some very childishly and peruersely expounde it who may easely be confuted by the place of S. Paule where he teacheth the Corinthians the true vse of the supper speaking to men womē without exception to the whole body of the churche testifieth that he deliuered the same to them as he had receiued it from the lord But he distributed bread to the Apostles that all generally might eate that euery one should so take his portion that there might be an equall participation among all For hee saythe Take eate C. In that he cōmaundeth vs to take he meaneth that it belōgeth vnto vs whereas he commaundeth to eate he meaneth that it is made one substance with vs For he did so institute all these thinges that the disciples might cōmunicate this supper among them selues Whereupon it followeth that it was a deuelishe inuencion that one man seperating him selfe from the residue of the congregation shoulde priuately celebrate the supper For what is more vnsemely than to haue the bread distributed in the presence of the people then to be eatē vp in a corner of one alone Although therfore the Papistes do boaste that they haue the substāce of the lordes supper in their masses yet for al that in dede it is playne that so many priuate masses as they haue celebrated so many conquestes hath Sathan erected to ouerthrowe the supper of the lord Neither is it true whiche they saye that it is a sacrifice offered in the name of the whole churche For Christ did not cōmaūde that one mā shuld eate it in the name of all the reste but that euery one should take and eate thē selues By the same woordes we are taught what oblatiō was offered of Christ in the supper He commaundeth his disciples to take He it is therfore that offereth Where as therfore the Papistes fayne that Christ offereth him selfe in the Supper it cōmeth of the cōtrary authour namely of the deuell not of Christe And truely this is a wonderfull inuersion and preposterous dealing that a mortall man whē he is cōmaunded to take the body of Christ should take vnto him selfe his office of offering and so making him self a prieste offereth vnto God his sonne We go not about here to declare howe full of sacriledge and execrable abhomination their fayned oblation is it is sufficient for vs to proue that it hath so little affinite with the institution of Christe that it dothe rather directly impugne the same This is my body Christ calleth the bread his body For the relatiue This doth expresse the bread and not the body For by and by it followeth This cuppe is the newe testament in my bloud the which are figuratiue sayinges as we shall see anone But where as they saye that the bread was consecrated by these wordes that it might bee an outwarde signe of Christes fleshe we doe not dislike if so be that this woorde signe be rightly and truely taken Christe therefore chose the breade whiche was appointed to nourishe the body and sanctifieth it to another vse that it may now beginne to be spirituall foode And this is that conuersion whereof the aunciēt wryters of the church haue made mencion But for all this wee must note that the bread is not consecrated by whyspering and breathing ouer it but by the pure doctrine of faithe And truely it is a magicall sorcery when the consecration is directed to a dead element because the bread is not made a signe of the body of Christe for it selfe but for vs To be shorte Consecration is nothing els than a solēne testimony by the whiche the Lorde dothe geue vnto vs a terrestriall and corruptible signe to a spirituall vse The whiche thing cannot be done excepte the cōmaundement promise do plainly sounde forth to the building of faith Whereby it is euident againe that the Papistes do wickedly prophane the holy mistery with their obscure muttering and breathing But it Christe do cōsecrate the bread when he testifieth vnto vs that it is his body we must not imagin the alteration of the substāce but we must marke the newnes of the vse And except the craftines of the deuel had so bewitched the worlde that being once caried by the vayne imaginatiō of transsubstantiation it will at this daye admit no true interpretatiō in these words it should be superfluous in vayne to spend any long time in sekinge out the sence and meaning Christ pronoūceth that the bread is his body and he intreateth of the sacrament And we must nedes cōfesse that a sacrament dothe consiste of a visible signe to the whiche the thinge signified is ioyned whiche is his truthe This also hath bene euer a general rule that the name of the thing signified is trāsferred to the signe Wherefore no man that hath but indifferently traueled in the scriptures wyll deny but that a sacramentall speache must be taken denominatiuely We let passe generall tropes figures which are in diuers places of the scripture This onely we saye that so often as the externall signe is sayd to be that which it signifieth all men wyll confesse that it is done by a figure called Metonymia or Denomination If Baptisme be called the lauer of regeneration if Christe bee called the Rocke from whiche water flowed to the peopled that were in the deserte If the holy ghoste be called a doue no man nede to doubte but that the name of those thynges is attributed to signes whiche they figure Howe commeth it to passe then that they whiche so muche reuerence the woordes of the Lord cannot abide to haue that ioyned to the supper whiche is cōmon to all sacramentes The simple litterall sence doth please thē why then shal not the same rule preuayle in al other sacraments Truly vnles they graunt the Christe was a rocke substantially the reproche with the which thei oppresse vs is vnsauery stinketh If we expounde the bread to be called the body of Christ because it was a signe outwarde token of his body they pretēde falsely alleage by by that the whole doctrine of the scripture is ouerthrowen and made frustrate For wee haue not of late tyme inuented this rule of speakyng but all men haue receiued the same beinge set downe to vs by S. Augustine out of the authoritie of the auncient fathers that the names of spirituall thinges are improperly ascribed vnto signes and that all places of Scripture ought so to be expounded whē mencion is made of Sacramentes But to what purpose do we take an Axioma and sentence alwayes receiued and approued to moue great cries and shoutes as it were in a new and vnwonted thing But let mad men crye whyle them liste this shall preuayle with modest men and suche as are in their wyttes that there is in these woordes of Christe a sacramentall manner of speache Whereupon it followeth that the breade because it is a signe of Christes body is called
might bee discerned from falsehode and lyes For the crafty vvylines of false Apostels is vvell enough knovven vvho being deceitful and subtile vvorkers taking vpon them the name of the Apostels of Christe do easely begyle the simple and suche as take no hede of them as the Apostell Paule in his epistell to the Corinthians declareth M. Therefore to the ende a certainâ—… doctrine as concerning Christ should persiste and continue in the Churche or congregation the holy Ghoste brought to passe that firste of all the natiuitie of Christe his life doctrine death buriall resurrection and assention into heauen beside these the sending forth of the embassage of the Gospell into the vvhole vvorlde the going forvvarde and good successe of the doctrine of the Gospell and Christian faithe the declaration and confirmation of the same by faithful vvitnesses that is to saye holy Euangelistes should in maner of an history beÌ„ coÌ„mitted to vvriting by them vvhiche Euangelistes heard and savve all thinges them selues before their face vvhiche also hauing authoritie and povver of God vvere the first vvhiche vvere sent and appointed to the preaching of the Gospell throughout the vvhole vvorlde To this vse ende and purpose the foure Euangelistes haue vvrytten the history of Christe among vvhome C onely Luke maketh a preface to his Gospell vvhiche he vvryteth briefely shevvyng the cause vvhiche moued him to vvryte as euidently you may see if you reade the same B. As touching the interpretation of this vvorde Gospell it being taken from the Greeke vvorde signifieth good or glad tidinges The vvhiche vvorde the three score and tenne interpretours vsed so often as they founde the Hebrevve vvorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bisser vvhiche signifieth to tell and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Besora tidinges being the deriuatiue of the same and also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meuasser telling The Apostels and Euangelistes vsed this vvoorde very muche after them The Euangeliste Luke citing the place of the Prophete Esaye vsed this vvoorde To preache the Gospell to the poore hee hath sent me Therefore the Gospell shal be vnto vs a publique or open setting foorth and preaching of the grace and redemptioÌ„ purchased and gotten by Christe as concerning the vvhiche redemption there are infinite testimonies of holy Scripture C Or els the Gospell is a history conteining the glad tidinges of the comming of Christe in the fleshe being sent of the Father accordinge to his promises in the lavve Prophetes and Psalmes In the vvhiche history the lyfe specially of Christe his doctrine death resurrection and assention is declared beside these the fruite of his comming is therein declared namely that by him vve are deliuered from the Deuell sinne and death and that vve are sanctified and assured of euerlasting lyfe B. As therefore the Gospell in the Scripture is properly a declaration of the long loked for saluation and at the lengthe reuealed and offered by Christe euen so our Euangeliste Mathevve as the reste Marke Luke and Iohn hath very cunningly and artificially vvritten in his Gospell the history of the Lorde by the vvhiche he declareth both his vvoordes and dedes in order A. But vvho this Mathevve vvas vvhose vvorke in the nevve TestameÌ„t hath the first rome M and from vvhat state of life he vvas called of Christe and aduaunced by him to the dignitie of an Apostle he of himselfe as vve shall heare hereafter declareth In the meane tyme vve must thinke and assure our selues that the holy Ghoste vvas and is the true authour of this history and that Mathevv vvas only the instrumeÌ„t or secretary to the same vvho leauing his pouling kinde of lyfe is become not onely a companion and disciple but also an Apostell and Euangeliste of Christe from vvhome all thinges in the vvorlde that are good do flovve as from the lyuely and celestiall vvell of grace A GODLY AND CATHOLIKE EXPOSITION OF THE HOLY Gospell of Iesu Christ after Mathevv The fyrst Chapiter The booke of the generation of Iesu Christ the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham The booke of the generation C. IN VAYNE do certaine interpretours trauel about this titel or inscription to make excuse because the Euangelist Mathew doth name the whole history of the halfe of one chapter For this titel is not exteÌ„ded to the whole booke but the name of the booke is put for a Cataloge or rehersall as if it had ben saide here foloweth the order of the generation of Christ B. Euen as we maye reade in Genesis This is the boke of the generatioÌ„ of meÌ„ In the which place the Hebrew worde is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sepher which coÌ„meth of the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saphar that is he hath nombred rehersed or declared For there foloweth the Cataloge or rehersal of men from Adam vntyll Noah with a discription of whoÌ„ and what tyme euery one had his ofspringe and originall Or els the booke of the generation signifieth that in the which somwhat is rehersed or nombred M. whervpon we reade that the