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

The .xvi. Chapter.

[ The texte.] ¶And he sayed also vnto his disciples. There was also a certayne ryche man which had a steward, and thesame was accused vnto hym, that he had wasted his gooddes. And he cal∣led hym, and sayed vnto hym: how is it, that I heare this of thee? Geue accoumptes of thy stewardshyp. For thou maiest bee no longer stewarde. The stewarde sayed within hymselfe: what shall I dooe? For my maister taketh awaye from me the stewardshyp: I cannot digge, and to begge I am ashamed. I wote what to dooe, that whan I am put out of the stewarde∣shyp, thei maie receiue me into theyr houses. So whā he had called all his maysters debtours together, he saied vnto the first: how muche owest thou vnto my maister? And he sayed, an hū∣dreth tunnes of oyle. And he sayed vnto hym: take thy bylle▪ and sytte down quickely, and wryte fiftie. Then sayed he to another, how muche owest thou? And he sayed▪ an hundreth quarters of wheate. He sayed vnto hym, take thy bylle and wryte foure score. And the Lorde commended the vniust steward, because he had doen wysely. For the children of this worlde are in their nacion, wyser then the children of light. And I saye vnto you: make your frendes of the vnrighteous Mammon, that whan ye shal haue nede, they maye receyue you into euer∣lastyng habitacions.

ANd all thissame that hath hitherto been sayed, did moste specially, and moste directely touche the Pharisees, ta∣kyng muche indignacion, that the Lorde Iesus, as one that remēbred not his owne highe dignitie, dyd receyue Publicanes and knowen synners to the familiar cōuer∣sacion of lyuing with him in coumpaynye. But anon after, he returning to his disciples, aduised and exhorted theim to a more larger fauourablenesse, that they should not onely not murmour agaynst the goodnesse of God: but also they should by all meanes and wayes possible, folowe thesame good∣nesse of God on theyr owne behalfes: earnestly applying theimselues to dooe theyr neyghbour good by euery occasion: relieuyng thesame with succoure of thynges necessarie for the body: easyng theyr hertes with wordes of coumfort: exhortyng them to goodnesse: teachyng them what they ought to dooe: admo∣nishyng theim whan they dyd amisse: and forgeuyng theim whan they trespa∣ced agaynst theim. And where he would teache vs that our ientle goodnesse in thus dooyng shall not perishe to vs warde, but that contrariwyse, it is layed vp in store for vs agaynst the lyfe to come, whatsoeuer thyng is here bestowed on our neyghbour: he propouned forth this sentence by a parable of suche sorte as foloweth. A certayn great ryche man there was, who had committed the be∣stowyng and housebandyng of all his goodes and thynges vnto a steward of his. This steward was complayned on to his Lorde, that beeyng more prodi∣gall then reason was, he wasted and consumed his gooddes awaye. The Lord therefore callyng for his steward, sayed vnto hym: why doe I heare this bruite & fame of thee? Come on, make thyne audyte and accoumpt of thy stewardship: For I am not mynded ne wyllyng, that thou shalt any longer haue the ordre∣yng or disposicion of any more gooddes of myne. But the stewarde as soone as he vnderstoode that it was lyke within a litell shorte tyme to come to passe, that he should be put out of his office of stewarde, did in y^e same litell short time subtilly and craftily prouyde for hymselfe. Some men haue rychesse, some men haue learnyng, others haue experience of the worlde, and so one man hath one

