A brief rehearsal of the death resurrection, & ascension of Christ, gathered together out of the four Evangelists and Acts of the Apostles by the most godly and great learned man Huldriche Zuinglius, written first in Latin, and now translated into English, that such as understand not the Latin tongue should not want the use of so worthy and profitable a treatise.  
¶ Perused and allowed according to the order appointed in the queens majesties Injunctions.   decorative woodcut title page border  

❧ The preface and introduction into the history of the Passion and death of Christ.  
AMong all the histories (gentle reader) that any time have been written from the beginning of the world unto this present was there never any to be compared to the history of the Passion, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, written most exactly by the four Evangelists, albeit dispersed and in sundry places, and aptly not without great travel and pain gathered in due order by the most godly & well learned man Zuinglius, with certain brief annotations and many wholesome & godly instructions and declarations of the harder places adjoined unto it by the same man for the easier understanding to the reader, which history as it is most certain and true, for that no parcel thereof was written but by the holy ghost (although he used men as instruments thereunto) which only is truth, & from whom proceedeth nothing but truth. So by it is set forth unto us the springe and ground of our salvation, namely the passion and death of Christ the price of our redemption, the only pacifying of the wrath of god toward us, & way to eternal joy which Paul affirmeth to be great and wonderful & such as neither eye hath seen, neither ear hath heard, nor heart can imagine but what shall I need now to make any long or further declaration either of the certainty thereof, whereof no christian man having the fear of god before his eyes hath ever doubted: or of the commodity coming unto us by the same, which is so amply and manifestly set forth in the treatise itself. But for as much as it is written in a strange tongue namely in latin which the multitude of our country understand not, and also (which is much to be lamented) many of these which are in place of teachers, such is the infelicity of this our time, lest these I say should utterly want the use of so fruitful a work, I was moved and thought good both for the advancement of the glory of god, and also for our brethren's farther increase of knowledge, to bestow some labour at such convenient leisure as I could well spare, to turn it into our English tongue plainly and truly without all art or eloquence, as one tending nothing else but the ends aforesaid, which if I obtain, I shall account my labours right well bestowed, minding also farther to travail in the same kind of labour, if I shall see by this that my labour hath been profitable.   

FOr as much as the death of Christ is the life of all the elect, it behoveth therefore to know by what means it is made our salvation, which in itself cannot be but salvation: For Christ (as Simeon declareth) as he is set for the rising of many, 
Luke. two.  so is he again set for the fall of many, And this cometh to pass (which oftentimes happeneth) that that which is given unto us for a remedy against poison, by our vice is turned to be nomand destruction. There be which do think upon the cross and death of Christ our saviour after a certain kind of carnal affection thinking they have done their duty excellently well, & that they have done god high service if so be that they have every year a certain grief with Christ dying, & that they witness the same with tears. Those aught to remember that Christ desired the women not to weep for his sake, 
Luke. xxiii.  for he saith, weep not for me or for my sake, but he admonished them, of the misery which should come upon them for their ingratitude and infidelity, and therefore he addeth weep for yourselves, for the days will come. etc. I will not speak now of the ambition which we have sought for in such feigned sorrow, for we would seem to be such as were heavy with Christ, when as in deed we were nothing less. Others minable up certain cold prayers in memory of the passion, others divide the order of the passion for singular days, or certain hours, other some again do abuse the same as it were by magical enchantments to their own glory and covetous desire, not seeking Christ, but themselves, let us rather think, or rather meditate, and deeply weigh & consider why Christ died: and here shall the veins of faith and charity open themselves. God so loved the world (saith S. john) that he gave his only begotten some for it, 
joan. iii.  that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have life everlasting. It cometh of a singular charity, that god doth give his only begotten son unto the death for miserable and damnable servants, the which being considered, kindleth our hearts & bindeth us altogether to god: and whatsoever other thing god hath given unto us besides himself, it would have done us little good, yea although he had given a most excellent creature it would not have satisfied the flesh, he gave himself therefore to us, in his son, that there by we should nothing doubt of his love and favour, but he died that we might live. He was nailed to the cross, that he might deliver us for he hath borne our sins upon his body, 
Esay. liii. i Pet. il.  and hath taken all our infirmities upon him, by whose beating & whipping we are healed. He is the price which was given for our redemption, by him our unrighteousness is put away. & blotted out before god. In him the justice of god is pacified, in him is life given to them which believe. The meditation of these things will lead us, not only into the veins of God his goodness, but also to the springs of our sins. Let us therefore consider this in Christ, for what thing he was given unto us of god, wherefore Christ doth not only teach us, that we should thoroughly acknowledge ourselves unrighteous and condemned, but also doth open unto us with the same, the bosom of mercy, as a most sure sanctuary, and doth also comfort the consciences which in a manner are desperate and heavy laden with the burden of sins, giving unto them which be his, 
Rom. viii.  peace and tranquillity. For what can he which hath given his son, deny us afterward? Let us therefore first think upon this in the cross of Christ, that is, Christ to be the price of our redemption, the sacrifice for sins, our satisfaction, 
i Cor. i.  our righteousness, life, holiness, gate and way to god, the pledge of salvation & everlasting life, the only mediator, intercessor, and reconciler, by whom the way to god is made open, by whose death our sins die and perish. 
Michael. v. i. Pet. two. Hebr. xiii.  Then let us remember, what this captain and emperor of our life doth set before us, which is given unto us of God the father, not only for a redeemer, but also a foregoer and guide of the way, that we rejecting all things, might follow his steps, and having our eyes fixed upon him, 
Rom. viii.  might follow him, without the walls of the castle, bearing the reproach which he had, we might be made semblable unto the Image of the son of god utterly denying all ungodliness, 
Ad Tit. two.  and hurtful desires, 
Rom. vi.  yea denying ourselves, let us bear the cross after him, being grafted in his death, let us mortify the members which are upon the earth, and whereas before we have set our minds upon unrighteousness, let us now endeavour ourselves to righteousness and holiness. Neither is Christ a painted or graven example and so dead, but a lively example and of efficacy, which doth shine in the faithful, and is expressed, and worketh truly, which doth show forth itself both in word and in deed, and in the whole actions of the life, a lively example I say, and such as expresseth all heavenly virtues, as charity, obedience, modesty long suffering, gentleness, patience, pureness and constancy, than which example there is none more perfit or absolute, for what greater charity can there be than for to suffer death for his enemies? neither was this in his childhood, as the children were slain of Herode: neither died he after the manner of the rich or honourable men, but he died a most filthy and vile death, that is to say, of the cross, and that between two thieves. I mean he was put to such a death, as wicked & mischievous men are, being counted for a deceiver. Moreover Christ took upon him in himself, whatsoever is hard, vile, and troublesome in this world. This I say did Christ choose, and took it upon himself for us, lest the flesh might have any occasion of complaint. Men will suffer any thing so that they may escape death but Christ besides all evils suffered death, and that a most bitter death, he despised whatsoever is great & precious in this world he chose and suffered whatsoever is unpleasant and evil unto the flesh as poverty, reproach, infamy, rebukes, blasphemies, stripes, bonds, wounds, & finally death, to th'end that we might learn to despise the world with all his enticements, and to suffer all adversity for him with joy. For we cannot approach to heavenly things except we cast away & despise earthly things, he which loveth the world, cannot love god, & he which despiseth the world & whatsoever is in the world savoureth eternal things, & things of god. No adversity can trouble or throw down such a man, no prosperity can puff him up, humility, obedience have need of his example which being god, descended, & took upon him our infirmity, being obedient unto the father, even to the death. By these things which we have forespoken I thik it is manifest enough, after what sort the death of Christ should be meditated of us, what is set before us to be learned by the same, & what it is to have grief with him, namely to follow his steps, which committed no sin, neither was there found any guilem his mouth which being railed on with evil words, 
i Pet. ●●.  replied not evil words again being troubled with evils he threatened not, but referred the vengeance to him which judgeth justly, let us also learn the like things, that we may be strong without fear & constant, & if any thing be to be suffered for Christ his sake, for the truth and for righteousness, that with a courageous mind we may bear reproaches, rebukes, and death, that there be nothing so hard nothing so grievous, 
●om. viii.  which we should not be ready to bear for him. This is to be made like fashioned unto Christ, to suffer that which he suffered, to do that which he did, to glory and rejoice if any thing happen to be suffered for Christ, for god forbidden that we should seek any other glory in this world, 
Rom. v.  then in the cross of our lord jesus Christ, 
Gala. vi.  by whom the world is crucified unto us, and we to the world, 
two. Cor. vi. two, Cor. iiii. two. Cor. v.  whose marks let us bear in our bodies, in much suffering, in afflictions, in necessities, in tribulations, in stripes, in imprisonments, in seditions, in labour, in watching, in fasting, in pureness. etc. We are always delivered unto the death for jesus sake, that the life of jesus might be made manifest in our flesh. The love of god doth constrain us that we diligently weighing this that if one man died for all men, than all we before were dead, and that one died for all, that they which live hereafter might not live to themselves, but to him which died, and rose again for them. Let us never therefore be weary, 
two. Cor. i●●●  for although our outward man be corrupted, the inward man nevertheless shallbe renewed every day, for the smallness of our affliction which endureth but a very small time, shall get unto us an everlasting weight of glory above measure, 
i Pet. iiii.  so that in the mean time we regard not those things which we see, that is to say which dure but for a time, but those things which are not seen, that is to say eternal things. Wherefore seeing Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh. Let us also be armed with the same cogitation, that he which suffereth in the flesh hath ceased from sin, for this purpose, that now he should not live according to the lusts of the flesh, the rest of the time which is in the flesh, but according to the will of god, let it suffice us that we all our life time before, have lived according to the manner of Gentiles, when as we were conversant in wantonness, in lusts, drunkenness, gluttony, bibbing, and bancketings, and in detestable worshipping of images, let us not marvel, as though some new thing happened unto us if that we be tried by fire, for this is done to try us withal, but let us rejoice, that God thinketh us worthy to suffer any thing for him, and that we should be made partners of Christ his afflictions, in the revelation of whose glory, we shall also joy with great rejoicing, if we suffer rebukes & slanders for the name of Christ, we are blessed, because the glory and spirit of god remaineth upon us. For if we have died with Christ, we shall also live with him, 
●●. Tim. two. Rom. vi.  if we have suffered with him we shall also reign with him & no man is crowned, but he which lawfully wrestleth. Let us therefore suffer affliction as good soldiers of Christ, which have made promise to Christ in the sacrament of baptism, 
●●b. xii.  being appointed to go on his warfare & grafted in his death. Therefore let us not be wrapped with the business of this life let us not be defiled with worldly desires, let us run by patience in the battle which we have set before us, having an eye to jesus which is the captain of faith and finisher, who setting before himself joy, suffered the cross, contemning reproaches and rebukes, let us diligently consider that he suffered such gainsaying of sinners that we being wearied in our minds should not faint. Let us think how vile a thing it is to shrink away from such a captain, or for us to be so sluggish, when as he fighteth so strongly & so valiantly. Let us consider how evil it becometh the members to be proud, high minded and envious, when as the head doth so humble itself, and is so fervent in charity. Let us also weigh how great infamy it is for a captain, to take upon him so many wounds & lastly of all death, 
two. Tim. two. Act. xiiii. Eccle. two. jacob. i joan. xiii.  & the soldiers to be a sleep and give themselves to rioring, whosoever therefore will live godly in Christ jesus, must prepare themselves to suffer persecutions, and by many tribulations, must strive to come to everlasting life, they must abide in the fear of god, and prepare their minds to temptations, and keep themselves pure from this world. Christ hath given us an example, that we should do even as he hath done.  Luke. 22. 
¶ Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh which is called the passover, namely after two days.  
IT was commanded unto the jews that on the feast day of the passover, 
Exod. xii. xiii. xiiii.  when they did eat the lamb, they should eat unleavened cakes 7. days after, which figure Paul openeth in the 1. Cor 5 & showeth that we must purge the old leaven, for that a little leaven doth leaven all that is mingled with. It is meet for such as are born of new by Christ to live a new & innocent life, that they may be as it were a certain new dough & unleavened. For our Pass over Christ (saith he) is offered up a lamb without spot. Let us therefore celebrate this festival day, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice & wickedness, but with bread wanting leaven, that is with sincerity and truth. The passover of the jews hath a figure of the liberty which should come by Christ, for even as in the old time god saved the children of Israel in Egipte from the murder, with which the Egyptians were punished, namely whose doors were sprinkled with the blood of the Lamb, and after that he led them forth with a mighty arm safe and sound thorough the red sea, and so delivered them from the most grievous yoke of Pharaoh. So also he saveth those by Christ which believe, from everlasting death, and hath delivered them from the power of darkness, transferring them into the kingdom of his beloved son, 
Colo. i.  by whom they have redemption, namely remission of sins by his blood, 
john. i.  and this is the cause why Christ would die at this time, that we might understand that is that lamb of god, which should take away the sins of the world and they which are washed with his blood should be safe from the destroyer, 
john. iii.  for so God loved the world that he gave his only begotten son ●or it, that every one which believed in him might not perish but have life everlasting, 
john. v  for they which do believe in Christ do come unto no judgement or punishment but have passed from death to life yea although they were dead yet shall they have life in him which is the resurrection and life But where as Mark saith it was Easter, and Matthew, 
john. ●●  after two days shallbe Easter, Luke expoundeth it and saith, the festival day of the passover drew ●ere, or was at hand, that is, it should be shortly. namely after ij. days. It is therefore a preventing of the time. But the feast of the passover by john, doth seem to be the day following the eating of the Lamb. So the days of sweet bread are put for the passover, because they came both togethers.  ¶ Then the high priests, and the elders were gathered together in the house of the high priest, whose name was called Caiphas, consulting togethers how they might take him and kill him by guile, but they feared the people, and therefore they said amongst themselves, not on the feast day, lest peradventure there be a commotion made by the people. 
THen this word, then, is not referred unto the time in the which he speaketh these things, but to the time wherein they were gathered together. The audacity of the flesh is here to be noted: which when it goeth about to lie in wait against the truth, it consulteth divers ways, and in those counsels chooseth and observeth occasion and time for the purpose. Wherefore then they lay their heads together, when as the people were busily occupied in preparing of the lamb. They which resist the truth, do assemble & lay their wits together, 
Psal. two.  against their lord to destroy him because he was contrary to their works. They invent divers causes to accuse him withal, knowing that as soon as he were taken all the people would forsake him. But how impudent so ever the flesh is, it feareth nevertheless, where as nothing is to be feared. For when they had agreed that he should not be taken on the festival day, yet nevertheless by the ordinance of god, he was taken on the feast day, & that without any uproar: & that happeneth oftentimes unto the wicked, which they fear, yea & which they seek by all means possible to avoid. This we may perceive in the counsel of Caiphas who thought it better, that one should be taken away, than that the whole nation should perish, and furthermore if Christ should be taken away, to take heed that the Romans should not oppress them. But whilst these foolish men do avoid one vice, they run into the contrary. The jews hoped that if Christ were rid out of the way that then the people would forsake him, but after the death of Christ many more believed & came unto Christ, than there did before, when as in one day many thousands received the faith. They feared lest if Christ lived the Romans would have taken away their country and nation, which happened unto them 40. years after. So God derideth the counsels of the ungodly, & bringeth to pass that they are snared and taken in their own counsels. And the self same thing in our days, doth the Pope, the Cardinals, the Bishops, the Monks, and evil senators, but they hide their counsels, yea they adorn them with the title of honesty & religion.  ¶ And Satan had entered into the heart of judas Iscariot which was one of the xii. & he went his way to the chief priests & magistrates, even with this mind to betray him unto them. He all so bargained with them how he might betray him unto them, saying: what will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you▪ And they hearing this were glad, and bargained with him, promising to give him thirty. silver pieces. When he had therefore promised this unto them, he sought occasion & opportunity, to deliver him unto them without a tumult. 
THe Evangelist john rehearseth by occasion, what moved judas to betray Christ, forsooth because he was sorry that he had lost part of the money, of the price of the ointment which Mary had powered upon Christ. Wherefore this most covetous man would satisfy this loss an other way. He describeth therefore the Supper which was prepared for Christ in the house of one Simon, and besides that, he declareth the things that were done there. If any man think it good, he may adjoin that history unto ours, we studying to be brief have only taken but a few necessary things. Matthew who also by the way maketh mention of this cause, saith that the disciples did murmur, which seemeth to be spoken by the figure called Synecdoche, for john saith by express words, that judas was angry, and that he allegeth the care of the poor, to be the cause of his anger when in deed he nothing cared for the poor, but lucre and gain moved him, for he was a thief and bare the bag, he covereth his covetousness with a show of liberality and mercy. So do they which say they do defend the old religion. They make a show as though they sought to defend the honour of God, the worshipping of saints, and the authority of the sacraments. etc. Let us learn to what inconvenience covetousness and studying for money doth drive a man unto, we do all condemn and curse judas, but we should see, whether we be not also like unto him, which do scrape unto ourselves richesse by hook or crook, we lie, deceive, and forsake justice. But they are a great deal more hurtful which use deceit in ecclesiastical goods, and such goods as be dedicated to the poor. Their minds were now ready on every side to the matter they went about, being moved thereto by envy, and covetousness of gain. For such is our nature, that we be all more prompt and ready in private matters than in common and this cometh to pass, because all our thoughts, all our counsels, and all that ever we can do, tend only unto this end that we may enrich ourselves, and for the same we study both day and night. Seeing therefore that all our cogitations and reasons serve for this purpose, that is to keep and seek our own things, it is no marvel though we be nothing attentive about those things which appertain unto the common profit, and because the fire of love is wholly turned upon ourselves, it can not put forth any flame towards our neighbour, and it is not possible for us to seek the glory of GOD from our heart, when we seek our own glory in all things. If the Magistrate should consult, or deliberate at what price wine of Helvetia should be sold, or what it should be esteemed at, every one would weigh and consider with himself many days before, how he might save his own things, and augment his own Lucre. And thereof cometh it that all and singular being compelled, do speak and pronounce most promptelye and diligently in the senate. If we were as diligent and busy in public affairs, and in matters of godliness and virtue, if we would so think of them day and night, as we do of private matters, we should be then more pro●fe and ready, when we should consult of them. But alas, we are feeble in these things, & we be slothful, negligent, idle, and sluggish, seeking our own things only, and not those things which are of Christ, and this is the cause that they be so cold which are rulers either in religion or in common weals, hereof cometh so great a number of wicked deeds amongst the people, for they which will be rich, 
i Tim. vi.  do fall into the snares of the devil, and into divers temptations, so that the sam● may say that covetousness is the root of all evils. The mind which is given to covetousness doth nothing that is right and honest▪ for it hath shaken of the fear of god, and we●ded itself to all mischief, but why goeth h● to the high priests? when the evil will talk● or have to do with the evil, there must com● some occasion and commodity between. Ther● is none of such an audacity, which will call a● other unto him, to help him to steal, of wh● he is not persuaded before in his mind, tha● he is a thief, or else at the least, that he favoureth thieves, and that he gathereth by certa● outward signs, which do show for the wha● the inward mind is. None will offer to deflower an honest matron or a virgin, unless there be some occasion given him by their manners and gestures. If that the shamefastness of virgins could not be won by flattery, then would there none crave it so wanton of them. Therefore judas goeth to those whom he knew ●o be offended with Christ, he taketh counsel with those men, whose minds were bent with hatred against Christ, which had consulted a little before of the death of Christ he had learned by many signs, that the priests were such men, therefore he feareth not to go ●nto them, but rather soliciteth them first be●ore he was called of them, what will ye give me? saith he. Oh what an impudence was this ●o these butchers and thieves, which do exercise and follow warfare, which do take corrupted bribes of strangers, are not ashamed ●o ask them of Emperors, kings, & Princes, yea and those which have need of them ●re not ashamed to think it lawful, for them ●o give them such bribes. But how such men ●re made companions and partners with Iu●as, the Evangelists do plainly declare, whē●s they say that Satan entered into the heart ●f judas, for when he doth once possess the heart, he hurleth men headlong into all mischief. Therefore he being stirred up by the devil and by covetousness doth meditate to ●etray his Lord and saviour, yea such a lord ●s had elected him to the Apostleship, which had made him ruler of his things and loved him exceedingly, and when he had devised ●his mischievous deed, he maketh means to accomplish his wicked enterprise, and diligently executeth the same he would have it done without tumult, that many should not have knowledge thereof. For judas sought opportunity to take him at such a time and in such a place whereas multitude of the people which did use to follow Christ very often, might not be with him.  ¶ Before the feast of the passover, when jesus knew that his hour was come, that he should departed out of this world unto the father, for as much as he loved his own which were in the world, unto the end he loved them. 
I Told you before that john took the Pass over, for the day following the eating of the Lamb: the Evangelist doth Rhetorically amplify the excellency of Christ, that his lowliness might the more deeply be known. He (saith john) which knew all things, he which knew the hour of his death, he to whom the father had given all things into his hands, which came from god. etc., He I say washes the feet of his disciples. Let all prophets, bishops, governors of common weals, and leaders of the people learn of this teacher, faith love, & care towards those which are committed unto them. Christ loved his even to th● death, he never forsaketh them, he never ceaseth, after he had once begun to love them, h● was obedient unto the father even to the death, that he might set before us an example of humility and well-doing. etc.  ¶ Now on the first day of the feast of unleavened bread, the disciples came unto jesus, saying unto him where wilt thou that we prepare for thee the passover? & he said, go into the city, & prepare for us to eat the passover there but they said, where shall we prepare? jesus answered, go into the city unto a certain man, behold there shall meet you entering into the city a man bearing a pitcher of water, follow this man into the house wherein he entereth, and say you to the good man of the house. The master sendeth unto thee, my time is at hand, that I should eatin thy house the passover with my disciples, where is the lodging, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? And he will show you an upper chamber, which is large, trimmed and prepared, there make it ready for us. So his disciples went forth, and came to the city & found as he had said unto them, and they made ready the passover. 
NOthing is done here by chance, nothing is done rashly all things are foreseen and ordained by the providence of God, without beginning. All things are governed by his counsel and will. These things are therefore written by the Evangelist, that we might understand, that Christ was not compelled to die by violence or of necessity, but of his own free will and by the will of the father, and because that all the shadows of the old Testament vanished away in Christ, it is declared also that Christ is that Lamb which is prefigured in the old Testament, as Paul teacheth in the 1. Cor. 5. ca But this word Pass over is taken divers ways, sometimes properly for that passing or slipping over of the Angel in Egypt, when as he slew the first begotten of the Egyptians, but spared the Israelits, upon whose doors the blood of the lamb was sprinkled, sometimes it is taken for the festival day itself, and sometimes for the lamb which is killed and that by denomination, as here when he saith to kill, to eat or prepare the passover. So this word passover is put for the Lamb, & again the Lamb is called the passover, 
Gen. xvii.  when as it was only but a memorial of the passing over. So the bread is called afterwards the body of Christ, when as it is but the token of the body, & circumcision is called the covenant, 
Gen. xvii.  of the which covenant it was but the sign. We learn here the poverty of Christ, who not having where to put under his head, is compelled to prepare his supper with his disciples in other folks houses after the manner of the poor.  ¶ And when even was come, jesus came with the xii. and when it was time he sat down, and the xii. with him, and he said unto them, I have earnestly desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer. For I say unto you, henceforth I will not eat of it any more, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God, and as they were eating. jesus took the bread, & giving thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying. Take and eat this is my body which shallbe given for you, do this in remembrance of me, and taking the cup he gave thanks, and said, Take this and divide it among you, this cup is the new testament thorough my blood, which is shed for you, for I say unto you, that after this I will not drink of this fruit of the vine, until that day, when I shall drink it new with you in my father's kingdom, & they all drank of it. 
