and he doeth it For I my selfe also am a man. M. Here the Centurion cōfirmeth by his example the confession of his faithe of the power of Christe bringing in an argument of the more to the lesse For he estemed more the deuine power whiche was in Christ then the rule and domination whiche he had ouer his souldiours and seruauntes B. As if he should saye I am nothing at all like vnto thee in power which as yet am vnder the subiection of another man where as thou haste all thinges in thy hande and yet with my woorde can I make my seruauntes to do any thing my souldiours at my commaundement are obedient and those whiche are vnder my rule grudge not to fulfill my mynde Howe muche more then canste thou do with thy worde whatsoeuer thou wilt in all thinges as in healing diseases in restoring health in putting awaye death in restoring lyfe M. Here al they haue an ensample set before them whiche are magistrates maisters ouer housholdes that they may learne by their power to acknowledge the power of God thinke vpon his deuine woorde and cōmaundement If our wordes be so muche able to preuayle among men that whatsoeuer we saie and commaunde they do and fulfill when as notwithstandinge we our selues are miserable men nothing differing from others howe muche more hath the worde of God his power in ruling all vniuersally Furthermore let them gather of their owne obedience after this sorte Beholde thou art a man set vnder the power of another and thou saiest vnto this go and he goeth to another come he commeth and to the third do this and he doeth it loking and requiring of them their due obedience Therefore if so great obediēce be shewed to thée whiche arte a man subiect to others the whiche thou also requirest to be done as a duty tell me I pray thée how thou wilt behaue thy selfe if thou be disobedient to thy lord of whom thou hast receiued that power and in whose name this obediēce is done to thée if he saye vnto thée go and thou goest not come thou comest not do this and thou doest not B. Here also we must note that all thinges that are good procede of God are done by his power according to the saying of S. Paule It is neither in the willer nor in the ronner but in the mercy of god For who wyll not muche meruaile at the great goodnes of God if he way howe littel this Centurion being an Ethnike the more prophane by reason of his affayres in the warres had heard of Christe and howe muche be beleued Let all fleshe therefore humble him selfe to the maiestie of God the whiche except he of his goodnes reuoke to life it must nedes perishe 10 VVhen Iesus hearde these woordes he meruailed and sayde to them that folowed him verely I say vnto you I haue not found so great faith in Israel VVhen Iesus hearde these vvordes C. Although admiration belong not to God because it ariseth of newe thinges vnloked for notwithstāding it might happē in Christ because he taking vpon him our fleshe was endewed with mans affections B. He meruayleth therefore in respecte of his humanitie at so wonderfull a myracle of the goodnes of God that so greate faith should be geuen to an Ethnicke Heathen man being rudely brought vp in respect of his faith in so muche that he should excell the people of God in the excellency of faithe B. Before God being knowen almoste only in Iury nowe of a prophane man he is more knowne then of many of the Iewes A newe thing truly and straunge worthy of admiration And sayde to them that follovved him B. To the ende the people which followed him might also meruaile and might haue a desire to immitate the fayth of the man he saythe thus vnto thē Verely I say vnto you I haue not founde so great faithe in Israell C. The whiche woordes are spoken as the Logicians terme it Secundum quid non simpliciter that is in respect of his faithe not simplely that he did excell in generall For if we cōsider all the partes of faith the faith of Mary excelled in this that she beleued her self to be with childe by the holy Ghoste that she might bringe forth the only begotten sonne of God furthermore because she beleued the sonne whiche shoulde be borne of her to be his owne maker and the creator redemer of the whole worlde But for two causes specially Christe did cōmend preferre the faith of this Gētile heathē man before the faith of the Iewes namely because that of so small and littell taste of his doctrine he brought forth so sodainly such gret frute Secōdly wher as the Iewes did to much depēd vpō earthly signes external this Centurion this Gētile Heathē man requireth no signe at all but dothe affirme his onely woorde to be sufficient for him Christ was cōming vnto him not because ther required any necessitie but to proue trie this faith of the mā wherfore he doth specially cōmēd this faith because it is satisfied with the word only He saith not here com lord se touch no he desireth not any corporal presēce tuchīg but he beleueth such efficacy to be included in the word that thereby he knewe the healthe of his seruaunt might be recouered And hereupō may be gathered a generall rule namely although God woulde haue our sauynge health wrought in the fleshe of Christe and doth dayly seale the same by Sacramentes Notwithstandinge we muste seke the certaintie of the same out of his woorde For excepte this authoritie be attributed to the woorde that we graunt that so sone as God hathe spoken by his ministers that our synnes are forgeuen vs and that we are restored vnto lyfe all the sure truste of saluation dothe falle awaye By this place also we vnderstande that the Centurion was no Israelite 11 I saye vnto you that many shal come from the Easte and VVeste and shal reste with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kyngdome of heauen A. Now Christe takyng occasion of the faythe of the Centurion dothe in fewe woordes touche the callynge of the Gentyles and the reiecting of the Iewes C. For as Christe in the parsone of the seruaunt propounded a taste and as it were the fyrste fruytes of his grace to the Gentyles euen so he dothe teache his dominion to be a token of the callynge hereafter of the Gentyles and of the dispersyng the fayth throughout the whole worlde neyther doth he onely teache that they shall comme out of the countreys whiche are at hande but also out of all the partes of the whole worlde And although this be declared already by many of the Prophetes notwithstandinge in the beginning it semed absurde and incredible to the Iewes whiche immagined that God was bounde to the sede of Abraham Wherefore not without admiration this was heard that they which were
with Christ shal raigne with Christ In the glory of his father C. Christ maketh mention of the glorye of his father of the angels lest that his disciples shold iudge of his kingdome according to the present sight for as yet it lay hyd being base and contemned vnder the shew of a seruante He sheweth therfore that he shal be in an other maner of estate when he shal come to be the iudge of the worlde A. For the sonne of man shall come in his glorye all his angels with him and he shal sit vpon the seate of his glory all nations shall be gathered before him Also these thinges serue to terrifie those which delight in their wickednesse vyce which shall not be able to abide his face For although the lord toke vpon him humaine nature yet notwithstanding he abideth vnchanged in the eternall glory of his father and hath loste nothing eyther of his diuine substaunce or glory for he is of lyke substance maiestie and glory with the father All the Angelles serue him beinge the ministers of God and ordeyned to fulfill his cōmandement Whose power howe great it is maye appere in that one angell dispersed the mightye campe of the Assyrians in one night a hundred fowre score fiue thousand of them being slain But and if one angell be of such power what shall they not be able to subdue and ouerthrowe when they being altogether come with the lorde to Iudgement And then shall he revvarde euery man B. This sentence is often vsed in the scriptures the which they peruert who go about to proue that we are iustified by our workes because forsothe we are iudged according to the same when as Chryste speaketh not here of the cause of saluation They consider not that the tree is iudged according to his fruite and yet notwithstandinge that the fruite maketh not the tree but the tree the fruite When we se figges on the tree wee iudge by by the tree to be a fygge tree yet notwithstandynge the fygges are not the cause that it is a fygge tree but when it was made a figge tree then it brought forth figges Euen so in al thinges the worke iudgeth of the worker For it makethe not the worker but is broughte to passe and wrought of the worker In lyke manner good workes do declare a good man to be the sonne of God but they make him not to be the sonne of god Therefore woorkes do not iustifie that is to say they do not make vs the more acceptable vnto God the whiche workes can be nothing elles but synne condempninge if so be they be wrought before thou be purified and regenerated by the spyrite of God because that an euill tree can not bringe forthe good fruite But the lorde describynge his iudgemente saythe after the manner of men that euery man shal be iudged according to his woorkes euen as wee commonly are wonte to iudge Neyther doth he say that euery man shal receyue accordynge to his woorkes as thoughe that our workes were the fyrste cause of our saluation For the specyall cause why we obtaine euerlasting life is the voluntary free wil of God the second cause are the merites of Christ for he died for the saluation of al mankind but this also is a free gyfte of the good wil of god The thirde cause is our Fayth by the whiche we imbrace and receyue this good wyll of God and the merytes of Christe For he that beleueth hath euerlastinge lyfe but that faythe also by the whiche we do beleue is the worke gifte of God in vs for the merite of Chryste Also good woorkes may after a sorte be said to be the cause of our saluation but improperly because euery man shall be rewarded accordyng to his deedes but these also are the gyftes of Goddes good wyll the effects of Christs merites and the fruites of fayth For there is no good woorke acceptable vnto God but that whiche is done for the loue of God the whiche loue no man hath but he whiche beleueth in god And no man can beleue in God but suche as are inspired with the spirite of God whiche pertayneth onely to the sonnes of god This spirite is onely geuen vnto those whose sinnes are remitted and whom he hath chosen before the foundation of the world was layde All the partes therfore of our saluation are a gyfte and woorke of the wyllynge and free wyl of god But we must note here that Christ saide not he shall geue to euerye man accordynge to his faythe the whiche lyeth hyd and whiche euery wicked man boasteth that he hath but accordinge to his woorkes whiche can not be obscure and hid for workes are a seale of our sayth The Apostell Paule speaketh thus of this Iudgement of Christe we must al appere before the iudgement seate of Christ that euery man maye receiue the woorkes of his owne body accordinge to that he hath done whether it be good or bad And in an other place the Apostell saith Thou heapest vnto thy selfe wrathe againste the daye of Iudgement when shal be opened the righteous iudgement of God whiche will rewarde euery man accordinge to his deedes that is to say prayse honoure and immortalitie to them which continue in good doinge and seke immortalitie But vnto them that are rebelles and do not obeye the trueth but follow vnrighteousenes shall come indignation wrath tribulation and anguishe vpon the soule of euery man that dothe euyll C. Let this therfore be the somme that these two do very well agree namely that we are iustified freely because wee are acceptable vnto God without oure merite and yet notwithstandinge that he accordinge to his good pleasure geueth and imputeth and vndeserued rewarde to our woorkes A. As concernynge the whiche matter reade the fyfth chapter goinge before 28 Verely I say vnto you there be standinge here whiche shall not taste of deathe till they se the sonne of man come in his kingedome Verely I say vnto you M. As touching this woorde verely rede the fifth chapter goinge before There be standinge here C. Because the disciples might dought among them selues when this day should come the lord erecteth thē with a more specyall trust saying that it shal not be long ere that he geue vnto some of them a shew of his glory as if he should haue said If you thincke the time to longe before I come I wyll come betime for before you dye that kingdome of God whiche I byd you hope for shall be set before your eies M. Some vnderstode this sentēce of the extreame and last day of iudgemēt thinking that Christ mēt here that Iohn the Euangelist shold not die vntyl the day of iudgement but the Euangelist him selfe sheweth that this opinion of him conceiued was not true Wherefore we must vnderstand that the cōming of the kingdome of God is the reuealing of the heauenly glory
when he so afflicteth the visible Church that it might seme vtterly to be destroyed yet notwithstanding to saue some sede he doth wōderfully deliuer his elecct being fewe in nōber from destruction that they might withoute all hope arise oute of the gulphe of death For so the hypocrites are terrefyed and made affrayed leaste they bearing them selues bolde vppon the titell shewe of the Church do faine vnto thē selues a vaine hope of escaping vnpunished because God will deuise a meane by the whiche he may deliuer his Churche they being geuen ouer to destruction But a wonderfull consolation is here committed to the mindes of the Godlye because God will neuer geue so muche place to his wrathe but he will haue regarde to their safety So in punishinge the Iewes he was horriblelye inflamed yet notwithstāding contrary to the hope and expectation of men he did moderate himselfe leaste any of the electe shoulde perishe And thus gaue greate occasion to woonder that when saluation should spring oute of Iewry God made floudes to issue and flowe oute of small droppes of a dryed well whiche shoulde water the whole worlde For so sone as they had broughte vppon them selues the hatred of all people it coulde not come otherwise to passe but that theye muste nedes haue bene tormented at a soden in euery place Neyther is there any doubt seing that many sought to haue thē thus destroyed but that Titus was stayed by the power of god least the soldiours and others which were to greedy to execute this matter shoulde at his apointement arme them selues This therefore was a shortenynge to preserue some seede in that the Romaine emperoure dyd keepe vnder and staye at that time the last misery and destruction of the whole nation In the meane tyme this is to be noted that for the electes sake he stayed the vyolence of his wrathe least he should ouerwhelme them al. For why wold he haue a fewe to remayne of so greate a multytude and what cause had hee why hee shoulde preferre these before other Suerlye the reason was this namelye because his grace rested vpon the people whom he had adopted and least his couenaunte shoulde be of none effecte certain were elected and appoynted by his eternal purpose and decree to saluation And therfore S. Paule doth assigne the cause to the free election of God that of so gret a people the remnaunt are sauid Lette therfore the merites of men cease when wee are called backe to the meere good pleasure of God least there depende any other difference betwene these and them sauinge this that they must of necessitie be saued whiche are elected The whiche thinge Marke seking more plainely and expressely to set forthe addeth these wordes sayinge But for the electes sake whom he hath chosen he hath shortened those dayes The participle truely might haue serued but onely that he wente aboute expressely to affirme that God was not moued by any forrayne causes to be more fauourable to the one than to the other but because it pleased hym to elect those whom hee woulde saue that hee myghte stablyshe the secrete pourpose of his free grace in theyr saluation Notwithstanding it maie be demaunded howe God dyd moderate the destruction and miserye for the electes sake that hee vtterly destroied not al the Iewes when as many desperate and reprobate persōs were sauid We maye easely aunswere that parte of the nation was deliuered that hee mighte the chaffe beinge put aparte bring and saue his elect therfrom whiche were mingled euen as seede Althoughe therefore a temporal saluation did happen as well to the reprobate as to the electe yet notwithstanding because it profited not them it is iustely ascribed vnto these alone euen as it was directed for theyr sakes by the wonderfull prouidence of god M. We se by this place how peruerse the iudgemēt of the worlde is as concerninge the iuste Where such afflictions do fall by and by all the falt is ascribed to those that feare God when as notwithstandinge for theyr sakes God dothe moderate and temper the deserued vengence 23 Then if any saye vnto you lo here is Christe or there beleue it not Then if any say vnto you C. Nowe he repeteth that agayne whiche he had spoken before as concernynge seducers and deceyuers and not in vayne for a greater daunger by reason of this temptation was at hande least myserable men beinge deceiued by a deceitfull and false title in affliction and desperation shoulde seke for counterfayte and fayned shewes in steede of Christe and shoulde imbrace the delusions of Sathan in steede of the helpe of god For when the Iewes beinge so hardely oppressed for contemning and despysinge the redemption shuld be brought from their vnfaithfulnes at lest by vyolent remedies Sathan craftelye obiected vnto theim newe hopes whiche shoulde seduce them farther from god And truely there is nothynge more deadly than to be deceyued vnder the pretence of the name of God by lyes when we are voide of councell in aduersitie the which lies bothe stop vp the gate of repentance against vs and also do increase the darknesse of infidelitie and at the length being confoūded with desperation do bring to madnesse Wherefore in so great danger this repetition was nothynge at all superfluouse A. as if Christe shoulde haue sayde See that ye be seduced by no meanes M. because if any saye vnto you in that desolate dissipation or scatterynge Beholde here is Christ or there is Christe that is if they shal shew you some carnall sauiour beleue them not I am the onely sauioure of all men and the eternall Chryst whiche euen nowe by humilitie am conuersant in the world and wyll shortely forsake the same in the fleshe vntyll I come agayne in greater glorye For I foreshewe vnto you that false Christes shall arise and that theye also shal haue their false prophetes whiche shall allure men to them not onelye by woordes but by signes also and great wonders in so muche that many shal be deceyued by them B Thus symplely these thinges muste be vnderstoode and taken For it is certaine that the lorde in this place went about to answere his disciples what they ought to thincke of the comminge of Christes kyngdome which they had alwaies hearde should be restored by Christe Neyther is there any doubt but that they alwaies dreamed of a carnall kingedome and externall felycitie and that therefore the lorde wente about to brynge them from that erroure as he did at other tymes also Wherfore it can not be denied but that they were false Christes whiche by promisyng externall felycitie seducede manye of the Iewes So that this was the scope and ende of the aunswere of Christe in this place to perswade the disciples that the kingedome of Christ should not be restored with externall felycitie and glory in this present lyfe but in spirite and faith and that with the greate afflictions and temptations of the citezens of
first Commaunde therefore that the Sepulcher C. There is no doubt but that this cogitacion came into their myndes by the instincte of the holy ghoste not onely because the Lord would take iust vengeaūce of their wickednes but also because hee mente to brydle their vncleane tonges And by the way we maye also see howe greatlye the wicked are blinded when they are bewitched of Sathan They call him a deceyuer whose deuine power and glory brightly shyned a little before by so manye myracles By such examples wee are taughte that wee ought to consider the glory of God betimes with godlye modestye and diligence when it declareth it selfe least that brutish and horrible blindnes follow our obstinacy Least his Dysciples come Bu. Behould here the care of the wicked and the disquietnes of their consciences whiche feare leaste the great stone should be rolled awaye and the body of Christ taken out of the Sepulcher by those men which were so farre from this bouldnes that they rather stoode in feare of them and which so hardly beleeued after the resurrection that Christe was rysen againe that for this cause Christe reprehended the hardnes of their hartes And saye vnto the people hee is rysen These hypocrites would seeme to haue a greate care for the simple people when as in deede they went about nothing but to prouide for their owne kingdome mockinge the people in their hartes as if they shoulde saye Wee feare least the people shoulde be seduced And the last error shal be vvorse than the firste This they adde to moue the minde of the Iudge as if they should saye This also belongeth to the publique peace For except thou do this thinge the laste error will be worse than the first to bringe trouble They call the truth of the Gospell and the kingdome of God error and the cause of trouble and that falselye 65. Pilate saide vnto them yee haue the watche go your waye and make it as sure as ye can C. Pilate by these wordes declareth that hee geeueth them leaue accordinge to their requeste to sette souldiours to watche the Sepulcher Pilate mighte haue beene iustlye angerye wyth these hypocrites and haue denyed them theyr pitition but it was broughte to passe by the secrete counsayle and purpose of God that hee shoulde not hinder that whiche they went about For it did greatly serue to the manifestinge and settinge forth of the Lordes resurrection 66. So they wente and made the Sepulcher sure with watchemen and sealed the stone Bu. The Iewes toke a great manye souldiours made a very stronge watche compassed the Sepulcher rounde about shutte the dore of the Sepulcher with the greate stone so close as mighte be and sealed the same least there might be some deceite also in the keepers M. All things were done with greate diligence that Christe mighte be kepte in the Sepulcher Wyth the like diligence manye go about at this daye to keepe the truth in secrete But as this keepinge of the bodye of Christe appointed by the ennemyes with the more dyligence it was done the more it confirmed the certaintye and glorye of Christes resurrection euen so theyr violence also which go about at this day to kepe the truth hidden in darkenes the greater that it is and the more it is confirmed with the power of the Magistrate the more a greate deale it setteth forth the power and glory of the truth C. By all these thinges trulye which the Iewes obtayned at the handes of Pilate they were the more bound that they might not excuse them selues by any cauilles For althoughe they durste rage and rayle at Christe without all shame after his resurrection yet notwithstanding they sealed theyr owne mouthes faster a greate deale with the signet of Pilate than they did the Sepulcher And thus far as concerning the Passion and sumptuous buriall of Christe The xxviii Chapter VPpon an eueninge of the Sabothes whiche dawneth the first day of the Sabothes came Marye Magdalene and the other Mary to see the Sepulcher Vppon the eueninge of the Sabothes C. Now we be come to the cōclusion of our redemption For herevppon commeth the liuelye trust of our reconsiliatiō with God because Christ is the conquerour of death and hell that hee might declare the power of a newe life to be in his handes Wherefore rightly sayth the Apostle Paule that there shal be no Gospell and that the hope of saluation is vaine excepte wee beleue that Christe is rysen from the deade For so at the laste righteousnes was purchased vnto vs and the enteraunce into Heauē made open furthermore oure adoption was confirmed when Christe in rysinge agayne and declaringe the power of his spirite hath proued himselfe to be the sonne of god And althoughe hee manifested his resurrection otherwyse than our fleshlye sence and reason would requyre yet notwithstandinge this order maner which pleaseth him oughte to seeme best of all in our eyes Hee wente out of the Sepulcher without witnes that the voyde and emptye place mighte be the first token then he thought it good to shew the women by the Angels that hee was aliue after that hee appeared to them and at the lengthe to the Apostles and that oftentimes And so hee brought his Apostles by little and little accordinge to their capascity to more full and perfecte vnderstanding But whereas hee began first with the woman and did not onely shewe himselfe vnto them but enioyned vnto them also the preachinge of the Gospell to the Apostles that they might be as it were their maisters he doth it to correcte the sluggishnes of the Apostles which throughe feare laye allmoste out of hart when as the women diligently made hast to the Sepulcher who for their dilligence receyued no small rewarde For although their deuise to anoynt Christ was not without fault because they thought him to be as yet dead yet notwithstanding hee forgeuinge their infirmity did greatly aduaunce them to honor resigninge vnto them the Apostolicall office for a time which was forsaken of the men And so hee sheewed that to be true which the Apostle Paule wryteth sayinge God hath chosen the folishe and weake thinges of this worlde to confounde the wyse and mightye Vppon an eueninge of the Sabothes C. The Hebrewes call the whole night the eueninge And whereas it is sayde of the Sabothes wee muste note that the plurall nomber is here put for the singuler Furthermore this word Sabothe signifyeth that day whiche was consecrated of the Lorde it signifyeth the whole weeke also that holy daye onely excepted wherefore the day followynge is called the first of the Sabothes Whervppon the proude Pharisey said I fast twyse in the Sabothe accordinge to the lattine translation or weeke Hee calleth therefore the eueninge of the Sabothes whiche dawneth or beginneth his light the first of the Sabothes the morninge or dawninge of that day in the which Christ arose the which hee calleth here the first of the Sabothes
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
thou there vntill I bring M. This consolation and comforte the aungell bringeth vnto him least he should thynke that he should abide still in Aegipte in exile and banishement which no doubte woulde haue bene very greuous vnto him Furthermore by these woordes the aungell doth declare and shewe that God hereafter will take charge and care of the childes lyfe And to saye the truthe Ioseph had great nede of this confirmation and strengthening that he mightfully be perswaded that God was not only the guyde of his iourney but also that he would be his continual keper and defender in his banishement And by this meanes God would pacifie and aswage many cares with the whiche the harte of the godly mā might exceadingly haue bene tormented and troubled to the ende he might quietly abide in Aegipte For there was no moment in whiche he escaped at any tyme without trouble and torment for nowe againe he seeth that he was depriued not only of the enheritaunce promised of God to all sainctes but also of the temple of sacrifices and of the open profession of the faith and shold dwell among the moste wicked enemies of God in the pitte and gulfe of superstition And truly he caried with him in the persone of the infant what good thing soeuer at any time the fathers loked for or the lorde had promised vnto them but because as yet he had not sufficiētly proffited in the faithe knowledge of Christ he ought of necessitie to be staied with this commaundement Be thou there vntill I bring thée worde least it should be greuous vnto him being banished frō his countrey to languishe among the Aegiptians We are taught by this example that when we are in the middest of affliction and mysery we loke paciently for the hande of the lorde whiche will deliuer vs from the same Then that we doubte not but that the same prouidence of our heauenly father wil be with vs in tribulations whiche brought vs to the same He whiche saith go and flye doth neuer forsake those that are in flying or going according to his commaundement For it vvill come to passe C. In that the aungel doth foreshew a secrete thing and vnknowen to man it is a plaine token of the power of God and in that he biddeth Ioseph by flight and exile to saue the life of the childe it is a token also of humanitie and pertaining to the infirmitie of the fleshe vnto the which Christ as yet was subiecte M. Nothing therefore is hydden from the Lorde The wicked tyraunt deceiued the wyse men but he could not by fayning that he him selfe would come worship deceiue the liuing god who knoweth the councell of princes In what misery were the godly if that wicked hipocrites might deceiue the lorde But for certayne let vs be assured that there is no knowledge no wysdome no counsell against the lorde M. Wherefore the aungell saith not It will come to passe that Herode shall destroye the chylde but that he wil seke to destroy the childe In this example is depainted vnto vs that all the fond and vayne enterpryses of the wicked against this Christe whom whylest they would destroy in dede do nothing els but seke to destroie and in vayne for so much as he can be destroyed of none whiche at length shal deliuer al the wicked to euerlasting punishement and destruction We must thinke the like of the iust and all godly men whom the vngodly seke to destroy in vayne because they are neuer forsaken of God as the prophet saith The vngodly seeth the righteous and seketh occasion to slaye him but the lorde will not leaue him in his hande nor condemne him when he is iudged Let vs therfore cast our care vpon him because it is he that careth for vs. 14 So when he awoke he toke the child and his mother by night and departed into Aegipt And vvhen he avvoke C. That Ioseph without delay obayeth the commaundement of the aungell we may gather agayne the certaintie of the dreame For such willingnes in obeying doth plainely declare that he nothing doubted but that God was the author cause of taking his slighte Notwithstanding this might seme to be attributed to distrust that he taketh his iourney so priuily in secrete For his departure in the night was not without great feare but the excuse is easy He sawe that a base and abiecte kynde of way in sauing was appointed from aboue vnto hym he thought it good therefore priuily with feare as commonly men do in the extremitie to take his flight It is mete therefore that we temperate and measure our feare with predictiōs and forewarnings of God with the whiche if it agrée it is not contrary to faith 15 And was there vnto the death of Herode that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the lorde by the prophete saying Out of Aegipt haue I called my sonne And vvas there vnto the death A. How long the childe abode in Aegypt it is not well knowen M. There are some that write that Ioseph and Mary abode in Aegipte with the childe Iesus seuen yeares But in what place they abode in Aegipte and howe they were there accepted also whether there were any miracles cōcerning them and suche lyke because the Euangelistes make no mention of the same we ought not more curiously then they to stande about it That it might be fulfilled B. Or brought to passe For the scripture is fulfilled or brought to passe when that is done whiche it before declared or rehersed or by any kynde of meanes spake In this place we must vnderstande the scripture or that which is spoken of the lorde to be fulfilled whē that is done or brought to passe which of the same is rehersed although it be not the thing it selfe of the whiche it is properly spoken or written but hath some cōgruence and likelihode with the thing that is past and finished C. But because Mathewe doth saie that the prophesy is fulfilled many haue thought that the prophete ment nothing els but that which is expressed and thereby they cōster it thus that the Iewes did foolyshly in seking to oppresse and resiste the sonne of God because the father called him out of Aegipt And after this manner amis they do wrest the woordes of the prophete whose meanynge is to proue the Iewes gilty of ingratitude who from their infancy original haue had God the father louing and benificiall vnto them and yet with newe sinnes they seke to prouoke him to anger more and more Wherefore let vs determine without cōtrouersie that this place ought not to be referred to Christe And yet neuertheles the place is not strained into an vnpropre sence and meaning but aptly applied according to the present occasion Thus are the woordes of the prophete to be vnderstoode For so muche as the childe as yet was in Israel I brought him out of the miserable seruitude
