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

¶ The seuenth Chapter.

[ The texte.] Whan he had ended all his sayinges in the audience of the people, he entred into Ca∣pernaum. And a certaine centurions seruaunte whiche was dere vnto hym, laye sicke, and was in peril of death. And whan he heard of Iesus, he sent vnto him the elders of the Ie∣wes, beseching him that he woulde come, and heale his seruaunt. And whan they came to Iesus, they besought him instaūtly, saying: He is worthie, that thou shouldest do this for him. For he loueth our nacion. And hath built vs a Synagogue. And Iesus went with them. And whan he was now not fer from the house, the Centurion sente frēdes to hym saying vnto him: lord, trouble not thy selfe. For I am not worthie that thou shouldest en∣ter vnder my roufe. Wherefore I thought not my selfe woorthie to come vnto thee: But say thou the worde▪ and my seruaunt shalbe whole. For I also am a man set vnder power, and haue vnder me souldiers, & I saye vnto one: goe, and he goeth: and to an other, come, and he commeth: and to my seruaunt, doe this: and he doeth it. Whan Iesus hearde this, he merueiled at him and turned him about, & sayde to the people that folowed him: I say vnto you, I haue not found so greate feith, no, not in Israel. And they that were sent, tur∣ned backe home agayne, and founde the seruaunt whole that had bene sicke.

AFter that the Lorde Iesus had spoken many woordes of the muche lyke sorte, as is afore rehearsed, by the whiche he trayned his discyples and the people to sette them in a trade towardes the excellent high perfeccion of euangelical philosophie: he went again to the citie of Capernaum, in whiche citie he vsed muche and often to bee conu••rsaunte. And there eftsons befalleth many a soondrye occasyon to weorke and shewe miracles, to the ende that the autoritie of hys doctryne myghte bee confirmed and ratified with the most highe excellencie of his actes and dedes. There was in the same place a certain Cēturion, who had at home in his house a seruaunt, whiche was in suche perill and daungier of his lyfe with the disease of the paulsey, that he was euen nowe at deathes doore. Thys matier did not a litle vexe the hearte of the Centurion, who estemed his bondeseruaunte not by hys vile state of bondage, but by the fidelitie and trustinesse that he founde in him, and by the pure honestie of his behauiour, and by thesame his exaumple, did also reproue the inhumanitie of certayne maisters, whiche doe commonlye esteme and vse theyr seruauntes in no better degree of regarde, then they dooe their horses, or their oxen. But to the purpose, whan this Centurion had gottē knowleage that Iesus was gone into Capernaum: he procured and made out certayn auncient head men of the Iewes to make instaunt request to the Lord in theyr owne names, that he woulde vouchsalue to go vnto his house to make his seruaunt whole agayn. It came of reuerence and shamefastnes, (not of mi∣struste) that the Centurion first beeyng a Gentile, and secoundly a man of ar∣mes (whiche to bee was thought an vngodly thing,) maketh suite to the Lord by meane of others, and not by himselfe. But they whan they were come vnto Iesus, suspecting and halfe deming it to be a thing like enough, that so greate a benefit would not without much a doe bee obteyned, firste for a bondeman, secoundlye for an heathen, and thirdely for a Centurion, that is to saye, a pet••∣captayne for a Crue of souldyers: they entreate hym with muche carefulnesse and earneste woordes, saying: Syr haue no respecte that he is a Gentile, that he is a man of armes, ne for that thys benefyte is asked for one that is but a bondeseruaunt vnder him in his Crue. For he is soondry wayes a man wor∣thie for whome to doe as good a pleasure as this cometh to.

For he is right louing and frendly to oure nacion, and hath builded vs a Sy∣nagogue. Than Iesus because he woulde shewe that no persone is vyle afore hym, if the same bee commended and sette furthe to hym by feyth, wente to the∣same place that he was called vnto. And whan he was nowe come somewhat nere to the house, where the partie laye sycke in hys bedde, the Centurion per∣ceiuyng that the Lorde approched, willed hys frendes to goe mete hym: and thus to saye vnto him•• Maister, there is no cause why for thee, to take all thys laboure of cumming hither. Thy bounteous goodnesse doeth more now, then I durste haue presumed to desire. I knowe thy dygnitie well enoughe, and I knowe myne owne selfe. An heathen creature I am▪ a Centurion I am: and all this businesse that I make, is about no better a man but a bonde seruaunt. I am by myne owne iudgemente, a felowe vnwoorthye, vnder whose house∣roofe thou shouldest put thy head, and for thys cause durste I not presume to come vnto thee my selfe:

For the Iewes thynke themselues by metyng or cummyng of any of vs emongest them, to bee defiled, because we are taken as men vttrely estraunged from all true seruing and wurshyppyng of God, and enwrapped with manye soondry sinnes. Neuerthelesse the great dolour of my herte, and mine exceding great trust in thee, hath caused that I haue presumed to desire and aske health for my seruaunt lying nowe in extremes: whiche health thou arte hable with a woorde of thy mouthe to geue. But this is to symple and basse a mattier, yea and also to light a mattier for thee to come and dooe in thyne owne persone. I coniecture this by comparyson of myne owne selfe. For I am a man subiecte to the power of an other man, to whose commaundementes I am obedyente, and haue other Souldyers also vnder me, whiche dooe all thynges that I commaunde them: so that it is not necessarie for me to goe aboute the dooyng of all thinges in myne owne persone. But in case there bee anye homely or slendre mattyer to dooe, I saye to thys felowe: goe, and he gooeth, and to an other: come hither, and he cummeth. I saye to anye of my seruauntes whome me lusteth: dooe thys, and he beyng obedyente to my biddyng dooethe it. If the commaundemente of suche an one as I am, haue so great autoritie, that I syttyng styll, the thyng that I woulde haue is neuerthelesse executed and dooen by men that are vnder my gouernaunce, how muche more, though thou stiere not at all shall it bee dooen, if thou with a woorde and nothyng els, shalt geue such commaūdement, or commission to any of thy disciples? Iesus, being delyted with thys talke, because it was full of hertie good affeccyon to∣wardes his seruaunte, and of a lowelye opinion of himselfe, and of woonder∣full affyaunce towardes the Lorde, stayghed sodaynelye and stode styll: and shewed the veraye tokens of one beeyng in a greate meruaile: not because the thing that he hearde was straunge vnto hym, (forasmuche as he knewe well enough the herte of the Centuryon before these woordes were spoken:) but the purpose that he wente aboute was, by making a countenaunce of merualing, to commende vnto the Iewes the Centurions affiaunce and assured truste in god: and also to embrayde thē with theyr vnbeliefe, by this exaumple of a man being bothe an heathen, and a souldyer. Iesus therefore makyng delaye of an aunswere to the Centuryon, turned to the multytude of the Iewes, that ac∣compainyed hym, and saide: Thys one thing I affyrme vnto you of certaintie, that yet vnto this daye I haue not founde ne knowen so muche fayth in al the nacion of Israell. For the senioures of the Iewes that had come vnto him did lesse beleue on him, in that they made suche earneste desire to haue the Lordes owne presence there, and in that they halfe mystrusted that Iesus woulde not haue healed the seruaunt of an heathen man, onlesse they had alleged his hertie fauoure towardes the nacyon of the Israelites, as thoughe the Lorde were a geuer of his benefites for humain or worldly affeccions, or for the dignitie and woorthinesse of the persone: and not muche rather to the feithfull truste of the peticioner. Iesus therefore, (after that he had affirmed vnto them that a tyme shoulde come, whan suche as by the Iewes estimacion were reputed for heathē and for sinners, shoulde through the commendacion of fayth be receyued vnto the dignitie of the nacion of Israell, these persons reiected, who beeyng by na∣tural descent the children of Abraham, had through theyr vnbeliefe made thē∣selues vnworthy suche a paterne or heade stocke and lynage,) sayde vnto the Centuryon, (who at the laste was come hymselfe too:) goe thy wayes: for the