IT is exactly described of all the Evangelists, how Christ did institute the sacrament of his body & blood after the figurative supper that he might declare, that the figures of the old testament were accomplished and finished in him, and that all things were renewed, that they might have in memory his wonderful great benefit given them in the cross, no less than the old fathers had in eating of the passover, that the new might be agreeable to the old, and that light might succeed darkness. He showeth first with how great a desire he did eat this supper with them, namely with a vehement and a most fervent desire: for this figurative speech in Hebrew is, I have desired, or in desiring, that is, I have desired with a wonderful & great desire to eat this passover, that is, this memorial Lamb, and I have no less desired to eat with you this new supper, in the which I commend unto you the memory of my death to be celebrated of you for ever. For as often (as Paul expoundeth) as ye shall eat of this bread, and also drink of this wine, you shallbe mindful of my death. Let the memory of this benefit never slip from you, let it never be forgotten, let it always remain in your hearts. Let your mouth always declare and show forth this, preach you this every where, celebrate this without ceasing, and give wonderful great thanks for this. For it is not meet that you should at any time put in oblivion my death, seeing that I have with so great a desire suffered death for you, which am so desirous of your salvation that I do even give away my life for you, I w●ll suffer my body to be nailed to the cross as a sacrifice for your sins, and I will shed my blood to wash you withal. I do so much esteem you, that I am ready to redeem you by my death, from everlasting death. I do set before you signs of this benefit and of this redemption, which being eaten of you shall renew the memory of me, unto the which signs I gave the names of my body, and blood, that they might the more strongly move your senses. My death is your life, if so be that you believe that by my death I have appeased god for you, and that my blood hath washed away your sins, this shall nourish and fatten you inwardly. This being weighed with a true faith, shall make merry and pacify your minds. Take therefore and eat, do this in remembrance of me, I go now from you, so that from henceforth I shall not eat and drink with you after the accustomed manner. I shall with my blood being shed confirm that testament which sometime I established with Abraham, but after a new sort, not by the blood of beasts as it was in the old time, but by mine own blood. Neither shall my covenant stand with the jews only, but with all mankind. This word branch or fruit of the vine, is a paraphrases of wine, and doth signify not only that to be wine which Christ drank in the cup and gave unto his disciples, but it also declareth, that it was blood, but such as came out of the vine, and not powered out of his body, as if a man would say: this is of the fruit of wheat, he should by circumloqution signify bread, and therewithal declareth, that it is not only bread, but also it is bread made of wheat and of no other grain. For there is also bread made of Rye and of Oats. etc. And this emphasis have all parephrases, and specially the Hebrew parephrases. So when Christ calleth himself the son of man. Therefore he saith, henceforth I will no more eat nor drink (wherefore it is likely, Christ himself also did eat and drink) namely after this sort, but after an other sort and new, that is to say after my resurrection, & I will then eat with you when as you shall eat with me at my table in the kingdom of my father, but not after that sort as bodies are wont to be fed, but in the state of immortality. Therefore the kingdom of god is either the time after the resurrection or else a more full knowledge of Christ, 
The kingdom of God  or else the eternal life after this life, in the which the faith full shall eat and drink upon the table of Christ with Christ that most sweet drink of immortality as appeareth in the xxii chapi. Luke. As concerning the sense of these words of Christ, this is my body and of the food of the soul, we have spoken enough of, in an other place. Let us not dispute how the bread is made the body of Christ, but let us rather remember the benefit performed unto us by the body of Christ, that being inwardly satiated in our minds we may lift our hearts to him which sitteth at the right hand, of the father, that is in a certain limited place in heaven, that we may love one another, that we may live innocently, that we may give thanks unto the Lord, and walk worthily in our vocation. To eat of the body of Christ is none other thing, but to believe that his body was given to the death, to make satisfaction for our sins. To drink the blood of Christ, is nothing else but to believe that Christ his blood was shed for the washing away of our sins: neither is there any other eating of the body of Christ, then that which is done by faith, of the which Christ speaketh in the 6. chap of john neither can it be done of any but of the godly. But the eating of the symbolical and mystical bread, is common both to the godly and also to the ungodly, although after a divers sort. For there be some which do eat the bread of the supper unworthily, and drink the wine unworthily, and by that means do get unto themselves death and judgement, that is punishment. And those although they eat & drink with their mouth the sacraments of the body & blood of the Lord, yet nevertheless, they eat not the body of Christ, neither do they drink his blood, unless they will make Christ a liar (which far be it from the everlasting and infallible truth) when as he saith. They which eat my flesh and drink my blood, abide in me and I in them. There is none (I think) that will affirm if he have his right wits, that this agreeth with the ungodly, but as for the godly, they do not only eat with their teeth the signs, neither have they ●are signs but besides the eating of the signs which is done with the mouth of the body, they are inwardly fed in their minds with the body and blood of Christ by the eating of faith, which faith the spirit of Christ kindleth within them, at such time & as much, & to whom it pleaseth him. For the operation of his spirit is not bound to the signs, neither is grace so put in them, that it should be brought unto them as it were in a waggon, but Christ that chief and eternal bishop doth feed the faithful with his body and blood, the minister only administering the sacraments outwardly, unto whom he setteth before their eyes, putteth in remembrance, and declareth the grace of god, he bringeth it not to them he giveth it not, neither doth he distribute it to them. Therefore a faithful mind doth receive the body and blood, and having received it, the spirit of God doth with heat digest it, & poureth it into the inward bowels of the soul, of the which springeth a marvelous and inward refreshing unto a godly mind, when we celebrate therefore the Supper of the Lord or thanks giving, let us remember that only sacrifice which was offered upon the cross with thanks giving. For we are admonished that by the flesh and blood of the only begotten son of God, offered upon the cross for us, we are redeemed from everlasting death, and that the same are made to us spiritual food to nourish and keep us in everlasting life, & for as much as Christ hath offered up himself a most acceptable sacrifice for us unto the father, in giving his body to the death, & powered forth his blood to wash us withal, it is wholly our parts to meditate and to preach abroad, so great a love, and so wonderful great a benefit, and to give thanks for so lively a death, and by that means our faith will more increase towards God the father, also his love, and good will towards us will be more and more kindled. Moreover we are admonished by this most holy Supper, to offer and vow ourselves wholly body & soul unto Christ for a sacrifice, considering that he hath suffered death to restore us unto life, and desire not to live now to ourselves, but to Christ. Finally the remembrance of the body given, and of the bloodshed, is therefore set before the church of Christ in the holy signs of the supper, that by the same it might more certainly receive as it were a certain privy token of her redemption, and might call into memory, that we are so compact by faith into one body, that we are made the members of one head Christ. It is therefore meet that we be bound together with a singular charity amongst ourselves, and with doing good one to an other. Let the death of Christ therefore never slip out of our hearts, let us always remember that Christ is wholly made ours. that we should also be his by faith and charity, and our neighbours by charity, and let us abide in him by faith, and he in us by love, let us do and suffice all things for him which died for our sakes.  ¶ And when supper was done, when the devil had put in the heart of judas, Simon Iscariot to betray him jesus knowing that his father had given him all things into his hands, and that he came from God, & should go unto God, he rose from supper, and put of his garments, and when he had taken a linen towel, he girded himself with it, than he poured water into a basin, and began to wash the feet of his disciples, and to wipe them with the linen towel wherewith he was girded. 
GOd setteth before us in Christ an example which ought never to go out of our sight, namely of all virtues. Let us consider his unspeakable charity, joined with a singular humility. God therefore teacheth us in Christ charity, humility, liberality, gentleness, strength, long suffering, and constancy. Let us do good unto all men, both to our friends, and to our enemies, neither let us look for any other thing for our benefits, than hatred and most grievous persecution. Yet let us not in the mean while be drawn away from doing good, neither let us at any time cease. This is that which Paul saith, all that will live godly in Christ jesus must suffer persecution. He which amongst mortal men will plan● virtues, and set forth righteousness, must put forth himself wholly to the hatred of all men, and must vow himself for righteousness, and even as Christ could not be plucked away by no reproaches or hatred, 
i. Thes. i●●  from righteousness and truth, from charity and well doing, but that he obeyed the father even to the death, and constantly suffered whatsoever the ungodly did unto him, & loved his so well unto the end. So also must all the godly do. They must constantly go forward to do good in the midst of all evils, neither must they faint or be weary at any time as overcome with the hatred of evil men. Christ loved and did good even unto his death, he served and profited all men, and thereby got nothing but extreme hatred, and most cruel death. To depart out of this world, and go to the father, is a periphrasis of his death, as though he would say, jesus knowing that he should die now, but as we have told you, the Hebrew periphrasis have great emphases, and are of more efficacy, than if the sentence had been set forth plainly and without figure. 
What is to die.  For by these words he showeth & declareth a great consolation unto the faithful, namely that the death of the faithful, is no other thing, but to leave the world ●nd to go to God. And is not this a great consolation to leave the world, that is, all wickedness, all infidelity, all labour and affliction, & to go unto God which is the most good, and also the most loving father? who would not rejoice when he heareth this, that by death he is delivered from all evils, and endued with all good things? And to the christians to die, is no other thing, than to leave the world and to go unto God, whereas otherwise if we should die without Christ, death were the most terriblest thing that could be unto all flesh. The Evangelist therefore by these words doth make death pleasant and acceptable, and doth declare what death & also what the pain of sin is made unto us by the death of Christ, namely the end of all evils and the beginning of a new and everlasting life. Therefore worthily saith David, that the death of the saints is precious in the sight of God, when as in the mean time, the death of sinners is most ill. The farther we depart from the world, so much the nearer we come unto God. Again the more we come and addict ourselves unto the world, the more we depart from God, between these two there is no mean, neither mayest thou cleave to both of them, but in that the Evangelist doth say that the devil did put this treason into the heart of judas, he doth it to declare that these wicked deeds and mischiefs are done by the devil, as of the author of them, that is to say by his instruments. For in deed there be in man certain good affections created of God, but by man's fault they are corrupted and made evil, as the covetous desire of things. These affections doth the devil snatch unto himself, and draweth unto him whatsoever he catch, and useth them at his own pleasure. So that which is created good in us of God, the devil draweth to our destruction. He put of his garments. etc. It is a kind of speaking, which describeth the thing manifestly, and as it were setteth it before our eyes.  ¶ Then he came unto Simon Peter, and Peter said unto him, wilt thou wash my feet? jesus answered, what I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter, Peter said unto him: Thou shalt never wash my feet. jesus answered: If I wash thee not, thou shalt have no part with me. Simon Peter said unto him, Lord not only my feet, but also my hands and my head, jesus said unto him. He that is washed hath no need, but to wash his feet, but is altogether clean, and ye be clean but not all, for he knew which of them should betray him, and therefore he said, ye be not all clean. 
HEre is set forth in Christ an example of singular charity and humility, & in Peter the blindness and curiosity of human wisdom. Christ performeth the same in deed which he had taught in word, for in the eleventh chapter of Matthew, 
The submission of the mind.  he saith, learn of me because I am meek and humble in heart, he therefore expresseth humility in himself, for what greater a baseness can there be than for the son of God, and the King of Kings to humble himself to the feet of his servants▪ Let us hereby learn to throw down ourselves, to attribute nothing to ourselves and to boast nothing at all, yea and look how much the more in estimation we be, so much the more let us humble ourselves. So sayeth Paul in the xii to the Romans & ij. to the Philippians. But in Peter is declared the stubbornness of the flesh, which inquireth after captive all things curiously, neither doth it obey God but his own reason, but it should have made his understanding unto the obedience of Christ, Peter understood what Christ would do, for he did see that he would wash his feet, but he understood not what Christ meant by this washing. Therefore Christ saith, that which I do, that is, that which I intend, thou knowe●● not, that is, thou understandest not, thou perceivest it not: we are so dull and so sluggish, that after we have seen things done, it is long before we can understand them, neither do we know what they mean? God oftentimes signifieth by some outward thing, that which at the first sight we understand not, as we may easily see in the prophets by whom he declareth certain things by examples, which afterward he openeth & expoundeth. So in the supper he giveth bread & wine that by these things & tokens he might set forth unto them the remembrance of his death, he washeth the feet, not to ●hat intent, that he would wash away the filthiness of the feet but that he might signify, that he only is he which should purify us, setting ●orth some higher matter, which may be manifestly perceived by his answer unto Peter, & by other words. For many have and receive part with Christ, whose feet Christ hath not washed, 
To be washed, is to believe truly.  but no man shallbe partaker of the glory of Christ, and of the life everlasting, but he which shallbe washed with the blood of Christ & whose affections shallbe purged by his grace. Moreover he commendeth unto his disciples charity, that one might help an other by mutual love, not only in washing of feet, if necessity so require, but in helping our neighbour in all things, but this is to be marked diligently, that they which be faithful have yet need to wash their feet, that is, to wash away their daily fallings & to purge away the affections still springing in the flesh which thing certain not considering, have come to that madness, and pride that they dare affirm themselves to be without sin, for all that john saith. If any man saith he hath no sin, 
i. john. i Rom. seven.  he is a liar & deceiveth himself. Paul complained that he found in his members another law, repugning the law of the mind & spirit. Or how can those men pray this praie● every day, forgive us our trespasses, when as they acknowledge none? Christ therefore teacheth that the believers are purified by faith that is to say, by the sprinkling of his blood. Moreover that they which are purified and cleansed, yet nevertheless have need to wash their feet, and that they are still unpure, lastly he pronounceth manifestly enough, that all they be not clean which are conversant in the outward fellowship of the disciples of Christ. For he saith, ye be clean but not all, meaning judas which was present amongst the apostles in body, but his mind and heart was all one with the Pharisees, wherefore to be washed or to be clean, which are all one, is to believe verily and without any doubt that thou art washed and purified by the blood of Christ. 
To wash the feet.  To wash the feet is to acknowledge and confess before God with sighing and detesting our daily sins, and then after our fall to run to God by repentance. For we can not pass thorough this way whilst we live here amongst so many enemies, without falling, it is so dirty and unplayne, and the weakness and slipperiness of the flesh is so great. But howsoever the feet do stagger, yet if the head of faith be safe, the matter is well enough. For the faithful can not be beaten down, by such fallings, if the Lord up hold them with his hand.  ¶ After therefore he had washed their feet, and put on his garments he sat down, and said unto them again, do you know what I have done unto you? you call me master and lord and you say well, for I am so, if I therefore which am your lord and master have washed your feet ye ought also one to wash an others feet, for I have given you an example, that even as I have done, so might you also do. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord, neither the Messenger greater than he, which sent him, if you have known these things, blessed are ye, if ye do them. 
THe lord by this example of humility and well doing, doth put us to shame for our hautenes of mind and coldness to do good, which as we gape for honour and riches, and do brag of those things which we have not. So also we despise & neglect our fellow servants neither do we only neglect them but besides that we hurt them and do them injury. Let us therefore follow the example of our Lord jesus Christ. Let us put away our hautenesse of mind, let us cast down our courages, let us embrace our brethren with fervent love, let us bear and suffer the infirmity and burdens of other men, being ready to submit ourselves to all men for him which did so much cast down himself for our sakes. Let us always remember the lords commandment of brotherly love & liberality towards the poor, for he will have mercy and not sacrifice. Christ in deed doth prescribe unto us a most perfect form of life, 
Ose. two.  yea & in manner impossible for us to do when as he saith, so love one an other, as I have loved you. How be it if we shall endeavour to follow the same, and if we shall attempt to follow af-his prescript as much as he shall give us grace to do, although we attain not unto it (as we shall never do) yet he will gently forgive us our trespasses. It is not enough to know these things, and to hear them, or to preach them, but we must do them, that is, we must study and apply ourselves to these things, we must exercise ourselves in these things, and as it were contend with our neighbour in well deserving. So at the length we shall prove learned and exercised in them.  ¶ And there was a great contention amongst them, which of them should seem to be the greatest, but he said unto them. The kings of the gentiles reign over them, & they which have power over them are called gracious, but ye shall not be so, but let the greatest amongst you be as the jest, and the chiefest as he that serveth. For who is greater he that sitteth at the table, or he which serveth? Is not he which sitteth at the table? And I am in the midst of you as he that serveth, and ye are they that have continued with me in my temptations. Therefore I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my father hath appointed to me, that ye may eat and drink at my table, in my kingdom, and sit on xii. seats judging the xii. tribes of Israel, when I sent you without bag and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said nothing, he said therefore to them but now he that hath a bag let him take also a scrip, and he that hath none, let him sell his coat & buy a sword. For I say unto you that yet the same which is written must be performed in me. Even with the wicked was he numbered, for doubtless those things which are written of me have an end, and they said behold there are two sword, and he said unto them, it is enough. 
WHen as Christ teachest most humility, the flesh seeketh to be exalted and to be great. So corruptis our nature, that it seeketh nothing else but his own, yea and then when as most earnest matters are in hand, Christ teacheth them to submit themselves to others to love one another, to help one an other by charity, and yet in the mean time they are not ashamed to reason, who should be greatest, and this moved them to this question, because Christ declared unto them his death, but Christ putteth down with great gravity the hautenesse of mind, & exhorteth them to submit themselves, showing them who is the greatest in the church, namely he which submitteth himself to all men & is servant to all men. But because they were elected to preach the word, he therefore withdraweth their minds from his hautenes, with the which the princes of the world are almost puffed up. The princes of the gentiles, 
Profane Princes.  it is a kind of speaking for the Princes of the nations, not they only which govern the gentiles or infidels, as the chief captains of the Anabaptists do expound, when as they go about to prove by the words of Christ, that a christian man ought not to be a Magistrate, but Christ by these words doth not help their opinion, but rather subvert it, of the which we will speak in his place. Christ doth fortify before, the minds of his disciples, whom he had elected to preach the gospel against the hurtful affections of the flesh, amongst the which the study for honour & disease of ambition, hath no small power, the which if they once creep into the hearts of prelate's of religion, they bring with them innumerable hurts. Neither is there any other pestilence more hurtful to the church, than the desire of ambition, pride and confidence in itself. For he is no true godly man that trusteth to himself, and the apostles were sick of this disease, the Lord permitting the same, that they might learn by this, so much the more to acknowledge & humble themselves. Therefore he saith, O ye my disciples ye are not of the number of them which are princes & magistrates in the world, you have an other office appointed you. Princes obtain their names according to their doings, and have in the mean time some dominion over those which are committed to their charge, That affection of dominion and principality ought not to be in other kings and princes, but rather they do get than names to be called gracious in deserving well of their subjects, as Euergetes, and the father of the country Abimilech. etc. And it is more often seen, that they do more oppress their subjects, than ease them of their burdens and although this be evil, yet nevertheless it must be suffered in them which have dominion in the world but not in the kingdom of heaven. For when they take armour and drive away the enemy and punish the evil, they serve also Christ with their sword, when as nevertheless they are somewhat defiled, and have some thing common with the business of the world, so that they cannot be wholly with out dregs, and be always bend to heavenly things. But for you which are the light of the world, being lightened of me which am the true light, a greater integrity is meet, & a greater pureness, ye must shine above other in the light of faith and charity, not in word only but in example of life, let not your hearts have a regard to earthly things, but being purged from the contagiousness of all earthly dregs, let them be carried upward as it were like fire unto heavenly things. Be ye therefore far from ambition, from the desire of money, and from all those things which may wrap your minds in earthly things. See that you seek not greedily for glory & rule in the world, for I have preferred you to the kingdom of heaven, that is to the preaching of grace, and truth. Be ye not therefore bend to other things which might withdraw you from your office, let other men seek to be lords, have ye only a care to serve others, that shall extol you to the eternal joy, and shall make you mighty in deed. Look upon me which came not to rule or to be great, but I am rather conversant amongst you ministering unto you as a most abject servant, and washing your feet, I have left heaven and descended unto you, taking upon me for your sakes all poverty & affliction, why should you then be ashamed to serve others for my sake? It is a small matter that ye have abiden with me hitherto, & that ye have cleaved unto me, which nevertheless was not of your own power, for ye have not elected me, but I descending from my father's seat have called and chosen you, what good soever therefore ye have, you must not ascribe it unto yourselves, but altogether unto me, lift up your minds to things that are to come, you shall not lose your labour if you abide with me, I will reward it to the uttermost, even as you have been partakers of my afflictions, so shall you also be companions of my joy, so that ye be constant in that which I send you about and apply not your minds to other things. For it is not sufficient, that ye have abiden with me hitherto after a sort, for they were but skirmishes, & slight battles, but now there be greater troubles at hand. The time is now present that Satan turneth all his force and all his armour against me and you. Ye know that ye wanted nothing, when I sent you without things necessary for your journey & also unarmed, be ye therefore constant, and stand ye firmly, for such a multitude of wicked persons shall come upon us, that it shall seem that we have need of swords. For those things which are written of me must needs be performed, and go ye forward without fear in preaching of the truth, I will never be absent from you, as I have before defended you. I will provide for you, and minister unto you all such things as ye want. By these words the lord plucketh out of the hearts of the disciples, the affection of the flesh, wherewith they were touched, and also he prepareth and encourageth them to battles which were to come. For they should suffer greater things after his departure, when as they should stir up by the preaching of the truth the displeasure of all men against them. Of the which evils he hath presently showed an example by himself declaring unto them & to all the godly, what they must suffer in this world for the truth, and that there is a wonderful great reward prepared for them which continue unto the end. But in that he sayeth, let him sell his coat & buy a sword, it is a phrase of speech, by the which is signified a most great danger to be at hand, as though Christ would say. If they rage so against me, they will not spare you, be ye therefore strong and constant, for they shall so spoil and kill you, that it shall seem that ye have need of sword, & yet he biddeth not them to fight with the sword, which before so diligently had forbidden them that they should not resist evil, and to turn the other cheek to him which would give than a blow, yea and afterward he biddeth Peter (striking Malchus) to put up his sword, neither can the Papists prove by this an ecclesiastical sword and a profane sword. Christ simply foretelleth the danger which drew near to him & his disciples, teaching by the way that they should overcome and drive away all these things by the sword of both the testaments, that is to say, by the sword of the spirit. The men which follow the apostles have no need of sword, but if they shall diligently continue in preaching of the truth, they shall stir up the sword of all the wicked ones against them, whom they shall again resist with the sword of the spirit, and they shall overcome in this battle the lord aiding them.  ¶ I speak not of you all, I know whom I have chosen, but that the scripture might be fulfilled, he that eateth bread with me, hath lifted up his heel against me, I tell you now before it be done, that when it shallbe done ye might believe that I am he. 
WHen he had spoken of the washing of the feet, 
Anagogy Analepsis Epanodo●  he ascendeth in the mean time by a figurative speech unto the purity of the mind, and by the same very aptly inclineth his talk to the unpureness of judas the betrayer, and it is a repetition or a returning. Election maketh the sons of God, but faith is the sign of election, for none have faith but the elect. By these words he teacheth the heart of judas, for there be many always in the church, which dissembling a faith, being otherwise most wicked. Let these men think that they cannot hide themselves from God, although sometimes they deceive men for man seeth but the outward things only, 
To lift up the heel.  God beholdeth & alloweth the heart. To lift up the foot or heel doth signify after a figurative kind of speech, to lie in wait for any man, to offend, oppress, despise or to hurt any man and with the feet to make haste to accomplish the same. The Germans use the same kind of speech. So likewise in the Psalm. Their feet make haste to shed blood. 
To eat barad  etc. To eat bread with any man, is to be partaker of his table. & also simbolically to be familiar, and to be received into a more friendship. So judas was taken into the number of the apostles, & did eat the supper with the Lord, and yet this unfaithful and ingrate man, was not ashamed to betray his lord, which had done so great a benefit for him. By these words he doth make the fault of the betrayer more grievous, but to that intent that by making mention of his gentleness towards him, he might pluck him back from his purpose.  ¶ When jesus had said these things, he was troubled in spirit and said. Verily, verily I say unto you that one of you shall betray me, for the hand of him which betrayeth me, is with me upon the table. All ye shallbe offended by me this night, for it is written. 
zach. xii.  I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered, but after I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee, but Peter answered & said unto him. Though all men should be offended by thee, yet will I never be offended, jesus said unto him. Verily I say unto thee, that this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. Peter said unto him, though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples: and the lord said Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath desired you, to sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not, therefore when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren. And he said unto him, Lord I am ready to go with the into prison and to death. And he said, I tell thee Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before thou haste denied thrice that thou knewest me. Verily I say unto you that one of you shall betray me, and they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, is it I lord? & the disciples behold one another, doubting of whom he spoke, and he answered and said, he that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, he shall betray me. Surely the son of man goeth his way, as it is written of him, but woe be unto that man, by whom the son of man is betrayed, it had been good for that man if he had never been borne. Then judas which betrayed him said. Is it I master? he said unto him. Thou hast said it. Now there was one of the disciples of jesus which leaned on his bosom, namely he whom jesus loved. To him therefore beckoned Simon Peter that he should ask, who it was of whom he spoke, he then as he leaned on jesus breast, said unto him Lord who is it? jesus answered it is he to whom I shall give a sop when I have dipped it, and when he had dipped the bread he gave it judas Iscariot simon's son, and after the sop, Satan entered into him. Then said jesus unto him, that thou dost, do quickly, but none of them that sat at the table knew for what cause he spoke it unto him, for some thought, because judas had the bag, that jesus had said unto him, buy those things that we have need of against the feast, or that he should give some thing unto the poor, as soon then as he had received the sop, he went immediately out, and it was night. 
CHrist the king of the heavenly kingdom, which came to preach and offer the kingdom of heaven to the men in the world (but yet to such as he had chosen out of the world) which also had given in charge to his apostles to call all men to this kingdom doth first pluck out of their hearts all such diseases which ought to be far absent from the kingdom of heaven, namely the lusts of the flesh and of the world, to the intent that they which should teach others that kingdom might first express the same in themselves. For God hath translated us (saith Paul) from the kingdom of darkness, 
Colo. ●.  into the kingdom of his well-beloved son, into his wondered light, that we might now be the sons of God, who renouncing the old Adam, 
i Pet. 〈◊〉 Tit. two.  and casting away all ungodliness, and worldly desires, might live godly justly and soberly in this world, looking for that blessed hope, and appearing of the glory of the great God, and of our Saviour jesus Christ. 
Heb. xiii●  For we have here no abiding city, but we look for one to come, namely that heavenvly jerusalem, in the which we are appointed citizens, fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God, 
Ephe. ●●. i Pet. two.  but it is meet that they which be strangers and pilgrims in this world, should abstain from fleshly lusts, which fight against the soul, having honest conversation amongst the gentiles, that they which speak evil of us as evil doers, may have us in estimation for our good works, and glorify God in the day of visitation. In his former talk he reproved ambition and covetousness, now he reprehendeth self trust and desire of money, of the which the one was in Peter and tother in judas & the disciples. Peter not weighing his own strength promiseth greater things than he can perform, neither doth he believe the lord who admonished him of it, but despising all other, boasteth himself only to be strong, judas which had conceived this horrible mischievous act in his heart, doth not hear the Lord which called him back from it. So playeth our flesh, when it is left to itself. No man acknowledgeth his error, no man will believe him which admonisheth him. Every man hopeth that he can be hidden, when as he is not called by name, howsoever his conscience withstand him inwardly. Christ assayeth judas divers ways to withdraw him from his pretence, in which the wonderful gentleness and love of Christ is to be marked who will not the death of a sinner, but that he should be converted and live but the more that Christ showeth and putteth forth his loving kindness, so much the more his ungodliness is hardened, so that he dare most impudently say is it I? Moreover this most wicked variety dareth thrust himself into the holy fellowship and table of the lord, not fearing to lie unto him which knoweth all things. So great a thing is hypocrisy, and a heart possessed with covetousness. So in like manner dare we sometimes come to the holy communion with judas boasting ourselves to be godly, when as inwardly we be most ungodly. And although both Peter and judas fell either of them, yet great is the diversity between the denial of Peter, and the betraying of judas. Peter being overwhelmed with a sudden terror sinned of fear and cowardness of mind, but judas sinned of a pretenced malice, for the devil had possessed his heart, Christ therefore saith that Peter's faith was not altogether gone, for although he denied him outwardly with his mouth, yet nevertheless his heart fell not from Christ, and god suffereth the godly sometimes to slip, that they may know themselves more thoroughly, and humble themselves in mind, learn and acknowledge their infirmity, and after their fall they may rise again more strong and better couraged. They may learn to put no confidence in themselves, to be sorry for other men's falls, and to be more careful, and for that cause Christ saith, and thou after thou art converted strengthen thy brethren. Satan so stirred up judas, as we have heard before, that not only he shroncke from Christ, but besides that he betrayed him to his enemies to be destroyed, & here it is said that the devil entered into him, after the sop, which is thus to be understanded, that the devil which before had possessed him, did now more fully possess him, and more urge him to bring to pass the mischief which he had conceived. For even as in faith there are certain degrees, so also is there in infidelity & breach of faith. No man is made most good upon the sudden, so no man is most wicked suddenly, by little and little we slide into the pitfall, if we watch not, if we resist not the beginning and if we neglect small matters. Our foot must be plucked by and by out of the clay of sins, lest it fasten more deeply in, we must straight way resist the affections, lest they come to have dominion over us. Satan sleepeth not, he never ceaseth, but walketh about like a roaring Lion, seeking where to get his prey, whom let us resist by faith, and he will fly from us. The lord is strong to deliver us out of the mouth of the Lion, so that we fly unto him by and by with our whole heart, and cast ourselves all wholly upon him with a sound faith, let us take heed of the meat and of the bait which that most subtle enemy layeth for us, lest when we have devoured it, we fall with judas into the everlasting night.  ¶ And when he was gone jesus said, now is the son of man glorified, and God is glorified by him, and God shall glorify him by himself, and shall glorify him by and by. My little children, yet a little while I am with you, ye shall seek me, and as I have said to the jews, whither I go, ye cannot come, so also I say unto you now, I give you a new commandment, that ye love one an other, even as I have loved you, do ye also love one an other, by this shall all men know, that ye are my disciples, if ye have mutual love amongst yourselves. Simon Peter said unto him, lord whither goest thou? jesus answered him, whither I go, thou canst not follow me now, but thou shalt follow me hereafter. Peter said unto him, lord why cannot I follow thee now? I will give my life for thee, jesus answered, wilt thou give thy life for me? Verily, verily I say unto thee the cock shall not crow before thou hast denied me thrice. 
