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
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 self-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
brotherly loue peace concorde amongest vs M. Christe therfore noteth the errour and false perswasion of the Iewes which they conceiued of their oblations in the which they so put placed al their seruice of god the they thought they dyd him hie pleasure if they did oftē vse to offer gyftes vnto him whom they thought to haue such pleasure in them as haue the princes of this world to whom giftes are more acceptable thē the cōcord and vnitie of their subiectes But Christ teacheth vs that God dothe specially require of vs to agree amonge our selues and that without this cōcord he doth not accepte those thinges whiche are offered vnto him which seme to partaine to his honour But we must vnderstande that the same which is spokē here of offerings is by a figure called Synecdoche spoken of praier of almes dedes such like also For the scripture calleth alms dedes the sacrifices of a good harte yet we heare of Paules mouth that he which bestoweth all his substance and goodes vpon the poore yet hath not loue is nothynge Finally God dothe take acknowledge none to be his childrē but those which be haue thē selues as brethern one towards an other And there remembrest that thy brother hath ought agaynst thee C. Although Christ cōmaundeth them which are iniuriouse towards their bretherne to seke to please and pacifie them againe notwithstanding vnder one collour he sheweth how preciouse concorde is before God. 24. Leaue there thine offering before the aultare and go thy way firste and be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gifte Leaue there thine offering M. He saithe not take away thy gift for he wold not haue vs to dispaire of the grace of God whiche may be recouered neither wold he that we should leaue of to worship god As if he shold saye that which thou hast begon in offering thy gift accordinge to the prescript law is good so that thou do not neglect that which ought first to be done C. Notwithstanding this question might be obiected Question Is it not an absurd thing that charitie loue should be more then the worwip honoure of God For we must eyther say that there is a preposterouse order of the law or els that the first table ought to be preferred before the seconde This question may easely be aunswered thus That the woordes of Christ do perteine tend to no other ende then to shewe how falsely they professe thē selues to be worshippers of God which despice their afflicted bretherne For vnder the colour as it was shewed euē now he doth declare the externall exercises of diuine worship by the which men often times do faine godlines a great deale more then they do in dede testifie the same And go thy vvay first M. The byshops of Rome teache vs an other maner of lessō thē this for they say go first to the priest cōfesse thy syns vnto him then approche to the ecclesiasticall cōmunion But Christ truly sendeth him not to the preste but to his brother what so euer he be whom he hath offended And be reconciled B. To be reconciled is al hatred discord set apart to restore al the former loue concorde frendship necessitie familiarite that was wōt to be And then come B. By these words our sauiour Christ meaneth nothing elles but that reconciliation was of more price thē sacrifice that whiche sacrifice in those daies Moyses law florishing was coūted most excellent This was agreable to the which the prophete Osee hath I will haue mercy not sacrifice and I esteme the knowledge of God more then burnt offeringe M. He beddeth them not therfore to offer according to the maner of the lawe yet for all that he forbiddeth theim not For as yet the tyme was not come that these rightes ceremonies should ceasse But he behaueth him selfe warely least he should offende the Iewes the whiche warynes also he vsed in a nother place saying These ought ye to haue done and not to leaue the other vndone Also by this sentēce he doth signifie that the falte of iniurie is remitted before God if that brotherly vnitie be restored by recōciliation Thē saith he offer thy gift as if he shuld saye then is the gift thanckeful acceptable in the sight of god V. This sentence of Christ is agreable with the saying of S. Iohn who writeth thus Derely beloued if our hart condēpne vs not then haue we trust to God ward what so euer we aske we receyue of him because we kepe his cōmandementes do those things which ar pleasāt before him 25. Agree with thine aduersary quickely while thou art in the way with hym least that at any time thy aduersarye deliuer thee to the iudge the iudge deliuer thee to the minister and then thou be cast into pryson Agree vvith thine aduersary C. Althoughe Christ doth seeme to procede and go forward with this matter and not onely to exhorte those to reconciliation which had done iniurie to their bretherne but also which are vniustely prouoked yet notwithstanding he rather had respect to an other ende namely that he myghte cut of the occasion of hatred discorde and that he might shewe the way meane to encrease good wil For whervpō cometh so many iniuries but onely that so manye men are so gredy of their priuate righte that is they seeke their owne cōmoditie by other mens losse and damage For all men are so blinded with selfe loue that they flatter them selues in euyl causes Christ therfore to th end he might touch hatred contentions striffes all kynde of iniuries he reproueth that pertinacy the welspring of al these euils appointeth his to be ready to moderatiō equitie that they geuing place to extremite mai redeme peace frēdship with such equitie It were truely to be wysshed for that no strife or cōtention might at any tyme happē among vs And this is certaine that men at no time shuld come into strife contention if that the meeke gentle behauiour were amōgst thē which ought to be But because it is almoste impossible but that strife do arise Christ sheweth the remedy by the which they may be abated namely if we bridle our affectiōs ar redyer to depart with losse then to prosecute our righte with obstinate rigour E. He calleth him an aduersarye with whō we haue strife actiō in the law But Christ doth reuoke withdraw those that ar his frō strifes and contentions takynge hys argument of the danger ensuing Oftentimes he that hath beste right hath most wrong in iudgemēt he that is worthy of ponishement ouercōmeth Agre with thine aduersary quickly while thou arte in iudgement lest thou fele the extremitie of the lawe VVhile thou art in the vvaye C. That is while the matter as yet hāgeth in equal ballāce Christ often times
lawe asked him a question temptinge him and sayinge C. This lawyer was a pickte and chosen fellow amonge the whole sects as it is saide before which seemed to excell others in witte and learninge This good fellow beinge sufficiently instructed before came vnto Christ saying 36. Master which is the greatest coÌ„maundement in the Lawe C. Because this man was an interpretor of the Lawe hee is offended at the doctrine of the Gospell by the which hee thoughte that the auctoritye of Moyses was demynished Howbeit hée is not so muche affected throughe the zeale of the law as hee taketh disdaine the any thinge shoulde departe from the honour of his Mastership Christ thefore demaundeth of him whether hee would professe anye thinge more perfecte then the lawe For although the lawyer do not expresse this in words yet notwithstanding his question is very captions seekinge thereby to make Christ hated of the people The greatest commaundement B. The Euangelist Marke hath which is the first of all the commaundementes The greatest first chiefest signify all one thing as that to the which all the reste maye be referred 37. Iesus said vnto him Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy harte and with all thy soule and with all thy minde Thou shal s loue thy Lorde Bu. The Lorde aunswereth to the question euen out of the profoundnes and depthe of the Law that by these few wordes all men might gather know that the Lord was moste skilfull and cunninge in the Lawe Mâ—… Notwithstandinge the Euangelist Marke sayth that Christe spake more woordes namely these followinge The first of all the coÌ„maundements is Heare O Israell The Lorde our God is Lorde onely and thou shalt loue thy Lorde thy God with all thy harte c. C. By the which wordes God getteth auctoritye to his lawe for two causes For this also ought to be vnto vs a most sharpe pricke and prouocation to the worship of God when that we are certainly perswaded the wee worship the true creator of heauen and earth because doubtinge doth naturally ingender sluggishnes a pleasaunt intisement also to loue him seing that hee hath adopted vs freely to be his sonnes Therfore least the Iewes should be afrayde as comonly men are in doubtful matters they beare a true rule of life prescribed vnto them by the true only god And lest distrust should stay them God commeth familliarlye vnto them comitteth vnto them his free couenauÌ„t In the meane time notwithstandinge there is no doubt but that he seperateth himselfe from all Idoles least the Iewes should be led amisse but might kepe themselues in the true worshippe of him onlye Now trulye if vncertainty and doubting do stay nothing at all the miserable worshippers of Idoles from being caryed by folish zeale to the loue of them what excuse is lefte to the hearers of the lawe if they forsake God M. Further â–ª more by these woordes The Lorde our God is one God hee doth not onely go aboute to proue the Lorde to be one onely God but also to haue vs so to estéeme beleue of him But truly to beleue that ther is one God it doth profit vs nothing but to accompt him for one onlye God for oure God is saluation and life and the fulnes of all the commaundementes Euen so sayd the holy patriarcke Iacob the Lord shal be my God as thoughe bee were not his God before but he meaneth that hee doth fully determyne with true worshippe to accompt the Lord onely for his god Hée sayth therefore that wee must accompt the Lord our God for one God onelye and no mo that is that wee ought not to worshippe him with diuers worshippes inuented of vs but with the onelye worship which hee himselfe hath appointed And this is done by faith For no man can haue one God except hee depende onely vppon him and beleue onely in him otherwise hee shal be earyed into the variety of workes and shall faine vnto him selfe diuers Goddes C. That which followeth Thou shalt loue the Lorde is the epitome or briefe compendium of the lawe the which is also to be seene in the sixtene Chapter of Deutronomye For seinge the law is deuided in two tables whereof the firste is referred to the worshippe of God and the other to loue Moyses did very well and wisely gather this short somme that the Iewes might know what God required in euery commaundement Moreouer although it be méete that we loue God farre otherwise than men yet notwithstaÌ„ding God doth not without cause required of vs loue for his honour and worship because by this meanes hee declareth that no worship is so acceptable vnto him as that which is voluntarye For hee doth trulye at the lengthe geue himselfe to the obedience of God which loueth him But because the vitious and wicked affections of the fleshe do withdrawe vs from the righte way Moyses sheweth that our way and life is framed aright if that all our sences be replenished with the loue of god Let vs therefore learne that the beginninge of godlines is the loue of God because God reiecteth the coacted and constrayned obedience of men and will be worshipped liberally and willingly And by the waye let vs learne that the reuerence whiche is due vnto him is noted vnder the loue of god In the Booke of Moyses this word mind is not added but onely mencion is made of the harte minde and strengthe And althoughe that the participacion of these sower meÌ„bers is more full and perfect yet notwithstaÌ„ding it altereth not the sence For Moyses goinge about brefely to teache the God oughte to haue oure loue in whole and summe hee thought it sufficient to adde strength to the soule and harte least hee should leaue any parte of man voyde of the loue of god B. As if hee should haue said thou shalte so vnfaynedlye loue thy God that the loue of him shal inuade and possesse thy whole nature and sences euery one whatsoeuer is in thee applye it to the loue of him let thy minde alwayes thincke vppon him let thy will delight in him before all thinges and let all thy strengthe and endeuoures be to the fulfilling of his pleasure The which loue is the first fruite of faith C. Furthermore wée muste note that the Hebrewes vnder this word harte do sometymes note the minde specially where it is ioyned to the minde For what doth the minde differ from the harte in this place surely nothing but in this that it séemeth to signifye a more hye seate of reason from whence all counsayles and cogitacions do springe B. C. Moreouer these thinges are not so spoken as though wéé ought to loue no other thing but God onelye when as all the thinges that hee made are excedinge good and to be beloued but because nothinge ought to be made equall in loue with him or to be preferred before the loue of God C. Also it doth appeare by this
theues but seeinge it was chosen of God it coulde not be defaced by no corruptions of men vntyll suche tyme as the reiectinge thereof were made manifeste or els it was prophane in respecte of the wyckednes of men and holye in respecte of the worshyppe of God vntyll the destruction of the Temple whiche happened not longe after Christe was crucified 54 VVhen the Centurion and they that were with hym watchynge Iesus sawe the earthquake and those thynges whiche happened they feared greatly saying Truely this was the sonne of God. VVhen the Centurion M. Marke Luke speake seuerally thus of the Centurion When the Centurion whiche stoode before hym sawe what had happened that is as saythe Marke that hee so cried and gaue vp the Ghost he glorified God as saythe Saint Luke saying Verely this was a righteous man Marke hathe this was the sonne of god But this oure Euangeliste wryteth ioyntly and together of the Centurion and of those which kept Iesus with hym C. The Euangeliste Luke maketh mencion that the Centurion with his Souldiours acknowledged Christe to be the sonne of God to amplefie the matter because it is marueyle that a prophane man and not broughte vp in the Lawe but altogether voyde of trewe godlynes gaue suche a iudgement of the sygnes whiche he sawe The whiche comparyson dothe not a lytle serue to condemne the blyndnes of the cittie for it was a sygne of horrible madnes that none of the Iewes were moued sauing the cōmon multitude and that a fewe at the shaking tremblyng of the foundation of the worlde Howe be it God in so greate blyndnes woulde not suffer the testimonies whiche he had geuen of his sonne to bee hydde Bu. This Centurion was a Romayne sente of Pylate the Deputie and sette to ouersee Christe after hee was condemned leaste there shoulde aryse any tumulte amonge the people They feared greatly C. In that the Centurion is sayde to feare and also to glorifye God it ought not so to bee expounded as though hee dyd fully and wholy repent For this was onely a sodayne and transitory motion whiche continewed but a short tyme Euen as often tymes it commeth to passe that vayne men and suche as are geuen to the worlde are strycken with the feare of God when hee declareth his fearfull power But because it taketh not depe roote it dothe by and by brynge foorth securitie whiche quyte extynguysheth the same Therefore the Centurion was not so chaunged that all his lyfetyme afterwarde he gaue hym selfe vnto God but hee was onely for a tyme a proclaymer of the deytie of Christe Saying Truely this vvas the sonne of God. C. The Centurion affirmeth hym to be the sonne of God and a righteous man not that hee distinctly vnderstoode howe Christe was begotten of the father but because he iudged somewhat that was deuine to bee in hym and because he was constrayned by the myracles he deameth that he was indued with the power of god M. After these thinges Saint Luke addeth saying And all the people that came together to that syghte sawe the things whiche had happened smote their brestes and retourned The strykynge of the breastes was a sygne of griefe and suche that they feared leaste the Lorde shoulde take vengeaunce on them for the bloud of the innocent man For that sygne is geuen eyther when wee repente vs of oure synne or when we feare the calamitie whiche hangeth ouer oure heade And certaynly the whole region is polluted in the whiche Innocent bloude is shedde 55 And many women were there behouldyng him a farre of whiche followed Iesus from Galile ministering vnto hym Add many vvomen vvere there E. The Euangeliiste Saint Luke hathe And all his acquaintaunce and the women whiche followen hym from Galile stoode a farre of behouldyng these thynges C. But these thynges are therefore added that wee myght knowe that although the disciples were dispersed here and there through flyghte yet not withstanding the Lorde kepte some of them as wytnesses And although the Apostell Saint Iohn wente not from the Crosse yet for all that there is no mention made here of hym but the women onely are commended of oure Euangeliste Saint Matthewe which followed Christe euen to the deathe because the men flying awaye with feare their singuler loue towarde their maister dyd the more appeare Notwithstandyng wee doe not gather by the forenamed place of Saynct Luke that all the men fled away because he saith that all his acquaintaunce stoode a farre of But the Euangelistes doe not without good cause chiefelye make mention of the women For thereby the Apostels are sharpelye reprehended because the women were lesse fearefull than they Wee speake of the bodye it selfe For because one onely abode as a remnaunte of hym as we sayde euen nowe the three Euangelistes make no mention And this was a greate shame to the chosen wytnesses to withdrawe them selues from that syght vppon the whiche the saluation of the whole worlde dyd depende So that when they should afterwarde publishe the Gospel thei were faine to learne the speciall parte of the history of the women Wherefore excepte the prouidence of God had wonderfully preuented this euell they had depryued them selues and vs to of the knowledge of the redemption And although there semeth not to bee so greate authoritie and creedit to bee geuen to the women yet neuertheles if wee waye with howe greate power of the holy Ghoste they were strengthened against that temptatiō there shall be no cause why our faith should wauer whiche resteth in the trewe God the authour of testimony C. Therefore wee must note theire wonderfull faythe It was a greuous temptation to see Christe reproached with suche sclaunder and at the lengthe to dye It was also a horrible syghte to see his daed carcas Theire faythe therefore was not lyghtly tryed But in that they stoode a farre of it was a sygne of womanly feare For although they dyd loue the Lorde yet notwithstandynge theire loue was not without the infirmitie of the fleshe Wherefore by this example we learne not to reiecte the weake and fearefull by and by as though there were no loue in them to the Lorde VVhiche follovved Iesus from Galile C. This deserued no small prayse in these women that for the desyer they had to learne they forsooke theyr owne countrey that they myght continually depende vppon the mouthe of the Lorde And also because they neyther spared labour nor goodes to haue the doctryne of saluation For our Euangeliste sayth Ministering vnto hym What thei ministered Luke declareth saying Which ministred vnto hym of their substaunce They mynistered not onely to the persone of Christ but to the Apostles also whiche followed hym This place ought diligently to bee noted The kyng of kynges whiche nourisheth all thynges beynge Lorde of heauen and earthe had nothyng to sustayne hym selfe but that whiche hee had of those that followed hym Therefore the Apostell Paule saythe For ye knowe the lyberallitie of oure
