touche his wife infected wyth the Elephantine leprosy so it is not permitted that hee by and by put her awaye If anye man will obiecte that they which cannot liue chaste had neede of some remedy that they be not set on fyer with cōcupiscence wée aunswere that it is no remedy which is soughte for without the limits of the word of God and moreouer wee say that the gifte of continency shall neuer be lackinge vnto them if they giue themselues ouer to the Lordes gouernmēt because they followe that which hée hath prescribed Some mā doth loth his wife so that hee will not voutchsafe to company with her shall this euill be remedied by hauing many wiues An other mans wyfe is taken with the Palsey or falling sicknes or is greeued with some other incurable disease shall the husband vnder the cooller of incontinency tourne her away Wée know that those which walke in the wayes of the holy ghoste are neuer destitute of his helpe The Apostell Paule sayth for the auoyding of fornication let euery man marye a wife Hée that hath done this although all thinges come not to passe accordinge to his desyer yet hath hée discharged his dutye Therefore if any thing be lacking it shal be by the assistance of Gods holye spirit repayred to go anye further is nothing els but to tempte god But whereas S. Paule noteth another cause that is when it so chaunceth that in despite of godlines the wyues are reiected of the vnbeleuinge husbandes that the deuoute brother or sister is not then bonde it is not contrary to the meaninge of our sauioure Christ For hée doth not there dispute of the iust cause of deuorce but onelye whether the woman doth remaine bonde vnto the vnbeleuinge husbande after that shée beinge reiected wickedly in despite of God can by no meanes els retourne into fauor with her husband againe but by denyinge god Wherfore it is no marueile if S Paule referre the disagreement with man before the alienation from God of the which thing we will speake more hereafter Obiection But this exception that Christe bringeth in here séemeth superfluous For if the adulterous wife deserueth to be punished by deathe what néede hée speake of diuorse Surelye because it was the husbandes parte to pursue vnto iudgement the adulterye of the wife that hée might pourge his house of this wickednes howsoeuer the matter should fall out Christ absolueth that mā that conuinceth his wife of vncleanes from the bandes made in Matrimonye And it might be that amongest that corrupte and degeneratinge people a great negligence in punishing of that wickednes might raine As at this day the peruerse indulgence and fauor of the Magistrates causeth that many husbandes are enforced to put awaye vnchaste wiues because adultery is vnpunished And that maryeth her that is diuorsed This part hath bene very euill expounded of many interpretors For they supposed that generally and vniuersally singlenes was commaunded so often as a diuorce was made so that if the husbande did caste of his adulterous wife either of them was vrged with the necessity of singlenes As though this were the libertye of diuorce only to lye a part from his wife and as if Christ did not permit manifestly in this case that which the Iewes after their owne fansies were wonte to vse without all cōsideration in euery small tryfell Therefore that was to grosse an error For when Christ condemneth him of adultery that marieth the wife which is diuorsed it is certaine that he restrayneth this vnto vnlawfull and friuolous deuorses The Apostell S. Paule therfore biddeth such to tarrye vnmarryed or to be reconciled vnto their husbandes which are so put away because truly wedlocke is not abolished by chidinge and dissention As wée may gather by Marke wher by name the wife is expressed that departeth from her husbande his woordes are these And if a woman forsake her husbande and is maryed to another shee cōmitteth adulterye not because it was frée for the wyues to geue their husbandes a bill of deuorcemente sauinge so far forthe as the Iewes had declined to forrein customes but Marke ment to note and set downe that the abuse which was then euerye wheare common was reprehēded of the Lord because after voluntary deuorce either party entered a new into mariage so that hée maketh no mencion of adultery Therefore hée that marieth her that is deuorced not for fornicatiō but for some other cause dooth not marrye his owne wife but the wife of another man and therefore hee doth not contracte matrimony but cōmitteth adultery although Moyses to such a one as is deuorced hath permitted to marrye another by the same lawe that hée suffered the husband to put her away A. This is the true and perfecte sence of the wordes of Christ which I woulde they had retained which haue followed other cōtrary interpretacions C. For here the aduersaries of the Gospell did exercise a marueilous tyranye permitting deuorces yet denying secōd mariages to the honeste husbande But what libertye hath that man that is constrayned to liue in singlenes Surelye his liberty is mere bondage 10 Then saide his Disciples vnto him if the case be so betwene man and wife then is it not good to marrye Then saide his Disciples C. Muche like as if the condition of men were not indifferent if they were so tyed vnto their wyues that so long as they continue chaste they should be constrayned to endure all other things rather then to departe from them this the Disciples do gather that it is better to haue no wiues than so to be snared being moued thereunto by the aunswere of Christ M. If this say they be the state and condition of husbandes that they may not be desolued frō their wiues if the wife displease them it were much more commodious not to contracte matrimony The Iewes vntil this time had vsed great liberty in deuorcing their wiues the which being taken away as vnlawfull the Apostells thoughte it much better not to marry C. But why do they not in like maner consider how hard the seruitude bondage of the wiues is but only because carnall reason forceseth those that are adicted to themselues their owne cōmodities to neglect other men to haue only a consideration of themselues In the meane time wicked ingratitude bewrayeth it selfe because by the feare and tediousnes of one discommoditye they doe reiecte the singuler gifte of god Accordinge to their iudgemente it is better to auoyde matrimony than to tye themselues with the knot of perpetuall society but truly if God ordayned Matrimonye for the health and profite of all mankind although it bringe many sharpe and vnpleasaunte thinges with it yet is it not therefore to be despised Let vs learne therefore if any thinge be not pleasaunt vnto vs amonge the benefits of God not to be so diuers and waywarde but that wée maye reuerently vse them but speciallye wée muste
allowed whiche saye that they were vnworthy to haue place in the genology of Christe For many other also were vnworthy whom notwithstanding Mathew placeth indifferently with the godly Therefore it is more trewe that when he woulde make a Catalogue or rehersal of fourtene kinges he was not greatly curious in hauing of choyse because hée counted it sufficient to sette the order of the genealogie before the readers eyes euen from the beginning to the ende of the kyngdome But wheras in some bookes thirtene are only red it is likely that it came to passe by the false and negligence of the wryter of the booke Epiphanius in his first booke against heresies sheweth the cause namely that whereas the name of Iechonias is put twyse the vnlearned are so bould as to put it out of the second place as a thing superfluous The whiche he saith ought not to haue ben done because Ioachim the sonne of king Ioachim had the same name that his sonne Iechonias had Loke in the .iij. chap. of the .i of the Chronicles the second of the Chronicle .xxxvi. chap. 9 Ozias begat Ioatham Ioatham begat Achaz Achaz begat Ezechias Ozias begat Ioatham M. It is wrytten that this Ioatham was good and permanent in the lawe of god A. He made the sonnes of Ammon after he had ouercome thē in battaile to be tributary vnto him As concerning the whiche reade in the .27 chap. of the second of Chronicles Ioatham begat Achas This man was euil and walked in the wayes of the kynges of Israell be made molten Images for Baalym he offered incense in the valley of the sonne of Himnon and burnte his children in fier after the abhominations of the Heathen whom the lord cast out before the children of Israell He offered also and burnt incēce in hilaultars and on mountaynes and vnder euery grene trée to be brief the true God being forsaken he liued very wickedly Here therfore we haue an example of false religion with the whiche also we haue to note howe euill and perniciouse a thing it is to the people to haue ouer thē a superstitious and wicked kyng Achas begat EZechias A. This was a godly king whose earnest zeale against the worshipping of Images is fully described and set forth in the .xviij. chap. of the second booke of kynges 10 Ezechias begat Manasses Manasses begat Amon Amon begat Iosias EZechias begat Manasses M. This man was so euill and vngodly that he exceaded all his elders and kinges of Israell yea the very Heathē in malice and vngodlines at length notwithstanding being in extremitie he was moued with repentaunce tourned to the Lorde of whome he obteined mercy and grace Reade of him in the .xxxiij. chap. of the second booke of Chronicles We haue therfore in this kyng a worthy example of repentance of the diuine grace Manasses begat Amon. This man exceded his father in wickednes but he folowed not his repentaunce Amon begat Iosias This man was godly after the example of Ezechias In his time the booke of the Diuine lawe which was geuen by the hande of Moyses was founde being hidden in the temple of the Lorde whiche the king receaued in the feare of the lorde and commaunded the lorde to be intreated prayed vnto that he would tourne awaye his anger from Israel which had neglected the wordes of the Diuine lawe By the which example we sée what is in the ende to be loked for where wicked kinges reigne and are nothing touched with the worde of god For so long Israel fel from the feare of the lorde that the booke of the lawe it self was hidden of a lōg time not regarded 11 Iosias begat Iechonias and his brethren about that time that they were brought to Babylon Bu. This Iechonias differeth from him that came next after For this is called Ioachim Eliachim as appeareth 2. King. 23. 24. and .2 Chron. 36. But he that foloweth being the sonne of the former Iechonias and the father of Salathiel is called Ioachim and Iechonias as in .1 Paralip 3. It is not red in any place that Iosias begat any whose name was Iechonias that had brethren but it is red that Iechonias was borne to Ioachim whiche was the originall of the captiuitie of Babylon But in a certaine auncient Greke booke we reade thus Iosias begat Ioachim Ioachim begat Iechonias and rightly it may so be saide as we haue shewed before About the time that they vvere brought to Babylon C. That is when the Iewes were brought into captiuitie For the Euangelist doth shewe that then the posteritie of Dauid were of kinges made seruauntes banished men into bondage But where as this captiuitie was a certaine kynde of destructiō it was brought to passe by the wonderfull working and prouidēce of God that the Iewes should not only increase and gather together in one body but also that some remnaunt of rule principalitie kyngdome should abyde in the house of Dauid For they whiche retourned home againe did willingly submitte them selues to the rule of Zorobabel without cohertion and constrainte The remnant therfore or fragmentes as it were of the kyngly scepter indured after this sorte euen till the comming of Christ according to the prophecie of Iacob when he saide The scepter shall not departe from Iuda nor a captaine from his thigh vntill he come whiche must be sente And euen in that miserable and sorowfull discipation of the people the sparkes of the grace of God ceased not to shine A. But where as it is saide about the tyme that they were brought to Babylon It is not to be vnderstoode so that Iosias begat his sonnes in the exile of Babylon when as he sawe not the same being by death preuented but that his posteritie was brought into the same C. For the Iewes were constrained to wander out of their countrey that they might leade their lyues in an other place as pylgrymes and straungers 12 And after they were brought to Babylon Iechonias begat Salathiel Salathiel begat Zorobabel C. That is after the Iewes were brought into captiuitie or els after their demigration or wandring into Babylon for euen in the very exile Iechonias begat Salathiel and his brethren M. It is sayde that he begat them after the exyle because the Euangelist semeth to reken or reherse his generation and posteritie whiche immediatly foloweth the exile Finally it is saide that Asir Salathiel Melchiram Phedaia Senneser Iechmias Hosamai and Nadabia wer the sonnes of Iechonias 13 Zorobabel begat Abiud Abiud begat Eliachim Eliachim begat Azor. Bu. In this thirde and laste degrée the kinges are not rehersed or nombred but the captaines and chief and as Iacob the Patriarche doth name them the lawegeuers and headmen in the common wealth of Israel But they whiche folow Salathiel in Luke are thought to be of two names according to the opinion of Philo euen vnto Simeon so that Neri whiche Luke maketh mention of
confirmed from aboue so that the veritie of the same cannot be ambigious or doubtfull The dreames which commonly happeÌ„ vnto meÌ„ are wont to come of continual cogitacions thoughtes of the minde or of the course of nature or of the disteÌ„perance of the body or of such like causes Bu to the deuine dreames cometh the testimony of the spirite which witnesseth for a suertie that it is God whiche speaketh Bu. As of the ladder of Iacob which we rede that he saw in a vision or dreame Moreouer we learne out of this place how greate the prouideÌ„ce of God is towards those that are his with the which by his fatherly watching care he doth instruct teache those that are a slepe nothing careful for thinges necessary what they must do what thei must auoide he wil soner teache theÌ„ with a miracle theÌ„ thei shold so dauÌ„gerously erre Ioseph thou sonne of Dauid C. This exhortation of the aungell doth declare that Ioseph was troubled with carefulnes of mind least he should be polluted or defiled with any infection in suffering the adultery of his wife Therfore that opinioÌ„ that he had conceiued of the fact thangel taketh away that he might abide dwel with his wife with a quiet conscience This Epithete of the sonne of Dauid he vseth according to the present cause that he might lifte vp his mynde to that hie mistery because he should be of that family a certain remnaunt with a few of whom saluatioÌ„ was promised to the world Ioseph therfore hearing the name of Dauid of that which stock he maried he might remeÌ„ber that excelleÌ„t couenaÌ„t of the restoring of his kingdom that he might vnderstaÌ„d that no new thing was spoken vnto him Therfore it is eueÌ„ as if the aungell bringing in the foretellinges of the prophetes should haue prepared the minde of Ioseph to receiue the grace presently proffered 21 She shal bring forth a sonne and thou shalt cal his name Iesus for he shal saue his people from their sinnes This thing was forshewed by thangel saying thou shalt coÌ„ceiue bring forth a sonne She shal bring forth a sonne And thou shalt cal his name Iesus C. The cause why he should be so called is preseÌ„tly added for he shal saue his people from their sinnes This name Iesus is takeÌ„ froÌ„ this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hiphil which properly signifieth to saue but accordiÌ„g to that Hebrew it is otherwise pronouÌ„ced as Iehosua but the Euangelistes for so much as they write in Greke haue vsed the coÌ„moÌ„ phrase of speache wherby their folly is reproued which rather do wrest this name Iesus of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then deriue it For they couÌ„te it a gret absurditie that any shold haue this name saue only the sone of god And tragically and cruelly they crie out that Christ would neuer suffer his name so to be prophaned and made coÌ„men as though truely we had forgotten 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is that the name of Iesu was no lesse coÌ„mon to those men theÌ„ Iehosua But wher as the Rabbines do write in euery place Iesus It is plaine that they do it maliciously least they should call Christ by any title of honor but rather they imagined him to be some base borne iewe Therefore their writing deserueth as much authoritie as the barking of a dog Moreouer they obiecte that this name Iesus before the which euery knée ought to bowe deserueth no reuerence nor treÌ„bling feare except only alone it pertaineth to the son of God. But certainly Paule ascribeth not vnto him any magicall name in the sillables wherof any maiesty is included or hid no rather he meaneth thus that al power is geueÌ„ to Christ of his father yea al empire dominion therfore that the whole world ought to huÌ„ble it self vnder him Therfore al such fonde fained imaginatioÌ„s laid apart let vs vnderstaÌ„d that the name of Iesus was geuen to Christ that in it the faithful might learne to seke for that which in times past was shadowed vnder the law which was that saluatioÌ„ should come through him Bu The selfe same worde vseth the prophet Esay speaking of Christ saying I haue made thée the light of the Gentils that the maiest be my helth or saluatioÌ„ to th end of the world For he shal saue his people froÌ„ their sinnes A. Here the sonne of God is plainly coÌ„mended to be the author of saluation euen as there is no saluation in any other but in hym C. First of al therfore we must consider that al they in theÌ„ selues are lost to whoÌ„ Christe is sent to saue for he is called by name the sauiour of the church If that they are ouerwhelmed with death destructioÌ„ whom God hath taken ioyned to him self vntil Christ restore life vnto them again what shal we say of those strauÌ„gers which are not of the fellowship vnto whoÌ„ at no time any hope of light or life hath shined Wherfore we must nedes coÌ„fesse that mankinde vniuersally was iudged geuen to vtter death destructioÌ„ damnatioÌ„ vntil saluatioÌ„ was included in Christ But here also we must note coÌ„sider the cause of this death destructioÌ„ for the celestial iudge wil not pronounce vs to be accursed rashely or without cause The aungel therfore doth witnes that we perished were oppressed kept down in miserable daÌ„natioÌ„ because by our sinnes we wer alienated draweÌ„ froÌ„ life Wherby is shewed vnto vs the wickednes and corruptioÌ„ of our nature For if there wer any man so fully beâ—…t in any pointes to liue vprightly iustly yet he shal stande in nede of Christ the deliuerer But truly there are none but they haue nede of his grace Therfore it followeth that we are the seruauntes of sinne altogether destitute of true righeousnes eueÌ„ as the apostle Paule writeth C. Here also we may gather what way meanes Christe hath to saue vs because he deliuereth vs from our sinnes There are two parts of this deliueraunce The first is by the pacifiyng of the wrath of God whiche bringeth vnto vs frée pardon remission by the which we are exempted from death reconciled to god The second is by the sanctification of his spirite through the which he doth deliuer vs froÌ„ the tyranny of SathaÌ„ that we may liue to righteousnes Wherefore Christe is not truly acknowledged to be our sauiour vntill we assure our selues to haue frée remission of our sinnes and to be certified that we are righteous acceptable in the sight of God because we are absolued from the desert gilte of death And finally we hauing no confidence in our own workes merites must craue of him the spirite of perfect righteousnes M. Therfore diligeÌ„tly we must indeuour that this effectuall power of Christ to saluation may ratifie and confirme in vs his truth and veritie We must also note
