HOLY weeke.
At his last supper, to giue his farewel, and that in most wonderful louing manner, 4. he washeth
his Disciples feet, 6. beginning with Peter, 8. (shewing how necessarie it is for vs to be washed
of him in Baptisme, and needful also after Baptisme) 12. and by this example teaching them al
humilitie one toward another. 21. Then he foretelleth, that (notwithstanding his exceeding loue
toward them) one euen of them wil betray him, meaning Iudas, 22. as to Iohn he secretly sheweth.
After whose going out, he reioyceth and saith, that euen now the houre is come. 34. commendeth
vnto them to loue together, as a new commandement, 36. and foretelleth Peter, who presumed too much of
his owne strength, that euen this night he wil deny him thrise.
1.
⋮
The Ghospel vpon Maunday thursday at masse, & at the washing of feete.
Maunday
Thursday.
*
Mat. 26,1.
Mark 14,2.
Luke 22,1.
AND before the festiual day of Pasche, Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ knowing that his houre was come
that he should passe out of this world to his Father: whereas he had loued his that were in
the world, vnto the end he loued them.
2. And when
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By supper, he meaneth the eating of the Paschal lambe for the institution of the
B. Sacrament was after this.
supper was done, whereas the Diuel now had put into the hart of Iudas
Iscariote the sonne of Simon, to betray him:
3. knowing that the Father gaue him al things into his handes, & that he came from
God, and goeth to God:
4. he riseth from supper, and laieth aside his garments, and hauing taken a towel,
grided himself.
5. After that, he put water into a bason, and
Began to wash.
Puritie required to the receiuing of the B. Sacrament.
The lotion was not only of curtesy, such as the Iewes vsed toward their ghests,
nor only for example of humilitie: but for mysterie and signification of the
great puritie that is required before we come to receiue the holy Sacrament,
which straight after this washing was to be iustituted and giuen to the Apostles.
Ambr. li. 3. de Sacra. c. 1. Bernard decæna Domini Sermon 1.
began to wash the feete of the Disciples,
and to wipe them with the towel where with he was girded.
6. He commeth therfore to Simon Peter. And Peter saith to him; Lord: doest thou
wash me feet?
7. Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ answered and said to him: That which I doe, thou knowest not now,
hereafter thou shalt know.
8. Peter saith to him: Thou shalt not wash my feet for euer. Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ answered
him: If I wash thee not, thou shalt not haue part with me.
9. Simon Peter saith to him: Lord, not only my feet, but also hanes and head.
10. Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ saith to him: He that is washed, needeth not but
To wash his feete.
Venial sinnes taken away by sacred ceremonies.
The foulnes of the feete, when al the rest is cleane, signifieth the earthly
affliction and relikes of former sinnes remitted: which are to be cleansed by
deuout actes of charitie and humilitie, as S. Ambrose li. 3. de Sacra. c. 1.
and S. Augustin. ep. 108. & tract. 56. in Io. doe note. And because
this was only a ceremonie, & yet had such force, both now, and afterward vsed by
the Apostles, that it purged smaller offenses and filthines of the soule, as
*S. Ambrose and S. Bernard gather, it may not seeme strange that
holy-water and such ceremonies may remit venial sinnes.
*Ambr. & Bern. locis citatis.
to wash his feet,
but is cleane wholy. And you are cleane, but not al.
11. For he knew who he was that would betray him. therfore he said: You are not
cleane al.
12. Therfore, after he had washed their feete, and taken his garments, being set
downe, againe he said to them: Know you what I haue done to you?
13. You cal me, Maister, and Lord: and you say wel, for I am so.
14. If then I haue washed your feete, Lord and Maister;
You also ought.
The Church defineth which are Sacraments and which are not.
Our Maister neuer spake plainer, nor seemed to command more precisely, either of
Baptisme of the Eucharist or any other Sacrament: and yet by the Churches iudgement
directed by the Holy Ghost we know this to be no Sacrament nor necessarie
ceremonie, and the other to be. And why doe they beleeue the Church in this,
and doe not credit her affirming the chalice not to be necessarie for the
communicants?
you also ought to wash one
anothers feete.
15. For I haue giuen you an example, that as I haue done to you, so you doe also.
16. Amen, amen I say to you, a seruant is not greater then his Lord, neither is an
Apostle greater then he that sent him.
17. If you know these things, you shal be blessed if you doe them.
18. I speake not of you al: I know whom I haue chosen. But that the scripture may be
fulfilled,
*
Psa. 40,10.
He that eateth bread with me shal lift vp his heele against me.
19. From this time I tel you, before it come to passe: that when it shal come to
passe, you may beleeue, that I am he.
20. Amen, amen, I say to you, he that receiueth any that I send, receiueth me: & he
that receiueth me, receiueth him that sent me.
21. When Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ had said these things, he was troubled in spirit: and he
protected, and said:
*
Mat. 26,18.
Mark 14,16.
Luke 22,21.
Amen, amen I say to you that one of you shal betray me.
22. The Disciples therfore looked vpon another, doubting of whom he spake.
23. There was therfore one of his Disciples leaning in the bosome of Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ,
he whom Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ loued.
24. Therfore Simon Peter beckneth to him, and said to him: Who is it of whom he
speaketh?
25. He therfore leaning vpon the breast of Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ saith to him: Lord, who is he?
26. Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ answered: He it is to whom I shal reach the dipped bread. And when
he had dipped the bread, he gaue it to Iudas Iscariote Simons sonne.
27. And after the morsel, then Satan entred into him. And Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ saith to him:
That which thou doest, doe it quickly.
28. But no man know of those that sate at table to what purpose he said this vnto him.
29. For certaine thought, because Iudas had the
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Christ had some prouision before hand giuen him by the Collections of the
faithful; which was vsed both in his owne necessities, & bestowed vpon the
poore.
purse, that Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ had said to
him: Buie those things which are needful for vs to the festiual day: or that he should giue some
thing to the poore.
30. He therfore hauing receiued the morsel, incontinent went forth. And it was night.
31. He therfore was gone forth, Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ said: Now the Sonne of man is glorified,
and God is glorified in him.
32. If God be glorified in him, God also wil glorifie him in himself, and incontinent
wil he glorifie him.
33. Litle children, yet a litle while I am with you. You shal seeke me, &
*
Iohn 7,34.
as I said
to the Iewes, whither I goe, you can not come: to you also I say now.
34.
*
1. Iohn 3,23.
A new commandement
A new commandement.
The commandement of mutual loue was giuen before, but manifoldly misconstrued, and
abridged by the Iewes to freinds only, to this life only, for earthly respects
only: but Christ reneweth it and enlargeth it after the forme of his owne
loue toward vs, and giueth grace to fulfil it.
I giue to you, That you loue one another; as I haue loued you,
that you also loue one another.
35. In this al men shal know that you are my Disciples, if you haue loue one to
another.
36. Simon Peter saith to him: Lord, whither goest thou? Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ answered, Whither
I goe, thou canst not now follow me, but hereafter thou shalt follow.
37. Peter saith to him: Why can not I follow thee now?
*
Mat. 26,35.
Mark 14,29.
Luke 22,33.
I wil yeald my life for thee.
38. Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ answered him: Thy life wilt thou yeald for me? Amen, amen I say to
thee, the cocke shal not crow, vntil thou denie me thrise.