Seven godly and learned sermons preachedSeuen godly and learned sermons preached

Paul saith,¹ Mysterium absconditum a saeculis nunc autem revelatur per Jesum Christum, the mysterie, that high mystery of mans salvation, that hath been so many hundred years hid, is now revealed by Christ our Saviour: so long it hath been hidden, saith Saint Paul, and now it is opened and showed unto the whole world by Christ. Therefore blessed are your eyes, said Christ, yea, blessed are the eyes which see that ye see, for your bodily eyes see that which the Angels did lack, you see that which the Patriarchs and the Prophets never saw: you, said Christ, you my Disciples are blessed that see me, that hear my gospel and believe the same, and therefore blessed are your eyes, and the eyes which see that you see. For otherwise the Scribes saw Christ as the Apostles did, the Pharisees saw him as the Apostles did, and yet were they always Scribes and Pharisees, that is, such as withstood Christ, and gainsaid his doctrine: Caiaphas saw Christ as the Apostles did, and yet he rent his clothes, and said, ⟨image 72⟩that Christ was a blasphemer.² Pilate saw Christ as the Apostles did, and yet he gave judgement against Christ.³ Judas saw Christ as the rest of his fellows the Apostles saw him,⁴ and yet he betrayed Christ.⁵ The Soldiers, and such as hung Christ on the cross, saw Christ as the Apostles did, yet were they wicked men, & did put Christ unto death. Shall we then say, that these mens eyes were blessed? that the eyes of the Scribes and Pharisees were blessed? that Caiaphas eyes, Pilats eyes, Judas eyes were blessed? shall we say, that the Soldiers eyes, & the eyes of them that put Christ unto death, were blessed, because they saw Christ, & beheld his body? O good brethren, these men saw Christ, and yet saw him not: they saw him with their bodily eyes, and yet they knew him not: they saw him as the Ass, the Wolfe, and the Dog saw him: they saw him as the devil saw him,⁶