qualitie, and another man another. And what thyng euery persone hath wher∣by he maye be hable to do his neyghbour good, it is the substaunce of our riche Lorde and Maister: whiche substaunce it is our office vountifully to bestowe on our neighbour. For no mortall man is hymselfe the lorde of suche qualities and giftes as he hath, but a stewarde and a dispensour onely. This office of dis∣pensyng is soone taken awaye. For all the life here in this worlde is but shorte, and after this lyfe there is no longer power ne libertie to do good. And a plain waster is that manne of the lordes substaunce, whosoeuer bestoweth after his owne affeccion that that he hath, and doeth not with parte therof relieue his neyghbour. The stewarde therefore beyng sure within a litle tyme to be remo∣ued from his stewardeship: consulteth with his owne minde, and aduiseth him∣selfe, saying: what shall I now best do, seeyng that my lorde and Mayster ta∣keth awaye from me the power and office any longer to haue the dispensyng of his gooddes? And wheron to lyue I haue not. For I gathered nothyng toge∣ther for myne owne behoufe whyle I might haue doen. There is nothyng lefte nowe for me to do, but either to digge in the fielde for hire wages from daye to daie, or els to go about euery where on begging. But to digge and delue I lack strength, and to begge I am ashamed. But (as happe is) I haue euen now so∣daynly deuised in my brayne, how to make a ioly prouision for my selfe. I will procure and geat my selfe some frendes with my maisters gooddes. And the sayed frendes bearyng wel in mynde my beneficiall goodnesse towardes them, wil receiue me into theyr houses, whan I am put out of myne office of steward∣ship. Hereupon he calleth together all his maisters debtours, one by one, and saeyth vnto the fyrst: how muche arte thou behinde with my mayster endebted vnto him? the partie aunswered: An hundred bates of oyle, (and a bate as some wryters do accoumpte, was a kynde of measure emong the Hebrewes, contey∣nyng seuen gallons of liquour, or theraboute.) Than ({quod} the stewarde) haue here, take thyne obligacion, and sitting down quickly, wryte thou fiftie in stede of an hundred. My mayster is ryche enoughe, I wyll haue thee saue the one moytie clere to thyne owne auauntage by my good helpe. This doen, he sayed to the secounde: and howe much oughest thou? who aunswered: an hundred quarters of wheate. Than (quod the stewarde:) take the bille of thy hande, and wryte foure score. As for twentie quarters, whan it is abated, my mayster will neuer perceyue: and to thee beyng a poore man, twentie quarters saued will do good seruice & stede. And after thesame sorte plaied he with the other debtours also. In case this fraude had been espyed or knowen to the foresayd ryche man: his steward had neuer escaped vnpunished for it: But yet the lord Iesus for an exaumple of beneficial liberalitie, praised vnto his disciples, y^e deuise of the said stewarde, though guylefull, yet wyse and politike: and exhorted al his to the fo∣lowyng of hym: geuing a sharpe checke to our sluggishnesse, in that, that men seruyng this world, are more prouident and forecastyng, and also more diligēt and industrious in prouydyng for theyr bodily susteynaunce and liuyng, then suche persones (who hauyng clerely renounced the worlde, do ensue thynges eternall) are in making prouision for themselues towardes the euerlasting life in heauen. And a foule shame it is for vs that they in theyr kynde are so wyse & so full of good prouision, all the buisinesse beyng onely for lighte trifiyng ma∣tiers, and thynges that shall anon after come to nothyng: whan we are slacke

by dooyng good turnes and pleasures to our neighbour, to purchace & geat sure stayes of the lyfe immortal: seeyng that by reason of the vncertain terme of this present life, euery of vs ought to loke for no lesse to cum, but that we must heare spoken to vs by our maister, the wordes which the said stewarde heard spoken vnto him: Thou maiest no more from this time forwarde exer∣cise or occupy thy roume of steward.

And this tyme for as muche as it is bothe to euerye man vncertaine whan it shall come, and also otherwyse to no man any better then a thyng of veraye short continuance, we must make hast, that al our worldly goodes bestowed on the poore in the way of almes, we maye prepare and geat our selues pro∣uisiō to serue and bring vs to the life euerlasting. For by that meanes shall it come to passe, that we also shalbe made partakers of the good deedes which other men haue doen, for as muche as we haue with our temporall goodes holpen them. For whoso dooeth with part of his substaunce help to aide and maynteyn any man beeyng buisily occupied about the cause or affaires of the ghospell to bee settefoorth: thesame shall again in the kyngdome of heauen be relieued and made partaker of the well doynges of an Euangelist, that is to say, a writer or a preacher of the ghospell.

Therfore saied the lorde: And take ye good wayes for your selfes in season while time is, after the exaumple of the sayd worldely wyse and politike ste∣ward. Procure vnto your selfes good frendes of an euil thyng, to thend that at suche tyme whan ye shall at the commaundemente of the lord be compel••ed to depart out of the tabernacle of this mortal body, thei may receiue you in∣to tabernacles euerlasting. An happy permutacion it is, whan transitory thin∣ges make chaūge with thinges eternal. And what is more vile, or ferther frō vertue, then the rychesse of this worlde? They are vneath at any tyme gotten without guile & falsehode. And other wayes or meanes, either to saue them, or els to encrease them, there is none, but thesame that they are gotten by. It is a possession of much buisinesse and encoumbraunce, and yet is it neither out of daungier of miscarriyng there whyle, ne any waye a thyng of long conty∣nuaunce. For they folowe not theyr maister whan he departeth hens, yet not∣withstandyng with thesame a man may bye that is euerlastyng, and whiche may do hym good stede and seruice in the life to cum. So it shall cum to passe, that the thing whiche in case it be hoorded vp and hiddē, maketh a manne vn∣righteous and thrall to many cares: thesame, if it bee layed out and bestowed in dooyng charitie, shalbee an instrument of euāgelicall righteousnesse, while bothe he that is a minister of the ghospell, is relieued with necessaries, and a reward cummeth to the geuer with a large encrease of entresse.

[ The texte.] He that is faithful in that whiche is leaste, is faithful also in muche. And he that is vnrigh∣teous in the leaste, is vnrighteous also in muche. So than if ye haue not been faithful in the vn∣righteous Mammon, who wil beleue you in that which is true? And if ye haue not been faith∣ful in an other mans buisines, who shall geue you that whiche is your own? No seruaunt can serue two maisters: for either he shall hate the one, and loue the other: orels he shal leane to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serue god and Mammon.