vnto vs that he dothe promise his spirite which ingraueth the righteousnes of the law in our hartes We are cōmaunded therfore to aske both and in the fyrst place the petition to obtaine remissiō of sinnes is put Oure dettes M. Luke in the xi Chapter hath forgeue vs our synnes or trespasses C. Therfore our sinnes are called dettes because they bringe vs before the trybunall seat of God make vs detters vnto him yea they do wholly seperate vs from God that there is no hope to atteine peace and grace but only by pardō And so is fulfylled that whiche Paule wryteth All haue synned and are destytute of the glorye of God that all mowthes maye be stopped and that all the world may be subdued vnto god For althoughe the righteousenes of God doth partely shine in the sainctes notwithstanding so long as they are in the fleshe they lie ouerladē with sin So that there is no man founde in the whole world so pure whiche hath not nede of the mercy of God of the which if we desire to be partakers it is necessary that we féele oure owne misery But they whiche fayne to thē selues such perfectiō in this worlde that they think them selues frée frō al sin and vice do not so much neglect their sinnes as they do Christ frō whose church they banish them selues For when he cōmanded al his disciples daily to aske remissiō of their sins he excludeth al out of theyr nomber cōpany whiche thinke this remedie to be superfluous vnto thē Let vs put awaye therefore by this praier the wrath indignation of our heauenly father the iust ponishmētes whiche wee haue deserued let vs seke to please him by reconciliation For what can be more greuous then the displeasure of the father For so much as therfore our hole health consisteth in this to keepe the fauour of our heauēly father good and iuste cause we haue to put awaye his displeasure Now this remissiō which we here desire is cōtrary to satisfactiōs by the which the world seketh redēption For that credytour is not said to remit whiche beinge paid asketh the det no more but he which willingly frely departing frō his right dischargeth the debttor Neither dothe that cōmon distinction of falte ponishement here take place for there is no doubt but that dets do signifie the desert of ponishment or paine We must note also here that if we be forgeuē fréely al dispensations cōming from the Pope are in vaine For to obteine remission of oure sinnes Christ sēdeth vs to his father alone that rightly for who can forgeue the offence cōmitted against an other not againste him self Nay can any man forgeue sins beside God Wherfore Christe sent hym which had hurt his brother to go reconcile him self to his brother Therfore whē we syn against God our health saluation only cōsisting in him it is manifest that we can be forgeuen of none but of him therfore at his hāds we must aske forgeuenes according to the form of this praier Herevpon Dauid saide I saide I wil confesse my syns vnto thee lord so thou forgauest mee the wickednes of my sin For this shal euery one that is godly make his prayer vnto thée in a time whē thou maiest be found Neither is this repugnāt to that authoritie which was geuen to the Apostels to remit sinnes For they did not forgeue sinnes by their own power but as ministers of Christ prechers of grace they did pronounce to the penitent faithfull that their sins were forgeuen According to the saying of the lord by the Prophete Esay I euen I am he that put away your sinnes that for my owne sake As vve forgeue our detters C. This condition was therefore added that no man should presume to aske pardon for his sinnes excepte he were free from mallice hatred Notwithstāding the pardō which we aske dependeth not vpon that which we shewe to other but by this meanes Christe exhorteth vs to forgeue all offences and dothe make our trust and confidence also of absolution pardō more fyrme and strong Furthermore it was not the purpose of Christ to note the cause but onely to teache vs of what mind we ought to be one towards an other when we desire to be reconciled vnto god And trewely if the spirite of God do raigne in our hartes all mallice euil wyl reuengement wil ceasse But for so muche as the spirite is a wytnesse vnto vs of our adoption we se that there is here a note geuen vnto vs who are the sonnes of God and who are not B. Our remission therfore is a motion of the spirite because God ruleth our affections Nowe since the case standeth thus how can they be excused whiche will not forgeue theyr neybours offences How can such presume to aske pardon of their sinnes at the handes of God Is it a triffle to lye vnto the lyuinge God and to play the Hypocrytes Yea when we say forgeue vs as we forgeue others what do we elles but call for vengeaunce at the handes of God vpon our selues if wee forgeue not oure offendours And for this cause there are many nowe a daies which rather then they wil remit forgeue they will neuer say the lordes praier But suche escape not the iudgemente of god For it shall abide for euer whiche the lord saith If ye forgeue not mē their trespases your father whiche is in heauē shall not forgeue you your trespases To this ende also parteineth the parable which he sheweth following Wherfore we may not let to forgeue our ofenders if so be that we will haue god to forgeue and forget our synnes 13 And leade vs not into tēptation but deliuer vs from euill for thine is the kingdome the power and the glory for euer and euer amen And leade vs not into tempta C. Here many amisse do deuide this into two petitions when as by the matter it is euidēt to be but one not two as they imagine For the coniūctiō set betwene both coupleth both the sentēces together whiche S. Austine very wiselye examined Thus therefore ought this praier to be resolued Least vve be led into tēptation deliuer vs from euill But the sōm of this prayer is this that we knowing our own infirmities desier god to be our aide helpe that we may stāde valiantly against al the assaltes of sathā M. We are taught therfore in this petion that we are as yet set in a doubtfull dāgerous cōflict in the which we must fight against the deuil the world and the fleshe For the godly haue an other maner of fight in this worlde then haue the childrē of darknes For they haue a carelesse conscience sekinge at no time to resyste Sathan whiche worketh in them but the godly because they geeue theim selues wholly vnto God they haue Sathan the prynce of this worlde
doctrine is shewed in the lawe prophetes but he vnderstandeth that what soeuer is there commaunded of charitie what so euer lawes and exhortations there be for the imbracinge of equitie oughte to be referred to this ende The sence therfore of his woordes is that the second table is fulfilled if so be that wee do vnto others as we woulde they should do vnvs Accordinge to the whiche S. Paule saith He whiche loueth an other fulfylleth the lawe Againe he saythe All the law is cōprehended in one worde namely in this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe 13 Enter in at the straite gate for wyde is the gate and broade is the way that leadeth to destructiō and many there be whiche go in thereat Enter in at the strayte gate M. Because this doctrine seemed to the disciples new and vnwonted as it was heauenly so the same semed incomprehensible to the wisdome of the fleshe specially in respecte of that whervnto they were accustomed Christ therfore added this admonishing his disciples to prepare thē selues as it were to a strayte and thorny way or to a troublesome iorney Broade is the vvaye M. By the way the scripture vnderstandeth the lyfe of man because it tendeth as a waye eyther to a comming to lyfe or deathe And many there be vvhiche go in thereat C. He sayth that many go the broade way because mē do destroy one an other by their peruerse ensamples For wherevpon cōmeth that euery man willingly and carelesly casteth hym selfe to destruction but because they thincke they perysshe not when in dede in the middest of the route they perishe And on the contrary parte the small nomber of the faythful maketh many altogether bent to wickednes for we are not easely broughte to renounce the worlde and to frame our selues and our lyfe to the manners of fewe for we thincke it an absurde thing to be brought from the multitude or greatest nomber as though we were not part of mākinde And although the doctrine of Christ doth constraine vs as bonde doth bryng our lyfe into a straite iorney and dothe seperate vs from the multitude and ioine vs to a few yet notwithstanding this precisenes ought not to lett vs to aspire and come to life immortall 14 For strayte is the gate and narrowe is the waye whiche leadeth vnto life and fewe there be that fynde it For strayte is the gate Bu. The sence of this place is that there is a certaine institution of life which is vneasy hard sharpe and therefore it doth abhorre the myndes of the people but this soure and vnsauery lyfe hath most pleasant fruites which bringeth to euerlasting lyfe But where as the waye is narrowe that commethe by our corrupt nature and imperfection in that we can not make our lyfe subiect to the yoke There is no cause therefore why we should complayne but we must ascribe the same to our wicked inclination Laste of all we muste note here the twoo endes of man whiche are here put of Christe to one of the whiche we must ronne at the lengthe that is to saye eyther to lyfe or perdition 15 Beware of false Prophetes whiche come to you in shepes clothinge but inwardely they are rauening wolues Bevvare C. This is a moste profytable admonition declaring that is more easy to be deceiued then to obeye and harken to wholsome counsaile for of our owne free wil we encline to falsehode and deceyte yea and althoughe there were no deceiuer yet we seduce and beguyle our selues By these wordes therfore our sauioure Christ doth teache that alwayes his churche is subiecte to dyuerse seducinges so to be daungerouse for some to fall from the faithe excepte they be vigilant diligent to beware The Iewes for the most part did hope that they shold haue a happy state vnder the kingedome of Christ and to be exempt from al strife and trouble Therefore he admonysheth his disciples to persiste and contynue if they couet to prepare theim selues to auoyde the deceytes of Sathan For the lorde will haue his church exercised with a continual warfare in this world wherfore that we may shewe our selues to be his disciples to the very end docillitie is not only sufficiēt as to suffer our selues to be gouerned with his woorde but also our faythe must be armed because often times it is assalted of sathan This trewly is the greatest thing if we suffer our selues to be ruled by the godly and faithfull ministers of Christe But because false teachers do arise excepte we watch diligently and be armed with cōstancy we may easely be withdrawen from the flocke To the which perteyneth the sayinge of Christ that the sheepe do here the voice of the shepeherd and not to regarde the voyce of a straunger but to flye from him Whereby we may gather that there is no cause why the faythefull shoulde be discouraged or troubled when wolues do crepe into the sheepefoulde of Christ when false prophetes go about to deface the trewe faith but rather ought to be of good chere and to watche For it is not without cause that Christ biddeth theym beware Wherefore if our owne slouthfulnesse ◅o not trouble vs we shall easely eschewe all trappes and snares and truely without this trust we could not be bolde enough to beware Now when as we knowe that the lorde will not frustrate oure expectation by any of the assaltes of sathā let vs go on without feare cra◅inge of him the spirite of discretion whiche sealeth our hartes with faythe of his treweth and bewrayeth the wyles deceytes of Sathan least we shoulde be begyled Of false prophetes C. A prophete is taken for the teacher shewyng forthe the pure woorde of God to the whiche ā false prophete is contrary which pretendinge the name of God hath a shewe of a prophete There shal arise saith Christ false Christes and false prophetes and shall do greate miracles and wonders in so much that if it were possible the very electe shoulde be deceyuod VVhiche come to you M. That is whiche ioyne theim selues vnto you and fayne thē selues to be on your side being neyther called nor sente Of the whiche prophetes the lorde complayneth in the olde testament sayinge I sent not prophetes and yet they wente In sheepes clothinge C. Here he noteth their falsehod and hipocrisie They faine sayth he them selues to be sheepe when as they are nothinge lesse Christ sheweth that deceyuers wante not their coullered cloke But invvardly they are M. These false prophetes Paule also doth depaynt I knowe saith S. Paule that after my departure there shall come wulues among you not sparing the flock Moreouer of your own selues shal men arise speaking peruerse thinges to drawe disciples after them And in an other place I beseeche you brethern marke them which cause deuission geue occasions of euyl contrary to the docttrine whiche ye haue learned and auoyde them for they that are such serue not
Iohn He therfore that dothe the will of the father doth the will of Christe B. To do the wyll of the lord is to expresse the same to endeuour our selues with all our mindes to that which he cōmaundeth although we be vnable to performe the same For the lorde in this life doth not require of vs to performe fulfil his cōmandements but to do thē whervpon in the lawe he saith Here O Israel take hede the thou do therafter For he knoweth howe sore we are molested with this sinful fleshe that we can not fulfil al thinges that we cannot be cleane voide of sin Wherfore S. Iohn saith If we say that we haue no syn we deceiue our selues the trueth is not in vs And yet the same S. Iohn saith if we say that we haue felloship with him walk in darckenes we lie do not the trueth Again Euery one that is borne of god sinneth not and he cannot sin because he is borne of god A godly man therefore can not syn because he is not willingly geuē to syn wickednes as the wicked are but alwaies hath a delight in the lawe of the lord yet notwithstāding because he hath no good thinge in his fleshe he cōmitteth many thinges which he hateth which ar sinful whervpon Paule saith The good which I wold do I not but the euil which I wold not that do I. If I do that which I wold not then is it not I that doth it but sinne that dwelleth in me But because the inward mā is not delighted with sin but is wholly geuen vnto Christ god imputeth not syn vnto him Wherfore they ar no sinnes no more thē they are deltes which the creditour hath forgeuē thoughe duely thou owe the same do not paye C. Furthermore to do the will of the father doth not only philosophically signifie the life maners of men to be framed according to the rule of vertu but also to beleue in Christ as it is said in Iohn By these wordes therfore fayth is not excluded but is pointed as it wer a beginning frō whence the rest doth ensue A. Herevpō S. Iohn saith This is his cōmandement that we beleue on the name of his sonne Iesus Christe and loue one an other as he commaunded vs. 22 Many wyll say vnto me in that daye lorde lorde haue we not prophesied through thy name And throughe thi name haue cast out deuils done many myracles through thy name Many vvyl say Bu. Here he reherseth one thing twise doth inculcate that whiche he spake before C For he cyteth hypocrisie to his tribunal seate For loke how lōge they haue place in the churche they bothe flatter them selues and deceiue others also He saith therfore that there shal com a day in the which he wil pourge his florth clēse the chaff dust frō the pure wheate In that day B. He vnderstādeth the day of iudgemēt in the which the good shal be seperated frō the euyl the sheepe from the goates whē al secretes shal be reuealed Haue vve not prophesied in thy name E. To prophesie in the name of Christ is to teach vnder the autoritie of Christ as whē it is sayd Blessed is he that cōmeth in the name of the lord Or as som others do expoūde it in thy name that is in thy power strēgth For alwais these speches by thy name or in thy name or for thye name to the hebrewes from whom they com signify no more thē if thou sholdest say by thee Euen so whē Christ saith to his father I haue declared thi name vnto men it is as if he had said I haue declared thée Also wheras it is said in that scripture oftē times deliuer vs for thy name sake it is in efecte thus Delyuer vs for thy selfe The like maners of speach also ar these I beseche your grace your maiestie your honour it may please your lordship suche like The whiche are nothing els thē I pray you it shall please you Therefore to prophesy in the name of Christ in this place doth properly signify to do the office of teaching by his authorite This word prophesy in this place is takē very largely as in the .14 of the 1. to the Corin. He mighte truely haue vsed more simplely this woord preachinge but not without cause he put the which was more honorable whereby he mighet the better expresse the external professiō was nothing how gloriouse so euer it semed vnto mē Bu. Many will boste saith he that they haue shewed them selues excellente teachers interpretours of the scriptures in the church And haue cast out deuills A. He reherseth one kynde of miracles for exāples sake then generally he addethe And done many miracles C. To do miracles in the name of Christ is nothing els then to worke wōders by his power aide and gouernment for although the name of miracles is restrained to one kinde of miracles yet notwithstanding in this place in many other it doth signifie al kinde of wōders M. Here we se the God lendethe his power to euil ministers sometimes As to Baalā to Saule whervpō this prouerbe came Is Saule also among the prophetes To Iudas the traitor also who receiued power of Christ to cast out deuils to heale the sicke to do al thinges as the other Apostels dyd Furthermore we do reade the many claue vnto Paule which afterwarde fel frō him whervpon he complaineth saiyng All men do seeke theyr own not that whiche is Christes The which no doubt for the maner of the tyme did wōders cast out deuils prophecied We must not thinke therfore that they are happy streightway blessed truely aperteining to Christ which do miracles signes wonders in this worlde by the name of Christ Wherfore we reade that Christ answered the three score and ten which were returned bosting of the myracles which thei had done thus Reioyce not in this that deuils are subdued vnto you but reioice in that your names are written in the booke of life And Paule reprouing the foolishenes of the Corinthiās which they conceiued by miracles the same being set apart he requireth loue at their handes We must note also farther what Paule teacheth that the deuil by his subtiltie craft can trāseforme him self into an angell of lighte shewe miracles by his ministers to corrupt the truth of the gospel that which cōmeth to passe by the permission of God because men loue not the trueth As Paule in an other place wryteth He shall destroy the aperance of his cōming euen him whose commynge is after the working of sathan with al lying power signes wonders with all deceiuablenes of vnrighteousnes amōg thē that perishe Euen as it happened to the Iewes also in the old testament Finally we se by this place the prophesie casting out of
