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

¶The .xiiii. Chapter.

[ The texte.] ¶And he saied vnto his disciples: let not your herte be troubled, ye beleue in God, be∣leue also in me. In my fathers house are many mansions. If it wer not so I would haue tolde you. I goe to prepare a place for you. And yf I go to prepare a place for you, I wyll come againe and receiue you euen vnto my selfe, that where I am, there may ye bee also, and whither I goe ye knowe, and the way ye knowe.

WHen as at this saying (whiche sygnifyed that a certayne straunge and ou••ragious tempeste was imminente and hanged ouer theim, whiche storme shoulde also driue Pe∣ter that was moste mannely, to so greate erroure that he shoulde thrise thesame nyghte denye the Lorde) when as (I saye) the disciples wer therewith stricken, euen to the hertes, and after Peters exaumple euerye one stood in dreade of himselfe, Iesus beeyng a maister of moste gen∣tlenes, dyd with moste fayre and pleasaunt wordes comforte his troubled and sorowfull disciples, saiyng: All these thynges shall be doubtles whiche I haue tolde you of beforehande. But yet there is no cause why ye should therewith be hertelesse or dismayed, cruell thynges shall bee dooen againste me, and the lyke shall after be dooen againste you, nor I am not ignoraunte howe greate the in∣finnitie of mans nature is. But notwithstanding, if you will put youre whole affyaunce in God and me: ye shall not neede to feare anye violence of wicked men: God is almighty, and he alone maye doe more than all they that fearcelye stryuen againste vs. And verilye euen by Moyses lawe you truste to hym, and in case ye do truely truste to hym, it also behoueth you to trust to me. I through him, and you through me, shal haue victory, yf distrustyng your owne proper ayde & defenses, ye wyll fyxe all youre affiaunce and hope vpon me. Nor deathe it selfe shall be able to dysceyuer vs: lyke as ye shall at a tyme bee partakers of affliccions, so shall you bee of croune and glorye. I wyll fyrste shewe the waye and exaumple howe to fyghte and to gette victorye, by me shall boldnes bee ge∣uen vnto you, and felowshyppe of glorye. Onely trust vnto me. Nowe than:

In my fathers house be many dwellynges readye 〈◊〉〈◊〉 them that haue victorye: for neyther are rewardes prepared for me alone, neyther shall Peter alone fo∣lowe me,* 1.1 but all those that cleaueth vnto me by charitie and fayth of the ghos∣pell, shall bee recompensed seuerallye, and haue euerye one his rewarde prepared for hym. For vnlesse I knewe certaynly that dwellyng places were alreadye prepared for you, which are to receiue you that shall in a whyle bee taken oute of the hurly burly of this worlde into the felicitie of euerlastyng lyfe, I woulde nowe beforehande haue admonished you. That I dooe therefore goe before to my father, is to thentente I maye there prepare a place for you also, whome I wyll not suffre to be dissociate from me.

And nowe because I knowe it to be certayne, that in my fathers kyngdome euery manne hath his mancion in a readinesse for hym: you haue no neede to bee carefull of beyng recompensed, it onelye lyeth you vpon hande to fyght manful∣ly. And though I dyd go farre awaye to prepare a place for you, yet is there no cause for all that why ye shoulde in the meane while thynke your selfe succour∣lesse, for I shall come agayne vnto you for to receyue you wholye vnto me, ne∣uer after to departe from me. For than wheresoeuer I am, there shall you also bee: there is no matter why to distruste your cummyng thyther where as I nowe goe to before you, and in very dede ye do knowe whither I do go, and the waye thyther. By this darke parable our Lorde dyd geue them some littell knowledge that he shoulde go to his father, but none otherwyse than by death of the crosse. The thyng that was gone to, was worthye to be desired and well liked, but the way to it was thought worthy to be misliked and not to be belo∣ued. The disciples coulde not but knowe this, hearyng the Lorde so often spea∣kyng thereof, but pen••fenes and obliuiousnesse made theym ignoraunte in the thyng that they knewe.

[ The texte,] ¶Thomas saieth vnto him: Lord we knowe not whether thou goest. And howe is it possible for vs to know the waie? Iesus saieth vnto him: I am the waie, and the trueth, and the life. No man cummeth vnto the father, but by me. If ye had knowen me, ye hadde knowen my father also, and nowe ye know him, and haue seen him.

