The first tome or volume of the Paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Newe Testamente

The .xiij. Chapter.

[ The texte.] ¶And as he went out of the temple, one of the disciples sayed vnto him: Mayster, see what stones and what buyldinges are here. And Iesus answered, and sayed vnto hym: Seest thou these great buildinges? There shal not be left one stone vpon an other, that shal not be throwen downe. And as he sate on mounte Oliuete ouer against the temple, Peter, and Iames, and Iohn; and Andrewe, asked him secretly: tell vs, when shall these thinges be? And what is the signe when all these thinges shalbe fulfilled? And Iesus aunswered them, and began to saye: take hede lest any man deceyue you. For many shall cumme to my name, saying: I am Christ, and shall deceyue many.

THere was nothyng in the temple that pleased Iesus, saue the poore wydowe only, in the whiche temple there was nothyng els, but counterfayte deuocion, and fayned holines. Let vs also, who professe our selues to be the disciples of Iesu, de∣parte out of the Iewish temple. Let vs sette asyde all truste of carnall workes, and embrace the ryghteousnes of the euan∣gelike and chrystian fayth.

Therfore our sauiour departed thence to builde an other temple, whiche should be holy and spirituall in dede: and of buyldyng so substanciall, sure, and strong,* 1.1 that the very gates of hell shoulde neuer be able to preuayle agaynste it. When he was gone out, one of his disciples sayed vnto him: Mayster, beholde howe greate and houge are the stones of this temple, and what a strong buildinge is here: couertlye meaninge that it was a stronger piece of worke then that it coulde by processe of tyme fall in decaye or ruyne. Oh Iewishe iyes. They outwardly maruayled at stones couched and heaped to∣gether by mans hande, as thoughe Iesus had bene delited with suche a buyl∣dyng. Iesus answered againe: Seeste thou this greate and curious edifice? There shall a time cum when there shall not one stone remayne vpon another vnthrowen downe: muche lesse then shall the same buyldyng continue for euer. Nowe Iesus lotheth, and contemnethe all that euer is seene with bodily iyes, for the greate desyre he hath of his ghostly and spyritual temple. As he sate in that part of mount Olyuete (where he chose his lodging for that nyght) from whence the temple of Ierusalem myght bee sene,* 1.2 the disciples called againe to theyr remembraunce his wordes, wherby he had tolde before howe it shoulde

cumme to passe, that the sayd temple shoulde bee destroyed bothe stycke and stone, euen from the very foundacion. For they supposed that the kyngdome of god, whereon they ceased not as yet to dreame, shoulde cum immediatlye after the destruccion thereof. Therfore fower of them, that is to wete, Peter, Iames, Iohn, and Andrewe, went priu••lye vnto him as he there sate, to the entēt that lyke as he had shewed vnto a fewe persons apart, the misterie of his transfiguracion, so should he lykewyse disclose vnto thē, beeyng but a fewe, all the secretes concerning the time when his kingdome should cumme and begin: whiche thing he woulde not perhappes open vnto all the other. And for this cause they sayed vnto hym: Tell vs when these thinges shall cum to passe, and by what token we maye knowe when the same ••yme is already cum and pre∣sent. The Lord who had already weded out of his disciples all carefulnes for sustenaunce, desyre of reuengement, & prouidence of lyfe or forecastyng howe to lyue, woulde also wede out of theyr myndes all suche curiositie as ma∣keth a man ouer busy and inquisitiue, to knowe suche thynges, as nothyng appertaine vnto his saluacion. Therfore he so tempreeth his woordes, that by thesame he sygnifieth not onelye that the citie of Ierusalem shall one day be de∣stroyed, but also that after his departure, greuous stormes of persecution shal rise against the preachers of the gospell: and finally that the ende of the worlde, or domes day shall cumme. But as it is expedient for all men to knowe howe they shall one day make an ende of this present lyfe, to thentent they may euer make themselues redy againste the same, so his will and pleasure was to haue his disciples fullye persuaded, that a tyme shoulde lykewyse cumme, when he would returne into the worlde agayne, a iudge bothe of the quicke and deade: but when that time shoulde come, because it was not expedient, he woulde in no wyse haue it knowen. Therfore he began to speake of these mat∣ters, in suche wyse as here ensueth.

Beware, sayeth he, lest any manne deceiue you. For there shall manye come who wyll chalenge and take vpon them my name, and euerye of theim wyll fayne hymselfe to be Christe, and by his craftie delusion, deceiue manye vn∣circumspect persons.

