is taken and estemed after his owne dedes a seruaunt can not make his felowe seruaunt that is also sinfull as he is partaker of his fredome but he only maketh men free and sâ—tteth at libertie whiche onely is voyde of all sinne For albeit a seruaunte do for a tyme certain thinges in the house yet because he is a seruaunt and no heyre he hath no perpetuitie or enterest there for euer but is put out of the house when it pleaseth the maister but because the sonne is heyre and Lorde of the house he hath continuall right in the house nor he hymselfe onely is free in dede without all seruitude but he may also make other folke free If ye therfore desire this freedome there is no cause why ye should loke to haue it of Moses or from the Patriarkes or your priestes whose ministracion was for a while neyther was any of these vttrely voide of all sinne nor had autoritie to abolishe or put awaye sinnes ne yet did any of them knowe the trueth exactely and at full But if one cleaue fast to the sonne to whom is geuen the whole perpetual power of the house thesame of whatsoeuer stocke he be borne maye well hope to haue true fredome Therfore Abraham dyd not begette vs free Moses did it not the Priestes did not with their sacrifice make vs free If the sonne shall make you free from errour and sinne ye shall be truely and fully free You
hatred contencion there is no mansion place for the holy ghost Whan they were come altogether into one place and that on high they continued in one fayth prayer and expectacion And beholde sodaynely came the gift of god on high from aboue For sodaynly from heauen came a sounde as it were of a great puffe of winde that carryed it replenished the whole parlour where they satte quiet and without trouble It was not the northerne winde whiche blustereth coolde out of the cloudes nor the Sowtherne winde that bringeth warmthe with hym oute of the marryshe and fenny places pestylent to all lyuyng bodyes But it was a blast of heauen procedyng thence whither Christ hymselfe wente breathyng lyfe euerlastyng into the soule of man geuing strēgthe withall to the weake and cherefull courage vnto the litleones This sounde afrayde no manne but stiered vp all their mindes to looke for that holy spirite which was promysed thē One token of his cummyng to them serued the eare another was for the eye For these are the twoo principall senses in man Tongues they sawe lyke as they had been all of fyer dealyng themselues to euerychone of the disciples parte to one and parte to another and restyng a whyle vpon euerye mannes heade to the intent that we shoulde playnly vnderstande howe that gift shall endure for euer One spirite enspired all their myndes one fyre kyndled eche mannes herte and toung And incontinent vpon this visible token there folowed in them the efficacie of that heauenly gifte For as many as there were presēt like as if they had bene transfourmed sodaynly into heauenly persons and being replenished with the holy ghoste began to speake diuerse lāguages which thei had neuer learned of mannes communication but such as the spirite from heauen had enprinted in their hertes There is no membre in manne more pestilent than is an euel toūge none more profitable thā is the good But it was nedefull for suche that shoulde sowe in sundry wise the doctrine of heauen among people of all languages to haue their toungues endowed with heauenly knowelage and more ouer flamyng with that burning charitie which is mete for the gospel This was thā the chiefest tokē of Christes faith euangelicall whiche token the lorde promised them saying they shall speake with new tounges Thei that accuse men vniustly that slaunder their neyghboure such as forsweare themselues those that speake rybauldrye a toung thei haue inflamed not with fyer celestial but with the fyre of helle infernall Al such as contende in disputacion for vile thinges of this world haue not yet receiued this toung celestial The apostles before this time reasoned of loaues of bread which thei had left behynd they reasoned how the temporal kingdom of Israel should be aduaunced who should sit on the vpper hand who should haue of al other the soueraygntie Such was the toung as man had vnmete than to publyshe the gospel But all that now they thynke on and whatsoeuer they speake of al is spiritual all is celestiall and burning al like fier Put away the toung laye asyde the spirite and no woord is spoken But a spirit celestial vttereth a voyce celestial a burning toungue in loue like fier rauisheth the hertes of the hearers and inflameth their mindes The proude pharisees toungue is styffe the Philosopher be he neuer so well learned the Rethorician in his toungue neuer so well spoken no manne he moueth therby vnto trewe gladnesse For this gifte cummeth onely from heauen As for the disciples wer nought els but instrumentes whereby the holy ghoste vttered hys mynde This gifte cannot one gyue an other neyther any delae it to hymselfe but god dealeth to eche man as he shal thinke good He that hath more geuen him hath no cause why he should dispise an other that is not so rewarded but hath cause why he should endeuoure himselfe the more readily to profit many therwith The spirite is a thing of great vehemencie the fyer a veray liuely thing in operacion and neuer at rest The Apostles nowe do slepe no more so soundely as they did before the death of their lorde they hide themselues no more as they did soone after his resurrection but nowe cum they abrode they preache here and there and openly to all men healthe euerlasting frely geuen them through faith in Iesus who was a litle before crucyfyed There wer dwelling at Ierusalem Iewes deuout men out of euery nacion of thē that are vnder heauen Whan this was noysed about the multitude came together were astonned because the euery man hearde them speake with his owne language They wondred all and maruailed saying among thē selues beholde are not al these which speake of Galile And how heare we eueri mā his own toung wherin we wer borne Parthiās and Medes and Elamites and the inhabitours of Mesopotamia of Iewry or Capadocia of Poutus and Asia Phrigia Pamphilia of Egipte of the parties of Libia whiche is besides Syren and straūgers of Rome Iewes and proselytes Grekes Arabians we haue heard thē speake in our owne tounges the great workes of god Thei wer al amased wondred saying one to an other what meneth this Others mocked saying these men are full of newe wyne And the trueth to say that same Citie Ierusalem was at that tyme as it were a stage where people do assemble to behold playes fitte for the firste begynnyng of this enterlude partely for the famous renoume of the citye and partely for honour of the Paschall feast whiche was paste and finally for the deuocion that the people had to the solemne feast of Penthecoste manye one wer than abiding at Ierusalem not all onelye such as came out of all the parties of Siria but out of all other cuntreyes also whither soeuer the violent rage of warres had dryeuē them or any chaunce els had brought them Amōg whome many wer deuoute and well disposed people Whan this so strange a matter was than comenly knowen ouer all the citie a confuse multitude of people came together and beyng in a great perplexitie demaūded what these newes should meane that where as thei wer gathered out of many cuntreys and wer of soundry languages yet for all that euery man so vnderstood them speaking euen as though thei had spoken to them al not in one tounge alone but to euerichon seuerally in his own cuntrey language Yea the Hebrew tonge is not without his diuersite accordingly as cuntreyes are diuided whether it came of diuerse nacions whiche bordre one vpon an other or els of sum other chaunce For the woman of Samaria knewe that Iesus was a Iewe by the propertie of his toung and Peters pronounciacion declared hym to be one of Galilee And the Greke toung likewise is parted into fyue sondry kindes And other nacions also differeth no lesse in their languages More than that many Iewes vnderstoode none other than that cuntrey language wher they themselues
name of Iesus Christe and for that benefites sake whiche he hath freely doen to vs ye shall haue forgeuenes of all your synnes and shall receaue after that ye be purely clensed the gifte of the holy ghost whiche ye here see shed on vs. Let none of you pondre weigh his owne merites for all that here is geuen is frely geuen vpon this onely condicion that ye beleue Iohels prophecy doeth specially pertaine to you and your children that come after you whome he calleth sonnes and doughters whome he calleth seruauntes and handemaydes Beleue god that made you the promis and ye shall frely receaue forthwith that is promised Neyther doeth Iohels promise in his prophecy pertayne to you alone whiche are of the people of Israell but to all the heathen also whiche be far of both from al kinred with the Israelites and far from knoweleage of god whom euer our lord god shall of his merciful goodnes vouchesafe to call to bee partakers with vs of this his gifte And the same thynge hath the prophecy well declared where it sayeth and whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the lorde shal be saued Albeit eche man that sayeth Lorde Lorde doeth not cal vpon the lord but he that putteth all his whole hope and truste of saluacyon in the mercyfulnes of the same lorde Other prophetes also hath spoken of the same thyng that the worde of the gospel shoulde in time cumming spreade throughout the world And besides this our maister Iesus gaue vs a speciall commaundement that we shoulde firste of all declare to you this mercifull message of peace and loue and that we shoulde than afterward call the gentiles to the same For this calling cummeth not of mans deseruinges but of the fre bounteousenes of god In these wordes and others manye mo Peter bare witnes to them of Christe bryngyng foorthe to them the prophetes sayinges to testify the same and conferring with them those thynges whiche had alredy than come to passe And beside his teachinges he exhorted them that he might the better pricke them forewarde whiche were of wauering mindes Go to he sayeth my brethren embrace ye this so excellent bounteousnes of god towardes you so ready to mete you Ye know what complaintes all the prophetes hath made of the ouerthwartenes and stubbernes also in this Iewyshe nacion whiche hath declared themselues at all tymes rebellyous to theyr lorde and god and to those whiche were sent to theim his mynisters for theyr saluacion Howe often times dyd they resist Moses howe many prophetes haue they slayne how ofte haue they prouoked god to angre with theyr mischeuous dedes Wherefore they be iustly named the house that maketh the lorde angry and the vyne turned to bitternes whiche yeldeth to his keper in stede of swete grapes wylde vynes Iohn the baptiste lamented in them thesame thyng callyng them a progenie of serpentes And our maister Iesus complayned not a fewe times of the selfe same thing beyng offended with many of them for their inuincible frowardenesse who seyng dyd not see and hearyng dyd not heare and vnderstanding did not vnderstande The holesome doctryne for mans soule they despysed and all suche benefites as he wrought in man through hys miracles they imputed to the spirite of Belzebub Wherfore he called them a frowarde nacion and harde or ill wylled to beleue and bewayling their state tolde them that they shoulde be destroyed for why they had beaten killed stoned and crucifyed all that were sent from god Draw your selfes a backe my brethren and get ye away from the vengeaunce of god whiche hangeth ouer your heades caste of all cankred frowardenes of the Iewish nacion which while they stande stifely in defence of theyr owne Iustice do wickedly rebell againste the iustice of God For ye haue by faith and sincere obedyence already for you prouided eternall saluacion Than shall ye finally be accoumpted the true Israelites than shall ye be the very children of Abraham Than shal ye be of the right sorte of Iewes in dede if ye will knowelage Iesus and recognise him for youre king Ridde your handes of this carnall generacion whiche woulde rather perishe for theyr incredulitie than be saued Be ye contented to be borne a new and transfourmed into a spiritual nacioÌ„ and celestial whiche by trust in Iesus is in waye of saluacion Of this sorte verely was the fishers eloquence whyche he piked not out of Retorical preceptes or rewlers but receiued it from heaueÌ„ and therfore it was of muche more power and efficacie in his operacion This was the same suâ—â—orde that entreth through euen to the diuiding of the soule and the spirite whose edge hath punched strickeÌ„ the Iewes hertes This was the first cast and throw of his net wherein the fisher of mans soule drew vp a great plenteous multitude This was the seede of the gospel that ought to bee caste euery where abrode whiche as Christe hath taught falleth not downe into all mens hertes and yet here it found forthwith good grounde which brought forth fruite For than wer baptised and to the numbre of the disciples whiche were at that time very few were increased and ioyned almost three thousand moe These were the luckie first fruites that the ghospel brought forth for his reuenewes The new testament agreeth in this point also with a figure of tholde Moyses commaunded a feast of the firste fruites to be kept holy the fiftieth day after Easter And here are consecrated to the lord this fiftieth day the first fruites not of eares of corne but of mens soules For now through preaching of the gospell and fayth in the same the water washed away all their sinnes and nowe was that heauenly spirite gredely receiued Nowe marke what doeth that spirite of god in them truely he is not ydle sithen that he is lyke vnto the fyer We are freely made cleane in soule as innocentes we haue frely receyued of the holy gost his gift of grace Now it resteth for our parte to take hede that we lose that vnaduisedly whiche god hath of his mercifull goodnes frely geuen vs. Suche are the first beginninges of euangelycall religion suche is as a man woulde say the childehood of oure first regeneracion in Christe All that we haue taught hitherto is as it were milke for infauntes we must procede further to whole fast meate Preachers and suche as feede with the woorde of god oughte to haue with them both kindes of meate euer redy at hande For thus the lorde commaunded them go ye foorth he sayeth and teache all people baptizing them and teaching them to kepe all that I haue commaunded you Teache them that muste be christened the rudimentes and firste beginninges of the gospell whiche rudimentes or principles excepte a manne wyll beleue hys Baptisme is in vayne Those that bee alredy baptized thus must ye teache that they liue after my teachynges procedyng alwayes to more perfeccion ¶ And they continued in the
their own accorde For the labour care of maÌ„ can make nothing so elegant and fit as the prouidence of nature And if the heauenly father doth ga 〈◊〉 and clothe so freshely the vile grasâ—e which shortely shall perishe and to day is freshe in the fieldes and to morowe cut downe and dryed and caste into the furnes why haue ye so litle trust in him sith he hath geueÌ„ you thinges of greater excellencie and sith he hath made you to be immortal and sith also he hath specially prepared you for the glory of hys name that ye will thinke that ye shall lacke apparell which ye ought to seke for and prepare not for adourning and gaynesse but for necessitie and nedefulnes Therefore take no thought saying what shall we eate or what shal we drinke or wherwith shal we be clothed After all these thinges the Gentiles seke For your heauenly father knoweth that ye haue nede of all these thinges But rather seke first the kingdome of God and the righteousnes therof â–ª and al these thinges shal be cast vnto you Be ye not careful for to morowe for to morowe shall care for it seâ—fe sufficient is vnto the day his owne trauayle Therefore ye that haue god to your father so benignely prouiding for the birdes prouiding for floures and grasse of the whiche the one lacketh reason the other hath no feling sith ye se and perceiue that he tendreth maketh so much of you enduing your body which is made with merueylous prouidence with a soule reasonable and like vnto the angelical mindes not disdaining that ye shoulde be called his children chosing you out from emong all men through his free charitie by whose pure lyfe and sincere doctrine he might be knowen glorified through out all mankinde whoÌ„ he hath appoynted to thinheritauÌ„ce of the euerlastyng lyfe Cast away this carefulnes of vile and filthy thynges saye not doubtfully and fearefully what shall we eate what shal we drinke or what shall we put on These be the sayinges of the heathen and not of Christen men for they either beleue not that god is or els beleue not that he is carefull ouer men Neither haue they learned that there is any other better life to set their mynde and care vpon Therfore distrustyng goddes helpe 〈◊〉 mannes felicitie in thynges of the bodye they prepare with muche carefulnes those thinges that do perteyne to their liuing apparel or other commoditie of the body They leape for ioy when these thynges chaunce vnto them they sounde for feare when these thynges be in daunger They be vexed with sorowfulnes and sumtyme hang themselfes when these thynges bee taken awaye And thus through carefulnes cleauyng vnto these corruptible thinges they neither liue pleasauntly here nor can lift vp their hartes vnto the study and desire of heauenly thynges Emong men who is so wicked a father that wil not prouide for his children thinges necessary for the sustentacion of theyr life Ye haue a father so riche so bountefull so circumspecte that he is sufficient for all to enriche all and leue nothyng vnprouided for be it neuer so litle or vile And feare ye that he will not prouide for his children these thynges without the whiche they cannot lyue Laye this carefulnes vpon him he knoweth well that ye haue nede of all these thynges And he is not so harde that he wyl withdraw thinges necessary from such as be occupied in his busines But sum wyll saye what then Shall we not gette vs with oure handye worke whereby we maye norishe our selues our wyfe and our children where by we maye ease the pouertie of the poore Yes truely but wythout all carefullnes For truely the common people dothe double their misery bothe laborynge with the body and beyng also carefull in the mynde They sowe beyng carefull leste that whiche they sowe shoulde not cum vp they moâ—e beyng careâ—â—â— leste the warrier or the these should take awaye that whiche is cut downe befor it be laied vp in the baâ—â—e they lay vp in theyr graner beeyng carefull leste any infeccion shoulde hurte their corne or lest any fyer shoulde rise and destroy it Finally because they haue aniye to plenty and not to the present necessitie they heape vppe for a long time and they neuer haue ynough as thought they were sure to lyue longe Wherfore if the matter so requireth ye muste labour but without al carefulnes Yf ye chaunce to haue money without fraude and muche busynes take it â–ª but in suche wyse that the carefulnes thereof wythdrawe you nothyng froÌ„ the busynes of the gospel For your matters are greater than that the carefulnes of lighte triefleyng corruptible thynges should withdrawe you from them Let your chefe care be aboute that â–ª good thyng â–ª in comparison of the whiche these worldly thynges be of no value nor reputacion The kyngdome of God must be set vppe that is to saye the doctrine of the gospell by the which we attayne vnto the heauenly inheritaunce Whereof I haue chosen you to be the preachers and setters furth and haue showed you what excellent vertues be nedeful to the doyng of this thyng â–ª that is bothe to loue your enemyes and to wyshe well vnto them who seketh your destruccioÌ„ These thynges because they be chiefe and highest whiche come not vnto you from youre father without your diligence and carefulnes ye must first chiefly seke for them The other smaller thinges whiche pertayne vnto the necessitie of this life the good gracious father wyll casâ—e vnto you as an augmentacion and that of his owne accorde without any carefulnes on your behalfe that for bothe causes ye shoulde render thankes vnto his bountifulnes bothe because he hath geuen you those high and these thinges you endeuoryng vnto the same and also because he hath caste vnto you these thynges withoute any carefulnes on your behalfe He wyll not haue you greued with cares whiche 〈◊〉 more troubled but not the better And this busines that ye take in hande is so great and weighty that it requireth the whole mynde ryâ— and voyded from all cares Wherfore as men that liueth from daye to daye beynge contente with thynges presente at hande be not greued nor vexed wyth carefulnes of thynges to cum lyke as the common sorte of men dothe doublyng theyr affliccion both doyng what they can to prouide for the present necessitie and troubling themselues with feare of thinges to cum Whatsoeuer this daie offereth vnto you receyue it w e thankes geuing Let the morow care for it self whatsoeuer it bryngeth Yf it bryng any good ye shall not hange in hope Yf it bryng any yll ye shall not preuent your trouble with feare of yll to cum This life hath his affliccions whiche it nedeth not to double with feare For it is ynoughe to suffer them when they cum so that it is not nedeful for feare to make them presente before they cumme Tyme
and wer also full of malice enuy But whaÌ„ Iesus was cum home the blynde men were receiued into his house who with stiffe hope folowed hym Than Iesus geuyng exaumple vnto others firste demaunded them of theyr faith Beleue ye ê™ he that I am hable to perfourme your requestes And they without any delay sayde Lord we beleue Than Iesus touching their iyes with his hande sayed As ye beleue so be it to you not chaleÌ„ging to hym self the restoryng of the sight but imputyng it to theyr fayth trust declaryng that chiefely vnbelefe made vs vnmeete for the bountyfulnesse of God whiche is prest and readye for all men Assoue as Iesus had spoken the iyes of the blynd wer open so that they saw clerely Here Iesus willing to warne vs couertly that although glory of it self foloweth the good dede yet we muste flee it rather then desire it he charged the blynde menne verye earnestly that no man should knowe this dede But the ioying of their newe felicitie spred the fame of Iesus the more through out the whole countrey emong all them that knewe of their olde blindnes As they went oute behold they brought to hym a dumme man possessed of a deuill and whan the deâ—uill was caste out the â—umme spake and the people maruelled saiyng It was neuer so seene in Israel But the Phariseis said He casteth out deuils through the prince of deuils And Iesus went about all cities and townes teachyng in their Syngogues preachynge the glad tidynges of the kyngdome and healyng euery sickenes euery disease among the people Whan the blynde were departed there was an other miserable manne offered vnto hym who was vexed with a deuill whiche toke awaye the vse of his tonge that the man neither was wel in his wit to wishe for helth nor had no tonge to aske for it He therfore because he had neede of an other mannes fayth was offered vnto Iesus Whiche withoute any tarriyng cast out the deuil and furthwith the dumme spake The multitude marueiling at so great spedines of miracles ready in all kynde of diseases beyng neuer so incurable sayed among them selues There was neuer manne emong the Israelites that wrought so many miracles to easily CoÌ„trariwise the Phariseis blynded daylye with malyce more and more where as the thynges that were doen in the sight of all menne could not be denyed yet to the enteÌ„te they myght withdrawe from hym the mindes of the people that had him in veneracion they falsely slauÌ„der him that he casteth out deuils not by the power of god but by the myght of Belzebub the prince of deuils ThaÌ„ which vntrue slauÌ„der what could be a more mad thing As who should say one deuill driueth out an other or as who should say Belzebub the enemy of mankynd gaue lyfe to the dead health to the sicke sight to the blynde speche to the dum These illes cum from them oftentimes which Iesus of his goodnes hauing coÌ„passion vpon meÌ„ toke away with suche corporall benefites as might seÌ„sibly be perceiued preparing them for the capacitie of spiritual benefites But most meke Iesus was not offeÌ„ded with suche malicious reproch but deuised more for the health of all men because he sawe the Phariseis to whome it apperteyned to see for the healthe of the people so lyttell to helpe and succour that also they enuyed the commodities of others Iesus therfore as a good shepeherde walked thorough al cities and stretes laboring to heale both the soules and bodies of all men teachyng in their coÌ„gregacions and preaching the kingdome of heauen into the whiche none bee receyued but suche as be voyd of all diseases of the soule and healing also al kyndes of diseases and sickenesses But whan he sawe the people he was moued with compassion on them because they were destitute and scattered abrode as shepe hauyng no shepeherd Then saieth he vnto his disciples the haruest is plenteous but the laborers are fewe Pray ye therfore the lorde of the harueste that he wyll send labourers into his haruest Further whan Iesus sawe the multitude swarming on euery syde and euery day more thicke and now gredy of health and sincere doctrine and coÌ„nsidered withall that the Priestes Phariseis and Scribes vpon whoÌ„ the people hitherto did hang to do any thing rather then to preserue the people and that they were whole geuen not to the gâ—ory of God but to their owne glory to their owne lucre to theyr own bely and to their own pleasures in whoÌ„ if there wer any religioÌ„ it was but coloured and counterfaited so that it was very noysome vnto true religion and considered also that the people was but rude and grosse and yet in the way of amendment for they lokyng to be healed in their bodies folowed with a simple and plaine faithe glorified god and although yet they vnderstode not the doctrine of the gospel yet they did not reiect the same Contrariwise whan he coÌ„sidered the Phariseis and the Scribes where as they had the Prophetes and the law yet to be blinded with worldly desires and also to resist the doctrine of the gospel the good shepeherde was moued with pitie and compassion because he saw them lyke vnto wanderyng shepe skatered a sunder and destitute of a shepherd and running vnaduisedly hither and thither Iesus therfore coÌ„sideryng that in the Phariseis whiche played the wolues rather than the shepherds the flocke had no hope that the people through miracles was nowe sumwhat prepared to receiue the doctrine of the gospell he sayd vnto his disciples whom he had now well gathered together I see a great harueste but very few laborers The fame of the gospel is spred abrode euerywhere The feruencie of many is stirred vp whiche seme ripe and redy to heare the wisedome of the gospel But where be they that wil take vpon them to preache teache Where be they that will teache purely and sincerely neyther sekyng after glory of man nor after gayne and lucre but teachyng so sincerely as ye see me teache Truly suche a cumpany of men must not be neglected beyng kindeled with the desire of the heauenly doctrine What is than to be done but to desyre and require the lord of the haruest to thruste into his harueste the ydle and vnwilling laborers For the occasioÌ„ is now and lingeryng is daungerous I knowe that it is more pleasaunt for you to be with me but the tyme is at hand that ye must shewe some profe of your selues and that ye must begin to shew forth for the saluacion of other that whiche ye haue receiued of me The .x. Chapter ¶ And when his twelue disciples were called vnto hym he gaue them power against vncleane spirites and to caste them oute and to heale all maâ—er of sickenesse and all manner of disease The names of the twelue Apostles are these The first Simon whiche is called Peter and Andrewe his brother Iames the sonne of Zebedee and Iohn his
should be troubled with feare of infamy and not frely preache the gospel of the kyngdome It hath no dishonest thyng nor nothyng to be kept close Yea yf ye heare any thyng of me in darkenes preache ye it in the cleare light And if I haue tolde any thing secretely preache it openly Our doctrine is without any colouring It desireth to come furth before all men and it is afrayde to be knowen of no man ¶ And feare ye not them that kyll the bodye but are not able to kyll the soule But feare rather hym whiche is able to destroye both soule and body in hell Are not two litle sparowes solde for a minute one of them shall not fall to the grounde without youre father Yeâ— and all the heares of your head be nuÌ„bred Feare ye not therfore ye be of more value than many sparowes Euery one therfore that shal confesse me before men â–ª him will I confesse aâ—so before my father which is in heauen But whosoeuer deuiâ—â—â— me before men him wil I also deny before my father whiche is in heauen But there shall be some perchaunce whiche will lytle passe vpon infamye and other ylles but who can despise and set lytle by death It were mete you should feare them yf they could kyll the whole man but ye that knowe that the body is the vilest parte of man and that the soule which is the chiefe parte of man cannot be hurte of them be they neuer so sauage and cruell Ye I say nede not to feare them They should hurte you more yf they dyd not sley you folowyng theyr myndes than yf they kill you not regardyng them I wyll shewe you who is more to be feared Feare him who like as he made the whole man so he is able to condemne him to euerlastyng death and to deliuer hym into hell fyre Yet the body whiche the tiranne doeth kyll for a tyme doth not vtterly peryshe For the selfe fame at the resurreccion shall be restored in far better wise Hitherto therfore onely the body is in daunger yf in case ye be killed constantly obeying my commaundementes But yf ye obey theyr commaundementes and leaue the busâ—â—â—s of the ghospell nowe not onely the body doth peryshe whiche yf no man kill it yet by the common lawe of nature it must nedes dye but also the soule shall be deliuered to euerlastyng fier And what matter is it whether the persecutor or disease or any other chaunce take awaye the lyfe Truely more gloryous it is to die for the ghospell sake whiche death though it be violent and sore yet it shall not come before the daye whansoeuer it cummeth it shall not come without the prouideÌ„ce of God And by this it cummeth to passe that yf ye endeuour to auoyde it ye cannot God will not suffer you to be slayne but when it shall be very expedient for you to die Wherfore put out of your myndes all this feare God also will prouide for this to whome it were not hard to geue you immortalitie but that it is a greater thyng to despise death than to escape it What is of lesse value than sparrowes of the whiche two be bought for a farthing a very litle coyne And the numbre of sparrowes is great in euery place and yet not so much as one of them is loste in the yearth but by the wyll and sufferaunce of your father Doe ye feare than leste he will suffre you whom emong all he hath chosen to this busines to perishe before your tyme whom he doeth not neglecte insomuche that he kepeth the numbre of all the heares of your head Seyng that ye be of more estimacion to the father than innumerable sparrowes there is no cause why ye should feare leste men be able to do any thyng against you otherwise than shall be thought to hym who hath continuall care ouer you Wherfore leaue the care of your lyfe and death vnto hym and be not ye driuen from the open profession of my name be it neuer so hated of the worlde by any feare of displeasures that men can doe vnto men For whosoeuer litle regarding the rebukes of men doe professe me in this lyfe to bee his Lorde and maister hym wyll I acknowlege to bee my seruaunt and disciple before my heauenly father Contrarywyse whosoeuer wyll be ashamed of me before men and deny me hym will I deny before my father whiche is in heauen And this is no daynteouse and delicate profession for he doeth not professe me vnles he doeth declare by his lyfe that he doth beleue my sayinges And he hath denied me whiche so lyueth that he setteth by any sayng more than by me What winning therfore can it bee yf a maune lese that noble and euerlastyng prayse with the father and his angels for feare of a false slaunder hece which neither lasteth long nor is no slaunder in dede but with ignoraunt and folyshe menne and before God very true glory It is a great gayne lytle to passe vpon these thynges and to make haste to the euerlastyng rewarde whiche shal be geuen in due tyme to them that haue deserued it in the meane season a good conscience is a great piece of the rewarde Thynke not that I am come to sende peace into the yearth I came not to sende peace but a swearde for I am come to set a man at variauÌ„ce with his father and the doughter with her mother the doughter in lawe with the mother in lawe And a mans â—â—es shall be they that art of his householdâ— He that loueth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loueth sonne or doughter more than me is not worthy of me And he that taketh not his crosse and foloweth me is not worthy of me He that findeth his lyfe shall loose it and he that looseth his lyfe for my sake shall fynde it The profession of the ghospell is no weriche nor lyght thyng Truely the rewardes be great but ye must come vnto them with vehement and continuall desyres of the mynde they chaunce not vnto yll menne and lingerers they must be obteyned by strength and violence Thinke ye that I am cumme to so we peace in the yearth emong men It is farre otherwyse Nay I am not come to sowe peace and concorde but swearde and warâ—e and that inwarde and domesticall warre and not ciuile warre onely For where as the doctryne of the ghospell shall be hated of the moste parte and sith it requireth so feruente a desyre towarde it that all the affeccions of men be they neuer so great and vnruly must geue place it cannot be but great stryfe and dissencion must aryse emong theÌ„ that be most nere frendely whyles they that doâ—e vpon the worlde wyll rage rather agaynst theyr derest beloued than forsake theyr vices whereunto they be accustomed and whoso is once touched with the great feruencye of the euangelicall charitie he wyll not suffre hymselfe by no maner
shall it suffice them whiche will scarce suffice vs few Than Iesus commaunded whatsoeuer they had to be brought vnto him The disciples obeying simply not disputing the matter thus than ye kill vs with hunger if ye geue them thys lyttle that we haue they broughte their whole vitailes Here Iesus exhibiting an euangelicall feaste where lyke as it behoueth to be none excesse so it is mete there shoulde be an equalitie of al thinges He commaunded them all to sitte downe vpon the grasse so that fyfties shoulde sitte together that the noumber of geastes might better appeare And also he folowed the maner of them whiche making a feaste or geuyng a dole to many deuide the multitude into companies that no man should lacke and no man haue to muche This doen Iesus than at lengthe takyng vpon him to be a feaster and a feder of the bodies also whiche came to feede the soules to teache in dede his disciples that they should neuer lacke foode whiche being geuen vnto the gospell regarded litle their vitaile tooke in hys handes the fiue barly loaues two fishes first declaring vnto al men with what maner of vitaile â—he Apostolical ambassadoures ought to be conteÌ„t furthermore shewing plainly before the iye the sincere faith of the multitude which seeing howe litle vitayle there was and was not ignoraunte howe many thousande men there were commaunded to sit downe saâ—e downe Therefore Iesus the feastemaker holding in his handes the bread and the meate lifted vp his iyes into heauen shewyng that whatsoeuer is nedefull to the vse of man it cummeth from the heauenly father and whan he had praysed his bountifulnes liberalitie he brake the bread and fishes and so deliuered them vnto his disciples that they should set theÌ„ before the people putting them in remembrauÌ„ce as it were by a darke figure of what sorte the doctoures ought to be which fede with the worde the mindes of the simple For as Christ loking vp into heaueÌ„ declared that he taught nothing but that came from the heauenly father so the Apostolical men as often as they see the people to depende of their mouth with a playne and a simple faythe they shoulde delyuer nothyng vnto them which they had not receiued of Christ nor should not propose vnto theÌ„ sundry deinties out of the shops of worldly philosophie neither bring out vnto them humaine doctrine after their owne affeccions but shoulde distribute vnto theÌ„ the simple and playne euangelicall doctryne as they had receyued it of theyr maister nor shoulde not otherwise cut it mince it than he had broken it with his handes for by suche manner of preparacion both many bee refreshed and the glory redoundeth to Christe and not to the dystributour Wouldeste thou know the ende of this feaste The disciples doubtyng nothing made distribucion and they doubting nothing fel to their meate on al handes not to excesse but to sufficiency And the feast of such a numbre lacked nothing in so muche that whaÌ„ supper was done the scrappes furthermore that were gathered vp filled twelue baskettes And the noumber of menne was fiue thousande beside women and children ¶ And streight way Iesus made his disciples to get vp into a shippe and to goe before hym vnto the other side while he sent the people away And when the people were sente awaye he went vp into a mountayne to pray alone and whan nyght was come he was there alone But the shippe was nowe in the middesâ—e of the sea and was â—oste of the waues for it was a contrary winde And in the fourth watche of the nighte Iesus wente vnto them walkyng on the sea And whan the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were troubled saying It is some spirite and they cryed out for feare But streighte way Iesus spake vnto them saying be of good chere it is I be not afrayde Peter aunswered and sayde Lorde yf it bee thou bidde me come vnto thee on the water And he sayde come And whan Peter was come downe out of the ship he walked on the water to come to Iesus But whan he sawe a mighty winde he was afrayde And whan he beganne to sinke he cryed saying Lorde saue me And immediately Iesus stretched furth his hande and caughte him and sayd vnto hym O thou of litel fayth wherefore diddest no doubte These thinges done Iesus desyring to teache that after that the necessitie of the body was satisfyed we oughte not to goe vnto wantonnes or slepe but vnto prayer vnto whiche prayer solitarynes is moste mete he forced hys disciples for it greued them to departe from their dere Lord to go to the mere and to row ouer the water before and he woulde come after whan he had sent away the people But they although they departed from hym againste theyr will yet they murmoure not they make not theyr excuse that the nyghte was at hande they aske not whan he woulde folowe but they obey symply hys commaundementes Therefore whan they were gon Iesus sendyng awaye the multytude whome he had satysfyed by all meanes wente vp to a hyll to pray there alone For so he taughte hys disciples to pray Therefore in the top of the hyll Iesus was alone a good parte of the nighte And the disciples in the meane tyme theyr lorde beeing absent as they rowed in the water were in peryll For as they entred vpon the water by and by there arose a contrary wynde and the ship was tossed not without perill of the swellyng waues of the water The night made theyr feare double What shoulde they doe They were in daungier and he was not there whose helpe they mighte call vpon Iesus lefte his disciples in this peryll almost all the whole nighte to harden them by little and little agaynste all feares and to teache them that the helpe of God shall neuer lacke to them that be in perill although it come somewhat late Therefore at lengthe aboute the fourthe watche of the nyghte they almoste beeyng in despayre and nowe sore amased in theyr mynde and ready to geue ouer oute of hande Iesus came not in a bote but walkyng vpon the waters They when they sawe one walkyng in the darke and knewe not Iesus well they were more a fearde and sayde among themselues it is a goste that we see and not a man And the common sorte of shippemen thinketh that suche manner of syghtes dooe sygnyfye vtter destruccyon to them that rowe on the water Therefore they were so sore afearde that beeing almoste beside themselues they cryed out for feare But Iesus suffered them not to be in daungier any longer but by and by spake vnto them that they might know him by hys speche whome in the darke they coulde not see Be of good chere ê™he it is I feare not At thys woorde by and by theyr mynde was comforted But Peter whiche alway had a synguler loue towarde Iesus thynking nothing at all harde that he woulde
notwithstanding of one consente and agreemente to lye in wayte for Iesus And craftely they require him to shew some token from heauen as thoughe hereafter yf he woulde haue so done they woulde haue beleued in him where as they wente about nothing els but to seke occasyon to reproue hym But Iesus when he perceyued that after so many miracles they remained yet in their malice mourned in the spirite and sayde Ye hypocrites vtteryng one thyng with your mouth and cloking another in your hart in lesse thinges when ye marke heauen ye can tel before what weather shal folow the day after For whan ye see the sunne go to glade ye say to morowe shall be fayre wether for the ayer is cleare and bright Againe when ye see the sunne rise in the morning by and by ye geue sentence that that shal be a foule and a boystiouse day because the lowring ayre is red Whan ye see the fashion and countenaunce of heauen ye can gesse whether the time will be mete for iourneing rowing sowing or mowing or for any other thinges apperteyning to the vse of the body And are ye so dul and negligeÌ„t in knowlege of the time that maketh for your soules helth â–ª Ye haue the scriptures ye see what thynges be done ye see howe the worlde is renewed and vnderstande ye not yet that the tyme spoken of beâ—ore by the Prophetes and looked for so long tyme is nowe at hande Of one signe ye geue sentence of fayre or foule weather of so many signes whiche ye see dayly doe ye not perceiue the thing that is present If ye would haue bene made better by wonders and myracles ye would haue beleued me long agon Now ye require a signe and a token to be the worse thereby O naughtie and adulterous generacion which goeth farre out of kinde from her forefathers of whose tytles she magnifieth her selfe She seketh craftely for a wondre out of heauen to pycke a quarell and to reproue it But in tyme to come she shall haue a signe that she shall feare and not reproue In the meane time she shall haue no signe nor wondre but out of the earth whiche shal frustrate and disapoynte all theyr endeuoures when they shall see hym alyue agayne whome they thoughte to bee dead and buryed It seemeth a monstruouse thyng vnto them whiche chaunced to the Prophete Ionas they shall haue a lyke monster but more wondrefull By this riddell and darke fygure the Lorde Iesus signified that he should be first slayne buried of them whome they thoughte to be nothyng elles but man and furth with shoulde ryse agayne through the power of God ¶ And he left them and departed And whan his disciples were come to the other syde of the water they had forgotten to take bread with them Than Iesus sayd vnto theÌ„ Take hede and beware of the leauen of the Phariseis the Saduceis But they thought in theÌ„selues saying we haue taken no bread with vs. Whiche when Iesus vnderstode he sayde vnto them O ye of litle fayth why take ye thought within your selues because ye haue broughte no bread Do ye not perceiue nor remeÌ„bre the .v. loaues when there were fiue thousand men and how many baskettes toke ye away Neyther the .vii. loaues when there were .iiii. thousande men and how many baskettes toke ye away How happeneth it that ye doe not vnderstande that I spake it not to you concernyng breade that ye shoulde beware of the leauen of the Phariseis and Saduceis Than vnderstoode they â—owe that he had them not beware of the leauen of bread but of the doctrine of the Phariseis and of the Saduceis Iesus therfore leauing them with their blindnes went ouer the water by ship the disciples had forgotten to prouyde theÌ„selues of bread before they entred into the shippe For they had but one lofe in the shippe Iesus therefore to put them in remembraunce saide take diligent hede and beware of the leauen of the Phariseis and the Saduceis noting and touching darkely their Iewishe supersticioÌ„ because they thought it a great matter to eate these meates or those meates whereas they were taughte beefore that man was not defyled with the thynges that entred into the mouthe The dysciples althoughe they vnderstoode not what it mente were yet monished with thys saying that they had forgotten to put vitayle in their shippe Iesus therefore chideth them beyng carefull for thys thyng blamyng theyr dulnesse whiche taughte so often both with sayinges and dooinges vtterly to cast out of theyr mynde carefulnesse for vitayle yet were incumbred with carke and care for suche manner of thynges O ê™ he ye that so litell truste to me why dooe ye vexe youre mynde with thys carefullnesse that ye haue forgotten breade as who sayeth we shall lacke any thyng althoughe ye prouyde not for it Dydde not I teache you that firste of all the kyngdome of God muste bee soughte for and that these thynges shall be cast vnto you Haue ye not seene now twyse that such a great multytude lacked not meate So many wayes taughte and monyshed vnderstande ye not yet remembre ye not yet Is youre herte yet blynded with suche manier of cares and see ye not after the Phariseys fashyon that whiche ye see with youre iyes and that whiche ye heare with youre cares ys yt as though ye hearde it not haue ye forgot that whiche was lately done your selues being not onely witnesses but also ministers When that fiue thousande men were fully fed with .v. barely loaues two fyshes the numbre of geastes being so greate the preparacion so small howe many baskettes dyd ye fyll of the scrappes whiche remayned of the feaste They aunswere hym twelue And agayne when fower thousande men were fylled with seuen loaues and a fewe fishes ye beeyng the dystrybutoures howe many baskettes filled ye with the scrappes they aunswere seuen Why doe ye not yet vnderstande the maner of my speaking whiche ye tourne to the care of bodely thinges whereas my talking studieth and prouideth for the mindes rather then the bodies Now ye shoulde of your selues haue coniectured what my riddel ment when I sayde beware of the leauen of the Phariseis and Saduceis I had nowe taught you that it little skilled what kynde of meate we eate I had nowe diuersly declared and beaten vpon it that they whiche haue in hande the matter of the ghospel shoulde vtterly cast away suche vile cares The disciples beyng more attent and diligent by this litle chyding vnderstode that Iesus ment that they should take hede diligently and baware of the doctryne of the Phariseis whiche had nothyng that was syncere and clean but was corrupte with ambicyon auaryce enuie and other vyces Whereas the doctrine of the ghospell tasted of no suche thyng For theyr doctrine doeth rather infecte man than fede hym and therefore it must be taken hede of dilygently because they bee woonte for to deceiue vnware and symple men by the
him Furthermore for his wonderfull wisedome whom mannes craftines wente about to deceiue in bayne They maruailed truely but they were not chaunged And forsaking him they left of to prouoke him syth thei could not ouercome him but they did not leaue of to hate hym whom they ought to loue The same daye came vnto hym the Sadduceis whiche saye that there is no resurreccion and asked hym saying Maister Moyses sayed yf a man dye not hauyng a chylde that his brother should marry his wyfe and rayse vp seede to his brother There were with vs seuen brethren and the first maried a wyfe and dyed without issue and lefte his wyfe to his brother likewise the seconde the thirde vnto the seuenth Laste of all dyed the woman also Therfore in the resurreccion whose wyfe shall she be of the seuen For they all had her Iesus aunswered and sayed vnto them ye do erre not knowyng the Scripture nor the power of God For in the resurreccioÌ„ they neyther marry nor be marryed but are as the aungels in heauen Therfore whan the Phariseis and the Herodians were departed the Sadduceis came vnto him That faccion emong the Iewes is more grosse and lesse learned disagreing from the Phariseis in this that they denye the resurreccion In somuche that they beleue not the Aungels to bee nor the soules to bee after they bee separate from the body thynkyng nothing to bee but that whiche they see They whan they heard Christe make often mencion of euerlasting life and of the world to come and of the resurreccioÌ„ of the iust they come vnto him to trye whether he agreed with the Phariseis or taught contrary to them that they might reproue him if he were against them orels laugh him to skorne if he agreed with the Phariseis Therfore they do obiect vnto him this hard question Maister ê™ they Moyses made this lawe If a man hauing maried a wyfe departe without chyldren that the brother of the dead should marry the widowe lefte of his brother and couplyng wyth her should rayse vp issue to his brother departed There were emong vs seuen brethren of whom the firste married a wyfe and departed without children The nexte brother married her who also died without issue Lykewyse it chaunced to the thirde the fowerth vnto the seuenth all dyed without issue At laste the wyfe dyed also whiche was married to seuen brethren Therfore in the resurreccion whiche of all them shall haue her to his wife â–ª For she caÌ„not be a common wyfe for them all and all married her indifferently To this question because it was more of ignorauÌ„ce than of malyce Iesus did vouchsafe to make aunswere For he that erreth by ignoraunce is woorthy to be taught But they that propose questioÌ„s of mere malice be not woorthy to be aunswered Ye erre ê™ he whiche rede the sciptures but ye vnderstande them not and imagining nothing aboue bodily thinges which ye see ye knowe not the power of god who is more wonderfull in thinges which be not seen Here where men by courses be borne to dye wedlocke is vsed for propagacion and bryngyng furth of mankynde But where nowe mortalitie shal be swalowed vp and consumed and men shal be spirituall whiche thyng shall come to passe in the resurreccion the whiche shall restore vs agayne beyng thesame in dede that we were but yet chaunged after another sorte there shall no man marry nor no woman shal be married For there shall nede no generacion where no death shall be Further they that pertayne to the resurreccion of the iust lyue without matrimony lyke the aungels of God in heauen recording now here and mynding to theyr power that they shall come to in the resurreccion For they had rather get soules to God than bodyes to the worlde ¶ But as touching the resurreccion of the dead haue ye not red that which was spoken to you of God who saith I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob God is not the God of dead but of liuyng And whan the people heard this they were astonied at his doctryne After this Iesus notyng secretely this so folishe a question to spring of a false perswasion for that they beleued not the resurreccion disdayned not to wede this opinion also out of theyr myndes teachyng them also that this is taken out of the bokes of Moyses by whose authoritie they apposed Iesus Why haue ye an yll opinion of the resurreccion of the dead as though Moyses taught it not openly whose wrytinges ye reade grossely and nothing diligently Haue ye not red in his bokes what god sayth I am the god of Abraham and the god of Isaac and the god of Iacob If they had peryshed wholy by the deathe of the bodyes he would not saye that he is theyr god but that he was their god But yf he be theyr god truly theyr soules doe lyue and they wholy do lyue in maner by the hope of resurreccion that shall be God is lyfe and he is not God of the dead whiche nowe be not but of the liuyng So he taught them resurreccion to be but not to be after suche sorte as they imagined it to bee whan they proposed a folyshe question of seuen brethren The people when they sawe euery mannes mouthe stopped with wyse aunswers they merueiled at his effectuall and redy doctryne ¶ But whan the Phariseis had heard that he had stopped the mouth of the Sadduceis they came together and one of them being Doctor of lawe asked him a questioÌ„ temptyng him and saying Maister whiche is the great commaundement in the lawe Iesus saied vnto him Thou shalt loue the lorde thy God with al thy harte and with al thy soule and with all thy mynde This is the first and great commaundemente And the second is lyke vnto it Thou shalt loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe In these two commaundementes hang all the lawe and the Prophetes The Phariseis were not displeased that the Sadduceis were put to sylence chiefly in a matter wherin they were cleane coÌ„trary one against another Therfore whan the Phariseis sawe them put to sylence and rebuked also for ignorauÌ„ce of scripture they taking harte of grace againe gather together and set forwarde a certayne doctour of lawe whiche should goe vnto Iesus with a clerkly question that eyther he myght reproue hym of ignoraunce orels he hymselfe beare awaye the prayse of learnyng Maister ê™ he whiche is the chiefe commaundemente in the lawe Iesus purposyng to shewe that they which crake of the profession of the lawe be furthest from keping of the greatest commaundement in the lawe which wholy flame with enuy and hatred of theyr neyghboure and with other vices whiche haue none affinitie with Christian charitie and that no man loueth God whiche is vniust to his neyghbour aunswered Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy harte and with all thy soule and all thy mynde This is the chiefe and
came And whan they had song the hymne they went out vnto the mount Oliuete Than sayd Iesus to them All ye shall be offended because of me this nyght For it is written I wyll smite the shepeherde and the shepe of the flocke â—alâ—e scatered But after I am rysen againe I wil go before you into Galile Peter answered and saâ—ed vnto him Though al meÌ„ be offended because of the yet I wyl not be offended Iesus sayd vnto hym Uerely I saye vnto thee that in this nyght before the cocke crowe thou shalt deny me thryse Peter sayed vnto hym Yea though I should dye with the I wyll not deny the. Likewise also saied al the disciples And after that they hadde song an hymne in the prayse of god they arose and went into the mounte of Oliues whiche place he knewe to bee well knowen vnto the traytoure lest he should seme to desyre to be hyd as fearyng deathe but purposelye he withdrawed hymselfe into a solitarye place that he myghte bee taken without tumulte of the people which thyng they went about and loked after There he telleth his disciples agayne how it should cum to passe that byanby they should be sore troubled seing the punishemeÌ„t of their lord but lest they should be vtterly discouraged he doethe coumfort them with a prophecie and with the resurreccion that shoulde folowe furthwith poyntyng also the time and the place nere at hande where they should see hym agayne all ye ê™ he shall be troubled thys nyghte for my cause For so God the father prophecied by the mouth of hys Prophete zacharye I wyll strike the sheperde and the shepe of the flocke shal be scatered abrode But ye nede not to despayre Deathe shall trouble your myndes but byanby the resurreccion shal comforte you For I will rise agayne the thirde daye and after that I am rysen I wyll goe before you into Galile There I will offer my selfe to bee sene of you Iesus suffered al his disciples to be thus troubled to thintent he myght teache theÌ„ by the very dedes howe great the weakenes of mans nature was and how folish a thing it is for a man to trust to himselfe that hauing experience of themselues they myght learne to helpe other mennes weakenes Peter therefore not well knowyng hymselfe with a certayne manly and worldly boldnes denieth that it shall cumme to passe which Christe by the Prophecie sayed shoulde cumme to passe and whiche was a poyncte of more rashenesse he preferreth hymselfe before all other If all bee troubled ê™ he in thy cause yet I wyll not bee troubled To whome Iesus aunswered what sayeste thou Peter wylt thou alone not be troubled Nay this I tell the of a suerty before that the cocke crowe twyse this nyght thou shalt denye me thryse Yet Peter not knowleagyng hys weakenes for all thys aunswered stoutly yea yf I shoulde dye with the I wyl not denye the. And the other of the Apostles folowed the rashenes of Peter who would haue denied Christ also yf they had bene brought to a lyke streight as Peter was ¶ Then came Iesus with them vnto a village whiche is called Gethsemany and sayed vnto the disciples Sit ye here whyle I go and praye yonder and he toke with hym Peâ—er and the two sonnes of zebedee and began to were sorowfull and â—euy Than sayde Iesus vnto them My soule is heuy euen vnto the death â—arry ye â—ere watche with me And he wente a litâ—e farther and fâ—ll downe on hâ—s face and prayed saiyng â—y faâ—her yf it bee possible let thys cuppe passe from me Neuerthelesse not as I wyl â—ut as thou wilt Than Iesus knowyng that the tyme drewe nere that the laste storme shoulde cum he led aparte his eleuen disciples for Iudas was gone oute from supper into a village called Gethsemany Here he commaunded eight of them to tary whiche yet were loth to departe from theyr maister whom they loued hartelye but as yet with a worldly affeccion Tary ê™ he in this place whiles I goe into my accustomed place and praye there For he durst not make them priuye of his conflicte sith they were yet but weake lâ—ste they shoulde be discouraged and taketh with hym but only thre Peter and the two sonnes of zebedee that he myght haue them to be witnesses of hys extreme manly weakenesse whome he tooke with hym into the mounte to beholde hys maiestie and to teache with all that as often as any greater storme of suche troubles than mans strength can abyde is at hande that we vtterly distrustyng our selues commit vs wholy to the helpe of God And the feare of deathe whan it cummeth vpon a man is more bitter than deathe it selfe Therfore this horryblenes beganne than to cum vpon Iesus and he felte great sorow and heuines of mynde For he would not that hys chosen frendes should be ignoraunt of the griefe of his mind that they myght playnly see that he was very man troubled with affeccions bothe of body and mynde my soule ê™ he is heuy euen vnto deathe Taâ—ry here and watche with me For this time requireth not slepe but wakyng and earneste prayer Therfore Iesus goyng forwarde a litle from hys three disciples hangyng downe his heade bowed his face to the yearth and so prostrate prayed vnto his father saiyng My father if it be possible take away this cup of death from me for I feele the affeccion of the body much abhorring from death Notwithstanding let it be not as I wyl after the weakenes of the body but as thou wilt to the health and saluacion of mankynde And he came vnto hys disciples and founde them slepyng and sayed vnto Peter could ye not watche with me one houre Watche and praye that ye enter not into temptacion The spirite is ready but the fleshe is weake When he had thus prayed he returned vnto his disciples and found them slepyng and sayeth vnto Peter Thou that diddest crake a litle before that thou wouldest dye with me couldest thou not wake with me one houre I wake and praye for you Wake you with me and praye to the father that ye fall not into temptacion and be ouercum The victorye chaunceth not but vnto them that wake Therfore we must wake leste the fleshe ouercum the spirite and the spirite mâ—ste be susteyned with the helpe of God Againe he went the second tyme and prayed saiyng My father if this cup can not passe awaye from me but that I drinke it thy wyl bee done And he came and found them again slepyng For theyr iyes were heuy And he left them and went agayn â–ª and praied the third time saiyng the same woordes Than cummeth he to hys disciples and sayeth vnto them Slepe now take your rest Behold the houre is at hande the sonne of man is betrayed into the haÌ„des of sinners Arise let vs be going Behold he is at hand that doeth betray me So hys disciples beyng raysed Iesus went agayne and