And so therfore Thomas being very desirouse to knowe certainely why∣ther our Lorde woulde goe, sayeth: Lorde when we knowe not whether thou goest, how can we knowe the waye thither? but rather where thou sayeste we knowe both, we be in dede ignoraunte in both: with this blunte (althoughe ve∣hemente) saiyng, Thomas dyd in a maner force oure Lorde to tell more playn∣ly, whyther he woulde goe thence: whiche thyng all they dydde (for a space) euen long to knowe. Of trueth Iesus enstructyng, framyng, and fashyoning his, litle by litle, doeth in dede teache the thyng that they wishe to knowe: but he doeth it as yet couertly, to thentente that the thing might more depely be fixed in their mindes, whiche they shoulde haue muche a doe, and long tyme, to learne. That is to saye, that after he hadde lefte his mortalitie, he shoulde retourne agayne to his father, from whence he came before he was incarnate: but withall he tea∣cheth that the waye vnto the father, is open vnto no manne, but by the sonne, whiche onelye shoulde open the waye to heauen, whiche onely shoulde instructe mennes fayth with heauenly knowledge, and shoulde bee the onelye fountayne of immortalitie: to whome whosoeuer dydde firmely sticke, thesame shoulde bee

without feare of death: Thomas (sayeth he) howe happeneth this, that thou deniest the to knowe the waye, vnlesse thou as yet (percase) knoweste me not at all?* 1.2 For verely I am the way, the trueth & life. I sayed euen nowe y^t I doe goe agayne to my father, and onely do open for all tolke the way vnto hym: and be∣cause he is come to by dedes fit and semyng for god, ye haue the proufe of good life in me: and also because no man without me cummeth to the father, ye haue learned of me the trueth. And yf the feare of death do in the meane tyme trouble youre myndes, knowe well that ye bee sure of immortalitye, forasmuche as I am lyfe:* 1.3 dooe ye onelye folowe thyther as I goe beefore, beeleue and kepe in minde that whiche I haue taughte you, hope assuredly for the thyng which I promise. If ye aske whither I goe, I goe to my father, yf ye desyre to knowe the waye whereby ye maye come thither, I say to you, no man cummeth to the father but by me▪ wherefore you knowe bothe aswell whyther I dooe goe, as what wāye the iourneye lyeth, excepte (paraduenture) ye bee vtterlye igno∣raunte who I am: verely yf ye hadde knowen me, ye hadde also knowen my fa∣ther, yea (to say trueth) ye haue already some waye knowen my father, whome ye thynke to bee vnknowen vnto you, nor ye haue not onelye knowen hym by the determinacion of the lawe, but ye haue also seen hym doubtlesse. Our Lord Iesus dyd with this obscure saiyng sumdeale aduertise his disciples, that hys father, of trueth, was inuisible, and not onely inuisible to the bodilye iyes: but also that the mynde of it owne propre nature coulde not see and perceiue what he is, yet notwithstanding but that he had beene seene after a sorte in his sonne, as whyle they see hym in his soonne rewlyng the wyndes and the sea, forcyng deuils to obeye, putting awaie with a woorde sickenesses and diseases, were they neuer so incurable, and with a woorde raysing the deade to life. But the vnlearned Apostles didde not as yet vnderstande these hye misteries, and yet for all that euen as though they had in very dede vnderstand that which the Lorde spake vnto them, they euen leap and skip of greate affeccion to see the father: I∣maginyng that the father mighte bee seene in suche sorte as they sawe his sonne, such was there simplicitie as yet: albeit neyther sawe they the sonne throughly, whiche beholde hym with bodily iyes alone.

[ The texte.] ¶Philip saieth vnto him: lord shewe vs the father, and it suffiseth vs. Iesus saieth vnto him: haue I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not knowen me? Philip, he that hath sene me, hath seen my father. And howe saieste thou than, shewe vs the father? bele∣uest thou not that I am in the father, and the father in me? The wordes that I speake vn∣to you, I speake not of my selfe, but the father that dwelleth in me is he that dooeth the workes: beleue me that I am in the father, and the father in me. Or els beleue me for the workes sake

Philip therfore, beyng more desirous to learne then the reste, speaketh thus: lorde ({quod} he) thou tellest vs that the father is seene of vs, but woulde God thou wouldest graunte that it myghte bee lawfull for vs to see and looke vpon thy father: then were oure desyres satisfyed, and we woulde wishe no more, nor de∣sire ought els. In deede we haue hearde muche speakyng of him, we lacke one∣ly the sight of hym. Our lorde doth controull and correct Philips request, that was so very rude and foolishe, saiyng: Philip, haue I been so long tyme wyth the, and yet thou knowest me not? It is not the syght of my face that thou kno∣west me by, but the ryght vnderstandyng of my power, vertue, and trueth, ma∣keth the to knowe me.