and bōdage in the which he was ouerwhelmed and drowned At the first he was like vnto a dead man and Aegipt was vnto him as it were a sepulcher but I brought him as it were out of the wōbe into the light of life Not without cause the lorde speaketh this because the deliueraunce was as it were a certaine natiuitie of the people by the whiche they became newe borne For then openly the tables of adoption were made when as the lawe being promulgated and published they were made a peculiar people vnto God a priestly kyngdome and a holy nation when as they were seperated from all people yea finally when as the lorde dwelling in the middest of them erected and buylt a tabernacle to him self Wherefore the woordes of the prophete are in effect as if he should haue said that the people were escaped out of Aegipte as out of the depe gulfe of death and destruction Nowe the redemption by Christe being brought vnto them what is it els but a rising from death and the beginning of a newe lyfe For almoste the light of saluation was extinguished when as God in the persone of Christe againe begat vnto him a true churche then came the churche out of Aegipte as it was brought before from thence a whole body For this analogy or proportion maketh that it should not seme absurde that Christe passed some parte of his childhode in Aegipte but rather the grace and power of God was the more manifeste and his wisdome did the more appeare that light should arise out of the pitte and dungeon of Darkenes For otherwyse the carnal sense and meaning might make muche a do here that the redemer should come out of Aegipte Mathewe therfore doth shewe that it is no vnwonted or newe thing that God would call his sonne to him from thence and that rather this thing did concerne the confirmation of our faith that as in times past euen so nowe the churche of God should spring in Aegipte from the one ende to the other By this meanes it is otherwyse because in tymes past all the people were shut vp in the brikehouse or pryson of Aegipt but in the second redemption only Christe the head of the churche was there priuely kepte but he it was in whome was included the life and saluation of all men Bu. Moreouer the scripture is fulfilled when as one thing oftentimes is finished and done As this With the eares ye shall heare and not vnderstande Of the whiche in the thirtene chapter of Mathew is made mention also And the same saying was fulfilled in the Iewes in the time of the prophete Esaye 16 Then Herode when he sawe that he was mocked of the wyse men he was eexceading wrath and sent forth men of warre and flewe all the childrē that were in Bethlehē and in all the costes as many as were two yere olde an vnder according to the time whiche he had diligently learned of the wise mē Then Herode vvhen he savve B. Here we may se that the wyse men were neither kinges nor princes for if they had they could not haue scaped away without the knowledge of Herode neither would he haue sent them away to Betlehem without some to wayte vpon them for nobilities sake C. But as touching the texte Mathewe speaketh of the minde and opinion of Herode who thought him selfe to be deceiued of the wyse mē because they would not be ministers of his wicked crueltie He in dede was rather taken in his owne craft and fraude which deceitfully fayned that he ment to come and worship the newe king M. Therfore in that the wyse men retourned not according to their promise it was not done for any crafte and contempt but because they were admonished to the contrary by the commaundement of God. He vvas exceading vvrath Although the wise men seme to geue this cause of greate and vehement anger yet they are not in faulte of this fearce and mad crueltie For there are two kyndes of anger the one deserued the other vndeserued The deserued anger is with the whiche God is prouoked against sinners parentes against disobedient children magistrates against wicked subiectes and maisters against negligent scholers and such like He that geueth occasion of suche anger offendeth and is in faulte because the party against whome the offence is cōmitted is iustly angry but suche was not the anger of Herode The vndeserued anger is when as they are angery whiche are let by some meanes or other from their wicked intent and purpose He that geueth occasion to these is not in faulte With this kinde of anger was Herode angry wherefore the faulte was in him selfe and not in the wyse men And he sent forth men of vvarre and slevve C. Iosephus maketh no mention of this history Only Macrobius shewyng the iestes and dedes of Augustus saith Whē he harde that all the children that were two yeare olde and vnder should by the commaundement of Herode be slayne and that among the multitude his owne sonne was slaine also he sayde I had rather be Herodes hogge then his sonne But in dede sufficient enough is the authoritie of Mathew vnto vs For so notable a dede should not haue bene pretermitted of Iosephus and yet notwithstanding it is no meruaile that he maketh no mention of the infantes when as he doth lightly passe ouer obscurely touch the detestable example of crueltie that almost euen at the same tyme he shewed in destroying all the Iudges that no remnaunt of the stocke of Dauid might remayne There is no doubt but one feare constrained him to commit bothe kyndes of murther and yet for all that there is great doubt as concerning the tyme For when as the Euangelist saith that the children that were two yeare old and vnder were slayne according to the tyme that he had diligently learned of the wyse men we may thereby gather that Christ was come to that age or very nere thereaboutes Howe greatly with feare Herode was amased When the rumor was spred abrode of the newe kyng that was borne we harde before At the whiche tyme feare letting hym he durst not fende any priuy betrayor or spye whiche diligently might haue searched out all thinges And yet we neade not marueyle that he was withhelde and let so long tyme from suche wicked and detestable slaughter specially when as the fame of the retourne of the wyse men as yet was newe and brim in all places And certainly it may well be coniectured and thought that this wicked dede which did reuolue and pricke in his minde did lynger and watche for his occasion and it may be that he first flewe the Iudges whereby the people being depriued of their Iudges he might constrayne them to ende any matter without dammage or checke Whereby we may easely gather that fondly they argue which wold make Christe two yeares olde when he was worshipped of the wyse men because at the second time when the
goodes and hated and despised of al men But on the contrary parte the lorde pronounceth them blessed so that they suffer the same persecution and afflictiō for the lorde rightuousnes sake Of the whiche doctrine the disciples of Christe haue great nede and the more harde and greuously that fleshe wyll beare the same the more intentiuely we ought to meditate vpon the same Neyther is there any other condition to fighte vnder the banner of Christe then that when the whole world doth ryse against vs and pursue vs to the death The matter is thus Sathan the prince of the worlde ceaseth not to arme his souldiours with furious madnes to the ende they may ryse against the members of Christe This is very monstrous truly and exceadinge nature that they whiche imbrace righteousnes should be violently vexed contrary to their desert Therefore Peter sayth Who is it that wyll harme you if ye followe that which is good yea happy are ye if any trouble happen vnto you for righteousnes sake But in suche vntamed and fierce wickednes of the worlde it hapneth to much oftentimes that the good by the zeale of righteousnes do inflame the hatered of the wycked against them selues and this is specially common vnto Christians to be hated of the greatest number of men For fleshe can not beare the doctrine of the Gospel none can abyde to haue their faltes reproued M. But persecution is an obstinate pursewing to destroy by the whiche there is no place of reste and quietnes geuen but the destruction of innocentes is soughte with all kynde of violence and deceites For righteousnes C. They are sayde to suffer for righteousnes whiche therefore purchase and prouoke the hatred of euell men because with all their indeuour they resiste that whiche is euell and defende that whiche is good In this part therefore the truthe of God worthely hath the preheminence Wherfore by this note Christe doth disceuer his martyres from the euell and wycked persones A. According to that saying of Peter Se that none of you be punished as a murther or as a thiefe or as an euell doer If any man suffer as a Christian man let him not be ashamed but glorifie god on this behalf Therfore for so muche as all they whiche wyll liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution as witnesseth the apostell Paule this admonition dothe belonge to all the godly alike But and if the lorde do at any tyme beare with our infirmitie weakenes and wil not suffer the wicked to vex vs at their pleasure notwithstanding it is mete that in peace and reste we meditate and thinke vpon this doctrine that we may be ready so often as nede shal require to come into the field and not to encoūter with our enemy vntil we be therunto sufficiently armed and appointed For theirs in the kingdome of A. This is a moste ample and large rewarde of the which also S. Iames speaketh thus Happy is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receiue the crowne of lyfe whiche the lorde hathe promised to them that loue him For so much as therefore in the whole race of this lyfe the state of the godly is moste miserable Christe doth worthely call vs vnto the hope of a heauenly lyfe Bu. And therefore the lorde whiche is liberall shall rewarde vs for the losse of our countrey for our goodes taken from vs for the vayne glory of this worlde he wyll geue vs a celestiall countrey euerlasting goodes and perfecte glory farre exceading the light in brightnes 11 Blessed are ye when men reuile you and persecute you and shall falsely saye all maner of euill saying against you for my sake Blessed are ye vvhen men reuile you M. Here by a figure called Apostrophe be declareth to whom he hath spoken al these things namely to his disciples which beleued in him whiche were afflicted by dyuers meanes despised and reiected for the Gospels sake C. But the Euāgelist Luke hath Blessed shall ye be when men hate you and thrust you out of their company and rayle on you and abhorre your names as an euill thinge By the whiche wordes Christ would comforte his faithfull that they should not be discouraged although they perceiued them selues to be the moste detestable in the sight of the worlde For this was no small temptatiō to be cast out of the churche as prophane and Heathenishe men For when as he knewe that nothinge was more venemous then hypocrites Furthermore when he forsawe with what violēt force the enemies of the Gospell were vehemently inflamed against his litle and cōtemned flocke he woulde fortifie them that they might not fainte although an exceading sorte of reproches were presently ready to be layde against them And hereby it appeareth how litle the excommunication and cursing of the Pope is to be feared when as he lyke a tyraunt doth separate vs from his synagoge because we wyll not be diuorsed frō Christ And shall falsely say all A. The children of this worlde because they can not hate them which are indewed with the spirite of Christe because they so lyue that they cannot worthely deserue their hate and be afflicted in stede of the truthe they inuente false crimes the whiche they alleage as causes worthy of hatred persecution M. Here they saye that they reiecte not the woorde of God but that they cannot beare with suche as are alterers of custome makers of new thinges disturbers of peace and religion and finally contemners of true worship So Christe was accused to Pilate that he seduced the people and that he was a mouer of sedition against the empire And the enemies of Steuen brought in false witnes which sayd we harde him speake contumelious woordes against Moyses and against god M. And Christians were called malefactours murtherers and seditious persones As concerning the whiche we may reade in Tertullian howe the wicked cried against the Christians if any calamitie trouble chaunced To the beastes to the beastes away with the churcherobbers it is not mete for suche wicked persones to lyue and suche kynde of cruell and reprochefull woordes cried they against them For my sake Bu. That is if thou suffer persecution for Christe and his Gospell not for thy faltes and wicked desertes Finally if they be false and imagined accusations whiche are layde against thée thou shalt be happy and blessed For if thou be called a mouer of sedition an heretyke a robber of God of his honour and arte suche a one in dede so that they be verified in thee then thou hast no cause to thynke thy selfe happy but rather accursed 12 Be glad and reioyce for great is your rewarde in heauen for so they persecuted the Prophetes whiche were before you Be glad and reioyce C. By these woordes he declareth that the remedy is at hande least we should be dismayed with iniust reproches and slaunders
because so sone as we lifte vp our myndes to heauen there the inspeakeable ioye offereth it selfe vnto vs and taketh away all occasiō of heuines A. Whereupon Peter the apostell saith In the whiche ye reioyce though now for a season if nede require ye are in heuines through manifold temtations that the triall of your faithe being muche more precious then goulde that perisheth though it be tried with fyre might be founde vnto laude glory and honour at the appearing of Iesus Christ whome ye haue not sene and yet loue hym in whome euen nowe though ye see him not yet do you beleue and reioyce with ioye vnspeakeable and glorious receiuing the ende of your faythe euen the saluation of your soules For great is your revvarde Bu. As if he should haue sayde If it greue you that you suffer infamy and that you are persecuted in this worlde remember I praye you howe greatly your glory shall increase in the worlde to come For loke howe greate your affliction is in the earthe so muche the brighter shall your glory be in heauen Here the Papistes playe with this name of rewarde saying that there is speciall relation betwene the rewarde and the deserte but they erre for the promyse of the rewarde is free Furthermore if we consider howe mutilate imperfecte and vitious all good workes are what so euer they be that come euen frō the very beste we shal then well knowe that God at no tyme shall fynde anye worke worthy of rewarde There is none therefore so simple when he heareth mētion made of the rewarde that wil thinke vs when we spende oure lyues for the Gospell to deserue any thynge at the handes of God that is to do any thinge by the whiche God may become debter vnto vs We are all at the wyll and pleasure of God and he made not only vs but also all our goodes what so euer that of nothing for it is he that worketh in vs both the wyll and also the dede euē of good wyll Notwithstāding the scripture calleth that a rewarde which is geuen of God to suche as neyther do nor can deserue the same at all because they labour and worke all that they can to attayne the same Euen as the father sayth vnto his sonne go diligētly to thy booke apply thy mynde to learninge and thou shalt haue a goodly rewarde of me a new coate or some other thing as good nowe this coate is a rewarde and it is not because he obtained that rewarde not by his diligence but it happened to the child by his fathers gifte neuerthelesse not without the accomplyshinge of that diligence and study whiche he requyreth Euen so there is none that obtayneth this rewarde of the which the lorde speaketh here excepte he suffer for Christe and for this cause it is called a rewarde Also if it were possible that thou shouldest die a hundred tymes for the Gospell yet for all that thou couldest not deserue the worth of a here at the handes of God that is thou canst not constrayne and bynde hym to owe thee any thing at all for so often as thou shouldest receiue life so often thou shouldest become detter to hym againe And for this cause they are not rewardes whiche are geuen to vs of God but they are his free giftes freely geuē without any desert in vs As plainly appeareth by these testimonies of scripture Abraham I am thy defence and thy rewarde shal be exceading great that is to saye I wyll be thy defender thy gayne thy ryches and thy felicitie And the Prophete speaking of the consolation of the people vnder the person of Rachel sayth Leue of from weping and crying withholde thyne eyes from teares for thy labour shal be rewarded saith the lord And they shall come againe out of the lande of their enemies So that where he saith thy labour shal be rewarded is euen as if he had sayde The tyme wyll come that thou mayste knowe that thou hast not had chyldren in vayne for yet there remayneth a rewarde of this thy labour Moreouer in the Psalmiste it is wrytten Lo children and the fruite of thy wombe are an heritage and reward that commeth of the lorde In this place the heritage and the rewarde are taken for the free gifte of god For there the Prophete dothe recorde that not only all thinges that we desyre but also children come vnto vs by the gifte of God and through his goodnes not by our labour care By these and suche lyke places of scripture it is apparant inough that in the scriptures this worde rewarde is taken for those benefites that we receiue from the lorde In this place therefore the spirite of God would vse this woorde to shewe vs that we ought to seke for nothing so muche as for the giftes and rewardes of God the whiche he bestoweth vpon those that beleue in hym Therfore when as our sauiour by these presentes sayde that they should loke for a large rewarde in heauen whiche suffered persecution for his names sake he mente that they did an acceptable thing and of great price by bearing the burthē of the crosse layde on them for the glory of his name and that they them selues also thereby got great profite To be briefe so often as a rewarde is promised to good workes their deserte is not sayde to be the cause of rigteousnes or of saluation but only the faithfull are incouraged to do well since that they are sure that their labour shal not be in vaine Wherfore these two do very wel agree that we are freely iustified because we are acceptable vnto God without desertes and yet for al that he doth bestowe at his wyll and pleasure free rewarde vpon vs for our dedes In heauen C. Here he requireth of vs hope whiche dothe not beholde thinges present but thinges to come To this effecte pertaineth that whiche is written of the apostell saying For our tribulation whiche is momentany and lyghte prepareth an exceading and an eternall wayght of glory vnto vs whyle we loke not on the thinges whiche are sene but on the thinges whiche are not sene For the things which are sene are temporal but the thinges whiche are not sene are eternall For so persecuted they the prophetes This was added by the deuine consell of the spirite least the apostels hoping to get the victory and triumphe without ◅aboure fight should fainte in the midest of persecution For because the restoring of all thinges was promysed in the scripture vnder the kyngdome of Christ it was a venture that thei did not deceiue them selues with vayne truste not thinking on their warrefare And by other places also it doth appeare that they very fondly imagined the kyngdome of Christ to be replenished with earthly ryches pleasure Wherefore not without cause Christe doth admonishe them that they must enter into the same battayle that the prophetes did because they
did condemne all kynde of othes without exception As the Anabaptistes who thought that Christe did admitte no man to sweare for any kinde of cause in that he forbad to swere at al. But by the text it self the meaning is best gathered For incoÌ„tineÌ„t it foloweth Neither by heauen nor by earth Who nowe seeth not that these kyndes of swearing or particulers are added expositiuely that they myght expresse the firste member by destincte enumeration The Iewes had a disordered kynde of swearing and wheÌ„ they did sweare by heauen by the earth or by the altare they did counte it as nothing Christe to the ende he might reproue this vice playnely declareth that they must not sweare at all neither by this nor by that neither by heauen nor by earthe nor by any thinge Whereby we may gather that this worde At all is not referred to the substaunce but to the forme of an othe otherwise in vayne he shold haue rehersed these particulers Wherefore the Anabaptistes bewraye their grosse ignoraunce for whyle they curiously persiste in vrging one worde they ouerpasse perceiue not the whole tenor of his talke A. Christe speaketh here of busynes and affayres and familiar talke about the whiche there is no necessitie of an othe required In necessary causes it is not onely permitted to sweare but also is commauÌ„ded of God as appeareth in the sixte of Deutronom And the Prophete Ieremy saythe that an othe is to be taken in truthe in Iudgement and righteousnes Christ did often tymes sweare Paule vsed an othe God also swore by hym selfe Therefore the effecte is this that the name of God is by other meanes taken in vayne then by swearing Therefore men must abstaine from all superfluous kynde of swearing and where iust occasion serueth there to sweare Wherefore Christe mente nothing els but this that all kynde of othes were vnlawefull which by any abuse did prophane the holy name of God to the reuerence whereof they ought to serue V. Finally he that sweareth doth twoo thinges fyrst he taketh God to witnes and sayth that he wyll fulfill his promyse to the honour of God Then he calleth vpon God as the chiefe iudge that he wil not suffer his office to be abused prayeth that he wyll defende his honour and the dignitie of his deuine iudgemeÌ„t and shewe the same vpon him whiche sweareth excepte he kepe his othe And thus he constraineth God to take veÌ„geaunce by the mention of his honour truthe and office Neither by heauen C. They are greatly deceyued whiche expounde these maner of othes to be corrected of Christ because we ought to sweare by God only For the reasons whiche he bringeth do tende more to the contrary that then we sweare by the name of God when we sweare either by heauen or by the earth because there is no part of the worlde in the whiche some special note or marke of the glory of God is not imprinted Obiection Notwithstandinge this sentence dothe not seme to agree with the commaundemeÌ„t of the Lawe where God dothe plainely coÌ„maunde to sweare by his name Moreouer it semeth to disagree with many places of holy scripture where the almighty God complayneth that we do vnto him iniury so often as we sweare by his creatures We may aunswere that corruption is adioyning to idolatry wheÌ„ that either the power of iudgement or the authoritie of approuing testimony is deferred and brought to them For the ende of an othe is to be coÌ„sidered because men called God the reuenger of falshod and the defender of truthe as we haue shewed already a litle before This honour cannot be geuen to another without the violating of his maiestie In consideration of this the Apostell saith Men verely sweare by him that is greater theÌ„ them selues and an othe to confirme the thing is to them an ende of all stryfe So that this is only proper to God to sweare by him selfe Euen so in olde tyme men did vse to sweare by Moloch or by some other Idole and so they appointed another in Gods stede to be a knower of secretes iudge of myndes by the whiche they did take away the righte appertayning to god Euen so at this daye they do no lesse offende which sweare by aungels and other dead saintes God therefore in all thinges is only to be taken for a witnes Because it is the seate of God. M. These wordes appertayne also to â—â—e Prophete when he saithe Thus saithe the lorde The heauen is my seate and the earth is my foote stoole C. The heauen therefore is called the throne or the seate of God not that he is there included and shut vp but that meÌ„ may learne to lifte vp their myndes so often as they thynke of him and that we might not imagine any earthly thing of hym A. To this effecte tendeth the begynning of the lordes prayer wherein we are commaunded to call hym our father whiche is in heauen 35 Neither by the earth because it is his footestoole Neither by Hierusalem because it is the citie of the great king Neither by the earth M. This sentence also is taken out of the foresayde place of the Prophete Esaie Christ speaketh here of a kingely maiestie to put vs in minde of a heaueÌ„ly maiestie and dignitie Great is the excellencie of a kynges throne neyther do the footestoles of kings want their honoure Let no man therefore thinke that this earth in the which we liue is without the glory maiestie and power of god C. The earthe is called the foote stoole of God that we might knowe that he is euery where and that he cannot in the space of place he comprehended Neyther by Hierusalem M. Althoughe the earthe is the lordes and all that therein is as the Prophete Dauid saythe and therefore ought reuerently to be inhabited by the grace and fauour of the deuine maiestie Yet notwithstaÌ„ding it is worthely required that those places in the which the goodnes of God is more highly extolled should be more honorable then others Suche was this cittie because of the Temple priesthoode worshippe and woorde of God and because the lorde had chosen the same to be the seate of his empyre To the probation wherof these places followyng do serue I haue appointed him my kinge vppon my holy hill of Sion Agayne Tourne thy wrath awaye I beseche thee from thy cittie HierusaleÌ„ and from thy holy hill Moreouer the deuell caried him into the holy cittie And they came into the holy cittie It is called therefore the cittie of the great kyng because there more plentifully he shewed his power and the signes of his presence not that he was therein included Nowe Hierusalem is become the whole worlde as it was spoken of before by the Prophetes God wyll be called vppon and knowne euery where M. It is not with out great cause that Christe in this place calleth God the great
to prayers seing that the lord doth promise with so great faith and constancie he wil heare our praiers 9 Is there any man among you whiche if his sonne do aske breade wyll offer hym a stone Bu. By these woordes also he doth anymate and incourage vs to praye promising that God at the length wil heare vs helpe vs if we aske those thynges that are holy good meete and profitable beinge nothinge the more infirme weake in faith althoughe for a while he do delaie the time and put of to heare helpe vs C. He vseth a comparison of the lesse to the more and compareth the malyciousenes of men to the exceding goodnes of God whiche is so greate that it may well be compared to a bottomlesse sea The loue of our earthly parente is in no poincte lyke vnto this As the lord by the mouthe of the prophete Esay sayth Although the mother forgett her children yet will I neuer forget you 10 Or if he aske fysshe wyll he proffer him a serpent B. The like woordes we reade in Luke sauing that he addeth this or if he aske an egge will he offer him a scorpion Some go about to expounde these woordes allegorically but not to the purpose xi If ye then when ye are euil can geue your children good giftes how much more shall your father whiche is in heauen geue good thinges if ye aske of hym If ye then vvhen ye are euyll A. Nowe he compareth as it was saide euen now the maliciousenes of men with the wonderfull and vnspeakeable goodnes of god Bu. For men are euyl and subiecte to the affections of anger indignation enuy and hatred as fathers often times do hate despise their children But God by his owne nature is good and voyde of all affections alwayes sekinge to do good that his chyldren may feele his goodnes his liberalitie and munificence most abondantly Can geue your C. Christ hath expressed this not without greate cause least the faithful should to muche lose and slack the raynes to foolishe and wicked desires in praying We know how great the intemperancy and bouldnes of our fleshe is in this poincte Christ therefore committeth our praiers to the will of God to the ende he should geue no more vnto vs then he knoweth to be profitable for vs Wherefore let vs not thincke that he hath no care of vs so often as he fulfilleth not our desires because he knoweth still whereof we haue nede and what is expedient for vs But now because al our affections are blinde the trewe forme of prayer is to be taken from the woorde of god Therfore who so euer desireth to come vnto God by a sure trust of prayinge let hym learne to brydell his hart that he aske nothing but that whiche is accordinge to his will as S. Iames admonisheth in his epistell Hovve muche more shall your father M. He saith not how muche more shal god but how muche more shall your father neyther saith he my father but your heauēly father that we may alwaies conceiue in our minde this sure trust Geue good thinges B. Luke hath Geeue his holy spyrite as it were expoundinge what Math. meaneth by good thinges For what good things ought we to aske of God in our prayers but a godly life that is that the name of God may be sanctified in vs that the kingdome of God may come and approche These thynges truely we receiue whē as we are replenished with the spirite of god which doth renewe vs and cause vs to seeke the glory of God a godly lyfe C. For this alwaies ought to be in our minde Fyrste seke the kingdome of God and the ryghteousenes thereof and all other thynges whereof ye haue nede shal be geuen vnto you Wherfore the sonnes of God to the ende they maye praye aryghte must put of all earthly affections and come to the meditation of a heauenly lyfe 12 VVhatsoeuer therfore ye would that men shoulde do vnto you euen so do vnto them for this is the lawe and the prophetes VVhat so euer therfore ye vvoulde that men A. Because of this woord therfore some do thinck that this is the Epiloge or conclusion of those thinges goinge before as concerning the petition or praier Other some do refer it to the beginning of this seuenthe chapter where he forbad vs to iudge And others thincke that Chryste had respecte to all those thinges which he affirmed in this assertion but specially in the fifth chapter as though he woulde knitt vp all those thinges wherof he had spoken in a shorte somme C. But truely it is more probable to affirme that this woorde therefore whiche is an illation is superfluouse and more then nedeth for often times we fynde them in shorte sentences where no necessitie importeth We saide before that Mathewe dyd not declare one sermon onely of Christ but rather to collect a somme of his doctrine out of many of his sermons This sentence therefore is to be red seuerally by the which Christ doth instructe his disciples to vse equitie and doth briefly shew the definition of the same that we maye knowe that the cause why so many mischeues do raigne in the worlde and why men so many waies are hurtfull one to an other is because wittingly and wyllingly they do treade equitie and indifferent dealinge vnder their feete Notwithstandinge euery man woulde haue the same straightly obserued toward him selfe for where as our owne profite is in hande there is none of vs but we wyll sircumspectely and preciselye reason and enquire what is equitie right Therfore euery man sheweth him selfe an indifferent iudge for his owne commoditie and profyte How cōmeth it to passe that we be not so equall iudges when as other mennes profite or losse commeth in question but only because we are parcyall to oure selues and vniuste towardes our neyghboure And not onely this but that whiche is worse we indeuour oure selues wickedly to wincke at the rule of equitie whiche shyneth in our hartes Christ therefore teacheth that euery mā may liue rightly iustly with his neighboures if he do that to others whiche he coulde be content to haue done to hym againe So that here he doth refell confute all false and vayne shewes whiche men deuise and inuent to hide and cloke their pretenced righteousnes For without all doubt parfecte equitie should continue amonge vs if so be that wee were such faithful disciples of charitie in dede as we are teachers of the same in worde M. The false opinion of the Pharyseies ministred occasion to Christ to pronoūce this sentence of equitie for they preferred the obseruation of ceremonyes and mannes inuentions before the obseruation of the woorkes of charitie Wherevpon the prophetes were often times cōstrained to reuoke Israell from ceremonies and mannes traditions to the workes of charitie For this is the lavve and the prophetes C. Christ meaneth not that this onely parte of