Whoso, as a steward, hath the disposyng and beestowyng of a mortall mannes gooddes, by suche meanes and none els is founde to be faithful and trustie, if he after a verye pynchyng sort bestow that he is put in truste with∣all. But contrariewyse God, who is ryche for and towardes all creatures,

would fain haue it moste bountifully laied out, that he hath purposely dely∣uered out of his handes to be eueriwhere distributed: and taketh him for an vntrustie seruaunte, whosoeuer kepeth to himself as his owne propre goo∣des, that the lordes will and mynde was to be made common to al people as often as the necessitie of the neighbour doeth so require.

Therfore, whoso in disposing of a thing of the least value possible, behaueth hymself otherwise then his moste liberal master would haue him, shal he not seme a person vnworthy, to whose honestie his maister should committe the dispensacion of higher thinges? All that euer we haue, is the lordes and not ours: corporall rychesse, and whatsoeuer this worlde produceth, is the only bounteous goodnesse of God. The doctrine of the gospel, & the other ghost∣ly giftes, are the goodes of almightie god, not for any suche purpose geuen vnto vs, that our selfes and no mo should haue the fruiciō of thesame: but to bestow them lyke good stewardes to the vtilitie & profite of our neighbour. But thus muche oddes there is betwene those two sortes of goodes or trea∣sours, that suche thinges as pertein to coūfortyng or cherishyng of the bodie (because they be without vs and not in vs) they neyther be our propre owne, nor continuall vnto vs. They are the goodes of the world rather then ours. Moreouer because thei haue an outward likenesse of felicitie after y^e worlde, (wheras in very dede, they are a sore lette and hinderaunce to the happye or blissefull state of man,) they bee not the thyng neither, that they are named to bee. For they are named goodes, whereas in very dede they are the thynges whiche bryng a man to the state of extreme miserie and wretchednesse. The rychesse therefore of the mynd and soule are the true richesse in dede, & riches that maye bee called our owne: not as though we were not bounde to God for them, but because they leaue not their possessour in the life to come, at lest∣wise if a man vse them now in this present life as he ought to dooe: And lyke as in a cōmon weale no mā is auaunced to the head office of gouernoure, as maiouraltie or suche others, excepte he haue firste in the roume of Counsta∣ble, and in suche other inferiour offyces shewed an ensaumple of his perfy••e honestie and vprightenesse: and as in a priuate familie the distrybutynge of precious thinges is not cōmitted, but to such an one as hath euidētly shewed himself faithful to fore in matters of lesse weight: so doeth the lord teach vs, that the dispensacion & bestowing of the rychesse euangelicall (whiche onelye and none els are true rychesse in dede, and our propre owne) is not to bee put to the credite and truste of suche an one, as hath nothyng faithfully distribu∣ted money, beyng a thyng, as moste vileste of all, euen so beyng an other mās and none of his owne. For whoso cannot sette worldly rychesse at naughte, will not syncerely distribute the richesse of the soule. And the lord stil beating suche thynges into the myndes of his disciples, saied: whoso is faithful in a thing of leaste value, it is a very great likelihode, that thesame will be fayth∣ful in a great matter too. And again he that is vniust in a litle thyng, wyll bee vniust in a great matter also. For that man, whose herte the care of a thyng nothyng worth in the worlde may bee hable to moue to dooe amysse: wyll muche sooner with a greatter occasion bee drawen to dooe amysse. That if in the wicked Mammon, that is to saye, in false riches and goodes gotten with falsehood (as commonly in very true dede it is) ye shal not shewe yourselfes faithfull to the Lorde who hath deliuered you thesame to be disbursed and

distributed abrode: what manne wyll commytte vnto you the bestowyng of the true rychesse of the mynde? And if in a thyng of an other mannes, whiche canne not perpetually continue with any man, ye haue been nothyng trustie, who will putte in your handes suche a thyng as might perpetually in tyme to come bee your owne? And a lighter offence and trespace dooeth he, whiche vnfeyth∣fully handleth the rychesse of this world, then he whiche vnfeythfully dispēseth the treasoures of the gospell. The kyngdome of god requireth to haue all the whole mā. And the mynde it requireth to haue free from the loue of all worlde∣ly thynges. Neyther is it for any man to attempte or goe about to make a medley of the worlde and the ghospell together, whiche ghospell is the kyng∣dome of heauen. For if no man can bee a seruaunte common and indifferente vnto twoo maisters at once, (because that scarcely any twoo men dooe so well agree within themselues, that one seruaunt is hable with his due attendaunce to satisfye them bothe at once, but that, the one or the other sette at naught, he muste of force be compelled to sticke to the one of them alone:) howe muche lesse can ye be hable to serue God and Mammon bothe at once, beeyng may∣sters so ferre discordyng together, that there is not so muche as any one poynct wherin they agree? And seruaunt vnto Mammon is that man, what euer he be, that setteth a great piece of his heauen in rychesse, and for that cause labou∣reth with al earnest applying of his mynde to geat veray great aboundaunce, and thesame to vpholde, maynteine, and encreace, whan it is gotten. And suche an one leapeth for ioy, whan his substaunce multiplieth, and is sore vexed in his herte, if it be taken awaye from hym by any misfortune. And seruaunte to God is he, who either shakyng of from hym the gooddes of this world, or els possessyng them, as though he possessed them not, dooeth with all earnest ap∣plying of hymself, go about the prouision of the thynges, whiche make to euer∣lastyng saluacion.