here how the aungel with this only sentence doth cast downe all the seruice of the lawe and the whole opinion of the Scribes and Phariseis when that he pronounceth that at length he shall come whiche shall deliuer his people from their sinnes His people C. No doubt the aūgell called the Iewes the people of Christ to whom he was ordayned ioyned a ruler a king but because shortly after the Gentiles were to be vnited to the stocke of Abraham this promyse of saluation is extended to all one with an other whiche growe into one body of the churche by faith A. as more plainly appeareth by the woordes of the prophete saying I will call her my people whiche was not my people her beloued which was not beloued her to haue obtained mercy whiche had not obtained mercy 22 All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the lorde by the prophet saying P. That is to to saye that our sauiour should be borne man of the holy virgin by the power of the holy ghost and should be called according to his office Iesus C. For Mathew comprehendeth whatsoeuer is deuine heauenly in the conception of Christe as easely may be gathered by the vniuersall note whiche he geueth 23 Beholde a maide shal be with child and shal bring forth a sonne and they shal call his name Emanuel which if a man interprete is as muche to saye as God with vs. Behold a mayde shal be This place is plain commonly knowen But the Iewes according to their wōted malice do depraue and corrupt the same yet here they do bewray and shewe forth not only their blinde folishe but also their wicked malice against Christe and his truthe With no lesse impudencie their Rabbines haue gone about to expounde this place of the prophete of Ezechias whiche was then fiftene yeares of age But what vnreasonable falshode is this to laye vp the young man againe in his mothers wombe that he might be sixtene yeares of age and all to obscure the light and to deny a manifest truthe But they are the worthy enemies of Christ whom being stricken with the spirite of madnes God will make foolishe Other somme fayne and imagin to them selues an vnknowen sonne of Achaz whom the prophete did foretelle should be borne But here it may be demaunded by what right he should be called Emanuel and how the lande was subiecte to his authoritie when he died as a priuate man without honour For the same prophete by and by saith that the same childe whatsoeuer he be shal be lorde and ruler of the earth And no lesse fondly do they babble whiche applie this prophesy to the prophetes sonne And truely in this pointe our Christian wryters haue to grosly erred in applying the prophesie in the eight chapter following to Christe There the prophete saith that he was commaunded to go to the prophetisse his wyfe by a vision and by the commaūdement of God to cal the childe that was borne vnto him a spedy robber and a hasty spoyler For there is only noted the troublesomnes of warre with the great destruction and desolation that was at hande Whereby it may easely be gathered that there were diuers causes Let vs seke therefore for the proper sence meaning of this place When king Achaz was afraide Hierusalem being besieged yea he being almoste discouraged with feare the prophete is sent vnto him whiche promiseth that God shall be the keper and defender of the citie But when this simple and vndoubted promise did nothing eleuate his troubled mynde the prophete was bydden to proffer somme signe or token whether in heauen aboue or in earth beneath When this wicked hipocrite cloking his infidelitie denied to haue any signe or token the prophete did more sharpely reproue him and at length said Notwithstanding the lord shal geue you a signe For behold a maide shal conceiue and bring forth a sonne We expounde this to be spoken of Christe in this manner All you which are of the posteritie of Dauid do indeuour so much as in you lieth to abbolishe the grace promised vnto you notwithstanding your distrust shall neuer bryng to passe but that the truthe of God shall alwayes be higher and haue the vpper hande God doth promise that the citie shal be safe and defended from the enemies if his woorde be not sufficient he is ready to geue you according to your own arbitrement a tokē to cōfirme the same You exclude the grace proffered driue the same from you yet shall God abyde firme iust in his counaunt promyse for the promised redemer shall come in whome God wyll shewe him self perfectly vnto his people The Iewes do obiecte that Esay shoulde haue done both folishly and absurdly if that he had geuen a signe to the people in those daies whiche signe was exhibited manifestly shewed vnto them eight hūdred yeres after or thereabout And here very arrogantly they triunphe because that this obiection either by the want of skill and learning or els by the carelesnes and negligence of the Christians was passed ouer with silence But truly the solution and aunswere to this obiection appertaining doth not seme hard if that we consider way that the promise of adoption was geuen to the Iewes whereupon all the reste of the benefites of God did depende and wholy consiste It was therfore a generall promise by the which God did take chose the sonnes of Abraham to be a peculiar people vnto him selfe in the whiche all other speciall promises were founded and stablished Againe the Messias was the foundation of this couenaunt and promise Now let vs note that the cause of the deliuering of the citie was for that it was the sanctuary of God and that from thence the redemer should come This respect being taken away Hierusalem had bene destroyed laide waste an hundred times Now let the godly readers way and diligently consider that when as the kinglike house had reiected the signe proffered of God vnto them whether the prophete conueniently passed to the Messias or no. As if he should haue sayd Although this people are vnworthy of the sauing health whiche I promise from the lorde Notwithstanding God being mindeful of his couenaunt shall deliuer this citie from her enemies Therefore that he might shewe forth no particuler signe for the testifiyng of his grace this might be sufficient enough that the Messias should come of the stock of Dauid Further we must note here that the prophete doth cal the vnfaithful to the general promise because they would admitte no particuler signe It is therfore nowe manifest that the prophet when no miracle might be receiued very aptly and in good time passed to shewe of Christe that the vnbeleuing might conceiue in their mindes that there was no other cause of their deliuerance then the couenaunt made with their fathers Now also resteth to confute their cauil in the
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
manner of the people As if he should haue sayd Publicans theues and robbers haue almost no humanitie yet they haue a certaine kynde of loue in sekinge their profyte M. What shall we nowe saye of Christians whiche loue not their frēdes neither do requite one good turne with another men voyde of humanitie vnthankeful They are farre worse then Publicans and sinners whiche were despised of the Iewes 47 And if ye make much of your brethrē only what singuler thing do ye Do not also the Publicanes likewyse If ye make much E. The Greke word signifieth if ye imbrace your brethren with a kisse whiche fashion was wonte to be betwene frendes when they met together not onely among the Iewes but also amōg the Grekes and Romains M. Which manner of saluting the Anabaptistes haue ridiculously vsurped contrary to the manner of the fathers as a singuler note of Christianisme Of your brethē E. All our Greeke bookes haue of youre frendes VVhat singuler thing do ye A. Or wherein do ye excell others What do ye that other mē do not As if he should haue sayd a great matter in dede ye wil salute no man vntill such time as ye be saluted of them The Publicanes do this E. In stede of Publicanes some Greke bookes haue Ethenix or Heathen The whiche Chrisostome also obserueth A. And the common edition 48 Ye shall therfore be perfecte euen as your father which is in heauen is perfecte Bu. Now at the last by a short and briefe sentence he doth conclude the whole disputation of the true and perfect meaning of the Lawe of the true righteousnes of Christiās saith that the sence proper meaning of the Lawe the wil of God tendeth only to this end that we all endeuour oure selues to come to perfection that is that euery one of vs with all our power strength should go about to expresse the image of our heauenly father in vs that as he is perfecte and hathe expressed the example of perfection in the Lawe whiche is his wyll so lykewyse euery one of vs should frame oure will to his will and image that as God is perfecte so shoulde we be perfecte also Whiche in dede is counted the true and perfect righteousnes C. But he meaneth not here that we shold be equal vnto God in perfectiō but that we shold haue a certaine similitude likenes vnto hym Therefore although we be farre vnlyke vnto God yet we are called perfect euen as he is perfecte so long as we runne at that marke whiche is set before vs Also in Luke it is sayde Be ye merciful euen as youre father whiche is in heauen is mercifull M. Therfore he would haue vs perfecte in loue and mercie euen as our father in heauen is perfecte The .vj Chapter TAKE hede that yee geue not your almes in the sight of men to the intēt that ye wold be sene of them or els ye haue no rewarde wyth youre Father whiche is in heauen Take hede that ye geue not your almes B. In the chapter going before Christe distinguisheth the true sence and meaninge of the Lawe from the false expositions of the Phariseis In this chapter he beginneth to declare their hypocritical dedes which were counted the speciall workes of religion as almes dedes prayers and fastinges Then to the ende he might make them more apte ready to good workes as to the dedes of charitie by many perswasiōs he exhorteth to committe all the care of lyfe to God whiche is nowe oure father C. Neither truely doth Christe in this place without cause exhorte his seruauntes to the study and earnest affection to good woorkes that is that they shoulde endeuour them selues simplely to do that whiche is right before God and not to boste them selues vnto men First and specially this admonitiō is necessary because ambition is alwayes to be feared in vertues neither is there any woorke so cōmendable which is not often times polluted and defiled by this vice ambitiō That ye geue not your almes before men Bu. In a certaine auncient Greeke booke for this worde almes is written righteousnes as the olde interpretour readeth Almes dedes properly is mercifulnes notwithstanding vse and custome hath broughte to passe that almes is called a gyft that of compassion and mercy is geuen to him that nedeth C. But in that diuersitie there lieth no waite or force whether the reade righteousnes or almes because it is manifest enough that by them bothe the vyce of ambition is reproued whiche in doing well loketh to haue prayse of men A. As did the Scribes and Phariseis of whom Christe speaketh thus All that they do is to be sene of men C. He forbiddeth not here to do wel in the syght of men but that we shoulde not do it to this ende to be cōmended of thē Bu. For otherwyse it is lawful for vs to geue our almes publikely so that our mynde haue respect vnto God and brotherly loue not to men and the prayse of men Or els ye haue no revvarde C. By these words he teacheth vs that oure almes pleaseth not God if it be defiled with the study of vayne glory 2 Therefore when thou geuest thyne almes let no trōpets be blowē before thee as the hypocrites do in the Synagoges and in the streates for to be praysed of men Verely I saye vnto you they haue their rewarde Therefore vvhen thou geuest thine almes C. Here he toucheth by name the vice which is receiued by vse custome in the whiche the desire of prayse is not only apparaunt manifest but also with the hādes almost palpable For in cōmon publike places whereunto many people were wonte to resorte they did distribute their doles or almes to the poore in the whiche their ostentation was manifeste because they soughte frequented places to haue many witnesses of their dedes and not contented with this they caused trōpettes to be sounded They fained truely that they called the poore together by the noyse of the trompet so that they neuer wanted a cloake to shadowe their hypocrisie when as it is for certain that they did it to haue fame renoume and prayse of men But all those that seke to serue men and to please them do denie God to be the authour and staye of lyfe So that worthely they are depriued of the rewarde As the hypocrites do E. An hypocrite is as muche to saye as a fayner or dissembler or a player whiche representeth the persone of an other man whiche semeth to be suche an one as in dede he is not Whereupō whosoeuer doth fayne glose or dissemble may well be called an hypocrite But there are diuers kyndes of Hypocrites For there are some whiche although their owne conscience bewray them yet notwithstanding they sell them selues to the worlde for good men and their vices of the whiche they are conuicte in conscience they seke to hyde
vnto vs that he dothe promise his spirite which ingraueth the righteousnes of the law in our hartes We are cōmaunded therfore to aske both and in the fyrst place the petition to obtaine remissiō of sinnes is put Oure dettes M. Luke in the xi Chapter hath forgeue vs our synnes or trespasses C. Therfore our sinnes are called dettes because they bringe vs before the trybunall seat of God make vs detters vnto him yea they do wholly seperate vs from God that there is no hope to atteine peace and grace but only by pardō And so is fulfylled that whiche Paule wryteth All haue synned and are destytute of the glorye of God that all mowthes maye be stopped and that all the world may be subdued vnto god For althoughe the righteousenes of God doth partely shine in the sainctes notwithstanding so long as they are in the fleshe they lie ouerladē with sin So that there is no man founde in the whole world so pure whiche hath not nede of the mercy of God of the which if we desire to be partakers it is necessary that we féele oure owne misery But they whiche fayne to thē selues such perfectiō in this worlde that they think them selues frée frō al sin and vice do not so much neglect their sinnes as they do Christ frō whose church they banish them selues For when he cōmanded al his disciples daily to aske remissiō of their sins he excludeth al out of theyr nomber cōpany whiche thinke this remedie to be superfluous vnto thē Let vs put awaye therefore by this praier the wrath indignation of our heauenly father the iust ponishmētes whiche wee haue deserued let vs seke to please him by reconciliation For what can be more greuous then the displeasure of the father For so much as therfore our hole health consisteth in this to keepe the fauour of our heauēly father good and iuste cause we haue to put awaye his displeasure Now this remissiō which we here desire is cōtrary to satisfactiōs by the which the world seketh redēption For that credytour is not said to remit whiche beinge paid asketh the det no more but he which willingly frely departing frō his right dischargeth the debttor Neither dothe that cōmon distinction of falte ponishement here take place for there is no doubt but that dets do signifie the desert of ponishment or paine We must note also here that if we be forgeuē fréely al dispensations cōming from the Pope are in vaine For to obteine remission of oure sinnes Christ sēdeth vs to his father alone that rightly for who can forgeue the offence cōmitted against an other not againste him self Nay can any man forgeue sins beside God Wherfore Christe sent hym which had hurt his brother to go reconcile him self to his brother Therfore whē we syn against God our health saluation only cōsisting in him it is manifest that we can be forgeuen of none but of him therfore at his hāds we must aske forgeuenes according to the form of this praier Herevpon Dauid saide I saide I wil confesse my syns vnto thee lord so thou forgauest mee the wickednes of my sin For this shal euery one that is godly make his prayer vnto thée in a time whē thou maiest be found Neither is this repugnāt to that authoritie which was geuen to the Apostels to remit sinnes For they did not forgeue sinnes by their own power but as ministers of Christ prechers of grace they did pronounce to the penitent faithfull that their sins were forgeuen According to the saying of the lord by the Prophete Esay I euen I am he that put away your sinnes that for my owne sake As vve forgeue our detters C. This condition was therefore added that no man should presume to aske pardon for his sinnes excepte he were free from mallice hatred Notwithstāding the pardō which we aske dependeth not vpon that which we shewe to other but by this meanes Christe exhorteth vs to forgeue all offences and dothe make our trust and confidence also of absolution pardō more fyrme and strong Furthermore it was not the purpose of Christ to note the cause but onely to teache vs of what mind we ought to be one towards an other when we desire to be reconciled vnto god And trewely if the spirite of God do raigne in our hartes all mallice euil wyl reuengement wil ceasse But for so muche as the spirite is a wytnesse vnto vs of our adoption we se that there is here a note geuen vnto vs who are the sonnes of God and who are not B. Our remission therfore is a motion of the spirite because God ruleth our affections Nowe since the case standeth thus how can they be excused whiche will not forgeue theyr neybours offences How can such presume to aske pardon of their sinnes at the handes of God Is it a triffle to lye vnto the lyuinge God and to play the Hypocrytes Yea when we say forgeue vs as we forgeue others what do we elles but call for vengeaunce at the handes of God vpon our selues if wee forgeue not oure offendours And for this cause there are many nowe a daies which rather then they wil remit forgeue they will neuer say the lordes praier But suche escape not the iudgemente of god For it shall abide for euer whiche the lord saith If ye forgeue not mē their trespases your father whiche is in heauē shall not forgeue you your trespases To this ende also parteineth the parable which he sheweth following Wherfore we may not let to forgeue our ofenders if so be that we will haue god to forgeue and forget our synnes 13 And leade vs not into tēptation but deliuer vs from euill for thine is the kingdome the power and the glory for euer and euer amen And leade vs not into tempta C. Here many amisse do deuide this into two petitions when as by the matter it is euidēt to be but one not two as they imagine For the coniūctiō set betwene both coupleth both the sentēces together whiche S. Austine very wiselye examined Thus therefore ought this praier to be resolued Least vve be led into tēptation deliuer vs from euill But the sōm of this prayer is this that we knowing our own infirmities desier god to be our aide helpe that we may stāde valiantly against al the assaltes of sathā M. We are taught therfore in this petion that we are as yet set in a doubtfull dāgerous cōflict in the which we must fight against the deuil the world and the fleshe For the godly haue an other maner of fight in this worlde then haue the childrē of darknes For they haue a carelesse conscience sekinge at no time to resyste Sathan whiche worketh in them but the godly because they geeue theim selues wholly vnto God they haue Sathan the prynce of this worlde
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