This my mighty trueth and true power, is not seen with bodilye iyes, but the minde and soule seeth it. Therefore when as I am the verye Image of my fa∣ther, in all thynges lyke vnto hym,* 1.4 and that by my deedes and woordes thou oughtest already to haue knowen me, (and verelye to haue knowen is to haue seen) howe dareste thou bee so bolde, with what countenaunce sayeste thou to me, shewe vs the father? as though he that hath seene me hath not seene my fa∣ther. I meane not that my father is none other than I, but that betwene vs two is no vnlikenes, or any thyng vncommon as touchyng the higher and our diuyne nature. In case thou canste not vnderstande what I saye by naturall reason, he seeth also (I tel you) that beleueth. Thou hast heard me speake, thou hast seen me do myracles▪ and therein surely thou haste seen and heard of my fa∣ther: doest thou not yet beleue that by an inseparable copulacion of nature, wil, and power, my father is in me, and I in my father?

What thing soeuer I speake, I speake it of his mynde: what •• thyng soeuer I dooe, I dooe it after his mynde: I am therefore alwaye in hym (by reason of suche a coniunccion of nature and wyll, as cannot be vnioyned and disseuered) and he alwaye in me, speakyng by me: and by me declaryng with miracles, his power. Neyther doe I speake any thing of my selfe, whiche same thing he spea∣keth not by me: neither dooe I any thing of my selfe, whiche he by me ioyntelye, doeth not worke: howe therefore doest thou separate them that be inseparable? and with seueral sight desireste to see them seuerally? beleueste thou that the one being knowen, the other can be vnknowen? doth the reste of you also yet not be∣leue y^t al thynges cummeth of my father which are spoken and doen by me? and that there is no separacion betwixt vs two? It had behoued you to haue cre∣dited me, so oft teachyng this thing: and if ye mistrusted my woordes, yet true∣ly the diuine woorkes and deedes surmounting mannes power, oughte to haue caused you to beleue, that what thing soeuer procedeth frō me, is of my father: yf my father himselfe should speake vnto you, he would speake none other thing than I doe: or if he would worke by himself, he would worke none other thing than I do worke: we haue one minde, one will, one power and nature.

[ The texte,] ¶Uerely, verely, I saie vnto you: he that beleueth on me, the w••orke that I doe, thesame shall he do also: and greater workes then these shall he do, because I goe vnto my father. And whatsoeuer ye aske in my name, that will I dooe: that the father maie bee glorified by the sonne. If ye shall aske any thing in my name, I wil dooe it. If ye loue me, kepe my commaundementes. And I wil pray the father, and he shal geue you an other coumforter, that he maye hide with you for euer, euen the spirite of trueth, whom the world cannot re∣ceiue, because the world seeth him not, neyther knoweth him: but you knowe him, for he dwelleth with you, and shalbe in you.

Therefore beleue this, retaine this, haue this surely fixte in youre hertes: whiche thyng yf you doe in dede, the withdrawyng of the syghte of this bodye, shalbee no harme vnto you: ye shall better see me beeyng absente with the iyes of faythe: and thesame thing whiche ye nowe see my father dooe by me, whiche doe faste cleaue vnto him all manner of wayes, shall I dooe by you, if you will cleaue to me by fayth and charitie: Yea and I shall also more euidently extende foorth the mightie power of my godheade, after that I shall remoue awaye from you this my manhead: yea and moreouer, whoso euer dooeth ioyne him∣selfe to me by true christen fayth (like as I am naturally alwaie ioyned, and ne∣uer disseuered from the company of my father) thesame persone shall also dooe

greater thynges, than I doe, so often as the glorye of God requireth a miracle. For as my father worketh nowe by me, so shall I worke by you.