straungers and foriners should be of the housholde and heyres of the kingdome of heauen And not onely that but this that the couenaunt and league of saluation should by and by be publyshed that the whole worlde myght growe into one body of the churche when he saythe that the Gentyles which should come to the faythe shoulde bee partakers of the same saluation with Abraham Isaac and Iacob Bu. They reste with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen whiche being partakers of the promises of God which he made with the holy fathers do at the lengthe possesse the kingdome of heauen with them beinge made the sonnes of God coheyres with Christe and fellowes with the sainctes C. To be briefe this senteÌ„ce is as much as if he should haue saide they shall haue the same life Wherby certainly we may gather that the same sauing health which is exhibited vnto vs in Christ was exhibited in times paste vnto the fathers Neyther should the kingdome be common to all except there were but one faith which is the onely meane to obtaine the same The same manner of speaking the lorde vsed to his Apostles when he sayde I apointe vnto you a kingdome as my father hath appointed to me that ye maye eate drinke at my table in the kingdome 12 But the children of the kingdom shal be cast out into vtter darkenes there shal be weping and gnashing of teeth But the children of the. M. This is the other matter which we saide Christ had here in hande namely of the reiecting of the Iewes C. But it may be demaunded how Christe calleth them the children of the kingdome whiche were nothing lesse theÌ„ the sonnes of Abraham For truely they whiche are alienate from the faythe ought not to be numbred in the flocke of Christ It may be aunswered that although they were not truly of the flock of Christ notwithstaÌ„ding because thei had a roume in the flocke or churche he grauÌ„teth this title vnto them Furthermore we muste note that the couenaunt and promyse of God was of such force so long as it stode in the sede of Abraham that properly the inheritauÌ„ce of the kingdom of heauen did pertaine vnto them at the least in respect of God him selfe then as yet they were holy braunches of the holy roote And truely that deniall or forsakinge whiche afterward folowed dothe sufficiently declare that they were then accoumpted of the housholde of god M. Therefore because the promises of the kingdome the testameÌ„t did properly pertain vnto the Iewes they ar worthely called the soÌ„nes of the kingdoÌ„ Of this matter Paul doth dispute at large in his epistle to the Romaynes C. Secondly we muste note that Christe dothe not speake of euery one but of the whole nation This truely was farre harder then the calling of the Gentiles For it mighte seme scarse tollerable for the Gentiles to be planted knytte and vnited to the same body by frée adoption with the posteritie of Abraham Notwithstanding Christe pronounceth that they shal be vnited to the end God might admitte straungers into the bosome of Abraham and denye the chyldren B. that the laste may be firste and the fyrste last M. So that it is not to be thoughte that the Lorde woulde haue all the Iewyshe chyldren of the kyngdome to be caste out but he hathe selected and chosen to hym selfe certayne of them as saynt Paule wryteth to the Romaynes Euen as we may not thinke that all the Gentiles shal be saued but that the chosen of God shal be gathered from amonge them Into vtter darkenes C. There is a secrete antithesis in this woorde vtter darkenes for Christe dothe signifie that out of his kyngdome whiche is the kyngdome of lyghte there reigneth nothynge but darkenes For the Scriptures when they make mencion of darkenes do signifie metaphorically a horrible kynde of payne whiche the tongue of man in this lyfe cannot expresse nor the harte imagine Bu. So that by these greuous threatenynges Christe went not about to dismaye the Iewes or to brynge them into dispayre but rather to drawe them out of the myre and puddell of incredulitie and to wynne the Gentiles vnto hym who came to saue bothe the Iewe and the Gentyle There shal be vvepynge M. This is a Metaphor by the whiche he compareth that vnhappy state and condition of the damned to captiues sytting in a dongeon or darke place full of horror and feare who are constrayned by an euell conscience feare of the iudgement to come to wepe wayle mourne gnashe their teethe And thus thought he good to set foorthe the tormentes of damned soules 13 And Iesus sayde vnto the Centurion go thy waye and as thou beleuest â—…o shall it be vnto thee And his seruaunt was healed in the selfe same hower And Iesus sayde vnto the Centurion M. Nowe the Lorde aunswerynge the Centurion graunteth him his petitioÌ„ as if he should say be of good chere and quiet thy minde For go thy waye in this place hath such signification Neyther is this a symple commaundement to go vnto his owne whiche shoulde cary with it ambition but it is an assent or agreinge to that whiche was demaunded So Dauid consentinge to the woman of Thecoa sayd go home to thy house I wyll geue a charge for thee So we reade that Christ did often tymes sende awaye the afflicted after they had obtayned consolation at his handes saying go in peace and be whole from thy plague And in another place he saythe go thy sonne lyueth And as thou beleuest so shall Bu. In fewe woordes euidently he declareth the efficacy of faythe Faythe bryngeth to passe and is the cause that we receyue that by the power operation of the holy ghoste whiche we beleue of the woorde of god The Centurion beleued that the Lorde coulde heale his seruaunte lying sycke therefore the lorde healed hym C. Hereby it appeareth howe louingly our Sauioure Christe poureth out his grace if he may haue the vessell of fayth open vnto hym For although oure Sauioure Christe speaketh vnto the Centurion notwithstanding there is no doubte but that by his example he woulde haue vs all to haue the lyke faythe Moreouer we are here taught what is the cause that God dothe oftentymes reiecte oure prayers surely our incredulitie and vnbeliefe Wherefore if in faythe we come vnto hym we maye be sure our prayers shal be harde So shall it be vnto thee M. These woordes do not onely expresse and set forth the goodnes of Christe but also his omnipotency by the whiche he hathe in his wyll and power lyfe and death healthe and syckenesse yea onely with his assente he restored this seruaunte whiche was euen nowe at the poynte of deathe to healthe and lyfe He saythe not go thy waye I wyll praye vnto my father for thee or for thy seruaunte but he saythe go thy waye be it vnto thee according to thy faythe
quiet vntill present daunger vrged them and then exceading feare stirred them vp and perswaded them that they shoulde not bee saued excepte they awoke Christe And this was the cause why he accused them of infidelitie 26 And he sayde vnto them why are ye fearefull O ye of litle faithe then he arose and rebuked the wyndes and the sea and there followed a greate calme VVhy are ye fearefull O ye of litle Bu. Nowe it followeth howe Christe behaued him selfe in this daunger and after what sorte he delte with his disciples being paste hope almoste Firste he blameth the imbecillite of their faith in this that he teacheth howe they ought not to quayle in perilles but cōstantly with an vndoubted mynde to hope for present helpe from the handes of the lord and sauioure Notwithstanding of this reprehension of Christe a question may be moued namely whether all feare ought to be cōdēned repugnāt to faith At the first he reprehendeth them not symplely because they feared but because they were full of feare they were out of measure afrayed Then he opposeth faithe against their feare and declareth that he speaketh of their immoderate perturbation which did not so muche exercise their faithe as it did shake their myndes Hereby it appeareth that all kinde of feare is not contrary to faythe for if we feare nothyng then there aryseth a wonderfull carelesnesse of the fleshe so that faithe languysheth synne increaseth and the remembraunce of God vanisheth away So we see that the feare whiche exerciseth faith is not of it selfe euell vntill it exceadeth the excesse consisteth in this if the tranquillitie of faythe be troubled or disquieted whiche ought to areste in the worde of God. Then he arose and rebuked A. Christ would trie his disciples but he woulde not suffer them to perishe therefore he rebuketh the wyndes and there followed a calme C. he commaunded the sea and the wynde to be quiet not that the lake had any sence or vnderstandynge but that he might shewe that the power of his voyce did pearce euen through the deafe elementes And there follovved a great calme M. This trewely bryngeth an vnspeakeable ioye and comforte to all the elect For in this place we learne that there is nothinge in this worlde so harde so cruell and desperate which Christ can not rule tame and ouercome C. Neyther doth the sea and the winde alone which are voyde of sence obeye the rule and power of God but the very wicked also for all their obstinacie are constrayned to couche To this place agreeth the sayinge of the prophete Dauid when he saith God is oure hope and strengthe a very present helpe in trouble Therefore we wyll not feare thoughe the earth be moued and though the hilles be caryed to the myddest of the sea Though the waters therof rage and swell and though the mountaines shake at the presence of the same Againe The lorde maketh warres to ceasse in all the worlde he breaketh the bowe and knappeth the speare in sonder burneth the chariots in the fyer M. It is most true therfore that the byshoppes of Rome affyrme that the ship of Christ whiche is the churche can not perishe it maye be assalted and beaten filled with waues but in the ende it wil escape and possesse a calme They speake the trueth It appereth no lesse by this place And we reioyce But let them see whether they be in the ship with Christ or no whiche perishe not then let them see whether they them selues are not they whiche trouble the churche or no which ouerwhelming the trewth replenishe and ouerlade the same with mennes traditions 27 But the men marueyled saying what maner of man is this that both windes and sea obey him C. The Euangelistes Marke and Luke attribute this saying to the apostels for after they had said that they were reprehended of Christ they adde that they cried out with feare sayinge what maner of man is this Notwithstandinge this saying did more appertayne to others to whom Christ as yet was not knowne Yet we allowe theim bothe Here nowe the fruite of the miracle appereth when the glory of Christ is celebrated For thē miracles do profyte vs when we wonder at the power of God in Christ submitte our selues wholly to his wyll Bu. Wherfore let all men learne here when they are delyuered from euyll that they haue respect to God alone to geue to hym all glory and to be thanckfull vnto hym for his benefites 28 And when he was come to the other side into the countrey of the Gergesites there met him twoo possessed with deuilles whiche came out of the graues and were out of measure fearce so that no mā might go by that way And vvhen he vvas come B. By an other excellent miracle or benefite the lorde sealeth his power and declareth it to the whole world manifestly approuing him selfe to be lord not onely of the disseases and elementes of the worlde but also to be the ruler of Sathan the prince of this world Into the countrey of the Gergesites C. We haue already a littell before confuted their erroure whiche affirme that Marke and Luke declare an other history then this For when as the region of the Gadarenites is saide to be that which lieth ouer against Galilae of all the three Euangelistes and all the circumstaunces also do agree who wil be perswaded that these thynges happened at dyuerse tymes There met hym tvvoo possessed C. This one onely difference gaue occasion of errour to the interpretours to disseuer Mathew from the rest because he nameth twoo the other Euangelistes reherse and make mention but of one only But the coniecture of Austine is probable who thinking that there was twoo saith that they made mention but of one of them whiche was more famouse then the other because of his exceading fercenesse for the whiche crueltie and fearcenes the miracle seemed more wonderfull in him And trewelye we do see that Luke and Marcke do persist in amplyfying with many woordes the cruel fearcenesse of the deuyll the whiche maketh muche with the coniecture of S. Austin Where as Luke saithe there mett with the lorde a man out of the citie it is vncertaine whether he vnderstande hym to be a citizen of the Gadarenites or whether he wente oute of the cittie to meete with Christ For when he was commanded to go home as you may reade in the story and to preache to his famelye and kinsefolke the grace and mercy of God Marcke saith that he went and preached in the tenne cities which was a regyon nye to the Gadarenites and oueragaynst Galilae wherevppon it is gathered that he was not a Gadarenite by byrth Moreouer Mathew and Marke do in no point affirme that he came out of the citie but out of the monumentes or graues and Luke declareth that he lyued in the wyldernes These woordes therefor of Luke There met hym a certayne man oute of
the institutions therfore when as they haue no respecte to the ende for the whiche they were ordeined He therfore whiche hath not a care of his neighbors health but is a straight obseruer of externall rites dothe bewray declare his own hipocrisie as these iusticiaries who reiected the Publicanes synners suffered them to perishe had not Christe called thē vnto him cured them We must so thinke therfore of sacrifices as wayes meanes to come vnto God which notwithstāding are of no force except a sounde perfect truthe be annexed vnto the same Bu. So that our Sauiour Christ did very well oppose this general sentence of religion to his aduersaries C. For vnder this worde mercy he comprehendeth all the partes and duties of humanitie whiche we owe vnto oure brethren as by the name of Sacrifice he meaneth all seremonies and externall thynges For I came not to call the righteous Bu. Nowe Christ hauing respect to that whiche he spake euen now that he came a Phisition into the worlde by a certayne illation and exposition he concludeth the whole disputation and those whome before he called whole and strong he nowe calleth righteous Not that he meaneth them to be righteous in dede but because they bosted thought them selues to bee righteous as did the Phariseis These thinking them selues to be absolute perswaded thē selues that the grace of God pertained nothing at all to their perfection and this was the cause that they did not call for the mercy of the Lorde For what nede haue the righteous of mercy So that here their offence was great in so muche that the Lorde in an other place sayde If ye were blynde then had ye no synne but nowe ye saye we see therefore your synne remayneth Again he sayde Yee are they whiche iustifie your selues before men but God knoweth your hartes C. Wherefore although this was spoken to refelle and confute the pryde and hypocrisie of the Scribes yet notwithstanding generally it contayneth a profitable doctrine For we are taught that the grace of Christe dothe no otherwyse proffite vs then when we acknowledging our synnes and syghing vnder the burthē of the same come humblely vnto hym for release and pardon Furthermore infirme and weake consciences are erected and lyfted vp by sure truste and confidence because we oughte not to feare that Christ wyl reiecte synners for whose saluation he descended from his heauenly glorye into this wycked worlde M. But we muste note that he sayth not I came to constrayne synners but to call synners Whereby we may gather what kynde of persones the medicine of the grace of God would haue vs to be namely suche as are desyrous of saluation and wyllyng to receiue the same for he reiecteth the vnwillyng Hereupon it is written Blessed are they that hunger and thyrste after righteousnes for they shal be satisfied Neither doth Christe saye here I am come to call some or a fewe but generally all excludynge none C. But we muste note this also which followeth To repentaunce That we may know how that pardon is graunted vnto vs not to synne or offende styll but that afterwarde we may leade a godly holy and vertuous lyfe For vpon this condition he dothe reconcile vs to his father that we being redemed by his bloud may offer our selues liuely sacrifices as saynt Paule saythe The grace of God that bryngeth saluation hath appeared to all men and teacheth vs that we shoulde deny vngodlines and worldly lustes and that we should lyue soberly and righteously and godly in this present worlde To the whiche also agreeth the saying of Zacharias That we being deliuered out of the handes of our enemies may serue him without feare in holines and righteousnes all the dayes of our lyues M. For repentaunce is nothing els but a conuersion of the mynde and an alteration of the former opinion as appeareth by the saying of the Prophetes Tourne vnto me and ye shal be safe Againe I wil not the death of a synner but that he tourne and liue Also repente and amēde that your synnes may be done away 14 Then came the disciples of Iohn vnto hym saying why do we and the Phariseis faste for the most part but thy disciples faste not Then came to him the disciples M. It is not the least among the miracles of the wisdome of God when that he dothe oftentymes manifeste and confirme his truthe by the resistaunce and gainsayinge of the wycked The whiche thinge as in all other places so in this may manifestly be sene whereupon truely no small proffite commeth vnto vs by the rebellion of the Phariseis VVhy do vve and the Phariseis faste C. Luke in his fifth chapter bringeth in the Phariseis speakinge in their owne persone and Marke semeth to ioyne thē both together Neither is there any doubt but that the Phariseis by this wycked deceite and wyle pretended to wynne and allure the disciples of Iohn on their part and to make thē contende with the disciples of Christe The cōgruitie in prayers and fastinges was a plausible prouocation and intisement of societie but the contrary opinion and reason of Christe was an occasion of discorde and priuy hatred to waywarde and curious persones being to muche addicted to their owne willes By this example we are admonished and taught wisely to take hede least by some light pretence the wycked and crafty men do sowe discorde and dissention among vs For Sathan is wonderfull busy in this practise and againe it is an easy matter for vs to bee troubled about nothyng But we ought specially to take hede leaste that the vnitie and agrement of oure faythe be cut asunder by suche externall rites and ceremonies and leste the bonde of charitie be broken With this disease many are infected in that they seke more then is necessary to stablishe the ceremonies and elementes of the worlde as Paule sayth Furthermore there commeth another euel of curiositie disdayne that is euery one seketh to bring all the worlde to his example If any thing please vs we couet straightway to haue the same a lawe that others may depend vpō our arbitrement Nowe forasmuche as we do reade that the disciples of Iohn laboured with this disease were taken with these snares of Sathan let vs learne vnderstād that sanctimony pietie is not placed in external thinges let vs learne also to brydell our selues with the byt of moderation and equitie least that we seke to bring al men to our opinion but rather let euery man haue his owne libertie M. Furthermore that the disciples of Iohn were enuious against Christe for a certaine zeale they bare vnto their maister it is euident by S. Iohn where he saith There arose a questiō betwene Iohns disciples and the Iewes about the purifying And they came vnto Iohn sayde vnto hym Rabby he that was with thee beyonde Iordane to whome thou
barest wylnes beholde the same baptizeth all men come vnto him But here the Phariseis beinge the authours of this question do obiecte the disciples not theÌ„ selues alone to th ende thei might burthen and charge the cause of Christe with the authoritie of Iohn As if reproching they shold haue said Thou bearest an outward shew of holines and thou wilt seme to sowe the doctrine of a more perfecte life howe commeth it to passe then that ye do not onely prophane your selues with the coÌ„pany of synners but also do temper and refrayne youre selues from the workes of your own religion as fastinges and prayers with the whiche we exercise our selues diligently But thy disciples faste not A. Luke hath but thy disciples eate and drynke C. But as concerning prayers and fastynges we must thynke thus that Iohn did exercyse his disciples with a certayne rule and prescripte order and to this ende they had certayne dayes appoynted them to faste and a certayne prescripte forme of praying and appoynted houres Therefore we must counte these prayers amoÌ„g externall rytes For although the inuocation of God in spirituall worshipping hath the preheminence yet notwithstanding that order being framed applied to the rudenes of men is worthely nuÌ„bred among ceremonies indifferent things the obseruation whereof oughte not to muche to be vrged But why the discipline of Iohn was more austere then the discipline of Christe we haue spoken already and shall haue hereafter a more conuenient place to speake of the same B. In the meane tyme let vs note howe that these Phariseis do very wel expresse and paynte foorth the hypocrites of these our dayes For nothing is counted holy among hypocrites but that whiche dothe altogether differ from the commoÌ„ manner and custome of lyfe that whiche is austere and straighte that I say semeth vnto them moste holy 15 And Iesus sayde vnto them Can the brydegromes children mourne so loÌ„g as the brydegrome is with them But the dayes will come when the brydegrome shal be taken from them and then shall they faste Can the brydegrome E. The Greke texte hath Can the children of the bryde chamber whiche is more then the chyldren of the brydegrome or the brydegromes companions or the housholde gestes Christe aunswereth here to their obiection when they sayde Thy disciples faste not C. And he excuseth his disciples by the circumstaunce of the tyme because God as yet would receyue them pleasauntly euen as if they were at a marriage or weddynge For he compareth hym selfe to a brydegrome whiche chereth and delyghteth his gestes by his presence Many thynke that this similitude is taken out of the testimony of saynt Iohn the Baptiste when he sayde he that hath the bryde is the bridegrome the whiche opinion although it be not to be disalowed yet notwithstandinge it is not infallible This is sufficient vnto vs that Christe affirmeth that he wyll spare his disciples so longe as he is with them And least any man should haue enuy at them for the coÌ„moditie of this short time he sheweth straight that thei shal be more sharply haÌ„dled afterward For the day vvill B. Nowe he sheweth that the bridegrom must be taken from them that is his carnall presence for a tyme and that then they should taste of many troubles that then in time they should geue theÌ„ selues to mourning to fasting prayer Signifying that they in the beginninge being rude ought geÌ„tly to be intreated being tender as yet ought not to be oppressed with greuous workes But afterwarde when they were fully renewed they shold waÌ„t nothing of those thinges whiche pertayne to newe men the whiche thinge they boldely declared both in the Actes of the apostles and also in their Epistles A. This senteÌ„ce therfore agreeth with that saying of Christe where he sayth When I sent you without wallet or scrippe and shoes did ye wante any thyng And they sayde no. Then he sayde vnto them but nowe he that hath a wallet let hym take it vp and likewyse his scrippe And he that hath no swerde let him sel his coate and by one C. But the excuse whiche Christe bringeth in this place dependeth vpon this that fasting prayers do beloÌ„g to matters of sorrowe trouble I meane extraordinary praiers of the which mention is made here For Christe wente about to inure his disciples with great troubles by litle and litle wherby they might learne to suffer neyther woulde he laye vpon theÌ„ as yet muche tyll they had gotten vnto them more strength Here two lessons may be gathered The first is this If God at any tyme voutchesafe to beare with the infirmitie of our brethren and gently handle them we our selues being more strayghtlye dealte withall at his handes yet I saye for all this muste we not be dismayde or discouraged The seconde lesson is If it please God at any tyme to release vs of trouble of sorrow and of persecutioÌ„ we must then beware that we exceade not in pleasure and pastime but rather we must call to mynde that the mariage lasteth not alwaies and that the wedding will haue an ende 16 No man putteth a pece of new clothe in an olde garment For then taketh he away the perâ—… from the garment and the rente is made worse No man putteth a pece C. By twoo similitudes our Sauiour Christ coÌ„â—â—emeth the next sentence of the whiche the one is taken of garmentes the other oâ—… wyne vessels B. He intended by these parables to declare that at the firste great intollerable burthens not necessary ought not to be layd vpoÌ„ his disciples being weake altogether rude These buâ—…â—…ens â—â—re fastinges and extraordinary prayers the whiche workes are so spirituall that no man can be sufficiently exercised in them so sone as he entreth into religioÌ„ These workes procede froÌ„ the holy ghost which was the cause why Christ neuer comauÌ„ded them The diuersitie of wittes requireth some moderation that one 〈◊〉 may apply him selfe to another If a man require some great laborouse worke to be done of him which is sicke the sicke man fainteth for weakenes imbeculitie he is vnable to do it If a man conâ—…trayne those to faste which can not beare it it is then a violent thing done by coÌ„pulsion neither doth it make them the better but it bringeth to passe the Hypocrites therby are more arrogaÌ„t that is like vnto Phariseis If Christe thefore at their instant wold haue burthened his disciples being rude as yet nothing at all spiritual theÌ„ he shoulde haue done nothing but haue made them more insolent shameles Hipocrites He coÌ„pareth theÌ„ therfore to an old pece of clothe which being worne is soone torne and rente to this if thou sowe a newe and stronge piece of clothe it marreth the seame and the rente is worse Then he compareth them againe to eartheÌ„ vessels which are not of streÌ„gth sufficient to abide the force of new wine being as yet
whom all thinges lyue she was not deade but a sleepe slepynge to the glory of God loking for her resurrection So that he truely saith the maide is not dead But sleepeth not denying her to be deade in dede according to nature but so speaking as the matter was in his eies not as it appered vnto them which bewayled her deathe C. To sleepe in the scripture is taken often tymes for to die neither is it so sayde of the good only but also of the wycked It is sayde of Steuen when he had thus spoken he fel a sléepe And of Lazarouse Our fryende Lazarus is a slepe but I go that I maye awake him Moreouer it is wrytten Of the whiche some remayne as yet other some are a sléepe Also of wicked Ieroboam it is saide And Ieroboam slepte with his fathers Bothe the wicked and the godlye sleepe vnto the lorde and shall be raysed of him but this is onely beleued of the godly whiche knowe that God is not the God of the deadde but of the lyuinge and that al thinges liue vnto him Herevpon the Christians with a singular fayth called the place of buryall Coimeterion whiche is in lattine Dormitorium and as much to say in english properly a sleping place which cōmonly we nowe call a Sepulcher a Tombe or a Graue but here in this place Chryste taketh it otherwise For Chryst maketh a speciall dyfference betwene sleepe and deathe to the ende he might bringe hope of lyfe as if he shoulde haue sayde Shée is not so deade that she slepeth in death but she slepeth for a tyme it is slepe and not death for ye shal see her aryse by and by whom ye thincke to be deade And they laughed hym to scorne A. Luke addeth knowinge that shee was deade they laughed him to scorne C. It is no maruaile if the lorde were deryded of ignorante grosse and vnlearned men whiche being altogether trobled with prophane mourninge regarded not the ende of his doinges nor his purpose And this parteyned not a lyttell to the commendation of the myracle that they were so doubtfull of the maides resurrection 25 But when the people were put forth he went in and toke her by the hand and sayde damsell aryse and the dāsell arose VVhen the people vvre put A. Nowe Christe taketh the myracle in hand but not before the people were put out of the house for those causes that we declared euen nowe He vvent in and tooke her by C. There was necessitie why be shoulde take her by the hande but he did it for their sakes which were presente Outwarde signes are of no force sauinge that it pleaseth the lord to vse them All myracles depende vpon the commaundement of God onely not vpon the outwarde signe whiche is adioyned for mannes sake A. In Luke it is said that Christ cryed C. The which crie profited nothinge her naturally to the mouyng of her sences which were deade notwithstanding Christ thought good to shew the force of his voice wherby he myghte bringe men in vre to here his doctrine Herupon it apereth of what efficacie and force the voyce of Chryste is whiche pearceth euen to the deade in suche wise that it reuiueth and quickeneth in deathe Therefore Luke saythe that her spirite came into her agayne as if he shoulde haue saide that the same beinge called by the power of Christe was by and by at hande B. But Marke doth seeme more specially to gather the werdes of Christe affirmynge that he sayde Tabita cumi whiche is if a man interprete it damsell I say vnto thee aryse For this woorde Cumi is an Hebrewe woorde and is as much to say in english arise but Tabita is a Calde worde or of the Syrian tongue and signifieth maidē Base wordes trewely they were and vsed amonge the common sorte of people For it is certayne that Christe vsed the vulgar tongue whiche was moste vsed among the multitude specially when he did talke with them And the damsell arose A. Marcke saithe and shee walked M. These wordes are spoken to the amplifiyng and settinge forth of the power of Christ in that not onely he raiseth her beinge deade and contrary to the maner of the prophetes he raysethe her after a commaundinge sorte with his word not by prayer as they did but hee so raiseth her that sodeinely shee is aliue and not onely aliue but walking free from all sickenesse dissease What phisition can so raise vp any body that is sicke that hée shall arise by and by and walke Wee do reade that the prophete Elyzeus raysed vp one that was deade but farre after an other maner then Christe did here Also we reade howe that Peter raysed a woman whiche was a disciple from death but not without praier before Moreouer the maide is saide to be twelue yeres of age least any man should think her to be an infant which was not able to walke 26 And this rumour went abroade into all the lande A. The other twoo Euangelistes saye that the standers by were greately amased M. whiche serueth greatly for the commendation of the myracle Neyther were the seers of this myracle amased without a cause For it was a special argument and manifest token of the great power of god Wheras therefore it was so straunge and vnwonted a thynge it made theim amased A. In the meane season the fame of this myracle is spred throughout the whole countrey Marcke and Luke adde that Christ commaunded them to tell no man C. For althoughe Christ dyd not allowe all men to beholde this spectacle of the resurrection yet notwithstandinge the myracle coulde not be hid any longe tyme Neyther was it cōuenient to suppresse and kepe vnder the power and vertue of God by the whiche the whole worlde shoulde be prepared to lyfe Why then doth he commaunde the parentes of the maide to keepe scilence Peraduenture he would haue them scylent for a time not so much for the thing it selfe as for the order and maner of doinge of the same For we se here that he soughte oportunitie as in other places also M. Moreouer Chryste on the one side knew the curiousenes of the people on the other syde that the exceding mallice of the hye priestes against him wold haue ben stirred vp by the publishyng of these greate myracles In so muche that the common sorte of people would haue attributed vnto him some kinde of preposterouse honour and dignitie and the hye priestes wold haue ben moued more and more to seeke his destruction hearinge that he did suche wonderfull thynges when as the tyme of his glorifiyng was not yet come Of the which matter reade the twelfth sixtene and seuentene chapters followynge M. In Marcke it followeth that hée gaue commaundement that she shoulde eate This commaundemente he gaue to confirme the trueth and certaintie of her resurrection leaste that it myghte seeme but a vysion or phantasie Wherevpon he woulde not geue her any