[ The texte.] And these thynges heard the Phariseis also, whiche were couetous, and they mocked hym. And he sayed vnto them. Ye are they whiche iustifie your selues before men: but God knoweth your hertes. For that whiche is highly estemed emong men, is abhominable in the sighte of God.

All the woordes and talke afore goyng, (though it wer specially and pur∣posely spoken to suche, as beleued themselues possible enough to bee Christes disciples, though they wer charged and loden with the carefulnesse of richesse) the Phariseis also did heare, whose hertes beyng as it were olde bo••tels, could not hold ne receyue this newe muste of the doctrine euangelicall. For they wer couetous and gredie not onely of money, but also of glorie. They wer haulte mynded, fierce, and men that would be auenged of euery matier. Therfore they skorned the doctryne of Iesus, who moued mē to charitable liberalitie, to not caryng for to be auenged, to the not passyng on glorie, ne on theyr lyfe ney∣ther. And certes this worlde also hath and euermore shall haue, his Phariseis, who trustyng to theyr owne force, will haue in derision the doctrine of humili∣tie, of fauour in pardonyng offences, of tractablenesse, and of liberalitie. A mouth enured and accustomed to y^e soure turned wyne of worldly wysedome & policie, abhorreth frō this heauēly muste. Maie it also please God to vouche∣salue one daye, to dampe the tauntyng mockes of suche persones, lykewyse as he did at this present sharpely reproue these Phariseis beeyng scorners, whan

he sayed: Ye swell in pryde with the vayn countrefaictes of goodnesse, settyng foorth your peynted sheathe in the face of men, who esteme a man of his ryches, of his gaye apparell, of the obseruacion of ceremonies: and of those thynges do ye purchase vnto your selues also a laude & prayse of holynesse, where in ve∣ray dede ye are neither ryche, nor holy, nor in happie or blissefull state, nor yet great men. For god, who onely seeth and beholdeth your hertes, estemeth a mā by the veray goodes of the soule. And suche a man and none other is ryche, who is rych before God: he is iust, that is iust in the sight of God: that man is great, who beeyng litle in his owne estimacion, is great by the iudgement of God. For moste commonly it chaunceth, that suche a thyng as to men semeth some high matier, and to bee had in high veneracion, is with God reputed a thyng abominable.

[ The texte.] ¶The lawe and Prophetes reygned vntyll Iohn, and sence that tyme, the kyngdome of God is preached, and euerie man s••riueth to goe in. Easier is it for heauen and yearth to pe∣rishe, then one title of the lawe to fayle. Whosoeuer forsaketh his wife, and maryeth an other committeth aduoutrie. And he whiche marieth her that is diuorced from her houseband, com∣mitteth aduoutrie also.

Ye dooe yet still hold the rynde of the lawe fast in your teeth, and ye glorye in the shadowes of thynges: wheras now the kernell within is to bee opened, that the lighte of euangelicall trueth arisyng, maye on euery syde dryue awaye all shadowes. Ye must now disacouainte & estraunge your selues from y^e ••oure old wyne of Moses lawe, & drynke in the newe muste of more soūder doctryne. The figures of the lawe had their time: What the holy sayinges of the prophe∣tes did promise, was looked for. But figures ceasse nowe that the trueth hath appered foorth: neither is propheticall promisyng any longer looked for, nowe that the thyng whiche they had promised, is in veray facte perfourmed and ge∣uen. From shadowes ye must goe foreward and growe to the veritie. And from the feith of the promyses, ye must grow vp to the loue of the thyng beyng now sent and geuen in dede. Iohn was (as ye would saye) a marchyng bordre or a particion diuidyng and seueryng the lawe with his figures, and the pro∣phetes with their promises, from the ghospell: which ghospell doeth in veray facte & dede geue, aswell that the lawe had with his figures signified and ap∣poyncted, as also that the prophetes beyng enspired with God had promised shoulde come. Iohn preached that the kyngdome of God was already come. And that veray thyng forsouthe it is which the lawe had in shadowes marked out: and that veray thyng it is, that the prophetes solemnely spoke of afore. And ye see the thyng self to be agreable to Iohns preachyng. For euer sence his tyme the kyngdome of God is continually preached vnto al people, and many dooe with glad hertes gredely take the blissefull and heauenly newes. They drynke newe muste, they take the doctrine of God: they contemne yearthly thin∣ges, and growe ryche with goodes and treasoures heauenly. They cast money awaye from them, but they woorke miracles: they haue no armour ne weapō, but they cast out deuils. They are not men of wealth, or rychesse, of power, of glorie and renoume in worldely estimacion. But in humilitie, in tractablenesse, in pacient suffreaunce, in charitable geuyng, and in the other goodes of the mynde, they are in veraye true dede, bothe ryche, & men of power, and also full of glory in the sight of God. And y^e high pathwaye vnto this felicitie is shutte vp to no man. That if ye Pharisees will not vouchesalue to entre, others will