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
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
what hope of recouery is there in those persons that cherysh and make muche of theyr disease that flye out of the physycians syght yea that hate and abhorre hym If thou be ashamed to acknowledge thy syckenesse to a maÌ„ phisycian or els yf thou haue any mistrust in hym who peraduenture when he knoweth thy syckenes wyll rather hit the in the teeth therwith then cure the same yet hide it not from Christ who discloseth no mannes offences but healeth all men and that frelye and thus do thou to th entent it maye lykewyse chaunce vnto the as it chaunced to the sicke of the palsey What did he â–ª He all thinges now turned cleane coÌ„trary lyfted vp his bed on his shoulders as one ruling his sensuall appetites and passioÌ„s whiche he serued before For this is the very thing that is meant by bearing of the crosse This is it that is vnderstand by crucifying the fleshe with her vices and coÌ„cupiscences Now neadeth he no more fower porters to carry hym He walketh on his owne feete whithersoeuer the spirite of Christe leadeth hym neither goeth he but whither he is commaunded to go For what is it to walke but by continuall encrease of vertue styl to goe forwarde and euery daye to wax better and better what is it to retourne into the house fro wheÌ„ce he came but to knowleage in what case he came out froÌ„ thence and by whose benefite he returned thither againe soodainly chauÌ„ged altered bothe in body and sowle For it is the propertie of the phariseis to dwell without in stretes market places and whereas conuenticles and vnlawfull assembles be He dwelleth at home in his owne house whoso knoweth howe nought and vertuelesse he is of himselfe and wholly ascribeth what vertue and goodnesse soeuer he hath to the free liberalitie of our sauiour Now will I dismisse the froÌ„ any loÌ„ger beholding of this syght after I haue rehersed vnto the by waye of epilogacion the persones of this seene or pageaunt The sycke of the palsey and they that carrye hym be made shamelesse through theyr great fayth and obtaine theyr peticion Iesus is so muche delyted with theyr faythe that euen of his owne accorde and not desyred of them he doubleth his benefite The symple and vnlearned people discerning nothyng in him whom they beleued to be nought els but a manne only merueyleth at the power of God The scribes alone muttre softly with themselfes agaynst Iesu. Let vs therfore eschew the ensample of the saide Scribes who whyles they studie to aduasice theyr owne glorie goe about to duske the glorye of Iesu. Let vs of the simple sorte of people and with them glorifye God not only if it please hym at any tyme of his great mercifull goodnesse to heale the infirmytie of our soules but also whensoeuer we see any other through his saide bounteous goodnes forsake theyr olde vicious lyuyng and cumme to amendement ¶ And he went agayne vnto the sea and all the people resorted vnto him and he taught them And as Iesus passed by he saw Leuy the sonne of Alphey sittyng at the receipte of custome and sayde vnto him folow me And he arose and folowed hym And it came to passe that when Iesus sate at meate in his house many publicanes and synners sate also together at meate with Iesus and his disciples For there were many that folowed hym And when the Scribes and phariseis saw him â—ate with publycanes and sinners they sayd vnto his disciples Howe happeneth it that he eateth and drynketh with publicanes and sinners When Iesus heard that he sayde vnto them They that be whole haue no nede of the physician but they that are sycke I came not to call the ryghtuouse but synners to repentaunce After this so notable a miracle was wrought at CapernauÌ„ Iesu to thentente he might dooe good to moe departed thence agayne and went to the sea He dyd not conuey hymselfe awaye because he woulde not helpe men and doe them good but whyle he forsoke the vncurable scribes he prouoked the godly by his departure the more to desyre his presence For there likewise resorted a greate number of people vnto the sea teachyng vs that we ought in lyke manoure to forsake all thynges folowe Iesus whithersoeuer he goeth For he is euery where a sauiour whether he be resydent in cities or trauayle thoroughe tounes and villages or continewe in the wyldernesse or goe vp to mountaines or come downe into the plaine or els repayre to seas and waters When he sawe therfore that so great a multitude of people was cumme thyther knew ryght wel the cause of theyr cumming he taught them on the shore And as he there walked he passed by a certaine custome house where those are wont to syt that demaunde custome and towle of suche as sayle by and espied in that house a certaine manne named Mathew who was also called Leuy the sonne of Alphey sytting at the receipt of custome for he was a publycane or customer And albeit this sorte of menne was euery where muche hated of the people yet specially among the Iewes they were counted abhominable For they vse to bye this office of the prince for an vnreasonable summe of money and therfore to th entent theyr aduauntage and gayne may be the more for the moste parte they take and extorte of all menne without pitie and conscience and put maryners and wayfaring menne to muche busynesse vnto whome many tymes damage and disprofite ynough otherwyse happeneth There were verye many among the Iewes who denied that the Iewes beyng the holye people of god ought to pay tribute vnto the Emperour since he was an heathen prince and a worshipper of Idolles And for this cause they greatly abhorred the Publicans who to haue the gaynes of the money whiche they leuied ouer and aboue that was due serued hym in gatheryng of toll and custome The lorde whiche had before imbrayded the scribes with theyr vnbeliefe for that they murmured against his miracle whereas the symple people gloryfyed and praysed god therfore because he woulde nowe eftsones shewe that none be farther from true holynesse then suche as thynke themselues perfyte holy menne called Mathew out of the custome house and commauÌ„ded hym to folowe him Mathew beyng sodainlye chaunged and made a newe man forsoke his gayning seate and folowed poore Iesus to th entent he might be enriched with the ryches of the ghospel All men did not so greatly merueyle at this facte and yet was it in dede more wonderfull then that whiche they so muche merueiled at a lytle before when the sicke of the palsey was healed For consydre me well what a palsey he hath whose mynde is fastened to couetousnesse Neyther is it vnknownen howe intricate and busye the accomptes of publicans be and therfore that he sodeinly chaunged went out of his custome house forsakyng all that euer he hadde and folowyng Iesu was more to be merueyled at then the sycke of the
geue her meate Whyles Iesus was aunswerynge the woman there came messengers from the ruler of the Synagoges house which saide vnto him Thy doughter is deade Why doest thou put the mayster to further paynes in vayne These wordes spoken the ruler of the Synagoge who had before a doubtfull hope mengled with muche feare beeyng nowe as a manne in despayre durst make no farther suite vnto the Lorde The messangers put hym in despaire sayinge She is deade So manye are wonte to speake by those persons whiche haue fallen to the committing of some haynous enormitie as for an ensample of aduoutrie inceste thefte or manslaughter sayinge He is at a poynte he is paste all goodnesse Surely Iesus sufferethe none to fall into desperacion but suche a one as refuseth to beleue in hym It is the propertie of Iewes to despaire The good Christian who knoweth the goodnesse of the Lorde to bee â—gâ—ll with his power neuer despaireth Christe therefore holpe and lyfted vp the fayntyng hope of the ruler of the Synagoge with swete and confortable wordes sayinge be not afrayed althoughe it be so that thy doughter be deade in dede Onelye haue belefe It skylleth not in howe euell case she be but howe stronge and stedfaste is thy faythe When he had thus spoken he came vnto the ruler of the Synagoges house and entred in but leauyng all the rablemente of people without dores sufferyng not so muche as his disciples to goe in with hym saue alonely Simon Peter Iames and Iohn who was Iames his brother These folowynge hym he entred into the ruler of the Synagoges house there founde he al thinges ryght gorgiouslly and with great pompe prepared for the buryall of the mayden and besyde this manye of her kynsmen and kynswomen lamentably bewaylyng her ouertymely deathe For she common sorte are wounte to take the death of young folkes much greuouslyer then of olde wher as in dede nothing is more to be desyred of god then in that age to dye when it is moste pleasure to lyue or euer the soule be blemished with the manifolde euyls of this present lyfe For it litle forceth howe longe a man liue but howe well and vertuously Iesus therfore teaching vs that we oughte not to bewayle the deade with vayne funerall songes caused the mourners to cease theyr noyse Why â—aythe he make you such a clamoure and noyse in the house with your wepynge and waylynge The mayde is not deade but a slepe Truly vnto hym she dyd but slepe who could much easlyer wakeÌ„ relyue her with a worde of his mouthe then one of vs can wake another oute of his slepe And slepe is in euery point a resemblaunce and meditacion of death For it bryngeth to reste the powers of the sowle and taketh awaye sence so that if it were continuall it were verye deathe in dede But suche as stode by when she died not perceyuing what Iesus meante by these wordes laughed hym to skorne because he beleued she was yet aliue sithe it euidently appeared that she was deade Iesus droue all these folkes out a doores whiche fylled the house full of noyse and dynne with theyr vayne wepyng and waylyng and dyd not onelye nothyng at all profyte the deade bodye therwith but also encreaced the woefullnesse of her parentes and laughed hym the aucthour of healthe to skorne There nedethe not the presence of suche people where the soule beeyng dead throughe synne is to bee called agayne to the lyfe of innocencie and vertuous lyuyng This thyng dyd Iesus then in a nother mannes seuerall house What woulde he nowe doe yf he sawe the great pompe that some vse in funerals euen to very madnesse There are certayne persones hiered to fayne mourninge and weping to crye out to teare the heare that manye tymes is none of theyrs to knocke themselues on the breste to scratche theyr faces to caste out wordes that no frantycke manne woulde speake the lyke full of distruste and vnbelefe They set mylke by the deade karkes therewyth to allure the soule strayinge and wandryng abrode into the body agayne They oftetymes crye and call vpon the dead body by name Phylip cum againe Come agayne to vs good Phylip. They chyde and braule with him saying Why hast thou forsakeÌ„ thy frendes Why wouldes thou kyll vs with mourning Thou lackeddest nothyng to liue all at pleasure neyther ryches nobilitie honorable aduauncemeÌ„tes beautie nor age O thou cruel felowe O wretches that we be c. Nowe put me hereunto trumpettes that sounde vnto the deafe the syngyng menne that syng vayne funerall songes vnto the deade bodie whiche hearethe them not and dooe not thereby take awaye the sorowe of the lyuinge but encrease it Furthermore put hereto the long rowes of torch-bearers and the raye of those that are clad all in blacke and mournyng apparell Yea there be summe also whiche cause horses trapped in blacke to bee brought into this pompous shewe to cary the deade maÌ„nes flagge and cootearmoure and with theyr downe lokyng for theyr neckes are fast bounde vnto theyr legges to make as though they sought for their maister that is descended and gone downe to hell What shall I rehearse the great feastes and solemne baÌ„kettes that they are wonte to make The magnificke and costlye buildynges of tombes as thoughe there were litle pompes and superâ—â—uite vsed in life excepte dead folkes dyd also declare themselues to be attached wyth these vices Nowe sytheÌ„s euen those that are of the wysest sorte of the heathen suppose these to be mad and fonde customes howe muche more then oughte they not to be had in vse amonge christen menne whiche dooe all slepe rather then dye and shal awake agayne the last daye at the sownyng of the Aungels trumpet Therefore to retourne to the order and processe of thy storye when Iesu had put all these folkes out a doores he toke the parentes of the mayden and wente into the secrete chambre whereas the coarse laye For his pleasure was that they shoulde be witnesses of the miracle whiche he entended to worke Here the Lord toke the mayden by the hand and as though he woulde haue wakened her out of her slepe sayde vnto her Tabitha cumy the whiche in the Syrian language is as muche to saye as howe mayden aryse Suche as are in a depe or sounde slepe cannot many tymes be wakened althoughe a manne call them ofte tymes with a loude voyce and pinche them neuer so muche and when they be called vp yet doe they not by an by awake but beeyng a good while halfe a slepe or drousy gape stretch theyr armes nod with theyr heades that many tymes the chynne stryketh the brest and if a man call not styll vpon them they fall aslepe agayne This deade mayden arose furthwith and walked at the voyce of Iesu beyng not only relyued but also very mery and iocunde For the soule which throughe thenforcement of disease had forsaken the bodye knewe the voyce of his maker and
anye harme that it letteth not a man to make quicke spede in his iourney Therfore it is but one thing that he monisheth whiche permitteth them to vse sandals and forfendeth to weare shooes For he forbyddeth nothyng els but slacknesse in doyng of theyr dutie and exorteth them to vse spedinesse therin Agayne it is but one thyng that he warneth them of whiche geueth them leaue to carie a wande and taketh awaye from them the vse of staues For a wande socoureth and stayeth the walkyng manne and nothyng hyndreth him in his iourneye but rather causeth him to make quicker spede Nowe the staffe as it burtheneth a manne to beare it so is it wont to be caried againste violence Therfore he that permitteth them to vse no other weapon but a waÌ„de only and forbyddeth them to carye a staffe willeth vndoubtedlye that the preacher of the gospell be by no other ayde safely fensed agaynst the assaultes of yuell menne then by the onelye helpe of Christe A wande is mete for a wayfairing man and a staffe for a fighter Moreouer he that hath the haÌ„delyng of the gospell must alwayes goe forwarde to thinges of higher perfeccion and be fardest from desyre of reuengement ¶ And he sayde vnto them wheresoeuer ye enter into an house there abyde styll tyll ye departe thence And whosoeuer shall not receyue you nor heare you when ye departe thence shake of the dust that is vnder your feete for a wytnes vnto theÌ„ Uerely I saye vnto you it shall be easier for Sodome and Gomor in the daye of iudgement then for that citie And they went out and preached that men should repent and they caste out many deuils and annoynted many that were sycke with oyle and healed them â–ª After that Christe hadde plucked this carefulnesse oute of the myndes of his Apostles then went he about to shewe them a waye howe it shoulde cum to passe that they shoulde neuer nede to be carefull for suche thynges Take ye no thought sayth he neither for harborough ne sustenaunce but after ye once be entred into village or citie wheresoeuer it be your chaunce to be receyued be the house neuer so poore and homely there abyde you till suche tyme as you thynke it meete for you to departe sum whither els moued throughe desyre to set forthe and aduauÌ„ce the ghospell And beyng but fewe in number and contented with a litle you shall not be chargeable geastes to anye man It is in manoure impossible that theâ—â— be any where any good towne or citie so farre past all grace and goodnesse wherin there can not one manne be founde who wyll be glad to receiue suche geastes as ye are synce there are manye whiche will not sticke to wage a phisiciaÌ„ with a large salarie and send for him a great waye of Yf you chaunce to cum to any so vnkynde a citie or house that the inhabitauntes therof wyll not receyue you notwithstandyng you bryng them of your owne accorde an heauenly gyft or present wherewith both bodies and soules are healed yet cease you not for a fewe harde harted persones to do thâ— businesse you haue taken in hande but yet departe you out of that citie for a season to other cities and or ere you go awaye embrayde suche persons as would not receiue you with theyr great folye and madnesse Gette you out into the streetes and shake of the dust styckyng on youre feete that they maye call to remembraunce howe there came summe vnto them who freely offered them health and sauetie brought them the ioyfullest message that coulde be and maye further perceyue that lyke as so excellente a good thyng cannot by any manoure of rewarde be worthilye recompensed euen so suche precions ware and marchandise oughte not to be thruste to anye whiche lotheth thesame and is not wyllyng to receiue it and this do you to thintent they maye blame themselues for theyr owne damnacion because they woulde rather perishe when they might haue been saued and also know perfectlye howe you soughte for nothyng els among them but onely the healthe and saluacion of your neyghbours insomuche that you would not endamage them as muche as with the losse of a litle quantitie of dust It becuÌ„meth well ynoughe my ambassadours to vse such manour of proude demeanure againste frowarde and disdainfull persons At your departure speake vnto them this one thyng folowyng althoughe they be not wyllyng to heare it knowe you that whether you receyue vs or receyue vs not the kyngdome of God is cumme If you receyue vs it is cum to your greate wealth and commoditie But yf you receyue vs not yet shall the same cumme to your great euyll and confusion When Christes messengers were furnished with these necessaries for their iourneye they toke their leaue of theyr maister and as it was geuen them in commaundement they moued and exhorted all men to be repentaunte for theyr former lyfe shewyng them how the kyngdome of God was already presente whiche through fayth of the gospell would bring vnto all men perfite ryghteousnesse For the chiefe and principall parte of preachyng of the gospell is for a man to geue faith vnto the doctrine that he heareth and to beleue the promyses WheÌ„ the lorde Iesus had with these and many other lyke lessons diligentlye enstructed his disciples then thesame twelue headmen of the kyngdome of heauen toke theyr iourney and the mattier went forward and had good successe They preached vnto all menne that they shoulde be penitent for their former sinnes and that no man should truste vnto his owne dedes and merites but onely haue sure belefe in the promises of the gohspell And they founde sum that lystened and gaue diligent eare vnto theyr preachyng There lacked not here a ready power to worke miracles whiche made theyr wordes to be beleued thoughe themselues were neuer so symple persons and vnknowen They anoynted the sycke people with oyle and the same were healed They commaunded the hurtfull spirites to go out in the name of Iesu and they wente out That oyle was not a medicine for who heateth all manoure of diseases with one medicine but a sacrament The skynne was outwardly anoynted with visible oyle and the body was made whole But theyr soules whiche anon after shoulde be delyuered from the diseases of vice and synne were to be anoynted with the oyle of grace inuisible by our anoynted Iesus Christe Wherfore it was not by vertue of suche prayers and enchauntmeÌ„tes as witches or magicians vse that they cast out dyuels but by wordes piththy and effectuall through an euangelike fayth This was vndoubtedly the very power of the kyngdom of heauen What was more abiect vile and lessere garded then the Apostles were But the lesse that theyr power was the more manifestlye did it appeare that all that euer was done came to passe by the might and power of God They neyther had riches learning office garde to defende them nobilitie fame nor authoritie To be
be not able to attayne that secrete wysdome whiche S. Paul speakethe of amonge such as are perfite then the hem of his garment touched so that thy faythe be perfite wall shall restore the to health The hemmes of the Phariseis garmentes be they neuer so brode are not of power and vertue to do the lyke There is nothyng so lowe in the Lorde Iesu that through fayth geueth not healthe ¶ The .vii. Chapiter THus went the ghospell forward among the simple and lightly beleuyng people But it had not lyke successe amonge the Scribes and Phariseis who thought in theyr owne conceiptes that they had in theyr keapynge the castle of all pure religion and true doctrine and scantly estemed the vnlearned and ignoraunt sorte of the commoÌ„ people for men For of the priestes there is scarcely any where any mencioÌ„ made but when Iesus should be put to deathe Therefore lyke as in Comedies or playes there are diuerse sceanes and pageauntes to the intent that by the comparing together of sundry persons and matters euery thing maye the playnlyer appeare so in thys euangelyke busines the Lorde Iesus so ordred all thynges that were doen from tyme to tyme that it shoulde playnlye appeare to all men after they sawe howe ready the simple people and Gentyles were to beleue howe vncurable was theyr froward obstinacy who of congruence ought to haue refourmed other if they had been hard of beliefe To the vnlearned and common sorte it was sufficient for the recoueryng of theyr health that they touched but the hem of Christes garment But the Phariseis were neuer the better neyther for that they vnderstode the prophecies and foresayinges of the Prophetes neither because they had so oftetymes heard Iesu preache vnto thâ—m the heauenly doctryne nor for so many miracles as they had sene him woorke before ¶ And the Phareseis came together vnto him diuers of the Scribes whiche came from Ierusalem And when they sawe certayne of his disciples eate bread with coÌ„mon that is to saye with vnwashen handes they complayned For the Phariseis and all the Iewes â–ª excepte they washe theyr handes ofte eate not obseruing the tradicions of the elders And when they cum from the market except they washe they eate not And manie other thinges there be whiche they haue taken vpon them to obserue as the washyng of cuppes and censes and brasen vessels and of the tables Nowe after all this was doen thither came certayne of the Phariseis and Scribes in companye together forsoth a worshypfull sorte of gentilmen and worthy to be had in greate reuerence and the more a greate deale because they came from Ierusalem where they bare men in hande that the well of godlynes and holy doctrine was whereas in deede there was the verye well springe and head of all ambicion all hipocrisie and all vngodlynes These felowes because they thought themselues ryghteous men and well learned came not hither to learne any thing of Christ neither to be healed but to picke quarels And loe byanby was there a ready occasion for them so to doe This occasion beyng much desirous therof they toke of the supersticious obseruacion of ceremonies whereof rysen almost all quarelinges and wrongfull accusacions amonge christian men The Iewes call that common whiche is vncleane and vnholy abhorryng all impuritie and endeuouryng in no wyse to seme to haue any where any maner of vncleane or filthye thyng And this cleanesse they measured not by puritie of mynde the whiche is the onely and true puritie before God but by corporall ceremonies And of these ceremonies a fewe were commaunded by Moyses lawe not to this ende that they shoulde be earnestly obserued for euer but partly to the entent the ignoraunte and disobediente people should by this meanes accustome theÌ„selues to obey Gods commaundementes and partely because they should by suche mauer as a manne would say of shadowes and rudimentes be by litle and title enâ—tructed to those thinges that belong vnto true godlynes which is in the soule of man Nowe sum of them not contented with the ceremonies commaunded by the lawe added thereunto constitucions of their owne makyng out of numbre whiche the Phariseis more rigorously compelled the people to kepe then suche thynges as were commaunded by God alwayes and euery where to be obserued And for suche folishe trifles they chalenged the prayse of holines and brought the people in a fonde beliefe that they were made holy therby and finally the whiche was a muche wickeder deede they wente aboute to forge a matter of vngodlines or heresy against their neighbour for the breache of suche ceremonies thobseruacion wherof conduced nothing at all vnto true godlynes For when they saw certayne of his disciples eate meate with vnwashed handes that is as they vse to speake with commune and vncleane handes they rebuked them as wicked persons and theyr maister too who had naughtely instructed them They condemned not this facte because it was either of it owne proper nature vicious or els forbidden by almightye God but because it disagreed with their vse and custome Assuredly the wurst rule that can be to iudge by is to disalow any thyng because thou vsest not to do the same For it chaunceth many tymes that the folishest thinges of all grow to a commune custome whiche ought not in any wyse to be made the rule of godlines in asmuche as puritie is to be estemed not by custome but by those thynges whiche are true and commaunded by God But the Scribes Phariseis yea and almoste all the whole packe of the Iewes most folishely iudgeing puritie of mynde to stande in corporall thynges dyd contrarie to this supersticiously obserue the maner taught them not of God but of theyr forefathers and elders in suche wyse that yf they had been in daunger to sterue for hunger they woulde haue eaten no meate vnlesse they had first washed theyr handes And yf they be compelled to take theyr repaste ofte tymes a daye then washe they ofte tymes and therfore suppose that they cumme cleane vnto the table Further if they retourne home from the market then do they as though they had gathered sum filthe by touching of the people washe theyr whole bodies afreshe before they eate any meate wheras all this while hauyng theyr soules moste polluted with hatred enuy ambicion couetousnes hypocrisye and manye other detestable vyces they neuer haue anye mynde of washyng at all These and suche other like tradicions were taught them of theyr forefathers besydes the constitucions of the law wheras the law expresly forfendeth that anye thynge be eyther added â–ª or taken awaye from Gods commaundementes Neyther thought they it sufficient ofte tymes to washe theyr bodies therby to appere the cleaner They washed also theyr cruses theyr brasen vessels and theiâ— tables ¶ Then asked hym the Phariseis and Scribes why walke not thy disciples accordinge to the custome ordeyned by the elders but eate bread with vnwashen handes He answered and sayed vnto
them well prophecied Esay of you hypocrites as it is written This people honoreth me with theyr lyppes but theyr harte is fat from me Howbeit in vayne do they serue me teaching the doctrines and commaundementes of men for ye laye the commaundement of God apart and obserue the constitucione of men as the washing of cruses and of cuppes and many other suche lyke thinges ye do Nowe coulde they no lenger kepe in this foule scabbe of false reprouyng yet quarelled not they with the disciples but assayled the maister himself as though he had committed sum haynous enormitie Why say they do not thy disciples who folowe the and hang vpon thyne instruccion and teachyng kepe the custome begon of our elders but eate their meate with vnwashen and vncleane handes Iesus intending to teache vs that there is no more noysom or mischeuous kinde of quarrelling then when a man vnder pretence of godlynes fyndeth faute with the well doynges of his neyghboure sharpely reproueth theyr malice and coloured righteousnes By your deedes sayeth he you playnely declare that the Prophete Esay prophecied of you hypocrites full well and worthely whyche make an outwarde shewe of holynes wheras inwardly ye are replenished withall sinne wickednes In this Prophete God complaynethe in this wyse This people honorethe me with theyr lyppes but theyr heart is far from me And as theÌ„selues do liue so do they enstructe other I passe nothing vpon this cleanes of theyr bodies and houshold stuffe but require of them inward puritie cleanes of soule They serue me in vayne wyth this coloured kynde of godlynes auauntyng and magnifying it as thoughe it were a thyng of great worthynes and wherein perfite godlynes did stande teaching mans tradicions whiche make no man commemdable and prayse worthy before God and of a supersticious mynde they haue to obserue thesame tradicions nothynge passynge vpon Gods commaundementes Looke howe muche differâ—nce there is betwene God and manne so muche differencâ— oughte there to be betwene mens constitucions and Gods commaundementes God is a spirite and that whiche is spirituall and ghostly continueth for euer and oughte neuer to bee neglected Agayne what thynge soeuer is corporall thesame lastethe but for a season If it be lawfull to passe litle vpon the ceremonies whiche god himselfe hathe commaunded to be kepte whensoeuer charitie towardes the neyghboure exhorteth so to doe Howe muche lesse then is it meete to breake the commaundementes of God for kepyng of mans tradicions It is a wrong shapen godlines and an vnholy holines to bee supersticious in kepyng of suche ceremonies as your forefathers â–ª instituted and taught you of theyr owne mynde and in the meane while litle to regard those thinges which God himselfe hath commaunded you to obserue You thinke it to be one of the chiefeste pointes of godlines to washe your handes your cuppes your cruces and to obserue manye other lyke thinges the whiche your doinges by reason they haue a certayne counterâ—ayte apparaunce or visure of holines doe highly set you furth and make you seeme prayse worthy vnto the worlde and this prayse so gotten by coloured holynes you set more by then by Goddes auctoritie For you loue your selues and neyther seke Goddes glorye nor the soule health of the people whose guydes and teachers you professe your selfes to be ¶ And he sayed vnto them wel ye cast aside the commaundement of god to mayntayne your owne constitucions For Moyses sayd Honour thy father and thy mother and whoso cursethe father or mother let him dye the death But ye saye a man shall say to father or mother Corban which is what gifte soeuer cummeth from me shal be for thy profite And so ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother and make the worde of God of none effect through your owne constitucion whiche ye haue ordayned and manye such thinges do ye Therfore it is no maruayle yf ye disanull and cleane take awaye that God hath commaunded to be obserued of all men for euer to th entent that mannes tradicions whiche procure you great gaynes and authoritie maye still continue Doth not all the worlde see that you thus do Dyd not god geue this law by Moyses Honour thy father and mother And he that curseth his father or mother shall dye the death This God commaundeth not in one place but doth oft times repete it and put euerye man in remembraunce thereof because that children shoulde to theyr power helpe theyr parentes when they be olde impotent or fallen into pouertie or otherwise so ofte as they are oppressed with any maner of necessitie and by this meanes paye them home agayne the benefyte of theyr nourishing The same thing the lawe of nature commaundethe whiche is likewise emplanted in manye brute beastes as in Storkes But you hauinge an iye to your owne peculiar vauntage doe with your fayned doctrine make Gods commaundemente of none effect and require that this lawe whiche God woulde so fayne haue euery body to kepe shoulde geue place vnto your sayed coloured doctrine God himselfe cryethe honour thy father and thy mother ye are bolde to saye the contrary Honour not thy father and thy mother You crye not so with wordes but you do it in very dede So muche the more detestable is your wickednes because you cloke the same with an ymage or colour of godlynes For to the intente your treasury wherewith all your excesse and pride is mayntayned maye be filled you craftely alure whomsoeuer you can to bringe very many giftes vnto the temple by defeatinge euen of theyr owne parentes whom they shoulde according to Gods commaundemeÌ„t succour at theyr nede perswading them that by this meanes the commaundement is fulfilled as thoughe the thynge whiche is dedicated vnto the temple were geuen to God and that God were the very naturall father of all menne Wherfore vnto him who hath caste anye moneye into the treasurye you saye that he nowe nedethe not to geue anye thynge to the reliefe of his poore parentes because the commaundemente is otherwyse fulfilled and in the meane while you so feare the parentes with vayne supersticion that they dare not require of theyr children anye thinge whiche semethe once dedicated vnto God leste in so doynge they shoulde brynge themselues in daunger to be accused of sacrilege Doubtles God hath no nede of your moneye neyther is the same employed to his glorie but turned to your owne priuate commoditie and thoughe it were bestowed vpon the buildynge of the temple yet with God there is no temple so holy that for the maynteynaunce therof he would haue the children forsake theyr parentes at theyr nâ—de Do not you when that by suche fayned doctrines ye both so deceyue the chyldren that they refuse to helpe theyr parentes and also so feare the parentes that they dare not touche anye thynge once consecrated vnto the temple dooe not you I saye whiles you thus stablishe and vpholde your owne commaundementes
not for that he woulde not haue his miracle disclosed and knowen but because the thinge selfe dothe beter declare the power of god then any publycacion or settinge forth of man They all knewe this deafe dum person Nowe he hearde had his conge at will And so did he blase euen when he spake neuer a woorde of the mattier the greate benefite receyued of Iesu. Further Iesus was in this world conuersaunte vnder the shape likenes of man because he woulde enstructe menne and teache them what they shoulde doe What thinge soeuer a manne dothe that is excellence and prayse worthye lette him couete to haue no wordes made thereof to thentente that maimes glorye maye be vtterlye suppressed and onely goddes glory aduaunced It is ieopardy to magnify and ertoll manne but the power and goodnesse of God is euermore moste worthely praysed Albeit neyther is the glorye and prayse of man if anye be due vnto him cleane suppressed Yea oftetimes the more it is auoyded the more it folowethe But a christian teacher muste be of this mynde to desyre as muche as in him lyeth to be knowen to god alone and in so doing he is the more worthy to be praysed to euery body For whoso destrethe glory and prayse among men thesame in that he is so desirous therof deserueth to haue none at all Wherfore in that Iesu for badde them whiche broughte the dumme manne vnto him to tell anye bodye what was done he thereby more prouoked them to publish and tell it abrode to all menne And so muche the more had they his greatnesse and excellencie in admiracion because that he who bothe was able to doe and wrought in dede suche feates among them did not onely not require of them anye mede or rewarde for his laboure but also woulde not somuch as take the fruicion of that glorye and prayse which he moste worthely deserued for so notable a miracle But as it is the propertie of him who is beneficiall in dede to require no prayse for hys benefite so is it agayn the part of a thankfull persō so much the more earnestly to render hartie thankes because the authoure of the benefite loketh for none at all Therfore those felowes reported euery where of Iesu saying He hath done all thinges well and hath restored to the deafe theyr hearing and to the dumme theyr tongue and speache This praise is agreeable to none but to god alone No earthly manne doeth all thinges aright All the miracles that Iesu wrought were vndoubtedly our benefites whiche miracles if a man wey and pondre after the outward apparaunce of corporall thynges in dede there were many of them that farre passed this wherewith he made the deafe to here and the dumme to speake But according to the spiritual meaning hereof the sūme of a christen mannes felicitie standeth in this poynte that with his eares he may heare the wordes of the gospel and then with his tongue vttre speake what he hath learned and geuen credence vnto ▪ ¶ The .viii. Chapiter ¶ In those dayes when there was a very greate companye and had nothing to eate Iesus called his disciples to him and sayde vnto them I haue compassion on the people because they haue nowe bene with me thre dayes and haue nothing to eate and if I sende them away fasting to theyr owne houses they shall faynte by the way For diuers of them came from farte And his disciples answered him where shoulde a man haue bread here in the wildernesse to satisfie these And he answered thē Howe many loaues haue ye They sayde seuen And he cōmaunded the people to sitte downe on the ground And he toke the seauen loaues And when he had geuen thankes he brake them and gaue to his disciples to set before them And they did set them before the people And they had a few small fishes and when he had blessed he commaunded them also to be set before them And they did eate and were sufrised and they toke vp of the broken meate that was left seuen baskettes full And they that did eate were about fower thousand And he sent them away THe Lord Iesus exhorteth his disciples by diuerse ensamples to continuall beneficence and well doyng the chiefeste parte wherof is to feede the ignoraunte people wyth the doctrine of the ghospell Therefore he repeteth then sample of feadyng because the thyng so ofte tymes prynted in theyr mindes should in no case out of memorie For it fortuned on a certayne season that a greate multitude of people came vnto hym to wyldernes bryngyng with them many sicke folkes payned with diuerse diseases The moste gracious Lorde cured all theyr corporall sickenesses and fedde theyr soules with the heauenlye doctrine And by reason he was so readie to do good he so wan the hartes of the multitude that they could by no meanes be seuered from hym And whiles theyr myndes were wholelye fixed vpon the kyngdome of God they remembred not to make prouision for vitayles in somuche that when theyr bodies were healed and their soules fed they were in great daunger to sterue for hungre Assuredly honger is a sore thing especially when it chaunceth among a multitude Iesus mindyng to teache the apostles by dede selfe that suche shall want nothing as cleaue vnto hym by sincere fayth sayed vnto them I haue compassion vpon this multitude For lo they haue been with me nowe this three dayes and haue nothyng to eate If I sende them awaye fasting as they be it is ieopardie leste they faynte and tyar by the waye before they gette home For sum of them came a greate waye hence By these wordes Iesus prouoked his disciples to attend vnto the miracle whiche he purposed to worke Howebeit they being yet rude and ignoraunt had cleane forgotten howe that before he had fedde a greate numbre of people with fiue loaues and two fishes and therefore answered in this wyse Where shoulde a man haue breade here in wildernesse to satisfie so great a multitude and so houngrye withall by reason of two dayes fastinge althoughe there lacked not money ynough to bye it Here thou hearest an answere of forgetfulnesse and distrust Iesus asked them agayne howe manye loaues haue you They loked vpon theyr vytayles and aunswered seuē Doubtlesse this was the true Euangelike breade not of barly but of wheate like as were the loaues before mencioned wherwith the chyldren are fedde whiche is not caste to dogges Barlie hath in it his proper fioure but couered with a rough huske or couering The fiue bokes of Moyses called the Pentatenche haue also in them a spirituall vnderstanding but thesame is wrapped and couered with darcke figures The nūbre of the loaues was multiplied but the couering was taken awaye in token that grace was encreased and ceremonies diminished Nowe whereas the disciples thought that these vitayles would not haue been sufficient for so greate a multitude of people Iesus that notwithstāding commaunded them all
saue he whiche beleueth that Iesu is the authour and originall cause of all healthe and saluacion The well of the euangelike saluacion is a sure belefe on Iesus Christ the sonne of God inspired vs by the heauenly inspiracioÌ„ And to wryng this belefe out of the Apostles he sayd The coÌ„mon people as I perceyue are wauering in theyr fayth hauing no constant opinion of me and yet haue they a greater opinion of me then such as sayed I was nothing els but a Carpentours sonne then such as said I was furious and madde sought me out to th entent to haue bounden me with cheines theÌ„ suche as sayd I had the spirite of Beelzebub But what say you who be of household and of familiar acquaintaunce with me haue bene alwayes witnesses of all that euer I haue done and taught whom saye you that I am Then Peter the chiefe professoure of the ghospell made answere in all their names and sayde Thou arte that selfe same Messias long agoe promised of the Prophetes the sonne of the lyuing God by whoÌ„ onely halthe saluacion was promysed vnto the world When the lord had greatly allowed this open coÌ„fession of his as inspired of God and had geuen thereunto a worthy testimony of blysfulnesse and pronounced it to be the foundacion of the churche and euangelike Citie whiche no puissaunce of the deuell shoulde euer be able to shake Then charged he theym strayghtly that they shoulde in no wyse discouer what they knewe by thinspiracion of the father before the time were cum It behoued that the people should awaite for Messias and beleue that he should shortely cum Howbeit as yet it was not expedient to be knoweÌ„ that Iesus was Messias For thus was it necessary for one instruccion that glory should spring of base and humble estate The disciples of an humain affeccioÌ„ abhorred the displeasures of theyr maister muche desyrous to haue hym greatly estemed and taken for a ioly felowe of euery body But it pleased the euerlasting wisedom to obserue the other order Therfore Iesus began to teache them what he should suffer before he would haue his greatnesse and excellencie knowen vnto the worlde The sonne of manne sayed he of whome you haue conceiued so hyghe an opinion muste suffer great reproche many paynes and tormentes be condemned as a felon of the Scribes priestes and head men of the people and in conclusion be putte to a shamefull deathe as an euyll doer in somuche that among wordly men it is not possible for any manne to be counted more vile abiecte and desperate then he But for all this there is no cause why ye shoulde despayre Kepe stedfastly in mynde youre confession whiche ye haue made before me After they haue persecuted me to deathe I wyll ryse and be alyue agayne on the thyrde daye And where as he had nowe and then before sumwhat darkely monyshed them of the premisses at this present he spake his mynde playnly because it appered they coulde nowe awaye with suche communycacyon sith they had geuen so noble a verdicte and sentence of theyr maister But for all that they coulde not yet abyde to heare any mencion of his death although they shoulde thoroughe hope of his resurrection haue taken comforte agayne The loue wherwith they enbraced Iesu was great but yet was thesame a very worldely loue and an humayne affection For as yet they had not receyued the holye Ghoste whiche should make perfyte in them whatsoeuer was vnperfyte Wherfore when Peter hearde suche fell and cruell wordes of condemning tourmentinge and sleing he was not afearde to take Iesus asyde as thoughe he would secretly monyshe hym of some thinge whyche shoulde be for his weale and profyte Forsoth this is mans wisdome whiche oftâ—â—â—es studieth to go before the wysdome of god Yea he was bolde to rebuke his lorde as thoughe he had not bene well aduised for that he woulde dye sith he might auoyde deth And albeit he beleued he woulde be aliue agayne on the third day yet he thought it muche better for hym not to dye at all then after deathe to reliue This leâ—de tache of Peter althoughe it proceded of a certayne harty loue towardes Iesus yet dyd Christe openly and sharply reproue to thentente we shoulde learne in all thynges obediently to folowe the wyl of God and not with our fonde iudgement to go before his determinacions It is not mans parte to take Iesu aside and rebuke hym for feare leste he doe what he hath determyned to doe But we ought reuerently to beseche hym that he wyll vouchesafe to take and lead vs whyther soeuer it please hym Therefore because he woulde cleaâ—e wede out of all theyr myndes this naughty affeccion he fyrste tourned from Peter to his disciples and then beholdyng them whome he knewe right well dyd not dissente in opinion from theyr spokesman though he bolder and more presumptuous then the reste was not afearde to speake his mynde he rebuked Peter agayne of whom he was rebuked before saying Why lettest thou me Satan That worde in the Syrian tongue signifieth an aduersary as who saye Why doeste thou that art but a disciple assaye to goe before thy mayster Thou that art a man attempt to go before god folowe rather behynd This is not mans busines whiche is now in hande Thyne affeccion and loue is as yet a wordely affeccion neyther sauerest thou of those thynges whiche are of god If thou wylte be my disciple it becommeth the to folow my deathe and in no wise to hinder it And not the alone albeit chiefely thee the other whoÌ„e I haue specially choseÌ„ but also all the will professe themselues to be my disciples ¶ And when he had called the people vnto hym with his disciples also he sayed vnto them whosoeuer will folowe me let him forsake hymself and take vp his crosse and folowe me for whosoeuer wyll saue his lyfe shall lose it But whosoeuer shall lose his life for my sake and the Ghospels the same shall saue it For what shall it profite a man if he wynne all the worlde and lose his owne soule Or what shall a man geue to redeme his soule withall agayne Whosoeuer therfore shall be ashamed of me and of my wordes in this aduourteous and synfull generacion of hym also shall the sonne of man be ashamed when he cummeth in the glory of hys father with the holy Angels When Iesus had thus spoken he commaunded the whole multitude to be present with his disciples leste any should suppose that those wordes pertayned onely to these specially chosen persons And when they were nowe all together Iesus spake vnto theÌ„ with an audible voyce on this wyse Many there be which do folowe me rather with feete then by imitacion of lyfe Neither do all men come to me for one cause or purpose For some are enticed hither by the noueltie and straungenes of my miracles some with the desire of bodely health and other
lytle ones is not estemed after the quantitie and strength of the bodie but after the humblenesse of suche a mynde as claymeth nothyng in this worlde that is highe nor trusteth anywhit to his owne strength but with syncere fayth hangeth vpon Christe Iohn aunswered hym saying Maister we sawe one cast out deuels in thy name and he foloweth not vs we forbad him because he foloweth vs not But Iesus sayed forbyd him not For there is no man whiche yf he doe a miracle in my name can lyghtlye speake euil of me for he that is not against vs is on our parte Whosoeuer shall in my name geue you cuppe of water to drinke because ye belong to Christ verely I say vnto you he shall not leese his rewarde By occasion of these wordes there arose an other doubt among the disciples the whiche Iohn propouned in this wyse Mayster ê¯ he when thou sentest vs out to preache the kyngdome of God we sawe a certaine felowe caste out diuels in thy name and yet was thesame neyther of the numbre of the twelue nor of the seuentie whome thou dyddest afterwarde chose and sende out nor none of all the disciples whiche folowe vs. Wherfore hym as one of an other secte and none of thy felowship we forbad but whether we dyd well or no we wot not Iesus answered Forbyd ye none suche as are in any wyse good to sprede abrode and preache the ghospell For you must not be disdainfull in receyuing of those whiche goe aboute by what endeuoure soeuer it be to auaunce the worde of god You must not consydre whether he folowe me as a disciple but whether he preache my name If he cast out diuells by callyng vpon my name he cannot lyghtelye speake yuell of me And yf he so doe then will the thing it selfe reproue him For it shall be said vnto hym howe darest thou for very shame backbyte that name whiche thou hast proued mightie and effectuall in working of miracles Therfore do ye not vpon light occasion suppose him to worke for a naughtie purpose whoso doeth a godly dede He that resisteth not the ghospell in this poynte furthereth it because he aydeth not them whiche take part against the same Whosoeuer is not againste you maketh for you This newe doctrine must beeset forth whensoeuer occasion serueth but with what synceritie of mynde it be promoted it is no mattier to you so that the preacher doe by any manour of meanes further the busynesse whiche you goe about For not onely they shall be rewarded for furtheryng of the gospell whiche shall caste out diuels in my name but they also who according to theyr abylitie will put theyr helpyng handes neuer so litle to the aduauncyng therof For whoso wyll geue you euen but a cuppe of colde water in my name that is to say in respect that ye are my disciples and doe my busynesse be you right well assured thesame shall not lacke his rewarde ¶ And whosoeuer shall offende one of these litle ones that beleue in me it were better for him yf a mylstone were hanged about his necke and he were caste into the sea Wherfore yf thy hand hinder the cut it of It is better for the to enter into lyfe maymed then hauing two handes to go into hell into fyre that neuer shal be quenched where theyr worme dyeth not and the fyre goeth not our And yf thy foâ—te be a hyndraunce to the cut it of It is better for the to go halâ—e into lyfe then hauyng two feete to be cast into hell into fyre that neuer shal be quenched where theyr worme dieth not and the fyre goeth not out And yf thyne â—ye hinder the plucke it out It is better for the to goe into the kingdome of God with one iye then hauing two iyes to be caste into hells fyre where their wormâ— dieth not and the fyre goeth not out Againe if any shall chaunce to let them by whome the ghospell is aduauÌ„ced truly it is aduaunced not by those whom the world counteth great but by litle ones simple persons vnderlinges and men of no reputacion if anye I say offend any of these litle ones who haue reposed theyr affiaunte in me so true is it that he shall not auoyde punishment that he shoulde be muche eassier punished if there were a mylstone tyed vnto his necke and he cast into the sea The princes of this world cruelly punishe suche as let theyr deputies to put those thynges in execucion whiche they haue commaunded to be done They hange them on a ieobet and also many tymes quarter them or cast them downe headlyng from sum high rocke or els drowne them in the sea with a stone tyed vnto them for cumming vp agayne so true is it that they will not haue theyr great men offended whom they vse as ministers of their tyrannie that is to say to oppresse the people But God wyll muche greuouslyer punishe suche as will let his litle ones whom he would to haue the handelyng of th affayres of the heauenlye kyngdom for all mennes saluacion that they cannot put theyr kynges commaundementes in execucion For albeit they shall seeme for a tyme so to doe vnpunished yet at the leangth shall they not escape the punishment of hell The tyrauntes of this worlde could inuent no kynde of deathe comparable to that punyshemente whereby bothe bodye and soule shall seme to dye with continuall tourmentes and yet neuer can dye Therefore studye you not howe to be reuenged Doe your businesse and God shall punishe those that will let you Nowe if there aryse anye lette and impedimente not of any persecutoure but on theyr behalfe whiche appeare to be your frendes there oughte nothynge to be so deare vnto you that the loue therof maye cause you to leaue of the ministracion of the gospell Admitte it be thy ryghte hande that is to saye thy father or verye nere frende whome thou canste not spare put case it be thy ryghte eye that is to wete thy welbeloued wyfe and swete children Admitte it be thy foote that is to saye thy seruaunt or factour whose seruice thou canst not lacke for thexploiture of suche affaires as thou hast to doe in this worlde Cut of thy hande plucke out thyne iye chop of thy foote that hyndreth thee to doe the busynesse of the ghospell If thou canste brynge with the to the euangelike saluacion thy father thy mother thy brethren and thy systers doe it But yf the tender affeccion thou bearest towardes them withdrawe the from the ministracion of the ghospell and againe if it shoulde so come to passe that whiles they refuse to be saued by thee thou shouldest also perishe and be damned with them then cast awaye naturall affeccion and let the charitie of the gospell ouercumme the charitie of maÌ„ne doe thesame thing in perill of thy sowle that thou woldest doe in the ieoperdie of thy bodie If thou were at suche an exigent that thou shouldest eyther be
peace nor salte Therfore the philosophers be at contencion and braule one with an other because they haue not this salte For this cause also the phariseis cannot agree with the Saduces the HerodiaÌ„s because they all corrupted with naughtie affeccions lacke the salte of the gospell Your doctrine shall season the folye of the worlde yf the people perceiue nothing in your affeccions that is corrupted and rotten eyther by desyre of glorye loue of money gredinesse of reuengemente feare of death desyre of lyfe or to be short by any other worldely affeccion And if they also perceyue that lyke as your lyfe and doctrine shall agree so in semblable wise you wyll agree one with an other Undoubtedly you shall agree if you vtterly abandonyng all ambicion wherwith suche persones are attached as desyre to rule and play the lordes in this world do syncerely preache and teache other the heauenly doctrine whiche you haue receiued of me The .x. Chapter ¶ And when he rose from thence he went in to the coastes of Iury through the regioÌ„ that is beyond Iordan and the people resorted vnto hym afreshe as he was wont he taught them again And the phariseis came and asked him Is it lawfull for a man to putte away his wife to proue hym And he answered and said vnto them What did Moyses bid you do and they sayd Moyses suffered to write a testimoniall of diuorcemeÌ„t and to putte her away And Iesus answered and said vnto them for the hardenesse of your harte he wrote this precepte vnto you but at the first creacioÌ„ God made them man and woman Therfore shall a man leaue his father and mother and abide by his wyfe and they twayne shall be one fleshe So then are they now not twayne but one fleshe Therfore what God hath coupled together let not man separate And in the howse his disciples asked him agayn of the same matter And he sayeth vnto them whosoeuer putteth away his wife and marieth an other breaketh wedlock to her ward And if a woman forsake her housband and be maried to an other she committeth aduoutrie AFter the Lord Iesus had with such lessons sufficieÌ„tly prepared the mindes of his disciples against the storme that was at hand he departed oute of Galile and went into that parte of Iewry which lyeth beyond Iordan wheras Iohn first taught Now was Iesus so much renoumed in all places that he could no where be hid Therfore anon as he was cummen the people came flocking hither in like manour as they were woÌ„t to doe in other places Neyther was he at any tyme wery of doing all men good of curyng theyr bodyes of enstructing theyr sowles There lacked not here the phariseis euery where one manour of menne and like themselfes The multitude sought for health and were desyrous to heare his doctrine but the other desired more to take hym in a trip then to be healed to proue him rather then to learne And whiles they so did they coloured their maliciousnesse with a visure of holynesse and cloked theyr disceitfulnesse with a pretensed desire to learne Oh wisdom vnapte to receiue doctrine They came to Iesus with bodie whome they were farre from with mynde They put forthe vnto hym a captious question saying What is thyne opinion our Maister Is is lofull for the husbande to forsake his wife This captiouse question deuised they among themselfes trusting th end would be that answering therunto he shoulde be driuen to graunt eyther one inconuenience or an other Before he pronounced those blessed who gelded themselfes for the kingdom of God Therfore if he being a fauourer of chastitie had now giuen sentence that it had bene leful for a man to cast of his wife because to mary a new as the Iewes vsed communely to doe theÌ„ should he haue semed to haue taught coÌ„trary doctrines Againe yf he had answered that it had bene â—â—no wise lefull so to doe then would they haue layed against him howe he had made the law of none authoritie whiche geueth the husband libertie to put away the wife The lord because he would take these crafty felowes in theyr owne craftinesse for they prepared a snare for him out of the law asked theÌ„ agayne what nede you to aske me this question synce yourselfes do professe the knowleage of the lawe What coÌ„maundement hath Moyses giuen you touching these matiers They answered Moyses suffered the husband yf there were any thing in the wife that offended him by by after a libel of diuorcemente geuen vp to put her awaye and mary an other if it pleased him so to doe The Phariseis did so interprete this sufferaunce of the lawe as thoughe those men dyd very well who for euery trifling cause woulde be diuorced from theyr wiues marie agayne not vnderstaÌ„ding the mind of the lawe maker whiche they might haue perceiued by the beginning of the boke of Genesis Iesus therfore sayd vnto them In that Moyses gaue you this libertie to forsake your wyues he fauoured not diuorcement but suffred the husbandes to doe what carnall desyre and sensualitie moued them vnto and would rather permit the lesse yuell then open a wyndowe to more greuouse enormities He would rather suffre vnlawfull separacion then manslaughter poysoning or detestable murthering of wyues For he knewe the hardnesse of your hartes vnto the which vice this thing was geuen as a remeadie lest greater mischiefe shoulde haue ensued But in paradise before the nature of man was fallen to this wickednesse matrimonie was not so instituted that diuorce should be made at the sensuall will and pleasure of the husband but for euer to continue betwen man and wife and neuer to be dissolued For at the first time god ioyned one to one that is to saye man to woman betwene whome he would haue so great loue and charitie to be that no separacion might chaunce For this cause saith he a man shall leaue his father and his mother and sticke vnto his wyfe and they bothe shall becum one fleshe so that being now conioyned in bodie soule they are no lenger two persons but one to th enteÌ„t there maie be a mutual participacion of weale and woe betwene them These wordes plainly declare that God was not pleased with diuorce els would he disanull his fyrst ordinaunce But Moyses permitting diuorce besydes the will of God prouided for a seasoÌ„ for the hardnesse of your hartes supposing aduoutry to be a smaller offence then murthering of wiues If this gentle permission of Moyses do please you know you also the cause compelling hym to geue you this libertie Therfore what god himselfe hath so conioyned at the begynning that it shoulde alwayes continue vndissolued let not man parte asunder Put awaye the hardnesse of your harte then shall there be no nede of diuorce then shall separacion of manne and wyfe haue no place With suche a sobre and a discrete answere Iesus defended goddes commaundement and yet neyther
