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[ The texte.] ¶These thinges haue I sayd vnto you, because ye shoulde not be offended. They shall ex∣communicate you: yea the tyme shall cum that whosoeuer kylleth you, will thinke that he doeth God seruice. And suche thinges will they doe vnto you, because they haue not knowen the father, nor yet me. But these thinges haue I tolde you, that when the tyme is cum ye may remember then that I tolde you.
IT shal not be seming that euerye daunger should with∣drawe folke frō the open cōfessiō of the gospels trueth, which the world, of trueth, shal spurne against with all deuices, but it shall neuer bee able to put it to vtter silēce and conuince that trueth, which staieth it selfe vpō God the auctour thereof. Ye see what thynges the woorlde goeth about to doe against me, for publyshyng my fa∣thers trueth. And it is nedeful yt ye prepare your mīdes paciently to suffer the lyke. I doe therfore tel you yt these thin••ges shall cum, lest ye suppose the professiō of the ghospell to bee all plesaūt and delicate, and than you to be ye sor••r dismaied when the same thinges chaū∣ceth to you at vnwares, & otherwise than you loke for. For the eiuils which a man foreseeth, against whiche he stifly bendeth his mynde ere they cū in place, lesse grieueth. I will not deceiue you, neither in the displeasures whiche muste nedes be suffered for ye gospels sake, neyther as touchyng ye rewardes which ta••ieth for them ye valiantly doe theyr duetie and office. To you that beginne to preache the ghospell shall this thing fyrste happen. They that are thoughte to vnderstand the highe poyntes of religion, and to kepe the perfeccion, and do teache and professe the knowledge of the law, shall caste you out of their Sy∣nagogues as wicked & coursed people, a thing amōg them of moste reproch, and herewith will they not afterwarde be contented, but they will cum to im∣prisonment and to strokes. And at length the thyng will growe to this ende, yt whosoeuer kylleth you, shall thynke himself therein to offre a thākefull sacrifice to God. They shall colour out their wickednesse with pretense of godlinesse, & shall accuse & condemne as giltie of impietie, the teachers of true godlinesse: and so it shall cum to passe, that not onely ye muste suffer harde & greuouse thinges, but ye shall bee punished as vngodly persons & malefactours. But care ye not what the worlde iudgeth of you, let my exaumple comforte you, remembring that ye suffre these thinges with me, and for my fathers sake and myne. The iniurie is ours, we haue the wrong, and it shal be our parte, bothe to ayde you in youre conflicte, to rewarde you hauing the victorie, to resiste them and also punishe their obstinacie: thinke ye nothing at all of vengeaunce, for they shall not thus handle you because ye be theues or transgressours, or any waye els woorthie suche eiuill intreating, but because they doe not yet perfectly knowe neyther me nor my father. The ignoraunce wherwith their crueltie is mingled, shall cause my father to take compassion vpō them, nor I would not ye should so muche desyre their punishmente, as to haue them saued by doctrine: for the zeale of religiō shal sette or prouoke many against you, rather through errour of iudgement, than of eiuill wil. These folke shall repent themselfes and amend, after that my father be knowen to the worlde by you, and assone as men shall through youre preachyng vnderstande my doctrine, and knowe what is the power of the holy goste. I knowe ye bee sory for my departure hence, and so∣row is not to be added vpon sorow, but I thought mete to forewarne you hereof, that when these discommodities falleth vpon you, ye maye the more paciently and with lesse hertebreake beare them, calling to your remembraūce how I had tolde you before, yt these thinges shoulde folowe: and that after myne exaumple, ye should suffer of the wicked, of suche as be ignoraunte of the trueth, and euen for my fathers sake and myne: but be ye suffised with a
stayed conscience in the trueth, and passe not what menne iudge of you, or ra∣ther folow my doctrine, and iudge your selfe blessed, when for my names sake menne doe persecute you, when they speake all eiuil of you, and ••elie you. They shall put you out of their Synagogues, but that selfe thing shall proue your names to be registred in heauen.