thyng that thou hast beleued maie be doen, is doen, thy seruaunte is perfite∣ly whole. And as he was in returnyng homward, he had knowelage by hys seruauntes meting him on the waye, that his seruaunte was euen at the selfe same tyme sodainly deliuered from his disease, in which the lord had said: thy seruaunt liueth. For so largely dooeth the vertue and efficacie of Ies{us} worde extende, that it doth with no lesse fruite or benefite helpe persons absent, and ferre distaūt, then those that were presente within his sight or reache, if their faythfull belefe and affiaunce in hym dyd hable theim as apte and woorthye to receiue their godly desire for theyr faythes sake, especially whan the ex∣aumple was suche, as myghte eyther put the Gentyles in hope and cumfort of goddes grace towardes theim, orels bee a monicion to the Iewes, that for defaulte of the true fayth, they should lese the fauour of god, which they should wilfully and obstinately reiecte and cast of whan it were offered. For certes this present exaumple was but an image or figure of the Gentiles af∣terward to cum into the felowshyp of the grace of the ghospel, through pure fayth, without the obseruacion of Moses lawe, and yet neuerthelesse by the commendacion of the lawe after a sorte. For the lawe was as a nouryce or a first scholemaister and bringer vp of men vnto Christe, and from the Iewes did the originall preachyng of the ghospell first procede. And certes for a fy∣gure of this matter and nothyng els it was, that the elders of the Iewes do commend the Centurious cause, and doe speake for him vnto Iesus: and the same Iewes dooe accumpany Iesus into the Centurions house, whom they would and did afterward driue out of their owne temple.

[ The texte] And it fortuned after this, that he went into a citie which is called Naim, and many of his disciples went with him, and muche people. Whan he came nigh to the gate of the citie, behold there was a dead man carried out, whiche was the onely soonne of his mother, and she was a wedowe, and muche people of the citie was with her. And whan the lord sawe her he had cō∣passion on her, and said vnto her: wepe not. And he came nigh and touched the coffin▪ and they that bare him stode styll. And he said: young man, I say vnto the, arise: And he that was deade, sate vp, and began to speake. And he deliuered him to his mother. And there came a feare on them all. And they gaue the glory vnto god, saiyng: A great prophete is rysen vp among vs, and god hath visited his people. And this rumour of hym went foorth throughout all Iewrye, and throughout all the regions whiche lye round about.

And forsooth the Lorde, to the entent that the seede of euangelicall doctryne might ferther and ferther be spred abrode, did oftentimes remoue & departe from one place to an other. And so it befell, that leauing the citie of Capernaū he passed by the citie of Naim, whiche lieth frō the mountain Thabor muche about the distaunce of two myles, towardes the South coaste, not ferre frō Endor. And whan he thyther wente, his disciples folowed hym, of whome by this tyme there was a great nōbre: and besides thē there wēt also a great multitude of the common people of all sortes and degrees. And whā y^e Lord was now not ferre from the gate of the citie, beholde an occasion of an other newe miracle. There came a dead corpse carried on mēnes backes towardes buri••ng with a great coumpanye of people. And a doulful matier it was, first because it was a very young man that was dead, and taken frō his lyfe euen in the very floure of his age: secondarily, because it was the onely sonne of a wedowe, who beeyng depriued of the coumforte of an housebande, had sette all the hope and staye of her lyfe in the same her soonne. This wedow therfore testified the woful tormenting of her hert both with weping teares, and also with many piteous woordes of lamentacion, suche as extreme ra∣ging

dolour doth commonly putte in folkes myndes to speake. The great wailyng of the wedowe, together with the vnripe deathe of the yong striep∣lyng, caused the reste of the coumpanye also to wepe, as many as for kynde∣nes and bonde of neighbourhode went folowyng the corpse. Whan y^e Lorde Iesus beeyng mostefull of mercie and pitie had seen this sight, he toke com∣passion on the wedowe, and shewed himself an effectuall comforter vnto her, that had none els to bee hir comforter, he holpe her bothe in wordes and also in dede. Womā, saith he, make no more weping. And whan he had so said, he came vnto the biere wheron the dead mā was carried, and put his hand to it. And immediatly they whiche carryed the corpse stayed. Here bothe coumpa∣nies earnestly herkenyng, aswell they that accoumpanyed the wedowe, as also they that came with the Lord, Iesus turnyng to the yong mā that was dead: young man ({quod} he) I saie vnto thee: Arise. At this worde immediatly y^e yong mā, euen as it had been one newly awakened, & reysed out of his slepe, sate vpright on the biere, and to the entent that it should be the more euidēt a token that his life was restored hym, he begoonne to speake. And this spea∣kyng dyd ferthermore also declare the lustye freashenesse and heartynesse of spirite in him.

And when he had now lept doun from the biere, and cleuyng faste vnto Ie∣sus by whom he perceiued that his lyfe had been restored vnto him, was stil rendryng thankes for it: the Lorde deliuered hym vnto his mother, to haue him home with her, goyng now on his own feete, whom she had caused after he was dead, to be carryed towardes bur••yng on fower mennes shoulders. And thus truely was the matier doen as touching the story, but not without a significacion of ghostly doctrine. The wedow beyng a mother, represēteth the churche. Forsooth euen this is thesame wedow whō the prophete Esaye doeth cōforte, saiyng: Be glad thou barain that bringest not foorth chyldren, reioyce thou y^e art nothyng towardes bearyng, for mo are the children of the forsaken, than of her that hath an husbande. The synagogue trusteth altoge∣ther in her spouse Moses: it maketh great vauntes of the children of Abrahā beyng equall in noumber to the sande that lieth on the sea shore. The churche after the estimacion of the worlde, semeth destitute of her spouse, who hath conueyed hymselfe vp into heauen: & at the first she semed barain, and with∣out hope of any issue or successiō, (the Iewes & also the prices of this world labouryng that al memorie of Iesus whom they supposed to be vtterly de∣stroyed and dead, might vtterly be takē away and abolished for euer.) This wedow doth daily bring forth, not children of this world, but childrē of the lyght: neyther dooeth she bryng them foorth to Moses, who taught thinges earthly, but vnto Christ, who teacheth and also promiseth thinges heauenly. She bryngeth them foorth, not to death, but to immortalitie. She groneth daily in bringing forth childrē yet vnshapen & vnperfite, vntil thei haue recei∣ued y^e spirite of the gospel, and vntil Christ be brought to perfite shape in thē. A true mother she is, & singularly doth she loue her childrē, whō w^t gret care∣fulnesse she frameth and trayneth vntill they may growe to full age, and may bee brought vp to the strength of perfite men. For loue and deuocion towar∣des god also hath it infācie, & it hath it cumming forward in growthe of age. That if at any tyme it fortune any of her chyldren to dye, she wepeth and can not be coumforted, nor wepeth any lesse for hym, then if she had had none but