thyng himselfe to eate but commaunded her parentes to geeue it her So after that Lazarouse was raysed from deathe he caused a feaste to be made Peter also by this argumente confyrmeth the resurrection of Christe because he dyd eate and dryncke with the lorde after his deathe 27 And when Iesus departed thence two blind men followed him crying and saying O thou sonne of Dauid haue mercy on vs. And vvhen Iesus departed Bu. By a newe proofe and a newe benefyte he declareth to the whole world that there is no dyssease so incurable whiche the lorde is not able to heale Tvvo blynde men follovved C. The other twoo Euangelistes omytt this myracle because as sayncte Iohn saythe they determyned not to set forthe all the deedes of Chryste but gatherynge the chyefest amonge a greate maynye go aboute to proue hym to be the Messias Matthewe saythe here that twoo blynde men had theyr syghte restored vnto thē but not so soone as Chryste was wonte to helpe others that were dysseased afflicted troubled For hee geueth these two no answere they crying styll after hym as he wente but as it were faynynge that he harde theim not suffered theym to followe hym to his lodgynge and there at the last he asketh thē what they thyncke or beleue of his power Therefore bothe in dede and wordes he taketh a tryall and iust examination of theyr faythe and pacience in sufferyng them to crye as thoug he regarded them not M. There is no doubte but that by the occasyon of the other myracle goynge before and by the fame of his benefytes whiche was spredde throughoute the whole worlde they were moued to followe after Chryste sayinge Haue mercy on vs. C. They expresse not theyr suite for it is enoughe for vs to call vpon God for our mysery M. Furthermore they callynge for mercye require not that whiche is vaine or without effecte but suche mercye as dyd not onely consyst in the affection of the hart but also whiche in deede dyd helpe theyr mysery which was beyng blynde to be restored to theyr sight Thou son of Dauid C. They call hym the sonne of Dauyd because the promyse whiche was made vnto Dauid was commonly in the mouthes of the Iewes They counted him not therfore as a prophete but they estemed him euen as he was to be Chryst the redemer of the whole worlde B. And it is lykely that Iesus was then commonlye thoughte to be the Messias promysed before in the lawe and prophetes For all the people at that tyme loked for Chryste In so muche that they tooke Iohn to be the Messias Whereby wee maye see howe inexcusable the obstynacye of the Pharyseys was which wolde not acknowledge the tyme of theyr visytation being admonyshed of the same by so many signes and tokens M. Moreouer it appereth howe lyttell fayth thynketh vpon daunger For it was decreed amonge the chiefe Rulars of the Iewes that euerye one that confessed this Iesus to bee Chryste the sonne of Dauyd shoulde bee caste oute of the Synagogge Notwithstandinge these blynde men were nothynge afrayde of this commaundement For their crye dothe sufficiently declare howe sounde in faythe they were 28 And whē he was come into the house the blynde came vnto hym And Iesus saythe vnto theim Beleue ye that I am able to do this They saye vnto hym Lorde we beleue And vvhen he vas come into the hovvse B. The lord suffereth these blinde men to cry after him til he came to his lodging wherby he myghte make them more earneste and try them and make their faythe an exaumple for vs to followe The blinde came to hym A. That is they wente into the howse into the whiche Chryste was entered before theim M which is a syngular exaumple of the stedfaste faythe whiche ceasethe not to hope although at the firste time the petition be not graunted but continuethe mutable till the purpose be obteyned Suche was the faythe of the woman of Syrophenesia Beleue ye that I am able to do this B. He asketh them if they beleeue teachinge that faith is required to the obteininge of the power of Chryste and the wyll of God and that the same faithe by the which we beleue in Christ can heale and saue of his owne proper nature and force without the benefyte of prayer For he saithe not do you beleue that I can obtaine this at the hands of God but do you beleue that I can do this By the which wordes wholely such a faith is required by the which we attribute the dyuine power vnto Christ to obtayne any benefite at his handes Question But here it maye be demaunded whether it be sufficiente to make a faythful man to be perswaded of the power of God and of Chryste For so it maye be gathered by the woordes of Chryst Do ye beleue that I can do this And by many other places of the Scrypture it is manifest that the acknowledgynge of the diuine power is but vaine vnlesse wee be certaynelye perswaded of his wyll Notwithstandynge Chryste beynge contente with theyr aunswere doth commende the same as parfecte in all poynctes Wee aunswere when at the fyrste they had confessed hym to be the sonne of Dauid they were perswaded somewhat of his grace For by this tytell they declare hym to be the redeemer of theyr countreye and the aucthor of all good thynges Faythe therefore comprehendeth the mercy of God his fatherly loue his omnipotencie the good wyll of Chryste also towardes man with his power and strengthe But because men do commonlye attrybute lesse to the power of God and vertue of Chryste then they oughte this question is not withoute reason moued to the blynde whether they beleeue that Chryste can doe that whiche they professe with the mouthe And for this cause theyr faythe is commended because they beleeue hym to be the sonne of Dauyd beyng in so humble and base estate Lorde vve beleue A. Hym whom before they called the Sonne of Dauid they nowe call Lorde attrybutynge vnto hym no doubte the honoure of a Messias 29 Then towched he theyr eies saying accordinge to your faythe be it vnto you Then tovvched he their eies M. It is not necessary that Christ shold toutche theyr eies for he coulde helpe theim with his woorde onelye but for the blynde mennes sakes onely namely that hereby their faythe myght be much holpen Euen so we counte the couching of such as we thincke to be saynctes and holy men of greate force Chryste therefore waying the imbecillitie of mākind to the ende he myght helpe the faythe of the blynd toucheth theyr eyes the which no doubte confyrmed muche the truste and hope of these blynde men to receyue their syghte Hereby we see the nature and goodnesse of Christe who alwayes indeuoureth hym selfe to helpe our imbecillitie in those thynges which require a constante faythe Sayinge accordynge to your faythe be it vnto you E. By this shorte sentence the lord teacheth vs
as we are proude by nature so nothinge is estemed of vs excepte it be decked and set forth with vayne pompe forniture But truly the churche of Christe because it is collected gathered of poore mē it is very base contemptible in the sight of the world yea the same despiseth nothinge more thē vayne pompe pompelike vanities Hereupon cōmeth the contempte of the Gospell because it is not receiued of euery one that is in honour and highe estate nay there is none that do more reiecte the doctrine of the Gospel thē suche But howe peruerse and wicked this estimation is Christ him selfe sheweth vs by the nature of the Gospel it self seing that it is appointed and prepared for none but suche as are poore afflicted Whereupō it followeth that it is no new thing and therefore oughte not to moleste trouble vs if the Gospel be despised of great and honorable men whiche beinge puffed vp with their riches leaue no place in them for the grace of God to abyde and dwell Yea there is no cause why we shold meruaile though it wer reiected of the greatest part of men when as smal is the nūber that is chosen of God to saluatiō Christe therefore here doth declare vnto vs what they are whiche be mete to perceiue receiue the grace of saluation which is there offered And by this meanes he callinge miserable sinners gently to the hope of saluation cōfirmeth their mindes with a sure trust For it is moste sure that they are called poore in this place whiche are of poore miserable estate which are despised of many R. But we must note dilligently the whole aunswere of Christ because thereby he sheweth a reason of all those miracles that he did For sauing that the miracles of Christ cōtained certaine priuate cōmodities in them they were done specially for this cause to declare that this Iesus the sōne of Mary was the true Messias the sōne of God. And Christ himself cōmēdeth this vse of miracles not only in this place but also in many other places as whē he saith I haue greater wytnes then the witnes of Iohn For the workes which the father hath geuen me to finish the same workes that I do beare wytnes of me that the father hath sent me And in an other place he saith The woorkes that I do in my fathers name beare wytnes of me and immediatly folowing he sayth If I do not the workes of my father beleue me not But if I do ye beleue not me beleue the workes that ye may knowe beleue that the father is in me I in him And Iohn him self speaking of the vse of the miracles saith Many other signes truly did Iesus in the presence of his disciples which ar not writē in this boke These ar writtē that ye might beleue that Iesus is christ the sonne of God and that in beleuing ye might haue life through his name 6 And blessed is he that is not offended 〈◊〉 at me C. By this sentence oure Sauiour Christe declareth that whosoeuer abideth firme and cōstant in the doctrine of the Gospel must resiste offēces whiche come to let hinder the successe of faithe He doth arme vs therfore against offences because we shall neuer want occasiōs to put from vs the Gospel vntil we exalt our mindes aboue al offences First of al therfore we must learne to fight against offēces that we may persiste in the faith of Christ Neither is Christ falsely saide to be the rock and stone of offēce wherat many shall stomble The whiche truely cōmeth through our own fault but he remedieth this vice when he pronounceth all those to be blessed whiche are not offēded at him whereby we may gather that the vnfaythfull shall haue no excuse although they excuse them selues to be hindred with many lettes For what should let them to come vnto Christe or what should be the cause that they should forsake Christ Namely because he with his crosse semeth contēptible deformed ful of reproche vnto the worlde because he calleth them to take part of his afflictiōs because his glory maiestie being spiritual is neglected and not regarded of the worlde because the nature of our fleshe doth altogether abhorre his doctrine And finally because by the pollicy of Sathan many do arise which defame both Christ and his Gospel make the same odious B. Furthermore this sentence did properly pertayne to the disciples of Iohn Whose eyes the holines of Iohn had so blynded that they coulde not discerne the excellent maiestie of Christ from the dignitie of Iohn for they thought Christe to be farre inferior to Iohn For they were offēded by the humilitie of the lordes cōuersasion because he lyued not from the company of men in such straightnes of lyfe as their maister did Here we learne that seueritie and straightnes of life ought not to be regarded neither yet despised but saluation and healthe commeth only by Christe For Iohn confessed hym selfe to be inferior to Christe when as notwithstandinge he excelled Christ in straightnes of lyfe Thei measured saluation righteousnes by seueritie of life their own workes therfore they despised Christ and his disciples Euen as we at this day iudge holynes by externall thinges are deceiued by hyppocrisie B. He saith therfore blessed is he that is not offended at me that is whiche by no meanes can be discouraged and driuen from me that he may beleue me to be the sauiour of the whole world and committe him selfe vnto me 7 And as they departed Iesus began to say vnto the people cōcerning Iohn what went ye out into the wyldernes to se A reede that is shaken with the wynde And as they Bu. Now the lorde setteth forth at large the prayse vertue of Iohn the Baptist Neither doth Christ without cause set forth the praise of Iohn whē the disciples were gone as Luke plainly declareth For by this he teacheth vs to auoyde al suspitiō of adulatiō flattery yet notwithstanding not to defraude or detract from any man the prayse dignitie which pertaineth vnto him But the vse cause profite of this cōmēdatiō of Iohn is manifold may be taken many ways M. First because the people which stode by heard this message of the disciples of Iohn might be confirmed in som wrong opinion contēpt of Iohn because of his imprisonment C. Furthermore Christe cōmendeth Iohn to the people to th ende they might call to mynde that which they herd of him might credit his testimony For his name was famous amōg the people and they spake very reuerently of him but his doctrine was of lesse estimation yea fewe there were whiche gaue any regard to his ministery Also Christe sheweth that thei lost their labor which wēt into the desert to se Iohn except they did reuerently apply their mindes diligēce to his doctrine And so the sēce
he deserueth 15 He that hath eares to heare lett hym heare M. Christe with his wonted exclamation stirreth vp the mindes of his hearers C. For wee knowe that he is wonte to bringe in this sentence so often as he intreateth of any seriouse matter which deserueth more then the common kynde of attention or geuinge hede Bu. As if he shoulde saye I think there nedeth not many wordes when as hitherto al truth in this matter is sufficientely declared ▪ therefore there remaineth nothing now but that he shoulde admytte the treweth which hath eares to heare the same and is not altogether voide of vnderstanding Notwithstanding he also declareth that the mysteries whereof he speaketh can not be comprehended of all men because many of the hearers are deafe and dull of hearinge But nowe because euerye mannes incredulitie and vnbelefe dothe not onely hynder theim selues but maketh other men slowe also Christ exhorteth his elect whose eares are opened to be attentiue to this secrete mysterye of God and not to be deafe with the vnbeleuers but to consider diligētly of the same 16 But wherevnto shall I lyken this generation It is lyke vnto chyldren whiche syt in the market places and call vnto theyr fellowes But vvherevnto A. Hytherto by the commendation of Iohns mynistery he perswaded the Iewes to beleue the testimonie of Iohn and to receiue Iesus Bu. beleuynge hym to be Chryst But of Luke it is added And al the people the Publicanes that hearde hym iustified God and were baptysed with the baptisme of Iohn But the Phariseys and lawyers despised the counsel of God against them selues and were not baptysed of hym Therefore the lorde dothe very sharpely inueigh agaynst their obstinacie and vnbeleefe greatly accusinge the inuincible hardnes of their harts Whervnto saith he shall I lyken this generation C. In these woordes he doth not comprehende all the men that were in his tyme but onely the Scribes and Phariseyes such as were their imitatours For he dothe brynge reproche vnto them because the lord had tried by diuers meanes to bring them vnto hym and they with inflexible contumacy despysed his grace It is lyke to chyldren C. He vseth a similytude whiche is thought to be taken from the wonted and common pastime of children For it is not vnlykely that chyldren so pyped when they daunsed together And truely Chryst semeth to endeuoure hym selfe to beate down the pride and haughtye stomackes of the Pharyseies in comparyng them to chyldren 17 And saye VVe haue pyped to youe and ye haue not daunced wee haue mourned and ye haue not wepte Bu. He saith that they are like vnto froward children who are pleased wyth no plesaunte or musicall noyse nay rather to rebelliouse and obstynate persons to whom the diligence indeuoure of theyr fellowes is neuer acceptable but the cōtrary is allowed and lyked of them If it please thē to make any mery or pleasant note then do these men crye and say we rather desire mournynge If then they make any sorowfull noyse straightway they wishe for pleasaunte tunes so inconstant and mutable are they A. This simylytude the lorde hym selfe applyeth to the Scrybes and suche lyke sayinge 18 For Iohn came neyther eatinge nor drinkinge and they say he hath a deuyll For Iohn came Bu. By an excellent Antithesis he sheweth to them al that the faith and dyligence of God hath omitted nothing of those thynges which pertayne to the workyng of theyr saluation and againe that they being at contention with God do omit nothyng that pertayne to hynder theyr sauegarde and to repel and put away the care and beneuolence of God whereby it commeth to passe that they perysshe throughe theyr owne faulte and mallice Neyther eatynge nor B. Iohn trewely dyd eate and drinke but because he had a speciall kynde of foode dyd abstaine from vsuall and common meate as it is saide before hee is sayde neyther to eate nor drynke C. This man therefore leading an austere and strayght lyfe thundered out as it were repentaunce and seuere reprehensions euen as he that singeth a sorrowful songe But the lord him selfe as one that singeth a pleasaunt and mery note more gentelly with fauour sought to bring them vnto his father But what was the cause that neyther of them bothe dyd profyte suerly theyr stony and stubborne obstinacye Moreouer this place teacheth vs why there was so greate difference of external lyfe betwene Christ and Iohn Baptiste seinge that they dyd all one thinge namely the lorde woulde by this varietie and difference the more conuince and ouerthrowe the vnbeleuinge because he framinge and transformynge hym selfe to theyr manners mighte make theim voyde of all excuse they neuerthelesse continuinge in theyr obstinacie Wherefore if they in those daies be voide of al excuse which by caucared mallice reiected the manifolde callinges of God what shall befall those mē in these dayes whose hartes wyll not be moued by no kinde of mellody I meane neyther by the threatnynges of Goddes woorde neyther yet by the swete promises of the same He hath a deuyll C. Iohn was called a demoniake or one possessed with a deuyll the whiche wee call commonly frantike or fantasticall or suche a one as is not wel in his wittes By the whiche we maye note the greate mallice of the Scribes Phariseys and lawyers who letted not to cauill against this holy and deuoute man of God being the fore ronner haruinger and preparer of the way of his sonne Christe 19 The sonne of man came eatinge and drinkinge and they saye beholde a glutton and a bibber of wyne a frend to Publicanes and synners And wisedome is iustifyed of her children The sonne of m an came C. To eate drinke in this place is to lyue after the comon maner of men Bu. The sonne of man therefore came whiche tryeth what he coulde do by an other waye because the way of Iohn toke no place this man Iesus sheweth him selfe gentill and tractable to al men he despiseth no man be vseth the common and vsuall kynde of apparel he shonneth not the feastes of publicanes and synners and yet also theye fynde somewhat in him to cauill at And they saye beholde a glotton A. This reproche of Christ was greate trewly and horrible to be spoken For he beinge an example of temperancy sobrietie and of all vertue was notwithstanding counted a ryoter a drunkerde and a vyciouse person C. Let theim therefore marke this place whiche thincke that the chiefe poynt of perfection consisteth in the outward austeritie of lyfe and do count that an Angelicall lyfe if any man be such an abstainer that he sterue his bodye with famine and pinynge honger for accordinge to this rule Iohn was more excellent then the sonne of god But wee must rather note what S. Paule saythe that bodely exercise profiteth littel wheras godlinesse is profytable to al thinges Notwithstandynge we maye not vnder this pretence geue lybertie to the fleshe to
no tyme the worde of God was preached there neyther was any myracles wrought for them to beholde to worke repentaunce But in the citties of Galilae whiche Christe rebuked there was exceding obstinacie in despising the miracles whiche he wrought often times among them by the power of god In effect the wordes of Christ tende to no other ende then to shewe that Chorazin and Bethsaida dyd excell Tyre and Sydon in mallice in the incurable contempte of god M And yet notwithstandinge there is no cause why we shoulde contende with God because he neglecteth those of whō there mighte be hope and sheweth hys power to contemners For he leaueth al those iustely to destruction to whom he vouchsafeth not to shewe his mercy Nowe if it be his wyll in taking awaye his woorde from some to haue them peryshe And in offerynge the same to other to exhort them to repentance who hath any thynge at all thereby to accuse hym of parcialitie and vnrighteousenes Therefore we knowynge our owne infyrmitie let vs learne to beholde this altitude and highnesse For their prowde curiositie is not tollerable which cannot abide to geue the glory prayse of ryghteousenes to God but so farre as theyr vnderstandinge is able to comprehende the same In sackecloth and asshes C. Those that were wonte in tyme past to mourne and repente were wont to be apparelled with sackeclothe and asshes Sackclothe and ashes were externall signes whiche were vsed in solempne repentance whē the people had offended which made the people the more earnest affected in repētyng theyr sinnes C. Therfore repentance in this place is descrybed by externall signes of the which there was then a solēpne vse and custome in the churche of God not that Christ doth stande vpon this parte but because hee bendeth hym selfe to the capacitie of the common people We do knowe that repentance was not required of the faythfull onely for a fewe dayes but it was requyred to the ende they shoulde meditate in the same and exercise it euen to the deathe Nowe if these externall signes shoulde stil continue then must we weare euerye daye and euery hower sackecloth then muste we continually sprinkel our selues with ashes because we oughte neuer to ceasse from repentance Therefore this externall profession of repentaunce muste not alwayes be vsed but onely when men aryse from some greate fall and haynous cryme and tourne vnto God with a sorrowfull harte for the same And trewly sackcloth and ashes are signes of offēce to pacifie the wrathe of the iudge and therfore they do properly pertaine to the begynnyng of the conuersion Nowe seinge men do testifie by this ceremony and declare theyr sorrowe and griefe it is necessary that the hate of sin the feare of God and the mortifycatyon of the fleshe do go before accordinge to the sayinge of the Prophete Rent your hartes and not your garmentes and so forthe And now we see wherfore Christ ioyneth sackeclothe and ashes to repentance when he maketh mention of Tyre and Sydon to whose inhabitauntes the Gospell coulde not be preached without the condemnation of theyr lyfe past and the exhortation to repentaunce and amendement of lyfe 22 Neuerthelesse I say vnto you it shal be easyer for Tyre and Sydon in the day of iudgement then for you Bu. Nowe he declareth by a comparison the greate and greuouse ponishement of those Citties whiche haue reiected the grace of God offered vnto them M. Let those citties therefore stande in feare to whom the trewth of the Gospel hath ben preached more then to other vnles they shew forth the fruit of the same in theyr lyfe and conuersation A For truely the contempte of the woorde of God can not escape longe vnponyshed In the daye of iudgemente C. There are som whiche vnderstande by the day of iudgement that tyme in the which God ponyshed the land of Iewry but some a graet deale better referre it to the day of iudgmente which shall be after the consummation of the worlde as before in the tenthe chapter 23 And thou Capernaū which art lyfte vp vnto heauen shalt be cast downe into hell For if the myracles whiche haue ben done in thee had bene shewed in Sodome they had remayned vnto this daye And thou Capernaum Bu. This Apostrophe or conuersion hath a wonderful Emphasis as if a man should reprehende a company of wicked persons and at the length forsakinge al other shoulde conuerte and turne his reprehensiō to some one notorious wicked person and say Ye haue all committed iniquitie wherfore ye shall al accordinge to your desertes be ponysshed and plagued but thou perniciouse and wycked fellowe aboue all other whiche haste commytted so haynouss offence that no man in wickednes is like vnto thee thou I say shalt haue farre greatter ponishement then the rest C. Euen so Christe namely aboue all others reprehendeth Capernaum because he was in no place more conuersante then there B. This cittie Capernaum was the most famous cittie of Galilae bothe because it was the publyque and common place of marchādise all thinges necessary beinge there bought and solde and also because that Christe had wrought many of his excellent miracles in the same as it is said before C. This trewely was such a dignitie as none might be compared to the same that the sonne of God chose this citie in stede of his pallace and sanctuary in the which he mighte begin his kyngedome and priesthode But surely it was so ouerwhelmed and drowned in fylthynes as it no droppe or sparke of Goddes grace had once ben sene or hard of in the same and therfore Chryst pronounceth that the more goddes benefytes were bestowed vppon theim the more horryble ponishement was at hande prepared for them VVhiche art lyft vp A. In two olde greke bokes it is red with an interrogation as readeth it also the olde interpretoure sayinge Shalte thou be lyfted vp to heauen Shalte be throvven dovvne that is thy fame shall haue a fall thou shalte be despoyled of thy glory and thou shalte vtterly be destroyed Because if the myracles had ben done in So. M. He terrefyeth theim by the exaumple of the Sodomites because if they hadde not so great a consideration of the iudgement to come as they shoulde haue that then he mighte moue them to the same Wee se here also that as some sinnes are gretter then other some so one ponishmente shall be greater then an other least that we shoulde rashely heape one synne vppon an other For this cause Christ saith therefore ye shall receyue the greatter dampnation And S. Paule saith Accordinge to thy harte beinge harde and impenitent thou heapest to thy selfe a treasure of wrathe agaynst the daye of wrath and of the openynge of the ryghteouse iudgement of god They had remayned vnto Before wee declared that Chryste spake accordinge to the capacitie of manne not foreshewinge what shoulde haue come if he had sent a prophete to the Sodomites
the Sabaoth daye A. Here he bryngeth in to confirme that whiche he saide an argument of the lesse to the more M. As if he should saye denye it if ye can If you care for those thinges that are your owne that with laboure and paine do seke to saue a shepe on the Sabaoth daye howe then wyll ye blame me whiche seke not that which is myne owne but serue helpe my neighbours through loue sauinge soules not shepe and that with my woorde without any laborious and troublesome busines If you offende not in sauinge a shepe on the Sabaoth daye howe muche lesse do I offende in sauing soules on the Sabaoth daye For howe muche a man doth excel a shepe I leaue it to your own iudgemēt Therefore it is lavvfull This is the conclusion of the premisses It is lawefull to do good vnto a beaste on the Sabaoth daye therefore it is lawfull to do good vnto a man on the Sabaoth daye 13 Then sayde he to the man stretche forth thy hande And he stretched it forth and it was whole agayne lyke vnto the other Then sayde he to the man. A. Before these woordes Luke saith But he knewe their thoughtes C. If Matthewe saye true they did plainly declare by their mouthe what they had in their hartes Christe therefore dothe not aunswere to their secrete cogitation but to their manifeste wordes But it may stande both wayes that they spake openly and that Christe did iudge of their secrete affection Neyther did they professe in what the Scribes did catche or intrappe him as Matthewe expresseth their captions interrogation cauill Luke therefore meaneth nothing els but that their deceites wyles were knowne vnto Christ although by words they pretended another thing Marke addeth that he loked rounde about vpon them with wrath And not without cause so great was their wicked obstinacy For to the ende we may know that his wrathe was iust and holye he saithe moreouer that he was sory for the hardnes of their hartes First of all therefore Christe is sory because men exercised in the lawe of God are so muche blynded But because malice had blynded them he myngeleth his sorowe with wrath This is the true moderation of zeale that whē we are carefull with sorrowe for the destruction of wicked men then also we are very angry against their impietie Christ therefore is angry but with his anger the griefe and sorrowe for our blyndnes is myngeled by the whiche he declareth his louing kindnes towardes vs namely that although we through our obstinate pertinacy and wilfull blyndnes do prouoke him to wrath yet notwithstanding he of his louing kyndnes towardes vs doth no lesse sorrowe then a father for the stobornes and blyndnes of his children And as this place doth testifie that Christ was not voyde and free from humane affections euen so hereby we gather that the passions by them selues were not vitious because they were not exceadinge and out of measure But we because of our corrupte nature can not obserue a meane and moderation so that we can not be angry and moued to wrathe without synne Therefore we must pray vnto God so to directe our affections by his holy spirite that we in our anger offēd not Stretche forth thy hande B. When he had proued both by reason and example that it was not only lawfull but also always necessary to do good vppon the Sabaoth daye specially vnto men he healed the man In the whiche healinge we muste note that he cured hym with his worde only not mouinge his hande or any externall thing as he was wonte to do at other tymes to the ende they might haue the lesse cause to calumniate or cauyll against him For howe could he violate or breake the Sabaoth with his woorde Therby he teacheth vs that it is not sufficient to do well but also we muste remoue euery stone or impedimente that our doings may haue fauour with euery man For so we see that Christe dothe in this place he set the man with the wythered hande in the myddest to the ende they beholding his misery might counte it a good charitable deede to heale hym though it were on the Sabaoth day Thē by conuenient interrogation he admonisheth that it shal be vnlawefull at no time to doo good muche lesse on the Sabaothe daye For to do a holy thynge accordinge to charitie on the holy daye is accordinge to the commaundement of the lorde Last of all by an example of them selues he proueth the same A. And at the lengthe he restoreth healthe vnto the man. 14 Then went the Phariseis oute and helde a counsell againste hym howe they might destroy hym B. Hetherto the Euangelist hath shewed of the religion of the Sabaoth and of the externall worship whiche is the exercise of that whiche is internal which is farre more excellent and of suche waighte and importaunce that the externall without the internall worship is of no proffite Nowe it followeth howe this doctrine of pietie is receiued whereby we learne againe how it will be receiued of the world to the ende of the same The Phariseis went out to take coūsell how they might destroye him C. Beholde nowe how the reprobate in their obstinate madnes go about to resiste the power of god For they being conuicte confounded ouercome in their malice doo more and more power out their poyson This truely is a horrible and monstruous thing that the chiefe doctours of the lawe which had the gouernement of the churche shoulde go about lyke theues to moue sedition But such is the malice of the reprobate wicked that they desire to haue all thinges that are against their lust will to be extinguished though they proceade from God him selfe Bu. The wickednes of the world can in no wyse beare and abyde the puritie and simplicitie of the Gospell therefore it goeth wonderfully about by all meanes to intrap intāgle the ministers of the same trāsforming it selfe into many shapes at the length taketh coūsell how it may suppresse not only the truth it self but also the ministers of the same to destroy them bothe together C. Marke addeth that the Phariseis toke coūsell with Herodes seruauntes or officers whiche were called Herodians whome notwithstanding they hated wōderfully Whherby we may note their exceding malice in that they could nowe at this tyme for the hatred they bare vnto Christ insinuate cloke with such as afore time thei abhorred detested For although the tyraūtes of this worlde are at debate strife one with another yet notwithstāding to destroy Christ his power with one cōsent they can linke vnite thē selues in frēdship A. Furthermore Luke declareth that the Phariseis were filled with madnes Was not this a wonderfull madnes to hate the lorde for so singuler a benefite shewed with so great modestie Yes vndoubtedly but this is the cōmon practise of the wicked that when they