[ The texte.] These thinges sayd I not vnto you at the beginning, because I was present with you. But now I go my waie to him that sente me, and none of you asketh me whither I goe: but because I haue sayed suche thinges vnto you, your hertes are full of sorow. Neuerthelesse I tell you the trueth. It is expediēt for you that I goe awaye. For yf I goe not awaye, that comforter will not cum vnto you, but if I departe I will sende hym vnto you. And when he is cum, he wil rebuke the world of sinne, and of rightuousnesse; and of iudgement: of sinne, because they beleue not on me: of rightuousnesse because I go to my father, and ye shall see me no more. Of iudgement because the prince of this world is iudged alreadye.
I knewe all these thynges shoulde happen you. Neuerthelesse when I firste tooke you to me, I spake nothing of them, not to deceiue you thereby, but because the time serued not than, as in dede all thinges are not fyt for al times. This my bodily presence hath for a season nourished and strengthned your weakenesse, but now forasmuche as the tyme of my departure from you is at hande, it is nedeful yt ye be openly admonished what ye shall suffer, to the entent ye maye by litle & litle enure your selfes to be content to lacke the comforte of my corporall presence, and after ye haue sequestred worldly affeccion, to take vnto you more fyrme and manlyke boldenesse of herte, and not to be childishe end lyke vnto babes that hang on their mothers lap, all afraied, if it chaunce them at any tyme to be pulled away out of their parentes syght. I would not pamper and disceyue you with vaine hope, nor yet an other tyme discourage you: ye haue been serued according to your infirmitie, and as tyme required. I haue been your comforter,* 1.1 aduocate, and defender. Now I must departe hēce, & though I do so, for your cause chiefly to strengthen you in greater thinges, after this my body bee withdrawen out of your sight, yet my talke therof dooeth put you in suche feare that none doeth aske, or so much as thinke whi∣ther I goe, where as in dede ye ought rather to reioice, than in mind to be trou∣bled with my departure, seing I goe to my father, from whom I came: not that I shall hereafter be vtterly absent from you, but in an other sorte present with you. Nor I was not ignoraunt what would haue been more pleasaunt to your affeccions: ye had rather haue the continuall ••••alcion of this my con∣uersacion among you, but I had leauer speake to you of thinges that do pro∣fite, then: which doth delyte you, & would leauer haue you vpō knowelage of the trueth to be in heauinesse for a time, than not to procede to the sure constancie yt shoulde be fitte for the storme to cum. And for this cause I do open vnto you what shall chaunce hereafter. Uerily thus I must leue you, and after that I be taken away from you, ye shall suffer many thinges: & that ye may be the more apte to beare the same more paciently, it is expedient for you, that I be had out of your ••ight. For vnlesse by takyng from you the sight of the fleshe, ye ware spirituall, that comforter the spirite which shall make you strong, and not to be vanquished, shal not cum vnto you. And because I haue prepared you for him, he shall perfourme & finish that which I haue begonne in you. Finally through that spirite I shall alwaye continue with you, yea and that more presently after I be gone, than I am nowe in this kynde of presence. For the purpose of my