And because it is so expediente for the saluation of manne that I doe goe a∣gaine to my father, ye shall succede me, and by course enter into my roume con∣cernyng the ministracion of the ghospell. Nor this thyng shal onelye bee doen, but what thing soeuer elles ye shall aske of my father in my name,* 1.5 whiche shal appertayne vnto the prayse and glorye of my fathers name and myne, that same shall I doe: to the ende that by you also, I maie bee glorified emong men, as my father hath beene hitherto glorified by his soonne. Let not my departure therefore trouble you, whiche shall tourne to your greate commoditie and pre∣fermente. Than moste of all shall I bee youre ayde in al affayres and purpo∣ses, whiche make for true health, when as I shall take awaye from you this sielye body. Onely aske the thing that you couete, my father shall heare your de∣sires, and I beeing a continuall presente aduocate vnto him, will bring to passe that what soeuer ye shall aske, shall bee obteined: for as he denieth me nothing, whiche dooe no manner of thing that redoundeth not to his glorye: so will I denye you nothyng, so long as ye doe that whiche shall set forth the honoure of my name: Forsooth my spirite shall put into your myndes what you ought to aske. Thus to be greued with my going hence, is no proufe of christen charitie, for so men are dismaied when a frende remoueth whome they shall soone after forget. If ye loue me truely, as I dooe loue my father, declare your charitie to∣wardes me in very dede: ye shall soothly and certainelye declare it, if ye dooe kepe my commaundementes. So shall it come to passe, that as my father loueth me and denieth me nothyng: In like wise shall he also loue you, obeying my pre∣ceptes, whiche be the veray commaundementes of my father. Thus it is nede∣full for the saluacion of the worlde, that I doe absente my selfe from you.

And yet going awaie I wyll not leaue you desolate, and altogether with∣out coumforte. But rather if ye abide firmelie in my loue, and kepe my com∣maundementes, I shall obteine of my father by praier after my returne againe vnto him, that he which denieth me nothing, shall sende you an other coumfor∣ter: whiche after he be once sente, shall not goe awaie from you, as I nowe do, concerning this manner of corporall presence. I am pulled awaie from you, but he shall continue with you for euer. He shall be the spirite of me, and my father, whiche shall make you of carnall folke spirituall: and he shall tourne this worldelye affeccion whiche ye nowe beare towardes me, into an heauenlye loue: he shall also with secrete inspiracions, putte in you the treweth of all thinges, whiche ye nowe vnderstande as it were but by a dreame and throughe a cloude. This speciall pledge of me shall bee peculiar and propre vnto you. For I haue all this while exhibite my selfe generallye and in common to eiuill and good: leste anye mighte make excuse that he was not inuited to saluacion. But this worlde whiche coueteth muche, and gapeth for goodes that bee of the worlde, and deceitfull, cannot receiue that spirite, bee∣cause he is heauenlye and true. And why can it not? because it hath grosse iyes, whiche deliteth and loueth not but grosse and earthlye thynges, it seethe not hym nor knoweth hym: for he withoute noyse beyng all whisshed and still, tasteth in hymselfe to the secrete senses of the mynde, if he fynde anye where a conueniente place to reste in. But truelye you, in case that the delusions and de∣ceytfull thynges of this worlde beeyng despysed, ye wyll folowe thynges that

be good in deede, and liue well: you (I saie) shall then knowe hym, because he will not onely come vnto you, as I am come, one that may bee seen, but he shal also abyde continually with you: nor he shall not in suche sorte be conuersaunte emong you as the aduocate is with his client, but he shall inhabyte hymselfe in the secrete inner partes of your soules, and shall toyne hymselfe as it were giued to your spirite, that he maye become one spirite in all folkes: and because he shalbe as it were bred and planted in your hertes, he shall accumpany and assist you in all thynges, and the meane tyme shall not bee long ere this coumforter that shalbe in the steade of me, and my vicegerante, shall come vnto you. Wher∣fore there is no cause why your hertes should be discoumforted or afeard, good children, whom I haue perfeitly begotten, and sumwhat framed with the hea∣uenly doctryne of gods woorde, and do nourishe you beeyng as yet but vnper∣fite, and not fully taught vntill ye growe vnto the strength of the ghospell.