reliue which of them all shall chalenge her for his wyfe for in her lyfe tyme she was like wyse maryed vnto them all seuen The Saducies thought they woulde by thyncoÌ„uenience that they inferred of this case make the resurreccion of the dead to apeare a very fonde thyng and disagreable to reason specyally yt there shoulde then ryse strife and debate among the brethren for the wyfe whiche was common vnto them all Iesus grutched not to teache those grosse felowes saying Doethe not thys question playnly declare that you be in a wrong belefe and altogether out of the waye for asmuche as ye neyther vnderstand the Scriptures nor yet perceiue the power of almighty God The Scripture is spirituall God who made manne of naught canne rayse hym agayne at his pleasure from death to lyfe He wyll not onely make the deade aliue agayne but also rewarde them with lyfe euerlastyng Nowe wedlocke was inuented among menne for this purpose because the thyng I meane mankynde whiche of it selfe and owne propre nature contyneweth not for euer myght by procreacion and encreasyng of the worlde be multiplied preserued and contynued But whereas menne neyther dye nor be borne after the common course of the world what nedeth there any matrimonye For after the resurrection of the dead neyther shall any manne mary nor any manne geue his daughter in maryage to an other but as the angels of god in heauen because there is among them no mortalitie knowe not the vse of matrimony so shall they that shall be relyued in the generall resurreccion be made lyke vnto the aungells theyr bodies beynge all spyrytuall and immortal Furthermore why do you thinke it disagreable to reason to beleue that the dead shall aryse agayne Haue ye not redde in holy scripture the auctoritie wherof is counted among you holy and inuiolable what god sayed when he spake vnto Moyses out of the bushe I am saied he the god of Abraham the god of Isaac and the god of Iacob they were then dead and yet doth he call himselfe theyr god Therfore euen the dead do verily lyue because their soules remayne styll aliue And if it be so that theyr sowles remayne what great maystrye is it then for God to call them agayne into theyr olde bodyes wherein they dwelt before But yf the dead be vtterly perished so that nether bodye nor soule remayneth alyue then standeth it not with reason that he is called the God of the deade As no man glorieth that he is a king of those that are not so is God the God of the liuyng and not of the deade Wherefore you Saduceis are farre deceiued imagyning that there shall be nothying in the lyfe to cum otherwise then you see in this present life Those thinges no doubt haue a more true and blessed beyng whiche are not vnder mans corporall light then those whiche are seene with bodelye iyes There is nothyng that more truly is then god and yet he is not seene but felte or perceyued ¶ And when there came one of the Scrybes and hearde them disputyng together and perceyued that he had aunswered theâ— well he asked hym whiche is the fyrste of all the commaundementes Iesus answered hym The fyrste of all the commaundementes is Beare O Israell The Lorde oure God is lorde onely and thou shalte loue the lorde thy God with all thy hatte and wyth all the soule and with all thy mynde and with all thy strength This is the fyrste commaundement And the second is like vnto this Thou shalte loue thy neybour as thy self There is none other commaundement greater then these And the Scribe sayde vnto hyme well Mayster thou haste sayde the trueth for there is one God and there is none â—ut he And is loue hym with all the harte and with all the mynde and with all the soule and with all the strength and to loue a mannes neyghbour as hym selfe is a greater thynge then all burnte offerynges and sacryfices And when Iesus sawe that he answered discretely he sayde vnto hym Thou art not ferre from the kyngdome of God And no man after that durst aske hym any question Yet for all this these wicked felowes made not an ende to teÌ„pte Christ. After the Saduceis came the Pharyseis and the Scrybes who were encouraged to take hym in hand because he hit the Saduceis in the teethe with ignorauÌ„ce of the law For the Scribes and the Phariseis auaunt themselfes more then other for the great knowledge they pretende to haue in the same and dissenting in opinion from the Saduceis do beleue there are angles and spirites and that mens soules remayne aliue after the bodyes be dead and finally that the dead shall ryse agayne These felowes beyng right glad that the Saduceis were put to a foyle blancked and that Iesus had aunswered to their mindes dyd lyke learned men propoune and putte forthe vnto hym by one of the scribes set vp for the nones to playe this parte a notable question out of the moste inward misteries of the law They asked hym what was the chief and greatest commaundement in the whole lawe Iesus straightwayes answered them out of the boke entyled Deuteronomium where as it is written on this wyse Heare O Israell the lorde thy God is one god and thou shalt loue the lorde thy God with all thy harte and with all thy soule and with all thy mynde and with all thy strength This is the chiefe and greatest commaundement next vnto this is that that foloweth Thou shalt loue thy neyboure none otherwise then thyselfe There is no other commaundement greater then these two because they comprise the summe and effect of the whole law WheÌ„ the Scribe heard him saye so he sayde againe Thou hast wel truly answered how there is one God and none other but he and that to loue him with all the harte and with all the vnderstandyng and with all the soule and with all the strength is a thing whiche passeth all burnt offrynges and other sacrifices Iesus perceyuyng that he had ryght discretly aunswered sayd vnto him Thou arte not far from the kyngdom of God For the euangelyke godlynes standeth not in sacrifices of beastes but in cleannes of spirite He is not farre from this meaning whoso preferreth that commaundement whiche is spirituall simple or plaine before all other preceptes whiche be rather figures and tokens of true godlines then the thyng selfe But the coÌ„mon sorte of the Iewes beleue verely that the chiefest parte of vertue and godly lyuing standeth in visible thinges as in washinges in kepyng of the sabboth daye in choyce of meates in offred giftes in sacrifices in holy dayes in fastinges and in long prayers Whoso with all his harte loueth god for gods self the whiche can neuer be loued enoughe and his neybour for goddes sake thesame hath made sufficient sacrifice After that Iesu had thus with his wisdome euery where confouÌ„ded and ouercum them that ceassed they to
sake whome he hath chosen he hathe shortened those dayes If ye requyre a sygne to geue you knowledge when this extreme calamitie hangeth ouer your heades when ye shall see the abhominacion that maketh desolacion standing in the place where it is not beseming it should stande then let him whiche readethe Daniels prophecy vnderstande it For then it shal be hyghe tyme for euery man al other thynges omitted and lefte vndone to shyfte for hymselfe by flyeng awaye and to saue his lyfe not by wordelye aydes but by swyftnesse of flighte Then lette al that be in Iewrye the nourishingeste and moste famous parte of the countreye flye vnto the deserte and wylde Mountaynes If this calamitie take any man on the house toppe lette hym not goe downe into the house nor enter into his parloure or chambre to fetche out any thynge from thence but as he is founde so lette him gette hym awaye and begone And if at that season anye manne be labourynge in the fieldes naked and without clothes let hym not runne home againe to fetche a waye his cloke or mantel but flye strayght waye some whither els so swifte shall the floud of the miserie calamitie be whiche shal ouerflow this couÌ„treye Therfore in wofull case shall they be whiche are great with chylde they also that haue chyldren sucking on their brestes because nature wil not let suche as are with child to cast away their burthen nor natural kindenesse suffer the other to flye awaye from their children And the onely way to saue the life shal be to flye without anye taryinge Therefore desire you of god that this calamytie chaunce not in the wynter season nor vpon the Sabbothe daye For ye muste not onelye flye awaye as fast as your legges will beare you but also a greate waye of But winter season because the daye is than shorte is an yll tyme to flye far in And the law for fendeth to trauayle far vpon the Sabboth day All that the lorde hitherto sayed is spoken in suche wyse that it semeth partlye to pertayne to the destruction of the citie of Hierusalem partelye to the tymes of persecutions whiche were moste sharpe and vehemente at what season Stephan was stoned to deathe and partely to the laste ende of the worlde or domes daye Yet is there included in the same woordes a morall sence whiche teache the vs howe that beyng deliuered from all worldlye impedimentes and encumbraunces we oughte alwayes to wayte for the cummynge of that daye when we shal be presented before almyghtye god to receiue our dome and iudgemente He canne neuer be prepare agaynste thesame who eyther for loue of temporall thynges or els thorowe thenforcement of carnall affeccions that is to saye for his parentes wyfe or chyldrens sake is called backe agayne to the daunger of the losyng of euerlastyng saluacion He is laden with a vessell who beeynge ouercharged and letted with worldly ryches ceaseth to do those thynges which pertayne to eternall health He is burthened with a mantell who for takinge hede vnto the bodye regardeth not the soule He is slowe of foote by carying of an infant who by reason of naturall affections refrayneth not from those thynges whiche he knoweth ryght well are by all maner of meanes to be exchewâ—dme hasteth to that tayning of those whiche he knoweth ought all lettes and impedimentes set asyde greatly to be desyred Wynter taketh them flying who for the lytle lyght that theyr weake fayth geueth and because charitie is colde and faynte in them doe not finishe their iourney and manfully goe thorowe whither they beganne to goe Moreouer the supersticious obseruacion of the Sabboth bryngeth those persons into dauÌ„ger who by reason of an vnright and aukeward iudgement tremble and quake for feare where there is no cause of feare and where they ought chiefly to feare in dede are feareles as when a manne is bolde to transgresse the commaundement of God for fearelest he breake mannes constitucions For the Lorde himselfe taught openly that the Iewes Sabbothe was well contemned and broken for mans health and preseruacion Furthermore the wordes that ensue seeme rather to pertayne to the last day of the worlde before the which day great businesse and hurly burly shall vniuersally happen for the cummyng of Antichrist Those dayes sayethe he shall be so full of miseries on euerye syde that there hath not beene lyke tribulacion and affliction from the creacion of the worlde vnto this daye nor hereafter shal be If this affliction shoulde long while continue as it shall be fell and cruel for the season there shoulde not one man be saued But God of his infinite mercye and goodnes hath prouided that this storme shall shorte whyle endure for their sakes whom he hath chosen to lyfe euerlastyng For of these will he suffer none to perishe what storme of euils soeuer shall arise Wherfore there is no cause why any man shoulde feare himselfe so that he perseuer and abyde still in the euangelike and christian fayth as nighe vnto the shote anker or surest refuge No puissaunce shall cast them downe whiche haue a constant beliefe in me And then if any man say to you to here is Christe lo he is there beleue not For false Christes and false prophetes shall ryse and shall shewe miracles â–ª and wonders to deceiue if it were possible euen the electe But take ye hede behold I haue shewed you all thynges before Onely take heede that in stede of me you embrace not another Christe There shall bee more ieoperdy of deceyuers then of persecutours For there shall aryse in those dayes false Christes who shall vntruly chalenge and take vpon them my name and person There shall aryse also false Prophetes whiche vnder a cloke and coloured shewe of holynes shall fayne themselfes to be Prophetes and in working of Magical wonders and miracles cloked by craftie illusions of diuels folowe the prophetes and me so that euen the very electe if any power coulde preuayle agaynste God maye be deceyued by suche ligierdemayne and iuglynge castes Therefore if anye man shall saye vnto you Loe here is Christe beleue him not or if any call you backe to another place and saye loe here he is what place what apperaunce of thinges or what maner of honour or seruing of god soeuer he shewe you beleue hym not For after that Christ hath once forsaken the worlde he cannot be shewed nor pointed to with fyngers but will lye hid in mens soules and this shall be the signe and token to knowe where he is when anye dothe with his lyfe conuersacion expresse his doctrine put it in execucion Howebeit he wyll not cumme at domes daye so as he nowe cummethe but wyll sodainly and vnloked for shewe himselfe from any hygh after the maner of a flashe of lyghtening dreadfull to the wicked who shall be cast into euerlasting fire and againe amiable and louelye to godly persones whiche shall be called to
the felowship of the heauenly kyngdom Therfore if you chaunce to liue in these dayes bee ware ye embrace not in stede of me sum counterfayte Christe Loe I haue tolde you all thynges beforehande There remayneth behynde that you retayne and kepe my woordes in memory ¶ Moreouer in those dayes after that tribulacion the Sunne shal ware darcke and the Moone shall not geue her lyght and the starres of heauen shall fall and the powers whiche are in heauen shall moue And then shall they see the sonne of manne cumming in the cloudes with great power and glory And then shall â—e send his aungels and shall gather together his elect from the fower windes from the endes of the yearth to the vttermost parte of heauen Nowe after these forsayed calamities warres persecucions famyne pestilence and earthquakes be paste there shall also ensue manye other wonderfull signes and tokens out of heauen all the elementes beyng as it were yrefully set to take vengeaunce vpon the wicked people For the Sunne the fountaine of light shall wexe darke therby as it were embraiding the vngodlye with theyr blyndnes because they woulde not see the euerlastyng sunne and lanterne of the worlde Neyther shall the Moone whiche is wonte to shine in the night and put awaye the darknesse therof geue her light that she boroweth of the SuÌ„ne Furthermore men shall see the starres fal doune from the firmament to the earth which haue bene so many huÌ„ndred yeares there fastened for mans behoue commoditie And besides this the powers of the heauens by vertue whereof those merueylouse bodies haue coÌ„tinued euen froÌ„ the creation of the worlde their courses and offices appoynted theÌ„ of god shal be moued so great shall the feare be of the dreadfull day of dome approching These thinges done all that be then aliue shall sodaynly and with the twynkelyng of an iye see the soonne of man whoe is nowe taken for an vnderlynge and not regarded appeare in the hyghest cloudes with greate puyssaunce in the glory of the father and with him innumerable multitudes of Aungels Then will he sende out his Aungels who wyll let none of his chosen be awaye but wyll assemble theÌ„ altogether froÌ„ euery quarter whether they be quycâ—e or els dead but must sodainly be reliued again he wyll send them out I say to gather all the membres of the misticall bodie vnto their head to th enteÌ„t that they which haue bene partakers of afflictions persecutions for the gospelles sake maye lykewyse be companions and partakers with hym of euerlastynge ioye and blysfulnesse It skylleth not whither that good meÌ„ns soules haue gone neyther into what place their karkases haue bene throwen Aungeles shall fynde them out and gather them together from the fower quarters of the worlde and againe from the hyghest pole of heauen to the low moste Euery soule shal be ioyned vnto his owne proper bodie and all the electe and chosen people shall lykewise be conioyned vnto theyr head Learne a similitude of the figâ—tee when his braunche is yet tendre and hath brought forth leaues ye â—â—owe that summer is nere So in lyke maner when ye se these thynges cum to paâ—se vnderstand that he is â—ye euen at the doores Uerely â–ª I saie vnto you that this generacion shall not passe tyll these thynges be doen. Heauen and earth shall passe but my wordes shall not passe But of the daye tyme knoweth no man 〈◊〉 not the Aungels whiche are in heauen neither the sonne himselfe saue the father onely Now leste this day cum sodaynly vpon you when ye are nothyng at all prepared you maye gesse by certayne foresygnes and coniectures when it is nere hande euen as ye may coniecture and gather by the fygge tree that summer wil shortly cum For when the braunches of this tree begin once to waxe soft and tender being about to bring forth their first fruite called grossi and when the leaues be alreadye budded out ye knowe that suÌ„mer is not farre of But it is muche certayner that that day shall cum then it is certayne that summer foloweth after wynter This thyng do I auouche vnto you This age shall not passe till all these thinges shall happen Among corporall thinges there is nothing more stable sure then heauen nothing more vnmouable then is the earth but yet both heauen and earthe shall sooner alter and chauÌ„ge their nature then my wordes be vayne and of none effect Be ye not careful to knowe certeynly when that same laste daye shall cum forasmuche as it is not geuen vnto the Angels to know it no nor yet to the sonne himselfe For the father hathe reserued this secrete knowledge to himself alone because he perceiued it was expedient for your soule helth he should so do Be you moste certaynly assured that it shall cum but aske ye not when leste by this meanes ye becum careles ¶ Take hede watch and pray for ye knowe not when the time is As a man which is goen into a straunge countrey and hath left his house and geuen his substance to his seruauntes to euery man his worke coÌ„maunded the porter to watche Watche ye therfore ye know not when the mayster of the house will cum at euen or at midnight whether at the cocke crowyng or in the dawnyng lest if he cum sodaynly he fynde you slepyng and that I saye vnto you I saye vnto all watche Beware alwayes take good hede watche praie continually since you are vncertaine when that dreadfull daie shall cum vpon you You shal take good hede if you wyll not truste vnto worldly aides neither put confidence in any worldly creature but wholy hang vpon me my coÌ„maundementes Ye shal watche if by refraining froÌ„ superfluitie all bodely pleasures you will wholy bend youre selues to holynes of spirite vertuous liuing You shal pray if you wil most feruently desire those thinges which are promised vnto theÌ„ that stil perseuer coÌ„tinue in the profession of the gospell SataÌ„ hath his craftes to deceiue euen wise circuÌ„spect persons Against these craftes you must vse the wysedom policy of the serpent The world the flesh haue their entisinges wherwith they so delite the mindes of recheles folkes that as I maye cal it slepe securitie forgetfulnes of thinges eternall crepeth vpon theÌ„ ere they be ware Of these thinges spryngeth eyther conteÌ„pt or els desperaÌ„ce of the kingdom of heaueÌ„ God wil not cleane forsake his choseÌ„ but he loueth wakefull heedefull persons yet will he that wheÌ„ they haue done what may be done by mans endeuoyre diligence they neuertheles cease not to pray fully persuadyng theÌ„selfes how it is God that geueth the beginning proceding consuÌ„mation of euerlastyng blisfulnes So watche you as thoughe God wyll forsake you for a time so praye you as thoughe whatsoeuer ye go about shall cum to none effecte without he put to his helping hande And because the Lord Iesê°
is in most ample wyse enlarged spred abrode throughout all the whole world but the swete sauour and fragrauÌ„t smell of this ointment hath filled euery corner and part therof This swete sauour allureth and causeth many a one to desyre that they maye be admitted into the same house wherin Iesus sitteth at meate with his frendes But there be sum which of spite enuy speake against the delicacies of Iesu as the Iewes who rather seke theyr own profit glorie coÌ„moditie then the glory honour of Iesu Christ. For so did certaine of his disciples yâ— yet sauoured of the flesh but specialy Iudas Iscarioth who being not contented in his mynde muttryng with himself againste this womannes facâ—e sayed on thys wyse what neded it to wast or cast away this so pure good oyntment For it myght haue been sold for thre hundred pence and with that money many a poore body haue been relieued And the losse of this oyntment greued them so muche that they made a great murmuring agaynst the godly prodigalitie of the woman That thyng is well loste which is employed vpoÌ„ Christes glorie Yea to saye the trueth there is nothyng that lesse perisheth The sinagoge is sparing to Christeward and wastefull or prodigall to her owne person Contrarilie the churche regardeth not the price and valewe of that she hath receiued of Christe but breaketh the vessell and rashlye powreth out all that euer she hath vpon her spouses heade The poore wydowe whiche cast a farthing into the treasurie pleased Christ hyghly So doth this woman content hym also whiche for his loue and sake hath lost her precious oyntment The widowe knowleagyng her pouertie broughte forth all the poore substaunce she had and caste it into the treasurye and the other beyng now riche wealthie through the lordes liberalitie did not onely geue him all that euer she had but also sustained the lose of her vessel The one gaue her goodes and lyuyng the other gaue euen body and soule yf that can perishe whiche is geuen vnto Iesu. Where be they now that grudge and murmoure against this prodigalitie whiche is so pleasaunte and acceptable to the aucthoure of grace Christ geueth of his owne plentifully to th entent that the good sauour of his liberalitie maye the more be spred abrode He requyreth no rewarde for anye thynge he geuethe but here onely he is ambicious or desirous of honour He willeth that we knowleage his well doing and benefites not because he hath any nede of suche prayse and commendacion but it hath pleased hym by thys meane to geue vs his gyftes and riches And Iesus sayed let her alone why trouble ye her She hath done a good worke on me For ye haue poore with you alwaies and whensoeuer ye wil ye may do them good but me haue ye not alwayes She hath done that she could she came aforehand to anoynt my body to the burying Uerely I say vnto you wheresoeuer this Gospell shal be preached thorowe out the whole world this also that she hath done shal be rehearsed in remembraunce of her The Lord of whome alone it is sufficient to be alowed defendeth the godly diligence of the woman agaynst his disciples muttryng and murmuryng against her Why saith he make you this busines with this woman Suffer her to take her pleasure She hath done me a good turne For whereas you cloke your couetousnesse with a pretence to socour the pore knowe ye yâ— whatsoeuer is geueÌ„ to me thesame is geueÌ„ to a poore body These commune poore folkes and beggers you shall euer haue with you whom you maye do good vnto and helpe as oft as ye wyll but ye shal not alwayes haue me present to wyn my fauour by such corporall benefytes I haue been but once in my lyfe tyme thus honoured and the thing that is done is not done to th entent that many should take ensaÌ„ple therby to vse such manour of bodilye refreshinges but because all men should after the spirituall sence and meaning doe the like This womaÌ„ wotteth not what she doth yet with a godly endeuour and diligence doeth she as muche as lyeth in her to do My death is nere hande then will she desyre to anoint my body that muste bee buried And because she shall not then haue tyme so to do she preueuteth the tyme and yeldeth me that honour whiles I am aliue which she caÌ„not geue me wheÌ„ I am dead But so true is it that her godly endeuoire whiche you speake and murmour against shall not lacke it condigne and worthye prayse that when my death shall by preaching of the gospel be renoumed and spokeÌ„ of throughout al the whole world she shall lykewyse bee remembred and spoken of because she honoured it wyth suche a gyft and present before I dyed ¶ And Iudas Iscarioth one of the twelue went awaye vnto the hye priestes to betraâ—e hym vnto them When they hearde that they were glad and promysed that they woulde geue hym moneye And he sought howe he might conueniently betraye hym With these wordes the Lorde caused his disciples to cease their muttring But Iudas Iscarioth one of the twelue who vntruely dispensed the common money geuen for the reliefe of the poore could in no wyse suffer the losse of this oyntment but went streightwayes vnto the highe priestes to betraye Iesus vnto theÌ„ For it was not vnknowen vnto hym how they studyed to take him by deceyte and treason After the highe priestes hearde this they were ryghte glad It pleased them very well that one of householde with Iesu shoulde bee the chiefe worker of this mischiefe They agreed of the sum of money that Iudas shoulde haue for his labour And there was mutuall faith founde in that wicked counsell and conspiracie whiche is seldome kept in honest and leafull couenauntes Iudas beleued the bare promise of the priestes without eyther wrytyng witnesses or sureties He ymagined with himselfe whiche waye he might betraye Iesu vnto the sayed priestes and Scribes after such a sorte as they desyred that is to saye in tyme and place conuenient leste anye busynesse or insurreccion should ryse hereof For this condicion was expressed in the couenaunt In the meane time whyles Iudas and the hye priestes counsayled together how for to destroye him Iesu went about the businesse of mannes saluacion ¶ And the fyrste daye of swete bred when they offered Passeouer his disciples saied vnto him where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou maiest eate the passeouer And he sendeth forth two of his disciples and saith vnto them Go ye into the Citie there shal mete you a man bearing a pitcher of water folowe him and whithersoeuer he goeth in saye ye to the goodman of the house the maister saith where is the geste chamber where I shal eate passeouer with my disciples And he will shewe you a greate parloure paued and prepared There make ready for vs. And his disciples wente forth
Iesus he saluted and kyssed him according vnto his accustomed manoure Neyther dyd Iesus here abate any parte of his ientilnesse towardes the traytour He only nipped him by the conscience saying My frende for what entent art thou cumme He knew right wel howe he would neuer tourne from his wickednesse and yet vsed he all the meanes that myght be to refourme hym teachyng vs hereby to vse all the gentlenesse and fayre meanes we can possible towardes synners because we be vncertaine whether they will one daye tourne and cum to ameÌ„dment If they amend then haue we wun the soule health of our euenchristen yf they ameÌ„de not yet shall not our gentle demenure be vnrewarded A kysse is a sygne of mutuall loue charitie Charitie declareth vs to be the disciples of Iesu. Wherfore there is no greater point of enmitie then a fayned kysse Certes such a kysse do false prophetes eâ—eÌ„ in these dayes gyue vnto Iesu whiche vnder pretence of christian godlynesse serue their belyes and seke after the prayse of the world and in stede of the spirituall fredoÌ„e teache a very Iewishe religion At the token of this veâ—â—mous kysse the souldiers layed handes on hym and bound hym The disciples when they sawe this rufflyng and busynesse waxed fumishe and angrye And nowe Peter cleane forgettyng what the Lorde had tolde hym before thought the tyme was cum wherin it shoulde be his part to do summe worthy feate according as he had right couragiouslye and lyke a bolde man promised to do He drewe out his swearde and strake the high bishops seruaunt called Malchus because he more fierse then the rest first hasted to laye handes on Iesus Howbeit the Lorde so ordred the stroke of his right hande that he dyd Malchus no other harme saue alonely cut of his right eare the whiche thesame moste gracious lord anone as he had rebuked his disciple restored agayne and so made hym amendes for the hurt of this small and daungerles wounde So beneficiall was Iesus to all men that we ought to be ashamed to haue so muche as a wyll or an entente to be reuenged vpon any man I will not saye to hurte suche as hath not deserued our displeasure ¶ And Iesus answered and sayde vnto them ye be cum our as vnto a thefe with swerdes and with â—â—aues for to take me I was dayly with you in the temple teaching and ye toke me not But these thinges cum to passe that the scriptures should be fulfilled And they all forsoke hym and ranne awaye And there folowed hym a certaine young man clothed in lynnen vpon the bare and the young menne caught hym and he left his lynnen garment and fled from thence naked And they â—â—d Iesus awaie to the hye priest of all and with him came all the hye priestes and the elders and the Scribes And Peter folowed hym a great waye of euen tyll he was cumme into the palace of the hye prieste and he sate with the seruauntes and warmed hymselfe at the fyre Further as Iesus will not be defended with any other aydes then with the swerd of the gospel the whiche pearceth to the innermost partes of mens hartes so was it his wil that this armed company of souldiers should know that he could not haue been apprehended by any puissaunce or power of man vnlesse he had both willinglye and wittingly put hymselfe into their handes to be taken Therfore he turned him vnto them and sayed sirs what ayleth you to cum out hyther to me at midnight with sweardes and stanes as vnto a thefe that woulde stand at his defence with lyke weapon I was daylye at Ierusalem not priuely but openlye where euery body might see me in the place where moste haunt and resort of people is I meane in the temple healyng sycke folke and teachyng the trueth I was euer weaponlesse and accoÌ„panied but with a small number of disciples who wer likewise without armour and weapon Why dyd ye not there take me Surely you might haue done it then with lesse businesse if it had been so decreed But this is your tyme insomuche that you may by goddes sufferaunce do nowe to me what ye luste And that it shoulde so be the scriptures whiche caÌ„â—notlye haue foreshewed many yeares sithens Whan he had sayd â—o there was but who might firste lay handes on hym and anon the disciples fearyng themselues forsoke theyr lorde and raÌ„ne awaye sum to one place and 〈◊〉 to another It is lawfull for weake persons to flye who are not as yet 〈◊〉 and able to suffre persecucion Albeit there chaunceth a tyme when that to flye is nothyng els but to deny Christe There must we not flye but euen of our own accorde hasten to dye When that by thy death the Gospel taketh more disprofite then commoditie then flye awaye and hyde thy selfe But when that by thesame the ghospell hath muche profyte and contrarily greate disprofite and hinderaunce if thou auoyde the daunger therof then sticke not to go and mete the hangman There was among the twelue a certayne young strypplyng yâ— loued Iesus more theÌ„ the rest folowed hym being led with his armes bouÌ„d like a captiue or prysoner whose baâ—e bodye was clothed with one finelynneâ— garment only Hym they knewe and toke But he caste of his lynnen vesture and so escaped out of theyr handes sauing his lyfe by the losse of his garment He that so flyeth after the spirituall sence flyeth happely For what els is this bodye but the vesture and garmente of the soule As ofte as Satan layethe hande vpon the soule passe not vpon the linnen garmente and so saue thy selfe and escape out of his daunger Nowe beholde howe theuangelike veriâ—ie is handeled after it is betrayed of a wicked disciple The eruell garison of souldiers leadeth it bounde to the chiefe menne of bothe the states who are in a coÌ„spiracie to destroye it Fyrste it is brought vnto the hyghest priest There is no more mortall an enemy vnto Iesu then is a wicked Byshop Nowe because the matters should seme to be done with more auctoritie thither assembled all the priestes Scribes and elders This is the authoritie of this world whiche is in a conspiracie aganste poore symple and playne veritie but yet inuincible withal Al this while Peters hert fayled him not Howbeit he folowed Iesus a loofe and was nowe a cloked disciple and no meruayle sithe the tyme drewe nere when he would deny him For mans bolde stomacke is good for nothing els of it selfe but to make the synner more outragiously to offende Therefore he preased into the palace of the highest priest there sate amidmoÌ„g the lewde and vngracious companie of seruauntes and warmed himselfe by the fire as one that would be rather a beholder of the Lordes passion then a folower ¶ And the hye priestes and all the councel sought for witnesse agaynst Iesu to put hym in death found none for many bare false witnesse against hym
length proued and right wel knowen of you by sure argumentes and profes go your waye into all the world and preache this gospel to all the nacions therof For I dyed for all men and lykewyse for all men haue I risen agayne It is not nowe nedefull to kepe the ceremonies of the olde lawe It is not nedefull to vse any mo sacrifices and burnt offeringes to pourge synnes Whoso beleueth the gospell whiche thorowe my death offreth to all that beleue in me free remission of all synnes and beyng washed with water receyueth a signe or token of this grace thesame shal be saued Who so beleueth not the gospel there is not why he should truste to the obseruacion of Moses lawe or heathen learning and philosophie the same shal be damned This waye is open for euery manne to go to saluacion by but it is but one waye onely And these tokens shall folow them that beleue In my name they shall caste out diuels they shal speake with newe toungues they shall dryue awaye serpentes and if they drinke any deadly thing it shall not hurt them They shall laye theyr handes vpon the sicke and they shall recouer And leste your preaching shoulde not be beleued there shal be ioyned therunto a power to worke myracles so that there lacke not in you an Euangelike faith and so that the thing selfe do require myracles The chiefe power and vertue of the Euangelyke grace lyeth hyd in mennes soules but yet when for the aduauncyng of the gospell there shall nede any miracles thesame shall not lacke for the weakes sake They that will beleue in me shal cast out diuels not in their owne name but in mine they shall further speake with newe tongues and dryue awaye serpentes and yf they drynke any deadly thyng or poyson it shall not anoye them They shall laye theyr handes vpon the sicke and they shall be whole When these thinges are wrought and done in mennes soules then is there a muche greater miracle wrought but thesame is hid and not sene Couetousnesse pleasure of the body ambicion hatred wrath and enuy be very poysons and deadly diseases of the soule These diseases shall they cure and put awaye in my name and that continually But for the weakes sake suche as are harde of belief the other miracles shall also be oft times wrought to th entent the grosse sorte of people maye perceyue that in my disciples is a spirite more puissaunte then all mannes strength and power So then when the lorde had spoken vnto them he was receyued into heauen and is on the right hande of god And they went foorth and preached euery where the lorde workyng with them and confyrmyng the worde with myracles folowyng When the Lorde Iesus had spoken these and other mo wordes to his disciples he ascended vp into heauen where he sitteth on the righte hande of god the father The disciples after they had receyued the holy ghost preached as they were commaunded not only in Iewry but also in all other regions and countreys and the matier went forwarde notwithstanding the world resisted and was bent against them the Lorde Iesus puttyng furthe his mightye power by his holy spirite and theyr ministery and euerywhere confirmyng with ready miracles whatsoeuer they promysed to do with wordes FINIS To the most vertuous Ladie and most gracious Quene Katerine wife vnto the most victorious and moste noble prince Henry the .viii. Kyng of Englande Fraunce and Irelande c. Nicolas Udall wisheth prosperous health and long continuaunce with grace peace and all ghostely coumforte in our Lord Iesus Christ. LYke as our maister Christ in the ghospell moste gracious Quene Katerine whan the woman that had liued wickedly beyng now by his grace called froÌ„ hir sinnefull life to perfite repentauÌ„ce and amendmeÌ„t came vnto him sittyng at his repastein the house of Simon the lepre and washed his feete with the teares of hir iyes wyped thesame with that heare of hir head poured forth vpon his head a precious swete oyntment and also anointed his feete therewith did so well allowe hir deuocion hir earnest zele and hir tendre coÌ„passion whiche she had to â—oumforâ— him that he did not onely among all the cumpany declare hir preseÌ„t â—â—mfort in forgeuyng hir euen there all hir offences wickednes afore paste but also promised that she should not lese the condigne reward of renoume for hir teÌ„dre gentilnes to him shewed in so muche that afore all the preseÌ„ce he openly protested that wheresoeuer throughout al the world the gospel wer afterward preached there should she in suche wise at al occasioÌ„s he had in mind that the remeÌ„braunce of hir good hart thankefulnes towardes him should neuer dye nor be forgotten So Luke the euangelist Paule with the otheâ— apostles of Christ did in their holy writinges not onely make meÌ„cioÌ„ of sucâ— men preachers as were faithfull workers or ministers in Christes vyneyard but also by whatsoeuer good matrones and deuout wemen they sawe and fouÌ„d eyther that god was glorified his honour adâ—auÌ„ced or the ghospell preferred the word of god furthered â–ª the preachers of the same mainteined the yonglinges in the faith cherished the true chriâ—â—iaÌ„s in their pouertie refreshed the nede of the faithfull releued or the vnfâ—â—â—ed beleuers in aduersities coÌ„forted succoured to suche godly wemen they did not forget ne let passe to geue loude praise and coÌ„mendation aswel for the due reward of the parties selues as also for the good ensauÌ„â—le and encouragyng of others to doe the lyke For this cause doeth Luke in his gospel more theÌ„ once make meÌ„cion of Marie Magdalene of IohaÌ„na the wife of Chusa of SusaÌ„na Marie the mother of Iames. And in the actes he neyther forgetteth ne omitteth to coÌ„mend Priscilla Tabitha Lydia Damaris For this consideracion Paul coÌ„meÌ„deth vnto the Romains Phoebe Marie Eryphena Tryphosa Persis others For this respect did Hierome waite a whole treatise entytled of noble famous wemeÌ„ whose nobilitie also renoume he estemeth measureth by none other thyng but by their godlines deuocioÌ„ zele and endeuour to setforth Christes holy ghospell and by theyr godly conuersacion ioyned with moste studious diligence in readyng the scriptures Wherfore most gracious ladie although here nowe to renewe the memory and prayse of the manifold most excellent vertues and ardent zele of your highnesse towardes the promotyng of the knowelage of gods holy word and ghospell bee a thyng more due to your moste worthy deâ—erâ—es than easy for my rude penne to expresse them and more apperteineth to my duetie then it standeth with myne habilitie and power accordingly to sette them forth yet so to do at this present I haue thought partely a thyng nedelesse because your excellencie doeth so ferre sâ—â—â—ounte and passe all praises whiche my slendre vtteraunce is hable to geue you that I shoulde therein seeme to do a much lyke thyng as if I would bring forth a smouldring smokie
vse not to lye it hath been reporâ—ed vnto me as well that Charles the Emperour in case any vacaÌ„t tyme of leysure maye in so great vnquietnesse and troubleous state of the worlde bee gotten doeth gladly bestowe thesame in readyng the ghospell boke as also the moste renoumed Prince Ferdinando brother to thesame Charles muche and often to haue in his handes the Paraphrase vpon the ghospell of Saincte Iohn whiche not very long agon I dedicated vnto hym yea and furthermore that the right noble kyng of Denmarke Christieâ—e which thing maye to your highnes also be well knowen hath bokes of christian religion often tymes in his handes and that he with greate desyrefulnesse vseth to reade my paraphrase vpon the ghospel of Matthew Why than shoulde the ghospel seme to be vnaptly sent vnto those whiche are handlers and louers of the ghospel whiche ghospell certes is to be had and vsed in the haÌ„des of all persones as many as remembre and thinke themselfes to be Christyans Nowe although after the rate of worldely dealyng suche a thyng is moste chiefely to bee geuen as the partie hath nede of to whom it is sent yet after the rule of the ghospell whoso hath already to hym muste nedes be geuen that he may haue plentie Wherfore me thought I should do but as myght best stande with congruence to sende this Euangelical physicion vnto your highnesse for asmuche as thesame is so farre from disdainyng holy scriptures that as your owne writinges dooe testifye ye haue aboue the meane rate profited in the same so that yf a man geue vnto your grace any thing to holy scripture apperteinyng he shall not seme so muche to geue a gifte as to make amendes and recompence for a pleasure receyued Moreouer if this be a thyng specially aboue others in all haste prouided for that in the kinges Emperours courtes there may from tyme to tyme be physicions ready and prest at hande beyng men exactly learned and of approued fidelitie to take charge that the princes be dye be preserued and kept in health howe muche more doeth it stande with congruence that Luke the physicion should there be reslaunte who doeth not with scammony or ellebour preserue the healthful state of the body but doth with an heauenly pocion deliuer the soule froÌ„ diseases that violently hale men to death euerlastyng that is to were that vnknowyng of the truthe mistrustfulnesse vnbelefe towardes God the loue of this worlde ambicion auarice riottous excesse hatred enuye and suche others For these diseases is all the life of mortall men subiect vnto dayly in daunger of falling into them as Iohn thapostle sayeth where he bewayleth that all the whole worlde is set in naughtinesse neyther any thing els to reigne therin but coÌ„cupiscence of the flesh concupiscence of the iyes pryde of the lyfe And in so muche the more peril and hasard of the said diseases do the princes stand as they are more then others made wantons derelynges of fortune and haue lybertie withoute checke or controllemente to fullfyll their owne sensuall lustes and appetites But nowe me seemeth I shall not spende my labour in vayne but to good purpose if I shal in a fewe wordes commend and sette Foorth vnto your highnesse first Luke himself being the physicioÌ„ and then the pocioÌ„ or medicine that he bringeth with hym albeit I put no doubtes but that as well the one as the other is already as in dede they ought to be vnto your godly ze'e and deuocion in most best wyse accepted Forsoth this same is that excellent man Luke an Antiochian by the couÌ„trey nacion that he was borne in And Antioche is a citie whiche was in old tyme of so great fame and power that so muche parte of al the countrey of Syria as reacheth vnto Cicilie butteth vpoÌ„ it had the name geuen it thereof And the sayed Antioche was in this behalf more happie and fortunate then verye Rome it self that Peter the apostle had his first see here in this citie of Antioche and that Paule and Barnabas dyd in the same citie receiue their dignitie of the charge and funccioÌ„ Apostolical Now to our present purpose this Luke was of familiar acquaintaunce and comiersacion with all the Apostles but most specially a folower and disciple of Paule and also a companion of his in all his peregrinacioÌ„ neuer separated nor deuided from his coumpany By linyng in coumpany with the Apostles he wrote his ghospell and by the thynges whiche Paule wrought and did Luke beyng a presente witnesse of theim he wrote the booke whiche he entytled the actes of the apostles And that hystorie of the Actes he continued vntill the second yere of Paul abydyng at Rome that is to say vntill the fowerth yere of Nero the Emperour there Wherof men gather a consecture that the boke was writteÌ„ in the same citie and fully agreed it is amonge the learned men that this same verye Luke it is of whom Paul the Apostle doeth so often tymes make mencion as for eâ—aumple in his second epistle to the Corinthians where he thus saith We haue seÌ„t with him our brother whose lande is in the gospel throughout all the congregacions Again where he writeth to the CollosstaÌ„s he sayth dere Lukes the physicion greteth you And agayne in the secound epystle to Timothe For Demas hath forsaken me louing this preseÌ„t world is departed vnto Thessalonica Crescens is gone into Galacia Titus into Dalmacia onely Lukas is with me Yea and this point moreouer is leaft to vs by auncyent writers that as often as Paul calleth it by the name of his gospell as he doeth to Timothe where he saieth Remembre that Iesus Christ of the seede of Dauid arose again from death accordyng to my gospell c. he â—â—neth of the ghospel of Luke because that like as Marke wrote the history of the gospell at Peters woorde by his settying on so dyd Luke at the word and biddyng of Paule Hierome is of the opinion and iudgement that Luke was more expert in the greke tongue then the other were and by reasoasoÌ„ therof wrote the discourse and processe of the story after a more eâ—act and gromidely sortâ— then the others dyd that is to were takyng his entraunce at the first concepcion of Iohn the Baptist and makyng relacion of verye muche maâ—ter touchyng the natiuitie and concernyng the babehoode â—ea and certayne poyntes furthermore concernyng the childhood of Iesus making also rehersall of many parables and miracles whiche the other euaÌ„gelistes for loue of briefnes had let passe he any thing spoken of And where â—s not one of all the others went any whâ—t ferther then the tyme of the Lorde Iesus beyng assumpted into heauen this man alone did in an other seconde boke make a further continuacioÌ„ of the story concerning the churche howe it first sprang vp and how it grewe more and more to sprede and shew it self Thus muche moreouer the wryters affyrme
the phisician And lyke as the louyng frendely phisiciaÌ„s if at any time they cannot styll remayne to bee euermore present with theyr pacientes doe commonly vse to leaue some boxe or receypt of phisicke with them whereby the parties that are sicke maye be theyr owne phisicians if the case shoulde so require so the lorde Iesus when he returned into heauen leafte vnto vs by his Apostles a medicinable electuarie of the gospell bothe easye and readie for euery bodye that wyll take it but of great vertue and effecte if a man receyue it as it ought to be and certes to take it to ones profite and benefite the chiefe thyng that worketh it is his assured trust and affiaunce in the phisician Neither is it enough to haue taken a stendre taste or assaye thereof but it muste be receiued and conueyghed into the veraye bowels that as soone as it is receyued within the stomacke the vertue therof maye haue full course to renne euery waye throughout all the veynes At suche tyme and neuer till than it begynneth to roumble and shake all the partie from toppe to toe with the hatred of his former life but after this great troublyng and confusion immediately ensueth greate tranquillitie of mynde and quiet of the conscience The phisicians of the bodyes haue practicioners and poticaries that dooe ministre theyr arte vnder them and theimselues are the prescribers and appoyneters what it is that must bee geuen to the sicke Christ alone it is and none els that hath prescribed the medicine of euerlastyng saluacion The Apostles and their successours the bishops are no more but ministers they temper in due proporcion they fyne and beate to powder they laye to the places diseased not receiptes of theyr owne but of Christes They baptise in water but Christe it is that washeth the soule cleane they teache the thynges whiche he taught and deliuered vnto theim but Christes owne selfe it is whiche maketh that theyr wordes maye take effecte The corporall phisicians dooe often tymes varie aswell in their iudicials of the diseases as also in appoyntyng medicines for thesame yea and many tymes in stede of medicines they appoynte thynges that are beray poyson to the sickenes accordyng to the saying of the greke Poete Many of the medicines be good that are wrought And many of theim again are sterke staryng nought But of the phisicke and medicine Euangelicall there is but onely one receipâ—t whiche ought of no mortall creature to bee either corrupted or altered And fynally to conclude it is confect of no mo but one simple so that althoughe they whose parte and duetie it were to be ministers of the same woulde bee slacke to dooe theyr office euery man maye take it and ministre vnto hymselfe so that he haue a mynde feithfully trustyng a mynde syncere and desirous of health For euen that same chiefe and head phisician of all who alone and none but he is of power hable to heale all the whole manne did at some seasons geue health by hymselfe in his owne persone and many tymes also by the ministerie of his Apostles and disciples Now ferthermore all the whole facultie and arte of phisicke hath two markes that it principally shoteth at the one that it maye deliuer the bodye from diseases and from suche thynges as doe brede diseases this parte is by the phisicans terme called therapeutica that is to saye the arte of curyng or healyng diseases secondelye theyr arte is to preserue and continue the healthfull state of the bodye and to encreace the strength and this parte of phisicke they place in the ordreing of the diete For the phisicians dooe not euermore sere with hote yrons or cutte they doe not euermore geue pocions of scammonie to consume and waste the fleashe as men in manier sleaghyng and martiring the bodye to kepe it in lyfe but sometymes they ministre suche thynges as maye make the herte lyghte and mâ—rie yea and also they geue the bodye sustinaunce at large So there is firste of all ministred vnto vs the pocion of faith whiche troubleth the soule and conscience with repentaunce and emptying vs dooeth discharge and vnlade vs of oure synne Than immediatly therupon is geuen an electuarie of consolacion of exortyng and of more perfeict doctrine For if a phisician as soone as he hath made the bodye emptie by purgacion should soodaynely geue vp the sicke pacient and leat hym alone it is an hazarde and ieopardie leste whan it is destytute of all the strength some power and rage of a greater sickenesse maye take it as for example the paulsey the generall taking or dissolucion of all the limmes and senewes wherupon men lye bedred or a consumpcion So after that repentaunce hath cast downe our combe and hath well shaken our disease whaÌ„ baptisme hath scoured or pourged vs and made vs emptie and voyde from al synnes there bee suche thinges ministred and geuen to vs as maye holsomlye replenishe the soule agayne beeyng now well clensed and made voyde Wrathfulnes is voyded out and tentilnesse and mekenesse is in stede thereof infused Enuie is sucked out and taking of all thynges to the best put in for it Picling and pollyng is voyded out and in place therof succedeth liberalitie The feruent desyre of makyng warre is consumed awaye and the earnest zele of peace cometh in for it The loue of sensuall pleasures of the fleshe is expelled and in their stede entreth the loue of thynges celestiall Wyll ye heare what is the sâ—ammonie euangelicall Dooe ye penaunce The axe is nowe alreadie sette at the roote of the tree And euerie tree that bringeth not foorth good fruicte is cutte vp And Paule in lyke manier Mortifie your membres whiche are vpon yearth whoorehuntyng vncleannesse wanton lust euill concupiscence and auarice And within fewe woordes after it foloweth spoysyng your selues of the olde man with all his actes He hathe now voyded out the ill humoures how doeth he fill vp the emptie place agayne Dooe vpon youre selues sayth he as the saintes the elected of God the bowels of mercie bounteousnesse submission humilitie pacience supportyng one another and forgeuyng your selues emong you if any persone haue a querele agaynste an other lyke as the Lorde also hathe giuen to you And aboue all these thynges haue ye charitie whiche is the bande of perfeccion and seat the peace of Christe reioyce in your heartes Suche mannier an house swapâ—â— cleane with broomes and replenished on euery syde with suche ornamentes â–ª the eiuell spirite shall not eftsones entre vpon whan he returneth with seuen wurse then himselfe Thus than the Euangelicall medicine hath wyne of it owne wherewith to scoure the mattier of oure woundes that they smarte agayne Auaunt come behynde me Satan thou sauourest not tho thynges whiche are of god but whiche are of men Now see the suppleyng oyle oâ— thesame Haue ye a perfecte trust and confidence for I haue ouercommed the worlde A heare of heade shall not
for any callyng vnlesse duetie moue it therunto and beeyng abrode it maketh haste in doyng any poynte of duetie it taketh more laysure Mary in all her iourney visited ne saluted not one bodye by the waye vntyll she was come to Elizabeth Neither was that same a salutacion or greting of the common sorte All good happe and blisfulnesse dyd of this gretyng eyther other encreace vnto them both and the efficacie of the spirite of God dyd in them bothe the more plenteously abounde Mary carryed with her in her wombe the fountayne of all ghostely gyftes of grace and through the inspiracion of the babe in her bealy she was nowe altogether in case that nothyng came out of her harte or her mouth but onely of God Therfore it came so to passe that as soone as the salutacion of the virgin Mary had once souned in the eares of Elizabeth the babe whiche she beyng an aged woman had than in her bealy dyd leape and spryng as ye would say skyppyng for ioy and gladnesse Iohn not yet beyng borne felte the diuine power of his Lorde but euen a 〈◊〉 afore conceiued and within the enclosure tabernacle of his mothers wombe doth with gesture magnifie him whom he should afterwarde set forth magnifie with his voice Neither did Elizabeth without fruit perceiue and fele the holy leaping of her litle babe within her Through her babe enspired from heauen the mother also is inspired and altogether is full and whole sodaynly taken with an happy and blissed kinde of infeccion Through the voyce of Mary the heauēly power of God perceth into the babe within the wombe of Elizabeth and through the babe with this sodayne blastyng so taken the mother too is adblasted in suche sorte that she on her partie also beeyng replenished with the holy ghoste did not nowe kepe in the ioyes of her herte although she had afore kept her selfe within doores and had no talke with her as one that would not for shame be acknowen to be conceyued with chylde but with a mighty great voyce which voyce her mighty great affeccion and zele did worke in her she cryed out and vttered suche thynges through the mocion of the spirite as she neither could deme of the swellyng of her bealie ne yet had learned of any mortall manne And euen as though she had heard the Aungell talkyng with Mary thus doeth she begynne her gratulacion O happy and blissed mayden sayeth she thou shalt haue and enioy the chiefe prayse emong all women worthy commendacion And holy is the fruite also of thy virginly wombe out of whiche shall come forth that same woondrefull floure who by the voyce of all nacions shall be preached throughout all the whole vniuersall worlde of whom long and many a day gone the Prophetes haue prophecied and he shal haue the chiefe laude and prayse emong all thynges bothe that are in heauen and that are in yearth I acknowlage it to bee a greater thyng and of more excellencie then a mortall man that thou bearest enclosed within the chambre and tabernacle of thy wombe If age or yeres only be estemed in vs twaine it is not vnmete for a young damisell or mayden to come to an aged womā but if the dignitie or worthynesse of both our babes that we go withall be compared it had been my duetie in all haste to come and visite thee I truly on my parte was happie and fortunate enough with this benefite of God that I go with a chylde the whiche shall in tyme to come be a person of no small dignite and estimacion but of what my deserte is so great happinesse chaunced vnto me that she whiche muste bee the mother of my Lorde shoulde thus of her owne accorde take paines to come to me For by an vndoubted tokē haue I felt the cumming hither of my Lorde For loe immediately whan the voyce of thy salutacion souned in mine eares I felt my young chylde stiere and leape vp in my wombe as one shewyng an earnest desire and gladnesse to go mete his Lorde and to do vnto him his bounden duetie of reuerence and homage And thou too forsouth beeyng a mother doest not vnlyke to the chylde in thy bealie for he beyng the Lorde and maister doeth vouchesafe to come set hys seruaunte of purpose to sanctifie hym and to replenyshe hym with the holye ghoste and thou beeyng so ferre the superiour in dignitie doest not thynke it peinfull to come to me that am thyne inferiour so muche the more lowely behauyng thy selfe as thou doest surmounte and excelle in heauenly gyftes of grace whiche gyftes thou doest veray well in that thou doest not impute them to thyne owne merites forasmuche as they are thynges geuen thee of the free bounceousnesse of God And certes in this behalfe art thou much happie that thou diddest not mistrust the promisses of the Aungell though they semed neuer so muche vnlykely to be beleued Thou haste conceyued without helpe of man and doubt is there none but that the residue of thynges whiche the Aungell hath promised vnto thee in the lordes name shal with sembleable trueth and suertie be perfourmed vnto thee ¶ And Marie sayed My soule magnifieth the Lorde and my spirite hath reioyced in God my sauiour Whan Elizabeth had by the spirite of prophecie spoken these woordes Mary also who through maydenly shamefastenesse had hitherto cōceled the ioyes of her harte being now sodainly rauished with the holy spirite of God of whom she was full and had been a good whyle erst could no longer temper herselfe ne forbeare but that with an himne of reioycing and thankes geuing she must braste out into the lande and prayse of God to whose goodnesse it is to be attributed whatsoeuer high or especiall good thyng doeth chaunce to manne or woman of this worlde O Elizabeth sayeth she not without good cause doest thou reioyce in my behalfe but yet this cummeth euerywhit of the gyfte of God yea and of his free gyfte and not one iote of it there is that I can presumpteously impute to myne owne desertes And therfore not my tongue onely but also my soule acknowledging it owne weaknesse doth euen from the botome of my harte rootes magnifie exalte the lorde with prayses and howe muche the lesse of merite it acknowlageth in it selfe so mouche more vehemently doeth it meruayle at the greatnesse of Goddes benefites I haue cause wherfore to geue hym thankes I haue cause why to talke largely of his beneficiall goodnesse but cause haue I none wherfore to reioyce to my selfe-warde Yet neuerthelesse my spirite beeyng enflamed with the spirite of God doeth for ioy not possible to be vttred in woordes skyp and leape within my body not in it selfe but in God who is both to me and to all persons the onely cause and worker of all saluacion For he hath loked vpon the lowe degree of his hande mayden so behold from henceforthe shall all generacions