booke of the Iust the booke of God in the whiche the Iust are written is so called B. This name therfore perteineth properly to the Cataloge and to the history A. And although the Euangelist goeth about to shew that Iesus the sonne of Mary is the true Messias promised long before in the lawe and Prophetes and loked for of the fathers B. Yet notwithstanding he wolde begyn the Gospell of Christ with the basenes of his generation sekinge to bring in all the sorrowes traueiles and paines of his life euen till the power glory and maiestie of his resurrection and kingdome in the which he sittinge at the right hande of God gouerneth all thinges that as Christ suffered many thynges and so entered into the glory of his kingdome and as he dyd fyrst abase hym selfe and became man a seruant also and humbled him selfe to the death of the crosse euen so he myght preache Christ vnto vs to be a mortal maÌ„ and crucified before that he was mortal and rayned gloriously in his kyngdome and so by the folishenes of preachinge to bringe saluation to the faythfull A The Euangelist Iohn more plainly euen at the fyrst preacheth the maiestie of Christ B. teaching him to be the eternall worde of the father and that deuine power and vertue by the which all thynges were made lyue moue consist feele vnderstand But our Euangelist Mathewe thought it sufficient to shewe briefely as it were in one word the diuinitie of Christe wrytinge thus The booke of the generation of Chryste And where as he calleth Iesus whiche was thought to be a carpenter and the sonne of a carpenter Chryst being that king which was long loked for promysed to the fathers he hath already shewed a sufficient cause and reason of so doinge to those that knowe the force of this name The sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham C. He calleth Chryst the son of Dauid and AbrahaÌ„ in respecte of
knitt to a constant minde that it wil not one inche geue place to any temptation For all they buylde vppon the sandes whiche digge not inwardly euen to the denyinge of them selues VVhiche buylde on the sandes Bu. The sande signifyeth false hypocrisie fayned sanctimony and those thinges whiche aryse of the same as trust in creatures inuocation of sainctes choyse of meate and apparell fastinges hypocriticall prayers and suche lyke who soeuer trusteth in these maketh a sandy and frayle fyckle foundation There is a common prouerbe thou buyldest on the sande and others also like vnto these Thou striuest against the streame Thou drawest water in a siue Thou castest stones against the winde which all are spoken against those and applied to theim whiche go about anye thinge that will be vnprofitable and to none effecte 27 And a shower of rayne descended and the flouddes came and the windes blewe and beate vpon that house and it fell and great was the fal of it C. By these woordes Christ doth signifie that trewe pietie and godlynes cannot well be distinguished from hypocrisie til suche time as it commeth to a triall For the temptations wherewith we are proued are lyke vnto flouds or troublesom waues which easely ouerwhelm vnconstant mindes whose lyghtenes in calme weather is not knowne 28 And it came to passe that when Iesus had ended these sayinges the people were astonied at his doctrine C. When he had geuen the people a tast of his doctrine euery man that heard him was amased because a new and vnwonted maiestie did drawe vnto it the myndes of men Bu. The talk of Christ was liuely feruent and pearcing the mindes of men in so much that it moued the herers and specially because it was new in the peoples eares whervpon they sayde afterwarde what maner of thing is this what new doctrine is this For with authoritie commaunded he the foule spirytes and they obeied him The multitude therefore was amased because the doctrine of Christ was ioyned with a maiestie In the which doctrine the efficacy of the spirite was included 29 For he taughte them as one hauynge power and not as the Scribes M. Some expounde this place so as though the Euangelist shoulde say that Christe therefore taught with aucthorytie because by his aucthoritie he forbad that whiche the lawe graunted and required that whiche the lawe commaunded not thinking the .5 chapter before so to be the fulfylling of the lawe that it shoulde fulfyll that whiche was imperfecte in the same But if they marke well the sentence of Chryste they shall fynde that he addeth nothinge to the lawe but rather doth restore the law which before was broken and obscured by the Scribes and Phariseyes to his former place Wherfore others a greate deale better dyd vnderstande this sentence sayinge that this auctoritie was a certain vigour and force of parfecte doctryne veritie with the which Christe dyd instructe the people standinge before hym And there is no doubt but that the doctrin of Christ was of greate force to the people when as the doctryne of the Scrybes and Phariseies was obscure feble and colde E. And trewely the Greeke woord for the whiche we reade the auctoritie doth signifie power and right to do any thing B. But here it signyfieth aucthoritie and power of the spirite persing the hartes which parteineth to Chryst and the trewe mynisters although not by lyke measure For it is geuen to euery one by measure And some haue the same more plentifully then other some The .viij. Chapter WHEN he was come downe from the mounte muche people followed him VVhen he vvas C. Nowe Matthewe commeth to the pithe of the history Before he sayd that Christe ascended into the mounte and then he brought in many principelles of the doctrine of Christe And nowe he addeth that at the same tyme that he preached in the mounte he healed a Leaper The whiche miracle Marke and Luke do also declare although they shewe not the time Muche people M. The great multitude of people which are here said to followe flocked and came vnto hym a litle before as the Euangeliste shewed saying And there followed hym a greate multitude of people from Galilee and frō the tenne citties and from Hierusalem from Iurie and from the regions that lie beyonde Iordane Notwithstandinge the inconstancie of the common sorte of people is to be noted who for a tyme haue a feruent desire to knowe the truthe but when persecution commeth they flye and are sodenly gone 2 And lo there came a Leper and worshipped him saying Maister if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane And lo there came C. In this truely appeared the deuine power of Christe that only with his woorde and the touchinge of his hande he sodainly put awaye the leprosy of the man M. By suche workyng of myracles greater faythe credit and authoritie was gotten to the woorde of god Neither without cause was the healyng of bodies ioyned to the cure of soules For Christe is the true Sauiour of the whole man not only of the soule but also of the body the which he wil plainly declare in the ende of the world when as he wyll bestowe on vs the benefite of euerlasting lyfe C. But although the leprosy were of an other kynde then that whiche the Physitions call Elephanthiasis in Gréeke whiche leprosy also maketh amans skynne like vnto the skynne of an Elephant yet notwithstanding it is welenough knowen that this disease was incurable For if it continued any long tyme it was seldome heard or sene that any mā was deliuered frō the same VVhiche vvorshipped him saying B. What signifieth here to worshippe the other twoo Euangelistes do shewe whiche declare this same history Marke in stede of he worshipped hath he bowed the knee or kneled downe Luke saythe he fell down at his feete on his face Also the Samaritane which was clensed when he retourned to geue thankes fell downe on his face at Iesus feete And Symon Peter fell downe at Iesus knees also C. The Leper therefore by bowyng of his knee shewed some signe of reuerence We do knowe that Adoration was a common vse among the Iewes and among them in the easte partes Wherefore many thynke that the Leper did not worshyp Christe in his mynde with any deuine worship but did honourably salute hym as some great Prophet of god But with what affection he worshipped Christe we dispute not But what he obiected vnto hym we sée namely that he could make hym cleane if he would by the which wordes he acknowledgeth a deuine power to be in Christe And Christ when he aunswered that he would sheweth that he attributeth more vnto him then appertaineth vnto a mā For he must nedes be of great power whiche onely with a woorde or becke can restore helth vnto men But whether the Leprose man dyd beleue Christe to be the sonne of God or whether he were endewed
doth worke by such wonderfull and straung meanes he doth the more euidently declare his power Wée se therefore that simple ignoraunce is not so hurtful vnto mē as is obstinate wilfulnes when they willinglye blinde themselues least they shoulde obeye the will of God. 55. Is not this the Carpenters sonne Is not his mother called Marye And his bretherne Iames and Ioses and Symon and Iudas Is not this the Carpenters sonne A. Marke saith is not this that Carpenter that sonne of Marye C. Wee knowe that it was doone by the wonderfull Counsell of God that Christ shoulde lyue priuatelye tyll hee was thyrtye yeare olde A. insomuche that hee myghte seeme to dyffer verye lyttle from other men C. Hereupon therefore the Nazarites do amysse and iniuriously to conceyue anye offence against him when as they should rather haue rceyued and embraced hym gentlye and reuerentlye as one that were sodainly come downe from heauē They behoulde the power of God yea God himselfe in Christe and thereupon they conuert theyr eyes haue regard to Iosephe Mary to all his kinsfolke which were but of base estate to the end they might obscure and couer the manifest truth A. The Nazarites therefore séeme to be offended at Christ for two causes First because hée was knowne vnto them and brought vp amonge them secondlye because hée séemed vnto them to be of a poore base and meane condition namelye the sonne of a Carpenter and hée also himselfe a Carpēter M. Therefore if hée had not béen knowne to be the sonne of a Carpenter they woulde haue beleued wythoute offence Howe commeth it to passe then that Iohn comming of the excellent stocke of Priesthoode was not beléeued of them for hée was not the sonne of a Carpenter but of a Priest which kinde of ofspringe was famous and of great reputacion among the Iewes They were offēded also at him because he was knowne vnto them Is not his mother called Marye Therfore if this offended because hée was knowne vnto them would they haue beleued thincke you if hee had not beene knowne no surely For wée reade of other not vnlike vnto these which said we know that God spake vnto Moyses but as for this man wée know not whence he is Wée sée therefore the inclination and disposition of the reprobate who by no meanes will bende to the truth but hath somewhat alwayes to bee offended at or one cloake or other to couller their infidelitye withall At this daye also there are manye which marke not what it is that is preached or taughte but rather what they are that do preache and teache more regardinge the teacher then the doctrine taught And his bretherne C. Wée haue shéewed before that the Euangeliste calleth those that were but kynsmē the bretherne of Christ according to the manner of the Hebrewes Wherefore Heluidius doth very fondlye ymagyn that Christ was not the onelye sonne of Marye because there is oftentimes mencion made in the Scriptures of the bretherne of Chryste 56. And are not all his sisters vvith vs vvhence hath hee then all these thinges And are not all his sisters A. As concerning the sisters of Christe reade the twelfth Chapter going before VVhence hath hee then all these M. In the woord hée which is a pronowne