hym alone, whom she loste. Innocencie whiche is geuen through euangelical fayth is life, and sinne is death. We see with howe great affeccion mothers do mourne for the bodily corpses of their children: but muche more tenderly doeth the churche wepe and waill for one that after baptisme is fallen again to any deadly synne, and more pensife she is for the death of one sinner, thē y^e Synagogue is glad of fourescore and nynetene ryghteous. Well than, forth is the dead mā borne of foure carriers: that is to say, of the inordinate desires of this worlde, which hauing the dead corpse on theyr shoulders be∣nng now destitute of the holy ghost, lackyng now all felyng of himself, beyng now dead aslepe in his ownnaughty vices, carrye hym down streighte to the graue of euerlastyng despaire. The church ferthermore hath gates, by which she casteth out dead folkes, lest that with the stinkyng of the dead corpse, the others also that are yet whole, maye bee infected. She hathe other gates also, by whiche to receiue in suche as are called to life agayn of the Lorde. As she bringeth not foorth into life, but by the spirite of Christe, so doeth she not receiue into life again, but whom Christ doeth call backe again. The por∣ters that carry the dead, neuer stop ne stay vntill they cum euen to the graue. For whoso hath made al his restyng place here in this worlde, & whoso hath once let himself at large to be ledde with sinfull affeccions, ceasseth not with damnable proceding to fail cōtinually into wurse & wurse, vntill he cum to y^e mayne depth of euils, and is deliuered to his lustes abominable. And all the while, naught doeth the mother but wepe, yea and all the coumpanye of his coūtreimen do wepe, sorowyng that the deade is cast out, whom they wishe to returne to life again. And these verilye are the prayers of our mother the churche, these been her teares, and these are the sighes and grouynges of the godly persones, makyng mone and sorowe for the death of a synner. This young strieplyng was dead, not beeyng yet confirmed with the spirite of the ghospel, and so muche the more worthye of mercie, because that thesame mā whō they had hoped & trusted should through y^e spirite of Christ haue prospe¦red and growen foreward vnto the highest degree of euangelical godlynesse, hym they see now past life, and void of any spirite, and by most merciles por∣ters to be euen in carriyng out toward the derke pitte of the graue. But yet neuerthelesse the mother al the while foloweth: the folke of the toune also do folow (for charitie cā scarcely by any meane despaire) & with teres, with fet∣tyng sighes, & with wofull lamētacions they declare what thyng they wish. But y^e thyng that they wishe lyeth not in their power to geue, neither be they able to kepe him stil, whan lyfe was once departed, nor yet of power to reise hym vp again, after he was dead. To mans power he was dead, and past all possibilitie of callyng again to life. But al is welinough. At the weping teres of his churche Iesus cumeth, and meteth them: luckie and blessed at al tymes is y^e metyng of our sauiour with any body. He casteth an iye on his wedowe, luckye and blessed at all times is the merciful lordes beholdyng of any body. He casteth no iye on the dead bodye, who because he thought not hymselfe to be in any nede of mercy, did not yet seme woorthy the mercy of Iesus, but y^e earnest affeccion and zele of the churche dooeth that obteyne, whiche y^e synner beyng desperate and past all grace dooeth not so muche as wishe. The Lord biddeth the mournyng to be ceassed, bringyng them in hope of ioye to folowe after: he putteth his hande to the biere. The porters of the dead corpse dooe

stand stil. The first poynt of hope, that one is in the way of amendyng again towardes innocencie, is, not to go any ferther in naughtines. He that ceasseth to be wurse thē he was, geueth yet sum token of hope on himself, that he wil one day were better. And yet doeth this not so fortune, onlesse Iesus vouch∣safe with his mightifull hande to touche the biere. The hande of Iesus set∣teth an end vnto all wicked desires or appetites, that y^e partie shal now ceasse from all naughtines, which was in cariyng to the graue. The church in dede praieth, she maketh great intreatyng, she exhorteth, she chydeth suche perso∣nes as dooe offende, because she would haue them to amende and bee in per∣fite reste from their viciousnesse. But all this in vayn, onlesse Iesus with his secrete vertue and power should touch the soule of the sinner being dead. For Iesus is the lyfe of euery man, yea, euen of y^e dead too. And good hope there is that lyfe wil cum again, whan Iesus vouchesalueth to touch y^e biere: but the hertines of lyfe doeth not yet retourne, onlesse the Lorde do speake vnto the dead. At the voice of whom only and none els the dead do reuiue agayn, yea, although they haue been laied in graue, yea and haue lien of fower daies continuaunce there: to the entent, that no man shoulde thynke any synners to bee so ferre past grace, of whose recouerye to grace again the charitye of the churche shoulde despaire. Lazarus was carryed oute, he was buryed, he laye stynkyng already in his graue, yet was there wepynge and wayliynge made for hym all the whyle, and at the voice of Iesus callyng hym, he came foorthe of hys sepulchre. And in dede Lazarus was with sumwhat more a dooe reysed to lyfe. For Iesus at that present dyd (as it wer) rore out in his spirite, he wept, and was sore troubled in himselfe: not for that it was any harder for him to reise one that had lien fower daies buried, then one whose lyfe departed but euen nowe oute of his bodye: but to shewe howe hardely suche personnes cum to amendemente, as haue of longe continuaunce accu∣stomed themselfes vnto viciousnes. Iesus caste an iye on the wedowe, & she leaft weepyng: he shall lykewyse caste an iye on the dead persone, and he shall begynne to lyue. The moste mercifull Lorde therefore turned himself to the partie that laye there dead, thou young man ({quod} he) I saye vnto thee: Aryse. He cannot choose, but reuiue againe, to whom any woordes shall bee spoken out of Iesus mouth: yea, although he were dead.

For the wordes he speaketh, are al spirit & life. What folowed of al this? He reuiued again to innocēcy, that was dead in sinnes: he setteth himself vpright who afore laie still hauyng no felyng of himselfe: and (the whiche is the moste euident token of a mynd corrected to goodnes) he beginneth to speake, cōfes∣syng his own synnes, & geuyng thankes to the mercie of God. He is restored to his mother aliues man againe, and where he was afore in carriyng to his graue with great mournyng of many people, he is nowe with muche great∣ter ioye of them all brought home again. For this propertie hath true godli∣nes, that it loueth such men muche the better, whiche haue amēded frō greate enormities to the ernest endeuour of ledyng a better life. For in these dooeth the goodnesse of god more better appere, thē in suche as haue neuer fallē into any greuous crime or enormitie. The mother reioyceth y^t she hathe receyued her sōne again. And thei which afore did mourn for y^e corpse, do now reioyce: and not only do thei reioyce, but also euery one of thē, as many as wer presēt at this sight, were taken with a certain feare. For suche as are opēly eiuill

and vncurable, the churche casteth out of her felowship as dead corpses: to the end that by the exaumple of one, many may be afeard to sinne. But y^esame cumpany doe praise and magnify the mercye of God▪ by whose power the dead retourne to life again. For so notable a miracle seen, y^esame people said: A great prophete is there sprong vp emongest vs, & god hath taken regard to his people. For the Iewes did as yet deme ne suppose no higher thynge of Christe, but that he was sum notable prophete. And of this act also did the fame of the Lord Iesus growe, the bruite of the matter being spred abrode not only throughout al Iewry, but also throughout all the coastes on euery side that lyeth about fluime Iordane, where Iohn had afore baptised aswel the other people, as also Iesus self.

