University of Virginia Library

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147

5. THE FIFTH PART OF THE HISTORIE OF OVR LORD AND SAVIOVR IESVS CHRIST,

containing those things which he did the fourth yeare after his Baptisme, which was the three & thirtieth yeare of his age, according to the foure Euangelistes: the yeare after the creation of the world. 4174.

The time of Christs departure approching, he confirmed himselfe to go to Hierusalem.

When Christ had now accomplished
The time appointed him before,
And that his death then hastened,
He did prepare himselfe therefore:
His minde he fully setled tho,
Thence to Ierusalem to go.

Wherefore he did before him send,
A lodging for him to prepare,
Of such as did him then attend,
Which they did with exceeding care.
Within Samaria entred they,
Into a towne for to puruey.

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But the Samaritans in deed,
Their message would not then receiue,
When him and his they (with such speed)
Go to Ierusalem perceiue.
This was the cause, for all their care,
They could no lodging there prepare.

When Iohn and Iames that then were sent,
Saw they could not prouided be:
Shall we said they, incontinent,
Command as did Elias he,
That fire come downe from heauen hye,
And so consume them vtterly?

Iesus rebuking them, did say,
Know ye not yet what men ye are?
The sonne of man came not to slay,
But saue mens liues, whereof haue care.
So to another towne they went,
For then the day was almost spent.

Christes answer to the Disciple that would go burie his father first.

But to another Christ said then,
Come thou forthwith and follow me:
Thus calleth he vs mortall men,

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Whom when, and how best like th he,
My dutie first discharge must I,
To my old father till he dye.

And Iesus said to him againe,
Let thou the dead their dead bury:
For my Disciple must remaine,
And do his office carefully.
Go thou therefore abroad, I say,
Preach the kingdome of God alway.

Christ sent forth the seuentie Disciples to preach.

After these things appointed he,
Of his Disciples seuentie mo,
That still were wont with him to be,
And sent them forth by awd two,
Where he would come, before they went,
To do and teach, as they were sent.

The haruest is surely said he,
Now verie great, yet few I say,
Do labour in the same, pray ye
The Lord thereof to send away
Some labourers for to take paine,
That by his haruest he may gaine.

Behold, I send you, go away,
As lambes among the wolues ye be:

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As simple as the doues, I say,
And as the Serpent wise be ye.
Do in your iourney take no care,
What weeds ye were, or how ye fare.

What house, or Citie ye come to,
Among the worthie there remaine,
Till you from thence haue cause to go,
Let them with you my peace retaine.
Such as do not deserue this grace,
Shake of their dust in the same place.

This dust shall witnesse against those,
That you desired not their wealth;
And that they earthly treasure chose,
Before this proffred sauing health.
And in the iudgement they shall gaine,
Of Sodome and Gomorh the paine.

Chorazin wo be vnto thee,
And to Bethsayda wo likewise:
The great works that were done by me
In you, ye greatly did despise:
If they in Tyrus had bene done,
They had repented long agone.

If Tyre and Sydon had, I say,
Both seene and heard what ye do heare,
Sack-cloth and ashes eu'ry day
Had bene their weed: you buy it deare,
For at the iudgement, then to thee,
To them it shall more easie be.

Thou Capernaum lift so hye,
Yea raised vp to heau'n aboue,
To hell thou shalt be brought to lye,
Because my works thee neuer moue:

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If they in Sodom had bene wrought,
It had not yet bene brought to nought.

For Sodom it shall easier be,
(Oh Capernaum be thou sure)
At the great iudgement, then for thee,
The punishment for to endure.
Tyre, Sydon, and Sodom shall haue,
More ease then these, though then ye craue.

He that doth heare you, heareth me:
He that despiseth you also
Despiseth me, and likewise he
Despiseth God whom I came fro.
They do aright in God reioyce,
That in his Preachers heare his voyce.

The seuentie returned, and told Christ all that they had done.

The seu'ntie did returne with ioy,
And told the Lord what they had done:
The deuils (said they) could none annoy
Or hurt, where we to preach begonne:
For eu'ry where we through thy name,
His rage and furie soone did tame.

Christ said, I Sathan did behold,
Like lightning downe from heauen fall:
To you I power giue (be bold)
To tread on Serpents great or small,
And Scorpions: yea the enemy
Shall not hurt you assuredly.

In this yet do not ye reioyce,
That spirits to you subiect are,
But lift both hands, both heart, and voyce
To God which hath of you such care.

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That he your names hath written sure,
In heau'n, for euer to endure.

Then Iesus said, I giue to thee,
Oh mightie Lord and father deare,
Most hartie thankes, thou hearest me,
And to my call thou giuest eare:
These things thou hidest from the wise,
Their worldly wit thou doest despise.

Thy secrets vnto babes withall,
And humble men thou doest declare:
These do on thee for mercy call,
These, these oh God thy chosen are.
This thy good pleasure was, and is,
Oh father, none can alter this.

All things to me now giuen are
Of my father, the sonne, and he,
No mortall man can well declare
The one of them, except he be
Taught by the sonne, and so he may
Learne both to know, this is the way.

To his Disciples turned he,
And secretly to them did say,
The eyes are blessed that do see,
As ye do see, now at this day.
Prophets and Kings wisht to see so
And here what you do long ago.

A Scribe or Lawyer tempting Christ, was answered his question, and taught who his neighbour was.

A certaine Lawyer stood vp then,
And tempting Christ began to say:
Oh master, thou doest teach these men,
To euerlasting life the way.

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Vouchsafe to tell it I do craue,
Eternall life how I may haue.

What is written said Christ againe?
And in the law what doest thou reade?
Thou shalt (said he) with euery vaine
The Lord thy God both loue and dread:
And next the Lord thy God aboue,
Thy neighbour, thou shalt likewise loue.

Thou hast said well, said Christ in deed,
Go thou and do this, thou shalt liue:
But he in hope of better speed,
A new assault to Christ would giue.
Who is my neighbour then said he?
This thing I would faine learne of thee.

Then Iesus answering, said so,
A certaine man went by the way
That leadeth downe to Iericho,
Where among theeues he fell that day:
Robbed, and wounded, there he was,
And left halfe dead so on the grasse.

By chance a Priest came by that way,
Which when he saw him, passed by:
Likewise a Leuite where he lay,
Did looke on him, and let him lye.
But a Samaritan by chaunce,
Came by, and saw him in his traunce.

Which sight, so mouing then his heart,
He tooke on him compassion:
Whereof before he did depart,
He made full declaration,
He powred in (and also bound)
Both wine and oyle into his wound.

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And not contented yet with this,
He set him vp, on his owne beast,
And brought him to an inne of his,
Where he prouided for his rest:
And on the morow ere he went,
He told the host his whole intent.

Lo take these two pence that I giue,
Haue care of this man I thee pray:
His wants therewith do thou relieue,
What more he spends, I will thee pay.
Which thinkest thou now of these three,
To him most neighbour-like to be?

The Lawyer answering, did say,
The mercifull was euen he.
Go thou said Christ, then hence away,
And do as this man teacheth thee;
To eu'ry one in miserie,
Shew thou like liberalitie.

Marie and Martha entertaine Christ.

Now as they further passed on,
Into a certaine towne they came,
Where was the habitation,
Of one that Martha had to name:
Who to her house receiued tho,
Christ and those that with him did go.

Her sister, Marie men did call,
Which also sate at Iesus feete
And heard his preaching as then all
Most heedfully, as it was meete.
But Martha was most busily
Prouiding for the company.

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Martha therefore to Iesus said,
Master regardest not thou this?
That all the care on me is layd,
And that my sister sitting is?
Bid her therefore that she helpe me,
So shalt thou better serued be.

And Iesus answerd her againe,
Oh Martha, Martha thou hast care,
For many things put thee to paine,
And helpers very needfull are:
The good part Marie chose in deed,
And she there after sure shall speed.

Christ rising from prayer, was requested of one of his Disciples, to teach them, as Iohn taught his Disciples, to pray.

As Iesus was praying with his,
In the desert as some suppose,
Which vnto Ephraim nearest is,
And from his prayers as he rose,
Of his Disciples one, did say,
Teach vs (as Iohn taught his) to pray.

He soone of him had his request,
He was not long enforc'd to craue:
Christs readinesse, this well exprest,
As he to them example gaue:
In their distresse both night and day,
That they (as he them taught) should pray.

Our father which in heauen art,
Thy name be euer sanctified:
Thy kingdome come: with all my heart,
I wish the same accomplished.
Thy will in earth be done we pray,

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As thine, in heau'n do it alway.

Our daily bread giue vs this day,
Our sinnes also to vs forgiue:
As we our debters do, I say,
That vs in any wise do grieue.
Let vs by no illusion,
Be lead into temptation.

But Lord, from euill vs defend,
And gratiously deliuer all:
That we which do on thee depend,
By frailtie from thee neuer fall.
Graunt these requests (oh Lord) we pray,
To vs and thy whole Church alway. Amen.

Moreouer Christ vnto them said,
Which of you all shall haue a friend,
And shall when he in bed is layd,
Haue cause to go to him, or send,
And say a friend to me is come,
Bread I haue none now lend me some.

And he within should answer so,
Why doest thou trouble me I say,
I pray thee to some other go,
I must at this time say thee nay;
The doore is shut, my children be
In bed, I cannot come to thee.

I say though he would not arise,
Nor thee regard as should a friend,
Yet when he seeth thee in such wise,
Importunat he will thee lend,
Of bread or meate what thou doest craue,
Or what thy need requires to haue.

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Aske then it shall be giuen thee,
And they that seeke, shall surely finde,
Knock, I will open then, said he,
For God to them that call is kinde:
He loueth such men verely,
As pray vnto him heartely.

If you for bread, giue not a stone,
Nor for a fish, a serpent send,
When that your sonnes for want do mone;
If good things you do giue and lend,
How much more shall the father he,
Giue good gifts if thou aske, to thee?

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Christ dining with one of the Pharisies, and misliked for eating with vnwashen hands, answered them, and rebuked their hypocrisie.

As Iesus taught the people then,
There came to him a Pharisie,
Requesting him and all his men,
To dine with him immediatly.

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Then he went in with him to meate,
And sitting downe, began to eate.

But when the Pharisie did see,
That Christ sat downe, vnwasht before,
He maruaild what the cause might be,
For they did vse it euermore.
They sit not downe at all to meate,
But first they wash before they eate.

Indeed said Christ to him againe,
Ye do make cleane the vtter side
Of cup or platter, all in vaine,
Bewraying still your foolish pride:
But they within are not the lesse,
Of bribrie full, and all excesse.

Ye fooles made not the very same,
The inside and the out also?
Giue almes therefore, and leaue for shame,
To be so tied your toyes vnto.
Relieue the poore when they do craue,
And cleane shall be all that ye haue.

Woe be to you ye Scribes, I say,
And Pharisies so full of guile:
Ye hypocrites is this the way,
To cloake your cursed craft so vile?
Ye keepe the least the law doth will,
And leaue the great things vnkept still.

Mint, Annise, and Cummin tith'd be,
And waightier matters left alone;
The law commaundeth these to thee,
But last of all to thinke vpon.
For iudgement, mercy, and faith are
The chiefest things should be your care.

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Woe be to you ye Scribes also,
The highest seats ye all do loue
In Synagogues, and where ye go,
And that men in the markets moue
With reuerence to greete you there,
Or giue you place, and praise elsewhere.

Woe be to you, for sure ye be,
Like painted tombes in outward sight,
Appearing faire, to them that see
No part within, how they are dight.
For dead mens bones lie there doubtlesse,
Within them full; and filthinesse.

A Lawyer answer'd him againe,
Oh maister, thou in saying so,
Rebukest vs likewise as vaine,
And subiect with them to like woe.
Christ said to him it cannot be,
That you of all men should go free.

For heauie burdens ye do binde,
And on mens shoulders them do lay,
Most greeuous to be borne in minde,
Intollerable eu'ry way:
But you your selues will not once proue,
With any finger them to moue.

Woe be to you that build so braue
The Prophets tombes that were before,
And garnish outwardly each graue
Of righteous men now more and more.
And more then that, you verely
Thus vtter your iniquitie.

If we had bene aliue, ye say,
In our forefathers time, had we

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Consented so to be the day,
That so much bloud then spilt should be?
No, no, the Prophets should not so
Haue di'de or suffred any wo.

So then ye are as witnesses
Vnto your selues, how that ye be
Their children (as ye do confesse)
That murdred them: therefore do ye
What lacked of their cruelty,
Performe with all dexterity.

God said, behold, I will you send
Both Prophets, and Apostles sure,
To see if that you will amend,
Yet you will not their words endure:
You will them kill and crucifie,
And persecute most busily:

That on you all the bloud may come,
Which was shed vpon earth, I say,
From righteous Abell Adams sonne,
To Zacharias bloud, which lay
Betweene the temple verely,
And the Altar, slaine cruelly.

