The Death Resurrection and Ascension of Christ, Part 1 (1 of 3)
FOr as much as the deathe of Chriſt is the lyfe of all the electe, it behoueth therfore to know by what meanes it is made our ſaluation, which in it ſelf cannot be but ſaluatiō: For Chriſt (as Simeon declareth) as he is ſet for the riſing of many,Luke. ii. ſo is he agayne ſet for the fall of many, And this commeth to paſſe (which oftētimes hapneth) that that which is geuen vntounto vsus for a remedy againſt poyſon, by our vice is turned to be nomand deſtructiō. There be which do think vponupon the croſſe and death of Chriſt our ſauioure after a certaine kynde of carnall affection thinking thei hauehave done their duety excellētly wel, & that they hauehave done god high ſeruice if ſo be yt thei hauehave eueryevery yeare a certaine grief with Chriſt dieng, & that they witnes ye ſame with teares. Thoſe ought to remember that Chriſt deſired the women not to weepe for his ſake,Luke. xxiii. for he ſaithe, wepe not for me or for my ſake, but he admoniſhed thē, of the miſery which ſhoulde come vponupon them for their ingratitude and infidelitie, and therfore he addeth wepe for your ſelues, for the dayes wyll come. &c. I wyll not ſpeake now of the ambition which we hauehave ſought for in ſuch fayned ſorrow, for we would ſeme to be ſuche as wer heauy with Chriſt, when as in dede we were nothing leſſe. Others min…ble vppe certayne colde praiers in memory of the paſſiō, others deuide the order of the paſſion for ſynguler dayes, or certaine houres, other ſome againe doe abuſe the ſame as it were by magicall enchauntments to their owne glorye and couetous deſyre, not ſekyng Chriſt, but themſelues, let vsus rather thinke, or rather meditate, and depely weigh & conſider why Chriſt died: and here ſhal the vaynes of faith and charitie open themſelues. God ſo loued the world (ſaith S. Iohn) that he gaue his only begottē ſō for it,Ioan. iii. that whoſoeuer beleueth in him ſhuld not periſhe, but hauehave lyfe euerlaſting. It commeth of a ſinguler charitie, that god doth geue his onelyonly begotten ſonne vntounto the death for miſerable and damnable ſeruantes, the which beyng conſidered, kindleth our hartes & bindeth vsus altogether to god: and whatſoeuer other thing god hath geuē vntounto vsus beſides him ſelfe, it would hauehave done vsus litle good, yea although he had geuē a moſt excellent creature it would not hauehave ſatiſfied the fleſhe, he gaue himſelf therfore to vsus, in his ſonne, that there by we ſhoulde nothing doubte of his louelove and fauour, but he died that we mighte liue. He was nayled to the croſſe, that he myghte deliuer vsus for he hathe borne our ſynnes vppon his body,Eſay. liii. i. Pet. il. and hath taken al our infirmities vponupon him, by whoſe beating & whipping we ar healed. He is the price which was geuen for our redēptiō, by him our vnrighteouſnes is put away. & blotted out before god. In hym the iuſtice of god is pacified, in him is life geuē to them which beleue. The meditatiō of theſe things will leade vsus, not onelyonly into the vains of God his goodnes, but alſo to the ſprings of our ſynnes. Let vsus therefore conſider this in Chriſt, for what thing he was geuen vntounto vsus of god, wherfore Chriſt dothe not onelyonly teache vsus, that we ſhoulde thorowly acknowledge our ſelues vnrighteous and condemned, but alſo doth open vntounto vsus with the ſame, the boſome of mercye, as a moſt ſure ſanctuary, and doth alſo comforte the conſciences which in a maner are deſperate and heauy ladē with the burden of ſynnes, geuing vntounto them which be his,Rom. viii. peace and tranquilitie. For what can he which hathe geuen his ſonne, denye vsus afterward? Let vsus therfore firſt thinke vponupon thys in the croſſe of Chriſt, that is, Chriſt to be the price of our redemption, the ſacrifice for ſins, our ſatiſfactiō,i. Cor. i. our righteouſnes, life, holines, gate and way to god, the pledge of ſaluation & euerlaſting life, the onelyonly mediator, interceſſor, and reconciler, by whome the way to god is made open, by whoſe death our ſynnes dye and periſhe.Michel. v. i. Pet. ii. Hebr. xiii. Then let vsus remēber, what this capitayne and emperour of our life dothe ſette before vsus, which is geuen vntounto vsus of God the father, not onelyonly for a redemer, but alſo a foregoer and guide of the way, that we reiecting all thinges, might follow his ſteps, and hauyng our eies fixed vponupon him,Rom. viii. might folow him, without the walles of the caſtel, bearing the reproche which he had, we might be made ſemblable vntounto the Image of the ſonne of god vtterly denieng all vngodlineſſe,Ad Tit. ii. and hurtfull deſires,Rom. vi. yea denying our ſelues, let vsus beare the croſſe after him, being grafted in his deth, let vsus mortifie the members which are vponupon the earth, and wheras before we hauehave ſet our myndes vponupon vnrighteouſnes, let vsus now endeuour our ſelues to righteouſnes and holynes. Neither is Chriſt a painted or grauē example and ſo dead, but a liuely example and of efficacy, which doth ſhine in the faithfull, and is expreſſed, and worketh truely, which dothe ſhew forth it ſelfe both in worde and in dede, and in the whole actions of the life, a liuely example I ſay, and ſuch as expreſſeth all heauenly vertues, as charitie, obedience, modeſty long ſuffring, gentleneſſe, patience, pureneſſe and conſtancie, then which example there is none more perfite or abſolute, for what greater charitie can there be than for to ſuffer deth for his enemies? neither was this in his childhode, as the children were ſlaine of Herode: neither died he after the manner of the riche or honourable men, but he died a moſt filthye and vile death, that is to ſay, of the croſſe, and that betwene .ij. theues. I meane he was put to ſuche a deth, as wicked & miſcheuous men are, beyng counted for a diſceauer. Moreouer Chriſt toke vponupon him in himſelf, whatſoeuer is hard, vile, and troubleſome in this world. This I ſay did Chriſt chooſe, and toke it vpō himſelfe for vsus, leſt the fleſh might hauehave any occaſion of complaynte. Men wyl ſuffer any thing ſo that they may eſcape deth but Chriſt beſides all euils ſuffred death, and that a moſt bitter deth, he deſpiſed whatſoeuer is great & precious in this worlde he choſe and ſuffred whatſoeuer is vnpleaſaunt and euill vntounto the fleſh as pouerty, reproche, infamye, rebukes, blaſphemies, ſtripes, bonds, woūds, & finally death, to thend that we mighte learne to deſpiſe the world with all his entiſementes, and to ſuffer all aduerſitie for him with ioye. For we cannot approche to heauenly thinges except we caſt away & deſpiſe earthly things, he which loueth the world, cānot louelove god, & he which deſpiſeth the world & whatſoeuer is in the world ſauoureth eternal things, & things of god. No aduerſitie cā trouble or throw doū ſuch a mā, no proſperitie cā puffe him vp, humility, obediēce hauehave nede of his exāple which being god, deſcēded, & toke vpō him our infirmitie, being obediēt vntounto the father, euē to the death. By theſe thinges which we hauehave foreſpokē I thik it is manifeſt inough, after what ſort the deth of Chriſt ſhould be meditated of vsus, what is ſet before vsus to be learned by the ſame, & what it is to hauehave grief wt him, namely to follow his ſteps, which cōmitted no ſin, neither was ther foūd any guilem his mouth which being railed on wt euil wordes,i. Pet. …. replied not euil words again being troubled wt euils he threatened not, but referred the vengeance to him which iudgeth iuſtely, let vsus alſo learn ye like things, that we may be ſtrong without feare & cōſtāt, & if any thing be to be ſuffered for Chriſt his ſake, for the truth and for righteouſneſſe, that with a couragious minde we maye beare reproches, rebukes, and deathe, that there be nothing ſo hard nothing ſo greuous,…om. viii. which we ſhould not be ready to beare for him. This is to bee made like faſhioned vntounto Chriſt, to ſuffer that which he ſuffered, to do that which he did, to glory and reioyce if any thing happen to bee ſuffered for Chriſt, for god forbid that we ſhould ſeeke any other glory in this worlde,Rom. v. then in the croſſe of our lorde Ieſus Chriſt,Gala. vi. by whome the worlde is crucified vntounto vsus, and we to the world,ii. Cor. vi. ii, Cor. iiii. ii. Cor. v. whoſe markes lette vsus beare in our bodies, in muche ſuffring, in afflictions, in neceſſities, in tribulations, in ſtripes, in impriſonmēts, in ſeditions, in labor, in watching, in faſting, in pureneſſe. &c. We are alwayes deliuered vntounto the deathe for Ieſus ſake, that the lyfe of Ieſus might be made manifeſt in our fleſh. The louelove of god doth conſtraine vsus that we diligently