[ The texte] And the disciples of Iohn shewed hym of all these thinges. And Iohn called vnto him twoo of his disciples, and sent them to Iesus, saiyng: Art thou he that should cum: or shal we loke for another? When the men were cū vnto him, they sayd: Iohn Baptist hath sent vs vnto thee, say∣ing: Art thou he that should cum, or shall we awaite for another? And in thatsame houre he cu∣red many of their infirmities and plagues, and of euill spirites, and vnto many that wer blind he gaue light. And he aunswered and said vnto them: Goe your waies, and bring woord again to Iohn, what thynges ye haue seen and heard; how that the blynd see, the halt goe; the lepres are clensed, the deafe here, the dead rise agayn, to the poore is the glad tidynges preached, and happy is he, that is not offended at me.

Than certain of Iohns disciples, halfe enuiyng at so great successe of the thinges that were wrought and doen by the handes of Iesus, and hauyng a certain spice of enuie at his name, waxyng euery one day more famous then other, and in maner derkenyng the glorye of Iohn, of whō they had an hyghe opinion: make relacion vnto Iohn, liyng fast bounde in the pryson, of all the thynges that Iesus spake and dyd.

Iohn therfore of purpose to remedie and cure this affeccyonate mynde of his disciples, called two of them apart vnto him, & sēt thē vnto Iesus, to de∣maūd of him this questiō: Are thou he that was sayd should cum, or els dooe we loke for an other? Iohn had so often alreadie geuen testimonie of Christe, and also pointyng at him with his finger, had said of him: Behold the lambe of God: Beholde hym that taketh awaye the sinnes of the worlde. And no∣thyng is there more contrary to al reason, then to thinke that so great a Pro∣phete as Iohn, beyng now nere vnto his death, should begynne to doubte. For though his body were in prison, yet was not his testymonye of Christe bound in ••haines: neither did the derkenes of the prison any thing dimme his iudgemente concernyng Christe. For whom he acknowlaged in his mothers wombe; hym dyd he no lese acknowelage in the pryson. But the synguler good man iudged it so to be most expedient, that he might by this way, as it wer, make deliuerie of his disciples into the handes of Iesus. Whan Iohns disciples therfore had dooen their message to Christe after thesame maner & fourme as their maister had geuen them in commission, the Lorde Iesus did at the first make them no aunswer: But many miracles doen in their presence, right many sundrie maladies driuen out from suche as were sicke, many vn∣curable euils put away frō men, vnclene spirites cast out of mē with a word, the sight restored vnto many that were blind, at last thus he aunswered thē: To what purpose is it for me to geue sentence of my self, who I am? There is no testimonie more clere oute of doubte, then the testimonye of a 〈◊〉〈◊〉

actes. Goe your waies and beare word vnto Iohn, what ye haue seene with your iyes, and what ye haue heard with your eares. The blynd receiue their sight, they that werlaine, are made hable to walke: lepres are made clene: the deafe haue their hearyng restored: the dead returne to life again: the poore & lowe dooe enbrace the glad newes of saluacion: according to the prophecy of Esaye, whiche sayeth: He hath sent me to preache the ghospell vnto the poore. Iohn preached the kyngdome of heauen to be at hande. Weigh ye with your selues whether these thynges whiche ye see, be thynges worthie and semyng for the kyngdom of heauē. And blissed is he, that shal not turne these thinges which I doe for the health of men, into an occasion of slaundre to hymselfewarde. For as the greatnesse of the thinges wrought by me, shall stiere many perso∣nes to enuie agaynst me: so shall the weakenesse of this body, bee occasion of slaundre to a great many. With this saying Iesus did secretly checke the en∣uie of Iohns disciples, geuing also therwithall a by woorde of knowledge that it would so cum to passe, that the worldly open shame of the crosse, (by whiche in any wyse the mystery of the kingdome of heauen was to bee execu∣ted and accomplished) would turne many mennes hertes a way from the do∣ctrine of the ghospell: and ferther, that blessed shoulde they bee, who neither woulde beare enuie ne grutche at his glory, ne as men dismaied or troubled with the reproche of open deathe, would sterte backe from his holsome do∣ctrine.

[ The texte.] ¶And whan the messengers of Iohn were departed, he began to speake vnto the people con∣cerning Iohn. What went ye out into the wildernesse for to see? A rede shaken with the wind? But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in softe raiment? Behold, they whiche are gor∣geously apparelled, and liue delicately, are in kynges courtes. But what went ye foorth to see: A prophete? yea I say to you, and more then a prophete. This is he, of whom it is written: Be∣hold, & send my aungell before thy face whiche shal prepare thy way before thee. For I say vn∣to you, among womens children, is there not a greatter prophete then Iohn Baptiste.

And whan Iohns disciples were gon their way, to reporte vnto hym the aunswer of Iesus: the Lorde begonne largely to speake in y^e praise of Iohn, to the entent that none of them should by reason of demaundyng the former question by his disciples, mystrust or suspecte Iohn hymself to be any thyng waueryng: or, concernyng his owne testimonie that he had afore geuen of Ie∣sus, to haue now chaunged his mynde, and to be halfe in a doubte of y^e same. Iesus therefore remoueth a waye from Iohn the suspicion of inconstauncie, and also maketh Iohns testimony concernyng hym, to be of the more credēce and weight, in such wise extolling Iohns excellēt vertues, that yet neuerthe∣lesse he gaue hym not the tytle of Messias, whiche tytle certain persons for a good long space did labour to geue vnto him. And in this maner it was that Iesus spake. Yf ye suspecte (saieth he) y^t Iohn, who a good while sens, gaue testimonie of me, to be nowe of a waueryng mynde, why than did ye a greate while agon leaue the tounes after that sorte, and rennefull and whole into de∣serte places to see the man? to see a rede (trowe ye) that is blowen to and fro with the winde and neuer long abideth stedfaste? But goe to yet, what went ye foorth at laste to see? A man (trowe ye) gaily apparelled in softe sylkes, y^t he may with deliciousnes of fare or with ambicion of honour bee corrupted? But this suspiciō cannot light on a mā, which went clothed in a camels hide, whiche gyrt his loynes with a roughe thong of heary leather, whiche lyued

with grassehoppers to his meate, and with plaine water to his drinke, and whiche, wheras he susteined his life with no fyner diete then this, did besides also fast very often. Whō gorgeous araie doneth best please, whō delicious∣nesse of meates dooeth delite: suche dooe seke and make shift to be in kynges courtes. And on suche persones as haue a great desire to the thynges aboue said, the suspicion of a corrupt sentence and mynde, of inconstancie and waue∣ryng, or of plain flattery may perchaūce light. But Iohn hath preferred wil∣dernes before y^e courtes of princes: he hath preferred y^e hearie hide of camels before veluets and silkes, and before garmētes of clothe of golde, or set with precious stones: wilde honey and locustes, hath he preferred before y^e mart∣spaines and other swete delicates of kynges: & plain water before the swete hypocras of the riche mē. And how that Iohn can in no wise flatter, the very prison that he is in, dooeth sufficiently trye. There is therefore no cause why any man should suspecte that Iohn dyd afore for any mannes pleasure or fa∣uour, geue so high and worthie testimony of me, and now to haue chaunged his mynde. But yet would I fain know, what thyng called you foorth into wildernes, was it (trowe ye) to see a prophet? In dede he opēly cōfessed that he was not the Messias, yet this one thing do I affirme vnto you, if ye ranne forth into wildernes for that cause, to see a prophete, ye are not frustrate ne deceiued of the thyng ye loked for. Ye haue in very true dede seen a prophet, yea and more then a prophet too. For this same is very he, of whom Esaye long & many a day gonne dyd prophecie, that he shoulde bee the foregoer of Messias. Beholde (saieth he) I sende my messenger before thy face, whiche shall prepare thy way before thee. For the prophetes did by derke mysticall sayinges foreshew certain thinges long after to cum: but this Iohn did with his fynger, point to Messias and shewe him, whan he came. Therefore they that thinke highly of Iohn, dooe thinke rightly and well. For thus muche I affirme vnto you all: Emong al the men that are now in this tyme or afore tymes hitherto haue been borne of women, there hath not any prophet arisen greatter or more excellent then Iohn.

