¶ He excuseth the disciples that plucke the eares of corne / he healeth the man with the wyddred hande choseth his twelue Apostles / maketh a swete sermon and teacheth to do good for euyll. [ A] CAPI. VI.
IT happened on an after Sabboth, that he went thorowe the corne felde, and that his disciples plucked the eares of corne, and ate and rubbed them in their hādes. And certayne of the Pharises sayde vnto them: Why do ye that whiche is not lawfull to do on the Sab∣both dayes? And Iesus answered them, and sayde: Haue ye not red what Dauid dyd, when he hym selfe was an hungred, and they which were with hym: howe he went into ye house of God, and toke and ate the loues of halowed bred, and gaue also to them whiche were with hym: whiche was not lawefull to eate, but for the prestes only. And he sayd vn∣to them: The sonne of man is Lorde of the [ B] Sabboth daye.
✚ And it fortuned in an other Sabboth also, that he entred into the Synagoge, and taughte. And there was a man whose ryghte hande was dryed vp. And the Scribes & Pha∣rises watched hym, to se whether he wolde heale on the Sabboth daye, that they myght fynde an accusacion against him. But he knew their thoughtes, and sayde to the man which had the wyddred hande: Ryse vp, and stande forthe in the myddes. And he arose and stepped forthe. Then sayde Iesus vnto them: I wyll aske you a question: Whether is it lawfull on the Sabboth dayes to do good, or to do euyll? to saue lyfe or for to destroy it? And beholding them all rounde about, sayde vnto the man: Stretche forth thy hande. And he dyd so: and his hande was restored, and made as hole as the other. And they were fylled full of madnes and spake togyther, what they myghte do to [ C] Iesu. ⊦
And it befell in those dayes, that he went out into a mountayne for to praye, and conti∣nued all nyght in prayer to God. And as sone as it was daye, he called his disciples, and of them he chose twelue, whiche also he calledφ Apostles. Simon whome he named Peter, and Andrewe his brother. Iames and Iohn̄, Philippe and Bartelemewe, Matthewe and Thomas, Iames the sonne of Alpheus / and Simon called Zelotes, and Iudas Iames sonne, and Iudas Iscariot, which same was the traytour.
✚ And he came downe with them and stode in the playne felde, with the companye of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all parties of Iurie and Ierusalem, and from the see coste of Tyre and Sydon, which came to heare him, and to be healed, of their dyseases: And they also that were vexed with foule spretes, and they were healed. And all the people preased, to touche hym: For there went vertue out of hym, and healed them all. [ D]
And he lyfted vp his eyes vpon the disciples and sayde: Blessed be ye pore: for yours is ye kyngdome of God. Blessed are ye that honger now: for ye shal be fylled. Blessed are ye that wepe now: for ye shall laughe. Blessed are ye when men hate you, and thruste you oute of their companye, and rayle, and abhorre your name as an euyll thynge, for the sonne of mās sake, Reioyse ye then, and be glad: for behold youre rewarde is greate in heauen. ⊦ After this maner, their fathers entreated the Pro∣phetes.
But wo be to you that are ryche: that haue therin youre consolacion. Wo be to you that are full: for ye shall honger. Wo be to you that nowe laughe: For ye shall wayle, and wepe. Wo be to you when all men prayse you for so dyd their fathers to the false Prophetes.
But I saye vnto you whiche heare: Loue your ennemyes. Do good to them which hate you. Blesse them that curse you. And praye for them, whiche wrongfullye trouble you. And vnto hym that smyteth the on the one cheke, offer also thother. And him that taketh away thy gowne, forbyd not to take thy cote also. Gyue to euery man that asketh of the. And of hym that taketh awaye thy goodes, aske thē [ E] not agayne. And as ye wolde men shuld do to you: so do ye to them lykewyse.
If ye loue theym, whiche loue you: what thanke are ye worthye of? For the very syn∣ners loue their louers. And yf ye do for them, whiche do for you: what thanke are ye wor∣thy of? For the very synners do the same. If ye lende to them of whom ye hope to receyue, what thanke shall ye haue? for the very syn∣ners lende to synners, to receyue as moche a∣gayne. Wherfore, loue ye your ennemyes, do good and lende, lokynge for nothyng agayne: and your rewarde shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the hyghest: for he is kynde vnto the vnkynde and to the euyll.
✚ Be ye therfore mercyfull, as your father [ F] is mercyfull. Iudge not, and ye shal not be iudged. Condemne not, and ye shall not be condemned. Forgyue, and ye shall be forgeuē. Gyue, & it shalbe gyuen vnto you: good mea∣sure, pressed downe, shaken togyther, & run∣nynge ouer, shall men gyue into youre boso∣mes. For with what measure ye mete, with the same shall men mete to you agayne.
And he put forthe a symilitude vnto them: Can the blynde, leade the blynde? Doo they not bothe then fall into the dyche? The disci∣ple is not aboue his master. Euery man shall be perfecte, euen as his master is. Why seyste