weying this that if one man died for all men, then all we before were deade, and that one died for all, yt they which liue hereafter might not liue to themſelues, but to him which died, and roſe againe for them. Let vsus neuer therefore be weary,ii. Cor. i… for although our outward man be corrupted, the inwarde man neuertheleſſe ſhalbe renewed eueryevery day, for the ſmalneſſe of our affliction which endureth but a very ſmal time, ſhall get vntounto vsus an euerlaſting weight of glory aboue meaſure,i. Pet. iiii. ſo that in the meane time we regard not thoſe thinges which we ſee, that is to ſay whiche dure but for a tyme, but thoſe thinges which are not ſene, that is to ſay eternall thinges. Wherfore ſeing Chriſt hath ſuffered for vsus in the fleſhe. Let vsus alſo be armed with the ſame cogitation, that he which ſuffreth in the fleſhe hath ceaſſed from ſinne, for this purpoſe, that now he ſhuld not lyue according to the luſtes of the fleſhe, the reſt of the time which is in the fleſh, but according to ye wil of god, let it ſuffice vsus that we al our life tyme before, hauehave liued accordyng to the manner of Gentiles, when as we were conuerſant in wantonneſſe, in luſtes, dronkē nes, gluttony, bibbings, and bancketings, and in deteſtable worſhipping of ymages, let vsus not meruaile, as though ſome new thing hapned vntounto vsus if that we be tried by fier, for this is done to trye vsus withal, but let vsus reioyce, that God thinketh vsus worthye to ſuffer any thing for hym, and that we ſhoulde bee made parteners of Chriſt his afflictions, in the reuelation of whoſe glory, we ſhal alſo ioy with great reioiſing, if we ſuffer rebukes & ſlaunders for the name of Chriſt, we are bleſſed, bicauſe the glory and ſpirit of god remayneth vponupon vsus. For if we hauehave died with Chriſte, we ſhal alſo liue with him,…. Tim. ii. Rom. vi. if we hauehave ſuffred with him we ſhal alſo raign with him & no man is crowned, but he whiche lawfully wreſtleth. Let vsus therfore ſuffer afflictiō as good ſouldiors of Chriſte, whiche hauehave made promiſe to Chriſt in ye ſacramēt of baptiſme,…b. xii. being apointed to go on his warfare & grafted in his deth. Therfore let vsus not be wrapped with the buſineſſe of this life lette vsus not be defiled with worldly deſires, let vsus run by patience in the battell which we hauehave ſet before vsus, hauing an eie to Ieſus which is the capitaine of faith and finiſher, who ſetting before himſelfe ioye, ſuffred the croſſe, contemning reproches and rebukes, let vsus diligently conſider that he ſuffred ſuch gainſaying of ſynners that we beyng weried in our myndes ſhould not faynt. Let vsus thinke how vile a thing it is to ſhrink away from ſuch a capitayne, or for vsus to bee ſo ſluggiſh, when as he fighteth ſo ſtrongly & ſo valiauntly. Let vsus conſider how euil it becommeth the members to be proud, high minded and enuious, when as the hed doth ſo hū ble it ſelfe, and is ſo feruent in charitie. Let vsus alſo weighe how great infamy it is for a capitaine, to take vponupon him ſo many woundes & laſtly of all death,ii. Tim. ii. Act. xiiii. Eccle. ii. Iacob. i. Ioan. xiii. & the ſouldiors to be a ſlepe and geue themſelues to rioring, whoſoeuer therfore will liue godly in Chriſt Ieſus, muſt prepare themſelues to ſuffer perſecutions, and by many tribulacions, muſt ſtriue to come to euerlaſting life, they muſt abyde in the feare of god, and prepare their myndes to temptations, and kepe thēſelues pure frō this world. Chriſt hath geuē vsus an exāple, that we ſhuld do euen as he hath done.
Luke. 22.
¶Now the feaſte of vnleauened bread drew nighe which is called ye Paſſeouer, namely after two daies.
IT was commaunded vntounto the Iewes that on the feaſte daye of the Paſſeouer,Exod. xii. xiii. xiiii. when they did eat the lambe, they ſhould eate vnleauened cakes 7. dais after, which figure Paul openeth in the 1. Cor 5 & ſheweth that we muſt purge the old leauē, for that a littel leauē doth leauē al that is mingled with. It is meete for ſuch as ar born of new by Chriſt to liue a new & innocēt life, that they may be as it wer a certain new dough & vnleauened. For our Paſſe ouer Chriſt (ſaith he) is offred vp a lamb without ſpot. Let vsus therfore celebrate this feſtiuall day, not with old leauen, neither with the leauē of malice & wickedneſſe, but with bread wantyng leauen, that is with ſinceritie and truth. The Paſſeouer of the Iewes hathe a figure of the libertye whiche ſhould come by Chriſt, for euen as in the old tyme god ſaued the children of Iſrael in Egipte frō the murther, with which the Egiptians were puniſhed, namely whoſe doores were ſprinckled with the bloud of the Lambe, and after that he led them forth with a mightye arme ſafe and ſound thorow the red ſea, and ſo deliuered thē from the moſt greuous yoke of Pharao. So alſo he ſaueth thoſe by Chriſt whiche beleue, from euerlaſting deth, and hath deliuered thē frō the power of darkeneſſe, trāſferryng them into the kingdome of his beloued ſon,Colo. i. by whō they hauehave redemptiō, namely remiſſion of ſinnes by his bloude,Iohn. i. and this is the cauſe why Chriſt would die at this time, that we might vnderſtand that is that lambe of god, whiche ſhould take away the ſinnes of the world and they which are waſhed with his bloud ſhuld be ſafe frō the deſtroyer,Iohn. iii. for ſo God loued the worlde that he gaue his onelyonly begotten ſonne …or it, that eueryevery one whiche beleued in hym might not periſhe but hauehave life euerlaſtyng,Iohn. v for they which do beleue in Chriſte doe come vntounto no iudgemēt or puniſhmēt but hauehave paſſed frō deth to life yea although thei wer dead yet ſhall they hauehave life in him which is the reſurrection and life But where as Marke ſaieth it was Eaſter, and Mathew,Iohn. … after two daies ſhalbe Eaſter, Luke expoundeth it and ſaith, the feſtiuall day of the Paſſeouer drewe …ere, or was at hād, that is, it ſhould be ſhortly. namely after ij. dayes. It is therfore a preuēting of the time. But the feaſt of the Paſſeouer by Iohn, doth ſeme to be the day followyng the eatyng of the Lambe. So the daies of ſwete bread are put for the Paſſeouer, bicauſe they came both togethers.
¶Then the highe prieſtes, and the elders were gathered together in the houſe of the high prieſt, whoſe name was called Caiphas, conſulting togethers howe they might take him and kill him by guile, but they feared the people, and therfore thei ſaid amōgſt themſelues, not on the feaſt day, leſt peraduēture there be a commotion made by the people.
THen this woorde, then, is not referred vntounto the time in the whiche he ſpeaketh theſe thinges, but to the tyme wherein they were gathered together. The audacitie of the fleſh is here to be noted: which whē it goeth about to lye in wait againſt the truth, it conſulteth diuers wayes, and in thoſe counſels choſeth and obſerueth occaſion and tyme for the purpoſe. Wherfore then they lay theyr heds together, when as the people were buſily occupied in preparyng of the lambe. They which reſiſt the truth, do aſſemble & lay theyr wittes together,Pſal. ii. againſt their lord to deſtroy him bicauſe he was contrary to their works. They inuente diuers cauſes to accuſe hym withal, knowing that as ſone as he were takē all the people woulde forſake him. But howe impudent ſo euer the fleſh is, it feareth neuertheleſſe, where as nothing is to be feared. For whē they had agreed that he ſhould not be takē on the feſtiual day, yet neuertheleſſe by the ordināce of god, he was takē on the feaſt day, & that without any vprore: & yt hapneth oftētimes vntounto the wicked, which they feare, yea & which they ſeke by al means poſſible to auoid. This we may perceaue in ye coūſel of Caiphas who thought it better, that one ſhould be takē away, thā that the whole natiō ſhould periſh, and furthermore if Chriſt ſhould be taken away, to take hede that the Romanes ſhoulde not oppreſſe them. But whileſt theſe foliſhe men do auoyde one vice, they runne into the contrary. The Iewes hoped that if Chriſte were rid out of the way that then the people wuld forſake him, but after the deth of Chriſt many more beleued & came vntounto Chriſte, thā there did before, when as in one daye manye thouſandes receaued the faithe. They feared leſt if Chriſt liued the Romanes would hauehave taken away their countrey and nation, which hapned vntounto them 40. yeares after. So God derideth the counſels of the vngodly, & bryngeth to paſſe that they are ſnared and takē in their owne counſels. And the ſelfe ſame thing in our dayes, doth the Pope, the Cardinals, the Biſhoppes, the Monkes, and euill ſenators, but they hide their counſels, yea they adorne them with the title of honeſty & religiō.