bee enforced nor yet with onely common poynctes of euydence bee confirmed the which being credited and beleued shoulde vnto al ages and times as wel past as to come and to all persons bring euerlasting health and saluacion being not beleued shoulde contrary wise bring euerlastyng death An Aungell therfore cummeth in message from God and bryngeth woorde of the thyng afore vnto Marie her spouse Ioseph is ioyned vnto her afore to the ende he maye be a true witnesse of the mattier Elizabeth whiche had liued barayne tyll she was an aged woman bringeth furth childe zacharie whan he had a long time contynued dumme is restored to the vse of hys tongue and hathe hys speche agayne bothe of them as well zacharie as Elizabeth are sodaynelye rauyshed with the spiryte of prophecie Iohn leapeth in hys mothers woumbe for ioye a virgin without mannes helpe conceyueth chylde Magians beyng straungiers of a farre countrey come renning to haue a sighte of the childe and doe wurship him on theyr knees Shepheardes talke of him abrode and declare openlye that he is come By suche a greate noumber of euidente tokens and by so many straunge wonders and miracles is the newe birth of this child approued and aucthorised ¶ And beholde there was a man in Hierusalem whose name was Symeon And thesame man was iust and godly and loked for the consolacion of Israell And the holye ghoste was in him And an aunswere had he receyued of the holye ghoste that he shoulde not see deathe excepte he firste sawe the lordes Christe And he came by inspiracyon into the temple And whan the father and the mother broughte in the childe Iesus to dooe for hym after the cus 〈◊〉 of the lawe then toke he him vp in his armes and sayde â–ª Lorde nowe â—eattest thou thy seruaunt departe in peace according to thy promise For myne iyes haue seen the saluacion whiche thou haste prepared before the face of all people A light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israell Nowe to the entente that there shoulde bee no sexe no age no state or degree of menne nor no profession but that Christ should haue testimonie and witnesse of euerie one of them neyther any one bodye lefte behinde but that he might assuredly promyse vnto hymselfe healthe and saluacyon at the handes of the same Christe there was at the same time in Hierusalem a certayne man named Symeon a manne by reason of olde age colde in hys bodye but in spirite feruente hote of bodye feble and impotente but of soule quiuer and lustie of yeres drye and withered but in all perfectenesse of good lyuyng as freshe as floures that is to wete a veraye iuste and vpryghte man and in verye dede a deuoute manne and full of Godlynesse not huntyng aboute for glorye and lucre at the handes of menne after the exaumple of the Phariseis but ryghte desirouse and muche hungryng for the health and saluacyon of al mankinde in generall whome no delite or pleasure dyd make willing to continue in thys life sauyng onely that he myghte with hys owne iyes once see the veraye selfe Messias whome the wholy sayinges of the Prophetes had promysed to come for the veraye entente and purpose to recomforte the people of Israell whiche people hadde bene long tyme afore many wayes in muche distresse and dyd euen veraye than lyue in greuous afflyccyon Thys Symeon as in dede a good manne he was had assured knowleage afore by inspiracyon of the holy ghoste that the same day and tyme was nowe alreadye come And whereas he had with moste ardente prayers besoughte the lorde to geue hym the gift that he mighte but euen once with hys bodelye iyes beholde the Messias nowe so manye hundred yeres loked for he had in the secrete closet of hys godlye breste receiued an aunswere of the holye ghoste that he shoulde be sure not to depart out of this presente lyfe but that he shoulde firste see with his bodely iyes that same blessed babe whome he had seene manye a daye afore with the iyes of his â—eyth to the ende he myghte wytnesse hym to bee come in dede whome he dyd nothyng doubte but that come he shoulde that same blessed chylde I saye whome for a very south god hath singularely aboue al other menne enoynted that he mighte haue and enioye bothe a kyngdome for euer to endure and also a priestehood neuer to bee abrogated or abolished Therefore whan the tyme shoulde come that the chylde Iesus shoulde bee broughte into the temple as we haue sayde the blyssed olde manne afore named being secretly warned by the mocyon of the spirite came euen a litle before into the temple And whan Marie the mother of the chylde and Ioseph who was yet styll beleued to bee his father broughte the babe into the temple there to execute and to doe suche thinges as vnto the accustomed rites of purifycacion dyd appertayne as soone as the chylde was offered vp and the pryeste had receyued it as the maner was and had blessed it the godlye zeale of the olde man coulde no longer forbeare but that he also woulde nedes take in hys armes the litle young babe whome he had so greately longed for and euen furthwithall hys voyce being in case not long after to continue but to fayle by reason of age sodaynly brast out into the praysing of God singing out a most swete and melodious song muche after the sorte if ye will so lyken it as in the poetes and Philosophiers it is written that the swannes vse to do a litle before they shall dye and thus he sayde All my desyres o Lord are nowe fully satisfied Nowe will I be willing and glad to dye For nowe thou geuest thy seruaunte leaue to departe with a restfull and a quiete mynde not felyng ne hauing any ferther wante at al or lacke in this life but euen desirouse fayn nowe to passe out of this feble olde carkas vnto the blissed company and felowshippe of the godly persones whiche haue long afore nowe loked for thys day and yet neuer had the happe to see it but with the spirytuall iyes of theyr faythe My prayers are nowe more aboundauntlye satysfyed who haue had the happe euen with my bodely iyes also to see and to whome it hath beene geuen in myne olde armes to embrace thyne only sonne by whome and through whome it hath pleased thee to geue true healthe and saluacyon not onely to the people of Israell but also to all nacions of the vnyuersall worlde In thys babes litle bodye though it bee but homelye and symply borne to the syghte of the worlde I acknowlage o lorde thy vertue and power I acknowlage this babe to bee the lyghte of the worlde promised by the holye saâ—ynges of the prophetes I acknowlage thys childe to bee the brighte sonne whiche it was thy holy will and pleasure to haue spring vp and arise vnto the worlde that it myght on
for the holy ghoste to the ende that he may bee woorthy to haue Iesus to his geaste And whan they sawe him they merueiled And his mother sayde vnto hym Sonne why hast thou thus deite with vs Beholde thy father and I haue soughte thee sorowyng And he sayd vnto them howe is it that ye sought me Wist ye not that I must goe aboute my fathers businesse And they vnderstoode not that saying whiche he spake vnto them And he went downe with them and came to Nazareth and was obediente vnto them But hys mother kepte all these sayinges together in her hearte And Iesus prospered in wisedome age and in fauoure with god and men And beholde euen in the meane tyme whyle the sayd merueilouse chylde Iesus doeth with this foundacion and entreing make a preparatiue to the executing of the heauenlye businesse of restoring mankinde to saluacion whiche to doe he was come downe from heauen hys father and mother commeth sodaynely in place to whome the mystery of gods intente and purpose was not yet fully knowen There was yet still remaynyng in them some litle spyece of humayne affeccion although they had with a naturall louing carefulnesse soughte aboute for the chylde And Ioseph for hys parte holdeth hys peace who knew veray wel in his conscieÌ„ce that he had no right ne title to the childe that hys spoused wyfe had borne but the mother as she thoughte she mighte well doe by autoritie maketh halfe a querele to hym Sonne sayeth she why dooe ye handle vs after suche sorte as thys why dyd ye prieuelye steale away from vs loe your father and I beyng nowe by the space of two or three daies in greate care and heauynesse haue bene seeking all about for you fearing on your behalfe the daungier and peryll of all suche misaduentures as the naturall tendernesse of parentes dooeth commonlye vse to feare the chauncyng of vnto theyr children that they loue whan they bee absente from them To these wordes of Marie whiche had proceded of an affeccyon in dede right tendre naturall but yet somewhat humayne and worldelye for respecte whereof it was not conueniente to interrupte or breake the godlye talke that was than in hande Iesus aunswered halfe roughelye not that he was in anye fume or indignacion with hys parentes but to shewe that in the affayres of the ghospell which to doe he was sente of hys heauenly father no mannier autoritie of any man what euer he be ought to haue place The auctorytie of parentes ouer their children hathe certayn due lymytes and boundes howe ferre it maye extende whiche autoritye it is lawefull and also necessarye to renounce and vtterly forsake as often as any matier of eternal saluacion commeth in place For mete it is that thynges worldelye geue place vnto godlye thynges and that the respecte and regarde of God to whome we are bounden debtoures aswell of bodye as of soule and of whose bounteouse lyberalytie we looke for the inherytaunce of the lyfe euerlastyng be aboue them of whome after the fleshe we are borne and broughte vp to succede them but in some porcyon of good and substaunce worldely In dede greatly bounden we are euen to oure parentes too but a greate deale more are we bounde to god to whome we are bounde euen that euer we had any fathers or mothers at all So lykewyse at an other time after this he made an aunswere not all of the ientyleste manyer vnto hys mother whan she at a mariage spake vnto hym and moued hym of some wyne for the feaste and dydde with a certayne autoryâ—ie because she was his mother require hym to shewe a miracle wheras miracles were not to bee shewed but to the glory of hys heauenlye father So dyd he also at an other tyme more snappy shelye make aunswere vnto them that from preachyng the gospell called him furth of the throng presse of the people in the name of his mother of his kynsfolkes But the aunswere that he made at thys tyme was in manier and fourme here folowyng What was the cause ê™ he why ye dyd with suche pensyfe carefulnesse seeke aboute for me dyd ye not remember in your myndes that I muste nedes bee aboute my fathers businesse as often as he calleth me to the office and function appoyncted vnto me But what thyng these wordes of Iesus myghte meane his parentes dyd not euen veraye well vnderstande For it expressed in hym a certayne excellencie aboue the common rate of a man especially at suche a tender age of childehood And albeit that of a likelyhod of thinges that had afore passed they loked for no common trade ne yet no meane thing at the handes of theyr chylde yet for all that dyd they not fully and throughly vnderstande the highe excellencye and maiestie of the power of god they didde not yet perfectely knowe by what woonderfull dryfte and conueyghaunce god the father had determyned to redeme mankynde by his owne sonne They hearde in these woordes of Iesus a namyng of his father where as they veray surely knewe that he had no father in thys worlde on yearth they heare him speake of his fathers affayres businesse of whiche affayres he had neuer spoken worde ne made mencion to them afore that day But they thoughe they were the parentes are all hushte and speake not a worde but doe reuerently take the woordes whiche they vnderstode not And Iesus seeing thys humbled hymselfe and shewed hymselfe obedyente to his mother to Ioseph his foster father not that he oughed vnto theÌ„ any duttie of obedyence but of hys owne goodnesse he submytted hymselfe for a season to theyr weakenesse to bee ruled and ordred by them and therewithall he also gaue vnto all chyldren a fourme and an exaumple with what earneste endeuoure and with what greate reuerence they oughte to bee at theyr parentes commaundemente forasmuche as the chylde Iesus who oughed no seruice ne obedience to any bodye sauyng onely to hys heauenlye father dyd in suche wise obeye a father that was but counterfeyâ—te and hys mother that bore hym withoute any harme or dyspleasure of empayryng her chastytie and maydenhood thereby Thus did the Lorde Iesus thinke it good in suche wise to temper all hys sayinges and doynges that nowe he woulde shewe furthe as ye woulde saye certayne lytle sparkes of hys godlye power and an other tyme agayne would he humble hymselfe to the lowe degree of a man poorely borne into this worlde Uerayly his so doyng was expediente for vs to the ende that it myght by all mannyer wayes be perswaded vnto mankinde the veritie and true substaunce bothe of the dyuyne nature and of the nature of manne to bee coupled together in hys one persone The feloweshyppe of a nature beeyng common both to him and vs did greatly make for the purchasing of loue We doe more earnestly and also more fruictfully loue thinges that be nere to oure owne nature and family are to deale with
euen by the olde prouerbe whiche sayeth that lyke will euermore vnto lyke But as for puttyng oure affiaunce and truste we dooe more safely put it in god who forasmuche as lye he cannot and is of power all thinges to dooe may in no manyer wise bee doubted of but that he wyll perfourme whatsoeuer he dooeth promyse And in dede oure loue towardes Christe doeth firste spryng vp of the cousynage and lykenesse of oure nature but from these beginninges it groweth better and better to the loue of thynges beyng hygher aboue vs. For lyke as the common sorte of menne is at the firste begynnyng by the onely seeyng of the beautie of ones bodye enflamed and sette on fyer to beare hys good wyll to the partye and shortely after whan by kepyng of coumpanye and by talkyng wyth the same partye the good qualytyes of a more beautyfull mynde and soule lying hydden in hys beautifull bodye are once throughelye perceyued they begynne more truelye and also more ardentelye to bee in loue with the thyng that they see not then with the thyng that they see euen so the feloweshyppe and equalitye of oure humayne nature in hym was vnto vs as ye woulde saye a lure to the conceyuyng of loue towardes the Lorde Iesus but from thys loue we growe vp more hygher to the loue of hys diuyne power and of hys godhede Therfore whether he humble himselfe down to oure weakenesse or els mounteth vp to his owne hyghnesse aboue he busilye attendeth the labouryng and working of oure health and saluacion So than Iesus wente from the temple and from Hierusalem and obeying the gouernaunce of his parētes returned home agayne to Nazareth Let chyldren yong strieplinges whan they heare this be ashamed as many as make lyghte at the good lessons and counsayles of theyr parentes exhortyng them to honest wayes seeyng that Iesus dyd for a space leaue of from dooyng hys fathers busynesse because he woulde not shewe any exaumple of a disobedyent sonne Let the priuate commoners and parisheners blushe that vse to rebell agaynste theyr godlye pastoures beyng theyr spirituall fathers seeing that Iesus being the greater in dygnytie was contente to bee ordred by his inferiours and beyng God submytted hymselfe to the gouernaunce of creatures mortal But the mother agayne on her parte forasmuche as she perceyued and founde a certayne power of the goddeheade to glittre and shewe furthe in hym was well contente to folowe the minde and ordering of her sonne and being myndefull of her owne wise and discrete sobrenesse dyd as yet make no blabbyng out abrode of any thing as other weomen vse to bee full of clatteryng and bablyng ne take vpon her to geue anye sentence or iudgement vpon these matiers whiche she did rather merueyle at then vnderstande the misterie of it what it mente but all that euer had chaunced from the begynnyng aboute or concernyng the chylde and all that euer was by him sayde or dooen she gathered and conferred altogether and layde it vp safe in her breste coniecturyng and castyng of these wonderfull begynninges what ende of all mattyers was lyke to ensue Neyther dyd she leaue any one poyncte vnmarked to the ende that she myghte afterwarde with the more perfecte truethe and assuraunce make reporte of all thynges vnto the dyscyples that shoulde in tyme cummyng preache the lyfe of Iesus all the worlde throughoute In the meane whyle Iesus beeyng yet hitherto knowen but vnto fewe folkes continued dwelling in the poore citie of Nazareth liuing as ye myghte saye vnder the gouernaunce of hys parentes vntyll the tyme shoulde come that was sette of hys father in whiche he shoulde with myracles and with preaching shewe furth himselfe abrode vnto the worlde geuing to vs in the meane while a lesson by his owne exaumple that no man shoulde vnaduisedly and vndyscretely or els out of tyme and wythoute due occasyon come rushing in or make presse to take in hande thoffice of preaching the gospell before that he doe through sufficyente groweth of yeres throughe vnculpable behauyoure throughe due learnyng and knowleage in holy scriptures and through Goddes vocacyon gather vnto hymselfe a good autoritie to become a teacher For Iesus vntyll he was in mannier full thirtie yeres of age neuer did anye very notable acte sauyng that aboue the rate of other mortall men like as he grewe and prospered in stature of bodye in strengthe and groweth of yeres so did that same heauenly wisedome styll more and more plenteouslye shewe furthe it selfe in hym and so dyd his other manyfolde gyftes of grace also throughe whiche lyke as he was moste highlye accepted with god so did he dayly more and more growe in fauoure and estimacion with menne an vnlyke manne veraylye and of a muche contrarie sorte vnto the Scribes and Phariseis who by a counterfeite pretence of holynesse and of wysedome vsed to sette out themselues to the iyes of menne whereas in the syghte of god they were as full as they myghte swarme of all filthe and vnclenesse of vyce Neyther was it onely auayleable to the saluacyon of mankynde who was to be redemed by a straunge conueyghaunce and suche as the lyke hadde not beene hearde of afore but also to the good instruccyon and traynyng of oure lyfe that Iesus did by litle and litle and by certayne degrees shewe furth to the knowledge of men hys heauenly giftes of grace that he was most aboundauntly replenished withall For that thing verayly he dyd to geue vs a lesson that from those first preceptes and rules of righteousenesse which we ought euen streight way while we be young cradle children to drinke in we should with continuall going forwarde vncessauntly doe al oure possible endeuoure to atteygne vnto thinges of more and more perfeccyon For lyke as the bodye hath his degrees of growing bigger and bigger to the full rate of his stature and to hys full strengthe that is to were shootyng vp firste from infancie or babehood to the stature of a young strieplyng from the stature of a striepling to the degree of a yong man from the degree of youthe to the full perfeccyon of mannes state euen so hath godlynesse hys degrees of encreasing vntyll we may be full growen vp to the perfecte substauncyall strengthe of the fulnesse of Christe For Chryste groweth bygger and bygger in vs and shooteth vp more and more to mannes state whan we from the fyrste enstruccyons and articles of the fayth doe encroche forwarde to a more depe hydden wisedom of the scripture of God whan we forsake the milke of the fleashe and begin to haue a stomake or appetyte to the sounde and stronge meate of the spiryte when we leaue the vnsauerye letter and thirste the mystycall sence and meaning whan we nothyng esteme ne regarde thynges yearthly but mounte vp and take our flight to thinges celestiall For it is euen playne settyng the cart before the horses yf the body shall by the course of nature growe from tyme to
the soure pestilent fruites of euyll workes that is to wete pride wrathfulnesse auarice enuie hypocrisie contenciō Now if ye be in very dede tourned from euil trees into good trees bryng ye forth good fruites suche as maye testyfy your hertes to be truly altered into a better frame It is not here now requisite nor any thing material that ye chaūge your garmētes or to leaue take this or that kind of meat but ye must chaūge the euill lustes of your hertes This is in very dede the roote of the tree which roote if it haue a bitter and a venemous sape thā spring there none but euill fruites out of the braūches but contrariwyse if the roote minister sende vp a pleasaūt holsome sape to the boughes than do there grow forth vpon the braunches those fruites of the spirite that are semely for god worthy acceptacion that is to wete entier loue instede of hatred for bitter frouning godly ioye and lightnes of hert for discord peace for fiercenes sufferaunce for snatchyng and polling liberalitie for lecherousnes chastitie for deceitful craftines simplicitie and plain dealyng for presūpteous taking vpon him humble sobrenes for supersticion true godlynesse These are the thynges whiche declare who be the true and vncounterfayted Iewes these be the thynges that declare who be circumcysed as they ought to be and who are the verye true chyldren of Abraham in dede these sacrifices they are that god is delyted withal Now is the lyght at hande let shadowes passe awaye the truthe is in place away with al counterfait hipocrisie doe away your vayne confydence whiche the fygures of ghostely thynges haue nouryshed in you and not the thinges selfes as for exaumple whan ye say in the way of gloriyng Hierusalem that holy citie of ours the lordes tēple the lordes temple the lordes tēple also such figures of thinges as here foloweth that is to wete slaughter of bruite beastes in sacrifice ordeining and solemne halowing of sabboth dayes obseruyng of newe moones choice and difference betwene one meate an other brode borders vpō vestures which ye call your philacteries fastyng and abstinence with heuinesse louring of countenaunce the resydue of obseruaunces a great manye whiche eyther the lawe did for a tyme prescribe and apoint as figures of thinges to be referred to the mynde or els the Phariseis haue inuēted for a vain pretense of holines al these thynges euery one with circumcision it self and altogether shal ceasse and be abolyshed And suche an one shall from hensfoorth bee esteemed for a Iewe of the right sorte whatsoeuer he be that shall confesse and acknowelage him whose comyng shall now ere long be seen to the world And suche an one shall bee taken for a man rightly circumcised as he shoulde bee whosoeuer shall haue an herte pourged through fayth from all inordinate lustes and desires Let it therfore no more enter into your hertes to thynke with your selues vaingloriously It is we that are the heritage the succession and children of Abrahā it is we and none els to whom the inheritaunce of saluacion hathe been promised the Lorde wyll not forsake vs that are his people Naye I say vnto you that like as the wickednesse of your forefathers shal be nothing preiudiciall nor hurtful to you in case ye amend and take better waies euen so shall the holinesse of your progenitour Abraham nothyng auayle you yf ye wyll still continue in your olde vngodlinesse Ye will be caste away ye will surely bee disherited ye will vtterly perishe to eternall damnacion onlesse beeyng conuerted and turned to better life ye bryng foorthe suche fruites as maye semely and worthily stand with the ghospell Neither shall Abraham be destitute of posteritie or succession nor god want a people of his own of whō to bee condignely wurshipped and serued and to whom to performe the inheritaunce by him promised though ye should shrinke and fall awaye from him For this dare I be bolde to auouche and assure vnto you God is not vnhable but hath power enough euen of these stones here to reise vp chyldrē vnto his frēde Abraham to whom he promised issue and successiō like in noumbre to the sandes of the sea to the sterres in the skye In time herafter to cum the children of Abraham shal be estemed accepted not after the kinred of bloud but as euery one shall folowe and resemble Abraham in faith Abraham shal acknowelage and accepte for his children euen the Sogdiās the Gotthyans and the wylde Scythians if they embrace Messias shall coumpte and repute you for aliens and straunge borne bastardes onlesse ye turne to the faith beleue God hath hitherto shewed paciēce sufferaūce towardes you though ye haue but euē so so brought forth the outward fruites of the lawe such as they wer that is to say sacrifices vowes fastīges washinges difference of meates and paryng away of the foreskin in circūcision But these thinges had no more but superficially an outward apparaunce of religion And these are but leaues of the tree detestable afore God except the fruites of the spirite bee ioyned therewith But nowe from hensfoorth shal euery body be estemed according to the true treasures of the hert the soule euen as they shal be founde good or euill Now is there cum a more streight and precise iudgemente of God and cum he is that seeth the botome of the depest secretes of the herte For now is the axe euen ready set hard by the roote of the tree that hath so long time been suffered Abrahās people shal be hewed away frō the stem therof the heathen so many as in prompte readynes of beleuing shall resemble Abraham shall be graffed in their places Moses had no eare geuen vnto him the prophetes were not harkened vnto of whome a great many ye slew and put to death at the voyce of the lawe ye haue hitherto been of dull and deaf eares nowe is he cum whose greater there can none be sēt and after whom there is none to bee loked for Utter peryshing for euer hangeth ouer the whole nacion of the Israelites ▪ except ye repente betime and grow to more goodnesse For euery tree whiche shall not now bryng foorth the good frute of faith shal be felled downe and cast into the fyer Meane is there none nor respect is there none but either through true godlynes to make haste vnto euerlastyng saluacion or not so doyng remediles and vtterly to be damned for euer And the people asked him saiyng what shal we do thē He aūswereth saith vnto thē he that hath two coates let him part with him that hath none and he that hath meat let him do likewise The common multitude of the Iewes beeyng sore adrade with these terrible and manacing woordes of Iohn saied vnto him If it be so as ye saie what thynke ye than good for vs to dooe wherby to auoyde and escape the
strength and force to this ende and purpose that by one waye or other he myght hindre and lette the redempcion of mankynde But no crafte is hable to take place or effecte againste the wysedome of God whiche in suche sorte tempered and ordred all her doynges that it dyd not onely subdue and conquier that same our moste subtile and craftie enemy but also defeacted hym of his purpose by his woordes leauyng hym in as muche doubte and vncertayntie as he was before By the infirmitie of the fleashe he mocked and disapoynted hym of his purpose through the stoutnesse and puissaunce of the spirite together with the sure fence of holy scripture he vanquished and subdued hym so that hauyng the foyle ouerthrowe to his great shame he was drieuen awaye and departed in as muche vncertayntie whether this were the sonne of God or no as he was before at his first cummyng Satan therfore layed agaynst Iesus that same effectuall darte and artillerie that he firste vsed agaynst the firste parentes of mankynde Adam and Eue and therewith ouerthrewe them albeit he onely enticed them with the lure of a faire apple that laughed vpon them but here in Iesus case houngre also beyng an euill that no manne can endure withall was a strong helper forwarde to the thyng that the temptour wente aboute Esau bieyng compelled with hounger solde the title and interest of his birtheright that he should haue had by eldership he solde it for a messe of pottage And the Lorde Iesus yf it had been his pleasure myght through his diuine power eyther haue kept awaye hounger from cummyng to hym or els haue drieuen it awaye whan it was come Neuerthelesse he woulde not so doe but it was his full pleasure and wyll to lay a baite for the temptour to vse wherwith thesame tēptour should bee taken his owne selfe The weakenesse of his bodie beeyng suche as other men had was laied in Satans waie as a secrete baite to vse for his purpose but the temptour stumbled hit on the hooke of the power of his godhead He sawe the body of a man witheryng and drying clene awaye with hounger to be in great affliccion and paine and none other lyke but shortely to be in the ieopardie and perill of death And men playnly affirme that there is no kynde of death more peinfull then to be famyshed to death He sawe hym in the wildernesse ferre from any towne or village from whence any meate myght bee gotten or ministred vnto hym for his susteinaunce Takyng therfore a boldenesse of these thynges the spirite of wickednesse assaileth the Lorde Iesus beyng replete with the spirite of holynesse he biddeth bace and begynneth firste with hym of whom he was to be subdued he biddeth hym come furth who was so strong and valiaunte for hym to matche withall he attempteth to take in the snare one ferre wyser and more warie than hymselfe What nedest thou sayeth Satan to bee thus tormented with houngre If thou bee that same sonne of God whiche was promised to bee sente to redeme the worlde commaunde that this stone turne into breade for thy behoufe and that wyll bee an euidente token where by for the to declare that thou art the sonne of God in dede For thy father vndoubtedly wyll not in this behalfe geue a deafe eare to his sonne beyng thus in distresse and ieoperdie of death through houngre And seeyng that he created all thynges of naught it should bee an acte of no great matter if the Sonne of God turne a stone into breade But Iesus beeyng not ignoraunte what the temptour herein hunted for so tempered his aunswere that he neyther consented to the temptours counsayle nor yet disclosed the nature of his godhead to his enemy who nowe by a newe and a straunge conueighaunce was through the infirmitie and weakenesse of Iesus bodye both to bee beguiled and also to bee conquered He denyeth not but the Sonne of God had power to turne stones into breade ne disalloweth to asswage the houngre of the body with meate whiche was ordeyned therfore but by the autoritie of the holy scripture of God he plainly sheweth that there is a lyfe of the soule muche more to bee regarded then the lyfe of the bodye and that there is a spirituall meate whiche is more requisite to be desired then the meate that for a shorte tyme prolongeth the bodily lyfe whiche lyfe neuerthelesse must of necessitie perishe within a shorte space afterwarde eyther by meanes of sickenesse or of age or of some other casualtie For the meate of the spirite geueth lyfe for euer to endure and this meate is the woorde of God This firste assaulte therfore of the deuyll Iesus auoyded with this aunswer It is wrytten sayeth he in the booke of deuteronomie Manne liueth not by breade onely but by euery woorde that procedeth out of the mouthe of God And for this purpose doeth the Lorde nowe take the woorde of the diuine scriptures for his staigh first to teache vs humilitie and sobrenesse that we ought not precisely to affirme any thyng without the autoritie of Scripture geuen vnto vs from God Secondly he declareth vnto vs that there is no weapon of more effectuall strength agaynste all the instinctes and mocions of wicked deuils then the autoritie of the holy Scriptures Out of the sayed Scriptures is the true meate of the soule to bee sought and gotten if a manne be of mynde and will to lyue to god warde to whom warde whoso liueth not thesame is already but a deadman yea although to the iye he appeare to bee alyue The first parentes Adam and Eue did eate they died for their labour That yf they had geuen the temptour that same aunswere whiche the Lorde Iesus here at this present tyme gaue him and had more regarded the Lordes commaundemente the due kepyng wherof geueth lyfe euerlastyng then the appetite and lust of that mortall apple they had not endaungered both themselues and all their succession after them to death and damnacion And thus much ferther doeth the exaumple of our salueour teache that miracles are not to bee shewed for the lust or pleasure of men but at suche tymes onely whan the glorye of Christe doeth call for it or els charitie and loue towardes our brother doeth necessarily require it For eyther to worke or to feigne sightes of woondres for a vainglorious boastyng as who shoulde saye this can I doe or to satisfie the curious lust and pleasure of the lookers on whereby neyther goddes glorye is aduaunced nor any profite groweth vnto our neyghbour is nothyng els but the propertie and condicion of witches and Iuglers as for ensaumple a brennyng fyer brande to bee diepped into the water and not quenched therwith or the fearefull lykenesse of Hector or Achilles to bee made appeare to the sight or the rushes and strawes to goe crallyng aboute the house seemyng to bee snakes Iesus at no tyme shewed any miracle but
geue vs bothe strength and witte agaynste all his ingiens and the holy scriptures shall minister vnto vs armoure and weapon enough He that suffereth vs to bee tempted wyll not suffre vs to bee ouercommed but wyll so ordre the fight that the ende of the fielde and battayle shall turne to our benefite Our enemie beyng putte to the wurse will not ceasse to haue enuy at vs but he wyll at length ceasse to inuade and the oftener he shall come so muche the more often discoumfeighted and weakened shall he at all tymes departe agayne For howe the case should afterwarde stande with vs Christe dyd nowe expresse by exaumple of hymselfe For after that the deiuill had dispeched and spente out of all the fractes and craftie poyntes that he coulde agaynste the Lorde and yet sawe that he was neuer a whitte the nerer of his purpose beeyng not onely ouercomed but also deluded and defeacted in wordes he departed awaye howbeit but for a season that is to say to returne againe to tempting whan he myght seke and procure an occasion therto For sence the tyme that he coulde not gette out of Iesus to professe that he was the sonne of God whom he was not hable with any goodly shewe of thynges to corrupte he afterwarde laboured through the helpe of hys souldiers the Phariseis the Scribes and the priestes to putte hym to death Yet euen in this behalfe also dyd Iesus by a godly policie mocke and defeate the wylinesse of his aduersarie for the thynges that Satan with all his strength laboured to bryng to passe to our castyng awaye thesame dyd Christe turne into our saluacion Yea and then moste especially of all dyd Satan perceyue his tyrannie to bee cleane ouerthrowen when he assured hymselfe of moste vndoubted victory Firste came baptisme whiche geueth the state of innocencie then afterwarde came wildernesse and continuall prayer fastyng and therewithall battayle with Satan agaynst whom we are moste chiefely armed with auoydyng the coumpanie and resorte of people emong whom there is in no place wantyng matter enough to prouoke and stiere weake myndes vnto vices moe then one Prayer fenseth and gardeth the soule Fastyng abateth the strength of the bodye and encreaseth more strength in the soule ¶ And Iesus returned by the power of the spirite into Galile And there wente a fame of hym throughout all the region And he taught in their Synagoges and was commended of all menne There was nowe nothyng remaynyng but for Iesus to addresse hymselfe to the office of teachyng And this is the veray true office moste specially belongyng to Byshoppes whiche office no manne doeth after a ryght sorte take in hande onlesse he bee many wayes tryed and proued onlesse he bee founde a conquerour and a subduer of all naughtie appetites whiche doe corrupte and peryshe the woorde of God so that he maye bee hable to teache others too by what meanes they maye resist Satan For it is not enough that a teacher of the ghospell be pure from vices but he muste also bee stoute and vncorrupte that neyther for lucre ne for any sensuall pleasure of the bodye ne for ambicion ne for the feare of any eiuylles he wyll declyne from the vpright streightnesse of the trueth of the ghospell whiche trueth Satan doeth not at any tyme ceasse to assaulte by suche persones as loue this worlde more then they loue the glory of God And this the Lorde Iesus beeyng mynded to teache vs after the premisses all finyshed and dooen returned nowe agayne into Galile in great power and vertue of the spirite whiche he was replete withall For of the temptacion aforesayed he had gathered strength of the spirite not that any spice of any newe power had growen vnto hym more then he had fore but for that the thyng which he had in his mynde dyd more vtter and shewe furthe it selfe settyng out vnto vs therewhyle as it were in a playne picture what the charge and care of an euangelicall teacher ought to bee and what he ought to looke for It was his will and pleasure to begynne his firste preachyng of the ghospell in Galile beeyng the moste abiecte and basse region of the Iewes partely to agree iustely with the prophecie of Esay in whiche it was foresayed that aboute the coastes of Zabulon and Neptalim that is to saye nere to Galile of the Gentyles the lyght of Goddes trueth shall spryng vppe and partely to the entente that no parte of the prosperous procedyng of the ghospell should be imputed to the ayde or maynteinaunce of this worlde in case the ghospell hadde been taught or brought to lyght by learned menne by ryche folkes or by menne of power or in case it had sprong vp out of a region beeyng any thyng famous For God did of a purpose choose and picke out all thynges vile and abiecte in worldely estimacion to the ende that all the whole glorye of so marueilouse a matter should redound vnto hymselfe And euen nowe already was the fame of Iesus not vnspoken of emong the people of Galile with whom by reason of some miracles priuately shewed that all the worlde knewe not of he was come in knowlage to many yea euen before his baptisme a fewe disciples euen at that tyme gathered vnto hym whom it was his pleasure to haue as witnesses of all his whole lyfe and doctryne And euen at the same veray time he by lytle and lytle withdrewe hymselfe from the affeccionate willes of hys kynesfolkes because he would by his doyng reache vs that kynesfolkes also doe oftentymes hurte the synceritie and purenesse of doctryne But after that Iohn was cast in prieson for duryng the tyme of Iohns preachyng Iesus dyd in maner altogether holde his peace because there should no spice of contencion growe or aryse betwene the disciples of the one and the other whether shoulde haue the preeminence he with a great courage entreth the buisy office of preachyng the ghospell openly in the face of the worlde For it was nowe tyme that the lawe beeyng restreigned and kepte vnder bandes the figure whereof Iohn dyd beare the libertie of the ghospell shoulde putte furthe the head and shewe it selfe For enpriesonyng and feriers was moste mete for the lawe beeyng full of shadowes and beeyng derkened with mysticall doubtfull sayinges but mete it was to sette the light of the ghospell vppe on hygh to the entente it myght bee open in syght to all regions and coastes of the worlde without excepcion aswell to the greatest as to the leaste aswell to the learned as to the vnlearned Than as soone as the Lord was returned into Galile through the power of the spirite of God with whome he was filled whiche power was nowe aswell by his doctryne as also by miracles partely vttred the fame which had to fore as ye would saye flighen abrode but among a fewe persones in comparison concernyng Iesus was than published and bruited abrode throughout al that region For vnto a teacher
enioyned that euery seuenth yere it should bee rested from tillyng of the yearth ▪ neyther any thyng to bee requyred of thesame sauyng what it woulde bryng forth of it owne selfe He gaue ferthermore a tradicion of a yere called the restorer of the fyrste state of libertie vnto whiche of the propertie of the thyng was geuen the name of Iubilee emong the Hebrewes This yere of Iubilee came about in course agayne after vii tymes seuen yeares and was euermore the fyftieth for seuen tymes seuen maketh x.ix And this yere of Iubilee was moste hertely to bee wished for of all the Israelites that eyther with bonde seruice or els with debte were any thyng oppressed But like as the sabboth of Moses refreshed mennes bodies onely with beeyng at reste and quiete so did the seuēth yere onely prouide for the resting of the yearth from tillage But nowe there is shewed vnto your knowelage a perpetuall sabboth neuer to bee interrupted or broken in whiche the mynde and soule beyng free vacant from all troublous vnquietnesse of eiuil desyres ought wholly to attēde to the quiet applying and exercise of heauenly thynges and not now with pensife earefulnesse to prouide altogether for yearthly thynges forasmuche as to them that loue God no manier thyng at all is wantyng Yea and moreouer the Iubilee of Moses did not helpe any others but onely the Israelites it gaue neither free deliueraunce ne yet full deliueraunce yea and thatsame veray thyng whiche it did geue extēded no ferther then to the bodye and enduted but for a shorte tyme. But this yeare of the Lorde dooeth vnto all persones whosoeuer are endebted to the deuill through synne whosoeuer bee as bonde seruauntes subiecte to euill spirites whosoeuer through ignoraunce of the trueth are blynde whosoeuer bee in all kyndes of naughtinesse so farre paste that they are vnhable to euery good worke vnto all suche dooeth this Iubilee of the Lorde bryng perfecte free remissiō deliueraunce or libertie sight health and complete perfeccion in euery behalfe So muche the more therfore ought ye with prompt zeles and endeuoures to enbrace that is offered For the thyng that ye haue hearde promised by the prophecie ye maye now if ye wyl in the dede selfe fynde to be true Ye haue hearde it with your eares but ye haue nede of readie and desyrefull hertes yf ye wyll bee apte to receyue so great a blissefulnesse It is euen the highest thing that possibly maye bee wherof this free offre is made vnto you But woe vnto them that shall despyse the bountifull gracious goodnesse of God so wyllingly offreing it selfe vnto them It is the yeare of Iubilee freelye offreyng deliueraunce and saluacion vnto all suche as with mekenes of submission and with readinesse of beleuyng shewe theimselfe wylling to bee taught and apte to receyue healing But after this yeare of Iubilee must succede and folowe the yeare of retribuciō and redresse which shal adiudge and ministre euerlastyng peynes in hell vnto all suche as shall haue refused the goodnesse of God By these woordes dyd the Lorde Iesus in an humble and sobre manier signifie hymselfe to bee thesame man of whom the Prophecie of Esaie did make promysse whereas the mooste parte belieued the sayed place of the Prophete not to concerne Messias but to concerne Esaie hymselfe For whan Iesus was in baptisyng the holye ghoste slydyng downe from heauen in the visible likenesse of a doue and lighting vpō his heade did all the people to wete that thissame was euen veraye he whome the prophecie had ment of Enoyntyng betokeneth a certayne mylde and ientill still thyng For there is nothyng more ientill supple or caulme then oile wherof was euen that name Messias geuen him which is in Greke Christon in Latine Vnctum in Englyshe the enoynted For as for the preachyng of Iohn it was sharpe and soure and full of threatyng but Christe did with mildenesse with courteous familiaritie and with beneficial good turnes continually moue and praye the people to receyue saluacion Whan Iesus dyd with moste highe auctoritie and no lesse myldenesse speake and treate of the premisses many had him in great estimacion therfore and merueyled at his talke beyng veray ferre vnlyke to the talke of the Pharisees that is to wete caulme mylde and meke amiable poudred with muche grace hauyng in it no spice of haultnes or pryde no poynte of soure looke or presumpteous takyng vpon hym and yet neuerthelesse of suche sorte that it conteyned in it condigne auctoritie For the woordes of the Pharisees because they issued foorth from an hearte corrupted with ambicion with auarice with enuie and with many other naughtye affeccions did moste tymes smacke of the spryng that they gushed out of But the wordes whiche proceded from the mouthe of Iesus because they welled foorth from a brest replenished with the heauenly spirite of God were not onely amiable and swete vnto all good folkes but also piththy and effectuall towarde saluacion Yet neuerthelesse some there were emong these Nazareans in whose myndes and opinions the meanesse of Iesus kynred and familie that he came of to the outwarde acceptacion of the worlde made the auctoritie of the heauenlye doctrine to bee the lesse regarded For in consideracion that they euery one dyd yet all this while beleue hym to bee the sonne of Ioseph and Marie and that the slender habilitie and substaunce aswell of Ioseph and Marie bothe as also of theyr aliaunce and kynsfolkes was not vnknowen in consideracion also that they hadde seen hym many yeares euen from his chyldehood to had learned at noue other schoole sauyng onelye his fathers occupacion of carpentrie ne at any tyme to had haunted the schooles of the Pharisees and of the experte lawiers who taughte the misteries of the holye scripture bookes with muche highe solemnitie and haultenesse of countinaunce they did muche meruayle where and how he had soodaynly gotten so great vertue and power whiche he had to fore shewed foorth in other cities by diuerse and soondrye myracles they mused where he had gotten that same wondrefull knowlage of diuinitie bookes they wondred where he had gotten so great eloquence to speake after that sorte with auctoritie For they did not yet vnderstād of how muche more power and effecte the enoyntyng of the spirite of God is then the doctrine of the Phariseis Estemyng hym therefore by the thynges whiche they knew in him after the fleshe they sayed Is not this same felowe the sonne of Ioseph the carpenter for they knewe not the heauenly father who than wrought by his soonne And because that Iesus wrought ferre fewer miracles in the citie of Nazareth then he shewed in other cities certayne of his kynsfolkes beeyng halfe in a fume and indignacion therewith detracted and reproued hym as thoughe that eyther he had not his power ready to serue hym euery where or els that he oughed his owne kynsfolkes suche despite that he woulde shewe no myracles emong theim
too And all they in the Synagogue whan they hearde these thâ—nges wer filled with wrathe and arose vp and thrust hym out of the Citie and led hym euen to the edge of the hyll whereon their Citie was builte that they might cast hym down headlong But he departed and weÌ„t his waye euen through the middes of them Whan Iesus had with these sayinges plainly without any flaterie or colour laid to his countreymen of Nazareth theyr vnbelefe for the respect wherof thei made themselues vnworthie of goddes benefites and all vnder one did geue halfe a significacion that th ende would be that the free gift of the power of the ghospell shoulde passe awaye and remoue not onely from his countreymen of Nazareth beyng vnbeleuers that woulde not turne to the feith but also from all the Iewes in general vnto the wedow of SydoÌ„ that is to saie to the churche of the Gentiles to Naaman of Syria that is to saie to the Gentiles who afore that tyme wer idolaters wurshippers of false goddes the enuious grutching murmour of the NazareaÌ„s turned into manifest indignacion fuming For the hertes of them euery one were brought so ferre oute of pacience because he had been so bolde to speake suche wordes in the open Synagogue preferring the peoples of Sydon of Syria before the Israelites whereas the saied people wer meÌ„ vtterly abhorred detested emoÌ„g the Iewes that making a plain vprore sedicion they droue hym out banished hym the citie of Nazareth And not beyng therwith satisfied they brought hym euen to the brough and edge of the mountaine vpon whiche thesame citie was buylded verylye myndyng purposyng to tumble hym down euen there headlong O vnnaturall countreymeÌ„ O fauour of that waueryng mynded people into how great a madnesse sodainly chaunged And after all this is doen they meruaile that saluacioÌ„ coÌ„meth not to them wheras themselues do banishe away from them the worker and geuer of saluacioÌ„ Thei disdeyne to haue the godly beliefulnesse of the heatheÌ„ to be praised and yet do they not all the while emende their owne wicked vnbelief They did verai eagrely desire to haue a phisician yet cannot they abide to swallow downe the holsome pille of the veritie beeyng bittur in theyr mouthes Thei wyl nedes haue their bodies made hole nothing regarding the diseases of the minde And the medicine of the solle beyng sicke is true plaine speakyng whiche because it is true is thought sharpe byting They haue more mynde to pleasauÌ„t flatreyng poisoÌ„ though it worke death theÌ„ to a bitter medicine that might bring them health They require to haue miracles shewed emoÌ„g them for vainglorie of the world which Christ neuer shewed but for the health of men to goddes glorie Neither was his cuÌ„ming into the world purposely to heale the bodyes which should within short space after decaie and perishe but to cure soules that should liue for euer And now coÌ„sider me here how peruersely ouerthwartely the NazareaÌ„s wurshipped serued God It was the Sabboth day they rekoned it a thyng against al godsforbod on that day to sewe a seame in a shooe but whan a countreyman of theyr owne ientilly calleth them vnto saluacioÌ„ thei accouÌ„pte it no wicked dede at all sediciously with al theyr force to driue him before them to a place where he might breake his necke Forsouth SataÌ„ did his busie cure by these instrumentes to accomplishe the thyng that he had to fore by his owne selfe tempted Iesus vnto And here founde he bailliffes or seruauntes more gracelesse and myscheuous then himself For Satan for his part durst not presume any ferther but to moue Iesus that he would caste hymself downe headlong from the high pinnacle of the temple but these felowes swarmyng together in a plumpe hale and drawe to a stiepe edge of an high mountayne and as muche as in them lyeth do toumble downe at the same place a countreyman and tounesman of thesame citie that themselues were of beyng knowen emoÌ„g them and one that had doen them all good Their wicked wyll did asmuche as euer it was hable but their wieked will had no suche power as to do it For the tyme was not yet come in whiche it was expedient for vs that Iesus shoulde dye who in dede was come to suffre death for vs but not till his owne tyme that his heauenlye father had appoynted nor anye other kynde of death then whiche he had specially chosen Nor euerye Sabboth did like hym for the purpose but the Sabboth of Easter in whiche it was seemely for the lambe that should redeme the world to be offreed vp in sacrifice neither was a stiepe edge of a rocke or a mouÌ„taine for his purpose but the high exalting vp on the crosse Lucifer was toumbled down headlong out of heauen for his pryde and therefore is he a buisie prouoker of others to sodayne ruine and downfallyng The sonne of God had of his own disposicion leat himselfe fayre and sobrely down into yearth to the ende that beyng hoighced vp on the crosse he mighte drawe vp all thynges vnto hymselfe and might by exaumple of hymselfe lift them vp into heauen through humilitie whom that same prince and head captayne of pride laboured to toumble down headlong into hell through presumpcion and vnbelief Neither was Nazareth a place conuenient for the executing of that sacrifice but HierusaleÌ„ Iesus therefore suffred hymselfe to bee drieuen oute of the Citie to auoide bestowing of his preaching vpon people vnworthie which self same thyng to do he taughte his Apostles also But to bee touÌ„bled down the rocke headlong he would not suffre because it pleased hym willingly of his owne accorde to suffre death What than did he He turned not hymselfe into a byrde or a serpente or any other lykenesse made by some sleyght of iuglyng or legerdemayn to th eÌ„tent so to escape but wtout any hurt at all passed he fayre softely through the middes of them whiche tofore had violently haled pulled hym to cast hym down headlong wherin he openly declared the malice of maÌ„ to haue no power on hym vnlesse he would willyngly of his owne accorde delyuer hymselfe to be taken of them to be putte to death And with this onelye kynde of aueÌ„gement was the moste mercifull Lorde Iesus coÌ„tented that is to forsake leaue theÌ„ whoÌ„ he perfeictlye knewe to be vncurable Otherwise if it had so pleased hym it laye in his power eueÌ„ with a mere becke to haue drieuen them all to breakyng theyr neckes who had haled him thither for thesame purpose But his desyre was rather to haue them lyue that emedyng themself by coÌ„tinuaunce of tyme they might of malefactours be made innocent then to caste them awaye at the wurste whan they were offenders For oftetymes yf men bee restreigned of theyr benefite that they maie not haue it at theyr willes whaÌ„ they would so readye as they haue had
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
eiuell that the partie aboue sayed whose bodye the deuill had possessed dooeth or suffreth if it be compared with how great furies suche an one is vexed or how great confusion a prince bryngeth to the whole worlde if he be sette in a rage through the spirite of tyrannie The violent force of this sicknesse and mischiefe ouercommeth mannes power to cure it But the spirite of Christe is stronger then it which if the mynde of man haue once conceyued it cannot bee chosen but that all the vncleane spirites that would possesse him bee they neuer so manye muste auoide and bee goen When this shall so bee brought to passe then shall he sodaynly be made of a tyraunt a father of a cruell man a moste mercifull gouernour of a poller of the people a relieuer and succourer of the oppressed of a furious warriour an ensewer of peace of a briber and extorcioner a liberall dooer and a geuer of benefites of a glorious crakyng Thraso a sobre and prudente prynce of great experience Onely leat him bee brought to Iesus and bee ledde awaye from the worlde For euen than aboute the goyng downe of the sunne no small noumbre came vnto Symons house that is to saye vnto the Churche or congregacion of Christe where the gospell is preached and by the power of Christes ▪ spirite the vnclene spirites came out of them all openly protestyng that there was one come whose goodnesse was mightier than their malice For whan they departed out of menne they cryed and sayed Thou arte that same veraye sonne of God But as yet the tyme was not come whan the Lorde woulde be knowen vnto all menne that he was that same Messias the veraye sonne of God and thoughe he had been so mynded yet woulde he not that the vnclene spirites should bee the troumpettes of his glorye eyther for that theyr confession was not simple and of good purpose but subtile and craftie or because there was ieopardie in it lest yf theyr witnesse shoulde haue been of anye weyght or estimacion in this so great a matier they shoulde haue been credited or beleued in other thynges wherin they woulde as theyr delyte and felicitie was beguile men with theyr false lyes For Satan in veray dede forasmuche as he is of nature a lying marchaunte althoughe sometyme he speaketh the truthe yet dooeth he it onely to this ende to deceyue men thereby another time and waye And doubtelesse this crafte haue some men learned of hym who intermiengle godly thynges emong vngodly true thynges with false puttyng as it were deadlye poyson into holsome meates that they maye allure the mo men to damnacion Wherfore Iesus teachyng vs that it becommeth not suche menne as haue once consecrated themselues vnto the holy ghoste to haue any thyng at all to dooe with wieked spirites he rebuked theyr clamouryng and crying and sore threatnynges added he with all to put them to silence For they felte a woondrefull strength and vertue to procede from him and therof suspected that he was Messias the sonne of God euen thesame that was promised ¶ As soone as it was daye he departed and went into a deserte place and the people sought him and came to hym and kept hym that he should not departe from theim And he sayed vnto theim I must preache the kyngdome of God to other cities also For therfore am I sent And he preached in the Synagogues of Galilee But Iesus truely who was not come of moste speciall pourpose to heale the bodyes but to cure the soules nor to one citie onelye but to all countreyes of the worlde whan he had by shewyng many soondrye myracles and with the holsome doctrine of life well begon the castyng abrode of the sede of the euangelicall philosophie veray erely euen at the breake of daye before that the multitude shoulde eftsons flocke thither to hym as people whiche came more to gase and woondre at his myracles and to seke bodely healthe then to seke the saluacion of theyr soules he leaft Capernaum and withdrewe hymselfe departyng into wyldernesse or places solitarie as one that woulde fayne bee awaye from the great preasse and throng of people vaynly resortyng vnto hym teachyng vs a lesson by the waye that miracles are not to bee wrought to a vayne oftentacion or braggue of our selues nor yet at the wyll and pleasure of the people for theyr fansies and appetites but so ferre onelye as they maye auayle and growe to mennes saluacion and to Goddes glorye but the suspicion of vayn-glorye euermore at all tymes to bee vttrely avoyded That he healed al men it was an exaumple of goodnesse beeyng prompt and readye to be shewed vnto al men that he priuely withdrewe himselfe it was an exaumple of humilitee mekenesse fleeyng vayn prayses vauntyng of hymself And whā it was now brode daye light there resorted thither agayne as they had dooen great noumbre of all sortes of people allured by the greatnesse of thynges dooen on the daye before But whan they knewe that Iesus was goen many byanby folowed after hym And whan they had found hym they entreacted hym to tarye with them and not to leaue their citie but there with them to take an house to thentente he might bee a continuall dweller emongest them This mynde and affeccion of theirs towardes Iesus was in dede not vngodly but yet muche more blessed are they whiche suffre not the Lorde Iesus to departe from the litle house of their hertes but whan he addresseth to be goen doe with muche prayers cal him backe agayne Notwithstanding at that presente season the dispensacion and state of the fleshe whiche Iesus had taken did require that he often and manye tymes chaungeyng places might by that occasion from daye to daie sprede ferther and ferther abrode the preachyng of the ghosell beeyng as yet but a newe doctrine and but of late cummen vp For he was the sedesower seute into the worlde to sowe and caste abrode in all places the doctrine of the ghospell although it should not in al places like prosperously come vp and proue in growyng Wherefore to theim that willyngly desyred hym to returne againe to Capernaum and there to enhabite himselfe he ientilly and coldely made this aunswere The benefite that hath been freely bestowed vpon you take it well in woorth I dooe not mislike your entreteynement or harbrough ne despise to be a so iourner emong you But I must of necessitie preache the kyngdome of god to other cities to as I haue dooen to yours For truely my father hath sent me for this ende and purpose not to preache to one citie onely but that I shoulde call and bid all men to the felowshyp and brotherhood of the heauenlye kyngdome And thesame that Iesus nowe did himselfe he taught afterward his disciples also to dooe whiche was that they shoulde trauaile ouer and ouer the whole yearth and teache all nacions And this iourneyng from place to place was not the disease of