there is a great Emphasis For as it should séeme they would not haue so greatly maruayled neyther woulde they haue béene so much offended if they had sene and harde such thinges of a stranger or vnknowen person that had bene of more noble byrth For humayne reason in them iudged it a thing incredible and straunge that so great wisedome and power should be giuen frō Heauen to a man of so base lynage rude bringinge vp and voyde of all nobilitye when as they shoulde rather haue wayed and considered that hée was taught from aboue hearinge him speake wythe suche wysedome seing him shew such wonderfull myracles 57. And they were offended at him But Iesus sayde vnto them a Prophete is not without honoure saue in his owne countreye And they vvere offended S. These woordes At him do note vnto vs that they were offended at the person not at the Doctrine the whiche notwithstandinge can not belong frée from suspition when the person is contemned and despysed E. As if the Euangelist should haue sayde the lowlynes of his stocke smal quātitie of wealth was an offēce vnto them imagining nothing as yet to be in him but that which was humaine and common to other men and that therefore they enuyed his newe and vnwonted excellencye because of his former state B. his excellente Doctryne therefore and myracles which hée sheewed foorth with so greate auctoritye did nothing at all moue them For they beinge voyde of the spyrite of God did not regard the works of the spirite but rather curiouslye they soughte after small tryfles to the end they might therby haue occasion to calumniate speake euill of Christe That occasion therefore by the iuste iudgemente of God was geuen vnto them to the end they might dye in theyr sinnnes A Prophete is not vvithout honour saue in E. Iesus reprouinge theyr grosse and vulgar iudgement which iudged and esteemed of a man not accordinge to his vertues but according to the nobility of his stocke and byrthe aunswereth them with a cōmon sentence or Prouerbe taken of the nature of men in that alwayes wee haue the sayinges of Pylgrymes and straungers in more estimacion regard and credyt then the sayinges of our neyghbours and househould though these oftentimes be more learned and wyse then the other C. Some notwithstandinge expounde this sentence thus that Chryste wanted honoure amonge his Countryemen because hée profited more amonge the Samaritanes in two dayes onely then hée did a longe tyme amonge the Nazarites and because hée gatte more Disciples in Samaria withoute anye myracles then hée gayned in Gallilae with manye myracles but this is to sclender an exposition and not so well to be allowed Furthermore it liketh mée not that other some wil haue Capernaum to be the countrey of Christ because hée was more often there then in anye other place Wée must rather therfore subscribe and agrée to Cyrrill whych expoundeth this to be vnderstoode of Nazareth which oure sauioure Christe here calleth his owne countreye For there is no doubte but that this is a Prouerbial sentence And wee knowe that there is no such force in Prouerbiall sentences that a continual truth should alwayes exactly be looked for in them as thoughe it were necessary that it should be alwayes true that is spoken in them It is moste certayne truly that Prophetes are more honoured in other places then in theyr owne countrey And yet notwithstandinge sometime it may chaunce and it falleth oute so indéede that a Prophete hath no lesse estimacion and credit of his owne Countreymen then of strangers But the prouerbe onely teacheth what comonlye cometh to passe namely that Prophets are more often better
the schole of the Deuines and the colleges of Moonkes haue their censors and ouerséers of learninge which heretiques call inquisitors of euill manners so that vniuersitye of Ierusalem and conuenticle of the Phariseys had their ouerséers and inquisitors of learning and Doctrine which in this presente place are called Scribes that is to saye lettered learned and interpretoures of the Lawe C. Notwythstanding for what purpose they came nowe vnto Christe is not expressed yet it is lykelye that they being moued and styrred by this fame came to learne at hys handes if that hee myghte seeme vnto them a fit master and it may be that they were sent to spye and to vew the behauiour of Christ Bu So at the first they sente messengers vnto Iohn because as they thought he went about some new thing C. But what soeuer the occasion of theyr comming was because they brought with them a proude stomake and loftye countenaunce the least offēce might easly exasperate prouoke them to byte Christ Wherby wee may see how hard a thing it is to bring them vnto sounde doctrine in whom there rayneth ambition a desyer to rule but specially such as are adicted to ceremonies who when they haue a wonted vse and custome to mayntaine the same will admit no newnes but absolutely do condemne what soeuer is vnwonted To be short ther is nothing neyther can anye thinge be imagined more imperious loftye and proude then these kind of men What these Scribes Phariseys were wée haue shewed before 2. VVhy do thy Disciples transgresse the traditiōs of the elders for they washe not their hands when they eate bread VVhy do thy Disciples M. Behold in what thing the enuious Scribes Phariseys those holy ones which came from Ierusalem begin to calumniate Christ the teacher of verity and trothe They find not falt here with the negligent obseruing of the lawe of God but for the violatinge of mens traditions they accuse Christ Neither do they say wherfore do thy disciples transgresse our traditions but the traditions of the elders when as notwithstanding they had more respect vnto themselues then to the elders but they séeke to greue and burthen Christ with the auctority of the elders In like manner there are som at this day which continually obiecte the fathers the Church and the coūsels as though the religion of Christian men stode in the obseruation of mens traditions and as thoughe the neglecters of the same were enemyes of the Church the kepers frends C. But seing the controuersie standeth vpon humaine traditions this question pertayneth nothing at all to pollitique lawes the vse scope wherof pertayneth to another ende then to determyne and appoint how God shal be worshipped Wherfore seing that ther is a difference of humaine traditions wée must vse a certaine distinction For some of them are manifestly vngodly wicked because they appoynt false worshippings quite contrary repugnant to the word of god Some do mingle the worship of God wyth prophane tryfles and so do vitiate defyle the purity of the same And other some which haue a better cooller shew and are not infected with any notable fault are notwithstanding disalowed and condemned because they are thought to be necessary to the worship of God and thus the mere obedience of the onlye God is set a part and a snare set for the consciences of mē The obseruation of the third and last sort of ceremonies is for certain in controuercy in this place For the wasshing of hands which the Phariseys vrged could not of it self be said to be superstitious otherwyse Christe woulde not haue suffered the water pottes at the mariage in Cana of Gallilae to stand after the maner of the purifying of the Iewes vnlesse the ceremonye had bene frée and not tyed to any necessitie But here consisted the fault because they thought that with out wasshing of hands God could not truly be worshipped In the beginning the custome of wasshing of handes was not brought vp without some speciall pretēce and meaning Wée know how seuerely the law of God requireth externall cleannes not because the Lord would haue his seruaūts occupyed in the same but to the end they should diligently take héede and beware of all spirituall pollution fylthe Moreouer in wasshings the law held a certaine meane But there start vp new-fangeled teachers which thoughte that they should not be counted wyse enoughe vnlesse they added somewhat to the word of God hereuppon ther sprange and flowed vp certaine wasshings wherof the Law maketh no mencion at all The law makers themselues did not boaste that they inuented and appointed any new thing but that they did only adde certayne cautions which shold be meanes to preserue the law of God. But by by followed corruptiō when that the ceremonyes brought in begā to be thought part of the worship of god and also when necessity was thrust into things that had liberty voluntary choyse made a bondseruant For God as it was sayd euen now would be worshipped accordinge to his prescript word and therefore no adding to his law is tollerable For as hée suffereth the faythfull to haue externall rytes to themselues in the which they maye exercyse themselues to godlines so bée will not suffer them to be myngled with his word as though in thē religion were set and planted For they vvashe not their hands M. This forsooth is the transgression which these holy hypocrits of Ierusalem reprehēd blame A high tradition in déede to offend suche worthy persons at the breach therof B. But there is no doubt but that this was done by the assured dispensation of God that the disciples should neglect this tradition before these find faults or inquisitors to the and Christe might haue occasion offered vnto him to inuey against humaine traditions C. But the cause of the offence taken is more plentifully declared by the Euangelist Marke saying A. And when they sawe certayne of his Disciples eate bread with cōmen that is to say with vnwashen hands they complayned for the Phariseis all the Iewes except they wash theyr hands often eate not obseruinge the traditions of the elders To be short the Scribes vsed many things which willīgly they toke vpon them to obserue those were secundarye lawes inuented of curious mē as though the simple cōmaundement were not sufficiēt God cōmaunded all men to be washed that had polluted them selues This cōmaundement did extende to cuppes to water pitchers to garmēts and to other implements of househoulde leaste they shoulde toutche any vncleane thing But to mingle to these new washings was idell vanity and vaine idlenes Ther was no cooler wanting as sayth S Paule for the inuencions of mē to haue a shew of wisedome but if they had rested thēselues bene contēted with the only loue of God their modesty should much more haue pleased him then their scrupulous carefulnes They would take hede