[ The texte.] Neuerthelesse, he that is lesse in the kingdome of god, is greatter then he. And all the peo∣ple, and Publicans that hard him, iustified god: and were baptised with the baptisme of Ihō. But the Phariseis and lawiers despised the counsail of god against thēselfes, & were not bap∣tised of him, and the lord sayd: Wherunto shal I lyken the men of this generacion? and what thyng are they like? They are lyke vnto children sittyng in the mercate place, and criyng one to an other, and saiyng: We haue pyped vnto you, and ye haue not daunced, we haue mourned vnto you, and ye haue not wept. For Iohn Baptist came, neyther eatyng bread nor drynkyng wine, and ye say: He hath the deuil. The sonne of man is cum, and eateth and drinketh, and ye say, behold a gluttonous man, and an vnmeasurable drinker of wine, a frende of Publicās and sinners. And wisdome is iustified of all her children.

It is great and great enough that I dooe nowe witnesse of hym. But the thyng that sum assygne vnto him, he wyll not hymselfe acknowlage ne take as due vnto hym. For there is one greatter then he in vertue to dooe thynges, and also in dignitie, who neuertheles after the opinion and accepta∣cion of the people is inferiour to him in the kyngdom of heauē. The strayght liuyng of him, and his goyng into deserte oute of all coumpanye, they dooe highly esteme, and the familiaritie of this other do they contemne. The dig∣nitie of Iohn they haue in reuerēce, at the glory of this other they haue enuy. The doctrine of hym they did enbrace, y^e doctrine of this other they slaūdre &

depraue. He preached baptisme vnto repentaūce; for he affirmed the kingdōe of heauen to approche, and to the voice of hym herkened euery body, as wel the ignoraūt and inferiour people, as also Publicanes, souldiers, harlotes, making haste to the baptisme that Iohn ministred vnto thē, confessing theim∣selfes to be synners, and beyng desirous and fain to be washed from their sī∣nes. And so did they glorifie the righteousnesse of god, acknowlagyng theyr owne vnrighteousnesse, forasmuche as no creature is clene from great sinne sauyng onely God, and enbracyng the goodnes of God, who hath made pro∣misse that he will freely forgeue al the offences and transgressions of the for∣mer lyfe vnto all persones that with syncere trust and affiaūce, wil take their refuge vnto him. And cōtrariwise, the Pharises, the Scribes, & the lawiers, while they reken shame to acknowlage their owne iniquitie, they haue rather willed to make God a lier, thē to enbrace the trueth: & therfore thought they skorne to bee baptised of Iohn, vnto their cōfusion and castyng away, despy∣syng the mercifull counsaill of God, who hath appoynted and determined to abolishe the sinnes of all mortall people by this moste easy and ientle waye. For what is a more easy thyng, then to confesse, and so to be diep•• in water? not for that innocencie was or might be geuen by Iohn: but for that the bap∣tisme and preachyng of Iohn did make a preparatife to the same innocencie, to the end that the more noumbre of persones might be brought to saluacion through the preachyng of him, to whom Iohn was as a forerenner and mes∣senger, in case he should finde their hertes and myndes already prepared to receiue it. There was nothyng of all the premisses vnaduisedly doē, or w^tout a good grounde, but the prouidence of god disposed all thynges to y^e health and saluacion of mankynde. And the poore commoners, the people of moste lowest sorte, and synners, who semed to be ferthest out of the way frō true godlynesse, and very farre short of the knowlage of the lawe: suche men em∣braced the beneficial and mercifull goodnes of god. And contraryewyse they whom it behoued moste of all to vnderstand, that these thynges wer promy∣sed by the holy saiynges of the prophetes, and who also seemed to be y^e very pillours of al deuout holines, haue vtterly refused the bounteous goodnes of God, beyng offred vnto them, and haue felt no maner compunccion, to re∣pentaunce or amendment, neither at Iohns preachyng, nor yet at mine. And Iesus laiyng this obstinate malice plain in their face, brought in a similitude of this sorte in his communicacion.

What shall I than say of the people of this peruerse generacion, or to what thyng shall I say them to be like? They may bee lykened vnto boyes, whom we see sitting together in y^e open strete, which boies aunswering one another in their plaiyng, vse thus to saye: we haue plased you mery songes vpon our pypes, and yet haue ye been therby nothing moued to daūce: we haue played you mourning songes, and yet haue ye not wept. Thissame prouerbe beeyng taken of the common guise of children in the strete, did the Lord Iesus apply and compare vnto the obstinate Iewes, who neyther with the streight liuing of Iohn were moued to any feare of gods vēgeaūce: nor yet w^t y^e courteous familiaritie, and beneficial doinges of Christ, wer any thing stirred vnto the loue of him. For there came Iohn (saieth Iesus) with singular streightnes of liuyng, bothe preachyng repentaunce, and also geuing an exaumple of repen∣taūce, neither eating any breade, ne drinkyng any wine, but liuing in wilder∣nesse,

clothed in a pilche of a Camels hyde, & girte with a gyrdle of lether. But for all these thynges so ferre wer ye from all repentaunce, that the thyng which was doen for to emende you, ye turned into surmised slaundres and querels, saying. He lacketh common reason, he hath a deiuil in hym. The sonne of man is come seking by the contrary waye, to bring you to saluacion: that is to wete, as a man familiar and readie to mete or speake with all persones that woulde, makyng no shew of any new streightnesse of lyuyng, nor manacyng or threate∣nyng any punishement: but alluryng all persones with benefites vnto the loue of hym, eatyng and drynkyng as other folkes vse to do, beyng conuersaunte emong all sortes of men whatsoeuer they were, nor differyng from other men either in his meate, or els in his arye. And this mānes humanitie and cutteous behaueour wherewith ye ought to haue been prouoked vnto better wayes, ye turne into an occasion of slaundreous reprochefulnesse, saying: Behold a glut∣tonous felowe, a drynker of wyne, a frende of publicanes, and of synners.

