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

The .xiiii. Chapter.

[ The texte.] And it chaunced, that he went into the house of one of the chiefe Phariseis to eate bread on the saboth day, and they watched him. And behold, there was a certain man before him, which had the dropsie. And Iesus aunswered, and spake vnto the lawiers and Phariseis, saiyng: Is it lawfull to heale on the sabboth day? And they held their peace. And he toke him, and heale•• him▪ and let him goe: and aunswered them, saiyng: whiche of you shall haue an asse, or an ore fallen into a pitte, and wil not straight way pull him out on the Sabboth day? And they could not aunswere him again to these thinges.

ANd so it befell afterwarde, that beyng desyred to dy∣ner by a certayne manne that was one of the chyefe a∣mong the Pharyseis, he wente to the mannes house, and there toke his repaste with hym. And it was a sab∣both daye. And there sate at thesame table also many Phariseis, who according to their accustomed woont, watched Iesus, yf he shoulde speake or dooe any thyng whiche thei might slaunderously reproue in him. And loe euen ready for them an occasiō of a false accusa∣cion againste hym. For there was there in presence a certayne manne possessed with the dropsie, a disease for the moste parte vncurable by any Physike, ta∣lowe coloured, and swollen all his body ouer. But a blessed turne it was for this pieteous creature, that he came in Iesus sight. For vnfortunate is suche a sinner as withdraweth or hydeth himself frō the sight of him, who would faine haue all people to be saued.* 1.1 Nowe Iesus knowyng well enough what thought the phariseis and lawiers had in their myndes, demaunded of them whether it were a thyng standyng with Gods pleasure to geue health on the sabboth daye vnto a man beyng otherwyse ready to perishe and dye. Whan they held their peace and would make none aunswer, Iesus calleth vnto him the partie whiche had the dropsye, and by touchyng him with his handes he healed the man, and bidde him goe his waies. Immediatly the mannes cou∣lour was chaunged, and the swelling of his fleshe abated to the due course a∣gain. And although this dede was woonderfull, yet the solemnitie of y^e sab∣both day beyng broken (as they interpreted it) did highly offende the Phari∣seis. But Iesus shewyng their religion to be of a peruerse contrary sorte, in that they would be offended in the preseruyng of a mannes life, and in sauing of an asse were not offended, made aunswer to their secrete thoughtes, & said: If an oxe or an Asse of any of youres had fallen downe in a diepe pitte on the sabboth daye, whether would the partie tarie vntil the sabboth day were al past, orels makyng no tariaunce at all would he straight waye euen thesame daye geat out his beaste, that it might not miscarry? If the preseruyng of an oxe or an asse doeth weigh so muche with you, that ye thinke not the sabboth daye to bee broken, why is your herte offended, for that I haue on y^e sabboth day geuen health to this man, who was in ieoperdy to haue died out of hand of the disease of the dropsie? In case it bee the bodily worke and laboure that is weighed, there is more bodily labour in halyng an oxe or an asse oute of a great depe pit, thē in makyng this man whole of his disease. I haue no more but seen him, touched hym, and bidden hym goe his way. If it be the persone that ye esteme, then ought ye more to tendre the preseruyng of one sole māne, then of a right great noumbre of oxen or asses.* 1.2 At all these woordes the Pha∣riseis plaied mum. For their hertes were so corrupt & so peruerse, that whan thei had no aunswer to make against the plain and clere trueth, yet could thei not mollifie thēselfes to allowe that they sawe doen of Iesus. That in case thēselfes had been hable to haue doen any suche lyke thyng, they would w^t al the trompettes in a countreye haue blowen abrode their own glory. But be∣cause the lord Iesus would that the glory of all his doynges should redoūd to his father, which was god of heauen: he euerywhere discouered the pein∣ted holynesse of the phariseis, who had ouerlōg already mocked and seduced

the plain simple people with their cloked hipocrisie. For they hūted for their own glory among men: and therfore they enuied at y^e glory of god. And this was a true dropsie of the soule, growing first of a corrupt iudgemēt of the mind, as the dropsie cūmeth of the liuer being corrupted or perished. For the said phariseis setting al their glory in such thīges, wherin there was no glo∣riyng to be made, were swollē w^t outforth and puffed vp in haultnes & pride, where al their entrailes withinforth wer miserably corrupted and putrified.