Psalmes wher it is mencioned howe the Isralites went backe froÌ„ God but speciallye in the thréescore eyghtene Psalme wher it is sayd They kept not the couenaunt of God and woulde not walke in his Lawe but forgat what hée had done and the wonderfull workes that hee had shewed for them And oure sauioure Christ at his last supper when he sought to kepe and confirme his Dysciples in a sure truste and true loue towardes him hée instituted and ordayned for a remembrauÌ„ce the Communion of his bodye and bloude in the breaking of the bread and in the communicatinge of the cuppe 10. Neyther the seuen loaues when there were fower thousand men and howe many baskets toke ye vppe A This Historye is declared at large in the fyftene Chapter goyng before 11. How happeneth it that ye do not vnderstand that I spake it not to you coÌ„cerning bread that yee should beware of the leuen of the Phariseys and of the Saduces A. The fault of so grosse ignorance hée layeth vpon his Disciples As if hée shoulde haue sayd these thinges were not so lately done before your eyes you had euen of late sufficient proofe and experience of my power how coÌ„meth it to passe then that so soone ye forget the thinge which should be alwayes in your mindes Surely the onely cause is the grosse blindnes of your hartes 12. Then vnderstode they how that hee bade not them beware of the leuen of bread but of the doctrine of the Phariseis and of the Saduces Then vnderstoode they C. Oure sauioure Christe toke this name of leuen in good part when hée sayd that the Gospell was like vnto leuen But the Scripture very often by this name meaneth euery corrupte fayned inuention by the which the naturall purity of euery thing is defyled In this place there is no agrement betwene these two namely betweene the simple veritye and truth of God and the fayned inuencions which men bring in vppon theyr owne brayne Neyther is there any cause why any sophister or subtill fellowe should deny this to be vnderstoode of euerye corrupte doctrine seinge that there can no other doctrine be found which can sustayne the name of pure vnleuened doctrine but that onely which is come from god Whereuppon it followeth that that is called leuen which is mingled or mixste with any other thing then that which doth pertayne to it selfe accordinge to the sayinge of S. Paule namely that the fayth of Christ is falsifyed so soone as wée are ledde from the simple truth of Christ But of the doctrine of the Pha. C. At that time the ordinary auctority of the Church did belonge to the Scribes Priestes amonge whom the Phariseys were chiefe When as Christ therefore by name commaundeth his Dysciples to beware of their Doctrine it followeth that all they are to be shonned and auoyded which ioyne and tye their owne inuencions to the word of God how honourable and mighty soeuer they séeme to be Wherefore that subiection of those men is abhomible and accursed which of their owne frée will submit themselues to the lawes and inuentions of the Pope 13. VVhen Iesus came into the coastes of the Cittye which is called Caesaria Philippi he asked his Disciples saying whom do men say that I the sonne of man am VVhen Iesus came Bu. In this presente Historye the Euangelist in a short compendium shéeweth the whole summe of our Religion namelye what the truâ—…e perfecte Catholike faith is what force and efficacy it hath wherof it commeth howe the confession thereof is requyred to be in euerye one of vs and laste of all what the foundacion of the Churche is and by what keyes the kingdome of heauen is opened C. Marke sayth that Christ had this communication with his Dysciples as they were in their iorneye And Luke sayth hée had it when hée was praying had no bodye with him sauing his Disciples But our Euangelist Mathew doth not so curiously note the time yet notwithstanding it is moste certayne that they thrée haue wryten this History and it maye he that Christ in that perigrination after hee had prayed a whyle demaunded this of his Disciples Into the partes of Casaria Philippi B. This Caesarca is at the ryuer of Iordan and was called at the first Panneas but afterward it was called Caesaria Philippi by Philip the sonne of Herode the great and the brother of the Tetrarche which beheadded Iohn The which Cesarea also after that for the honour of Nero was called by Agryppa Neronia as apereth by Iosephus in his eightene booke of the antiquities of the Iewes the thyrd chapter But the boundes or borders of this Cesarea Philippi was the region of the Iewes wherupon it was inhabited both by the Syrians and Iewes together Of this Cittie there is often mention made by Luke in the Actes of the Apostels C. There is also an other Cesarea namely that ancient and noble Cesarea whiche at the firste was called the tower of Strato M. This Cittie Herode the greate builded betwene Dora and Ioppa and for the loue of Augustus Caesar he called it Caesarea Of the first Caesarea our Euangeliste maketh mention and because he woulde make a difference he calleth it Cesarea Philippi VVhom do men say that I the sonne of man am E. Our Sauiour Christ demanded this question to make him self better known vnto his Disciples and to confirme theÌ„ for in the knowledge of him onely there is saluation and euerlastinge life Hee knewe that the iudgement of the coÌ„mon sorte of people as concernyng him selfe was diuerse He knewe also the simplycitie of his disciples whereby it myghte haue ben that they had ben hyndered and let from the knowledge of the trueth by the errours of the common people C. Vppon this consideration therefore to confirme them he dothe not onely demaunde what they but first of all what the people thought of him His question myghte seeme to be to knowe what the common fame as concerninge the redemer which was the sonne of man was Notwithstandinge his question is other wise namelye to enquire what menne thought of Iesu the sonne of Mary But he accordinge to his maner taketh vnto hym the name of the sonne of man as if he should say Nowe so longe as I am in my fleshe vppon the earthe as one of the common sorte of men what do men iudge of me M. Christ doth wyllyngly confesse the humilitie of his humanytie so often as he calleth him self the son of man for that also was ordayned to the glory of god This humble base forme of the sonne of man was an impedimeÌ„t and let to the Iewes to beholde the glory of Christe The sonne of man is nothinge elles but man accordynge to the phrase of the Scripture as in this place What is man that thou arte myndefull of him or the sonne of man that thou visitest him And in an other place what art thou
harken onely to his voyce And in dede what can we aske or loke for at the handes of men when the woorde of lyfe it selfe is familiarly and openly reuealed It is meete that all mennes mouthes be stopped all tongues scilent after that he hath spoken in whom the heuenly father hath placed the treasure and richesse of all wisedome and knowledge And trewely hee spake euen as it became the wysedome and Messias of God to speake that is he so set forthe his wyll that hee lefte nothing to others to speake as concerning the augmenting of the same Wherefore to the ende he might kepe vs in his doctrine hee maketh the deuices inuentions of men to faile Hee sendeth forthe teachers dayly but suche whiche purely and faithfully teache and set forth that whiche they learned of hym and not which corrupt the Gospel with theyr additiōs Therfore the authoritie of Christ is not diminished when that the office of teaching is cōmitted and graunted vnto the ministers of the woord For Pastors are so ordeyned that they maye gouerne the Churche in the name of Christe not withstandinge so that Christ remaineth still the onely pastor Hee is therefore to be hearde not because he descended from heauen but he must be heard in his word by his mynisters For we are commanded to proue the spirites whether they be of God or no but this profe triall must be had by the woorde of God after this maner we shall alwayes heare Christ Christ the onely teacher and master was hearde euen frō the beginning and must be hearde to the ende of the worlde if we seke to obey the wyl of the father We al graunte that Christ is the sonne of God our Lorde and Sauiour and the spouse of the Church but where Christ should be heard alone there some refuse to geue this glory vnto Christe that he should be hearde alone and takē for the onely teacher They obiecte this place He which heareth you heareth me which sentence was spoken to the Apostelles to the mynisters and preachers of the Gospell First let them shew that they are the ministers of Christe bringinge with them the Gospell then shall that sentence pertayne vnto theim Let them suffer vs to heare the voyce of Christe and then shall we at the length heare him speakinge in them To be shorte there is no faythfull teacher of the Churche but he whiche is the disciple of Christ and offereth others vnto hym to be taughte 6 And when the Disciples hearde these thinges they fell on theyr faces and were sore afrayde And vvhen the Disciples C. God wold haue his disciples stricken with this terror to the ende the vision myghte be the better printed in theyr myndes In the meane tyme we do see howe greate the infirmytie of our nature is which so greatly feareth at the hearing of Goddes voyce For where as the wicked do eyther mock and deryde the same or elles carelesly neglect it it commeth herupon to passe because God dothe not by force compell and constraine them but it is necessary that the maiestie of God so soone as we do feele the same do deiecte and cast vs downe M. For the voice of God is terrible vnto fleshe for how should it not be a terrible thinge to a mortall and earthely man to heare from heauen the voyce of the immortal and omnipotent God full of maiestie And this is that whiche the Israelites spake vnto Moyses If we heare the voyce of the lorde our God any more we shall dye for what fleshe hath it ben that euer hearde the voyce of the liuinge God speakinge out of the middest of the fier as we haue done yet lyue Therefore we must laye aside that which is carnall in vs that we may haue that which is spiritual and come into the parfect felowshyp of God For this cause God talked to vs by his sonne and Apostels and speaketh dayly by other ministers 7 And Iesus came and towched thē and saide Arise and be not afraide And Iesus came C. Christe executeth his duetie in erecting those that lie prostrate For therefore hee came downe vnto vs that hee beinge the captaine and guide the faythfull might come without feare into the presence of God and maketh his maiestie that it semeth not terrible vnto them whiche otherwise wolde consume and destroy all fleshe Moreouer he doth not onely comforte his disciples with his woord but also confirmeth them by towchinge A. to the ende he mighte driue all feare frō them Be not afrayde M. As if he shoulde say This voyce whiche you heard is not the voyce of an angery God but of him that is well pleased A there is no cause therfore why ye should feare M. So that Christe in this place dothe interprete his fathers mynde and dothe comforte the dismayed myndes of mortal men whiche oughte also to bringe great consolation vnto vs. 8. And when they had lift vp their eies they sawe no man saue Iesus onely And vvhen they had lifte vp M. After this vision after the voice of God was heard and after the greate feare Christ is onely lefte vnto them C that they myght be taughte that a temporall glorye dyd pertayne to the lawe and the prophetes that Christ might remayne onely cleare and euident M. For Christ is the ende of the lawe and all the Prophetes Therfore if we wyll vse the workes of Moyses aright let vs not cleaue vnto them but let vs seke that by them we may be led by the hande as it were vnto Chryste whose mynisters Moyses and al others are Furthermore wee heare not nowe any more the voyce of the father oute of the clowde because hee spake once to the end we might euer after heare the voice of his sonne C. So long as we are terrified by the maiestie of God our mindes wander and go astray and are busied aboute men But we haue onely respecte vnto Christ when we haue any taste of the grace or mercy of God who alwaies must be prayed vnto that all respect and regarde of creatures may vanishe away This place also may be applied agaynste them and to condemne their superstytions whiche so mingle Christ not onely with the Apostelles and Prophetes but also with al the company of saynctes that he rather seemeth to be one of them than Christ or the annoynted sonne of God. 9 And when they came down from the mountaine Iesus charged them sayinge shewe the vision to no man vntyll the sonne of man be rysen againe from the deade And vvhen they came M. Christ wold haue the Vision published but not tyl the cōuenient and due tyme came namely after his resurrection At the whiche tyme his deuyne power openlye declaringe it selfe that temporall viewe and sighte of his glory begā to take place that it might be certaynely known that when he was most abased yet the glory of his deitie abode fyrme and sounde although it were hyd from