cumming was not to dwell still with you in the worlde, but the cause why I did abase my selfe to your state and infir••••tie,* 1.2 was to enhaunce you to heauen. It hath so semed good to my fathers wysedome as processe of tyme shoulde serue, to aduaunce you litle by litle, and by certaine degrees, to thinges of per∣feccion: and it is but reason that ye on your behalfes do accommodate your mindes and good willes to my fathers order and disposiciō of thinges: ye shall haue al thing of our gifte, but your parte is to endeuoure your selfe to be mete to receiue our benefite, for if ye should alway cōtinue thus affect as ye be now, that heauēly comforter wil not cum to you, as yet vnable to receiue his giftes. But if I goe my waye, and that you not regarding this corporall presence, will frame your mindes to hier giftes, whiche that spirite shall geue you, then shall my father sende hym vnto you, neuer to forsake you nor to leue you suc∣courlesse, whether you lyue or dye. Nor he shall be no frutelesse spirite, but when he cummeth he shall worke more by you, than I nowe doe: not that but our power is all ••ne, but becau••e to appointe to euery busynes his tyme, is a thing expedient for ma••nes saluacion. I haue reproued the worlde, the same thing shall he doe more fully and more plainly: for he shall sore charge the world, that excepte it do for thinke and amende it selfe, geuyng faithe to the ghospell, it shall be without all excuse: for in dede lyke as the infirmitie of our fleshe offendeth the worlde, euen so doeth it seme to minister matter why the sayed world maie pretende an excuse of his infidelitie. They haue seen this out∣ward man very hungrie and a thurst, they haue seen me poore, and had in con∣tempt, within a while they shall se me sore afflicted, taken of mine enemies, al to beate and curryed and in conclusion die. But when all thinges be finished that the flesh hath here to do, & that they shall se this body after it be dead, liue againe, and ascend vp into heauen, and shall se the holye ghoste sent, and make you so dainly vnfearefull preachers of my name, and shall also perceiue won∣derfull power, vertue, and strength, shewed by calling vpon my name, as de∣uils to go so dainly out of men, the halte & lame to be restored to their lymmes, the sycke to be healed, the dead to lyue againe, and moreouer euery thing to cū to passe whiche the Prophetes had prophecied shoulde folowe and be: than (I say) no manner of excuse shal be left to the wicked and mis••reantes: for than the worlde shall be adiudged and condēned of thre pointes, and can not be excused: firste of synne, after of rightuousnesse, and thirdly of Iudgemēt: he shal rebuke the worlde of the greatest and suche a synne as doeth include in it all other sinnes, (a synne inexcusable) and whye? because seing they perceiued the pro∣phecies of Gods owne Prophetes take effect, many thousandes professe my name, they that beleued in me (after they had receiued the holy goste) speake straunge languages, much noted for their miracles, forsake the supersticion of Moses lawe, imbrace the holy gospel, deteste theyr forefathers Idolatrie, and yet wurshippe the father of heauen in true godlynesse of life, nothing regarding worldly commodities, but haue their mindes wholye sette vpon heauenlye thinges: the worlde, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 saye, perceiuing this, what excuse shall it make for his lacke of belefe: If there shal be no lacke on my fathers behalfe that hath sent me, nor of myne whiche was sent to haue had all men saued, and yf the holy ghoste shall omit nothing, whome both we shall sende, neyther ye whome that heauenly spirite shall vse as his instrumentes, what resteth but that al may vn∣derstand howe that they perishe in the synne of vnbelefe? And whan they shall
see the prophane Gentiles to haue the sinnes of their olde former lyfe washed away, and themselues endued with innocēcie, thorowe baptisme and professi∣on of my name, it shal be manifeste that wittingly and willingly they abyde still in their filthines, and adde sinne vpon synne.