[ The texte.] He put forth also a similitude vnto the geastes, whan he marked how they pressed to the high∣est roumes, and said vnto them: whan thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest roume, leste a more honorable man than thou be bidden of him, and he (that bid him and thee) come, and say to thee: geue this man roume, and thou then begin with shame to take the lowest roume. But rather whan thou arte bidden, goe and sitte in the lowest roume, that whan he that bidde thee cummeth, he may say vnto thee▪ frende sitte vp higher. Then shalt thou haue wurship in the presence of them that sitte at meate with thee. For whosoeuer exalteth himselfe, shalbee brought lowe: and he that humbleth himselfe, shalbee exalted.

The Lorde therefore, who had with onely touchyng healed the man that had the dropsie, was very desyrous to cure these mens disease also, with the medicine of holsome woordes and doctryne. For whatsoeuer the Phariseis did, they did it for pride and for vainglorious bosting. For they woulde goe walkyng vp and downe in their philacteries: they would stand praiyng in y^e open stretes where soondrie waies mete, & much people passe by: thei would haue a trompet to blowe afore thē whan they gaue almes. Whan they fasted thei had a feate to discolour their faces that thei might loke pale: thei would goe hunting about to haue glorious salutacions and gretinges in y^e stretes: and where they came to diner or supper, they loked and sought to sit vpper∣moste at mens tables. So great was their desyre of moste foolishe vainglo∣rie, and so great was their swellyng in pryde: but withinforth there was no∣thing syncere & void of corrupcion. But the partie that was diseased with the dropsie, was easily and soone healed, because he acknowlaged his infirmitie, and desired to be made whole. The disease of y^e soule cānot possibly be cured if one will not acknowelage it.* 1.3 Iesus therefore mynded to reproue the hault myndes of the other cumpanye of Pharyseis, whom thesame head Pharisey had at that tyme not for hospitalitie, but for a vain bostyng of hymselfe bid∣den to that diner, for that thesame Phariseis, whan they were desired to take any repastes in mens houses, they looked & made meanes for to haue the vp∣permoste seate, thinking themselfes ioly felowes if it happened them to haue a place of preeminence at the table, & contrariwise all sad without any mirth if it had cum to their lo••te to be placed at the lower end, euen much of a sorte, as we do now in these our daies see the solemne pompes for the moste parte to be of our graunde sen••ours, and mayster doctours, as often as at any acte or commencemente in any vniuersitie, they come with great solemnitie from the Sinagogue to their feast. Within the Sinagogue they haue theyr seates made on high, where they sitte (as it were) loking doune vpon the reste from aboue, more likely and ready soner with theyr elbowe to iastle and toumble theyr nexte felowe downe from his place, then to let any man haue their rou∣mes. Whan they muste cum in, a bedle cūmeth before them, and maketh way for them, repeatyng at euery other woord their honourable title of Mayster doctour, Maister doctour. They are offended yf any man arise not to do them