manne through his sonne For of suche chaungeyng nowe to coumpanye of menne and to preachyng and nowe to solitarye contemplacion and to prayer it foloweth that fyrst yf one at certayne seasons pause from dooyng benefites it auoideth clotyng werines in the receyuers of them and reneweth a freashe appetite to desyre moe and secoundarily that whoso hath sequestred hymselfe from men to talkyng with God returneth better and also more hertye and cherefull to hys office that he hath for a tyme rested from And as for the Lorde Iesus he dyd in suche wise temper and ordre all his whole lyfe that myndyng to shewe vs a paterne howe to liue he woulde oftentymes shewe hymselfe to bee manne and oftentimes agayne he woulde shewe veray plaine tokens of his godhed And truely nothyng dooeth better make a teacher of the ghospell hartye quicke and freashe to the office of preachyng nothyng dooeth so well sence hym and arme hym agaynste all corrupcion of this lyfe as dooeth often goyng from al coumpany of men into places solitary not to ydlenes not to gamyng or to other sensuall pleasures of whych sorte the reposyng of the riche cobbes of this worlde whan they sequestre themselfes from the resorte of men for the moste parte arâ— but to the readyng of holy scripture bookes to pure prayer to thankes geuing to the contemplacion of thynges heauenly and finally to thâ— perfeict clensyng of the soule yf percase any spotte haue been caughte throughe liuyng in coumpany with the people Of these thynges had Christ on his own behalf no manier nede at al but his minde was to expresse in hymselfe a paterne for vs to folowe Dayly conuersacion of the pastoure or curate emong the people doeth oftentimes brede contempt that he is not regarded and on the otherside litle good it is that suche an one can doe as continually absenteth hymselfe from all mennes coumpanies A ryght teacher of the gospell therefore shall shewe his head abrode as often as the people shall nede the foode of euangelicall doctryne and as often as diseases of the soule growyng sore vpon them doe require the helpe of one to cure them Agayne as soone as they haue been well fedde and after that helpe hath bene done to the euils of a greate mayny than lest on the one side familyaritye maye engendre contempte or on the othersyde to muche presence may be a clotyng to them let him sequestre himself into his solitary closette to the ende that from his holy study at his booke as from veraye talkyng with God he may returne again to helping of his neighbours at euery one time greater man then at an other and all tymes better man then he was afore ¶ And it happened on a certain day that he taught and there sate the Phariseis and doctours of law which were come out of al the townes of Galile and Iewry and HierusaleÌ„ And the power of the Lord was present to heale them And beholde men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a paulseye and they sought meanes to bryng hym in and to lay him before him And whan they coulde not finde on what side to bring him in because of the presse they went vp on the top of the house and let him down through the tiling bed and all in the middes before Iesus Whan he saw their fayth he sayed vnto him manne thy sinnes are forgeuen thee After the lyke sorte veraylye as is afore expressed dyd the Lorde Iesus returne agayne from wildernesse to Capernaum and restored hys presence to the desyres of all the people beyng nowe made sharpe and eager with sore longyng for him And there euen as he was sittyng in a certayn priuate house and teaching for wheresoeuer Christe teachâ—th sittyng there is the churche there had come swarmyng thither not nowe the basse and the inferiour sorte of people only but also the Phariseis swellyng in pryde vnder pretence cloke of holinesse and also the doctours of Moses lawe who beeyng muche moued wyth the fame of Iesus hadde purposely come thither from ferre places not onely out of all the townes of Galile where Capernaum stoode of Iewry whiche laye nexte adioynaunte vnto thesame Galile but also out of the veray city of Hierusalem whiche Hierusalem dyd presumpteously take vpon it selfe the higheste preemynence of all godly perfeccion and also of wisedome But as for Iesus forasmuche as he was the fountayne of all helthe dyd altogether from toppe to tooe sende out from him nothyng but a certayn effectuall godlye power for the healyng of man which thyng to dooe was the onely cause of his comyng into thys worlde And the more principall parte of man dyd of good congruence take the place to bee cured firste With his woordes he healed diseases of theyr soules And therfore first he taught and the same he dyd sittyng downe lyke one that tooke vpon hym as of iuste cause he myght the full autority of a doctour and teacher The puttyng awaye of diseases of the bodye was yet remaynyng nexte to bee doonâ— the whiche euryng of the bodye because it was a thyng open to the iyes of them all myghte frame in them a perfeicte beliefe of suche thynges as with more fruite and power also thoughe not althyng so apparente to the iye were wrought and doen in the soules And beholde a matter euen there readye prepared wherupon to exercise and shewe hys godlye power There was euen presence a manne possessed wyth the disease of the paulsey lâ—yng bedred not habâ—e to stiere and he was caryed thyther of foweâ— menne So soore was thys disease vpon hym that all the senewes in euerye partâ— of the whole bodye were taken withall and so holden that the pieteous creature coulde dooe nothyng but lye still in hys bed and was none otherwyse carryed aboute but as a corpse or a deade carkesse Albeit the veraye nature and kynde of thys disease besydes furth of it selfe is suche that the Phisicians at moste tymes haue but homelye spede and lucke in wrastlyng with it But they that carryed the sicke man hadde â—o greate beliefe confidence in Iesus that they put no manier doubt but that the same Iesus to whom they knewe that there was no kind of disease vncurable as soone as he should beholde the pieteous syght facion of thys straunge plague would be moued with compassion and helpe immediatly All the moste adoe was lyke to be how the pieteous creature myght come to be in the sight of Iesus For suche an one is nowe already at a veray nigh poynt to be made perfectely whole who hath once forsaken the lurckyng corners of sinnyng and as a man in miserable state dooeth offre hymselfe to the syght of Iesus acknowelageyng his own extreme distresse lookyng for Iesus moste merciable goodnesse But as touchyng thys diseased man thâ—let why they brought hym not in to laye hym at Iesus feete was the thicke presse of people whiche is a common set to
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
youre iyes beleue ye the thyng that can not bee seene wyth iyes Lette not the infirmitie of thys bodye of myne offende you but of the veraye actes that ye see dooen acknoweleage ye the power of my godhed And take ye nowe therefore a visible lesson to learne by that the sonne of manne hath in hym a perpetuall power and appropriate vnto him on yearth to geue full remission of synnes vnto all creatures whyche with syncere feythe dooe seke and aske hys helpe and therewithall the sayed Scrybes and Phariseis geuyng good eare vnto hym and earnestelye herkenyng he sayed to the partye that had the paulseye To the I saye aryse take vp thy bedde and goe home to thy house And euen immediatly the man that had bene so vexed with the paulsye as soone as he was bidden ariseth in syghte of all the presence and takyng vpon hys shoulders the bedde in whiche he had lien sicke wente awaye on his feete home to his owne house the perfeicte strengthe of his body in suche wise receiued againe that where afore lying sicke in his bedde he was carryed with fower men he was nowe strong enough to carrye hys owne bed himselfe too And awaye he goeth a perfeict whole man altogether both in soule and body leapyng in his herte for ioye cherefull in countenaunce glorifiyng God by whose goodnesse he had bene restored to his healthe whereas at the handes of man there had bene no hope of any recouery And truely the people beyng earnestely moued with the straunge sight that they had seen were righte greately astouned many of them praysed God that he had geuen such great power vnto man for as yet they demed none other ferther thyng of Iesus But some of them knowyng themselfes sinfull and naughte in theyr owne conscience were throughlye taken with a greate feare too forasmuche as they dyd not yet vnderstande that Christe was come of veraye purpose not to caste awaie ne to lese suche as hadde offended but to make them pure and innocente And they sayed emong themselfes we haue thys daye seen thinges to be woondred at and suche thynges as neyther we haue heard at any time to haue bene doen nor yet haue read of The people meruaileth and is in fear and euen that same is a good large steppe of forwardnesse towardes helth but the Phariseis they grunte and murmour and haue enuy at hym ¶ And after this he wente furth and sawe a publicane named Leuy sitting at the receipte of custome And he saied vnto him folowe me And he leafte all and rose vp and folowed him And Leuy made hym a greate feaste in his owne house And there was a greate coumpaignie of Publicanes and of other that sate at meate with them And the Scribes and Phariseis murmured againste his disciples saiyng why do ye eate and drinke with Publicanes and sinners And Iesus aunswered and saied vnto them They that are whole nede not the phisician but they that are sicke I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentaunce And Iesus whan he was gon out from thence after that he had preached by the waters syde teachyng vs thereby that the seede of the euangelical doctryne is in all places withoute excepcion to bee sowed as he was passyng by he caste his iye vpon a certain publicane called Matthewe and otherwyse also called by the name of Leuy the sonne of Ilpheus and this Leuy was sittyng at the receipte of custome This was not a thyng dooen by blinde chaunce but to haue caste his iye on him was no lesse then to haue chosen hym to bee one of his And a publicane he chose into the felowshyp or brotherhood of his Apostles of very purpose to reache his seruauntes that no sorte of men is to be reiected from the profession of the ghospell so that they forsake the trade of theyr former naughty lyfe and yelde themselues wholly to perfect godlinesse Iesus sayed therfore vnto Leuy Folowe me And he at the voyce of Iesus as thoughe it hadde bene one by some strong charmyng or enchauntemente clene chaunged into an other manier of man ariseth vp and all thynges leafte alone behynde him euen as he was he folowed the Lorde Now to conuerte a manne wholye geuen afore to a slaundreous trade of gettyng all his gaynes and enwrapped with manifolde affayres suche as it is vnneath possible to get out of to conuerte suche an one soodainlye to a clene contrarye trade this was a miracle muche more notable then to restore the sinewes to a manne that hadde lye◠sicke of the paulsey And that veraye poynte was euen nowe alreadye a greate herte burnyng to the Phariseis that Iesus vtterlye refusing theym tooke vnto hym publicanes by whose company or hauyng to dooe with theym the Iewes thought themselfes to bee defyled and made vnclene But there came an other thyng besides this whiche caused theyr enuye and grutche to braste furthe For Matthewe beeyng nowe become a disciple of Christes ordeyned for his maister a great feaste at home at his owne house And thither dyd Christ vouchsalue to come accompanied with his disciples At the same tyme were bydden called also to the sayed feaste a great noumber of Publicanes whom Matthewe euen as he had had them companions of his former trade so was he now desirous and faine to haue had folowers of his new trade in cummyng to Christe The Scribes and the Phariseis this seyng coulde nowe no longe◠kepe in the wicked murmoure of theyr hertes and yet durst they not presume to speake to the Lord but they speake to the disciples to the disciples they finde matters of cauillaciō against their mayster to the entent to turne theyr mindes from him that they myght forsake him And this was theyr saiyng to the disciples forasmuch as it besemeth the holy to be conuersaunte and to kepe coumpaigny with the holy wherefore doe ye bothe admitte Publicanes and sinners which are in open slaūdre and obloquie of the worlde to haue talke with you and also eate and drynke familiarely with the same in theyr houses and doe not abhorre to haue theyr table and youres al one for a speciall token of right dere frendship with them But Iesus well vnderstandyng what ende and purpose this diuelishe murmouring of the Phariseis was spoken for made aunswere vnto them in his disciples behalf Wherefore doe ye falsely turne it to my slaūdre saieth Iesus that I haue conuersacion with publicanes and sinners Naie veraily it besemeth me with no persones sooner to kepe coumpaigny then with sinners For emong whom doeth it more become a phisician to be conuersaunte then emong the sicke I am come for none other purpose but to cure soules that are oppressed and bounde with the diseases of synne And more apte to bee cured are such persones as these beyng openly knowen synners acknowelagyng their disease and therfore calling for the phisician then others that thinke themselfes whole men
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
a figurate representacion of a more secrete doctrine The Apostles had prouision of viaundrie but it is suche as belongeth to Iesus This viaundrie lyke as it is of lyght pryce and course geare for poore folkes eatyng so is it but litle in quantitie For the doctrine of Moses is manyfolde and the philosophiers learnyng is of soondrie manier sortes of matiers and ful of plenteous stuffe but the worde of the ghospell is playne homely geare and short and yet suche as maie suffise for the soules of all nacions to be refreashed in case it be deliuered and receyued as it ought to bee To men of the apostles profession is the worde committed wherewith soules are made fatte but thesame woorde doe they not sette afore the people to fede on except it be firste consecrated and broken of Christe For than and neuer els is it the true fruite of preachyng the ghospell if the teacher dooe not presumpteouslye vsurpe to hymselfe the gift of learnyng whiche he hath as a thyng commytted to his credite ne vndiscretely or misaduisedly shewe foorth the same as thoughe it were of his owne but yelde it vnto Christe to bee made holy of him Otherwyse all in vain shall the teachers labour bee when he preacheth onlesse Iesus shall firste haue blissed the woorde onlesse he shall haue broken it onlesse he shal with his own handes deliuer it to be distributed to the people For piththye and effectuall it is whatsoeuer procedeth out of hys holy handes he only it is that fedeth that refresheth that maketh full bishops are nothing els but ministers and distributoures of an other mannes liberalitie The people all the while sitteth down in coumpanies vpon the ground nothyng stickyng or doubtyng nothyng murmuryng or repinyng whereby is signified that in the faithfull congregacion of Christes churche there oughte to be sobre humilitie and plain faithfull truste of the heart in god without any doublenesse and that all discorde and sedicious vproare ought to be away CoÌ„sider me ferthermore this mysterie too The Lorde Iesus firste of all thynges taught and healed the people and than fedde them afterward The woorde of God also is the heauenly meate of the soule But sum porcion hereof is not denayed to the vngodly and to the newely entered or instructed in the faythe For it is the medicine of mennes soules and the refeccion of the weake For holsome doctrine worketh the like effect in the soules of sinners that Iesus with his worde and his touchyng did in diseases of the body But there is a mistical bread whiche is not geuen but to persones now already wel taught and also throughly healed Thesame forsouth is that heauenly breade of the lordes body which is not geueÌ„ to those that are not yet through baptisme receyued into the body of the churche and congregacion ne vnto suche whose mynde and soule is holden with some grieuous cryme as it wer with a mortall sickenesse And that same meate of the priuie hidden wysedome of God which Paule the Apostle dyd not shewe foorth but emong the perfect is not to be vttered vnto all persones at auenture ¶ And it fortuned as he was alone praying his disciples were with hym and he asked them saying Who saye the people that I am They aunswered and sayed Iohn Baptyste some saye Helias and some saye that one of the olde Prophetes is aâ—iâ—eu He sayed vnto them But who saye ye that I am Simon Peter aunswered and sayed thou art the Christe of god and he warned and commaunded them that they should tell no man that thyng saying the sonne of man must suffre many thynges and be reproued of the elders and of the high priestes and Scribes and bee slayne and ryse agayn the thyrde daye Now because the lorde had so tempered all his sayinges and dooynges that some whiles he would shewe forth tokeÌ„s of his godly power and another tyme he would manifestely shew the veritie of his humayn nature the opinioÌ„s of men concernyng hym dyd muche varie But because it was requisite that emong them by whom he had appoynted to renewe the world there should bee one vniforme profession perfectly agreyng in it selfe concernyng hym at a time whan he was in his prayer solitarie with his disciples he demaunded of them what opinion the people had of hym or whom they sayed that he was The disciples aunswere some suppose thee to bee Iohn the Baptiste reuiued agayn some saye that thou arte Helias of whom the Iewes thynke that he shall come agayne before that Messias shall come and some others beleue the to be some one man of the olde Prophetes called to lyfe agayn Than sayed Iesus As for the people they are inconstaunt and waueryng as they are woont to be But ye that knowe me nerer and familiarly who dooeye saye that I am There Petur beeyng more ardent and fyerie then the residue made aunswere in the name of them al we know thee to be Messias whom God hath enoynted with all heauenly gyftes of grace And this theyr right profession Iesus in dede alloweth well but yet he geueth them a great charge that they shoulde make no woordes to no creature what opinion they were of For he sayed the tyme of openyng that misterie in the open face of all the worlde was not yet come and that the sacrifice of his death muste firste bee executed and accomplished and that he was appoynted to come to the glorie of that name by many kyndes of despite and reproche For the sonne of man sayeth he muste abyde muche woe and must bee reproued of thelders and of the Scribes and of the chiefe of the priestes yea and at length bee slaine too and aryse agayne from death to lyfe the third daie Ye muste therfore beware leste the glorye euen of this name if it should now at this present be preached should not fynd feyth to be credited because of the affliccion and death of the bodye and so might be a let to my death ¶ And he sayed vnto them all If any man wyll come after me leat hym denye hymselfe and take vp his crosse dayly and folow me For whosoeuer wyll saue his lyfe shall loose it But whosoeuer dooeth lose his life for my sake the same shall saue it For what auauntageth it a man if he winne the whole worlde and lose himselfe or runne in damage of himselfe For whoso is ashamed of me and of my woordes of him shall the soonne of manne be ashamed when he cometh in his maiestie and in the maiestie of his father and of the holye Aungels I tell you of a trueth There be some standing here which shall not â—ast of death till they see the kyngdome of God Than where Petur at the mencionyng of deathe trembled and quaked for veraye feare and aduised Christe to some other better waies then so whan Iesus had putte hym to silence he begoonne to exorte his other disciples also to the folowyng of his deathe saiyng Thus
hathe it pleased my father by thys waye muste I come to glorye And whoso wyll bee a disciple of myne yf he gladly desyre to bee partaker of my blisfulnesse he muste of necessitye bee a folower of my deathe afore It is not enoughe to goe folowyng me on fote at my helâ—s where I goe he muste folowe me in deedes or els will I not acknowelage hym for a disciple For whosoeuer shall come to the office of preachyng the ghospell must denye hymselfe altogether and muste renounce all the cares of this worlde for euer rychesse pleasures promocions kynsâ—olkes affeccions yea and lyfe it selfe also and muste euery daye take his crosse on hys backe hauing his mynde euermore readye vnto all suche thynges as ye see that I abyde and endure I wyll goe before you as the maister leat hym come after whosoeuer shall bee mynded to bee a disciple Neyther is there anye cause why ye shoulde feare to bee slayne For so to peryshe is to bee preserued For whosoeuer shall lose his lyfe for my sake thesame hath set his lyfe in perfeicte safetye and on the contrary side whosoeuer stertyng backe or shrynking away from the buisy charge of the ghospel shall haue a mynde to saue the lyfe of hys bodye thesame shal lose the life of his soule which alone and none but that is to bee reckened the true lyfe and for the preseruyng of this lyfe it is the parte of a wise man gladlye to take the losse of all other thynges in the worlde For what shall it auayle a manne yf he wynne all that euer this worlde hath woorthye to bee desired whan he hath loste hys owne selfe whan the mannes selfe dyeth those thynges also that he had gotten are perished and gone with hym And he perisheth altogether in dede whoso hath loste euerlastyng lyfe Leate no disciple of myne thinke shame to suffre such thynges whiche I my selfe shall suffre Leate hym not bee ashamed to professe my doctryne afore all the worlde For whosoeuer shall bee ashamed of me and my woordes before men as one offended and slaundred with the worldly shame of the crosse of suche an one shall the sonne of man agayne bee ashamed whan after the laiyng downe of the infirmitie of the fleashe he shal come at the secouÌ„d time shewyng foorth vnto the whole vniuersall worlde the maiestye of hymselfe of his father and of hys holy aungelles And doubte ye nothing that the thing that I saye shall one day come to passe For this I affirme vnto you for a matter of assured trueth Some there bee here emong you standyng by whiche shall not departe out of this life but that they shal fyrst in some parte se the maiestye of the kyngdome of god The thyng that nowe lyeth hidden shall one daye in tyme to come be made open and manifeste vnto all creatures ¶ And it fortuned that aboute an eyght dayes after these saiynges he tooke Petur and Iohn and Iames and wente vp into a mountayne to praye And as he praied the facion of his countenaunce was chaunged and his garmente was whyte and shone And beholde there talked with hym two men whiche were Moses and Helias that appered in the maâ—â—ye and spake of his departiyng whiche he should ende at Hierusalem But Petur they that wer with him were heauy with slepe And whan they awoke they sawe his maiestie and twoo men standing with him Than Iesus to perfourme the promysse whiche he had nowe made dyd about theight day after these woordes speaking choose out three of his .xii. Apostles that is to weâ—e Petur Iames and Iohn and according to his accustomed woont he gotte hym vp to a mountaine there to praye And as he was in prayyng his face was soodaynly chaunged into an other lykenes replete with maiestie and glorye and his garmentes shone as white as any snowe There were seene also with him at thesame instaunte two other men of lyke maiestie talking with him of whome the one was Moses and the other Helias For the lawe had by figures set out Christ derkely as it were in a shadowe and the prophecies had directely poynted him oute what he was Nowe the talkyng of these twoo wyth Iesus what other thing doeth it signifie but the perfeicte agreyng of the olde and newe Testamente together Their talkyng with hym was concernyng the kynde of deathe whiche the Lorde accordyng to the tenour fourme of the prophecie many a daye afore written and set foorth by theim shoulde afterwarde accomplishe at Hierusalem to th eÌ„de that eftsons the delectable swetenesse of the glorie shoulde bee brought to a tempre with the mencion of deathe But al this did not the Apostles euen veray wel see because they had their iyes euen heauye with slepe But as soone as they were awaked they playnely sawe the maiestie of the Lorde and also the two men standyng harde by him ¶ And it chaunced as they departed from him Petur saied vnto Iesus maister it is good beeyng here for vs let vs make also three tabernacles one for thee and one for Moses and one for Helias and wiâ—â— not what he saied While he thus spake there came a cloude a â— ouer shadowed them and they feared when thei wer come into the cloude And there came a voice oute of the cloude saing This is my dere soâ—ne heare ye him and as soone as the voice was paste Iesus was founde alone and they kept it close and told no man in those daies any of those thinges whiche they had seen Whiche twoo men when they begun to departe from Iesus Petur fearing leste all that same delectable sight shoulde also goe awaie he saied vnto Iesus Maister it is no goyng any whyther oute of suche a place as this Fare well Hierusalem and leate it goe which threateneth to put thee to death Tushe 〈◊〉 vs rather make three tabernacles here in this mountayne one for the one for Moses and one for Helias Thus spake Petur as a man inebriate and made droncken with the swetenesse of this vision not knowyng what he sayed For he required to triumphe before he had woonne the battaile and woulde haue had the best game of rennyng before he had tenne for it Euen in the instaunte tyme while Petur was speakyng these woordes there soodaynly arose a cloude and caste a shadowe ouer all the disciples beeyng nowe not hable in theyr mortall bodie to abide the beholding of so greate glorye And while Moses and Helias wer entreyng into the cloude and wer vanishing awaye from the iyes of the disciples for reason it was that the light of euangelicall trueth apperyng 〈◊〉 shadowes and misticall derkenesse of figures shoulde geue place and be goâ—â— the voyce of his heauenly father sowned downe from the cloude saiyng Moses and Helias who prophecied of my sonne the Iewes haue hitherto had in highe estimacion and reuerence Great men were thei two in dede yet wer they but my seruauntes But thissame is he
therfore the lorde of the harueste to sende forth labourers into his haruest Ferre is the roumour and bruite of the gospel spred and manye are sette on fier wyth the gredye desyre of the doctrine of heauen they are wel willyng toward it and wante but onely such as should call and gather their myndes together beeyng of theimselfes bothe ready and full of hast towardes the kyngdome of heauen Gooe ye therefore puttyng youre wholle truste and confidence in the safegarde and maintenaunce of me alone Suche as are great men and hath rewle of thynges suche as are â—iuill shall murmour and grutche againste your doctrine Againste these men doe I send you forth naked wythoute weapon or fense For I sende you not that you should hurte or grieue any man but that ye full of simplicitie and void of all hutte should studye and endeuour your selfes to profite and do good to euery man Seke ye not therefore help at mans hande that ye may therewith armâ— and defende your selfe against the violence and maliciousnes of the eiuil nor take you no care ne thought for your liuing or thinges necessarie but with al readinesse go ye to the buisinesse of the gospel neither carrying scrip nor wallet nor yet shooes with you for ye shal neuer want that shal bee sufficient for nature Salute no man neither the welthy lest ye seme to flattre seke vpon theÌ„ for gaine nor the indurate lest ye seme to fauour theyr vngodlinesse Nor take you no thought for house or lodgeyng there shal be those whiche shall receiue take you in at theyr doores only shewe your selfes pure and vncorrupt mynisters of the ghospell And what house soeuer ye shall entre into first wish praie for peace to the whole houshold That if there be any there that is the sonne of peace that is to say a ientill meke man and one that thristeth the most mekest doctrine of the ghospell your praier shall profite and dooe good and he shall enbrace and gladlye receiue so well wyshyng geastes that yf they dooe not so receiue and welcome you yet leate it not repent you so to haue prayed for them For you shall not lese the rewarde of this your profered seruice nor ye shall not with ouermuche entreatyng nor castyng your selues at the knees of any man require lodgeyng nor shall not as men without shame presse into the house of any of them for so great a thyng and so muche to bee estemed is not to bee offred and thruste into the handes of suche as will not gladlye receyue it and yet ought it to bee profered to euerie man Whosoeuer shall gladly and willyngly receiue you see that you tarie wyth hym not desiryng or lokyng for the pleasures of this life but forsomuche as shall bee necessarye for the susteinaunce of your bodyes drinke and fede on suche thinges as ye shal therefinde emongest theim for it is good reason that he which laboureth in preachyng and teaching the ghospell shoulde liue and be susteined by their liberalitie for whose behoufe he laboureth and taketh peine in case he haue not sufficient of his owne wherof to fynde himselfe ¶ Goe not from house to house and into whatsoeuer citie ye entre and they receiue you eate suche thinges as are set before you and heale the sicke that are therein and say vnto them the kyngdome of God is come nigh vpon you But into whatsoeuer citie ye entre thei receiue you not go your waies out into the stretes of the same and saie euen the veâ—ai dust of your citie which cleueth on vs do we wipe of against you notwithstanding be ye sure of this that the kyngdome of God was come nigh vpon you I saie vnto you that it shal be easier in thaâ— daye for zodeme then for that citie And of this thyng take ye diligent hede also lest ye straighing from house to house despisyng and setting at naught the former hospitalitie lodgeing serche and seke a more delicate lodgeyng and better furnished Leate it suffice you whatsoeuer cometh first to hande that if it shal chaunce you to come into any cities yf the enhabitauntes willingly receiue and entreteine you eate you and drinke you withoute anye choyce and without lothyng or abhorring of any thyng whatsoeuer is sette before you and to the ende ye maye be geastes the more acceptable and the better welcome and also that ye maye with the better credence preache the kyngdome of heauen heale you the sicke folkes of the same citie restore ye the weake and impotente to theyr strengthe delyuer ye suche as are possessed with eiuill spirites And all these thynges doe ye freely without reward and willyngly refusing no creature neither poore ne riche and than saie ye vnto them ye see manifest tokens of the power of God prepare your hertes and myndes to the earneste exercise of innocente liuyng For nowe draweth nere vnto you the kyngdome of God the maladies and diseases of the bodye are nowe taken awaye and ere long shall the maladies of the soule bee driuen awaye also whiche are sinnes That yf ye shall chaunce to come into any citie in the whiche there is none that wyl receiue you make ye no kynde of humble suite vnto them for any intreteinmeÌ„t but come you forth abrode into their stretes and there opeÌ„ly and in the face of the whole citie saie ye vnto them in this wyse We haue freelye withoute any hope of rewarde at your handes offreed vnto you the glad tidynges of euerlastyng life But forasmuche as ye haue despised and not regarded our office we wil take no benefite at all by you Beholde therefore euen the veraie dust whiche stucke vnto our feete we shake and cast of against you for a witnesse that we haue profered and ye forsaken that moste happie tidynges which ought not to bee layed in the lappes of such as wil none of it And yet this thing be you tyght sure of that whether ye receiue it or not receiue it the kingdom of God is verai nere vpon you that if ye wil receiue this tidynges then shal it come to your greate profite commoditee yf not to your great hurte and destruction Be ye contente this waye onely to haue reuenged your selfes If they shall any where despyse you vengeaunce shal light vpon them for it at the due tyme. For this thing verailye I shewe vnto you that in the day of the last iudgement it shal be the better with the zodomites and they shal fynde more grace at the Lordes hande then that citie whiche hathe despysed this so great gracious goodnesse of God freely offred vnto theym All menne dooe muche meruaile at the sharpe and rigorous vengeaunce of God shewed vpon the zodomites but yet dooeth this poyncte somewhat ease theym that they were neuer so many wayes prouoked to emendemente of their liues And the Iewes standyng muche in their owne conceiptes doe vttrelye abhorte and deteste
Phariseye euen the Samaritane is to bee loued of the Iewe yf he dooâ— hym good yet the Iewes who coulde perfeictlye saye by rote at their fingers endes Thou shalte loue thy God aboue all thynges thou shalte loue thy neighbour as well as thine owneself in the veraye owne person of Christe dyd breake both those commaundementes at ons being on the one parte reprochefull of theyr woordes agaynste God whose woordes they woulde not beleue whose miracles they staundreously reported to bee doen by the power of Beelzebub for the father beeing veraye God was in the sonne beyng veraye God and on the other parte they hated the neighbour which did them benefite for that they wroughte alwayes to destruye and putte hym to death who freely broughte healthe and saluacion vnto all creatures And suche an one hathe fulfilled aswell the one as the other of the commaundementes aboue rehersed which doeth in Christe both loue god aboue al thinges and man also hauyng moste highly doen for hym as himselfe For true it is that he is loued in hys membres in whome sembleablye he is offended whan their weake conscience is offended and is putte to open shame of the worlde whan they bee putte to shame and is putte to death whan they be putte to death ¶ It fortuned that as they went he entred into a certain toune And a certain woman named Martha receiued him into her house And this woman had a sistur called Marie whiche also sate at Iesus feete and hearde his woord But Martha was coumbred about muche seruing and stoode and saied lord doest thou not care that my sistur hath lefte me to serue alone Bidde her therefore that she helpe me And Iesus aunswered and saied vnto her Martha Martha thou arte carefull and troubled aboute manye thynges veraylye one is nedefull Marie hath chosen the good parte whiche shall not bee taken awaie from her With this Parable whan Iesus had taughte howe muche they were to bee loued who bestowyng theyr wholle tyme in thattendaunce of euangelicall doctryne haue none other care ne entente but to learne of Iesus the doctryne of lyfe whereof they maye geue parte vnto all persones and also how greately they are to bee loued who forsakyng and leauyng all seruice that is to be doen with the bodye dooe altogether attende suche thynges as concerne the soule there was a chaunce euen there to bee seene by the whiche thys documente and lesson may be the better enpriented in our minde for by suche plaine exaumples of experience the hertes of the grosse and ignoraunt sort are the more piththily and effectually framed For whan Iesus hauing voyd time of laisure froÌ„ other businesse was walkyng vp and downe with his disciples who hauyng geuen ouer all care of worldely matters attended onely to the gospel and nothing els it fortuned that they entred into a certain litle toune And there a certain womaÌ„ called Martha receiued and entreteined hym in her house This woman had a sistur called Marie They had eyther of theym eguall loue towardes the lorde but theyr course of liuyng was of twoo soondrye sortes The exercise also of theyr deuocion towardes God was of twoo soondry sortes lyke as in one bodye there bee soondrye vses of the lymmes and in the bodye of Iesus whyche is the churche there bee soondrye gyftes of the spirite For Marye as ye would saie makyng holy daye from all businesse that was to bee doen about the house set herselfe downe at our lord Iesus feete listenyng to hys talke wherewith she was so rauished that forgeattyng all other thynges she coulde not be plucked awaye from hym Contrariewyse Martha beeyng carefull aboute the prouydyng of the dyner ranne vp and down she was much vnquiete as one hauyng bothe her handes full and as buisye as coulde be that no manier pointe myght bee wantyng of all suche thinges as belonged to the sweteentreteinyng of the lorde and of his disciples It was one loue towardes the lorde that possessed them both but it would not suffre Mary to bee pulled awaie from his fete and it made Martha to destiere her vp and downe about the house and suffred not her to stande still by the lorde Thus dyd one and thesame zele force two sisturs vnto dooynges of two soondrye sortes whereas in louyng and making muche of Iesus they did throughly accorde Notwythstandyng Martha forasmuche as she was not hable but to her great paines to doe al thynges alone whych apperteined to the prepayryng of all thinges in ordre as it should be and sawe her sistur lyke an holydaye woman sittyng at the feete of Iesus she made no querele of vnkyndnesse to her sistur whom she knewe wel enough could not be pulled away but she halfe blamed Iesus who with suche wordes as he spake kept her awaye from puttyng to her helpyng hande beeyng than requisite Maister saith she doest thou nothyng care that my syster suffreth me to doe all the seruice my self alone Commaund thou her therfore that she helpe me orels I knowe she wyll not be pluckt away from thee except thou bidde her so great is the swetenesse of thy talke But yet in the meane time the diner must bee dressed and I beeyng but one sole woman am not able inough to dooe al that is to bee dooen At these woordes our lorde being delited with the zele of dothe the women dooeth nor disallow the diligence of Martha nor chydeth her whan she murmured against her syster but yet sumwhat taketh Maries parte saiyng O Martha Martha in dede thou art tormented with carefulnesse of dressyng the diner and art all vnquiet and drawen this way and that way about many thynges But there is one thing aboue all others necessary whiche ought continually to be doen if it might bee dooe thou make an ende of thy busynes that thou hast in hande howsoeuer thy prouidyng makyng ready for vs shall frame we shall be coÌ„tented with it But Marie hath choseÌ„ to her a great dele the better parte who hauyng forgotten thynges requisite for the body is altogether occupied in suche matters as do concerne the soule Therfore it were not reason that she should be pluckt away from thynges of the principall best sorte whiche she hath specially chosen and to be thrust oute to offices of basser seruice I doe in very good parte take this good loue and zele of thyâ—r whiche now at this tyme prepareth a repaste for me my dysciples but I am more refreshed and better filled at their handes which take into their soules my woordes that they may haue saluacion therby This is the meate whiche dooeth moste singulerly fede me this is the drinke wherwith I am refreshed Whoso is embusâ—ed with prouidyng for thynges perteinyng to the body is drawen many wayes into soondrie cares and an ende of all suche poyntes of takyng paynes shall at suche tyme cum wheÌ„ through she apperyng of immortalitie all necessities shal ceasse with whiche the wekenesse of
doeth light thee with his brightnesse Now although many there were emong the Iewes whose hertes by reason of their owne wilfull and stubburne maliciousnesse the light of the ghospel did make more blynde then they were afore yet the trueth ought not from hens foorth to bee suppressed forasmuche as the knowlage therof should bryng veraie many to eternall saluacion For the obstinate malice of vnbeleuers muste not be any lette or hindreaunce to the good Wherfore the trueth muste bee brought to open lighte to the more horrible grieuous damnacion of the eiuill persones and to the saluacion of the good sorte No body lighteth a caÌ„dle faith he and hideth it in apriuie derke corner or couereth it by whelmyng a busshell ouer it but setteth it in a candelsticke that it maye geue light to suche as are wyllyng to enter into the house Thesame that the house is without a candle thesame that the body is without iyes euen thesame is the soule without knowlage of the trueth which commeth by mere vnfayned feith If thyne iye be single and nothyng perished ne infected with any other inordinate desyres of this world it will receiue the light of euerlastyng trueth and al thy body shall haue the fruicion of this lyght in suche wyse as it shal no where stumble nor iutte agaynst any thyng But in case the iye of thy bodye be corrupted or bleamished then shal all the whole body be entrieked and ready to take harme in the derke For of feith commeth iudgement and statutes or ordeinaunces of good liuing This is the fountaine of all goodnesse whiche if it be putrified it cannot bee chosen but that all the other thynges must be corrupted also See therfore that this iye wherewith the trueth is seen maie be pure in thee and clere without any corrupcion leste that the selfe membre which onely is apte to receiue light and which onely must shewe light to al the whole bodye be encoumbred with derknesse For thesame thyng beyng infected which is the heade and the roote of all good workes euen those verai thynges whiche seme to bee good are not good And contrariwyse the thynges whiche seme vnto the Pharisees to bee eiuill shall not bee euill if the fountaine wherhence they do spryng foorth bee pure and clere from all infeccion What thyng a candle is to an iye well clarifyed euen the lyke thyng is the woorde of God to the soule beeyng well pourged through the singlenesse of feith from naughtie affeccions Whatsoeuer procedeth not of feith is synne That if the iye of thy bodye shall be syncere and pure as a thyng made all light with the candele of euangelicall trueth than shal it geue parte of his light vnto all the membres so that there shall not bee any derkenesse at all in any parte of the body by reason that the iye shal looke foorth to the behofe of all the membres thereof And so whatsoeuer thyng the hande shall doe it shall not bee in any daungier of harme in the derke but all the whole body shall bee lightsome euen as the whole house is lightsome whaÌ„ the brightnesse of the candle geueth his light all about ¶ And as he spake a certayne Pharisee besought hym to dyne with hym and Iesus wente in and fate downe to meate Whan the Pharisee sawe it he meruayled that he had not firste washed before dyuer And the Lorde sayed vnto hym Now do ye Pharisees make clene the outsyde of the cuppe and the platter but your inwarde parte is full of rauenyng and wickednesse Ye fooles did not he that made that whiche is without make that whiche is within also Neuerthelesse geue almes of that ye haue and beholde all thynges are cleane vnto you But woe vnto you Pharisees for ye tythe Mynte and â—ue and all manier herbes and passe ouer iudgemente and the loue of God These ought ye to haue doen and yet not to leaue the other vndoen And euen immediately herupon there folowed a matter whereby thesame that the Lorde had taught might as ye would saye bee playinly declared For the phariseis forasmuche as they had an iye foule blemished setting righteousnesse in ceremonies longyng to the body they did wilfully leat slippe those thynges whiche are not seen but with the pure clere iyes vnto whom the candle of euangelicall trueth sheweth light supposed the light to bee there where derknesse was and than did they stumble and renne agaynst thynges moste of all whan they thought theimselues to goe gaily well vpright and they iudged there to bee a grieuous enormitie where none at all was and contrariwise where a sore offense or transgression was there wened thei to bee none at all For they had theyr iyes sore bleamished with the supersticion of the lawe with ignoraunce with disdeineful pride with enuie with couetise with hypocrisie with other naughtie vices Than a certayne Pharisee prayed Iesus to come dyne with hym Iesus made no refusall as one that was euer readie to offre hymselfe vnto euery bodye to the entente he might drawe all creatures vnto hym And whan the lorde had sette him down at the table without washyng his handes afore and that contrary to the guyse of the Pharisees this saied Pharisee begoonne to meruail with hymselfe secretely in his mynde what the cause should bee why the Lorde had not washed before he satte down to his meate And euen by an by of a thyng which neither maketh a man good nor ill there spryngeth a thyng which is in veraye dede euermore yll And as for the Pharisaicall ceremonies whiche consiste in thynges perteyning to the bodye haue this propertie naturall to them cummyng euen of theyr veraye kynde that they brede slaunderous backebityng euill suspicions peruerse iudgementes variaunce hatred muche bralling Iesus therefore well knowyng thissame to be the chiefest corrupcion of euangelicall godlynesse did sharpely rebuke the Pharisaicall supersticion saying Moses did in olde tyme appoynt certain ordinarie constitucions customes of purifyng which neuerthelesse did conteyne a figure representacion of pourgeyng clensyng the soule For to this ende it serueth al that euer that same lawe did derkely set foorth in shadowes But as the tyme now is where in consideracion of the trueth clerely apperyng foorth it is mete for those shadowes of the olde lawe by litle and litle to vanish awaie ye Phariseis whiche professe the perfect knowlage of the lawe do enbrace thatsame parte of the lawe onely whiche is of least weyght of all towardes true godlynesse And ye do not onely offend in this behalfe that ye enbrace the carnalitie of the lawe not passyng on the spirite of the lawe but also by reason of carnall ceremonies added to the lawe and constitucions of your owne making ye wyll in any wyse be reputed to be of more holynesse then the veray coÌ„maundementes of God The puritie consisteth in the inculpablenesse and innocencie of the herte But as for ye do euery other whyle make muche
washyng of your bodye ye washe the pottes and cuppes that ye drynke of ye washe the platers dishes that your meate is serued in beyng but outwarde thynges and nothyng at al makyng to the true godlynesse of the mynde and in the meane tyme the innermore and chieffer parte of you beyng still vnwashed is all full of filthynesse detestable afore god that is to wete rauine and iniquitie Ye beleue your selues to be defoyled yf ye drinke of an vnwashed cuppe or if ye eat out of an vnwashed dishe yet ye thynke your selfe pure and clene yf both your cuppe and your dishe to yea and al that is in them conteyned haue been gotten with rauine and with fraude O fooles and mē of a peruerse iudgemente did not he that made the bodye make also the soule Than if purenes dooe so highly please you it had been mete to make all the whole man pure in euery parte of hym But it had been mete to haue prouided firste for that that is the chieffer parte But al this while ye flattre your selues as though ye were pure euen in the best sorte if on the one syde ye dooe euerie other whyle washe your bodyes and your vessels that ye eate and drynke in with a litle water on the other syde yf your herte beyng polluted with manyfold guyles rauines hatred enuie desire of worldly promocion and with other pestilent vices bee purged with almesdedes whiche almes though ye doe it but for a vainglorye and a shewe onely yet ye thinke it to bee sufficient for the vttermoste and highest clensyng of the soule that can bee But woe vnto you Pharisees who vnder a pretexte and colour of seruyng God woorke your owne commoditie tithing euen the vilest and moste common herbes ▪ Myntes and Rue as thoughe God cared for no mo but priestes and Leuites onely And in the meane tyme contrarye to the mynde of God ye deale guilefully with your neyghbour and relieue not the nedie but enuie grutche at them which haue more wealth then yourselues and the weake ye oppresse O a iudgement in veraie dede ouerthwarte and peruerse The thynges whiche the lawe hath appoynted for a season to be kept after the fleashe in dede it had bene your partes not to leaue vndoen but tho thynges whiche God would moste chiefly of all to be doen which are euermore good and acceptable vnto hym outh first and most principally to haue been doen. Suche thynges as concerne your owne commoditie ye dooe euen scrupulously looke vnto but the thynges that concerne helpyng of the neighbour ye passe nothyng on ¶ Woe bee to you Pharisees for ye loue the vppermoste seates in the Synagogues and gretynges in the market Woe vnto you Scribes and Pharisees ye hyprocrites for ye are as graues whiche appere not and the men that walke ouer them are not ware of them Than aunswered one of the lawiers and sayed vnto hym Mayster thus saying thou puttest vs to rebuke also And he sayed Woe vnto you also ye lawiers for ye lade men with burdens which they bee not hable to beare and ye your selues touche not the packe with one of your fingers Woe vnto you Pharisees who though ye outwardely beare a shewe of holynesse yet neuerthelesse withinfoorth swell in ambicion sekyng to haue the higher seates in the synagogues and ye reioyce to heare suche honourable tytles as maister and maisters of such as bidde you good morowe and good eauen in the stretes abrode nothyng els entendyng ne sekyng but that ye maye please the iyes of mē estemyng it as a thyng of nothyng to displease the iyes of god with the filthinesse of the soule Therfore woe vnto you with your hypocrisie which are lyke vnto dead mennes toumbes whiche shyne loke smothe without foorth by reason of whyte worke with titles and many soondrye pictures whereas withinfoorth they are full stuffed with all vnclenesse But in the meane tyme the thyng that outwardly appeareth sheweth faire to the iyes of suche as passe by but the thyng that they hide within them is vnseen Neuerthelesse men maye be beguiled but God can loke into the moste priuiest corners of the herte Whan the Lord with great sharpenesse spake this and other thynges against the cloked holynesse of the Pharisees one of the lawiers beyng desirous to bridle the playn speakyng of Iesus sayied vnto hym Whyle thou speakest this on the Pharisees thou doest also reproche vs. An herte that knoweth his conscience guiltie cannot abide playne speakyng but feareth leste the exāple of playn speakyng agaynst others maye at last light vpon hymselfe But Iesus beeyng the euerlastyng trueth whiche can no skill of flattreing because the sayed trueth onely is faultlesse and vnculpable and yet neuer chydeth but to emende that is a misse aunswered vnto the lawier If the wordes whiche I speake touche you too as thou acknowlegest woe shal be vnto you lawiers also who beyng not contente to exacte euerie triflyng obseruaunce of the lawe at the handes of the poore ignorauntes do moreouer besydes the authoritie of the lawe adde many poyntes of your owne and heapyng burden vpon burden ye laye vpon the shoulders of the simple people a whole fardel vnpossible to be borne and in the meane whyle ye take your owne pleasures to the vttermoste beyng to ferre from touchyng the thynges whiche ye laie on other folkes shoulders that ye do not so muche as kepe those chiefe poyntes neither without whiche the reste do nothyng ¶ Woe vnto you ye buylde the sepulchres of the Prophetes and your fathers killed them Truely ye beare witnesse that ye allowe the dedes of your fathers for they kylled them and ye buylde the sepulchres Therfore sayed the wysedome of God I wyll sende them Prophetes and Apostles and some of them they shall sleagh and persecute that the bloud of all the Prophetes whiche is shed from the beginnyng of the worlde maye bee required of this generacion from the bloude of Abell vnto the bloude of Zacharie which perished betwene the aultare and the temple Uerayly I say vnto you it shal be required of this nacion Woe vnto you who for vainglorious bosting of your perfeccion do buylde vp the toumbes of the Prophetes where the moste parte of thesame wer slayne of your forefathers For therby cōmeth it to passe that euen by the veray same thyng wherewith ye would moste fainest cloke your maliciousnesse ye do moste of all bewraye thesame For whyle ye garnyshe the sepulchres of the prophetes ye graunt that they were persons detestable whiche were the kyllers of suche men whose memorie is high and holy emong you that are theyr ofspring And forasmuche as your owne selues dooe towardes the Prophetes of this tyme beyng ferre superiours to the Prophetes of times past attempt wurse harmes then your auncetours committed against the Prophetes of olde time do ye not playnly declare that beeyng blynded with lucre ambicion enuie and hatred ye doe wetingly
say vnto his disciples Beware ye of the leauē of the phariseis which is hypocrisie Endeuour your selfes earnestly to be suche as ye would be taken for Nothyng that is cloked shall frō hensfoorth be hable long to be hidden There shall a tyme come whiche shall vttre and make manifeste vnto the worlde aswell your innocencie as also their malice Neither is there any thing now at this presēt so close vnder couerte whiche shall not shortly bee vncouered ne any thing so secretely hidden the whiche shall not cum to the open knowlage of men Wherefore beware ye that all your life be void of all cloking or counterfayte glose and that ye neither speake ne do no nor yet thinke any thyng alone by youreselfes which ye would not by your good willes haue to be knowē of al creatures for whatsoeuer ye shall now speake priuelye in the derke shal one day in time to cum bee reported agayne in the clere light and whatsoeuer ye shall nowe saie to folkes in their eares within your bedchaumbers shall one day bee openly talked in the house toppes The trueth shall offende the wycked sorte beeyng peinted with a counterfait semblaunce of godlynes But leat not the feare of any euil person lede you away from the sincere preaching of the trueth of the gospel The vttermost extremitie of all the mischiefe that they can doe to you is but to kylle yea and the bodie onelye can they kille But thus muche doe I say vnto you my frendes forasmuche as ye maye boldely truste on my sure defence leatte not the crueltie of these felowes anye thyng at all feare you who though they attempte all that euer may bee dooen may sleagh the poore carkesse and that doen they haue nothing besides to dooe any ferther harme vnto But he dyeth not that is slayne for my cause That if your fantasie be to take feare for to bee one of counsayle in thys case it is good reason that the lesser feare geue place to the greatter and that he rather bee had in feare who hath power with a becke to destroye the whole man altogether And if ye wil nedes haue it shewed vnto you who is he euen God it is who onelye hathe power whan he hath kylled the bodye to caste the soule into hell too Leat not the cruelnesse of wieked persones make you anye thyng afrayde who can dooe you no more but lyghte harme nay can not dooe you any harme at al no and not that neyther but by the sufferaunce of God That yf ye shall vpon the dreding of man growe cleane out of kynde from the sinceritie of preaching the ghospell while ye laboure to eschue lyghte and transytory mysaduentures ye shall fall into harmes for euer to endure Leat therefore one nayle dryue out an other nayle and leat the feare of God dryue out the feare of menne And feare ye not leste ye shall peryshe before your day All men must without choice ones come to death neyther dooeth it force howe long a man hath lyued but howe well he hath liued And blissedly dooeth he departe hens whosoeuer dieth for my names sake And yet shall no suche thyng chaunce beefore the tyme prefixed vnto you by youre heauenlye father that ye shoulde not lyue a whit the longer though the feare of death should neuer so much vexe your mindes Yea and that poyncte also will youre father prouyde for that euerye one shall dye at hys due tyme. Although these thynges seme in apparence to bee dooen by chaunce and at all aduentures yet shall there nothyng chaunce vnto you but by the permission of youre father who careth for all thynges belongyng vnto you What is of a lower pryce or a thyng more contemned then a selye sparow May not a man bye fyue of them for two ferthinges And yet doth not God leaue them vncared for and not so muche as anye one no not euen of the vileste vermine liuing doeth perishe without the knowelage of the heauenlye father But as for you whome he hath specially pyeked and chosen a veray fewe in number out of all the reste to sette furth the glory of hys name he dooeth so greatelye not leaue vncared for that he hath euen the veraye heates of youre heades numbred out by tale Agaynste the will of hym it were a wickednesse to striue for nothing will he desyre but what he shall know to be beste Therefore all youre carefulnesse concernyng youre lyfe caste ye full and whole vpon hym He that taketh care for the selye sparowes will not leaue you vncared for being so ferre better then all the sparowes in the worlde I saye vnto you euery one whosoeuer confesseth me before men him shall the sonne of man knowlage also before the Aungells of God And he that denieth me before men shall bee denied before the Aungels of god And whosoeuer speketh a worde againste the sonne of man it shall be forgeuen him But vnto him that blasphemeth the holy goste it shal not bee forgeuen When they bring you vnto the synagoges and vnto the rulers and officers take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall aunswer or what ye shall speake For the holy ghoste shall teache you in the same houre what ye ought to saie Wherefore bee not ye of the will for feare of any eiuilles or mischiefes whiche men may bee hable to dooe vnto men to fall from the profession of my name as menne remembryng that by these affliccyons lastyng but a shorte while lyeth the waye to euerlastyng blisse For he shall not bee a partaker of the ioye who shall refuse to bee partaker of the worldely reproche Albeit this open shame here emong men is the true glorye before god For this one thing I say to you of assuraunce whosoeuer shall professe my name here in presence of menne whiche to dooe shall afore the worlde bee a thyng odyous and detestable I also shall professe hym at what tyme the maiestie of the sonne of God shall bee opened and shewed foorthe in the face of the Aungels of God And contrariewise whoso shall not acknowleage me here in the face of men shall not bee knowen of me beefore the Aungels of God I knowe that the infirmitie of this humayne bodye of myne shall bee a slaundre vnto manye but a faulte whiche eyther procedeth from a man beeyng deceyued by a wrong opinion or elles cummeth of the weakenesse of nature although it be greuous shall neuerthelesse bee easilye forgeuen Therefore that they call me Samaritane a drinker of wyne a frende of the publycanes and Iesus the carpenters sonne shall soone bee releassed yf they amende For it is a reproche whereunto the weakenesse of thys bodye hathe opened an entreaunce and occasion But whoso shall speake raylling woordes agaynste the holye ghoste through whome God woorketh these miracles because suche an one doothe of a sette and prepenced malice wetingly and willingly resiste agaynst the glory of god he shall not fynde any