doctrine is shewed in the lawe prophetes but he vnderstandeth that what soeuer is there commaunded of charitie what so euer lawes and exhortations there be for the imbracinge of equitie oughte to be referred to this ende The sence therfore of his woordes is that the second table is fulfilled if so be that wee do vnto others as we woulde they should do vnvs Accordinge to the whiche S. Paule saith He whiche loueth an other fulfylleth the lawe Againe he saythe All the law is cōprehended in one worde namely in this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe 13 Enter in at the straite gate for wyde is the gate and broade is the way that leadeth to destructiō and many there be whiche go in thereat Enter in at the strayte gate M. Because this doctrine seemed to the disciples new and vnwonted as it was heauenly so the same semed incomprehensible to the wisdome of the fleshe specially in respecte of that whervnto they were accustomed Christ therfore added this admonishing his disciples to prepare thē selues as it were to a strayte and thorny way or to a troublesome iorney Broade is the vvaye M. By the way the scripture vnderstandeth the lyfe of man because it tendeth as a waye eyther to a comming to lyfe or deathe And many there be vvhiche go in thereat C. He sayth that many go the broade way because mē do destroy one an other by their peruerse ensamples For wherevpon cōmeth that euery man willingly and carelesly casteth hym selfe to destruction but because they thincke they perysshe not when in dede in the middest of the route they perishe And on the contrary parte the small nomber of the faythful maketh many altogether bent to wickednes for we are not easely broughte to renounce the worlde and to frame our selues and our lyfe to the manners of fewe for we thincke it an absurde thing to be brought from the multitude or greatest nomber as though we were not part of mākinde And although the doctrine of Christ doth constraine vs as bonde doth bryng our lyfe into a straite iorney and dothe seperate vs from the multitude and ioine vs to a few yet notwithstanding this precisenes ought not to lett vs to aspire and come to life immortall 14 For strayte is the gate and narrowe is the waye whiche leadeth vnto life and fewe there be that fynde it For strayte is the gate Bu. The sence of this place is that there is a certaine institution of life which is vneasy hard sharpe and therefore it doth abhorre the myndes of the people but this soure and vnsauery lyfe hath most pleasant fruites which bringeth to euerlasting lyfe But where as the waye is narrowe that commethe by our corrupt nature and imperfection in that we can not make our lyfe subiect to the yoke There is no cause therefore why we should complayne but we must ascribe the same to our wicked inclination Laste of all we muste note here the twoo endes of man whiche are here put of Christe to one of the whiche we must ronne at the lengthe that is to saye eyther to lyfe or perdition 15 Beware of false Prophetes whiche come to you in shepes clothinge but inwardely they are rauening wolues Bevvare C. This is a moste profytable admonition declaring that is more easy to be deceiued then to obeye and harken to wholsome counsaile for of our owne free wil we encline to falsehode and deceyte yea and althoughe there were no deceiuer yet we seduce and beguyle our selues By these wordes therfore our sauioure Christ doth teache that alwayes his churche is subiecte to dyuerse seducinges so to be daungerouse for some to fall from the faithe excepte they be vigilant diligent to beware The Iewes for the most part did hope that they shold haue a happy state vnder the kingedome of Christ and to be exempt from al strife and trouble Therefore he admonysheth his disciples to persiste and contynue if they couet to prepare theim selues to auoyde the deceytes of Sathan For the lorde will haue his church exercised with a continual warfare in this world wherfore that we may shewe our selues to be his disciples to the very end docillitie is not only sufficiēt as to suffer our selues to be gouerned with his woorde but also our faythe must be armed because often times it is assalted of sathan This trewly is the greatest thing if we suffer our selues to be ruled by the godly and faithfull ministers of Christe But because false teachers do arise excepte we watch diligently and be armed with cōstancy we may easely be withdrawen from the flocke To the which perteyneth the sayinge of Christ that the sheepe do here the voice of the shepeherd and not to regarde the voyce of a straunger but to flye from him Whereby we may gather that there is no cause why the faythefull shoulde be discouraged or troubled when wolues do crepe into the sheepefoulde of Christ when false prophetes go about to deface the trewe faith but rather ought to be of good chere and to watche For it is not without cause that Christ biddeth theym beware Wherefore if our owne slouthfulnesse ◅o not trouble vs we shall easely eschewe all trappes and snares and truely without this trust we could not be bolde enough to beware Now when as we knowe that the lorde will not frustrate oure expectation by any of the assaltes of sathā let vs go on without feare cra◅inge of him the spirite of discretion whiche sealeth our hartes with faythe of his treweth and bewrayeth the wyles deceytes of Sathan least we shoulde be begyled Of false prophetes C. A prophete is taken for the teacher shewyng forthe the pure woorde of God to the whiche ā false prophete is contrary which pretendinge the name of God hath a shewe of a prophete There shal arise saith Christ false Christes and false prophetes and shall do greate miracles and wonders in so much that if it were possible the very electe shoulde be deceyuod VVhiche come to you M. That is whiche ioyne theim selues vnto you and fayne thē selues to be on your side being neyther called nor sente Of the whiche prophetes the lorde complayneth in the olde testament sayinge I sent not prophetes and yet they wente In sheepes clothinge C. Here he noteth their falsehod and hipocrisie They faine sayth he them selues to be sheepe when as they are nothinge lesse Christ sheweth that deceyuers wante not their coullered cloke But invvardly they are M. These false prophetes Paule also doth depaynt I knowe saith S. Paule that after my departure there shall come wulues among you not sparing the flock Moreouer of your own selues shal men arise speaking peruerse thinges to drawe disciples after them And in an other place I beseeche you brethern marke them which cause deuission geue occasions of euyl contrary to the docttrine whiche ye haue learned and auoyde them for they that are such serue not
Christes cōming did the more rage which thing came not to passe without the wonderfull prouidence of god For Christe hereby had the more occasion offered to set forth his glory And he cast out the spirites vvith a vvorde C. That is by his power commaundement strengthe and rule C. Luke addeth and saithe that these sicke persones were healed by layinge on his handes For the laying on of his handes was a signe of reconciliation vnder the lawe Wherfore not without good cause Christ layeth his handes on them whom he absolueth from the curse of god It was a solēne manner of consecration as in an other place is more largely declared But we saye that Christe here simplely layde on his handes on the sicke that in commending them to his father they mighte obtayne fauour and deliueraunce from their diseases And healed all that vvere sycke A. That is he refused none that came vnto hym to receiue their healthe so gentle and louyng was he 17 That it might be fulfylled whiche was spoken by the Prophete Esay when he saith he toke on hym oure infirmities and bare our sicknesses That it might be fulfilled M. We may not so vnderstande this place as to thinke that Christe did therefore heale the sycke that the scripture might be fulfilled that els he woulde not haue done it But rather we must thinke that this piece of Scripture was put because this thinge should come to passe by Christe and because it was so decreed of the father He toke on hym our infirmities A. This place is in the thrée and fifty chapter of Esaye C. This prophecie semeth to bee cyted smally to the purpose Obiection nay it semeth to be wrested to a contrary sence For there the Prophete Esay speaketh not of myracles but of the death of Christe Neither of temporall benefites but of the spirituall and euerlasting grace And that whiche was certainly spoken of the vices of the mynde Matthewe referreth it to corporall diseases The aunswere is not harde if so be that the Readers waye and consyder not onely what Christe bestowed vppon the sycke but also to what ende he cured their diseases They felte the grace of Christe in their bodies But we must haue respecte vnto the ende because it is vnfitte to sticke and stande in a transitory benefite as though the sonne of God were onely a Phisition of the body What then Truely he gaue syghte to the blynde to declare that he was the lyghte of the worlde he restored the dead to life to proue that he was the life and the resurrection The like matter we must thinke as concerning the halte the lame Wherefore let vs folowe this analogy that what benefites soeuer Christe hath shewed to man in the flesh the same must be referred to the ende whiche Matthewe setteth before vs namely that Christe was sent of his father to deliuer vs from all euell and misery Bu. All these thynges therfore pertaine to this ende that we come and declare al the diseases bothe of the body and mynde to this heauenly faythfull and mighty Physition For he came into this worlde from aboue to heale our infirmities As concerning the whiche matter reade the second chapter of the firste epistle of S. Peter 18 VVhen Iesus sawe muche people about him he commaunded that they should go vnto the other syde of the water C. The Euangeliste Matthewe toucheth that briefely whiche others very plentifully and fully do expounde And that whiche is omitted of Matthewe the other two Euangelistes do declare Namely that Christe soughte occasion priuely to departe into a deserte place before it was daye And Marke sayth afterward that he was admonished of Peter howe that all men sought him But Luke sayth that the people soughte hym and came vnto him Now where as Mathewe sayth that he went ouer to the other syde of the water the other two in steade of that sayd that he went throughout all Galilee that he might preache in all places 19 And a certaine Scribe when he was come sayde vnto him maister I wyll followe thee whether soeuer thou goest And a certayne Scribe C. Matthew in this chapter maketh mētion but of two men onely that would folowe Christe Luke maketh mention of thrée whiche when they were ready to geue them selues vnto Christ were hindered by dyuers lettes from the righte race according to the whiche lettes they receiue their aunswere Maister I vvill follovve thee M. What this Scribe here sought can not be gathered by his woordes but by the woordes and aunswere of Christe it appeareth He semeth after a littel taste of doctrine to acknowledge the Gospell to be the doctrine of God and to be moued with violence a certayne affection to followe Christe not considering what it was to followe Christe but by and by he quayled Many such we haue in these days which so sone as thei heare of the Gospel geue their names vnto Christe and professe that they beleue in hym but if there chaunce to arise a litle persecution by and by they become Scribes and forget their profession This Scribe would followe Christ but he thought he shoulde walke a pleasaunt waye at his iourneys ende haue a quiet Inne or resting place with good chere whē as the disciples of Chist must passe through brambles and thornes and by many troubles to the crosse Therefore the more he hasted the lesse was he ready his heate was meere colde his diligence became neglygence He dyd as one that wolde fayne be a warriour but he would not fight in the same or in the dust neither wolde he wante his ordinary fare nor stande in peril of the gunneshot It is no marueile if Christe reiecte suche souldiours suche disciples who as they rashely offer theim selues so do they rashely plucke backe their foote againe with shame Wherefore let vs vnderstand that we are all in the person of this mā admonished that we do not rashly or carelesly boast our selues to be the disciples of Christ without any consideration of the crosse and trouble to come but rather let vs before the time consider what the condition of suche must be For this ignorance calleth vs to his schole teacheth vs to denye our selues to take vp the crosse and followe him And sainct Paule saith All they that wil lyue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution 20 And Iesus sayde vnto hym the foxxes haue holes and the byrdes of the ayre haue nestes but the sonne of mā hath not where to rest his head And Iesus saido vnto hym M. By this aunswere our sauiour Christ dothe playnely open and manifest that which the scribe had hidden kepte secret in his brest he maketh not aunswere to his woordes directly but to his mynde he saithe not I would not haue thée followe mée neither saithe he I thincke it good that thou followe mée but he so aunswereth him that he can not fynde in his barte
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
dyd trewely and vnfainedly beleue in mee ye would confesse that I haue cast out deuils by the power of god and ye woulde also for so greate a benefyte be thanckefull to god Now seing you wyll not do this ye oughte to ioyne your selues to the other part which doth calumniate speake euyll of that which I haue done ascribyng it to the deuyll But because ye dissemble it is a sure and certayne signe that ye are not neyther that ye gather not with me but rather that yee scatter abroade for ye cleaue vnto theim that calumniate howesoeuer ye dissemble Let al our newters and Luke ware men our Ambodexters I saye in these our daies marke this lesson of our Sauiour Christe Let also all idell and slowebellied byshops and prelates which gather not the kingdom of God be admonished by this place they are not with Christ therfore they are aduersaries dispersers and cōfounders of the kingdom of God. 31 VVherefore I say vnto you all maner of synne and blasphemie shall be forgeuen vnto men but the blasphemie againste the spirite shall not be forgeuen vnto men VVherefore I say vnto Bu. Nowe Chryste plainely sheweth howe greuousely they offende whiche blaspheme the woorkes of the lorde and the doctrine of treweth and do obstinately and continually resist the same C. But this is an illation or bringinge in which oughte not to be restrayned to the sentence goinge before because it depēdeth vpon the whole text For after that Chryste had taughte that the Scribes coulde not disproue that hee caste out deuylles but that they soughte onely to resyst the kingdome of God he concludeth at the length that it was no lighte or tollerable saying but a wicked and detestable cryme in that wyttingly and willingly they letted not in reprochfull wyse to gainesay and resist the spyrite of god For we declared before that Christ dyd not vtter these wordes by occasion of wordes but rather by the occasion of their wicked thoughtes All maner of synne and blasphemy E. The latten worde is Conuitium which signyfieth reproche For this word blasphemy is as much to say as slanderouse wordes and reproche by the which the fame and good reporte of a man is impayred C. But because our sauiour Christ saith here that blasphemy againste the spirite is greatter then any other synne it shal be necessary to way and consider what he meaneth therby They which define this blasphemy to be impenitency ought not in any poynt to be refelled or disalowed for then Christ should in vayne haue denied remission of the same in this world Furthermore the name of blasphemye can not confusedly be extended to euery kynde of synne withoute exception But by the comparison which Christ bringeth we may easely gather the definition Question Why is he saide to cōmit the more haynouse offence which blasphemeth the spirite thē he whiche speaketh blasphemy agaynst Christe Truely there is a greate dyffeerence For seinge the fulnes of the diuinitie raigneth in Christe whosoeuer is contumeliouse againste hym or a blasphemer of hym he dothe abbolyshe and ouerthrowe so muche as in hym lieth al the glory of god But nowe howe can Christ be seperated and deuided from his spirite that he whiche blasphemethe the one dothe not in lyke maner blaspheme and impaire the glory of the other Now hereby we begyn to gather that the blasphemy against the spirite is not greater then any other synne because the spirite is more excellēt then Christ but because the power of God beinge made manifest declared they are not excusable by the pretenced cloke of ignoraunce whiche sporne and kycke against the same Besyde this we must note that that which is spoken here of blasphemy is not simplely referred to the essence of the spirite but to the grace with the whiche we are indewed For they which are depriued of the lyght of the spirite how much so euer they take away of the glory of the same yet notwithstandinge they are not made gylty of this crime and faulte Now let vs note that they do blaspheme the spyrite of God whiche with pretenced mallyce and spyghte do resyst his grace and power and knowinge the same to be in them go about by all meanes possible to extinguishe the same And this is the reason why they ar rather said to blaspheme the spyrite then the father or the sonne namely because in detracting and slaundering the grace and power of God wee doo plainely blaspheme the spirite from the which they procede and come and appere vnto vs Euery vnbeleuing person speaketh euell of God euen as if a blynde man should ronne against a gate But no man blasphemeth or speaketh euyll of the spirite but he whiche being illuminated of the same wyllyngly rebelleth against it Neyther is this distinction superfluous or vayne that all other blasphemies shal be forgeuen sauing this alone whiche is againste the spirite If any man symplely vtter blasphemy against god he is not denied hope of pardon but god is not said to be fauorable to him which is cōtumeliouse agaynste the spirite that is which speaketh euil of the giftes graces of the spirite contrary to his own cōsciēce E. They therfore whose cōsceince beareth thē witnesse that it is the word of God against the which they resist striue and yet notwithstāding cease not to impugn the same are truely said to blaspheme the spirite of God because they striue against the light which is the worke of the holy ghost Of these sorte of men there were many amōg the Iewes which when they could not resist the spirite that spake by Steuen yet notwithstanding they sought al that they might to resist There is no doubt but that many of thē were forced as it were to do it through the zeale of the lawe but it is euidēt that there were others which with maliciouse impietie dyd frette and fume agaynst God hym selfe Suche were the Phariseies against whom the lorde doth inuey who to the ende they myghte obscure the power of the holy ghoste did infame the same with the name of Beelzebub Hereup therefore ariseth blasphemy when men bouldely burst fyrste into the reproche of the name of God. C. Notwithstanding here ariseth a question Whether men are of such boulde madnes that wyttingly with good wyll they dare presume to rushe so rashely as it were in raging wise againste god I answere that this boldenes doth procede of a frenlike blindenes in the which not withstanding mallyce and poysoned fury beareth the sway Neither is it without cause that S. Paule saith that when he was a blasphemer he obtained mercy because he dyd it ignorantly in his vnbelefe for by this sayinge he putteth a difference betwene his synne and voluntary contumacy In this place also their errour is confuted whiche thincke that euery voluntary kinde of synne which is cōmitted against the conscience is voide of remission For truely Paule doth