[ The texte.] ¶I will not leaue you coumfortlesse, but will come to you: yet a litle while, and the world seeth me no more, but ye see me. For I liue and ye shall liue. That daye shall ye knowe that I am in my father and you in me, and I in you. He that hathe my commaundementes & kepeth thē, thesame is he that loueth me. And he that loueth me shalbe loued of my father, and I will loue him and will shewe mine own selfe to him.

Although I goe hence for a tyme, and shal no longer liue a manne with men, yet wyl I not leaue you in the meanetyme fatherlesse, and without confor∣table succoure at my hande: For I will cumine to you agayne, before I returne to my father: and I wyll shewe my selfe before your iyes, and bee seene of you with a very bodye in dede, but than not mortal, to the entente that I maye ad∣uaunce and bryng you from loue of the fleshe, to the spirite: for it were no great matter yf I should geue this my bodye to you alwaye to looke thereupon, be∣cause euen the wicked dooe also beholde it to theyr damnacion: within a whyle therfore I shalbe out of the worldes syghte: for death and the graue shall take me awaye frō the syght of worldly folkes. Neuerthelesse I wyll see you again, and presente my selfe vnto you aliue, for this kynde of deathe shall not alienate vs in sundre, nor kepe me out of youre syghte, for I shall liue agayne, yea after that I bee deade: and I shall not onelye liue, but there withall bryng to you lyfe euerlastyng: and notwithstandyng the tyme of myne absence, I beeyng a∣lyue shall fynde you aliue, and I will so spende my life for you, that you shall be in health and safegarde. Then shall you vnderstande more fully, that as no∣thyng can pull my father from me, nor me from my father: so am I bothe to you and you agayne to me, ioyned by mutuall charitie together, that death can not disioyne vs: let your onely care be, that by youre owne faulte ye bee not vn∣coupled and let lewse. The obseruyng of my commaundementes shal try true charytie: nor he loueth not in herte, that neglecteth the preceptes of his Lorde. It is not sufficiente to haue accepted my commaundementes, vnlesse a manne retayne them in mynde. Nor it is not inoughe to remembre theym, excepte they bee kept: he that doth accomplishe and kepe these, is he that truelye loueth me. For to bee tormented in mynde for my departure, is no proufe of veraye trewe loue. I that truely do loue my father: do kepe all his commaundementes, and will kepe theym vnto death of the crosse. And there is no cause why my com∣maundementes of sufferyng iniurye pacientelye, of beatyng the crosse quietely, shoulde muche putte you in feare, as seuere and grieuous commaundementes: and why? for charitie shall sweten and make them all easie, and there shall not

lacke coumforte at my hande, for surely whoso loueth me, he shalbe bothe loued of my father, and I also wyll loue hym, and neuer leaue him succourlesse, but will see hym againe, and will openlye shewe my selfe vnto hym to bee looked v∣pon: to make it more certain that I doe not vtterly perishe by suffryng deathe of the crosse. Nowe I geue my selfe to bee seen of all folke, but than no manne shall see me, excepte he abyde constantly in frendeshyppe. Of trueth our Lorde Iesus spake these thynges sumwhat darkelye, not onely signifiyng that he beeyng re∣uiued agayne would often after his death come among his frendes to bee seen, but that he would also by the holy ghoste his spirite, secretely place and wynde himselfe into theyr myndes, and that finally he woulde come in the glorye of his father, in the open sight of all folke.

[ The texte.] ¶Iudas saieth vnto him, not Iudas Iscarioth: lorde what is done that thou will shewe thy selfe vnto vs and not vnto the worlde? Iesus aunswered and said: if a manne loue me he will kepe my saiynges, and my father will loue him, and we will come vnto hym and dwell with him. He that loueth me not, kepeth not my sayinges. And the worde which ye heare is not mine, but the fathers whiche sent me. These thinges haue I spoken vnto you beyng yet present with you, but the comforter whithe is the holy ghost whome my father will send in my name, he shall teache you al thinges; and bring all thinges to your remem∣braunce, whatsoeuer I haue sayed vnto you. Peace I leaue with you: my peace I giue vnto you. Not as the worlde geueth geue I vnto you. Let not your hettes be greued, ney∣ther feare: ye haue hearde how I sayd vnto you. I goe and I come againe vnto you: If ye ••ha•• •• me, ye woulde verely reioyce because I sayd: I goe vnto the father. For the father; is greater than I.