And the worlde also shall bee reproued of falsely vsurped righteousnes,* 1.3 for nowe they sum waie pretende the kepyng of the lawe, they sumwhat glo∣ry in obseruing the ordinaunces of their progenitors, they pretende religion whiche their forefathers gaue them, the feastes, the sabboth dayes, the pray∣ers, the woorkes of mercie, their wayes of honouring God, and suche other lyke whiche hath the pretence of righteousnesse: but after that they shall see the wonderfull power of that spirite, not to bee geuen but to those that haue pro∣fessed my name, and that it shall bee their chaunce whiche were Idolatres to haue it without kepyng of the lawe, what than shall they say thereby, whiche challenge to themselfes righteousnes by kepyng of the lawe? All in vaine do they glorye before menne in a false righteousnes, whiche haue refused hym by whome onely true righteousnesse cummeth. And all this to bee true shall then be more open to the worlde, whan that spirite shall declare me not to bee dead, whom they had fastened to the crosse, and had bur••ed, but that I dyd returne agayne to my father, (from whom I came,) to ly•••• with hym: and than being inuisyble & withdrawen out of mens syght, to do greater thinges by you being inspired with my spirite, than I dyd be••ng with you ly••yng in the worlde. Thus it shall cum to passe, that through these thinges the vn∣righteousnes of them shall be rebuked, which haue put their hope of righte∣ousnesse other where than in me: and the iustice of God made more notable, whiche faithfully hath perfourmed the thing which many yeares agoe he pro∣mised to mankynde by his Apostles, and Prophetes▪ and within a while the thing shalbe put in v••e and take effect, for I shall not long be conuersaunt among you in this visible bodie, but shall dye and goe to my father. And yet ye shall perceyue me to be one that liueth, and hath power, and that shall ac∣complishe all that I haue promised.
Moreouer the worlde also shal be rebuked and reproue•• of iudgement, be∣cause that (by seing men euery where through penaunce co••••erte from synne to innocencie of lyfe, leaue the grosse ceremonies of Moses lawe, and ruine to godlynesse of the ghospell,* 1.4 the nacions of the whole worlde forsake theyr wurshipping of diuels and images, and falle to the true wurshipping of God the father, the sonne, and the holy ghost) it shall manifestly appere the prince of the worlde (who hath heretofore by synne practised 〈◊〉〈◊〉) to be already with his owne weapons vanquished, put out of the waye, and iudged as one that hath procured my death, by whom innocencie, libertie of the gospell, and immortalitie is recouered, employed, and geuen. Than shall it well appere to haue been a triumphe, whiche semed to be a thing of shame and reproche, and that to haue been a victory whiche was imputed and counted for an ouer∣throwe and an vtter destruccion: for whan deuils shall eche where be cast out of the temples▪ and shall crye out at the signe of the crosse, when they shall leaue the bodyes whiche they had of long tyme possessed at naming of me, shall not that openly proue theyr prince to be iudged and condemned? Shall it not bee apparante and a clere matter that they also be woorthely iudged and con∣demned whiche had leuer folow hym being alreadye vanquished and iudged
to eternall deathe, than me, whom as a conquerour, and to all folke the verye auctour of innocencie and of life, God shall carrye vp and auaunce to the felow∣ship of his kyngdome?
[ The texte.] ¶I haue yet many thinges to saye vnto you, but ye cannot beare them awaye nowe. Howbeit when he is cum whiche is the spirite of trueth, he will leade you into al trueth: he wil not speake of hym selfe, but whatsoeuer he shall heare, that shall be speake, and he wil shewe you thinges to cum. He shall glorifie me, for he shall receyue of myne and shall shewe vnto you. All thinges that the father hathe are myne. Therefore sayed I vnto you, that he shall take of myne and shewe vnto you.
I coulde tell you many mo thinges, but the tyme serueth not, nor your weakenesse wyll not as yet beare them: and since I haue not yet altogether goen thorow with this mine ambassade, I do therfore reserue them to the cum∣myng of the holy ghoste: he beyng once come, shall fynde you more apte to re∣ceyue a more full knowledge, euen when the busynesse of my deathe, resurrecci∣on, and ascencion shall be dispatched and fynished. This spirite that I speake of shall be no lying or worldely spirite, but my very spirite, that is to saye, the spirite of trueth, he shall teache you all trueth, whiche ye are not nowe able to receiue at ful. He also shall speake vnto you, but (that shall be) by secrete inspi∣racions. He shall not with mouing the ayer touche your bodely eares, but by a priuey secrete vertue shall moue the inwarde myndes: neyther shall he speake thynges of vncertaintye, but in lyke maner as I haue spoken nothyng whiche I haue not heard of my father, so shall he inspire nothyng into your hertes, but that he hearde of my father and me: and he shall out onely open vn∣to you all trueth of thynges paste, but also he shall foreshewe you thynges to cumme ere they happen, so often as nede shall require: for he is not alone only almighty, but hathe withall knowleage of all thinges.