and creping on a man a vice neuer voide of pensifenesse and care which being once suffered to enter into the minde leadeth him out of the right way vnto all kinde of dishonestie Yea and vneath may it possibly be eschewed except that euen those very thinges whiche we doe possesse of our owne good right be possessed of vs after an vnearnest sorte and with suche contempt that we can set them at naught when it is expedient so to doe But suche people as doe in suche sorte put theyr trust and affiaunce in theyr richesse that they sette a certain great staygh and assuraunce of mans felicitie in the same doe veraye sore deceiue themselues For abouÌ„daunce maketh not to felicitie but rather to pensife carefulnesse yea and on the other side to the contempte of the thynges whiche onely and none other are to be sought and acquired For the necessitie of nature is appeaced and satisfied with a litle And because he woulde more diepely empriente thesame in the hertes of the grosse people the Lorde added therto a parable by the whiche euerye manne myghte trye and examyne hys owne affeccion There was sayeth he a certayne ryche felowe whose lande had broughte exceding aboundaunce of fruictes and profytes as the fruitefulnesse of the yeres are not all lyke but some yeres better then some The manne hauyng all the whyle no mynde at all of relieuyng the extreme pouertie of the neighboures but in sorte as though that that had growen hadde bene brought furth to the behoofe of himselfe and no moe toke care for laying it vp in store and not for bestowyng anye parte thereof to the nedye in the waye of alines or liberalitie For he sayd within himselfe in his hearte What may I beste doe The plenteouse aboundaunce of my corne and other fruictes is ouer greate for all the barnes I haue to laye vp in store the thynges that haue come of this yeres groweth If he hadde taken charitie to bee of counsayle with him whan his herte thus boyled charitie woulde haue sayde vnto hym looke well aboute howe manye there bee that lacke the thynges which thou haste superfluitee of Acknowelage and remember to whome thou arte beholdyng and whome thou arte bounde to thanke for thys fortunate luckienesse of this yere of thine God hath of a speciall greate tendrenesse towardes thee geueÌ„ thee a stocke of goodes wherof thou maiest gather great increase and gayne of godlye weorkes Make thou an exchaunge of Goodes traÌ„sitory for goodes that shall euermore kepe at a staygh of yearthly goodes for heauenlye of humayne goodes for dyuyne so shall thy lyberalitie bee a gayne vnto thee But because he had more mynde to take folye and vnbethinking to bee of his counsayle he did by the instinct and mocion thereof say within himselfe I will downe with myne olde barnes and I will make larger and in them will I lay vp in store all the whole increase of thys yeres growyng and the reste of my goodes that nothyng maye decaye of miscarrie And whan all thinges are fully stablyshed and all thing sette in good safetie thaÌ„ taking thoughte ne care for nothing I wil say to myne own soule Soule great abound aunce it is that thou hast of thynges layed vp in store for thee euen enoughe to serue thee for a greate maynye of yeres take thyne ease take thy fil of eating and drinking and make as mery as thou canst This dreame of most fortunate state long to endure whan the sayde riche manne did thus caste in hys mynde there came sodaynely vnto hym the voyce of God saying Thou foolish man where thy veray life is vncertayn to thee why dooeste thou hoorde vp thynges in store for manye yeres to come seeing thou canste take no fruicion of the thinges whiche thou layest vp any longer then while thou arte in thys lyfe whiche lyfe no man is assured of so muche as for one dayes space Why dooeste thou promise thyselfe many and many yeres This same veraye nyghte shall they require to haue thy lyfe and soule awaye And these thynges whiche thou haste prouided whose shall they than bee Certes they shall bee none of thyne Thou must of force leue them vnto an heyre of thyne owne or to an other if any will enter to take possession of them But ghostlye rychesse whiche by bestowyng thy richesse in almes thou myghtest haue gotten would haue gone with thee whan thou haddest bene dead too Thou hast nowe heard the exaumple and state of a man whiche hoordeth vp the richesse of this world to his owne vse and is ryche to his owne behalfe onely is not ryche to wardes god who would fayn be refreshed and cherished in his membres by suche persones as haue more then will serue them and muche more blisfull are they ryche that after suche sorte dooe growe to pouertie ¶ And be spake vnto his disciples Therfore I say vnto you Take no thought for your life what ye shall eate neyther for the bodye what ye shall put on The lyfe is more then meate and the body is more then rayment Consider the rauens for they neither sowe ne reape which neyther haue storehouse nor bâ—tus and god fedeth them Howe muche more are ye better then fethered foules Whan the lorde had thus muche sayde to the multitude of al sortes degrees anon turning to his disciples whome it was requisite not only to be fer from alauarice but also to bee voyde of al carefulnesse of thys lyfe to th entent that nothing might hinder or put backe theyr myndes from the charge of teaching the ghospell for this cause quod he as I haue already afore thys time sayde vnto you euen so repetyng the same agayn and agayn I shall warne you Be ye nothing carefull concerning the lyfe of your bodies as folkes in perplexitie and feare lest ye shoulde want meate drinke no nor yet about the incommoditie of youre bodye lest it shoulde wante clothes For youre heauenly father who hathe geuen you that is the better will also geue you that is lesse of valour The soule life is better then meate although in the mean time without meat it endureth not in the tabernacle of the body and the body is more precious then the garmente dooe ye thynke that your father being no lesse bountifull then riche will suffer that seeing he hath of his bounteous liberalitie geueÌ„ lyfe there shall lacke meate wherewith the life must be continued or seing he hath geuen the body he will so doe that the body shall want wherwith to be couered where the prouidence of god dooeth not slacke that thing in beastes whiche are brute and of no price will it trowe ye bee slacke in you whome he hath specially chosen and deputed to so high a matier Consider ye the raueÌ„s â—â—owes they neyther sowe corne ne reape they neyther haue storehouse ne barâ—â— and yet god dooeth prouyde also for them concernyng theyr foode as one that neglecteth
he hath lent to thee ¶ I am come to sende fyer on the earth and what is my desyre but that it weare already kiendled Notwithstanding I muste bee baptised with a baptisme and howe am I payned tyll it bee ended Suppose ye that I am come to sende peace on earth I tell you nay but rather debate For from hensfoorthe there shall bee fyue in one house deuided three against two and two against three The father shall bee diuided against the sonne and the sonne agaynst the father The mother agaynst the daughter and the daughter against the mother And the mother in law againste her daughter in lawe and the daughter in lawe against the mother in lawe I thirst the saluation of man and for the cause therof am I come into the worlde and to the earnest desire of my hearte all tarying or delay semeth long It is no washe doctryne ne worldely that I haue brought downe from heauen It is mere and pure fyer whiche will surelye eyther clense and puryfye a man or els burne hym And I am euen of purpose come that this same fyer maye bee kiendled on yearthe For what other thyng els dooe I desyre or wante Beeyng once kiendled it will ferre and wyde so daynelye take all the vniuersall worlde with the slaine But thys fyer shall not leape ne sparcle foorth onlesse thys flint stone of my body bee first strieken on the crosse That same baptisme is yet behynde to come whiche my father hathe precisely appoyncted vnto me to be dieped in myne own bloud to the end I shal through my death suffer paynes and tormentes for the sinnes of all the whole worlde At that houre and neuer afore shall that same sparcle of euangelicall charitie appere vp and shewe furth it selfe emong men whan they shall see an innocent giltlesse man to haue willingly suffered a vyle shamefull death for malefactoures that haue transgressed For this is a sparke of perfeict charitie loue And from this baptisme doe I not onely not abhorre but for the loue that I beare to the saluacion of mankinde I am in a great agonye to haue it accomplished with all expedicion The nature of my body abhorreth the matier but the entier loue of my soule greatelye longeth for it But thys fyer being kiendled shall stiere vp great vproares in the worlde For it shall bee a vehemente fyer and an heauenlye aswell discussyng as also strieking foorthe all naturall affeccions of men For doe ye beleue that I am come to bring suche peace into the earthe as thys worlde loueth with whome it is than altogether quietnesse and tranquilitie whaÌ„ the lustes and appetites of the herte bee all pleased and satisfied and whan the eiuill persones dooe agree with the eiuill No verayly I am not come to set suche concordes at one but to sende debate and variaunce People will not euery one obey the ghospell and for the ghospels sake all other thynges are to bee contemned Whereupon it shall so come to passe that in one house in whiche there was a naughtie peace afore there shal aryse an holesome variaunce For fyue sortes of persons being of nature most nere ioyned together shall for my cause bee at dyuisyon emong themselues three agaynst two and eft two agaynst three For what is more nere coupled together by nature then the sonne to the father And yet shall the father for the ghospels cause fall out and and bee at distaunce with the sonne and the sonne shall for the ghospels sake despise the father In lyke mannier shall the mother bee at variaunce with the daughter but the charytie of the ghospell shall bee of more force in the daughters mynde then naturall affeccyon towardes hyr parentes The mother in lawe also shall bee at playne defyaunce and warre agaynste hir owne daughter in lawe but the loue of eternall saluacyon shall with the other in her mynde outweighe the respecte of alyaunce of the fleashe For the bandes of the spirite dooe muche more streygne the hearte then the bandes of nature dooe ¶ He sayde also to the people whan ye see a cloude aryse out of the weke straight waye ye saye we shall haue a shoute and so it is And whâ—n ye see the southe winde blowe yt say we shall haue heate and it commeth to passe Hypocrites ye can skill of the facyon of the earth and of the skie but what is the cause that ye cannot skill of this time yea and why iudge ye not of your selfes what is right While thou goest with thine aduerserie to the rewler as thou arte in the way geue diligence thou mayeste bee deliuered from him lest he bring thee to the iudge and the iudge deliuer thee to the â—ayler and the â—ayler cast thee into prieson I tell thee thou departest not thence tyll thou hast made good the vttermost mite After these woordes Iesus turning to the people sayde Wherefore than dooe notye prepaire your hertes to the kingdome of God whiche is euen veray nighe at hande Doe ye not perceiue fele it to approche so many tokens of thinges as ye haue Why are ye in this behalfe nothing good coÌ„iecturers seeing that in mattiers of so muche lesse weight and importaunce ye haue so quicke a smelle to caste and geasse at thynges to come For whan ye see any cloude arysing out of the west ye streyghte waye tell afore hande that there is a shower toward and the thing commeth to passe which ye doe so prophecie And agayne whan ye perceiue the winde to blowe from the south ye tell aforehande that a greate heate will folowe and youre geasse dooeth nothyng beguile you Neuerthelesse litell it forceth whether it rayne or rayne not but it maketh veray great force that through euangelical feith ye procure atteyne euerlasting saluacyon O ye hypocrites after what sorte all youre dooynges are cloked and counterfaicte And euen suche as youre holinesse is euen suche lyke is youre wisedome also In thynges perteynyng to thys presente lyfe ye haue a witte and a forecaste but in thynges belongyng to immortalitie ye haue no syghte at all Ye marke the parte of the skye and of the yearth that is nexte to you and therof ye gather coniectures and likelihoodes of thynges to ensue But howe happenethe that of so manye tokens as haue bene shewed vnto you ye doe not marke nor espie the time to be now at hande whiche shall beyng to all creatures eyther healthe if it bee duely accepted or eternall damnacyon in case it bee neglected Ye knowe what the Prophetes haue promised ye heare so manye thynges whiche are sayde and wroughte emong you ye see the worlde to bee chaunged to a newe state and can ye not yet of all these thinges caste ne coniecture the tyme to bee at hande that hath bene promised This onely thyng was with all youre earnest endeuoures to bee attended vnto neyther shoulde anye thing bee of so greate weyghte or regarde
cum to the knowlage of thynges heauenlye it begoon to geue laude and praise to the mercifulnesse of god through whose fre benefite and goodnesse it hathe clerelye been delyuered from all her synnes vnto the whiche beyng a long tyme captiue and thrall she had in mooste piteous wyse liued as a bondseruaunt vnto Satan Now on the contrary part consider me the euyll frute of an euill tree Whan the reweler of the Synagogue had seen this matter beyng in dede the sayed figtree it selfe barrain but yet settyng out it selfe to the iyes of menne as it were to sale onely by reason of the leaues of the lawe takyng indignacion that Iesus had healed the woman on the Sabboth daye turned hymselfe to the people there congregated as though he would haue taught them sum great matter Nowe heare then a verye ryghte voyce of a Pharisee and by thesame voice of this one manne esteme thou all the wholle doctrine of that secte This deuout godly man fearyng leste the people should through the exaumple of Iesus fall vnto all vngodlines prouideth to take a good way for their preseruacioÌ„ sayiÌ„g with great autoritie There be sixe daies in the weke in which it is leful to worke Therfore if any body be desirous to be made whole let him cuÌ„ in one of these working dayes but to violate the sabboth day is a thyng not standing with gods pleasure This so folishe a saiyng could not the most merciful lord abide who had made the sabboth day not for any such purpose that men should rest or ceasse froÌ„ helping the neibour but had made the sabboth to the end there should be froÌ„ al euil doynges a perpetual resting which rest yesame outward rest of the Iewes sabbothes did figurate And because this voice of the ruler of the Synagogue was spokeÌ„ by the mindes of al the Phariseis the Scribes the lawiers vnder the person of him alone Iesus made aunswer to them all saying ye hypocrytes which not passyng on the very pith of the lawe lye altogether on the rynde or barke therof only and make a glorious paynted shewe of righteousnes without forth where in dede ye are fer froÌ„ al true godlines see ye how wicked Iudges ye are in this matter Who is it of all you whom the reuerence of the Sabboth should let but that he would vntye an Oxe or an asse of his owne from the stalle to haue thesame to water If ye iudge the sabboth daye not to be violated for a commoditie whiche is beestowed on a bruite beast that doth you seruice doe ye lay vnto my charge as such a perillous sore acte that I haue on the sabboth day healed this same doughter of Abraham rightly borne as one who in synceritie and purenesse of faith doth perfitelye resemble her sayed parente Abraham that she came of Is youre owne priuate commoditie of so great estimacion among you that ye haue no scrupulositie at all to vntye the haulter vnto an Asse on the sabboth day that he may not perishe for default of drinke and haue ye indignacioÌ„ that I haue on the sabboth daye looced and deliuered this woman here beeyng one of your owne nacion whom Satan hath by the space of eyghtene yeres kepte fast tyed and bounde If workyng and labouryng on the Sabboth daye bee forbidden whether of the two doeth more bodily labour he that vntieth an Asse and ledeth hym to the water or els I who with a mere worde and only touchyng haue made whole al this whole woman bothe bodye and soule too Are ye in suche sorte more mercifull and fauourable to an oxe or an asse then to your syster or brother And do ye in suche wyse obserue the law that for supersticion thereof ye neglecte that whiche is the highest and chyefeste poynte of all the whole lawe These woordes of Iesus because they coÌ„prised a veritie both clere and manifest and also agreable to the common reasoÌ„ of mannes owne nature made these slaunderous raillers full euill ashamed For it was no small grefe vnto them whan any parte of their glorye was abated in the face of the multitude before whoÌ„ thei had alwaies set out themselfes as muche as they could to their owne glory Than said he what is the kingdoÌ„ of god like or wherto shal I compare it It is like a grain of musterd seed which a man toke sowed in his garden and it grewe and wered a great tree and the foules of the ayre made nestes in the braunches of it And again he said wherunto shal I lyken the kyngdome of god It is like leauen whiche a woman toke and hid in thre peckes of meale till it was leauened Iesus hereupoÌ„ minding to open that al that same vain glorious bostyng of the Phariseis whiche conteyned an high portly shewe of holy conuersation should shortely vanishe awaie and contrariwise that the vertue of the ghospel should from most lowe beginninges grow vp to so high state of dignitie that it should drawe all the whole vniuersall worlde vnto it and that the same should be by meane of death and by meane of Apostles beeyng poore meane men and ignorauntes put foorth two sundrye parables at once of one meanyng Ye see ê™ he that the kyngdome of the Synagogue fighteth against the kyngdome of god Notwithstanding thesame that is more of puissauÌ„ce and might shall in the ende haue the victory Therfore the lord as it had been one enspired with a newe spirite to the entent he would make the multytude of the people geue the better eare vnto hym sayed to what thyng shall I say the kyngdom of god to be like or to what thyng shal I compare it to make you vnderstande what maner a thyng it is by comparison of some thyng that is to no creature of you all not excedingly well knowen And whan the people euery one of them looked to heare sum royall hygh symilitude taken of sum comparison of the sunne or of lightenyng or of some other such lyke matter Iesus thought better to take a parable out of a litle sede that no body estemeth or setteth by It is lyke sayth he to a litle grayne or corne of mustardsede which for a time that it is whole like as it is one of the least thiÌ„ges possible so is it a thyng of the least value that can bee in the worlde and a thyng that neyther with the colour ne with the sauour is pleasaunte to the iye and yf it haue any strength or vertue it hath it withinforth and not without A certain wyse felowe whan he had gotten one of the sayed litle sedes he did not set it at naught ne cast it away but sowed it in his gardeÌ„ And thissame sede of lest value and regarde spronge vp and grewe to a mightie great tree in so muche that euen the birdes made themselfes nestes in the braunches therof and for one litle litle grayne that was sowed it brought forth many thousandes And â—â—ght
to gyue a dyner or a supper call thou not thy frendes whiche haue no nede of thy liberalitie or suche as haue doen thee some great good turne afore leste thou maiest seme either to make a recompense for a benefite receyued or els to seke to haue some benefite by them whome thou doest call or els to call them for very shame that thou mayest not seme vnthankfull neyther call thou thy brethren that is to saye menne of thyne owne bloud and kinred or els thy neighbours whiche dwell about thee leste thy benefite maye seme to be a thyng dooen for the onely respect of kynred and not for any good herte and zele to dooe a good dede ne call thou not thy riche and welthie neighbours leste the thanke of the feast that thou hast made maye perishe and be vttrely loste For truly it wyll perishe and be loste in dede if they bidde thee agayne and a diner either as good as thyne was or els a fyner and deintier be geuen thee again For thy benefite beeyng so recompensed or payed for they shall ough thee no thanke at all But in case thou be mynded well to bestowe a diner or supper wherby there may come backe agayne to thee a veraye large rewarde not from men but from God call thou the poore the weake and the feble the blynde and the lame In refreshyng of these doe thou refreshe God Thou wilt peraduenture saye In suche one 's shal both my labour and my cost be lost For they haue nothing to recompense me agayn and they be alwaies in nede of another whan one is paste Euen in this veray poynte shalte thou bee blissed that they haue nothyng to geue thee agayne But they haue an incomparable riche patrone who will suffre all to bee imputed as doen to hymselfe whatsoeuer shall be bestowed on them He wyll for these transitory thynges repaie euerlastyng Dooe thou not ouer hastely aske recompense It is one of perfecte true dealyng to whom thou lendest it He will vndoubtedly make recompense if not in this life albeit he will here also recompense it yet at leastewyse at the resurreccion of the iust And truely this parable of the Lorde dyd concerne not onely refreashing of the poore with foode of meate and drincke but also relieuyng of all manier necessitie of the neyghbour whether he bee to be taught or to bee tolde of his faulte or to bee coumforted or by whatsoeuer other ientyll poynte of charitie to bee ferthered towardes his health of bodye or of soule And al these thynges are to bee reputed as dooen to god and not to the man Whan one of them that sate at meate also heard these thinges he said vnto him Happye is he that eateth bread in the kingdom of god Than said he vnto him A certain man ordeined a great supper and bidde many and sent his seruaunt at supper tyme to say to them that wer bidden Cum. For all thynges are now ready And they all at once began to make excuse The first sayd vnto him I haue bought a ferme and I must nedes goe and see it I praye thee haue me excused And an other said I haue bought fiue yoke of oxen and I goe to proue them I pray thee haue me excused And an other said I haue married a wife and therfore I cannot come And the seruaunt returned and brought his maister woord again therof Then was the goodman of the house displeased and said vnto his seruaunt goe out quickely into the stretes and quarters of the citie and bring in hither the poore the feble and the halt the blinde And the seruaunt said Lord it is doen as thou hast commaunded and yet there is roume And the Lord said to the seruaunt goe out vnto the high wayes and hedges and compel thē to cum in that my house maye bee filled For I say vnto you that none of those men whiche wer bidden shall taste of my supper Whan Iesus had spoken the premisses as well concerning the wedding feast as also concerning the resurreccion of the iuste one of the geastes at the table being as it wer half in a dreame touched with the desire of the celestiall feast whiche Iesus had made mēcion of said blessed is that man whiche shal haue the happe to eate bread in the kingdome of god whiche he spake as ye would say geuing half a watche woord that fewe there should bee to whose lotte that same felicitie should cum and as though not euery bodye withoute excepcion should be receiued to the feast but the Iewes onely or the head mē of the Iewes But Iesus by meane of a parable whiche he propouned vnto them taughte them that in dede the Iewes were called in the first place to the ende they might not complayne or fynde faulte that they were naught set by but for as muche as they beeyng wedded to the affayres of the worlde refused to cum whan they were called as menne that sette more by goodes whiche should afterward perishe then by the lyfe euerlastyng all nacions indifferently should be called to the ende that the noumbre of Christes church and congregacion myght be made complete the parable was this here folowyng A certayne oute ryche manne had appoynted to make a sumptuous greate supper And to this supper had he bidden a righte greate coumpanye And whan the tyme of supper was euen at the verye poynte of the houre he sente a seruaunte of his to geue knowelage vnto all the bidden geastes that the supper tyme was nowe verye nere to warde and that they should therefore cum with spede He had bydden theyin long afore by the Prophetes he eftsones geueth theim woorde thereof by Iohn and by the soonne of manne cum your wayes sayeth he for nowe are all thynges in a readinesse In this case whereas they myghte at their pleasure haue had full fruicion of the supper long tyme looked for they beginne euerye one to make theyr excuses together one by one coulour and an other by an other For the fyrst of theym beeyng a manne whollye bente to encreacyng of his substaunce and settyng more by the gaining of worldly possessions then of euerlasting blisse made this aunswere to the seruaunte beeyng earneste with hym to haue hym cum awaye I haue boughte a piece of lande in the fielde here and I muste remedilesse goe thyther to see that I haue boughte I praye thee lette thy maister hold me excused Then went he to the second And he being sicke of a lyke dysease aunswered I haue bought fiue yoke of oxen I muste therfore nedes goe to proue them whether I haue made a good mercate in biynge of them or not I praye thee cause thy maister to haue me excused For I would with all my very herte come if I might Than wente he vnto the thyrde And he also made an excuse saiyng I haue maryed a wyfe thou knowest what a buisie matter that is how many cares it bringeth with
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
shal come ouer fast vpoÌ„ him to leat him haue any time of laisure at all Euery bodye as he shall bee found euen so leate him with renning away as faste as he can saue his life Call ye to remembraunce what chauÌ„ced vnto Lottes wife She did no more but turne her to loke backe and perished immediatly so yll dooeth the swift stroke of the saied eiuil suffre any more delay or tariaunce at all Suche an one what euer he bee shal be the more safe from the perill as shal bee lighter burdened then an other to flee ¶ Whosoeuer wil goe aboute to saue his life shall lose it and whosoeuer shal lose hys life shal saue it I tell you in that night there shal bee twoo in one bedde the one shall bee receiued the other shal bee forsaken Two shal bee a grinding together the one shall bee receiued and the other forsaken Two in the fielde the one shal be receiued and the other forsaken And they aunswered and saied to him where lord He saied vnto them whersoeuer the bodie shall be thither will also the eagles bee gathered together And at that houre or day to goe seke or prouide suche thynges wherewith we commonly vse to sette a sure staigh for our life to come as for exaumple apparel money dwellyng places or suche other thynges shal be none other but casting awaie lesing of the life But suche an one as castyng away from hym al pestreaunce and heauy carriage shal not regard the helpes staighes of this present life but shall leat theÌ„ goe such on one shal be sure to winne life For at that day there shal be no laisure nâ— space to thynke of the lyfe of the body whan the lyfe of the soule shall turne in the whâ—le of beeyng in hassarde and ieoperdy Neyther gooddes ne place ne thys or that kynde of liuyng shall in that peril saue any man but a mynd that is ready to departe a waie hens For of twoo persones beyng as nere together as is possible sodainely shal the one bee taken to life and the other shal be leaft behind to damnacioÌ„ Thus much I tell you to abide vpon That night in which the sonne of man shal come there shall bee two persones liyng in one bedde and them two shall the diuersitte of rewarde soodainly parte in sondre For the one shal be taken vp to euerlasting blisse and the other shal bee leafte behynd to endlesse damnacion There shall bee twoo persones gryndyng in one mille of whiche the one shall bee taken and the other leafte behynd Twoo persones shal be at their housebandrie labouring in the fieldes one of theim shal bee taken vp the other shal be leaft Whan the disciples heard al this as it had been half in a dreme not vnderstandyng what it mente they saie vnto Iesus where maister They were still in a dreame of the fleashe and seke to knowe the place of this kyngdome Than Iesus myndyng vnder a derke couert to signify vnto them that the holy people wheresoeuer they shall bee found shall not bee disseuered from the Lord aunswered wheresoeuer there shal bee caryan thyther will the Eagles also drawe and gather together It forceth not in what place ye be so that ye be with me whiche am the feder of your soules and doe fede theim with myne owne selfe who am the foode of endlesse felicitie The .xviii Chapter ¶ And he putte foorth a parable vnto them signifiyng that men oughte alwaie to praie and not to be wery saiyng Ther was in a certaine citeâ— a iudge whiche feared not god neither regarded man And ther was a certain wedowe in thesame citee she came vnto him saiyng auenge me of myne aduersarie And he would not for a while But afterward he saied within hymself Though I feare not God nor care for maÌ„ yet because this wedowe is importune vpon me I wil auenge hir leste she come at the last raill on me And the Lord saied heare what the vnrighteous iudge saieth And shal not god auâ—nge his elect whiche 〈◊〉 day night vnto hym yea though he differre theim I tell you that he will auenge theim and that quickely Neuerthelesse whan the soonne of man cometh shal he fynde feâ—ih on the yearâ—h ANd forasmuche as the last ende of the worlde beeyng at hande there shall aryse most grieuous persecucioÌ„s against the godlye in somuche that if it maie possibly bee wrought euen the veray elect and chosen persones shal be seduced albeit in veray dede the infaciable peruersnes of the eiuil doeth neuer at any time succeasse to be cruell full of tiraÌ„ny against the good the Lord Iesus teacheth his disciples seruauntes that in al their aduersitees thei shal from none other place aske helpe or succour but at the handes of God neither goyng about any auengemente in the meane whyle nor defendyng one displeasure receiued with dooyng an other for it That if God dooe not at the first houre deliuer theim from affliccion yet must thei not therfore surceasse from praiyng For he wyll vndoubtedly heare the prayers of his seruauntes when oportunitee of tyme shal bee and the delaiyng therof shall turne to the benefite of the Godly yea â–ª and so muche the more grieuously shal the vngodly bee oppressed as they had perswaded theimselfes that whatsoeuer they dyd therin they shoulde dooe it and no man to say blacke theyr iye This lesson did the Lord Iesus with such a parable as here ensueth enprinte in the hertes of his disciples seruauntes There was saieth he in a certayne citee a certain iudge or gouernour beyng bothe a wieked man and also void of al shame honestee as one that neither stood in any feare of God ne had any reuerence towardes any mortal man His wickednesse made hym in case that he feared not God his great power brought hym to the poyncte that he woulde shewe no reuerence to manne And so it was that in the same citie there was a certaine wedowe who beyng sore oppressed of her aduersarie went vnto the sayd high iudge in whose handes rested the highest power and she praied him of his helpe and ayd against the violent oppressyon of her aduersarye Syr sayeth she my matter is veray good and true and yet am I ouertroden throughe the rychesse and frendshyp that myne aduersarie hathe in your courte I am a poore wedowe and alone woman destitute of freÌ„des I praye you see a redresse in the cause of my ryght against the violence of mine aduersary Where he was oftentimes thus spoken to by the wedowe yet neuerthelesse a longe tyme he woulde not bee acknowen of the matter nor woulde not helpe the wedowe whereas suche greate power is geuen to certaine men euen for such a purpose onely that thei should be helpers and succourers of orphanes of wardes beeyng in nonage of wedowes of poore folkes againste the riche men mainteners of brableyng matters At the
worlde sayed Ceasars phisionomye and pryente it is Than ê™ Iesus byanby than render and paye ye vnto Ceasar yf anye thyng belongeth to his righte For I force nothyng what the prynces of thys worlde dooe require by theyr exaccions But thys is yet a greater poyncte of your charge and more requisite to the purpose that ye tendre vnto God that ye oughe vnto hym know ye therfore the image of hym stricken and coined in youre hertes acknowelage ye his title and poisee All the soule is due to hym euery whit of it and oughte not to bee in bondage to any other persone then to hym who created bothe the bodye and the soule too And bearing as it doeth the image of God wherefore is it paied for tribute to the deiuill The subtyll awaiters to haue taken him in a trippe meruayle at so warie and circumspect an answer For the euangelical simplicitie hath a politique cast of it own too Yet this notwithstandyng they woulde not acknowelage the heauenlye wysedome of God in him but sorowed because there was nothing which they could reproue in all his talke ¶ Then came to him certaine of the Sadducees which deny that there is any resurreccion and they asked him saiyng Maister Moses wrote vnto us if any mannes brother dye hauing a wife and he dye without children that then his brother should take his wyfe reise vp sede vnto his brother There were therfore seuen brethren the first toke a wife and dyed without children And the seconde tooke her and he died childelesse And the thirde tooke her and likewise the residue of the seuen and leaft no children behind them and died Last of all the woman died also Nowe in the resurreccion whose wife of theim shall she be For seuen had her to wife Iesus aunswered and saied vnto them The childreÌ„ of this worlde marye wiues and are maried but they whiche shal be coumpted worthye of that world and the resurreccion from the dead doe not marie wiues neither are maried nor yet cannot dye anye more For they are eguall vnto the aungels and are the sonnes of God in somuch as thei are children of the resurreccion And that the dead shal rise again Moses also shewed besides the bushe whan he calleth the lorde the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob For he is not a God of dead but of liuing For al liue vnto him Than certain of the Phariseis aunswered and saied Maister thou haste well saied And after that durste they not aske him any question at all Whan the saied parties were departed from hym there came vnto him of the secte of the Sadducees who vnder a false title of righteousnesse made much high solemnitie of theimselfes in like manier as the Phariseis had their name of excellencie in outward apparence to the sighte of menne wherein they thought theimselfes ferre to surmounte and passe the other sectes And the secte of the Sadducees hathe this one propreâ—ie by theimselfes that they dooe not beleue any arisyng again of the bodyes to bee after this lyfe neither any parte of man to remayne after death ne that there be anye Aungels These Sadducees propoune to the Lorde suche a question as foloweth Maister such manier a law hath there been geueÌ„ to vs by Moses that in case anye man after he hath maried a wyfe shal bee deceassed without chyldren the brother of the partye so deceassed shall marye the wedowe leaft by hym and succedyng in the place of his brother shal reise succession and issue vnto his brother of thesame womans bodye So than it fortuned that there were seuen brethreÌ„ of whome the fyrst maried a wife and died without issue The nexte eldest brother tooke her that was leaft to wyfe and dyed hymselfe lykewyse hauing had no chyldren by her Nexte after hym succeded the thirde brother into wedlocke accordyng to the course of his age who on his partie also dyed withoute chyldren And short tale to make in semblable manier was this womaÌ„ maried vnto euerye one of them vntill the seuenth and al had her and yet made she neuer an one of theim a father ne brought hym forth any chyld In processe of tyme dyed the woman too Now than at the general resurreccion which of the seuen brethren shall recouer the possession of this woman to his wyfe For ons maryed she was to euerye one of theim and she can not bee common to theym al ne to any mo housebandes then one By this toye hauing in it neither time nor reason the Sadducees supposed that the opinion of the Phariseis myght bee wyped clene awaye whiche Phariseis dyd stiefflye holde argumente that the soules doe remayne after the bodyes be dead yea and ferthermore that the bodyes of the dead shall one daye returne to lyfe againe Now because these mennes apposyng of hym conteined in it more foolishenesse theÌ„ malice Iesus vouchesalued to enstructe theÌ„ saiyng ye are in a wroÌ„g opinion in that ye imagyne the like state of thynges to bee in the lyfe to come as ye see in this presente world here The children of this world which worlde is neuer without successiue alteracion of some diyng euery day and othersome daily cummyng into the worlde dooe remedilesse seke out and procure wiues for their sonnes and doe sette out theyr daughters in mariage to housebaÌ„des for mankynde cannot by any other possible meanes bee continued in progeneracion of issue And therefore matrimonie emong them is not a thyng of blissefulnesse but of necessitie But those persones to whose lotte suche blisse shall falle that they maye be reputed woorthie the resurreccion of the iust and worthye thatsame worlde whiche knoweth no mortalitie suche neyther shall procure wyues for theyr soonnes nor shall geue theyr daughters to housebandes in mariage For what nede shall there bee of mariage or a carnall copulacion whan no bodye shall nowe dye For they haue nowe alreadye succeassed any longer to bee carnall and to bee subiecte to the incommodityes of this worlde but haue nowe receiued a bodye that shall neuer dye and shall nowe from hencefoorth none otherwyse liue then the Aungels dooe liue emong whome there is no mariage ne vse of wedlocke because there is no necessitie of dying Here in this worlde they that of mortall parentes are borne mortall dooe by the vse of matrimonye make prouision and meanes for continuing the succession of mankynde But those others beeyng nowe by the vertue of the spyrite newe borne againe and made the sonnes of God liuyng for euer withoute ende shall fele no misse of matrimonie because they shall not knowe death as beeyng nowe through resurreccion restored vnto lyfe immortall And because thissame doubtefull question hadde bene propouned of the Sadducees purposely to mocke the arisyng again of the deade because they beleued not that the soules dooe remayne aliue after the death of the bodye Iesus vouchesalued to enstructe their ignoraunt hertes concernyng this case too
a woman aunswered desperately as if his herte had been in his hele clene goen Thou womā I haue none acquaintaunce with him And by that meanes did Peter for the first plounge escape But within a whyle cōmeth the lyke daūgier agayn For one of the seruauntes eftsons begonne to knowe hym metelye perfectly and sayed vnto him yea and thou too arte one of the nombre of them whose maister and Capitain we haue taken Peter beyng eftsons by reason of these woordes as one halfe out of the worlde for feare sayed Thou man I am none of them and swore that he knewe not Iesus Thus escaped he once more by forswearyng hymselfe And yet did it not all this whyle come in his mynde what the Lorde had tolde hym before and what promyse hymselfe hadde made to the Lorde All this while was Iesus in examinacion afore th◠wicked counsaill and was striekē with buffettes contrarie to the manier and ordre of iudgementes or courtes of iustice Peter beholdyng it a good waye of and lookyng styll what ende the matier was lyke to haue But muche about the space of an houre after a certayne other felowe of the seruauntes beeyng cousin to hym whose eare Peter had strieken of beholdyng Peter well knewe him and saied I promise you this felowe also was with Iesus in the herbare And whan he sayed it was not so the other sayed morouer The thing to be true that I saye euen his veray owne toungue doeth declare For he is one of Galile borne There Peter beyng altogether cast in an extreme feare begonne to sweare naie to the mattier and to bidde the diuell take him if he did so muche as vnderstād of what Iesus of what herbare or of what felowes of Galilee it was that the seruaunt spake So ferre had he vttrely forgotten hymselfe who should afterwarde be one of the chiefe of the congregacion In the meane season whyle Peter reneagueth while he sweareth naie while he curseth himselfe while he geueth hymselfe bodye and soule to the deuill the cocke crewe the seconde time whiche was the token that the Lorde had geuen hym and yet did he not thereby neither come to himselfe agayne Neither was he lyke to haue made any ende of straying out of the righte waye had not the Lorde through the middes of the wicked coumpaynye there turned his iyes vpon Peter and had earnestly beheld hym Peter beyng touched with the lokyng of his maister vpon hym remembred the wordes whiche the lorde had a litle before sayed vnto hym Before the cocke crowe twise this night thou shalt thrise reneague and deny me and beyng sodaynlye touched with earnest sorowe he conueyed hymsefe foorth of the doores and wepte bitterly What thing Peter did thesame would the other disciples also haue doen if lyke necessitie had come in vre But in the only person of Peter it pleased Iesus to teache all others that no man truste in himselfe ne that no man miengle or associate hymselfe in the compayny of euyll persones It was nighte Loue was weaxed stone cold in hym He was warmyng hymselfe by the fyer of wicked folkes he was sittyng in coumpayny emongest a deiuilishe sorte in the house of Cayphas the bishop whereas hymselfe should afterwarde be a bishop but muche vnlyke to Cayphas But there in bishop Cayphas house what vngracious dedes of mischiefe is there that are not doen There was a conspiracie made for the death of Iesus by the priestes the phariseis the Scribes and the elders of the people From thence were sent foorth harnessed men agaynste him there is he bounde there is he scourged there hath he his face couered there is he skorned there is he accused There doeth Peter committe periurie there doeth he accurse hymselfe a great and grieuous crime vnlesse frailtie excused it For Peter offended not of a prepensed malice as Iudas had doen but through heauinesse of herte wherwith he was astouned For he hadde not come thither of a purpose to reneague Iesus but onely that he might behold th ende of the iudgemente whereas he was not yet sufficientlye confirmed to die with Christ. For the tyme was not yet come Therfore how many soeuer haue fallen into any grieuous crime leat them praye the lorde Iesus that he wyll vouchesafe to turne his iyes vpon them and than shall they strayghtwayes acknowlage in themselfes from what state into what ease they are fallen Let them withdrawe themselues from vngracious coumpayny and leat them washe awaye theyr fault with teres testifying their herte to be conuerted and chaunged And the men that toke Iesus mocked hym and smote hym and whan they had blyndefolded hym they stroke hym on the face and asked hym saying arede who is it that smote thee And many other thynges despitefully sayde they agaynst hym In the meane season was all thatsame nighte passed ouer and spente in mockes and scornes against Iesus For the felowes that had apprehended Iesus scorned hym geuyng hym bothe reprochefull wordes and strokes therto And because they had heard saye that the people had him in reuerence as a prophete they blyndefolde his iyes and so buffeted hym on the face saying Arede now and tell by the spirite of prophecie what man hath geuen the any blowes With many other wordes of mockage and reproche dyd that wicked company continue rayling on Iesus the fountaine of all glory so that none of vs ought to take greuously to be reuiled or rayled at for the worde of the ghospell or to suffer affliccion and euill turnes at the handes of suche persones as serue the myndes of vnreligious byshops as doe thynges to fulfyll the appetite of cloked Phariseis as doe thynges to satisfie the fansie of folyshe prynces And as soone as it was daye the elders of the people and the hye priestes and Scribes came together and led hym into theyr counsayll saying arte thou very Christe tell vs. And he sayed vnto them yf I tell you ye wyll not beleue And yf I aske you ye wyll not aunswere me nor let me goe Hereafter shall the sonne of manne sytte on the ryght hande of the power of God Then sayed they all arte thou then the sonne of god He sayed ye saye that I am And they sayed what nede we any further witnes For we oure selues haue hearde of his owne mouth Now assone as the fayre daylyght was once come the chiefe of the priestes the Scribes and the head rulers of the people pretending now to sit and kepe courte in due fourme of iudgemente assemble together to a great noumbre And when they had summoned Iesus personally to appeare in theyr courte they demaunded many questions of hym hunting for one poynte or other out of his wordes whiche they might there openly laye to his charge The crime wherewith to charge hym is but euen than in sekyng whan they be alreadye set in iudgemente and his death beeyng determinately appoynted vpon they looke about and deuise by what title or
angles of the crosse Neyther did the Prophetes leaue his buiriall vnspoken of neyther For Hieremie representyng the persone of Christe wryteth in this manier My lyfe fell downe into the lake and they put a stone vpon me For ye knowe that he was buiried in a sepulchre of stone and that the mouth of the monumeÌ„te was shutte with a mightie great stone because no body should take awaie his corpse On the preparyng daye well towardes euentide he was laied in his graue there did he rest all the Sabboth that is to saye whan the weorke of mannes redempcion was nowe finished and completed Consider ye whether the prophecie did not foreshewe euen of thissame thing also From the sight of iniquitie saieth the prophecie was the righteous taken awaie his place shall bee in peace Moreouer vntill the tyme of his death he suffred hymselfe to be touched of the wieked after his death he would not be handled ne touched of no body but of his frendes Neither did he from that tyme forthward shewe him selfe to be seen but only to his frendes And of this matier had the aunciente prophecie of Iacob the patriarke geuen a darke significacion and tokenyng who whan he should dye prophecied in this manier of Iuda Naye I shoulde rather saye of Christe Thou layest a long as a lyon who shall reise hym vp Ferthermore lyke as it was his will to dye and to bee buiried so that it shoulde not come to passe that he should rotte in his sepulchre but that after tarying a veray shorte tyme he should arise to lyfe agayn was it not a thyng openly foreshewed of the prophetes doeth not the holy ghoste speake after this manier in the fifteenth psalme Thou shalt not leaue my soule in hell nor shalt suffre thy holy one to see corrupcion No spieces no swete baulmes doe geue this gifte that a dead carkesse shall neuer putrifie forasmuche as continuaunce of tyme doeth forweare the verai spices selfe whiche tyme consumeth euen the monumentes though they be of marble stone but this gifte doeth resurreccion geue whiche geueth immortalitie but all the whole figure of this matier did not Ionas the prophete many yeares sence plainly presente The tempest was imputed vnto him and to entent lest al the companie should perishe he was headlong toumbled into the sea to th ende that by the losse of him being but one maÌ„ the tempeste might be alayed wheras otherwise it threatened death vnto al the company Christe dyed for the sauyng of all creatures to the ende that he alone might pourge awaye the sinnes of all the people Ionas was swallowed vp of a whale and out of the bealye of thesame whale was he rendred againe on the thyrde daye after otherwyse then all folkes loked for Christe was layed in his graue wherhence he promised that he woulde come forth on the thyrde daye For vnto the Iewes requiring a signe from heauen he promised the signe of Ionas the prophete and that hymselfe would after the exaumple of thesame Ionas come forth on the thyrde daye out of the caues of the yearth And howe many tymes did he repeate this thing to drieue it into the disciples myndes that he should dye and returne agayn to life on the thyrde daie And that thing had Oseas the prophete told long afore who sayed After twoo dayes shall he reuiue vs on the thyrde daye shall he reise vs agayn to lyfe Forasmuche therfore as ye haue hitherto seen all thynges agree together the figures of the law the foresayinges of the prophetes the foretellinges of Christ himself and finally the ende of thynges as they haue from tyme to tyme folowed and come to passe howe happeneth that ye nowe as men beyng halfe in a sloumbre or a dreame are vnbelieuers and doe not rather of thynges alreadie pasâ—e coniecture thynges afterwarde to ensue He tolde you afore that betraied he shoulde be and deliuered to the Gentiles that he should be bound scourged skorned and crucified Not one iote of all these thynges but it hath come to passe All the premisses ye haue seen and dooe belieue them but euen he the verai same man told also afore that on the thyrd daye he would arise to life again and that he would by the space of a certain of dayes shewe hymself not vnto the worlde but vnto his disciples Wherefore than do ye not credite those weomen which reporte them selues to haue been adcertayned by the Aungels that he was arisen to lyfe agayn Doth the frailtie and feblenesse of his body deceassed so greatly offende you that ye nowe fall into vtter dispaire as though al thatsame noble promises of his wer vtterly extinct and dead concernyng his kyngdome concerning the power of heauen and yearth to be deliuered vnto the sonne concernyng his ascending vp into heauen and his returnyng from hence vnto his father concernyng his sittyng at the right hande of his father of extendyng and spreding the gospel throughout all the nacions of the world concernyng his glorious cummyng a little before the ende of the world concernyng the immortalitie of the holy concerning the euerlastyng paines and tormentes of the wicked Naâ— wete ye well that death it was whiche opened the waye and entreaunce into the maiestie of all these thynges Euen as ye haue seen hym dying and buried so shall ye see hym returned to lyfe agayne so shall ye see him ascending vp into heauen Ye shall receyue the spirite of God ye shal see the celestial power of god shewe foorth it self in men of lowe degree and of no learnyng ne knowlage worldly ye shall see the light of the ghospell by meane of thesame persones in a litell tyme to sprede ouer all the world with his â—adiaunt beames And that same Iesus who hath here bâ—n set at naught spetted at and had in derision the same Iesus shall all the world wurship as equall with God the father and an eguall partener with him in his kyngdome Finally all mankynde without excepcion shall see him in the maiestie of his father encoumpaced with coumpanies of Aungels iudgeing the quicke and the dead And it hath pleased him that the cummyng of thatsame daye shoulde bee vncertayne to all creatures In the meane season his wille was that his seruauntes shoulde care for nothyng but the kyngdome of the ghospell And all the premisses haue been foreshewed by the prophetes they haue been marked and appoynted out by fygures of Moses lawe they haue been a great porcion of them alreadie perfourmed neyther ought there any manne to doubte but that all thynges shall in theyr due tymes bee presently shewed These wordes of the Lorde Iesus mouthe not onely striekyng the eares of the saied twoo disciples but also percyng and throughly sinking into theyr hertes did so possesse them that neither they felte the trauayle of the waie nor tooke any markes of his face while he spake nor yet remembred to thynke with themselues in theyr myndes
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
againe if they will heare the voice of the sonne of God but he doeth not heare it whiche heareth it without fayth In tyme to come all dead bodyes shall ryse agayne at the voyce of the sonne of God now hauyng shewed a likelyhoode of the resurreccion to come by raysing of a fewe from death to lyfe a greater matter is in haÌ„de to rayse vp soules from death to lyfe at his worde and call As nothyng is more preciouse than lyfe so nothyng is more godlike than to geue lyfe or to restore thesame There is no cause why any man should mistrust the power of the sonne yf he beleue in the power of the father No man doubteth but God is the fountaine of all life from whence all lâ—uing thinges eyther in heauen or earth haue theyr lyfe but as the father hath life in himselfe to geue it or restore it to whom he list so hath he also geuen to his sonne to haue in himselfe the fouÌ„taine of all lyfe And besides that hath geuen him power to iudge both quicke and dead For by the sentence of the sayed sonne whiche cannot be exchewed they that haue oâ—eyed his doctryne shall go from hence to eternall lyfe and contrarye they that woulde not obey it shall be appoynted and iudged to eternall punishment Meruayle not that so great power is geuen to a man consideryng that thesame is the sonne of God The selfe thyng is nowe committed to hym whiche he alwaye had common betwene hym and the father Endeuour your selues in the meane tyme that thorowe fayth ye maye be wurthy to haue lyfe For the tyme shal come that all whiche be dead and buryed shall heare the almightie voyce of the sonne of God and furthwith the bodyes shall liue agayne Then shall they which haue been dead and buried come out of theyr graues to be rewarded in sundry sorte eyther accordyng to theyr beliefe or vnbeliefe for they whiche haue doen good workes in this lyfe shall than lyue agayne to enherite immortall lyfe on the other syde those whiche haue doen euill here shall lyue agayne to suffre paines of eternall death And lyke as fayth is the well and fountayne of all goodnes so is infidelitie the spryng of all euill I can of myne owne selfe do nothyng As I heare I iudge and my iudgemente is iuste because I seâ—â— not mâ—ne owne will but the wyll of the father whiche hath sente me If I should beare witnes of my self my witnes were not true There is another that beareth witnes of me and I am sure that the witnes whiche he beareth of me is true Neither is there cause why any man should slaundre the iudgement of the sonne as though it were not indifferent If the fathers iudgement cannot bee but indifferent no more can the sonnes iudgement whiche is all one with the fathers be but in like maner indifferent For the sonne iudgeth none otherwise but as the father hath appoynted and prescribed vnto him Whoso feareth the fathers iudgement ought also to feare the sonnes iudgemeÌ„t I can do nothing of my selfe As I heare of my father so I iudge and therfore my iudgement is iust because I haue no other will â–ª but that whiche is my fathers so that in no wyse there can be a corrupt will wherof maye procede a corrupte iudgemente Among men small credite is geuen to him whiche beareth witnes of himselfe and he is counted arrogant and proude whiche by his owne reporte attributeth great thynges to hymselfe If I alone be myne owne witnes then let my witnes be taken emong you to be but vayne and vntrue but there is one which hath borne witnes of me that is to saye Iohn to whom ye dooe attribute very muche in other thynges but here nowe as vnstedfast men ye dooe noâ— credite him wheras I knowe his witnes to be true forasmuche as he hath not vttered it of hymselfe but by the inspiracion of my father Ye cannot deny but that Iohns recorde and witnes is muche set by amonges you your selues haue sent graue men vnto him that by trustie men you might knowe of him as of a moste true auctor whether he were Messias or no. He did not take vpon hym that false prayse whiche ye would haue attributed vnto hym but confessed the trueth openly testifying himself not to be the manne that he was taken for â–ª but sayed that I was the Messias whiche shoulde take awaye the sinnes of the worlde and geue lyfe to thesame Ye sent vnto Iohn and he bare witnes vnto the trueth but I receiue not the recorde of man Neuerthelesse this thing I saye that ye maye be safe He was a burning and a shining light and ye would for a season haue reioyced in his light but I haue greater witnes then the witnes of Iohn for the workes whiche the father hath geuen me to finishe thesame workes that I do beare witnes of me that the father hath sent me And the father himself which hath sent me â–ª hath borne witnes of me Ye haue not heard his voyce at any tyme nor seen his shape his woorde haue ye not abydyng in you for whom he hath sent hym ye beleue not At the least his witnes whom ye did so muche exteeme that ye dyd beleue hym to be Messias ought to haue been regarded among you specially seyng it was not procured on my behalfe but brought to light by your owne selues I as concernyng my selfe haue no nede to bee commended by mannes witnes but I do reporte vnto you Ihons witnes of me not because I who care nothyng for worldly glory would be the more made of among you but to thintent that you whiche so muche regarde Iohns auctoritie shoulde credite me of whom he hath borne witnes whereby ye maye exchewe the condemnacion of infidelitie and thorowe faith obteyne saluacion Iohn doubtles was a greate man yet was not he that light whiche was promised to the world but onlye a burnyng candell tynded at our fyre and geuyng light by our light And yet whereas ye ought at his tellyng and declaracion to haue made hast to the true light which doeth alwaie illuminate euery man that cummeth into this world ye had leauer for a shorte tyme to boast and glory in his lighte than to embrace the true light which geueth euerlastyng glory is neuer darkened nor dyeth Iohn gaue light before the sonne as one that should immediatelye geue place to thesame and be derkened thorowe the shining of the true light You woulde haue taken hym for Messias which denyed hymselfe to be woorthy to vnleuse the latchet of Messias shooes Why doe you then so litle regarde his witnes that he bare of me seing in other thynges ye haue had so good an opinion of hym I do not depende vpon Iohns witnes but yet I woulde wishe that ye woulde geue credite vnto it that ye do not perishe thorowe infidelitie And though ye do not