[ The texte.] When ye shall heare of warres, & tidynges of warres, be ye not troubled. For suche thynges must nedes be, but the ende is not yet: For there shall nacion ryse agaynste nacion, and kyngdome agaynst kyngdome. And there shalbe pearthquakes in al quarters, and fa∣mishement shall there be and troubles. These are the beginning of sorowes. But take ye hede to your selues, for they shall bryng you vp to the counsayles, & into the Synagoges, & ye shalbe beaten, yea, and shalbe brought before rulers and kynges for my sake, for a te∣stimoniall vnto them. And the gospell must first be published amonge all nacions.

The great busynes & rufflyng of the world, will shew that my cūming ap∣procheth, & the worlde is nighe at an ende. But you muste not strayghtwayes when warres are moued, or when there is any terrible bruite or rumoure of warres to be moued, be so dismayed therwith, as though thesame time wer already present. For these thinges shall cum, and yet shall not thende of the world furthwith ensue. They shall only be preludes of the ende y^t is to come, euen as in an olde mans bodye, diseases oftetymes thauncing, are foretokens that his body shal shortely decay and perishe. The temperature of the qualities is the thyng whiche preserueth bodely health.

But when by reason thesame qualities, do stryue one agaynste another, the whole body is distempered, then is it an argumente that the destructi∣on

thereof approchethe. There shall nacion ryse agaynste nacion, realme a∣gaynst realme, and one of them go about with great powers, and hostes of men,* 1.3 to destroye an other. Moreouer the yearthe it selfe, as thoughe it were not content to norishe so wicked and vngodlye people, shalbe shaken with yearthequakes, and so shall there be in sondrie places of the worlde greate dearthe and famyne, because it shall deny men theyr naturall foode and suste∣naunce. Furthermore the ayre as though it were angrye with thesame vn∣godly folkes, vnworthy of life and breathe, shalbe noysomme, and deadelye. When ye see manye of these signes and tokens, yet loke ye not byanby for domes daye. For these euiles shallbe onelye the begynninge of the calamitie to come. Neyther shall youre selues be free from suche euils & troubles. And ther∣fore loke well aboute ye, leste ye bee clapte in the neckes or creye be ware. For men shall accuse you, and brynge you before councels and synagoges: and yee shalbe presented before kynges and rulers, to aunswere in causes of lyfe, and deathe: not for any offence, or euyl dede doen on your behalfe, but onelye for the profession of my name: and this shall they do because all the worlde maye knowe, howe they were worthely caste out of the kyngdome of God, sithens they so persecuted the preachers of thesame. But lette not these thynges muche trouble your myndes. The cruelnes of wycked persons shall brynge nothing to passe agaynst the proceding of the gospell. Neither can anye man slea you be∣fore your tyme. For domes daye shall not come, before the gospell be preached throughout all the worlde.

[ The texte.] ¶But when they leade you, and present you, take ye no thought, neyther ymagine afore hande what ye shall saye, but whatsoeuer is geuen you in the same houre, that speake. For it is not ye that speake, but the holy gost. The brother shall delyuer vp the brother to deathe, and the father the sonne, and the children shall ryse agaynst their fathers and mothers, and shal put thē to death, And ye shalbe hated of al mē for my names sake. But whoso enduceth vnto the ende, thesame shalbe safe.

You nede not therefore to prepare you any worldly succours agaynste the vi∣olence & tiranny of persecutours, or take thought how to escape their iudge∣mentes. When there is any accion commensed agaynst you, loke ye goe, & ap∣peare, leste ye seme to despise the publike authoritie. For this thinge also shall make much for the enlarging and spreading abrode of the gospell. But when ye are goyng to appeare, be you not carefull, studying with your selfes what answere to make, and how to tell your tale, for that ye are not sene in y^e lawe, but men ignoraunt in ciuill plees: as the common sort of the people are wonte to be carefull in suche case, who make Oratours and Rhetorcians theyr at∣turneys, and proetours in pleadinge of matters.* 1.4 But whatsoeuer cumme the vnto your myndes, that speake you. For your selues shall not be authours of suche wordes as you shall speake, but instrumentes onely. The holy ghoste shall speake by you,* 1.5 suche thynges as shalbe expedient for the busynes of the gospell. But suche persecucions must ye not onely looke for of alyauntes, and enemyes, but also of your frendes, and kynnesfolkes. For one brother shall take the lawe of an other, and accuse hym of deathe worthye crymes, all na∣turall loue and affeccion cast aside. And the father shall likewise accuse the sonne, contrary to naturall loue and kyndnes. Furthermore the children shall also rise agaynste their parentes, and cause them to suffer death.