He shall by you make the glory of my name be knowen to all men, lyke as I by my deathe and resurreccion shall make my fathers glory notable and famouse: for as what thing soeuer I doe, redoundeth to my fathers praise and glory, of whome I haue my being, and of him haue receiued all that I haue: cum so shall it growe to my honour and praise, whatsoeuer he shall woorke by you. He shall mocion you to nothing contrary to those thinges, whiche I (re∣ceiuing them of my father,) haue taught you. All thinges is common betwene vs, all thinges procede from my father: but whosoeuer is his, is mine, nor any thing is my fathers or mine, whiche is not common to the spirite. There∣fore by the sayde spirite shall I speake to you, as my father hathe spoken to you by me: he that beleueth me, beleueth my father, and he that beleueth the spirite, beleueth vs both.
[ The texte.] ¶After a while ye shall not see me, and againe after a while, ye shall see me: for I go to the father. Then sayed sum of his disciples betwene themselues: what is this that he sayeth vnto vs, after a while ye shal not see me, and againe after a while ye shall see me, and that I go to the father? They sayed therefore, what is this that he sayeth after a whyle? we cannot tell what he sayeth: Iesus perceiuing that they woulde aske hym, sayed vnto them: Ye enquire of this betwene your selues, because I sayed after a while ye shall not see me: and againe after a while ye shall see me: Uerily verily I saye vnto you, ye shall wepe and lament, but contrariwyse the worlde shall reioyce, ye shall sorowe, but your sorowe shall be turned into ioy.
Now than being corroborate and stablished with many thinges, be ye bold and take good hearte vnto you againste the storme that hangeth ouer you, &
in aduersitie saue your selues to the prosperitie whiche shall folowe: within a whyle ye shall lacke the syght of me, but ye shall be without it no longe time: for within a shorte space after, I shall be presented to your syght agayne, that so ye may litle by litle be brought in vre to wante the sight of this body, which is not moste commodiouse for you. For I returne to my father, to thentente that after I cease to be seen of you, I maye endue you with greater giftes.
But not withstanding all this, so great sorowe did possesse the disciples mindes at that time, that they neyther vnderstood nor coulde kepe in me∣morie thinges that were often repeted and reiterate: for whereas our lord Ie∣sus did declare in these wordes not very obscurely, yt by death and buryall he should be absent out of his disciples sight, yet none otherwyse but that with∣in thre dayes after he would appeare vnto them againe, euen in the self same bodye, but now immortall: & so after he had for a fewe dayes space confirmed and stayed the mindes of his disciples, to conuaye hymselfe again into heauē. And to thentent that hauing his bodely sight withdrawen from them which letted them to be spirituall, they mighte deserue that heauenly spirite, and af∣ter that to looke no more for their lordes bodely presence, saue onely when at the laste daye he shall once for all shewe hymselfe to the whole worlde for to iudge the quicke and the dead: all this, I saye, notwithstanding, yet did not the disciples perceiue the thing that was spoken, but sayde mutteryng among themselues: what meaneth this saying: after a litle while and ye shall not see me, and again there shalbe a litle time that ye shal se me, for I go to the father? How shall we se hym that hath himselfe awaye to go to his father▪ Or what meaneth this litle while wherein he shall restraine vs from seing of hym, and againe after a litle while, when as he shall permit vs to see him? This is a darke saying and we vnderstande not what he speaketh.