are tried by the goodnes of God then chiefly doth the power of Sathan shewe it self in thē For as S. Paule saith the wicked spirite is of great force in them 15 But when Iesus knewe thereof he departed thence and muche people followed him and he healed them all But vvhen Iesus knevve C. In that Christ seketh to escape by flight it is not to be imputed to any feare that was in him For as he did flie at this time so did he diuers times afterward because the time in the which he should suffer was not yet com but when the fulnes of time was expired he did not let to offer him self to the death yea euen to the most shamefull death of the crosse Again it is euident that he was rather by his heauēly power then by flight preserued for otherwyse it had bene no hard matter if the Iewes would haue persecuted hym to haue found hym neither did he hide him selfe in caues but had alwaies a great multitude following him and by the myracles that he wroughte had great fame also He fled therefore out of their sighte only because he would not kyndell their madnes whiche would haue increased more and more by his presence There follovved him a great multitude The Phariseis go aboute to kyll Christe and the multitude followe hym M. Wherupon the Scribes and Phariseis sayde Do any of the Rulers and Phariseis beleue on hym But the common people whiche knowe not the lawe are cursed At this daye we maye heare the lyke sayinges of the wicked Saye they These lewde fellowes meanynge the preachers of the woorde seduce the rude and ignoraunte people but what wyse man or what is he of reputation that regardeth them But let vs cōsider for what cause the Scribes and Phariseis did not followe Christe Did not they see what Christe did Yes vndoubtedly very well Wherefore then do not they also with the multitude followe hym Surely if the lyke affection had bene in them that was in the multitude they had followed Christe also But because the lyke was not in them therefore they dyd the contrary And he healed them all C. Here he sheweth the promptnes and readines of Christe in healing the infirmities and diseases of the people to this ende that we shoulde rather consider his goodnes mercy and louing kyndnes then the power of healing with the whiche he was endowed 16 And charged them that they shoulde not make hym knowne C. But Marke in steade of this semeth to place some other speciall matter namely that he charged the vncleane spirites to holde their peace whiche proclaymed hym to be the sonne of god But we will shewe in an other place why he woulde not admit the testimony of these Notwithstanding there is no doubt but that God caused the deuels to make this confession But after that Christe had shewed that they were subiect to his power he did not without cause reiecte their testimony But that which Matthew saith is more large namely that Christ forbad them to publishe the fame of those signes and miracles that he did not that he wold haue them wholely suppressed but that they hauing nowe taken roote shoulde bringe forth their frute in dewe and conuenient tyme whiche tyme as yet was not come For we knowe that Christ did not dally or tryfell in his miracles that is he wroughte them not without some serious effecte to come but he had this regarde to proue hym selfe thereby to be the sonne of God and the redemer of the worlde He came therefore by lyttell and littell to the lyght and as it were by degrees or steppes neyther was he any other wyse made manifeste what he was then the time which was ordeined of his father before would suffer This now is worthy the notinge here that whyle the wicked go about to frustrate obscure the glory of God they make the same the more to appeare peruerte their owne imaginations by the secrete counsell of God who worketh the same confoundeth their deuises as foolishe For althoughe they expulsed him from one place his glory shyneth straightwaye in an other yea more then it did before 17 That it might be fulfilled whiche was spoken by Esay the Prophete whiche saythe B. The Euangeliste alleageth this place to cōmende the wonderfull mekenes modestie of Christ by the whiche he gaue place to his aduersaries when as he might haue destroyed them also in a momēt cōfounded them but he rather through pacience wayghted when iudgemēt should be cast forthe to victory to declare also that he woulde go to the Gentiles that he would teache thē by his Apostels C. Therfore Mathew vnderstandeth not that the prophecy of Esay is altogether fulfilled in this the Christe prohibited the rumors of his deuine power but in this part also a trial of his mekenes was declared which is set forth by Esay in the persone of the Messias Mathew also by this circūstaunce intended to shew that the glory of the deuinitie of Christ was not therfore the lesse to be estemed because he appered vnder the shewe of infirmitie And truly to the same ende scope did the holy ghost direct the eyes of the Prophete For because the fleshe doth always couet and desyre an externall shewe and bewty leaste that the faythfull shoulde seke for the like in the Messias the spirite of God witnesseth that he shal be altogether vnlyke to earthly kinges who to the ende they may get vnto them selues admiration whethersoeuer they come they styr vp great shoutes cries and they fill the citties and townes with tumultes Now let vs beholde howe aptly Matthewe applieth the prophecie of the Prophete to the present cause or matter in hand For because it pleased God to put vppon his sonne an humble base estate least that the rude ignoraunt should conceiue any offence by his cōtemptible obscure cōdition both the Prophete and Matthewe to preuente this I say pronounce that it was so decreed before hande not rashely but by the will of god Hereupon it followeth that all they do amis whiche despyse Christe because his externall condition aunswereth not or is not agreable to the desires of the fleshe Neither is it mete that we imagin or thinke of Christ according to our wyt reason or vnderstāding but simpely it is necessary that he be imbraced as Christe whiche is sente and offered vnto vs of God the father So that he is vnworthy of saluation whiche despyseth the humilitie of Christe with the whiche the almighty God witnesseth that he is pleased 18 Beholde my seruaunt whome I haue chosen my beloued in whome my soule delighteth I will put my spirite vpon hym and he shall shewe iudgement to the Gentiles Beholde my seruaunt E. Some translations haue Behold my sonne but the Hebrew woorde Abdi whiche is redde in the prophecie of Esay dothe rather signifie a seruaunt then a sonne The Greeke woorde is ambiguous
dyd trewely and vnfainedly beleue in mee ye would confesse that I haue cast out deuils by the power of god and ye woulde also for so greate a benefyte be thanckefull to god Now seing you wyll not do this ye oughte to ioyne your selues to the other part which doth calumniate speake euyll of that which I haue done ascribyng it to the deuyll But because ye dissemble it is a sure and certayne signe that ye are not neyther that ye gather not with me but rather that yee scatter abroade for ye cleaue vnto theim that calumniate howesoeuer ye dissemble Let al our newters and Luke ware men our Ambodexters I saye in these our daies marke this lesson of our Sauiour Christe Let also all idell and slowebellied byshops and prelates which gather not the kingdom of God be admonished by this place they are not with Christ therfore they are aduersaries dispersers and cōfounders of the kingdom of God. 31 VVherefore I say vnto you all maner of synne and blasphemie shall be forgeuen vnto men but the blasphemie againste the spirite shall not be forgeuen vnto men VVherefore I say vnto Bu. Nowe Chryste plainely sheweth howe greuousely they offende whiche blaspheme the woorkes of the lorde and the doctrine of treweth and do obstinately and continually resist the same C. But this is an illation or bringinge in which oughte not to be restrayned to the sentence goinge before because it depēdeth vpon the whole text For after that Chryste had taughte that the Scribes coulde not disproue that hee caste out deuylles but that they soughte onely to resyst the kingdome of God he concludeth at the length that it was no lighte or tollerable saying but a wicked and detestable cryme in that wyttingly and willingly they letted not in reprochfull wyse to gainesay and resist the spyrite of god For we declared before that Christ dyd not vtter these wordes by occasion of wordes but rather by the occasion of their wicked thoughtes All maner of synne and blasphemy E. The latten worde is Conuitium which signyfieth reproche For this word blasphemy is as much to say as slanderouse wordes and reproche by the which the fame and good reporte of a man is impayred C. But because our sauiour Christ saith here that blasphemy againste the spirite is greatter then any other synne it shal be necessary to way and consider what he meaneth therby They which define this blasphemy to be impenitency ought not in any poynt to be refelled or disalowed for then Christ should in vayne haue denied remission of the same in this world Furthermore the name of blasphemye can not confusedly be extended to euery kynde of synne withoute exception But by the comparison which Christ bringeth we may easely gather the definition Question Why is he saide to cōmit the more haynouse offence which blasphemeth the spirite thē he whiche speaketh blasphemy agaynst Christe Truely there is a greate dyffeerence For seinge the fulnes of the diuinitie raigneth in Christe whosoeuer is contumeliouse againste hym or a blasphemer of hym he dothe abbolyshe and ouerthrowe so muche as in hym lieth al the glory of god But nowe howe can Christ be seperated and deuided from his spirite that he whiche blasphemethe the one dothe not in lyke maner blaspheme and impaire the glory of the other Now hereby we begyn to gather that the blasphemy against the spirite is not greater then any other synne because the spirite is more excellēt then Christ but because the power of God beinge made manifest declared they are not excusable by the pretenced cloke of ignoraunce whiche sporne and kycke against the same Besyde this we must note that that which is spoken here of blasphemy is not simplely referred to the essence of the spirite but to the grace with the whiche we are indewed For they which are depriued of the lyght of the spirite how much so euer they take away of the glory of the same yet notwithstandinge they are not made gylty of this crime and faulte Now let vs note that they do blaspheme the spyrite of God whiche with pretenced mallyce and spyghte do resyst his grace and power and knowinge the same to be in them go about by all meanes possible to extinguishe the same And this is the reason why they ar rather said to blaspheme the spyrite then the father or the sonne namely because in detracting and slaundering the grace and power of God wee doo plainely blaspheme the spirite from the which they procede and come and appere vnto vs Euery vnbeleuing person speaketh euell of God euen as if a blynde man should ronne against a gate But no man blasphemeth or speaketh euyll of the spirite but he whiche being illuminated of the same wyllyngly rebelleth against it Neyther is this distinction superfluous or vayne that all other blasphemies shal be forgeuen sauing this alone whiche is againste the spirite If any man symplely vtter blasphemy against god he is not denied hope of pardon but god is not said to be fauorable to him which is cōtumeliouse agaynste the spirite that is which speaketh euil of the giftes graces of the spirite contrary to his own cōsciēce E. They therfore whose cōsceince beareth thē witnesse that it is the word of God against the which they resist striue and yet notwithstāding cease not to impugn the same are truely said to blaspheme the spirite of God because they striue against the light which is the worke of the holy ghost Of these sorte of men there were many amōg the Iewes which when they could not resist the spirite that spake by Steuen yet notwithstanding they sought al that they might to resist There is no doubt but that many of thē were forced as it were to do it through the zeale of the lawe but it is euidēt that there were others which with maliciouse impietie dyd frette and fume agaynst God hym selfe Suche were the Phariseies against whom the lorde doth inuey who to the ende they myghte obscure the power of the holy ghoste did infame the same with the name of Beelzebub Hereup therefore ariseth blasphemy when men bouldely burst fyrste into the reproche of the name of God. C. Notwithstanding here ariseth a question Whether men are of such boulde madnes that wyttingly with good wyll they dare presume to rushe so rashely as it were in raging wise againste god I answere that this boldenes doth procede of a frenlike blindenes in the which not withstanding mallyce and poysoned fury beareth the sway Neither is it without cause that S. Paule saith that when he was a blasphemer he obtained mercy because he dyd it ignorantly in his vnbelefe for by this sayinge he putteth a difference betwene his synne and voluntary contumacy In this place also their errour is confuted whiche thincke that euery voluntary kinde of synne which is cōmitted against the conscience is voide of remission For truely Paule doth
deceitfulnesse of richesse C. Christ here put in the deceitfulnesse of rychesse for couetousenes Hee calleth ryches deceytful to the ende men might take hede to auoyde the snares thereof As concerninge ryche men and rychesse howe greate a stomblinge blocke and let they be to a Christian man reade the .vi. of Luke the .xii. and xvi the .vi. chapter of the fyrst of Timothy the fifth chapter of S. Iames and the .xix. chapter also of S. Matthewe followinge And so is he made vnfruitefull A. Luke hath And bringeth forth no fruite C. By this we learne that the affections of our flesh whiche are innumerable are altogether hurtefull to the corruptinge of the seede of lyfe 23 But he that receiued the seede into the good grounde is he that heareth the woorde and vnderstandeth it whiche also beareth fruit and bringeth forth some an hundred folde some syxtie foulde some thirty folde But he that receyued the seede into the A. That is to saye that whiche was sowne in the good and fruitful ground signifieth him which here the woorde and so forthe Bu. Christ hath rehersed three kindes of hearers whiche heare the worde of god without fruite and therfore they greatly displease Nowe followeth the fourth kynde of hearers of those I saye whiche receiue the seede of goddes worde which vnderstande kepe bringe forth fruite of the same C. They onely therfore are compared to good and fruitefull ground in whom the woord of God dothe not only take depe rote but also ouercommeth all lettes impedimentes which mighte hinder choke and ouergrowe the same If any man obiecte that noo man can be founde without briers and thornes wee maye aunswere that Christe dothe not speake of the parfection of fayth but onely sheweth in whom the word doth fructifie Whosoeuer therfore he be that doth not degenerate or swarue from the syncere worshippinge of God althoughe he profyte but meanely he is counted good grounde and fruitefull It is our duety truely to indeuour our selues to plucke vp thornes but because we shall neuer bringe our purpose to such effecte by our dayly labour but that some part of these thornes will remaine let vs not ceasse but continually seke to mortifie the same that the fruite of the worde therby be not hyndered Is he that heareth and vnderstandeth M. Marke addeth And doth receyue it that these thre might be ioyned together heare receiue and vnderstand Luke in stede of this hath That whiche fell into the good grounde are they whiche with a pure and good harte heare the woorde and keepe it That is as muche to saye whiche is hearde receyued and vnderstode That is They haue the sence and meaning of the word of God so fixed and ingrauen in their hart that by the grace of God it becōmeth as it were natural the liuely rotes being so grounded in the hart that it cānot be plucked vp by any temtation B. Luke calleth that a pure good hart which is changed drawne vnto god by the holye ghoste A. There is neuer a one of vs truelye that is prepared to receiue the seede of the gospell or apt of our selues therfore we shoulde heare in vayne if God dyd not kyll oure heartes with his holye and graciouse spirite for otherwyse there woulde sprynge vp many naughty weedes whiche wold choke the sede This commeth to passe not by the nature of men but by the housebandrye and woorkemanshippe of God. VVhich also beareth fruite Wheate sede wil brynge forthe nor beare no other grayne or corne then the which is of the same nature kind as wheate It is contrary to nature for wheat to bring forth rye barlie or pease Euen so the Gospell beyng preached what other thyng doth it bring forth of a good harte then that whiche it containeth in it selfe teacheth appointeth Faith in Christ is preched sowne the repentāce of the life past the knowledge of god Loue also towards God and our neibour such lyke which neuer bringe forth the contrary fruites Luke addeth saying in Paciēce B. The chiefest fruit whiche the knowen woorde of God bringeth forthe is the participatynge of the same to others also that men beynge taken from the tyranny of Sathan maye be citezens of the kingdome of Chryste This thynge can not be brought to passe without the crosse persecutiō and trouble in this worlde Wherefore Pacience is truelye sayde to be a woorke neyther can this excellent fruit be brought forth without the pacient sufferinge of manye euilles for S. Paule sayth Al they that will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecutiō So Christ brought forth his excellent fruit vnto vs namely with singuler pacience Some an hundered foulde C. This confirmeth the sentence goinge before of the meane and smalle proffite fruit of the Gospel For Christ teacheth here that euerye one bringeth not forthe fruite in measure quantitie alike For althoughe the fertilitie and encrease of that grounde which bringeth forth fruite thirty folde is very small in respecte of that whiche bryngeth forthe an hundred fould yet notwithstandinge we se that Christe ioyneth all those groundes together whiche do not whollye frustrate the hope and expectatiō of the husband man M. Therfore according to our dispositiō we bring forth fruit som more som lesse And hereby we are taughte that they are not to be despised which excell not as others do because that although the husbādeman him selfe do preferre euerye one accordinge to his aboundāt encrease yet it pleaseth him to geue ascribe the title of goodnes fertillitie to those of inferiour sort as well as to the other The seruāt whiche gayned but two talentes had no lesse cōmendation and praise thē had the other which gained fiue for it was sayde vnto thē bothe alike Well thou good and faithfull seruant Some very ignorantly do write and wrest this place to virgins widdowes maried persons as though the proffit which the lord required at our handes did onely pertain to a single life that the pietie and godlynes of maried persons were not more plētiful in bringing forth al the fruite of vertues This also is to be noted by the waye that Christe doth not seke here Hiperbolically of this fruit which was an hundred fould according to the fertilitie of certaine regions there in those daies as is well approued by diuerse hystories witnesses that sawe the same M. By this parable the lorde doth forewarne vs that we be not offēded at those thinges which should be in the kingdom of heauen in the preachynge of the gospel at such things I say which might geue an occasion of falling to the ignorant and a cause of calumniating to the maliciouse namely when they shold se so many hearers and so few bringers forthe fruite of the Gospell 24 An other similitude put he forth vnto thē saying The kingdome of heauen is like vnto a man whiche sowed good sede in his field An other