WHen the betrayer was gone, Christ maketh mention of his glorifying not without o●, and rejoicing of the spirit. Now is the son of man glorified. He speaketh of the thing to come and at hand as though it were now past, that we might see the certainty of god's providence. The time is now present that the son of man shallbe made noble after a new sort that is to say, by his death, cross, resurrection, and ascension, and other things which followed after the sending of the spirit, as miracles and the conversion of the Gentiles. etc. For that cause saith Paul in his Epistle to the Romans, that the son of God, which was borne of the seed of David as touching the flesh, was declared to be the son of God with power, as concerning the spirit of sanctification, in that he rose again from the dead. And this power of the resurrection, of the which Christ also speaketh here, should follow within few days after, which was not done by an angel, or by any creature, but by the power of the father, as Paul witnesseth in the second of the Colossians, where he saith. Who hath raised him up. etc. Christ therefore sayeth and God shall glorify him. He also by these words comforteth the hearts of his disciples who were not a little troubled now, because he had made mention unto them of his death, as though he would say. The time is come that I shall accomplish the will of my father that is, that I shall die, but by this my death my father shallbe glorified. Be ye not therefore troubled, ye shall see and that by and by what great glory my father will give me. By these words we be taught not to be sorry, if any troubles come unto us by the ungodly, for the cross & also death get unto the godly most great glory, when as nothing can chance unto the godly, which is not ordained by the good will of the father, and which shall not bring unto them wonderful great glory. Furthermore the glory of God cometh by those things which we suffer for his name's sake, and what is he that would not wish to have the glory of God set forth, yea even with his own hurt and danger? And when as hypocrites do go away from the fellowship of the faithful, then is the church delivered from a most great evil, so that the faithful which desire to have the glory of god set forth, may worthily rejoice. And for because that Christ had foretold that such great evils should come unto his disciples, and had showed them the danger, which they should be in by the means of false brethren, of whom judas went before as a figure of them, now in the mean time he comforteth and encourageth them, lest they should be faint hearted, and discouraged, teaching them, by what means, they might stand steadfast, and to be safe against all the evils, which were at hand, namely by concord and mutual love among themselves, as though he would say. How soever divers tempests do hap, how soever the ungodly rage against you, have ye only a care for this, the which above all other things I give you in charge, that ye be joined together amongst your selves with a fervent charity. For so shall ye stand firm against all the assaults of your enemies, if ye be bound with this bond no man can hurt you. This shallbe the most certain sign, that ye be my disciples, if they shall see in you that love which was in your master. The boasting and presumption of the flesh is seen in Peter, which that he might be taken away, the lord suffereth him to fall that he might learn to acknowledge himself, and to live afterward in fear and with modesty. In the mean time we must mark the love of God, which doth not altogether reject us, because of our infirmity, but taketh in good worth our foolishness, and turneth it to good, we have of purpose left out that which john writeth from the xiiii. chap. to the xviii. lest our book and those things which we have expounded in john should increase to a great volume. They therefore which are desirous of the same, let them read them in john and apply them to this place.  ¶ When jesus had spoken these words he went out according to his accustomed manner with his disciples over the brook Cedar, that is to say into the Mount Olyuete, where was a garden into the which he entered, and his disciples also and judas also which betrayed him knew the place, because jesus had oftentimes resorted thither with his disciples, and when he came unto the place which is called Gethseman he said unto them, sit ye here, till I go aside and pray, and he took Peter & james and john with him, and he began to be afraid and to be vexed & he said unto them my soul is sorrowful even unto the death abide ye here and watch with me, pray that ye enter not into temptation, and being gone forward a little, and departed from them almost a stones cast, he fell upon the earth and being prostrate kneeling upon his knees, he prayed, saying, Abba father, all things are possible unto thee, if it be possible take away this cup from me, nevertheless not my will, but thy will be done. 
CHrist had armed his disciples against the persecutions which were to come, and had taught them, with what sword they should resist them, that is to say, by the knowledge of both the testaments, and by the sword of the spirit which is the word of God, being a two edged sword and cutting on either side, and piercing even into the inward parts, furthermore he had admonished them not to put any distrust of his care and goodness, for that having him for their defence and save guard they should be even as safe as they had been always before. For although he should go from them as concerning the body, yet for all that he would not forsake them, but be present with them in his spirit even unto the end of the world. Moreover he would pluck out of them the affections, with the which nature is defiled, to the intent they might wholly depend of him, renouncing the world, and applying themselves to heavenly things. Now he setteth forth an example in himself, with what mind, and with what constancy all the godly should receive the cross, he goeth forth against death that he might declare, that he died not against his will, but willingly, and of love, not dissembling in the mean time his infirmity and fear, lest we should despair if at any time our flesh should be made afraid with temptations and dangers coming upon us, if it should be touched with sorrow, or have an horror of adversity, provided that we do not cowardly faint and flee. For there happeneth also unto the godly and constant men some fear of the flesh, but the fear of God which is in them, and their faith to God, shaketh of and overcometh the fear of the flesh. This we see manifestly in Christ, who as he took upon him for our sakes, the infirmity of the flesh, being made like unto his brethren in all things, so also he was not ashamed to confess his fear and sorrow to his disciples. That we might have wherewith to comfort us in all temptations, and that we might know that God will not reject us. because of the infirmity of the flesh, so that we fly unto him with our whole heart, and with a perfect faith. He was sorry for us, he prayeth unto the father for us, that we might learn by him, what we should do in dangers, and to whom we should fly unto, he declareth himself to be man in deed, which is touched with the feeling of death, nevertheless in the mean time, he consecrateth himself wholly to the will of the father, unto whose will he submitted his own will. The self same thing must we do. when tempests do assail us, Let us acknowledge our own imbecility and let us attribute nothing to our own strength, neither trust to ourselves, and howsoever the devil, the flesh and the world rage, howsoever the enemy oppress and urge us let us not for all that despair but let us fall down before our most pitiful father, let us desire his aid, and let us utterly deny our affections, and consecrate ourselves wholly unto him, 
Math. x.  let us cast ourselves wholly upon him. It hath pleased our heavenly father, that this infirmity should abide here in our flesh, that we should be put forth unto many and divers afflictions and oppressions, that we should be objected to dangers assailing us on every side no otherwise then when sheep are thrust forth amongst wolves, that by these means, our stubborn flesh might be at the least by some mean restrained, and bridled with certain snafles, even as a wild and untamed horse is, that we might learn to live always in humbleness and in the fear of the lord, and when we are tossed with the oppressions of the world to have our whole regard unto him in whom only we have peace. Let us acknowledge the most good will of our father in all affliction, 
Psal. lxv.  and temptation, who leadeth us through water and fire, but to our refreshing, who boileth away our dross in the furnace of temptation, that we be made pure vessels to his glory and sanctifying of his name, let us diligently weigh the profit that cometh thereby unto us here and in the world to come. 
i Cor. x.  And that our father is always present with us, neither suffereth he us to be tempted above our power, but with the temptation doth also show the end, either in giving strength & constancy in the battle, and comforting our imbecility, or else surely in plucking and delivering us out of evils and dangers. It is all together meet that we utterly denying ourselves, do sacrifice and consecrate ourselves wholly unto his will. To be altogeher without the cross it profiteth us not, therefore our most best father leadeth us between fear and hope, & layeth upon us a cross, that we might not be carried after our own lust, but might follow Christ his son which is our head, & in all these things our minds are heavy, sorrowful and moved with impatience, by reason of the infirmity of the flesh, but yet in the mean time faith sustaineth this infirmity of the flesh that it cannot altogether fall or faint, and the power of God doth more manifestly show forth itself in our weakness. 
How we ought to pray.  when as it doth erect & stay us up by putting forth his hand. Christ teacheth us furthermore, with what submission of the mind & of the body, with what ferventness, and with what gesture of the body we should pray, also what place is apt and meet for prayer, to whom we should direct our prayer, and in what sort it should be done and when we should pray etc. For although the mind of the godly aught always to be bent unto God, yet most of all when the enemy doth assail it, lest it fall into an agony, and the more we are grieved and vexed, so much the more fervently must we give ourselves to prayer, and for because that prayer is an earnest talk of the faithful heart with God, therefore we must choose out a little place for the same, which may be void of all concourse of people and noise lest there should be any thing, be it never so small that might disturb a man or pluck him back from God, but that the mind may cleave unto God without separation, & with how great a submission of the body a mortal man should appear before god's majesty and the throne of grace, Christ doth manifestly declare in falling prostrate with his body, & bowing on his knees, & a fervent prayer doth not only lift up to god that hands, but also it lifteth the eyes & the heart unto god, that is to say unto the hills from whence cometh help Besides this an earnest & devout prayer doth burst forth with tears out of the eyes, but also with drops of blood out of the body, as we may see in the trembling of Christ. We learned therefore by our head, that we should never despair of gods help, when temptations do assail us, & not to fall when any pensiveness of heart or impatience cometh upon our minds, but rather run unto God with a sure faith and declare unto him our cause, to desire him to show us how to come out of temptation, and to support our weakness with his spirit.  ¶ Then jesus came again unto his disciples and found them sleeping, and he said unto Peter, Simon sleepest thou? couldst thou not have watched one hour with me? watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation. The spirit is ready, but the flesh is weak. 
HEre is declared after what sort the frailness of the flesh behaveth itself towards the unmeasurable & unspeakable grace of Christ, and how unthankful we be for so great benefits, Christ prayeth and sweateth blood wholly to advance the salvation of his but they sleep sound, forgetting their excellent free promise which they before had promised. Christ therefore giveth them warning, to learn to know themselves, and to run unto God for strength. Our will is oftentimes prone, and bursteth forth with a sudden violence, but we are very slow in performing, wherefore Christ which knoweth us, both within and without, teacheth modesty and putteth away all rashness from us, he teacheth us to be mindful of our frailness, and to be fervent in prayer unto the father, without whom we can do nothing and by whom we may do all things. Neither let us cocker the flesh to much least we should trust any thing in our own strength. The faithful must always stand girded in their standing, Satan sleepeth not, no more must we sleep, but watch and stoutly resist, we are still in the battle. All things are full of dangers and snares, we must not therefore lie snorting on sleep but we must watch & fight with a fervent faith and faithful prayer. Christ also teacheth that when we have finished our talk with god, we should have a regard to our neighbours and chief the weak ones, to exhort and stir them up. From faith we must return to charity and so like a circle from charity again to faith. For a man is not occupied always with one kind of business there be courses of things. This sentence, pray that ye enter not into temptation is expounded two ways either that temptation is overcome by a faithful prayer, the more ye pray, the less ye shall be tempted, or else that we should pray that the Lord lead us not into temptation, as it is in the vi. chap. of Math. in the lords prayer, the spirit of the faithful being endued with the spirit of God is ready, but the flesh hath yet infirmity adjoined which repugneth against the spirit. For the faithful doth find an other law in his members which repugneth the law of the spirit, howsoever the inward man delighteth in the law of god, as though he would say, ye have promised many things, but ye perform little.  ¶ And he went again and prayed the same words. O my father if this cup can not pass away from me, but that I must drink it, thy will be done. And returning, he found them on sleep again. for their eyes were heavy, neither could they tell what to answer him, and he left them and went again, and prayed the third time, the same words, saying. O father if thou wilt, take away this cup from me, nevertheless not my will be done, and there appeared an Angel from heaven, comforting him, and being in agony, he prayed more earnestly, & his sweat was like drops of blood, trickeling down to the ground, & when he had risen from prayer, and came to his disciples, he found them sleeping for heaviness, and he said unto them, what sleep ye? sleep henceforth & take your rest, it is enough, rise, watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation. Behold the hour is at hand, and the son of man shallbe betrayed and given into the hands of sinners. Rise up, let us go, lo he that betrayeth me is at hand. 
LEt us above all things diligently weigh and consider the love of Christ, who loveth us even to the death, being careful for the salvation of his, of whom nevertheless he received small thank, he took upon himself whatsoever is contrary to the flesh, being like unto his brethren in all things without sin. But in his most grievous dangers he always runneth to the father, he imploreth him only he looketh for consolation at his hands only, neither doth he in the mean time forget his, which were weak and feeble and troubled, but goeth to see them again, comforting and strengthening them. Let us acknowledge that we have nothing but frailness and sins, let us set these things before the father and require help of him, for he tempteth us to that end, that we should run unto him, and cast ourselves wholly upon him, looking undoubtedly for help for him. For even as he was present with his son, & sent his angel to comfort him, so will he always be present with us; so that we call unto him for help, & shrink not away from him. We easily learn by the example of Christ of what force prayer is before God, when it is repeated without weariness and fervent. Wherefore the godly must always watch and pray that we may overcome the temptations which be at hand, and that we may beware of them which be to come. sleep now and rest, either it is a nipping taunt, or else a fatherly gentleness in bearing with the weak ones.  ¶ judas then when he had received a hand of men, & officers of the high priests, came thither with lanterns and torches, and weapons, & while he yet spoke (I say) judas one of the xii came, and with him a great multitude with sword and clubs, being sent from the high priests and elders of the Scribes, but judas went before them, and he had given them a token saying, whom so ever I shall kiss, he it is take him and hold him, and lead him warily. When judas therefore drew near to jesus to kiss him, he said. God save thee Master and kissed him, and jesus said unto him. Friend wherefore art thou come? O judas betrayest thou the son of man with a kiss? Then jesus knowing all things which should come unto him, went forth and said unto them, whom seek ye: They answered him, jesus of Nazareth, jesus said unto them, I am he. Now judas which betrayed him, stood with them, assoon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backwards, and fell to the ground. Then he asked them again, whom seek ye? And they said, jesus of Nazareth, jesus answered, I said unto you that I am he, therefore if ye seek me, let these go their way, that the word might be fulfilled which he spoke. Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none. 
AFter that fervent prayer, in the which as he had prayed that he might not fall into the danger that was at hand, so also he submitted himself wholly to the will of the father, utterly denying his own will, he now showeth his obedience and constancy in going to meet his enemies, & that wyth● willing and ready mind, as Esay hath prophesied, 
Esay. liii.  for no man could have taken away his life from him if he himself had not willingly given it. Let us also after our prayer in the which we commit ourselves to the father, and desire his aid, learn of our head stoutly for to fight, and to persever with singular patience in the battle, nothing doubting but that our father will be present with us his children, even as he was present with his son, remembering this that it lieth not in our enemy's power to oppress us. when they list themselves, but then only, when our father will who hath care over us. For the enemy cannot hurt us one whit, until God do permit him the same, as it is manifest by jobs temptation, but more manifest in Christ and his disciples. For how often would they have put him to death? and yet they could prevail nothing against him, before the hour appointed by the father, yea and when they took Christ yet might they not lay hands on his disciples, over whom Christ having a care commanded them that they should depart in safety. If so be it shall seem good to our father to make us partakers of the afflictions of his son, let us diligently consider his love and good will towards us, who hath not spared his own proper son but hath given him to the death for us. Why should we then refuse to suffer and to be adflicted for his glory. But let us rather give thanks to the father who layeth us forth with his son to divers temptations, and affections. For if we have been partakers of his death and passion, we shall also be partakers of his resurrection. It we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him. Let us be thoroughly persuaded of this, that our father doth so love us that he will suffer nothing to hap unto us which shall not be done to his glory and our salvation, and that nothing can chance unto us against his will, whom to repugn or to be against is most ill for us which be called and are the sons of god. Neither ought we only stoutly to go forward, and to receive the dangers brought unto us for Christ, but we must also do it cheerfully with meekness, humility, obedience, suffering and singular charity. This is to be marked in Christ, that he would not use his own power, by the which he might have destroyed his enemies, which came unto him, but he entertained them with most great gentleness and love, obeying the father even to the death. So let us also give place to our right and let us not resist evil, but overcome evil with good. Let our heart be armed with patience, fervent in love, and endued with weakness, that in our patience we ma● possess our souls, how lovingly doth he receive the betrayer? how graciously he speaketh unto him and calleth him friend? how gently he vouchsafeth to kiss him, & how sweetly he allureth his traitorous mind from his pretence to repentance? let us diligently mark in the example of judas besides those things which are spoken of before goods judgement, and let us learn humbly to think of ourselves, and to stand before God with great fear and trembling. For let him which standeth (saith Paul) take heed that he fall not. There is nothing safe from chance, nothing is of all parts blessed, when as such a great disciple of Christ doth fall, who can henceforth trust to himself? Let us beware of hypocrisy, that we be not wolves amongst the sheep of Christ, and false brethren in the fellowship of the godly. Nothing is more contrary to god than hypocrisy and unpureness. Nothing doth more alienate us from God than doth the covetous desire of things. Let us not therefore faint from the grace of God, let us not slip away from so great dignity, as to be the sons of God. Let us not refuse the gathering together of us, for what a foul thing shall it be, for to departed from the living God, from such a most loving father, to fall away from so great a benefactor, and to join himself to be a soldier of the Devil, and to flee unto the enemy of Christ? Ah how great an unthankfulness is it, for them which be washed with the blood of Christ, and sanctified with the spirit of God, for to join themselves in fellowship which the ungodly wicked ones, and to be made of the sons of God, the servants of Satan? In that they come with weapons, it is a figure of those which fight against the truth by violence and not by the truth.  ¶ Then they came and laid hands upon jesus & took him, & when they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him. Lord shall we smite with the sword And jesus answered, and said, suffer them hitherto, and behold Simon Peter one of them which were with him, stretching out his hand drew out his sword, and striking the servant of the high priest, cut of his right ear, & the servants name was Malchus. Then said jesus to Peter, put up thy sword in the sheath, wilt thou not that I shall drink of the cup which my father hath given me? Put up therefore the sword in his place. For all that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Either thinkest thou that I cannot now desire my father, and he will give me more than twelve legions of Angels? How then should the scriptures be fulfilled which say, that it must so be done, and when jesus had touched his ear he healed it. 
THe flesh is wont in adversity not to run unto God, but to his own weapons, and this doth Christ reprehend in Peter, as though he would say, we must not fight now with weapons, but with sufferance and meekness. It is no time now to strike the enemy with the sword, but to obey the will of God. If I have need of weapons & armies of soldiers, I could suddenly have of my father a great and infinite number of soldiers ready to help me. I am not also here, neither came I hither, to the intent I should fight with the sword, but that I might redeem you by my death, and leave with you an example of patience. By these words Christ doth teach us patience, that we should not revenge our selves if that any man have done us any displeasure in private things, but that we should patiently and quietly bear the injuries which he doth unto us, he doth not for all that take away the sword from the magistrate, which beareth it according to the laws. for the defence of the good, and the destruction of the evil, 
Rom. xiii. Math. xv.  for he sayeth, he which taketh the sword, understand, being moved thereunto of his own pleasure, rashly. and of a wicked affection. as for the magistrate he taketh it not after that sort, but receiveth it, God delivering and committing it unto him, and taketh it that he may use it justly, and according to the will of God, & that he may with the same punish the hurtful as often as need shall require, that is, as often as the glory of God and health of the godly requireth it. 
Rom. xiii.  The magistrate as long as he useth the sword lawfully, he himself doth not strike, but God by him. For god useth the magistrate as his minister, all things have their time, to sundry men are certain offices appointed, so that it is not every man's part to take unto him the sword, and to strike, neither must it be done at all times. That was the time wherein Christ would show his most great love towards mankind wherein he would declare himself to be the saviour of the world, and would put forth himself to all evils, and not the time wherein he would use his power and most just judgement. Christ therefore restraineth & keepeth under the zeal of Peter, which was fervence in deed, but it was not directed to gods will, and he declareth that he came not to hurt or to work displeasure, but to save and obey the will of the father in all things. jesus is taken that we might be delivered, he is bound that we might be loosed from the bonds of sins, he is sold to ungodly ones, that we being sold under sight be brought into the liberty of the sons of God. Let this example of Christ be set always before our eyes, let it be deeply imprinted in our hearts, that we may learn to put our stubborn and obstinate stiff neck under the yoke of Christ. Let us not put away the bonds of gods law, let us willingly serve God and our neighbour, let us not be full of jangling, stiff-necked, stubborn and desirous of revengement, but let us go forward in humility, obedience, and lowliness of mind, as sheep appointed to be slain and killed.  ¶ The same hour said jesus to the multitude, and to them which came unto him, from the high priests and magistrate of the temple and elders ye be come out as it were against a thief, with sword and clubs, to take me. I sat daily teaching in the temple amongst you, & ye took me not, but this is your hour and the power of darkness, but all this is done, that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all his disciples forsook him and fled and there followed him a certain young man, clothed in linen upon his bare body, and the young men caught him, but he left his linen cloth, and fled from them naked. 
CHrist as he is ready to suffer all things which these men devised to work against him so also he ceaseth not to revoke them from their malice which they had taken in hand, neither doth he allow their intent, although he suffer it quietly, declaring also unto them that they could have had no power against him, if he himself had would. As though he would say, and do ye not understand that ye can do nothing against me, when as I being daily conversant amongst you▪ and yet ye could not take me, although ye assayed it divers times. Now ye have chosen the night for this purpose, and that not unaptly, for ye be crafty varlets and children of darkness the prince of darkness leadeth you captive and stirreth you up to persecute me and my disciples, and this was forespoken not long ago of my prophets. So ought we to suffer the invasions of the wicked, and that with great mildness of mind, and patience, neither must we revenge ourselves with our own hand. But in the mean time must so set before the eyes of the wicked their mischievous doings, that they may understand how much they sin against God and us, to see if we can by any means revoke them from their conceived malice, and win them to the lord, or at the least to take from them all occasion whereby they might excuse their sins.  ¶ Then the band and the captain, and the officers of the jews took jesus and bound him and led him away to Anna's first, for he was father in law to Caiphas which was the high priest the same year, and Caiphas was he that gave counsel to the jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people, and Annas sent him bound to Cayphas the high priest. They therefore taking jesus led him to Cayphas the high priest, where the Scribes, the chief priests and the elders had assembled together. 