Than Iesus perceiuing that their mindes was to aske him what he ment by his saying,* 1.5 preuented their demaunde and question: to declare (as his custome was) that he knewe the moste secret thoughtes of mē: and againe he saith: this that I sayde, (after a litle whyle the sight of me shalbe taken frō you, and againe after a litle while it shalbe restored newly vnto you, because it is not expedient that I shoulde alwaye tarry among you in suche sorte as I now do, but it is more for your profit yt I depart hence and go to my father,) doeth trouble you. The thing that I haue sayd is moste true. The tyme is nyghe, when as hauing this our familiar cumpanie disceuered and broken, ye shall with wayling, sorowe, and weping, be in manner consumed, and werye of your lyues, as men destitute of all succoure. Contrarie, the worlde shal ioye, praunce and triumphe as a conquerour, but within a litle tyme the course of thinges shall be chaunged: for the worldes ioye shall be turned into sorowe, & your sorow into ioye and gladnesse. The cause is that as my death shall greue and make you pensife, but it shall make the Iewes gladde, so my resurreccion shall make you ioyouse, and contrarie it shall vexe and trouble the Iewes. Wherfore beare you well and boldly this shorte sorowe, thorowe hope of the ioye that shall folowe soone after.
[ The texte.] ¶A woman when she trauayleth hath sorowe because her houre is come, but assone as she is deliuered of the childe, she remembreth no more the anguishe, for ioye that a man is borne into the worlde. And ye now therfore haue sorow: but I will see you againe, and your hertes shall reioyes, and your ioye shall no man take from you. And in that daye shal ye aske me no question.
In lyke manner as a woman greate with childe suffereth sore gre••ous paynes in the tyme of her trauayle, but yet she beareth oute those painefull throwes with a stout good herte, because she knoweth they shall not long en∣dure, and soone after there foloweth vpō the byrth of the childe, ioyous plea∣sure: for as sone as she hath brought foorthe the childe that she laboured of in trauayle, her pleasure in beyng a mother of a newe childe is so great, that she forgetteth the dolourouse payne whiche she sustained in her trauailes: yea to saye sothe, she ioyeth muche that she hath boughte long comforte with a shorte dolour. In thesame wyse shall you also for a litle time that draweth fast on, be sore vexed in minde, yea and ye be nowe already in great sorowe, yet so that within a fewe dayes hereafter when I being a conquerour of death, shal pre∣sent my selfe alyne againe vnto you, your hertes shal be replenished with great ioye, because him, whome ye did bewayle and mourne for being dead, ye shall than se aliue and made immortall, neuer after to dye. The sorowfull mour∣ning shall be shorte, but the ioyeful mirth shall be perpetuall: for death ouer∣passeth, but immortalitie remayneth for euer.
[ The texte] ¶Uerily, verily, I saye vnto you: whatsoeuer ye shal aske the father in my name, he wyll geue it you. Hitherto haue ye asked nothyng in my name. Aske and ye shall receyue, that your ioye maye bee full. These thinges haue I spoken vnto you by prouerbes. The tyme wyll cum when I shall no more speake vnto you by prouerbes, but I shall shewe you plainly from my father. And that daye shall ye aske in my name. And I saye not vnto you that I wyll speake vnto my father for you, for the father hymselfe loueth you, because ye haue loued me, and haue beleued that I came ou•• from God. I went out from the father, and came into the worlde, agayne I leaue the worlde, and go to the father.