entertayned of strangers then of theyr owne Countryemen But there may be two causes of this Prouerbe for this is a cōmon and generall faulte that those whom wée sée cryinge in the cradell and playing the Children are despysed of vs all theyr lyfe tyme after as thoughe there followed no profite or amendment after childhoode The other faulte is emulation or enuye the which wée practise agaynst those whom wée know Notwithstanding it is probable that the Prouerbe roose of this that Prophetes were so lyttle regarded in their owne countrey For good and godly men when they sée so great ingratitude shewed agaynste God so great contempte of his word contumacye they maye make this complaint worthelye and saye that they neuer sawe the Prophets of God lesse honored in no place then in their owne countreye Therefore Christ doth not withoute cause vpbrayde the Galilaeans who whē they should haue ben the first that should haue receyued the grace offered vnto them they were the most despysers of the same 58. And he did not many myracles there because of their vnbeleefe C. Marke speaketh with a greater Emphasis sayinge And hée could there shewe no myracle but layed his hands vpon a few sicke folke healed them maruayled because of theyr vnbeléefe Notwithstāding in effect they very wel agrée that the way was shut agaynste Christ by the wickednes of his Cittizens that hée wrought not many myracles there Hée gaue thē nowe some taste but they willinglye plucke backe and refuse to haue anye more of the same Therefore Austen verye aptelye compareth faythe to certayne Vesselles with open mouthe but hee sayth infidelitye is like to a couer wythe the whyche the Vessell is couered that it cannot receyue the lyquor or moysture powred in by the spyrite of god And trulye it is so in déede For the Lorde seinge that hys power is not receyued of vs dooth at the lengthe take away the same and yet notwithstādinge afterward wée complain that we want his helpe which our incredulity and hardnes of hart hath repelled and driuen away Marke in denying that Christ coulde do anye myracle amplifyeth their faulte by the which his goodnes was let For certainly the vnbeleuers by their cōtumacy and hardnes of hart do restraine so much as in them lyeth the hand of God not that there is any abillitye wanting in God but because they will not permit his power to be fulfilled and executed M. The vertue and power of Christe trulye was prepared to heale them but by the Ingratitude and infidelity of mortall mē it was let and hyndered after a certayne maner by the vnworthynes of these infydels it came to passe that the plentifull and flowing ryuers of the goodnes of God did not power out their streames C. Notwithstanding we must note what Marke addeth that certayne weake personnes were neuerthelesse healed For hereby wée gather that the goodnes of Christ dyd stryue as it were with theyr mallyce and did ouerflow the same And we haue daylye experience of the like in god For althoughe hée do iustly and necessarilye restrayne kéepe backe his power because it hath not frée accesse vnto vs yet notwithstanding wée sée that hée making away to himselfe wher no way is letteth not to do good vnto vs And herein his mercy ouerfloweth the stop of our wickednes and hath his force mangre our heads in spyte of the Deuill Bu. When the Lord therefore hath promised helpe euery where to the fayfull hée wyll leaue the vnbeleuinge Nazarites to their error and will multiplye his myracles and graces amonge his seruauntes The xiiii Chapter AT that tyme Herode the Tetrarcha hearde of the fame of Iesu M. In this Chapter the crueltye of Herode the death of Iohn the Baptiste the myraculous féedinge of fiue thousande men the wonderfull calminge of the tempest of the Sea and the appearinge of Chryst walking on the sea is declared And last of all is shewed howe hée came to Genesareth and healed all the sicke folkes that were brought vnto him Herode Bu. This Herode was the sonne of that Herode of the great Antipater syrnamed of some Ascalon which flewe the infantes of Bethlehē being a most pernicious Rauen hatched of so wicked an egge Some cal this Herode Antipas for his surname Hée is the very same which arayed our sauioure with a white vesture and deryded his deuine wisedome makinge an open iest and laughinge stocke of him Of this man Iosephus maketh mencion in his 18. Booke of the Antiquities of the Iewes The Tetrarcha Bu. Tetrarchia and Tetrarcha are words vsurped of the Romain writers but taken from the Gréekes Tetrarchae were Princes hauinge the fourth part or some portion of the kingedome Such are they which wée call Deputies or Presidentes The Romaynes deuidinge theyr kingdomes to suppresse rebellion lymitted the same to dyuers Presidents or gouernours whiche they called Tetrarchae or Toporchae and the regions themselues Toporchas or Tetrarchas The whiche thinge wée maye reade in Plynie This Herode was Tetrarcha of Gallilae and no king Hearde the fame of Iesu A That is al thinges that were done by Iesu as sayth the Euangeliste Luke For Marcke saithe that his name was sprede abrode C. The which thing the Euangelistes do declare to the ende we may knowe that the name of Christe was in many places famouse whereby the Iewes might be voyde of excuse and coulde not pleade ignoraunce for otherwise this doubt might crepe into the hartes of many men and cause them to saye thus Howe chaunced it that the Iewes were so secure and carelesse Christe being in the earth was his diuinite so shut vp in a corner that he reuealed the same to none This doubte I say the Euangelistes take awaye and testifie that hys name was famouse and spread abroade yea in suche publique sorte that it entered euen into Herodes courte 2 And saide vnto his seruantes this is Iohn the Baptist He is risen from the dead and therefore are miracles done by hym And sayde to his seruauntes E The Greeke woorde for seruantes is so generall that it comprehendeth the whole housholde This is Iohn C. By the wordes of Luke it may be gathered that this offered not it selfe or came into the mind of Herode willyngly but rather that he had a suspicion by the cōmon rumour of the people For thus Luke writeth And Herode the Tetrarche hearde of all that was done by him and doubted because it was saide of some that Iohn was rysen agayne from deathe Neyther nede we to doubte but that the hate of the tyrant and the detestation of the cruell and wicked acte gaue occasion to talke and rumoure as often tymes it commeth to passe For this superstitiō remained in the mindes of many men that the deadde vnder an other person came to lyfe agayne Nowe they take that which is next namely that Herode in kyllinge so cruelly the holy man missed of his purpose because
cause in an other place also he commaundeth sayinge When they persecute you in one cittie flie into another C. But by so greate a multitude of people comminge together it is euydente howe famouse the name of Christ was euery where by the which the Iewes were inexcusable who by theyr owne neglygence were depryued of the benefyte of saluation For of this great multitude whiche by a sodayne motion and pange were moued to followe Christe a very small nomber aboade and persysted truely and constantly in his doctryne as plainly apereth by the Euangelist Iohn They follovved hym on fote E. This also declareth the feruente zeale of the people towardes Chryste whiche were not discouraged by the paynfulnesse of the iorneye to followe hym leauynge the cytties where they shoulde haue prouyded suche vittayles as had bene necessary for theyr lyfe They were brought to this feruente zeale by seyng the signes whiche he wrought vpon those that were disseased as sayth saynt Iohn 14 And Iesus wente forthe and sawe muche people and was moued with mercy toward them and he healed of them those that were sycke And Iesus vvente forthe M. Namelye to mete them For Luke sayth that he receyued them He savve muche people M. For they were aboute the nomber of fiue thousande beside women and chyldren as shall be declared in the .21 verse following And vvas moued vvith C. The other two Euangelists do more plainly expresse but specially Marke wherupon Christ was thus moued namely because hee saw hungery sowles to be drawne led by feruent loue desire from theyr mansion houses into a desert place For the scarcitie want of doctrin was a signe of miserable dissipatiō scatering abrode of the people therfore Marke saithe that Christ had cōpassion on the people because he saw them as shepe not hauing a shepherde not that he according to the spirit of the deitie acknowledged all for shepe but as he was man he made a shewe by the beholding of the present matter For this was no small signe of pietie zeale to leaue their own houses and to ronne by heapes to the prophet of God notwithstandinge that he sought to escape out of theyr sighte Also here is to be noted that Christ was mindeful of that person whiche he represented The offyce of a teacher was cōmitted vnto him He oughte therefore for a time to leuy and chose out of the flock and church of God al Iewes vntyll such time as they dyd alienate thē selues Moreouer here the affection of mercy and cōpassion preuailed in Christ that beinge wery with his disciples and beinge almost oppressed with continuall molestation trouble spared hym selfe notwithstandinge nothynge at all Hee sought for some release and ease not soo much for hym selfe as for his discyples notwithstandinge because the necessitie of his office called him to a newe labour he neglecting the priuate regarde wyllinglyngly busieth him selfe in teachinge the people And although nowe he hath put of those affections whiche pertayne to a mortall man yet notwithstandinge there is no doubt but that he beholde the euen from heauen those myserable shepe which are destitute of a shepehered if so be that they seke for the remedy of his shepe And he healed of them those that C. Marcke sayth that he taught many thinges meaninge that he preached a greate while to the ende they might reape the more profite of his woordes Luke saith that hee spake of the kingdome of God whiche agreeth with the wordes of Marke Our Euangelist Matthewe maketh mention of nothinge sauing of his myracles only because theye were of more force to bring name and fame vnto Christ But it is easye to be gathered that he omytted not the doctrine wherof he ought to haue had as he had in dede moste speciall regarde 15 And when the euen drew on his disciples came to him sayinge This is a deserte place and the houre is nowe past let the people departe that they may go into the townes and bie them vittayles And vvhen the euen drevve on M. Before Christ semed to haue a care of the soule and here he careth for the body also The excelency of this History appeareth in this that all the Euangelystes haue wrytten the same but speciallye in that Iohn hath not omitted it because thereby the Deuinitye of Christ might be noted in the setting forth whereof hée was wholy conuersant His Disciples came to him C. Now the Dysciples were frustrate of their hope now that they sée Christ altogether occupyed in teaching and the multitude also for verye desyer of learning to haue no mind of returning they put Chryst in mind therefore as concerning a bodely care requiring hym to sēd the people to the townes there aboute to bye them vittayles B. The which request made by the Disciples proceded not so much of charity as it did of slouth for the Christ séemed tedious vnto them But there was such earnest affection and feruent desyer on both sydes namelye in Christ to teach in the people to here that it séemed necessary to the Disciples to moue Christe to sende awaye the people when they sawe that neither time nor place was regarded C. But Christe did not withoute good purpose euen to the laste hower differre the myracle which before in his minde hee determined to shew for he ment thereby First to make his Disciples haue a consideration of the myracle by lyttle and little to the ende they myghte reape the greater profyte Secondely that the circumstaunce of the tyme it self might teache that although he did not preuent the necessitie of those that are his and presentely helpe them yet notwithstandinge that he neuer forsaketh them but hath alwayes helpe in store which he playnely declareth euen at the last pinche when all helpe semeth to be gone 16 But Iesus sayd vnto them They haue no nede to go away Geue ye them to eate Iesus sayd vnto them A. Our sauioure Christe knewe as sayth sainte Iohn what he wolde do but he reuealed not his intente and purpose by and by to his disciples to the ende he myght make a way by lyttell and lyttell and prepare theyr mindes to the miracle which he determyned to do Geue ye them to eate A. He commaundeth that to be done by his disciples which he him selfe determined to do and whiche by them was impossible to be done But he geueth them this commaundement to the ende they knowing the impossibillite of the thing namely to fede so many people with so littel meate the myracle might be the more wonderfull vnto them He knewe that his disciples as yet were but of a weake and imperfecte faythe and that they dyd not as yet sufficiently cōsider the power of god therefore he seeketh diligentely that the myracle whiche he was about to shewe might be made euident vnto them to the ende the power of God beynge noted in the same they myght be the more confirmed and strengthened in
because they are alwayes caried hedlonge into destruction Wherefore we must vnderstand those to be planted by the hande of God which by his fre adoption are graffed into the tree of life And in the prophets we shall oftentimes fynde these wordes planted of the lorde when they meane that the lord hath chosen some to be his people So the father hath plāted into the kingdome of heauen whom he geueth to the sonne to iustifie These being planted vpon the trewe lande of Israell shall neuer be pluked vp But these reprobate outcaste Phariseyes were neuer of this nomber but being externally of the vine of the lorde were in a shorte tyme cut of as vnfruitefull branches therefore they beinge nowe incurable and ordayned to destruction Christ pertayneth not vnto them C. And in this sence also the prophete calleth the Church renewed by the grace of Christe a flower planted by the lorde Finally because election commeth onely of the lorde the reprobate muste nedes perysshe howe so euer it come to passe not that God destroyeth the good innocent but because they by their own mallice tourne all thinges be they neuer so holsome and profytable for theim to theyr owne destruction And so it commeth to passe that the Gospell is the sauoure of death vnto deathe to them as witnesseth S. Paule For although the Gospell be set forthe for the saluation of all men yet notwithstāding it bryngeth not forth the fruite of saluation but onely in the elects B. Wherefore these wordes and examples of Chryste oughte to confyrme and strengthē so many as shal offend the euill and wicked by worde or dede when they following the word of God set forth nothinge but the glorye thereof and the fayth of our lord sauiour Iesus Christ Let theim onely beware that they neyther do nor say any thing of them selues without good aucthoritie and that theye sowe the seede of the worde of God with great reuerence and feare and also that they euer pray for the dyrection of godds spirite If they thus doinge offende any man let them remember these woordes of Christ namely that euery plant whiche the heauenly father hath not planted must be plucked vp by the rootes that is to saye it is ordained by the wyll of god that all they shoulde perishe whiche are not predestinate by the father to eternall life and that therfore of necessitie it must nedes come to passe that in al good thinges some shall be offended But as wée saide before it is our partes verye dilygently to beware and take heede leaste that they se or here any thynge by vs whereby they may iustly be offended but that they may haue al the cause of offēce in them selues although they wold seme to take the same by our good demeanour C. To be short a faythfull and good teacher wyll so temper moderate guyde what so euer hee publisheth that it shall proffite all men but so often as it commeth otherwise to passe let him comfort hym selfe with the aunswere of Christe Christ verye well and aptely put forthe this similitude to proue that the cause of destruction is not in the doctrine but that the reprobate which haue no rote in god worke their owne destruction and damnation who when the doctrine of Christ is set before them powre out their secret poyson and thus they accelerate and hasten deathe to theim selues Moreouer Chryste by this similitude towcheth Hypocrites whiche seeme for a season to be lyke vnto good trees that are planted Suche were the Scribes and Phariseis which sprang vp and grew in the church of God muche lyke to the Cedar trees in Lybanus to the ende their defection and withering away might seeme the more absurde Therfore in the church of Christ pure and sincere doctrine shal be alwaies preached Wherfore let the teachers cōsider and way what the capacitie of men doth require If any after their doctrine rage and waxe mad let the ministers of Christ suffer them For althoughe they seme to stande very well in the Church yet neuerthelesse they shal be plucked vp by the rootes at the length because they are not planted of the lorde And wher as Christe might very well haue saide that they shal perishe which carelesly and disdainefully reiecte saluation offered vnto them he procedeth farther and saith that none shal stand for euer but such whose saluation is firme sure in the electiō of God. By the which woordes he plainely sheweth that the first oryginall and beginning of our saluation commeth of the grace by the whiche God chose vs to be his sonnes before we were created before the foundation of the earth was layde 14 Let them alone they be the blind leaders of the blind If the blind leade the blynd both shall fal into the ditche Let them alone C. He meaneth that we should not set so much by men that their offence shoulde greately moue vs Notwithstanding a iudgement and discression is nedeful to be had For when they are offended by theyr owne wyckednes and not by ignorance we muste not regarde them but passe euen through the myddest of them Hereuppon came that olde distynction of auoydynge offences namely that we beware leaste we geue the offence to the weake but if any wicked obstinate and maliciouse person take the offence it is no matter to vs we nede not care For it is necessary the christ which is the rocke of offence shold be buryed if we wyll satisfie the obstinacy of all men Therefore it shall behoue vs to discerne betwene the weake whiche are offended throughe ignorance and are by and by conformable and the proude and obstinate whiche take offence to theim selues leaste any weake person be molested and troubled throughe our defalte But when the wicked obstinatelye kicke against vs let vs go voyde of care euen through the middest of theyr offences For he which doth not spare geue place to his weake bretherne is churlishe and dothe treade those as it were vnder his fete to whom he ought to reache out his helpinge hande But to care for others it is no parte of our bewetie seinge they must of necessitie fall into offence if we go forward in our calling and discharge our duety Furthermore when it shall come to passe that they are alienate and fallen from Christ by the collour cloke of offence let vs let theim alone leaste they drawe vs with thē also The cause why the Phariseies were offended was arrogancie disdaine they contemned greatly despysed the doctrine of Christe notwithstanding that it came from God the father In their hartes they bare the cause of offence wherfore Christ cōmandeth to let them alone They be the blind leaders of the blynd E. Or they be the blynde guides of the blinde according to the nature of the Greeke worde C. In this sentence there is a great Emphasis or force by the which Christ sheweth that the
harken onely to his voyce And in dede what can we aske or loke for at the handes of men when the woorde of lyfe it selfe is familiarly and openly reuealed It is meete that all mennes mouthes be stopped all tongues scilent after that he hath spoken in whom the heuenly father hath placed the treasure and richesse of all wisedome and knowledge And trewely hee spake euen as it became the wysedome and Messias of God to speake that is he so set forthe his wyll that hee lefte nothing to others to speake as concerning the augmenting of the same Wherefore to the ende he might kepe vs in his doctrine hee maketh the deuices inuentions of men to faile Hee sendeth forthe teachers dayly but suche whiche purely and faithfully teache and set forth that whiche they learned of hym and not which corrupt the Gospel with theyr additiōs Therfore the authoritie of Christ is not diminished when that the office of teaching is cōmitted and graunted vnto the ministers of the woord For Pastors are so ordeyned that they maye gouerne the Churche in the name of Christe not withstandinge so that Christ remaineth still the onely pastor Hee is therefore to be hearde not because he descended from heauen but he must be heard in his word by his mynisters For we are commanded to proue the spirites whether they be of God or no but this profe triall must be had by the woorde of God after this maner we shall alwayes heare Christ Christ the onely teacher and master was hearde euen frō the beginning and must be hearde to the ende of the worlde if we seke to obey the wyl of the father We al graunte that Christ is the sonne of God our Lorde and Sauiour and the spouse of the Church but where Christ should be heard alone there some refuse to geue this glory vnto Christe that he should be hearde alone and takē for the onely teacher They obiecte this place He which heareth you heareth me which sentence was spoken to the Apostelles to the mynisters and preachers of the Gospell First let them shew that they are the ministers of Christe bringinge with them the Gospell then shall that sentence pertayne vnto theim Let them suffer vs to heare the voyce of Christe and then shall we at the length heare him speakinge in them To be shorte there is no faythfull teacher of the Churche but he whiche is the disciple of Christ and offereth others vnto hym to be taughte 6 And when the Disciples hearde these thinges they fell on theyr faces and were sore afrayde And vvhen the Disciples C. God wold haue his disciples stricken with this terror to the ende the vision myghte be the better printed in theyr myndes In the meane tyme we do see howe greate the infirmytie of our nature is which so greatly feareth at the hearing of Goddes voyce For where as the wicked do eyther mock and deryde the same or elles carelesly neglect it it commeth herupon to passe because God dothe not by force compell and constraine them but it is necessary that the maiestie of God so soone as we do feele the same do deiecte and cast vs downe M. For the voice of God is terrible vnto fleshe for how should it not be a terrible thinge to a mortall and earthely man to heare from heauen the voyce of the immortal and omnipotent God full of maiestie And this is that whiche the Israelites spake vnto Moyses If we heare the voyce of the lorde our God any more we shall dye for what fleshe hath it ben that euer hearde the voyce of the liuinge God speakinge out of the middest of the fier as we haue done yet lyue Therefore we must laye aside that which is carnall in vs that we may haue that which is spiritual and come into the parfect felowshyp of God For this cause God talked to vs by his sonne and Apostels and speaketh dayly by other ministers 7 And Iesus came and towched thē and saide Arise and be not afraide And Iesus came C. Christe executeth his duetie in erecting those that lie prostrate For therefore hee came downe vnto vs that hee beinge the captaine and guide the faythfull might come without feare into the presence of God and maketh his maiestie that it semeth not terrible vnto them whiche otherwise wolde consume and destroy all fleshe Moreouer he doth not onely comforte his disciples with his woord but also confirmeth them by towchinge A. to the ende he mighte driue all feare frō them Be not afrayde M. As if he shoulde say This voyce whiche you heard is not the voyce of an angery God but of him that is well pleased A there is no cause therfore why ye should feare M. So that Christe in this place dothe interprete his fathers mynde and dothe comforte the dismayed myndes of mortal men whiche oughte also to bringe great consolation vnto vs. 8. And when they had lift vp their eies they sawe no man saue Iesus onely And vvhen they had lifte vp M. After this vision after the voice of God was heard and after the greate feare Christ is onely lefte vnto them C that they myght be taughte that a temporall glorye dyd pertayne to the lawe and the prophetes that Christ might remayne onely cleare and euident M. For Christ is the ende of the lawe and all the Prophetes Therfore if we wyll vse the workes of Moyses aright let vs not cleaue vnto them but let vs seke that by them we may be led by the hande as it were vnto Chryste whose mynisters Moyses and al others are Furthermore wee heare not nowe any more the voyce of the father oute of the clowde because hee spake once to the end we might euer after heare the voice of his sonne C. So long as we are terrified by the maiestie of God our mindes wander and go astray and are busied aboute men But we haue onely respecte vnto Christ when we haue any taste of the grace or mercy of God who alwaies must be prayed vnto that all respect and regarde of creatures may vanishe away This place also may be applied agaynste them and to condemne their superstytions whiche so mingle Christ not onely with the Apostelles and Prophetes but also with al the company of saynctes that he rather seemeth to be one of them than Christ or the annoynted sonne of God. 9 And when they came down from the mountaine Iesus charged them sayinge shewe the vision to no man vntyll the sonne of man be rysen againe from the deade And vvhen they came M. Christ wold haue the Vision published but not tyl the cōuenient and due tyme came namely after his resurrection At the whiche tyme his deuyne power openlye declaringe it selfe that temporall viewe and sighte of his glory begā to take place that it might be certaynely known that when he was most abased yet the glory of his deitie abode fyrme and sounde although it were hyd from