But yet nothyng preuayled the malice of men agaynst the workyng or pur∣pose of the wysedome of God. For the righteousnesse of God was euen by that meanes glorifyed with all the chyldren being geuen to euangelicall wysdome, after that it was well to be knowen that nothyng was leaft vndoen for the sa∣uyng of all creatures: but yet the euyll and the proude, refusyng the free gifte of God, by theyr owne iust and true desertes to be cast of and to bee condem∣ned: and in theyr stede publicanes, harlottes, sinners, and heathen, to be right∣fully admitted to the partakyng and felowshyp of saluacion. So was it pro∣phecied afore that be it shoulde, and so did it proue: So was it reason that it should come to passe, & so came it to passe in dede. Thei that vaunted themselfes to bee godly men and righteous, were for theyr vnbeliefe reiected and put a∣waye from the free gifte of euangelicall saluacion: and contrarywise, suche mē as through promptnesse of beleuyng, and through vncorrupt affecciō haue vi∣olently brast in for to come to the Lord, were they neuer so secular, wer they ne∣uer so muche to be abhorred, wer they neuer so muche defoyled with synfulnes, haue been receyued to the felowshyp and brotherhood of the kyngdome of hea∣uen.

[ The texte.] And one of the Phariseis desyred hym that he woulde eate with hym. And he wente into the Phariseis house, & sate down to meate. And beholde, a woman in that citie (whiche was a synner,) as soone as she knewe that Iesus sate at meate in the Phariseis house, she brought an Alablaster bore of oyntemente, and stood at his feete behynde hym wepyng, and beganne to washe his feete with teares, and dyd wype them with the heares of her head, and kyssed his feete, and enoynted them with the oyntmente. When the Pharisee (whiche had bidden him) sawe that, he spake within hymselfe, saying: If this man were a prophete, he woulde surely knowe who and what ma••••••er a woman this is that toucheth hym, for she is a synner.

And beholde, there folowed byanby in the necke hereof a certayne matier, wherin the case selfe should laye playnly before their iyes, thesame that the lord had taught in woordes, concernyng the puttyng awaye of suche as thoughte themselues righteous, and the receyuing of synners to grace and fauour. The Pharisees ferre aboue other men were puffed vp in pryde: by reason of know∣lage of the lawe, and for the opinion that the people had of their holynesse. And so it befell that one of them prayed the Lorde to take a repaste at home at his house. Neither did Iesus disdeigne thesame to do, who denied no man to haue his presence that woulde. And whan he beyng entred into the Phariseis house

was set down at the table: beholde a certain womanne, whiche within thesame citie was knowen for a notorious synner, as soone as she knewe that the moste mercifull Lorde Iesus, (who would debarre no creature from commyng to hym, who also did moste promptely and readilye helpe all the eiuils of all per∣sones) was there presente: she altogether mislykyng herselfe for her synneful∣nesse, but yet conceyuyng great truste and affiaunce of the mercifull goodnesse of Iesus, did (as ye would saye) breake in parforce into the Pharisees house. The ardent desyre of her herte had shaken of all shame from her, thoughe she knewe well enough with how great stately disdeygnefulnesse, & straunge coun∣tenaunce the pharisaicall sorte vsed to turne awaye their faces from synners, and not once to loke vpon them, whereas themselfe within foorth swimmed as full as theyr skyn might hold, of muche more grieuous vices. And with her she brought the precious thinges of her moste chiefe pleasure and nicitie, that she had yet remayning with her, as monumentes and tokens of remembraunce of her former lyfe, (whiche lyfe she now abhorred,) and vpon Christ (in the heauē∣ly loue of whom she now burned) it was her intente without making any store therof, plēteously to poure it out, and in cheryshyng of hym to bestowe all these precious and fyne thynges, wherwith she had afore tymes naughtely serued hir owne delicate pleasure, and had made herself amiable vnto the world. And the thing that she brought was a fyne delicate litle bore of swete oyntment and sauours, whiche vessell they called Alablastre, of a Greke terme, because of the smothenesse of it (whiche letteth, that one maye vneath take it vp, and holde it in his handes for slippyng.) But the oyntmente was specially good and fyne, and had coste a great summe of money, for so smale a thyng. And in olde tyme suche as were bondeseruauntes to the sensuall pleasures of the fleashe, did ve∣ray greatly delyte in swete oyntmentes and perfumes and especially in coum∣payny at any banquettynges. But see and note the holy importunitie of this woman beyng a synner. She dyd not onely ieoperde as an vnbidden geaste boldely to entre into the house of a Pharisee: but also euen as she was decked and trimmed in her araye, came in boldly into the coumpaynye as they satte at the bourde. And because the tables of the parlour stoode so, that they letted her to come and caste herselfe down prostrate on the fore syde, at the feete of Iesus: she stood behynd at his backe and (aswell as she might do,) begonne to washe his feet with teares of wepyng, marryng for her soule health the beautie of her iyes, which of long tyme afore she was woont in the waye of abhominacion to peynte with Stibie: and the feet of Iesus beyng wel wasshed with teares try∣clyng down from her iyes lyke the droppes of rayne in a shower, she wyped drie again, not with any towell of lynnen, but with the heares of her own head, whiche she had vntyll that daye, customablye vsed for the delycate and sensuall pleasure of the fleashe, to enoynt with swete perfume, to dye with coloures, to kembe, and to brede with wrythes of golde enterlaced emong it. The woondre∣full loue also of this woman beeyng a synner, was with all this not yet satis∣fyed: but after that Iesus feet were so washed and wyped, she leaft not kyssyng of them: But all the thynges which were once the instrumentes of her fylthye pleasures, she now turned to the obedient seruice of hym, who onely, and none but he, is to be loued. Thou hast now the plain facion of a synner, through vn∣saciable importunitie of ardent loue, and throughe stedfastnesse of feith, brea∣kyng parforce into the kyngdome of heauen. Now on the other syde haue thou

a paterne of the Iewe, who through his presumpteous conceite of hymself, and his vnbelefe, maketh hymself vnwoorthie the merciful goodnes of god, that is offred. The Pharisee which had desyred Iesus to dyner, whā he saw this, wheras his part had been to fauour the woman of suche a feruēt good zele pressyng in, with so great humilitie submitting herself to Iesus, & by so many tokens protestyng an earnest repentance of her former life: and wheras he should haue loued the mercifulnesse of Iesus, who putteth away no persō from him, he is moued to the slaunderous misiudgyng of them bothe. For this did he thinke within himself: This man if he were a prophete suche an one as he is reputed to be, forsooth he could not be ignoraunt, what woman and of what sort she were, that thus toucheth him with her handes. For a cō∣mon harlot she is and a woman of notorious vnchaste liuyng, whiche thyng if he dyd know, he would not suffre himselfe to bee defiled with the touching of a body polluted and vncleane. For the Pharisee thoughte holy men to bee polluted if they did but so muche as once talke with a sinner. Such was the stately proude braggues of counterfayted ryghteousnesse, thorough whiche the Iewes stode highly in their owne conceites, incurryng the indignacion of God thereby.

[ The texte.] And Iesus aunswered, and sayed vnto him: Symon I haue sumwhat to saye vnto the. And he sayed: maister saie on. There was a certain lender whiche had two debtours, the one ought fyue houndreth pense, and the other fiftie. Whan they had nothyng to paye, he forgaue them bothe. Tell me therfore, whether of them will loue hym moste? Symon answered & said: I suppose that he to whom he forgaue moste. And he saied vnto hym: thou hast truely iudged. And he turned to the woman, and said vnto Simon: seest thou this woman? I entred into thy house, thou gauest me no water for my fete: but she hath washed my fete with teres, and wiped them with the heares of her head. Thou gauest me no kysse. But she sens the time I cāe in, hath not ceassed to kisse my fete. My head with oyle thou diddest not anoynte: but she hath anointed my fete with oyntment. Wherfore I say vnto the: many synnes are forgeuen her, for she loued muche. To whom lesse is forgeuen, the same doeth lesse loue. And he said vnto her, thy synnes are forgeuen thee.