¶And Sathā had entred into ye hart of Iudas Iſcariot which was one of the xii. & he wēt his way to the chief prieſts & magiſtrates, euē with this mind to betray him vntounto thē. He al ſo bargained with thē how he might betray him vntounto them, ſaieng: what will ye geue me, and I will deliuer him vntounto you▪ And they hearyng this wer glad, and bargained with him, promiſing to geue him xxx. ſyluer pieces. When he hadde therfore promiſed this vntounto them, he ſought occaſion & opportunitie, to delyuer him vntounto them without a tumulte.
THe Euangeliſt Iohn reherſeth by occaſion, what moued Iudas to betray Chriſt, forſoth bicauſe he was ſory that he hadde loſt parte of the money, of the price of the oyntement which Mary had powred vponupon Chriſt. Wherfore this moſt couetous mā wuld ſatiſfie this loſſe an other way. He deſcribeth therfore the Supper whiche was prepared for Chriſt in the houſe of one Simō, and beſides that, he declareth the thinges that were done there. If any man thinke it good, he may adioyne that hiſtory vntounto ours, we ſtudieng to be briefe hauehave onelyonly taken but a few neceſſarye thinges. Mathew who alſo by the way maketh mention of this cauſe, ſaieth that the diſciples did murmure, which ſeemeth to bee ſpoken by the figure called Synecdoche, for Iohn ſaith by expreſſe wordes, that Iudas was angry, and that he alledgeth the care of the poore, to bee the cauſe of his anger when in dede he nothing cared for the poore, but lucre and gayne moued him, for he was a thiefe and bare the bagge, he couereth his couetouſneſſe with a ſhew of liberality and mercy. So do they which ſay they do defend the olde religion. They make a ſhewe as thoughe they ſought to defend the honour of God, the worſhipping of ſainctes, and the authoritie of the ſacramentes. &c. Let vsus learne to what incō uenience couetouſneſſe and ſtudieng for money doth driue a man vntounto, we do all condēne and curſe Iudas, but we ſhould ſee, whether we be not alſo lyke vntounto him, which do ſcrape vntounto our ſelues richeſſe by hooke or crooke, we lye, deceaue, and forſake iuſtice. But they are a great deale more hurtfull which vſe diſceite in eccleſiaſticall goods, and ſuche goods as bee dedicated to the poore. Their myndes were now readye on eueryevery ſide to the matter they wente aboute, beyng moued thereto by enuy, and couetuouſneſſe of gayne. For ſuche is our nature, that we bee all more prompte and redy in priuate matters than in common and this commeth to paſſe, bicauſe all oure thoughtes, all our counſels, and all that euer we can do, tende onelyonly vntounto this end that we may enriche our ſelues, and for the ſame we ſtudy both dai and night. Seing therfore that all our cogitations and reaſons ſerue for thys purpoſe, that is to keepe and ſeeke our owne thinges, it is no maruell thoughe we bee nothing attentife about thoſe thinges whiche appertaine vntounto the common profitte, and bicauſe the fyre of louelove is wholly tourned vppon oure ſelues, it canne not put forthe anye flame towardes our neighbour, and it is not poſſible for vsus to ſeeke the glorye of GOD from our hearte, when we ſeeke oure owne glorye in all thynges. If the Maieſtrate ſhoulde conſulte, or deliberate at what price wyne of Heluetia ſhoulde bee ſolde, or what it ſhoulde bee eſteemed at, eueryevery one woulde weyghe and conſyder wyth hym ſelfe manye dayes beefore, howe he myghte ſaue hys owne thynges, and augmente hys owne Lucre. And thereof commeth it that all and ſynguler beeynge compelled, doe ſpeake and pronounce moſte promptelye and diligentlye in the ſenate. If we were as diligente and buſye in publique affaires, and in matters of godlineſſe and vertue, if we would ſo think of them daye and nighte, as we doe of priuate matters, we ſhould be then more pro…fe and ready, when we ſhould conſulte of them. But alas, we are feble in theſe thinges, & we be ſlouthful, negligent, idle, and ſluggiſh, ſeeking our own things only, and not thoſe thinges which are of Chriſt, and this is the cauſe that they be ſo cold which are rulers either in religion or in common weales, hereof commeth ſo greate a number of wycked deedes amongeſt the people, for they whiche wyl… bee riche,i. Tim. vi. doe fall into the ſnares of the diuell, and into diuers temptations, ſo that the ſam… may ſay that couetouſneſſe is the roote of all euils. The minde which is geuen to couetouſneſſe doth nothing that is righte and honeſt▪ for it hath ſhaken of the feare of god, and we… ded it ſelfe to all miſchiefe, but why goeth h… to the high prieſts? when the euil will talk… or hauehave to do with the euil, there muſte com… ſome occaſiō and commoditie betwene. Ther… is none of ſuch an audacitie, which wil call a… other vntounto him, to helpe him to ſteale, of wh… he is not perſuaded before in his mynde, tha… he is a thief, or els at the leaſt, that he fauoureth thieues, and that he gathereth by certa… outward ſignes, which do ſhewe for the wha… the inward minde is. None will offer to defloure an honeſt matrone or a virgine, vnleſſ… there be ſome occaſion geuen him by their maners and geſtures. If that the ſhamefaſtneſſe of virgins could not be won by flattery, then would there none craue it ſo wantonly of thē. Therfore Iudas goeth to thoſe whō he knew …o be offended with Chriſte, he taketh counſell with thoſe men, whoſe myndes were bente with hatred againſt Chriſt, whiche had conſulted a littell before of the death of Chriſt he had learned by many ſignes, that the prieſtes were ſuch men, therfore he feareth not to goe …nto them, but rather ſolliciteth them firſt be…ore he was called of them, what will ye geue me? ſaith he. Oh what an impudēcy was this …o theſe bouchers and thieues, which do exerciſe and follow warrefare, which do take corrupted bribes of ſtraungers, are not aſhamed …o aſke them of Emperours, kinges, & Prin…es, yea and thoſe whiche hauehave neede of them …re not aſhamed to thinke it lawfull, for them …o geue them ſuch bribes. But how ſuch men …re made companiōs and parteners with Iu…as, the Euangeliſts do plainly declare, whē …s they ſay that Sathan entred into the hart …f Iudas, for when he doth once poſſeſſe the …earte, he hurleth men hedlong into all miſchiefe. Therfore he beyng ſtyrred vppe by the …iuell and by couetouſneſſe doth meditate to …etray his Lord and ſauiour, yea ſuch a lorde …s had elected him to the Apoſtleſhip, whiche had made him ruler of his thinges and loued him excedingly, and when he hadde deuyſed …his miſcheuous deede, he maketh meanes to accompliſhe his wicked enterpriſe, and diligently executeth the ſame he woulde hauehave it done without tumult, that many ſhoulde not hauehave knowledge thereof. For Iudas ſoughte oportunitie to take him at ſuch a tyme and in ſuch a place whereas multitude of the people which did vſe to followe Chriſt verye often, might not be with him.
¶Beefore the feaſte of the Paſſeouer, when Ieſus knewe that his howre was come, that he ſhuld depart out of this world vntounto the father, for as much as he loued his owne whiche were in the world, vntounto the end he loued them.
I Told you before that Iohn toke the Paſſe ouer, for the day folowing the eatyng of the Lambe: the Euangeliſt dothe Rhetorically amplify the excellēcy of Chriſt, that his lowlines might ye more depely be knowē. He (ſaieth Iohn) which knew al thinges, he whiche knew the houre of his death, he to whom the father had geuen all thinges into his hands, which came from god. &c, He I ſay waſhet… the feete of his diſciples. Let all prophets, byſhops, gouernors of common weales, and leaders of the people learne of this teacher, fayt… louelove, & care towards thoſe whiche are cōmitted vntounto them. Chriſt loued his euen to th… death, he neuer forſaketh them, he neuer ceaſeth, after he had once begun to louelove them, h… was obediēt vntounto the father euen to the death, that he might ſet before vsus an example of humilitie and weldoyng. &c.