their grosse iudgemente of him whereby they thought he did woorke his miracles to the intente to deserue therewith at the rashe peoples hand a worldly kyngdome whereas Christe in veraye deede accordyng as the tyme required didde shewe sum prouâ—e of his diuine power by certaine miracles for none other cause surelye but that throughe sensyble and bodilye thinges he myghte cause more credit to bee geuen vnto his doctrine whiche promysed those thynges that cannot bee perceiued with bodilye senses And by this waie also to bring vp those that were yet rude and weake by certaine degrees to the capacitie of more hye thynges Like as a trustie Maister would wishe that if it coulde be his scholer shoulde foorthwith take and vnderstande his whole science yet for a time he fourmeth and fashioneth the rude and vnframed wytte wyth certayne pryncyples vntyll he haue broughte hym vp to the perfecte knowlege of his facultie so that he shal after neede none of those introduccions And though the teacher dooe not teache the veraye letters and his fyrste rules without werines yet he doth beare that tediousnesse and weare it awaye with the hope of profityng his scholer labouryng all the wayes he can to get him soone out of those course principles Therefore Iesus to declare here also his godhead in that he knewe theyr thoughtes when he sawe the people hadde nowe agayne recourse vnto hym for the desire of suche myracles whiche shoulde rather fyll the bellye then instructe the mynde he tooke occasion of the meate that he hadde once geuen them to teache theym what foode they ought to haue moste desired The effecte of his saiyng was this Uerely this thing is true saieth he whiche I wyll tell you ye calle me maister not because ye bee muche desirous of my doctryne whiche is all spirituall but because ye seeke for worldelye pleasures and small commodities whiche are more estemed of you then thynges whiche dooe farre excelle them And at this presente ye dooe seeke me with great affeccion and yet â—wisse not so muche for to see myracles whiche ought in dede to allure you to mynde celestiall thynges but yesterdayes there dooeth more prouoke you then that ye bee enamoured of goddely power And ye coumpte it a great matter if a manne fede your bodye without your charge It is but a small matter to feede this bodie that otherwyse muste needes decaye and bee destroied neyther shal they that bee desirous of the doctrine of the ghospell lacke meate Therfore turne all youre care to gette that foode whiche where it is taken dooeth not perishe by disgestion nor dooeth prolong lyfe of the bodye for a shorte tyme as the common materiall susteinaunce dooeth and yet within a while hungre cummeth againe â–ª But gette suche foode I saye as tarrieth styll in man noryshing the soule with spirituall foode and geueth eternall lyfe thereunto The sonne of man wil geue you this excellent bread if he perceiue that you doe long and hungre for it For certainly God willyng to geue eternall lyfe to mankynde dydde speciallye appoynt this sonne of manne geuyng vnto hym power and with myracles bringing him to greate estimacion that he shoulde geue spirituall foode to all that desyre eternall life And also for this purpose he gaue vnto thesame power and auctoritie and with myracles brought hym to great estimacion For Iesus came not into the worlde to get vnto himselfe worldelye honour or to make menne blessed with worldly commodities but he came rather aboute this buisinesse that is to were to lift vp men from vyle filthy cares to care and studye for heauenly thynges ¶ Then said they vnto him what shal we do that we might worke the worke of God Iesus answered and said vnto them this is the worke of God that ye beleue on him whoÌ„ he hath sent They said therfore vnto him what signe shewest thou then that we maie see and beleue thee what doest thou worke our fathers did eat Manna in the deserte as it is written He gaue them bread from heauen to eate When as the rude and ignoraunt people minding altogether their belly vnderstoode not these thynges no nor once considered theim they aunswered Iesus on this wise For so muche as thou councelleste vs to woorke a certaine meate that shoulde still remayne in vs and bring with it euerlastyng life what shall we doe therefore that we maie woorke those thynges which are mete for God and that we maie deserue eternall lyfe for whiche causes you saye that you were sent into the worlde Iesus beeyng nothyng offended with this so grosse an aunswere procedeth by liâ—le and litle to call them from their fondnesse to more perfite thynges If ye aske saieth he what is the woorke whereby ye maie deserue to haue God whiche is a spirite and is pleased with spirituall thynges ye shall vnderstande that it is no sacrifisyng of beastes no keepyng of the Sabboth daye no outwarde washynges no choyse of meates no relygion of garmentes nor other thynges whiche dooeth consiste in corporall ceremonies but this is the woorke whiche God requireth of you to beleue his sonne whome he hath sent and by whome he speaketh vnto you leste he shoulde seme to graunt euerlasting life to you that be vnthankeful persones or rather vnworthy suche a benefite The people whiche chalenged a wondrefull religion throughe the obseruyng of Moses lawe made nowe aunswere vnto these thynges not onely grosly but also vnkyndelye and wickedlye and saye If you take vpon you a speciall auctoritie aboue our elders whose auctoritie we haue hitherto folowed shewe sum profe and lesson of thine auctoritie geuen ther of God that vpon syght therof we maye beleue not thy woordes but thy deedes For it is no reason that without sum woonderous signe we should beleue the whiche in wordes takest arrogantly vpon the this auctoritie Neyther woulde we rashelye haue geuen credence vnto our forefathers but that throughe a token whiche came from Heauen they dydde certifye vs of theyr goddelye authoritie Our auncetours dydde eate Manna in the wildernesse vnder Moses that was theyr guyde This was of truethe the breade of God an heauenly foode whiche dydde not putrifie as it is writen in the Psalme he gaue them celestiall breade to eate Therefore by reason of this woondrefull thyng the people then beyng moued obeyed Moses And in case thou canste doe the lyke or els summe greatter thyng we wyll also beleue the. Nor yet dyd this so grosse so vnkynde so wicked an aunswer of the people make the gentlenes of Iesus weary from alluryng them to the knowledge of spirituall thynges For fyrste of all they require sum straunge token as thoughe they had neuer seene anye myracle before neyther be they contente with euerye kynde of myracle but as men that woulde gooe before hym in all thynges they prescribe hym what kynde of myracle they would haue hym doe and to conclude amongest so many wonderful doinges that are red to be doen
vnto the old auncient Iewes they picke out that chiefly which apperteineth to fedyng so muche care had they of theyr bellie ¶ Then Iesus said vnto them verely verely I saye vnto you Moses gaue you not that bread from heauen but my father geueth you the true bread from heauen For the breade of God is he whiche cummeth down from heauen and geueth life vnto the world Therfore Iesus as it wer dissembleyng the ignoraunce of the people thus little by litle bringeth theim to the perceiuyng of spirituall thinges saiyng If Moses auctoritie bee therefore weightie and regarded among you because he gaue you Manna from heauen and ye honour it as heauenlye foode because it came doun from heauen God is moste then to be thanked herein from whome Manna dyd flow and to whom the glorie and praise of al myracles is due For neyther Moses could do this thyng of himself who was nothyng els but gods ministre neyther was that bread very heaueÌ„ly breade in deede although Dauid that wrote the Psalmes cal it bread of heaueÌ„ for it came not from very heaueÌ„ but it rained doune out of the ayer lyke as byrdes liuyng in the ayer are called byrdes of heauen and truely this Manna was but onely a figure of the heauenlye bread And euen as god gaue corporall breade to a carnall people by Moses that serued him in the world so now my father by his heauenly sonne geueth vnto you as to a spiritual people that bread whiche vndoubtedly came from heauen and doeth not onely fill and saciate the bodyes for a time but geueth immortalitie of soule to them that will receiue it That was but materiall breade and gaue lyfe onely to the bodye for a tyme and howâ— great a benefite so euer it was yet did it profit but the people of one nacion alone but the bread that I speake of is neyther corporall neyther dyd it distyll out of the ayer but did procede euen from very god hymselfe and is of suche efficacie that it geueth lyfe not to bodyes but to soules and not to one sorte of people alone but to the whole world As touchyng the autour thereof in case ye passe muche therupon well in stede of Moses in whome ye muche glorye ye haue God the very auctour of this gyfte and for the seruaunte of god ye haue goddes owne sonne And yf ye regarde the gift there is as great diuersitie betwene these as is betwene the bodye and the soule and as is betwene this life which shal shortly â—ease and euerlastyng lyfe in heauen ¶ Then said thei vnto him lord euermore geue vs this bread And Iesus said vnto them I am the breade of life He that cuÌ„meth to me shal not hungre and he that beleueth on me shall neuer thyrst But I said vnto you that ye also haue sene me yet ye beleued me not Whan the Iewes had heard all these thynges yet wer not they for all that lifte vp to the loue of celestiall thynges but styll dreamyng vpon matteâ—s touchyng the belly sayde vnto Iesus Syr geue vs alwaye this breade They loued the sacietie of meate better then healthe and soughte rather for a plentifull geuer of meate and drynke then for a sauiour Therefore to take from theÌ„ their dreame of corporall foode Iesus expresseth more plainelye vnto theym that he did not speake of bread that is chewed with teeth and whiche beeyng conueied throughe the throte into the stomake swageth bodilye hungre for a season but of heauenly bread whiche is the woord of God Therefore he saith I am that bread the very geuer of eternall life He that hungrely lusteth after this breade and will cumme to me and suffre it to haue passage into the bowelles of the soule by fayth shall not feele any grief of hungre that shall cum to hym after he bee once fullye satisfied but it shall tarrye stil and abide in hym that hath receyued it vnto eternall lyfe And my woorde hath in it a fountaine of spirituall water whereof the soule drynketh by fayth and not the bodye therfore he that beleueth in me shall not onely be without hungre but also without thirst eternally This bread is not receiued by gapyng of the mouthe but through beliefe of the soule And therfore I haue spoken these thynges vnto you to let you knowe that thoroughe your owne faulte ye shall perishe in case ye dooe persiste and continue in your infidelitie My father denieth this breade to no man and to you of all men it hath been fyrste offered notwithstandyng ye care more for the bread that shal vtterly cum to naught â–ª Ye haue sene me do greatter thynges then yf I should feede you with Manna and I promyse vnto you and thinges of greatter felicitie and for al this ye beleue me not ¶ All that the father geueth me shall cum to me and he that cummeth to me I cast not away for I came doune from heauen not to do that I will but yâ— he will which hath sent me And this is the fathers will whiche hath sent me that of all which he hath geuen me I shall loose nothing but raise them vp againe at the last day And this is the wil of him that sent me that euery one which seeth the sonne and beleueth on him haue euerlasting life And I wil rayse him vp at the last day And albeit ye do through vnbeliefe loeth this breade yet for all that my father hath not sent it into this worlde without cause There shall bee sum folke to whom this breade shall bryng euerlastyng lyfe althoughe the whole nacion of the Iewes shall reiecte gods sonne and therefore be euen wicked towardes god because they do contemne the said sonne whome the father hathe sent to saue the whole worlde For my father is God not onely of the Iewes but also of al Gentyles I haue nothyng in dede of myselfe but yet whatsoeuer my father hath geuen to me what kynde of people so euer it bee of thesame shall cum to me by fayth although it hath nothyng to dooe at all wyth Moses law And whosoeuer wyll cumme to me hym will I not reiecte yea and woulde to God all folke woulde cum vnto me For my fathers will is as muche as lyeth in hym that all men shoulde bee saued by fayth And for as muche as his wyll and myne is all one for this ende therfore I descended from heauen not to doe what I wyll as it were disagreyng with my father but to dooe my fathers wyl whiche sente me from whose wyll myne cannot dissente And truely my fathers wyll that sente me is this that what thyng so euer he hath through faith geuen vnto me no deale thereof dooe peâ—ishe I beeyng the preseruer of thesame leste the worlde shoulde violently drawe vnto death that thyng whiche my father hath ordeined to liue Furthermore although the bodye do dye by the course of mans nature yet doâ—eth the soule whiche is the better parte
of man remain still aliue And to thintente also that the whole man shoulde like throughe me my father wylâ—eth thys thyng too that in the last day I shal restore the dead body also to lyfe For this is my fathers wyll that sente me euen by his soonne to geue â—ternall lyfe vnto all men and that not through Moses lawe but by faythe of the ghospell The father dooeth nothyng but by his sonne And therfore he that dooeth not acknowlage the soonne dooeth not acknowlage the father and whoso resisteth the sonne he also resisteth the father The father is inuisible but yet he is seen in his sonne Therfore whoso seeth the sonne acknoweledgeth hym and beleueth his woordes the saide soonne will not suffre hym to perishe but althoughe he bee deade in bodye he wyll rayse hym agayne in the laste daye accordyng to his fathers wylle that he so maye liue wholly both in bodie and soule in the presence of the soonne whome he gaue credite vnto The father hath geuen this power vnto the soonne that he maye restore euen the dead vnto life The Iewes then murmured at hym because he said I am the bread of life which came downe from heauen And they said Is not this Iesus the sonne of Iosephe whose father and mother we â—news How is it then that he saieth I came down from heaâ—â— â–ª Iesus aunswered and saied vnto them Murmure not among youre selfes No man can cumme to me excepte the father whiche sente me drawe hym And I wil rayse hym vp at the laste daie When Iesus had spoken these thinges the people whiche hytherto thorough hope of meate coulde metely wel away with his communicacion now seyng that they sawe their hope of bodilye sustenaunce was taken awaye they fell to quarellyng with hym to maligne against him And also whome they beeing sufficed with eatyng woulde haue made king him doe they no we contemne as a vyle persone â–ª and laie arrogancie to his charge not openlye as yet but murmuring emong theimselues chieflye at that saiyng whiche of all others they oughte to embrace that is to weâ—e I am the liuelye breade whiche descended from heauen They moste coueted and gaped for bodilye foode and with this saiyng they thoughte theimselues deluded and mocked where as in dede a thyng farre more excellent was offred them then they loked for Certes the infirmitie of his manâ—ed offended theim whiche they onely looâ—â—â— vpon with bodily iyes when as they myght bothe of his dooynges and sayinges haue seene the power of god in hym yf they had had iyes of faythe Is not this man saye they Ioseph the carpenters sonne whose father and mother we knowe well enough by sight and to be but poore folkes and of a very meane estate Furthermore how can he for shame say that he came doun out of heauen when as but of late time he was borne here in earth emongest vs a very man of men as we bee Or what meaneth he by tellyng vs of an other father And whyles they wer talkyng secretly one to an other of these thynges Iesus declaring forthwith that meÌ„s very thoughtes wer not hid froÌ„ his knowlage did make more plain and also confirme that which he had spokeÌ„ before saiyng there is no cause why ye shoulde murmure among your selfes at these thynges which I haue spoken vnto you Your infidelitie is the cause why my woordes sticke not in your myndes Ye se and se not you heare and heare not and whyles ye be present yet are ye absent Of trueth whosoeuer cuÌ„meth to me shal obteine eternall life but by fayth muste men cum to me And faithe cummeth not at all auentures but it is hadde by the inspiracion of god the father who like as he draweth vnto him mens myndes by his sonne so by breathyng in fayth secretly into mens soules he draweth them to his sonne in suche wyse that through the operacion of both ioyntly together men cum to them both The father doth not geue this so great a gift but to them that be willing and desirouse to haue it And truely whoso doeth with a redy will and godly diligence deserue to bee drawen of my father he shall obteine euerlastyng life by me For I as I tolde you shall call to lyfe again euen him that is dead when the day shall cum wherin the felicitie of the godly and the destruccion of the wicked shal be finished and fully concluded He that beleueth me receiueth an excellent greate thyng but he ought to thanke the father for it without whom no maÌ„ can beleue and yet for al that they that in the meane season doe not beleue can not excuse theyr faute by saying that they were not drawen For the father so muche as lieth in hym coueteth to drawe all men He that is not drawen is in faute himselfe because he wythdraweth hymselfe from him that els would drawe hym ¶ It is written in the prophetes and they shal be al taught of god Euery man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the father cummeth vnto me not that any man hath seen the father saue he whiche is of god the same hath seen the father Uerilye verilye I saie vnto you He that putteth his truste in me hath euerlasting life Thynges of thys worlde are learned by mannes endeuour and studye This celestiall philosophye is not vnderstande vnles the secrete inspiracion of the father make mannes hatte apte to bee taught Undoubtedlye thys is that whiche the prophetes long ago dyd saye shoulde be thus Propheciyng before haÌ„d And they shall be al taught of god But the lustes of this world maketh many one vntowardes to be taughte whiche worldelye desyres whyles they euen droune men in these earthlye thynges they suffre theym not to lifte vp theyr myndes to heauenlye thynges The gyfte is goddes but the endeuour is yours I man heareth my wordes with bodily eares in vayne excepte he heare before the secrete voyce of the father whiche must inspire the mynde with an insensyble grace of faythe Therefore whosoeuer fashyon theymselfes to bee apte to receiue this inspiracion the father dooeth thus drawe theym And he onely that is so drawen cummeth finally to me For god is a spirite and is neyther hearde nor seen but to them that bee spirituall And so to haue seene and haue hearde hym is saluacion Many shall see and heare the sonne to theyr peryl and daunger notwithstandyng that ye do glorye in that god was seene and heard to Moses and to the prophetes There was neuer mortall manne that sawe and hard god as he is in his own nature and substaunce that thing is geuen to the sonne of god alone whiche onely came from God with whom he was euermore before he came into this worlde Therfore put clearely out of your myndes the vyle cares of this corporall lyfe labouryng al that ye can that through earnest desyre of thynges that be spiritually good ye may attaine life euerlastyng I would ye should forget
that bread wherewith the bodie is satisfyed and be ye desirous of that heauenly bread whiche geueth eternall lyfe This bread is receiued by fayth and fayth is to be obteyned of god the father be ye well assured thereof that whosoeuer hath affiaunce in me thesame hathe already eternall lyfe for so muche as he hath the fountaine of immortalitie ¶ I am the bread of life your fathers did eate Manna in wildernes and are dead This is that breade whiche cummeth down from heauen that a man maie eate therof and not die I am that liuing bread whiche came downe from heauen If any manne eate of this breade he shall liue for euer And the breade that I will geue is my fleshe whiche I will geue for the life of the world I am that very bread whiche geueth not a bodily and a transitorye life but the lyfe of the soule and eternall lyfe Althoughe ye haue me presente yet neuerthelesse ye desyre Manna as a woondrefull thyng And albeit Manna whiche youre auncestours didde eate and feede vpon for a certaine tyme in the wildernesse didde cum from heauen as you suppose yet it dyd theim no ferther pleasure then wheaten or barlye breade woulde haue dooen It putte awaye for a whyle the hunger of the bodye whiche shortelye after woulde returne agayne and require more meate but it coulde not geue them immortalitie For though your forefathers were neuer so happye yet dyd as manye of them dye as dyd feede of that Manna This breade whiche I speake of descended out of heauen in veraye deede and it hath receiued of god celestiall strengthe to make hym that eateth of it to liue in bodye and soule euerlastynglye and neuer to bee subiecte vnto deathe Ye neede not therefore aske importunately any Manna from heauen when as ye haue very heauenly breade presente and ready prepared for you whiche geueth eternall lyfe in case ye wyll receiue it by fayth For I my selfe am that bread the grauÌ„ter of immortall lyfe who alone came down from heauen whome you beeyng offended with the infirmitie of this bodye take and thynke to be nothyng els but the sonne of Ioseph and Marye Truely I am the very woorde of god the father whiche whoso beleueth shall haue immortall lyfe If any man wyll conueye and digeste this heauenlye bread into the inwarde partes of the soule he shal bee quickened and growe into eternall lyfe And yf you beyng but carnall do not yet vnderstande spirituall thynges I wyll shew you a more a plain and grosser matter and a thyng that is more apperteinyng vnto the fleshe Euen thys fleshe whiche you see and loke vpon and whiche I shall bestowe and geue vnto deathe for to redeme the lyfe of the whole worlde is the liuyng breade Beleue eate it and lyue By thys sayyng our Lord Iesus did sumwhat after an obscure sorte open vnto them the misterie of his godhed whereby he was alwaye with God the father and of his death also by the whiche he should deliuer and sauethe worlde from the tyrannye of deathe Finallye he did insinuate herein vnto them the priuitie of hys mysticall bodye whereof he that is not a membre and by fayth annexed therevnto and so styll cleaue and sticke fast vnto it as the branche dooeth cleaue vnto the vyne he shall not haue life in hym And Iesus knewe well enough that at that tyme the Iewes dyd not vnderstande his saiynges but yet for all that he was assured that in tyme to cum it should cum to passe howe that these sedes and as ye would say norishmentes of misteryes beeyng shutte and closed vp within the myndes of good men should growe vp and bryng forth plenteouse fruite The Iewes therfore stroue among theimselfes saiyng howe can this felow geue vs that flesh of his to eat Then Iesê° said vnto theÌ„ vâ—raily veraily I saie vnto you except ye eat the fleshe of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye haue no life in you Whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloude hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last daie For my fleshe is meate in dede and my bloude is drinke in dede He that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloude dwelleth in me and I in hym Therfore wheÌ„ as these thynges semed to them very incoÌ„uenient and to folish to be spokeokeÌ„ durst not talke homely familiarly with yÌ„e lord himself there arose a great discorde in opinions amoÌ„g them diuerse of them diuersly interpretyng the thyng that was spoken For euen as Nicodemus vnderstode not Iesus when he spake of a newe heauenlye birth nor the woman of Samaria knewe what Iesus ment in his darke speakyng of the water that should flowe into euerlastyng life so this rude grosse people coÌ„teÌ„ded how it could be brought to passe that a maÌ„ should geue hys flesh to be eaten of other and that in suche sorte as it should suffyse al men to perpetual lyfe For he dyd bid inuited all meÌ„ to eate heauenly bread sayd moreouer that his flesh was bread How shall we say they eate the flesh of a liuyng maÌ„ne And again Iesus beeyng not ignoraunte about what matter they contended dyd not declare vnto them by what way meanes that flesh might be eaten in steade of breade but here now confirmeth the thyng to be nedeful a very necessarie thyng which they iudged but a vayne thing and a plaine absurditie and that it could not be doen. Take this for a veray suertye saieth he excepte ye receiue me whole that is to saye vnlesse ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man in steade of breade and in the place of wyne drinke his bloud ye shall not haue life in you On the contrarye syde whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath by eating and drinking therof eternal life Neyther shall the soule alone liue blessed most happy by reason of this meat drinke but also after the resurreccion of the bodye the whole man bothe bodye and soule shall haue with me the fruicion of euerlastyng lyfe For like as mans naturall meate beeyng conueyed downe into the stomake and after it bee digested is conueyed thence throughout all the membres of the bodye so turnethe into the substaunce of the bodye so that then the meate and the man that eateth it is al one in lyke maner on the othersyde he that hath eaten me shal be spirituallye transformed and turned into me Furthermore forsomuche as I am the chefe auctour of the resurreccion I wyl not suffre my membres to bee disseueted and pulled awaye from me but whosoeuer is surelye ioyned to me by thys meate and drinke I shall rayse hym vp agayne in the last day that because the whole man hauyng bothe bodye and soule beleued me the whole man no we also maye liue with me euerlastynglye Bodelye meate woorketh not this effecte neyther yet Manna wherein ye reioyce but the eatyng of my bodye and the
drinkyng of my bloude bringeth this thyng to passe And therefore my flesh is truelye meate whyche geueth immortalitie and my bloude is truely drynke which doeth procure eternal life not only to the body but to the whole man both bodye and soule And as the lyfe of the bodye whiche is nourished with dayly sustenaunce lest it shoulde perishe before the tyme is common to all the membres of the body by reason of the indiuisible felowshippe that all the partes of the bodye hathe togetherwardes in so muche that though the membres of the bodye be diuerse and sundrye yet there is but one bodye because that one soule geueth lyfe to euerye parte of the bodye so he that eateth my fleshe and drynketh my bloude is in suche sorte coupled and ioyned to me that neither can I be seperate from hym nor he from me For I am in hym by my spirite by whoÌ„ I wyll geue lyfe to hym And he is in me as a membre in the bodye and as the braunche is in the vyne by suche a participacion as cannot bee dissolued ¶ As the liuing father hath sente me and I true for the father Euen so be that eateth me shal liue by the meanes of me This is the bread which came downe from heauen not as your fathers did eate Manna and are dead He that eateth of this breade shall liue euer These thinges sayed he in the sinagogue as he taught in Capernaum Many therefore of his disciples when they had heard this sayd this is an hard saiyng Who can abide the hearing of it The father that sent me is the principall fountaine of al life Whosoeuer is ioyned to hym is made partaker of life And therefore as the father is in me geueth me life and also power to geue life vnto other euen likewyse to him that eateth me and is so annexed to me by reason of that misticall eatyng and drinkyng that he is made one with with me doe I geue lyfe not to endure for a shorte tyme but eternall life What thyng soeuer is of earthly nature thesame dooeth continue but for a time and is of small efficacie Manna whiche stylled downe from heauen for you then beyng vnder Moses tuicion and conductyng because it was foode pertainyng to the bodye it coulde not geue eternall lyfe to your elders for whereas all men did eat therof they neuertheles dyed neyther did any one of so great a numbre remain vndead yea more part of theÌ„ died also in soule because they prouoked god manye waies to wrath But certes this bread that vndoubtedly came downe from heauen hath a celestiall vertue in it and geueth eternall lyfe to the eater thereof The Lorde Iesus did instruct the ignorant and grosse multitude with such wordes very desirous to stirre them vp from the loue of vysible and corporal thynges to the loue and desire of heauenly and eternall thynges And he spake these woordes in the Sinagogue amoÌ„gest a great assembly of people exercising the office of a teacher Howebeit the grosse people was so farre of from the capacitye of these heauenlye mystiries that a great sorte of his disciples also beyng offeÌ„ded herewith wer about to fall from theyr maister murmuryng amongest themselfes and whisperyng this saiyng This is an harde cruell saiyng saye they concernyng the eatyng of a lyuyng mannes fleshe and drinkyng his bloude whose eares can abyde to heare such doctryne Iesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it he said vnto them doeth this offend you What if ye shal se the sonne of maÌ„ asceÌ„d vp thither where as he was before It is yâ— spirit that quickeneth the flesh â—rosueth nothing The wordes that I speake vnto you are the spirit life But there are sum of you yâ— beleue not For Iesus knew froÌ„ the beginning which thei wer yâ— beleued not who should betraie him And he said Therefore said I vnto you that no man can cum vnto me excepte it wer geueÌ„ vnto him of my father Iesus vnderstandyng what they murmured at secretly among themselfes labored to remedie the thing that they were offeÌ„ded with geuing knowledge beforehand vnto them that they shoulde see greater thinges with their iyes then that they heard hym at this tyme speake of hymselfe And he shewed them that the wordes whiche he had spoken as touchyng the eatyng of his fleshe and to drinke his blood was no incoÌ„uenieÌ„t thing nor to be abhorred but a right pleasaunt graciouse and fruitfull saying in case it were taken and vnderstande not after their course and grosse intelligence but after a spirituall sence Nowe therfore being turned towardes his disciples whom it had behoued to haue further consydered and to haue been wyser then the base sorte of people by reason of the acquaintance and familiaritie whiche they had with Iesus and also for the myracles which they had seen hym worke Iesus I say loking vpon his disciples rebuked theyr dulnes in this wyse saying Doeth it offend your eares to heare me saye that I am the breade which came out of heauen to geue lyfe to the worlde whether is it a greater difficultie after the grosse vnderstandyng of mannes wit to haue descended from heauen or to ascend vp into heauen What then yf hereafter ye do see the sonne of man whom ye nowe see to haue the natural body of a man ascende into heauen where he was before he came downe thence and before he had this mortal bodye This is doen and graunted by reason of your senses not that ye shoulde bee alwaye carnall and vnderstand all thinges fleshly but that ye shoulde leaue the fleshe and go forwarde to the spirite The spirit descended from heauen and was incarnate the fleshe beeyng now made spirituall shal be carryed awaye vp into heauen leste ye should all waye loue the fleshe and be carnall but yet beeing first instructed by the flesh ye ought to profit and go forward toward heauenly thinges For the flesh alone of himselfe profiteth nothing it is the spirite that geueth life For what is bodily substance of men if the spirit lacke euen so my woord carnally vnderstand shall not geue life vnles ye take it as an heauenly thing and vnderstaÌ„d it spiritually By my fleshe and blood I meane my doctrine and so I tearme it whiche doctrine yf ye do by true faith receiue it desyrously and effectuously and than conueigh it into the bowels of your minde and retaine it there it will quicken and make your mindes liuely and cause you and me to be al one so that ye shal through my spirite liue euerlastingly like as the membres of one bodye lyueth by one common spirite so long as they do adhere and cleaue fast together And I shall leaue vnto you my fleshe and blood as a hid secret mystery and mistical token of this copulacion and felowship which selfe thing although ye do receiue it yet will it not profit you vnles ye receyue it spiritually Therfore do not
saying I am the light of the worlde He that foloweth me doth not walke in darkeneâ—se but shall haue the light of life The Phariseis therfore sayed vnto hym thou â—earest recorde of thy selfe thy recorde is not true Iesus answered and sayed vnto them Though I beare recorde of my self yet my recorde is true for I knowe whence I cam and whither I go But ye can not tell whence I come and whither I go Ye iudge after the fleshe I iudge no man And if I iudge my iudgement is true For I am not alone but I go to the father that sent me It is also written in your lawe that the testimonie of two men is true I am one that beareth wytnesse of my selfe and the father that sent me beareth witnesse of me Then sayed they vnto him where is thy father Iesus aunswered ye neyther knowe me nor yet my father yf ye had knowen me ye shoulde haue knowen my father also These wordes spake Iesus in the treasury as he taught in the temple and no man layed handes on hym for his houre was not yet come Therfore nowe when they whiche complayned of the woman were sente awaie and euery man brought to the knowledge of his owne synne and the synner dismyst Iesus vpon this occasion goeth in hande agayne to make an ende of the sermon whiche he had begun Sinne is darkenes They that bee true and of plaine meaninge studie not to be thoughte other maner of folke then they be go to the light and are deliuered out of darkenes lyke as the synfull woman wente vnto Iesus And because she did not denye but confessed the thynge that she had committed she wente a waye iustifyed Contrary wyse the heade men and the Phariseis because they woulde be thoughte righteous when as in very dede they wer vngraciouse and very wicked dedde from the lyghte leste theyr dysease shoulde be knowen and so they made whole Therfore Iesus doeth exhorte all folke that whosoeuer is be wrapped in synne should come to hym but so that he come penitente and shoulde rather folowe hym then the Phariseis who being blynde were guydes of the blynde And leste any man throughe knowledge of his sinnes shoulde not be bolde to come vnto hym he taught vs in the aduoutresse a litle before howe he reiected no man that desirethe to be healed I am sayethe he that to the whole not to Palestine alone which the sunne in the firmamente is to all the worlde as muche to saye I am the light of the worlde The sunne taken awaye maketh all thinges darke withall It beareth lighte before all bodyes I am light to pure soules It geueth life and likynge to all bodyes I am lighte more presently to soules He that walketh in the lighte of the sunne stumblethe not in the darke whoso folowethe me and beleueth on my doctrine shall abide no longer in darkenes of errour and sinne â–ª but beinge purged froÌ„ sinne and illumined with the doctrine of the gospell shall haue the true light which geueth lyfe to the soule It belongeth to the dead to be hid in darkenes and the propertie of them that be aliue is to walke and be coÌ„uersant in the light To haue knowledge of me is the life of the soule Contrary synne and to bee ignoraunt of me is eternall death The Phariseis enuye coulde not broke this magnificence whiche Christe preached of hymselfe specially forasmuche as they thoughte themselues to be touched couertly and whatsoeuer did redound vnto Iesus commendacion and praise thesame to be a derogacion to theirs And furthwith therfore they cried out againste hym in the presence of the multitude fearyng leste the common people would forsake them and folow Christ and to bryng hym out of credence they would make him a lyar and charged hym therwith Thou they saye bearest recorde and speakest stoutly of thy selfe but no mans owne recorde is to be beleued It is no true mans parte but a proude mans fashion to set forth his owne prayse wherfore this thyne owne testemonye is not true To this vengeable checke whiche yet in dede coulde not so muche hurte his glory as it mighte hynder the saluacion of that great nombre of people Iesus made a sharpe aunswere saying Trueth it is amonges men the witnesse of hym whiche bothe maye deceyue and be deceiued is of small importaunce and weyeth litle I alone am not witnesse to my selfe who can bring for me Iohns recorde and the witnesse whiche the prophetes bare of me yea and though there were no mannes recorde of me who stande in no nede of it For if I alone shoulde beare witnesse of my selfe yet could not you in case ye knewe plainly who I am and whence I came reproue mine owne recorde It is expedient that those mennes witnesse be drawen in question and doubted of which being nothing els but verye men and according to mans iudgement make relacion of themselues may be deceiued also lye if they list but these thinges hath that way no place in me For I speake nothing of mine owne head but the thyng that I say cummeth of him from whom I was sent I haue none other preteÌ„se therein but to set furth his glory He cannot lye and his onely recorde is more holy and vncorrupt then all mennes witnesses Whosoeuer hath proâ—eded froÌ„ him and speaketh all thinges according to his minde within a while to returne again vnto thesame person from whence he came hath no nede of mans witnesse when as his owne propre actes are in redines to declare who he is But you being blinded with enuye of purpose will not knowe the thing that ye might knowe and because ye iudge peruerslye of me through thestimacion that ye haue of those thinges which are in me other mortall men indiffereÌ„tly and coÌ„mon to both ye do not perceiue froÌ„ whence I came nor whither I shall go For this is not seen except mennes myndes wicked affeccions set aside do iudge after the spirite and in ready belefe of myndes learne by the thynges whiche I do speake with coÌ„ferryng together the sayinges of the prophetes to see that it is an heauenly thyng and no worldly thyng But you iudge after the fleshe why because ye be corrupted with worldly affeccion condemning wickedly to your owne vtter destruccioÌ„ that thing which ye ought to imbrace to eternall saluacion Your iudgement therfore is corrupte and false because it cuÌ„meth not of God but out of worldly and humaine lustes And in the meane tyme do I iudge no man For the tyme of iudgement is not yet but of saluacion And yet if I should geue iudgement of you my iudgement should be true because it doeth not swarue and dissent from Gods iudgement For I shoulde not geue sentence alone but I and my father who sent me ioyntelye together should pronounce semblably one thyng forasmuche as we bothe throughlye will all one In worldly matters the iudgement of many weyeth
playne blasphemous because he beyng a mortall man semed to take vpon hym the eternalitie a thyng for God only cōuenient they coulde not withholde theyr handes but toke vp stones and wente in hande to ouerthrowe and presse hym with stones But Iesus professyng hymselfe to be God to declare hymselfe to be a very man also gaue place to their fury not because he feared theyr forcible violence whiche he had power to kepe of but to teache vs by the waye that when time requireth that the trueth of the ghospell should be preached valiantly and boldely and again that when we had once executed our duetie the fury of euill men should not causelesse and in vayne be prouoked and exasperate for our Lorde Iesus knewe that it coulde not haue been beate into the heades I will not say of the grosse and ignoraunte multitude but not of his disciples and they to be brought to belefe therof in case he had openly preached himselfe to be both God man and thesame to be all at once both mortall as touching his manhed and also immortall as touching his deitie and as perteyning to the fleshe to be a man borne of a virgin in time as touchyng diuine power to haue been alwaye before all time God of God Surely this so secrete a misterie was rather to be at time conueniente perswaded to the worlde by miracles death resurreccion ascendyng to heauen and by the inspiracion of the holy ghoste then before due tyme to be brought in and vttered in open playne woordes to them that would not belue it Therfore Iesus withdrewe hymselfe from them geuyng place to theyr fury and wente secretly forth of the temple by that acte declaryng beforehande that afterwarde the light of the ghospell beyng repelled of the wicked and voluntary blynde Iewes should be put ouer to the Gentiles their house left to them desolate which only thought themselfes the true seruauntes of God and obseruers of true religiō And so Iesus which is the author of true godlines wente to an other place The .ix. Chapter And as Iesus passed by he sawe a manne whiche was blynde from his byrth and his disciples asked him saying Master who did sinne this manne or his father or mother that he was borne blynde Iesus sayed neyther hath this manne sinned nor yet his father and mother but that the workes of God should be shewed THerfore our Lorde Iesus did now for a while geue place to the fury of them whom as yet he sawe incurable and falleth in hande with miracles to declare his Godly power whiche he coulde not all this while dryue into theyr headdes by any perswasion of woordes And loe there fel forthwith a matter in his waye not vnlike those thynges which were doen in the temple For of trueth much a doe was there with the blynde But suche as were blynde in soule not in body whiche is the moste vnhappy kynde of blyndnesse And so muche also the wurse as that although they were more then blynde yet they thought themselues quicke sighted so that they were not only miserable but also vnworthy to be cured For somuch as miser was not that blynde man whom Iesus sawe as he passed by whiche man lacked onely bodily sight and was borne blinde so that it was a maladie aboue the Phisicions cure but yet coulde Christe heale it This man had an inwarde sight sawe with iyes of the soule when Iesus therfore sawe the man and had compassion on him much pitying his misery the disciples which called to their remembraunce that Christe had sayd to the man that was healed of his palsey Go and hereafter sinne no more leste some wurse thing come vpon the supposing that euery blemishe of the body had come of some faulte of the soule axed Christe of the blinde man and sayed through whose sinne chaunced it that this man should be borne blinde for where as none coulde sinne or he were borne whosoeuer is borne with any sickenes or impediment of body is to be thought punished for some other mans faulte which thyng should yet seme against equitie the disciples therfore sayed Maister whēce came so great euill to this felowe that he should be borne blinde Whether came it of his owne or of the sinne of his parentes Iesus aunswered Neyther did this man through his owne sinne deserue to be borne blinde who coulde not sinne when as yet he was not nor his parentes For as the lawe teacheth God punysheth not the chyldren for the faultes of theyr parentes excepte the children folowe the sinnes of theyr parentes But blyndnesse chaunced to this man vpon a casualtie and not through any mans sinne as in the course of mans life many thinges chaūce to many folke This mans misery lacke of sight was not prohibit but suffered to chaunce vnto hym because that by hym the mightie power and goodnesse of God whom the blinde Iewes so obstinately cryeth out vpon should be declared to mē The more vncurable the disease is the more famous and commendable shall be the healing of thesame I must worke the worke of hym that sent me whyle it is daye The night cummeth when no manne can worke As long as I am in the worlde I am the light of the worlde Assoone as he had thus spoken he spatte on the grounde and made clay of the spettell and rubbed the clay on the iyes of the blynde layed vnto hym Goe washe the in the poole of Siloe which by interpretacion is asmuche to saye as sent He wente his waye therfore and washed and came agayne seeyng For this cause was I sent into the worlde euē to procure the glory of God with suche dedes as should cause the vnfaythfull to beleue my woordes to be true and to thintent also that those whiche will beleue should be cured of their blindnes I must doe this commaundement diligently while it is daye for yf menne haue any worke in hande they be wonte to doe it in the day The night perdy is vnhansome to worke in Therfore in the meane tyme whyle prensent day geueth vs leaue to worke we may not cease For the night shall come when as men all in vaine would worke and cannot As long as I am in the worlde I am the light of the worlde If men make spede to finishe the worke which they goe about for some commoditie of this life before night how muche more behoueth it euery man to labour that while they haue me with them they may go thorowe with the busines of the eternall saluacion In fauour wherof whatsoeuer in the meane season I doe in this worlde I doe it for that thing sake and to further saluacion For what other thing doe I then that all folke should through iyes of faith see and acknowlege God and his sonne whom he sent into the worlde I shall within a while departe hence than shall those that haue nowe had no will to worke desyre lyght in vaine The Lord
asked almes neyther did they suffer him to speake any longer And beyng ashamed to be so put to silence and haue their mouthes stopped by a poore ignoraunt person they thrust him out of the Sinagogue as a leude masters leude disciple Iesus hearde that they had excommunicated him and when he had founde hym he saied vnto him doest thou beleue on the sonne of god He aunswered and sayed who is it lord that I might beleue on hym And Iesus sayed vnto hym thou hast seen hym and he it is that talketh with the. And he sayed Lorde I beleue and he wurshypped hym But whome Pharisaicall fiercenes thrusteth out of the Sinagogue them doeth Christe receiue into his churche For to bee disseuered from the communion of the wicked is to be coupled to Christe And to bee disallowed of them that stablishyng their owne righteousnesse speake agaynste the righteousnesse of God is to bee approued and alowed and of them to be rebuked that seking their owne prayse goe about to darken the prayse of Iesus is moste hye prayse and to be detestable to theÌ„ that are to be detested is to be derely beloued of god Therefore relacion was made vnto Iesus how boldely the man that so muche set foorth his prayse behaued himselfe towardes the Phariseis For it was already bruted abrode by the people that he was caste of and reiect Therefore as soone as Iesus had met with him to make this mans fayth more knowen to al men he sayeth vnto him howe sayest thou felowe beleuest thou on the sonne of God For he had already confessed before the Pharisees that he whiche did so greate a thyng came playnely from God Nor Iesus was ignoraunte thereof but he gatte out the mannes open confession thereof for other mennes sakes procuryng thereby a good exaumple for other But though he that had been blynde as yet knewe not Iesus by sighte yet hauyng great affeccion to knowe that mannes face whome Iesus named the sonne of god sayeth lorde who is he that when I knowe hym I maye beleue on him The manne had beleued on Iesus yea ere he sawe hym nor this was not the voyce of a faythlesse man but of one that vehemently desyred to see the auctour of so great a benefite Iesus therefore with humble woordes signifying hymselfe to be the personne he spake of sayeth vnto hym thou haste already seen hym whome thou desyreste to see and he it is that talketh with thee on whome it behoueth thee to beleue The man vpon these woordes without any staying at all confesseth with great promptnes of mynde that he doeth beleue and euen with that saying he fell downe at Iesus knee and wurshipped hym and so his dede declared what he thought of Iesus ¶ And Iesus sayed vnto hym I am come vnto iudgemente into this worlde that they whiche see not might see that they whiche see might be made blynde And some of the Phariseis which were with hym heard these wordes sayed vnto hym are we blynd also Iesus sayed vnto them If ye were blind ye shoulde haue no synne But nowe ye saye we see therfore your sinne remayneth Now than Iesus to th entent that by example of this manne he might the more prouoke other mens mindes that wer present sayeth I that am the light of the worlde therfore came into the worlde that the course of thynges mighte be turned vpsyde doune as muche to say that the symilitude and sleight of vntrue holinesse and forged knoweledge beyng disclosed these whiche heretofore sawe not might se and that they whiche see might be made blynde With this saying Iesus noted the naughty peruerse iudgement of the Pharisees which though they thought that onely they knew what was religion what was law and what was righteousnes yet wer they more foule ouerseen than any of the mean sorte of people by reason that worldelye couetousnes had darkened the iudgemente of their mynde when as that sely poore blinde felowe simple and vnlearned likewyse as he had bodily sight frely geuen him so did he inwardly see so muche in soule that in knowlage of trueth he excelled euen the very pharisees Neither did these bytyng wordes so scape all the Phariseis whiche folowed Iesus of no good minde but rather to seke on euery syde occasion to reproue hym but that the styng of this saying caused some of them to marke it so that those were not beguiled therwith These beyng nothyng altered from their malepert presumpcion to thintent that they might either force the Lorde to testifie honorably of them or to haue some matter to accuse him of vnto them that were of the pharisees ordre saye vnto hym are we than blynde also But Iesus doeth so aunswere vnto this question whiche was very wily capcious and also presumptuouse that he declareth them whiche thoughte themselues men of great fight to be more than blinde not in body but in soule and to bee the more vncurably blynde because they thought themselues quicke sighted Uerely sayeth Iesus yf ye were blynde and woulde knowledge howe ignorauÌ„t in soule ye be your simplicitie should be pardoned But nowe forasmuche as ye be blinde in dede and yet ye would be praysed among the people for learned men ye are so very starke blinde that ye cannot be healed As this blinde manne hath obteyned sight because he knowledged the deformitie of his body euen so you because ye be voluntary blynde as menne blynded through lustes of your fleshe cannot be cured but continue in the sinne of infidelitie whereas the vnlearned whiche firste were ignoraunt of the trueth vpon the syght of miracles and by hearyng me preache all darkenes taken awaye enbraceth the light of the trueth He that presumptuously taketh vpon hym to knowe the lawe and speaketh againste him that is the principall poynte and conclusion of the lawe is more than blynde and altogether out of the waye All men haue liued heretofore vnder shadowes nor any waye lieth open to the lightwarde but by fayth of the ghospell Therefore the common and vulgare people souer receiue sight because they do not very muche thynke themselues well sighted and if they be any whit ouerseen it is rather through rude ignorauÌ„ce than malice But they that whan themselues be twise blinde yet they professe themselues teachers of the people that is guiders of the blynd suche I say be staâ—ke blynde and moste daungerously without recouery For neyther they theÌ„selues come to the light and yet through false opinion and pretence of learnyng and holinesse they seduce and bryng other into errour ¶ The .x. Chapter Uerely verely I say vnto you he that entreth not in by the doore into the shepefolde but climeth vp some other waye thesame is a thiefe and murderer But he that entreth in by the doore is the shepeherde of the shepe to hym the porter openeth and the shepe heare his voyce and he calleth his owne shepe by name and leadeth them out And whan he hath fâ—t
house Then sayde Martha vnto Iesus Lorde if thou hadste bene here my brother had not dyed neuerthelesse now I know that whatsoeuer thou askest of god god will geue it the. Iesus sayth vnto her thy brother shall rise agayne Martha sayeth vnto him I knowe that he shall rise agayne in the resurreccion at the last day Martha that diligently bestirred her wente about all thinges with diligence when one had tolde her that Iesus was come nyghe at hande she with spede went out to mete hym Marie kept still the house Martha therefore when she was within the sight of Iesus vpon ryght good hope that she had conceiued of her brother to be called to life again with a doleful voice she sayd vnto him lord if thou hadst bene here my brother had not bene dead for thou couldeste soone haue healed him with a woorde Although in dede the thing is not yet euen at this present vtterly without hope For I know that what thyng soeuer thou askest of God he will deny the nothing although thou wouldest aske life in hym that is dead and buried These sayinges were spoken of Martha with a minde that neither did vtterly despayre nor yet fully beleue Therfore to confirme her beliefe Iesus sayed vnto her be of good coumforte thy brother shal ryse agayne Neither did this promise satisfye Marthaes minde who because she had but a siely piteouse hope of her brothers rysing agayne coulde not but feare the matter She was afrayd verilye that lyke as he aunswered the messengers saying that the sickenes was not deathlyke and with that doubtefull aunswere beguiled them so was there nowe lykewise some mistery in his wordes that should disapoynt and deceiue her hope I knowe sayeth she that my brother shal ryse agayne but that shall bee in the laste daye when we shall all ryse agayne for some Iewes namely they that were of the Phariseis secte beleued that there should bee a generall resurreccyon Iesus sayeth vnto her I am the resurreccion and the lyfe he that beleueth on me yea though he were dead yet shal he liue and whosoeuer liueth and beleueth on me shall neuer dye Beleuest thou this She sayde vnto him Ye Lorde I beleue that thou arte Christ the sonne of God whiche should come into this worlde Iesus therefore to further the womans affiaunce and opinion of hym by litle and litle to greater thynges and that he might declare himselfe to be very he that not onely could obteyn by prayer of God lyfe to the dead a thing that is redde ofte to bee dooen of other holy men but to be the very fountayne selfe and authour of lyfe both already geuen and to bee geuen to all thynges nor that any death is to be feared of them that putteth theyr confidence and hope in him forasmuche as thoughe deathe chaunce it can nothyng hurte hym that cleaueth fast to the fountayne of all lyfe Iesus I saye vpon these consideracions aunswereth Martha on thys wise Thou beleueste Martha that with my prayers I may obtayne of my father lyfe for thy brother whiche is deade thou beleueste that thy brother shall bee restored to lyfe agayne as other shall be in the last day Yea but thou must beleue this also that they which shal ryse in the last daye shall haue lyfe by me nor that any man hath lyfe at all but by my gifte neyther is any restored to lyfe agayne but by me not onely touchyng death of body which is not muche to be feared but as concernyng the death of the soule also whiche is most of all to be feared And the soule that liueth liueth by me And the reuiuing soule reuiueth by me for I am the very fountayne of resurreccion and lyfe He that cleueth to me by fayth although he bee dead in bodye yet shall he lyue And take not thys saying to be onely spoken of thy brother but generally what man or woman soeuer hath faythful affiaūce in me he shall not dye euerlastingly although his body lyuelesse lye at rest for a tyme. Martha beleuest thou the thyng that I saye Martha beeyng at thys tyme altogether myndeful to haue her brother reuiued againe geueth no very apre aunswere to Iesus saying but yet she did confesse generally how hiely she iudged of him saying Lorde I doe beleue I beleue that thou arte Messias the sonne of the liuing God who beeing promised of the Prophetes and many hundreth yeres looked for art come into the worlde And assone as he had so sayd she went her waye and called Marie her sister secretly saying The maister is come and calleth for the assone as she heard that she arose quickly and came vnto him Iesus was not yet come into the towne but was in that place where Martha met him The Iewes then which were with her in the house and comforted her when they sawe Marie that she rose vp hastely woure out and folowed her saying She goeth vnto the graue to wepe there Martha vpon these wordes being commaunded to returne home agayne and to call her sister Marie her lamentable mourning already aswaged doth nowe leaue Iesus and goeth al chearefull and full of good hope home to her sister and calleth her secretly out of the throng of suche as were sette rounde about her and prieuely telleth her in her eare the ioyfull thyng saying The master is come and calleth for the. Assone as Marie knew that Iesus was come and saw her sister chearefull and of good coumfort she her selfe also conceiued some good hope although Iesus semed to haue come alredy to late on whome therfore they dyd not often call by messenger because they thoughte it inoughe if he once knewe his frendes perill committyng all other thynges to hys arbinement And so Marie supposing that his cūming was not for nought without delaye rose vp to goe mete him before he should entre into the house And so it was expedient for the better bestowing of that miracle that was to be shewed for fitte it was that many Phariseis shoulde be present which although they came of very duetie for priuate frendeship sake to se Marie yet dyd they hate Iesus These surely woulde not haue folowed Marie in case they had knowē howe that she went to mete Iesus But therefore the Iewes that were with Marie in the house to coumfort hir when they saw that with so great hast she arose vp and wente furth of the house they folowed hir suspectyng that vpon a soden pangue and brunte of heuynesse she woulde haue gooen to the graue and there to wepe hir belly full to saciate her sorowful harte with teares Then when Marie was come where Iesus was and sawe him she cummeth nye vnto his feete and sayth vnto him Lord if thou hadst bene here my brother had not bene dead When Iesus therfore sawe her wepe and the Iewes also weping which came with her he groned in the spirit and was troubled in himselfe and sayd where haue ye laied him They sayd
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