Now than where as Iudas, not he verely that is called Iscarioth which was absente at this sermon, but the other Iudas whose surname was Leb∣beus, did not fully vnderstande our lordes saiyng: but beyng throughe sorowe and feare very sore troubled, dyd suppose that our Lorde shoulde in suche wyse appeare to his frendes, as terrible spirites & phantastical sightes, shewe them∣selfes many tymes in the darkenesse of the nyght: or as certain visions appeare in dreames rather to the feare of men, then to mennes coumforte. This Iudas therfore, saith: Lorde what hath chaunced that when now thou maieste be seen of all folke, thou shalte not than appeare to the worlde, but onely to vs?

And howe canste thou be one that may? be seen of vs, yf thou be such one as other cannot see? But Iesus because he knewe that his disciples were not yet able to vnderstande the misterie howe that the same bodye, whiche hadde been deade and buiried, but nowe made spirituall, and hable to dooe as it lyste, shoulde ryse agayne: Iesus I saye, knowyng this, dyd not playnely answere to the thyng that was asked, but turned his saiyng to that thyng whiche was more necessarye to bee imprinted in theyr heartes, whereby they shoulde nowe bee prepared spirituallye to haue his presence: for as muche as that presence whiche shoulde bee exibited vnto theim after his resurreccion, coulde not long endure with theim. Therefore Iesus sayed: I will not presente my selfe to the worlde, because it loueth me not, neyther dothe it kepe my commaundementes. If one loue me truely, he wyll not testifie his loue with sorowe, but by kepyng my commaundementes, and hym wyll I loue semblablye: and whome I shall loue, hym wyll my father loue, and we shall neuer bee pulled awaye from hym: nor I wyll not onelye see hym agayne that hath my commaundementes in remembraunce, but there withall my father and I wyll by the spirite, whiche is common to vs both, come vnto hym: and we will not only come, forthwith

to departe againe, but we will dwell with him, and neuer go away from him. That which is doen after the spirite is both perpetuall and effectuall: bodilye ioynyng together muste nedes haue an ende, euen for because ye shoulde sette at naught transitorye thynges, and inure your selfes to loue eternall thinges: and where ye as yet cannot come to vs, we will come to you inuisible, but effectu∣ally to dwell in the temple of your hertes. We be three in deede, but so ioyned and conuerte together, that he whiche loueth one, muste loue all: and he that hath one of vs lacketh none of vs. Only on your behalfe let charitie be presente, and that couenaunte kepte, whiche I made with you of late. That shal so couple you and vs together, that neyther life nor deathe can vncouple vs. If membres maie bee disseuered from the heade, we maie be disseuered. There bee many whiche boaste themselfes to loue God the father, and seme to obserue the commaundementes of the lawe, but none dooeth truelye loue God, yf he hat•• and contemne his soonne: and he verelye contemneth the soonne, whosoeuer ke∣peth not my commaundemente, whosoeuer neglecteth my preceptes, he neg∣lecteth withall the preceptes of God: for in good sooth the thyng that I haue taught you, is not so my peculiar doctrine that the same is not my fathers: but is rather my fathers than myne, from whome cummeth whatsoeuer I can or doe teache, doyng nothyng but by his autoritie from whome I was sente into the worlde, to teache these matters whiche I dooe teache. But nowe these thynges haue I spoken according to youre capacitie, as yet a mortall manne, beeyng conuersaunte among mortall menne: soone hereafter I wyll repayre to see you againe, for certayne dayes space: and beeyng immortall, wyll kepe cum∣pany with menne mortall, to the entente I maye coumforte, teache, and geue you my counsell.

Neyther is it vnawares to me, that ye shal not fully vnderstande these thinges, whiche I nowe speake, and shall speake anone after my deathe, because ye be yet styll carnall and rude: notwithstandyng they are not spoken all in vayne, for after that I shall take away this body from you: an other comforter shall come to you, yf ye aske hym (of God) in my name: a comforter (I saye) not bo∣dily as ye seme to to be, but that holy spirite which doeth sanctify spirites and mindes, whome my father shall sende you in my roume yf you require hym in my name. Ye shall not after this neede my corporall presence, whiche for a season was geuen in consideracion of mens grossenes, to the entente that the•• myght by degrees and orderlye go forwarde to more perfeite thynges, for that spirite in asmuche as he is myne and my fathers, shall putte you in remem∣braunce of all the thynges, whiche I nowe speake vnto you that bee as yet ig∣noraunte, and of small capacitie: and besides that obliuious. And he also shall make you vnderstande these thynges whiche ye hadde not vnderstande before, neyther will he suffre you to forget anye thyng or to lacke knoweledge of anye thing that perteineth to saluacion. Of menne obliuious he shall make you of good remembraunce, of slowe witted, easie to bee taughte, of sleapishe slu••∣gardes, vigilante and watchefull, of sorowfull men cherefull, of yearthly fol•••• heauenly. Onelye perseuer you in charitie, hauing in remembraunce my com∣maundementes.