Euangelist addeth this worde expressely For Christe woulde not that this multitude shoulde followe him into Iewery least he shoulde geue an occasion to the backebitinges and slaunderouse reproches of the Scribes and Phariscies He knewe that except he had thus done be should haue ben accused of seditiō vnto Pylate and that this sedition shoulde be moued from Galile from whence hee came euen to Iewry He did not auoide this slaunder yet wolde he not geue any occasion therof We are therefore admonished that because we cannot escape the slanders of the wicked yet must we take hede of this that by our falte wee mynister no occasiō vnto them to speake euill 3 The Phariseis came also to him temtinge him and sayinge vnto him Is it lawfull for a man to put awaye his wyfe for any maner of cause The Phariseies also came to hym Bu. The lorde dyd good vnto all men and therefore the reporte of his glory was spred abrode far and nere But the ennemies of the truth do enuy the glory of the lorde and are agreued because the people forsakyng the priestes and the Scribes cleaued vnto the lorde The Phariseis therefore are come on a heape together C. And althoughe they do laye wayte to deceyue Christe and assalte him subtillye to the ende they mighte intrappe him yet this theyr wyckednesse tourned to oure commoditie euen as the lorde knoweth how to conuerte wonderfully into the proffyt of his what so euer the wicked do deuise for the subuersion of his trewe doctrine For by this meanes a doubte whiche the libertie of diuorsement did ingender is dissolued and a sure lawe of the holy and inseperable knot of wedlocke set forthe The occasion of this captiouse question is taken hereof because howsoeuer hee answered as they thought it coulde not be but odiouse Is it lavvfull for a man. saye they for euerye cause to put awaye his wife Nowe if Christ had denied it then wold they quickely haue cryed and made exclamation that hee had abolyshed the lawe if he had affirmed that it was lawfull then wolde they haue reported him to be a bande rather then a Prophete of God whiche so lightly wolde geue place and consent to the wanton and voluptuouse lustes of men This Dilemma and subtyll question they had conceyued in their mindes but the sonne of God who knowethe howe to subuerte the wyse in their owne folly dothe disapointe theim resistinge seuerelye their vnlawefull diuorces and yet shewynge also that hee saide nothing but that whiche was agreable to their lawe For he concludeth the matter in two principall poyntes namely that the order of our creation ought to be as a lawe that the man shoulde maintayne his promise made in matrimonye all his lyfe and that dyuorses were permitted not because they were lawefull but because they that graunted them had to do with a froward stifnecked people 4 He aunswered and saide vnto theim Haue ye not red how that hee whiche made man at the begynninge made the man and woman Haue ye not red C. Christ doth not directly aunswere to the question of the Phariscies when as neuertheles he did very well satisfie it in declaringe that the first ordinaunce must be kepte and that wee ought to be contente with the doctrine of God whiche is a most sure foundation But he aunswereth that it is not lawefull for a man to put awaye his wyfe for euery cause and he answereth so that he sendeth theim vnto the Scriptures by whose wordes he teacheth that the order of matrimony was ordeyned by God and that no man oughte to departe from the prescript rule of the Scriptures Euen as if a man being asked now of the Masse shoulde faithfully declare the mystery of the lordes holye supper and in the ende shoulde affirme that they were Sacrilegers and forgers whiche dare presume to dyminishe or to adde any thyng to the pure institution of the lorde might confounde after this sorte the fained sacrifice of the Masse M. But because the question was moued by the Phariseis who boasted and bragged amonge the people of their skil and knowledge in the Scriptures He saythe haue ye not red As if he shoulde haue saide Why aske you me ye Hypocrites you haue the Scripture in the whiche ye reade and therefore ignorance can not excuse you He that made man from the begynning E. This woorde Man in the latten bokes of the olde interpretation is not red but is left onely to be vnderstode C. Christ taketh this Axioma or generall proposition From the begynninge God ioyned man vnto the woman that two might make a whole and parfect man therefore he that putteth away his wyfe putteth away as it were from hym selfe the one halfe of his body but nature cannot abide that any man should deuide him selfe or teare his body in peces S. Therefore Christe dothe so moderate and temper his aunswere that he mighte neyther hurte the aucthoritie of Moyses nor recante hys owne doctrine whiche he had vowched in the fyfth chapter goinge before and that he might stoppe the mouthes of the Phariseies and lawyers by the auctoritie of the lawe C. For this is the sence and meanyng of the woordes of Christ That God the creatour of mankinde made mā and woman that euery man beinge content with one wyfe shoulde desire no other For he standeth vpon this nomber of two As also the Prophete Malachias when he inueyeth against the hauing of manye wyues hee bringeth in the same reason namely that God in whō the spyrite was more aboundant so that it was in his wyll to create more yet he made one man euen after this sorte as hee is here described by Christ Bu. He saythe not he made man woman but he made them man and woman C. Therefore by the order of oure creation the inseperable societie of the husebande with one wife is proued Yf any man wyll obiecte and say that by this meanes it is not laufull the fyrst wyfe beinge deade to marry an other we maye easely aunswere not onely that the band is loused by death but also that the seconde wyfe is substytute and placed in stede of the firste as if shee were one and the same 5 And saide for this cause shall a man leaue father and mother and shall cleaue vnto his wyfe and they twaine shall be one fleshe For this cause shall a man. C. He addeth an other argument a Minori ad manus that is from that whiche semeth lesse to that which semeth the more rather to be The bande of wedlocke is more holy then that whiche ioynethe chyldren vnto their parentes but truely godlines byndeth the children vnto their parentes with an inseperable knot much lesse therfore may the housebande renounce and forsake his wyfe Here vppon it followeth that the deuine bonde is broken if the husband be diuorsed from the wyfe Furthermore it is to be douted whether Moyses do bring in Adam or
lawe asked him a question temptinge him and sayinge C. This lawyer was a pickte and chosen fellow amonge the whole sects as it is saide before which seemed to excell others in witte and learninge This good fellow beinge sufficiently instructed before came vnto Christ saying 36. Master which is the greatest coÌ„maundement in the Lawe C. Because this man was an interpretor of the Lawe hee is offended at the doctrine of the Gospell by the which hee thoughte that the auctoritye of Moyses was demynished Howbeit hée is not so muche affected throughe the zeale of the law as hee taketh disdaine the any thinge shoulde departe from the honour of his Mastership Christ thefore demaundeth of him whether hee would professe anye thinge more perfecte then the lawe For although the lawyer do not expresse this in words yet notwithstanding his question is very captions seekinge thereby to make Christ hated of the people The greatest commaundement B. The Euangelist Marke hath which is the first of all the commaundementes The greatest first chiefest signify all one thing as that to the which all the reste maye be referred 37. Iesus said vnto him Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy harte and with all thy soule and with all thy minde Thou shal s loue thy Lorde Bu. The Lorde aunswereth to the question euen out of the profoundnes and depthe of the Law that by these few wordes all men might gather know that the Lord was moste skilfull and cunninge in the Lawe Mâ—… Notwithstandinge the Euangelist Marke sayth that Christe spake more woordes namely these followinge The first of all the coÌ„maundements is Heare O Israell The Lorde our God is Lorde onely and thou shalt loue thy Lorde thy God with all thy harte c. C. By the which wordes God getteth auctoritye to his lawe for two causes For this also ought to be vnto vs a most sharpe pricke and prouocation to the worship of God when that we are certainly perswaded the wee worship the true creator of heauen and earth because doubtinge doth naturally ingender sluggishnes a pleasaunt intisement also to loue him seing that hee hath adopted vs freely to be his sonnes Therfore least the Iewes should be afrayde as comonly men are in doubtful matters they beare a true rule of life prescribed vnto them by the true only god And lest distrust should stay them God commeth familliarlye vnto them comitteth vnto them his free couenauÌ„t In the meane time notwithstandinge there is no doubt but that he seperateth himselfe from all Idoles least the Iewes should be led amisse but might kepe themselues in the true worshippe of him onlye Now trulye if vncertainty and doubting do stay nothing at all the miserable worshippers of Idoles from being caryed by folish zeale to the loue of them what excuse is lefte to the hearers of the lawe if they forsake God M. Further â–ª more by these woordes The Lorde our God is one God hee doth not onely go aboute to proue the Lorde to be one onely God but also to haue vs so to estéeme beleue of him But truly to beleue that ther is one God it doth profit vs nothing but to accompt him for one onlye God for oure God is saluation and life and the fulnes of all the commaundementes Euen so sayd the holy patriarcke Iacob the Lord shal be my God as thoughe bee were not his God before but he meaneth that hee doth fully determyne with true worshippe to accompt the Lord onely for his god Hée sayth therefore that wee must accompt the Lord our God for one God onelye and no mo that is that wee ought not to worshippe him with diuers worshippes inuented of vs but with the onelye worship which hee himselfe hath appointed And this is done by faith For no man can haue one God except hee depende onely vppon him and beleue onely in him otherwise hee shal be earyed into the variety of workes and shall faine vnto him selfe diuers Goddes C. That which followeth Thou shalt loue the Lorde is the epitome or briefe compendium of the lawe the which is also to be seene in the sixtene Chapter of Deutronomye For seinge the law is deuided in two tables whereof the firste is referred to the worshippe of God and the other to loue Moyses did very well and wisely gather this short somme that the Iewes might know what God required in euery commaundement Moreouer although it be méete that we loue God farre otherwise than men yet notwithstaÌ„ding God doth not without cause required of vs loue for his honour and worship because by this meanes hee declareth that no worship is so acceptable vnto him as that which is voluntarye For hee doth trulye at the lengthe geue himselfe to the obedience of God which loueth him But because the vitious and wicked affections of the fleshe do withdrawe vs from the righte way Moyses sheweth that our way and life is framed aright if that all our sences be replenished with the loue of god Let vs therefore learne that the beginninge of godlines is the loue of God because God reiecteth the coacted and constrayned obedience of men and will be worshipped liberally and willingly And by the waye let vs learne that the reuerence whiche is due vnto him is noted vnder the loue of god In the Booke of Moyses this word mind is not added but onely mencion is made of the harte minde and strengthe And althoughe that the participacion of these sower meÌ„bers is more full and perfect yet notwithstaÌ„ding it altereth not the sence For Moyses goinge about brefely to teache the God oughte to haue oure loue in whole and summe hee thought it sufficient to adde strength to the soule and harte least hee should leaue any parte of man voyde of the loue of god B. As if hee should haue said thou shalte so vnfaynedlye loue thy God that the loue of him shal inuade and possesse thy whole nature and sences euery one whatsoeuer is in thee applye it to the loue of him let thy minde alwayes thincke vppon him let thy will delight in him before all thinges and let all thy strengthe and endeuoures be to the fulfilling of his pleasure The which loue is the first fruite of faith C. Furthermore wée muste note that the Hebrewes vnder this word harte do sometymes note the minde specially where it is ioyned to the minde For what doth the minde differ from the harte in this place surely nothing but in this that it séemeth to signifye a more hye seate of reason from whence all counsayles and cogitacions do springe B. C. Moreouer these thinges are not so spoken as though wéé ought to loue no other thing but God onelye when as all the thinges that hee made are excedinge good and to be beloued but because nothinge ought to be made equall in loue with him or to be preferred before the loue of God C. Also it doth appeare by this