But Iesus to the entente that he would so muche the more declare hymself to bee a Prophete, made aunswere vnto the secrete thought of the Pharisee: Symon ({quod} he) I haue a thing to tell thee. Than sayd the Pharisee: Maister, saye on, what is it? Than Iesus seyng the Pharisee to geue good eare vnto hym, because he woulde not beefore all the coumpanye of the other geastes, ••••••nly det••cte the vngodly thought of the Pharisee (for the parte of a ryght gospeller is also to see that he vse ciuilitie and good courtesy too) put forth vnto hym a parable of suche sorte as here foloweth. Two certain persones •••• once went endebted bothe to one vsurer, of whiche two debtours, the one oughte fyue hundreth pyeces of syluer coyne called denaries (whiche were muche about the estimacion or rate of fiue or sixe pense a piece of old sterling money, so that this mannes whole debt amounted muche nere about y^e sūme of twelue or fiftene poundes sterlynge or rather aboue: albeit sum wryters yea and muste wryters, dooe value the olde denarie, muche aboute twelue pense ••••eol••••g, and than was the debte twentye fyue poundes sterlyng:) and the other debtour oughte but fiftye of suche syluer pieces (whiche was muche aboute the summe of fyue and twentye shyllynges, or thirtie shyllyn∣ges, or after the greatter estimacion it was fiftie shillinges sterlyng) & for as muche as bothe of thē were found vnhable to pay their dueties, he forgaue them all the whole summes euerye penye, that they were indebted in. Now

whether of these two is bounde the more hertilye of them both to loue so li∣berall a creditour? Symon not yet vnderstandyng what ende thys parable was ment to cum to, aunswered plainly without any subtiltie. In my mynd (saieth he) that partie is bound the more earnestly to loue his credytour, to whom the more summe was forgeuen.

Than Iesus openyng for what purpose he had put foorth this doubtfull question, saied vnto Symon: Thou hast iudged rightly: but thou applye•••• thy iudgement nothyng equally ne indifferently. And foorthwith he tourned himself to the woman, and spake vnto Symon: dooest thou see this woman, whom thou callest a synner? dooest thou not see her all full of wepyng, with her heare lyīg about her shoulders, makīg lauasse of her precious perfumed oyntemente, lyberall and more then liberall of her kisses geuyng to my feete, liyng prostrate afore me, & outwardly shewyng all the behaueour and vsyng of her body, a paterne and liuely exaumple of a repentant persone? These a••e manifest tokens of a certain excedyng great loue towardes me. The more er∣nestly that she hateth her self, so muche the more frankely she tendreth me and maketh of me. She came hither a siner: but she was throughly made whole, assone as she touched the physicion.

Thou despisest this woman here as a synner, and of thyne owne selfe thou hast a good opiniō & cōceit that thou art a righteous man: but y^e godly zele & affeccion of this sinner, is ferre oddes aboue thy righteousnesse. I am cum in∣to thy house a geast bidden to a repast and desired to cum, & yet hast thou not so muche as geuen me water for my fete, whiche neuerthelesse had been but a ientle poynt of courtesie euerywhere cōmōly vsed: but this womā hath wa∣shed my fete with her own teres, & hath wyped thē with y^e heare of her head. Thou hast not geuen me a kysse sens I came in, whiche euery common frende dooeth of a customable vsage geue one to an other: this woman euer sēce she came first in at the dores, for the immoderate zele and affeccion of her hearte hath not ceassed still to be kissing of my fete. Thou hast not anointed my head so much as with cōmon oyle, which point of ientlenes is cōmonly shewed to any geastes whatsoeuer they be, that cum to a repaste in any mannes house: this woman hath with a precious and a very costely oyntment of perfume al ouer and ouer anoynted my fete, that is to say the most abiect and vyle parte of the bodye. Doe not thou weigh how muche she hath synned: but consider thou how muche she loueth. For dere loue couereth a multitude of sinnes. For this muche I plainly affirme vnto thee, that a great noumbre of synnes are forgeuen her, not because she hath muche fasted, not for that she hath vsed muche praier and cōtemplacion, not because she hath been a deuout obseruer of many pharisaicall cōstitucions: but because she hath muche loued, and be∣cause she hath with all her whole hert put her trust and confidence in me. The more greuously that she hath synnned, so muche the more dooeth she myslyke her selfe, and so muche the more earnestly doeth she loue me, through whose free mercy she hath been deliuered from her many fold synnes•• So hath the greatnes of sinnes turned to a gracious and a blissed good end for her part. And on the other side, to whom lesse is forgeuen: that partie doth not loue so greatly: as for exaumple, ye Pharyseis thinke your selues righteous for y^• obseruyng of the lawe, and not to haue any great thinges in you, that nedeth Gods pardone, and therfore your loue and affeccion is the colder towardes

the geuer of remission. The Lord, whan he had spoken all this to the Pharisee, sayed vnto the woman: Thy synnes are forgeuen thee. She had made no prai∣ers in wordes, she had made no confession at all in wordes, but she dyd muche the more euidently confesse herselfe by her doinges, and muche the more effectu∣ally did she praye with her teares. And this is to Christe the moste acceptable confession of all. And with this sorte of prayers is he moste soonest moued to shewe mercie. Happie are those teares, blissed is that waste & losse of swete oyle, blessed are those kysses, which winne of Iesus to speake suche a worde, as this: Thy synnes are forgeuen thee. For Christ is not one that forgeueth some, and other some reserueth backe: but he doeth freely pardone all sinnes together, not imputyng any parte at all of the former naughtie liuing vnto any persone that is penitent from the botome of the herte.

[ The texte.] ¶And they that sate at meate with hym, began to saye within themselues: who is this whiche forgeueth synnes also? And he sayed to the woman: Thy fayth hath saued thee: Goe in peace.

And now marke me agayne the pharisaicall holynesse. True godlynesse doeth as veraily reioyce at an other bodyes good chaunces, as at his owne. But the Phariseis that sate there altogether at the table, enuying the mercifulnesse of Iesus vnto the womanne beeyng oppressed with synne, begoonne with secrete thoughtes to murmoure agaynst hym in theyr hertes, saying: what felowe is this, whiche taketh so muche vpon hym, that hauyng none other authoritie but his owne, he remitteth sinnes too, whiche power not one of all the prophetes or patriarkes hitherto hath vsurped? No nor the priestes neither do take any fer∣ther thyng vnto them, then to praye for the synnes of the people. But Iesus knowyng theyr secrete thoughtes, because he would the more confirme the wo∣mans herte, and sende her home agayne to her house a glad woman of a sorow∣full, sayed vnto her: Thy feith and constaunt truste in me, hath saued thee: Goe thy wayes in peace. The Phariseis had perswaded themselues, that synnes were forgeuen through burnt sacrifices, and through washynges. And in dede those thynges had in them a certayne figure of thynges ghostly. But the lorde Iesus playnly shewed vnto them, that all synnes are throughe the feith of the ghospell, full and whole forgeuen for euer, to all suche as repente and emende. And thus in these thinges whiche we haue made rehersall of, hath as it were vnder a certayn shadowe, been sette forth a certayne representyng of both peo∣ples, that is to wete, the Iewes, and the Gentyles: of whiche two peoples, the one, that is to saye, the Iewes, did with kynde and louyng pretense of wordes call and bydde Christe vnto them, crying by the space of many hundred yeres: Come thou o Lorde, and tarye not. But whan he was come, neyther, did they on theyr owne parties receyue him as theyr bounden duetie was to haue doen, because they beare themselues bolde on a false perswasion of holynesse whiche they had conceyued in theyr hertes throughe the outewarde obseruyng of the lawe: and yet morouer did they murmoure and whine agaynst others, that wer willyng to embrace saluacion whan it is offred.