honour as they passe by, yf one do not put of his cap, if any presume to sit down before the sayed Maister inceptour doctour is come in, and sette in his place. And with these fonde ceremonies, is the tyme consumed awaye therewhyle, so that there is no tyme to learne any thing at al. For the sayed Maister doctours come not for any suche purpose, as eyther to learne, or to teache: but to hunt for vayne glory emong the people by shewyng themselues in theyr degree. And with a great pompe come they first in, but with a greater pompe do they goe foorth agayne. One that knew it not, would saye, that it were some solemne stage playes in playing, or els the corpse of some great ryche cobbe, that were goyng to buirying. And here eftsones is no small a do for places in what ordre and how to go. Not one of them, but he thynketh hymself to haue had a great iniurie doen vnto hym, yf he go on the left hande of an other that semeth to be his iuniour or inferiour. Againe at the sitting downe to the feast, meruaylous striuyng there is for placyng of euery manne in his degree and ordre. What nedeth many woordes? It is the disease of the dropsie all that euer they doe, and an huntyng for vaynglory it is, whereas all the whyle they would emong the people be reputed and vsed as God almighties felowes. Iesus therfore co∣uetyng to minister a lesson of good doctrine to them that were sicke of suche a disease, (that is to were, how that it is not true glory which is sued and sought for, but which thou eschewest as muche as thou mayest, euen whan thou moste deseruest to haue it:) propouned a parable as here foloweth, in suche wife af∣ter a ciuile & curteous sorte touching the conscience of euerie one, that neuerthe∣lesse he vttered ne bewrayed none of them by name. Whan thou shalt be desired (saieth he) or bidden to a weddyng feast, beware y^t thou do not in thine own per∣sone preuent and take the chiefe place to begin the table: leste percase after thou be set, there come in sodaynly some other manne of higher degree and better re∣putacion than thou arte:* 1.4 and nowe the partie which desyred both thee and him to the feaste, come and byd thee to aryse and to let a better man haue thy roume. And than for the glory which thou soughtest to haue, thou shalt wynne shame, and shalt bee constreyned with read chekes to be content with the lowest place of all. Therfore rather, whan thou shalt be desyred to any wurshypfull table, choose and take vnto thy selfe, the neythermoste place of all to sit in, that whan the maker of the feaste shall come, he maye saye vnto thee: Frende go vp to a place of more honour: Than shall thy humilitie turne to thy glory and wurship emong the reste of the geastes. Thy humilitie shall they perceyue well enough by that that thou chosest out the lowest roume of all to place thy selfe in: and thy dignitie shall they knowe by the maker of the feast. Euen lykewyse it is in the lyfe of man. The greater mā of dignitie that one is, somuche the more must he humble hymselfe, vntyll he come, who doeth with true and perpetuall glory exalte suche as are of lowe degree to the worldewarde,* 1.5 and the proude and high he casteth downe. And so lykewyse in the kyngdome of God, the inferiour peo∣ple hath been receyued euen vnto the high degree of Apostolicall dignitie: and the priestes, the Pharisees, the Scribes, and the lawiers haue been reiected. The Gentiles acknowleagyng theyr basenesse, haue been lyfted vp to the bro∣therhood of eternall glory: and the Iewes, who woulde alone haue reygned at the feaste, nowe eyther haue no place at all, or els haue the laste place.

[ The texte.] ¶Than sayed he also to hym that had desyred hym to dyner. Whan thou makest a dyner or a supper, call not thy frendes nor thy brethren, neyther thy kynsmen, nor thy ryche neygh∣bours:

leste they also bidde thee agayne, and a recompence to bee made thee. But whan thou makest a feast, call the poore, the feble, the lame, and the blinde, and thou shalt be happye, for they cannot recompense thee. But thou shalt bee recompensed at the resurreccion of the iuste men.

And this parable forsouth aforegoyng, concerned the proude Pharisees. The Lord added therto another parable, whiche directely concerned the prin∣cipall head man of the Phariseis, whiche was the maker of this dyner. For the ryche cobbes, whyle they would seme to be men of good hospitalitie, they call not to dyner & supper whom they maye refreshe: but suche persones, of whom they maye be bidden to as good a feaste agayne, or where hence they maye seke for glory to themselues ward. And in dede suche makyng of feastes is not hos∣pitalitie, but ambicion, or auarice, or els both together in one. For that is to be called liberalitie, which with ready wyll doeth a benefite to any man without any respect, and without hope of any thanke or recompense to returne to hym∣selfe agayne therby. The tenour of the parable was this here folowyng. If thou be disposed well to bestowe a feast or repaste of thy makyng,* 1.6 or yf thou at any tyme haue a mynde 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 be∣nefite 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 neigh∣bours, leste the thanke of the feast that thou hast made, maye perishe and be vt∣trely loste. For truly it wyll perishe and be loste in dede, if they bidde thee a∣gayne, 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,* 1.7 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 ones 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,* 1.8 that they haue nothyng to geue thee agayne. But they haue an incom∣parable 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 re∣compense, if not in this life, (albeit he will here also recompense it) yet at leaste∣wyse 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 whatsoe∣uer 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.