go to his owne place And they gaue forth their loâ—tes the lot fell on Matthias and he was rounted with the eleuen Apostles The multitude approuing these saiynges appoynted two chosen out of the numbre of .lxx. disciples Ioseph otherwise named Barsabas whiche also for his vpright liuyng was called Iust and Matthias that of these two whiche wer of lyke godlines he whom the cumpanie liked better of the twain should take vpon him thoffice of an apostle But they mystrusting their owne iudgementes prayed to god with one voyce saying Men that iudge of thynges that they see and heare may be deceiued and fayle in their iudgemente but thou lord which onely lokest on the heart wherby man is in dede either good or bad vouchesafe thou to shewe vs thy seruauntes by sum token whether of these two persons thou hast chosen to make vp the numbre of .xii. apostles and to cum to the exercisyng of such an office whence Iudas fell to go to that place wherunto it was not vnknoweÌ„ to the who seest al thinges that he shoulde go For neyther was it long of the that he forsoke thy companye whiche dyddest what might be done to call hym to repentaunce neyther were thou deceyued in iudgement when thou diddest admitte hym that shoulde sone after shrinke from the but thy heauenly wysdome sawe that it was expedient so for vs that through his treason thy sonne should be sacrificed for vs and that we should take example by such a traitoure what dauÌ„ger it wer for vs negligently and recheles to execute thoffice whiche we take in hande After this prayer they caste their lottes accordyng to the custome of the Hebrues For so was Ionas by lot caste into the sea so Ionathas was perceyued to haue tasted of the hony so lykewise the priestes did execute their holy misteryes by lottes For the holy ghost was not yet cum downe and thapostles smelled styll of certain Iewish maners Albeit there was no daunger in drawing lottes for whiche soeuer of them were chosen was a good man and mete for the office And yet was not the whole mater commited to lottes For two of the moste approued persones were firste chosen by voyces And because they were in doubte whether of those two they myght take lots decided the doubtefulnesse whiche coulde not bee rashely done forasmuche as it was ruled by prayer Than this lot whiche was nothing els but an opening of the wyll of god chose Matthias whereas Ioseph besides the commendacion he had as appered by his name was also kin vnto Iesus And yet Matthias was preferred because it shoulde be a lesson to vs that in chosing of bishops to whose credite the dispensacion of the gospel must be committed we must so vtterly forbeare to leaue vnto mannes affection that if there bee equalles him we must prefer â—home no carnall propertie doeth set foorthe leste that whiche is doone for fauour bee an ill presidente to sum other There lyeth also in their names a certayne priuy misterye hydden Matthias whiche in Hebrue betokeneth the gift of god was preferred before Iust whiche name the Phariseis did chaleÌ„ge for their good woorkes And yet none more vnmete than they to preache the ghospell But he that recogniseth the free gift of god through fayth of the gospell and preacheth the same he is worthy to succede in place of thapostles Neyther dyd Iuste disdayne that his felow was preferred neyther dyd Matthias stande anye thing the more in his owne conceyte for that he was ioyned to the eleuen apostles for to make vp that same holy noumbre nor for that he being a verye speciall good man should succede in the roume of the naughtiest felowe that euer was The .ii. Chapter Whan the fyftie dayes were come to an ende they were all with one accorde together in one place And sodaynly there came a sounde from heaueÌ„ as it had been the cumming of a great wynde and it fylled all the house where they sate And there appered vnto them cloueÌ„ tounges lyke as they had been of fyer it sate vpon eche of them they were filled all with the holy ghost and began to speake with other tounges euen as the same spirite gaue them vtteraunce WHan nyne and fowertie dayes after Christes resurreccion were in this wyse ouerpassed that daie longe loked for of Penthecoste that is to saye Fyftyeth was come whiche the Iewes also kepte holye with myrthe and great solempnitie aswel for a remembraunce of the yere of Iubile whiche came aboute euerye fiftieth yere in course agayne as also because the lawe was deliuered in writing vpon the Mounte Sinay the fiftieth daye after the kyllyng of the Paschall lambe throughe whose bloude they departed safely out of Egipte Upon an high mountayne was the olde lawe geuen beeyng engrauen in tables of stone But the newe lawe the holye ghoste intituled in faythfull beleuyng hertes and in a high parlour it was disclosed In th one and eke in the other was highnesse of place on the one syde and like on the other was fyer But there is nought els for vs to considre but an hyghe mountayne whiche the people beyng veray carnall and worldlye and therefore vnapte to conceyue spirituall thinges were forbidden yea so muche as to touche Here vpon this mounte an house there is whereby maye we marke concorde and vnitee to bee in the churche There the mount was called Sinay a place conuenient for the setting forth of suche a lawe as shoulde for the great nombre of sondry preceptes that it conteyned kepe vnder a stubburne and rebellyous people For of precepte or commaundemente was that hyll called Sinai This mounte here is named Syon whiche worde with the Hebrewes betokeneth an high hill from the toppe wherof al thinges on yearth beneath are despised from whence heauenly thynges are seene far of through faith as though thei were nigh at hand On that mouÌ„te what is els seene but terrible fier smoke flames lightening and thundring on this mounte a spirite there is of greate vehemencie cherefull to man nothing dredful and fier not to burne the bodye but to lighteÌ„ the soule and richely to endowe the plaine tounged man with heauenly eloquence There the people beyng at square among themselues murmured against theyr captayne here be they quiete in one secrete chauÌ„bre making their praier with one assente for an heaueÌ„ly gifte whiche they wayted for This daye was chosen lyke as the place was also for a matter of heauenly comfort wherunto they had been woont often to repayre for nine dayes space before But whaÌ„ the fyftyeth daye was once come than came they altogether with ful consent into the selfe same parlour ready to receyue the heauenly spirite Where the minde is occupyed with vile and filthy cogitacions there is no conuenient place for the holye ghoste but in the parloure where the company was so godly occupyed it behoued hym to bee And where the mynde is troublous with discord
standyng forasmuche as Christe hymselfe sittyng taughte the people Yet he that taketh in hand an apostles offyce ought to stande vpright in mynde And here consydre in the meane while Peters dignitie He was the fyrste man readye where occasion required to set foorth the ghospell Than had he put vp hys materiall sweorde wherewithall Christe hymselfe was not pleased and pulled out a spirituall sweord Suche one ought he to bee that is the chiefe byshop among the people Peter stode vp but not all alone he had eleuen apostles standyng besydes with hym leste he shoulde seme to vsurpe to hymselfe some violente gouernaunce One vttered the tale but one for all thother lyke as he alone before openly confessed in the name of all the reste Iesus Christ to be the sonne of the liuyng God But wherupon dyd this shepeherd a pore creature vnlearned so boldely vaunt hymselfe as once to loke vpon so great an assembly of people Excellent oratoures when they shall come afore an assembly of people or in presence of prynces to pronounce an exact oracion whiche they haue canned on their fyngers endes doe chaunge oftentymes their colour cannot vtter their wordes in mynde they are not a lytle abashed But this vndoubtedly was that heauenly drounkennesse thys was that sobrefulnesse of swete wyne He stode in presence before a greate multitude he tooke vnto hym eleuen apostles not as a garison of men for hys defence but as felowes wyth hym of one company he set hys iyes stedfastly vpon the people as one vnknowen to them whome he knewe not he lyft vp hys voice on hyghe and takyng none aduysemente with hymselfe what he woulde saye he spake to them practisyng euen than the selfe same thyng whiche the lorde before had taught him He spake not for his owne lucre and aduauÌ„tage but as a good shepeherde defended hys flocke neyther handled he hys matters with sharpe wordes of mans inuencion but vsed for his defence onelye holy scripture Nowe was this multitude desyrous to knowe what Peter woulde say And let vs lykewyse for oure partes geue hede forasmuche as these hys wordes wer spoken to all men At the beginning whan he had once wyth the mouyng of hys hande asswaged the murmur the noyse of the company he began with such a preface as shoulde without any retorical colour of flattery make them attent Ye that are my brethren sayeth he of Iewry who ought to knowe both the lawe and eke the prophetes and of all other mooste specially whiche dwell in this noble citie of Ierusalem where the fountayne is of religion and knowleage of the lawe somewhat peraduenture here is for you to wondre at but nothyng that any man can iustely fynd faute withall Wherefore all ye that here bee presente geue good eare a whyle to my wordes and learne of me how the thyng standeth For it is touchyng all your profittes so to dooe These men of Galile whom here ye see stand by me are not as some of you suppose drounken wyth newe wyne seeyng it is yet but three of the clocke and no man is woonte to be drounke in the mornyng before the sonne rysyng But nowe ye see that in these men is fulfylled whyche thyng to come god did long afore thys tyme promyse by hys prophet Iohel Herken vnto the prophecy and trusâ—e ye to that that is promised you therein Doe not ye fynde faute with the thing because ye haue seldome sene the lyke but rather enbrace that mercifulnes whiche god dooeth profte vnto you For Iohel being inspired with the holy gost foreseing that god who had giuen to Moyses and some others his prophetes at soondry times his owne blessed spirite for your saluacion would at the last after he had sent his owne onely begotten sonne powre out most plenteously the same spirite not vpon one or .ii. lyke as ye haue seene for these many ages past but a fewe prophetes but vpon all nacions through the worlde whosoeuer woulde with sincere fayth receyue this chereful and gladsome message whiche we at his commaundement doe nowe bring vnto all you hath left that heauenly prophecy in wryting after this manier It shall come to passe saieth the lorde in the latter dayes of the world I will powre out of my spirite bouÌ„tifully vpon all men and sodaynely shall your sonnes prophecy and your daughters and your yong men shall see visions and your olde men shall dreame dreames and vpon my seruauntes and vpon my hande maydes will I powre out of my spirite in those dayes and they shall prophecye And I will shewe woonders in heauen aboue and tokens on the yearth beneth bloud and fyer and the vapour of smoke The Sunne shal be turned into darkenes and the mone into bloud before that the great and notable day of the lorde come And whosoeuer shall cal vpon the name of the lorde shall bee saued These thinges hath the prophet Iohell tolde you in his prophecye many liues a goe And nowe ye see that that he prophecied of as touchyng the plentifull shedyng of the spirite in effect declared before your iyes And it is not to be doubted but that god will as faithfully perfourme the same that thaforesayde Iohell hath prophecied of the plages that shall chaunce But there is no cause why ye shoulde dispayre the prophet teacheth you a sure way to your saluacion seeyng that he sheweth to you the perill and daungier thereof Call ye vpon the name of the lorde and ye shall be saued ¶ Ye men of Israel heare these woordes Iesus of Nazareth a manne approued of God emong you with miracles wounders and signes which God did by him in the middes of you as ye your selues knowe hym haue ye taken by the handes of the vnrighteous persones after he was deliuered by the determinate counsell and foreknoweledge of God and haue crucyfyed and slaine him Whom God hath raised vp and lâ—ced the sorowes of death because it was vnpossible that he should be holden of it For Dauid speaketh of him Afore hande I saw God alwayes before me For he is on my righte hande that I should not bee moued Therfore did my herte reioyce and my tongue was glad Moreouer also my fleshe shall reste in hope because thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell neyther wilte the suffre thine holy to see corrupcion Thou haste shewed me the wayes of lyfe thou shalte make me ful of ioy with thy countenaunce But as touching the maner howe ye muste call vpon the name of the lord lysten ye that are the chyldren of Israell nowe vnto me and to the reste of my tale geue good hede Many of you knewe Iesus of Nazareth whyche persone beeyng long a goe promised by the sayinges of all the prophetes god hath nowe sette abrode before all you to beholde and hath commended hym to you in sondry and great myracles and wonders whiche he hath doen and wroughte by hym beefore all your iyes For verayly god was
in him I speake of a thing not vnknowen to you for the fame of his miracles is not alonely blased wide abrode thorough out all Iewry but is come vnto other cities also bordering nyghe vpon the same For why He himselfe wente on wayfaryng from place to place ouer all this region healyng euery where the sicke with hys woorde restoryng the lame and impotent to their strength agayne geuing syghte to the blynde clensyng the leprye casting out deiuils a great sorte of you hathe seen the thynges that I reherse None of all these miracles was doen but God before purposed the same And it was the wyll of god thus to saue the worlde After that ye had taken this man not by chaunce or at aduenture but as one delyuered by the determinate wyll or counsell of God and hys foreknowledge for the saluacyon of hys people of Israell ye crucyfyed hym by the handes of the vnrighteous souldiers and slewe hym For the souldiers were nought els in doyng that haynous fact sauynge onely your ministers But he slayeth the manne that procureth hys death The matter is to playne for to be denyed This manne whome ye haue slayne as God woulde haue it who had deliuered hym for to bee slayne the veray selfe same god accordyng to the soothe saying of hys Prophetes hathe called vp the thyrd day to lyfe agayne that all whiche truely shall beleue the ghospell shoulde hope for the same thyng to bee doen hereafter in themselues whyche was by the power of God once dooen in hym For he in obeyinge hys fathers will suffered the spitefull reproche of the crosse pacientlye puttyng hys whole affiaunce trust of saluation not in mans ayde and defence but in the mercyfulnes of God and therfore was he delyuered by him of all deadly sorowes and paynes infernall whiche truely he myghte by reason that he was man haue tasted or felt But as he was cleane without synne so he coulde be kepte in no wyse in their bondage For death and hell hath no perpetuall authoritie and power but vpon theym that are subiecte vnto synne Wherefore lyke as death was of might to swallow hym so was it not able to holde hym beyng once deuowred but caste hym vp as it was thereto constreyned the thyrd day euen as dyd the whale reuomet the prophete Ionas Than was it the wyll of God that this innocent should suffre all these iniuries to thintent that he woulde delyuer vs all by hym both of synne deathes tyranny yf that we accordyng to Iesus example of Nazareth put our whole trust affyaūce in God What I haue tolde you nowe my brethren of Israell ye oughte not to thynke it incredible sens that Dauid beeyng enspyred wyth the celestyall spirite of prophecie tolde you longe heretofore that it shoulde euen thus come to passe For in his fiftenth psalme he speaketh of Iesus of Nazareth whome we preache to you in this manier Aforehande haue I set the Lorde alwayes before me for he is on my ryght hande that I shoulde not bee moued Therfore dyd my herte reioyce and my tongue was glad moreouer also my fleshe shall reste in hope beecause thou shalte not leaue my soule in hell neyther shalte thou suffer thy holye to see corruption Thou haste shewed me the wayes of lyfe thou shalte make me full of ioye wyth thy countenaunce Ye see howe euidently hath that kynge and prophete Dauid described and as it were in a lyuely picture sette beefore youre iyes that whiche ye knowe well ynough is dooen and paste in Iesus of Nazareth He had made God alone hys fortresse of defence and trustyng to hys onely helpe suffered he wyllingly and gladlye all those peynes whyche he as you dooe knowe hath suffered And in sufferyng bodyly peynes he reioyced inwardely Hys toung for ioy neuer ceased to speake neuer kept in silence the wyll of God He was contented for to bee buried although he nothing mistrusted but that his father woulde call him vp to lyfe agayne the third day and woulde not suffer hym who had put his whole trust in god beeyng in no poynt giltie to purrefye in his graue For whosoeuer trusteth to be saued by his owne woorkes or putteth his trust in worldely succoure he shal be founde far vnmete to suffre the paynful dolours of death paciently neither shal he be hable whan he is once entangled to looce hymselfe out of deathes snare But he that continually fixeth the inwarde iye of his soule to godward whiche to al people is mercyful he knoweth alredy the wayes of lyfe and although god semeth to turne away his countenaunce from him for a time yet shall he againe or it be long disclose to hym the beames of his mercy and requite him for his tormentes whiche endureth but for a time with ioyes eternall and for death yelde euerlastyng lyfe for yearthely reproche the glory of heauen Wherefore than we also are taught by him and his example the way to lyfe euerlastyng ¶ Ye men and brethren let me frely speake vnto you of the Patriarke Dauid For he is bothe dead and buried and his sepulchre remayneth with vs vnto this day Therefore seyng he was a prophete knew that God had sworne with an othe to him that Christe as cōcerning the fleshe should come of the fruite of his loynes and should sit on his fear he knowing this before spake of the resurreccion of Christ that his soule should not be left in hell neyther his fleshe shoulde see corrupcion This Iesus hath God araysed vp ▪ whereof all we are witnesses Some peraduenture shall suppose that this prophecy doth perteine to Dauid himselfe and not to Iesus I am not ignoraunt howe highlye ye esteme Dauid the Patriarke and that not without a cause are ye in suche an opinion of him For he was blessed and derely beloued with god but frankelye to speake the trueth to you welbeloued brethren we muste not set so muche by Dauid the Patriarke as to ascribe to him that as his owne which is due vnto Messias The thing trewly it selfe declareth that this prophecy agreeth neyther with Dauid ne with any other Patriarke or prophete For Dauid as eche one of you knowe full well is dead and buryed and neuer came afterwarde to lyfe agayne seeyng that his sepulchre is with vs vnto thys present day conteynyng noughte in yt els but dead drye bones wythout any lyfe at all in theym Wherefore Dauid who knewe that he hymselfe shoulde bee as other were buryed and as touching his bodye shoulde rotte in his graue disclosed not this prophecye of hymselfe But where as he was enspyred with the spyryte of prophecye and knewe ryghte well that that shoulde come to passe whiche god had assured to hym vpon an othe that is to say that Christ as touching his humanitie shoulde be borne of his progeny and after the spirituall vnderstanding shoulde sit vpon his throne to reigne for euer prophecied as one that
knew perfectly what should happen of these thinges which ye se now perfourmed in Iesus of Nazareth who doubtlesse was borne as touching his humanitie of Dauids kinred family Ferthermore sins that it is euidently knowen that Iesus in his lyfe tyme dyd affect no worldly kingdome and neuer sate vpon Dauids regal seate but was most spitefully dealed with al it appereth plainly that there was some other kingdome promised which as the prophetes say hath none end He could not sit vpon Dauids seate if that he being once slayne had neuer arisen to lyfe againe He therfore is arisen from deathe to lyfe agayne and sytteth nowe vpon Dauids seate that is to saye vpon the seate of hys eternall father the Lorde of all thinges that are in heauen and eke in yearth This was it vndoubtedly that Dauid beyng inspyred with the spiryte of prophecie spoke of before and what he before hath spoken that is come to passe And although Iesus soule went downe to hell yet there it was not withholden but rather deliuered the soules whiche were from libertye restreigned Yea although his body was layde in graue voyde of all lyfe yet there it did not rotte or putrifye but god who in all hys promises can not lye hath called his soule from hell againe and hath restored the same to his owne former body Of this thing we all beare witnes whom here ye see standing whiche haue traded our liues familiarly with him whiche haue heard him oftimes say that he shoulde bee both crucifyed accordyng to the prophetes sayinges and afterwarde aryse the thirde day to lyfe agayne We were those persons that both sawe him a dooyng and hearde him and nowe bee witnesses of his resurreccion to whome he hath oftetymes appered not alonely as one seen of vs and heard but felt also with our handes we knewe his voyce we knew his face we knew felt the printed dentes of his woundes finally he eate togither in coÌ„pany with vs to thintent that we might be wel assured to se the very same body there with vs that lay in his sepulchre ¶ Seâ—s nowe that he by the right hande of God is exalted and hath receyued of the father the promise of the holy goste he hath shed forth this gifte which ye now see heare For Dauid is not ascended into heauen but he sayeth The Lord saied vnto my Lord syt thou on my ryght hande vntill I make thy fooes thy foote stole So therfore let all the house of Israel know for a suerty that God hath made that same Iesus whom ye haue crucified lorde and Christe Wherfore than the selfe same person whome man ouerthrew and brought to extreme vilany and reproche god hath now aduaunced to the heigth of eternall glory whiche glory he shall once set open manifestly to all men at the ende of the world and now doeth he in the meane season put forth with you the power of his godhead by secrete operacion of the holy gost whiche he whiles he liued vpon earth promised to send vs from his father Now hath he beyng returned agayne to heauen powred from thence the same spirite vpon vs bounteously accordyng to Iohels prophecie aboue mencioned And of him cummeth this straunge miracle that ye see and heare vs speake in languages whiche you beyng gathered here together out of sondrye nacions do semblably vnderstand And like as the prophecy of the resurreccion can not be vnderstand of Dauid as we haue to you declared euen so that thing which was prophecied of his ascending vp to heauen and of the sitting on the right hande of god his father and of his euerlasting kingdome can not perteyne to Dauid like as the Pharisees theymselues reasoning with out maister confessed For Dauid neuer ascended vp to heauen as he that had before retourned to his lyfe agayne and yet for all that in the misticall psalme thus sayeth he beyng enspired with the spirite of prophecye the lorde sayd to my lorde sit on my right hande vntill I make thyne enemies thy footestole Wherefore than the matier is playne that this prophecye was spoken of god the father who hath exalted to heauen Iesus the sonne of Dauid as touching his humanitie but as concerninge the spirite the lorde of Dauid and would that he should sit by him as copartener of his kingdome Therfore let al the whole people of Israell be wel assured that the selfe same Iesus of Nazareth whome ye once crucifyed god hath now aduaunced to the kingdome of heauen and hath made him lorde ouer all and Messyas that is to say the annoyncted whome ye loke for as your Messias whiche was promised of all the prophetes nowe many hundred yeres agoe ¶ When they heard this they were pricked in their hertes and saied vnto Peter and vnto the other apostles Ye men and brethren what shall we doe Peter sayed vnto them repent of your synnes and be baptised euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christe for the remission of synnes and ye shall receyue the gifte of the holy ghoâ—t For the promyse was made to you and to your children and to all that are a farre of euen as many as the Lorde our God shall call And with many other woordes bare he witnesse and exhorted them saying Saue your selues from this vntoward generacion Then they that gladly receyued his preaching were baptized and the same daye there were added vnto theÌ„ about three thousande soules This tale of Peters made the hearers thereof sore afrayed For they wer prime to their owne doynges howe they had cryed out vpon Pilate crucifye hym crucifye hym crucifye hym and perceyued by reason of the prophecie howe he was made on the righte hande of hys father copartener of hys kingdom vntyll all his enemies were broughte vnder his fotestoole Whom they had put to deathe beyng as he was vnto them beneficiall of the same nowe sence he is cum vnto his reigne were they afrayed leste he woulde take vengeaunce vpon them This is a beginning to a mannes saluacion to knowleage his faulte and to feare the payne deserued for the same Therfore they beyng than pricked in conscience sayde to Peter and to the reste of the apostles what must we do welbeloued brethren It is wel whan a man feling hymselfe of a giltie conscience dispaireth not but ensearcheth for remedye Nowe what doeth Peter in this case who represented a sobre and a meke shepeherde he exerciseth no tyranny amongest them with reprocheful checkes he heapeth not together theyr faultes he putteth not them abacke with a delay he willeth them not to kyll beastes for sacrifice but declareth to the sorowfull hertes a remedy euen at hande putting no difference bitwixt them that had crucifyed Iesus and those whiche had not consented to that wicked acte For none of them all was cleane without sinne And therfore sayeth he doe ye repent your lyfe that is past and let euerychone of you be baptysed in water in the
He deserued not to be buryed yet ought he thence to be remoued lest his dead body should infecte that pure and holy companie Here peraduenture some wyll meruayle at Peters sharpnes towardes Ananias that but late before so â—entily entreated them that had crucified Christe to receyue pardon for their offences ascribyng all that was doen to ignoraunce and proferyng the penytent person health of soule euerlastyng But here rebuked he this person so sharpely for witholdyng a small porcion of money contrarye to his lyberall promyse that there was no hope at all for him to come by pardone For why Iesus the Lorde that had geuen commaundement for all men to be called by meane of baptisme to their saluacion pardonyng theyr offences woulde teache by the example of violent death in a fewe persons howe muche the offence is more greuous to fall in synne after baptysme and lyght receyued of the ghospell not nowe of any vnaduisednes or ignorauÌ„ce but of a wilful dissimulacion And Peter knewe that the moste pestilent plague that the plaine simplicitie of the ghospell could haue should spring of dissimulacioÌ„ auarice and therfore euen at the begynnyng of the churche a notable example was openly set forth to admonishe all people the none should escape whosoeuer folowed the steppes of Ananias the vengeauÌ„ce of god although that his offence were not in this world forthwith punished As for the losse of the money was not here rekened vpon but his mystrust in God and mocking of his holy spirite Peter hymselfe punished not the person but for his soules health sharply he rebuked him But bycause he neyther brast out into wepyng nor expressed any woorde at all of repentaunce God toke vengeaunce on hym And thus of goddes wonderfull mercy towardes manne one was stricken that many might be saued An example of iustice was set forth towardes hym that dyed and mercy besydes was largely powred out on many one that toke heede at his example to eschewe synne And it fortuned as it were aboute the space of thre houres after that his wife came in ignoraunt of that which was doen. And Peter sayd vnto her Tell me sold ye not the lande for so muche And she sayed yea for so muche Than Peter sayed vnto her Why haue ye agreed together to tempte the spirite of the Lorde Behold the fete of theÌ„ whiche haue buried thy housband are at the doore and shall carry thee out Than fel she downe strayghtway at his feete and yelded vp the ghost And the young men came in and found her dead and caryed her out and buried her by her housbande And great feare came on all the congregacion and on as many as heard it And as it were about the space of thre howres after beholde the wyfe of Ananias not knowing what had chaunced to her housband as folkes knowe later almoste then other what euill is done at home in theyr owne house came in beyng priuy to that her housbandes craftie deceyte and in wyll ready also for her parte to gette vayne prayse vnto whose vngodly imaginacions Peter aunswered saying tell me woman solde ye the lande for so muche and for no more then this She muche lyke to her housbande aunswered without any shame yea verayly for somuche haue we solde it Than Peter sayed to her why hast thou with thy housbande together agreed to tempte wyth a lye not vs but the spirite of the lorde whom ye see workyng in vs But forasmuche as it liked thee to be felowe wyth thy housbande in this wicked dissimulacion thou shalt be lyke wyse partener with him in punishment Beholde they stande at the doore whiche buried thy housbande and the selfe same persons shall carry the out She than immediatly as these woordes were spoken fell downe and yelded vp the ghoste In went the young menne vpon thesame and founde the woman deade Than they carryed her foorthe and buried her by her housbande A sharpe example this was but yet profitble for manne and not ofter put in vre than once of thapostles And yet did not Peter the ientileste creature that than was lyuyng inflycte thys punishement but as he that was inspired with the holy ghost expressed it in woordes For Peter than knewe by secrete inspiracion of the holy ghost what was already doen and what was for to be doen. God to whom all thynges be knowen wyll see theÌ„ punished that vnder couloured falsehood doe mocke apostolyke persons though that they be suche as may be deceyued For all men hath not all tymes that gyfte of the holy ghost that Peter had at that tyme. Nowe marke howe happily of an euell occasion it succeded Wondrefull great feare sprang through the whole Churche of the faythfull by meanes of that deathe whiche these twoe persons ryght woorthyly suffered yea other also that than beleued not were stricken with feare of this example ¶ By the handes of the apostles were many signes and wonders shewed emong the people And they were altogether with one accorde in Salomons porche And of the others durst no man ioyne himselfe to them neuerthelesse the people magnified them The number of them that beleued in the lorde both of men and weomen grewe more more insomuche that they brought the sicke into the streates and layed them on beddes and couches that at the least way the shadowe of Peter when he came by might shadow some of them and that they myght all be deliuered from theyr infirmities There came also a multitude out of the cities round about vnto Ierusalem bringing sick folkes and them whiche were vexed with vncleane spirites And they were healed euery one Moreouer many and great myracles were wrought emong the people by the apostles wherby it myght playnly appere to all men that this notable effecte came to passe by some dyuine power aboue al strength of man And as many as sticked to the ghospell abode all with one accorde together in the porche called Salomons porche For than were not they desyrouse to be hyd in corners but the tyme requyred that the candle beeyng set vpon the candlesticke shoulde gyue lyght to all that entred into the house As for the others which had not yet by baptysme booked themselues as souldiers to fyght vnder the baner of Christes capitayne none durst company with them For they perceyued this sorte of people to be dedicate to God and holy and therfore of a certayne reuerent feare withdrewe themselues from theyr company lyke as the temporall sorte of men are wonte to drawe backe frome halowed thynges whiche be for euer dedicate to the temple For the people hated them not but had them in an honourable reuerence for the excellent vertue or giftes of god whiche clerely shone in them And notwithstandyng that the example of Ananias Saphira had made many one sore afrayed that none durst frame themselues after a counterfeyte fashion vnto their coumpanie yet after thys the multitude of the faythfull encreased euery daye in numbre
made a benche or a fourme to sit on whiche thinge is not onelye nothyng lyke god who hath no body but also besydes the outward shape of the body hath nothyng lyke a manne no not one iote of that parte whereby manne is lyke vnto god ¶ And the tyme of this ignoraunce God regarded not But nowe byddeth all men euery where repent because he hath appoynted a day in the which he will iudge the worlde with rightwisenes by that man by whoÌ„ he had appoynted and hath offered faith to all men after that he had raysed hym from death Whiche reprochefull iniury though it be haynous before God yet he of his greate fauoure and loue that he beareth to man hath not reuenged himselfe but hytherto hath wynked at mans ignoraunce vntyll the tyme was cumme that he had determyned to open hymselfe to all men and to caste cleane awaye all darke and blynde errours which menne haue so long bene conuersaunt in Whiche tyme is now present wherin he monisheth all meÌ„ to leaue their old errours and turne to him For hys wyl is that those that repent shal haue forgiuenesse whiche they that wil be stubberne shal not in time to cuÌ„ haue for because he hath appoynted a daye whan he will iudge the whole worlde and that with a iuste and streight iudgement which no man shal escape And therfore he sendeth his messangers to warne men lest any man myght pretende ygnoraunce in these thinges for his excuse profereth remyssion of synne to them that wil repent lest any should say that god were not merciful For both these purposes chose he Iesus of Nazareth an excellent person whom he sente into the worlde for this cause that al men by his meanes might be conuerted to wurshyp the true god and hathe geuen him power to iudge the vnfaythfull and such that wyll resyste thys doctrine And this is he whome he promysed by the mouthes of his prophetes many yeres past that he shoulde cum to bee bothe a saluiour and also a iudge And loke what he promised he hath hitherto perfourmed very certainly For he was so borne so taught eueÌ„ so troubled with vexacioÌ„ and so slayne and in conclusion so arose he frome deathe to lyfe as it was before prophecied that he shoulde And there is no doubte but that he will as surelye perfourme all other thinges that remayne behynde ¶ Whan they heard of the resurreccion from death sum mocked and other sayd we wil heare yâ— agayne of this matter And so Paul departed froÌ„ among theÌ„ Howbeit certaine men cleued vnto him and beleued among the which was Dionisius a Senatour a woman named Damaris and other with them Whyles Paul spake these woordes certayne that stoode by gyuyng good eare to all other thynges that were spoken whan they had hearde mencion made of arysyng from death to life they mocked at it as an vnlyke thing and a thyng that were not to be beleued because that no Philosopher had holden any suche opinion before though there were summe whiche sayed that the soules remayned on lyue after the death of the body and sum other also whych sayed that the soules entred out of one bodye into an other But others that were not of so rashe a iudgement sayed We wyl heare the agayne an other tyme of this same matter And in this maner Paule dimissed that coumpany Yet sum ther wer among them that wer perswaded and ioyned themselues with Paule emong whom was Dionisius a Senatour which afterward was bishop at Athens instituted by Paule a certayne woman whose name was Damatis and besydes these dyuerse others The .xviii. Chapter After this Paule departed from Athens and came to Corinthe and found a certaine Iewe named Aquila borne in Pontus lately cuÌ„ froÌ„ Italy with his wife Priscilla because that the Emperoure Claudius had commaunded al the Iewes to depart froÌ„ Rome and he drewe vnto them because he was of the same craft he abode with theÌ„ wrought theyr craft was to make tentes And he preached in yâ— Synagoge euery Saboth daye settynge forth in the meane whyle the name of the Lorde Iesus and exhorted the Iewes and the Gentyles WHan Paule had gotten thus muche gaynes litle and slender thoughe it were of encreasyng and auauncyng the ghospel of Christe at Athens a cytye of very corrupte manners he wente thence to Corinthe whiche is the chiefest marte towne in all Grece and as it was the welthiest so was it by reason of ryot incontinencie and pryde very vicious There he by chaunce met with a man whose name was Aquila which obserued the Iewes religion but was borne in Pontus whiche Pontus is a part of the lesse Asia bendyng towardes the North. This person as God would was cum thyther but of late afore from Italye with his wife Priscilla forbecause that the Emperour Claudius had coÌ„mauÌ„ded al Iewes that were in Rome as there wer a great number to auoyde the citie And because these wer of the same crafte that Paule was he lodged in one house togyther with them for he would not be alone labouryng as they dyd wyth hys handes leste he shoulde burthen any manne And theyr crafte was to sowe together skynnes to make tentes wythall And lyke as Peter was not ashamed to returne to hys crafte of fyshyng as often as nede compelled him so the greate Apostle Paule whiche valiauntlye had sustayned and borne manye stormes for Christes sake was nothynge ashamed to take in hande agayne sowyng of skynnes whiche for to further the Gospell he had for a tyme layed asyde Yet in thys meane whyle ceased not he to preache the gospel disputing in the sinagoge euery sabboth day both with the Iewes and also with the Gentiles When Sylas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia Paule was constrayned by the spirit to testifie to yâ— Iewes yâ— Iesus was very Christ. And when they sayd contrary and blasphemed he spoke his â—ayment sayd vnto them your blode be vpon youre owne heades froÌ„ henceforth wyl I go blamelesse vnto the Gentiles And he departed thence entred into a certayne mans house named Iustus a wurshipper of god whose house ioyned hard to the Synagoge Howbeit one Cryspus yâ— chiefe ruler of the sinagoge beleued â—n the lorde with all his householde mauye of the Corinthians when they gaue audyence beleued and were baptised In the meane season Sylas and Timothee whome Paule willed to folowe him to Athens came frome Macedonie This dooen Paule because he was muche sorie that he had dooen veary lytle good there was constrayned by the spirite neuerthelesse to preache yet dylygentlye Iesus of Nazareth to the Iewes afâ—yrmyng that he was Messias whome the Prophetes hadde before promysed that throughe hym onelye and none other man shoulde obtayne saluacion But whan they clamoured agaynste hym yea in so much that they were not afrayde blasphemouslye and slaunderously to speake agaynste Iesus and Paule he hauyng in remembraunce what the gospell in that case
money but that they paye more for the laboure of the lyers than of the traytoure keepe close ê™ they the thynges that ye haue seene but make a brute abrode that hys disciples came in the night stale him away whan ye were aslepe And if thys inuencyon and fleyght be brought vnto your president we will perswade hym and deliuer you from all daunger of this matter Therefore the souldyers receyuyng money dyd as they were instructed and thys trieflyng and vayne sleight was beleued of the people For thys rumoure is bruted abrode vnto this day emong the vnbeleuing Iewes ¶ Than the eleuen disciples wente away into Galile into the mountayne where Iesus had appoynted them And whan they sawe hym they wurshipped hym But some doubted And Iesus came and spake to them â—â—ying all power is geuen to me in heauen and yearth Nowe the eleuen discyples monished of the women wente forewarde into Galile and went vp vpon the hyll whiche Iesus had appoynted them There he shewed hymselfe They saw and knew hym to be theyr Lord and honoured him as now being on high and in heauen Notwithstandyng some yet doubted vntil they were made to beleue with many and very certeyn argumentes Albeit theyr doubting was profitable for the certaintie of oure belyefe Therfore Iesus drawyng nere vnto them dyd not onely offer hymselfe to bee seene and touched presently but also spake vnto theÌ„ with hys knowen and accustomed voyce declaring that by his death he had obteyned a kingdome authoritie both in heauen and in earth In heaueÌ„ where euer he reigned with the father in earth where hereafter he shoulde reigne not by tirannical powers and aides but thorough fayth of beleuers and that he shoulde dispose the office of this euangelicall kyngdome vnto his disciples who shoulde folowe his steppes committing vnto them the office to preache the Ghospell not onely to the Iewes but also to all nacions and also authoritie to baptise and by the holy ghoste to forgeue synnes to all menne that wyll professe an euangelycal lyfe with a sincere hearte and to enstructe and frame them not after the lawe of Moyses nor after the constitucions of the Phariseis but after his preceptes â–ª vntyll they wexed and grewe vp vnto the perfeccyon of the wysedome of the ghospell And that they should nothing dystrust for that he should not be continually conuersaunt with them he promiseth that theyr felowship shal neuer fayle and that he will neuer forsake hys but be alwayes presente with hys in spirite and power vnto the laste ende of the worlde All power ê™ he is geuen me in heauen and earth Ye haue sene me by the reason of the weakenes of the flesh hungrie thyrstie weary nedy despised taken bounde spetted vpon condemned beaten crucifyed couered with all kyndes of spytefulnes and in maner deiect vnder the loweste sorte of menne Because I haue suffered all these thinges willingly and of myne owne accorde for the health of man my father hath raysed me from deathe and rewarded me with the glory of immortalitie and hath lifted me vp to the felowship of hys kyngdome and hath submytted vnto my power and rule all thinges that be in heauen and earth Ye haue an authour whome ye ought not to distrust ye haue a Lorde of whome ye ought not to repente Goe ye therefore and teache all nacyons baptise them in the name of the father and the sonne and the holye ghoste teaching them to kepe all thinges whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you Lyke as I dyed for the healthe of all men so there is no nacion whiche belongeth not to my righte It shall be youre parte to get vnto me as muche as lyeth in you all kinde of men But ye shall not gette them by weapons or war but by the same meanes that I got vnto me this right by wholsome doctrine by a lyfe woorthy and meete for the ghospell with free well doyng with pacyent suffering of illes Goe ye therfore as trustie Ambassadoures trusting me your authour teache firste the Iewes than the nexte neighboures vnto them afterwardes all the nacions of the whole worlde Teache what they ought to beleue of me and what they ought to trust of me First to knowledge the heaueÌ„ly father the maker the orderer and the restorer of al thinges visible and inuisible Whose power no man can resist because he is almightie whose knowledge no man doeth deceiue because hee seeth all thynges whose iudgemente no man shall escape From whome as from the fountayne cummeth all goodnes in the worlde To whome is due all honour prayse and thankes geuing They must knowledge also his sonne Iesus by whome through hys eternall and vnsearchable counsell he hath purposed to deliuer mankinde from tiranny of sinne and deathe and by the doctryne of the ghospell to open the waye vnto euerlasting felicitie Who for this cause by his will came downe into the earth and was borne very manne of the virgyn Marie and beyng man long conuersaunt emong menne taught the heauenly philosophy which only maketh menne blessed And being an innocent was afflicted and punished for the sinnes of the whole worlde and put to death vpon the crosse And layde in his graue the third day he arose agayne according to the prophecies of the Prophetes After that beyng conseruaunt many dayes with his disciples and the trueth of his resurreccion delared by sure argumentes he wente vp agayne into heauen whereas partaker of the kyngdome and glory of his father he sitteth on the righte hande of his father almightie Once he shall come agayne into the worlde not lowe and abiecte as before but with the diuine maiestie not a sauioure but a iudge bothe of those whome that day he shall finde aliue and of those whome nowe being dead the trumpe of the ghospell shall sodainly call agayne to life that by his ineuitable iudgemente euery man may receiue rewarde woorthy and mete for his doinges They must knowledge also the holy ghoste whome I haue nowe partely geuen vnto you and will geue more plentiously after that I come into heauen whose secrete inspiracion shal coumforte teache and strengthen the mindes of them that trust in me and being powred into the hartes of all men shall glue and confeder them together with mutuall charitie as many as professe hartely the fayth of the ghospell of what nacyon soeuer they come of And if a man doth sinne any thing through the weakenes of maÌ„ he shal obteyne forgeuenes of his sinnes so that he doth not seuer himselfe froÌ„ the league felowship of the holy cumpany And whosoeuer ioyneth himselfe vnto this league all the sinnes of his former life shall be forgeuen him freely Finally lest any man shoulde thynke the rewardes of good dedes to be desyred in this life or shoulde goe aboute vengeaunce agaynst yll doers let them knowe that this hereafter shall come to passe in them whiche ye see dooen in me The dead shall liue agayne and euery soule shall
be restored to her owne body The whiche as soone as it shall bee doen whosoeuer shall belong to this holy felowship and sticke constantly vnto me shal be translated with me vnto euerlasting life to be partakers of felicitie which were felowes and partakers of affliccyons After they ye haue taughte these thynges yf they beleue the thinges that ye haue taught yf they repent them of their former lyfe if they be ready to embrace the doctrine of the ghospell then dippe them in water in the name of the father the sonne and the holy gost that by this wholy signe they may trust themselues to be deliuered from the filthines of al theyr sinnes freely through the benefite of my death and nowe to be chosen to the number of the children of God Lette no manne be circumcysed let no manne bee baptized in the name of Moyses or of any manne Let them all knowe to whome they be bounde for their health vpon whome they oughte wholy to hang. Let them not bee burdened with the ceremonyes of Moyses or of manne Lette this token be sufficient for all menne that cumme to the profession of the ghospell whiche is easye to bee had in euery place But leste any manne myghte thinke it sufficient to saluacion once to be baptysed and to professe the faythe of the ghospell they must be taughte agayne by what meanes they may kepe theyr innocencie by what meanes they may goe forwarde to perfeccyon of the euangelicall godlines I haue omitted nothyng whiche may make to the obteining of euerlasting health And that heauenly spirite whiche ye shall receiue will not suffer you to forget that whiche ye haue learned of me Therefore whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you deliuer ye the same to be kepte of them I haue not prescribed vnto you the ceremonies of Moyses law whiche like shadowes must now vanishe away at the light of the euangelicall trueth I haue not prescribed vnto you pharisaicall constitucions but those thinges whiche onely bringeth true innocencie and godlines and whiche onely maye make you derely beloued of God and truely happy Therefore teache these thynges to them that professe my name not onely in woorde but also in life as I whatsoeuer I taught I perfourmed it in dedâ— Whiles ye be doyng of these thynges and whyles ye bring mortall menne to heauen the worlde will ryse agaynste you lyke as it rose agaynste me For my spirite agreeth not with the spirite of thys worlde and my doctryne is wholy agaynst the affeccions of them whiche loue the thinges that be of this world They will ryse agaynste you with greate tumultes but there is no cause why ye nede to distrust though ye be but lowe and abiecte vnlearned weake and fewe I haue ouercome the worlde and ye shall ouercome through my helpe by mynâ— exaâ—mple Ye shal ouercome through my might and not your owne whatsoeuer is terrible in this worlde ¶ And loe I am with you alway vntill the ende of the worlde And although I shall take vp this body into heauen because it is so expediente for you yet I wil neuer forsake you For after that I shall ceasse to bee with you in body than I shall be more effectually with you in my spirite And I will be with you vnto the worldes ende but whan the worldes ende shal be it profiteth not nor behoueth not you to know In the meane season do what is commaunded you euer ready agaynst that daye Whiche whansoeuer it shal come than ye also your mortalitie layed aparte shal bee wholy with me felowes of my fathers kyngdome whiche shall neuer haue ende FINIS To the most excellent and vertuous princesse quene Catherine wyfe to our moste gracious soueraigne Lorde Henry the eyght Kyng of England Fraunce â–ª and Irelande defendour of the faythe and of the Churche of EnglaÌ„d and also of Irelande in earthe supreme heade Thomas Key her dayly Oratoure wisheth perpetuall felicitie AMoÌ„ge the innumerable benefites whiche we haue receiued of almighty God most worthye and excellent Princesse there is none in myne opinioÌ„ for the whiche we are more bounden vnto his merciful goodnesse then for that it hath pleased hym more clearely to illumine vs of this age with the knowledge of his holy woorde then our forefathers and elders For who knoweth not how long this realme hath bene miserably seduced through ignoraunce of the Scriptures Who euen amonge the vplandishe perceyueth not what intollerable abuses haue bene vnder pretence of true religion and Godlynesse mayntayned in this Churche of Englande tyll suche tyme that God of his infinite mercy sent vs a newe Iosias by whose righteous administracion and Godly policie the light of Gods worde that so many yeares before was here extincte began to shyne agayne to the vtter extirpacion of false doctrine the rote and chiefe cause of all such abusioÌ„s This Iosias is our mooste redoubted soueraigne Lorde Kyng Henry theyght a Prince garnished with so many excellent gyftes of grace nature Fortune that he is in very dede therfore mooste worthely called the perfite mirroure pearle of all Christen Princes To wade here in the prayse of his princely qualities noble actes atchieâ—ed to Gods honoure and the publique weale of this realme is not my purpose for that I knowe it to be an enterpryse farre exceadyng the compasse of my symple learning and barrayne eloquence But onely to declare howe muche we are bounden chiefly vnto God and nexte vnto his moste excellent Maiestie that we haue the Scriptures in our mother toÌ„gue are cured of our olde blindnesse by the medicine of veritie For nowe hauing our spirituall iyes opened and daily receyuing into the same the cleare light of Gods worde we begyn to see perfectly to knowe our onely sauiour Iesus Christ whome to knowe is euerlasting lyfe and saluacioÌ„ But so longe as the saide Scriptures were hyd and kept from the knowledge of the people fewe knewe Christ aryght and none lesse then they who appeared to be the chiefe professours of christian religion For what els is it to knowe Christ but to knowe and confesse that of him onely and by hym cummeth oure saluacion that by hâ—moure good dedes are acceptable vnto almyghty God the father that by him the fathers wrathe is appeased that by him we be enfraunchised from the captiuitie and thraldome of the deuell and to be shorte that by hym we are adopted and chosen to be the children of God and enherytours of the kyngdome of heauen Whoso knoweth Christ aryght surely beleueth to attayne saluacioÌ„ by him onely who saythe Cum vnto me all ye that do trauaile and are charged and I shall refresh you The very office of Christ is to saue therfore he was called by the high wisdome of God Iesu that is as muche to say as a sauiour because so saythe the angell in Mathew he shall saue the people from their sinnes So that it appeareth hereby how greatly they are deceiued that thinke
tyme forewarde to better and beter and the soule shall by oure sluggyshenesse continually renne headlong backewarde to wurse and wurse For thus do we see it commonly come to passe Big laddes and strieplynges grow quite awaye from the purenes of babehood to boyishe wantonnesse the youth than againe groweth forewarde a pace to brabling in the lawe and to making of affrayes manstate emendeth to ambicion and couetise And so cummeth it to passe that euery manne the nerer that he draweth to the state of age so muche the ferther goeth he backewarde from innocence liuyng But such persons as haue once put on Christe on theyr backes oughte according to the exaumple of the same Christe with all theyr strengthe to heaue forewarde vnto better and better to the ende that they maye bothe with the pure clenesse of the soule make themselues acceptable in the syghte of God and also by the vncorruptnesse of theyr liuing geat themselues an honest fame and reporte emong men ¶ The .iii. Chapter ¶ In the fifteenth yere of the reigne of Tyberius the Emperour whan Poncius Pilate was lieutenaunte in Iewry and Herode the Tetrarche of Galile and hys brother Phylip the Tetrarche of Iturya and of the regyon of the Trachonytes and Lisanyas the Tetrarche of Abilene whan Anna and Cayphas were the hygh pryestes the woorde of the lorde came vnto Iohn the sonne of zacharie in the wyldernesse And he came into all the coastes aboute Iordane preachyng the baptysme of repentaunce for the remyssyon of synnes as it is wrytten in the booke of the woordes of Esaye the prophete saying The voyce of a 〈◊〉 in wildernesse prepare ye the waye of the lorde and make hys pathes streyghte Euerye valley shal be filled and euery mountayne and hill shal be broughte lowe and thynges that be croked shall be made streight and the tough wayes shal be made playne and all fleashe shall see the saluacion of God THou haste hearde good Theophilus with what begynnynges bothe Iohn the forerenner and also the lorde Iesus made a way and a preparatife vnto the office of preaching the gospel Nowe heare by what meanes and with what successe they enterprised and entred the mattyer to the ende that thou mayest well vnderstande that nothing was doen by happe or casualtie ne through mannes wisdome but euery whit by the prouidence of god tempreing and ordreyng hys owne mattyer after a newe manier of facion of hys owne For nowe was the tyme already come that the heauenly kingdom beyng reuealed and published the worldly kingdom shoulde abate and decaye the spirituall priestehood beyng disclosed the shadowie priestehood wherin the Iewes had vntill that time made many glorious vauÌ„tes and braggues of themselfes shoulde vanishe cleane away Ceasar the emperour of Rome surnamed Augustus had now ended his life by whose proclamacioÌ„ the whole world had afore been surueied and the names of euerye bodye within the empire registred in bokes and in the tyme of his reygne Iesus Christ was borne Wicked Herode also was now deceassed who had sought Iesê° being an infant for to haue slain him And Archelaus Herodes sonne for his behauiour ouermuche reseÌ„blyng his fathers wicked prankes was exiled froÌ„ his kingdom into an other couÌ„trey Tiberius Cesar had succeded Augustus in the empire And in the fiftenth yere of his reigne Poncius Pilate a Romain was president of Iewry And Herode the brother of Archelaus by the eleccion and apointment of the said Tiberius the emperour had Galilee allotted vnto him Philip had the rule gouernaunce of that part of Syria whiche is called Ituria and it was called also Traâ—honitis of the roughnesse of the mountains because the countrey is full of vphilles dounhilles and almost no part of it euen or plain chaumpian grounde For it goeth al alongst in hilles dales froÌ„ Libanus froÌ„ the mouÌ„tains of Idumea vnto the west coaste of Syria ThaÌ„ moreouer the part that is called Abilena of Abila the principall citie of the same region was by assignement cum to the haÌ„des of Lisanias for his porcioÌ„ who afterward chaunged the name therof called it LysanioÌ„ For Augustus in his time because he would soÌ„what breake enfeble the puissaunt force of that kingdoÌ„ had made a diuisioÌ„ of it distributed it amoÌ„g foure brethren Herode Philip Antipater Lysanias which therfore were called Tetrarches that is to say in English the foure princes or the foure head rulers For the name of a kyng was long afore abolished by a lawe of the Romaines who woulde haue no kynges And this was a token or rather a figure that the kingdom of the Iewes should shortly after vanishe awaye accordyng to the prophecie But the holyest parte of Iewrye wherin Hierusalem and the temple stoode and in whiche the lord of al was borne one Ponce Pilate a Romain had the administracion gouernaunce of beeyng as it were a figure plainly betokenyng euen by the verye case and thing as it stode that the Gentiles should breake into the kingdom of heaueÌ„ which the Iewes would reiect and vtterly despise Likewise the priesthode as a thyng that should soone after ceasse and haue an ende wente wandrynge shifting from one to an other out of due ordre and was bought and solde and made eueÌ„ a market mater wherin at that time two notable vngodly meÌ„ Annas and Caiphas had the highest and the chefest roumes Emiddes these matters of diuiding mangleyng the countrey into sundry rewlers handes and in the middes of this very troublesome state of thinges emonge the Iewes the kingdome of heauen and a new priesthode sprang vp wherof Iohn the soonne of Zacharie was chosen and specially appoynted to bee an open preacher and proclaymer This Iohn before laye hydden emong the wylde beastes and passed a life of wonderfull streightnesse cladde with a Camels skiÌ„ne girt with a belt of a rough leather thong feeding vpoÌ„ wild honey and grashoppers of that countrey not so muche as tasting any wyne or stronge drinke to the entent he might be a mete preacher of repeÌ„tauÌ„ce might teache the people by his life before he should teache them by his wordes might be clere without al crimes himself who should so frely reproue the faultes transgressions of other meÌ„ but now beyng inspired with the holy ghost admonished by the same he came out of the dennes of wildernes gat him not into the teÌ„ple which place was reserued vnto Christ but into al those quarters coastes which lye about the riuer Iordane to the end that he mighte haue the more pleÌ„ty of water for such as shuld be baptised And he preached that the kingdom of heaueÌ„ was at haÌ„d exhorting that the people should prepare theÌ„selfes to the saluacioÌ„ which approched thorough repentaunce of their former liues that with the baptisme of water which he in his persoÌ„ gaue being but as a foregoer a messeÌ„ger of Christ they should make them selfes mete for the