tyme to come in the whiche the Messias shoulde be reuealed and reioysed how greatlye excedingly would hée haue reiosed if hée had séene that Messias nowe present with his bodely eyes Christe therefore commendeth vnto hys Disâ—…iples that time in the which he was now reueled in the flesh vnto whom all the law and the Prophets had respect 18. Heare yee the parable of the sower Bu. This pronowne yée hath a great emphasis and force in it A. As if hee should say you to whom it is giuen to know the mysteries of the kingdome of God here ye I say to whom it is giuen to sée and here those thinges which haue bene denyed to manye Prophetes kinges what this parable which I haue propounded of the sower sowinge his seede meaneth C. This our Euangelyste Luke makes mention that our sauioure Christ expounded the parable simplelye to his Disciples without any reprehension but Marke declareth that he reprehendeth their dulnes sayinge Know yee not this parable how then will ye know all other parables As if hée should haue said it is your part to expound not only this parable but also all other to the ignoraunt people the which thing how caÌ„ yée do when yée are ignoraunt of this 19. VVhen one heareth the worde of the kingdome and vnderstandeth it not then commeth the euill man and taketh awaye that whiche was sowne in his hart this is hee which was sowne by the waye syde VVhen one heareth A. Luke in the beginning of the explication of the parable declareth what Christ mente by the séede saying the séede is the word of God. M. And to the end wée might know that hée spake of the preaching of the Gospel hée calleth this seede in this place in the beginning of his exposition the word of the kingdom in the which the mysteries of the kingdome of God are expressed C. But the summe of the whole parable is that the doctrine of the Gospell when it is dispersed abrode like séede is not in euerye place fruitfull because it falleth not alwayes in fruitfull and well tylled ground Hée reherseth here foure kindes of hearers of the which the first kind conceyue no séede the seconde séeme to conceaue but so in déede that they take no liuely roote in the thirde the séede is choked so that now there remayneth only the fourth part whiche bringeth forth fruite But hee bringeth not in these fower kinds as though one among fower onely or ten among fortie imbrasing the doctrine should fructifye no more for Christ heare would not appoint any certaine nomber neyther deuide those of whom hée speaketh here into equall partes to the ende hee might shew that the springing vp or growinge of fayth was not alwayes alyke but some whyle exceding fruitfull somewhyle lesse where the woord is sowen but onely declared that the séede of lyfe perished in many by reason of the contrary vyces by the which it is eyther by and by corrupted or wythered or els by lyttle and lyttle it degenerateth and is out of kind But to the ende this admonition myght profite vs the better wée must note that there is no mencion made of contemners which openly do reiect and repell the word of God but that those onely are noted in the whiche there séemeth to be some docillitye and aptnes to be taughte Wherefore if the greater parte of these men do vanishe away what shal be fall the rest of the world of whom the doctrine of saluation is opeÌ„ly repelled Heareth the vvoorde of the kingdome and vnderstandeth it not C. In this first place hée maketh mention of those whiche are barren and vntilled which inwardly coÌ„ceyue not the séede because there is no preparation in theyr harts B. They here the word but with no affection of the mind with no dilygent affection their mynde being drawne of Sathan another waye wherby it cometh to passe that they neuer thinke vppon the woord which they heard but as the Prouerbe is it entereth in at one eare and goeth out at the other C. Such Chryst compareth to the hard drye earth which is in the comon way whych being continually troden vppon waxeth hard as stone I would to God there were not so many to be founde of this kinde as there are who when they offer them selues to heare do stand notwithstanding astonyed neyther do they receaue any tast or féeling of the same to be short they differ very little from blockes stones that are incensible Wherfore it is no marueyle if they vanishe quyte away Then commeth the euill man A. Luke hath Sathan and Marke putteth downe this name deuil And taketh avvaye that vvhich vvas C. Hereby wée gather that Sathan is an ennemy of our saluation Euen as do the hungary byrds in sowing time so cometh hée forth so soone as the doctrine of truth is sowne and taketh it awaye before it hath taken moysture and beginneth to springe Bu. For that auncient enemye knoweth wel enough that the sauing health of mortal men is wrought by fayth in the word VVhich vvas sovven in his hart C. Wheras Christ sayth that the word was sowen in their hartes although it be an improper kind of speaking yet notwithstandynge it waÌ„teth not reason because by the vice and wickednes of men the nature of the word is not taken away but that it maye retayne and keepe the vertue of séede For wée may in no wise thincke that any thing of the graces of God is deminished althoughe the effecte of them come not vnto vs In respect of God the word is sowen in the harts but the harts of all men do not receiue that sowen sede with méekenes and gentle affections as exhorteth the Apostell sainte Iames verye well Therfore the Gospel is alwayes in power a frutefull séede but not in dede M. Wherefore althoughe in it selfe the séede or thinge sowne is good and apte to bring forth good fruite notwithstandinge it maketh a greate matter into what ground it be cast In like manner the woord of God althoughe it be good apte to woorke pyetye and godlynes yet neuerthelesse it maketh much what maner of person the hearer be A. Luke addeth saying least in beleuing they shold be saued C. By the which wée may note no small prayse of faythe when that it is called the only cause of saluation This is hee vvhich vvas sovvne by the C. Some translate it thus This is that which was sowne by the wayes syde 20. But hee that receiued the seede which was cast into stonye places the same is hee that heareth the woorde and anone with ioye receyueth it A. It were better if it were translated thus But that which was sowne in the stony grounde signifyeth him which c. Bu. This is another sort of the hearers the rockye or stonye ground signifyeth vntimelye hearers I saye the myndes of such men as are rype to soone whiche receiue the woorde of God so soone as it is
pleasant fruites smellinge preciousely with a most acceptable odour before god men The tares are the chil M. Here we se to whō the wicked ones in the churche were ascribed But he speaketh not here of theues murtherers suche like but of those speciallye which haue not a sincere faith in Christ but are rather hypocrits fayning an outwarde shewe of holines Bu. We see therefore what the state of Christ his church is here in this worlde It was neuer without hypocrites Vntill the time of iudgement therfore there shal be traytours destroiers corrupters and theues euen in the middest of the church Of the vvicked M. He calleth the deuyll wycked not by nature but for his malliciouse practise Hee was a murtherer from the beginning and abode not in the way of trueth because there is no trueth in him When he speaketh of a lye hee speaketh of his owne because he is a lyer and the father of the same thing 39 The ennemy that soweth them is the deuill The haruest is the ende of the worlde the reapers be the Angelles The ennemie that sovveth M. Whom before he called wicked he calleth nowe the ennemie All wee therefore whiche are the children of the kyngdome and sowne of Christ and cleaue vnto him haue the deuill a continuall ennemie vnto vs. A. But how the rebrobate are sowne in the field of the lord by the deuyl we haue shewed before in the fiue twenty verse The haruest is the ende of the vvorld C. This trulye is a troublesome state and a greuous burthen yea almost intollerable that the Churche shal be burthened with the reprobate to the end of the world notwithstanding Christ therfore prescribeth vnto vs this time to patiēce least wée shold nourishe flatter oure selues with vaine hope wheras now the certaine time of a purgation is prefixed It behoueth the pastors therefore to endeuour them selues with all diligence to purge the Churche in this part all the godlye ought to set to their helping hands so far as their vocation will beare the same but when all the godly with hartye consente do theyr good will and true intente yet shall they neuer bring it about to purge the Churche from euery spot Wherfore let vs consider that our sauiour Christ mēt nothing lesse then to nourishe such filthy spots in his Church by to much sufferaunce onely his meaning and purpose was to comfort and exhort his faythfull seruauntes not to bee dismayed or drawne backe because they are constrayned to suffer wicked ones in their felloship and fraternity and also to brydel and moderate their zeale whiche thincke it not méete to haue any felloship but with suche as are pure and the sayntes of god The Anabaptistes therfore are greatly abused in séekinge by this place to dryue and put awaye the vse of the sword frō the church And they are easely aunsweared For sythens they do admitte excommunication which doth roote out and expoulse the wicked and reprobate at the least for a time why shoulde not the godlye Magistrates vse the sword against the wicked and vngodly ones so oft as néede requireth They affyrme that there is place geuen to repentaunce where there is no deadly punishment As though truly the théefe vppon the crosse found no saluation ▪ But let this aunsweare suffyce that it is not here taughte what our offyce or the Magistrates or the pastors office is A. But onelye Christ sheweth what the state and condition of the Church shal be til the ende of the world that the world can neuer be so purged purifyed and clēsed but that the wicked wil be alwayes myngled with the good C. to the ende the stombling blocke of offēce wherat the weake stumble and are troubled when they sée the Church thus confounded as it were might be taken away The reapers be the Angels C. This name must be applyed to the present cause In another place the Apostels are called reapers in respecte of the Prophetes because they entered into their laboures Also there is a commaundemente giuen to al the ministers of the woord that they bring forth frute that may euer abide to the which effect this saying of Chryst perteyneth The Corne is whyte and readye vnto the haruest Moreouer the Haruest is great but the labourers are fewe But here is another consideration to be had of the comparison because they are sayde to be planted in the field of the Lord which haue roume and place in the Churche Neyther is that contrarye to this which Iohn saithe in another place that so soone as Christ cometh forth with his Gospel hée hath his fanne in his hand wherby hée may purge his floorth For there is described the beginning of the purgation of the Church whiche purgation bee denyeth to be made in this place before the ende of the world A. For then shall appeare that most excellent king in his Maiestye and shall sit vppon the seate of his glory and all nations shal be gathered together before him and hée shall seperate thē one from another euē as the shéepeherde deuydeth the shéepe from the Goates hée shall set the shéepe on his right hand but the Goates on the left C. Moreouer althoughe then hee will set to his stronge hād by his Angels to purge his Church the same notwithstandinge hee dooth beginne to do now by his godlye teachers A. who for all that shal neuer bringe to passe that the Church shal be pure cleane in all pointes before the comminge of Christ at whose cōming a perfect purgation is looked for with the full redemption of the sonnes of God. 40. Euen as the tares therfore are gathered and brent in the fyer so shall it be in the ende of this worlde A. When hée did barely propound vnto them the parable without anye expositiō hee said suffer them to grow together vntill the Haruest and in the time of the Haruest I will say vnto the reapers gather yee first the tares and bynd them vp in bondels to borne Expounding the same now hée sayth euen as the tares are gathered and burnt in the fyer so shall it be in the ende of this world By the whiche words hée declareth sufficiently that wée must looke and wayte for the last daye of the whiche there is suche often mencion made in the scriptures that wee should be styrred vp to praye diligently 41. The sonne of man shall sende forthe his Angels and they shall gather out of his kingdome all thinges that offende and them which do iniquitye The sonne of man C. Hée attributeth these parts of the pourging of his Church to his Angels in the last day because they shal not stand ydell or vnoccupyed before the trybunall seate of Chryst but shal be ready and at hand to fulfil his commaundementes They therefore which preposterously make hast to roote out and abolishe whatsoeuer liketh not or displeaseth thē do preuent so much as in
in all Hee that hath eares to heare Bu. By this addition hee doth admonishe the hearers to way and consyder diligētly of those thinges which hee spake namelye that they rather oughte to chose the studye of righteousnes the rewarde wherof is saluation and euerlasting glory then the studye of impietie and hypocrisie the end wherof is destruction and perpetuall shame 44. Againe the kingdome of heauen is like vnto treasure hyd in the field the which a man hath founde and hydde and for ioy thereof hee goeth and selleth all that hee hath and byeth the fielde Againe the kingdome Bu. The other two parables following tende to the same effect and purpose that this doth Hitherto Christ hath spoken of the Gospell of the kingdome of God and of the word of life comparing the same to thinges of small valew but now hee compareth it to thinges of great pryce C. To this ende speciallye that the faythfull might learne to preferre the kingdome of God before the whole worlde and therefore to renounce and forsake them selues and all the desyres of the fleshe least they should be let or hindered to obtayne and enioy so singuler a benefyte For this admonition is verye necessarye for vs both because the inticementes and prouocations of the world do so bewitch vs that euerlasting life doth vanishe awaye from vs and also because wee are carnall the spirituall heauenly graces of God are little esteemed of vs Chryst therefore verye worthely doth so farre extoll the excellency of the grace that it oughte not to be greuous vnto vs for the desier of the same to leaue forsake what soeuer is precious deare vnto vs. To treasure hyd in the fyelde C. First he saith that the kingdome of God is like vnto treasure hid in the field For wee do magnify and extoll very muche those thinges which do appeare and are manifest before our eyes and therfore the new and spiritual life which is set forth in the Gospell is vyle and contemptible vnto vs because it lyeth secretly included vnder hope Therfore the comparison of the treasure here is very apte whose pryce estimation nothing decayeth although it appeareth not to the eyes of men beinge buryed and layed vp in the earth By the which words we are taught that the spiritual ryches of the grace of God are not to be esteemed and valued accordinge to our carnal eye or after the externall shewe and appearaunce but we must esteeme and iudge of it as of treasure whych although it be hyd yet notwithstandinge it is preferred before speciall ryches The vvhich a man hath founde C. All things in parables are not alwayes to be considered by them selues as it is sheewed already before in the 44 verse For if any man wyl be very curious here in the hyding of the treasure wee oughte not to hyde the Gospelll but to call others into the societie and fellowshippe of the same Bu. Vnles paraduenture wee may saye that that is of so greate force as if thou shouldest say hee dissembled hee did not make the seller priuye vnto it because the treasure which was buryed in the fielde laye hid and was not knowne to the seller And selleth all that hee hath C. By these wordes hee teacheth that they are apte meete to receyue and vnderstand the grace of the Gospel which all other desyers set apart endeuour them selues wholly and studye by all meanes to enioy the same Notwithstandinge some man will demaunde whether all our goodes muste be forsaken to the ende wee maye obtayne euerlasting life But hee may brieflye be aunswered that this is the simple true meaning of the words of Christ namely that wee doo not honoure the Gospell aright except wee make more accoumpte of the same more highly esteme it than all the pleasures honours delights in the world for they must be free from al impediments which will aspyre to the ioyfull blisse of heauen Therefore to sell all thinges for the gospell is to be Prest readye to relinquishe and forsake all that maye let hynder or staye vs from oure purpose so that the whole world shoulde be nothinge vnto vs in comparison of this precious Iewell and treasure For wee must alwaye destinguishe and put a differēce betwene the helping meanes the staying lets Ryches are some times aydes and helpes and sometimes letts impedimentes so are all those thinges which are of great pryce by the iudgemēt of men In one respecte Abrahā possessed ryches being ready to forsake all that euer hee had if the Lord had commaunded In another respecte Moyses refused the ryches of the Egiptians which could not be both the daughters sonne of Pharao the seruaunte of the Lorde S. Paule speaketh of him selfe thus the thinges that were vauntage vnto mee those I counted losse so Christs sake Yea I thinke al things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lorde For whom I haue counted al thing losse and do iudge them but vyle that I maye wynne Christ And byeth the fielde C. No man can dye the kingdom of God wherfore we may not argue here in this point of the parable of bying and selling For Christ doth not meane by the word of bying that any man can bye for anye price eternall life for we do know vpon what condition God calleth his faythfull vnto him by the Prophete saying Come vnto the waters all ye that be thyrsty and yee that haue no moneye come bye that ye maye haue to eate come bye wyne and mylke withoute any moneye or moneye worth But althoughe the heauenly and euerlasting life and whatsoeuer pertayneth therto is the free gift of God notwithstanding wée are said to redéeme the same when willinglye wée depriue our selues and cleane put away from vs all the desires of the fleshe least that anye thinge should hinder vs in obtayning the same This treasure is not manifest to euerye one but is hyd in the field to the end wée might with great care and diligence seke for the same 45. Againe the kingdome of Heauen is like vnto a marchante man seekinge goodly Pearles A. This parable and the other goinge before pertaine to one effecte Sekinge goodlye Pearles M. The Greeke woorde signifyeth good Pearles In these precious stones the beautye and excelencye of them is the cause of the pryce and valew Hée seemeth here to put a particuler thing for that which is more generall as the Pearle for all other kinde of precious stoones as the Emerande the Saphyre and the Diamonde Plynie wryteth of precious stoones at large in his 9. Booke and thirde Chapiter 46. VVhich vvhen hee had founde one precious Pearle vvent and soulde all that hee had and bought it Bu. The sence and meaning of this place is this As marchaunt men séeke carefullye with great labour and perill for precious stoones so it behoueth euery one to be desirous of the woorde of God
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