[ The texte.] 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 bid∣den, 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 in∣differently should be called, to the ende that the noumbre of Christes church and congregacion myght be made complete: the parable was this here folo∣wyng. A certayne oute ryche manne had appoynted to make a sumptuous greate supper.* 1.9 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 Prophe∣tes, 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 ex∣cuses 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,* 1.10 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 it at his tayle: ther∣fore though I wer neuer so wel willing, yet I maye not nowe come. Thus whan they had euery one of them made their excuses one by one coloure, and an other by an other: to the ende they myghte bee wurse pynched at the herte roote in time commyng whan they shoulde haue perfite intelligence as well howe great a thyng they had despysed, as also what maner personnes hadde now succeded them vnto the felowship of the blisseful state so refused, he said vnto his seruaunte that was the bidder of the geastes: goe thy waies quick∣ly into all the stretes and laues of this citie, and whatsoeuer personnes thou shalt mete, impotent, blynde, and lame, bryng them to my feaste. I called the others first in the way of theyr honestie and preferrement, thei haue no cause to fynde any faulte.* 1.11 Though they lothe my feaste, yet shall it not therfore bee lost. There be that shal haue the ful pleasure therof, though they set not by y^e honour that is offred them. I shall make that they whiche thinke themselfes great states, shall haue enuy and despite in their very hertes to see themselfes ferre wurse then the blynde, the impotente, the lame, and others the mooste abiectes of all creatures. The seruaunte came againe: and all thinges accom∣plished whiche the good manne of the house had geuen hym in commaunde∣ment, he saied vnto him: Maister, I haue brought all that I coulde geat at a∣uenture whatsoeuer they were, euen out of the middes of the stretes and the wayes, and yet shall some piece of thy feaste bee vacaunte, and shal lacke gea∣stes. For thou hast purueied and dressed an excedyng plentifull feast, & place, to receiue an innumerable coumpany of geastes. Upon this the Lorde beyng very desirous, that the feaste which was prepared shoulde serue to the com∣moditie of very many, sayeth vnto the seruaunte: Go thy waies once againe, go thou, euen without the precinct of the citie too, into the waies and hedges and gather folkes together from whēce soeuer thou can geat them,* 1.12 beggars and straungiers, be they neuer so vnacquainted. Whom, yf they bee lothe to come, compell them euen by importunitie, to come vnto me, that my house may at last be furnished euen full.

And this I affirme vnto you, that not one of all those menne, who had so muche honour shewed them, as to be firste called, and nowe haue dysdayned and lothed my feaste, not one of them shal taste a bitte of this supper of mine. It will one day peraduenture repent them, whan they shall see the delicates, with the goodly furniture and seruice of the feast,* 1.13 and they shall haue enuy at suche persones, to whom theyr skornefull lothing of it, hath made roume to sitte in their stedes. But they shall than in vaine desire to enter, forasmuch as whan they might haue so doen, they made their excuses, and would not cum.

[ The texte.] There wente a greate coumpanye with hym, and he turned, and sayd vnto theym. If a manne come to me, and hate not his father and mother, and wife, and children, and brethrē, and systers, yea and his owne lyfe also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoeuer dooeth not beare his crosse and come after me, cannot be my disciple. Whiche of you disposed to buylde a toure, sytteth not downe before, and coumpteth the coste, whether he haue suffycient to per∣fourme

it: leste after he hath layed the foundacion, and is not hable to perfourme it, all that beholde it begyn to mocke hym, saying: this man began to buylde, and was not hable to make and ende. Or what kyng goyng to make battayl agaynst an other kyng, sitteth not down first, and calleth in his mynd: whether he be hable with tenne thousand, to mete hym that cōmeth agaynst hym with twentie thousande? Or els while the other is yet a great waye of, he sen∣deth ambassadoures and desyreth peace. So likewyse whosoeuer he bee of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