in all Hee that hath eares to heare Bu. By this addition hee doth admonishe the hearers to way and consyder diligētly of those thinges which hee spake namelye that they rather oughte to chose the studye of righteousnes the rewarde wherof is saluation and euerlasting glory then the studye of impietie and hypocrisie the end wherof is destruction and perpetuall shame 44. Againe the kingdome of heauen is like vnto treasure hyd in the field the which a man hath founde and hydde and for ioy thereof hee goeth and selleth all that hee hath and byeth the fielde Againe the kingdome Bu. The other two parables following tende to the same effect and purpose that this doth Hitherto Christ hath spoken of the Gospell of the kingdome of God and of the word of life comparing the same to thinges of small valew but now hee compareth it to thinges of great pryce C. To this ende speciallye that the faythfull might learne to preferre the kingdome of God before the whole worlde and therefore to renounce and forsake them selues and all the desyres of the fleshe least they should be let or hindered to obtayne and enioy so singuler a benefyte For this admonition is verye necessarye for vs both because the inticementes and prouocations of the world do so bewitch vs that euerlasting life doth vanishe awaye from vs and also because wee are carnall the spirituall heauenly graces of God are little esteemed of vs Chryst therefore verye worthely doth so farre extoll the excellency of the grace that it oughte not to be greuous vnto vs for the desier of the same to leaue forsake what soeuer is precious deare vnto vs. To treasure hyd in the fyelde C. First he saith that the kingdome of God is like vnto treasure hid in the field For wee do magnify and extoll very muche those thinges which do appeare and are manifest before our eyes and therfore the new and spiritual life which is set forth in the Gospell is vyle and contemptible vnto vs because it lyeth secretly included vnder hope Therfore the comparison of the treasure here is very apte whose pryce estimation nothing decayeth although it appeareth not to the eyes of men beinge buryed and layed vp in the earth By the which words we are taught that the spiritual ryches of the grace of God are not to be esteemed and valued accordinge to our carnal eye or after the externall shewe and appearaunce but we must esteeme and iudge of it as of treasure whych although it be hyd yet notwithstandinge it is preferred before speciall ryches The vvhich a man hath founde C. All things in parables are not alwayes to be considered by them selues as it is sheewed already before in the 44 verse For if any man wyl be very curious here in the hyding of the treasure wee oughte not to hyde the Gospelll but to call others into the societie and fellowshippe of the same Bu. Vnles paraduenture wee may saye that that is of so greate force as if thou shouldest say hee dissembled hee did not make the seller priuye vnto it because the treasure which was buryed in the fielde laye hid and was not knowne to the seller And selleth all that hee hath C. By these wordes hee teacheth that they are apte meete to receyue and vnderstand the grace of the Gospel which all other desyers set apart endeuour them selues wholly and studye by all meanes to enioy the same Notwithstandinge some man will demaunde whether all our goodes muste be forsaken to the ende wee maye obtayne euerlasting life But hee may brieflye be aunswered that this is the simple true meaning of the words of Christ namely that wee doo not honoure the Gospell aright except wee make more accoumpte of the same more highly esteme it than all the pleasures honours delights in the world for they must be free from al impediments which will aspyre to the ioyfull blisse of heauen Therefore to sell all thinges for the gospell is to be Prest readye to relinquishe and forsake all that maye let hynder or staye vs from oure purpose so that the whole world shoulde be nothinge vnto vs in comparison of this precious Iewell and treasure For wee must alwaye destinguishe and put a differēce betwene the helping meanes the staying lets Ryches are some times aydes and helpes and sometimes letts impedimentes so are all those thinges which are of great pryce by the iudgemēt of men In one respecte Abrahā possessed ryches being ready to forsake all that euer hee had if the Lord had commaunded In another respecte Moyses refused the ryches of the Egiptians which could not be both the daughters sonne of Pharao the seruaunte of the Lorde S. Paule speaketh of him selfe thus the thinges that were vauntage vnto mee those I counted losse so Christs sake Yea I thinke al things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lorde For whom I haue counted al thing losse and do iudge them but vyle that I maye wynne Christ And byeth the fielde C. No man can dye the kingdom of God wherfore we may not argue here in this point of the parable of bying and selling For Christ doth not meane by the word of bying that any man can bye for anye price eternall life for we do know vpon what condition God calleth his faythfull vnto him by the Prophete saying Come vnto the waters all ye that be thyrsty and yee that haue no moneye come bye that ye maye haue to eate come bye wyne and mylke withoute any moneye or moneye worth But althoughe the heauenly and euerlasting life and whatsoeuer pertayneth therto is the free gift of God notwithstanding wée are said to redéeme the same when willinglye wée depriue our selues and cleane put away from vs all the desires of the fleshe least that anye thinge should hinder vs in obtayning the same This treasure is not manifest to euerye one but is hyd in the field to the end wée might with great care and diligence seke for the same 45. Againe the kingdome of Heauen is like vnto a marchante man seekinge goodly Pearles A. This parable and the other goinge before pertaine to one effecte Sekinge goodlye Pearles M. The Greeke woorde signifyeth good Pearles In these precious stones the beautye and excelencye of them is the cause of the pryce and valew Hée seemeth here to put a particuler thing for that which is more generall as the Pearle for all other kinde of precious stoones as the Emerande the Saphyre and the Diamonde Plynie wryteth of precious stoones at large in his 9. Booke and thirde Chapiter 46. VVhich vvhen hee had founde one precious Pearle vvent and soulde all that hee had and bought it Bu. The sence and meaning of this place is this As marchaunt men séeke carefullye with great labour and perill for precious stoones so it behoueth euery one to be desirous of the woorde of God
by the wōderfull power of God sodaynely he rose againe from the dead to be a more sharp ennemy and reuenger of his wickednes Bu. And by the waye here we may note that tyrauntes are not free from feare tremblinge and rebuke although by all meanes they seeke to be delyuered from the same by fyer and sworde This wycked tyrante Herode had slayne Iohn the Baptist least any man shoulde reproue his incestiouse mariage but Iohn being slaine the lorde him selfe commeth with his twelue Apostels who with one consent teache the puritie of life to be obserued and condemne the vncleanes of the same Therfore truely saith the Apostel that the woord of God can not be bound The mynisters of the worde maye be taken scourged and kylled but the worde and the mynistery of the same is euerlastinge and inuincible for so sone as one by deathe or imprisonmente is put to sylence an other by and by arysethe in his place Wherefore tyrauntes shall neuer be delyuered from feare vntyll they forsake theyr tyranny and obey the woorde of God C. Marke and Luke teach that men spake diuersly of Chryste namelye that some thought him to be Elias some one of the prophetes or a Prophete For because the lord had promised by the prophete Malachy that Helias should come whiche should congregate and gather together the dispersed churche they wrested this prophesie amisse to his persone when as it was a symple comparison in this sence as followeth Leaste the comminge of the Messias should be obscure and least the people shoulde not see perceiue and vnderstand and their gracious redemption there shall suche a one go before them as was in tyme paste whiche shall restore al those thinges that are decayed and the trewe worshyppe of God which was quite ouerthrowne He shall go before them therfore with a singuler power of the spirite to set forth vnto thē that great and excellent day The Iewes accordyng to their grosse dulnes in interpreting restrain this to Helias the Thesbite as though he shoulde come againe to take vpon him the office of a prophete Notwithstandinge other some coniectured that he was eyther som one of the old Prophetes whiche was rysen or els that he was some great man whiche was as excellent and of as great power as they were But it is meruayle that none of them beinge drawne into so many sondry opinions coulde remēber that which was trewe specially when as the tyme and the consideration of the same mighte haue directed them vnto Christ God had promised vnto them a redemer whiche shoulde helpe the myserable and shyne vnto such as were in darknes and in the shaddowe of deathe The extreme necessitie in the which they were thrown did then greately require the helpe of God. A redemer is come both celebrated by the office and proclamation of Iohn and also by the testimonye that he bare of his office they are cōstrained to acknowledge some what that is deuine and heauenlye in him but beinge fallen notwithstandyng to their own immaginations they transpose chaunge him to other mens persons And thus truely by most wicked ingratitude the worlde oftentymes extinguisheth the graces of God offered vnto them As towchinge Herode hym selfe he toke not this opinion willyngly of the rysynge of Iohn agayne as wee towched a lyttel before but as euyl and gylty consciences are alwaies wauering and afearde he easely conceyued that which he feared And God doth oftentimes vexe and stir vppe the wycked by these blynde terrors by the whiche they are greately disquieted And therefore are myracles done by C. A man may much meruaile what reson led them thus to say for Iohn all the tyme of his preachinge shewed no myracle or signe A. as witnessed the multytude C. They seme therefore to wante theyr colloure or clocke because they seinge hym to be famouse by doing of myracles cōiecture him to be Iohn but they thought that myracles were done nowe by hym at the fyrst to proue his resurrection and to testify that he being the holy Prophete of God was wickedlye put to death of Herode that nowe he came agayne as a holy and vndefiled man to the ende no man myghte hereafter presume to hurte or vyolate his personage B. We se therfore hereby how men are wrapped and tangled in childishe errors when godlinesse falleth and decayeth as in that age it came to passe And the like hath often tymes synce hapened and we our selues in these dayes with to muche griefe haue experience of the same This is the blyndenes and madnesse with the which God doth strike the wicked when they hoyse vp the sayle to all wyckednes and byd God farewel of the which Moyses in the eighte and twentye chapter of Exodus speaketh 3 For Herode had taken Iohn and boūd him put him in pryson because of Herodias his brother Phillips wyfe B. The Greke texte vseth the preterperfecte tence hath taken hath bound hath put for the preterpluperfecte tence accordinge to the maner of the Hebrewes M. Because the Euangeliste had made mention of Iohn by occasion he ioyneth to the history of his deathe and that by the waye For it is not a proper woorke of the Euangeliste to describe the deathe of any besyde the actes dedes of Christe Because of Herodias B. This semeth to be a name diminutiue taken of Herode Hys brother Phillips vvyfe C. The Euangelistes affirme that Iohn was taken because he openly condempned the incestiouse matrimony of Herode with Herodias which was his brother Philips wife 4 For Iohn saide vnto hym It is not laufull for thee to haue her C. Iosephus alleageth an other cause why he was put in prisō namely because by his doctrine to the whiche the people wonderfully resorted be broughte hym selfe in suspition with Herode of the mouinge of some newe attempt or vnwonted matter But it myghte be that the wicked tyrant toke this as a cloake to couer his cruell murtherynge of Iohn Or it might be that this wicked rumor was spredde abroade of hym for vniust vyolence and crueltie is neuer withoute dyuerse accusatiōs But the Euangelistes shew the very cause in dede namely that Herode was an ennemy to the holy man because he was sharpely reprehended of hym For Iosephus is deceyued whiche thoughte that Herodias was not taken from Phillip the brother of Herode but from Herode the kynge of Chalcis his fathers brother For at what tyme the Euangelistes wryt the remembraunce of this wicked dede was not onely new but also common in the eies of all men And wheras Iosephus in an other place saythe that Phillip was of a soft wyt in consideratiō and hope wherof there is no doubt but that Herode was the more boulde to accomplishe his wyll to abuse the modestie of Phillip not fearing any ponishment Here is also an other probable cōiecture that Herodias was rather geuen in matrimony to Phillip her fathers brother than
to her greate vncle the brother of her grandfather whiche for age was euen croked But Herode Antipas here mentioned and Phillippe were not brethren by the mother side but Herode was the sonne of Marthaca the thyrd wyfe of great Herode and Phillip was borne of Cleopatra Nowe to retourne to our Euangelistes they say that Iohn was cast into pryson because hee reprehended the wicked acte of Herode more freely then the madnes and crueltie of the tyrante wolde beare Nowe the horriblenes of the deede was odious and excecrable enough of it selfe because he did not onely foster and kepe in his house an other mannes wife beinge forsed frō her laufull husbande but also because this iniury was done contumelyousely against his owne brother But for so muche as the reprehension of Iohn was soo sharpe free Herode feared not in vaine leaste sedition shoulde spring and that sodainly His filthy lust suffered him not to amēde his haynous fault detestable cryme but the Prophete of God being bounde cast in pryson he promyseth vnto hym selfe quiet rest and libertie By ignoraunce of this historie it came to passe that many entered into vaine disputacion whether it were laufull for any man to marrye a wife whiche had bene fyrst maried to his brother For although the honest shame of nature dothe lothe and abhorre suche wedlocke yet notwithstandinge Ihon doth more condemne the forcinge and raueshing of a woman thē incest because that Herode by force and deceyte spoyled his brother Phillip of his laufull wyfe And otherwise it had ben lesse lawefull for hym to marry his sonnes daughter then to take his brothers wife being ded out of her widdowhed Well Iohn with cōstant bouldnes preacheth against this beastly and cruel deede to se if he by any meanes might be brought to repētance Whereby we learne of what constante and inflexible courage the preachers and seruantes of God ought to be when that they haue to do with prynces for in euery court almost raigneth Hypocrisie and seruile flattery which for aduauntage is a bondslaue so feeding the eares of princes with pleasaunt and delectable words that they wil in no wise receiue the sharp sower reprehētions of their wickednes But because so wiccked a dede ought not to be cloked dissembled hydden or conceled of the Prophete of God Iohn commeth forth euen in the middest although aboute an vnthanckefull imbassage and worke and least hee shoulde declyne or swarue from his office he feareth not to incurre the displeasure of a tyrante M. In this reprehension therefore of Herode we haue an example what lybertie to vse in reprehendinge and open reprouing of wicked persons namely such as hath these twoo thinges Fyrste that they be tolde that they do the thing which ought not to be done whiche is againste the lorde and his wyll The other is that they be so reproued that they be dryuen to shame the whiche is brought to passe when the offence and faulte is openlye with plaine woordes cast in their teethe 5 And when he would haue put him to death he feared the people because they counted hym as a Prophete C. There semeth in the wordes of Matthew and Marcke to be no small discrepance or disagrement for Mathew sayth that Herode was desirouse of this cruell and wicked murther but was stayed by feare of the people but Marke onely laieth this crueltie to the charge of Herodias but the reconciliation is easye to be made namely that Herode in the beginninge excepte that because greater necessitie constrained hym thereto wolde not haue killed the holy man because he feared hym and trewely conscience dyd somwhat pricke and stay hym from dealyng so cruelly with the prophete of god but Herodias dayly egginge and prouokinge him forwarde at the length droue the feare of god wholly out of his minde But when he was ledde and subdued by that furiouse madnes he wholly desired and sought by all meanes to haue the holy man put to death and extinguysshed notwithstanding he was nowe staied by a newe let that is to say hee feared the people And heare the woords of Marke are to be noted for saythe hee Herodias laide waite for him namely because that Herode of hym selfe was not inclined or prone to kyll Iohn and therefore Herodias eyther by subtil meanes went about to circumuēt him or els priuily to worke the deathe of the holy man. But it is more probable and likely that by subtiltie and deceyte she went about to subdue and wynne the mynde of her husebande but in vaine so longe as the conscience of Herode was pricked not to work the ende or destruction of the saint of god Furthermore there succeded an other feare least any tumulte should aryse amonge the people because of hys deathe For all the multitude accounted Iohn a Prophet But Marke onely toucheth the cause why Herode was stayed from fulfillinge the minde of the strompet and harlot his vsurped wife for Herodias sought so sone as Iohn was put in pryson to haue his deathe and that pryuylie But truely Herode reuerenced the holy man and wolde willingely haue obeied his counsell and admonition For the feare whiche is here mentioned was not conceyued of a contrary opinion as commonly we feare those whiche are in aucthoritie although we counte theym vnworthy of honoure but this feare was a voluntary obseruaunce or reuerence because that Herode beinge perswaded that Iohn was a holy man and a faithful mynister of God durst not for this cause despise him And this is worthy to be noted for although Iohn knewe by experience that it was profytable for hym many wayes to be of price and estimation with the Tetrarche yet notwithstanding he was not afearde to alyenate his mind or to displease hym when as otherwyse he coulde not obteyne his fauoure then by winkynge at a horryble and knowne fact He rather seketh to make his friend a foe then by flattering silence to meintaine and nussell a wicked person in his vngodlynes Iohn therfore by his example hath prescribed a certayne rule to all godly teachers that theye dyssemble not the wickednes of princes thereby to win their fauour and estimation It is a very harde and daungerouse thing truely for the seruantes of the lord to excecute their office because they can not do it without reprouinge and sharpe reprehension in excecutinge the whiche we maye se the minde of Iohn stoute and constant whiche wold not dissemble neyther for feare of present death nor for hope of rewarde and fauour A great exaumple truely I say to all mynisters that they decline or swerue not from theyr office A verye harde matter truely it is but let theym not take that office vppon theim vnlesse they determine to shew forth that which perteyneth to theyr function and calling But in Herode as in a glasse the spirite of God setteth forthe vnto vs that those which do not syncerely worship God but are somewhat