¶Now on the firſt day of the feaſte of vnleuened bread, the diſciples came vntounto Ieſus, ſaying vntounto him where wilte thou that we prepare for thee the Paſſeouer? & he ſaid, go into the city, & prepare for vsus to eat ye Paſſeouer there but they ſaid, where ſhal we prepare? Ieſus aunſwered, goe into the city vntounto a certain man, behold there ſhall meete you entryng into the city a mā bearing a pitcher of water, follow this man into the houſe wherin he entereth, and ſaye you to the good man of the houſe. The maiſter ſendeth vntounto thee, my time is at hand, that I ſhould eatin thy houſe the Paſſeouer wyth my diſciples, wher is the lodging, wher I ſhall eate the Paſſeouer with my diſciples? And he will ſhew you an vpper chāber, which is large, trimmed and prepared, there make it redy for vsus. So his diſciples wente forthe, and came to the city & found as he had ſaide vntounto them, and they made ready the Paſſeouer.
NOthing is done here by chance, nothing is done raſhly all things are foreſene and ordained by the prouidence of God, without beginning. All thinges are gouerned by his counſell and will. Theſe thinges are therfore writtē by the Euangeliſt, that we might vnderſtand, that Chriſt was not compelled to die by violence or of neceſſitie, but of his own free will and by the wyll of the father, and bicauſe that all the ſhadowes of the old Teſtament vaniſhed away in Chriſt, it is declared alſo that Chriſt is that Lambe which is prefigured in the old Teſtament, as Paule teacheth in the 1. Cor. 5. ca. But this word Paſſe ouer is taken diuers waies, ſometymes properly for that paſſing or ſlippyng ouer of the Angel in Egipt, whē as he ſlew the firſte begotten of the Egiptians, but ſpared the Iſraelits, vponupon whoſe dores the bloud of the lamb was ſprinckeled, ſometimes it is takē for the feſtiuall day it ſelfe, and ſometimes for the lāb which is killed and that by denominacion, as here when he ſaieth to kill, to eate or prepare the Paſſeouer. So this worde Paſſeouer is put for the Lambe, & agayn the Lambe is called the Paſſeouer,Gen. xvii. when as it was only but a memoriall of the paſſing ouer. So the breade is called afterwards the body of Chriſt, whē as it is but the token of the body, & circumciſion is called the couenaūt,Gen. xvii. of the which couenaunt it was but the ſigne. We learne here the pouerty of Chriſt, who not hauing where to put vnderunder his head, is cōpelled to prepare his ſupper with hys diſciples in other folkes houſes after the manner of the poore.
¶And when euen was come, Ieſus came with the xii. and when it was time he ſate doune, and the xii. with hym, and he ſaid vntounto them, I hauehave earneſtly deſyred to eat this Paſſeouer with you before I ſuffer. For I ſay vntounto you, henceforthe I wyll not eate of it any more, vntill it bee fulfilled in the kingdome of God, and as they wer eating. Ieſus toke the bread, & geuing thankes, brake it, and gaue it to his diſciples, ſayeng. Take and eate this is my body which ſhalbe geuen for you, do this in remembraūce of me, and taking the cup he gaue thankes, and ſayd, Take this and deuide it amōg you, this cup is the new teſtament thorowe my bloud, whiche is ſhed for you, for I ſaye vntounto you, that after this I wil not drinke of this fruite of the vyne, vntill that day, when I ſhall drinke it new with you in my fathers kyngdom, & they al dranke of it.
JT is exactely deſcribed of all the Euangeliſtes, how Chriſt did inſtitute the ſacramēt of his body & bloud after ye figuratiue ſupper yt he might declare, that the figures of the old teſtament were accompliſhed and finiſhed in him, and that all thinges were renewed, that they mighte hauehave in memory his wonderfull great benefit geuen them in the croſſe, no leſſe thē the old fathers had in eating of the Paſſeouer, that the newe might be agreable to the olde, and that light might ſuccede darkeneſſe. He ſheweth firſt with how great a deſyre he did eate this ſupper with them, namely wyth a vehement and a moſt feruent deſire: for this figuratiue ſpeache in Hebrew is, I hauehave deſired, or in deſiring, that is, I hauehave deſired wt a wonderful & great deſire to eate this Paſſeouer, that is, this memoriall Lambe, and I hauehave no leſſe deſired to eat with you this new ſupper, in the which I commēd vntounto you the memory of my deth to be celebrated of you for euer. For as often (as Paule expoundeth) as ye ſhall eate of this breade, and alſo drinke of this wyne, you ſhalbe myndfull of my death. Let the memory of this benefitte neuer ſlippe from you, let it neuer be forgotten, lette it alwais remain in your hearts. Let your mouth alwais declare and ſhew forth this, preache you this eueryevery where, celebrate thys without ceaſing, and geue wonderfull great thankes for this. For it is not meete that you ſhoulde at any time put in obliuion my deathe, ſeyng that I hauehave with ſo great a deſire ſuffred deth for you, which am ſo deſirous of your ſaluatiō that I do euen geue awaye my life for you, I w…ll ſuffer my body to be nayled to the croſſe as a ſacrifice for your ſinnes, and I will ſhed my bloud to waſh you withall. I do ſo muche eſteme you, that I am redy to redeme you by my death, from euerlaſting death. I do ſet before you ſignes of this benefite and of this redemption, whiche being eaten of you ſhall renew the memory of me, vntounto the which ſigns I gaue the names of my body, and bloud, that they might the more ſtrongly moue your ſenſes. My deathe is your lyfe, if ſo be that you beleue that by my death I hauehave appeaſed god for you, and that my bloud hath waſhed away your ſinnes, this ſhall noriſhe and fatten you inwardly. This beyng weighed with a true faith, ſhall make mery and pacify your myndes. Take therfore and eate, do this in remē braunce of me, I go now from you, ſo that frō henceforth I ſhall not eate and drynke wyth you after the accuſtomed maner. I ſhall with my bloud being ſhed confirme that teſtament which ſomtyme I eſtabliſhed with Abrahā, but after a new ſorte, not by the bloud of beaſtes as it was in the olde tyme, but by myne owne bloud. Neither ſhal my couenaunt ſtād with the Iewes only, but with al mankind. This worde braunche or fruite of the vine, is a paraphraſes of wyne, and doth ſignifye not onelyonly that to be wyne which Chriſt dranke in the cuppe and gaue vntounto his diſciples, but it alſo declareth, that it was bloud, but ſuch as came out of the vine, and not powred out of his body, as if a man would ſay: this is of the fruite of wheat, he ſhoulde by circumloqution ſignifie bread, and therwithall declareth, that it is not onelyonly bread, but alſo it is bread made of wheat and of no other graine. For there is alſo bread made of Rye and of Otes. &c. And this emphaſis hauehave all parephraſes, and ſpecially the Hebrew parephraſes. So whē Chriſt calleth himſelfe the ſonne of man. Therfore he ſaith, henceforth I wil no more eat nor drink (wherfore it is likely, Chriſt him ſelf alſo dyd eate and drinke) namely after this ſort, but after an other ſort and newe, that is to ſay after my reſurrectiō, & I wil thē eat with you whē as you ſhall eate with me at my table in the kingdom of my father, but not after that ſort as bodies are wonte to be fed, but in the ſtate of immortalitie. Therfore the kingdom of god is either the time after the reſurrection or els a more full knowledge of Chriſt,The kingdom of God or els the eternal life after this life, in the which the faith full ſhall eate and drinke vppon the table of Chriſt wiih Chriſt that moſt ſwete drinke of immortalitie as appeareth in the .xxii. chapi. Luke. As concerning the ſence of theſe wordes of Chriſt, this is my body and of the foode of the ſoule, we hauehave ſpoken inoughe of, in an other place. Let vsus not diſpute how the bread is made the bodye of Chriſte, but lette vsus rather remember the benefitte performed vntounto vsus by the bodye of Chriſte, that being inwardly ſatiated in our minds we may lift our hartes to him which ſitteth at the right hand, of the father, that is in a certain limited place in heauen, that we may louelove one another, that we may liue innocētly, that we may geue thā kes vntounto the Lord, and walk worthely in our vocatiō. To eate of the body of Chriſt is none other thing, but to beeleue that his body was geuen to the death, to make ſatiſfactiō for our ſinnes. To drinke the bloud of Chriſte, is nothing els but to beleue that Chriſt his bloud was ſhed for ye waſhing away of our ſins: neither is there any other eating of the bodye of Chriſt, then that which is done by faith, of the which Chriſt ſpeaketh in the 6. chap of Iohn neither can it be done of any but of the godly. But the eating of the ſimbolical and miſtical bread, is common both to the godly and alſo to the vngodly, althoughe after a diuers ſorte. For there be ſome which do eate the bread of the ſupper