And where as ye hurte no body, but brynge the tydinges of saluacion to all

men: yet shall ye be hated of all them that loue this world, onelye for the dys∣pleasure and malyce they beare to my name, whiche you shall preache. But in all these euils it shalbe nedefull for you to be armed with perseueraunce and constancie of minde. For whoso continueth in his good beginninges to the ende, shall be safe, because no calamitie is able to destroye him, that with con∣stant harte and mynde beleueth the gospell.

[ The texte.] Moreouer, when ye see the abhominacion of desolacion (wherof is spoken by Daniel the prophet) stand where it ought not, let him that readeth, vnderstand. Then let them that be in Iewry, sie to the mountaines, and let him that is ••n the house top not go down into y^e house, nether enter therein to fetche any thyng out of his house. And let him that is in the fielde, not turne backe agayne vnto the thynges whiche he lefte behynde hym, for to take his clothes with him. Woe shalbe then to them that are with childe, and to them that geue sucke in those dayes. But praye ye that your flyght be not in the winter. For there shalbe in those dayes suche tribulacion, as was not from the beginninge of creatures, (whiche God created) vnto this time, nether shalbe. And except that the Lorde should shorten those dayes, no fleshe shoulde be saued. But for the electes sake whome he hath chosen, he hathe shortened those dayes.

If ye requyre a sygne to geue you knowledge when this extreme cala∣mitie hangeth ouer your heades: when ye shall see the abhominacion that ma∣keth desolacion standing in y^e place where it is not beseming it should stande, then let him whiche readethe Daniels prophecy, vnderstande it. For then it shalbe 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,* 1.6 but by swyftnesse of flighte. Then lette al that be in Iewrye, the nouri∣shingeste, 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 y^e miserie & calamitie be, whiche shal ouerflow this coūtreye. Therfore in wofull case shall they be whiche are great with chylde, & they also that haue chyldren sucking on their brestes,* 1.7 because nature wil not let suche as are w^t 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 shalbe 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.

* 1.8All that the lorde hitherto sayed, is spoken in suche wyse, that it se∣meth partlye to pertayne to the destruction of the citie of Hierusalem: parte∣lye 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 world∣lye impedimentes, and encumbraunces, we oughte alwayes to wayte for the cummynge of that daye, when we shalbe 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 thenforce∣ment

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 salua∣cion. 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, regar∣deth 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 exchew••dme hasteth to that tay∣ning of those, whiche he knoweth ought (all lettes and impedimentes set a∣syde) 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 daūger, who by reason of an vnright and aukeward iudge∣ment, 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 con∣stitucions. 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.* 1.9 Those dayes, sayethe he, shall be so full of miseries on euerye syde, that there hath not beene lyke tribu∣lacion and affliction from the creacion of the worlde vnto this daye, nor here∣after shalbe. 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 in∣finite 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.

[ The texte.] 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▪ 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,* 1.10 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 a∣nother 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 lyghte∣ning, 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.

[ The texte.] ¶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 clou∣des with great power and glory. And then shall ••e send his aungels, and shall gather to∣gether 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 won∣derfull 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,* 1.11 shall wexe darke, therby as it were embraiding the vngod∣lye 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 y^e darknesse therof, geue her light y^t she boroweth of the Sūne. Furthermore men shall see the starres fal doune from the firma∣ment to the earth, which haue bene so many hūndred yeares there fastened for mans behoue & commoditie. And besides this, the powers of the heauens (by vertue whereof those merueylouse bodies haue cōtinued, euen frō the creation of the worlde, their courses and offices appoynted thē of god) shalbe moued: so great shall the feare be of the dreadfull day of dome approching. These thin∣ges 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 re∣garded) 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 thē altogether frō euery quarter, whether they be quyc••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 thentēt 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 mēns soules haue gone, ney∣ther 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 shalbe ioyned vnto his owne proper bodie, and all the electe and chosen people shall lykewise be conioyned vnto theyr head.

[ The texte.]

Learne a similitude of the fig••tee, when his braunche is yet tendre, and hath brought forth leaues, ye ••••owe that summer is nere. So in lyke maner when ye se these thynges cum to pa••se, vnderstand that he is ••ye, euen at the doores. Uerely▪ 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 pre∣pared, 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 sūmer 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 chaūge their na∣ture, 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 y^e Angels to know it: no nor yet to the sonne himselfe. For y^e 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.