LVke the Evangelist sayeth, they led him and brought him, and this seemeth to be spoken not without an emphasis as though he would say. They led him which had healed all men, and which contained and led all things who if he had not led them, they had all perished. Luke & the other leave out the house of Anna, of the which john maketh mention very aptly, howbeit there is nothing left out of the Eamngelists, that pertaineth to the verity of the history, and it seemeth that this examining of Christ concerning his disciples & his doctrine, was done in the house of Cayphas, and not in the house of Anna. For in that he is led to Anna, it was done because it was in their way as they went, and to honour Anna withal. But examining of his doctrine & disciples belonged to Caiphas who was the high priest for that year. Therefore Anna sendeth him by and by away to Caiphas his son in law, which them was in office. And I judge that all the denials of Peter were done in the court of the bishop which may easily be gathered if they be weighed by the order of the history of john & others. john maketh mention by the way of Anna, & then returneth to Caiphas which if it be not marked, it might seem that all these things were done in the house of Anna, which nevertheless the other three mention to be done in Caiphas' house (& Cayphas was he) It is a digression to the description of the person. Caiphas' counsel, which is more manifestly set forth in the xi. of john, is so put forth of him, as though it should be healthful to the common wealth, when as he intended nothing but to put Christ to death. In that he spoke the truth, it was of the holy ghost, but he spoke this of guile and malice, for the rancour of his heart made him to speak those words. In the mean while he adorneth his envy, and pretendeth the common wealth to hide his deceit, and he useth the words which were like himself. The priests saw their authority to diminish daily, and that very many clave unto Christ, & therefore they feared their own things, for the which cause Caiphas useth this argument, by the which he might chief stir up their hearts. Why stay ye, saith he? do ye not see our authority decayeth, and that by this man? If ye will have your own state to be in safety, them take this man away, ye be slothful and lingerers, which shall turn at length to your own displeasure. etc. Wherefore he is the first author of Christ's death, and he encourageth the rest, to the conceived mischievous act, his house therefore was a fit place for the ungodly ones to take counsel together. Let us apply these things to our times and let us learn to discern between a good citizen and a faithful senator, and between a traitor and a false man. They which have traitorous minds do always pretend in their counsels the health of the common wealth, when as they go about the destruction of all good men, and into their houses do the owls fly unto, where they dare speak freely. Such meetings, assemblies and conspiracies in cities, are most certain causes of the destruction of a common wealth, which every man may most easily perceive, though he be meanly skilled in histories, and if so be that ye O magistrates are ignorant of these things, then be ye very unskilful, and ye have small experience of things, but if so be that ye do know those things, and do not beware of them. nor punish the authors, then are ye to unjust, wicked, and enemies to your country, and in that we do so cry against those, we do it not to this end only, that ye should punish them (which I fear me is in vain) but because it is our duty so to do, and for so much as we assuredly foresee, that such men will be the destruction of the common wealth. it is therefore needful to admonish you of them. Lest we should be blind watchmen and dumb dogs.  ¶ And Peter followed him a far of even to the inner court of the high priest, and there followed also an other disciple which was known of the high priest, who also entered in with jesus into the house of the high priest. But Peter stood without at the door. Then went out the other disciple which was known to the high priest, and spoke to her that kept the door, and brought in Peter, and when Peter was come in, he sat down with the officers to see the end, and when they had made a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together. Peter also sat down amongst them, & warmed him at the fire, & the servants and officers stood there, which had made a fire of coals, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves and Peter also stood amongst them, and warmed himself, whom when a certain maid of the high priest which kept the gate, saw sitting by the fire, and looking earnestly upon him, said. waste not thou also with jesus of Galiley? Then a certain other said. This man was also with him, Peter denied it before them all & said: woman I know him not neither do I know what thou sayest, & he went forth into the porch, and the cock crew. Then an other maid saw him, and said unto them which were there. This man also was with jesus of Nazareth, and he denied it again with an oath saying? I know not the man, and about the space of an hour after, other which stood thereby saw him, & said, verily thou also art one of them, for thou art of Galiley, and thy speech also bewrayeth thee. Then said one of the servants of the high priest, his cousin whose ear Peter smote of, did not I see thee in the garden with him Then began he to curse himself and to swear, that he knew not the man. And immediately while he yet spoke, the cock crew, and the Lord turned back, and looked upon Peter, and Peter remembered the words which jesus had said unto him, before the cock crow t●ise, thou shalt deny me thrice, and Peter went forth and wept bitterly, 
Here do we learn man's inconstancy and mutability, but the Lord doth leave this in us lest we should presumptuously claim any thing to ourselves, and that we might rise again after our fall, more cheerful and wary, and to learn thereby to depend wholly upon God, & put no confidence in our own strength these examples are to this end set forth, that we either standing should be afraid and beware of a fall, or else that after we have fallen, we should not despair, but returning with Peter should bewail our sins. The Lord knoweth how to use the fallings of his to his own glory. If we have sinned with Peter, let us repent with Peter, and weep bitterly. For the elect being admonished after they have fallen, they do arise again, they boast not in their sins. they rejoice not when they have done evil, and despise not God's admonition. In that Christ looketh upon Peter in the midst of his sins, it teacheth us, that God doth not forget his, but admonisheth them both within & without. Let us mark the degrees which are in sins, and how Peter falleth from one denial into an other, and doth always drown himself more deeply in. It is a goodly matter to have no fellowship with ungodly and wicked men, Let us with speed pluck back our foot if we chance to fall in company with such men let us withstand the beginnings, neither let us cleave to the company of sinners. For if we do abide with them. then can we not do it without wonderful great hindrance of our salvation and innocency: Peter partly holdeth his peace, and partly denieth, but not of infidelity, but of weakness and fear. For his faith was not altogether quenched. They be like unto Peter which do know what is right and just, & yet dare not utter it, and set it forth when need requireth. Those must diligently weigh the words of Christ, where he saith, He that shallbe ashamed of me before this generation, I will also be ashamed of him, before my father And let us understand these things, when the glory of god, and the health of our neighbour doth require it. For it may come to pass that sometimes it is better to keep silence and to dissemble the matter. Again, there is place where to dissemble is to betray Christ with judas. The Scripture when it setteth forth unto us the fallings of the saints, it teacheth not to forswear and deny, but if it happen to have fallen of fear, it rather comforteth him, & stirreth him up to repentance, when as it openly declareth the bosom of god's mercy, to such as sin greatly. Christ useth the crowing of the cock which is natural, not only for a sign of Peter his denial, but he also admonisheth Peter by the same crowing to repent, we see that in thing so little the providence of God doth not cease, moreover it declareth the creatures are the instruments of God his grace and power. The cock knoweth nothing of Peter, but is moved by his own nature and doth also crow, but God knoweth and appointed him for his purpose. Let us also mark this that there is great difference between those which sin of weakness and fear, and those which sin of a purposed malice. The sin of the weak ones is not to the death, but the sin of the ungodly is committed against the holy ghost, and by that means it shall never be forgiven. They which fall or slip, yea though it be most grievously, yet if they being admonished do rise up again after their fall, and do unwrap themselves out of sins, do forsake their ungodliness, and also the ungodly do wept and show forth signs of true repentance it is manifest that those men are elect and Godly, and that they sinned of weakness. They abide no longer in the filth of sins, but as soon as they come to themselves, they place their foot into the way of righteousness, they run unto God his mercy for forgiveness, and they be made more humble wary and diligent, but they which despise the admonitions of the godly, neither run after they have fallen to the sanctuary of God his grace, but rejoice and glory in their sins, heaping one mischief upon an other, neither can be revoked by any means, being not only conversant amongst the ungodly and enemies of the truth, but also declaring themselves to be captains and Emperors against the truth, it is manifest that such men are ungodly, and that they have sinned of a purposed malice, we may see the examples of both kinds of these sinners, the one in David and Peter, the other in Saul and judas.  ¶ The high priest asked jesus of his disciples and of his doctrine, jefus answered him, I spoke openly in the world. I ever taught in the synagogue, & in the temple, whether all the jews assembled, & I have said nothing in secret, why askest thou me? Ask them which hard what I spoke unto them, behold they know what I have said, and when he had spoken these things, one of the officers which stood by, gave jesus a blow saying, answerest thou the high priest so. jesus answered him, if I have evil spoken, bear witness of the evil, but if I have spoken well, why smitest thou me? 
CHrist teacheth in his answer how freely the Preacher of the word of God ought to speak before the magistrate and the church, when he is asked, and the glory of God requireth the same, he saith therefore, I have spoken nothing in secret, that is, I have said nothing which I would have hidden, or that I am ashamed of. My doctrine is of god, true and sincere. I have uttered the same therefore unto all men, because it behoveth all men to know it, and it is healthful unto all men. Furthermore I have not sought for any secret corner, but I have preached in an open place, where the people assembled together. It belongeth therefore unto the pastor and minister of the word of God, to set forth the sincere doctrine of God freely and openly unto the people he must inveigh freely and vehemently against vices, that they which are not moved with the love of righteousness, yet may be feared from them by shame, so that either they may do things that be good, or else cease to do evil. For to him it belongeth to reprehend wickedness with great authority, when need so requireth, For he which then dissembleth, or denieth, whither he do it of fear, or of any other affection, he falleth into the sin of Peter. It is not enough to keep faith in the heart, and to deny with the mouth when place requireth, otherwise wherein offended Peter? So Paul saith, with the heart we believe to righteousness, but by the mouth is confession made to salvation. Moreover he referreth the judgement & witness to the hearers, whereby he declareth that if there happen any question concerning doctrine, than the judgement and witness of the same belongeth to the hearers, and not that one or two should be hard against the Preacher, but the whole Church. Some man will ask, why Christ did not turn his other cheek to them which struck him. which he never the less had taught himself before? By this place we see the the words of Christ ought not to be wrested to any kind of outward show and hypocrisy, but to the preparation of the mind. Finally this is a great & an high thing to have the mind so prepared that it will not only suffer one injury or two but very great injuries, so that it may advance the glory of God, and bring any commodity to our neighbour. And if that happen not, it is better to prefer the less injury before the greater. Therefore it was expedient to turn the other cheek here, when as by that means he should have brought no other thing to pass, but have given an occasion to have had more injury done unto him. All things ought to be done of the believers to edification. And what was there to be hoped for in this varlet? What was there to be looked for of this most wicked high Bishop? Which either commandeth or permitteth to strike one being bound and not condemned, contrary to all law and right, yea and that in that place, where the innocentes should seek for defence. There is therefore a place, where we ought to suffer patiently, and contrary there is a place where we must resist malice and ungodliness even to the death. Charity shall teach us these things, and prescribe a measure in all things. A faithful spirit knoweth where to spare, where to strike and where to resist. Therefore this wicked servant was worthy to be rebuked of Christ, that he might acknowledge his wickedness, and yet for all that Christ departed not one hear breadth from charity or patience, but stoutly suffereth the injury done unto him, being ready to suffer more grievous, Briefly all things are so to be suffered, that the glory of Christ & the truth may be defended & our constancy may appear Now the chief priests, & the elders & the whole counsel sought false witness against jesus to put him to death, but they found none, yea though many false witnesses came, yet found they none, for many barefalse witness against him but their witness was not sufficient. but at the last came two false witnesses, and said, we have heard this man say, I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days, I will build an other made without hands, and neither yet were their witnesses sufficient enough. Then the chief priest arose and stood amongst them, and asked jesus saying, answerest thou nothing? What is the matter that these bear witness against thee? But jesus held his peace, neither answered he any thing. Again the high priest asked him and said unto him. I charge thee by the living God, that thou tell us, if thou be the Christ the son of God? jesus said unto him, thou hast said it, I am he. Nevertheless I say unto you, here after ye shall see the son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, he hath blasphemed, what have we any more need witnesses? behold now ye have heard his blasphemy, what think ye? and they answered and said, he is worthy of death & the men which held jesus, mocked him and beat him, and they spare in his face, and covered his face, smote him on the face with their hands, saying. Prophesy unto us O Christ who it is the smote thee? & many other things rephrochfuly spoke they against him  
HEre were occasiion to entreat of false witness, but because we study to be brief, we do admonish judges of this one thing, that they diligently remember this that if false witnesses do arise up against Christ, whose life and doctrine could be accused by no means, what we then hope for? Let them therefore observe equity and not follow affections. The ungodly do wrest the words of Christ contrary to his meaning, and this slander is a part of false witness, when as we do either pervert any man's words or talk, or do rehearse them otherwise then he spoke then, or else interpret them otherwise then he spoke or meant them Christ spoke of the temple of his body, and they falsely interpret it to the material temple. Even as in the old time sacrifices were done in the temple, and peace offerings and cleansings were done by sacrifices, so is Christ made a sacrifice upon the cross for our sins, pacifying god his wrath against us and sanctifying us. In that Christ holdeth his peace at the false witnesses, it was not somuch, because of his meekness, as because of his wisdom. This example ought they to follow which are oppressed with false witnesses, & chiefly before such a judge as esteemeth and giveth credit to false witnesses. For than no answers or excuses are any thing worth, it shallbe moste safeguard to keep silence. I adjure thee that thou tell me, whether thou be the Son of God? By this question it is manifest, that the jews confessed and knew right well that the Messiah should be the Son of God. But they ask him this captious question to the intent that they might cavil and maliciously accuse him in his answer, that is, that they might take and trap him in his talk, that he which had made himself the Son of God, should therefore be worthy to die, and that according to the law. So do our papists now of days extort of the ministers of the word, what their opinion is of this new doctrine (as they term it) And when they answer them the truth, then are they by and by put to torments, but if they hold their peace they betray the truth. Wherefore the hypocrites do seek the truth to this intent, that they may persecute it, when they know it, and also kill him which confesseth it. Hereafter ye shall see, etc. This is a gentle and healthful admonition, as though he would say. In deed ye see me now humble, and as it were the Son of the Carpenter, but be not offended with this my humility, for now is the time of humility, I do not now show forth my glory and power, but shortly ye shall see what manner one I am. He is guilty of death. The chief priest speaketh this to his complices, which were like unto himself namely haters of Christ, he hath blasphemed (sayeth he) what need we any more witnesses? They feign themselves, as though they had a care for the glory of God. when as nevertheless their minds are ungodly. & unpure. So they say now a days. He hath slandered the holy Virgin, he hath polluted the sacraments, therefore he is an heretic, what need we any more witnesses? So I say do they cry now of days against the preachers of the Gospel, and for a colour they pretend the honour of God and the holy Virgin, when as only they exceedingly hate the truth, and solely seek for their own commodity. For it is not possible that they should speak these things from the heart, and should think so undoubtedly, when as God doth not confirm a lie in the heart of man. They which speak so do always doubt and waver, which may easily be seen in Pharaoh, who one while spoke one thing, an other while an other thing, sometimes denied and sometimes affirmed. One while he said, who is this Lord? By & by he saith I know the Lord is just. and that I have sinned and yet for all that in the mean time he goeth forward in his mischief, etc. We will set forth this more plainly. They which thus speak, this man hath taught that we should not call ●pon the blessed Virgin, Let him therefore be taken away for he is an heretic and guilty of death. These men I say are never certain & put out of doubt in their hearts that we should call upon mary, or that he should be put to death which teacheth the contrary, that is to say, that we should worship one God. For it ●s unpossible that this should be certainly persuaded in the heart of man, that he should doubt nothing of it, or think nothing to the contrary. Therefore they be hypocrites, which pretend ●hese things, thinking otherwise inwardly. yea their conscience repugning it, they fain themselves outwardly to be good men, & would ●eme to be such, when as they are inwardly ungodly. For although the Lord doth blind and ●arden a man, yet nevertheless he setteth the truth so plainly before the same man's eyes, that ●e leaveth him no excuse of ignorance, but compelleth him to say & acknowledge in his heart, that he doth err & sin, how so ever he fighteth against the truth known. They do call Christ by the honourable name of a Prophet, & turn it to mockage. As though they would say, All men call thee a great Prophet, or thou boastest thyself to be a prophet, prophesy therefore unto us, etc. Let us mark the nature of the ungodly and hypocrites which conspire against the truth. Unrighteousness accuseth righteousness. Lies oppress the truth. Envy hurteth charity, and yet for all this all things are so adorned, that they seem to have a certain show of justice & law. They prevent him with false witnesses, they urge him with deceitful interrogations. The judges are both accusers & also witnesses. And they which are most blasphemous, do lay blasphemy to an innocentes charge, that they might seem: to be revengers of blasphemy. But they do all things in vain when as they find not so much as a show of wickedness in Christ. Let us follow this, that we may be so honestly conversant amongst men and live so innocently, that even fame may be afeard to lie of us. Now what greater cruelty can there be devised: than this which the soldier use against Christ? An innocent is least in the hands of most vile men, to use him according to their own lust, yea they do sharpen & quicken their lust in him, in which soldiers there is no godliness, no compassion, they mock him, spit upon him, & beat him, neither omit they any thing that serveth to the infamy of Christ, or to his injury. The same is done now a days by most cruel men, yea by no men, but rather wild beasts, which have put away all humanity, which have deprived themselves of the feeling of nature, that is to say, which do burden miserable men which are led for the truth of Christ, with reproaches and spiteful words, & do mock them being otherwise afflicted, when as nevertheless the laws of nature forbid that we should burden such as are punished, with more grievous spiteful words. No man excuseth Christ no man pitieth him, no man delivereth him. No man defendeth him, No man speaketh in his cause, Nor no man remembreth the benefits paste, to say once, he hath healed all diseases, he hath fed the hungry, he hath taught the ignorant, he hath done good to all men. Thus so many and so great benefits done by Christ amongst these most ingrate men were lost, Thus cruelty and envy had blotted all thinegs These things are not done without the providence & will of God, and yet for all that they which commit these things, do sin most heinously, & so do they also which take not heed that these things might not have been done. The lord permitteth such cruel wicked deeds to be done sometimes, to stir up our slothfulness & sluggishness, so that sometimes we should be wakened at such enormities, and then to show forth our strength and faith, yet in the mean time are we without excuse, which have given occasion to the wicked by our negligence to go forward in their naughtiness, neither are we free from so great blame. We are so weak, so slothful, & unfaithful that no man c commit so great wicked deeds, whereby we are moved yea not a little. So blockish are we altogether & with out feelings. There are no wicked acts so detestable or terrible, which can shake away our slepye sluggishness from us. And seeing that things are at this point, let us look for nothing but the utter punishment and vengeance of the Lord. These be as certain signs of destruction, as when the heaven is red in the morning, it is a sign that it will rain. The which things if any man see not then is he blind, but if he see them & beware not of them, than is he mad. We must withstand the beginnings, A bough when it waxeth hard can not so easily be bowed Let us therefore withstand wicked acts before they grow into an use, & possess all things, medicine is prepared to late, when as the evils by long tarrying are established.  ¶ When the morning was come, all the chief priests and Elders of the people took counsel against jesus to put him to death. And they led him to their counsel, saying, Art thou the Christ? Tell us. And he said unto them. If I tell you, ye will not believe. If I shall ask you ye will not answer me, neither will ye let me go. Hereafter shall the Son of man sit at the right hand of the power of God. Then said they all, Art thou the Son of God? And he said: Ye say that I am. Then said they what need we any further witness? For we ourselves have heard it of his own mouth: Then arose the whole multitude and led him away bound from Cayphas into the common Hall, and delivered him to Pontious Pilate the precedent. And it was morning, & they themselves went not into the common Hall, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the passover. 
THe truth increaseth and showeth forth itself more bright in tribulations and oppressions. The jews therefore get nothing by their counsel to kill Christ, which thing yet only they sought for. Let them which go about to extinguish Christ with persecutions & death diligently mark this. And thus is the Christian faith planted with blood, and also augmented by blood. But woe be unto them which do oppress the truth, which nevertheless can never be oppressed. On the contrary part lies and iniquities although they reign for a time, yet shall they never be firm & sure: and who will be afeard to persente that which can never abide? Again who will be afeard to deffend his cause, which can never be oppressed? And yet for all that we are all slepye to accomplish excellent and divine things, when as we may see that the ungodly neither cease nor yet sleep being about their wicked acts, but break their night sleeps, & in the dawning of the day return again to their counsels. Their industry & vigilancy doth put to shame our sloughfulnes. If I shall say. The ungodly sometimes ask for the truth, but not for to embrace it, but for to persecute it. So play our papists, they sometimes object captious questions to the Godly, and when they go about to give them a reason of their doctrine, them will no satisfaction serve, but they adjudge them by and by to the death. Christ understanding this, saith, what should I tell you? If ye had bcne desirous of the truth, ye might have learned it long a go by my doctrine and miracles. Which seeing ye have not done, what need I to talk any more with you? Hitherto is power given unto you to rage against my humility, but hereafter ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of God. 
What to sit at the right of god is  By this Periphrasis he doth evidently prove himself to be the Son of God. As though he would say, Ye shall here after see that I am the son of god. This did the jews understand, and so they pronounced him guilty of death, when as none can sit at the right hand of God the Father, 
Psalm. 109  with chief glory and majesty but only the son of God. Therefore they thought in their own opinion, that Christ was justly condemned, according to the law in. Deut, 13. of a false Prophet, but it was falsely understood & interpreted: For there it speaketh of the Prophet which doth withdraw men from the true God. which Christ did not. Ye say, or, thou sayest, is not a word of doubting, but of affirming after the Hebrew Phrase.  ¶ Then when judas which betrayed him, saw that he was condemned he repenting himself, brought again the thirty pieces of silver, to the chief Priests and Elders, saying. I have sinned betraying the innocent blood. But they said, what is that to us? Look thou to it. And when he had cast down the silver pieces in the Temple, he departed and went and hung himself: And the chief Priests took the pieces of silver, & said, it is not lawful for us to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel and bought with them a potter's field for the burial of strangers. Wherefore that field is called the field of blood until this day. Then was that fulfilled which was spoken by jeremy the Prophet, saying. And they took, thirty. silver pieces, the price of him that was valued, whom being valued, they bought of the children of Israel, and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me. 
IN judas is set forth a most horrible example of God's judgement upon those which sin of purposed malice and unfaithfulness of which men the betrayer is a figure. God calleth all men mercifully to his grace, but they whom the devil blindeth & moveth do despise him which calleth them, or being alured to be in the number of the Sons of God, do go backward, wrapping themselves in sins after such a fort, that they can by no means be pulled back again. Satan doth so blind them, that they can not ponder the heinousness of their wickedness, until he have thrown them down headlong into hell, and then at the length be their eyes opened, that they may see the greatness of their wickedness, & the sharpness of the punishment, but yet in such a sort, that in the mean time they can not consider the exceeding greatness of God's mercy, neither can they run unto the same. They are sorry in deed, not because they have offended the chief God, but because they see their end prepared for them. And thereby cometh desperation and tormenting of the conscience, in the which they perish. Let us therefore take heed from shedding of innocent blood, from covetousness & wilful stubbornness, for they which are possessed with these mischievous acts are like unto judas, and shall come unto the like end that he did. To this are they driven at the length, which would never obey the Lord admonishing them. It nothing profited judas to be in the number of the twelve, nothing to be the Disciple of Christ, nothing to be partaker of the holy table, nothing also to have Preached the word of truth, but for all this at the length his hypocrisy was made manifest & also punished. So these things shall profit us nothing if so be that we shall be unfaithful and hypocrites. It is unpossible for any man to please God without faith. 
The power of faith.  But where as faith shallbe, therewit also be an edde●our to live justly and innocently, and an horror of wicked acts there is God heard, neither is his calling despised. Our title maketh us not acceptable to God, but faith. Faith hath a regard of God, worshippeth God, keepeth his word, feareth his studieth to keep his commandments and obeyeth his wil Wherefore it is nothing worth for us to brag of faith, if we want it, for them are we proved to be hypocrites and unfaithful. Moreover in the jewish priests is set forth the figure of hypocrites, which do abhor to enter into the house of an Ethniche, & to put the price of blood into the treasury, & yet for all that abhor not from shedding of innocent blood, straining at a gnat, & swallowed down a Camel. As many as do make clean that which is without neglecting to have it pure within, are like unto these which do neglect charity, righteousness and faith, & clean superstitiously unto certain ceremonies, in the which they put the some of Godliness, with which men, the traditions of men & their own lies are of greater value, than the commandments of God, which do either make equal or else prefer their own traditions before god his commandments. But yet in this thing we judge these iewyshe priests more just and wiser than the papists, because they would not receive that filthy price into their treasury. But the other have most greedily drawn unto than by violence as well stolen goods, as also goods naughtily & unjustly gotten. Furthermore it is not enough to say unto judas, See thou to it. They should have changed their sentence, when they knew their error, and not have accused an innocent, but defended him.  And jesus stood before the governor, who said, what accusation bring ye against this man? They answered, if he were not an evil doer, we would not have delivered him unto thee. Then said Pilate unto them: Take ye him therefore yourselves, and judge him after your own law. Then the jews said unto him, it is not lawful for us to put any man to death. That the word of jesus might be fulfilled, which he spoke, signifying what death he should die. Then they began to accuse him, saying, we have taken this man perverting the people, and forbidding to pay tribute to Ceasar, and saying, that he is. Christ a king, and Pilate asked him saying. Art thou the king of the jews? And he answered & said, thou sayest it. Then Pilate said unto the high priests & people I find no fault in this man. But they waxed more fierce, saying, he stirreth the people, teaching throughout all judea, beginning at Galiley even to this place. And when Pilate heard mention of Galiley, he asked whether the man were of Galiley? And when he knew that he longed to Herode his jurisdiction, he sent him to Herode, who was also at jerusalem at that time. 
HEre may we see by the jewish priests & elders, what cometh of sentences decided & determined before the judgement be given, They had at once conspired the death of Christ, yea they adjudged him to death, and therefore they think it not meet, that their judgement should be counted unjust, and that there should be any farther inquisition made. If he had not been an evil doer (say they) we would not have delivered him unto thee: Behold with what unshamefastness these most wicked men do speak, going about to overcome the judge by their impudent cry. So in these days sentences are determined and given upon the Preachers of the gospel before their cause come before lawful judges. If he were not (say they) an heretic, and worthy to be condemned we would not have taken him: He hath done contrary to the counsels, contrary to the ordinances of the fathers: He is a troubler and a deceiver, etc. By these cries they do prevent the minds of the judges, that they should think it against equity to make any more inquisition of those which are brought before them, & by & by they command them to be had away. The king of peace is falsely accused, of sedition and tumult, which study of reforming of things getteth much displeasure of all men. Under the pretence of this wicked act, not only Christ, but also almost all the Prophets are oppressed. In that Christ was not killed of the jews, but of the Gentiles, that is to say, delivered to the power of the Romans. The Evangelist declareth that it was not done rashly, for Christ had foretold his disciples that he should be delivered to the Gentiles. They join many accusations together, & that by art & a certain craftiness, of the which some touched the jews, & others some Pilate & the Gentiles, & all this was done to make Christ to be hated of all men, & to alienate the minds of all men from him. Pilate little cared for their accusations which they brought against Christ concerning their own law, but he revengeth the cause of treason, thinking that that pertaineth to his office. I would to God the princes which do persecute the Gospel would observe this equity towards the godly, whom they examine. There is no cause why the magistrate should be afeard of the Gospel & doctrine of Christ, which abolisheth not the Magistrate, but rather establisheth it, & teacheth true obedience.  ☞ And when Herode saw jesus, he was exceeding glad, for he was desirous to have seen him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him, & he hoped to have seen some sign done by him. Then questioned he with him of many things, but he answered him nothing. But the high priests & scribes stood forth and accused him vehemently: And Herode with his men of war despised him, and when he had mocked him & clothed him with a white garment he sent him again to Pilate. And the same day were Pilate & Herode made friends together, for before they were enemies one to an other. 
LEt us consider here the meekness & obedience of our head, and captain, who being himself innocent, is set before unjust judges and tyrants for us trespassers. The Lamb without spot openeth not his mouth when he is mocked and made a laughing stock to a tyrant which was not worthy to hear the most sweet words of Christ, & the doctrine of the truth, when as he was not desirous of the truth, but rather curious of new things. Let us learn of our Master, that if we be at any time unjustly accused, if we be mocked & despised, we may be ready to suffer patiently all reproach for Christ and his truth. Let us not be revengers of our own glory & name. Let us remember that we be worthy of everlasting reproach, for we are nothing but a lump of sin. Let us seek our glory in the cross of Christ, for it is the chiefest glory to be out of estimation in this world for Christ's sake. There is no time of glory here: If we can suffer reproaches with Christ, we shall also be partakers of his glory. He which was god (saith Paul made himself of no reputation taking upon him the form of a servant, & became obedient unto the Father, even to the death of the cross, wherefore the father hath exalted him, & brought him to most high glory. And hath given him a name above every name. Therefore they which will be in deed glorious, must learn to suffer infamy & reproaches with Christ, they must also follow his humility & obedience. Let no man think that his glory is diminished, if that he humble himself & serve others. For by this means his glory is not diminished but made more noble. How soever the ungodly be at distance or dissension in their minds one against another yet for all that in the persecuting of the truth & of righteousness they can agree togethers.  ☞ Then Pilate called together the high priests and the rulers, and the people, & said unto them: ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverted the people, and behold I examining him before you, do find no fault in this man, of these things whereof ye accuse him. No nor yet Herode, for I sent you to him, & behold there is nothing worthy of death done by him. Then Pilate entered into the common hall again, & called jesus and said unto him: Art thou the King of the jews? jesus answered him, sayest thou that of thyself, or did other tell it thee of me? Pilate answered, am I a jew? Thine own nation & the high priests have delivered thee unto me. What hast thou done? jesus answered, my Kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world my servants would surely fight, that I should not be delivered unto the jews, but now is not my kingdom from hence: Pilate them said unto him, art thou a king then? Thou sayest that I am a king: For this cause am I borne, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth, every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. Pilate said to him, what is the truth? & when he had said that, he went out again unto the jews, and said unto them, I find in him no cause at all. But ye have a custom, that I should deliver you one lose at the passover, will ye therefore that I lose unto you the King of the jews? Then cried they all again, saying, not him but Barrabas. Now this Barrabas was a thief which was in prison with the authors of an insurrection made in the city, wherein was murder committed. Then Pilate spoke unto them again, willing to let jesus lose. But they cried, saying, crucify crucify him. And he said unto them the third time, what evil hath he done? I find no fault worthy of death in him. I will therefore chastise him and let him lose. 
 at the first showeth a certain semblance of justice and equity, for that he goeth about to deliver an innocent, and to pluck him out of their hands, and he being an heathen man doth bear witness of the innoncency of Christ, but he is unconstant and wavering like a read, and he foully goeth against his conscience, being moved partly by fear, & partly by greedy desire to reign. He ought not to have suffered that he, whom he confessed to be innocent, should be beaten of the soldiers, and much less to be crucified. For because, that Christ saith that his kingdom is not of this world: the Anabaptists abuse this saying, and would take away Magistrates from amongst Christians. But they should mark that Christ speaketh of himself, & appointeth the kingdom of the spirit. Christ came not to possess a kingdom in the world, but to set forth an example of humility and obedience. So in like case no Christian man ought in his mind to be desirous of a kingdom, no though he be chosen to govern others. So Christ was the king over the whole world, as he is also at this day, but he coveted not a kingdom, for he came not therefore but for to Preach: and yet for all that he denied not himself to be a king, but he desired no kingdom but only of consciences. So all preachers & ministers of the word ought to do. For although they be appointed over kingdoms & princes, 
jere. 1. ●. Cor. 10.  yet ought they by no means to make suit for them, as jeremy saith, but they ought to govern consciences with the word of God. So Paul saith, that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to cast down holds, by the which we overthrow the devices, and every high thing, that is exalted against the knowledge of God, & we lead every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we have in a readiness vengeance against all disobedience. We may boast in this authority, which God hath given us for edification and not for destruction. I came for this intent that I might bear witness to the truth: as though he would say, I came not to the end to reign but to bear witness to the truth. To bear witness of the truth, is the Periphrasis of a Preacher. 