without it be brokē and deuided And by this meanes it answereth and is agreable to the mystery of communicatyng the body of the lorde the Apostell sayinge The breade whiche wee breake is it not the participation of the body of the lord Not that she body of Christ is therefore sayde to be broken because it hathe in it selfe some cut but because it is made communicabile that is apte and mete to be participated and receyued of many The Apostel Paule saith in an other place in the person of Christ This is my body which is broken for you In stede of the whiche S. Luke hath which is geuen for you He gaue the loaues to his disciples C. This our sauioure Chryst did to the ende the wonderfull increase and aboundance mighte growe in the handes of his disciples as they were distrybutinge the same that they therby might be the ministers of the deuine power of Christ For lest it shold séeme a smal matter to be onely eye witnesses of the myracle he made theim to feele as it were his diuine power with their handes He coulde haue shewed a great heape of breade in so much that all men mighte haue sene in a moment the greate encrease the whiche thynge hee dyd not yet notwithstandinge he would not haue the myracle hyd The lord dothe not any thinge in vayne for he wil haue his myracles knowne but soo notwythstandinge that the wicked may remayne blynd furthermore that there maye be some place lefte vnto fayth which sholde be none at all if that fayth shoulde be adioyned to sence and corporal felyng whē as the eyes shoulde be occupied in beholdinge the power of God which is perceiued and receiued chiefely by fayth And as he encreased the loaues in the handes of the disciples so he encreaseth his blessinge by the ministery of his seruantes he geueth plēty of sede to the sower and encreaseth his gyftes in our handes Whensoeuer therfore we seeke to helpe one an other let vs be well assured that God dothe blesse our labour And his disciples C. The disciples without delaye obeyed the commaundement of Christe althoughe the thinge whiche he commaunded might seme ridiculouse They might haue thought in their mindes What shall it profite to bryng fyue loaues to so many thousande men specially when Phillip had said before Two hundred peniworth of bread is not sufficient for euery man to take a lyttel And an other of the disciples saide But what are these amonge so manye Notwithstandinge they obeye and distrybute the loaues at the commaundement of Christ to the multitude beinge set downe By this exaumple let vs learne to obeye the lorde although there be no hope of good successe in those thinges that we take in hande let vs shewe oure obedience lett vs leaue the successe vnto the lorde and not take vppon vs more wysedome then becommeth vs. 20 And they did all eate and were sufficed And they gathered vp of the fragmentes that remayned twelue baskettes full And they dyd all eate M. These thynges are spoken to cōmend the power of christ and to set forth the myracle least any mā shoulde thincke that all dyd not eate of these loaues or that all which didde eate were not satisfied And they gathered vp of The Euangelist Iohn saith When they had eaten enough he sayth vnto his disciples Gather vp the broken meate whiche remaineth that nothing be lost And they gathered it together filled .xii. basketsful with the brokē meate of the fiue barly loues which broken meate remayned vnto them that hadde eaten In the which we se the rychesse of the glorye of God by the which he so fedeth those that are his that they are not onely satisfyed therwith but also haue a great ouerplus remaining vnto them We are also here taught to beware that we lose not the rēnaunte of those good thynges with the which we are fed C. When as therfore the fragmentes after the satisfying of so greate a multitude were more by twenty foulde then that which was set before them at the first the miracle must nedes seme excellent wonderfull for all men vnderstode wel perceiued that the fode which they had was not only made of nothing by the power of Christ for the present vse but also that he wold prouide it nede shoulde require for the tyme to come Now let vs gather the sum of the whole myracle In this it differeth not from other myracles namely that in it Christ declared his deuyne power to be ioyned with his beneficence or liberalitye Wée haue also by this myracle a confyrmacion of that sētence as wée should euen now by the which oure sauioure Christ exhorteth vs to seeke first the kingdome of God promisinge that all other things whereof wée haue néede shal be geuen vnto vs. For if hee haue a care of those which but at a sodain motion onely come vnto him howe should hée not haue a greate care to helpe vs if wee seeke him with a cōstant mynd Hée suffereth truly as wée sayd before those that are his sometimes to hūger notwithstandinge hée neuer leaueth them destitute of his helpe In the meane time hée hath good cause why hée shoulde not helpe vs but in matters of extremity Admyt that Christ came to bring not onlye spirituall life vnto the world but also that hee was sent of the father to nourishe and feede mens bodies for the abundāce of all good things are comitted vnto him so that hée is the lyuelye well springinge from the father of life Therefore saint Paule geueth thanckes vnto God for his grace which is giuen by Iesus Chryst And againe hée teacheth vs in all thinges to gyue thanckes vnto God by Iesus Christ Neyther is this quallity onelye proper to his eternall Diuinitye but the father also hath appointed vnto vs a stewarde or dispensator by whose hande hee voutchsafeth to feede vs For althoughe wée do not see daylye myracles with our eyes yet notwithstanding Christ doth no lesse declare his power now in feedinge vs than hee did then by myracles And trulye wée do not read that hée vsed newe meanes so often as hee wente aboute to make any feast Wherfore it shal be a preposterouse desyer for any man importunatelye to séeke to haue meate broughte vnto him by any vnlawfull and extraordinarye meane For althoughe God doth not now at this day feede fyue thousande men with fiue loaues yet notwithstanding hee ceaseth not most myraculouslye to feede all the world in the whiche there are an infinite number of thousands contayned This truly is a Paradox or sentence contrary to the opinion expectacion of diuers namely that man liueth not by bread onely but by euery woord which proceadeth out of the mouth of God. For wée are so tyed to externall meanes that nothing is more harde vnto vs then to depende vppon the prouidence of God. Hereuppon commeth suche care feare distrust when
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
the earth because al their endeuors shal be frustrate whē they shall sée him reuyued whom they thoughte to be extinguished buryed That séemeth wonderfull vnto them which happened to Ionas the Prophete the like signe wonder shal be giuen to them but more wonderfull By this darke sentence the Lord Iesus signifyed that hée should be slayne and buryed of them and by by by his deuyne power ryse agayne C. The summe therefore and effecte of these wordes is that the Iewes were satisfyed by no signes but were tickeled styrred vp to tempte God by a wicked desyer For hée doth not simplelye call them an aduouterous nation because they requyred some signe the which the Lord oftentimes graunted to his seruauntes but because of a set purpose they prouoked God he so calleth them and compareth himselfe to Ionas Marke maketh no mencion of Ionas yet notwithstandinge the meaninge of the two Euangelistes is all one And hee left them and departed M. The Euangelist hath not rashly or in vaine described the diuers sundry iorneys perigrinations of our sauiour Christ for they were not taken in hand without good cause Hée wente oftentimes from one place to another for their sakes whom hee wente to call as appeareth by this place I must go and Preache to other Citties Sometimes hee departed because of their vnbeleefe and mallyce from whom hee wente and suche was the cause whiche wee here reade of For the Euangeliste sayth not simplely And hée departed But hée lefte them and departed to the ende hée might shew that Christ beinge offended at the mallyce of the Phariseys and Saduces departed because he would leaue them in their blindnes to teache his Dysciples that the doctrine of the kingdome of God did nothinge at all profite amonge these kinde of men These things are to be noted that wee maye learne to whom the doctrine of the Gospell doothe appertayne and to whom it doth not appertayne B. Moreouer whyther Christ departed the Euāgelist Marke sheweth by these woordes And hée lefte them and went into the shippe agayne and departed ouer the water 5. And when his Dysciples were come to the other syde of the vvater they had forgotten to take bread with them B. This historye the Euangelist Marke toucheth also who in stéede of that which our Euangelist hath here they had forgotten to take bread with them sayth and they had but one loafe in the shippe Peraduenture Christe departed sooner then the Dysciples looked for and therefore they forgot to take breade C. Christ therefore by the occasion offered exhorteth his Dysciples to beware of all corruption which mighte defyle and pollute syncere pietye and godlynes The Phariseys came a lyttle before who shewed them selues to be infected with poysoned obstinacye and the Saduces came to beare them company on the other part stoode Herode that pestilente aduersarye and corrupter of sound doctrine amonge these daungers it was necessary that the Dysciples shoulde be admonished to take héede vnto themselues For seing the disposition of man is naturallye inclyned to vanitye and errors when wée are beset with peruerse fayned inuencions wyth false doctrine and with suche like pestifferous daungers there is nothinge more prompte and readye to swerue from the true and proper puritye of the woorde of God than the same And if it come to passe that wée be once intangled it neuer lightlye happeneth that true Religion hath perfecte rule in vs but that this may appeare more euidient vnto vs let vs way the woordes of Christ 6. Then Iesus sayd vnto them take hede and bevvare of the leuen of the Phariseis and of the Saduces Take heede and bevvare S. Our sauioure Christ here vseth a serious admonition forewarninge by the which hée declareth that it is not geuen to euerye one to discerne and iudge of false doctrine to beware of the same Of the leuen of the Phariseys C. In stéede of the Saduces which are here ioyned to the Phariseys Marke placeth Herode Luke onely maketh mencion of the Phariseys Howbeit it is vncertayne whether Luke reherseth the same Sermon of Christ for hée defyneth the leuen to be hypocrisye and briefely passeth ouer these wordes as thoughe there were no ambiguity or doubt at all in the same And although the metaphor of the leuen which is here compared to false doctrine might in another place be referred to the hypocrisye of life and maners Yet notwithstanding it shall not be absurde if we saye that those thinges which Marke and Mathewe accordinge to the order of the history do handell at large are more sparinglye set downe of Luke and that out of order and place so that in deede there is no discrepance or disagréemente at all betwene them howsoeuer in words there may séeme to be And if it may be lawfull to follow this coniecture hypocrisye will note vnto vs somwhat more thā a fayned counterfeyte shew of wisedome namely it will declare it to be the wellspringe and originall it selfe of vaine pompe and glorye which bearinge some greate outward shewe before men is of no pryce or estimation with God. For as the eyes of the Lord as sayth Ieremye do behould the truth so by his word hée frameth the faythfull to sounde perfecte godlynes that they may cleane vnto righteousnes with a sound perfect hart according to the saying of the Lorde And now Israell what doth the Lorde thy God requyre of thée but to feare the Lorde thy God to walke in hys wayes to loue him and to serue him with all thy hart and with all thy soule But contrarywise the traditions of men spirituall worship layde a part bringe in deceytfull coullers as thoughe God mighte be taken by such flickeringe intisements For althoughe outwarde ceremonyes do excell and haue a beutifull shew yet notwithstanding before God they are as childishe toyes and tryfels sauinge onely that by their supportacion and ayde wée are exercised and brought to true pietye and godlynes Nowe let vs note and sée why the Euangelist Luke hath put hypocrisy in stede of false doctrine and by this name comprehendeth the leuen of men which only puffeth vp but contayneth nothing that is sounde before God yea rather which bringeth the mindes of men from the righte studye of Godlynes to vayne rytes and ceremonyes of no force But because the exposition of our Euangelist Mathewe is more euidente and playne wee will stande vppon the same When the Disciples were reprehended of the Lord they knewe at the lengthe that they were commaunded to beware and to take hede of Doctrine it is most certayne that this was the meaninge of Christe to the ende hee mighte fortifye them againste the presente corruption with the whiche they were beset on euery syde and therefore hée spake of the Phariseys and Saduces because those two sectes did rayne tyrannically in the Church and by theyr wicked opinions did oppressed and kéepe
vnder the Doctrine of the Lawe and the Prophetes insomuche that nothinge almost remayned sounde and perfecte B. But what and howe great this theyr Hypocrisy was Christ himselfe by most playne woordes in the thrée and twentye Chapter following declareth of the which also wee haue noted many thinges in the fifte Chapter goinge before Hée calleth their doctrine leuen because euen as leuen it corrupted and infected manye Obiection Notwithstandinge it maye be demaunded to what ende Marke placeth Herode with the false teachers which professed no such thinge Wee aunsweare that forsomuche as hée was halfe a Iewe vnlike to his auncetours and disloyal hée sought by all meanes possible to seduce the people that dwelt vnder his Dominion For this is the manner of all Apostatase to make one myxsture or other that a new Religiō may aryse which may abbolishe the first Because therefore hee wente about craftely to subuert and ouerthrow the principles of true and aunciente godlynes to the ende that Religion at the lengthe might florishe which was most fitte to his tyranny yea because he sought to brynge in a certayne newe kynde of Iudaysme the Lord dooth not withoute good cause commaunde his Dysciples to take héede of his leuen also For as the Scribes dispersed their errors oute of the temple of God so the Courte of Herode was a shoppe of Sathan to forge quyne other errors Euen so at this daye in the Papacie we sée that Antechrist doth shew out his deceyts not onelye in Temples dennes of Sophisters and Monkes but by the helpe and ayde also of Courtelyke deuynes hée stayeth vp his kingdome so that no arte cunninge or pollicy is wātinge to the same But as Christ did then preuent presente euilles and as hee styrred vppe the myndes of his Dysciples to beware of those thinges that were noxious and hurtefull euen so by this example wée beinge admonished let vs learne at this daye wyselye to take heede what corruptions may hurte vs More easlye maye a man make fyer and water agree then the fayned inuentions of the Pope with the Gospell Whosoeuer therefore desyereth to be vnfaynedlye a Dysciple of Christ let him séeke to kéepe his minde pure from those leuens But and if hee be infected and polluted allready let him laboure so longe in purginge himselfe vntill hee finde no spot or blot anye more cleaninge to him M. But what this doctrine of the Phariseys Saduces was of the which Chryst admonished his Disciples to beware it is to longe by particulers to reherce notwythstandynge it maye be deuided into two kyndes The firste was theyr false exposition of the Law of God teachinge that righteousnes did consist of the externall woorkes of the lawe For this matter wée haue noted many thinges in the fift Chapter going before The seconde was the adding of their owne traditions to the Lawe of God the whiche they commaunded the people to obserue Of the which matter read the fiftene Chapter goinge before 7. And they thought within themselues sayinge we haue taken no bread with vs. A. Some turne this say They contended amonge themselues because Marke for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 B. The Dysciples supposing that Christ spake of the leuen of bread thoughte that they were forbidden to eate breade with the Phariseys and that they shoulde counte them as excommunicate and therevpon it came into their mindes that they had taken no breade with them and so they contended amonge themselues for the same 8. VVhich when Iesus vnderstode hee said vnto thē O ye of little faith why take yee thoughte within your selues because yee haue brought no breade VVhich vvhen Iesus knevve E. Namelye that his Disciples were carefull because they had forgotten to bring their vittayles into the ship A. fearing for that cause least they should want foode wheras notwithstanding they had him with them which with nothing had fed so many thousands C. By the which they shew agayne how little they profited both by the doctrine of theyr Master and also by his wonderfull workes Therefore according to their deseruing hée sharpely reproueth them sayinge O yee of lyttle fayth As if hée should haue sayd why doth this care vexe youre mynd because you haue forgottē to bring bread as though any thing should be wāting vnto you although ye prouided not for yourselues C. This wicked vngodly care proceded of distrust They therfore which haue no faith or the which they haue beinge very small are founde sometime eyther verye negligent or els very carefull and that in vaine It cōmeth of distrust that wée are so exceding carefull for thinges to come wheras before time wee haue had experience of his helpe haue found him to be a helper in time of néede So that if hereafter wée do distrust we shall not onely with the Dysciples be accused of little fayth distrust but also of ingratitude which is the occasion of the defect want of fayth For ingratitude is the cause that wée are not onely troubled in temptacion and tryall but also that wée are oftentimes ouercome C. Therefore all they are conuinced of infidellity which hauing oftentimes felt the power of God do distrust care out of measure for the time to come For as fayth doth cherish kepe the remembraūce of the giftes of God in our hartes so vnlesse the same be broughte a slepe wée shall neuer forget them 9. Do ye not yet perceiue neither remēber those fiue loaues when there were fiue thousand mē and how many baskets toke yee vp Do ye not yet per. E. The Euangelist Marke sayth Perceyue yee not yet neyther vnderstande haue yee your hartes yet blinded haue ye eyes sée not and haue ye eares and heare not do ye not also remember As if hée should haue sayd you beinge taught and learned so many wayes do ye not yet vnderstād is your harts yet blinded with such cares and after the maner of the Phariseys do ye not sée that which is before your eyes that which you heare with youre eares is vnto you as though yee harde it not By these wordes hée teacheth sufficientlye that wée must not haue a sluggish or slepinge mynd to get a sure trust and confidence in the power and goodnes of God but such a mind which in the woorkes of God vnderstandeth his power and goodnes Neyther remember M. The forgetting of the giftes wonderfull workes of God doth bring great hurte vnto fayth bringeth to passe the hée which hath receyued knowledge of Deuine matters doth make no more accompt of the same then if hee had neuer knowen what it had mente And therefore Moyses did oftētimes inculcate and beate that into the peoples heades sayinge take heede to thy selfe and keepe thy soule dilligently that thou forget not the thinges which thine eyes haue séene and that they depart not out of thy hart all the dayes of thy life And in the