Martha and Marie sent Iesus word that their brother Lazarus was sicke.

Lazarus sure as then did lie
Sore sicke, and neare his death indeed:
This man he dwelt in Bethany,
His sisters both of him tooke heede:
Martha the first, then Marie shee,
They were belou'd of Christ all three.

(Christs feete annointed Mary sure,
And wiped with her haire the same:

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The oyle was costlie, sweete and pure,
Her fact Christ did defend from blame:)
These women did for Iesus send,
And said, come helpe thy sickly friend.

This sicknesse Iesus then did say,
(Is for Gods glory) not to death:
The sonne of God must by this way,
(Who takes and giues men life and breath)
Assure your selues be glorifi'd,
Which thing Christ shortly verifi'd.

Now Iesus loued Martha well,
Her sister and her brother to:
Yet he there after this did dwell
Two daies ere he to them would go:
And did as he had done before,
There, heale and teach men more and more.

The Pharisies question of diuorcement and mariage, answered of Christ.

As Christ departed Galily,
And to Iudea came againe:
And as he passed Iordan by,
While in that coast he did remaine,
As graciouslie he vs'd to deale,
Their sicke and lame he there did heale.

Then came to him the Pharisie,
Full fraughted both in heart and minde
With craft and cloakt hypocrisie,
Hoping in Christ some fault to finde:
But still for all their taken toile,
The Pharisies receiu'd the foile.

May man his wife, Sir, put away
For euerie cause he can deuise?

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Haue ye not read, then Christ did say,
(Or Gods decree do ye despise?)
That they were male and female fram'd,
When Adam the first man was nam'd?

Therefore a man shall loue his wife,
Though he his father should forsake:
With her he, needs must lead his life,
They both by promise that they make
Become one flesh; and so remaine,
Though they in persons still are twaine.

Let no man put a sunder then,
All such as God hath coupled so,
Though Moses haue allow'd some men
Their maried wiues for to forgo:
From the beginning (sure I say)
It was not as it is this day.

Truly for whoredome she may be
Diuorced, and so may the man,
If he commit adultery,
Nor afterward well mary can:
For which of both this part doth play,
Should single liue, till death say nay.

If it be so, of man and wife,
It were not good to mary then:
Yet some so borne, chast lead their life:
Some are made chast also by men,
Some chast themselues, who can perceiue,
Let him this doctrine so receiue.

Iesus among other other things that he taught his Disciples, declared vnto them the parable of the rich man that so much delighted and trusted in his riches.

While Iesus his Disciples taught,

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The Leauen of the Pharisie
To shunne with care, for it was naught.
He called it Hypocrisie,
And will'd them to teach openly,
What he had taught them priuatly.

Feare ye not man, but God, sayd he,
Before men likewise me confesse,
And you shall well assured be,
I will to you like loue expresse:
Before Gods Angels verily,
I will confesse you constantly.

Blasphemous words auoide withall,
And for your selues take ye no care,
God will heare you when ye shall call,
Of him your haires all numbred are.
When Princes vexe you for my sake,
In worth do you your troubles take.

Then sayd one of the company,
Maister, command I do pray thee,
The liuing now immediatly,
My brother may deuide with me.
A Iudge, or a deuider who
Made me, sayd Christ, I should do so?

Wherefore said Christ to them againe,
Take heed beware of greedinesse,
Abundance here is all but vaine,
It worketh man but heauinesse;
A man for all his riches may
Prolong his life, no, not a day.

The grounds of a rich man, said he,
Brought him forth fruites most plenteously,
Therefore he thought, what then might be

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Done, in such great prosperity.
I haue (said he) no roome to lay
My fruits, such store I haue to day.

This thing (sayd he) sure will I do,
I will now all my barnes downe pull,
And greater build: and thereunto
Gather my fruits, till they be full;
I haue deuised this therefore,
Because my grounds do yeeld such store.

I to my soule will also say,
Soule, thou hast much goods layd in store
For many yeares: liue now I may
At more ease then I did before:
From henceforth soule eate, drinke and play,
This worke shalt thou do euerie day.

But God said vnto him againe,
Thou foole, this night ile fetch from thee,
That soule of thine, that is so vaine,
Whose then shall all thy riches be?
So shall it euer be with those,
That too much trust in wealth repose.

Therefore take you no thought I say,
How you shall make prouision,
But giue your selues to learne the waye,
That leadeth to saluation
Almes, watching, and all wisedome ye
Shall vse, and with all men agree.

The parable of the watchfull seruant.

A faithfull seruant and a wise,
Made ruler of his maisters men,
His maisters trust will not despise,
But feedeth them in season then

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When he is absent; as he were,
Still present with his seruants there.

That seruant happy is in deed,
Whom his master when he doth come,
Shall finde so doing, he shall speed,
Be sure of some especiall roome.
His master will make him therefore,
Ruler of all he hath in store.

But if the euill seruant say,
My master will not come as yet,
And smite his fellowes day by day,
And still with drunkards drinke and eate,
His master will come, when that he
Expecteth not him for to see.

And will cut him of from the rest,
And giue to him his portion
With hypocrites, this is the least,
That after condemnation
He shall both weepe and gnash for wo,
His teeth that he applyed so.

Wake therefore, and be warie men,
For ye know not what houre or day
Your master comes, least sleeping then
You with the reprobates decay.
And watch that with th' elected sort
Receiu'd ye be, to your comfort.

Christ receiued infants brought vnto him and blessed them.

At that time some did children bring,
That Christ his hands on them should lay:
But his Disciples did the thing
Dislike, and would haue said them nay.

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But Iesus said, forbid not these,
For such my heau'nly father please.

Assuredly to you I say,
Gods kingdome who receiueth not
As doth a child, there shall not stay,
Of him no place may there be got.
In armes Christ tooke the infants tho,
And blessed them and let them go.

Christ conferred with a rich young man, that would be iustified by the law.

When Iesus was gone on the way,
There came one after him apace:
Which kneeling downe, to him did say,
Good master shew me so much grace,
That I may know, how I may haue
Eternall life good Lord I craue.

Then Iesus answerd him againe,
Why doest thou call me good, said he?
There is none good, this thing is plaine,
Saue God alone, I tell it thee:
Eternall life thou mayst not see,
If broken these commaund'ments be.

Thou shalt not kill, by word or deed,
Nor yet commit adulterie:
Thou shalt not steale, for all thy need:
False witnesse, is plaine trecherie.
Thy parents honour, not for pelfe:
Thy neighbour loue thou, as thy selfe.

I haue, said he, obserued all
That thou commandest from my youth:
What lacke I yet, before I shall

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Haue life, I pray thee tell me truth?
Sell all, if thou wilt perfect be,
And giue the poore that want by thee.

This made the yong man very sad,
Who then with sorrow went away:
The great possessions that he had,
His feruent zeale did soone allay.
The rich t'enioy eternall blisse,
Said Iesus, sure a hard thing is.

Whereat amazed as they were,
And thought that few could saued be:
Christ said to them, do you not feare,
But marke and listen vnto me,
What men impossible do take,
God possible the same can make.

Life euerlasting, promised to all them that follow Christ.

Then Peter said, we follow thee
Forsaking all: what shall we haue?
When I in throne of maiestie
Shall sit: though you do nothing craue,
Vpon twelue thrones you shall sit by,
And iudge all Israell certainly.

For who so shall his house forsake,
His parents, or what other friend
For my name: and doth well it take,
Or wife, or wealth, what God doth lend,
The same an hundreth fold shall he
Enioy, and life eternall see.

And Christ pronounced in this place,
That many first should be the last:
And that the last obtaining grace,

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Should be the first: the first outcast;
And that this sentence is certaine,
By parable Christ made it plaine.

The parable of the labourers sent to the vineyard.

The kingdome sure of heau'n, is so,
Much like to a houshoulder heare,
That to hire labourers would go,
Assoone as day light did appeare:
With whom for pence he did agree,
All day to worke, this was their fee.

About the third houre of the day,
When he came to the market place,
The idle thence he sent away
Into his farme, to worke apace.
Likewise the sixt and ninth houre he
With other moe did so agree.

Againe th' eleu'nth houre there he found,
Some other idle standing by:
Go hence he said to my farme ground,
Why stand vee thus so idlely?
No man hath hired vs, you see.
Go to my Vineyard, then said he.

When eeuen came, the maister said
Vnto his steward, call them soone:
For I would haue the workemen paid,
That all this day my worke haue done;
Begin and pay the last of all,
As he is seru'd, the other shall.

A pennie then each of them had,
From last, to first, as he did go:
Which made the first men very sad,
They thought their pay should not be so.

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Go to said he, this is your hire,
You may no more of me require.

This parable may teach vs all,
(As Peter) true humilitie,
Not to presume on Christ to call,
As meriting felicitie:
Least we of first the last may be,
And last be first in each degree.

The parable of the barren Figge tree.

This parable Christ did declare;
A certaine man a Figge tree had,
Which for three yeares he still found bare,
When fruite would make the owner glad.

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Come Gardiner, cut downe said he,
Why are we combred with this tree?

The Gardiner then said againe,
Lord let it stand this yeare also,
Till I once more haue taken paine,
To dig it round, and dung it to;
If then no fruite this tree do beare,
It shall no longer tarrie there.

Christ healed a woman that had had a spirit of infirmitie xviiij. yeares, and was so bowed together, that she could not lift vp her selfe.

As Christ taught on a Sabboth day,
A woman whose infirmity
Had bow'd her long, she could no way,
Lift vp her selfe, then certainly.
Christ said be loosd of thy disease,
Laying on his hand, she straight found ease.

The ruler of the Synagogue,
Was fill'd with indignation,
As if his conscience had a clogge,
Or of a proud presumption;
Six dayes ye may well healed be,
And rest the Sabboth day, said he.

Then said the Lord, thou hypocrite,
Do ye not on the Sabboth day,
Your oxe and asse without respite,
Loose from the stall and driue away?
And should not she whom Sathan bound,
The Sabboth day go safe and sound?

When Christ said this, his enemy
Was sore ashamed, and the rest
Reioycing, did God glorifie,

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Which by their words was well exprest:
For they gaue God the onely prayse,
That wrought such works in those their dayes.

The parable of the strait and broad way.

And as through eu'ry towne he went,
And taught going to Hierusalem:
That few be saued is it ment,
Said they? thus answerd Christ to them;
The strait gate striue to enter to,
Though many faile that so would do.

The goodman of the house when he
Is risen vp and shuts the gate,
Your might or merite litle be,

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To cry Lord open, is to late.
Depart saith he, hence speedily,
You workers of iniquitie.

We eaten haue, say you againe,
And dronke, oh Lord, so oft with thee,
And thou hast taught vs, but in vaine.
Depart (saith he) away from me.
Your sinnes are onely cause of this,
That you shall loose eternally blisse.

There ye then weeping all shall be,
And gnashing of your teeth full sore,
When Abraham in heau'n ye see,
And ye shut out, as is before.
The Patriarks, and the Prophets, rest
In heau'n aboue, for they are blest.

And many shall come from the East,
And from the North, and South also:
And many likewise from the West,
The heau'nly kingdome come vnto:
And then the first, the last shall be,
And so the last, first you shall see.

Christ called Herod a foxe, and cryed against Hierusalem.

The Pharisies to Christ did say,
King Herod doubtlesse will thee kill:
Depart therefore and get away,
Ere he do worke on thee his will.
Thus would they seeme his friends to be,
That sought his death aswell as he.

Go tell the foxe, said Christ, from me,
Behold, I cast out deu'ls to day,
And eke to morow I make free

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And heale the sicke that do me pray:
The third day I do make an end,
I care not what the foxe intend.

To morow as to day I must,
And yet the third day walke also:
It cannot be, you may giue trust
To this that now declare I do,
Saue at Ierusalem alone,
Shall of the Prophets perish none.

Hierusalem that oft doest kill,
And stone those that are sent to thee,
Thy childrens good I wished still,
Yet canst not thou thy saftie see:
But from thee when I shall be reft,
Thy house then desolate is left.

Christ healed one of the dropsie on the Sabboth day.

Againe as Iesus would eate meate
With one of the chiefe Pharisies,
They friendly seeme him to intreate,
To colour out some braue deuise:
Their snares and traps for him they lay,
And watch him on the Sabboth day.

Behold, a certaine man was there,
Infected with a dropsie sore:
Some Lawyers there at that time were,
Which watched him so much the more.
Christ asked if it lawfull be,
The man on that day to make free.

They held their peace: for to reproue
His words and deeds they did intend:

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The matter he no more did moue,
But healed him, and made an end.
Who doth said Christ his oxe espy
In pit, this day, and lets him lye?

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Christ declared how a certaine man made a great supper, and bade many: of the excuses of certaine guestes, and their vnworthinesse.