After that Iesus had hearde al these wordes at the feaste of the Pharisees, he went furth still on his waye towarde Hierusalem. And there folowed hym in coumpanie, a mightie great multitude of people. There folowed hym with theyr feete a great maynie whiche had not been hable to folowe hym in the ex∣aumple of his lyfe. For he went towardes his crosse, whereunto he must be rea∣die whosoeuer is willyng to be a disciple of his: Turnyng hymselfe therfore to them that folowed hym, he sayed: Not euery one that foloweth me with the feete of his body, is my disciple in veraye dede. Let none ioyne hymselfe to me as my disciple, excepte he be readye to suffre the lyke, that I dooe nowe make haste vnto: he must vttrely renounce all worldly affeccion, whosoeuer is dispo∣sed to bee a perpetuall disciple of myne. For yf any persone come vnto me for suche a purpose, and dooeth not yet hate his father, his mother, his wyfe, his children, his brethren, and his sisters, yea and moreouer his veray lyfe too, he cannot bee a disciple of myne. And he that is lothe or vnwilling to beare his owne crosse, and so to folow me, cannot be my disciple. Or any manier way els, yf one come to me beyng entangled with the worldly affeccions of rychesse, of promocions, of sensuall pleasures, of parentes, of kynsfolkes, of alyaunce, or clogged with desyre to lyue styll in this worlde, with feare of death: whansoe∣uer any occasion is layed afore him, he wyll be readie to sterte backe from his purpose and profession that he hath taken vpon hym. Therfore before thou en∣ter the matier, prepare thou a mynde nothyng nyce, ne coye, ne delicate, to en∣dure to the vttermoste all thynges of hardnesse and of aduersitie. Otherwise it is more pardonable not to haue entred a matier, then afterward to fal from the thyng that thou hast begoonne.

There is at leastwise in this case so muche prouidence and circumspeccion to be perfourmed and made good,* 1.14 as men commonly shewe and perfourme in affayres muche more lighter then this. For who is there among you all of so litle forecast and circumspeccion, that beyng purposed in his mynde to buylde a toure, he wyll euen at the fyrste chop and vnaduisedly without any consyde∣racion set vpon the doyng of that he hath in his head? For he dooeth not onely thynke this in his mynde, I wyll haue a toure: but before he cast any founda∣cion, he wyll with good laysure at a vacaunt tyme sitte downe, & cast his peny∣woorthes in his mynde, what charges will bee requisite for the finishyng of suche a toure. That yf he shall fynde his substaunce to be so litle, y^t he cannot be hable to beare the necessarie charges thereof, he holdeth his handes, and let∣teth it alone, leste that if the foundacion being once layed, he should afterward leaue of, in consideracion that he is not of habilitie to perfourme it: all folkes whiche passyng by the waye should see the worke begoonne, and leafte of in the middes ere it were all finished, woulde begynne to mocke hym saying: This felowe here hath begoonne to make buildynges, whiche he hath not been hable to bryng to a perfeccion. Therefore yf shame bee a thyng

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of so great weight among menne, that none dareth be so bolde as to begynne a building, but he will aske counsayle of his substaunce & habilitie aforehande: howe muche more is it expedient to weigh the strength of your herte before ye professe that ye wyll be my folowers? from whome yf ye shall once begynne to steppe backe agayne, it shoulde bee a foule shame vnto you before the Aungels of God. It is no matier of nice delicatenesse to folowe me. Neither is it enough to sette a face or a braggue on the matier with high woordes, onles your strēgth be sufficient and hable for thesame. And what kyng hath so litle remem∣braunce or consideracion with himselfe, that in case he entende to furnishe a voiage of warfare agaynste an other kyng, wyll not ere he make any stieryng towardes warre, sitte downe leasurely, and firste weigh and ponder diligently in his minde the puissaunce of his royalme, whether it bee expedient to goe with a power of ten thousande menne, and mete his enemy cumming agaynst him with twentye thousande menne? That in case he perfectly knowe his po∣wer to be ouerweake to bicker with him, he wyll, before that the other bryng his armie any thyng nere, sende ambassadours to treacte vpō articles of peace. For truely so to do is better to bee suffered, then to trye the hasarde of battayle with powers and strengthes vnegually matched. For it is more honestie for suche an one,* 1.15 before battayle be ioyned, to make treactie of atonement, then af∣ter the receiuing of a great plague to bee glad to take peace, yea and thesame vpon condicions more to his dishonour. That yf menne can skyll in suche af∣faires to make theyr accoumpte what they are hable to doe before they beginne: howe muche more mete is it the same to dooe in this buisinesse, then whiche there is none other more greater or more requiryng a stoute courage? Whosoeuer therfore of you all there bee that foloweth me, and hath not with the veray affecciō of the herte renounced al thinges that he hath in his possessi∣on, he may not be a disciple of myne. He must bee a ientilmanly disciple of the ryght makyng, orels none at all. For there is nothyng more abiecte or vile then suche an one as beeyng ouercummed with the desires and lustes of the fleashe, hath stepped backe and gon a waye from the profession of euangelicall perfec∣cion once taken in hande.