VVhich vvent out early in the morninge E. Or so soone as it wared day C. The day in this place is deuided according to the old maner for they did begin at the rysinge of the Sunne and then the other partes of the day were equall or a like But the howers of the day were eyther longer or shorter accordinge to the time for they were longer in Sommer than in Winter Beside that diuision there were fower speciall partes of the day euen as of the night and therefore here is mencion made of the thirde sixt and ninth hower Bu. But one of the clocke after midnighte accordinge to the howers of the Iewes was correspondent to sixe of the clocke before noone or in the morninge and thrée of the clocke to nyne sixe to twelue nine to thrée and a leuen to fiue Wherefore Christe sayde are there not twelue howers of the day To hyer labourers into his vineyarde C. Here wée muste note that wée are conducted called and sent of God the father which is the husbande man to labour in his Vineyarde and that wée are not created to liue ydellye and vnprofitablye in this life without fruite but that wée mighte labour to the Lord in honest fruition acceptable vnto God and profitable to our bretheren For there are many which do not thincke that they are borne to other men thincking it sufficient if they do no iniury to any man but truly wée ought to be such as must séeke for the profit of all men In the meane time let vs know that oure whole life is vnprofitable and that wée are woorthelye condempned of sluggishnes vntill euerye one of vs doo frame our liues according to the calling and commaundement of god Wherevppon it followeth that their busying of themselues doth profite nothinge at all which rashlye take this or that kinde of life in hande and haue no regarde to the commaundement of god B. It is not therefore as S. Paule sayth neither in the willer nor in the runner but in the mercye of God both that any man is called to the kingdome of God and also that hée bringeth foorth fruite in the same Let vs therefore commende our selues vnto him when wee go aboute to frame oure liues that hée may gouerne vs with his counsaile 2. And when the agreement was made with the labourers for a penny a day hee sent them into his Vineyarde And vvhen the agreement vvas made C. Some very subtillye vnderstande this place as though Christ should discerne or sonder the Iewes from the Gentiles For they say that the Iewes were called the couenant being made at the firste howre because the Lord had promised euerlasting life vnto them vnder a condition if they fulfilled the lawe but that in calling of the Gentiles there was no condition made at the least of workes because saluation was offered vnto them fréelye in Christ But all suche subtill expositions are vnsauery because the Lorde did not make any difference in the couenant or condition but onely in time because that they which came into the vineyarde not long before the euening receiued the like reward with the first For although we knowe that God in time past promised in the lawe to the Iewes the rewarde of workes we knowe notwithstandinge that this wanted effecte because there was neuer no man that God gaue saluation by his merits Question Why then may some man say did Christ make mention of the condition speaking of the first and when he spake of other helde his peace â–ª Surely he did it to the ende he might teache that the last are had in as great estimation honor without iniury done to any man as if they had bene called at the first For speaking properly he oweth nothing to any man and by his right he requireth of vs which are bound vnto him whatsoeuer we ar able to do But because he doth fréelye geue vnto vs the rewarde he is saide to condition for those works which are due vnto him Hereupon also it commeth that vnder the name of a rewarde he vouchsafeth to bestowe the crowne which notwithstanding he fréely geueth vnto vs To conclude that he might shew we haue no cause to quarell or contende with God if he make them partakers of the same honor that we haue which cam a great while after vs he borowed a similitude of the common maner of men whoe firste condition of the rewarde and then sende the workemen to their labor For a peny a day The latine texte for a peny hath denarius which is a kinde of Romane coyne woorth a groate that is thrée frenche shillinges and sixe pence as Guilielmus Budaeus supposeth And it is likely that this was the rewarde in those dayes of a dayes labour That which is conteyned in the thirde fourth and fift verses pertaineth to the same effect that the other doth going before 6 And about the eleuenth hovvre he vvent out and found other standing idle and sayde vnto them vvhy stand ye here all the day ydle And about the eleuenth hovvre A. We haue shewed already that by this howre he vnderstandeth the end of the day M. We must here note by the way that the workemen do not runne of their owne volun tary will into the vineyard but are cal and sent by the goodman of the house For he sendeth not nor calleth ydle lordes and prelates which flye as â—…auens to the carrian but laborers as concerning the which matter reade the ninth Chapter going before 8. And vvhen euen vvas come the lord of the vineyarde sayth vnto his stevvarde call the labourers and geue them their hire beginning at the last vntill the first And vvhen euen vvas come C. In that the good man of the house commaundeth to begin at the last there is no mistery to be sought for as though God would crown the first which by order of time are last For this interpretation shoulde be farre disagréeing from the doctrine of Paule which sayth We which shal liue and shal remayne in the comming of the Lorde shall not câ—…me ere they which sléepe But Christ here appointed contrarye order because otherwise he coulde not expresse that which hereafter he addeth sayinge that the firste murmured because more was not geuen vnto them Moreouer he doth not affirme neither is it his meaning that this murmuring shal be in the last day but he onely denyeth that there shal be anye cause of murmuring then For the figure called prosopopaeia which he bringeth in doth not a litle manifest this doctrine that the liberalitie of God is not subiect to any complaints and murmuringes of men when he bestoweth vpon the vnworthy without their merite great rewards They therfore had a vayne ymagination which thought that the Iewes were touched in these wordes which were malicious and enuious toward the Gentiles For it were an absurde thinge to haue such made equall in rewarde to the sonnes of god But this wickednes doth
compendium and short summe that God had not respect in the commaundementes of the lawe what men coulde do but what they ought to do For in this infirmity of the fleshe it cannot be that the perfecte loue of God should obtaine the kingdome for wee knowe howe prone all the sences of our minde are to vanity B. C. Wherby we gather that all mortall men were farre from perfect righteousnes and that there was no sinfull man neyther shal be which hath not offended in either of both namelye either in makinge accompte of one onelye God or in louinge of hym or els in both whē as ther is none which at some time hath not wauered in the faith and ioyned other thinges in equall loue with god C. Lastly here wee learne that god careth not for the outward shew of workes but specially requireth the inwarde affection that good fruites maye springe from the roote 38. This is the first and greatest commaundement A. Hée meaneth that all the commaundementes of the first table are comprehēded in this commaundement 39. And the seconde is like vnto it Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe And the seconde is like to it M. Hee calleth it seconde in order because to loue God before our neighboure is first in order C. For the worship of God hath the first place Hée sayth that it is like to the first because it hath some affinity and agreement with the first or rather because it dependeth of that For seing euery man is addicted and geuen to himselfe true charity shal neuer abyde betwene neighbour and neighboure but whereas the loue of God abydeth It is a counterfeit loue with the which the children of this world loue one another because euerye one hath care for his owne profite Againe it is impossible for the loue of God to raygne but the same shall breede and ingender brotherly loue betweene man and mā B C. Othersome will say that it is therefore like to the first both because in eache of them the true and perfecte affection of loue is commaunded and also because as loue is heade of all those thinges which are due vnto God which are shortly comprehended in that commaūdement that wée loue God with all oure harte c. Euen so also the loue of oure neighbour is the head of all those things which are due and belonginge to oure neighboure which are comprehended in this commaundement Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe And this is that which they say the Apostle writ in the thirtene to the Romaynes and fift to the Galathians Thou shalt loue thy neighboure This woord neighbour doth not onely signifye kinsmenne and frendes or suche which are ioyned to vs by som affinity but those also which are vnknowne to vs and our ennemies whom Christ commaundeth vs to loue in another place C. For we come all of one being made after the Image and likenes of God neither is ther any man so barbarous or base but hee is ioyned vnto vs in this knot which is inuiolable and holy and cānot be abolished by the wickednes of any man All mankinde must be imbraced by one affection of loue there oughte to be no difference betwene the barbarous and Scithian betweene the worthye and vnworthye betweene the frende and ennemy because all are one in Christ Iesus and they are to be considered in God not in themselues From the which way if we decline it is no marueile if wée be intangled in many errors Neither can wée herevppon denye but the more a man is neere vnto vs the more we ought to helpe him For this the nature of man it selfe bringeth to passe that the more they are knit together eyther by the bonde of kinred familiarity or affinity the more they are prest and ready to do them good A. Also wee are bounde accordinge to the rule of S Paule to loue those sainctes faith full men in whom the repayred Image of God shyneth more than such as beare the ymage of the deuill the Prince of this world though they be our nye kinsmen For hee sayth Let not to do good to all men but specially to them of the househould of fayth Euen as thy selfe C. Whē Moyses the mā of God commaunded vs to loue our neighboures as our selues hee mente not to set the loue of our selues in the first place as thoughe euerye man shoulde loue himselfe first and then his neighbour as the Sorbonicall Sophisters do cauill But seinge wee are to muche addicted to our selues Moyses going about to reforme this vyce commaundeth vs to geeue the like and same loue to our neighboures that wee geeue to oure selues euen as if he had forbidden al men to neglect others and to haue a care for themselues because loue ioyneth all men into one body And goinge about also to correcte Philautian or selfe-loue which seperateth one man from another hée reduceth all men to common society and mutuall loue Therefore wée are not here taught how to loue our selues But hee teacheth vs this As euery man is wont to loue himselfe so let him loue also his neighboure And whereas the affection of loue was wōt to remaine in vs by a naturall corruption he sheweth nowe that it muste be otherwise that wée mighte haue no lesse desier and care to benefite our neighboures than oure selues Whereby we gather that Paule doth not without good cause call loue the bonde of perfection and in another place the fulfilling of the lawe because all the commaundementes of the seconde table are referred to the same Bu. The Euāgelist Marke addeth that to loue a mans neighbour as himselfe is a greater thing then all burnt offeringes and sacrifices For these thynges were neuer acceptable to the trewe lyuinge and eternall God without faith and loue as we haue already declared in the fifthe chapter goinge before Nowe if we gather al these thinges into a compendium and shorte somme we shall see that the lorde hathe taught vs that in fewe words which the whole scripture discourseth of at large namelye that there is one God onely in substaunce that this God is oure God whiche woulde vs well whiche loueth vs and seketh to saue vs And that this God ought to be loued and worshiped of vs for him selfe as the father lorde and chiefe felicitie and that euerye man also must be loued for Goddes sake and that so vnfaynedly as wee loue our selues and as Christe hath loued vs. 40 In these two cōmaundementes hang all the lawe and the prophetes C. Howe the lawe and the prophetes do depende vppon these twoo commaundementes reade the seuenth chapter going before What so euer is taughte in the lawe and the prophetes as concernynge the doctrine of lyfe is fulfylled of them whiche loue God and theyr neyghboure A After these thynges the Euangelyst Marke addeth that a Scribe aunswered Christ sayinge Well maister thou hast saide the truethe for there is one God and there is none but hee 41 VVhile
bloude of Zacharye the sonne of Barachias whome he slewe betwene the temple and the altar That vppon you may come B. Bu. To haue the iust bloude come vpon any man is to be gilty of bloude and to haue bloude required at his handes that is to be punished and to haue vengeance recompeÌ„ced for the bloud whiche was shed C. Christ doth not only detracte and plucke away froÌ„ the Scribes Phariseis that whiche they falselye arrogated to them selues but also teacheth that they were adorned with the Prophetes to a quight coÌ„trary ende that no age might be frée from the mischife of wicked rebellion For the pronoune you doth generally comprehende the whole people from their firste originall or beginning Obiection If anye man do obiecte and saye that it doth not agrée with the iudgemente of God that the punishementes of the fathers faltes shoulde be layed vppon the children wee maye easelye aunswere that seinge they also by wycked conspiracy wrapped them selues in the same vngodlines it oughte not to seme absurde if God punishinge euery one of them alike do laye the punishemente dewe to the fathers vppon the heades of the children Therefore iustly a count is to be made and punishment also to be had of the whole people for the continuall contempte at the lenghte in whose time or in what age soeuer it commeth Forâ—… as God by the longe continuance of his pacience did constantly contende with the malice of the whole people euen so all of them by their iuste deserte werr made giltye of the inflexible obstinacy which coÌ„tinued euen vntil the laste hower as euery age by compacte consente murthered their Prophetes euen so it is mete that they be called to common and general iudgement and all the slaughters which were coÌ„mitted by one consented to be reuenged vpon al B. Bu. The Lorde therfore doth not only threaten the reuenge of those whome they shoulde kil but also the reuenge of those whome their elders had slaine signifiyng the beseginge and vtter destruction of this people For these men did kyll Christe the heade of all Saints and his Apostles also greater than all Saintes as they whiche broughte the more perfecte knowledge of God to the world therefore they did not onely finishe but also excéede the crueltye of all their forefathers whiche had shed the innocent bloud of the Prophetes So that euen as they had the crueltye of them al finished to the full so they made themselues gylty of all the iuste bloud which they at any time had shed For as all the saints from the first to the laste are all one body hauing Christe their heade and what benefits the Lorde geueth to their posteritye he saythe that he geueth them to their fathers euen so all the wicked doe consiste of one bodye hauynge Sathan their heade wee saye that vengeance is rewarded them and that they are punished with such punishmeÌ„ts which are not felt of theÌ„ in this lyfe with the whiche they are afflicted in dede but firste of all are takeÌ„ vpoÌ„ their posterity So the Amalachites fought against Israel wheÌ„ they came out of Egipte The which thing the Lord coÌ„maunded to be written in a booke for a remembrance and to be committed to the eares of Iosue promisinge that he wolde vtterly roote oute that people in somuch that no remnaunte of theÌ„ should remayne for a memoriall But the lorde performed that thing first of al by Saule within forty yeres after or thereabout that this people the Amalachites had offeÌ„ded and so the vengeance or reuenge of that falte fell vpon them whiche neuer committed the same by externall falte Notwithstanding this God was not vniust in reuenging vpoÌ„ them that which their fathers had coÌ„mitted For these at the last had fulfylled and whollye rynyshed the wickednesse of their fathers so that the same wickednes did specially deserue to be ponished externally in them After this manner therefore the crueltie also of all those whiche haue shed at any time iust bloud and the impietie of these Iewes at the laste whiche were destroyed by Titus came to the full and fulfilled the same measure whiche deserued extreame vengeaunce It was reuenged therefore and ponished in them by right and they were iustely plagued for an example to the whole world NotwithstaÌ„dinge in the meane tyme also they which were before these men were no lesse ponished for their offence but priuatelye but they receyued the more publique and greatter ponishement whiche were destroyed by Titus This is a horrible malediction and cursse if we communicate and take parte in the wyckednesse of the vngodly we shall not onely beare the ponishemente of oure owne synnes but of their synnes also From the bloud of the righteouse Abell C. Althoughe Abell were not slayne of the Iewes yet notwithstanding Christ imputeth his deathe vnto them because euen among those there was a certain affinitie of the wickednes of Cayne otherwise it wolde not agree that he saith that the iust bloud was shedd from the begynninge of the worlde by this generation Cayne therefore is appointed the headde the prince and authour of the Iewishe people because in that they began to kill the prophetes they succeded and came into his place whose followers they were A. He calleth Abell iuste because by a lyuely fayth in the promised redemer he offered vp sacrifice acceptable to God. As concernynge the which matter reade the leuenth chapter to the Hebrewes Vntyll the bloudde of Zachary C. He nameth Zachary not as thoughe he were the laste martyr for the Iewes had not then made an ende of kyllynge the Prophetes but rather herevpon their boldenes and mad fury increased and they which came after dyd ingurge and fyl them selues with the bloudde whiche theyr fathers onelye had lycked neyther yet because his death was the more comonly known although the holye Scrypture dothe celebrate the same but there is an other cause the whiche beinge worthye to be noted was vnknowen to the interpretours Wherby also it came to passe that they were not onely deceiued but the readers also were brought into greate doubte For Christ might seme to be forgetfull when he rehersynge an olde slaughter omitteth an innumerable heape of murthers whiche were afterwarde commytted vnder Manasses For the Iewes dyd not ceasse to persecute wickedly the saintes and holye men of God euen vnto the time of transmigration or departure into Babilon yea when the affliction of the Iewes was come we knowe howe cruelly they dealt with the prophete Ieremy But trewely the Lorde didde not seeke to cast in theyr teethe those lately done murthers but he rather chose this old and ancient slaughter whiche was the beginninge and originall of mischeuouse libertie that they might afterwarde burste forthe into vnbrydled crueltie because this was more meete for his purpose For wee declared euen nowe that this was the effect of his counsell and purpose that seing that nation did not cease and leaue
shall be abashed and constrayned to shame at so greate a myracle of his goodnesse For what a thyng is this that God shoulde so muche abase hym selfe for our sakes When he put vpon hym the persone of a mother he abased hym selfe a greate deale beneath hys glory but howe muche more in this that he takynge vpon hym the forme of a hen vouchesafeth to accompt of vs as his chickins Moreouer if this thyng were worthely offered to the auncient people whiche lyued vnder the lawe it doth a great deale more belong vnto vs For although it was alwaies trewe whiche we cited euen nowe out of Moyses and that the coÌ„playntes ate trewe whiche are redde in Esay that God dothe dayly stretche oute his armes to an vnfaythfull people that went not the ryght waye but after their owne immaginations yet not withstandinge at this daye he dothe a greate deale more familiarly and swetely inuite and call vs to hym by his sonne Wherefore horrible reuenge abideth for vs so often as he offereth vnto vs the doctryne of the Gospell excepte we quietlye couer oure selues vnder his winges with the which he is alwayes ready to receyue vs And where as we sayde before that Chryste speaketh in the person of God it must be thus vnderstoode that those woordes do properly belonge to his eternall deitie For he doth not reason here what hee began to do so soone as hee was manifested in the fleshe but he declareth howe carefull hee hath bene from the beginning for the saluation of this people And wee knowe that God hath so gouerned his Churche that Christe hath bene the heade of the same in respecte that hée was the eternall wysedome of god In the whiche sence S. Paule doth not saye that God the father was in the desert but that Christ was tempted in the deserte But where as the Papistes abuse this place to proue freewill and to abolyshe the secret predestination of God they do greately erre and maye easelye be aunswered They make their argumeÌ„t thus The Lorde say they wyll gather all Obiection Therefore it is free for all to come neyther dothe theyr will depende vppon the election of god Wee answere that the wyll of God whereof mention is made here is to be consydered of the effect For seynge he calleth all men without exception by his worde to saluation and this is the ende of preachynge that all men might seke to beleue and kepe the same it is iustely saide of hym that he desireth to gather all men vnto him Therfore the secrete councell of God is not here described vnto vs but the wyll whiche is perceyued by the nature of the worde For certainly those whom he meaneth effectually to gather he draweth inwardly by his holy spirite doth not call them only by the externall voyce of men Obiection If any maÌ„ obiect and say that we do absurdely immagine a double wil to be in God we answere that we beleue no other wise but that his wil is only and symple but because our mindes do not pearce to the profounde depth of his secrete election therfore for oure infirmities sake a double wyll of God is propounded vnto vs And we meruaile that somme haue so feble a brayne and slender iudgement that the Anthropopatheian or humaine affection which is often found in the Scriptures offendethe them nothing at all only they will not admit it in this parte This therfore we say that so sone as doctrin which is the banner and enâ—…igne of vnitie is displayed openly published God straight waie seketh to gather all men that whosoeuer commeth not might be voyde of excuse And ye vvoulde not Bu. He casteth ingratitude in their tethe As if he sholde saye In that ye will peryshe ye can not blame me for I woulde gather you but ye are so obstinate Question that ye wil not be gathered Some amisse yea very wickedly do obiecte vppon this place sayinge Howe dothe he saye here that hee wolde For if God will why doth he it not For all thynges that hee wolde he did Furthermore we can not be otherwise gathered than by his spirite the whiche when it is presente it dothe effectuallye moue the myndes of men To the whiche agayne wee aunswere that the secreate iudgemente of God is not to be soughte oute or curiousely searched for but his worke is to be consydered He wold haue vs gathered together so often as hee displayethe his banner as the captayne of the battayle lette vs haue respecte vnto that and not enter into his secret iudgemente He dothe onely worke effectually by his spirite in the elect Yet notwithstandinge he calleth all men generallye neyther dothe he saye that he dyd what he coulde but what so euer was necessary and so muche as was nedefull C. Furthermore where as Christe sayth here And ye vvold not it maye be referred as well to the whole nation as to the Scribes notwithstandinge it oughte rather to be vnderstoode of those by whom the gatheringe was chiefely hyndered For Christ altogether inueyed against them and nowe he hauinge spoken to Hierusalem in the synguler nomber semeth not without cause by and by to alter the nomber For there is an opposition or contrarietie of greate force betwene the wyll of God and their vnwillingenesse because the deuyllishe furor and madnesse of men is expressed who are not afraide to contende with God. 38. Beholde your house is left vnto you desolate M. It is redde in the present tence notwithstandynge for the future tence in the auncienst latten bokes that are written C. For he by these woordes speakethe of the spoylinge of the temple and of the destruction of polytique gouernemente For althoughe they were deformed and oute of order by reason of impietie wicked actes and all maner of infamy yet notwithstandinge theye were so blynded with false truste of external worshippe and of the temple that they thoughte God to be bounde vnto theym And alwaies they hadde this buckeler at hand to defend them selues with What should God depart out of this place whiche be chose vnto him selfe alone aboue al other places of the earth But if he dwel in the middest of vs it is mete and necessarie that we be restored at the lengthe Furthermore they toke the temple to be vnto them as a sure bulwarke defence as thoughe they had syt in Goddes lappe But Christ saith that they glory in vain in the presente of God whome they had driuen awaye by their wyckednes and callinge it their house hee dothe thereby playnely shewe that it is not the house of God any more The temple trewelye was builded for this cause to this ende that by the comminge of Christ it shulde ceasse to be the seate and station of God notwithstandinge it had stoode as an excellente monumente of the perpetuall grace of God if it had not bene destroied by the wickednesse of the people This therfore was the horrible
daungerous least they should quayle being ouerwhelmed with euels specially if they had promised vnto them selues quiet ease But he speaketh not here symplely but by a cōparison that there were always warres but neuer such greuouse warres For about the begynning of Christes commyng or about the beginninge of the Gospell they preuayled more and more B. Furthermore these rumours of warres and warres that is to saye tumultes seditions and murthers began specially and chiefely to bee in the tyme of Cumanus lieftenaunt whiche succeded Tyberius Alexander of whome Iosephus maketh mention Within a whyle after there insued an other tumulte betwene the Iewes and the Samaritanes with greate slaughter of men and spoylyng of townes After that there followed an other tumulte at Caesaria But when P. Festus had succeded Felix of whiche succesion mention is made in the fower and twenty chapter of the Actes he went aboute to delyuer that Prouince form theues but the vengeaunce of God stayinge the same he coulde not The sayde Festus being succeded by Albinus and Albinus by C. Florus all kynde of wyckednes ouerflowed For as these twoo but specially Florus lefte nothyng vndone pertayning to tyranny extreame and open iniurie and rapine euen so therewith the bouldenes of those that were seditious amonge the Iewes did dayly more and more increase where vpon immediatly came tumultes hurly-burlys roberies open violence and by little and lyttle cruel murthers and the people were vexed daylye with vnspeakeable euels and calamities tyll that they were driuen to iust rebellion with suche vnwonted force and violent crueltie not heard of before he raged against them But kyng Agrippa went many wayes about to diswade and dehorte them from rebellion yet all in vayne At the length therefore when they had preuayled whiche sought to renewe thynges the Romane power and the garryson of kyng Agrippa did assault the cittie of Hierusalem with open warre and being forced to yelde after they had geuen handes and promysed lyfe with an othe they slewe ouery one of them sauing only Mutilius the lieftenaunt After that Cestius the presidēt of Syria did bid the cittizens of Hierusalem battaile But he being forced to rayse his siege and to auoyde the force of the Iewes by flight the authours of the rebellion were made more boulde and hauing gotten all power they brought vnto them selues and to theires muche euell vntyll suche tyme as they were altogether banyshed by Titus Of all the whiche thynges Iosephus wryteth at large form the eleuenth chapiter of the seconde booke of the warre of the Iewes vnto the ende of the seuenth booke Be not troubled S. To be troubled by reason of warres in this place is to doubte of the truthe of the worde the whiche thyng we doe when we iudge of the woorde by vncertayne thynges B. as at this daye it happeneth with them whiche for the present happe and chaunce doe eyther begyn to doubte of the Gospell or to haue the same in suspicion or els altogether to cōdemne it For all these thinges must firste come This woorde Must conteineth in it no small consolation For what wyse man wil be afflicted for the thing whiche cannot otherwyse be But what man that trusteth in God wyll be troubled when that commeth to passe whiche must nedes happen by the ordinaunce of God the whiche thing must nedes be beste and moste wholsome for the saynctes of God God truly wyll not haue those that are his to bee troubled in these necessary and continuall tormoyles of thinges but to bee of a stoute mynde as those that knowe it to bee the decree and ordinaunce of god He saieth that it must nedes bee and yet notwithstandinge hee sheweth not the cause but declareth that none of all these thinges come to passe by chaūce or without the prouidence of God least we shoulde in vayne kycke against the pricke For there is nothynge more effectuall to bryng vs vnder than when we do acknowledge that those thinges whiche seme moste confused are moderated by the wyll and pleasure of god For to God him selfe iust causes and true reasons why he suffereth the worlde to be troubled are neuer wantinge but because it is mete that the faythfull doe areste in the mere and good pleasure of God Christe thoughte it sufficient to exhorte the disciples to haue their mindes armed with constancie to beare and suffer because so it pleased God. By these woordes also he dothe shewe vnto vs that his kyngdome dothe not brynge vs pleasaunte delightes and suche other lyke commodities of this worlde but that it is spirituall and he dothe as it were demonstrate with the fynger that wee must haue respecte to somewhat els than to the earth and the commodities of this present lyfe Neither dothe this woorde Must signifie any thing that is fatall or belonging to desteny as certayne fanaticall or mad men doe deme For it hath alwayes one cause or other and it is profitable to bee done for those causes before mencioned But the ende is not yet Christe here more playnely vttereth that whiche we spake of before namely that those thinges whiche were greuous of thē selues were notwithstanding onely certayne enteraunces and beginninges of greater calamities because whan the flame of warres had corrupted Iury it would burste out further For in that the doctrine of the Gospell was spread abroade the lyke ingratitude among other nations dyd kyndle the wrathe of God. Hereupon it came to passe that they whiche had broken the bonde of peace with God dyd nowe teare one an other with mutuall debate that they whiche refused before to obeye God are nowe gladde to submitte them sleues to the violence of their ennemies that they whiche before woulde not abyde to be reconciled vnto God are nowe together by the eares one with an other and that they whiche depryued them selues of heauenly saluation haue nowe fylled the earth with murther in sleying one an other M. Therefore by these woordes hee sheweth that these sedicions shall bee of longe continuance And it is a verye proffitable admonition leaste men shoulde thynke that they haue done enough if they haue escaped twoo or three daungers but rather that they shoulde alwayes bee readye to a newe fyghte For seynge the lyfe of man is a continuall warrefare vppon earthe we ought not to promyse vnto our selues a quiet state whyle we are in this worlde 7 Nation shall ryse againste nation and kyngdome against kyngdome there shall be pestilence and hunger and earthquakes in all places Nation shall ryse against nation B. This proued to true to Caesarea Scythopolis Ascalon Ptolmaida Alexandria and afterwarde to Damasi where tenne thousande were slayne finally to the kyngdome of Agrippa and to all Syria and the kyngdomes there aboutes of the whiche Iosephus maketh mention And there shal be pestilence M. In the third place he putteth those sygnes of the wrath of God and of the destruction to come whiche shoulde be from heauen As concerninge these plagues