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
God hym selfe speakynge there but whether of the partes thou chose it maketh lyttell to the purpose in this place because it was sufficiente in this place to alleage the oracle and word of God althoughe it was pronounced by the mouthe of Adam If Adam speake it he hath respecte vnto that whiche God had commaunded and done and Adam in this place is a Prophete shewynge the worke of God loking also vnto the ende Man shall forsake father and mother C. In this place he that maryeth a wyfe is not simplely cōmaunded to leaue his father and mother for thē shold God be contrary vnto him selfe if by matrimony he shoulde abolishe the dewety whiche hee chargeth children to shewe towardes their parentes but when the comparison betwene the dueties is made the wyfe is preferred before father and mother But if any man should relinquishe or forsake his father and shake of the yoke to the which he is tyed no man myghte abyde suche a monster Muche lesse therefore there is lybertie graunted to breake wedlocke C. B. Therefore trewely the naturall and mutuall affynite of the father mother with the chyldren is holye but the loue of the husband and the wyfe is more holy Wherefore if time and occasion so require the societie of the father muste rather be forsaken then the fellowship of the wyfe And shal be ioyned to his vvyfe E. The Metaphor is taken of those thinges that are so set together with glewe that you wolde thinke them to be but one thynge By this word Christ excludeth all causes for the whiche the wyues among the Iewes were rashly put away And they tvvo shall be one fleshe C By this sayinge the hauinge of many wyues is no lesse condempned than the lybertie of diuorcynge wyues For if the mutuall coniunction betwene two was hallowed of the lorde then the mynglinge of three or fower is adultery But Christ as we saide before doth applie it otherwise vnto his purpose that is that whosoeuer is diuorced from his wyfe teareth and renteth him selfe because suche is the force of holy matrymonye that the husbande and the wyfe shoulde growe together as one man Neyther was it the meaning of Christ to bringe in the impure and filthy speculation of Plato but did reuerētly intreate of the order appointed by God sayinge 6 Therfore nowe they are not two but one fleshe Let no man therfore put asonder that whiche God hath coupled together Therefore novve they are not tvvo B. Or hereafter they are not twoo that is after they are coupled together or maryed They were created twoo and not one that is to wit man and woman and agayne by the copulation of matrimony of twoo hée made them one Therfore it should be as muche against nature to pull the wyfe from her husband as to cut of any member of the body Furthermore in Genesis from whence this place was taken this woorde twoo is not red but onely on this wise And they shal be one flesh But the Euangelist Matthew addeth this worde twoo to make the matter more playne euen as the Apostell Paule hath done in the sixte chapter of the first epistell to the Corinthians or els both of them dyd follow the threscore and ten interpretours That therefore vvhiche God hath coupled E. Or ioyned yoked in one yoke This phrase and manner of speeche is taken from the Oxen which carrie together one yooke Let not man seperate C. By this sentence Christe dothe brydell the lustes of men leaste they shoulde breake the holy knot by putinge away their wiues And as he denieth that it is in the husebandes wyll to dissolue wedlocke so also he pronounceth a lawe to all other that by their authoritie they should not confirme vnlawful diuorses For the maiestrate abuseth his aucthoritie which graunteth fauoure vnto the husbande to cast of his wyfe Yet notwithstandinge Christ hath a due respecte vnto this that euerye man for hym selfe shoulde deuoutelye reuerence his promyse made and those whom eyther lust or concupiscence shoulde moue to diuorce shoulde haue a consideration of this What arte thou that wouldeste make the breache of this holy coniunctyon free vnto thy selfe B. Christ truely in this place accuseth that mind to be giltie of Adultery whiche contrary to the lawes of matrimony is so frowarde towarde his wyfe that it were better for her to be free from him than to be ioyned vnto him C. Moreouer this doctryne may farther be extended The Papistes propoundinge and settinge before vs the Churche pulled and torne from her head do leaue vs a blockish and maimed body In the holy Supper Christ hauing ioyned breade vnto wyne they are bolde to take away the vse of the cup from all the people to this diuelishe corruption and adhominable aduoutry we maye boldely obiecte this place of our sauiour Chryste and say That whiche God hath coupled together let no man put a sunder 7 They saye vnto hym why therefore did Moyses commaunde to geeue a testimoniall of diuorsemente and to sende her awaye They say vnto hym M. By the woordes of our sauiour Christ they dyd well vnderstande his meanynge namely that it was not lawefull to sende awaye a wyfe for euery cause And here they obiect vnto hym the authoritie of Moyses whiche authoritie no doubte came from God as if they shoulde haue sayde Hath Moyses commaunded that whiche is vnlawful Thou saiest it is vnlawfull but Moyses commaunded it to be done therefore it shoulde seme by thy wordes that Moyses hath offended and sedused vs Therfore thou woldeste haue vs to credyte thee more thē Moyses who receiued this lawe all others at the mouth of god Therefore thou resistest the doctrine of God. 8 He saith vnto them Moyses because of the hardnes of your hartes suffered you to put away your wiues but frō the beginning it was not so Moyses because of the hardenes of your heartes C. The Phariseis had inuēted that crafty Cauill whiche I haue aboue noted to intrap Christ if he as they thoughte he wolde and as it was lykely had shutt out the lawefull cause of diuorses For that whiche God by his lawe permitteth whatsoeuer it be semeth lawfull whose onely wil appoynteth a difference of good and euyll But Christe by an apte aunswere putteth awaye their false mallice because Moyses granted to this their peruersnesse frowardnes not as thoughe he did approue it to be good and laweful M. He dothe not therfore deny but that Moyses gaue commaundement as concerninge the geuing of a byll of diuorcemente but he denieth that he commanded to put away their wyues onely grāting that he suffered it adding the cause namely for the hardenes of their hartes which hardnes of hart Moyses oftētimes castethe in the Israelites tethe as apperethe in the ninthe sixte and thirtenthe chapter of Deutronomy As if he should say He dyd suffer you to do this because by nature it was righte but knowynge the
he wyll breake theim in their hardenes and so their destruction shal be more manifeste He did perceyue greate stubbernenesse to be in the Iewes it was necessary therefore that this kynde of ponishement and vengeance shoulde seuerely be sette before them that they myghte not so securelye kycke againste the same This doctrine doth partely teache vs to commytte our selues quietly to be tamed of Christ with a gentle and flexible harte partelye also he confirmeth the godly againste the obstinacie and furiouse madnes of the wicked for whom there remaineth horryble destruction M. To fall vpbn the stone and to stomble at the stone Chryst signifieth all one thynge namely to reiecte Chryste and not to beleeue hym C. Therefore they are sayde to fal vpon Chryste whiche rushe vppon hym to oppresse hym not that they clyme aboue hym but because their madnesse doth so bewitche and carye theim an ende that they go aboute to throwe downe Christ as it were from an hye But hee teacheth that this is onely their gaine euen in the middeste of the conflicte to be broken and brused But when they do so prowdely exalte them selues he sheweth that an other thynge shall befall theim that is to saye they shall be broken vnder the stoone vpon the whiche they so boldely rushed Bu. These men do as they whiche in climynge plucke from a lofte some greate stone or other vppon theyr owne heades by the whiche they are broken to peces For whē they think that they haue ouercome the followers of Chryste and that they haue broughte theyr purpose to passe and that they are in safetie voyde of all daunger then are they moste neere to destruction and sodayne vengeaunce hangeth ouer theyr heades A. These thynges are more plentifully declared by the Apostelles And namely by the Apostel Peter when he saith Vnto you therefore whiche beleue he is preciouse but vnto thē which beleue not the stone which the buylders refused the same is begon to be the head of the corner and a stone that men stomble at and a rocke wherat they be offended which stombled at the worde and beleue not that whereon they were sette Also the Apostel Paule saith Beholde I put in Syon a stone to stomble at and a rock that men shal be offended at And who so euer beleueth on him shall not be confounded 45 And when the chiefe priests and Phariseies had hearde his parables theye perceiued that he spake of them And vvhen the chiefe priestes C. The Euangelist sheweth how littell Christ profyted leaste we shoulde meruayle that the doctrine of the gospel at this day constraineth not al mē to obey god They know saith the Euangelist that they spake of him M. For their conscience was an interpreter to theim of the parables of Christ For they knewe who they were how they were affectioned what they went about Euen so at this day when the ministers of the word do speke against hypocrits against fornicators against ydolators againste Simoniakes against false teachers by by the Pope the bishop the sacrificing priestes and the monkes thinke that they are spoken of And howe cōmeth this to passe Surely euery one of them knowe their owne dedes 46 And they went about to laye handes on him but they feared the people because they toke him as a prophete And they vvent aboute to laye handes Bu. They being ouercom by the scriptures perfect reason geue not place to the trueth and although they had herd the deuine iudgement of God yet notwithstandinge they feare nothinge but goinge forwarde in their wonted mallice and enuy they go about and take counsell how they might destroy the lord Iesus C. Let vs therefore learne that it cannot otherwise com to passe but that threatenynges shoulde more more kendell the outragiousnes of the wicked For as God doth seale our hartes by his word so also he doth woūd wicked consciences with his whos iron whereby it cometh to passe that wickednes doth the more increase Wee muste pray therefore that he will vouchsafe to bring vs to a voluntary feare least that the bare knowledge of vēgeance do more exasperate vs and prouoke vs to wrathe But they feared the people M. Bu. Here the Scribes and Pharyseyes accordynge to theyr manner are more and more inflamed agaynste Chryste but because his honoure was not yet come they are able to do nothinge being striken once agayne with vayne feare Herevppon wee haue a synguler comforte and consolation namelye that the Lorde wyll take and delyuer those that are hys euen frome the mouthes and chawes of the Lyons For hee restrayneth his enemies euen as it were with a brydell in so muche that they are able to do nothynge withoute hee graunte them leaue to the ende he myght proue theyr pacience Because they take hym as a Prophete M. The multitude and common sorte of people thyncke a greate deale better of Chryst than the wyse holy and chiefe heades of the people The lyke whereof also we see at this daye A. For as towchynge those thynges that pertayne to the exacte knoweledge of the kingedome of God God hathe hidden them from the wyse and prudent of this worlde and hath reuealed them to babes to base and symple men The xxii Chapter ANd Iesus answered and spake vnto theim agayne by parables and sayd The kingdom of heauen is lyke vnto a man that was a king which made a maryage for his sonne And Iesus aunsvvered and spake agayne A. The Euangelyste Luke rehearseth the same parable the whiche as it maye seeme was propounded of oure Sauioure not by and by after the parable going before but before when hee satte at the table of a certayne Pharyseye as it appereth by the woordes of Luke C. But because it was the purpose of Matthewe to shewe for what cause the Scrybes were so prouoked to madnes hee putte this sermon also in conuenyente tyme and vnited it to the terte neglectynge the order of tyme amongeste his sermones that were so hated and detested of the Scrybes and Phariseyes And wee muste note the narration of Luke that when one of the gestes hadde sayde that theye were blessed whiche eare breade in the kyngedome of heauen Chryste therevppon toke occasion to caste the ingratitude of the Iewes in theyr teethe And althoughe it be scarse credyble that the geste and friende of the Pharyseye burste forthe into these woordes by an earneste affection of godlynesse yet notwithstandynge he sholde not seeme to scoffe or mocke by these woordes but as men of a meane faithe and not openlye knowne to be wycked do in the middest of theyr cuppes prate and talke of euerlastynge lyfe euen soo it is lykely that this manne caste forthe these woordes to the ende that hee in lyke case myghte haue some talke with Christ And his woordes do declare that hee mente nothynge but that whiche was grosse and terrestriall for hee dyd not speake of eatynge breadde metaphorically for the
at the lengthe by the Iuste deserte of their ingratitude he forsaketh them striketh them with greater blindnes The thyrd calling is special and of great efficacye by the whiche God dothe very muche aduance the electe and faythfull onelye when that by the inwarde lightning of the spirit He bringeth to passe that the word preached abydeth in their hartes To these testimony is geuen by the same spirit that they are the adopted sonnes of god Wee can not Iudge who are the electe and who are the reprobate for we ought to leaue this Iudgement vnto god A. Notwithstandinge by signes there may be some coniecture had but we muste alwayes beware of rashe Iudgement M. Euerye one that is the electe and chosen of God is fully certifyed in hymselfe of his calling the which thing we may dayly beholde For many are broughte into the Churche whiche afterwardes fal awaye from the same either being terrifyed by persecution or els beinge ouercome with some other temptation Suche truely are of the nomber of them that are called but are not elected For hereby oure election is proued if we perseuere to the last ende C. To be shorte oure Sauioure Christe by this place teacheth that the external profession of faithe profiteth lytell and suffiseth not that GOD should acknowlege euery one for his soÌ„n which seme to haue obeyed his callyng M. And the name of election doth only signifye a separation because the electe are so discerned that they haue a peculiar lot as we sée often times in Iudges Bu. We haue harde now in these twoo parables that the Iewes shal be greuously punished which so oftentimes haue reiected God their caller And againe that the Gentils shal not be spared which succede and come into the place of the reiected Iewes if they go forwarde in hypocrisye and defile their Euangelical profession with filthy and wickednes Therfore let euery on of vs in all things feare the Lorde whiche loueth faith and righteousnes hateth hardnes of harte and wickednes 15. Then wente the Phariseys and toke counsell howe they mighte tangle him in his wordes Then vvente the Phariseys and toke C. When the Pharises had oftentimes and many waies sought how they might hurte Christe at the last they thoughte this ready waye and excellente meane to bringe their purpose to passe if they might deliuer him to the deputy as a seditiouse persone an inuentor of newe thinges As concerning tribute there was at that time as we may see in an other place greate contencion amonge the Iewes For when the Romanes had transported to them selues the tribute whiche God in the lawe of Moses commaunded to be payed vnto him the Iewes oftentimes fretted and saide that it was very vnmete and a horrible thinge not tollerable that Prophane men shoulde rake vnto them selues after this sorte the righte which pertained vnto God. Moreouer it maye be that seing that legall appointing of tribute was a witnes vnto them of their adoptioÌ„ they thought them selues to be spoyled of their dewe honor Nowe the more poore that any man amonge them was the more bolde he was to make a tumulte The Phariseys therfore deuise this snare to take our Sauiour Christe because howe so euer he shoulde aunswere to this question of payinge tribute he shoulde as they thoughte snare hymselfe if he shoulde denye tribute to be payed he shoulde be gilty of sedition but and if he should coÌ„fesse it to be dewe by right then shoulde he bee counted an enemye to his nation and a betrayer of the liberty of his countreye But their whole intente was in dede to drawe awaye the people froÌ„ hym This snare the Euangeliste noteth when he sayth Hovve they mighte tangle hym in his vvordes B. So greate was their blindenes that they could not be quiete althoughe they had tried this matter so often before in vaine To intangle or intrap one in his woordes is to propounde a doubtefull or daungerouse question out of the which a man hath no lesse trouble to vnfolde himselfe than out of a snare or net The Euangeliste Marke hath to take hym in his woordes And so hath the Euangeliste Luke also 16. And they sente oute vnto him their Disciples with Herodes seruauntes saying maister we knowe that thou arte true and teachest the way of God truelye neyther carest thou for anye man for thou regardest not the outward apparence of men And they sente out to him C. Because the Phariseys were the sworne enemis of Christe and therefore knewe that they shoulde be suspected they suborned and craftely set forth certaine of their Disciples B. Of whome they thoughte hym to haue no knowledge or consideration Luke saith that they sente forth spyes whiche shoulde fayne themselues rightouse men that is which shoulde deceitfully pretende a simple affection to learn that whiche is true For the fayninge of righteousnes in this place is not taken generally but it is restrayned to the presente cause excepte they had borne a pretence of docillity and sincere study they had not bene admitted VVith Herodes seruantes M. E. He calleth those Herodians or Herodes seruauntes whiche defended Cesars cause WheÌ„ Iuda begaÌ„ now to be tributary to the Romanes Kinge Herode the sonne of Antipater was by Augustus Cesar put in authority to gather the tribut C They ioyne therfore vnto theÌ„selues the Herodians whiche did more fauore the Empire of Rome whereby they were more feete to accuse But this is worthy to be noted that although there was great dissention amonge theÌ„selues yet notwithstanding such was theire hatred against Christ that they could conspire in one againste him As concerning the secte of the Herodians this is to be noted Seinge that Herode Antipas was only halfe a Iewe or vnlyke to his â—…unceters and a counterfeyte professor of the lawe whosoeuer woulde exactly and in euery point obserue the lawe hym they condemned with their impure worship counterfeite holynes for he had flatterers about him which brought in a cooller to his false and peruerse doctrine So that beside other sectes at that time there was spronge vp a courtelyke religion Master M. This is a deceitfull dissimulation E. They are not ashamed of inconstaÌ„cy by the which they now call hym master whereas before they blasphemed him sayinge that he had the spirite of Beelzebub A. Euen so in an other place the Phariseys whiche were the maisters of these imbassators saide vnto Christ master we woulde sée a signe of thée And againe Maister this womaÌ„ was taken in adultery But they called him maister whose disciples they woulde not be For they saide vnto that begger to whome Christe restored his sighte Be thou his dissiple for wee are Moses Disciples Here the prouerbe is fullfilled such lyppes suche lettice The Phariseis were dissemblers and hypocrites and their Disciples follow them in all points VVe knovve that thou art true C. This is the righteousnes which they fayned when they flatteringlye submitted