awaye the honor and reuerence dewe to the elders and superiors but he only reproueth ambition and the affection of vaine glory Therfore he saythe not they are placed in the vppermoste seates at feastes counsels but he saith they loue to syt in the vppermost seates the which thinge pertaineth onely to the proude After the same maner also the admonition which Christe gaue in the fourtene chapter of Luke is to be vnderstande For there he reproueth the same that he doth in this place And as it is not of it selfe euell to sytt in the hiest roome euen so it is not good of it selfe to sytt in the hindemost seate For it may be that a man beinge sette in the hyghest place maye be of a modest and humble minde that an other being placed in the lowest seate may be of a proude lofty stomacke And gretings in the market M. The Scribes and the Pharises did not onely loue to be saluted but to be saluted before all others and that in the market that is in a publike place where many shold beholde it And to be called of men Rabbi By this name Iudas saluted oure Sauiour whē he betraied him saying Rabbi Rabbi E. In alll our Gréeke bookes this woorde is doubled as Rabbi Rabbi For the doublinge of this worde semeth to haue some honor amōg the Hebreues A. Wheruppon our Sauioure Christe expressing this maner saith Not euery one that saith vnto me Lorde Lord shall inherit the kingdome of heauen This worde Rabbi is a Chalde worde which signifieth master the which worde oure Sauiour Christ as it were expounding when he saithe Be not ye called of men Rabbi addeth by and by for ye haue one master Christe therefore dothe condemne this thinge specially in the Scribes because they desired to be called masters For although this worde Rabbi of it selfe signifieth excelency as we sayed before yet notwithstandinge suche was the custome amonge the Iewes that they so called the masters and doctors of the lawe But Christ denyeth this honor to appertaine to any man sauing to hym selfe only whereupon it followeth that the same cannot be attributed vnto men withoute iniurye done vnto hym For thus he saith 8. But be not ye called Rabbi For one is your master euen Christ and all ye are brethren But be not ye called Rabbi C. This saying at the firste sighte semeth to harde and absurde that they should be depriued of the titell of honor to whome Christe hathe geuen and enioyned his office and hath made and ordeined them to be oure masters he himselfe hauinge lefte of anye more to teache vs in his owne personne yea when he was conuersante in earthe he appointed Apostels whiche shoulde take vppon them the office of teachynge in his name But and if the matter be as concerninge the tytel Paule truely woulde not glorye with the iniurye of Christe in any vsurped honor when he affirmed himselfe to bée a teacher of the Gentils But because our Sauiour Christe wente about nothinge els than to bringe all men from the hyeste to the loest into subiection that his owne righte mighte remaine whole to himselfe there is no cause why any man should curiously stande vpon the worde Christe therfore dothe not care by what tytell or name they are called whiche haue the office of teachinge committed vnto them But he seketh to kepe them within their Iuste limittes and boundes leaste they shoulde rule the faith and raigne in the cōscience of their brethren For we muste alwayes holde this distinction that Christe only ought to be obeyed because the voice of the father did concerne hym onelye when it sounded from heauen heare hym But that the teachers are his ministers so that he in them oughte to be hearde and that they are maisters vnder hym in that they take vppon them his person C. But in the Pharisaical ambitiō this falte was founde that they tooke vnto them selues the thing that appertained vnto Christ by ryghte For they would so be called Rabbi or masters that they mighte be thoughte to teache of them selues as though the Scriptures were in theyr handes to expounde and vnderstande as they thoughte good whiche thynge belongeth onelye vnto Christe whome the father hath appointed vnto vs to be oure onely teacher in that respecte For what good and wholesome thinges soeuer are taught of men they procéede from his spirit So many therfore as teach the people ought to be subiecte vnto this and of hym alone they ought to receiue their doctrine and it is mete for them to teach the same doctrine that he taught euē as though they were sente of him and to shewe nothing vnto the people contrary vnto that whiche he hathe prescribed This Christe alone shoulde the Scribes and Pharises haue preached to the people of Israel to be the Sauiour shadowed in that ceremonies at the time promised in the lawe Prophets psalmes to that which thing it was necessary that they were led and taughte by the spirite of Christe with the whiche spirite they beinge inspired had neuer propounded and set forthe to the people their owne dreames and traditions in stede of the woorde of God by the which they boasted them selues as though they had béene masters alone not taught by the spirite of God but of them selues Hereupon they beinge proude and ambitiouse woulde be called Rabbi But they which are led and guided by the spirit of God they acknowledge thēselues to be his ministers and they attribute al thinges vnto him whiche sayth thus For one is your master euen Christe As if he shoulde haue said Seke not to persuade men to call you masters because I sende you forth to preache my Gospell and to teache all nacions as though the wordes of doctrine proceded from you and from youre spirite and so waxe proude as rulers in the inheritāce of god C. Christ is the heade that his authority mighte remaine whole vnto him selfe and that no mortall man mighte diminishe anye parte of the same After this maner he his the onelye pastor but notwithstanding he suffereth manye shepeherdes to be vnder hym so that he maye be aboue them all and maye onelye by them gouerne his Churche A. Euen as he alone bought the same with his preciouse bloude And all ye are brethren C. This member or parte whiche is opposed or set againste the other muste be noted For because wee are brethren no man desyreth to be a master ouer others whereuppon it followeth that mastership by the whiche the brotherlye communicatiō and fellowship of the godly is not broken is not condemned And truelye seinge wee haue one father and are all brethren amonge whome Christe is the firste begotten it is méete that there be so greate concorde among vs that no man preferre and exalte himselfe aboue an other although he be endewed of God with greate gyftes for the vse and proffite of his brethren C. To be shorte there is nothynge els here
must knowe these manner of men and eschewe theym as false prophetes but to whō the trueth is not shewed of the father it is no meruayle if they be seduced by Antechristes and false prophetes C. Moreouer seing the Lorde dothe here pronounce that Antechristes false prophetes do brynge with them myracles and signes there is no cause why the Papistes should so greatly bragge of myracles or why we sholde stande in doubte of them By myracles they do confirm their superstitions that is to say by those by whiche the sonne of God foreshewed that the fayth of many shoulde be destroyed Wherefore they oughte not to haue suche force amonge wyse men that of them selues they shold be sufficiente to proue this or that kinde of doctrine But if they obiecte and saye that by this meanes Obiection myracles are ouerthrowne and brought to nothinge by the whiche as well the authoritie of the lawe as of the Gospell is confyrmed we answere that they had a sure and certayne marke ingraued in them which shoulde take awaye all doubt and feare of erring from the faithefull For so often as God shewed forthe his power to confyrme his seruaūts he did not worke so cōfusedly but that there might be a trewe distinction and all together free from deceyte Moreouer myracles do in such wise seale doctrine that the same also dothe shine in like manner and doth dryue away al the clowdes of darkenesse by the which Sathan doth obscure the symple myndes of men Finally if we seeke to beware of deceytes let vs alwaies kepe the inseperable coniunction of signes and doctrine It is not therefore good to beleue euery signe because it doth not followe by and by that they haue the truth which worke signes Myracles were done by Chryste by his Apostelles and successours by the power of the spiryte of GOD that their woorde mighte be confirmed and that it might be proued trewe which they preached namely that Christe was the sonne of God whiche was promised and sente in whom whosoeuer beleued shoulde be saued And they were so ioyned and linked to the word of God that they might not be without it But the myracles of false Christes and false prophetes by the whiche the vnbeleuing were ledde from Christ our sauiour are done by the spyrite of Sathan and without the word of god Suche myracles are they that are done by the Papacie of the whiche Paule speakinge of Antechrist hym selfe sayth And then shall the wycked be vttered whom the Lorde shall consume with the spirite of his mouthe and shall destroye with the apparance of his comminge euen him whose coming is after the workynge of Sathan with all lyinge power signes and wonders and with all disceyuablenesse of vnryghteousnes amonge them that perishe because they receiued not the loue of the trewethe that they might be saued And therfore God shall sende them straunge delusion that they should beleue lies that all they myghte be damned whiche beleue not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousenes In so muche that if it vvere possible the very electe This was added to terrefie that the faithfull might be more dyligent and careful to take heede For when false prophetes do brynge their pourpose to passe by vnbridled lycence and that they haue such greate power graunted vnto them to deceyue it were an easie matter to intrap and snare the secure and carelesse with their deceytes Christe therefore exhorteth and stirreth vp his disciples to watchynge then also hee admonissheth that there is no cause why they should be trobled at the newenesse of the things if so be they se many often times to be drawn into error Moreouer as he