for there shabe greate trouble in the lande and wrathe ouer all this people And they shall fall throughe the edge of the swerde and shal be led awaye captiue in to all nations He meaneth the lande of Iewry By this woorde wrathe he vnderstandeth the vengeaunce of God frō Heauen that is to saye greate afflictions and calamitis sent of God from heauen which declare that God is angrye He ioyned wrath and trouble together because God beinge angery sendeth trouble as if he shoulde saye by this greate trouble the Lord declareth that he is angrye against this people dwelling in the lande of Iewry And what this trouble should be he afterward declareth when he saith And they shall fall through the edge of the swerde c. And in this place is putte in stede of For. B. He that readeth the story of Iosephus shall see that these thinges are true in all pointes For so many euels happened vnto them in the tyme of beséeginge that they can not be tolde an innumerable sorte of them in this tyme perished daylye some by kyllinge themselues some by honger whiche continued so longe that a certayne woman was fayne to seeth her owne sonne for foode there were also taken of them in the tyme of this warre a thousande and foure score and seuentene prisoners and theyr dyed betwene the beginnynge and endynge of this séege ten hondered thousande as writteth Iosephus C. The Euangeliste saincte Luke addeth that all those thinges whiche were written mighte be fulfilled For seinge the couenaunte of GOD was then broken by the obstinate malice of the people it was necessary that the earthe it selfe and the ayer shoulde be stricken wyth a wonderfull alteration and chaunge There coulde no plage truely bee more deadlye and greuouse to the Iewes than to haue the lighte of the heauenlye doctrine extinguished and they them selues also reiected of god But they were constrained to fele the plage of their reiection by sharpe and greuouse scourges as in greate obstinacye it was necessary More ouer the cause of so horrible vengeaunce was for that the desperate impietye of this people was come euen to the full For the medecine whiche was broughte for theire disease was not onlye proudlye despised of them but also contumeliouslye reiected yea they dyd cruelly as it were mad men rage against the Phisition hym selfe Seinge therefore the Lorde reuenged on them so seuerelye the obstinate contempte of his Gospell let vs alwayes haue before our eyes their punishement and let vs therby learne that there is nothynge that the Almighty God can lesse suffer at our handes than the obstinate contempte of his grace And althoughe the same rewarde dothe abyde the lyke contemners of the Gospell yet notwithstandynge God woulde haue the same documente or instruction to abyde in memorye aboue all others to the ende the glory of Christe his commynge mighte be more euident to those that shoulde come after For wee can not by woorde of mouthe expresse anye crime more hainouse than to put the sonne of God to death the author of lyfe offered vnto them from heauen Therefore when they had fulfilled this horrible acte they seassed not by one wickednes or an other to brynge vppon them all the causes of extreame destruction A. Therefore Christe sayth there shal be greate tribulation Suche as vvere not from the beginning of the vvorld Bu. Marke hath from the beginninge of creatures whiche God created callinge there the world the creature of god as in the eight to the Romanes also Neither shal be C. Christ saith here that the like afflictiō shal neuer be in the world because euē as the only repulse of Christ beinge ioyned with suche obstinacy and ingratitude was the moste detestable sinne that euer was committed euen so also it was iust and mete that the reuēge therof should passe all other in cruelty M. But if the Lorde did so seuerely punishe and reuenge himselfe on that nacion whiche he had chosen to be a holye one to himselfe what shall wee thinke will come to passe excepte wee beinge warned by these examples followe oure callinge 22. Yea and except those dayes shoulde be shortned there should no fleshe be saued but for the chosens sake those dayes shal be shortened Yea and except those dayes should be shortened A. That is except the Lord should shorten those dayes For Marke hath Except the Lorde had shortened those dayes that is except the Lord had ended them As if he shoulde saye if the Lorde had suffered that calamity as it was vehement so to haue continued if also he had suffered the enemys to rage so much and so longe as they listed not one amonge all that people should haue escaped There shoulde no fleshe be saued C. He putte this worde fleshe for man accordinge to the maner of the Hebrewes We must vnderstande these things to be spoken of the Iewes not of all mankind as some falsely interprete as if he should haue saide that no man shoulde abide in safety He amplifieth therfore the cruelty of the destruction notwithstandinge he mitigateth the same againe with a consolation namely that the name of the Iewes thereby shoulde vtterlye be destryed blotted out excepte the Lorde shoulde haue respecte vnto his electe and for their sakes to release somwhat of the extremity And this place agreeth with that of the prophete Esay where he saith And excepte the Lord of hostes had lefte vs a fewe alyue we shoulde haue bene as Sodoma lyke vnto Gomorha For it was necessary the that vēgeāce of god which happened in the Babilonical exile should be fulfilled againe by the comming of Christ as the Apostell Paule witnesseth Yea the greater that the wickednes was the more greuouse ought the vengeance of God to be Therfore our sauiour Christ saith that except God should make appointe an ende to these euels the Iewes shoulde vtterly perishe in so muche that not one of them shoulde remaine But God hauing a consideration of his cōuenāt saith he spared his electe according to the Prophesy of Esay in an other place saying Thoughe thy people O Israell be as the sande of Sea yet shall the remnaunte of them conuerte in him and bee saued But for the chosens sake those dayes A. The Euāgeliste Marke hath he hath shortned those dayes Because he had as yet and woulde haue some of the chosen oute of this people the Lorde shortened those days of calamity leaste the whole stocke of the Iewes shoulde altogether be extinguished Whereuppon Peter also writteh The Lorde knoweth howe to deliuer the godly oute of temptation and to reserue the vniust vnto the day of iudgemēt for to be punished He preserued Noe the eight preacher of righteousnes and broughte in the floude vpon the worlde of the vngodly and he deliuered iust Loth being vexed with the vncleanly cōuersatiō of the wicked C. And this is a notable documēt or lesson of the diuine Iudgement of God
What therefore remaineth nowe but that wee shoulde looke daye by daye and euery hower for this latter daye of iudgemente the verye moment whereof is only knowne vnto the Lorde 29. And knewe not of it till the floude came and tooke them all awaye So shall also the comminge of the Son of man be And they knevv not Z. When he saythe that they knewe not it semeth to signify as much as they would not know in this place For there are some whiche wittinglye wyll fall into error and ignorance Or els it maye thus be expounded They dyd not knowe that is they did not beleue that there shoulde bee a floude vntill suche tyme as the floude came vppon them in dede C. The well springe therfore and cause of their ignorance was vnbelefe whiche had altogether blinded their mindes as the Apostell also teacheth in his epistell to the Hebrewes sayinge that by the eyes of faith he sawe afore hande the vengeance of GOD whiche was hydden as yet that he mighte feare the same in tyme And oure Sauiour Christe here compareth Noe with the reste of the worlde and the Euangeliste ◅ Luke compareth Lot with the Sodomites that the saithfull maye learne to prepare them selues leaste they wanderinge with others vanishe awaye And wee muste note that the reprobate did therefore syt downe carelesly in their wickednes because the Lord did not voutchsafe to aduertise any with his sauing admonition to beware but his seruāts only not because the floud was altogether hidden from the inhabitants of the earth whose eyes might behold a sorowful sight by the space of a hondered yeres more all the whiche time Noe was preparinge the Arke but because one mā was specially admonished by the wil of God as concerninge the destruction to come of the whole worlde was erected to the hope of saluation And nowe althoughe the fame of the last iudgemēt do sounde in the eares of al men yet notwithstāding because fewe being taught frō aboue do vnderstāde that Christ shal come a iudge in his time it is mete that they be stirred vp and their sences sharpened by this singuler benefite of God least they fal into the cōmon ignorance For to this ende Peter compareth the Arke of Noe with our baptisme namely because a fewe that is to saye eyghte soules were saued by the water and seperated from the reste Wherefore wee muste seke to be of this small nomber if we desyere to be saued And tooke them all avvaye S. He noteth the small nomber of those whiche were deliuered and saued from the floude for all perished excepte eyghte persons only as testifyeth the Scripture So shall the comming of the Sonne of man be Reade the ende of the seuen and thyrtye verse goinge before 40. Then shall twoo be in the felde the one receiued and the other to be refused B. He sheweth here that there shal be wonderfull choyse and also that fewe shal be saued at his comming and he doth therewith admonishe vs by these woordes to watche carefully that wee maye be of the nomber of those whiche shal be receiued into eternal life As if he should saye Euen as in the time of the floude a fewe were taken vp into the Arke saued the reste shut out of the dores and perished so at the comminge of the Son of manne those that shall perishe shall sodenly be deuided from those that must be saued neither shall God spare anye man from the hyeste to the lowest For the elect shal be taken vp and the damned shut into prison Two shal be laboring in the felde about one worke for one rewarde the one of them shal be receyued and the other forsaken 41. Twoo women shabe grinding together at the mill the one shal be receiued and the other refused Twoo in a bed the one receiued the other refused Tvvoo vvemen shal be grynding at the mill A. By these woordes he declareth the wonderfull diuision that shal be at the laste daye C. Therefore the Euāgeliste Luke speaketh of those which are ioyned together in one bed leaste that couples by the which men are mutually bounde one to an other in this worlde shoulde holde backe or staye the godly For often times it commeth to passe that while one man looketh vpon an other none setteth forwarde Therfore that euery mā the bond knot being loused might spedely ronne for himselfe Christ teacheth the out of one paire or couple one yoake fellow shal be receiued the other refused not because it is necessary that they whiche are ioyned together shoulde be so deuided for the holy bonde of piety wil bringe to passe that the honest woman shall cleane to the honeste man but Christe onelye wente aboute to exhorte all men to make haste that he mighte cut of all lets and stayes that they whiche were now ready to roonne shoulde tary for theyr fellowes in vaine A. To the which effecte pertayneth this exhortacion of the Apostell Seinge then that all these things shal perishe what maner of persons ought ye to be in holy conuersation and godlynes lookinge for and hastynge vnto the comming of the daye of God. The one receiued the other refused Z. As if he shoulde saye the Lord knoweth who are his the electe shall not be forsaken but shal be gathered and receiued vnto me althoughe some sodeine feare do take thē at the firste yet shall faithe come at the laste and putte awaye all feare To receiue is a worde of Grace And as touchinge that whiche appartaineth to the grynders wee maye gather out of the lawes and hystories of them of old time that men seruants maides were wont to be sente and put into the wyll As appeareth in the eleuenth chapter of Exod. where it is saide vnto the firste borne of the mayd seruant that is behind the mill 42. VVatche therfore for ye knowe not what howre the Lord will come VVatche therefore B. He taketh occasion to exhorte them to watche of the vncertainty of his comminge What it is to watche he afterwarde declareth by this that he saith Be ye ready For vigilātly to looke for the comming of the Lorde is nothynge els than to be in a redines to receiue hym with ioye He speaketh not of the bodelye watche but of the watchynge of the minde that is a continuall care desyer and looking for the Lorde to come The Euangeliste Sainct Luke addeth continually leaste we should thinke that wee must watche onelye for a tyme. For ye knovve not vvhat hovver C. We must note that the vncertaine time of Christs comminge which bringeth slouthful security to the greatest part of men ought to be a prouocatiō to stirre vs vp to watchinge warding For God would haue this time hidden from vs by his secrete counsell that wee beinge voyde of care at no tyme maye alwayes watche For what triall should there be of faith and pacience if the faithfull leading their whole life in pleasures mighte haue
Disciples that he was the true Lorde to whom it belonged to commaunde all menne who commaundinge all oughte to obeye and that he hathe also the hartes of menne in his handes in so muche that he can dispose and constraine them to obeye him Suche a one he nameth him selfe and suche a one in déede he proueth him selfe when he commaundethe the Fole to be loosed and broughte vnto him as appeareth in the 21. Chapter before And saithe he if any shall saie vnto you why doo you loose him say yée The Lord hathe néede of them â–ª And by and by he will lette them goe Marke and Luke adde sayinge And while they were loosinge the Coulte the owners thereof saide vnto them Wherefore doo yée loose the Coulte And they saide Because the Lorde hathe néede thereof And they suffered them But in an other place also he dothe most plainely call him selfe a maister as when he saith Yée call me maister and Lorde yée say wel for so I am My time is at hand C. Althoughe he did rightely celebrate Paseouer accordinge to the commaundemente of the Lawe yet notwithstandinge he séemeth not without consideration to allege this that he mighte put away the fault of moroâ—â—tie and waywardnesse He saithe therefore that he hathe cause to make haste that he might apply him selfe to euery vsuall Custome because he is called to a greater Sacrifice In the meane time notwithstandinge as we saide in the seconde verse before he dothe renewe nothinge in the Ceremonie B. Neither dothe he saye My deathe but My time is at hande that he mighte declare that his deathe was for certaine appointed of God and also to teache vs by his example to be ready and willinge when the time shall comme whiche is appointed to euery one C. Christe dothe so often therfore inculcate that the time of his death is at hand that the Disciples mighte knowe that willingely he made haste to obeye the Decree and Will of his Father I vvill keepe my Easter by thee B. Behould with how great confidence and authoritie he commauÌ„deth this man to geue him roume place in the which he might keepe his Easter Marcke and Luke adde that he saide Where is the gheastchamber that I maie eate Paseouer with my Disciples And he shall shewe vnto you a greate Parloure paued and prepared there prouide make ready for vs And his Disciples wente and came into the Cittie and founde as he had saide vnto them The Euangelistes saie that they founde as the Lorde had sayde by the whiche we are taughte that he will neuer frustrate our hope if we geue credite vnto his woordes For he cannot deceiue C. But in that he ioyned the shadowed sacrifice to that which is trewe he thereby exhorted the faithefull that they woulde compare that with the Olde Figures whiche he fulfilled in déede For this Comparison settethe foorthe no small force and effecte of his deathe For Paseouer was not enioyned to the Iewes to this ende onely that they shoulde be mindefull of the Oulde Deliuerance but also that they shoulde hope for the more speciall Deliuerance that shoulde come by Christe To this effect pertaineth this sentence of Paule Christe our Paseouer is offered vp for vs. 19. And the Disciples did as Iesus had appointed them and they made ready the Paseouer And the disciples did C. Here the Apostles declare how much they beleued the wordes of Christe and howe obedient they were in the whiche we muste note theire godly docilitie and aptnesse to be taughte For they mighte haue doubted seing they folowed an vnknowne man whether they shoulde obtaine that of the goodman of the house whiche theire maister by theire message required seinge they knewe that he was contemned and hated of the most parte But truely they doo not carefully inquire of the euent and ende but quietly they obey his commaundemente M and doo simply finishe the thinge they were commaunded C. And we muste obserue this rule if we desire to proue our faithe that beinge content with the only commaundemente wée maye goe forwarde to that whiche God commaundeth and that we hopinge for the successe whiche he promiseth maie put away all carefulnes For if we be to inquisitiue it is a signe of distrust of distruste foloweth rebellion and obstinacy whiche seperateth vs from the grace of God. 20. VVhen the euen was comme he sate down with the twelue VVhen the eueÌ„ C. Not that he mighte eate Paseouer the which should be done standing euen as men that haue haste of their iourney beinge shodde and eate their meate with the staffe in their hande but the solemne rite beinge done it is mente that he sate downe to supper Therfore the Euangelistes saie the euen being come because in the firste euen they did kill the lambe and did eate the fleshe thereof rosted He sate dovvne vvith the tvvelue M. Greate was the impudency of Iudas that after the bargaine made with the hie priestes he durste sitte downe with the rest at the Lordes table beinge nothing afrayde of his maisters conscience For peraduenture he thoughte that he was ignorante of his pourpose or at least that he would not bewray it by reason of the méekenes of his minde whereof he had oftentimes experience before 21. And as they did eate he saide verily I saie vnto you that one of you shal betray me And as they did eate Bu. Christe was not ignorante of the practises counselles and conspiracies of his enimies therfore easily he could haue deceiued them if he would but he rather soughte by the foreshewinge of them to fortifie the weake against the stumbling blocke of the Crosse euen as he saide vnto them I haue toulde you these thinges before they comme to passe that when they come yée might beleue A. And â—…ecause the wicked treason of Iudas semed to excel al the rest he thought good to shew that the same was not hidden from him saying One of you shall betray me M. By these obscure darke woordes the Lorde went about to proue the mind of Iudas secretely to pricke his conscience that none of those thinges might be omitted which did pertaine to his repentance For although Christe knewe the blindenes of the trayter to be such that he should be admonished in vaine yet notwithstaÌ„ding it was not without consideratioÌ„ to strike his coÌ„science that hereafter he might be voide of all excuse neither that any of those thinges might be omitted whiche concerne the duety of a good man The EuaÌ„gelist Marke hath One of you which eateth with me C. For to the end he might make the treasoÌ„ of Iudas the more detestable by this circonstance he increaseth his vnworthines because he sittinge at the holy Table went about treason For if a stranger had don this it had ben more tollerable but for one of the housholde to worke suche mischiefe and then vnder the coller of frendship to ioyne himselfe to the holy supper was to monsterouse a
vs alwayes remember the prouidēce of God to the which both Iudas all the wicked also although against their wils muste nedes obey Let this alwayes abide fixed firme in our mindes that Christ therefore suffered because suche kinde of sacrifice pleased god Bu. But some man wil obiect and say If it were so appointed by the prouidence of God and set downe in the Scriptures that the sonne of GOD shoulde be betrayed by Iudas I sée not truely why Iudas offended who did nothinge but that whiche God would haue don which he had ordained by the Scriptures foreshewed The Lord answereth this obiectiō here saying But vvo to that mā by vvhome the sonne of man is betrayed C. By the which wordes he denieth Iudas to be absolued by this pretence because he did no thinge but that which was appointed of god For although God by his right and iust iudgement appointed the deathe of his sonne to be the pryce of our redemption Iudas neuertheles in betrayinge Christe because he was full of falsehoode and couetousnes brought iust damnation to himselfe and in that God woulde haue the worlde redemed it did nothing let but that Iudas might hee as he is a wicked trayter Hereby wee perceiue that although men can do nothinge but that which God hath appointed yet notwithstandinge they are not absolued frō gyltines when by a wicked affectiō they are feruentlye geuen to sinne For althoughe God by a secrete brydell leadeth them to an ende vnknowne to them yet notwithstanding they seke for nothinge lesse than to obeye and accomplishe the decrees of god These two things truely seme farre contrary to humane reason that God shoulde so gouerne humane matters by his prouidence that nothing shoulde be done but at his will and pleasure and yet for all that that he should destroy the reprobate by whome he hath executed his will. But wee sée here how Christe Ioineth bothe of them together makinge Iudas subiecte to the curse althoughe God himselfe had ordained that he shoulde be an enemye vnto him not that the treason of Iudas ought properly to be called the woorke of God but because God tourned the falshood of Iudas to serue his purpose We must therefore put a difference betwene the woorke of God the impietye of Iudas Because God is alwayes Iust in his counsels he doth nothing without cause but wicked men are moued by an euell cause the whiche thinge euen their conscience decl reth The thefe the iudge although both of them kill men yet notwithstanding there is a greate difference betwen them For thee seuerity of the Iudge is commended and the thefe condemned It came to passe by the will of the father that Christ suffered and it was his pleasure so to haue it but the impiety of Iudas did not please him A. For he is a God whiche is not delighted in wickednes It is foreshewed of Christe that those whiche are his shall suffer tribulation in this life because those whome he knewe before he also ordained before that they shoulde be like fashioned vnto the shape of his sonne Z. Yet notwithstanding the wicked are not thereby excused whiche are the persecutours of the faithful Iudas when he betrayed Christ had not respecte vnto the will of God but to the wickednes of his owne harte that he mighte receiue money Accordinge to the same wickednes therfore he is iustly condened Therefore although at a blushe the wicked seme to haue some fellowship with God yet for all that we must more narrowly beholde them and then we shal sée the they are as far frō him as heauen and earth They are not excusable but rather wo vnto them These thinges are diligentlye to be noted because many frensy and hedstrong men do intangle and confounde all thinges not in disputing but with controllinge and reprochinge with God neither do they séeke for any thing els than to defame the whole doctrine of God that by hate of religion the contempte of God and brutishe boldnes may aryse that men may differ nothinge frō beastes let vs learne therfore to make a difference as Christe here hath done And yet for all that wee muste not denye but that God dothe vse the workes of the wicked that they may serue his prouidēce though against their wills and do that also which he hath decreed C. Wee do knowe truelye howe many interpreters do auoyde this rocke they graunte that the Scripture was fullfilled by the worke of Iudas because God declared that by prophesies whiche hee knew aforehande Therfore to the ende they might mittigate the doctryne which semeth vnto thē to be som what to sharp they set forth the knowledge of god in sted of his decree or appointemēt as though God should only beholde those thinges that were to come a farre of but should not dispose them accordinge to his pleasure But the holye ghoste dothe farre otherwise ende this cōtrouersy bringing in not only the reason why Christ was deliuered namely because it was so writen but also because it was so appoīted For wheras Mathew Marke do alleage Scripture Luke bringeth vs directly to the heauenly decrée euē as he teacheth in the Actes of the Apostels the Christe was not only deliuered by the foreknowledge of God but also by the determinate counsell of god Also he saith Herode Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles people of Israell gathered them selues together to do whatsoeuer thy hande thy coūsell determined before to be done Whereby it appeareth that they roon out of course which flye vnto the bare foreknowledge of God. It had bene good for that man C. By these wordes he declareth what horrible vengeance shall fall vppon the wicked for whome it had ben better that they had neuer ben borne Howebeit this lyfe though it be but transitory and ful of sorowes is a singuler and special benefite of god Moreouer also hereby we gather how detestable their impietye is whiche do not only extinguishe the preciouse gyftes of God tourne them to destruction but bringe to passe that it had ben better if they had neuer tasted the goodnes of God Let vs learne therefore to trēble at the iudgement of God that we may abhorre all wickednes and whatsoeuer is contrarye to the righteousnes of god It had ben better for Iudas neuer to haue bene than to be damned to torment for euer But this is worthy to be noted that he saith It had bene good for that man not to haue ben borne because although the state and condition of Iudas by miserable yet for all that it was good for God that he was created who appointing the reprobate to eternall destruction doth thereby set forth his glory as Solomon in his prouerbes teacheth sayinge The Lorde doth all thinges for his owne sake yea and when he kepeth the vngodly for the day of wrathe 25. Then Iudas which betrayed him answered and sayde master is it I He sayd vnto him thou
we sayde before to praye the more earnestlye C. For the whiche cause also wee reade that hee wente another tyme to praye withoute witnesses for when wee are oute of the sighte of men wee do better consider and feele our selues that wee may geeue the more heede to that which wee do It is not necessarye trulye that wee go into secrete corners so often as we would pray no it is not alwayes meete but when anye greate necessitye doth vrge vs because the feruentnes of prayer doth more frely poure out it selfe in the solitary place it is profitable for vs to go a part to pray Wherefore if the Lorde did not neglecte this helpe it should betoken to much madnes and pryde in vs not to vse the same our selues Moreouer where God is the onelye arbitrator vmpire Iudge the faythfull minde may more familliarlye open it selfe more simplely power out prayers sighes cares feares hope ioyes into the bosome of god For God doth wincke at many folish toyes which are in his seruauntes which shoulde not wante os◅entacion in the sight of men B. Therefore Christ prayed not in the presence of those three but leauinge them hee wente a little asyde S. Luke sheeweth howe farre hee wente from them sayinge And hee gat himselfe from them aboute a stones caste And fell flat on his face Marke addeth To the grounde Luke hath And hee kneeled downe C. By the whiche gesture also hee declared the earnest vehemencye of prayer For although the kneelinge be bsed commonlye in prayer as an outwardr signe of reuerence yet notwithstandinge Christe in simplely prostratinge himselfe vpon the earth for the very greatnes of his griefe framed himselfe to a myserable shewe and outwarde gesture M. And such gestures do belong to a troubled and disquieted mind they haue also an argument and profe of humilitye which is alwayes ioyned to the prayers of the godly Thus truly are the holye and godlye sort of mē wont eyther to kneele or postrate them selues vppon their face to declare an humbled minde before the maiesty of God. O my father Marke hath set downe the Chalde word adioyninge to it the Greeke worde expoundinge as it were the other as Abba father By the which wee are taught that these two thinges are requyred in prayer namely the ardent affection of the minde and the faithfull trust of sonnes towards God that these two were in Christ these wordes in this place do testifye If it be possible C. Some trauaile in vaine when they go about to declare that prayer is not here described but onelye a certayne complaint But wee although we confesse that it was an abrupte prayer being sodenly expelled with violent anguishe of minde doubt not for all that but that Christe conceyued prayer Neither doth it hinder that he requireth to obtaine a thinge impossible because the prayers of the faythfull do not continue in one order to the ende they do not alwayes keepe one temperature neither are they alwayes made in distincte order but are confused intricate and doubtfull eyther they do striue with themselues or els they do stande still in the middest of the race euen as the shippe tossed with waues which although it tende to the Hauen yet notwithstandinge it cannot keepe hys right and straight course because of the vnquiet sea Wee muste note that which wee touched euen nowe that the affections of Christ were not troublesome which should put of and from his minde as oures do all pure moderation but so muche as the sounde and perfecte nature of man coulde beare he was stricken with feare and held with sorrow that he could not of necessity at euerye other prayer or petition but bee tossed betweene the violent waues of temptacion This is the reason why hee hauinge prayed to put away his death by and by brideleth himselfe and submittinge himselfe to his father calleth backe sodenly and correcteth that carnall request M. For these wordes If it be possible haue a condition Luke hath If it be thy will. Question C. But it may be demaunded howe hee requyreth to haue the eternal decree of the father cut of of the which hee was not ignorant For although this condition If it be possible be put betweene yet notwithstandinge this seemeth absurde to make the purpose of God flexible and vncertayne For it is meete to be sure of this that it cannot be that GOD should retracte or alter his purpose And by Marke it should seeme that Christ doth oppose or set the power of God against his decree All thinges sayth hee are possible to thee But trulye the power of God is extended amis hitherto that by making him mutable his truth mighte be weakened and discredited Wee aunsweare that it is no absurditye if Christ accordinge to the common manner of the godlye lettinge passe the consideration of the deuyue purpose put downe into the bosome of his father his desier with the which hee burned For the faithfull in pouringe out their prayers do not alwayes assende to the behoulding of the secrete counsayles of God neither do they waye as though they were at leysure what mighte be done but are feruētly caryed sometimes with hasty desier to obtaine their requestes So Moyses desyered to be blotted out of the boke of life So Paule wished hīselfe accursed for his brethrē This prayer of Christ therefore was not premeditated but the force and violence of griefe did extort from him these wordes to the which he added by and by a correction The same vehemency toke from him the presente remembraunce of the Heauenly decree that hee considered not in the very moment that he was sente for this cause to be the redeemer of mākind euen as wee see oftētimes that great griefe bringeth a miste before the eyes that wee cannot remember all thinges at once To be shorte there is no absurditye if wee haue not a present consideration of all thinges in our prayers that a distincte order maye be kept And whereas Christ sayd as appeareth by the wordes of Marke that all thinges are possible to the father hee sayd it not to bringe his power and his mutable truth and constancye into controuercye and contencion but because there was no hope as commonly there is not in troublesome and desperate matters hee committeth himselfe to the power of God. Let this Cuppe passe from mee M. This is an Hebrewe phrase of speache and is as much to say As let mee be deliuered I pray thee from this cruel kinde of death Take away this Cuppe from mee C. Wee haue shewed before that by the name of Cuppe the prouidence of God is noted which dispenseth to euery man the measure of the Crosse and of afflictions euen as if the goodman of the house shoulde appoint to his seruauntes their allowance and distribute to his children their porcion Read the twenty Chapter goinge before M. This prayer bringeth much consolation to the afflicted mindes of the godly Christ in this