For while they attempte and laboure throughe the oblacion of outwarde bo∣dily thynges, to establyshe their owne righteousnesse▪ they were not subiecte to the righteousnesse of God, which through feyth is freely geuen. But the people of the Gentiles, to whome Christe was not come (forasmuche as besides ydo∣latrie which reigned in them, they wer morouer altogether wedded to al kinde

of vices, ne had any affiaunce in the woorkes of the lawe, in whiche they were altogether ignoraunte:) assoone as they had knowleage of Iesus, did (as ye might saie) forceably breake in to him where he was, and through the plain sim∣plicitie of feith, were made woorthie to haue remission of their grieuous offen∣ces: and did withall possible earnest good myndes, embrace & kysse the fre gift of god, whiche the Iewes did either set at naught, or els at leste wyse did colde∣ly and faintlye embrace. Albeit there is in this woman an exaumple of repen∣taunce sette foorth vnto all creatures in generall, whosoeuer shall begynne to lothe and hate synnefull dooynges, that he turne not hymselfe to Moses, or to the Phariseis, ne vnto the philosophiers: leat him make haste to Iesus onely and to none other. None there is more mercifull then he: none more enclined to pardone and to forgeue. On Iesus leat hym poure oute that he hath tofore been accustomed wastefully to bestowe on his wicked sensualitee: vnto the o∣bedient seruice of Iesus, leat hym consecrate al his membres whiche to fore did serue his filthy & abhominable lustes. The touchyng of Iesus shal take awaie all his synnes. If he cannot come to touche Iesus head, leat hym touche hym by the fete. There is no parte of Iesus so basse, but y^t it maye make hym whole from al his synnes. A woman there was perfeictely cured and healed from a bloudy flixe, whiche had no more but touched the skirtes of Iesus garmente. And Iesus is wel contented, that it bee imputed to himselfe, whatsoeuer ien∣tilnesse or pleasure hath been bestowed on the neighbours, yea ••uē of the moste lowest degree. He will acknowelege any benefite, that is doen to any membres of his. Leate not therefore all the consideracion of a sinner bee, howe muche he hath offended. Leat hym not kepe any audite or accompte of his well doinges, as though he would be at an euen poynte and rekonyng with Iesus, in suche sorte as the Pharisees did: But let him only with his veray hert thinke himself to bee naught, & with all his whole breste conceiue assured hope and truste on Iesus. Leat hym begyn to hate, that he did once after a naughtie facion loue, let hym begyn to loue that once he wiekedly refused and cared not for. Faythe shal at the moste mercifull Lordes handes obteigne, that merites coulde by no possibilitie hope for. And here emong al thynges, o moste honeste Theophylus, consider me three fold soondrie persones, the firste of the woman beeyng a syn∣ner: the second of the Pharisee: and the third of the Iudge. The Iudge onely and none but he, is in veraye true dede pure from all staynyng, or filthinesse of vice and synne, or rather is the veray true fountayne of al puritie. The woman a synner dooeth nothyng els but wepe, wasshe, wype, kysse, and enoynte. Here haste thou the markes to knowe the duties of true loue and charitie towardes thy neighbour. The Pharisee beeyng pussed vp in pride with the Iudaicall righteousnesse, slaundreously blameth and accuseth the gracious mercifulnesse of the salueour, he thynketh skorne of the synner, and also enuieth her, himselfe beeyng cloggued with muche more grieuous eiuill. And of suche sorte for the moste parte, is the perswasion of righteousnesse, that spryngeth of the habite or clothyng, of the choyce of meates, of putting a diuersitie betwene one daye and an other of wasshynges of the bodye, and the vesselles whiche serue to eate and drinke in, of long beyng in prayers and meditacions, and of other lyke thyn∣ges, whiche haue a countenaunce and shewe of godlye deuocion afore menne, whereas in none of all these thynges consisteth the godlynesse of the ghospell.

And all suche folkes as manye as put theyr truste and confydence in

in thynges of suche sorte as the aboue mencioned, bothe are wont folishly to stande in high conceite of themselfes, and to thynke vile of their neyghbours, and also to bee replete with enuye, and slaunderouslye to reproue the free goodnesse of almightie God. For what if that same woman had touched the Pharisee, with what a skornful loke would he haue shakē her of, with what washynges would he haue pourged hymselfe from the infeccion of her? In suche sorte doe they despise the miserable sinning woman: who on their own partes are sore sicke of enuie, of stately pride, and of the disease of burdening men with false crimes: and are so muche the more vncurable, for that in theyr owne conceytes and opinions they seme nothing sicke at all. For many times it chaunceth, that menne soner amende from notorious and open vices, then from suche as kepe themselfes hydden vnder the cloke of holines. An aduou∣trer, a drounkard, a felowe drouned in riotte, and Idolatrie, a souldier that dooeth all as hym lusteth, a man maie sooner conuerte to good mynd, than a Pharisee, an enuious persone, one that standeth in his owne conceyt, a backe∣biter or a dissembler.

[ The texte.] And they that sate at meate with him, beganne to saye within themselfes: who is this whiche forgeueth sinnes also? And he sayed to the woman: Thy faythe hath saued thee: Goe in peace.

Nowe suche as the maister of the feaste is, euen suche are his geastes al∣so beyng Phariseis. What a felowe is thissame (say they) that he remitteth synnes? But the iudge, who alone and none but he knewe all mēnes hertes, who alone of all men myghte haue loked alofte for his holynesse, doeth ma∣uerly and courteously correct the pride of the Pharisee: he playeth the attor∣ney and aduocate for the synner, and both assoyleth and also coumforteth her confessyng her sinfulnesse. It must therfore be the parte of an euangelical pa∣stour, to flee the exaumple of the Pharisee, and to folow the tendre ientlenes of Iesus in receiuyng synners.

Notes

• Beholde there was •• dead 〈◊〉〈◊〉 caried ou••••▪
• Whan the Lorde sawe her▪ he had compassion on her.
• And he that was deade, sate vp and beganne to speake.
• And there came a feare on them all.
• A great pro¦phete is ari∣sē vp emong vs.
• Go your wais & brīg word again to Iohn what ye haue seen.
• And happy is he that is not offēded in me.
• What wēt ye oute into the wilder∣nes for to se: A rede.
• And all the people & pu¦blicans that heard hym, iustified god.
• We haue piped to you, and ye haue not ••aunced.
• The soonne of manne is come and eateth and drynketh.
• Wysedome is iustyfyed of all hir chyldren.
• A womā in the citie which was a sinner. &c.
• she brought an Alabla∣••••re bore of oyntmente.
• And did wipe them with the heare of her head. &c.
• Whan the pharise which had biddē him. &c
• There was a certayne lēder which had twoo debtours.
• And said vn¦to Symon: dooest thou see this wo∣man?
• I entred in to thy house &c.
• And he sayed vnto her: thy sin∣nes are for∣geuen thee.
• And he said to the wo∣man: thy feyth hath saued thee.