that wée seé at this day so many offences for the which Christ foreshewed is fulfilled and the deuill although God lay stombling blocks doth neuertheles his duty séeking to withdraw vs from Christ There is another necessity which commeth of the corruption of the world For so great is the pryde and wickednes of the world so greatly it reiecteth and contemneth the truthe and so corrupte is the Iudgemēt of the same in her wisedome that it is impossible the offences shoulde not come Againe the worlde knoweth not those thinges which belonge vnto God neither can know because they séeme foolishe vnto it So is it comonly spoken of thynges so corrupted that they cannot be remedyed But vvo vnto the man by vvhom C. After that Christ had exhorted his Dysciples to beware of offences hée inueyeth againe against the Auctors of offences Whereby wée gather that the wicked are not excused howsoeuer they do this by the prouidence of God. 8. VVherefore if thy hand or thy foote hinder thee cut him of and cast it frō thee It is better for thee to enter into life hault or maymed rather thā thou shouldest hauing two handes or two feete bee cast into euerlasting fyer 9. And if thine eye offend thee plucke it out and cast it from thee It is better for thee to enter into life c VVherefore if thy hande C. To the ende the woe and threatninge before pronounced might haue the greater vehemency Christ addeth saying that wee must neyther spare our hand our eye or our foote if so be that they be occasion of offence B. This is a hyperbollicall kinde of speache the which the Lord only vseth to amplify as if hee should haue said that wée must with such diligence constancy resist offences that wee muste thincke it better to haue oure eyes pluckte out our hands cut of than that offences should be maintayned For if any mā in this case be lothe to loose one of his members hée casteth his whole body into euerlasting destruction What horrible destruction therefore remayneth for them what bitter vengeance which destroy their brethren by offences So that this amplifying pertayneth as well to the Auctors of offēces as to those before whō Sathā layeth offences But because these two Verses were expounded at large in the fift Chapter going before I thought it sufficient now to note for what ende purpose our sauiour Christ repeteth this sentence B. namely that hée might shewe that offence is so hurtfull a thinge that it is much better for vs to wante the thinge most necessary and deere vnto vs in thys lyfe than to mayntayne offences 10 Take hede that yee despise not one of these little ones For I saye vnto you that in heauē their Angels do alwayes beholde the face of my father which is in heauen Take hede that yee despise not B. Hee concludeth the whole Argumēt Because pride is the mother of contumely reproche ingendereth a bouldnes and carelesnes to offende Christ not without good cause séeking to bringe spéedy remedye to this disease geueth a commaundement not to contemne despise little ones And certainly as we shewed euen now whatsoeuer he be that hath a iust care of his brethren hée shall not easely geue occasion of offence But this conclusion and ende of Christes Sermon tendeth to the same matter that it did in the beginning namelye that wée must by submission and modestye contende and striue amongest our selues because God doth embrace little ones with a singuler loue And truly it were to absurde not to haue those regarded of a mortall man whom God hath in so great price and estimation But when our sauiour Christ sayth take hede hee exhorteth to vigilancy care and that vppon good consideration For hee knew how hard a thing it was euen to saincts not to despise and contemne others which are base abiecte in the sight of the worlde That yee despise not M. Or accordinge to the Gréeke woord That ye compte not other men as abiectes and disdayne them thinking your selues in your owne conceyts better than other men for hée that thus doth may easely offende those whō hée contemneth One of these little ones A. Of the which little ones hée spake before saying whoso offendeth one of these little ones which beleueth in mée c. Hée calleth those little ones which laying lustines and pride asyde frame themselues to modesty and voluntary submissiō For I saye vnto you that in Heauen theyr Angelles C. That the faythfull little ones are of great price vnto God hée proueth by two argumentes The first is taken of the prouidence of the custody of Angells by the which prouidence hée alwayes gardeth and defendeth those that are his as testifyeth the holye Scripture namelye where it sayth The Angell of the Lord taryeth rounde aboute them that feare him deliuereth them And againe hée shall geue his Angels charge ouer thee to kepe thée in all thy wayes And in another place they are sayde to be ministering spirites that are sent to minister for their sakes which shal be heyres of saluation Do alvvayes behoulde the face of my father C. That is to say they sée familiarlye the face of god M. Christe speaketh here after the maner of this worlde because to be alwayes in the presence of the King continually to beholde his face is a signe of domesticall and entiere familiaritye fauor as wée reade of the seruauntes of Solomon Blessed are thy seruauntes which stande here alwayes before thee As it is therefore a greate signe and tokē of the loue and clemency of the Prince towardes those subiectes whom hée appointeth to be neare vnto him and aboute his person in offyce euen so oure sauioure Christ goeth about to set forth the greate loue of his father towards his litle ones in that theyr Angels do alwayes beholde his face which Angels are theyr defence and garde to be defended by As appeareth by the words of the Prophete Esay saying The Angell that went foorth frō his presence deliuered them C. Howbeit it was not the purpose of Christe sim plely to teach how honourably God doth deale with the faythfull in assigning and appointing vnto them Angels to be their kepers but also to declare and pronounce a threatning against those that cōtemne them as if hée should haue said that they shall not escape vnpunished that despyse the children of God whose Angelles are alwayes in Goddes presence and call for vengeance at hys handes Wherefore wée must take héede that wée do not make small accompte of their safegarde whoe haue the Angels of God appointed to defende them Whereas some vnderstande this place that euery one of the faythfull hath his seuerall and proper Angell appointed vnto him they séeme to want discretion and a good vnderstandinge For the words of Christ sound nothing herevnto neyther doth hée seeme any whit to affyrme that any mā hath
must be admonished of his sinne and excepte he receyue admonition hée must be excōmunicated And herein wée must not only aske counsel at the mouth of the lorde that nothing be done contrary to his worde but also we must go forwarde by prayer Wherevpon that whiche we taught before appereth here more euidente playne namely that libertie is not graunted vnto men to do what them list but that they must apoint God to be the reuenger of their gouernment that he him selfe maye defende confirme his iudgementes wherof he is the authour Therfore the Church ought to be endued with the spirite of iudgement discretiō Furthermore we must here note that christ went about to confirme the faythefull as concerninge the efficacie of prayer to cōmende publique prayers to the which there is a promise added This concorde truely and agrement is acceptable vnto him is blessed of him that it might haue the ful effect Therfore as in many other places God doth oftē promise that he wil here our pryuate and secrete petition euen so Christ here vouchsafeth to adde a singuler promise to oure publique prayers to the ende he might the more stirre vs vp to vse them often Vpon any maner of thinge vvhat so euer Bu. This is not to be vnderstoode so generally as though God wolde graunt the rashe and foolishe petitions of men For it followethe Beinge gathered together in my name And saincte Iohn writeth thus This is the trust that wee haue to Godwarde that whatsoeuer wee aske accordinge to his will he heareth vs And if we knowe that he heare vs whatsoeuer we shall aske we knowe we shal obtaine of hym 20 For where twoo or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them For vvhere tvvo or three C. This promise is more large then that which wente before For the lorde doth promyse here his presence so often as twoo or three shall come together in his name that he may direct thē with his spirite and wisedome and that he maye bringe all their enterprises to good successe There is no cause therefore why they shoulde doubt which committe them selues vnto him to be gouerned but that by his presence they shal obtayne theyr hartes desyre And seynge it is an inestimable benefite to haue Christ our guide in all thynges whiche may blesse our workes and counsels euen as there is nothinge more miserable then to want his grace this promise ought to be no smalle spurre or prouocation to pricke vs forwarde to leade a godly and holy lyfe one with an other For whatsoeuer he be that neglecteth holy and godly meetynges and comminges together or seperatethe hym selfe from his bretherne and behaueth him selfe neglygently in imbracinge vnitie by these hee declarethe that he maketh smalle accompte of the presence of Chryste This promise therefore is moste worthye to be noted whiche oughte to encourage vs as well to publyque prayers as to common and vniuersal agreemente For what can be better to vs then the presence of Chryste Of whose counsell if we be destitute it muste nedes be fulfylled vppon vs which is wrytten Take your counsell together yet muste youre counsell come to naughte In my name A This clause or restraint muste fyrste of all be noted by the which is declared C. that they whiche desyer to haue Chryste presente with theym muste come together in his name They come together in the name of Chryste whiche reiecte and put awaye all impedimentes whiche myght stay them from comming to Christe they also which sincerely come vnto God whiche whollye geue them selues to obey his worde and whiche suffer theym selues to be gouerned with his spirite There is no doubte where this symplicitie rayneth but that Christ wyll shewe hym selfe openly and wyll so further and helpe forwarde their begynninge that they shall well knowe and peyceyue that they are not come together in vayne But on the contrarye parte they are not gathered together in his name which settinge aside the commandement of God in the which he forbiddeth any thing to be taken or added to his woorde do all thinges accordinge to theyr owne wyll The whiche thynge maye euidentlye be seene in the kyngedome of the Pope C. The Papistes cry that the counsels could not erre and that therefore their decrees oughte to stande because so often as twoo or three are gathered together in the name of Christ he is in the middest of thē But truely fyrst of all they shoulde consider and be sure whether they came together in the name of Christe or no whose faythe doctrine and affection they denie Seinge therefore they consider not of this who seethe not that their cōminge together was not in the name of Christe Who seeth not that they cōfound the differēce betwene holy and prophane congregations Who seeth not that they take awaye all power from the Churche and geue the same to the sworne ennemies of Christ Let vs vnderstand therfore that none are incouraged to trust and hope for this promise but the trew and sincere worshippers of God whiche seeke Chryste with a pure harte But as for all false vncleane and counterfayte counselles let vs despyse them whiche weaue the webbe of theyr owne immaginations and let vs alway cleaue vnto Christ and his Gospell B. This is also a singuler comforte vnto vs that the lorde hath made a promise to so smal a nomber euen to two or thre to teach how acceptable we are vnto him when wee agree in one be we neuer so fewe Muche more therefore wee shall please hym if there be manye of vs that are lynked in vnitie 21 Then came Peter to hym and sayde Lorde howe ofte shall I forgeeue my brother if he sinne against mee tyll seuen times Then came Peter to him B. When Peter had dyligently harkened to those thinges whiche Chryst spake as concernyng the power of kyndinge and lowsynge he demandeth whether he that offendeth must be often forgeuen C. But Peter made this obiection accordynge to the sence and reason of the fleshe It is naturallye ingrafted in all men to desyre to be forgeuen insomuche that if any man do not obtayne pardone by and by hee wyll complayne and saye that he is extremelye handled and vngently delt withall but hee whiche thus desireth to be gentlely intreated is oftentimes very far from shewinge gentlenes towardes others Therfore when the lorde had exhorted those that are his to mekenes and sufferaunce this doubt came into Peters minde in so much that he demaunded saiinge How often shall I forgeue my brother as if he shoulde haue sayde What will come to passe if wee be thus ready to forgeue shal not our lenitie gentelnes geue occasion and lybertie to offende he demaundeth therfore whether it be mete often tymes to forgeue those that offend 22 Iesus saith vnto him I saye not vnto thee vntyll seuen times but seuentie tymes seuen times Iesus saith vnto hym C.
God hym selfe speakynge there but whether of the partes thou chose it maketh lyttell to the purpose in this place because it was sufficiente in this place to alleage the oracle and word of God althoughe it was pronounced by the mouthe of Adam If Adam speake it he hath respecte vnto that whiche God had commaunded and done and Adam in this place is a Prophete shewynge the worke of God loking also vnto the ende Man shall forsake father and mother C. In this place he that maryeth a wyfe is not simplely cōmaunded to leaue his father and mother for thē shold God be contrary vnto him selfe if by matrimony he shoulde abolishe the dewety whiche hee chargeth children to shewe towardes their parentes but when the comparison betwene the dueties is made the wyfe is preferred before father and mother But if any man should relinquishe or forsake his father and shake of the yoke to the which he is tyed no man myghte abyde suche a monster Muche lesse therefore there is lybertie graunted to breake wedlocke C. B. Therefore trewely the naturall and mutuall affynite of the father mother with the chyldren is holye but the loue of the husband and the wyfe is more holy Wherefore if time and occasion so require the societie of the father muste rather be forsaken then the fellowship of the wyfe And shal be ioyned to his vvyfe E. The Metaphor is taken of those thinges that are so set together with glewe that you wolde thinke them to be but one thynge By this word Christ excludeth all causes for the whiche the wyues among the Iewes were rashly put away And they tvvo shall be one fleshe C By this sayinge the hauinge of many wyues is no lesse condempned than the lybertie of diuorcynge wyues For if the mutuall coniunction betwene two was hallowed of the lorde then the mynglinge of three or fower is adultery But Christ as we saide before doth applie it otherwise vnto his purpose that is that whosoeuer is diuorced from his wyfe teareth and renteth him selfe because suche is the force of holy matrymonye that the husbande and the wyfe shoulde growe together as one man Neyther was it the meaning of Christ to bringe in the impure and filthy speculation of Plato but did reuerētly intreate of the order appointed by God sayinge 6 Therfore nowe they are not two but one fleshe Let no man therfore put asonder that whiche God hath coupled together Therefore novve they are not tvvo B. Or hereafter they are not twoo that is after they are coupled together or maryed They were created twoo and not one that is to wit man and woman and agayne by the copulation of matrimony of twoo hée made them one Therfore it should be as muche against nature to pull the wyfe from her husband as to cut of any member of the body Furthermore in Genesis from whence this place was taken this woorde twoo is not red but onely on this wise And they shal be one flesh But the Euangelist Matthew addeth this worde twoo to make the matter more playne euen as the Apostell Paule hath done in the sixte chapter of the first epistell to the Corinthians or els both of them dyd follow the threscore and ten interpretours That therefore vvhiche God hath coupled E. Or ioyned yoked in one yoke This phrase and manner of speeche is taken from the Oxen which carrie together one yooke Let not man seperate C. By this sentence Christe dothe brydell the lustes of men leaste they shoulde breake the holy knot by putinge away their wiues And as he denieth that it is in the husebandes wyll to dissolue wedlocke so also he pronounceth a lawe to all other that by their authoritie they should not confirme vnlawful diuorses For the maiestrate abuseth his aucthoritie which graunteth fauoure vnto the husbande to cast of his wyfe Yet notwithstandinge Christ hath a due respecte vnto this that euerye man for hym selfe shoulde deuoutelye reuerence his promyse made and those whom eyther lust or concupiscence shoulde moue to diuorce shoulde haue a consideration of this What arte thou that wouldeste make the breache of this holy coniunctyon free vnto thy selfe B. Christ truely in this place accuseth that mind to be giltie of Adultery whiche contrary to the lawes of matrimony is so frowarde towarde his wyfe that it were better for her to be free from him than to be ioyned vnto him C. Moreouer this doctryne may farther be extended The Papistes propoundinge and settinge before vs the Churche pulled and torne from her head do leaue vs a blockish and maimed body In the holy Supper Christ hauing ioyned breade vnto wyne they are bolde to take away the vse of the cup from all the people to this diuelishe corruption and adhominable aduoutry we maye boldely obiecte this place of our sauiour Chryste and say That whiche God hath coupled together let no man put a sunder 7 They saye vnto hym why therefore did Moyses commaunde to geeue a testimoniall of diuorsemente and to sende her awaye They say vnto hym M. By the woordes of our sauiour Christ they dyd well vnderstande his meanynge namely that it was not lawefull to sende awaye a wyfe for euery cause And here they obiect vnto hym the authoritie of Moyses whiche authoritie no doubte came from God as if they shoulde haue sayde Hath Moyses commaunded that whiche is vnlawful Thou saiest it is vnlawfull but Moyses commaunded it to be done therefore it shoulde seme by thy wordes that Moyses hath offended and sedused vs Therfore thou woldeste haue vs to credyte thee more thē Moyses who receiued this lawe all others at the mouth of god Therefore thou resistest the doctrine of God. 8 He saith vnto them Moyses because of the hardnes of your hartes suffered you to put away your wiues but frō the beginning it was not so Moyses because of the hardenes of your heartes C. The Phariseis had inuēted that crafty Cauill whiche I haue aboue noted to intrap Christ if he as they thoughte he wolde and as it was lykely had shutt out the lawefull cause of diuorses For that whiche God by his lawe permitteth whatsoeuer it be semeth lawfull whose onely wil appoynteth a difference of good and euyll But Christe by an apte aunswere putteth awaye their false mallice because Moyses granted to this their peruersnesse frowardnes not as thoughe he did approue it to be good and laweful M. He dothe not therfore deny but that Moyses gaue commaundement as concerninge the geuing of a byll of diuorcemente but he denieth that he commanded to put away their wyues onely grāting that he suffered it adding the cause namely for the hardenes of their hartes which hardnes of hart Moyses oftētimes castethe in the Israelites tethe as apperethe in the ninthe sixte and thirtenthe chapter of Deutronomy As if he should say He dyd suffer you to do this because by nature it was righte but knowynge the