There be nowe many thinges whiche your herte lepeth for desyre to questi∣on with me of. Than shall your mindes and also your iyes bee so fully content and satisfied, that ye shall wene no mo questions are to bee demaunded: for great excelling ioye shall shake of and vtterly put awaye all griefe of minde, neyther shall you wyshe or require any thing els, considering ye shall se and perceiue more giuen you than you loked for, or durst be bolde to desyre. I as∣sure you, after I be taken from you vp into heauen, ye shall wante nothing, for what can bee more easie than to aske of a father? whatsoeuer verely ye shall aske of him in my name,* 1.6 it shall be geuen you. What nede you any other ayde? The father alone maye do all thinges, and he will deny my frendes and them that aske in my name, nothing: hitherto my bodely presence hath letted you to aske any thing in my name worthie the same: for as yet ye do not wholy depende of heauenly ayde, but as being led by worldly affeccion ye do depende vpon this bodie: hereafter lyfting vp your hertes to heauen make your peticion where ye knowe me to be a present aduocate, and ye shall obtaine whatsoeuer ye aske, that your ioye, which shall after this heuines where in you be now, come vnto you by reason that ye shall se me againe, maye than be full and perpetuall, for than shall be no chaunge of sorowe and ioye, by hauing or not hauing of me after the infirmitie of the body, but trusting to heauenly succour that is al∣waye ready for you, hauing alwaye the spirite a present coumforter and coun∣celer, ye maye enioye a continuall gladnes of conscience, thankyng and pray∣syng God bothe in prosperitie and also in aduersitie.
This nowe by the waye haue I sumwhat obscurely and prouerbially spo∣ken vnto you, as yet not fully vnderstanding what I doe saye, for it behoued
so to geue place and beare with your infirmitie, that you also maye learne to cō∣descend and agree to the imbecillitie, and weakenesse of other: but the time shall come whan hauing this mortall body remoued hence, I shall cōmon with you (than being more stablished and stronger, and also sorowe set a syde more at∣tent) of my father manifestly, without closynge vp the matter in parables, for now by reason yt your minde is vnsteadie, weake, and carefull, the thing which is plainly and openly spoken, is to you as it were a parable. At length I shal euen by my spirite declare and open vnto you, the very certaintie of my fathers wyll, for it becummeth not you to be ignoraunt of my fathers wyll: verely I shall than speake vnto you whishtlie and without wordes, but I shall speake assured and manifeste thinges, if so bee ye aske them: yea and than also the ho∣ly ghoste shall incense you, what to aske, and howe to aske in my name, whiche in case ye so do, surely though it were a great matter, and a thing of difficultie, yet shall the father for my sake not deny it you askyng it.
And I doe not nowe speake this as if ye shall obtaine your requeste by my mediacion, in suche sorte as men doe sumtime at a kinges hande yt is but a mā, obtaine their requeste at the desyre and suite of sum one that is in fauour with the kyng, whiche peticion the kyng woulde not els haue graunted, but that he was content to geue it for his sake whiche did commende & set forward the su∣ters supplicacion: but as for my father, althoughe he loueth to bee asked of by his sonne, by whome his will hath beene to graunte all thynges to menne, yet that notwithstandynge he wyll otherwise consente to your desyres, not onlye for the loue that he beareth towardes his sonne, but whiche he hath also to∣wardes you: for he loueth not his sonne so that he loueth not you, but whom∣soeuer the sonne loueth, those the father loueth also. Therefore he loueth you, not for your workes sake, but for that ye loue me semblablie, and beleue that I am cum out from hym, for this is to loue the father, euen to loue his sone: and to beleue the father is euen to beleue the sonne. He of trueth dooeth not beleue whiche denyeth the sonne to haue cum from the father, and not to haue sayed and doen all thyng euen by the fathers auctoritie.
I was already with the father, before I came into the worlde, euen for to cary you vp, takyng vnto me this mortall body yt ye se, but for your cause came I into the worlde, euen for to cary you vp into heauen. Now than the thynges beyng once do••n, whiche the father gaue me in commaundemente, I doe euen for your sake, leaue the world as touchyng bodily presence, and returne again vnto the father: and truely whatsoeuer is or shalbe doen here, it is and shall bee doen to bryng you to saluacion.