preuent you, and take vp your roumes: the Gentiles will entre in, and all the nacions of the worlde will entre in. They cannot bee kept out nowe that the doore is sette open: they breake in by plain force and violence, if thei be not re∣ceiued in. Ye see publicanes, souldiers, sinners, & harlotes how thei come ren∣nyng thither. These sortes of people despisyng all that euer they are oweners of, contemnyng all volupteous pleasures of this worlde, trustyng to the pro∣misses of the ghospell, dooe with all their herte applye theimselfes to the true gooddes of the mynde: and whereas ye stande without doores (whose partes it had been firste of all others to enter, yea and also to bring in others whiche would enter:) they whome I haue rehersed, dooe through the feruentenesse of feith, through their promptenesse of mynde, breake in whether we wyll or will not. And suche kinde of violence dooeth the kingdome of heauen loue. Neither is there any cause why for the affeccionate louers of the law, to make suche a great criyng out, that the lawe is nowe abrogate, that the prophetes are nowe abolished. Nay thissame is not an abolishyng of the lawe, but an accōplishing and perfeictyng therof. For mothers dooe not vse to make weping and wail∣ling that their soonne is loste, whan he is of a boye weaxed and growen vp to bee a man. Now a veray great poynte of folye it were, for one to enbrace in his armes the counterfaicte porterature of a man, whan he may enbrace the verai mannes selfe who was so portured out: and no lesse poyncte of foly to speake to y^e maker of a promisse, whan one maie be sure (yf he will) to haue presentely in his handes, the veray thyngselfe that was promised. The thyng than must be compared with the image, and in case thei doe agree the one with the other, than acknowlage thou the thing that hath beene set out in shadowes, and en∣brace thou, that is perfourmed and geuen, in facte. If the proufe of y^e thinges dooe agree with the promisses of the prophetes, discharge theim as true men of theyr promisse, and enbrace thou that is truely perfourmed and brought to effect. And ferthermore, if thou se with thine iyes right many thinges to haue come to passe, whiche were marked oute by the shadowes of the lawe, (for the law is spiritual and ghostly▪) if in a great maignie causes, the end and proufe of the matter be aunswerable to the olde and auncient foresaiynges of the pro¦phetes: than beleue thou that all the other thynges also shall with semblable assuraunce bee perfourmed in time to come, whatsoeuer the lawe the pro∣phetes haue saied shall hereafter come to passe. What in the lawe was carnal and grosse, thesame geue the place to thynges of more perfeccion: but what in thesame is spirituall, thatsame not onely is not abrogate or fordoen: but also is brought to his iust and full perfeccion. For the lawe permitteth to y^e wedded houseband vpon geuyng his wyfe a testimoniall of her diuorcemente, that he maie putte his wyfe awaye from hym, and bring an other newe wyfe home in her stede: but by the lawe of the ghospell, whosoeuer refusyng his true wedded wyfe, maryeth an other, dooeth committe aduoutrie. And he that maryeth the woman diuorced committeth aduoutrie. For neither of the men hath his own wyfe, nor neither of the weomen her owne housebande. And aswell the comon reason of nature, as also euangelicall sinceritye dooeth in all earnest wyse re∣quire perpetual amitie without anye breache, and an vnion not possible to be dissolued or plucked in sondre, not only in matrimonie, but also in al frēdship. Neither is there any occasion or grounde why any should finde cauillacions that the doctrine of the gospel is repugnaūt to the thinges prescribed by Mo∣ses.

For Moses in consideracion of your hardenes of hert, durst not precisely require of you the thyng that he rather wished, then conceiued anye hope of, and sore against his mynde did he leat you haue diuorcemente at your willes, lest if it had been denied, your hatred against your wiues woulde haue braste out into some more furious and cruel dedes of mischief towardes thē. He ther∣fore whiche requireth that is of more perfeccion, dooeth make vp the lawe, and not abrogate y^e law: as a father is not contrary to himself, if the same hauing a great whyle afore been somewhat with the tendrest ouer his sonne to leat him haue his own bridle while he was of tender age, do require more of hym whan he is come to ful age, thē he did require of him before. And as for this I assure you of, (and saie I told it you:) that both y^e skie and the yearth (and yet is there nothing that shal longer endure then those two,) shal yet both of them sooner passe, then any one litle io••e or title of the lawe shal perishe, but that al be per∣fourmed whatsoeuer hath beene foresaied or prophecied: ••o veraye true it is, that I am not come to bee an abolisher of the lawe.