time to come he doth not without good cause demaund whether they leauing al that they had gaue themselues in vaine vnto Christ For it were not indifferent that they shoulde be spoyled as it were by the Lorde and not restored to better But what were all those thinges that Peter saith here he hath forsaken For they beinge meane men of poore estate had scant a house to put in their heades this great all and sūme therfore that Peter boasteth of mighte seeme ridiculous and great folly in Peter to boast of the same And truly experience doth teach howe liberally men perswade thēselues to haue done their duty towards God euen as at this day we see that some which were almost beggers in the time of the Papacy do proudly bragge that they for the Gospels sake haue suffered great losse And other some which before the Gospel was knowen were reedye to suffer whatsoeuer shoulde be layed vppon them after they were deliuered from tyranny had lefte a little god wot behinde thē being come to the place where the Gospell was more freely preached by by proudlye and vnthanckefully they boaste that they haue forsaken all whereas God doth more esteme the affection thā all the kingdomes of the world C. Notwithstanding the Disciples maye be excused because although they had not aboūdance yet notwithstanding they liued at home with their handy labor no lesse merelye than they that had great plenty of riches And we know that simple men accustomed to a quiet competent life are more hardlye withdrawne from theyr wiues and children than they which are riche Truly except some reward were in store for the Disciples they had foolishly chaūged the state of their life But as in this parte they are excusable so in this notwithstandinge they offende that hauinge not made an ende of the warre taken in hāde desier to tryumphe If at any time the like tediousnes by reason of delaye do trouble wearye and make vs impaciente let vs learne first to consider of the solace ioye which the Lorde hath in store to mittigate the sharpenes of the Crosse in this life and to lifte vs vp to the hope of the euerlastinge life to come For in these two partes the aunswere of Christ is cōtayned VVhat shall vvee haue E. Those woordes which Iesus spake to the yonge man sayinge sell all that thou haste and thou shalte haue treasure in heauen and come and follow mée did not a little kindle the hope of Peter who although hee were not riche yet notwithstanding hée forsoke that which hée had as it was said before with a willing minde as his ship and his nettes and followed the Lorde Lord sayth hée beholde wée haue done that which thou requiredst of the yonge man What reward therefore shall wée haue 28. Iesus saide vnto them verelye I saye vnto you that yee which haue followed mee in the regeneration when the sonne of man shall sit in the seate of his maiestye shall sit also vppon twelue seates iudginge the twelue tribes of Israell Iesus said vnto them verely I say vnto you yee vvhich Peter had spoken two thinges when hée saide Wée haue forsaken all and wee haue followed But Christ aunswering sayd not you haue forsaken all For Socrates the Philosopher did so and manye other which despised riches Because therefore it is not sufficient to leaue all Christ sayth ye that haue followed me For this belongeth to the Apostelles and the faithfull In the regeneration shall sit C. Least the Disciples should thincke that they had loste their labor and least they should repent them as of a foolishe enterprise Christ admonisheth them that the glory of his kingdome which then as yet lay hid should be reuealed as if hee should saye There is no cause whye this base estate should discourage you for I which am of no reputacion in the world will at the length ascende and sit vpon the seate of my Maiesty abyde therefore and content your selues a while for the time will come when yée shall sée my glorye And what doth hee promise them then sure hée promiseth that they shal be partakers of the same glory with him For in that hée attributeth vnto them thrones or seates out of the which they shall Iudge the twelue tribes of Israell hée compareth them vnto Legates or to the chiefe counsellers and Presidentes which in the presence of the Kinge haue the chiefe places Wée know that the Apostels were chosē twelue in number that thereby it might be declared that God by the reuealing of his sonne Christ would gather together the dispersed remnaunts of his people This was an excellente dignitye and honor but as yet hid therefore Christ suspendeth their desyers euen vntill the last time when the glorye of his kingdome should be reuealed that then at the last they might perceiue the fruite of their election And although the kingdome of Christ in the preaching of the Gospell in some point doth shine yet notwithstanding there is no doubt but that he speaketh here of the last day In the regeneration M. There are two kindes of regeneration The first is of the mindes of men in this present life which is finished and brought to passe by the preachinge of the Gospell fayth in Christ by the operatiō of the holy ghost for that is a Christian life when wée consecrate our selues to God and Christ The secōde is of the bodies of men beinge the state condition of the life to come which S. Paule calleth the redemption of our bodies when our bodies shal be raysed vppe from death shal be regenerate that is to say newe borne into the heauenly glory not into earthlye corruption For then the creature it selfe shal be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorye of the sonnes of god If wée well consider the time of the iudgement to come in the which all things shal be renued altered and that into another state and conditiō how can it be more aptly termed then by the name of regeneration The Apostel Peter calleth this regeneration the restoring of all things C. For then shall mortallitye be swallowed vp of life And our vile bodye shall then be transfigured into the heauenly glory of Christ This regeneratiō notwithstāding ought rather to be referred to the first comming of Christ because then the worlde began to be renued and the Churche also arose out of the shadow of death vnto life And this maner of speache is founde often times in the Prophetes and agreeth very well to the circumstance of this place For the renouation and restoringe of the Churche being so oftentimes promised so soone as the Messias appeared it brought a wonderful hope of felicity Christ therfore that hee might staye that error maketh a difference betwene the beginning of his kingdome and the finishing of the same VVhen the sonne of man shall sit in the seat M. Hée putteth into
Christe to the ende hee mighte reprehende ambition and reclayme his Disciples frō a wicked desire setteth before them the crosse and all kinde of calamitie which all the children of God must suffer as if he shoulde haue saide ▪ haue ye so much ease are ye so free from the present warre that ye prouide already for the glorye of the triumphe For if they had bene seriouslye busyed and occupied about the exercises of thier calling they should neuer haue had this fond ymagination come in their mindes Wherfore by this sentence our Sauioure Christe commaundeth them which triumph before the victorye to be occupied in the exercise and busynes of godlynes And certainlye by this bridle ambitiō is very wel stayed because such is our condition so longe as we are pilgrims in this worlde that it ought to shake of all vayne delightes We are beset on euery side with a thousand daūgers one while the enemy by subtill and craftye meanes setteth vpon vs another while he setteth vpon vs by open warre Is not he worse then mad which among so many deathes carelesly pleaseth and delighteth him selfe in depainting out the victory The Lorde commaundeth his Disciples to be certarne and sure of the victorye and to triumph in the middest of death because otherwise they should not be hold ynough to fight manfully boldlye but it is one thing to prepare them selues to fight cheerefully and to endeuour them selues wholly therunto vpon hope of the rewarde set before them and it is another thinge to be vnmindfull of the warre to forsake the enemy to neglect all daunger ▪ and to triumph before the victory the which should not be loked for before the battaile wer fought Moreouer this vntimely making of hast doth very much drawe men from their vocation For euē as the more cowardly that a mā is in the warre the more he seketh for the pray and spoyle euen so in the kingdome of Christ none desire more the superioritie then they which séeke to auoyd all laboure and payne Our Sauiour Christe therefore dooth not withoute good cause appoynte those souldiers their statiō and abiding place which they shall not passe whose mindes are eleuated and puffed vp with vayne glory But this is the summe of his wordes that none hath the crowne prepared for him but he which fighteth lawfully and that none shal be partaker of the life and kingdome of Christe but he which is a partaker of his passion and death M. Christ therfore asketh them if they could suffer the crosse and punishment which he shoulde suffer For so he meaneth by the drinking of the cup which he should drinke of and by the baptising of the baptime wherewith hee shoulde be baptized C For we knowe that by Baptisme the faythfull enter into the denying of thē selues to the crucifying of the old man to the bering of the crosse But it is to be doubted whether the Lord do draw this word cup to the mistery of his supper or no but because his suppper was not then instituted in vse it is better to take it more simply for the measure of afflictions which the Lord appointeth to euery mā For because it pertaineth vnto him to lay vpō euery man his burthen as it semeth him best euē as the goodman of the house deuideth equal portions amongst those that ar his therfore he is saide to geue the cup to drinke A. Wherupō our sauiour Christ saith in another place O my father if this cuppe may not passe frō me except I drink of the same thy wil be don Also he saith to Peter in another place Shall I not drinke of the cup which my father hath geuē me B. He calleth the same also Baptisme as we haue shewed alredy for it was euen as a washing away of death a purging to euerlasting life The same Metaphor he vsed also in another place as when he said I must be baptised with a Baptime and howe am I payned till it be ended B. But the metaphor of the cuppe in the Scriptures is often times taken in both partes For certainly God hath measured to euery man both aduersitie and prosperitie and he shal drinke his portion whether he will or no. It is taken in euill part as when it is said storme and tempest shal be their portion to drinke It is taken in good part as when it is sayde The Lorde is my portion and my cup. C. Moreouer in the wordes of Christe there is not a litle consolation to mittigate and asswage the sharpenes of the crosse when as Christe in the same ioyneth him selfe vnto vs For what can be more excellent then for vs to haue all thinges common with the sonne of God for so it commeth to passe that those thinges which seme deadly vnto vs do turn to our saluation and life But he whiche desireth to be altogether frée from the Crosse howe shall he be counted among the disciples of Christ which refuseth to be subiect to his Baptisme for this is nothing els then to refuse to be instructed in the first principles But nowe let vs learne so often as we heare mentiō made of Baptisme to remember that we are baptised vpon this condition and to this ende that we should willingly beare the crosse A. For all they which will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution They say vnto him vve are C. In that Iames and Iohn do so careleslye boaste that they are able and ready to drinke of the cup their carnall confidence is perceiued for when we are out of daunger we thinke we can do all thinges These two disciples perswade them selues that they are able to do muche by their owne strength and that without God forgetting their owne imbecilitie But at the length it came to passe that their rashnes was bewrayed For when they sawe that the Lorde was apprehended in the garden all fled awaye and lefte him alone Notwithstanding this was commendable in them that they offered them selues readyly to beare the crosse 23. He saide vnto them ye shall drinke in deede of my cup and be baptised vvith the Baptime that I am baptised vvith But to sit on my righte hande and on my lefte is not mine to geue but it shall chaunce vnto them that it is prepared for of my father He saide vnto them ye shall drinke C. Nowe he openeth vnto them and to all other the state and condition of his kingdome and sheweth what shall come to passe as concerning the same that they mighte arme them selues with patience because by many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of heauen For this is the kingdome of Christ and he which is the head in this kingdome testifyeth by his example that the same is necessary He sayth my cup as if he shoulde saye By my example suffer persecution Or els he sayth my cup to bring a consolation to them to beare the crosse
foale of an Asse For these wordes of the Euangeliste Tell ye the daughter of Sion are not in Zachary as touching the very worde yet notwithstandinge the Euangeliste verye conninglye and aptly transferreth that to all the godly teachers which God commanded one Prophete onely to testify For this was the onelye hope by the which the sonnes of God ought to erecte and conforte themselues namelye that the Redemer at the lenghte shoulde com And therefore the Prophete teacheth that full and sufficient matter of Ioye is brought vnto the faythful by the comminge of Christe For seing that God canne no otherwyse be fauorable vnto them than by the meane of a Mediator who delyuereth those that are his from all euell What thynge can there be without hym whiche can exhillerate and make glad the harts of men who are drowned in theire synnes and oppressed with manye miseries And euen as it is necessarie Christe beinge absent that wee bee sorowfull and heauy euen so againe the Prophete admonisheth the faythfull that there is good cause why they shoulde reioyce when a Redemer is com vnto them C This therefore is an exhortation to Prophetes Preachers to declare these glad tydings to the Churche of Israell for by the name of sonnes the Prophets did call as well the Cittyes them selues as the Cittizenes that dwelte in them For so often as wee heare the Lorde speakynge let all Prophetes Apostels and Pastors knowe that they are commaunded to speake in the name of the Lorde and to declare theire Imbassage Tell ye sayth he the daughter of Sion He commaundeth therefore his Ministers to speake vnto the congregation of Saincts and to the Churche of Hierusalem and to declare vnto them the commynge of they re Christ The daughter of Sion and the daughter of Hierusalem are bothe putt for the Churche whiche was at Hierusalem For Syon was a parte of the Cittye The Euangeliste beinge contentâ—… that he had shewed the place of the Prophete exhorteth the Ministers of the Churche to declare that the Prophesy of the Prophete as concernynge the Messias is fulfylled when they sée Iesus syttynge on an Asse to enter into Hierusalem as it was Prophesyed before Beholde E. By this woorde he goeth about as one hauynge som greate and waightye matter to speake of to awake vs from sleepe and infydellitye to the ende wee mighte with the greater Ioye receyue this Ioyfull tydynges The Kynge commeth L. That is to saye whiche was promised vnto thee whose peculiar people thou arte who onelye ought to gouerne thee all other sette asyde but in spirite not in externall rule and Empire of whome thou shalte and arte so gouerned that beinge delyuered from synnes from Deuells from Hellegates from the fleshe from the world mayest most pleasantly be broughte vp gouerned of him in grace in spirit in lyfe in heauen in God the which thinge commeth to thee onelye by Fayth by the which thou doest beleue him to be suche a King and that he doth vse no other gouernmeÌ„t that he came to no other end For if thou do not beleue these things of him thou shalt neuer attaine theÌ„ by any other thing nor by thine owne labor and industry For suche a one as thou doste deme and esteme thou hast whatsoeuer thou doest persuade and promise thy selfe to be in him that same shalte thou finde in him and in all thinges as thou beleuest so shall it be vnto thee he for euer abyding all one and immutable which is the Kyng of life of grace of felicitye whether ye be so tought or no. Commeth vnto thee He it is that commeth For it is not thou the coÌ„mest bringing thy selfe vnto hym his dwellynge is so hye and so farre hence that thou canste not com vnto him by thy riches by thy worke or by thy labor that thou mightest haue nothing to boaste that thou by thine own merite or deserte hadest purchased hym vnto thee He commeth also because he foreshewed the same in the Prophetes and promised that he woulde com So that nowe he hath faythfully performed his promises and is com Bu. Thou haste looked for hym a longe tyme O Sion and haste weryed they selfe wyth wayting where and when thou shouldest beholde that Kynge whiche in all ages was promised to com into the worlde Nowe therfore he commeth there is no cause why thou shouldest wayte for his comminge anye more And he commeth treuly to thee that is to thy vse for thy proffite not for any matter of his owne as commonly Kinges do but to saue thee to lyfte vp thee and to make thee happy B. He came also to make thee his peculiar people For Christe thought it not sufficiente to make vs free from tyrannye from the rule of sinne deathe and hell and to bee oure Kyng but also to geue hym selfe wholely vnto vs that whatsoeuer pertayned vnto hym mighte be our owne Of the which saincte Paule wrighteth saying God spared not his owne sonne but gaue hym for vs all howe then with him shoulde he not geue vs all thinges And againe hee saythe Christe is made vnto vs of God Sanctification righteousnes wisedome and redemption In this therefore that he commeth vnto thee thou haste a greate benefyte aboue all other namelye that thou mightest haue power ouer those thinges that belonge vnto him Euen as the wyfe taketh those things for her owne which pertaine to her husbande namelye the apparell with the which he adorned and beautifyed her so we take those thinges which pertaine to Christ as oure owne Besyde these woordes of the Euangelist we may reade in the Prophete more namely wheÌ„ he saith that he is righteouse and a sauiour Christ is here saide to be righteouse because of the righteousnes wherewith he is saide to Iustify vs and not of that whereby he iudgeth vs. For all those thinges which the Scripture attributeth to God and Crist our sauiour ought to be referred vnto vs He came therfore righteouse vnto thée that is he came to iustify thée by his grace only beinge not ignorant of thy vnrighteousnes And that thou mightest be made righteouse thou haddest no nede of anye thinge that pertained vnto thee but of his grace of his goodnes and liberalitie that thou mightest by hym alone obtaine righteousnes In this sence the Apostel Paule vseth these wordes when he sayth Christ is the obteyner of mercy through faith by the meanes of his bloud to declare his righteousnes in that he forgeueth the synnes that are paste whiche God did suffer to shewe at this tyme his righteousnes that he might be counted iuste and the Iustifyer of hym which beleueth in Iesus For he should not haue com a Sauiour to euerye one if he had come with his seuere strayte and Iudgeinge iustice but rather a condemner to all menne Forsomuche as all men are vniuste and synners But now hee commeth not onelye to make vs Godlye and Iust but also to saue so many as