To bear witness to the truth.  So john was sent to bear witness of the light, that is of the truth. So Christ sayeth to his apostles in the xv Chapter of john, and ye are my witnesses. Also in the last of Luke thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, 
john. 1.  and to arise again from the dead the third day, & that repentance & remission of sins should be preached in his name amongst all nations, 
Luke. 24  beginning at jerusalem. And ye be witnesses of these things not only in jerusalem, 
Act. 1.  but also in all jury & Samaria, & finally unto the uttermost part of the earth. The father therefore sent the son into the world, to bear witness unto the truth, that is to say, to make himself known of the world, for he is the truth, john the xviiij chap. And who soever hath but even a crome of the truth within him, the same is begotten of him, & heareth his voice. Christ is not only made equal with wicked persons, but is cast much more lower than wicked persons. For the thief is loosed but Christ is killed. They give a murderer his life, but they desire to have the author of life crucified: they choose a thief and reject a Saviour. By the which we are taught not only the maliciousness of the lindsays, but also the inconstancy & ingratitude of the common people. It was not long before that they cried and sang Hosanna, and extolled him riding upon the Ass with great praises, saying, blessed be he which cometh in the name of the Lord. Now they cry as fast again, he is a deceiver, Let him be crucified. Let no man therefore hunt for praise of the people. Let no man glory, if the common people praise him. The wavering and inconstant people is by and by persuaded unto a contrary sentence, so he is cursed in deed that putteth his confidence in man. Pilate beareth witness more than once of the innocency of Christ, and saith that he doth find no cause of death in him. He is therefore unjust, because he suffereth an innocent to be whipped. But he feared men more than God. A just judge ought not to punish the guiltless to get the favour of other men. The Romans did put to death those whom they had beaten. Although it seemeth the Pilate did not beat Christ to the intent that he would put him to death, but 〈◊〉 by this means. he might deliver him from death All these things are done by the providence of God, that Christ might suffer all the punishments, which even the most wicked do. Here may we judge the love of god the father which thrusteth his well beloved & only begotten son for us unto most grievous punishments that we might also learn to bear patiently what things so ever shall happen unto us.  ¶ Then Pilate took jesus & scourged him, and the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they clothed him with a purple garment, and said, Hail King of the jews & they buffeted him. And Pilate went forth again, & said unto them, behold I bring him forth unto you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him at all. Then came jesus forth wearing a crown of thorns & a purple garment, & Pilate said unto them: behold the man. Then when the high priests and officers saw him, they cried saying. crucify him, crucify him. Pilate said unto them. Take ye him & crucify him, for I find no fault in him. The jews answered him, we have a law, & according to our law he ought to die, because he made himself the son of God, when Pilate then heard that word, he was the more afeard and went again in to the common hall, and said unto jesus, whence art thou? But jesus gave him no answer. Then said Pilate unto him speakest thou not unto me? Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee? and have also power to lose thee? jesus answered, thou couldst have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above. Therefore he that delivered me unto thee, hath the greater sin, from thence forth Pilate sought to lose jesus, but the jews cried, saying, if thou lose this man, thou art not Caesar's friend, Whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Ceasar. 
 is a figure of a tyrannous and negligent judge, bearing a certain show of righteousness, when as in deed he hath not so much regard to it. So often times we outwardly show one thing, and inwardly in our heart mean an other thing. He would have saved jesus so that it might be done with Caesar's favour and the jews. But if his heart had been inflamed with the desire of justice, he would not have defended an innocent so carelessly and coldly, but stoutly and uprightly. A judge ought not to have a respect to the favour or displeasure of men, but unto the rule of equity and law. They which be soft and weak, do by little and little slip, till at the length they decline altogether from the right way Which we may see by Pilate, who for that he doth not constantly prosecute that which he knew to be right, is compelled at the length to give sentence against an innocent, his own conscience accusing him to the contrary, in condemning of whom he condemneth himself when as he saith with arrogant boasting, that he hath power to lose Christ. Whom the Lord doth gently reprehend, 
Rom. 13.  declaring unto him that no man can do any thing but so farforth as the Lord shall permit. And because that all power is of God, therefore a Magistrate ought not to abuse the same power to oppress innocentes with all, even as they lust themselves. Also this is a comfort unto us, when as we know that men can do nothing unto us though they be never so cruel, but so much as the Lord shall permit them. This must we also mark, that the Father did lay our sins upon Christ, therefore Christ was scourged for our sins, by whose stripes we are healed, by whose wounds our wounds are cured. He offereth his back to them which strike him, and his cheakes to them which buffet him. 
Esay. 53. Esay. 20.  Let us therefore with grief remember the heap of our sins, which Christ suffered for in his body, being despised and put to shame, that he might deliver us from everlasting shame and punishment, Let us also make ready our back and our whole body to bear stripes for him, which hath loved us with so great a love, jesus holdeth his peace, giving an example to the Godly, that they should not greatly endeavour to excuse or deliver themselves when they should suffer death for the truth.  ☞ And when Pilate hard that word, he brought jesus forth, and sat down for to give judgement, in the place which is called the paved place and in Hebrew Gabarha. And it was the preparation of the passover almost about the sixth hour, & he said unto the jews, behold your king. But they cried away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate said unto them, shall I crucify your king? The high priests answered we have no king but Cesar. And the high priests with the elders accused him of many things. And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. Then said Pilate unto him, dost thou not here how many witnesses they bring against thee And he answered him not to one word after thee, insomuch that the governor marveled greatly. Now at the feast the governor was wont, to deliver unto the people a prisoner whom they would. And they had at that time a notable prisonner cal-Barrabas. which was in prison with the authors of a sedition, in the which sedition they had committed murder, when they were gathered then together, & that the people made a noise, he begun to requir them instantly, that he might do as he had always done unto them. Therefore Pilate said unto them, whether will ye that I lose unto you Barrabas, or jesus which is called Christ, for he knew full well, that they had delivered him for envy. 
THe jews desired nothing so much as to recover their King. But now these most wicked persons do dissemble that stoutly, to destroy Christ which told them that he was a king, which was that king that was promised unto them. Of which king also there are amongst the Gentiles which witnessed of him. For thus writeth Suetonious in the life of Vespasion, There spread throughout the whole east an old and constant opinion, that it was destimed that at that time jury should obtain the dominion of things. The jews applying that to themselves which was forespoken of the Roman Emperor, as it appeared in the end, rebelled and slew their precedent. Moreover they drove away the Lieutenant of Syria, coming to succour the governor, and overthrew the Romans standard. Thus far writeth he. Where again we may learn also the lightness and inconstancy of the common people: when he fed them, they would have made him a King: when he inveigheth against their perverse manners, they desire to have him crucified: He is therefore a fool and a mad man that sticketh to the favour of men. They prefer a thief & a murderer before Christ an innocent, which is commonly seen now a days, yea & amongst those which are called by the name of Christ, when as varlets and ungodly men, despisers of the truth, religion, and all godliness are promoted to the governance of the common wealth, and to common offices, but they which are honest and simple men are despised. And where such things are done, most hardest things are to be looked for to such common wealths: & what should we hope for any other thing, when as ungodly men are promoted? If so be the a maid clothed with a white garment would believe that she could keep her clothes white amongst the midst of colliers. Should she not make herself a laughing stock to all men? And what other thing is an uncorrupt senate, than a certain undefiled Virgin decked with most pure silk? And if thou join unto the same corrupt and naughty men, then is it unpossible, but that the senate should be stained and corrupted. Pilate wondereth not so much at Christ's silence, as he doth because he defendeth not his own innocency, whom he knew to be an innocent, and to be delivered of envy.  ☞ And as Pilate was sitting to give judgement, his wife sent unto him, saying: have thou nothing to do with that just man, for I have suffered many things this day in a dream for him: but the chief priests and the elders persuaded the people, that they should ask Barrabas and should destroy jesus: Then the governor answered, & said unto them, whether of the twain will ye that I let lose unto you? And they said Barrabas. Pilate said unto them, what shall I do then with jesus which is called Christ? They said all unto him let him be crucified. when Pilate saw that he availed nothing, but that more tumult was made, he took water and washed his hands before the people, saying I am innocent of the blood of this just man, ye shall look to it: and all the people answered, his blood be upon us and our children. Then he willing to satisfy the people, loosed unto them Barrabas, giving sentence that it should be as they required. And he delivered jesus to do with him what they would to be crucified. 
SOme ascribe unto the suggestion of the devil, that Pilate is admonished by his wife. But I think that it was done of God, because Pilate should want no warning. So he admonished Pharaoh very often times, to see if he could revoke him by any means from his purpose, that God's justice might be excused, and our malice unexcusable. God his providence and goodness never wanteth, it never ceaseth, but it revoketh them which stray. It always giveth an occasion to depart from evil and to do good. His blood be upon us (say they) which came to pass in deed, but they speak these words in an other meaning. They would by this saying show themselves to be innocentes, so bold a thing is hypocrisy, that it dare boast itself for an innocent, when as it knoweth itself to be most corrupt. Pilate slippeth by little and little, which knowing Christ to be most innocent, & to be delivered of malice, finding also no fault in him, doth for all that suffer an innocent to be most cruelly beaten with stripes, to demeaned with all kind of evils & at the length to be punished with death. Now he saith: Take ye him & kill him. And before he spoke otherwise. But a just judge ought not to do so, but aught to defend him whom he knoweth to be an innocent, or to punish him which is convict of his crime. It availeth nothing to wash the hands with water, when as the conscience within is wounded. Neither will it serve to say, look ye to it, yea he must look to it, which condemneth the just man, and adjudgeth him to death, & also letteth lose him which is guilty. If is not enough to be once or twice constant, unless a man continue constantly in defending of justice even unto the end, neither ought he to be made afeard from doing right, either with threatenings or else with flatteries. A judge must contemn both the hatred and the favour of all men, he must fix his eyes only upon justice, and not to satisfy the will of the people.  Then the soldiers of the governor took jesus into the common hall, and there gathered about him the whole band, and when they had striped him they put on him a scarlet rob, and they put on his head a crown plaited with thorns, and a read in his right hand, and bowed their knees before him, and mocked him, saying hail king of the jews: and when they had spit upon him, they took the read and smote him on the head: And when they had mocked him, they took away the rob from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him: And he bore his cross & came into a place which is named the place of dead men's skulls and in Hebrew called G●lgatha. And as they led him, they took one Simon of Ciren, which came out of the country, and was the father of Alexander & Rufus, upon him they laid the cross, and compelled him to bear the same after jesus: And there followed him a great multitude of people and women, which women bewailed and lamented him: But jesus turned back and said unto them: Daughters of jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children, for behold the days will come, in the which men will say: blessed are the barren, & the wombs that never bore, and the paps which never gave suck. Then shall they begin to say unto the mountains, fall upon us: and to the hills, cover us for if they do these things to a green tree, what shallbe done to the dry? And there were two others which were evil doers, led with him to be slain, and when they came to the place which is called calvary, there they crucified him, & the two other evil doers with him, the one on the right hand, and the other on the left and jesus in the midst: And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, he is counted with the wicked. 
THe wonderful great cruelty of the soldiers is described by the Evangelists, whether they were hired of the jewish priests to do it or whether they did it of their own lust, so that they are rather to be counted beasts than men, which have so put away all humanity. Most cruel wolves exercise their fierceness upon a most meek Lamb. neither can they be satisfied with their outrageousness by any means, they beat him, they spit upon him, they mock him, only they devour him not. He which clotheth all things is striped out of his clothes. He which adorneth all things is made deformed. The meekness of Christ is to be marked which receiveth all reproach in himself for us, bearing his own cross to deliver us from everlasting punishment. He took upon him all our sins making satisfaction upon the tree for them that we might know to whom we should fly, & on whom we should lay the burden of our sins. Come unto me (saith he) all ye that labour and are laden and I will refresh you. Learn of me because I am meek and humble of heart. Take my yoke upon you, and ye shall find rest for your souls. Let us cast away therefore the burdens of our sins, and submit our necks under the commodious and light yoke of the Lord. Let us take up our cross, and follow our captain and Prince, by whom the world is crucified unto us, & we to the world. Blessed is he whom the Lord exalteth to so great an honour, to make him companion with him of his cross. In that that they bewail that the just man is led forth, whom before they required to have put to death, it setteth forth the inconstancy, of the foolish common people, and what it is to trust unto them.  
Christ seemeth to signify (as far as I can judge) by the green tree perfect things, & by the dry tree, things of the jews now decaying: As though he would say: If ye when things be in safety, & that your things flourish, do thus, what will be done then when things are desperate, and when your enemies shall oppress you? If ye dare rage against me so unjustly & furiously, when as yet the laws be in force and of strength, what will they dare do then when they are divided amongst themselves, & when as common laws and rights shall not be exercised by reason of wars & seditions? Others refer the green tree to Christ, and the dry to the jews, as though he would say, If they rage so against me, which am innocent, what will they commit against those which have putrefied themselves in sins. Let every man abound in his own sense, Furthermore Christ teacheth us, why we should weep, namely  our sins, & punishment which we have deserved by sinning, that we may prevent & turn from us the anger of God by true repentance by flying from sin and converting to Christ. Let us not be ashamed to be infamous for Christ's sake, seeing we see Christ our head led amongst the wicked doers, and counted for the ringleader of the ungracious, which committed no sin, neither was there guile found in his mouth,  ☞ And jesus said: Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. And Pilate wrote also a title, & put it on the cross, And it was written jesus of Nazareth king of the jews: This title then red many of the jews, for the place where jesus was crucified was near to the city, and it was written in Hebrew, Greek and latin: Then said the high priests of the jews unto Pilate, write not, The king of the jews, but that he said, I am king of the jews, Pilate answered: What I have written I have written. Then the soldiers when they had crucified jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part, & his coat, & the coat was without seam, being wourn from the top throughout: They said therefore one an other, let us not cut it, but cast lots for it who shall have it, that the scripture might be fulfilled which sayeth: They parted my garments amongst them, and on my coat did cast lots. And these things in deed did the soldiers. 
Jesus setteth forth to us an example of wonderful meekness and love, for being reproached with most great infamy, and vexed with extreme evils of most wicked men, yet doth he make intercession unto the father most fervently praying for them which crucified him. Father (saith he) forgive them, they know not what they do. This did he to teach us to pray also for them which hurt and persecute us, & to wish them good which curse us. Mat. 5. Some of them knew full well what they did, but Christ speaketh so mildly, according to his natural goodness & mildness: and he mitigateth their sin to teach us patience and charity. other some marked not what they did: Again other some being seduced by the high priests and Pharisees were ignorant, what great mischief should come thereof. Oh the invincible goodness of Christ. Oh the uncomprehensible love. Oh the unspeakable gentleness which could not be overcome by any evils, by any cruelty, or fierceness, somuch as to speak one hard or ungentle word were it never so small. Here is that fulfilled which Isaiah Prophesied, 
Esay. 53.  he hath borne the sins of many, & he prayed for transgressors, that they might not perish. Who will now despair of the goddess of God and forgiveness of sins, when as they obtain grace and remission of sins, which have crucified the fountain of grace? Let no man therefore despair of his salvation, though he have sinned never so grievously, so that casting away his pack of sins he run unto Christ, by true faith and repentance. The gates of God's mercy are yet open, Christ rejecteth no man that is desirous of salvation and of a new life. Let us remember these things continually, that the fountain of God's mercy can never be extinguished by our sins, it can never be emptied, 
joan. 1. zach. 13.  of whose fullness all men may draw, the fountain of the blood of Christ is ever flowing in the Church: for the remission of sins. If we be armed with these weapons, then shall we be safe against Satan, which is busily occupied to drive us being overwhelmed with the heap of sins to desperations. The sanctuary is open to all them which believe in Christ, wherein they find a sure defence, 
Heb. 10.  and unpregnable place of refuge against all temptations. In that he hangeth naked upon the Cross, and is spoiled of his garments by most vile men, it teacheth us to bear willingly poverty, and the robbing of our goods although they be most wicked which do put us to infamy, and spoil us of our goods. Let us remember we entered naked into the world, and naked shall we go out of it. Let us leave ●hese things which be of the world, unto ●he world, and make haste in mind to our heavenly Father with whom we shall dwell ●erpetuallye, and have the fruition of heavenly things, which will endure everlastingly. Let us being naked, 
2. Cor. 5.  follow Christ which was naked, which will not suffer us to be naked, but will cloth us with a wedding garment & unspeakable glory. They keep hid of purpose that he made himself the Son of God, to please the Romans withal, who bore then the chief sway in all things.  ☞ And they which passed by reviled him wagging their heads saying: Art thou he that destroyedst the temple, and buildest it again in three days? Save thyself if thou be the son of God, come down from the cros. Likewise also the high priests mocking him with the scribes and elders, said, he hath saved others, can can he not save himself? If he be the king of Israel. Let him come down now from the cross, & we will believe him, he trusteth in God, let him deliver him now, if he will have him, for he said, I am the son of God: The same also the thieves which were with him cast in his teeth and reviled him: 
If he will that is if he favour him.  Namely one of the evil doers, which hung by him railed on him saying, if thou be christ save thyself and us: but the other answered and rebuked him saying fearest not thou god, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we are in deed rightously, for we receive things worthy of that we have done, but this man hath done no evil. And he said unto jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest to thy kingdom: And jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, this day shalt thou be with me in paradise. 
IN Christ is set forth unto that faithful a most absolute example of all virtues, which should never be separated from their sight, being also besides that the price of our redemption. He took upon him for our sake all manner of reproach, he is reviled from the lowest to the highest, no man pitieth him, no man hath compassion on him being afflicted, no man comforteth him, they rage against him most cruelly without mercy, and yet could not his goodness be overcome by their malice. Nothing could pluck him back, from the work of our salvation, which he had begun, nothing could withdraw him from his office. Let us follow our head, and despise what soever is delectable & glorious in the world, 
Math. 10. Luke. 21.  let us also willingly suffer reproach, following the steps of his humility & patience. Let there be nothing so hard nothing so painful to fear us away from our vocation. For in patience we shall possess our souls, and he which abideth to the end shall be saved. Let us not be ashamed to be evil spoken of for Christ: Let us not be ashamed of the witness of our Lord jesus Christ, neither let us be abashed if any afflictions be to be suffered for his sake. 
●. Tim. 1.  For if we have been partakers of his cross, we shall also be partners of his glory. All things though they be never so hard or painful shall be welcome unto us, if we shall consider that our head hath suffered the same things before. In the thief is set forth an example of God's love and grace, which is not denied, yea even to most great sinners, if that with a true faith they call upon God by Christ, if they acknowledge Christ to be their Saviour, if they repent from the bottom of the heart. Let us also acknowledge our sins with the thief, Let us acknowledge remission of sins to come by Christ, and we shall find the like comfort at his hands. We must in the mean time acknowledge and confess that we are worthy both of eternal death and also of infamy for our wickedness, and we must cast ourselves upon the grace of Christ, which is our righteousness and life: when our consciences are sore troubled, and as it were in manner desperate, we must run unto Christ, & say, Remember me Lord in thy Kingdom. Great is his mercy which loved us and gave his Son for us, that by him we might live. He desireth not the death of a sinner but that he may be converted and live. I expound paradise for all kind of joy and pleasure, this day shalt thou rejoice with me, and have the fruttion of eternal pleasures. By these words is the error of the sleepers confuted, which say, that the souls departed out of the body do sleep: The souls of the Godly sleep not, but as soon as they be loosed from the bodies they are in unspeakable joy with Christ.  ☞ And it was about the sixth hour, and there stood by the cross of jesus, his mother & his mother's sister Mary the wife of Cleophas and mary Magdalen. Then when jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing by, he said unto his mother, woman behold thy son. Then said he to the disciple behold thy mother. And from that hour the disciple took her for his. 
WE have now very often spoken of the most great infamy which Christ suffered, and of the extreme sorrow wherewith he was afflicted, which declareth his exceeding great love towards us, when as nothing is more unpleasant unto man, than loss of his fame & glory. Moreover what is more grievous unto the flesh then to be beaten and wounded? It is meet therefore that we love him, which of his unspeakable love hath suffered most grievous things for our sakes, so that he might deliver us from everlasting punishment & infamy. It happeneth sometimes that in afflictions, the presence of friends, doth bring comfort & mitigate the sorrow. But in Christ all things are otherwise, for he receiveth no consolation by his Mother standing by, but a more grievous sorrow, when as neither he can help his mother, nor his mother him. In the mean time his faith and love towards his mother ceaseth not, but he dying commendeth her to his well-beloved Disciple, which should thenceforth take care over her in his stead. But in that john writeth that his Mother stood by the cross, it is not done without a reason, and a certain Emphasis, for by these words is signified that there was a constancy of faith with an exceeding great modesty in his Mother, which constancy might mitigate her unmeasurable sorrow, yea and might fortify her, and stay her up. This virtue being in the believers maketh them, that they can commit nothing unworthily in trouble, neither can they altogether fall, the Lord assisting them with his hand.  ☞ And from the sixth hour there was darkness over the whole earth unto the ninth hour, and the sun was darkened, and about the ninth hour jesus cried with a loud voice, saying. Ely, Ely lama azasthavi. That is, my God, my god, why hast thou forsaken me? And some of them that stood by there when they heard it said: this man calleth Helias, and strait ways one of them ran and took a sponge and filled it with vinegar & put it upon a reed, and gave it him to drink, but other said, let be, let us see if Helias will come and save him. 
CHrist in all his torments both of body and mind, hath nothing to lighten his pain though it were never so little: the Lord did thrust him down and drown him in all evils, and took away from him all comfort, to the end we should not despair if the lord sometimes withdraw his comfort from us in temptations and seem to be a sleep. In the mean time Christ declareth in himself to be of the true nature of man, and showeth the weakness of the flesh, to put them to shame, which fain that Christ had a fantastical body, or do take from him the feeling of pain. Also the vain and hypocritical opinion of the stoics is here confuted which make their wise man to be with out grief. Christ is not so and yet was there never any at any time either more holy than he, or else more absolute in virtue, but he groaneth, he weepeth, he is sorrowful, and he complaineth to the Disciples of his lot, he crieth that he is forsaken, when as nevertheless in an other place he saith, that he is not alone, 
Psalm. xvi.  but his father is with him, yea his Disciples forsaking him. We see therefore that this is spoken after the fashion of men, & that in our person, who took upon himself all our infirmity, but yet without sin. The Lord teacheth us by this figure, what he requireth of them which worship him, namely to deny themselves wholly and to be ready to follow their captain in all things, yea though the consolation of god be absent or withdrawn. For it is not so great a matter to bear the cross, if a man feel present consolation. For the more he feeleth consolation, the less doth the burden of afflictions trouble him. It is pleasant to all flesh to receive grace or consolation in adversities, but wholly to deny himself, and to seek neither in himself nor without himself any thing, but God only in all things. Here is the work●, here is the labour: This finally declareth him to be a stout soldier of Christ. Let it not therefore be grievous to us if we be forsaken of all men, yea and of our most dearest friends. This is not one days work, but it requireth a long and continual fight, if a man will overcome himself and cleave only to God. A man is hardened by afflictions, so that all things be they never so painful will be easy. Let us not therefore despair if the Lord sometimes hide away & withdraw his aid and comfort from us. This is no new or rare thing to those which are exercised in the way of God and in the spiritual battle. Courses of things are altered, so that after rain and tempests, followeth most pleasant fair weather and calms. The Lord is never unmindful of his, how so ever he dissemble sometimes, which is mighty to comfort us after our long temptation, and that with a great increase of spiritual joy. Wherefore the saints complain in their extreme adversities that they be forsaken of god, when as yet for all that in the mean time they despair not, but desire help of God so much the more fervently, as they do acknowledge them selves to be more forsaken, nothing doubting, but that God will be present in time, and show forth his power in their weakness. We must therefore according to the example of Christ stand steadfast in afflictions, neither must we come down from the cross, how so ever our enemies rage or be wood against us. We shall see straight way God will aid us from above. He is ready to succour them which fight and hope in his grace: And although he seem sometimes to us to defer or to be a sleep, this is done to give us an occasion to fight, & so by that means to overcome: These things happen unto us from our most pitiful. Father to try our faith and to teach us to acknowledge our weakness, to fly unto him and to require help of him. Let their doctrine therefore be put away from the Church of Christ, which affirm Christ to have despaired upon the cross. But let us rather think thus, that the heavenly Physician took upon himself all evils for us, 
Heb. 2.  that we might acknowledge that we have a faithful high priest, which can be sick with them which be sick, and to have compassion of our infirmity.  