[ The texte.] ¶There was a certaine riche man, whiche was clothed in purple and fine white, and fa∣••ed deliciously euerie day. And there was a certain begger named Lazarus, which laie at his gate full of sores, desiring to be refreashed with the ••rummes whiche fell frō the riche mannes bourd, and no man gaue vnto him. The dogges came also & licked his sores. And it fortuned that the begger died, and was carried by the Aungels into Abrahams bosome. The riche man also died, and was buried. And beeing in hell in tormentes, he lifte vp his iyes, and sawe Abraham a ferre of, & Lazarus in his bosome, and he cried and said: father Abraham haue mercie on me, & sende Lazarus, that he maie dippe the ••ieppe of his finger in water, and coole my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame. But Abrahā saied: sōne remembre that y^• in thy life time, receiuedst thy pleasure, and contrarie wise, Lazarus re∣ceiued peine. But now is he conforted, and thou art punished. Beyond al this, betwen vs and you there is a great space sette, so that they which would goe from hence to you, can∣not, neither come from thens to vs. Then he saied: I praie thee therefore father, send him to my fathers house (for I haue fiue brethren) for to war••e them leste thei come also into this place of torment. Abraham saied vnto him: they haue Moses and the prophetes, leat them heare them. And he said: Nay father Abraham, but if one come vnto them, from the dead, they will repent. He saide vnto him: If they heare not Moses and the prophetes, neither will they beleue though one arose from death againe:

Nowe because the Lorde Iesus vnder a parable of a wilye stewarde•• lytell afore by him propouned, had exhorted menne to exercise charitable libe∣ralitie towardes the nedye, to the ende thesame parties might after this life receiue vs into euerlasting habitacions, at what time thei by a cōtrarie chaūg and course of thinges shalbee plēteously endewed with all good thynges: and the riche, who had their heauen afore here in this world, shal lye in peines and bee tormented with all extremities of woe and distresse: he here (as it were in a plain picture) setteth out an exaumple of the thyng, to the entēt it should cleue and sticke the faster in mēnes mindes. There was once (saieth he) a great riche man, who semed to lacke no manier thyng to the highest degree of fortunate & happie state of this worlde, a manne of great name & muche spoken of emong men, but of no name at al ne acquaintaunce with God. This man wente ap∣parelled in his purple and his veluettes, no lesse nicely then gorgeously. And because he would lacke nothing for the delectacion of his body, he would day by day haue his delicate fare, and his banquettinges, and would be serued af∣ter a portely sorte & princely, as a man which al in one was a bonde seruaunt aswell to ambicion, as also to gluttonous excesse, & to volupteousnes. There was also at the same tyme, a certain begger much vnlyke vnto this man, that

is to say, a felow of low birth, a felow destitute of any acquaintance emong men, but famous and noble afore God. For he had his name euē of the state & case y^• he was in, called Lazarus, because he was a man destitute of al worldly staigh or maintenaunce, and rested onely on the helpe of God alone. This La∣zarus had neither house nor apparell, ne meate, no nor yet prospe••ous health▪ of his bodye. For he was al full of sores and botches in his bodie, euen suche an other in manier, as it is read in scripture, y^t Iob was. This Lazarus was liyng at the saied riche mannes gate, loking that some reliefe should haue bee sent him of the crummes and scrappes, which fel from the riche mannes table, wherwith to swage the gredinesse of his stomake, nowe fretting & gnawyng, and as ye might saye, euen barkyng for hungre. The Lazaro man beeyng ful of botches and blames, might not bee suffred to come in, leste with the syghte of hym beyng deadly to beholde, he myght haue bene an iyesore to all the coū∣paignie, and myghte turne the merye there of al the whole feaste into sadnesse, whereas in all other behalfes it was all neate and fienely appoyncted. Thou heareste nowe the pompous pride of welthinesse: but emong all this excessiue fare, and wastefull prodigalitie otherwyse, yet was there so much pinchyng & niggardship toward the neighbour being at the veray poynct to dye for hoū∣gre: that there might not so muche as the crummes & scrappes be geuen hym, whan he made earneste peticion for them, wheras the dogges wer fed there euē panchefull, with greate lumpes and whole loaues of good bread. Yea and the dogges do euen in the veray teeth laye inhumanitie and vncurtesie to the ryche man, swymmyng aboue the cares in his deliciousnesse. For the dogges came and licked the sores of Lazarus. Who would not haue iudged that same ryche man to haue been a perfecte exaumple and paterne of most welthie and happy state: and this poore Lazate man to be a paterne of vtter miserie? But felicitie is in ••owyse to be measured by such thinges as fortune geueth to men in this lyfe. But in the matter that we nowe speake of, altogether was sodainly turned in and out clene arsie versy. For death hanging ouer the head of euery creature, lyke as it is vnto riche folkes an end of al sensual pleasures, so vnto them whiche liue in care & woe it is an ende of all sorowes. For so it fortuned, that the begger dyed: and where he was nothing passed on ne regarded among men duryng his life tyme: as soone as he was deade, he was of the Aungelles caryed into the lappe of Abraham. God vouchsalued to shew him thus much honour, whom the riche manne would not vouchesalue to leate be within hys house. And euen at the veray self same time dyed thesame ryche man too. For death alone beeyng egually indifferente vnto al folkes, teacheth the riche sore this lesson, that they are men too, aswel as others. And as for the Lazare man had not so muche as the honestee of burial, to be laied in a graue: but the riche man was caryed to hys burial with as great solemnitie as myght be about a corpse. But whan they were bothe departed oute of this worlde, and the riche man in hel, liyng there in greuous tormentes, and was no lesse hardely hādled as well with the lacke of thynges delectable, as also with the aboundaunce of all kyndes of euyls, then he had duryng his life time cherished hymselfe nicely and deintilye: at laste liftyng vp his iyes, he sawe Abraham a great waye of: he also espied Lazarus and knewe hym of olde whom he had suffred afore to lye as an abiect at his gate, and sawe him in Abrahams lappe takyng the ful fruicion of moste perfecte quiete and consolacion, in the most swete and tendre