[ The texte.] ¶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, & cōmaunded 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 cōmaundementes. Ye shal watche, if by refraining frō superfluitie, & all bodely pleasures, you will who∣ly bend youre selues to holynes of spirite, & vertuous liuing. You shal pray, if you wil most feruently desire those thinges, which are promised vnto thē that stil perseuer & cōtinue in the profession of the gospell. Satā hath his craftes to deceiue euen wise, & circūspect 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 thē ere they be ware. Of these thinges spryngeth eyther contēpt, or els desperāce of the king∣dom of heauē. God wil not cleane forsake his chosē, but he loueth wakefull & heedefull persons: yet will he that whē they haue done what may be done by mans endeuoyre & diligence, they neuertheles cease not to pray, fully persua∣dyng thēselfes how it is God y^t geueth the beginning, proceding, & consūma∣tion 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 Ies{us} woulde the depeliet fasten this doctrine in y^e mindes of his disciples, he added

a similitude very fit for the purpose. When I shall forsake you, sayeth he, so demeane your selues, as faithful and wyse seruaūtes woulde do, vnto whom the Lord being about to make a voyage into a straūge coūtrey, hath geuē au∣ctoritie to ordre and guide his house: and hathe assigned to eche of theym his worke,* 1.12 and office. Furthermore he hath commaunded the porter to watche for feare of nyght theues. These seruauntes, because they be vncertaine of theyr Lordes returnyng home, do still endeuoyre themselues to do theyr office and dutye, that whensoeuer it shall chaunce him to cum home agayne, he may finde theym watching. It is more certaine that I shall cum againe to you, then that theyr lord shall eftsones returne vnto them. There maye sum chaunce befall, that he miscary whiles he is from home in the straunge countrey. But as sure as God is in heauē, I will cum againe, albeit the daye when, be to you vncer∣taine. Therfore do you as good and thriftie seruauntes are wont to do. Euer watche & loke after my retourning. You cannot tell when the Lorde will cum, at euen, or at mydnyght: whethre at the Cocke crowyng, or in the dawning of the daye, lest yf he cum sodainlye (as he wyll cum in verye dede) he fynde you sleapyng, and slacke, or negligent in doyng of your duetie. That I speake to you, I speake by you to all that shalbe borne vntill the worlde be at an ende: watche you. Euerye man muste watche that will be saued: Euery man must do the worke that the Lorde hath committed vnto hym, but especially and a∣boue all other, it behoueth the porter to watche, who watcheth for the safegard of the whole familie. And although the people doe sumtymes take a nappe, yet hath the shepeherde no leasure to slepe. Nowe is all this present lyfe (wherein is no certaine differēce betwene good thinges and bad, and wherin is exceding muche ignoraunce or blyndnesse, and very litle lyght) all this lyfe I saye, is in comparison of the lyfe to cum,* 1.13 nothing els but nyght. And albeit that in thende of the worlde the Lord will cum once for all, to all men generally, yet commeth he also to euery man seuerally at the houre of death. Therfore euery man par∣ticularly ought to watche against this his cumming, because it is euen as vn∣certaine as the other. For he cummeth vnto sum late in the euenyng, as in gro∣wyng age: to sum at mydnyghte, as when they are in their flowers, and beste lykyng: to other sum at the Cockecrowyng, that is to wete, in olde age. Ye muste neyther truste to youre strength, nor to your age. The tyme and houre of death is lyke vncertaine to all menne.

Notes

• * 1.1

  One of his disciples sayed vnto him.
• * 1.2

  And as he sat on mo••t Oliuete.
• * 1.3

  For there shall nacion aryse agaīst nacion.
• * 1.4

  For it is not ye that speake.
• * 1.5

  The bro∣ther shall de∣liuer vp the brother, &c,
• * 1.6

  Let hym that rea∣deth vnder∣stand.
• * 1.7

  Wo shalbe then to thē that are w^t chylde.
• * 1.8

  〈…〉〈…〉 that youre flight.
• * 1.9

  For there shall be in those daies.
• * 1.10

  Loe, here is 〈◊〉〈◊〉. &c.
• * 1.11

  And then shall they see y^e sonne of man. &c.
• * 1.12

  As a man whiche is gone into a straunge coūtrey, &c.
• * 1.13

  And that I saye vnto you, &c,