[ The texte.] ¶Salte is good, but yf salte hath loste his saltenesse, what shal be seasoned therewith? It is neyther good for the lande, nor yet for the dounghill, but men caste it out of the doores. He that hath eares to heare, let hym heare.

And a disciple of myne ought to bee lyke vnto salte. Salte yf it haue quicke strength, is of good effecte for preseruyng and seasonyng of all meates. That if it ceasse any longer to bee salte, (that same natiue strength vanished away, in sorte that the salte selfe haue nede of other salte to make it sauery:) than can it by no meanes be brought to any suche passe,* 1.16 that it wyll be good to serue for a∣ny vse or occupacion. For neyther can it serue to poudre or season any thyng, ne yet be seasoned and made sauoury of other salte. Other thynges although they be corrupted, yet they serue for some occupacion or other. As (for exaūple) wine, after it hath loste the verdure, is turned into vyneager. But salte being a thing made in dede to a great effecte, (albeit to no moe effectes but the same one only, that is to we••e, for seasonyng of meates,) yf it bee once weaxed vnsauerye,

than is it mete for no bodyes vse, insomuche that it is not good to be caste on the dounghill neither, on whiche are all suche other thynges caste, whiche are moste full of corrupcion. For yf it should so be mingled with the ranke dounge, it would cause baraynesse: and so ferre is it from seruyng to any vse, that it al∣so hurteth whatsoeuer it toucheth. By these woordes did the Lorde Iesus geue halfe a rebuke to the vnaduised rashenesse of some, who woulde nedes appere to bee disciples of Christe,* 1.17 whan he ryght well knewe, that euen these, whom he had specially p••eked out and chosen but a veray fewe out of all the whole num∣bre, would afterwarde shrynke awaye and fall from hym, at the terrible sighte of the crosse. But to the ende these sayinges might be dieply enpriented in their hertes, to be better vnderstanded afterwardes, he sayed moreouer: let suche an one heare these my sayinges, as hath eares apt to receyue suche thynges. For not the eares of euery body can abyde suche manier talke.

Notes

• * 1.1

  And behold there was a certaine man before hym which hadde the dropsy.
• * 1.2

  And they could not aunswer him again to these thinges.
• * 1.3

  And he put forth also a simylytude to the gea∣stes, whan he marked howe they pressed to the higheste roumes. &c
• * 1.4

  And thou than with shame be∣gyn to take the loweste roume. But rather whan thou art bidden, goe and sy•• in the low∣est roume.
• * 1.5

  For whoso∣euer exal∣teth himself &c.
• * 1.6

  Whan thou makest a dyner or supper call not thy frē∣des. &c.
• * 1.7

  But whan thou makest a feast, call the poore. &
• * 1.8

  But thou shalt be re∣compensed at the resur¦reccion.
• * 1.9

  A certaylie man ordei∣ned a great supper. &c.
• * 1.10

  An other sai¦ed: I haue bought fiue yoke of oxen &c.
• * 1.11

  Go quickly into the stre¦tes. &c.
• * 1.12

  Go out vn∣to the highe wayes and hedges, and compell thē to cum in.
• * 1.13

  For I saye vnto you. &c
• * 1.14

  Whiche of you dispo∣sed to build a toure?
• * 1.15

  So like∣wise who∣so••uer he be of you that forsakethe not all. &c.
• * 1.16

  It is ney∣th••r good for •• lande nor yet for the doung∣hill.
• * 1.17

  He that hath eares to heare, let hym heare.