the iudge of the whole worlde and that humane things were gouerned by his power but seinge they did restraine as well the rewarde of the godlye as the condigne punishmentes dewe to the wicked althoughe they had sayde trueth that euerye man nowe in this life is delte with all accordinge to vs desert yet notwithstanding this was to preposterouse and out of order to include the promises of God into so straight boundes Nowe experience dothe declare euidentlye that there dulnes and incensiblenes was to grosse seing that it is manifest that the reward which is layed vp in store for the godly is suspended vntil the life to come that the wicked haue not their punishmeÌ„t in this life To coÌ„clude there is nothing to be imagined more absurde than this error the men being created after the Image likenes of God should be extinguished cleane put out by death eueÌ„ as the brute beastes But how filthye monstrouse was this opinioÌ„ wheÌ„ as ther was no nacion whether they were heathenish or prophane Idolaters or wrapped in blind ignoraÌ„ce which had not some hope of the life to come whereas this séede of godlines was quight abolished among the Iewes being the peculiar people of god But first of al this there reward was iust whiche diuided the Churche of God into sectes Moreouer by this meanes God was reuenged of the wicked contempte of his doctrine 24. Maister Moses said that if a maÌ„ die hauinge no child his brother shoulde mary his wife and raise vp seede vnto his brother Master Moses sayde A. By the same subtility deceite they cal Christ master which the Disciples of the Phariseis Herodians vsed before All these made a ieste and mocke at the doctrine of Christ yet notwithstaÌ„ding they fayned them selues to be very desyrouse to learne C. The Saduces do here propounde a question vnto Christe that by the shew of absurdity they might coÌ„deÌ„ne the doctrine of the resurrection That yf a man dye hauing no children C. Seing that it was sufficient to propound the matter without any circoÌ„stance why do they begin after this maner Surely thei do craftly alleage for theÌ„selues the name of Moses to the ende they mighte â—…roue those mariages to be lawful which were contracted not by the will and pleasure of men but by the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t and ordinaunce of GOD himselfe For it was necessary that he should agrée with hymselfe Therefore the snare whiche they layed for hym was suche if God shall gather in tyme to come the faythfull into his Kyngdome he will also restore vnto them that which he gaue vnto them in the worlde What shall then become of the woman whiche God gaue vnto seuen men After this maner al wicked ones and heretiques do calumniate and quarell to the ende they might depraue the true doctrine of Godlines and make the seruauntes of Christ ashamed yea the Papistes are let by no shame openlye to ieste at God and his worde when they go about to intangle vs. Therfore the Apostell Paule not without cause woulde haue the teacher sufficiently appointed with weapons by the which he may repel and put to flight the aduersaris of the trueth As touchinge the lawe by the which God commanded that the kinsmen should succede the deade in matrimony whiche were nexte of bloud if the firste departed without children this was the reason that the womaÌ„ which maried into any stocke or kinred shoulde thereby receyue sede But and if children were brought forth in the firste state of wedlocke it was incestiouse wedlocke whiche was betwene the degrées forbidden by the law His brother shoulde mary his vvise M. In the name of brother other degrees also more nere are contayned as the cosyne germanes and suche lyke of the same kynred And rayse vp sede vnto his brother B. This law was made as all other pollitique lawes were for publique tranquillitys sake the which was not a littel established if the inheritaÌ„ces abode with oute mixture and euery stocke kinred possessed his owne inheritance Wherefore the Lorde did diligently prouide as well by other lawes as by this whiche the Saduces obiected for the coÌ„tinuaÌ„ce and perpetuity of stockes and kinredes and for the lawfull succession of inheritaÌ„ces th t one brother being dead without sede the other brother by maryinge his wife should go about to stirre vp his posterity and should make the firste begotten sonne of his brothers wife to possesse the name and inheritance euen as thoughe he were adopted to the deade brother 25. There were with vs seuen brethren and the firste maried a wyfe and disceassed withoute issue and lefte his 26. wyfe to hir brother Lykewise the second and the third vnto the se 27. uenth Last of all the woman dyed also A. This example they bring in to make their minde and meaninge more playne and euidente being agreable to the law 28. Therfore in the resurrection whose wyfe shall she be of the seuen For they all had her Therfore in the resurrection M. That is to saye in the euerlastinge lyfe to come whiche we shall enioye after the resurrection froÌ„ death They thoughte if there were any resurrection to come that the state of that worlde wherunto they rose shoulde be lyke vnto this which is now but hereof there came an infinite sorte of absurdities and thinges incredible 29. Iesus answered and said vnto them ye do erre not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God. ye do erre M. He sayth that they erre generally because they denyed the resurrection Not knovving the scriptures C. Although our Sauiour Christ doth onely touche the Saduces yet notwithstaÌ„ding this repreheÌ„cion doth beloÌ„g generally to al the inuentors of false opinioÌ„s For seing that God dothe brightly shine vnto vs in the scriptures it must nedes be that the ignorance of them is the welspring and cause of all error M. As more plainly appereth by the wordes of Marke where it is thus written Do ye not therefore erre because ye know not the scriptures neither the power of God They erred therfore because they knew not the scripture wresting the sence therof amis C. But this is no smal consolation to the godly in that they shal be safe froÌ„ the danger of erringe so long as by humble and modest docillity they do seke search for that which is right true out of the Scriptures For the worde of God is a lighte vnto oure feete and a lanterne to oure pathes and it shyneth in this worlde as a candell in the darkenes Wherevpon the Apostel Paule sayth Al Scripture geuen by diuine inspiracion is profitable to teache to improue to correcte and to amende that the man of God maye be perfecte and geuen to all good workes Neyther the povver of God. C. Whereas Christ ioyneth the power of God to the worde it is referred to the circomstance of the present cause For because the resurrection dothe farre excéede the capacitye of humane sence
far it was from true fortitude or godlines Let vs therefore vnderstaÌ„de that Christ condemneth in the person of Peter whatsoeuer men presume to atteÌ„pte of their own braine The which doctrine is specially worthy to be noted For ther is nothing more commen nowe a dayes than to defende that which we do vnder the pretence of zeale As though truely it were no matter whether that thinge which men thinke to be right and good be allowed of God or no whose wysedome is nothing els but mere vanity If wee did perceiue nothing to be amis in the zeale of Peter yet notwithstanding it shoulde become vs to be contente with this one thinge that Christe pronounceth that it pleaseth not him But truelye we do see that he did all that he coulde that Christe mighte be reuoked from his death and that his name mighte be subiecte to perpetuall infamy For in that he resisteth violentlye the Romane capteyne and the soldiers he playeth the parte of a rebell because he resisteth the power ordeyned of god And Christe beinge to muche alreadye hated of the worlde might by this dede haue geuen occasion to haue all the reproches layed on him with the whiche his enemys did falselye oppresse him Againe this was to far out of order to proue his saith with the swerde whiche he coulde not do by worde When he is hereafter called as you shal heare to confesse his fayth hee denyeth and nowe without the commaundement of his master he goeth aboute to make a tumulte Wherefore wee beinge warned by so notable an example let vs learne to moderate oure zeale And because the lasciuiousnes of our fleshe doth presume to enterprise farther than God doth commaunde let vs knowe that our zeale shall haue euell successe so often as wee dare doe anye thynge withoute the warrant of Gods woorde Let therefore obedience be the foundacion of all those thinges that wee take in hande C. Therefore by this reprehension of Peter he confirmeth the commaundement of the lawe by the which priuat persones are forbidden the vse of the swerde And speciallye wee muste note the confirmation of the punishement whiche is here added For euery one vvhich taketh the svverde shal perishe For the punishemente was not appointed at the wyll or minde of men by the whiche they might reuenge their owne bloude but God himselfe seuerally forbiddinge vs murther declared howe dere mankinde is vnto him And this is a perpetuall doctrine and the verye same whiche Moyses writeth in effecte sayinge Whosoeuer sheadeth mannes bloude his bloude shal be shedde First of al therfore Christ will not haue hymselfe to be defended with force of armes because God hathe forbydden to strike in the lawe And this is a general reason but by and by he sheweth a speciall reason But here a question maye be moued whether it be lawfull at no tyme with violence to resiste wronge Question For althoughe Peter rose againste wycked and abhominable theues yet notwithstandynge he his condemned because he tooke the swerde if in this dede the exception of honeste defence and moderate woulde not serue Christe semeth to binde the handes of all menne and to take from them the swerde in the lyke caces Wee answere that firste of all we must distinguishe betwene the ciuile lawe and the lawe of conscience for if a man resiste a thefe because the lawes do arme him and geue him power againste a commen eneny of mankinde he shal not be subiecte to punishmeÌ„t and so as often as defence is opposed or sette againste vniust violence the punishmeÌ„t doth cease which the Lorde hath coÌ„manded the Iudges of the earth to execute But the simple goodnes of the cause doth not absolue the coÌ„science from giltines excepte there be ioyned with it a pure affection Therefore whosoeuer wil rightly lawfully defeÌ„de him self he must first of all put of the ferneÌ„cy of anger hatred desyer of reuenge and all the euell motions of the minde that the defence may haue nothing in it that is troblesome or proceding from a wycked desyer Because this is a rare thinge and neuer almoste hearde of Christe doth not without iuste consideration call his Disciples to a generall rule For whosoeuer passeth the boundes of his callinge although he be commended of the worlde shall neuertheles haue blame at Godes handes for his dede Moreouer by this place certeyne mad men very foolishely go about to take away the swerde froÌ„ iudges affirminge it not to be lawfull to strike with the swerde We graunt that certainly to be true because it is lawfull for no man to take the swerde at his pleasure and so to be the author of murther but wee deny that magistrates whiche are the ministers of God by whome hee exerciseth is iudgement should be counted as the commen and vulgar sorte are and so to haue no difference Moreouer by these woordes of Christe this power is plainelye committed vnto them For seinge he pronounceth that all murtherers muste be executed with the swerde it followeth that the swerde is committed into the handes of iudges that they may take vengeance vppon al vniust murthers It commeth to passe truely some times that meâ—…ne whiche are shedders of bloude are punished by other meanes yet notwithstanding this is the ordinarye meane by the whiche the Lorde woulde haue the crueltye of the wycked brideled leaste they shoulde rage at their pleasure vnpunished But and if the Magistrate be negligent in this parte God him selfe will execute this iudgemente whiche he had committed to the Magistrate And nowe wheras certaine Canonistes were so impudente that they durste affirme the Swerde not to be taken from Peter but that he receiued a CommauÌ„dement to kéepe it secrete vntil the time conueniente to drawe it foorthe came Hereby wée perceiue howe grossely these dogges haue dallied with the Woorde of God. 53. Thinkeste thou that I cannot nowe praie to my Father and he shall geue me more theÌ„ twelue Legions of Angels Thinkest thou that I cannot novve praie G. Nowe followeth that speciall reason of the whiche wée made mention a litle before For Christe admonishethe that he coulde haue a farre better kinde of defence and more lawefull at hande if it were not that he muste obeye his Fathers will For this is the summe seinge he was appointed by the eternall pourpose of God to be a Sacrifice and because the same was declared also be testimonie of Scripture it was not méete to impugne or resist the same And thus the rashenesse of Peter is condemned by an other circumstance because he wente not onely about to frustrate the heauenly Decrée but also to stoppe the waye of mannes Redemption Peter did not only vnlawfully lifte vp the Swerde but also foolishe and madde were the Disciples in that they being a fewe weake durste withstande a bande of Souldiers and greate multitude Therefore the Lorde to the ende he mighte more euidently reproue theire folie putteth this comparison that if
constrayned but by his owne free will that hee mighte fulfill his fathers commaundemente euen so they do shewe that all sortes of men gaue testimonye of his innocensye First the whole counsayle in seekynge oute false witnesses do proue him an innocente Iudas the traytor openlye confessed hym to be an innocente And nowe Pilate also commeth forthe before all the people and declareth him to be innocent besyde manye other testimonies which followe of Christes innocensye What neede wee of muche a do sayth Pilate Althoughe ye accuse him as a seducer as a seditious personne and as an ambitious desyerer of the kingdome yet notwithstandynge I finde nothinge in the man worthye of anye suche accusation Therefore hee excuseth him openlye which was openlye accused because there was no man whiche defended him S. Marke addeth And the chiefe Priestes accused him of manye thinges But our Euangelist addeth sayinge 12. And when hee was accused of the chiefe Priestes and Elders he aunswered nothinge C. Whye do the Euangelistes saye that Christe kepte sylence whose aunsweare wee hearde euen nowe of their mouthes Sure this is the cause namelye that althoughe hee had a defence for hymselfe in a redynes yet notwithstandinge hee wyllinglye abstayned neyther trulye did hee aunsweare at the firste as concerninge the kyngdome because hee desyered to be loused but onelye that hee mighte proue himselfe to be that redeemer which was promised afore time before whom euerye knee should bowe 13. Then sayeth Pilate vnto him hearest thou not howe manye witnesses they laye against thee A. And Pilate sayth S. Marke asked him sayinge Aunswerest thou nothinge at all Behoulde howe manye thinges they laye to thy charge 14. And hee aunsweared hym to neuer a woorde insomuche that the debitye marueyled greatlye And hee aunsvvered hym to neuer a vvorde Those thinges whiche were necessarye to the matter in hande were before freely confessed and plainlye declared In the counsayle of the chiefe Priestes hee confessed that hee shoulde sit the Messias at the righte hande of the power of god Then hee declared before Pilate what kinge hee was Why then was it necessary to declare greater matters Hee houldeth his peace therefore at the other slaunders of the Iewes which were inuented by the subtiltye of Sathan Insomuche that the Debitye marueyled greatlye Pilate marueiled at this wonderfull patience of Christe that Christe by houldinge his peace willingly would shew forth his innocensye when as hee myghte easelye haue put awaye those vayne and coulde slaunders So greate was the integritye of Christe that it was manifeste withoute the defence of the Iudge And thus farre trulye the equitye of Christe is commendable that fauouringe the innocensye of Christe hee pricketh him forwarde to defende himselfe But leaste wee shoulde marueile at the sylence of Christe and counte it absurde as Pilate did wee must haue respecte vnto the purpose of God whiche thoughte good to condemne his sonne whom he appoynted to be a sacrifyce for oure sinnes who althoughe hee were pure in himselfe yet was hee giltye in our person Christe therefore helde hys peace then that hee mighte be nowe oure defender and by his intercession delyuer vs from giltines hee helde hys peace that wee mighte boaste our selues to be iuste for his sake Furthermore it seemeth that Christ made no aunsweare for this cause namelye for that hee knewe well anoughe that the Debitye coulde smell oute that all these thinges were fayned against him by a certaine impotente hate and that they were no such manner of matters for the which the debitye might lawfullye