Christ sorroweth with them which are sorrowful, and the head poureth out his complaint for the members which are sick. This voice is of the flesh, which feeleth pain, & yet doth it not rebel nor despair: Innocent flesh feeleth extreme pain, a most holy body feeleth most grievous torment, which is so wonderful great that even the insensible creatures bear witness that they be sorrowful concerning a certain horror for the death of their creator. Christ expresseth this unmeasurable grief by example and grave words.  ☞ Afterward when jesus knew that all things were finished that the scripture might be fulfilled, he said, I thirst. And there was set a vessel full of vinegar, and they filled a sponge with vinegar and hyssop, and put to his mouth. Then when jesus had received the vinegar, he said, it is finished. 
THere is no member in Christ without pain and torment. Wherein we may perceive partly the love of the father, which put his Son so forth to all evils for us, and partly the cruelty and ingratitude of the jews. God hath not spared his own Son (sayeth Paul) but hath delivered him for us al. The heavenly Physician setteth before us a remedy against the disease of our first parents, who by the provocation of the apple, would satisfy their appetite whereby sin hath flowed into us all. Christ therefore would not offend with his tongue, that he might heal this disease: teaching in the mean time all the Godly to temper themselves from the delicateness & pleasures of the body, whereby the fear of god doth almost grow out of use in the hearts of men. In that he sayeth, it is finished, he declareth that whatsoever things were Prophesied of him in the law and Prophets, are now finished. For all did demonstrate Christ, & the shadows and old figures were put out, when Christ the true light shined: Of the which thing we have spoken more abundantly in other places. Let us learn here that our salvation is finished in Christ, and let us not seek it any further in other things besides Christ. There remaineth nothing which can be added unto it either by the Pope, or by any creature. This is left that we should follow the accomplisher of our faith constantly and stoutly, and to abide in our calling even to the end, 
2. Tim. 4. 1. Gor. 9  that we may at the length say with Paul, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, and that we run not as in an uncertain course, but that we may win the price.  ☞ And jesus cried with a loud voice, Father into thy hands I commit my spirit, And when he had said thus he bowed his head and gave up the Ghost. 
THe life of all mortal men dieth upon the cross, as touching the flesh, opening unto us by his death the way of life, and devouring death by his death. An innocent dieth for wicked men, a lamb without spot is made a most acceptable sacrifice unto the father for our sins: Let us poor wretches therefore fly unto so healthful a death, and draw out our life there. Furthermore let us also learn to die daily to the the affections of the flesh: we must cast away the world, and those things which are in the world, that being clean from the contagiousness of the world, & so being naked we may follow Christ naked, in whom hereafter we must both live and die: we must offer ourselves wholly unto him which hath offered himself for us, in whose mercy we putting our trust, let us commend our souls to the father which is a true God, & hath redeemed us.  ☞ And behold the veil of the temple was rend into two parts from the top to the bottom, and the earth did quake and the stones were cloven, & the graves were open, and many bodies of the saints which slept, arose and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holly city, and appeared to many. But when the Centurion, and they which were with him watching jesus, saw the earth quake & the things that were done, they feared greatly saying, truly this was the son of god. For when the Centurion, which stood over against him, saw that which happened, and that he thus crying gave up the Ghost, he glorified God saying. Truly this man was just & the son of God. And all the people that came together to that sight, and had seen the things which happened returned smiting their breasts. 
THe veil is rend, this is of the kind of examples which are called pure or dumb. where examples teach and speak with deeds and without words. The like whereof is when ezechiel is commanded to burn some of the clipped hears, and to cast away other some. Also when as Tarqvinius walking in a garden did out of with a staff before his son's servant the chief tops of the poppy. So the veil being rend doth teach us that all figures are accomplished in Christ, and whatsoever hath been hidden or kept secret in the old testament is now expounded, the daily being taken away & his blood being shed entered into the Sanctum Sanctorum. So he spoke by the earth quake & by other signs to declare, first the unworthiness of the thing, which the earth could not bear whilst his creator suffered.  
Secondly to shake of as it were an old garment declaring that it would one day put on a new face by his preaching, which now suffered, and that it should be moved by the preaching of the Gospel. Where the Gospel & death of Christ is Preached there do the foundations and corners of the earth tremble: the flesh quaketh & is troubled when that it heareth that his works are nothing worth, 
Prolip●●.  and that the death of Christ hath thoroughly paid all things. But in that it is written that the dead did arise again, that is done by a figurative speech of Hebrew. For first he setteth forth as it were by a general proposition, all things that were done but yet at sundry times, than he entreateth of every particular thing, for by and by he returneth to his burial. So the dead did then rise again from death and come into the city when Christ was now risen, which is the first fruits of them which sleep: and that they might testify that they lived in deed, they appeared unto many that the jews might the easilier believe that they should also one day rise again, when as they see Christ & their elders to have risen again. So the stones do detest the unworthiness of the thing, and the hardness of the jews, which do crucify their Saviour. Moreover also they do signify the Gentiles which be a hard people, and yet for all that, they should be cloven and subdued to the Gospel: Into the holy city. So was jerusalem called in the old time: but it was so corrupted with naughtiness and wickedness, that it was made rather a den of thieves. Esay. 1. The body of Christ (as it seemeth) was committed to the Centurion and his soldiers to be watched, for the soldiers crucified him. This Centurion when he saw the wonderful things that happened, knew that Christ was more than a man, which he testified and confessed wt● loud voice. These things are not written without a cause: As though the evangelist would say, Though that man were a Gentile and a warrior, nevertheless he gave God the glory. To give God the glory after the He●rewe Phrase, is to believe the truth, to confess the true god, & to cleave unto the truth. First ●e calleth him a just man, and this is the first ●egree unto faith, and then he calleth him the ●onne of God. The smiting of the breast, hath ●n admiration with grief and shame. For they which cried crucify him, now are sorry and are ●ricked in conscience. Whereby is noted besides ●he grief which followed of sin, also the incō●tancye of the people which before took the priests part, and now take Christ's part. 
Pricking of conscience followeth wicked acts  So ●o late at last cometh shame and punishment. So in like case came it to pass in our first Father Adam, that he was ashamed because he was ●aked, when as he was also nevertheless na●ed before his sin. He which bendeth his mind to commit wickedness, persuadeth with himself that he can be hidden, but it cometh ●o pass otherwise, for the day of the Lord revealeth all things, & also the conscience itself. 
1. Cor. 3.  But put case it be not made manifest here, yet for all that it shallbe revealed at the coming o● the lord before the whole world. 
Math. 10.  Time vteret● all things, & there is nothing so secret which sha● not one day be revealed. After sin followeth shame, fear and trouble.  ☞ Then the jews because it was th● preparation of the passouer, that th● bodies might not remain upon the cross on the Sabaoth day (for that Sabaoth day was a high day) desired Pilate that their legs might be broken & the bodies taken down. The soldiers therefore came & broke the legs of the first, and also o● the second which were crucified with him, but when they came unto jesus, and saw that he was already dead, they broke not his bones, but one of the soldiers thrust a spear into his side, and incontinently there ran forth water and blood, and he which saw it bare witness & his witness is true: and he knoweth that he speaketh the truth, that ye also might believe. 
Exod. 12.  For these things were done that the scripture might be fulfilled, ye shall not break a bone of him. And again an other scripture sayeth. They shall look upon him, whom they have pierced. 
THe preparation whereof is here spoken, I take to be for the Sabaoth following, and not for the eating of the lamb, for that was almost past, but the vii days lasted still, in which they did eat unleavened bred. And this Sabbath because it fell within the days of the passover was called a great day, because it was the most solemn. The evangelist doth manifestly enough declare that all these things were not done rashly, but that the truth might correspond with the figures. The Church is built out of the side of Adam sleeping, and out of the same floweth forth water to wash the sins of the whole world. The gate is opened that there might be a sanctuary in that place for all believers, and a hole made in the rock, where as many as labour do find rest, there the heart opened that we might nothing doubt of love. This fountain of God's mercy never ceaseth to spread abroad, of whose fullness all they which thirst do drink and are refreshed, that it might be made in them a fountain of water overflowing to eternal life: Let us therefore draw water out of the fauntaynes of our saviour, that we may hereafter live unto him alone, which is so wounded for us, which doth open his heart unto all men, and saith, give me your heart O my children. Here shall the sheep of Christ find the rivers of life, and the gate through which they go in and out at. I would to God the Lord would wound our hearts with his love, 
Pro. 23.  that we might rightly weigh & consider so great a love to that which we can never worthily enough answer, no though we should die a. M. times for him Let us learn therefore by the death of Christ to acknowledge our own death, which as it was dew unto us, so also was it taken away by his death. Let us also learn to die unto sin, and affections, and take up our cross and follow Christ, that when Christ shall appear, we also may appear with him in glory.  ☞ And when the even was come, because it was the preparation of the passover, which went before the Sabaoth, there came a rich man of Arimathea, named joseph a counsellor and an honest senator, a good man and a just, he did not consent to the counsel and deed of them, which also himself waited for the kingdom of God, and therewithal was a disciple of jesus, but secretly for fear of the jews, he taking boldness went unto Pilate and asked the body of jesus. And Pilate marveled if he were already dead, and called unto him the centurion, and asked him if he had been any while dead, and when he had known the truth of the Centurion, he gave the body to joseph who bought a silken cloth, and took down the body and wrapped it in a clean silken cloth. And there came also Nycodemus, which came to jesus before by night, bringing myrrh and aloes mingled togethers about one hundredth pounds. Then took they the body of jesus, & wrapped it in linen cloth with the spices as the manner is of the jews to bury. And there was in the place where he was crucified a garden, and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. Then joseph put the body of jesus in his new tomb, which he had hewn out in a stone, there therefore laid they jesus, because the jews preparation day, for the tomb was near. And when he had rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre he departed. 
THis word Decurio, in the old time did signify to Latin men a senator, and rather taketh his name of Curia, that is to say, of the court, and not of this word Decem which signifieth ten. joseph is called just, not that he was without sin. but because he abhorring from the council of the ungodly, consented not to the death of Christ, and because he waited for the kingdom of heaven. So also are we just if we receive Christ by faith whom they waited for, and if we keep ourselves unspotted from this world▪ For Christ is our righteousness: That man setteth forth an example both of great constancy and also of faith. For in how great a danger doth he put himself, when as he consenteth not or else withstandeth the enterprises of the malicious? Who seeth it not to be a present danger for any man to ask the body of jesus in so great hatred, and cruelty, and to bury it honourably? But faith if it be a true faith, attempteth great and perilous things with an invincible courage. When as then the evangelist saith that he was a noble and rich man, we must not regard that only in him, but the Evangelist setteth forth his courageous mind and great faith. As though he would say, although he were such a man, yet could neither favour, nor fear nor riches make him decline from the truth to consent to the endeavour of the wicked. Besides that he was so stout, that also after his death, when as others blasphemed and contemned him, he went unto the judge nothing abashed, neither feared he to bury him, whom all men had condemned. Let us think the same of Nicodemus, & have a regard not of what power and riches he was, but of how great faith, and boldness of mind. Let us mark with how great an argument they bear witness of their faith which do put themselves forth to the displeasure of all men and to the danger of life for Christ's sake. If they had followed him in his life time, they had not uttered so great faith, as when they cleave unto him being vilely reproached & condemned: neither are they ashamed to honour him very nobly whom all men detested as a wicked one. They therefore which before hid themselves and dissembled the matter for fear, come now forth with glory, to the example of all the faithful. It cometh to pass sometimes that they which be very timorous, do when time serveth fight more courageously and stoutly, namely taking heart again unto them. We learn here also that riches and power may be joined with faith, and they add a great honour to the believers. Riches hinder nothing if the eye be simple and the mind faithful. To wait for the kingdom of heaven is a Periphrasis of the faithful: He looked for the kingdom of god, that is he was a faithful man he believed. And surely his faith was no small faith, which durst things being yet fresh in the midst of the rage of the furious and malicious men, ask the body of Christ. There was in these men a perfect and an approved virtue, which as it sticketh unto god, so can it never be made ashamed or fall. In that he putteth jesus into his own Sepulchre, he declareth his vehement love towards jesus. For we be all such lovers of ourselves that we will not so much as lend our neighbours any thing of ours. He roleth a stone to the gate of the grave, that the body of the innocent might not be violated by the unbelievers, which is a token of an earnest care & of godliness And God useth this thing for a witness of the resurrection wherefore god often times doth dispose the works which we do, otherwise than we purposed, In the mean it is not done without the ordinance of God that Christ is put into a new tomb, wherein none had ever been buried, lest the envy of the Pharisees would falsely have alleged Christ to have risen by the power of an other. But in all these things doth the providence of God shine forth, which stirreth up the hearts of the Godly to this thing, to bury the most holy body of their Christ honourably, lest it should lie or be cast forth without renown and unburied, & that by the honourable burial the prophecy of Esay in the xi. Chapter, might be fulfilled, saying, and his rest shall be glorious. Now after his humiliation and ignominy began the time of glorification, and of a new and immortal life which Christ the first fruits of them which rise again from the dead showeth forth. 
joan. xvii.  The grave is new, the linen white and clean that all things might signify a certain newness unto those which are baptized in the death of Christ, being buried with him in his death.  
Rom. vi.  And mary Magdalene and mary jose beheld where he should be laid, sitting over against the Sepulchre for there followed him women which came with him from Galiley these saw the grave, and how his body was laid. And they being returned prepared odours & ointments, and they rested on the Sabbath day according to the commandment: But the next day that followed the preparation of the passover, the high priests and Pharisees assembled unto Pilate: saying, Sir we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive: After three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his Disciples come, & steal him away, and say unto the people. He is risen from the dead, and so shall the last error be worse than the first. Pilate said unto them, ye have a watch, go and make it as sure as ye can. And they went their ways, and made the Sepulchre sure, sealed the stone, and set watch men to keep it. 
IN these women is an example of Godliness and diligent love, as they had followed the Lord in his life time, so do they not forsake him when he is dead. They run and watch with a Godly pensiveness, having an earnest care to anoint his body. This example ought we to follow, for there is no let but that we may bestow this godliness upon Christ, but yet in his members, for that he after this is no more with us in his body. Let not us be ashamed to serve Christ & to be liberal unto the poor. Let it not repent us if any thing depart from our goods, when as we may see that he hath given his life for us, which doth so much commend the poor unto us, when as we may see also these women & honest men to have spared no cost, for to bury the body of Christ most honourably. For we learn here what great grief & sorrow they had which dare not confess Christ openly for fear, & yet nevertheless they cease not to run privily, & to watch, to admonish, and to help that they might do Christ service at the least by some way. We which may profess the doctrine of Christ freely without fear & danger, aught to pray for these to help them with our service, & secure them with our benefits, to cherish them in comforting them & exhorting, etc. contrarily in the priests & Pharisees is set forth an example of envy, for they were not yet satisfied with the putting of Christ to death, but also they must persecute him being now dead, & shadow his glory. They are tossed with infernal madness, with envy, fear & curiosity. The ungodly are inwardly vexed & fearful how so ever outwardly they set a face on the matter, We remember (say they) that that deceiver, etc. Such bitter words doth envy use till it come to destruction. The Pharisaical infidelity had persuaded to itself that the light & saviour of the world was a deceiver They be like unto those which cry also now of days that the doctrine of the Gospel is heresy. And if so be that Christ be a seducer and a deceiver, what need these wicked men to be afeard of him? Doth God raise up deceivers from death? Will god assist those which cleave unto lies? No truly: What are they afraid of them? This fear declareth that they believed otherwise, them they confessed by mouth, they call him a deceiver, but yet they judge him to be somewhat more noble: their conscience putteth than in remembrance that he was the son of God, or at the least greater than a man. And if it so be that they were persuaded that he was the Son of God, why then did they crucify him? So the ungodly do always show forth in some part that they know and believe that thing to be true, which they impugn, persecute & pursue. So Herode feared least john were risen again. So also an other Herode feared least a child new borne should possess the kingdom. They make safe & seal the sepulchre but what they brought to pass by all these things, the honourable Resurrection of Christ doth enough declare. Vain therefore are the enterprises of the ungodly which labour to oppress & to quench the truth. For there is no council against the Lord, & the truth can not be oppressed, but it appeareth always more bright. Let no man therefore be afeard of the power of the world, though it be never so great, the Lord is stronger & mightier, he which cleaveth unto him shall never be put to shame.   

Here followeth the history of the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ.  
ANd when the sabbath day was past, in the even of the Sabbath, Marry Magdalene, & Mary the mother of james & Salome, bought odours, that they might come & embalm him. And upon an evening of the sabbaths which dawneth of one of the sabbaths, namely the first day of the sabbaths, when it was yet dark, they came to see the Sepulchre. And they came very early in the morning upon the first day of the sabbaths when the son was risen. And behold there was a great earthquake, for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, & came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it: and his countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow, for fear of whom the keepers were astonished, & became as dead men, And behold some of the keepers came into the city, & showed unto the high priests all the things that had happened. And they gathered them together with the elders, and took counsel & gave money largely to the soldiers, saying, Say ye that his disciples came by night and stole him away when ye were a sleep: And if this come to the precedents ears, we will persuade him, & save you harmless: So they took the money and did as they were taught, and this saying is noised amongst the jews unto this day. Then the women when they were on their way, said amongst themselves, who shall role away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? (For it was a very great one) and when they looked they saw how the stone was rolled away from the door of the sepulchre. And they went into the sepulchre, but found not the body of jesus, but they saw a young man, sitting on the right hand, clothed in a white garment, and they were afraid. And the angel answered and said unto the women: Fear ye not, I know that ye seek jesus of Nazareth which was crucified, he is risen, he is not here, he is risen I say, even as he told you, come see the place where they laid him: But go your ways & tell his disciples & Peter, that he goth before you into Galiley, there shall ye see him as he said unto you.  THe history of the resurrection of our saviour jesus christ is painfully & most diligently written thevangelists, namely for the use of the church. Wherein is principally declared how that humble & despised jesus being crucified between thieves is glorified after his death, & to what renown he is exalted unto. For neither could death hold him, 
Heb. 3.  which hath abolished both death & also him which hath doninion over death, & hath made them free as many as through fear death were all their life time subject to bondage. Christ's resurrection therefore is our life & righteousness, which for this cause was divers ways proved by the apostles, namely to confirm our faith. For otherwise our flesh doth hardly believe the resurrection of the flesh, which seemeth to itself impossible & absurd: which may be seen in th'apostles whose wavering doubtfulness could scarce be taken away, notwithstand so many most evident demonstrations god suffereth his sometimes to be tempted & to fall, that their weakness might be made manifest to themselves, & also to others but he ceaseth not to raise up & confirm them by his power, till he fully perform, & take from them all distrust. So far is he from casting us away for our weakness, that he also appeareth unto women, and maketh them Apostles of his resurrection. For they came of love to the sepulchre, partly to see the Sepulchre, partly to anoint the body of jesus. The earth was moved at the death of christ, to declare that it was heavy with his creator: And it is in like case moved at the resurrection, desiring gladly to restore him whom it had received, and as it were rejoicing that Christ was risen again. Moreover the earth was moved at the sending of the holy Ghost, to teach us by this figure, that by the death and resurrection of Christ through virtue of the holy Ghost the whole world should not only be moved but also be renewed: we learn furthermore that the counsels of the ungodly against the truth are vain, for how soever they go about by lies to extinguish the truth, yet doth God bring to pass, that by those things which they have exercised to oppress the truth the truth shall more brightly shine forth: worthily therefore are the jews repudiated & blinded, which do abhor the truth, so that they which could not abide to be saved by the truth, should perish being wrapped in lies & errors. This gospel is chiefly declared unto Peter, who was in most great he vines, aswell for the death of his lord whom he offended by denying of him, as also for his denial, that he might receive comfort and know that his sin was forgiven him. Furthermore Christ's resurrection to a new life, doth stir us up to newness of life, that we being dead to sins might henceforth live to righteousness. They which do still lie and rot in the filthiness of sins do declare that they have not yet risen again with Christ. For they which are risen truly in Christ, do show forth the same in worthy fruits, neither doth sin reign in their mortal body. They think not upon earthly things, but their mind is upon heavenly things above, where Christ their head sitteth at the right hand of the Father. 
☞ And they went out quickly and fled from the Sepulchre, for they trembled, and were amazed, neither said they any thing to any man, for they were afraid: And Mary Magdalene ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom jesus loved, and said unto them. They have taken away my Lord out of the grave, and we can not tell where they have laid him. Peter then went forth and that other disciple & came to the sepulchre: And they ran both together, & the other disciple did out run Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. And when he had stooped down, he saw the linen clothes lying, yet went he not in. Then came Simon Peter following him and went into the Sepulchre. And he saw the linen clothes lie, and the napkin that was about his head not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped up in a place by itself. Then went in also that other disciple which came first to the Sepulchre, and he saw and believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture that he should rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again to their own houses. 
Epanodus  But Mary stood with out at the Sepulchre weeping. And as she was weeping, she bowed herself into the sepulchre, & saw two angels clothed in white, sitting the one at the head and the other at the feet there where they had laid the body of jesus. They said unto her woman why weepest thou? She said unto them. They have taken away my Lord, neither wots I where they have laid him: When she had thus said, she turned her back, and saw jesus standing, and knew not that it was jesus: jesus said unto her, woman why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou? She supposing him to be a gardener, said unto him. Sir if thou haste borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will fetch him. jesus said unto her, Marry, She turned herself and said unto him. Rabboni, which is to say, Master. jesus said unto her, touch me not, for I am not yet ascended unto my Father, but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and to your Father, to my God and to your God. mary Magdalene came and told the disciples, that she had seen the Lord, & had spoken such things unto her: She told, I say, them which were with him as they mourned & wept. And they although they heard that he was on live and that she had seen him, believed not.  THe Evangelists do by many & divers words beat into our heads the resurrection of Christ, that we might see that Christ was exalted after death, and believe that we shall enter into life by the death of christ, and that also our faith and hope might be confirmed. Christ could in deed have illustrated the hearts of his disciples with his spirit as soon as he was dead, so that they should have nothing doubted of his resurrection, but he loveth this doubt & weakness in them, to make them so much the more earnest in their supplications unto God. The more a sick man feeleth his wounds and diseases, the more is he made desirus of medicine. So likewise the more we feel in ourselves the weakness of the flesh, the more do we run unto God for aid & the less do we brag in our own strength, which can do nothing without god: when as therefore we feel our faith begin to fall, then have we occasion offered us to call upon God with continual prayers. The providence therefore of God doth by little and little lead the disciples to the knowledge of the resurrection of his son till it hath fully made them perfect. They saw the stone rolled a wai, they found the sepulchre empty, they saw the napkins & the linen clothes laid apart, the place wherein he lay, and finally the angel testifying that he was truly risen. And this is diligently to be marked, that the Angel saith that Christ of Nazareth which was crucified is not there, by which words their opinion is plainly confuted, which contend to have the body of Christ every where after his resurrection & not in a place. For what other thing do they, then deny the verity of the human nature in Christ, and revoke from hell Marcion's opinion. Christ's body was not in the sepulchre after his resurrection, when as it appeared unto mary Magdalene, neither was it with the eleven at jerusalem, when as it was with the two which went toward Emaus. No more can it be in the bread, when as according to the scriptures it was taken up to heaven and setteth at the right hand of God the father. For Christ went from the father and came into the world, again he left the world and went to the father. But he left not the world, in respect that he is God, when as he is with us to the end of the world: therefore left he the world as concerning his manhood, that is, he carried into heaven the body, which he took of the virgin Mary into the glory of the father. This is the foundation of the Catholic and Christian faith, and the hope of all the elect, which whilst they deny or stir, let them take heed, what they make of christ, or how they are to be counted for Christians. Let them take heed I say what foundation they stick unto. The flesh of Christ also is glorified after his resurrection, and yet for all that is it flesh in deed, and putteth not of the nature of flesh, and although it be spiritual, yet is it not converted into a spirit, and much less into God. A spirit (saith Christ) hath neither flesh nor bone as ye see me have: The body therefore of Christ is in heaven, and not in the bread of the supper which could be neither necessary nor profitable: yea it was carried up is heaven after the resurrection in the sight of the Apostles, which was so expedient for their faith, which faith they could never establish by the suppenor by the presence of his body glorified, but that they always wavered and doubted till such time as they were confirmed by the holy ghost. We must therefore transfer our mind from all corporal and visible thing into heaven, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of god, & believe that Christ hath given his body to the death for us. After this sort is the body of Christ eaten, not with the teeth of the body, but by the contemplation of faith. For faith in deed, which cleaveth only to God may use corporal things, but not as though salvation were bound to those things, and be delivered to us through them, but to put in practice faith and charity. Even so we carry about the bread and wine in the Supper, we distribute it amongst us and we eat not to merit any thing of God by the same as it were by a certain worshipping, but because by these outward signs our senses are stirred up, to weigh & consider more diligently the grace of God given us by the death of Christ and to lift up our minds to Christ the bread of life, which for our sakes descended from heaven. For our weakness therefore are the sacraments instituted of Christ, as it were certain signs of the grace and benevolence of God towards us, which do stir us up to consider the promises of God, wherein our faith is exercised. For they which use these signs do testify that they have faith in the promises of God, and that they be of the number of those which acknowledge God for their God, whom they worship in spirit, in whom they trust to whom they give thanks, etc. And when doth god more declare & show himself to be our God & most loving Father, then when he promiseth to give us his son and also performeth it? 
Roma. viii.  For how can he not give us all things with his son? Or what can he deny which hath given us his only begotten Son? 
john. iii.  And he hath given him unto us, not to punish and condemn us, as we justly have deserved, but that by him we might be saved and have everlasting life. For he gave him to be ours all whole, to be our righteousness, wisdom, holiness, redemption, salvation and life. What a great love is this, what a great grace, the eternal Son of God descendeth and taketh upon himself our nature: that we being made new by his grace, might ascend, taking after a sort the divine nature. He descended that we creeping on the ground might be thorough him transferred and lift up to his glory. The Lord of all things taketh upon him the shape of a servant, to make us which are by nature servants, & oppressed with most grievous bondage, the sons of God. He taketh upon himself our weakness to strengthen us with his spirit. He is made man to transform us by his grace in a manner into Gods. He hath communicated with us in flesh and blood being made partaker of the same, that also the children, namely we, might have everlasting fellowship with him. In fine, he would be made like to his brethren in all things, 
Hebr. 3.  that we might see that we have a merciful and faithful high priest to do all those things which we have to do with God, which maketh satisfaction by his blood for all our sins. He hath taken upon himself all that is ours, to participate unto us what so ever he himself is and hath. And this is it which he sayeth to Magdalene, I ascend to my Father and your father, my God and your God. See what a love the father hath given us, both to be named and to be the Sons of God. 
i. john. iii  For the which cause he is not ashamed to call us brethren, saying, God to my brethren, etc. For his spirit beareth witness to our spirit that we are the sons of God. For we have not received a spirit of bondage to be afeard, 
Roma. viii.  but the spirit of Adoption, by the which we cry Abba Father. God therefore is our Father and our God, and we are his children, with whom he hath made a new covenant, and confirmed it by the blood of his Son, that we might now have fellowship & mutual participation with the father & his son jesus Christ. These benefits so great and most ample are given unto us of God, 
two. Cor. iii. i Cor. xiii.  but they are received of us only by faith (which self faith is also the gift of God) and are felt inwardly in spirit. For as yet we do not behold the glory of the Lord with open face (for partly we know and perceive by a glass in a riddle) and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be, which is done to our profit, that the father should not make us fully perfect whilst we live in this flesh, but doth give us the knowledge and fruition of himself by certain degrees, that we might learn to think humbly of ourselves, & to walk before our heavenly father in the fear of God, and to depend all wholly upon him, we are therefore made safe, but yet in hope, which hope is not now seen fully otherwise it should be no hope (for how can a man hope for the same thing that he seeth? 