Christ Iesus said, a certaine man
Made a great supper or a feast.
Come ye as soone now as ye can,
His seruants said vnto each guest:
For all things are now readie made,
To welcome whom our maister bade.

But they began to make excuse:
The first said, I haue bought a farme,
I must go see it, as they vse,
Thou maist excuse me without harme.
The next, of Oxen bought yokes fiue,
And must go proue how they do thriue.

The third had married then a wife,
Sure he might well excused be:
For he was bound to lead his life
With her, and liue no longer free.
You know what wilfull men deserue,
All their excuses may not serue.

The seruants told their maister, these
Whom thou hast bid, come not at all:
Which did him verie much displease,
And said, another sort goe call;
Go bid the poore, the lame, the blinde,
And such as in the streetes ye finde.

The seruants said, Lord, it is done,
Yet there are roomes vnfurnished.
In the high waies seeke some out soone,
That my house be replenished:
For those men that were bid before,

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Shall neuer tast my supper more.

Then to the multitude that went
With him, Christ turned backe, and sayd;
If any man with good intent,
Come after me, now vnaffrayd,
He must hate father and each friend,
To beare my crosse vnto the end.

Who meanes to build a stately towre,
And doth not cast the cost before,
He may repent him in that houre,
When he can make thereof no more:
Or when he heares one mocking say,
This man did worke well for a day.

What king also will purpose warre,
Ere he know what his strength may proue:
And will not rather send so farre,
And see if he some peace may moue?
He my Disciple that will be,
Forsaking all, must follow me.

And sure what salt this earth doth yeeld,
If in the same no sauour be,
It doth no good in house or field,
Men cast it out at doores we see.
In salt of man, this doth appeare,
He that hath eares to heare, may heare.

The parable of the lost sheepe and the groat.

Then to Christ Iesus did resort,
Both Publicans and sinners to:
Such in his doctrine found comfort,
As still the penitent may do.
The Scribes and Pharisies disdain'd,
That Christ with sinners so remain'd.

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Then Iesus said, I came to saue
That which my dearest bloud must cost:
How thinke ye if a rich man haue
An hundred sheepe, if one be lost,
Will he not leaue the rest behind,
And seeke that one till that he find?

Or else, what woman doth not so,
If she ten siluer peeces had,
And loose but one, will she not go
Search till she finde, and found is glad?
The Angels ioy as these in heart,
When that one sinner doth conuert.

The historie of the prodigall sonne.

Moreouer, marke ye this, said he,
Two sonnes a certaine rich man had,
Who cared much that they might be
A cause to make his last age glad.
The younger led by lust, would go
To trauell farre, his father fro.

Wherefore he to his father sayd,
Giue me that is my portion:
My suite, let it not be denayd,
But make a iust diuision.
His substance he diuided tho,
And gaue him his, and let him go.

This younger sonne did gather all
His father gaue, and went away,
From place to place as did befall,
In countreys strange, this sonne did stray:
Till riot wasted all his wealth,
As whordome had impaird his health.

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When he had spent all wilfully,
There rose a dearth throughout the land,
And he there pincht with penurie,
Was forc'd to go then out of hand
To serue, nor durst the man repine,
To keepe and feede his masters swine.

Where oft for want of better food,
Huskes with the swine this youth did eate,
And then the same thought very good,
For no man gaue him better meate:
And sometimes in his misery,
He wanted huskes assuredly.

Then came he to himselfe, and sayd,
How many hired seruants be,
That finde my fathers house an ayde,
And there haue meate inough said he,
While I do liue thus lothsomely,
And neare for hunger daily dye?

I will vnto my father go,
And say to him, I sinned haue
Against both heau'n and thee also,
Forgiue me father now I craue,
And me receiue yet I thee pray,
No sonne but seruant from this day.

So he vnto his father went,
Who did his sonne from farre espy,
And ran to him incontinent,
Much pitying his misery.
And then vpon his necke he fell,
And kist him, that he lou'd so well.

The sonne then to his father there,
Sayd I haue sinned against thee,

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And am not worthie to be here,
Or call'd thy sonne that I should be:
For heau'n and earth can witnesse this,
That I haue runne my race amisse.

The father said his seruants to,
Bring forth my best robe vnto me,
To put on him, this ring also,
And shoes on his feete, I will see:
The fat calfe kill, and make vs meate,
That this my sonne, and we, may eate.

For this my sonne of late was dead,
And now he is aliue againe:
The lost, I found, so well I sped,
He shall henceforth with me remaine.
This they performed speedily,
And past the time most merily.

Abroad the elder brother was,
And comming home, he heard a noyse,
Yet knew not who was in the place,
Nor why his father did reioyce:
He onely heard the mynstrelsie,
With dauncing, and much melodie.

He call'd, and bad a seruant come,
And tell him what all those things ment:
Thy brother is said he come home,
And was receiu'd incontinent:
Thy father spareth for no cost,
To welcome him that late was lost.

All angrie when he heard the same,
He would not in vnto them go:
Therefore to him his father came,
Requesting him not to do so.

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Now he vnto his sonne doth stand
(That should command) with cap in hand.

The sonne his father answered,
I haue vnto thee seruice donne,
Yet hast thou not considered,
How though I were thy eldest sonne,
And many yeares now night and day,
I still at thy command did stay;

Yet all this time I neuer had,
A kid of thee that I might spend,
When I was willing to be glad,
And welcome any honest friend:
Yet thou the fat calfe killed hast,
For him that worse thy goods did wast.

Sonne vnto him againe, said he,
All that I haue is thine in deed:
Thou euer didst abide with me,
And shalt therefore the better speed;
Yet should we ioy and mery be,
The dead aliue, and lost to see.

The parable of the vniust Steward.

And Christ to his Disciples then,
Said that a certaine rich man had
A Steward, charged by some men,
That he did vse his office bad:
For he (said they) doth day by day,
Consume and wast thy wealth away.

He called him, and said withall,
How do I heare this ill of thee?
For thine accounts I needs must call,
Thou mayst no longer Steward be.
The Steward then began to muse,

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How he might best the matter vse.

What shall I do? my master will
Mine office take from me away:
I cannot digge nor delue but ill,
And begge for shame I neuer may;
Wherefore I must deuise, sayd he,
That I of some receiued be.

His masters debters he did call,
And askt the first, what owest thou?
Declare at once the summe of all,
For I must loose mine office now.
Of oyle an hundreth measures he
Confest, at least, his debts to be.

The Steward said to him againe,
Vpon thy bill downe fiftie lay:
The next indebted did remaine,
And hundreth measures, he did say,
Of wheate, to whom the Steward sayd,
Write fourescore downe, be not affrayd.

The Stewards wisdome Christ did prayse,
Though he vniustly dealt in deed:
For when he knew none other wayes,
He this deuisd, to helpe his need.
The worldlings in their kind, said he,
Are wiser then the godly be.

Make you so friends, Christ to them sayd,
With riches of iniquity:
That when ye want, they may giue ayde,
And then receiue you readily.
The iust or vniust in the small,
Will proue the very same in all.

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If then ye haue not faithfull bene
In wicked riches, who will trust,
That you (whose triall men haue seene)
In treasures true may be found iust?
If false to other men ye were,
Who shall giue you that yours is there?

Two masters well no man can serue,
For truly he the one will hate,
And for the other loue reserue,
This of mans life is right the state:
God and your riches disagree,
They may not both then serued be.

All these things heard the Pharisies,
Whose greedinesse was very great:
They mocked Christ, for phantasies
They do account his words as yet.
Before men ye, you iustifie,
Though fraught with fowle hypocrisie.

Gods kingdome suffreth violence,
Since Iohns time to this very day:
The Gentiles with all diligence,
Without the law, now call'd obay.
The law and Prophets haue their end,
And he is come whom you attend.

I came not sure for to destroy
The law, or Prophets, but fulfill:
I take in nothing so much ioy,
As to obey my fathers will,
Till heau'n and earth do all decay,
The law shall not be done away.

The historie of the rich glutton and of poore Lazarus.

Christ said, a certaine rich man he,

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Was cloth'd in purple and fine white:
His fare most daintie vsd to be,
For he therein did take delite.
As costly was the mans aray,
So far'd he sumptuous eu'ry day.

There was a certaine begger that
Was named Lazarus also,
Which was layd at the rich mans gate,
All full of grieuous sores and wo:
This man therewith had more annoy,
Then Diues had in heart of ioy.

And he desired for to haue,
(Wherewith his body for to feed)
The broken meate, yet no man gaue
One crumbe for to relieue his need:
The dogges yet came and lickt each sore,
These then their master, easd him more.

It came to passe the begger he,
Dying, was carried thence away,
In Abrahms bosome for to be,
The Angels there this man did lay:
Those messengers God sent to fetch
To heau'n to him, that silly wretch.

The rich man also shortly dyed,
His wealth could not deaths dart withdraw,
But needs he must be buried,
Each man must yeeld to natures law:
And as the begger was on hye,
So Diues deepe in hell did lye.

From whence as he in torments lay,
And looked vp, he might espy,
Aboue from him so farre away,

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Where Lazarus in heau'n did ly
(With Abraham:) so was he blest,
For there Gods chosen all shall rest.

Then cried Diues loud, and sayd,
Oh father Abrah'm pitie me,
Let not thy mercie be delayd,
My cruell torments thou doest see:
The firie flame doth frie me so,
That here I wallow full of wo.

Send Lazarus, that once he may
His finger in the water dip,
This feruent heate for to allay,
If it were but the verie tip.
One drop to coole my tongue withall,
That so his finger would let fall.

But Abraham said thus againe;
The pleasures (sonne) thou didst receiue,
Remember now, and this mans paine:
Thy wealth at will did thee deceiue,
Therefore art thou (as doth appeare)
In paine, and he in pleasure here.

Comforted now is Lazarus,
And thou in hell tormented art:
There is set likewise betweene vs
A mightie gulfe, no litle start,
So that none hence go to you may,
Nor come from thence to vs away.

Here Christ did speake of heau'n and hell,
No Purgatorie then was found:
Or else Christ Iesus could not well,
As schoole-men can, all things expound.
But wo to them that thinke them wise,

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And do Christs doctrine so despise.

Him, Diues said, I pray thee send,
(Oh father) to my fathers house:
To warne my brethren to amend,
And force no wealth so friuolous.
Vaine trust therein hath wrought my fall,
And will do theirs, I feare me all.

Send him therefore (father) I pray,
For fiue of them I left behind:
Which warned may amend their way,
And become of a better mind;
Oh father shew them so much grace,
Least they should come into this place.

Then Abraham said thus againe,
They Moses and the Prophets haue:
If they do not heare them, in vaine,
They shall obtaine what thou doest craue.
They warne all men to seeke for grace,
While they haue time, to shunne that place.

Nay father Abraham, said he,
But if one from the dead do come
To them, repentant they will be,
And be affrayd then of this dome:
They will not sinning wilfully,
Be subiect to such misery.

Then Abraham said to him, sonne,
If that those men they will not heare,
But do as thou before hast donne,
No more will they to this giue eare:
For truth in Gods word seeke they must,
And not on dead men vainly trust.

Here heau'n is the appointed place,

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Where Gods elect for aye shall rest:
In hell we see such as want grace,
All torments are for them addrest.
Gods word not dead men must vs guide,
Vnlesse we meane to wander wide.

As for all Dunses drowsie dreames,
Or Monkish toyes to mocke an ape,
Or franticke Friers, for all their theames,
They now want nayles new pits to scrape:
Their Purgatories had a fall,
There is not one now left of all.

Offences are to be auoyded, and our brothers trespasses forgiuen.

Though that offences needs must be,
Yet sure offenders do want grace:
Offend not these whose Angels see
And do behold my fathers face;
He that doth so, were better sure,
In surging seas death to endure.

And if thy brother thee offend,
Seeke thou to winne him priuatly:
Or if he heare not thee, and mend,
Take two or three in company;
But if he heare not then the same,
Before the Church let him haue blame.

But if he do repent, he sayd,
As oft as he doth thee offend,
And seemeth still to be affrayd,
And seekes all meanes for to amend,
Not seu'n times, but as oft (said he)
As he repents, let him go free.

And the Apostles all said then,

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O Lord increase our faith we pray.
If ye had faith as much (ô men)
As is a mustard seed, I say,
You might command this mulb'rie tree,
So growing in the sea to be.

Which of you if his seruant were
At plough, or did his cattell feede,
When he came home, would say, sit here?
And so serue him at boord with speed.
And would not rather bid him dresse
(That he him selfe might eate) a messe?

Or who doth thanke his seruant then,
When he perfourmeth readily
What he commandeth, that his men
Should see accomplisht faithfully?
I trow the seruant may be glad,
That he did what his maister bad.

So likewise ye, when ye haue done
What you are bid, although with care:
Say, that small profit may be wonne
By such slacke seruants as ye are.
We haue done, you may say also,
What was our dutie, and no mo.