put him to deathe And in deede the debitye knewe that the chiefe Priestes did all these thinges vppon mallyce and enuye Notwithstandynge hee marueiled althoughe hee were a Heathen man knewe not what pacience mente that an innocent man coulde houlde hys peace wythe suche greate meekenes beinge in daunger of his lyfe But that was then fulfilled in the Lord which was spoken before by the Prophete sayinge Hee shal be ledde as a sheepe to be slayne yet shall hee be as still as a lambe before the shearer and not open his mouthe In the meane time notwithstandinge that good confession appeared not in woordes but in deede whereof S. Paule maketh mencion in his first Epistle to Tymothe and in the 6. Chapter The Euangeliste Luke addeth sayinge And they were the more fearce and sayde Hee moueth the people teaching throughout all Iewrye and began at Galile euen to this place This is an olde accusation againste the teachers of the truth or of true Religion Elias receiued the like voyce againste him at the mouthe of Acab Arte thou hee which troublest all Israell But hee aunswered Acab againe and sayde It is not I that troubles Israell but thou and thy fathers house haue forsaken the commaundementes of the Lorde and haue followed Baalim In like maner it was said to Ieremye This man verely laboureth not for peace of the people but mischiefe And the Iewes accused Paule before Felix in like manner sayinge Wee haue founde this man a pestilence fellowe and a mouer of debate vnto all the Iewes in the whole world and a maintayner of sedition A. No man therefore oughte to marueile if the faythfull mynisters of Christe are constrayned to heare the like of the wicked But when Pilate hearde mencion of Galile he asked whether the man were of Galile or no. And as soone as hee knew that hee belonged to Herodes iurisdiction hee sente him to Herode C. Because Pilate durste not louse Iesus by reason of the tumulte of the people hee gladlye tooke the occasion whiche was offered vnto hym to sende him to the Iudgemente of Herode This Herode was surnamed Antypas to whom the Tetrarchye of Galile was lefte when Iudea was broughte into parte of the prouince of Syria Archelaus beinge sente awaye to Vienna And althoughe Luke make mencion a little after that Herode whiche before was displeased wyth Pylate was nowe glad of this matter yet notwithstandinge Pilate wente not so muche aboute to gette hys fauoure as to putte awaye all occasion of enuye by an honeste pretence and so to avoyde the necessity of condemninge Christ Hee rather desyered that another mighte condemne Christe than hee A myserable conscyence trulye dothe alwayes stande in feare But Herode whenne hee sawe Iesus was exceedynge gladde For hee was desyerous to see hym of a longe season because hee had hearde mannye thinges of hym and hee trusted to haue seene some myracle done by him C. Hereby it appeareth how greatlye the pryde of the wicked maketh them droncke and putteth them cleane oute of theyr wittes For althoughe Herode did not knowe Christe to be the Sonne of GOD yet notwithstandinge hee dothe compte hym as a Prophete Wherefore it was to vnreasonable and contrarye to equitye for hym to be delyghted wyth hys ignominye and sclaunder But Christe beinge nowe subiecte to hys pleasure hee reioyceth as a Conqueroure as thoughe iniurye had beene done vnto hym all the
these tormentes not naturallye as manye doe at this daye often times but rather by singuler instincte and motion of god Manye haue thoughte that the Deuill suborned this woman and craftelye coollered this matter in her that hee mighte staye the redemption of mankinde The which is very vnlikelye in all poinctes when as by the motion and continuall prouocation of the Deuill the chiefe Priestes and Scribes did so greatlye seeke and desyer to destroye Christe Therefore wee must thus rather thincke of it that the innocencye of Christe was proued by manye meanes of God the father to the ende it might appeare that hee dyed not for his owne but for oure sakes And for that cause he thought good to bee absolued so often tymes by the mouthe of Pilate before that he was condemned that in his innocent damnation there myght appeare a lawfull satisfaction for our sinnes But Mathewe very expressely and playnly setteth foorth this matter leaste any man should meruaile why Pilate was so careful and dilligent to defend and contende in the tumult of the people for the life of a cōtemned man And truely God constrayned him by the terrors of the dreame whiche his wyfe suffered to defende the innocensy of his sonne not that he myght delyuer hym from deathe but onely to declare that hee was punyshed for other mens faultes whiche he had not deserued As touching dreames whiche are lyke vnto visions reade the first chapiter going before M. although Pilate went about to delyuer Christe yet notwithstandinge he profited nothing because it was necessary that the decre purpose of the father should be fulfylled Neyther wyll hee that his seruaunt should so be delyuered that their cause might differ nothyng from the cause of theues 20 But the chief priestes and Elders perswaded the people that they shoulde aske Barrabas and destroye Iesus But the chiefe priestes C. The Euangelist doth here declare who were the speciall authours of the mischiefe to the ende wee myght knowe that the commō people were not of their owne accorde ennemies vnto Christe who notwithstanding are not excused by the prouocation of the priestes but whyle they obey the priestes they forget as well equitie and modestie as theire owne saluation Persvvaded the people They moued saythe S. Marke and perswaded the people at the lengthe to aske Barrabas and that because Christe was already condemned by the authoritie of the priesthoode and counsell of blasphemy and that els the Romaines woulde come and destroye them A. Whiche semed to be a notable pretence to destroye Christe And destroy Iesus Bu. That is that they woulde craue Iesus to put hym to deathe the whiche they afterwarde dyd 21 The deputie aunswered and sayde vnto them whether of the twaine wil ye that I let louse vnto you They sayde Barrabas The deputie aunsvvered A. The Iudge thought by the greuous faulte that Barrabas had cōmitted to tourne the myndes of the Iewes and to perswade them to deliuer Christe But they sayde A. Luke more plentyfully declareth this thyng saying And all the people cryed at once saying awaye with hym and delyuer vnto vs Barrabas C. Hereby we are taughte howe deadly and full of mischiefe the authoritie of the wycked is who can easelye drawe the common sorte of people euery waye to all kynde of mischiefe then the whiche nothing is more inconstante But by the waye we must note the purpose of the Euangeliste whiche was to shewe that Christe was by the voyce of the people earnestly craued to be put to death not because he was hated of them but because the greater parte desyring to obey their Prelates ambitiously consented to the wycked conspiracie of a fewe A. This thing at the lengthe Peter caste in their teethe sayinge The God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Iacob the God of our fathers hath glorified his sonne Iesus whom ye deliuered and denied in the presence of Pilate when he had iudged hym to be loused But ye denied the holy and iuste and desyred a murtherer to be geuen vnto you and killed the Lorde of lyfe 22 Pilate sayde vnto them VVhat shal I do then with Iesus whiche is called Christe They all sayde vnto him let hym be crucified VVhat shall I doe then vvith Iesus Bu. The Euangeliste Luke hathe Pilate spake agayne to them wylling to let Iesus louse C. Because Pilate seeth them to be so blinded in madnes that to their greate shame they let not to delyuer a thiefe from death he goeth about to syfte them by an other practyse that he myght brynge them to a sound iudgement namely that the death of Christ would bring ignominie vnto them because the fame of Iesus was greatlye knowen among all men to be a kynge and the annoynted of God. As if he had sayde If ye haue no compassion on the man yet at the least haue regarde to your honour because straungers wyll thinke that all ye by his punishement are put to rebuke But truely the rage of their crueltie by this meanes was nothing asswaged but they went forwarde styll to bee more ennemies to them selues than to Christ Therefore Pilate seking more sharpely to touche them as appeareth by Marke sayth that they also called Iesus a kyng meaning thereby that this tyttle was as commen to hym as if it had bene his syrname But truly all shame being caste asyde they cease not styll to vrge and procure the death of Christe whiche brought with it the reproche of all the nation For They all sayde vnto hym let him be crucified C. Here wee may perceiue howe greate the obstinacy of the people was whiche coulde not be moued with so greate affliction of Christe The whiche thing truely happeneth to all the reprobate whiche beinge forsaken of God are very beastes that it may appeare what the Image of God is in man and the Image of the Deuell And although the Image of God in vs be blotted out yet notwithstanding some proportion thereof doth remayne But when wee bee forsaken of God all humanitie is caste asyde and wee seeke for nothing els but murther rapyne and suche lyke When as neyther the chief priestes nor the people founde any cause of death in Christe as sayth saint Paule yet notwithstanding they desyer with wonderfull obstinacy of Pilate that he woulde put hym to death 23 The deputie sayde what euell hathe hee done But they cryed the more saying Let him be crucified The deputie sayde vvhat euell hathe hee done B. Saint Luke saythe that Pilate asked the people the thyrde tyme to the ende we myght see howe fayne he woulde haue sette Iesus at lybertie hee addeth also those thinges whiche doe more confirme the innocensy of the Lorde He sayde vnto them sayth hee the thyrde tyme What euell hath he done I fynde no cause of deathe in hym A great argument truely of the innocensy of Christe Pilate by this his question as a ciuile Iudge doth in euery point iustifie Christe to be an innocent and proclaymeth
arise by his nakednesse because hee suffered nothinge whiche the spirite of God pronounceth not to belonge trewely to the persone of a redemer 36 And they sat and watched him there M. They go not their waye but sit styll by the crosse as kepers or markers what he woulde do leaste peraduenture eyther the Disciples should come and take him aliue from the crosse or leaste hee shoulde come downe from the same by a myracle 37 And sett vp ouer his heade the cause of his deathe written thus This is Iesus the kinge of the Iewes And they sett vp ouer his heade C. The foure Euangelistes do declare that Pilate dyd set the titell of the Lord vpon the crosse Our Euangelist Matthew writeth somwhat obscurelye in this verse when as the Gréeke woorde which the interpreter calleth the cause dothe signifie bothe the cause and also the accusation or the falte S. Iohn speaketh more playnely sayinge And Pilate wrote a tytell and put it on the crosse Hee calleth that a tytell whiche our Euangeliste calleth the cause and Marke and Luke a superscription of the cause For thereby the cause of the death is briefly shewed when malefactours are led to theyr ponyshement S. Luke saith that this titell was written in Gréeke Lattine and Hebrewe And it conteyned thus muche as maye be gathered by the fower Euangelistes This is Iesus of Nazareth kinge of the Ievves C. Peraduenture it was a common custome amonge the Iewes to set tytelles ouer the heades of those malefactoures that were putt to deathe But trewely this was extraordinary in Christ that the titell should be set ouer him without ignominie For it was the pourpose of Pilate that he might be reuenged of the Iewes who by their obstinacy caused an innocent vniustly to be put to deathe to condemne the whole nation in the person of Christ so that he set no inscriptiō of any falte that belonged vnto Christ ouer his heade But the prouidence of God whiche gouerned Pilates stile had respecte to a farther matter It was not the meaning and pourpose of Pilate to celebrate Christ as the aucthour of saluation the Nazarite of God and the king of the chosen people yet notwithstandinge God did so guide his minde that not knowing his proclamation of the gospell he sholde set it forthe By the same secrete impulsion of the spirite it came to passe that he should publishe the titell in thre seuerall tongues But this was no lawefull or ordinary preachinge of the Gospell because Pilate was vnworthy to beare any witnesse to the sonne of God but that whiche shoulde be done by trewe mynisters was shadowed in Pilate To be shorte he maye be thought suche a preacher of Christe as Caiphas was a prophete M. But because this tytell dyd set forthe the mallice of the people of the Iewes which had killed the heyre of the vineyarde their lorde and king the hye priestes of the Iewes after a sorte smellinge the same requested of Pilate that he woulde change the same titell that he had set ouer the heade of Christe as S. Iohn declareth by these woordes This tytell redde many of the Iewes for the place where Iesus was crucifyed was nighe to the cittie And it was wrytten in Hebrewe Gréeke and Lattine Then saide the highe priestes of the Iewes to Pilate wryte not Kinge of the Iewes but that he said I am king of the Iewes C. They féele them selues to be towched as it was saide euen now and therfore they desyred to haue the title altered and suche a one set vp whiche might burthen Christe without infamy of the nation But in the meane time they declare how greately they were infected with the hatred of the truethe whiche coulde not abyde any one sparke thereof Euenso alwaies Sathan stirreth vp his mynisters whiche so sone as any lighte of Goddes woorde dothe appere go about by and by to extinguysshe the same or at leaste to choke it Pilate answereth That which I haue written I haue wrytten The cause of Pilatee constancie was the prouidence of god for there is no doubte but that they wente aboute to alter his minde by diuerse meanes Let vs know therfore that his minde was helde inflexible by the power of God whiche caused him to saye That whiche I haue wrytten I haue written M. For at other tymes he followed the will of the Iewes in all thinges because they dydde those thinges whiche pertayned to the executinge of the pourpose of God but those thinges whiche they nowe aske they desired to this ende that they mighte remoue the ignomynie of the crosse from theym selues vnto Christe and to put away that reproche that they had crucyfied theyr kynge that hee mighte not be counted the trewe Messias but a wicked fellowe whiche boasted hym selfe to bee the Messias of the Iewes But as this was false and full of reproche to the heauenlye kinge so it pertayned not to the pourpose of god Therfore by the instinct of the holy ghost Pilate answereth so constantly That which I haue wrytten I haue written As if he shoulde say I wil not change the tytell You wolde nedes haue me crucifie your kyng I haue crucifyed hym It shall be your shame hereafter whiche constrayned me to do this thinge B. Furthermore by these fewe woordes Iesus kinge of the Iewes the trewe Gospel of Christe was conteyned For by them hee was preached to be that trewe and vndoubted Messias whiche was sente a kinge vnto the Iewes And so in the midest of the death of the crosse Christe began to triumphe as sayth S. Paule in the seconde Chapter to the Colossians Now the Crosse of Christ begā to chaūge his conditiō and to be in steede of reproche a kingely tribunall muche more excellent than all other thrones or chayres of estate Furthermore this title was written in Hebrewe Greeke Lattine to declare that this kinge should raigne not only ouer the Iewes but also ouer the Gentiles As cōcerninge the which matter reade the seconde Psalme and the 49. of Esay The Euangeliste Luke declareth that the people stoude by lokinge on him And S. Iohn writing of the mother of Christe which stoode by also sayth There stoode by the Crosse of Iesus his mother his mothers sister Mary the wyfe of Cleophas and Marye Magdalene C. Christ did so obey God the father that hee neglected not the dutye of humaine pietye towardes his mother Hée forgate himselfe truly and all thinges els in respecte of his obedience that hée oughte to the father but this beinge done hee would not omit the dutye whiche hee did owe to his mother And here wee must learne so to do our dutye vnto men that we may neuerthelesse be obedient vnto god It commeth oftentimes to passe that when God calleth vs to any thinge oure parentes our wyfe and our children do call vs to the contrarye insomuche that wee cannot satisfye bothe at once But wee muste first preferre the commaundementes of God his