Roma. viii. ) Therefore we wait for that by patience which we see not but only believe & hope for. Let us be exercised in the mean time under the cross, & so shall we continually be made perfect by his spirit being hated & oppressed in the world that we may the sooner aspire unto our father & be very desirous to come to our heavenly country. 
Heb 13. Titus. two.  We are strangers in this world, we have here no abiding city, but we look for one to come, waiting for that blessed hope & appearing of the glory of the great God, & our saviour jesus Christ. 
i. john. iii two. Cor. iii.  And we know that when he appeareth, we shall be like unto him, because we shall see him as he is and we all representing the glory of the lord in a glass with uncovered face, are transformed into the same Image, from glory to glory, as it were by the spirit of the Lord. This is signified & showed before, as it were in a certain figure, in that Christ openeth himself after his resurrection by little & little, & leisurely by certain degrees, as we see in the women, in the travelers of Emaus, & in the disciples. Sometime he appeareth in the form of a stranger & holdeth their eyes that they knew him not, sometime he talketh with mary in form of a gardener, sometime he sendeth his Angel unto them, sometime he offereth himself to be seen and handled openly, & sometime he forbiddeth them to handle him, & sometime he appeareth at jerusalem, & sometime in Galilee, till he openly ascended into heaven all doubt set aside they looking upon him, & sent his spirit fully unto them from above. So God oftentimes deferreth and will not be seen by and by, and being called upon sendeth not succour straight way, that our hearts might be kindled more & more & our faith shine forth more bright. Who understandeth not that Mary Magdalene was pulled away from Christ with an evil will when as he sent her to the apostles. For undoubtedly she would have gladlier abiden longer with Christ, & satiated her mind with the contemplation & fruition of him: But it was more necessary to serve her neighbour, that that joy, and so wonderful comfort should also be brought to the Apostles. Whereby we learn that we can not fully have the commodity of the contemplation of the Godhead whilst we live here, but we had need to serve our neighbour by charity. Paul acknowledging this writeth unto the Philippians after this sort, What to chose I know not, 
Philip. i.  for I am constrained of these two things, I desire to be loosed, and to be with Christ, which is much and far better. Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. 
And the woman entered into the sepulchre & found not the body of the Lord jesus: And it happened as they were amazed thereat, behold two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, & bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them: why seek ye the living among the dead: He is not here, but is risen. Remember how he spoke unto you, when he was yet in Galilee saying, That the son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, & be crucified, & the third day rise again. And they remembered his words & returned from the sepulchre, & told all these things to the eleven & to all the rest. And as they were going to tell it to the disciples, behold jesus met them, saying All hail. And they came & held him by the feet and worshipped him. Then said jesus unto them, be not afeard: Go tell my brethren, that they go into Galilee & there they shall see me. And it was Mary Magdalene, & joanna & others that were with them which told the Apostles these things. And their words seemed unto them feigned things, neither believed they them.  diverse ways doth Christ (as I have said before) declare that he is risen from death in deed, but yet to those, out of whose hearts the fear of the cross had not altogether shaken of Christ, & which sought him with a fervent faith. Charity is diligent & never ceaseth, they go often to one place & look again being desirous to serve Christ: Whose ferventness doth put to shame our sluggishness. They seek one absent, being very desirous of him, we either disdain Christ being present in the poor, or else we think scorn to bestow a little of our money upon them. They spare no labour nor cost, we are so addicted to things that we can let them go empty away. The Lord therefore doth not frustrate the desire of these godly women, but meeteth them, saluteth them friendly, & offereth himself to be felt of them, finally he comforteth them. All these things are done, that their weak faith might be strengthened. Let us not doubt therefore at all, but that the Lord will be with us and comfort us, when we are in afflictions and temptations. So that we seek the lord and cease not till we find him. 
And behold two of them went the same day to a castle called Emaus which was about threescore furlongs distant from jerusalem. And they talked between them of all these things that had happened And it came to pass as they were in talking and reasoning together: jesus also himself drew near & went with them, but their eyes were holden that they knew him not. And he said unto them, what manner of talk is this which ye have together as ye walk, and be so sad? And one of them answered whose name was Cleophas, and said unto him. Art thou only a stranger in jerusalem and knowest not the things that are happened there in these days? To whom he answered, what things? And they said unto him, of jesus of Nazareth, which was a Prophet, mighty in deed and word before god and all the people: And how the high priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death and have crucified him. But we hoped that it had been he which should redeem Israel: And now as touching all these things, this is the third day since these things are done: yea and certain women also of our company amazed us, which came to the sepulchre before day light, & finding not his body, came and said, that they had seen a vision of Angels, which said that he is on live. And some of them which were with us went unto the sepulchre, and found it even so, as the women had said, but him they saw not.  THe same day, namely in the which the Lord had risen, 
Luke. 10.  two of these seventy disciples whom the Lord when he was yet living had chosen, went forth: It appeareth that these disciples would have fled for fear, namely of the persecution, which they supposed to be at hand. This history also teacheth that it was true which Christ promised, namely that he would be present even there where as but two were gathered togethers in his name. God is always present with his, yea & then when they think least, he putteth them in memory of himself, telleth them what counsel is best to take, & manifesteth himself unto them. More over he speaketh outwardly by his word, by his sacraments, and finally by all his creatures, to stir up and provoke us to praise him. God therefore is always and every where present with us an arbiter & a beholder not only of all our works, but also of our thoughts. This teacheth us to live honestly with fear and great reverence before him. For if we be ashamed to commit vile things when men behold us, how much more ought we to be ashamed to commit any such thing in God's sight? The presence therefore of god doth every where admonish us to abstain from sins: we hoped (say they) that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel. By these words may be gathered, that there was then a solemn and famous opinion among the jews, as touching Messiah the king, which should redeem them and renew their kingdom. For such a one had they promised them, every where both in the law & the prophets: But they applied all that to a certein temporal kingdom & carnal setting at liberty: although our jews now a days deny that there was a Messiah promised, when as nevertheless the Scribes answered the wise men which sought Christ, that he should be borne in Bethelem, and that by the prophecy of Michea. Their faith is weak & feeble, but not altogether extinguished, they talked of jesus, they desired him fervently. Christ therefore joineth himself with them, & first dissembleth, neither openeth he himself by & by unto them, to make them confess with their own mouth their weakness: And then at the last he declareth unto them the scriptures, and nourisheth and kindleth that little spark of fire which was so deeply hidden in them, which they also themselves confess, saying, did not our hearts burn within us while he talked with us. The word must be added unto those which are yet in doubt of their faith, according to the example of Christ, by the which word faith is increased like as fire is when wood is put unto it. But there must first be a faith, though it be never so small, otherwise it is done in vain, to put wood to the fire, that is, it is to no purpose to preach the word of God to an infidel. And whereas the faithful do willingly hear the word of God, it can not be chosen, but that the mind shallbe illustrate and kindled by the spirit of God. 
☞ And he said unto them O fools & slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And he began at Moses and all the proprophetes & interpreted unto them in all the scriptures which were written of him, and they drew nigh unto the castle which they went unto, and he made as though he would have gone farther. And they constrained him saying, abide with us for it draweth toward night, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass as he sat with them, he took bread and blessed, & broke & gave to them: and their eyes were opened, and they knew him, and he vanished out of their sight. And they said between themselves, did not our hearts burn within us, while he talked with us by the way and opened unto us the scriptures? and they rose up the same hour, & returned back again to jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, which said The Lord is risen in deed and hath appeared to Simon: And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known by the breaking of the bread.  christ nourisheth their faith, although it be but weak, but first he rebuketh them, to make them more attentive: He shaketh away the drowsiness and forgetfulness, of the flesh, that they might give attentive heed to those things which the scriptures witness of him and draweth forth the spirit which speaketh in the scriptures. But the places which Christ brought out of the law and Prophets, are not here left out without the providence of God (although they be here and there mentioned afterward by the Apostles) to make us more diligently to search than, when as we hear, that the scriptures bear witness of Christ. For so saith john in the v. Chapter. Search the scriptures, for in them you think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me. If ye had believed Moses, ye would have believed me also, for he wrote of me. He therefore which will confirm the weak ones in faith, and comfort them which be heavy and faint hearted must bring the holy scriptures, for the word of God is the meat & life of the soul. And the scriptures do testify two things of Christ, first how he was humbled, & thrown down for us and what he also suffered for our sakes: secondly what great glory he was exalted unto after his passion: that we might also learn &. steadfastly believe the Christ suffered for us to make satisfaction for our sins. And then that he rose again for our justification, that we might believe Christ to be our righteousness, and that our life is restored unto us by Christ, when as we hope we shall arise again to eternal life. But we must take heed in the mean time which way we may come to this life, namely by the cross and denial of ourself. For it is not lawful for us to go by any other way to the inheritance of the heavenly glory, than that way which the only begotten son of God went. And it behoved Christ to suffer and so for to enter into his glory: he that doth not diligently weigh this, is a fool & slow of heart, and let him desire of god to open his mind in the holy scriptures: This is also to be noted, that repentance and forgiveness must be preached only in the name of Christ: but he meaneth by repentance and forgiveness of sins the Gospel. For the parts of the gospel are repentance & forgiveness of sins. For salvation gotten by Christ hath many names, and sometimes it is called but by one of the names, and that by the figure where one part is put for the whole, 
Synecdoche.  as may appear by the acts of the Apostles. He which doth not acknowledge himself to be a sinner, can not be able to receive forgiveness, neither can he be desirous of salvation by Christ. But he which feeleth and aknowledgeth his disease, he I say runneth greedily to Christ the Physician of the souls, & there doth uncover and lay forth his disease. True faith rejoiceth to communicate unto other such things as it hath received and therefore they return straightway to tell the other their new joys. 
❧ Whilst they spoke these things (and it was the same day at night which was the first day of the Sabbaths, & the doors were shut, where the disciples were assembled together for fear of the jews) came jesus, & stood in the midst of them, and said unto them. Peace be unto you: And they were abashed and afeared, and supposed that they had seen a spirit, and he said unto them: why are ye troubled, and why do thoughts arise in your hearts: And again he said unto them: peace be unto you: and when he had thus spoken, he showed unto them his hands and his side, and therewithal said, 
Luke saith his hands and feet.  behold my hands and my feet, that it is even I myself, handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord, and while they yet believed not for joy and wondered, he said unto them, have ye here any meat? (For he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, & cast in their teeth their unbelief, and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen that he was risen again) And they offered him a piece of broiled fish, and a piece of an honey comb, & he took it, and did eat it in their sights.  WE see again how Christ according to his promise is present with his which are assembled & gathered together in his name For fear causeth them not to be the less beloved of Christ. And even in the faithful there is a fear & dread, but they which are stronger in spirit ought to erect those up. For that is it which Christ saith, ye shall have oppression in the world, but in me peace. There shallbe always men therefore which shall persecute the just, so that the flesh which is in them shall never be without dread & complaint. But yet the godly persist in the will of God, till it be the lords pleasure to deliver them, how so ever the flesh in the mean time do struggle and complain. But what need had the glorified body of meat? He eateth not to refresh his body, and he useth not this corporal meat for necessity, but to declare unto his the verity of human nature in him: He eateth not therefore for himself but for his Apostles. So let us also do those things which serve for the edifying of our neighbours, although there be no necessity for us to do them. For we ought to live and serve not ourselves but our neighbours. 
❧ But Thomas one of the twelve, which is called Didimus was not with them, when jesus came, The other disciples therefore said unto him, we have seen the Lord, but he said, except I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, & thrust 〈…〉 And after eight days again his Disciples were within, and Thomas with them, than came jesus when the doors were shut, and stood in the midst and said, peace be unto you. After that he said unto Thomas, bring thy finger hither, and see my hands & reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side, and be not faithless but believing. Thomas answered and said unto him, my Lord and my God. jesus said unto him: Thomas because thou hast seen men, thou hast believed, blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed: And many other things did jesus in the sight of his Disciples which are not written in this book. But these things are written that ye might believe the jesus is the Son of God, & that in believing ye might have life through his name.  IN that john saith that Thomas was not with them, & Luke mentioneth of eleven, this may be holpen by the figure of Synecdoche. For although Thomas was not present with them bodily, yet his mind was with them, neither was he separated from them as judas was, so that he was of the number of the eleven, unto the which Luke had a respect. john the evangelist testifieth that the doors were shut and that jesus entered in when the doors were shut: Neither for all this doth this absurdity and impossibility follow, which some do gather by this place, namely that the body of Christ did penetrate the substance of the wood, or was together with the wood in one and the self place, For the glorified body can by no other reason entre. The Son entereth through the glass, and a voice through a door, and yet it followeth not that two bodies are both in one place. This is not done rashly and without God's providence, namely that Thomas who was very hard of belief was not with the rest of the Apostles when he appeared, and that he obstinately gainesayth his fellows which told him they had seen the Lord. For Christ used that incredulity of Thomas to support our faith withal, that the verity of his resurrection might the more manifestly be known. And the weak faith of Thomas beareth stronger witness of his resurrection, then doth the easy & quick belief of Magdalene. So the Lord knoweth how to use our naughtiness to his glory and our salvation. Faith is the gift of God & no man can believe, except it be given him of god. Here may therefore be gathered three sorts of men out of this present history: judas, Peter and Thomas. judas is a treacherer and a runagate, which betrayeth an innocent. Peter denieth and sweareth. Thomas doubteth and obstinately gaynesayeth. Here we learn first that there is a great difference and certain degrees in sins. No man surely liveth without fault, & all we are sinners, but one sinneth more heinously than an other. We must take heed therefore, that we may die daily unto sins, and that we may be regenerated into new men, and if it so be that we can not beware of all sins, yet let us take heed, from the worst sins. If we be sorry and weep with Peter, God will look back upon us and be merciful unto us. If we doubt and waver in faith, Let us not forsake the church: Let us not cut a sunder the unity, neither let us separate our selves from our brethren, and the Lord will appear unto us, as he did unto Thomas, and will strengthen our weakness. But let us beware of covetousness, misbelief and treason, that we most vilely perish not with judas, The weakness and doubting of Peter and Thomas profited very much for this cause, that we might learn to acknowledge our weakness & the power of God. 
1. Cor. 1.  Consider brethren (sayeth Paul) your vocation, that there be not many wise as concerning the flesh called, nor many mighty or borne of a noble kindred, but god hath chosen the foolish things to the world, to put to shame the wise, etc. That no flesh should boast before him, & that it might not seem to be our power but God's power, that we 〈…〉 boast that men w●re changed 〈…〉 learning, or by our own wisdom 〈…〉 that we might acknowledge the 〈…〉 benefit of God & the opera●●● of 〈…〉 Moreover from hence may arguments be taken for the confirmation of our Christian faith. If any man would doubt of the Christian faith or would affirm it to be but a deceit & a collusion, as did Porphyrius and Symmachus most wicked blasphemers of Christian Religion. For if the doctrine of Christ had been but a guile, than judas would never have repent him of his betraying, he would nothing have been ashamed to have returned to the rest of the Apostles, he had nothing needed to have restored the money and to say, I have sinned against Innocent blood. For thieves & such as be wicked although they fall out sometimes among themselves, yet are they soon agreed again, and they renew their friendship. But judas dareth not return again to the Apostles, but being in despair hangeth himself, And what need had Peter to have wept so bitterly, neither would he also have returned to the Apostles if his conscience had accused him of any guile? But he was desirous of the truth and a lover of righteousness: and Thomas followed that which is just, good and right, how so ever he wavered. In that Peter therefore is vexed, in that Thomas seeketh & earnestly requireth greater tokens, it is a most strong argument that the doctrine and religion of Christ is true and cleaveth to the truth & not to colours or guile. The truth which they see & find in Christ, draweth them to labour so diligently, to come into his favour again. The nature & condition of a glorified body suffereth not to be touched or to be felt, but the Saviour and lover of souls succoureth such as are weak in faith. He offereth himself therefore to be handled and felt of them, to confirm in them the faith of his resurrection. Thomas is not utterly unfaithful, but only doubteth of the resurrection. Christ therefore showeth unto them the prints and scars of his wounds, that they might see it was the same body which was crucified on the cross, and to declare unto them that he was truly risen from the dead to a new life, and that with the same body. As though he would say, behold and know that even I, I say, which suffered and was crucified for you, am truly risen again from that dead, that ye might believe also that your bodies shall arise again. This doth Paul urge when he saith. If thou shalt confess the Lord jesus with thy mouth and shalt believe in thy heart, 
Rom. x.  that God raised him up from the dead, them shalt thou be saved. And again if the spirit which hath raised up jesus from the dead, do dwell in you, 
F  than he which hath raised Christ from the dead will quicken also your mortal bodies through his spirit inhabiting in you. Let us learn also of our head, to receive, nourish, & patiently to bear with the weak ones in faith. My lord & my god. This is the confession of a perfect & true faith. As though he would say, Now I know that thou art god in deed, when as thou hast risen again from the dead, thou at the last oughtest to be my God, forgive me my incredulity, etc. Blessed are they which have not seen & yet believe, namely that do not see me corporally present. As though he would say: I will not always offer myself to be handled of every body, I will take away this carnal presence, I must be handled & touched by faith. Blessed therefore are they which although they see not my body to have risen again, as thou dost, & which do not handle it but yet believe in the mean time that I am verily risen. For Christ speaketh of the present occasion▪ & continueth his argument of his resurrection, otherwise what so ever a man saw not & believed should be faith. This I speak because of those which wrest the words of Christ to the sacrament of the holy supper, & will prove by these words that their faith is better which believe that the body of Christ is in the bread, then theirs is which say that the bread is but a sign of the body. They mark not that Christ speaketh not here of the holy supper, but to fortify the faith of the resurrettion. He that believeth that Christ was crucified & that he also arose again, this man is blessed, although he see it not with his corporal eyes as Thomas did. Otherwise there should be two ways to salvation. One to believe that Christ suffered for us & rose again, & an other to believe that the body of Christ is in the bread But there is none which understandeth not how great an absurdity this is & not agreeable to faith. Here is also to be noted that in these words, because thou hast seen me thou also believest, this word believe is here taken not properly but improprely. 
Heb. 11.  For that which a man seeth, the same he believeth not. For Paul saith that faith is the substance & certainty of an invisible thing. faith therefore is here taken for experience, & to believe, For to try. And many other signs did jesus, etc. As though john would say, I have diligently set forth and written the acts of Christ, although not all: for who can do that? Nevertheless those things which are written are sufficient for our salvation, namely such things as pertain to the Godhead & humane nature of Christ, to his doctrine & miracles, & finally what so ever pertaineth to the true faith, whereby we are saved, and also to obtain everlasting life. He which believeth not these things which are left, neither would he believe other things if they should be written. These things therefore suffice the believers neither seek they for any more things. For the which cause such things as the evangelist testifieth to be written for our salvation must be red and marked of us with great reverence & earnest study: Let us day & night be conversant in these things & meditating of them, that our faith may be supported, that our hope may be established, charity may be kindled, patience exercised obedience, modesty, & all other good spiritual gifts advanced. But they be fools yea and ungodly, which go about to prove by these words, that it is lawful for these Popes to devise and imagen certain other things of their own head, to fill up the place of such things as are here left out. For john the Euaungeliste hath in brief comprehended the whole some of Christian Religion, namely that Christ is the true Son of GOD which for our salvation came down from heaven, and was dead and rose again, and prepared for us eternal life: what can they add to these things? 
¶ Afterward did jesus show himself again at the sea of Tiberias, and on this wise showed he him self. There were together Simon Peter, & Thomas which is called Didimus and nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedei & two others of his Disciples. Simon Peter said unto them, I go on fishing: They said unto him, we will also go with thee. They went forth & entered immediately into a ship, and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was now come, jesus stood on the shore, nevertheless the Disciples knew not that it was jesus. jesus said unto them, Children have ye any meat? They answered him, no. And he said unto them, cast out the net on the right side of the ship and ye shall find. They cast out therefore, and anon they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. Then said that Disciple whom jesus loved unto Peter, It is the Lord? When Simon Peter heard that it was the lord, he girded his coat unto him, for he was naked, & sprung into the sea. The other disciples came by ship, for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits, and they drew the net with fishes. Assoon then as they were come to land, they saw hot coals and fish laid thereon, and bread: jesus said unto them, bring of the fishes which ye have now caught. Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land full of great fishes an hundred fifty and three: And for all there were so many, yet broke not the net. jesus said unto them, come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him to say, who art thou? For they knew that it was the lord. jesus then came and took the bread and gave them, and fish likewise. This is now the third time that jesus showed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen again from the dead.  THe nigher the Lord draweth to his ascension, the more he prepareth the minds of his disciples to the office which they should have to do, establishing first the thee certainty of his resurrection: he had called them unto him before from fishing, that they might also catch men by the preaching of the word: He putteth them again in remembrance of things done before, and stirreth them up by a new miracle, to remember to what an office they were appointed, and what fruit they should bring thereby, and that not by their own power, but by the power of God: For they had taken nothing before Christ appeared unto them. All our labour is in vain, where as the operation of the holy Ghost and power of God's word is not annexed: And what soever we shall take, what fruit so ever shall come of our preaachinge, that all whole ought to be ascribed to the benefit of the Lord: Let us acknowledge that the Lord was with us and gave the success. Let us bring sish, that is men being caught by the net of the Gospel, out of the tempestuous sea, & that not to ourselves but unto the Lord. In the mean time is shadowed the multitude of the gentiles which should be drawn unto Christ by the Apostles: And this is a very trim similitude of the net to the church, as Christ teacheth in the xiii. of Matthew. 
❧ Then when they had dynied, jesus said unto Simon Peter, Simon lovest thou me more than these? He said unto him, yea Lord, thou knowest that I love thee, he said unto him, feed my lambs: And he said unto him again, Simon joanna, Lovest thou me? He said unto him: Yea Lord thou know'st that I love thee: He said unto him: Feed my sheep: And he said unto him the third time. Simon joanna, lovest thou me? Peter was sorry because he said unto him the third time, lovest thou me. And he said unto him. Thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee: jesus said unto him, feed my sheep.  HEre is opened in Peter the bosom of god's mercy to sinners, who when he had fallen heynousely, is for all that fully restored again by the Lord, so far is Christ from rejecting of him, that he committeh him to feed his lambs Let no man therefore despair but get him to Christ the pledge of grace: A triple confession is opposed to a triple denial. And therewithal is prescribed in a figure a certain order for the pastors of the Church of Christ, which they must follow, namely for the love of Christ to feed his sheep. Peter is consecrated of new by the grace of Christ to the office of an Apostle, from the which he worthily fell in denying through his own folly, that grace might exceed where sin had abounded. Christ requireth charity of his ministers, 
Rom. 5. 2. Tim. 1.  which charity is th'end and mark of all laws & precepts. Out of the love of God springeth the love to our neighbour. That heart which will preach Christ unto others ought to burn in love. For if the fire of charity do not burn within, all other things which he shall speak and do willbe but cold and slender. They ought to have a certain zeal to advance the glory of God, and the health of their neighbours, which when as the most part of the ministers want, it is no marvel though they profit so little. For when charity waxeth cold, then must needs a heap of all wickedness follow. Hereof cometh so great idleness, negligence and sluggishness, this is the cause why the laws of magistrates are so little esteemed, this is the cause also that so many wicked deeds spread abroad, 
Osey. 4. Esay 58.  and blood toucheth blood, because (as the prophet saith) they be hypocrites, I will not say wolves, which do possess the room of pastors, and when as they ought to thunder with a most loud voice against the vices of princes, maiestrats, and of the people, they are dumb dogs, 
Esay. 56.  seeking their own and not those things which belong to jesus christ. And certain princes adjoin unto themselves such teachers, namely those princes whose ears itch, turning them away from the truth and hearkening unto fables they adjoin unto them such doctors namely as will flatter their affections, 
2. Tim. 4.  and they suffer them gently and learnedly to talk & reason of the gospel, so long as they touch not the sore & boil whereof they are sick. They wink therefore at certain most vile things which are committed of those princes neither dare they rebuke them according to their Apostolical authority and christian liberty. How wany is there now of days of those which preach the gospel in princes courts, either to those which have the chief government of things, 
Esay. 1.  that will exalt their voice like a trumpet, and say with the prophet: The princes are fellows of thieves, traitors, unfaithful contemners of the glory of god, of true religion and of Common justice? They game, they go a whoring, they set all their mind to fill the belie, and the mean time all justice decayeth. The turk possesseth the lands of Christian religion, whilst they be at variance one with an other like a frog and a mouse, and whilst they cocker their filthy appetites: Rioting and pride with all kind of concupiscence, do not only reign in city and court, but also there be very few which set themselves a brazen wall against them and mend again the breach of the hedge: 
jeremy. 1 Ezechiel 22  Let these men remember what love they bear to christ and also consider how great a treasure is committed to their keeping, namely a flock gotten by the blood of Christ. 