Christ healed ten leapers.

As to Ierusalem he went,
And passed thorough Galilie,
Ten leapers did them selues present
To Iesus Christ immediatly,
Which stood farre off, and cried thus,
Haue mercie maister now on vs.

And when he saw them, then sayd he,
Vnto the Priests go straight way now,

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That they may iudge you cleane to be,
And haue what law doth them allow.
And as they went they cleansed were,
While Christ remained euen there.

Then one of them when he did see,
That he was healed verie well:
Returning backe, with loud voyce he
Gaue praise to God for what befell.
He falling downe vpon his face,
Gaue thanks to Christ, that shewd him grace.

The same was a Samaritan,
Which cleansed came so backe againe:
Of ten, returned but this man,
Though all were eased of their paine.
This in Samaria verily
By Christ was done, or Galilie.

Are not ten cleansed? Iesus sayd,
The other nine where be they gone?
Arise therefore, go vnaffrayd,
Thy faith sau'd thee that cam'st alone.
Of all the ten this stranger came
To giue God praise, that wrought the same.

The Pharisies demanded of Christ, when the kingdome of God should come, and his answer.

Then of the Pharisies when some
Demanded Christ when it would be,
That the kingdome of God would come
To them againe thus answerd he;
With obseruation verily
It comes not, though with maiestie.

Men shall not say, lo here, lo there,
Behold the same among you is:

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His kingdome is spread eu'ry where,
In faithfull hearts abideth this.
In truth and righteousnesse I say,
Find out Gods kingdome well ye may.

To his Disciples then said he,
The dayes will come you shall desire
(As now ye are) with me to be,
And shall not haue what ye require.
The sonne of man must suffer wo:
And for a time depart you fro.

If any then to you do say,
Lo here is Christ, or Christ is there,
Beleeue it not, for at that day,
False Christs and Prophets shall appeare,
And shall shew signes and wonders such,
As will deceiue men very much.

For as the lightning from the East
Doth come, and that most suddainly,
And shineth forth into the West,
So shall it be most certainly:
The sonne of man shall come, I say,
In like sort at the iudgement day.

And as it was before the flood,
They did both eate and drinke also,
And maried wiues, as they thought good,
Till Noah the arke had entred tho:
Where he and his from flood were free,
Though all men else were drownd, said he.

In Lots dayes likewise it befell,
They ate, they dranke, they bought, they sold,
They built, and thought that all was well,
Nor would heare Lot, for all he told,

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Till fire and brimstone from aboue,
Destroyed all that there did moue.

So shall it in the latter day,
When I shall then reuealed be:
Let him that on the house doth stay,
Not fetch his stuffe below, said he:
Nor from the field, but haue in mind,
Lots wife that looked so behind.

Who so his soule doth seeke to saue,
If not through me, shall loose the same:
And life he likewise then shall haue,
When life he looseth for my name:
For he shall liue eternally,
That dyeth so here willingly.

Two in one bed, or field shall then,
Whereof but one receiu'd shall be,
The other of those very men,
To be refused sure is he.
Two women grinding then at mill,
The good receiu'd, but not the ill.

Where Lord? where the carcasse doth rest,
The eagles will resort thereto:
If that it be by East or West,
Such fowle, vnto their pray will go.
Gods chosen shall resort that day
To Christ, as these vnto their pray.

The parable of the vnrighteous Iudge and the widow, teaching men to pray continually.

By parable Christ spake that day
To his Disciples, to this end,
That they ought alwayes for to pray,
And not to faint while they attend:

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For they shall surely mercie haue,
That instantly for mercie craue.

There was a Iudge which had no feare,
Nor reuerence of God or men:
A widow woman dwelling there,
Did moue this Iudge (not now and then)
But dayly crying mightely,
Auenge me of mine enemie.

Though for a time he would not heare
Her sute; thus the poore widow sped,
At last said he, though without feare
Of God or man my life I lead,
Her instancie doth vexe me so,
Ile do her right, and let her go.

If this vnrighteous Iudge thus do,
For his elect will not God care,
That day and night cry him vnto?
Though for a time their foes he spare,
He will reuenge ech iniurie
That they receiue assuredly.

The Parable of the Pharisie and the Publicane, that went into the Temple to pray.

A parable he spake againe,
To some infected with selfe trust:
For they did other men disdaine,
And did account them selues for iust.
Into the Temple for to pray,
Two men went vp, both in one day.

The one of them a Pharisie,
The other was a Publican:
The first full of hypocrisie,
The other was a simple man.

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Their prayers sheweth what they were,
Of whom Christ maketh mention here.

The first stood vp and prayed so,
Oh God this day I do thanke thee:
This I as other neuer do,
Extort or robbe as some, said he:
I am not an adulterer,
Nor as this man is, a sinner.

Twise in the weeke also I fast,
I giue tith of all I possesse.
The Publican poore man at last,
Began his sinnes for to confesse:
This man in great humilitie,
Acknowledged his miserie.

He stood farre of, and did not there,
Lift vp his eyes to looke on hye:
The poore man was in such a feare,
For to offend Gods maiesty;
Be mercifull (oh God) said he,
Most wretched sinner vnto me.

This man, said Christ, went thence away,
More iust then did the Pharisie:
For eu'ry one that doth delay
To knowledge his infirmitie,
Shall be brought low: the humble he,
Likewise exalted sure shall be.

The parable of the Talents.

The kingdome of heau'n much like is
Vnto a king that went from home,
To a strange countrey farre from his,
But made his seruants first to come,
To whom he did deliuer tho,

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His goods ere he from home would go.

To one man gaue he Talents fiue,
And to another onely two:
The third had one, therewith to thriue,
Each one had some-thing for to do,
As they were able: then straight-way,
He went from home that very day.

Then he that the fiue Talents had,
Went and did occupie the same:
And gainde, to make his master glad,
Fiue Talents more before he came.
He that likewise receiued two,
Did therewith gaine as many mo.

But he that had receiued one,
Within the earth did digge the same,
And hid the money with a stone,
To keepe vntill his master came.
Thus eu'ry one did occupie
Their masters Talents diuersly.

And after a long season came
The master of those seruants home,
And reckned with them for the same,
One after other as they come.
To giue accounts from first to last,
They all were call'd, till all was past.

Then came he that fiue Talents had,
And brought with him fiue Talents mo,
And sayd, oh master heare (be glad)
Thy money is, and gaynes also:
For I haue gayned as much more.
As I receiu'd of thee before.

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To him his master sayd againe,
Thou good and faithfull seruant hast
Well done, therewith to take such paine,
Thou shalt receiue reward at last.
Thy masters ioy enter and take,
Of much I will thee ruler make.

He came also that did receiue
Two Talents, and thus could he say:
Oh master, here thou mayst perceiue
My gaynes, since thou went'st hence away;
Here is thy money that I had,
And as much more, that I haue made.

His master vnto him then sayd,
Good seruant sure it is well donne,
The time, I see was not delayd,
Thou couldst not else so much haue wonne:
Thy faithfulnesse in this was such,
I will thee ruler make of much.

Then he which had receiued one,
Came to his master, and did say;
When thou away from hence wast gone,
I hid thy money without nay,
Because I fear'd thy crueltie,
Receiue thine owne contentedly.

His master answered and sayd,
Thou ill and slouthfull seruant, why
(If thou of me were so affrayd,
And knew'st so well my crueltie)
Didst not thou finde some meane or way,
To get me gaynes against this day?

The Talent take from him therefore,
And giue it him that now hath ten:

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For who so hath, he shall haue more,
And he shall haue abundance then.
From him that hath not, shall a way
Be taken what he hath, I say.

That seruant voyde of profit, ye
To vtter darknesse therefore cast,
There weepe and gnash his teeth shall he:
Thus shall his slouth be payd at last.
See then your talent fructifie,
Least you loose it eternally.

Of the labourers hired into the vineyard.

The kingdome sure of heau'n is so,
Like vnto a housholder here,
That to hire labourers would go,
Assoone as day-light did appeare.
With them for pence he did agree,
All day to worke, this was their fee.

About the third houre of the day,
When he came to the market place,
The idle thence he sent away,
Into his farme to worke apace.
Likewise the sixt and ninth houre he,
With other mo did then agree.

Againe th' eleu'nth houre there he found
Some other idle standing by:
Go ye (said he) to my farme ground,
Why stand ye thus so idlely?
No man hath hired vs you see.
Go to my vineyard, then said he.

When euen came the master sayd,
Vnto his Steward, call them soone,
That I may see the worke-men payd,

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Which all this day my worke haue donne.
Begin and pay the last of all:
As he is seru'd the other shall.

A penie each of them then had,
From last to first as he did go:
Which made the first men very sad,
They thought their pay should not be so.
Go to, said he, this is your hire,
You may no more of me require.

Iohn and Iames the sonnes of Zebede contended for primacie, and were taught humilitie and patience, and to auoyde ambition.

The wife of Zebedeus came
To Christ, and both her sonnes also,
And her request she thus did frame,
Graunt ere thou to thy kingdome go,
That these my sonnes there sitting be,
Each one, vpon each hand of thee.

Ye wot not what ye aske, said he,
Can ye drinke of my cup in deed?
Or be Baptiz'd as I shall be?
Yea that we can, if we may speed.
Yet I can not graunt your request,
That in my father sure doth rest.

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But when the other ten heard this,
They at the brethren did disdaine.
Then Iesus sayd ye thinke amisse,
Among the Gentiles Lords do raigne:
They that are great of them, are prest,
Authorized, to rule the rest.

It shall not so among you be,
He that would greatest seeme of all,
Or chiefest in authoritie,
Shall serue the rest, as at a call.
As to be serued came not I,
But serue, and saue men certainly.

The calling of Zacheus a rich man, and by office the chiefe receiuer of tribute.

As Iesus went through Iericho,
Zacheus sought him for to see:
His stature did not serue him so,
Among the throng it would not be.

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He ran and clymed vp therefore,
A figge tree in the way before.

This was the shift that rich man had,
To see Christ as he came that way:
When Christ came by, to make him glad,
He looking vp, to him did say;
Zache come downe without delay,
At thy house Ile abide this day.

Then he came downe full hastily,
Assoone as Iesus did command:
And him receiued ioyfully;
But some of them that there did stand,
Did murmure that he then would go,
To lodge there with a sinner so.

To Christ Zacheus as he stood,
Said (Lord) I giue halfe that I haue
Vnto the poore, to do them good,
And no man shall haue need to craue;
What I by fraude or force did take,
Fourefold Ile giue him for thy sake.

Then Iesus sayd, saluation
Is come into this house, ye see:
Sith of the generation
Of Abraham, by faith is he.
The sonne of man doth seeke and saue,
That which was lost, as here I haue.

Iesus though he stayd a while (after he had heard that Lazarus was sicke) working in the regions round about sundry miracles, and preaching the Gospell: at last he returned to Bethanie, where he raised Lazarus from death to life againe.

Now to returne to Lazarus,

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Which was already dead in deed:
To his Disciples Christ said thus,
Come let vs go from hence with speed:
To Iurie we without all stay,
Must passe apace the ready way.

O master, then said they againe,
The Iewes sought lately thee to stone,
And wilt thou not then here remaine,
And so prouide to saue for one?
He stumbleth not that walkes by day,
But in the night (said Christ) he may.

These things Christ Iesus to them spake,
And then said, Lazarus doth sleepe,
But I go him for to awake.
What Christ then ment, they tooke no keepe,
But said, Lord, if he sleepe, then he
Both safe and sound will shortly be.

Then Iesus said to them againe,
Our friend is dead, and I reioyce
I was not there: Christ then was plaine,
To strengthen such as he made choice.
Then Thomas said, come, let vs go,
That we with him may dye also.

The fifteenth day Christ Iesus spent,
In iourneying along the way:
He then bewrayed what he meant,
In Bethanie the sixteenth day.
For Iesus then in hand did take,
His sleeping friend, againe to wake.

Christ found he had lyen in the graue,
Foure dayes already ere he came:
The women they this comfort haue,

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The Iewes that heard his death by fame,
(Because Ierusalem was nye)
Came vnto them to Bethanie.

When Martha heard that Christ was there,
She went to meete him by the way,
And said, Lord, if thou hadst bene here,
Thy friend had not bene dead this day:
Yet what thou doest desire or craue
Of God, I know thou mayst it haue.

Thy brother then said Christ shall rise.
I know said Martha the last day.
Life without me is in no wise,
Nor resurrection I say.
The man in me that doth beleeue,
Though he were dead, yet shall he liue.

Who liues and doth beleeue in me,
Shall neuer dye: beleeu'st thou this?
I do beleeue, thou Lord, art he,
That Christ, the sonne of God iwis,
Which should come to the world, and so
When she had said, home she did go.