vnworthely, and drinke the wine vnworthely, and by that meanes do get vntounto themſelues death and iudgement, that is puniſhmēt. And thoſe although they eat & drink with their mouth the ſacramēts of the body & bloud of the Lord, yet neuertheleſſe, they eate not the body of Chriſt, neither do they drinke his bloud, vnleſſe they will make Chriſt a lyar (which farre be it from the euerlaſting and infallible truth) whē as he ſaith. They which eate my fleſhe and drinke my bloud, abyde in me and I in them. There is none (I thinke) that will affirme if he hauehave his right wittes, that this agreeth with the vngodlye, but as for the godly, they do not onelyonly eat with their teath the ſignes, neither hauehave they …are ſigns but beſides the eating of the ſignes whiche is done with the mouth of the body, they are inwardly fed in their mindes with the body and bloud of Chriſt by the eating of faith, which faith the ſpirit of Chriſt kindleth within thē, at ſuch tyme & as much, & to whō it pleaſeth him. For the operatiō of his ſpirit is not boūd to the ſignes, neither is grace ſo put in them, that it ſhuld be brought vntounto them as it were in a wagon, but Chriſt that chief and eternall biſhop doth feede the faithfull with his body and bloud, the miniſter only adminiſtring the ſacraments outwardly, vntounto whome he ſetteth before their eyes, putteth in remēbraūce, and declareth the grace of god, he bringeth it not to them he geueth it not, neither doth he diſtribute it to thē. Therfore a faithful mind doth receaue the body and bloud, and hauing receaued it, the ſpirite of God doth with heat diſgeſt it, & poureth it into the inwarde bowels of the ſoule, of the which ſpringeth a maruelous and inwarde refreſhing vntounto a godly mynde, when we celebrate therfore the Supper of the Lord or thankes geuing, let vsus remember that only ſacrifice which was offred vppon the croſſe with thankes geuyng. For we are admoniſhed that by the fleſh and bloud of the onelyonly begotten ſonne of God, offred vppon the croſſe for vsus, we are redemed from euerlaſting death, and that the ſame are made to vsus ſpirituall foode to noriſh and kepe vsus in euerlaſting life, & for as much as Chriſt hath offred vp himſelfe a moſt acceptable ſacrifice for vsus vntounto ye father, in geuing his body to the deth, & powred forth his bloud to waſh vsus wt all, it is wholy our partes to meditate and to preache abroad, ſo great a louelove, and ſo wōderfull great a benefit, and to geue thanks for ſo liuely a death, and by that meanes our faythe will more encreaſe towardes God the father, alſo his louelove, and good will towards vsus will be more and more kindled. Moreouer we are admoniſhed by this moſt holy Supper, to offer and vowe our ſelues wholy bodye & ſoule vntounto Chriſt for a ſacrifice, conſidering that he hath ſuffred death to reſtore vsus vntounto life, and deſire not to lyue nowe to our ſelues, but to Chriſt. Finally the remembraūce of the body geuē, and of the bloudſhed, is therfore ſet before the church of Chriſt in the holy ſignes of the ſupper, that by the ſame it might more certainly receaue as it were a certain priuy tokē of her redemption, and might cal into memory, that we are ſo compacte by faithe into one bodye, that we are made the members of one head Chriſt. It is therfore mete that we bee bound together with a ſinguler charitie amō geſt our ſelues, and with doyng good one to an other. Let the death of Chriſt therfore neuer ſlip out of our heartes, let vsus alwayes remember that Chriſte is wholly made oures. that we ſhould alſo be his by faith and charitie, and our neighbors by charitie, and let vsus abyde in him by faithe, and he in vsus by louelove, let vsus do and ſuffiſe all thinges for him which died for our ſakes.
¶And when ſupper was done, when the diuell had put in the hart of Iudas, Simon Iſcariot to betray him Ieſus knowing that his father had geuen him all thinges into his hā des, and that he came from God, & ſhould go vntounto God, he roſe from ſupper, and put of his garmentes, and when he hadde taken a linnen towell, he girded himſelfe with it, then he poured water into a baſen, and began to waſhe the fete of hys diſciples, and to wype them wyth the lynnen towell wherewyth he was girded.
GOd ſetteth before vsus in Chriſt an example which oughte neuer to goe out of our ſight, namely of all vertues. Let vsus conſider his vnſpeakable charitie, ioyned wyth a ſinguler humilitie. God therfore teacheth vsus in Chriſt charitie, humility, liberality, gentleneſſe, ſtrength, long ſuffring, and conſtancie. Let vsus do good vntounto all men, both to our frē des, and to our enemies, neyther let vsus looke for any other thyng for our benefits, then hatred and moſt greuous perſecutiō. Yet let vsus not in the meane while be drawne away from doyng good, neither let vsus at any tyme ceaſe. This is that which Paule ſaith, al that will liue godly in Chriſt Ieſus muſt ſuffer perſecutiō. He which amōgeſt mortal men wil plan… vertues, and ſet forth righteouſnes, muſt put forth himſelfe wholy to the hatred of all men, and muſt vowe him ſelfe for rightuouſneſſe, and euē as Chriſt could not be plucked away by no reproches or hatred,i. Theſ. i… from rightuouſneſſe and truth, from charitie and wel doing, but that he obeied the father euen to the deth, and conſtātly ſuffered whatſoeuer the vngodly didde vntounto him, & loued his ſo wel vntounto the end. So alſo muſt al the godly do. They muſt conſtantly go forward to do good in the myddeſt of all euels, neither muſt they faynt or be wery at any time as ouercome wyth the hatred of euill men. Chriſt loued and did good euen vntounto his death, he ſerued and profited all men, and therby got nothing but extreme hatred, and moſt cruell death. To departe out of this world, and go to the father, is a periphraſis of his death, as though he would ſay, Ieſus knowing that he ſhould dye nowe, but as we hauehave tolde you, the Hebrew periphraſis hauehave great emphaſes, and are of more efficacy, than if the ſentence had ben ſet forth plainly and wtout figure.What is to dye. For by theſe woordes he ſheweth & declareth a great conſolatiō vntounto the faithful, namely that the deth of the faithfull, is no other thing, but to leaue the worlde …nd to go to God. And is not this a great cō ſolation to leaue the world, that is, al wickedneſſe, all infidelitie, al labour and affliction, & to go vntounto God which is the moſt good, and alſo the moſt louing father? who woulde not reioyce when he heareth this, that by deathe he is deliuered from al euils, and endued with all good thinges? And to the chriſtians to die, is no other thing, than to leaue the world and to goe vntounto God, whereas otherwyſe if we ſhuld die without Chriſt, deth were the moſt terribleſt thing that could be vntounto all fleſhe. The Euangeliſt therefore by theſe wordes doth make death pleaſant and acceptable, and doth declare what death & alſo what the pain of ſin is made vntounto vsus by the death of Chriſt, namely the end of all euils and the beginning of a new and euerlaſting life. Therfore worthely ſaith Dauid, that the death of the ſaints is precious in the ſight of God, whē as in the meane time, the death of ſinners is moſte yll. The farther we departe from the worlde, ſo much the nerer we come vntounto God. Agayne the more we come and addicte our ſelues vntounto the worlde, the more we departe from God, betwene theſe two there is no meane, neither maieſt thou cleaue to both of them, but in that the Euangeliſt doth ſay that the diuel did put this treaſon into the hart of Iudas, he doth it to declare that theſe wicked deedes and miſchiefes are done by the diuel, as of the author of them, that is to ſay by his inſtrumēts. For in dede there be in man certain good affectiōs created of God, but by mans faulte they are corrupted and made euill, as the couetous deſire of thinges. Theſe affections dothe the diuell ſnatche vntounto himſelfe, and draweth vntounto hym whatſoeuer he catche, and vſeth them at his owne pleaſure. So that which is created good in vsus of God, the deuill draweth to our deſtruction. He put of his garments. &c. It is a kind of ſpeaking, which deſcribeth the thing manifeſtlye, and as it were ſetteth it beefore our eyes.
¶Then he came vntounto Simon Peter, and Peter ſaid vntounto him, wilt thou waſhe my feete? Ieſus aunſwered, what I do thou knoweſt not now, but thou ſhalt know hereafter, Peter ſaid vntounto hym: Thou ſhalte neuer waſhe my feete. Ieſus aunſwered: If I waſhe thee not, thou ſhalt hauehave no part with me. Simon Peter ſaide vntounto him, Lord not onelye my feete, but alſo my handes and my head, Ieſus ſayd vntounto hym. He that is waſhed hath no nede, but to waſhe his feete, but is altogether cleane, and ye be cleane but not all, for he knew which of them ſhoulde betray him, and therfore he ſayd, ye be not all cleane.