enbracyng of thesame his moste holy father. For Abrahā acknowlaged hym for hys sonne, whome the ryche man would not vouchesalue to acknowelage for a man. The sight of an other mannes blisse in heauen, was to hym an en∣crease of his tormentes. And here in this case the riche man beyng in vain be∣come a faire mouthed crauer & a begger, cried with a pieteous noise: O good father Abrahā, haue thou pietie and compassion vpon me, and send Lazarus to diepe but euen the tippe of his finger in the water, that he maye but euen so much as ous coole my toungue with one litel droppe and no more, so sore am I tormented in this burnyng fyer. To whom Abraham aunswered. Soonne the coolyng and refreashyng whiche thou doeste now ouerlate make peticion for, thou shouldeste with refreashyng of thy poore neighbour haue purchased for thy selfe whan thou were liuyng. But at that time thou thinkyng thy selfe wel, with the present thinges of the world which thou haddest thā, wouldeste not vouchsalue so much as with the crummes of thy table to relieue Lazarus beeyng ready to dye for houngrie. Knowe thou nowe the course of thynges to bee rightefully chaunged. This muste thou know, (if thou bee disposed to cal it to thy remembraunce,) that in thy lyfe time thou hast receiued thy gooddes: & Lazarus contrarywise passed ouer al his e••uils, and missehappes in his life time. Now altogether turned vpsyde down, he here, after many tolde afflicciōs paciently suffred, is refreashed: and thou after al delicious sensualitye where∣with thou hast naughtily taken thyne own pleasure, art worthyly tormented. Thou turnedst thy face from the Lazare beeyng ful of sores, & biddedst away with hym out of thy syght, whereas for thyne owne parte thou were all in thy swete sauoures and perfumes: and now is he in mine armes, smooth and clere skynned from top to toe. Thou wouldeste not vouchsalue to leate hym come within thy house: and I am content to haue hym sytte in my lappe. Thou did∣dest neither with meate ne drinke refreash hym beeyng in extreme penury, and nowe is he refreashed with eternall rest, whiche knoweth no vexacion of houn∣gre ne thirste. And with what face dooest thou at his hande aske refreashemēt of cooling thy mouth: seyng that he not veraye long sens, could obteine no re∣freashyng at all of the? In case thou haddest cladde him whan he was naked, if thou haddest fedde hym whan he was houngrie, if thou haddest geuen him drynke in his thirst, if, whan he laye without thy gates, thou haddest gathered hym into thy house, if thou haddest doen some cure on hym beeyng all full of sores: he would nowe again obtein some coumforte for thee, and some releace of thy tormentes, and would receiue the again on his partie, into his brother∣hoode and coumpaignie Thou wreatched miser, where is nowe thy fine silkes and thy purple? where bee thy perfumes? where be thy feastinges and bāquet∣tynges? where is thy pipyng and dauncyng? where bee so many thy pleasures mixt with ambicion and vain glory? Whyle thou wer aliue, no kynde of wyne could please thee for beeyng cloyed with theim, so great was the deliciousnesse of thy mouth, neither wouldeste thou all the whyle so muche as geue a lyttell water to Lazarus beyng thirstie: and nowe thou canst not obteine, no not soe muche as a poore droppe of water to refreashe the scaldyng heate of thy tōge. In stede of thy galaunte manours whiche thou haddeste than, thou haste nowe the derke doungeon of hell: for thy delicate pastimes, euerlasting peine, for thy testynges and songes, continuall wepyng and owlyng. And so much y^e more past remedye is your extreme distresse, that an huige great gapyng hole