behoulding the Sepulcher againe two Angels appeare vnto her of whom wee haue spoken already and do testifye vnto them that Christ is rysen do commaūde them to tell it vnto the Disciples but namely vnto Peter whiche euen now entered into the Sepulcher perceiued that Christ was risen At the length when these women returned into the Citty to tell these thinges vnto the Disciples they were confirmed againe as they went that they might the more bouldly affyrme the Lorde to be risen for Christe appeareth vnto them saluteth them Howbeit Iohn maketh mēcion of Mary Magdalene only And Marke doth not say that Christ met with them but sayth only that he appeared to Mary Magdalene betymes in the morninge But Luke maketh no mencion of this visiō at all but this pretermission oughte not to seeme absurde vnto vs seing that the Euāgelistes do oftētimes vse the same As touchinge the difference betweene Mathewe Marke this is to be considered that Mathew by a figure called Synecdochen dothe extend that vnto al which was proper to one This Marye Magdalene was of Galile was not the sister of Martha Lazarus as some folishly haue thought For Mary the sister of Martha was not syrnamed Magdalene but is alwayes called in the Scripture Mary the sister of Martha that there might be a difference betweene her the other Maries Of this Mary Magdalene Luke writeth thus And also certaine womē which were healed of euil spirits infirmities Mary which is called Magdalene out of whō went seuen deuils Wherby we may behould the great goodnes mercy of God who respecteth no persons but geueth most honor where most vnworthines is to beate downe the pride of fleshe 5. The Angell answered and saide vnto the women feare ye not For I know that ye seke Iesus which was crucified he is not here The Angell ansvvered A. To answere here is put for to speake according to the maner of the Hebrewes for they demaūded no questiō wherby answere should be said to be made He maketh mencion of one Angel only because but one and no mo spake vnto the womē Luke speaketh of two as appeareth by these wordes Behold two men stode beside thē in bright garments And as they were afraide bowed downe their faces to the earth they said vnto them Feare ye not M. It was the office of the Angel to geue testimony of the resurrectiō of Christ But goinge thereabout he doth before all other thinges cōfort the women that were afraid but he had made the wicked watchmen afraid For the resurrection of Christ is a terror to the wicked and to the godly a great cōsolation Whervpō he sayth Feare ye not As if he should say Be not ye afraide as those watchmen were which are gone away For I knovv This is the reasō why they ought not to feare as if he had sayd I know that ye are frends such as beleeue in Iesus I knowe that for the loue of Iesus ye are come hither wherfore there is no cause why ye shoulde be afraide of mee for I am here not an ennemye but your frende C. In Luke there seemeth a sharpe reprehensiō to be added thus Why seeke ye the liuinge amonge the dead 6. He is not here he is rysen as hee said Come see the place where the Lorde was layed Hee is not here M Now the Angell by plaine words beareth testimony to the resurrection of the lord Bu. As if he should say the body of Christ which was crucifyed buried is not now in the Sepulcher As he said C. He putteth them in minde of the wordes of Christe Bu. as if he shoulde haue saide Christ is the truth The truth cannot lye And he said that he would rise again Therfore he is rysen in deede C. We do se here that the Angels are sent to confirme the doctrine of Christ A. And that Christe had foreshewed his resurrection the Euangelistes do testify in diuers places Come se the Bu. To the ende they might be the more fully certifyed of all thinges he willeth them to haue experience to see with their eyes For he sheweth them the empty monumēt VVhere the Lorde vvas layed C. Behoulde how the Angels here call Christ the lord A. Euenso in another place it is said A sauiour is borne vnto you this daye which is Christ the Lord in the Citty of Dauid S. Luke addeth sayinge Remember how hee spake vnto you when he was yet in Galile saying that the sonne of mā must be deliuered into the handes of sinfull men and be crucifyed the third day ryse againe 7. And go quickly and tel his Disciples that he is rysen againe from the dead And behoulde hee goeth before you into Galile there ye shall see him Lo I haue toulde you And go quickely C. Here God doth adorne the women by the Angel with extraordinary honor because he committeth vnto them the charge embassage of the speciall part of our saluation Notwithstandinge this office was accidentall extraordinarye and enioyned to them but for a time They are commaunded to tell that vnto the Apostles which they afterward according to the office enioyned them preached to the whole world but they do not this as Apostles Therefore they do amisse gather a lawe by this commaundement of the Angel which do permit to women the office of baptizing Let vs be contented with this the Christe in them set forth the treasures of his grace in that hee made them once to be the teachers of the Apostles notwithstandinge so that hee woulde not haue that to be drawne into example which was done by a singuler priuiledge If any man obiecte and say that there was no cause why women shoulde be preferred before the Apostles whiche were no lesse carnall incensible than they wee aunswere that it is not in vs but in the will pleasure of the Iudge to put a difference betweene these them Furthermore wee say that they deserued to be more sharpelye reprehended which were not only taughte before other mē but also were ordayned to be teachers of the Church throughoute the whole worlde being called the light of the world the sault of the earth so foully did they fall The women therefore were sente to the Disciples to their reproche because they were so slow to beleue And behould hee goeth before you into Galile C. In that the Angell calleth the Disciples into Galile it semeth therfore to be done that Christ might make himselfe knowne to many For wee know that he was longe conuersaūt in Galile And hee thought it good to geue space vnto his Dysciples that euen in the very departure they might better remēber themselues Furthermore the custome vsinge of the places helped them to know their master For it was meete that they should be cōfirmed by all meanes least they should wante any thinge whith pertayned to the assuraūce of their faith Lo I
hart 595. Reconcilliation 97. Redemption could not be without the destruction of Sathan 262. Regeneration of two kinds 437. Religion is the keye of the kingdome of Heauen 530. RemissioÌ„ taketh away the punishment of the falte 725. Remission of sinnes putteth away satisfactions 123. Remission of sinnes by the Gospel 363. Remedies against contencion 98. Reuelation that is heauenly agreeth with the Scriptures 29. Reuerence pertayneth to Gods word 9. Rewarde 83. Resurrection of Christ 749 Riches are subiect to rust 127. Riches are a let vnto vs 178. 231. 298. Riches kepe vs from Christ 433. Riches of themselues are good 434. Rytches not vsed to the glory of God are abused 735 Righteousnes of two sortes 428 Robbery houldeth vp the Popes seate 548 S. Sabothes haue their vse 248 Sabothes ought ought rather to be broken than the rule of Charitie 255 Sacrament a visible signe 637 SacrameÌ„tes must not be despised Saduceis 45 Saluation by Christe only 14 Saluation commeth onely by the free mency of God. 604 Salutation 206 Sampson a figure of Christe 38 Sathan and the Pope desyer to be worshiped of Christ 29 Sathan the enemy of maÌ„kynde 57 Sathan is the cause of euell temptations 60 Sathan maketh vs to distruste Gods promises 60. 722 SathaÌ„ can not hurte without God suffer 63. 170 Sathan signifieth an aduersary 65 Sathan is a tyraunte 168 Sathan his kyngdome are subiecte to Christe 169 Sathan hateth no creature but man â—â—â— SathaÌ„ coÌ„tinually warreth against Christe 214 Sathan is an vncleane spirite 272. SathaÌ„ entereth not into the faithfull 273 Sathan is an ennemy to Gods worde 286 Sathan is the head of the vngodly 545. 609 Sathan possesseth the reprobate 626. Sathan woulde haue Christe to peryshe 707 SatisfactioÌ„ cannot be made by vs for synne 412 Satisfaction for all synnes made by Christe 644 Saintes may not be sought vnto for helpe 211 Scriptures are redde amis by the wycked 25 Scribes 327 Securitie 211 Seducers preache not the woorde of the Lorde 228 Sedition is ascribed to the worde of God ofteÌ„times by the wycked 693. Seueritie 402 Symplicitie of Godlynes â—…0 Sycknesses are plagues for sinne 188. Synne stopped the waye to Gods grace â—…2 Synne maketh vs detters vnto God. 122 Sinne is the cause of corâ—…orall diseases 173 Sinnes are not forgueÌ„ by maÌ„ 175 Synners ought not to be despised 181. Synnes are remitted two manner of wayes 411 Synnes are put away by the mercy of God. 413 Sinnes are put away by the sacrifice of Christe 617 Sinagoges 73. 113 Spirit of God cannot be sene 54 Spirites good and euell 322 Spirituall ioye 746 Slouthfumes dothe aryse of to muche truste 441 Sufferance 106 Subiectes must obey their prince 506. Supremacy of Rome 201 Superstition in immitation of sainctes 187 Superstitious wearing the Gospell about the necke 525 Superstition hath his originall of the fleshe 572 SuperstitioÌ„ in the faste of lent 59 Suspicion of rebellion must be auoyded 3â—…2 Streying shepe are not reiected of the Lorde 646 T Teares of repentance 684 Teares of oypocrites 684 Temperance 43 TeÌ„ptatioÌ„s come not by chauÌ„ce 58 Temptations proceade from the affections of man. 58 Temptations are a triall for a tyme. 66 Temptations that are euell come of Sathan 60 Temptations of Sathan kyndell our affections 124 Three causes of our saluation Threateninges make the wycked to rage more and more TribulatioÌ„ ought to bring vs vnto Christe â–ª 155 Tribute 390 Traditions thrust in by men 327 Traditions of three sortes 328 Traditions of men tye the consciences of Gods people 330 Tradition defenders are pernicious enemies 332 Traditions of men bryng in hypocrisie 352 Transubstantiation 638 Trouble trieth our faythe â—…66 Two partes of deliuerance 14 Two thinges to be studied of euery Christian 30. Two kyndes of anger 34 Two thinges were specially done by Christe 73 Two sortes of contemners 139 Two endes of mans lyfe 142 Two manner of frutes 144 Two things ought to be in a preacher 308 Truthe at all tymes maye not bee spoken 366 Truthe must alwayes bee defended 478 Truthe obteyneth no mercy 707 Truthe ought to be preferred before custome 94 Truthe ought to bee vsed in bargening 105 Truthe at the length ouercoÌ„meth True faythe 150 True followers of Christe 165 Tyrantes feare more than other men do 24 Tyrantes are subtill 212 Tyrantes haue no power ouer the soule of man. 219 Tyrantes that are enemies one to an other become frendes to destroye Christe 253 Tyrantes euer stande in feare 307 Tyranny in Papistes 421 Tyme to receyue the woorde of God. 39 Tythes 537 Tythes a parte of Gods worship 537. V Vaine glory in geuing almes must be put away 112 Vayne is this lyfe 219 Vayne trust 430 Vengeaunce commeth at the laste to the wycked 36 VengeauÌ„ce ought not to be required by the faithfull 109 Vertue is not included in the word Iesus 14 Vyce must be punished with iustice modesty mercy and anger 12 Vngodly men are blynded in the lighte 279 Vnfayned remission 415 Vnitie in mariage 417 Vnitie 410 576 Vnlawefull manes ought to bee auoyded 62 Vntymely heaers 286 Voyce of God chyldren pearceth the heauens 36 Vowes rasheâ—… made 312 Vowes monaâ—…ticall 313 Vowes madâ—â—y Papistes 425 Voluntary seuice is moste acceptable to Go. 513 Vsury 102 VV Watching 587 Watchinge without prayer profite nothinâ—… 656 Wedlocke â–ª a necessary remedy against sine 423 Wedlocke 102. 417 Whoredom dissolueth the knotte of matrimony 420 Whisperers must be auoided 620 Wisdome caÌ„not withstaÌ„d God. 27 Wisdome coÌ„meth not by our own industry 71 Wisdome and innocency ought to be in vs. 211 Witnesses ought to be had in matters of wayght 404 Worldlinges at the comminge of Christe feare the losse of promotion 23 Worldly wysdome is not comparable to the foolishnes of the crosse 31 Worldly felicitie 75 Wordlinges loke for gayne 108 Worldly men forsake heauen 129 Wordly wysdome 242 Worldly cares are a let to fructifie 287 Worldlynges 291 Worldly pleasure is obscure in respecte of the glory to come 297 Worldly sightes bewitche oure sences 289 Worthy receiuers of the gospel 206 Workes do not iustifie 269 Wolues of this worlde 210 Z Zeale that is rashe 46. 195. 367. 324. 667. Zeale of the godly 80 Zeale without knowledge 153 Zeale according to knowledge 252 Zeale pertayneth to the godly 468 Zeale oughte to bee guided by the woorde of God. 665 Thâ—… meaning of all those figures whiche are before in the exposition added for the better vnderstanding of the Reader wheresoeuer he fyndeth them MEtoymia is a figure called denominatioÌ„ as when Bacchus is or wyne or Venus for lechery Antithesi is a comparison or contrarietie Fol. 196 Irotia is a figure in speaking wheÌ„ a man dissembleth in speache that which hee thinketh not as in scoffing calling that foule whiche is fayrâ—… or that swete whiche is sower Hyperboâ—… is excesse in aduauÌ„cing or depressing A Metaphor is a transferring of woordes from their proper signification Prosopopaeia is a figure vsed wheras personages are supposed or fayned to speake as one man to an other Synecdoche is a figure when parte is vsed for the whole or the whole for parte 462 Hypotyposis is a figure called illustratioÌ„ by the which the forme of thinges is so sette foorthe in wordes that it semeth rather to be seene with the eyes than hearde with the eares Hysteron proteron is a figure vsed when any thing is declared out of order preposterously A Paradox is a sentence straunge contrary to the opinion of moste men Hypothesis is as argument so called FINIS ¶ Faultes escaped in printing Leafe 15 collum 1. for ioyned reade ordyned Leafe 49. â—…l 2. line 6. reade and because thingratitude Leafe 50. cl 2. for properly reade proper Leafe 67. coâ—… 1. line last saue one reade must wayes Leafe 67. col for reproue them reade reproâ—…d them Le. 68. co 1. Gâ—…nefar rea Genesar Le. 68. col 2. â—…oth the ways reade both wayes Leaf 137. co 1 â—…ine 1. reade which shall punishe Leaf 140. col 2 â—…ine 10. reade that he wyll heare it Leaf 140. col 2. â—…rent re pareÌ„tes Leaf 142. col 2. line last reade declaring that it is Leaf 144. co 2. line 33. there reade therefore Leaf 153. col 1. lin 20. for mistery reade ministery and office Leaf 154. col 1. li. 13. the read they Leaf 160. col 2. line 31. his disciples the disciples Le. 163. col 1. li. 5. same re Sunne Leafe 164. col 1. lin 2. salt re falte Leaf 169. col li. 11. exhorted reade extorted Le. 177. co 1. li. 17. saith re faythe Leafe 258. col 1. these blynde men reade this blyndeman Fol. 263. col 2. lin 4. before the end for Luke ware reade luke warme Fol. 263. col 2. line last for Crisse reade Christe Fol. 327. col 1. line last saue foure for greater reade great Fol. 335. col 2. for Israelles reade Israelites Fol. 352. col 1. for did oppressed reade did oppresse Fol. 504. leaue out the first line for it is twyse printed Fol. 675. col 2. for endued but by death reade ended but by deathe Fol. 659. for they should haue vnderstoode reade they should not haue vndrrstoode Fol. 689. co 2. reade by the instinct and motion of the holy Ghoste
hardenes of your hartes he pardoned the lesse euyll least a greatter should be committed by you For he doth not allow diuorsementes that suffereth them to be vsed rather then manslaughter shoulde be committed Neyther dothe the testymoniall of dyuorcemente proue that dyuorcemente it selfe is righte and legyttimate but it is a witnesse of thy crueltie who for euery lyght cause doest driue away thy wife And here be obiecteth this very fitly vnto the Phariseies who were of all men most obstinate and harde harted that he might declare vnto thē that this their hardenes of hart is an olde disease and of longe continuance But from the begininge it vvas not so C. He calleth them backe to the pure and fyrst institution whiche also oughte to be vnto vs a firme foundation so often as the aduersaries of the Gospel do seke to inuade vs that is to saye we muste referre all thinges to the fyrste institution so often as they preferre their owne dreames before the woorde of god Therfore Christ confirmeth his opynion by a verye good reason because it was not so from the begynninge But he taketh it as a thynge graunted namely that when God from the beginninge did institute matrimony he made a certayne lawe and establyshed the same for euer whiche ought to stand in force to the ende Wherefore if the institution of wedlocke oughte to stande as a lawe that maye not be vyolated it followeth that whatsoeuer declineth frō it is not accordynge to the nature of the firste lawe but procedeth of the corruption of men Nowe some man maye demaunde whether it were lawefull for Moyses to permyt that whiche of it owne nature is euyll and viciouse Wee aunswere that it is improperlye saide to be permitted which hee did not seuerelye forbydde Neyther dyd hee sette forthe a lawe of diuorcement that by his consent he might approue thē but when the wickednesse of men coulde not be otherwyse restrayned hee broughte a remedy that was most tollerable that at the least the husbande shoulde geue his wyfe a testymoniall of diuorce in the which he sholde testifie her chastitie For the lawe was not made but in the fauour of the womē least after they were vniustly cast of they shoulde be subiecte to any reproche Whereby wee gather that rather a punishement was layed vpon the men then that by pardone and permission their lust was increased Moreouer spirituall regiment differeth much from politique and ciuile order The lord comprehendeth in tenne wordes what is laweful and standinge with the lawe of god Nowe because it maye come to passe that manye thinges may not be called before mannes iudgement seate of which neuerthelesse euery mannes owne conscience may reproue conuince him it is no meruayle thoughe politique lawes do wyncke at them As for example A greater liberty to contende is graunted vs by the lawes than the rule of charitie doth beare and why so because ryght can not be geuen to euery one excepte the way to require it be as a gate open vnto them But the internall lawe of God pronounceth that that ought to be followed which charytie shall counsell Neyther yet is there any cause why the maiestrates shoulde hereby challenge an excuse of their necligēce and slouthefulnes if wyllingely they be slacke in punishynge of vyces or if they admitte that whiche the mynistration of their office doth require But let priuate men take heede leste by clokinge their offences with the supportation of the lawe they double the falte For here the lorde rebuketh the Iewes ouerthwartlye as thoughe it were not sufficiente for them that their peruersenesse shoulde be borne withall without punishemēt except they ascribe and make God the autour of their iniquitie Wherefore if of the pollitike lawe a rule of lyuinge a holy and godlye life cannot alwayes nor in euerye place be required muche lesse of custome A. which neuerthelesse at this daye is carelesly preferred of somme before the truth of the Gospell but not withoute cruell reproche against God. 9 I say vnto you who soeuer putteth away his wife except it be for fornication and maryeth an other breaketh wedlocke And who so euer marieth her which is diuorsed doth committe adultery I say vnto you that vvhosoeuer C. The Euangelist Marke in his tenth chapter reporteth that this was spoken a parte or in secret to his disciples when they came home But Matthewe omytting this circumstance doth prosecute the woordes as the Euangelistes do often times leaue out some thinge in the middest of a story because it is sufficiente for them to gather the sommes of thinges There is no difference therefore but that the one declareth the matter more distinctly then the other The summe and effecte is this Although the lawe doth not punishe deuorces which do disagrée and dessente from the first institutiō ordained of God yet notwithstandinge is it adulterye if any man reiectinge his wife do take vnto him another For it is not at the will and pleasure of man to breake the promyse made in matrimony which he will haue to remayne constante and firme Therefore shee that occupyeth and defileth the bed of the lawfull wife is a harlot But there is an exception added because the woman by committinge whoredom doth cut of her selfe from the man as a corrupt member and setteth him at lyberty And of the man Christ speaketh expresly here that hée may for fornication put away his wife but hee sheeweth not whether the woman may leaue her husband if hee cōmit whoredom the reason is because hée doth only answeare vnto that which was demaunded of him But if a generall question be moued on this behalfe there is a common and mutuall right of eyther parte euen as there is a mutuall knot of faithe and promise otherwise the husbande is the head of the wife and the wife is subiecte vnto her husbande But as far foorthe as pertayneth vnto the chastitye of Matrimony and to the faithfulnes of the bed the like lawe is prescribed to the husbande that is prescribed to the wyfe The man sayth S. Paule hath not power ouer his owne bodye but the wife neither hath the womā power ouer her owne body but the man There is like liberty therefore if the husbande or wyfe do violate the promise of the bed the chaste wife maye forsake her husband if hée be a fornicator as well as the husband may put away the wife if shée haue played the whore Certaine there be which inuent other causes for the which one of the partyes may be deuorced from the other But wée must take héede that wee séeke not to be wyser then our heauenly Scholemaster whilest wée presume to ymagine some thinge otherwyse then his word doth teach vs Some will haue the Leprosy to be a iust cause of deuorce because the contagiō of the disease maye infecte both the husbande and the children But as the godly husband is not enforced to