soughte to bringe a care to his disciples leaste Sathan they beinge as it were a slepe shold circumuent them euen so againe he geueth theym large and greate occasion of truste in the whiche they maye quietly rest them selues when he promiseth that they shall be safe by the helpe and preseruation of God agaynste all the deceites and snares of Sathan Although therefore the state and condition of the Godlye be fraile and slippery yet notwithstandinge here is shewed vnto theym a sure staye vppon the whiche they maye reste thēselues because it is not possible that they shoulde fall from saluation whiche haue the sonne of God to be theyr preseruer and keper For they are not so strong of them selues that they can resist the assaltes of Sathan but because they are the sheepe of Christe whom no manne can take out of his hande therefore they are stronge It maye be therefore that the electe may be moued and tempted by errors and signes but this is impossible that they should be altogether seduced frō the trueth from Christ their sauioure Notwithstanding we must watch carefully and not be slouthfull but consider our imbecillitie and weaknesse and commit oure selues vnto God least we suffer our selues to be ouercom and destroied C. For we must note this that the strengthe and assurance of our saluatyon is not sett and placed in oure selues but in the secret election of god For althoughe our saluation be kepte and preserued by faythe as the Apostell Peter teacheth yet notwithstanding we must assende hyer namely that we are therfore in safetie because the father hath geuen and committed vs to his sonne and the sonne hym selfe affirmeth that nothyng of that shall perishe which is committed vnto hym 25 Beholde I haue tolde you before C. The Euangeliste Marke dothe more fully set forthe the mynde of our sauiour Christe sayinge But take ye hede beholde I haue shewed you all thinges before By the which wordes we ar taught that they are worthye of no excuse who are made afrayde by the offences foreshewed of Christ For seing the wil of God oughte to be a rule vnto vs it suffisethe that we are admonished in tyme that he is so pleased Furthermore seynge he is sayde to be faythefull and wyll not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that whiche we are able to beare we shal neuer wāt power to resist if so be that feare negligence do not increase our infyrmitie M. Therefore althoughe the electe can not perishe yet neuerthelesse they haue nede to take hede least they be deceiued So that the wicked ones do foolishly obiecte and saye If I be one of the electe I cannot be dampned But it is the part of those that are the elect children of God to be hedefull and diligente For in that they cannot be deceiued it commeth not of them selues but by the deuine prouydence and grace of God whiche oughte not to make them rashe and negligente but rather dyligent and studious Otherwise what nede was there of these seryouse diligent often repeted admoniōs 26 VVherefore if they saye vnto you beholde he is in the deserte go not ye forthe behold he is in the secret places beleue it not If they say vnto you beholde he is C. Because this place throughe ignorance is
Dissention is a deadly thinge 260. Dissemulation 73. Diuorcementes are forbidden 417. Diuorcementes 101. Doctrine without authority is of small force 200. Doubtinge putteth awaye faythe 467. Dreames supernaturall and naturall 13. E. Error that commeth ignorantlye is sone put away 53. Error increaseth godlynes beinge awaye 307. Error being grounded truth is abolished 351 Error of the Rabbines 383. Error of the Scribes 383. Error of the Anabaptistes 392. Error in interpreters 421. Error in Hierome 422. Encrease commeth by Gods blessinge 347. Equitye 141. Esseyes 45. Externall profession is nothinge 147. Externall repenâ—â—nce must be auoyded 239. Excommunication 406. Eradication of the wicked 336. Eternall life cannot be boughte 299 Eternall dampnation 414. F. Faith doubteth no peril in the coÌ„minge of Christ 193. Fayth muste be confessed with the mouth 222. Faith is not gotten by mans wisedome 241. Faythfull men are the brethren of Christ 275. Fayth commeth by hearinge 340. Fayth cannot be beaten downe 342. Fayth in the woman of Chanaan 343. Fayth obtayneth all thinges 345. Fayth is the gift of God 359. Fayth of three sortes 387. Fayth is of more power than fastinge and prayer 388. Fayth 188. 536. Faythfull meÌ„ haue the Lord their watchman 140. Fayth hath his effect 159. 160. Fayth beinge awaye our prayers are not hearde 159. Fayth bringeth all things to passe 172. 190. Faith in the Parents profiteth infantes 173. Fayth and grace are ioyned together in the woorke of saluation 189. Fayth only obtayneth remission of sinnes 189. Fayth turneth the curse into a blessinge 608. Fayth is holpen by Sacramentes 643. False Religion 8. False teachers 143. False Prophetes shal be punished 146. 557. False Christes 571. False teachers teache in â—…n vnknowen tongue 574. False witnes 674. Fame of Christ 73. Familiar thinges are not esteemed Fast in Lent 59. Fast of Papistes 59. 126. Fast of Christe most myraculous 59. Fastinge must be voluntarye not constrayned 184. Fastinge helpeth prayer 389. Fayned worship of God is abhominable 334. Feare in the Apostles 166. Feare in generall is not euill 166. Feare is contrary to fayth 188. Feare alwayes remayneth in the wicked 309. Feare taketh awaye oftentimes the sences of man 322. Feare putteth away trust 323. Feare vaine glory are alwayes ioyned with impiety 479. Feare of hell is euen in the electe 608. Feare pertayneth to the electe and reprobate 743. Felicity consisteth not in meate drincke 61. Feastinge is not withoute manye euils 310. Forewarning of dangers is profitable 210. Fortitude of the faithfull 445. Fortune is condemned 221 Flattery begileth simplicity 267. Flatterers 452. Flattery in frendship 662. G. God neuer fayleth those that are his 29. Godly deedes peruerted by the wicâ—…ed 30. Gods spirite cannot be seene 54. Gods spirite is of great force 57. Gods woorde is oure weapon to beate downe Sathan 61. Gods prouidence 62. 63 132. 171. 220. God alone muste be worshipped 66. Gods promises are immutable 90. God is euerye where 104. God is liberall to all men 110. God is our father 118. Gods kingdome 120. Gods will 120. Gods blessing encreaseth all thinges 122. God muste be serued with al oure harte 130. God is readye to graunte our requestes 139. Gods countenaunce is terreble to the wicked 171 Gods giftes ought not to be sould 204. Gods Iustice 239. God hath no respect of personnes God is Lorde of the whole earth 241. Gods purpose cannot â—…ltered 243. Gods election 272. God is not the author of euil 398. God turneth all things to the best 415. God the author of all goodnes 428. God a prseent helpe in trouble 439. Gods grace is swete to those that enioye it 439. God needeth not mans helpe 483. God is a God of the lyuinge 511. Gospell is a generall calling 498. Gospell is a reconcilliation betwene God and man 364. Gospell is the keye of life 362. Gospell came from God 234. Gospell consisteth of two partes 40. Gospell is a fan 51. Gospell is hated because it is sharpe salte 84. Gospell is subiect to slauÌ„ders 89. Gospel is a precious pearle 139. Good works ought to be in Christians 87. Good workes may not be done for vaine glory 87. Good woorkes are saide to be oures by imputacion 87. Good workes are not the cause of saluation 373. Good woorkes are a seale of oure fayth 374. Generall Iudgement 499. Generall counselles 409. Generall day of Iudgement 409. Glory prepared for the righteous 297. Grace made the Gentiles the sonnes of God 343. H. Hatred must be auoyded 109. Harlots enuye those that reproue them 311. Helpe commeth from the Lord in time of neede 213. Hell fyer 608 Hell gates shall not preuaile against fayth 361. Herode feared to put Iohn to death 309. Herodes blindnes 23. Hermits 40. Hell fyer 96. Health of the bodye is more set by than soules health 73. Hierusalem the sanctuary of God. 16. Hope bringeth consolation 190. Hope hath her frute 52. Honour due vnto Parents 331 Holines without brotherly loue is hypocrisye Holines consisteth not in outward shewes 183. Hypocrisy pretendeth religioÌ„ 348. Hypocrisy most abhominable 469. Hypocrits turne the truth of God into a lye 470. Hypocrites are hardly brought to repentaunce 481. Hypocrites haue a pretence 27. Hypocrisy 27. 150. Hypocrits feare to be detected 45. Hypocrites are secure 48. Hypocrites haue a cloake 73. Hypocrisy in geuinge almes 112. Hypocrits of diuers kinds 113 Hypocrisye is ambitious 115. Hyerlinges 146. Humillity 156. Humillity in Christ hid his glory from the reprobate 38. Humillity and the reward thereof 395. Humillitye pertayneth to all estates 451. Humâ—…llity is ioyned with the prayers of the godly 652. I. Idolatry 66. Idle wordes 268. Idle prelates are not sente 442 Impaciente persons cannot beare the yoake 75. Images oughte not to be in the Churche 379. Immoderate care 131. Impudencye in Papistes 85. InconstaÌ„cy 232. Ignorance in the Apostles is not an example for blinde guides to followe 71. Ignoraunce is the originall of excessiue care 134. Ignoraunce peruerteth all good workes 196. Ignoraunce oughte not to be in a teacher 301. Ignoraunce is the cause of error 58. Ignoraunce is not the mother of deuotion 242. 334. Inheritance of the godly 77. Indifferent thinges ought not to be tyed to necessity 328. Indulgences 91. Iniurye 98. Iniury must be borne 108. Infidels haue no profite by gods benefites 457. Infidels are alwayes vnprepared for the Lords comminge 593. Ingratitude in the Gaderenites 171. Ingratitude maketh vs to forget God 323. Ingratitude is the cause that wee are ouercome in temptacioÌ„ 353. Ingratitude punished 496. Inuocation 595. Infantes receiued of Christ 425. Infantes are made partakers of the grace in Christ 426. Iosephes zeale 12. Iohn the Baptiste 39. Iohn the forerunner of Christ 41. Iohn Baptist led an Austere life 43. Iohns constancy 46. Iohn Baptistes modesty 53. Iohn the Baptist is called Helias 383. Iudgemente 94. 136. 536. Iudgement doth not ouerthrowe remission of sinnes 268. Iudgement of hypocrites 499. Iudas a patterne of Popishe repentaunce 686. Iust