HEre is ſet forthe in Chriſt an example of ſinguler charitie and humilitie, & in Peter the blindneſſe and curioſity of humain wiſdom. Chriſt perfourmeth the ſame in dede which he had taught in worde, for in the eleuenth chapter of Mathew,The ſubmiſſion of the mynde. he ſaith, learne of me bicauſe I am meke and humble in hearte, he therfore expreſſeth humilitye in him ſelfe, for what greater a baſeneſſe can there be than for the ſonne of God, and the Kyng of Kinges to humble himſelfe to the feete of his ſeruantes▪ Let vsus hereby learne to throwe downe our ſelues, to attribute nothing to our ſelues and to boaſt nothing at all, yea and loke how much the more in eſtimation we bee, ſo muche the more let vsus humble our ſelues. So ſayeth Paul in ye xij to the Romanes & ij. to the Philippiās. But in Peter is declared ye ſtubbornnes of the fleſh, which inquireth after captiue al things curiouſly, neither doth it obey God but his owne reaſon, but it ſhould hauehave made his vnderſtāding vntounto the obediēce of Chriſt, Peter vnderſtode what Chriſt would do, for he did ſe that he would waſh his feete, but he vnderſtode not what Chriſt mēt by this waſhing. Therfore Chriſt ſaieth, that whiche I do, that is, that which I entend, thou knowe… not, that is, thou vnderſtandeſt not, thou perceiueſt it not: we are ſo dul and ſo ſluggiſh, that after we hauehave ſene things done, it is lōg before we can vnderſtād them, neither do we know what they mean? God oftētimes ſignifieth by ſom outward thing, that which at the firſt ſight we vnderſtād not, as we may eaſily ſee in the prophets by whō he declareth certain thigs by exāples, which afterward he openeth & expoundeth. So in the ſupper he ge…eth bread & wine that by theſe things & tokēs he might ſet forth vntounto them the remembraūce of his death, he waſheth the fete, not to …hat entēt, that he wuld waſh away the filthineſſe of the fete but that he might ſignify, that he only is he which ſhould purify vsus, ſettyng …orth ſom higher matter, which may be manifeſtly perceiued by his anſwer vntounto Peter, & by other wordes. For many hauehave and receyue parte with Chriſt, whoſe fete Chriſt hath not waſhed,To be waſhed, is to beleue truly. but no mā ſhalbe partaker of the glory of Chriſt, and of the life euerlaſting, but he which ſhalbe waſhed wt the bloud of Chriſt & whoſe affections ſhalbe purged by his grace. Moreouer he commendeth vntounto his diſciples charitie, that one might helpe an other by mutual louelove, not only in waſhing of fete, if neceſſitie ſo require, but in helping our neighbour in al things, but this is to be marked diligētly, that they which be faithful hauehave yet neede to waſh their fete, that is, to waſh away their daily fallings & to purge away the affections ſtil ſpringing in the fleſh which thing certaine not conſidering, hauehave come to that madneſſe, and pride that they dare affirm themſelues to be wtout ſin, for al that Iohn ſaith. If any mā ſaith he hath no ſin,i. Iohn. i. Rom. vii. he is a liar & deceiueth him ſelf. Paul cōplained yt he foūd in his mēbers another law, repugning the law of the mind & ſpirit. Or how can thoſe men pray this praie… eueryevery daye, forgeue vsus our treſpaſſes, when as they acknowledge none? Chriſte therfore teacheth that the beleuers ar purified by faith that is to ſay, by the ſprinckling of his bloud. Moreouer that they whiche are purified and cleanſed, yet neuertheleſſe hauehave nede to waſh their feete, and that they are ſtil vnpure, laſtly he pronounceth manifeſtly ynough, that al they be not cleane which are conuerſaunte in the outwarde fellowſhippe of the diſciples of Chriſt. For he ſaith, ye be cleane but not all, meaning Iudas which was preſent amongſt the Apoſtels in body, but his minde and hart was all one with the Phariſes, wherfore to be waſhed or to be cleane, whiche are all one, is to beleue verely and without any dout that thou art waſhed and purified by the bloud of Chriſt.To waſh the fete. To waſhe the feete is to acknowlege and confeſſe before God with ſighing and deteſting our dayly ſynnes, and then after oure fall to runne to God by repentaunce. For we can not paſſe thorowe this waye whileſt we lyue here amongſt ſo many enemies, without fallyng, it is ſo dirtye and vnplayne, and the weakeneſſe and ſlipperneſſe of the fleſhe is ſo great. But howſoeuer the feete doe ſtagger, yet yf the head of fayth be ſafe, the matter is well inough. For the faithful can not be beaten downe, by ſuch fallinges, if the Lorde vp hold them with his hand.
¶After therfore he had waſhed theyr fete, and put on hys garmentes he ſate downe, and ſayd vntounto them agayne, doe you know what I hauehave done vntounto you? you cal me maiſter and lord and you ſay well, for I am ſo, if I therfore which am your lord and maiſter hauehave waſhed your fete ye ought alſo one to waſh an others feete, for I hauehave geuē you an example, that euē as I hauehave don, ſo might you alſo do. Verely, verely, I ſaye vntounto you, the ſeruaunte is not greater than his lord, neither the Meſſenger greater than he, which ſente him, yf you hauehave knowen theſe thinges, bleſſed are ye, if ye do them.
THe lorde by this exaumple of humilitie and wel doyng, dothe put vsus to ſhame for our hautenes of minde and coldneſſe to do good, which as we gape for honour and riches, and do bragge of thoſe thinges which we hauehave not. So alſo we diſpiſe & neglect our fellow ſeruaunts neither do we onelyonly neglect them but beſides that we hurte them and do them iniury. Let vsus therfore follow the exā ple of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. Let vsus put awaye our hauteneſſe of mynde, lette vsus caſte downe our courages, let vsus embrace our brethren with feruent louelove, let vsus beare and ſuffer the infirmitie and burthens of other men, being redy to ſubmit our ſelues to all men for hym which did ſo much caſt downe hym ſelfe for our ſakes. Let vsus alwayes remember the Lordes commaundement of brotherly louelove & liberalitie towardes the poore, for he wil hauehave mercy and not ſacrifice. Chriſt in deede dothe preſcribe vntounto vsus a moſt perfect forme of life,Oſe. ii. yea & in maner impoſſible for vsus to do whē as he ſaith, ſo louelove one an other, as I hauehave loued you. How be it if we ſhall endeuour to follow the ſame, and if we ſhall attempt to folow af-his preſcripte as muche as he ſhall geue vsus grace to do, although we attain not vntounto it (as we ſhall neuer do) yet he will gentlye forgeue vsus our treſpaſſes. It is not inough to knowe theſe things, and to heare them, or to preache them, but we muſt do them, that is, we muſt ſtudy and apply our ſelues to theſe thynges, we muſt exerciſe our ſelues in theſe thynges, and as it were contend with our neighbour in well deſeruyng. So at the lengthe we ſhall proue learned and exerciſed in them.
¶And there was a greate contention amongeſt thē, which of them ſhould ſeme to be the greateſt, but he ſayde vntounto them. The kings of the gentiles reign ouer them, & they which hauehave power ouer thē are called gracious, but ye ſhal not be ſo, but let ye greateſt amōgeſt you be as the leſt, and the chiefeſt as he that ſerueth. For who is greater he that ſytteth at the table, or he which ſerueth? Is not he whiche ſytteth at the table? And I am in the middeſt of you as he that ſerueth, and ye are they that hauehave continued with me in my tēptations. Therfore I appoint vntounto you a kingdome, as my father hath appointed to me, that ye may eate and drinke at my table, in my kingdome, and ſyt on xii. ſeates iudging the xii. tribes of Iſraell, when I ſēt you without bagge and ſcrippe, and ſhoes, lacked ye anye thinge? And they ſayde nothing, he ſaid therfore to them but now he that hath a bag let him take alſo a ſcrip, and he that hath none, let him ſel his coat & bye a ſworde. For I ſaye vntounto you that yet the ſame which is written muſt be perfourmed in me. Euen wyth the wycked was he numbred, for doubtleſſe thoſe things whiche are written of me hauehave an end, and thei ſaid behold there are two ſwordes, and he ſaid vntounto them, it is inough.