Then called she forth secretly,
Her sister, and to her she said:
The master is come hard here by,
Where he and his for thee haue stayd.
When she heard this, she quickly rose,
And to the Lord forthwith she goes.

Iesus came not yet to the towne,
Where Martha met him there he was:
When Mary went so hastie downe,
The Iewes that were then there in place,
Rose vp, and said, come follow now,

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She will go weepe for him we know.

When Mary came our Sauiour to,
She flat downe at his feete then fell:
My brother (Lord) she sayd also,
Had not bene dead, I know it well,
If thou hadst here bene him to see,
For God had him restor'd to thee.

When Iesus therefore saw her weepe,
And all the Iewes that came with her:
He groned in the spirite deepe,
So moued his affections were.
Where haue ye layd him then sayd he?
They sayd vnto him (Lord) come see.

And Iesus wept: the Iewes then sayd,
Behold, how he did loue the man:
His death could Christ not haue delayd,
That blind mens eyes so open can?
Then he againe did deepely grone,
And from the graue, said take the stone.

Then Martha sayd, he stinketh now,
For he is dead foure dayes ago.
Then Iesus sayd, I did thee show,
If thou beleeue what I would do;
Gods glorie, this I sayd to thee,
If thou beleeue, thou shouldest see.

When they, the stone remoued had,
Then Iesus did lift vp his eyes,
And sayd (oh father) I am glad,
My prayers thou doest not despise;
That these (as thou still hearest me)
May know that I am sent of thee.

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Then Iesus cryed with a loude voyce,
Come Lazarus, out of the graue.
Then he came forth, and they reioyce,
Their dead againe so whole to haue.
Christ bad them loose away each band,
For he was bound face, foote, and hand.

Then many of them did beleeue,
When they had seene what he had donne:
This act did others of them grieue,
And to the Pharisies they runne;
To whom they told what they had seene
In Bethanie, where they had bene.

The high Priests and the Pharisies,
A counsell called out of hand:
What shall we now (sayd they) deuise?
Christs fame is spread throughout the land.
Such wondrous works now worketh he,
His miracles, who doth not see?

All men in him will sure beleeue,
If we do let him thus alone:
The Romans will come vs to grieue,
(Supplanting all our nation)
They will our rulers take away,
Therefore deuise we may him slay.

Then he that Cayphas had to name,
And was the high Priest that same yeare,
Perceiue ye not (sayd he) the same?
And doth it not to you appeare,
That for the people one must dye,
Least they should perish vtterly?

This God did make him Prophesie:
Against himselfe he witnesse beares,

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Though for all people Christ should dye,
(Who, guiltlesse bloud to spill but feares?)
Gods children and his scattred sheepe,
Christ Iesus had a care to keepe.

From that day, they consulted how
They might him take, and cause to dye:
Whereas the Iewes of him might know,
Christ walked no more openly.
To Ephraim he went away,
Where he and his Disciples lay.

The passeouer was then at hand,
And to Ierusalem there went
Full many out of all that land,
Before the feast: some with intent
Themselues as then to purifie,
Which feast the Iewes kept orderly.

The Iewes for Iesus sought about:
All in the temple where they where,
That he came not did make them doubt,
For they had sought him eu'ry where.
They chargd'd who knew where he would lye,
To tell, or take him craftily.

Six dayes before the feast, no more,
Our Sauiour came to Bethanie:
Where he would not be seene before,
His enemies it was too nye.
Now the appointed time was come,
And Christ obayd his fathers dome.

Though he but lately fled away,
He then returned with good will.
His fathers minde he would obay,
And so all Prophesies fulfill.

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He came therefore to Bethanie,
Prepared for mankind to dye.

Christ being come backe to Bethanie from Ephraim, supped with Lazarus, and was annoynted by Mary, whereat Iudas was offended especiallie.

Christ fearing neither watch nor ward,
Did offer all occasion
Vnto the Iewes, without regard,
To hasten on his passion:
Wherefore he supt in Bethanie,
His aduersaries euen by.

With Lazarus Christ supped there,
And Martha serued then at boord,
Where many did with ioy and feare,
Attend vnto Christ Iesus word:
As Iohn doth witnesse Mary then,
Annoynted Christ before those men.

Of oyntment Mary tooke a pound,
Of Spiknard very costly sure,
As any oyntment might be found,
For it was perfect, sweet and pure,
This all she spent on Iesus there,
His head and feete as may appeare.

His feete she wiped with her hayre,
The house with odour it was sweete:
The sauour so perfum'd the ayre,
That came from Iesus head and feete.
Yet Iudas did repine at this,
For of his purpose he did misse.

For he it was that did receiue,
What men at any time did giue:

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This Christ did very well perceiue,
How that her fact his mind did grieue:
For straight with her a fault he fouud,
And did her checke thus very round.

This wast it needed not, sayd he,
This oyntment for three hundred pence
Might haue bene sold and giuen me,
As part of the beneficence
That vsed is vnto the poore,
And such as go from doore to doore.

He spake not as his mind then gaue,
But moued with a vayne desire:
For he did couet all to haue,
This kindled in him flaming fire
Of greedinesse, as did appeare,
By such words as he vttred there.

Then Iesus sayd, let her alone,
She kept this for my burying day;
The poore ye may well thinke vpon,
They shall remaine with you alway:
Ye shall not alwayes so haue me,
But they alwayes with you shall be.

The womans worke thus wrought on me
Is good, and shall not be forgot;
This Gospell where as it shall be
Preached throughout the world, I wot:
This act of hers shall be spoke sure,
And her memoriall shall endure.

Much people of the Iewes were there,
Not all for Iesus sake onely,
But for to try what they did heare,
Of Lazarus assuredly.

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205

Of him they heard, as you haue read,
How Iesus raisd him from the dead.

The high Priests therefore tooke aduise,
How they might Lazarus also
Condemne with Christ in nay wise,
Because they saw that many mo
Did for his sake, in Christ beleeue,
Which thing did very much them grieue.

The next day following Christ went towards Ierusalem, riding most gloriously, the people crying Hosanna to the sonne of Dauid.

When they were thence to Bethphage come,
Which to Ierusalem is nye:
From the mount Oliues he sent some,
To the next village by and by;
There hence to fetch an asse away,
For him to ride vpon that day.

If any one say ought, say ye,
Thereof the Lord as now hath neede:
And he will send the same to me,
Therefore go hence, and come with speed.
That Prophecies so long ago,
Might be fulfilled, he did so.

To tell it Sion, see ye go,
Behold, thy king doth come to thee,
Meeke sitting on an asse, and lo
This happened then so to be:
But his Disciples (as forgot)
These things at first perceiued not.

Yet the Disciples went away,
Accomplishing their masters mind:
They brought the asse without delay,

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Which Christ had told them how to find:
And put their clothes the asse vpon,
That Iesus then might ride thereon.

A multitude that verie day,
Of such as were come to the feast:
When they heard Christ would ride that way,
Met him, and they for ioy were prest
To spread the branches they did beare,
And some the clothes that they did weare.

Moreouer they that deckt the way,
And went Christ Iesus there before,
And they that followed, each did say,
And prayse his name for euermore;
The king of Israell is come,
Blessed be he for ay, sayd some.

Hosanna Dauids sonne, to thee,
Blessed art thou, some other say:
All prayse and honour giuen be,
To him that commeth now this way.
Hosanna thou which art so hye
In heau'n, full of all maiesty.

When to Ierusalem they came,
The Citie all was moued then:
And fully prest this pompe to blame:
Who is this, say they, to those men?
Iesus, they say, that Prophet he,
Of Nazareth in Galilie.

Christ then againe purged the Temple, and cast out the buyers and sellers thence, and cured certaine blind and lame persons.

So Christ went straight the Temple to,
And purged then againe the same:

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He did (as he was wont to do)
All their abuses greatly blame,
Reprouing all those euill men,
That made Gods house for theeues a den.

Then to the Temple came the blind,
The halt, and such as grieued were:
Whom Christ did heale (such grace they find
As seeke to him, let no man feare)
Those men gaue God continuall prayse,
That such a Prophet he would rayse.

But when the chiefe Priests, Scribes, and such,
Saw all the maruels that he wrought,
It grieu'd them, and disdayning much,
They vtter'd what in mind they thought:
For they the children heard on hye
(Hosanna Dauids sonne) to cry.

Doest thou heare what these children say,
Said they to Christ? he sayd I do:
Haue you not read of this I pray,
That written was so long ago?
My babes and sucklings sure thou hast,
Made the prayse perfect now at last.

Christ conferred with certaine Grecians, or rather they desired to see Christ, and speake to him.

Now there were certaine Greekes as then,
That came to worship at the feast:
Which were among those other men,
As earnest as they saw the rest;
These say to Philip we pray thee,
To helpe that we may Iesus see.

Philip told Andrew of the same,
Againe they both to Iesus went,

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As messengers, in those mens name,
And told him all, and who them sent.
The houre is come, the sonne (sayd he)
Of man must glorified be.

I say vnto you verily,
Except that the wheate corne do fall
Into the ground, and therein dye,
It bringeth forth no fruit at all:
But if it dye, assuredly,
It bringeth fruit abundantly.

Another Sermon of the Crosse, wherein Christ couertly foretold of his death.

He that doth loue his life, he shall
Loose it, but who so hates it here,
Shall keepe it to life eternall,
Though his scarce truth, to some appeare:
Learne ye your selues to hate therefore,
That ye may liue for euermore.

If any man wish to serue me,
Let him come follow me, I say:
For where I am, there shall he be,
I will protect him night and day.
They (in my seruice) that endure,
My father will them honour sure.

And Iesus herein declared
Himselfe a perfect man to be:
My soule (saith he) is now troubled,
From this houre, father, saue thou me.
But therefore to this houre I came,
Yet father, glorifie thy name.

Then came from heau'n a mightie voyce,
Saying I haue, and will againe:

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209

(This may each mortall man reioyce,
That God did not for him disdaine,
To send his sonne to beare his blame)
In whom he glorified his name.

Then sayd the people that stood by,
It was some thunder that they heard:
But others sayd, nay verily,
An Angell if ye do regard,
Spake vnto him; thus diuerse men,
Did diuersly iudge of it then.

And Iesus answered, and sayd,
This voyce came not because of me,
But for your sakes, be not affrayd,
Great things you shall both heare and see:
For your sakes God will glorifie
The sonne of man, assuredly.

Of this world now the iudgement is,
The Prince thereof cast out shall be:
And if I were lift vp iwis,
Ile from the earth, draw men to me.
Now this sayd he to signifie,
What death then shortly he should dye.

We heard out of the law, sayd one,
That Christ for euer should remaine:
And how sayst thou, he must be gone,
The sonne of man must needs be slayne,
And lift vp high vpon a tree?
Tell, who that sonne of man should be.

Then Iesus sayd, a litle while
Light is with you, walke in the same,
Least that the darknesse you beguile,
Who walkes therein may merite blame.

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210

While ye haue light beleeue therein,
As louing it, and hating sinne.

So left he them, and went againe,
As he was wont, to Bethany:
For there all night he did remaine,
Among his chosen company.
This night by night he vsed still,
That so he might all things fulfill.

Christ going the next day from Bethany to Hierusalem, cursed the figge tree.

As Christ returned the next day,
From thence Hierusalem vnto,
He was an hungred by the way,
And to a figge tree he did go,
That grew hard by, thereon to find
Some figges, as then to ease his mind.

But when thereon he onely found
Greene leaues, and not a figge at all,
From top he curld it to the ground:
Fruit hence-forth on thee neuer shall.
Be seene againe, sayd Christ, and so,
Away from thence they all did go.

Like to an hypocrite, this tree
Had leaues, but had no fruit to eate:
Let hypocrites then warned be,
By the same cursse, that Christ did threat:
For with one word the Lord he may,
Head, branch, and root, cause to decay.

All his Disciples then did see
What he had done, and heard likewise
The curse Christ gaue vnto that tree,
Yet litle thought in any wise,

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What would be fall, but thence they went,
The Citie to as they were bent.

Christ to the Temple went againe,
And purg'd it, as he did before,
Reprouing them that were so vayne,
Abusing still then more and more
That place, appointed men to pray,
And not for marchandise to stay.

The Scribes and high Priests hearing this,
Sought how they might him then destroy,
Though he had done nothing amisse,
But gaue then cause of greatest ioy:
They sought his life, that life doth giue
To all men that in him beleeue.

They feared him, for they did see,
They could no way resist his will:
And did perceiue most men to be
Astonied at his doctrine still.
When euen came Iesus did hye,
And got him backe to Bethany.

Christ returning the next day, the Disciples seeing the figge tree withered, tell him of it.

The next day, as they passed by,
Then the Disciples all did see
The figge tree dryed, verily,
And that vp from the roote to be.
Then Peter sayd, master see this,
The figge tree throughly with'red is.