It was better by this déede to admonish the Disciples what the power of faith was that they mighte craue the same than to expounde what this déede did signify mistically But these wordes which we reade here are as muche in effecte as if Christ should haue said Meruayle not without reason at that which was done but knowe and vnderstāde ye whereby it was done namely by the power of God but and if ye woulde haue the same to appere vnto you haue confidence in God as saith the Euangeliste Marke We are saide to haue confidence in God when we haue respecte to God alone C. And do promise vnto our selues loke for those things at the handes of God whereof wee haue nede Faythe therefore is not a confused opinion of God but a certaine persuasion as cōcerning the promises of God. And doubt not E. The Euangeliste Marke hath And doubteth not in his harte And as it were declaring what it is to doubte he addeth by and by sayinge But shall beleue that those thinges which he saithe shall come to passe whatsoeuer he saythe he shall haue Where doubtinge is there faythe is wantyng And there is no accesse vnto God without fayth when wee do certainlye determine to haue our prayers hearde of God and do doubte nothynge of this matter But if ye shall say to this mountaine C. Christ dothe not here teache that hilles maye be remoued but sheweth onelye the certainety of faith They which cleaue vnto the Lorde by a sure and vndoubted faith are able the Lorde when he séeth good aydinge them to do that which semeth impossible to fleshe A. Reade the seuentene chapter goinge before where Christ teacheth the self same thing 22. And all things that ye aske in praier if ye beleue ye shall receiue them And all thinges that ye shall aske in prayer C. Because faith if there be any at all bursteth forth into prayers and pearceth euen to the treasurs of the grace of God which are declared by the worde to enioye them therefore Christe ioyneth prayer to faith For if he shoulde haue saide that we shall haue whatsoeuer we wishe for faithe mighte seeme to some imperiouse or to secure Wherefore Christ doth shewe that they do treuly beleue which bearing them selues bolde of his goodnes and promises do humblely flee vnto him A. Therefore the Euangeliste Marke as it were expounding what it is to beleue wrote saying and shal not doubte in his harte but shal beleue that those thinges which he saith shall come to passe whatsoeuer he sayth he shall haue Therefore I say vnto you what thinges soeuer ye desyre when ye praye beleue that ye receyue them and ye shall haue them C. This place serueth very well to expresse and set forthe the force and nature of faythe namely because the certainty and assurance resteth in the goodnes of GOD whiche putteth awaye all doubte For Christ doth not acknowledge any to beleue but those whiche do vndoubtedlye persuade them selues that God is fauorable vnto them and doubte not but that he will graunte whatsoeuer they aske Whereby we may see howe diuelishelye Papistes were bewitched whiche affirme that we ought to doubte of oure saluation yea they saye that it is foolishe presumption if we persuading oure selues of the fauore of God towardes vs dare presente oure selues before hym And yet treuly the Apostell Paule dothe speciallye commende this benefite of Christe because by fayth in hym we haue bouldnes and confidence to come vnto god Furthermore this place teacheth that the true example of faith is contayned in prayers If anye man do obiecte these petitions were neuer hearde of that mountaines shoulde caste themselues into the sea we may easely aunswer that Christe did not geue liberty to the fonde and vnlawfull requestes of men when he ioyneth prayers to the rule of fayth For so it is necessary that the spirite of God do bringe into obedience all our affectiōs being bridled by the word of god Oure sauiour Christ doth require and vndoubted faith trust of praier with out wauering But how shall the mind of manne conceiue the same but by the worde of god We se therfore now that our Sauiour Christe dothe promise nothing to his Disciples excepte they kepe them selues within the limits of his diuine will. A. Hereupon the Apostell Saint Ihon saith This is the trust that we haue to Godwardes that if we aske any thinge of him according to his wyll he heareth vs. 23. And when he was come into the tēple the chefe Priestes and elders of the people came vnto him as he was teachinge and saide By what authority doeste thou these thinges and who gaue thee this authority And vvhen he vvas come into the Temple Bu. Christe oure Sauiour before as he bare the office of a Kinge expulsed and caste oute of the Temple all those that bought and soulde in the same and now according to his priestly office also he teacheth the people in the Temple fulfilling both the office of a priest and a king together This thing did greatly burne and vexe the mindes of the chefe priestes and elders M. For these men sawe the greate glory of his miracle and the feruente affection of the people towarde Christ they felte and perceiued a certaine authoritie of the teacher of hym which purged the temple by all the which thinges they looked for nothinge but for the contempte of his authoritye and power and the obscuration of his wanted glorye C. But because their other counsells and deuises had not prospered and taken effecte and their practises by the whiche they wente aboute to resiste hym beinge manifeste nowe they go about to proue if peraduēture they might put him from the office of teachinge They seme not to doubte of the doctrine it selfe whether it were true or false the proofe wherof they had oftē times alreadye in vaine attempted neyther durste they reprehende the glorye of the miracles because he alwayes set forth the diuine power of God but by an other way they go about to reproche him namelye by mouinge a controuersy or doubte as concerninge his callinge and commandemente M. They sawe that he hadde neyther any principall or priestly forme or shewe of power as touchinge this worlde which did these great wajghty matters the which if any man do without authoritye he is worthelye counted rashe and seditiouse They come therefore with a greate apparance and oftentation of power demaundinge by what authoritye he dothe that which he dothe For they thoughte by this question they mighte conuince hym eyther as a blasphemer if he saide that he did these thindes by the power of God seing he was a man or els as a seditiouse personne if he aunswered that he vsed his owne authority They dispute not therfore as concerning his doctrine as we sayd euē nowe but as concerning formalitye as we terme it as if they should haue saide Although thy doctrine be
true yet notwithstandinge thou oughtest not to presume to teache without thou be licenced thereunto by oure authoritie C. This truely was a special cooler for seinge it became no man eyther to intrude hym selfe into the honor of the priestehoode or into the office of a Prophete but shoulde wayte for the calling of God much lesse was it mete for any mā to take vnto him the name of the Messias vnlesse he were certainlye knowne to be chosen by God because it was necessary that he shoulde not only be appointed by the voyce of god but also by an othe as it is written in the Psalme where it is saide The Lorde sware and will not repente thou arte a prieste for euer after the order of Melchisedech But they deale wickedly and peruersely seing that the diuine maiesty of Christe by so many wonders and signes was declared to aske as though they wer the most ignorant of al men frō whence he came For what can be more absurde than whan they see the hande and power of God to be openly declared as by making the lame to walke and the blind to sée to doubte whether any priuate man can rashely take vnto him this liberty or no But in deede they could not but cōfesse that Christe was sente from heauen and that God was the author of the workes that he did They stande therefore vpon this that he is not the lawfull minister of God whome they by they re authorite doe not licence as though the power hereunto belonginge did wholly rest in them But truely although they were the lawful gouerners of the Churche yet notwithstanding it was a monstrouse thinge in them to beare themselues against God. Nowe let vs note why Christe doth not directly aunswer vnto them surely because the thing which they demanded of him without shame was most manifest plain The chefe priestes and elders came vnto him A. The Euangelist Marke saith that as he walked in the temple there came to him the hie priestes and the Scribes and the elders and saide vnto hym by what authority doest thou these things And vvho gaue thee this authority Repeticion is often times vsed in the Scriptures 24. Iesus aunswered an saide vnto thē I also wil aske of you a certaine thing which if ye tel me I likewise wel tel you by what authority I do these thinges Iesus ansvvered and sayde M. The Lorde vnderstanding their crafte and subtiltye doth not simplely aunswere to their demaunde because they did not demaūde this questiō simplely to learne but to in trappe the answerer but setteth one question againste an other that he mighte take and confounde the crafty in theire wylines Therefore he saith I also vvill aske of you a certaine thinge Oure Sauiour Christe mighte seme here to geue an euell example in denyinge to geue a reason of his callinge But it is not so For in this question there was contained a full and perfecte aunswere by the which he did satisfye the aduersarys For when S. Ihon had witnessed that Iesus was the sonne of GOD the Phariseis no doubte beinge taughte of him oughte to haue acknowledged Iesus to be the messenger of God whereby they coulde not doubte by what authoritie he did both preache and shewe forthe miracles For they helde S. Ihon as the Prophete of God sente of God to whom they gaue great credit The Lorde also by his demaunde would euidently declare howe wicked and maliciouse the hye priestes and Phariseys were not onely for resisting hym but also because they had shewed the lyke malice towardes others namely towardes S. Ihon the Baptiste in whome when they coulde fynde no falte they reiected his doctrine and ministration of Baptisme that it mighte be no meruayle if they did the like here to hym For when as all the people beleued Ihon the Baptiste to be a Prophete sente of God and therfore receiued his Baptisme and the hye priestes Scribes and elders of the people contemned the same as we may reade in the seuenth of Luke where they are saide to cōtemne the counsel of God Our Sauiour Christe going aboute to call to minde this their former obstinacye obiecteth vnto them this question to the ende he mighte detecte and vncouer their deceite by the which they woulde seeme to be led by a certeine zeale of defendinge the people leaste by a contrary and false doctrine they should be seduced by those whiche had receiued no power of God. 25. The baptisme of Ihon whence was it frō heauen or of men And they thoughte amonge them selues saying if we saye from heauen he will say vnto vs VVhy did ye not beleue him The baptisme of Ihon. C. He dothe aske them of the baptisme of S. Ihon not only that he mighte shewe that they were vnworthy of al authority because they had despised the holy Prophete of God but also that he might reproue them by their owne aunswere that they imprudentlye fayned ignoraunce in a matter so well and euidentlye knowne S. Ihon was sente to be the fore roonner of Christe that he mighte prepare the waie before him he had pointed out Christe with the finger and had witnessed that he was the onely sonne of god Wherupon therfore will the Scribes nowe proue vnto them selues the newe authority of Christe when as S. Ihon by his preaching had brought sufficient credit to the same Therefore that whereof we spake euen now semeth to be true namely that Christ did not vse any subtilty to escape but did soūdely in all points satisfye the question obiected againste hym For Ihon could not be acknoweledged to be the seruaunte of God except the Lorde him selfe were acknowledged also So that he did not imbolden and encourage troublesom and peruerse personnes which rashely without the commaundement of God vsurpe vnto them selues publike authority neither did he also by his example teache any man subtilly to hyde and conceale the truethe as many crafty personnes falsely Imagine him to bee the author It is certainlye true that we must not alwayes answer alike when the wicked craftely go about to deceiue vs but we must so wysely be ware and take héed of their malice that the trueth maye alwayes haue her dewe defence By the Baptisme of S Ihon he vnderstandeth all that pertained to the office of S. Ihon yea his doctrine also For by and by it followeth that the hye priestes gathered of the woordes of the Lorde thus If we saye from heauen he wil say vnto vs why do ye not beleue it But we beleue his doctrine For he taughte that Iesus was the sonne of God and that the father had geuen vnto him all power And it shall not be amisse if by this worde Baptisme we vnderstād the Sacrament of Baptisme For Ihon Baptised with the Baptisme of repentaunce saying vnto the people that they should beleue on him which should come after him that is on Christ Iesus C. To be shorte Baptisme in this place is takē for the