[ The texte.] ¶His disciples sayed vnto hym: lo, nowe ••alkeste thou plainly and speakeste no prouerbe. Nowe are we sure that thou knowest all thynges, and nedest not shal any man should aske the any question: Therfore beleue we that thou camest from god. Iesus aunswered them: Nowe ye do beleue: beholde the houre draweth nye, and is already cum▪ that ye shalbe scat∣tered euery mā to his owne, and shall leaue me alone. And yet am I not alone, for the father is with me. These wordes haue I spoken vnto you. that in me ye mighte haue peace. For in the worlde shall ye haue tribulacion, but be of good there, I haue ouercum the world.
The disciples beynge boldened with these sayinges, begunne sumwhat to stande in their owne conceite, and as though they had of theyr owne strength beene able to abide and heare their lordes death that was at hande, they an∣swere on this wyse: loke (saye they) euen now at this present doest thou fullfill
the selfe thynge whiche thou promised••t afterwarde to doe: for nowe withoute any darkenes of parables, thou speakeste plainly out, what thou wilte do: ney∣ther nedeth it to aske the any further question. For thou knoweste all thynges, and with thy good wordes hast deliuered our hertes from sorowe, so that we nede no further communicacion: & why? we nothinge doubte, but that through hope of thy ioye to come, wee shall boldly and paciently suffre the thynge that is imminent and cumming towardes vs: and we do therfore finallye and ve∣rily beleue that thou art cum out from god, because thou seest throughly the very botome and secrecie of our hertes. And than the Lord Iesus, whose ma∣ner was euery where sharply to controll, and restraine whatsoeuer humayne and worldely arrogancie, ambicion, or selfe affiance, he perceiued to arise in his discyples heartes, yt they mighte plainely learne to distruste their owne strength and vertue, whereby they myghte dooe nothyng, and wholly to depende vpon the hande of God the father: The Lorde Iesus (I saye) dyd thus abate and acoole that arrogancie (whiche was suche) that thoughe they yet vnder∣stoode not what he sayed, thoughe they had no true belefe, and as yet were not meete for the stormes that wer cummyng vpon thē, for all that they tooke on hande the thing that was to be asked of God by prayer. And he aunswereth them after this sorte: What dooe I heare? the thynge whyche I promyse to geue you hereafter whan ye shal be made stronge,* 1.7 and be staied by my doctrine, and by the inspiracion of the holy ghost, ye now proudely take on hande before due time: as if ye might do at least sumwhat by the helpe and assistence of mās owne power and vertue: when as rather the tyme is full nyghe that ye shall declare howe strengthelesse yeare of your selfes. For ye shall not onely bee vn∣able to go through the instante tempeste, but leauing me alone in the handes of the sergeauntes & catchpolles, whiche shall violently draw me to the deathe of the crosse, ye shall run awaye eche one a ••ere waye, through feare so amased, that ye shall not one beare cūpany with another to your succoure and comforte, whyles euery one shall feare other, leste by any others telling he mighte be be∣wrayed and come in daunger, albeit in dede I nede not your aide and helpe: I shall of trueth be forsaken of all my frendes: but yet shall I not be desolate, be∣cause the father shall neuer leaue me. Therefore I do speake these thynges vn∣to you, that distrusting your owne strength, ye maye reste and staye your selfe in me. The worlde shall make greate commociō, and fiercely rise againste you, as it doeth agaynst me, but bee bolde and shrynke not, remēbryng that I haue conquered the worlde: ye shall take exaumple at me, and shall trust to be holpen by me, ye shall also haue victorie but through me, beyng of youre owne nature very weake: and yet when tyme and occasion shall require, ye shal be throughe my spirite stronge and vnuanquished.
It is expe∣dient for you that I goe awaye.
For if I goe not away the cōforter wil not cum vnto you.
and of righ∣teousnesse &c.
Of iud••e∣mēt, because the prince of this world is iudg••d al∣ready.
What is this that he sayeth vnto vs after a while.
Whatsoe∣uer ye shall aske my fa∣ther in my name, he shall geue it you.
Now ye be∣leue, &c,