sight with the infirmitie of the fleshe and that therefore their praiers are ne◅er superfluous By the promptnes and willingnes of the Spirite he vnderstandeth the affection of the minde whiche is gouerned by the holy ghost And that part whiche is reformed by the spirite of God is called the spirite in than by a figure called Metonymia or denomination this is that readines of the spirite whiche coueteth to followe God whether soeuer he shall call where suche promptnes is in mā it may be called a willing spirite And he calleth that fleshe whiche by nature resteth in man and the naturall affection of the mynde also We see therefore that he graūteth vnto them the prayse of wyllingnes least their infirmitie should caste them into dispayre and yet notwithstanding we see that he prycketh them forwarde to prayer because as yet thei were not sufficiently endewed with a strong spirite Wherefore this admonition dothe properly pertayne to the faithfull who beinge regenerated by the spirit of God desier to do well yet for all that they labour as yet vnder the infirmitie of the fleshe For although the grace of the spirite be in them yet are they weake according to the fleshe And although the weakenes of the Disciples is here shewed vnto them onely by Christe yet notwithstanding because the same that is found here in them pertaineth to all other men we may hereby gather a generall doctrine namely that wee must watche dilligently in prayer because wee haue not as yet in vs suche strengthe of the spirit but that we may easely fall through the infirmitie of the fleshe excepte the Lord doe staye and holde vs vp with his hande Moreouer there is no cause why we should tremble or feare Because a certayne and and sure remedy is propounded vnto vs the whiche we shall not seke a farre of neither in vayne For Christe promyseth that all they shall haue the vpper hande whiche geuing them selues vnto prayer caste of diligently the sluggishenes of the fleshe 42 He wente awaye once agayne and prayed saying O my father if this cup may not passe from me excepte I drinke of it thy will be fulfilled He vvent avvaye once agayne C. Although he sayth that Christe prayed here the second tyme yet notwithstanding we see here no forme of prayer But this praier is nothing els then a testimony of obedience to brydel hym selfe of his owne desyer that the wyll of his father might be fulfilled Notwithstanding there is no doubt but that this testimony of Christ may be called a prayer For he so testifieth that he altogether desyreth to haue this wyll fulfilled in hym as when we saye thy wyll bee done we doe not make our petition so as though he should doe it against oure wylles but that he would bende and frame our mindes to wyll that whiche he wylleth By these woordes of Mathewe therefore Christe semeth more frely to committe hym selfe all feare as it were being gone to his father Neither doth he desyer any more that the cuppe might be taken from hym but this desyer being paste he rather seketh to obeye the counsell and purpose of God. If this cuppe may not passe from me C. But did Christe doubte here There are dyuers and sondery motions truely in a troubled mynde For what is perturbation els than as a waue with the whiche the myndes of men are caried He was not troubled verely as wee commonly are yet notwithstandinge it was mete that he should bee troubled after a sorte that he hauing a felyng of our infirmities myght be mercifull vnto vs C. The Euangeliste Marke maketh no mencion of this goinge yea and when Christe retourned the seconde tyme he is sayde to ◅itterate the same peticions that he dyd before And there is no doubte but that so often as he prayed he was dryuen thereunto by the feare and horror of death Notwithstanding it is probable that he was at the seconde tyme more inclyned to shewe his obedience to the father and that hee was by the firste assaulte of temptation incouraged to go to his deathe with the greater bouldenes Luke doth not distinctly shewe that he prayed at seuerall tymes but sayth onely that when sorrowe and grief did vrge him he did the longer and with the more vehemency praye as though it had bene one only prayer But we do know that the Euangelistes sometymes omitting the circumstaunces doe onely touche the effecte Where as therfore he sayth that Christe came at the ende of his prayer to the disciples it is so spoken by a figure called Hysteron proteron Euen as in the other parte also where he saythe that an Aungel appeared from heauen before that he maketh mention of the agonye of Christe whiche should by order haue bene first declared But the preposterous order whiche the Euangelist vseth proueth no absurditie because to the ende we might knowe that the Aungell was sente vnto hym in vayne he doth afterwarde expresse the necessitie and so the latter narration is as it were a shewing of the cause And although fortitude commeth of nothinge but of the spirite of God onely yet notwithstandynge this letteth not but that God may vse his Aungels as ministers And hereby we may gather what great tormentes the sonne of God suffered when that it was mete for the helpe of God to be so sette forthe that he myght beholde the same with his eyes 43 And hee came and founde them a sleape agayne For their eyes were heauy And hee came and founde them a sleape agayne C. Wee doe see here that Christe vsed not a continuing prayer but put this solace betwene namely the cōming to the disciples For suche continuance of prayer is not required of the faythfull that they myghte not leaue of from the same But rather lette them continewe in their prayers after the example of Christe vntyll they bee come so farre as their infirmitie wyll suffer let them cease for a lyttle tyme notwithstandynge when they haue breathed them selues let them turne agayne vnto God by prayer A. Euen as therefore at the first time he rose from prayer and commyng to his Disciples sought for some solace euen so nowe this seconde tyme hee retourneth to them agayne at whose handes hee founde no more ease than hee dyd before For their eyes vvere heauy C. This sleapynes came neither with gluttony nor by grosse securitie nor by any sodayne merynes of the fleshe but rather by immoderate sorrowe as Luke testifieth Whereby wee doe the better perceyue howe prone and ready our fleshe is to slouggishenes to the whiche the very daungers them selues doe bringe the forgetting of god So that Sathan hath euery waye apte and mete occasion to snare vs For if we feare no daunger we are by and by as it were in a dronken sleape in the whiche he lulleth vs and hee ouerwhelmeth oure sences with feare and sorrowe by the whiche we should be styrred vp to prayer leaste they shoulde serue the
he woulde séeke for helpe and munition to defend his life he coulde haue not only a leuen Angelles but a greate and an inuincible armye of Heauenly warriours Seing therfore he called not for Angelles to helpe him muche lesse woulde he haue hadde a rashe motion whereby no profite was to be hoped for to helpe him For the tumult of the Disciples profited no more then if a fewe frogges had made a noyse He vseth therefore this reprehension for twoo causes The firste was because it was not lawfull althoughe there were greate necessitie yet notwithstandinge it doth not excuse For wée must alwaies consider what God wil suffer to be done neither dothe this excuse profite Necessitie whiche hathe no Lawe constrained me Let vs geue eare to the admonition of Christe whiche saithe It is not lawfull because God dothe not permitte it And now for an other cause Peter is reprehended namely for that by distruste he enterprised and tooke in hande a remedie that was not lawfull as thoughe Christe had wanted power For if wée consider well wée shall finde that we doo sinne of infidelitie so often as wée doo attempte any waie or meane not permitted vnto vs. Obiection But certaine Interpreters doo trauaile here in vaine to séeke out howe Christe coulde obtaine Angelles of his Father by whose Decrée he was appointed to die For these are contrarye one to an other that God hath geuen his Sonne vnarmed as it were to die because it was so necessary once decreed and yet notwithstandinge might be perswaded and moued by Prayers to sende him helpe and ayde Answeare But the woordes of Christe are expressed with a condition that he coulde haue a meane of greatter force to deliuer his life were it not that it should be contrary to his Fathers wil. And so all contradiction or shewe of repugnancy is taken away because Christ did abstaine from praying to his Father being fully certified of his contrary Decrée Notwithstanding we may hereby gather a profitable Doctrine that they doo iniurye vnto God whiche flye vnto shamefull meanes by the pretence of necessitie as wée shewed euen nowe If any man wante lawfull ritches or helpes he is by and by carried headlong to naughty deuises and wicked practises and that because few haue regard to the secret defence of God which only ought to be sufficient to quiet content vs There hangeth danger ouer our heads now by by because wée sée not the ende thereof accordinge to the fleashe wée deuise with our selues this thing and that as though there were no Angels in heauen whom the Scripture so often pronouncethe to be set and appointed to be oure kéepers and defenders So that wée doo depriue our selues of their helpe For whosoeuer are carried with vnquietnesse and too muche care to take in hande forebidden remedies it is moste certaine that they forsake the prouidence of God. Tvvelue Legions of Angelles C. A Legion did consiste almoste of fiue thousande footemenne and fiue hundred horsemen Hereby wée perceiue what greate care the Lorde hathe for the Godlye For séeinge that Christe is geuen to the faithefull whiche beleue in hym it is certaine that this dignitie also is geuē vnto them with Christe that they maye haue the helpe and seruice of Angels The which thing was proued by a certaine Myracle in Elizeus who was compassed round aboute with a mountaine full of Horses and Chariottes of fire to defende hym from his enimies A. Therefore Christe referreth Peter here to the Decrée and Will of his Father euen as in Iohn also when he saith Wilt thou not that I shall drinke of the Cuppe whiche my Father hathe geuen me C. The which woordes doo teach that it became Christe to be doumbe and not to open his mouthe that he mighte be brought as a Lambe to the Sacrifice Notwithstanding this pertaineth to example because the lyke sufferance is required of vs all The Scripture compareth afflictions to Drinkes For euen as the goodman of the house distributeth meate and drinke to his Sonnes and seruauntes euen so dothe God deale with vs vsinge vs as it séemeth good vnto him selfe But whether he make vs mery by prosperitie or humble vs by aduersitie he is saide to geeue vnto vs either swéete or sower Drinke This Drinke was appointed vnto Christe that he mighte suffer the death of the Crosse for the reconciliation of the whole worlde He saithe therfore that he must drinke of the Cuppe which his Father had geuen and measured vnto hym In like manner wée oughte to frame oure selues to suffer the Crosse And yet notwithstanding the opinion of fanaticall and madde menne oughte not to preuaile amonge vs whiche affirme that wée may not séeke remedie for diseases maladies and other euilles leaste wée reiecte the Cuppe whiche God hathe geuen vnto vs because wée knowe that wée muste once die it is méete that wée be prepared vnto deathe but notwithstandinge because the time of deathe is knowen vnto vs the Lorde doth permit vnto vs to defende oure Lyfe by those meanes helpes that he hathe ordeined Diseases muste partely be suffered although they be greuous vnto our fleash and so longe as they are not knowen to be vnto deathe wee maye séeke for ease Onley wee must beware and take hede leaste we take any thinge in hande contrarye to the prescripte rule of his word To conclude let vs alwaies haue this in oure mindes that wee séeke to fulfill the Lordes will then doo wée not refuse the Cuppe whiche the Lorde hathe geeuen vs in séeking for deliuerance from these euilles with the whiche we are vrged 54. But howe then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled For thus muste it be But hovve then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled C. The reason why he prayed not vnto his Father is because it was necessary that the Scriptures shoulde be fulfilled which had foreshewed that Christe shoulde suffer He wanted not the Scriptures truely to proue that it was then appointed vnto hym from aboue to dye but because mortall men doo not knowe what God hathe determined vntill it be reuealed by the Woorde Christ hauing respecte vnto his Disciples dothe vppon iuste occasion openly shewe what was the testimonie of Goddes will. Wee doo know that what euils so euer do happē vnto vs they are sente from God but because we are doubtfull of the ende in séekinge for those remedies which he dothe permitte wée doo not striue againste his power but when we know his wil there remaineth nothinge then but patience and quietnesse Christe therefore nowe plaieth here a newe part he doth no more intreat neither doth he fle or feare death and althoughe he dothe feare yet neuerthelesse he goethe forewarde because he knoweth that it is his Fathers pleasure to haue it so and that therefore it muste be accomplished of necessitie By these wordes also the Scripture is commended vnto vs because this is the speciall scope thereof to shewe that Christ hathe by his Passion put
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
the hyghe Pryestes the heathen people also had mocked hym pryuately in the iudgemente house of the deputie but nowe on euery syde all degrees tryumphe ouer hym without mercy and compassyon hee beinge readye to dye and sufferynge moste cruell tormentes as the hyghe Pryestes the Scrybes the people the soldioures the highest the lowest yea the theefe on the crosse deryded hym and whiche was most sorrowfull no man dyd bewayle hym euen as Dauid hadde foreshewed sayinge I loked for somme to haue pittie on me but there was no manne neyther founde I any to comforte mee B. C. All men knowe by experyence howe greate griefe it is vnto man if in his greate trouble not onely no manne bewayleth hym but also all men rather reioyce Chryste suffereth most bitter tormentes in the bodye his mynde also is trowbled and hee is afflycted wyth moste sharpe and slaunderouse reproches by the whiche Sathan wente aboute to geeue hym a deadelye wounde that hee myghte putte his Fayth in danger In this syghte as in a glasse God hathe sette forthe howe myserable oure condition is if wee shoulde wante a redeamer For what so euer Chryst suffered it was for oure ease and saluatyon whereby wee oughte dayely to be moued to repentaunce This temptation truly was more sharpe than all other tormentes that all men shoulde vexe hym with contumelies and sclaunders as thoughe hee hadde beene reiected and forsaken of god B. And therefore Dauid bearynge the personne of Chryste â—…othe specially bewayle this amonge the reste of his euylles saying All they that see me laugh me to scorne they shote out their lyppes and shake the head C. And trewly there is nothinge that doth more wound pearce the mindes of the godly than when theÌ„ wicked to destroye their faithe do cast them in the féethe that they are destitute of the helpe and grace of god This is that sharpe persecution with the whiche Paule saith that Isaac was vexed of Ismaell Not because he persecuted him wyth the sword and force of armes but because he mockinge the grace of God went about to ouerthrowe his faythe And firste of all Dauid felte these temptations â–ª after that Christ him selfe leaste they should tempte vs to muche at this daye by the newenes thereof For the wycked shall neuer be wantinge to reioyce at our miseries 40 And sayinge thou that destroyedste the temple of God and diddest build it in three daies saue thy selfe If thou be the sonne of God come downe froÌ„ the crosse Thou that destroyedst C. Here they do reproue the doctrine of Christe in vayne because hee dothe not nowe declare the power in time of neede whiche hee saide before hee had But trewelye excepte a desyre to speake euill had depriued them of their minde and iudgement the truth of his sayinge a lyttell after was euydente inoughe vnto theim Christe had saide Destroye this temple and I will rayse it vp the thyrde daye Nowe they tryumphinge before the time in the begynnynge of the ruine and fall doe not tary vntyll the third day Suche is the insolencye presumption of the wicked agaynst all the chyldren of god when as vnder the pretence of the crosse they goe aboute to take from them the hope of the life to come Where say they is that immortall glory which foolish beleuinge men do dost of seinge they now lye thus contemned and in misery Are not some of them in extreme pouerty othersome in banishment others in prison some allso burnte to ashes Thus dothe the corruption of the presente externall man blynde them that they thinke the hope of restoringe to come to be vayne and rydiculouse But we must loke for the dewe time when the promised building shall be finished neyther must we take it greueously yf we be now crucified with Christ because hereafter we shal be pertakers of his resurrection Saue thy selfe Bu. As if they had sayd At the length it apeareth how notablelye thou hast lyed for nowe thou canst not saue thy selfe Thy afflicted body cut and torne with strypes thou canst not restore so farre vnable art thou to build againe the Temple if it were destroyed If thou be the son of God C. For this cause the hye Prieste with the rest of the Priestes Scribes and Elders of the people condemned Christ of blasphemye in the Counsaile Now here they triumphe ouer him beinge crucifyed as though he were conuicted of blasphemye This voice If thou be the sonne of God is a great temptacion and procedinge from the deuill speciallye if thou weye consider how and when it was obiected vnto him beinge afflicted and complayninge that hée was forsaken of God. Euenso Sathan séeketh to take from vs the promises of god In like maner Christ beinge amonge beastes in the wildernesse and féelings the paine of hunger SathaÌ„ saide If thou be the sonne of God commaunde that these stones be made bread Come dovvne from the Crosse The wicked do requyre of Christ such a document of his power that by prouinge himselfe to be the sonne of God he may cease to be the sonne of god For this cause hee toke vppon him our humaine nature and came into the worlde that by the sacrifyce of hys death he might reconcile men to God the father Therefore it was necessarye that hee shoulde hange vppon the Crosse to shewe himselfe to be the sonne of god And let vs hereby learne to confirme our faythe because the sonne of God to finishe the woorke of our saluation â–ª would abyde till hee had suffered both the cruell tormentes of the fleshe and also the horrible extremities of the spirite yea and death it selfe And leaste it happen vnto vs to tempte God as these wicked ones did in the same maner let vs suffer God to byde his power so often as it séemeth good vnto him so to do that at his pleasure he may declare the same againe in due time M. It was not needeful that Christe shoulde declare hymselfe to be the sonne of God by desceâ—â—ynge from the Crosse but it was needefull that hee beinge deadde and buryed shoulde ryse agayne the thyrde daye and therby to declare hym selfe to be the sonne of god Whereupon the Apostell Paule also saythe whiche is declared to be the sonne of God with power and by the resurrection from the deade 41 Likewise also the hie pristes mocking him with the Scribes and elders saide M. These wicked Hypocrites begyn to tryumphe so sone as the trueth semed to be in daunger in the meane tyme notwithstandinge euerlasting glory is prepared by the crose for Christ but to them perpetual confusion They thought that the truethe of Christe was fastened with nailes to the crosse with the body of Christ when as it is one thing for the preacher of the worde to be fastened in body to the crosse and an other thing for the truethe of Goddes worde to be nayled thereunto So Paule said but the worde of God is not bounde
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
For they shewe that the declaration of the resurrection in Christe was of such estimation to the Apostels and faythfull that thereby they were moued to worship him as the God Lord. For he is declared to bee the sonne of God by the power of the resurrection But some doubted M. It is marueile that some here should doubt as yet hauing so often times before sene Christe But it ought not to seme absurde vnto vs if the reliques of feare whiche remayned behinde caused some of them to doubte and wauer a newe For we knowe that so often as Christe appeared they were afearde and amased vntill they had better remēbred them selues and bene a whyle conuersaunt with hym Wherefore the meaning is that certayne in the beginning doubted vntill suche tyme as Christe had bene more nere and familiar with them but when hee was certainly knowen vnto them they worshipped hym because in dede the brightnes of his glory was manifest vnto them These thinges being ended they retourned to Hierusalem where the Lorde commaunded them to abyde as wytnesseth S. Luke saying And beholde I wyll sende the promyse of my father vpon you But tary ye in the cittie of Hierusalem vntyll ye bee indewed with power from an highe 18 And Iesus came and spake vnto them saying All power is geuen vnto me in heauen and in earth Ann Iesus came and spake vnto them C. There is no doubte but that Christe by this sentence toke all doubte from them Sayinge All povver is geuen to me Before the Euangeliste doth shewe howe the office of teaching was inioyned by Christe to the disciples he sayth that Christe began to speake of his power and not without cause For he had nede to haue no small authoritie but great and deuine power whiche should cōmaunde eternall lyfe to be promysed in his name the whole worlde to bee brought vnder his gouernement and a doctrine to be publyshed whiche pluckyng downe all pryde of fleshe should humble mankynde And certainly by this beginning Christ did not onely erecte his Apostles to the bolde truste of executinge their office but also stablyshed the faythe of his Gospell throughout al Ages The Apostels truly would neuer haue bene perswaded to take in hande so harde an office excepte they had knowen that their reuenger dyd syt in heauen to whome all power was committed For without suche defence it was impossible to profite any thing at all But truely when they heare that he is Lorde of heauen and earth for whome they woorke by this one thyng they are sufficiently armed to ouercomme all lettes But and if the condition of those whiche preache the Gospell seme base and cōtemptible to the hearers let them learne to lyfte vp their eyes to the authour thereof by whose power the maiestie of the Gospel ought to be wayed And so it wyll come to passe that they dare not despyse hym speakyng by his ministers Therefore that the Apostels might knowe that they are not sente of man but of hym which hath ful power he sayth Al power is geuen to me In heauen and in earthe Christe dothe here playnely make hym self bothe Lorde and kynge as well of heauen as earth because he makyng men subiecte vnto hym by the preaching of the Gospell appointeth the seate of his kyngdome in earth and regenerating those that are his into a newe lyfe and inuitinge them to the hope of saluation openeth the heauēs that he may take them vp into blessed immortalitie with the Aungels whiche before were drowned in death And we must remember that Christe being equall with the father was neuer destitute of power so that it was geuen vnto hym nowe in our fleshe or in the persone of a mediatour For hee speaketh not here of the power whiche he had before the creatiō of the worlde but of that whiche he nowe receyued being made the iudge of the worlde B. Of this therefore hee admonisheth his disciples to the ende they myght the more wyllingly take in hande the preachinge of the Gospell when they should knowe them selues to bee his imbassadours whiche had power of all thinges 19. Go yee therefore and teache all nations baptizinge them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holye Ghoste Go ye therefore and teache A. Marke as it were expoundinge these wordes sayth Go ye into the whole world Bu. By that which woordes Christe doth set forth and expresse the boūdes and lymits of his kingdome excludinge no nation The summe of these wordes is that by publishinge the Gospell euerye where they maye bringe all nacions to the obedience of the faithe and that they may seale and confirme their doctrine with the seale of the Gospell M. By the force of this worde it came to passe that this embassage of the Apostles pearced throughoute the whole world and preuailed againste all tyran◅es For such is the power of the worde of Christ that being once spoken it setteth it selfe againste all the deceites of Sathan and the worlde Otherwise howe was it possible for this new and straunge doctrine to be brought into the whole worlde of symple men and of no power and the impietye of the whole worlde to be reuealed and condemned except his vertue and power had ayded this imbassage And teache The Euangeliste Marke expresseth what they shoulde teache sayinge The Gospell And a little hereafter in our Euangeliste there is added a restrainte namely that they should teache to obserue those thinges which the Lord had cōmaunded A. Neither is it sayd onely to Peter whom the Papistes would make the head of the Churche Christes vicar Preache ye and teache yee but to all the Apostles a like therefore all the mynisters of the worlde ought to preache and teache And this office was appointed and commaunded of Christ himselfe What the Gospell is wee haue shewed in the firste Chapter goinge before Neither doth Christe commaunde anye other thinge to be taughte than that whiche hee had already preached as we maye see in the fourth Chapter goinge before And in another place hee saith Christ went about all Citties and Townes teachinge in their Sinagoges and preachinge the Gospell of the kingdome Also hee affyrmeth that hee is sente to this ende when he sayth I must preache the Gospell of the kingdome to other Citties for this cause was I sent And to this ende he sendeth his seruaunts C. Whereby wee gather that the Apostleship is not a vaine title but a laborious offyce therefore there can be nothinge more absurde than for men to liue idlely and to reiecte this office of teachinge whiche vsurpe vnto themselues this honour The Pope of Rome and his rable proudly boast of this succession as though hee were equal with Peter and his fellowes But they haue no more care to teache than had the priestes of Pan Bacchus or Venus But with what face can they presume to come into their place whom they heare to be ordayned
preachers of the word Althoughe theyve impudente yet by this one thinge they are forced to yelde that none can be a successor of the Apostles excepte hee be a preacher For who soeuer teacheth not doth in vaine take vnto him the name of an Apostle A. And this preachinge of the Gospell which Christe here committeth to the mynisters of his word hath also the preachinge of repentance ioyned with it as S. Marke teacheth sayinge that Christe preached thus The time is come and the kingdome of God is at hand Repent and beleue the Gospell And againe hee sayth to his Apostles Thus it is written and thus it behoued Christ to suffer and to ryse againe from death the thirde daye and that repentaunce and remission of sinnes shoulde be preached in his name amonge al Nations To preache the Gospell therefore is to exhorte all men to repentaunce and to pronounce remission of sinnes to all those that repente in the name of Christe who dyed for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification For hee which shal repent and beleue the Gospel sheewinge remission of sinnes shal be saued But as for those that teache not this Gospell but rather their owne dreames who dare say that they are the ministers of Christ and that they are sente and oughte to be receiued All Nacions C. Here Christe without all exception maketh the Gentiles equal with the Iewes and admitteth both of them without difference to the societye of the couenaunt And thus was the Prophesye of Esay fulfilled where hee sayth that Christ is geuen a light to the Gentiles that he might be the saluation of God to the vtmost parte of the earth And this was the meaninge of Marke when hee said To all creatures because after the peace was preached to the househoulde the same was sent to straungers and such as were farre of M. Therefore the doctrine of saluation the grace of Christes kingdome must be offered to all men The father hath so disposed it and for that cause hee sente his sonne into this world and gaue him power of all thinges that the world might be saued by him Wherefore the Gospell must be preached to men and women to oulde yonge to the wise and foolishe yea to all estates not in the lattine tonge as certaine deceyuers and false teachers haue taughte but to euery one in his owne tongue A. And this is to be noted that if all Nations must be taught accordinge to this commaundement of Christe it followeth that all men throughoute the whole worlde were naturally in error and ignoraunce and that neither the Iewes by the doctrine of the law nor the Gentiles by the studye of Philosophye coulde come to the knowledge of the truthe The lawe and the Prophetes did foreshewe the comminge of Christ but they were not able to set forth this lighte of the grace of Christe For the vale honge yet before the harts of the Iewes by the which also at this daye they are kepte from the knowledge of the truth So that the whole worlde withoute the light of the Gospell is in darkenes and in the woorkes of darkenes and so vnder the kingdome of Sathan which is the prince of darkenes Therefore Christe sayth that his Apostles are the lighte of the world that is to say the mynisters of the light of the Gospell Baptizinge them C. Christe commaundeth those to be baptized whiche subscribe to the Gospell and professe themselues to be Dysciples partly that baptisme might be vnto them a pledge before God partlye an outwarde signe of fayth before men For wee knowe that God by this signe declared the grace af his adoption because hee doth ingrafte vs into the bodye of hys sonne that he might count vs of his flocke But as God by this signe confirmeth his grace vnto vs euenso whosoeuer offer thēselues to baptisme do in like maner bynde their faith as with a sure pledge M. What Baptisme is and what it is to baptize reade the thirde Chapter goinge before Christe did not here institute Baptisme for it may appeare out of Iohn that hee baptized his Disciples before And hee doth therefore make mencion of Baptisme here that the Apostles mighte knowe what they shoulde do with those whiche repented and beleeued the Gospell namelye to baptize them in the name of the father of the Sonne and of the holy ghost and to appoint them to keepe those thinges which hee himselfe hath commaunded C. Hereby againe we gather that none are lawfull mynisters of Baptisme but they which also minister the word Whereas therefore it hath bene permitted to priuate men and to women also to minister Baptisme it is contrary to the institution of Christ and a meere prophanation of the Sacrament Moreouer Doctrine is set in the first place because vntill God geeue life vnto the terrestriall elemente by hys word it is not made a sacrament to vs Wherefore let vs knowe that it commeth to passe by the vertue of doctrine that the signes take vnto them a newe nature euen as the externall wasshinge of the fleshe beginneth to be a spirituall pledge of regeneration the doctrine of the Gospell goinge before And this is the true consecration in steede whereof the Papistes bringe in their magicall exorcismes And therefore in Marke it is sayde Hee whiche beleeueth is baptized shal be saued By which wordes Christ doth not onlye exclude hypocrites from the hope of saluation whiche beinge voyde of faith haue only the external signe but also ioyneth baptisme to the holye bonde of doctrine B. Baptisme therefore is ioyned to preachinge as the seale of preachinge by the whiche the faithfull are assured that their sinnes are forgeeuen by Christ and is geeuen to them for a testimony that they are counted of the house should of god C. But because Christ doth commaunde to teach before baptisme be ministered Obiection and will haue those onelye that beleeue to be receiued to baptisme Baptisme seemeth not to be rightly mynistered excepte fayth go before accordinge to the opynion of the Anabaptistes who for that cause deny the baptisinge of Infantes vntill they come to that age that they maye be taught and beleeue This may easely be aunswered if a man waye the order of the commaundemente Christe commaundeth the embassage of eternall saluation to be caryed to all Nations hee confirmeth the same by adding the seale of Baptisme And the faithe of the word is iustly set before baptisme seing the Gētiles were altogether alienate frō God neither had they any fellowshippe with the chosen people For otherwyse the figure should lye whiche should offer remission of sinnes and the gift of the holye Ghoste to the vnbeleeuinge whiche were not as yet the members of Christe But wee knowe that they are gathered and broughte to the people of God which before were dispersed Neither is baptisme after this sort seperated from faithe or doctrine because althoughe yonge infantes for want