There is no cause why that ye should in the meane while feare the trou∣blesumnesse of this worlde, whiche ye shall see ryse agaynste me, and in tyme to come againste you also: let it suffise you that at my departure, I shall leaue

peace vnto you, and geue you my peace. No worldelye storme can destroye and vndoe hym that hath my peace.* 1.6 The worlde also hath his kynde of peace whiche it bestoweth vpon them whome it loueth, but this is a peace not to be trusted on. My peace whiche I doe geue you, doeth make frendeshyppe be∣twene God and you: and who can hurte hym whiche hath God his protectour and gouernour? The peace whiche▪ I do leaue vnto you ioynyng you together among your selfes by mutuall concord, shall make your felowship strong and inuincible, agaynst all that the worlde or Satan, prince of the world, can dooe. What meaneth it than that my goyng hence whiche shall bee veray commodi∣ous vnto you, doth so muche feare you? Let not your hertes therefore bee trou∣bled nor strieken in feare, ye haue heard me saye alreadye, and (that ye shoulde the more credite me) I eftsones tell you that of trueth I goe hence for a tyme: but I wyll anone returne againe vnto you. And in the meane tyme I will bryng to effecte that I shall fynde you at my returne safe and in health. This blusterous storme of cruell persecucion shall for this one tyme be executed vpon me onelye. And soone after I am come againe to my father, I wyll bee presente with you agayne throughe the spirite that is the comforter. And by hym my father shall also bee with you, and we shall neuer bee separate from you, vntyll you be fully placed with vs in the kyngdome of heauen. Ye are sorowfull because I goe my waye, but & if ye did rightly loue me, forsooth ye woulde reioyce, both for your owne sake and mine: for I wyll not playe the runagate and gooe euerye where, but I will returne agayne to my father to obteyne for you more excellent giftes at his hand, for because my father is greatter then I am: and from him it cum∣••eth, what thyng soeuer I doe departe with you. If ye stande in dread of any harme towardes me, and are sorowefull for my cause, it were more semyng ye should be ioyfull on my behalfe, that am remoued and taken a waye from these euils of the world, and goe to my fathers coumpany: and yf ye be sory for your selfes, my departure shall bring to you muche profite.

[ The texte.] And nowe haue I shewed you before it come, that when it is come to passe, ye might beleue. Hereafter will I not talke many woordes with you: for the prince of this worlde ••ummeth and hath nothing in me. But that the world may know that I loue the father, ••nd as the father gaue me commaundemente, euen ••o doe I ••••se leate vs goe hence.

I knowe that I speake this to them that neyther greatlye take hede, nor vn∣derstande thesame, but I do therefore repete, and often inculcate and bryng in thesame, that after the dede shal effectuously verifie y^e thing that I haue spoken, ye may than therewith beleue all the rest to be true, which I haue tolde afore∣hande shoulde folowe:* 1.7 after this I beyng a mortall man shall not speake many thynges with thē that he mortall: for the time is at hande when I shalbe taken away from you in body. Uerye Satan the prynce of this worlde is presente by his minysters ready to set vpon me, with his full myght & force vtterlye to caste awaye and to extinguishe me. But at his hande is no ieopardie, for he hath no right nor autoritie ouer me, and when he moste ••eu••teth to haue the ouer∣hande and victorye, than shall he bee vanquished and ouerthrowen: he hath no ryghte but vpon theim whiche bee in synne, and because the worlde is in bon∣dage to synne, he maye playe the tyraunte ouer them that make the worlde theyr God: for in dede I am neyther forced to dye, nor for any faulte do I dye, but I suffre, throughe my deathe to redeme those that bee ioyned to me by faythe, as