Then Iesus answering, did say,
If he haue faith vnfainedly,
Ye may this mountaine moue away
And lay it in the sea to lye.

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See that your hearts be cleane and pure,
And that your faith be firme and sure.

Then what ye do desire, I say,
By prayer shall be done in deed:
Faithfull requests have wings alway,
To flye vnto the Lord with speed.
Forgiue when ye do pray also,
That on your faults God thinke no mo.

Then to Hierusalem they came,
And to the temple went againe:
Where walking then within the same,
The high Priests fraught with foule disdaine,
And all the Scribes and Elders were,
To see Christ Iesus comming there.

They askt by what authoritie,
Christ did those things so lately there;
Who is of so great dignitie,
As may appoint thee ruler here?
Our elders left vs long ago
All power here, and to no mo.

Then Iesus answered, and sayd,
I will aske you one question,
And answer me now vndelayd,
Therein your iust opinion:
And I, by what authoritie,
Haue done these things, will testifie.

Iohns Baptisme tell me certainly,
Was it from heau'n or else of men?
Now answer me vnfainedly,
And you shall haue your answer then.
Like doubtfulnesse there is in this,
As in their former question is.

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213

They thought, if we confesse it came
From heau'n, then will he surely say,
Why did ye not beleeue for shame
His doctrine, and his words obay?
But if we say, of men, we feare
The people, that are standing here.

For Iohn accounted was in deed,
A mightie Prophet of them there:
When they perceiu'd how they should speed,
To answer him they stood in feare;
They answer'd then they knew not well,
He answer'd them he would not tell.

The Parable of the two sonnes.

What thinke ye then sayd Christ againe?
Two sonnes a certaine rich man had:
Vnto the elder of the twaine
The father came, and thus he bad:
Go sonne, said he, and worke I say,
Within my vineyard all this day.

The sonne then answered, and sayd,
I will not worke therein at all:
But afterward as all affrayd
To disobay his fathers call,
His frowardnesse he did repent,
And then into the vineyard went.

Then came he to the second sonne,
And sayd to him such words likewise:
Thy will (sayd he) shall sure be done,
Yet did his fathers hests despise.
For this sonne neuer laboured
In his worke as he promised.

Now whether of the twaine say ye,

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Performed best the fathers will?
The first or last tell this to me?
The first sayd they, did it fulfill.
The Publicans and harlots then,
Shall go to heau'n before these men.

For in the way of righteousnesse,
Iohn came to you I say, said he:
As did his doctrine well expresse,
Yet ye beleu'd not him, I see;
The Publicans and harlots they,
Beleeuing did his words obey.

Though ye his words and works did find,
So well agreeing certainly:
None to repentance gaue his mind,
Among you all assuredly.
His doctrine, that beleeuing ye,
Might for your sinnes much grieued be.

Another Parable of the vineyard, let out vnto the vnfaithfull husband-men.

Another Parable heare ye,
A certaine housholder did plant
A vineyard, and round hedged he
The same, that nothing it did want:
And therein this man builded tho,
A wine-presse, and a towre also.

All this he let to husband-men,
And traueld to a strange countrey:
For thence he went to soiourne then,
In hope his farmours would obey
His will, and well performe also
Their promise made, ere he did go.

But when the time of fruit drue nye,

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215

And he had sent for to receiue
The fruits of them his seruants by,
As promise was when he tooke leaue.
His seruants they did beate and kill,
Litle regarding their Lords will.

Againe he sent vnto them mo,
Which seruants they did kill likewise:
At last his sonne he causd to go,
His sonne also they did despise.
His onely sonne which he sent there,
Of whom he hop'd they stood in feare.

But when the husband-men did see
The sonne: this is the heire, they sayd:
Come let him likewise killed be,
All shall be ours, be not affrayd;
They slue the sonne himselfe at last,
And him out of the vineyard cast.

Now Iesus sayd, what thinke ye then?
For these offences that your heare,
What shall their Lord do to those men,
Whose faults so manifest appeare?
They slue his seruants one by one,
And lastly slue his onely sonne.

They sayd the Lord will sure destroy
Most cruelly those wicked men,
And others shall his farme enioy,
To whom the Lord will let it then.
That fruit in season will him yeeld,
Of eu'ry sort within his field.

Then Iesus sayd haue ye not read?
The stone the builders did refuse,
Is of the corner made the head?

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And so put there to chiefest vse.
The Lord his doing it is this,
And in our eyes a maruell is.

Therefore I say to you againe,
The kingdome of God sure shall be
Taken from you, this thing is plaine,
And giuen others francke and free,
Which will the fruits thereof forth bring,
And yeeld increase in eu'ry thing.

And who so on this stone shall fall,
Shall broken be, this you shall find:
But on whom it shall fall withall,
To powder him the stone will grind.
The first he may be heald againe:
This last shall labour but in vaine.

When the chiefe Priests and Pharisie,
These Parables of Christ did heare,
They did perceiue then by and by,
Of whom he spake as did appeare:
For they on him sought hands to lay,
Yet did for feare their purpose stay.

The people that were standing by,
A Prophet they tooke Christ to be:
This feared them that did espy,
Their readinesse to set him free.
And eke his houre was not come then,
Which was a let vnto those men.

Another Parable of the King that made a mariage for his sonne, whose bidden guests refused to come (although they were called) to the wedding.

Another Parable he spake
As then, before the multitude,

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That vnexcused he might make
The Iewes for their ingratitude,
To whom the Lord so bounteously,
Had offred so much clemency.

Gods kingdome is like to a King,
That made a mariage for his sonne:
And when he had for his wedding
Prepared what was to be donne,
He sent his seruants then forth all,
That they his bidden guests might call.

The guests would not, though bid they were,
Repaire with them vnto the feast:
They sayd, they could not then be there,
To their affaires they were addrest:
And thus they did the King abuse,
For eu'ry one made his excuse.

The first had bought a farme he sayd,
And he must needs the same go see:
The second was no whit affrayd,
Excused well he hop'd to be,
Fiue yoke of oxen he did buy,
And went to proue them hastily.

The third had wed a wife as then,
He could not come in any wise:
Thus answered those wicked men,
That did the heau'nly feast despise:
Yet were they not so very bad,
But there were some ten times as mad.

For they intreated shamefully,
The seruants that the King had sent:
They killed them most cruelly,
That so much good to them had ment;

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Though wicked were the first in deed,
These did the other farre exceed.

But when the king had heard the same,
He sent his warriours forth with speed:
For he was wroth to heare the fame,
And worse displeased with the deed.
Those murtherers destroyed he,
And causd their Citie burnt to be.

Vnto his seruants he sayd then,
The wedding truly is prepard:
Vnworthie were those wicked men,
That would so lightly it regard;
Go ye therefore to the high way,
And bring me guests without delay.

The seruants went and so they did,
They brought him guests both good and bad:
For eu'ry one they met, they bid,
To seeke to make their master glad;
And so with guests they furnished
The feast that he solemnized.

The king came in his guests to see,
And there he did perceiue anon,
A man among the rest to be,
That had no wedding garment on;
This came not to adorne the feast,
But to haue meate among the rest.

The king vnto him quickly sayd,
How camst thou hither in, my friend?
And he then speachlesse all affrayd,
Could by no meanes his cause defend.
The king could soone his faults espie,
For all his cloakt hypocrisie.

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Then to his seruants sayd the king,
Bind him, and take him hence away:
To vtter darknesse see you bring
Him, bound both hand and foote, I say;
There weepe and gnash his teeth shall he:
Many are cal'd, few chosen be:

Of paying tribute vnto Cæsar.

The Pharisies tooke counsell then,
How Christ in talke might tangled be:
They sent vnto him Herods men,
With their Disciples, this to see.
Thus all their wits they busied still,
To seeke to worke Christ Iesus ill.

Master, sayd they, we know and see,
That thou art true, and teachest right
The way of God, and that with thee,
Respect of man is verie light:
Mans person thou doest not respect,
But him that doth Gods will effect.

Tell vs therefore how thinkest thou?
May we to Cæsar tribute giue?
Thy iudgement herein shew vs now,
For this thing doth vs greatly grieue,
To pay him that mislikes men more,
The temple had alwayes before.

Iesus knowing their wickednesse,
Sayd, Hypocrites, why tempt ye me?
Your deeds shew you to be no lesse,
I cannot so deceiued be:
The tribute money shew me soone,
And you shall know what must be done.

They brought a peny to him then,

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Whose Image (then sayd Christ) is this,
And superscription (to those men?)
Cæsars, sayd they, it surely is.
Giue Cæsar, Cæsars things therefore,
And God his due, for euermore.

When they heard this, they maruelled,
And left him then and went away:
H s answer them astonished,
So that they could not him gainsay.
Yet left they not (such was their grace)
To hate him, though they left the place.

Christ confuted the Saduces, which denied the resurrection.

The Saduces the same day came:
The resurrection they deny,
And all such men did fowly blame,
That would beleeue it verily.
These came, I say, to Christ that day,
Their ignorance for to bewray.

Master (sayd they) Moses hath sayd,
Childlesse if that a man should dye,
His brethren need not be affrayd,
To take his wife successiuely,
And mary her, to raise him seed,
This law allowed was in deed.

There were seu'n brethren here with vs,
The first of them did wed a wife:
And dying then it hap'ned thus,
He left no child, that left this life,
His wife vnto his brother he
Did leaue also, his wife to be.

The second, third, and all the rest,

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Did mary her, but had no seed:
For ech of them as is exprest,
One after other dy'd in deed;
And last of all then dyed she,
Whose wife in heau'n there shall she be?

Then Iesus answered againe,
And sayd vnto them verily,
Ye are deceiued, this is plaine,
In your conceit, and wot ye why?
The Scripture ye at any hand,
Nor yet Gods power vnderstand:

For in the resurrection,
Men do not mary wiues as then,
But are in each condition
As Angels are, not mortall men.
But that the dead do rise againe,
Haue ye not read, yea oft in vayne?

I am sayd God, of Abraham,
Of Isaac and Iacob in deed,
Their God, and of all them that came
Of them, by faith, or of their seed.
Sure of the liuing God is he,
Not of the dead, I say to thee.

And when the people heard it, they
Were all astonied at the same:
But some his doctrine did obey,
Some other shrunke away for shame:
Which did his works and words despise,
Nor would beleeue in any wise.

The Pharisies demanded of Christ, which was the great commandement, and his answer.

But when the Pharisies had heard,

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That Christ to silence then had brought:
The Saduces, without regard,
They then a shift against him sought,
To worke his shame if it might be,
And so assembling this agree.

A Doctour of the Law therefore,
Should aske him there a question,
Tempting him then as before,
And asking his opinion:
Oh master, in the law which is
The great commandment? tell me this.

Then Iesus sayd to him againe,
The Lord thy God him shalt thou loue
With all thy heart, and eu'ry vayne,
Thy soule, and what thy mind may moue:
This is the great commaundement,
To keepe it is expedient.

The second is like vnto this;
As thine owne selfe thy neighbour loue:
On these commandements it is,
The law and Prophets hang and moue.
In first and last, the wiseman can
Learne duties, due to God and man.

To Iesus sayd the Pharisie,
Master, thou hast sayd very true:
There is but one God verily,
To loue, feare, and serue him is due.
Then Iesus sayd, Gods kingdome thou,
Art not farre from, I tell thee now.

Christ demanded of them how Christ the Messiah is the sonne of Dauid.

While that the Pharisies were there,

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Gathred together as we find:
Iesus did aske them without feare,
Of Christ, what thinke ye in your mind?
Whose sonne is he? they sayd againe,
Christ Dauids sonne is very plaine.

Christ sayd to them, how then doth he
In spirit call him Lord, I pray.
As in the Psalmes is for to see,
The Lord vnto my Lord did say,
Sit at my right hand till I make
Thy foes thy foote-stoole, for thy sake.

If Dauid cal'd him Lord, how then
Is he his sonne, do you declare?
And none of all those busie men
Could answer him, as witnesse are
Their works, they durst not, this is plaine,
From that day aske him ought againe.

The doctrine of the Scribes and Pharisies, sitting in Moses chaire was to be heard, but their liues and manners not to be followed.

Iesus spake to the multitude,
And his Disciples likewise then,
(Not waighing the ingratitude,
Of such malitious wicked men.)
Commending of the Scribes their place,
Though they themselues were voyde of grace.

The Scribes and Pharisies do sit,
In Moses seat, Christ Iesus sayd:
All therefore what they bid is fit,
That you obserue it vndelayd:
But what they do, do not the same,
They say and do not, to their shame.

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For heauie burdens they do bind,
And on mens shoulders them they lay,
Most grieuous to be borne in mind,
Intollerable eu'ry way;
But they themselues will not once proue,
With any finger them to moue.