VVHen as Chriſt teacheſt moſt humility, the fleſh ſeeketh to be exalted and to be great. So corruptis our nature, that it ſeketh nothing els but his owne, yea and thē whē as moſt erneſt matters are in hād, Chriſt teacheth them to ſubmit themſelues to others to louelove one another, to helpe one an other by charitie, and yet in the meane tyme they are not aſhamed to reaſon, who ſhoulde be greateſt, and this moued them to this queſtion, bicauſe Chriſt declared vntounto them his deathe, but Chriſt putteth down with great grauitie ye hauteneſſe of mind, & exhorteth thē to ſubmit thēſelues, ſhewing thē who is ye greateſt in ye church, namely he which ſubmitteth him ſelf to al mē & is ſeruāt to al mē. But bicauſe thei were elected to preach the word, he therfore withdraweth their myndes from his hautenes, wt ye which the princes of the world are almoſt puffed vp. The princes of the gentils,Prophane Princes. it is a kinde of ſpeaking for the Princes of the nations, not they onelyonly which gouerne the gentiles or infidels, as the chief capitains of the Anabaptiſts do expound, when as they go about to proue by the wordes of Chriſte, that a chriſtian man ought not to be a Magiſtrate, but Chriſt by theſe woordes dothe not helpe their opinion, but rather ſubuerte it, of the which we will ſpeake in his place. Chriſt doth fortifie before, the minds of his diſciples, whom he had elected to preache the goſpel againſt the hurtfull affections of the fleſhe, amongeſt the which the ſtudy for honour & diſeaſe of ambition, hathe no ſmall power, the which if they once creepe into the heartes of prelates 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 it ſelfe. For he is no true godly mā that truſteth to him ſelfe, and the apoſtels were ſick of this diſeaſe, the Lorde permittyng the ſame, that they might learne by this, ſo muche the more to acknowledge & hūble thēſelues. Therfore he ſaith, O ye my diſciples ye ar not of the nū ber of them which are pr…nces & magiſtrates in ye world, you hauehave an other office apointed you. Princes obtayne their names according to their doynges, and hauehave in the meane time ſome dominion ouer thoſe which are committed to their charge, That affection of dominion and principalitie ought not to bee in other kynges and princes, but rather they do gette thē names to be called gracious in deſeruing well of their ſubiectes, as Euergetes, and the father of the countrey Abimilech. &c. And it is more often ſene, that they do more oppreſſe their ſubiects, than eaſe them of their burthēs and although this be euil, yet neuertheleſſe it muſt be ſuffred in them which hauehave dominiō in the world but not in the kingdome of heauen. For when they take armour and dryue away the enemy and punniſhe the euill, they ſerue alſo Chriſt with their ſworde, when as neuertheleſſe they are ſomewhat defiled, and hauehave ſome thing common with the buſines of the world, ſo that they cannot be wholly with out dregges, and be alwayes bent to heauenly thinges. But for you which are the lighte of the world, being lightened of me which am the true light, a greater integritie is mete, & a greater pureneſſe, ye muſt ſhine aboue other in the light of faith and charitie, not in worde only but in example of life, let not your hartes hauehave a regard to earthly thinges, but beyng purged from the contagiouſneſſe of al earthly dregges, let them be caried vpward as it wer like fyre vntounto heauenly thinges. Be ye therfore far from ambition, from the deſire of money, and frō all thoſe things which may wrap your mindes in earthly thinges. Se that you ſeke not gredily for glory & rule in the world, for I hauehave preferred you to the kingdome of heauen, that is to the preachyng of grace, and truth. Be ye not therfore bent to other things which might withdraw you from your office, let other men ſeke to be lordes, hauehave ye onelyonly a care to ſerue others, that ſhall extoll you to the eternall ioy, and ſhall make you mightye in dede. Looke vppon me whiche came not to rule or to be greate, but I am rather conuerſaunt amōgeſt you miniſtring vntounto you as a moſt abiect ſeruant, and waſhing your feete, I hauehave lefte heauen and deſcended vntounto you, takyng vponupon me for your ſakes all pouerty & affliction, why ſhould you then be aſhamed to ſerue others for my ſake? It is a ſmal matter that ye hauehave abiden with me hitherto, & that ye hauehave cleaued vntounto me, which neuertheleſſe was not of your owne power, for ye hauehave not elected me, but I deſcending from my fathers ſeat hauehave called and choſen you, what good ſoeuer therfore ye hauehave, you muſte not aſcribe it vntounto your ſelues, but altogether vntounto me, lift vp your mindes to thinges that are to come, you ſhall not loſe your labor if you abide with me, I will reward it to the vttermoſt, euē as you hauehave bene partakers of my afflictions, ſo ſhall you alſo be companions of my ioy, ſo that ye be conſtant in that which I ſend you about and apply not your mindes to other thinges. For it is not ſufficient, that ye hauehave abiden wt me hitherto after a ſorte, for they were but ſkirmiſhes, & ſleight battails, but now there be greater troubles at hand. The time is now preſent that Sathan turneth al his force and all hys armour againſt me and you. Ye know that ye wāted nothing, when I ſent you wt out thinges neceſſary for your iourney & alſo vnarmed, be ye therfore conſtant, and ſtande ye firmely, for ſuch a multitude of wicked perſonnes ſhall come vponupon vsus, that it ſhall ſeeme that we hauehave nede of ſwords. For thoſe thinges which are written of me muſt needes be performed, and go ye forwarde without feare in preaching of the truth, I will neuer be abſent from you, as I hauehave before defended you. I will prouide for you, and miniſter vntounto you all ſuch thinges as ye wante. By theſe wordes the lorde plucketh out of the hartes of the diſciples, the affection of the fleſh, wherewyth they were touched, and alſo he prepareth and encourageth them to battayles whiche were to come. For they ſhould ſuffer greater thinges after his departure, when as they ſhould ſtir vp by ye preching of the truth ye diſpleaſure of all mē againſt them. Of the which euils he hath preſētly ſhewed an exāple by himſelf declaring vntounto thē & to all the godly, what they muſt ſuffer in this worlde for the truthe, and that there is a wonderfull great reward prepared for them which continue vntounto the end. But in that he ſayeth, let him ſell his coate & bye a ſworde, it is a phraſe of ſpeache, by the which is ſignified a moſt great daunger to be at hand, as though Chriſt would ſay. If they rage ſo againſt me, they will not ſpare you, be ye therfore ſtronge and conſtante, for they ſhall ſo ſpoyle and kill you, that it ſhall ſeeme that ye hauehave nede of ſwordes, & yet he biddeth not them to fight with the ſword, which before ſo diligently had forbidden them that they ſhould not reſiſt euell, and to turne the other cheke to him which would geue thē a blowe, yea and afterward he biddeth Peter (ſtriking Malchus) to put vp his ſword, neither cā the Papiſts proue by this an eccleſiaſtical ſword and a prophane ſword. Chriſt ſimply foretelleth the daunger which drewe nere to him & his diſciples, teachyng by the way that they ſhould ouercom and driue away al theſe thinges by the ſword of bothe the teſtamēts, that is to ſay, by the ſword of the ſpirite. The men which followe the Apoſtels hauehave no neede of ſwordes, but if they ſhall diligently continue in preachyng of the truth, thei ſhal ſtir vp the ſwordes of al the wicked ones agaynſt them, whom they ſhall agayne reſiſt with the ſword of the ſpirite, and they ſhall ouercome in this battail the lord aiding them.
¶I ſpeake not of you all, I knowe whom I hauehave choſen, but that the ſcripture might be fulfilled, he that eateth bread with me, hath lifted vp his hele againſt me, I tell you now before it be done, that when it ſhalbee done ye myghte beeleue that I am he.
VVHen he had ſpoken of the waſhyng of the fete,Anagogi… Analepſis Epanodo… he aſcendeth in the meane time by a figuratiue ſpeach vntounto the puritie of the mynde, and by the ſame very aptely enclineth his talke to the vnpureneſſe of Iudas the betraier, and it is a repeticion or a retourning. Election maketh the ſonnes of God, but faith is the ſign of electiō, for none hauehave faith but the elect. By theſe words he teacheth the hart of Iudas, for there be many alwayes in the church, which diſſemblyng a faithe, being otherwiſe moſt wicked. Let theſe men thinke that they cannot hide themſelues from God, although ſometimes they deceaue men for mā ſeeth but the outward thinges onelyonly,To lift vp the hele. God beholdeth & alloweth the heart. To lifte vp the foote or hele dothe ſignifye after a figuratiue kinde of ſpeache, to lye in waite for any man, to offend, oppreſſe, deſpiſe or to hurte any mā and with the feete to make haſt to accompliſh the ſame. The Germains vſe the ſame kinde of ſpeache. So likewiſe in the Pſalme. Their feete make haſt to ſhed bloud.To eat b…rad &c. To eat bread with any man, is to be partaker of his table. & alſo ſimbolically to be familier, and to be receiued into a more frendeſhip. So Iudas was taken into the number of the Apoſtels, & dyd eate the ſupper with the Lorde, and yet thys vnfaithfull and ingrate man, was not aſhamed to betraye his lorde, whiche had done ſo great a benefite for him. By theſe wordes he doth make the fault of the betrayer more greuous, but to that entent that by making mention of his gentleneſſe towards him, he might plucke him backe from his purpoſe.