membres to the bodye, from the tyrannye of sinne and deathe: and my father hath commaunded me thus to doe, whiche his commaundemente I dooe ac∣cordyng to his minde: wherefore we haue nowe already sitte here long inough. Because I doe my fathers commaundemente willingly, it is tyme to goe mete death, whiche is at hande. Arise therefore and goe we hence. Our Lorde Iesus seeyng his disciples many wayes dismayed,* 1.8 partely with sorowe because that they sawe that theyr Lordes death was nye, whom they loued somewhat worldly, but yet moste vehementelye: partelye for feare of harmes whiche they thoughte did hang ouer hym beeyng once abrode: and he also seeyng them hea∣uye of slepe whiche both the nyght prouoked, and also sorowe of mynde aug∣mented, and theyr sittyng made theym of more sluggishe mynde: he commaun∣deth theym to ryse, that so at the least, dulnesse beeyng auoided, they myghte bee made more pregnaunte and quicke witted to those thynges whiche he shoulde saye vnto them, and therewithall he monished thē a farre of, and darkely, that nowe is the tyme to eleuate theyr myndes from yearthly affeccions to heauen∣ly thynges, from bodily thynges to spirituall thynges, from mortall thynges to immortall, from thynges transitorye to eternall thynges, he woulde ha•••• that also imprinted in theyr myndes, that he knewe before, and was willyng to suffre what thyng soeuer he shoulde suffre, his father also willyng thesame: from whose wyll his did neuer varye. His will was that his Apostles so farr•• as mannes weakenesse coulde beare, should be witnesses and seers of his passi∣on, and therefore in this sermon he maketh oftentymes mencion of his depar∣ture, litle by litle, thereby to inure them to sufferaunce, but mixyng withal ma∣ny coumfortes to mitigate the bitter payne of sorowe, saiyng that in very dede he muste departe: but so that within a while he shoulde come to them agayne: that he should go to his father, that thence he should sende him an other coum∣forter whiche should finishe that he had begoonne, and also that he and his fa∣ther ioyntly together, should come and dwell with them. He sayed furthermore that this persecucion shoulde not vtterlye deuour and consume them: and after all this he had them thence to an other place, because the place where they we•• than, was open & in syght: and for because that they had hearde that the prynce of the world was euen than presente, they stoode in a generall feare of themself, and therfore he brought them to an other place wheras they wer more in safe∣tie, to thyntente they myght with more bolde hertes geue eare to other thynges.

In conclusion he telleth them aforehande, that at the length they shoulde fo∣lowe hym thyther, whether he nowe goeth before them: well nowe he hath re∣course agayne to that saiyng whiche algates muste sitte inwardely and a byde in theyr heartes: in whiche saiyng he counsaileth them to perseuer in charitye, and obseruyng his commaundementes, leste throughe theyr owne faulte, they shoulde disseuer theymselfes from the felowshippe of the father, the sonne and the holy ghoste, from whiche Iudas had already forceably dissociate himselfe. But he aduiseth theym to sticke to theyr couenaunte by obeying the saiynges of theyr Lorde, and to thuttermoste of theyr power to folowe his doynges.

And trueth it is that this coulde not be do••n, vnlesse they dyd perseuer in the spirituall felowshippe of the soonne, and yet in the meane tyme not to truste to theimselfes, or any thyng at all to presume vpon theyr owne propre strength, for they shoulde neuer bee able to dooe oughte at anye tyme, but by the benefite and free gyfte of Godde, from whome floweth and issueth oute to all folke,

what thyng soeuer setteth forwarde true health, and maketh to saluacion, and that they myght the better vnderstande this, and retaine it in memory, he decla∣reth the matter by a similitude, taken and brought in of a plaine knowen thing, that is the vyne and the braunches thereof.

Notes

• * 1.1

  In my fa∣thers house bee in anye mansion••s. &c.
• * 1.2

  I am the waye of trueth and life
• * 1.3

  No manne cummeth to the father but by me. &c.
• * 1.4

  He y^t hath seen me, hath seen y^e father.
• * 1.5

  whatsoeuer ye aske in my name:
• * 1.6

  Peace I leaue v••t•• you
• * 1.7

  The prince of this worlde cum¦meth & hath nothing in me.
• * 1.8

  Arise let vs go hence.