All that they do is to be seene,
To haue of men a prayse therefore:
It is not now as it hath beene,
They do dissemble more and more.
For God would haue his word well knowne,
And not vpon their clothes so showne.

But they haue broad Philacteries,
And Gods commandements in those
Not in their hearts, these misteries
Their fowle dissembling do disclose.
What they about them written beare,
The heart to haue it, fittest were.

And other vanities among,
That these men vse continually:
They fringe their garments all along,
For outward show assuredly.
They loue the chiefest place and seate,
In all assemblies, and at meate.

And greetings in the market place,
And masters to be call'd of men:
Be not so call'd, least you disgrace
Your call, and doctrine euen then.
Christ onely master you may call,
And ye your selues are brethren all.

On earth your father, no man call,
For one your father is in deed:

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He is in heau'n farre aboue all,
And giueth you what you haue need.
Be not call'd Doctours, for one is
Your Doctour, euen Christ iwis.

Let him that is the greatest, be
As seruant vnto all the rest:
Himselfe who so exalteth he,
Shall be brought low: but this is best,
That ye your selues do humble; so
To be exalted where ye go.

Christ cryed wo against the Scribes, Pharisies and Lawyers.

Wo be to you, ye Scribes therefore,
And Pharisies withall, I say,
You hypocrites do euermore
Shut men from heauen all that ye may:
For in your selues ye do not go,
Nor suffer them that would do so.

Wo be to you, for ye deuoure
The widowes houses craftily:
Your prayers longer by an houre
Ye make, to worke your trechery;
Wherefore without compassion,
You shall receiue damnation.

Wo be to you (I say) againe,
For ye do compasse sea and land
To seeke one Proselite to gaine,
That he your law may vnderstand.
Which when he learnes then sure is he,
Much more the child of hell then ye.

Woe to you, ye guides so blind,
Which say that who so vse to sweare

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By the temple, this oth doth bind
No man, thereof he need not feare:
But by the gold thereof, say ye,
Who so do sweare, offenders be.

Of both these things which do you deeme,
To be in deed the holyest?
The gold which you so much esteeme,
Or temple of the mightiest?
The gold it doth it beautifie,
The temple it doth sanctifie.

And who doth by the altar sweare,
It is nothing as you do say:
But so to do ye make men feare,
By the offring, in any way.
The gift or altar which thinke ye,
The holiest of them both to be?

Ye fooles and blind, the offering
Is by the altar sanctifi'd:
Who sweares by it, for any thing,
Of this you may be certifi'd,
He sweares by it and all things there,
Therefore take heed how ye do sweare.

Who by the temple sweareth, he
By it, and by him sure doth sweare
That dwels therein: and likewise ye
That sweare by heau'n without all feare,
Of God ye do sweare by the throne,
And him that sitteth thereupon.

Wo be to you ye Scribes (I say)
And Pharisies so full of guile:
Ye hypocrites is this the way,
To cloake your cursed craft so vile?

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The least things that the law doth will,
You keepe, and leaue the greatest still.

Mint, annise, and cummin tith ye,
And waightier matters leaue alone:
The law commandeth these to thee
But last of all to thinke vpon.
For iudgement, mercy, and faith, are
The chiefest things should be your care.

Ye blind and wicked guides, which straine
A gnat, as if ye could not well
Deuour the same except with paine,
And swallow vp a great cammell:
Ye hypocrites, for cloaking so
Your craftinesse, you heape on wo.

Wo be to you (I say againe,)
For ye make cleane the vtter side
Of cup and platter, all in vaine,
It doth bewray your foolish pride:
But they within, are not the lesse
Of briberie full, and all excesse.

Thou blind and foolish Pharisie,
Cleanse first the inside of the same,
And then the out-side verily,
Thou mayst make cleane without all blame:
If that the inner man be pure,
The outward man is cleane be sure.

Wo be to you, for sure ye be
Like painted tombes in outward sight:
Appearing fayre to them that see
No part within, how they are dight:
For lead mens bones are there doubtlesse
Remaining with much filthinesse.

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So ye also, for outwardly
Ye do as righteous men appeare,
But are full of hypocrisie,
And vices, it is very cleare:
The outward man is fayre in show,
And fowle within, as God doth know.

Wo be to you that build so braue
The Prophets tombes that were before,
And garnish outwardly each graue
Of righteous men, now more and more:
And more then that you verily,
Thus vtter your iniquitie.

If we as then had bene (ye say)
In our forefathers time, had we
Consented so to see the day,
That guiltlesse bloud then spilt should be?
The Prophets had not dyed so,
Nor any godly man with wo.

So then ye are as witnesses
Vnto your selues, how that ye be
Their children, as ye do confesse,
That murthred them, therefore do ye
What lacked of their crueltie,
Fulfill with all dexteritie.

O Serpents the ofspring in deed,
And bloudy generation
Of vypers, and their very seed
By nature and opinion:
How ye should scape no man can tell,
The great damnation of hell.

Wherefore behold, to you Ile send,
Prophets, wisemen, and Scribes surely,

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To see if that ye will amend,
Whom ye will kill and crucifie,
And scourge in Synagogues apace,
And persecute from place to place.

That on you all the bloud may come,
Which was shed vpon earth alway,
From righteous Abell, Adams sonne,
To Zacharias, bloud which lay
Betweene the temple verily,
And altar, slaine most cruelly.

All these things shall assuredly
Come on this generation,
This age shall beare this penaltie,
And righteous condemnation,
That all their vayne hypocrisie,
May be detected openly.

Hierusalem which killest so,
The Prophets that are sent to thee,
And stonest some t'augment their wo,
How often would I, tell it me,
Thy children gather for their good,
Which they most frowarly withstood?

Yea euen as a carefull hen
Doth clocke her chickens, so haue I:
And yet will not these wicked men
Be saued from their miserie:
All wast and desolate shall be,
Their dwellings left that lothed me.

For vnto you, marke it, I say,
Ye shall not hence-forth see me more,
Vntill ye blesse the very day,
And wish good hap for euermore

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To him that commeth so with fame
To you, in great Iehouahs name.

As Iesus by the treasurie
Beheld, what men did offer there,
The rich and poore most bounteously
Did cast therein, as may appeare:
Of all the rest a widow then,
Cast in two mites among those men.

To his Disciples Iesus said,
I say to you assuredly,
She in this treasurie hath layd
More then their superfluitie,
She cast in all she had in store,
They want no whit they had before.

Of the destruction of the temple and Citie, and of the end of the world.

When Iesus then had finished,
To purge the temple as ye heard,
And had also accomplished
His iudgements heare before declard,
He left the temple, then to go
To Bethanie, whence he came fro.

And this the third day after was
The feast of Palmes, or Palme sunday:
But ere he thence away could passe,
Thus his Disciples to him say;
Come Lord, and see this building here,
How beautifull it doth appeare.

And Iesus said to them againe,
See ye these things and marke them all?
There shall not verily remaine,
One stone hereof that shall not fall.

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A stone shall not be left on stone,
But shall be cast downe eu'ry one.

And his Disciples came againe,
As he vpon mount Oliues sate,
And sayd, do thou now tell vs plaine,
When this shall be, and of the state
Of thy comming, and the worlds end,
And what signe then thou wilt vs send.

And Iesus answered and sayd,
That you be not deceiu'd take heed:
Great cause ye haue to be affrayd,
Least you as others then should speed:
For many shall come in my name,
And deceiue many with the same.

And ye shall heare of warres, I say,
And rumours of warres there shall be:
Let not all this your minds dismay
Or trouble, though the same ye see:
These things to come no man may let,
But sure the end is not as yet.

One nation shall first arise
Against another nation:
And realme with realme shall in this wise,
Fall into great contention.
Pestilence, and famine then,
And earthquakes, shall vexe diuerse men.

For these assuredly shall be,
And that in diuerse places so,
That who so shall those troubles see,
And plagues, shall sore lament for wo.
Of sorowes and also of care,
All these things but beginnings are.

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Then yon deliuer'd vp shall be,
By men to be afflicted fore:
They shall kill you, take this of me,
Ye shall be hated more and more
Of nations, for my names sake,
Which you contentedly must take.

Offended then shall many be,
And one another shall betray:
And hatred in the highst degree,
Shall among men beare too great sway.
False Prophets also shall arise,
Which shall deceiue the worldly wise.

And then because iniquitie,
Shall be increased day by day,
The loue of many verily,
Shall be as cold as clod of clay:
But to the end who doth endure,
Shall saued be, of this be sure.

When this Gospell of the kingdome,
Shall preached be in eu'ry place
Throughout the world; sure then shall come,
The end within a litle space.
This witnesse to both good and bad,
Encreaseth ioy or maketh sad.

These are the signes that Christ foretold,
Should come ere thy destruction,
Thou Citie that to sinne art sold,
Still working thy confusion:
Hierusalem thou wilt not see,
Nor yet receiue health sent to thee.

Therefore seducers shall arise,
Warres and rumours of warres shall be:

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The pestilence in raging wise,
And famine in the highst degree:
Earthquakes which may not be withstood,
And persecution of the good.

Offences publike in each place,
And verie wicked trecherie,
False Prophets many wanting grace,
Deceiuing many subtilly:
Of maners much corruption,
Stained with all pollution.

Loue cold among the greatest sort
Of brethren then shall likewise be:
Yet for the faithfull this comfort,
Ere then they shall be sure to see
The Gospell preached euerie where:
And then the end shall soone appeare.

And therefore this shall be the end,
Which you must marke aduisedly,
For few shall then find out a frend,
There will be such calamitie:
When former signes are come to passe,
The end is worse then all that was.

For then Ierusalem shall be
With men besieged round about:
Let them consider then that see
What Daniell spoke: it is no doubt
The great abhomination,
Of thy iust desolation.

This standing in the holy place
When ye do see, marke what I tell,
Let him that reades while he hath space,
This prophecie consider well.

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Then let them which in Iewrie be,
From thence into the mountaines flee.

Let him that is on the house top,
Not come downe thence to fetch away
Ought that he hath in house or shop,
Least lingring there by such delay
He loose the oportunitie,
Offred for his commoditie.

And he that in the field is then,
Let him not go backe home againe,
To fetch his clothes, though this to men
May seeme to be exceeding paine,
The time shall then require no lesse,
Then I to you do now expresse.

Then wo to them with child shall be,
And them that do giue such also:
For these are most vnapt to flee,
And therefore subiect to all wo.
That your flight be not, see you pray.
In winter or the Sabboth day.

For then great troubles shall be sure,
Such were not since the world began:
Nor shall be while the world endure,
That saued scarce should be a man,
If for th' elect it happened,
Those dayes should not be shortened.

If any then to you do say,
Lo here is Christ, or Christ is there,
Beleeue it not: for at that day,
False Christs and Prophets shall appeare,
And shall shew signes and wonders such,
As will deceiue men very much.

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Those false Christs and false Prophets shall
Gods chosen very neare deceiue,
If possible it were at all,
As then you shall full well perceiue.
Behold I haue told you before,
Haue alwayes care hereof therefore.

Wherefore if they vnto you say,
Behold he in the desert is:
Go not forth after him that way,
For you shall find vntruth in this.
In secret if they say he be,
Beleeue it not, it is not he.

For as the lightning from the East,
Doth come and that most sodainly,
And shineth forth into the West,
So shall it be assuredly:
The sonne of man shall come I say,
In like sort at the iudgement day.

For where the dead carcasse doth rest,
The eagles will resort thereto,
If that it be by East or West,
Such fowle vnto their pray will go.
Gods chosen shall to Christ that day
Resort, as these vnto their pray.

After those dayes immediatly,
And all those troubles, then forth-right,
The sunne shall darken by and by,
And eke the moone shalt not giue light:
The starre; of heauen they shall fall,
And powres thereof shall shake withall.

And lo, in heau'n shall sure appeare,
The signe of Christ his comming then,

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And much shall mourne then eu'ry where,
All kindreds and all tribes of men.
Then in the clouds Christ comming he,
Most glorious all men shall see.

And he his Angels foorth shall send,
With sound of trumpe that is so shrill:
On the elect they shall attend,
And gather them as he doth will,
From the foure winds and eu'rie where,
In one together to appeare.

Christs comming shall be as the dayes of Noah were, sudden and vnlooked for.

No man doth know that houre or day,
No, not the Angels, be ye sure:
My father onely, this I say,
Doth onely know that day and houre:
For as the dayes of Noë haue bene,
So shall Christs comming then be seene.

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As in the dayes before the flood,
They did both eate and drinke also,
Marrie, and else what they thought good,
Till he the Arke had gone into.
All this we may in Moses see,
How he and his from flood were free.

And all the rest did nothing know,
Till that the flood tooke them away:
It shewes how they were verie slow
For to repent their sinnes that day.
Christs comming shall as suddenly
Be seene, as that was verily.

Two men shall in the field be then,
The one of them receiu'd shall be,
The other of those verie men,
To be refused sure is he.
Two women grinding then at mill,
The good receiu'd, but not the ill.