¶When Ieſus had ſayde theſe things, he was troubled in ſpirit and ſayd. Verely, verely I ſay vntounto you that one of you ſhall betraye me, for the hand of hym which betrayeth me, is with me vponupon the table. All ye ſhalbe offended by me this nighte, for it is written.zach. xii. I will ſmyte the ſhepeheard, and the ſhepe of the flock ſhal be ſcattered, but after I am riſen, I will go before you into Galile, but Peter anſwered & ſaide vntounto him. Though al men ſhould be offended by thee, yet wil I neuer be offēded, Ieſus ſayd vntounto him. Verely I ſay vntounto thee, that this nighte, beefore the cocke crow, thou ſhalt deny me thrice. Peter ſaid vntounto him, though I ſhoulde dye with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewiſe alſo ſaid al the diſciples: and the lord ſayd Simon, Simon, behold Sathan hathe deſyred you, to ſift you as wheate, but I hauehave praied for thee, that thy faithe faile not, therfore when thou arte conuerted ſtrengthen thy brethren. And he ſaid vntounto him, Lorde I am redy to go with the into priſō and to death. And he ſaid, I tel thee Peter, the cocke ſhal not crow this day, before thou haſte denied thryce that thou kneweſt me. Verely I ſay vntounto you that one of you ſhall betray me, and they wer exceding ſorowfull, and beganne eueryevery one of them to ſay vntounto him, is it I lorde? & the diſciples behold one another, doubtyng of whome he ſpake, and he aunſwered and ſayd, he that dippeth his hand with me in the diſh, he ſhall betraye me. Surely the ſon of man goeth his way, as it is writen of hym, but wo bee vntounto that man, by whome the ſonne of mā is betrayed, it had bene good for that man if he hadde neuer bene borne. Then Iudas which betrayed hym ſayde. Is it I maiſter? he ſayd vntounto hym. Thou haſt ſaid it. Now there was one of the diſciples of Ieſus which leaned on his boſom, namely he whom Ieſus loued. To hym therefore beckened Simon Peter that he ſhoulde aſke, who it was of whome he ſpake, he then as he leaned on Ieſus breaſt, ſayd vntounto him Lord who is it? Ieſus aunſwered it is he to whome I ſhal geue a ſop when I hauehave dipped it, and when he had dipped the breade he gaue it Iudas Iſcariot Simōs ſonne, and after the ſoppe, Sathan entred into him. Then ſayde Ieſus vntounto hym, that thou doeſt, doe quicklye, but none of them that ſatte at the table knew for what cauſe he ſpake it vntounto him, for ſom thought, bicauſe Iudas had the bagge, that Ieſus had ſayde vntounto him, bye thoſe thynges that we hauehave neede of againſte the feaſt, or that he ſhoulde geue ſome thyng vntounto the poore, as ſone then as he had receiued the ſop, he went immediatly out, and it was night.
CHriſt the kyng of the heauenly kingdome, which came to preache and offer the kyngdome of heauen to the men in the worlde (but yet to ſuch as he had choſen oute of the worlde) which alſo hadde geuen in charge to his apoſtels to call all men to this kingdome doth firſt plucke out of their hartes all ſuche diſeaſes which ought to be farre abſent from the kingdome of heauen, namely the luſtes of the fleſh and of the world, to the entente that they which ſhould teach others that kingdom might firſt expreſſe the ſame in themſelues. For God hathe tranſlated vsus (ſaieth Paule) frō the kingdom of darkeneſſe,Colo. …. into the kingdom of his welbeloued ſon, into his wōderful light, that we mighte nowe be the ſonnes of God, who renouncing the old Adam,i. Pet. … Tit. ii. and caſting away all vngodlineſſe, and worldly deſires, might lyue godly iuſtly and ſoberlye in this world, lookyng for that bleſſed hope, and appearing of the glory of the great God, and of our Sauiour Ieſus Chriſte.Heb. xiii… For we hauehave here no abiding citie, but we looke for one to come, namely that heauēly Ieruſalem, in the which we are appointed citizens, fellow citizens with the ſainctes and of the houſhold of God,Ephe. …. i. Pet. ii. but it is mete that they which be ſtraū gers and pilgrimes in this world, ſhould abſtaine from fleſhly luſtes, which fight againſt the ſoule, hauing honeſt conuerſation amongeſt the gentiles, that they which ſpeake euil of vsus as euill doers, may hauehave vsus in eſtimation for our good workes, and glorifye God in the day of viſitatiō. In his former talk he reproued ambition and couetouſneſſe, now he reprehendeth ſelfe truſt and deſire of money, of the which the one was in Peter and thother in Iudas & the diſciples. Peter not weighing his own ſtrength promiſeth greater thinges than he can performe, neither doth he beleue the lord who admoniſhed him of it, but deſpiſing all other, boaſteth himſelfe only to be ſtrong, Iudas which had conceiued this horrible miſcheuous acte in his harte, dothe not heare the Lord which called hym backe from it. So plaieth our fleſhe, when it is lefte to it ſelfe. No man acknowledgeth his errour, no man wil beleue him which admoniſheth him. EueryEvery man hopeth that he can be hiddē, whē as he is not called by name, howſoeuer his cō ſcience withſtand him inwardly. Chriſt aſſayeth Iudas diuers wayes to withdrawe hym from his pretence, in whiche the wonderfull gentleneſſe and louelove of Chriſt is to be marked who will not the death of a ſinner, but that he ſhould be cōuerted and liue but the more that Chriſt ſheweth and putteth forth his louyng kyndnes, ſo much the more his vngodlines is hardened, ſo that he dare moſt impudently ſay is it I? Moreouer this moſt wicked varietie dareth thruſt himſelf into the holy fellowſhip and table of the lorde, not fearyng to lye vntounto him which knoweth all thinges. So greate a thing is hipocriſie, and a harte poſſeſſed with couetouſneſſe. So in lyke maner dare we ſomtimes com to the holy communion with Iudas boaſting our ſelues to be godly, when as inwardly we be moſt vngodly. And althoughe both Peter and Iudas fell either of them, yet great is the diuerſitie betwene the deniall of Peter, and the betrayeng of Iudas. Peter being ouerwhelmed with a ſodayne terror ſynned of feare and cowardneſſe of mynde, but Iudas ſinned of a pretenſed malice, for the deuell had poſſeſſed his harte, Chriſt therfore ſaith that Peters faithe was not altogether gone, for althoughe he denied him outwardly with his mouth, yet neuertheleſſe his hearte fell not from Chriſt, and god ſuffreth the godly ſometymes to ſlippe, that they may knowe themſelues more throughly, and humble thē ſelues in mind, learne and acknowledge their infirmitie, and after their fall they may riſe agayne more ſtrong and better couraged. Thei may learn to put no confidence in themſelues, to be ſory for other mens falles, and to be more carefull, and for that cauſe Chriſt ſaieth, and thou after thou art conuerted ſtrengthen thy brethern. Sathan ſo ſtirred vp Iudas, as we hauehave heard before, that not onelyonly he ſhroncke from Chriſt, but beſydes that he betraied him to his enemies to be deſtroied, & here it is ſaid that the diuell entred into him, after the ſop, which is thus to be vnderſtanded, that the diuell which before had poſſeſſed him, did now more fully poſſeſſe him, and more vrge him to bring to paſſe the miſchiefe which he had conceiued. For euen as in faithe there are certain degrees, ſo alſo is there in infidelitie & breach of faith. No man is made moſt good vponupon the ſodayne, ſo no man is moſte wicked ſodenly, by littell and littell we ſlide into the pitfall, if we watche not, if we reſiſt not the beginning and if we neglecte ſmall matters. Our foote muſte be plucked by and by out of the clay of ſynnes, leaſt it faſten more depely in, we muſt ſtreight way reſiſt the affections, leaſt they come to hauehave dominion ouer vsus. Sathan ſlepeth not, he neuer ceaſeth, but walketh about like a roaring Lyon, ſeeking where to get his pray, whom let vsus reſiſte by faith, and he wil flye from vsus. The lord is ſtrong to deliuer vsus out of the mouth of the Lyon, ſo that we flye vntounto him by and by with our whole hart, and caſt our ſelues all wholy vpō him with a ſoūd faith, let vsus take hede of the meate and of the baite which that moſte ſubtill enemye layeth for vsus, leſt when we hauehave deuoured it, we fal with Iudas into the euerlaſting night.