Math. 24.  Let them diligently weigh with what punishment the Lord will punish the unfaith full ministers when he returneth to take account: he will cut him in twain (saith Christ) and put his part with hypocrites 
Verily verily I say unto thee: when thou wast young, thou girdest thyself & didst walk whither thou wouldst, but when thou art old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, & an other shall gird the & lead thee whither thou wouldst not. And this he spoke signifying by what death he should glorify God, & when he had spoken this, he said unto him, follow me: Peter turned about, & saw that disciple, whom jesus loved, following, who also leaned on his breast at supper, & had said: lord which is he that betrayeth thee? when Peter therefore saw him, he said to jesus, lord what shall this man do? jesus said unto him: If I will have him tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me. Then went this saying abroad among the brethren that that disciple should not die, yet jesus said not to him, he shall not die, but if I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? The disciple is he which beareth witness to these things, & wrote these things, & we know that his witness is true. There are also many other things which jesus did the which if they should be written every one I suppose the world could not contain the books that should be written.  THat which is spoken by christ to Peter, let us think the same to be spoken unto us all, namely that we should follow christ unseparably, & cleave unto him keeping ourselves safe from strange things. Let every man be vigilant in his own office, and not curiously search and inquire out other men's sayings and doings. And let not affection be of more force with us, than the government of god. Let Gods will be the rule of our life, whereof to ask a reason of God is most wicked. And although these things are spoken unto all men, yet chiefly they pertain to the ministers the word, that they should earnestly follow Christ without any tarrying setting all other things apart, being ready for his glory not only to lose their goods but also their life. The servant is not greater than his lord, & there can be no greater glory then to suffer death for Christ's sake. 
And the eleven disciples departed to Galiley to a mountain, where jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him, but some of them doubted, whose unbelief after he had rebuked he said. These are the words which I spoke unto you, while I was yet with you that all things must needs be fulfilled, which were written of me in the law of Moses, & in the prophets, & in the psalms. Then opened he their mind, that they might understand the scriptures, & he said unto them: Thus is it written & thus it behoved Christ to suffer & to rise again from the dead the three day and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached, in his name among all nations, beginning first at jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things: and behold I send the promise of my father upon you: But tarry ye in the city of jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from above.  THe shepherd being stricken, the sheep were scattered as saith the prophet but afttr that I am risen again (saith Christ) I will go before you into Galilee: 
Marh. 26. zach. 13.  & the angel rehearsing these words saith: Go tell the disciples that the Lord is risen again and will go before you into Galilee. This to be now accomplished, the Evangelist Matthew testifieth we have declared before what it is to preach repentance & forgiveness of sins through the name of Christ: 
Math. 26.  And the beginning was made at jerusalem first among the jews, for whose sake jesus came: 
Esay. 2. ●om. 11.  yet in the mean time Let us rejoice that we also are called unto the same lot, & let us be thanful, lest we be cut of again, It behoved that Christ should suffer that he might be made a sacrifice to pacify god for our sins, by the which sacrifice gods justice might be satisfied. It behoved him to arise again from the dead to make us being raised from the death of sins, righteous unto God the father and partakers of the life to come. 
☞ And jesus came & spoke unto his Disciples, saying, All power is given to me in heaven and in earth. As my father sent me, so send I you also: & when he had spoken these things, he breathed upon them, and said un-them: Receive the holy ghost, whose sins so ever ye shall forgive, they are forgiven them, and whose so ever sins ye shall retain, they are retained. Go ye therefore, & teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things what so ever I have commanded you. And behold I am with you always even to the end of the world. Go ye into all the world, and Preach the Gospel to all creatures: He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be dampened. Moreover these are the signs that shall follow them which shall believe, In my name they shall cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues, they shall drive away serpents, & if they drink any deadly drink, it shall not hurt them. They shall lay their hands on the sick, and they shall recover.  AFter Christ had manifestly proved to his Disciples his Resurrection, he showeth them what great glory he shall be exalted unto, that they also might abide under the cross, knowing that eternal glory is prepared for them with Christ. He saith that all power is given him as well of heaven as of earth, to make us to understand how great a lord we have, in whose hands all things are put. And no man hath in his hands the dominion over all things, but he must needs be god also. For god giveth not his glory to an other, 
Esay. 42.  as witnesseth Esay. Let us not therefore be afeard, if vile men threaten us, and conspire against us, But let us fly unto the Lord, under whose tuition we shall be safe. 
Luk. nineteen. Psalm. two.  And although there be some which do say, we will not have him to reign over us & let us cast away their bonds from our necks, neither will yet acknowledge such and so great a Saviour and king, but go about to cut of his kingdom, such rebels nevertheless shall be subdued under his government will they or nil they, 
Phalme. ex. Psal. 2.  & be made his footstool. Whom the King of Kings and Lord of Lords shall bruise with an iron rod, & shall break them in pieces like a potter's vessel, & shall reign over them for ever. Hitherto (sayeth he) have I served you with most humility, being put to reproaches & all kind of evils, now is the time present wherein the father will glorify me with the same glory which I have had always without beginning, that every knee might bow unto me, & the whole world might acknowledge me to be their Saviour, by whom the way to god is made open. 
john. xvii. Philip. two.  I have elected you witnesses of this thing, and I send you into the whole world, to declare this joy to all men, namely that I descended from heaven, & have overcome death, & opened the way to heaven for miserable mortal men, 
Math. x.  taking away death and hell. Preach not these things only to the jews, as I charged you first, which was to keep the fidelity of my promises, but go now to all nations, and call them to be companions of my glory when ye shall preach these things through out the world, the ungodly will set upon you by diverse snares and wiles: Ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake, but be ye of a good courage, 
john. xvi.  I have overcome the world, and in me also shall ye overcome all your enemies, for all power is given to me both in heaven and earth. I will always be present with you and defend you against all invasions Although I shall now withdraw from you my corporal presence which shall be profitable for you. I will yet be with you to the end of the world. with my power, with my spirit & with my grace. This promise is not made only to the disciples, but to all believers, for the apostles lived not to the end of the world. This is the greatest comfort that can be in adversity, diligently to consider the power and kingdom of Christ. 
Math. 16  They which lean unto this rock the gates of hell shall not prevail any thing against them. As my father sent me. We must understand that these things are spoken by comparison & not by equality. As though he would say, My Father sent me to preach & to die for the truth, do ye so likewise. But this is the difference between Christ's death, & his disciples death and ours, In that Christ's death is healthful to the whole world, & pacifieth gods wrath for the sins of the whole world, & so is not his disciples death nor ours. Christ was sent of the father to be the salvation & life of the whole world, so were not the apostles sent, but to preach this salvation and life to the world. He giveth them the holy ghost, that we might understand that he which will preach the gospel with a stout courage hath need of the holy ghost. For man can do nothing of his own power unless he be endued & holpen by the power from above. And he sendeth his ministers, not to gape for riches, to make merchandise, to seek for gain, to hunt for glory, to swell in pride, & to burn in filthy lusts but to preach salvation unto men, The father sent not his son after that sort, neither studied Christ for such matters. He sent him to preach the truth, 
Philip. two.  to teach the knowledge & true worshipping of God, & that he taking upon him that for me of a servant, might serve all men, & might be obedient to the father even to the death of the cross, to take upon himself the hatred & reproaches of all men, & in the midst of these to do good to all men, & to save all men. Let them then which are chosen to the office of preaching follow Christ in these things, let not then do their own will, 
john. 6.  but his will that sent them, Let them desire of the father the holy ghost to accomplish these things, 
Luke. 11.  who worketh & performeth these things in them: Whose sins ye shall forgive. That which might be spoken impersonally, he attributeth to the person, which is done after the Hebrew manner, who speak not seldom that impersonally which longeth to the person: & again they attribute that to the person which is impersonal. But whereas he saith whose sins ye shall forgive, it is a periphrasis & definition of the gospel, for what is the gospel? This is the gospel that god the father sent his son to make satisfaction for the sins of men, & to forgive them the same: Why then he that preacheth remission of sins preacheth the gospel. As though Christ would say, To whom so ever ye shall preach the gospel, & if they receive it, them shall their sins be forgiven them. For he expresseth the same sentence more plainly in the last of Mark, saying: Preach the gospel to all creatures, he that believeth shall be saved, he that believeth not shall be condemned. He that believeth namely the gospel preached by you. Remission therefore of sins is given to the apostles because they preach that whereby sin is forgiven, for they preach the gospel, or the same Christ, or grace of God by Christ, whereby sins are forgiven, This is therefore the meaning, whose sins ye shall forgive, that is to whom ye shall preach the remission of sins, & they shall believe the gospel preached by you, unto them are their sins forgiven. Let us diligently therefore note this, that that is attributed to the Apostles, which belongeth only to God. For it cometh by the holy ghost, and not by the preaching or voice of man that the conscience of man should be assured that god is his father and that his sins are forgiven and the anger of God pacified. But because the apostle is the instrument by the which god showeth forth salvation unto men, and a certain part (as I may term it) whereby God will have his grace preached. Christ therefore vouchsafeth thus to speak, & he attributeth that to us which belongeth only to himself because of the conjunction & communicating which the members have with the godhead. 
2. Cor. 11. 2. Cor. 3,  God worketh all in all, he is nothing which watereth, he is nothing which planteth, but god which giveth the increase: god doth all things, he moveth the mouth & the tongue of that preacher, he draweth & illustrateth the heart of the hearer. It is all one saying therefore to say, whose sins ye shall forgive, are forgiven them, etc., & to say he which believeth shall be saved, But Marks words are more plain. For to bind & to lose are darker than to believe & not to believe the preachers. They are darker to us I mean, & not to the apostles of Christ. 
To bind  To bind therefore is to preach the gospel, which gospel he that believeth not, 
To lose  is bound. contrarily to lose, is to preach the gospel, which he that believeth is loosed from his sins, john repeated the words of Matthew in the xvi Chapi. Baptize them in the name. etc. It seemeth to me that to baptise is taken in all the new testament all most for to be admitted & accepted that no man should obstinately urge the letter as do the Anabaptists. 
To baptize  Baptize them, that is, admit them to Christ, & graft them in the name of the father & of the holy ghost, that is, lead them by water & doctrine into the knowledge, power, & virtue of the father, the son & the holy ghost. But we have entreated of this against the Anabaptists in an other place, and we will speak more amply of it afterward: He that believeth Salvation & eternal life consisteth in election, for his hand is not shut or shortened, that he will save none amongst the Gentiles. For God can pour faith into the hearts of the Gentiles, 
Rom. two.  which they prove and show forth by works, as I judge and that not rashly of Socrates, Seneca, and many others. Some man will say: why they believed not. I answer if they believe not they are not saved. The words therefore of Christ ought to be understanded thus, that they be spoken unto such as the spopell is preached unto, who are dampened if they believe not the gospel preached unto them. 
john. xv.  For Christ saith, If I had not come & spoken unto them, they should not have sinned. This place therefore, he that believeth not shall be condemned, appertaineth nothing unto those which never had the Gospel preached unto them. For although the outward gospel of Christ be not preached unto them, yet can god save them by Christ, For as many as are saved, are saved by Christ, that is by the mercy of God which he offered to the world in Christ. For there is none so just or so innocent which can stand before the justice of god. We must all fly therefore to the mercy of god by Christ. And signs shall follow the believers. This is a promise which must be understand by Synecdoche. For the Apostles wrought many signs▪ when need required. And it doth not debilitate the promis of christ, 
Acres. v.  because there are no signs wrought now a days by the preachers of the word. For it was necessary then the signs should be wrought, to confirm the new & unaccustomed business preached by the apostles whereby the whole world should be made new. And to stir up their minds to receive the doctrine of the Apostles. But now is the doctrine of Christ & the Apostles sealed with diverse signs, the which signs he that believeth not, neither will he believe if signs should be presently done. We must mark the order. first the ministers of the word are choose out by Christ. Then they are instructed with his word & doctrine. Thirdly they are confirmed by the spirit. Fourthly they are sent to preach the Gospel. They which thrust themselves in by arte or violence, they which are not sent, which preach not, or else preach not the Gospel, which seek for their own things & not the things which be of jesus Christ, such I say are not the ministers of Christ, but thieves, robbers and wolves.  

Hitherto we have entreated of the glorious Resurrection of our Lord, and now will we speak of his Ascension into heaven.  
Jesus led his Disciples forth to Bethania, and gathered them together in the same place, and spoke unto them of the Kingdom of God, & commanded them, that they should not departed from jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father, whereof (said he) ye have heard of me, how john baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the holy ghost within these few days: when they therefore were come together, they asked of him saying: Lord wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom of Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times and seasons, which the father hath put in his own power but ye shall receive power, after the holy ghost is come upon you, & ye shallbe witnesses unto me, not only in jerusalem, but also in all jewry & Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth. Then the Lord jesus after that he had spoken these things with them, he lifted up his hands, & blessed them. And it came to pass, when he had blessed them, he departed from than, & while they beheld he was taken up on hihg, & was carried up in to heaven, and a cloud took him up from their eyes, & setteth at the right hand of god: & while they looked steadfastly up toward heaven, as he went behold two men stood by them clothed in white garments which also said, ye men of Galiley, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come, even as ye have seen him go into heaven. And they worshipped him & returned to jerusalem with great joy, from the mount which is called olivete, which is from jerusalem a Sabaothes days journey. And when they were come in, they went up into a parlour, where abode Peter and james, john & Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Barthelmew and Matthew, james the son of Alpheus, and Simon zelotes, and judas the son of james. These all continued with one mind in prayer & supplication with the women, and Mary the mother of jesus and with his brethren.  
MArk doth compendiously & briefly touch all things describing together things which were not done together. For he sayeth, as the eleven disciples sat at meat etc. It is most likely that Christ daily appeared unto his Apostles all the whole forty days after his resurrection & commanded and prescribed them an order whereby they should preach the Gospel through out the whole world. This doth he put them in memory of at his departure & more strongly beat it into them. For to this end were they chosen. There is no cause therefore why we should urge the letter, and draw this history of Mark only to the ascension, but to the whole time that was between the resurrection & ascension of Christ. But now let us come nearer to the history, which Luke hath in the acts: Luke divideth his Gospel into two parts.  
In the first he describeth what Christ did in his life time. In the latter he seateth forth what things were done after his ascension: He spoke unto them of the kingdom of god. The kingdom of God is in a manner called the gospel whereof he spoke unto them forty days continually, 
The kingdom of god  and commended unto them the preaching thereof: Christ therefore speaketh unto them of the kingdom of God, of the gospel, of his grace, and of the mercy of god, and that out of the Scriptures namely of the law & of the prophets, as Luke said before he opened their understanding in the scriptures: But with what word, or after what sort he spoke unto them, it is not here written but that may be gathered by their doctrine. The Apostles were chosen out by Christ to spread abroad the kingdom of God, throughout the world, and to dilate & extend the territories of the heavenvly kingdom, but they being yet after a sort carnal, dream of a certain carnal kingdom & inquire thereof according to the judgement of the flesh: which carnal opinion of the restoring again of Israel sticketh also yet at this day in the jews & in some christians. Christ in deed seemeth somewhat to acknowledge the restoring of Israel, when he saith. It is not for you to know the times and seasons etc. Which Paul also declareth in the xi. to the Romans. But together therewith drawing them from their carnal sense he speaketh somewhat deeper of the kingdom of god saying, but ye shall receive the holy Ghost: As though he would say, that is your kingdom to receive the spirit of god by the which ye shallbe taght & led into the true knowledge of God, so that ye may also testify of the same before others: And ye shall preach of me also even in that place, where ye forsook me, fled away and denied me, so great shall the power of the heavenuenly spirit be. They had been so long time conversant with Christ they had hard so many and so great things out of his moth, they had seen so many miracles, and yet they reason of a certain carnal kingdom. They hoped that some body should be sent which should deliver them out of the power of the Romans. The Lord doth still revoke them back to the spirit. They were very weak still as long as Christ was present corporally with them, yea and then also when he being glorified was present with them after his resurrection. There came therefore no strength to them by the flesh of Christ being corporally present, as he himself testifieth. It was expedient for them, that he went otherwise the spirit should not come. He taketh therefore from his disciples what soever is corporal and outward even in himself▪ to affix them wholly to the spirit of God. They had need of a certain other power from above, which Christ had promised them. Now therefore he repeateth the promise, 
john. 14.  & commandeth them not to departed from jerusalem, till the spirit were given them. john (saith he) baptised you with water, water is the sign of doctrine and instruction. As though Christ would say, john taught and instructed you after a sort, namely he brought you to me by the outward word and sign, but that spirit of God which I have promised you, whom I will send, which shall come, and whom ye ought to look for, he also shall baptize you within, that is, he shall teach you and instruct you more plainly and perfectly: Ye are hitherto baptised with the baptism of John (for the baptism of john and Christ are all one, as touching the outward water and outward preaching for even as the preaching of the gospel which was done by th'apostles, is called forgiveness of sins which longeth only to Christ, so also is the baptism of john called Christ's baptism that is, john did the same by the commandment and authority of Christ) but or ever it be long ye shallbe baptized with an other baptism, namely with the holy Ghost: The baptism therefore of the holy Ghost whereby faith cometh followeth the baptism of water which I speak to refel the error of the Anabaptists: and in that it is called the baptism of John, it is done, because he dipped men in water and taught them by the commandment of christ, which were both outward signs: And even John himself doth testify that of himself saying that he only dippid men in water, but there should come one after him which should baptize with the spirit: The meaning therefore of Christ's words is, 
Math ●.  All the things which hitherto were done outwardly, as the water of john, my doctrine, yea even that breathing which when I rose again I breathed upon you, are to weak to sanctify, purge and strengthen you within, they were only signs of the holy ghost, which ye shall receive most perfectly, there be not a few, which even now in these days seek & follow only the flesh in Christ and which think that they are sanctified and purged by certain outward ceremonies and signs: But these are but outward signs and so they continue, neither can they move any thing in the heart of man, except the power and operation of the Spirit of God be joined thereunto: We must therefore most earnestly desire that spirit at God's hands which may draw us illustrate, confirm and make us perfect. This spirit because the Philosophers wanted, therefore were their most learned writings nothing else but subtle disputations, and also cavillations, and not the true philosophy, for they had not within them the living spirit of God: Dead and cold therefore are their writings and not inspired and illuminated by the holy Ghost: Let us then pass over all those outward signs and fix our eyes upon the operation of the spirit, and desire the same continually with most fervent prayers. The godly which are endued with the holy Ghost dare yea and enterprise great things, the spirit doth kindle and draw their hearts upward, and encourageth them to all things be they never so perilous, and to heroical virtues which proceed from God, and are directed to God as to be humble, to deny himself, to be pleased with himself in nothing, to suffer many things, to be meek, merciful and liberal: But flesh seeketh his own, it laboureth for riches and glory, and enterpriseth great and perilous things, but yet such things as hurt his neighbour. He lifted up his hands after the manner of one that prayeth, and not of one that blesseth: For this word here, he blessed than in greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, I think is put here as a sign of farewell, as they use to wish good luck which depart. They worshipped him namely because he was god which could ascend by his own power: they rejoiced in the mean time, because they were the legates of such & so great a Lord. And in that it is written that they were always in the temple, it must be under stand that they werin the temple in due tyme. For sometimes they assembled together in a certain house (as appeareth by the acts) for fear of the jews. So is it said of Anna the widow that she was day and night in the temple. This is according to the hebrew manner of speaking that is, she was often in the temple. In like manner the Apostles came very often into the temple, although sometimes they were gathered together in some certain house to avoid the snares of the jews. 
Look in Plinis Epistles to trajan, de more Christianorum.  They did even as many christians in these days are compelled to do, in those places, where it is not lawful neither to hear nor yet to read the gospel openly: they assemble together in some house, they read they pray, they hear the word of God and give thanks etc. Then they come into the common assembly with other men to avoid suspicion, bearing somewhat with ceremonies which are not utterly ungodly. But this they do but for a time. So the apostles abhorred not from the temple of the jews wherein were yet the sacrifices of beasts, which notwithstanding were straight ways to be abolished.  
They did therefore preach Christ either in the temple or else in the porch though the superstitions of the Pharisees remained still there. And here do those hypocrites chifly err which seek a pretence & excuse to themselves by this fact of the Apostles & so stick still to papistry, mingling themselves with their wicked services, for fear of their goods, or else of their estimation, either else of their life. They go not straight but halt on both sides. These men must remember that the nature of the ceremonies which were prescribed unto the jews in the law of God was far differing from the nature of the ceremonies which the pope's have feigned by the persuasion & suggestion of Satan, so that by no means these are to be conferred to them. And besides that they come not to the papistical services of God with that same mind, that the apostles did to the jewish services. For the Apostles in the mean time preached Christ, and laboured to win the jews from their jewishness to Christ, but our men are afeard of themselves, and dissemble Christ, & dare not confess him openly & freely before this wicked nation, & so they cleave continually unto them, not to win them unto Christ, but to betray Christ & to perish with the ungodly or (as they persuade themselves) to be in safety. And again the Apostles committed nothing against their conscience, but were present only at such ceremonies, as God had commanded by his own mouth & prescribed for a time. Those I say they used only for a time without any ungodliness or superstition: But contrariwise these are present to these ungodly rites against their own consciences as when they bow their knee to the bread of the papistical mass, which (at the least way in a show) they worship, they fall down before Idols and brie●●ye they defile themselves with these unpure customs and filthy fellowship. Let these men diligently consider what happened to Peter as long as he was among the soldiers, he denied Christ more and more, till he wrapped himself out of their company, & got him to Christ with bitter weeping. Awake up therefore O my brethren, and come out of Babylon, come out I say from among them & touch not the unclean. Let nothing keep you back. Let nothing cause you to linger. 
2. Cor. 6. 1. Cor. 3,  Christ hath no fellowship with Belial, the temple of god hath nothing to do with Idols and ye are the temple of God, do not profane that which Christ consecrated with his blood: Let it not repent you if ye must forsake or lose any thing for Christ's sake, 
Math. 19  the Lord will restore unto you an hundred fold, If jacob the patriarch left many things behind him to have the fruition of the best things in the land of Egypt, 
Gen. 45.  why should it be grievous unto us to forsake earthly things, seeing we shall be recompensed in the world to come with such joy as the eye hath not seen, thee are hath not heard, neither can the heart of man comprehend it? 
Esay. 64  judas in gaping for gold lost both his body & soul. Wherefore unwrap yourselves out of these bonds, cast away whatsoever holdeth you back, to avoid the imminent danger although nakedly. 
Prou. 1.  Contend unto the Lord with the whole heart, why lest time serveth: Contemn not his voice, lest he mock you to scorn when evil things happen unto you. There is an other error of the Anabaptists, which count it wicked to preach the truth in temples which are amongst the papists, yea though the Idols and papistical superstitions be now abolished out of them. But where can Christ be more commodiously preached, then in those places where the multitude of people accustom to assemble together. This certainly did the Apostles, either on the holy days or else on the Sabbath days when the people were assembled together, both to be there present themselves, and also to bring the jews which clave unto their old superstition, to Christ, which might be done most commodiously in the temple whether the people of the jews resorted. Neither did they so stubbornly and disdainfully separate themselves from the Pharisees and the rest of the jews as the Anabaptists now of days accustom to separate themselves from those which do believe and cleave unto Christ. That the souls of the Godly are received into joys, and the souls of the ungodly are pulled to punishments, not only the holy Scriptures do testify but also the writers of the gentiles. And the Philosophers and Poets do manifestly agree with the Prophets in these things although they speak it with other words. Here of come the fields of Elisius, and the sorrowful lake of Acheron, and that some are counted to be received after their death into the number of God, etc. The soul is not of itself, but of God. Wherefore when it is separated from the body it returneth unto God, even as all other things return unto the fountain from whence they came, all things flow again to their author. These things are so in deed and so are written. And Christ truly testifieth in himself that the soul liveth after the death of the body, and that men return to their author. which thing was never before that time set before the eyes of men, although as many as were of sound judgement understood it. Christ proveth the life of his soul by his Resurrection & Ascension and that glory shall come to the whole man with God. He therefore teacheth not only by word, but also declareth in deed what shall be come of the Godly after this life. He ascended up into heaven, to prepare the way to glory for us, I we should know, whether we shall go after death, and what so ever our minds feel and believe, all the same do we see to have gone before in our head Christ. Christ descended once for our salvation sake, again he ascended once, that we should not hence forth require the corporal presence of Christ, but our hearts being lifted upward we should meditate the heavenly life with Christ our King. Put case there were a king which would seek for the common profit, would do justice, and make equal and good laws, and grant that he were a father of the country, etc. It cannot well come to pass that every one in his kingdom can see him, for some dwell far from him, some are blind or lame so that they can not come unto him, there are but few which have the liberty to be familiarly conversant with him, and yet in the mean time all of them though they dwell never so far of have the fruition of the common peace and tranquillity, which he hath gotten and defendeth by his wisdom, even as ●mplye as they which are always present with him in the court. And if so be that the king die, yet do the citizens rejoice in the laws and ordinances ordained by him. Even after the same sort is it with our king Christ, it is not given to all men to see him corporally, which happened to the apostles by a singular prerogative, yet may all the godly by faith have the fruition of the grace and redemption gotten by him, yea even those which never saw thym with their corporal eyes: and for this cause did Christ when he should depart from his Disciples as concerning his had promise unto them an other comforter and advocate namely the holy ghost, which should teach them the spiritual and true knowledge of Christ. He draweth our hearts upward where Christ is at the right hand of God, that we despising all the goods of this world might cleave only to him, and have rest in him. Let us in the mean time serve our neighbours by charity, and diligently plant the Kingdom of Christ in the world, namely that he may reign in the hearts of all men. Let the eyes of our mind be always fixed in heaven upon him which is our advocate before the father which hath sanctified our flesh in himself, which hath joined our nature unto the godhead, and hath so exalted it that there might be an assured hope in us, that we shall live with him for ever. He is flesh of our flesh, bone of our bones our brother & head, in whom is setforth unto us the hope of immortal life. 
Ephe. 2.  Wherefore for as much as god which is rich in mercy, hath of his singular love whereby he loved us, yea even then when we were dead thorough sins hath quickened us together with Christ, and hath raised us up together again with him, and made us set together in heavenly places with Christ jesus and hath sealed us with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest penny of our inheritance for the redemption of the possession gotten to the praise of his glory, 
Ephe. 1.  let us for all these things give thanks to God, and pray that the god of our Lord jesus Christ the father of glory would give us the spirit of wisdom & revelation by knowledge & illuminate the eyes of our mind, that we may know what the hope is whereunto he hath called us, and how rich the glory of his inheritance is toward the saints, and how excellent the mightiness of his power is toward us, which believe according to the efficacy of his might and strength, which he hath showed forth in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in heaven, above all principality and power, strength and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in the world to come, and hath subdued all things under his feet and hath made him the head of the church above all things, which is his body the perfection of him which filleth all in all, to whom be praise and glory world without end.   
AMEN.  

Imprinted at London high john day dwelling over Aldersgate beneath Saint Martynes.  
Cum gratia & privilegio Regiae Maiestatis.