A warning to all men to be watchfull.

Wake therefore and be warie men,
For ye know not what houre or day
Your maister comes, lest sleeping then
You with the reprobate decay.
Watch that with the elected sort
Receiu'd ye be, to your comfort.

Of this be sure, if the good man,
The houre the theefe will come may know,
He will keepe watch all that he can,
To saue his house from hurt I trow.
Be likewise readie alwayes then,
For Christ will come ye know not when.

A faithfull seruant and a wise,

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Made ruler of his masters men:
His masters trust will not despise,
But feedeth them in season then
When he is absent, as he were
Still present with his seruants there.

That seruant blessed is in deed,
Whom his master when he doth come,
Shall find so doing, he shall speed,
Be sure, of some especiall roome:
His master will make him therefore,
Ruler of all he hath in store.

But if the euill seruant say,
My master will not come as yet:
And smite his fellowes day by day,
And still with drunkards drinke and eate,
His master will come when that he
Expecteth not him for to see.

Him he will cut off from the rest,
And giue to him his portion
With hypocrites, this is the least,
That after condemnation,
He shall both weepe and gnash for wo,
His teeth that he applied so.

The Parable of the ten Virgines.

The kingdome sure of heau'n shall be
Vnto ten virgines likened,
Which tooke their lampes and went to see,
If they could meete (as happened)
The bridgrome, comming by that way,
For whom all they together stay.

Yea virgines they were all in deed,
Such find this spouse assuredly,

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As chastly haue in heart decreed,
On Christ to call vnfainedly,
And not on idols, for they must
Repose in Christ their onely trust.

Yet onely fiue were wise of these,
And fiue were foolish certainly,
Which had their lampes the bride to please,
And went to meete him solemnely.
The former fiue had oyle all night,
The last had none to saue their light.

Now while the bridegrome taried long,
All slumbred and slept heauily:
There was at midnight heard among
The Vingins, sodainly this cry;
Behold, the bridgrome comes this way,
Go meete him forth without delay.

Then all those Virgins quickly rose,
And trym'd their lampes away to go:
The foolish Virgins sayd to those
That wiser were, giue vs also
Some of your oyle, our lampes to saue,
Our lampes are out, no oyle we haue.

The wise thus answer'd them againe,
Lest there be not inough we feare
For vs and you, therefore take paine,
To go and buy some oyle elsewhere.
Their foolishnesse deserued blame,
For while they went the bridegrome came.

And they that then were ready, went
Into the wedding with the bride,
And they that there were not present,
Were shut out at that very tyde.

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And when they came and knocked fast,
This answer they receiu'd at last.

I know you not that cry and call,
Lord, Lord do open vs this gate:
Nor you may not come in at all,
Your knocking now is to to late:
Sith, ye know not the houre or day,
That Christ doth come, watch still and pray.

The Parable of the Talents.

For the kingdome of heau'n, it is
Like to a man that went from home,
To a strange countrey farre from his,
But causd his seruants first to come:
To whom he did deliuer tho,
His goods, ere he from home would go.

To one he gaue then Talents fiue,
And to another onely two:
He one vnto the third did giue,
Each one had something then to do,
As they were able; and straight-way,
He did depart, that very day.

Then he that the fiue Talents had,
Went and did occupie the same,
And gayn'd to make his master glad,
Fiue Talents more before he came.
He that likewise receiued two,
Did gayne therewith as many mo.

But he that had receiued one,
Within the earth did digge the same,
And hid the money with a stone,
To keepe vntill his master came.
Thus eu'ry one did occupy,

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Their masters Talents diuersly.

And after a long season came,
Their master home to them againe:
They reckned with him for the same,
And gaue accounts of all their gaine:
One after other as they could.
What they had done, to him they told.

He came first that fiue Talents had,
And brought with him fiue Talents mo:
And sayd, ô master here (be glad)
Thy money is, and gaines also:
For I haue gained as much more,
As I haue receiu'd of thee before.

To him his master said againe,
Well done good seruant sure thou hast:
That thou therewith did'st take such paine,
Thou shalt receiue reward at last:
Enter thy masters ioy to take,
Of much I will thee ruler make.

He came that did receiue likewise,
Two Talents, and he thus did say:
O master, thou mayst not despise,
These gaines since thou went'st hence away:
Here is thy money that I had,
And as much more that I haue made.

His master vnto him did say,
Good seruant, sure it is well donne:
The time thou spendest well alway,
Else couldst not thou so much haue wonne:
Thy faithfulnesse in this was such,
I will thee ruler make of much.

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Then he which had receiued one,
Came to his master, and did say,
When thou a way from hence wast gone,
I hid thy money without nay,
Because I fear'd thy cruelty.
Here, take thine owne contentedly.

His master answered and sayd,
Thou ill and slouthfull seruant, why
(If thou of me art so affrayd,
And knowst so well my crueltie)
Didst not thou find some meane or way,
To get me gaines against this day?

The Talent from him take therefore,
And giue it him that now hath ten:
For who so hath, he shall haue more,
And he shall haue abundance then.
From him that hath not, shall away
Be taken all he hath, I say,

That seruant voyde of profit, ye
To vtter darknesse therefore cast:
There weepe and gnash his teeth shall he,
Thus shall his slouth be payd at last.
See then your Talent fructifie,
Least you loose it eternally.

The manner of the last Iudgement.

When that the sonne of man comes to
The Iudgement, with great maiesty,
His holy Angels all also,
Shall be with him most gloriously:
And he shall sit vpon the throne
Of glorie, iudging eu'ry one.

All nations shall be gathered,

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Before the sonne of man as then,
And there they shall be seuered,
The godly from the wicked men,
As shepheards seperate their sheepe,
From flockes of goats that they do keepe.

The sheepe, whereby are ment the best,
He shall set then on his right hand:
The goates, by which are ment the rest,
On the left side of him shall stand:
So shall the King to the good men,
Pronounce this louing sentence then;

Ye blessed of my father come,
Inherite you the kingdome here,
Prepared ere the world begon,
For you (of him) as doth appeare:
For when I wanted food to eate,
Ye gaue me lodging, drinke and meate.

Ye clothed me, that naked was,
Me, being sicke, ye came to see:
Imprisoned, ye did not passe,
Vntill ye had relieued me,
My wants supplying willingly,
And comforting my miserie.

Then shall the righteous, say againe,
Lord, when saw we thee in such case?
And then the King without disdaine,
Shall answer them; in eu'ry place,
In as much as ye haue done this,
To these my brethen, mine it is.

Then shall he to the other say,
(The wicked goates on the left hand)
Depart ye cursed hence away,

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All, as ye do together stand:
Go into fire vnquencheable,
Prepared for the damnable.

For when I hungred verie sore,
Ye gaue me then nothing to eate;
And oft I thirsted more and more,
Yet wanted drinke, as well as meate:
Ye lodged not, nor clothed me,
Nor sicke in prison would me see.

They aske when they had seene him so:
He answereth now as before:
Therefore he saith, that these shall go,
To suffer paine for euermore.
But sure the righteous shall then all,
Go and possesse life eternall.

Christ in the Temple taught by day,
And there-hence out at night he went
To Oliuet the readie way,
Where that time he then alwayes spent:
To heare him dayly many came,
So much was spread abroad his fame.

Another Sermon of the Crosse, which Christ made to his Disciples in Bethanie, at Simon the leapers house.

When Iesus had thus finished
These sayings, he began to say
To such as him then followed,
From place to place so eu'ry day;
Ye know within two dayes will be
The feast of passeouer, sayd he.

And then shall be deliuered,
The sonne of man (as heretofore

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I told you) to be crucified,
Although it grieue you verie sore:
The time, is come that death the iust,
For sinfull men needs suffer must.

The chiefe Priests were then assembled,
The Scribes and eke the Elders all,
Where they this thing delibered,
(Within the high Priest Cayphas hall)
How Iesus might by subtiltie
Be had, and killed cruellie.

But they sayd, not on the feast day,
Least any vproare there should be
Among the people any way,
If they the same should hap to see:
The people him do magnifie,
Whom we desire to crucifie.

Then Iudas tooke occasion,
(Set forward by the deuill in deed,
To be of such opinion,
Which caused him so ill to speed)
When Christ did sup in Bethany,
At Simons house assuredly.

Where Mary did annoynt the Lord,
With pretious oyntment that she had,
As Christ was there set at the boord,
Which made the traytour Iudas mad:
He thought it wast that so was spent,
Reuenge it therefore thus he ment.

He went to the chiefe Priests, and sayd,
What will ye now giue vnto me,
If I deliuer vndelayd,
Christ to your hands? what then say ye?

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All thirtie pence they said againe,
We will giue thee if thou take paine.

And from that time, as most suppose,
He sought all oportunitie
For to betray him vnto those,
That hired him so liberallie:
For all his mind was fully set,
By hooke or crooke some gaines to get.

The Disciples demand of Christ, where he would they should prepare the passeouer.

The first day of vnleauened bread,
Peter came vnto Christ and Iohn,
(Whom they acknowledged their head)
And askd of him this question;
Where wilt thou that we do prepare,
To eate the passeouer declare?

Then he thus vnto them did say,
Go ye into the Citie both,
And you shall meete one in your way,
Marke whither that the same man goeth:
You shall see him a pitcher beare,
Of water full, when you come there.

Go ye and follow him into
The house he goeth in, and say
To the good man, we pray you do
Shew the chamber our master may
Eate passeouer, and he forth right
Will shew a chamber ready dight.

So the Disciples found in deed,
As Christ before to them did say:
And they prepar'd for him with speed,
To eate the passeouer that day.

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So when the euen was now late,
Christ came and with the twelue he sate.

As they did eate, Christ sayd againe,
Assuredly to you, I say,
You shall see this (though to his paine)
That one of you shall me betray.
Then the Disciples sorie were,
And of this saying stood in feare.

Now there was one whom Christ did loue,
That leaned then vpon his breast:
Him Peter did with signes so moue,
That he demanded for the rest;
Tell vs (ô Lord) we do thee pray,
Who is it that shall thee betray?

And Iesus sayd, the hand is here
At this boord, that betrayeth me,
(As to you all it will appeare)
And in the dish now dippeth he.
He lift his heele against his head,
That eateth with me of this bread.

The sonne of man shall surely go,
As of him it hath written beene:
But to that man be euer woe,
By whose deuise the same is seene.
It had bene good for him, I say,
He had not yet bene borne this day.

Then Iudas which did Christ betray,
Answer'd and said, sir is it I?
The traitour thought to find a way,
To cloake his treason craftily.
Then Christ said, thou hast sayd in deed,
As I haue sayd, so shall I speed.

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Christ washed his Disciples feete.

Christ knowing that the father had
Giuen all things into his hand,
(Whereof all men may be right glad,
That truly this will vnderstand)
And that from God come forth was he,
And went to God, with him to be.

He rising from his supper, layd
His vpper garments all aside,
And tooke a towell, it is sayd,
And withall girt himselfe that tyde:
Christ Iesus did this verily,
To teach vs true humilitie.

Christ powred in a basin then,
Water to wash their feete withall,
He humbling him among his men,
Did with a towell wipe them all:
Thus vsd he all simplicitie,
To teach vs still humilitie.

To Simon Peter then he came,
Who sayd, what doest thou Lord to me?
To wash my feete it were my shame,
Therefore good Lord, this may not be.
What I do now, sayd Christ, at all
Thou knowst not, but hereafter shall.

But Peter sayd, thou shalt not now,
O master, wash my feete, I say.
Then Iesus sayd, cleane art not thou,
Nor mayst be if thou disobay:
For Peter if I wash not thee,
Thou shalt haue sure no part with me.

And Simon Peter sayd againe,

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Lord, not my feete all onely then,
But head and hands if thou take paine,
And wilt such fauour shew to men.
Christ sayd, whose feete is washed so,
Is cleane, and needs not any mo.

And ye are cleane although not all,
For he knew who should him betray:
He knew him well before his fall,
How fowly he would slide away:
But to repent he had no grace,
Though he were checkt in eu'ry place.

So after that he washed had
Their feete, and tooke his clothes againe,
And was set downe, as alwayes glad
He was, for his to take all paine;
Know ye, sayd he, what I haue donne?
Do ye therefore as I begonne.

Ye call me Lord, and master well,
For so in very deed I am:
If I your Lord, that so excell,
Most humble for your sakes became,
Ye ought each others feete therefore
To wash, as I haue done before.

Example vnto you gaue I,
That you as I haue done, should do:
The seruant was not certainly
Aboue his master, hitherto,
Nor the ambassadour I say,
Greater then who sent him away.

If ye know these things I declare,
And do them, then blessed are ye:
It is a vertue verie rare,

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Among most men the same to see.
All this he spake to them assoone
As he of washing them had done.