dooeth kepe vs and you in soondre, in sorte, that if any would gooe from hens thither where ye are, and helpe you, thei cannot: nor if any of you would assay to come vp from thens hither he cannot, nowe that by the iudgemente of God (which cannot be chaunged,) there is vnto al sortes their due place limited for theim to remayne in. In the life season, there was a tyme to refreashe y^e neigh∣bour by dooing good turnes and pleasures one man to an other, and to be re∣lieued the one of the other agayn: now is it ouer late here to wyl or desire, that cannot possibly bee doen. In thy delicate pleasaunt pastimes thou wouldeste nedes bee alone with suche as thou wer thy selfe: but Lazarus, and such other as Lazarus was, thou wouldest not suffre to come ons in thy coumpaignie. And nowe art thou again serued of thesame sauce for thy labour. Whā Abra∣ham had this spoken, the riche man beeyng put of from all hope that himselfe should obteine any reliefe, is desirous at leastwise to prouide some good waies for certain brethren of his, whiche he had yet aliue, lest that if they ledyng their liues after the same facion, should come into the same place, the felyng of his peine and woe, should by suche coumpaignie being ioyned vnto hym, increace vnto hym, whereas he was in myserie and extremitie enough al ready. But he dooeth nowe in vain become an humble suiter, whiche tofore vsed to putte of from hym the lazare man, when thesame made muche crouchyng and knelyng vnto him for succour. If the great derke doungeon (saieth he) bee a let, y^t there can no helpe be ministred or dooen to my selfe, yet thus much I praie thee, that thou wilt send Lazarus to my fathers house: (For I haue fiue brethren aliue) that he may geue warnyng and aduertisemente vnto theim, leste that, in case they folowe my steppes, they shall come hither to bee felowes and partakers here with me of these wofull sorowes and peines that I am in. But rather leat theim relieue the necessitie of the poore with suche gooddes as they haue, and leate them not vse their rychesse to the sensualitie of the fleash, but to the godly deuocion of the mynde, ne leate theim not sette their fansye and loue on suche thinges as for a season are swere and delectable in the worldly life: but on such thynges as maye purchase rest for euer to endure. Thus saied the riche man, whom the extrem•• tormentes whiche he nowe hadde experience of, made bothe an humble suppliaunte, and also a teacher of other, though it were nowe ouer late. But after death there is no praiers that wil serue: ne yet maie a man haue lycence to geue any warnynge or counsaill. For nothyng haue the deade to dooe with the liuyng. Abraham therefore made him this aunswere. It is no∣thyng requisite that Lazarus bee for anye suche cause as this called awaye frō his quiete reste. Thy brethren, (if they bee disposed to bee honeste men and to do wel,) haue Moses and the prophetes, leat them herken to them. For they in theyr bookes speake vnto al creatures. Than the riche man beyng an hard suiter, and a peticioner that would not be satisfied, (yet neuerthelesse ouer∣late) saied to Abraham: O father Abraham, as for Moses they will not heare no nor the prophetes neither: but yf one of the dead might come to theym, to bring theim sure and perfecte woorde, howe sore and grieuous tormentes tho persones doe here suffre, whiche dooe there passe their liues after myne ex∣aumple, whiche all ryche folkes for the moste parte doe, they will amend and frame theimselfes to better rewle and gouernaunce: Hereunto Abraham said: yea, that thou speakeste, is the colourable laiyng of excuses of suche persones as are disposed neuer to leaue, ne forsake that they doe naughtily and vicious∣ly

loue. The autoritie of Moses and of the prophetes is greater with theym, then the autoritie of Lazarus a poore begger shoulde bee. That yf they geue no eare ne regarde to them: truely if one should arise again from death to life, they would not heare him neither. Than would they fynde stoppes and cauil∣lacions, that it were the walkyng of some ghoste, or to bee some eiuill spirite. By these wordes dyd the Lord Iesus couertely geue a nippe to the vnbeliefe of the Iewishe nacion, who because thei did not in verai true dede beleue Mo∣ses and the prophetes, doe euen yet still at this present crie out agaynst Christ also beeyng restored aliue oute of his sepulchre, and nowe sitting on the righte hande of his father, whereas in veraye dede they woulde beleue that hath bee doen, yf they had truely beleued Moses and the prophetes tellyng & shewyng long afore, that it should so bee. By this parable dyd Christe coumforte hys disciples, who shoulde afterwarde for the loue of the kyngdome of heauen, en∣dure and abyde many affliccions in this worlde: and by the selfesame parable dooeth he feare the phariseis, the Scribes, the experte lawyers, the priestes, the headmen, the ryche folkes, the proude sorte, the fierce perillous men, and such as liue to the behoufe & commoditie of themselfes and no mo: to the ende they myght at leastwyse for feare of punishemente (if they would none otherwyse) refourme their vngodly lyfe. For otherwyse it shoulde come to passe, that they should there an other daye bee mocked again, whiche here in this worlde were mockers and skorners of Christe, whan he called them to better waies.

Notes

• What shall I dooe, for my mayster taketh frō me the stew¦ardship. &c
• Take thy bill. &c. and write fiftie.
• Make you frendes of the vnrigh∣teous Māmon.
• That when ye shal haue nede, they mai receiue you into e∣uerlastynge habitaciōs.
• He that is faitheful in that whiche is leaste is faithful al∣so in much.
• And he that is vnrighte¦ous in that least. &c.
• No seruaūt can serue two may∣sters. &c.
• Ye are they which iusti∣fie your sel∣ues afore men.
• But God knoweth your hertes
• And euerye 〈◊〉〈◊〉 striueth 〈…〉〈…〉 in.
• Whosoeue•• forsakethe hys wyfe & maryeth an other com∣mitteth ad∣uoutrye.
• Easier it is for heauen & yearth to pe¦rish••. &c.
• And there was a cer∣tain begger nam••d La∣zarus. &c.
• The dogges came 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and li••ked his sores.
• And he cri∣ed. Father Abraham haue mer∣cie vpō me.
• Betwene vs and you there is a great space sette:
• Than he sayed: I ••raye thee send him to my fathers house. &c.
• But yf one come to them from the deade they wil re¦pente. &c.