them both For wée haue declared already that Christ sate vppon the coulte onely And the Euangelist Marke hath these woordes And they brought the coulte to Iesus and layde their garmentes vppon him and he sate theron B. Our sauiour Christ thought good to make this shew of his kingdome vnto the people before he should suffer that thereby hée might confirme the good in the faythe towardes him and mighte make the wicked voyde of excuse It was a great pompe therefore very kinglye if wée haue respect to the desier of the people and to their reioysinge and to the vertue and power also by the which hée cast the byers and sellers out of the temple and made himselfe to be feared of his cruell ennemies C. Furthermore the Iewes themselues are constrayned to expound the Prophesy of Zacharye which was then fulfilled of the Messias notwithstanding they deride vs iudginge vs to be deluded vnder the shadowe of the Asse because wee attribute the honor of the Messias to the sonne of Mary But our fayth is not only grounded vppon this place of the Prophete but vpon far greater testimonies Moreouer wheÌ„ we say affirme that Iesus is Christe wée take not the grâ—…unde ther of vpon this that he entered into Hierusalem rydinge vppon an Asse But herevppon wée ground the same because hee made the blind to sée the deafe to here the lame to walke and the dead to rise out of their graues because he raysed himself to life being put to death the third daye Yet notwithstanding this confirmation of the base enterance of Christ into HierusaleÌ„ must not be despised because the almighty did foreshew by the mouth of the Prophete Zachary the same thinge that men might knowe that the kingdome of his sonne was disagréeing with the pompe glory power of this world and that it was also rather spirituall 8. And many of the people spred their garmentes in the waye Other cutte downe braunches from the trees and strawed them in the waye And many of the people C. Here the EuaÌ„gelistes do declare that Christ was knowen of the people to be a king M. Surely the counsel and purpose of God in this was wonderfull that hee vseth the rude simple and abiecte sort of people and not the great Cittizenes of Hierusalem the Scribes Phariseis and hye Priestes to receiue his sonne and to set forth the beginning of his kingdome and so styrreth vp their minds and maketh them so ioyfull that setting all feare asyde of the hyer powers and of excommunication they proclaime him with open crye to be their kinge and the Lordes annointed and so condemned their elders And that these men were not Cittizenes of Hierusalem but suche as came from farre by reason of the feast daye wée maye gather by the woordes of Iohn who sayth On the next daye much people that were come to the feast when they heard that Iesus should come to Hierusalem toke braunches of Palme trees and wente forthe to méete him and cryed It might séeme truly a Maygame or iesting matter for the rude multitude cuttinge downe bowes and spreading their garments in the way to geue vnto Christ the vaine title of a king notwithstanding as they did this in good earnest and did faithfullye declare their mindes euen so Christe thoughte them méete and worthye proclaymers of his kingdome Neither is there any cause why we should maruaile at any such beginning when as he sitting at this daye at the right hand of his father doth sende obscure and base men from his heauenly throne of whom his maiesty is cellebrated in a most contemptible maner Other cut dovvne braunches C. Manye coniecture that the cutting of the braunches of the Palme trees came of an auncient and solemne custome of the day as concerninge the which matter we may read much in the thrée and twenty Chapter of Leuiticus but it is a greate deale more probable that this honor was geuen vnto Christe at a sodaine by the motion of the spirit first in the Disciples who had premeditated of no suche thinge than in the multitude which was set one by the Disciples as may be gathered by the wordes of Luke where hee sayth And when hée was nowe come nye to the goinge downe of mount Oliuet the whole multitude of the Disciples began to reioyce and to praise God with a loude voyce for all the myracles that they had séene sayinge Blessed be the kinge that commeth in the name of the Lord. 9. Moreouer the people that wente before and they that came after cryed saying Hosanna to the sonne of Dauid Blessed is hee that commeth in the name of the Lorde Hosanna in the hyest Moreouer the people B. This acclamation and crye is taken out of the hundreth and eightene Psalme wher other thinges properly aunswering and agreeing to the presente pompe of the Lorde it is thus red The same stone which the builders refused is become the head stone in the corner This was the Lords doing it is marueilous in our eyes This is the day which the Lord hath made wee will reioyce and be glad in it Helpe nowe O Lord O Lord sende vs now prosperity Blessed be hee that commeth in the name of the Lord c. This verce Helpe now O Lord O Lorde sende vs nowe prosperitye was applyed of them vnto Christ whereby it is euidente that the Psalmes were then vsed C. Also the Euangelist Mathew doth not withoute good cause resite the Hebrewe wordes that we might know that these acclamations and ioyful cryes were not rashely geuen vnto Christe and that the petitions and woordes of the Disciples were not spokeÌ„ without consideration but that they reuerentlye followed the order of prayer which the holye ghost had committed to the whole Churche by the mouthe of the Prophete For although hee do there speake as concerninge the kingedome yet notwithstandinge there is no doubte but that hee himselfe hath speciallye respecte and would that others also shoulde haue regarde to the eternall and euerlastinge succession which the Lorde had promised vnto him For hée framed gaue vnto the Church a perpetuall law of praying which notwithstanding that the riches of the kingdom were decayed was in vse And so the custome preuayled and grew that oftentimes they made their prayers as concerning the promised redemption in these woordes Also it was the purpose of Mathewe as wee touched euen now to recite the verse in Hebrewe to the ende hée might teache the Christ was knowen to the people to be the Messias and redemer E. This shoute therefore of the people was a wisshinge of prosperity and a prosperous crye eueÌ„ as wée in these dayes when anye Maiestrate is newlye chosen into his office shoute and wishe him good successe After the same maner this people was affectioned towards Christ they thought now that his corporall kingdome should begin and prosper therefore they prayed and wished that all things might happen vnto him luckelye For
that they be sorrowfull in mynde except they withdrawe them selues from the corruption and abuse and testysie with theyr tongue that they desyre a reformation so often as occasion shall serue but lett them whiche haue not aucthoritie publyke seke to amende those abuses with their tongue whiche they cannot remedy with theyr hande C. and lette them praye vnto the lorde that he wyll eyther pourge his Churche him selfe orels suffer those to pourge it to whom hee hath committed power and authoritie Question Notwithstanding some demaunde here why Christ dyd correcte this small and tollerable abuse when he sawe the temple to be replenished with grosse superstitions whiche he let alone We aunswere that it was neyther the purpose of Christe to restore all the sacrede ceremonyes into their former vse neyther that he had any consideration which faltes were greter and whiche lesse but that he had onlye this regarde that vnder one vysible signe he might teache that the partes of the temple were committed vnto him of God to be purged and also that he might shewe that the worship of God was corrupted with palpable sensible abuse Notwithstandinge this market of bying and selling in the temple wanted not a cloke for they sayde that it was an ease to the people least they shoulde be troubled to feke their sacrifyces a farre of and then that euery man whiche mente to offer mighte haue money at hand But these choppers and changers dyd not sit in the temple but in the courte or yarde of the temple which place is oftentymes in the scriptures called the temple But because there was nothing more vnsemely for the maiestie of the tēple then to haue a faire or market erected so nere the same this profanatiō was not tollerable And our sauiour Christ did the more earnestly inuey against the same because it was opēly known that this abuse was brought in by the couetousenesse of the pristes to receyue their fylthy luker For as a man enteringe into a shoppe or bowth in the which diuerse fine and pleasante thinges are to be soulde is intysed and allured by the glittering shewe therof to buie somewhat where as at the first enterance into the same hee had no such affection euen so the priestes of the temple layde their entisynge snares that by crafte and subtiltie they might drawe vnto them some gayne by oblations of euery one M. God trewely had commanded to offer but yet he woulde not haue his institution to serue for the mayntenaunce of the couetousenes of men furthermore he coulde not abide to haue his holy temple so prophaned For what face or shewe of the temple was this Christ therefore heinge entered into the temple fyrste of all purgeth this fowle spotte and blemishe to declare how gretlye they dyd displease howe vntollerable they were in the Churche which vnder the shewe pretence of pietie sought after nothynge but gayne There were many other wicked abuses in the temple whiche he lefte vntowched to teache vs that those euylles whiche do moste nerely concerne the glory of God ought first of all to be pourged and that there is wickednesse more abhominable in the syghte of God then Hypocrisie And where as he dothe not onelye by his worde but also by his dede abolishe those thinges out of the temple of God whiche dyd displease hym althoughe hee knewe that in shorte tyme bothe the cittie and temple shoulde be destroyed theye are taughte whiche haue receyued power from God in the Church that they ought not onelye by their woorde but also by theyr deede pourge the congregations of Chryste althoughe theye knowe that their corruption superstition and Idolatrye shall fyrmelye abyde styll in the hartes of the reprobate A. For by this meanes God hath geuen theim power to seeke chiefely and fyrste of all for the settyng forthe of his diuyne worshyppe 13 It is written my house shall be called the howse of prayer But ye haue made it a denne of theeues It is vvritten B. Our sauiour Chryste here sheweth a reason of his doing bringynge in the ende and vse of the howse of God. My house is the house of prayer C. This place is taken oute of the prophesie of Esay whiche verye well agreed with the circumstance of the tyme For there is foreshewed the callynge of the Gentiles Esayas therefore promisethe that God wyll bringe to passe not onely that the temple shal recouer the excellencie that it was wonte to haue but also that all nations rounde about shall come thither and that all the worlde shal come into trewe and syncere godlynes It is certayne trewely that he speaketh metaphorically for the prophetes do shaddowe by figures of the lawe the spirituall worship of God which should be vnder the kingedome of Christ This certaynely was neuer fulfilled that al people came to Hierusalem to worshippe When as therefore he pronounceth that the temple should be a place of prayer for all nations it is as muche as if he sholde haue saide that the Gentiles shoulde be gathered together into the church of God that with one mouthe and consente together they might call vpon the true God with the sonnes of Abraham But because he maketh mention of the temple in respect that it was then the visible and publike place of pyetie Christ dothe not without good cause cast the Iewes in the teethe that they haue brought the same to an other vse than at the fyrste it was appoynted for The sence and meaninge therfore is this namely that God wold haue the temple stand hytherto as a signe to the whiche all the worshippers of hym myghte be tyed Howe vnworthely and wyckedly therefore do they conuert it to a prophane markette Moreouer in the tyme or age of Christe this temple was in dede the house of prayer that is to say so longe as the lawe with the shaddowes thereof florished For it began to bethe house of praier to all nations so soone as the doctrine of the Gospell sounded by the whiche the whole worlde grewe into one consente of fayth And although it were afterwarde quyghte ouerthrowne yet notwithstandynge the effect of this prophesye appereth as yet vnto this daye For because the lawe went out of Sion it is necessary that all they which seke to praie aright haue respecte to that beginnynge Wee graunte truely that there is no dyfference of places because the lorde wyll be called vpon in euery place but as the faithfull ar said to speake with the tongue of Canaan whiche professe that they worshyp the God of Israell euen so they are said to come into the temple because from thence trewe religion came and there was the selfe same beginning of waters which in a short space did wonderfully increase and flowe and geue lyfe to the drinkers therof as testifieth the prophete Ezechiel In like maner also those waters of lyfe had their beginninge whiche ranne the halfe parte of them towarde the east sea
themselues vnto Christe as thoughe they were desyrouse to learne and not onely indewed with godlynes but also throughly persuaded of his doctrine For if they had spoken without dissimulation this was the true and right waye M. They praise him for the study of truth because he was frée from all dissimulation because he regarded no man and because he fayned nothynge And teachest the vvaye of God truely By these wordes they declare what they mente when they said thou arte true that is to saye thou teachest faithfully and truely the will of God and that which is acceptable vnto him and not vnto men They fayne and beare a shewe as though they soughte God and that they were not of the Phariseis minde which said in what power doest thou these thinges but rather to be truelye persuaded of the doctrine of Christ and to beleue that he was a teacher of the trueth sente of God. Neyther carest thou for any man. As if they should haue sayd By thy dealing with our Scribes by Priestes and elders o the people thou hast declared throughly persuaded vs that thou art no accepter af persons and that thou carest for no man neither for the people neither for the nobles and Potentates neyther for Cesar nor Herode but only haste regarde vnto god Bu. shewing vnto vs with greate liberty those thinges which thou knowest to be acceptable vnto vs C. But by the wordes of these slye and subtill deceiuers a difinition of a true faithful teacher such a one as thei semed to persuade thē selues that Christ was may be gathered They saye that he is a true teacher which teacheth the waye of God that is to saye which is a true interpretour of God and that in veritye that is withoute anye corruption The waye of God is opposed or set againste the inuencione or straunge doctrines of men and trueth against ambition couetousnes and other wicked affections which are wont to vitiate and defile the pure order of teachinge Therfore we must counte him a true teacher whiche thrusteth not in the inuencions of men and departeth not from the true proper sence of Gods worde but doth as it were dispence and deliuer that with his handes whiche he hath receyued at the mouth of god Furthermore he applieth his doctrine by a singuler study of edifiynge to the proffite and saluation of the people and he falcefieth not the same by any traditiō As touching that which pertaineth to this latter sēce the Apostel Paule when he saithe that he dothe not choppe and chaunge the woorde of God he meaneth that he is not like vnto those which eyther beinge couetouse ambiciouse or inconstante do falsefy and corrupte the purity of doctrine So that he compareth them to choppers and chāgers or mingelers of wine because they do depraue and viciate the pure and right vse of Gods worde This is also worthy to be noted which these hypocrites doe adde saying that Christe doth rightly truelye teache because he regarded not the persons of men For there is nothyng that doth more withdrawe the teachers from the faithfull and perfecte dispensation of Godes woorde than the regarde and respecte of persons For it is impossible that he should addict wholie geue himselfe to serue and please God which seketh to please men It cannot be denied truelye but that we ought to haue a certaine care and regard of men yet not so that wee shoulde seke to wine their fauore by flattery To conclude let all acceptation and respecte of persons cease that wee may be perfecte I meane such regard and respecte as dothe obscure and darken the true lighte and doth peruerte and ouerthrowe true iudgement euen as God doth often tymes inculcate in the lawe and experience sheweth the same Therfore Christe doth compare together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is respecte of personnes and true iudgemente in the seuenth of Iohn C. And the person is taken for euery cōsideration which is beside the cause and matter as kinred riches commendacions of men age forme or comelines whatsoeuer winneth fauour towardes men For if in iudgemtnt we discerne betwene a good man and an euell man we haue not respecte vnto the persone but to the matter and cause it selfe 17. Tell vs therefore how thinkest thou Is it lawfull that tribute be geuen to Cesar or not Hovve thinkest thou A. The hypocritical Disciples of the Phariseys those hypocrites beginning after this maner do at length propound the question to Christ Is it lavvfull that tribute be geuen to Cesar or not M. This deceite hath not one snare alone but two It was great daunger to be silente for so he should haue semed to haue regard to the persones of men and to be stayed helde with humaine feare and so to hyde the trueth in a matter of so great waighte Againe to answere it was dangerouse for they thoughte that he woulde either saye that tribute ought to be geuen to Cesar so incurre the hatred of the people that they might afterwarde with lesse feare of the people kill hym or els that he would denye tribute to be geuen to Cesar so mighte fall as a seditiouse persone into the hāds of Cesars power And this is that which Luke saith They watched him sente forth spyes which should faine thēselues righteouse mē to take him in his words and to deliuer him vnto the power and authority of the deputy to the ende they might put him to death as a traitor and seditiouse persone the matter nothynge appartaining to the Phariseis For how dangerouse a matter it was openlye to denye tribute to bee geuen to Cesar Theudas and Iudas taughte by theyr example of whome wee maye reade in the actes of the Apostels and in Iosephus aso Marke addeth that they sayde shall wee geue or shall we not geue 18. But Iesus perceiuinge their wickednes said why tempte ye me ye hypocrites But Iesus perceiuing E. Not onely their wickednes and malice but also their subtilty as saith the Euangeliste Luke C. These hypocrites semed as though they had been after the beste maner desirouse to learne Howe then doth our Sauiour Christe knowe what they were but onely because his sprite was the searcher of the harte For he did was the searcher of the harte For he did not espie and finde oute their crafty and double dealing by humane cōiecture but because he was God he pearced euen to the hartes of them in so much that they couered themselues in vaine with flattery the cloake of rigeteousnes Therefore before he answered thē he made a plaine declaratiō of his diuinity detecting reuealing their secret malice and spighte Nowe seing the like sleightes deceits are daily set layed for vs of the wicked to intrap vs seing their malice lieth secret hiddē frō vs let vs praie vnto god that he will instructe arme vs with the spirit of discretiō and geue vnto vs
fréelye that which he had by nature and his owne proper righte And howe necessary this wisedome discretion is for vs it is hereby euident that if we do not take hede of the snares of the wicked we shall make the doctrine of God to be subiecte to their reproches VVhy tēpteye me ye hypocrites Bu. He plainlye declareth that he dothe vnderstande their craftes and deceites M. As if he should haue saide It is not the part of a good man to deceiue to demaunde any thing to the ende he might tēpte laye a snare to destroye He calleth them hipocrites that is to saye dissemblers For they fained themselues to be iuste for that cause to desyer to knowe the trueth and the wil of God when as in dede they soughte for none of this with all their hart but far otherwise But they did verye well ressemble their maisters the Scribes Phariseis First of al therfore we muste here learne to preuente suche false deceyuers by bewrayring publishing their hypocrisie if it maye be and then afterwarde they shal be able to doe the lesse harme 19. Shewe me the tribute money And they toke hym a peny Shevve me the tribute money C. To the ende oure Sauiour mighte declare that he was not deceiued by their deceauable flattery he so tēpered his answer by his wōderful wisedom that he endāgered him selfe to nether part In that he cōmandeth thē to shew him the tribute money although it seme not at the first sight of any greate waight notwitstāding it is sufficiēt to louse and breake the snares which they laied for him For by this part was expressed vnto thē a cōfessiō of subiectiō the Christ might not be constrayned to cōmande vnto them anye newe thinge The moneye was coyned stāped with the picture of Cesar therfore the authority of the Romane empire was by general cōmō vse allowed receiued whereby it was euidēt that the Iewes thē selues had al ready by their owne accorde put a law or yoke vpon their own necke of paying tribute because they had grāted the power of the sworde to the Romans And they broughte to him a peny Bu. This pēny was a kinde of Romane coine of the which we haue spoken in the 20 chap. going before It was the maner custome of the Romanes whē they had vāquished ouercome the Gentils to make thē tributary in siluer not in gold as writteth Plini This pēny was paide by euery one of the Iewes to the Romanes yerely for tribute As concerninge the whiche matter reade the seuentene chapter going before 20. And he said ynto them VVhose is this image and superscription VVhose is this Image M. He doth not simplely answer that they must geue vnto Cesar those things that are Cesars but first of al he demādeth a question to the ende he might force thē to answer that which pertained to the purpose Bu. Therfore euē as whē he was asked by what authority he taught he so tēpered his answer by the questiō opposed that if they would haue cōfessed the trueth they thēselues had aptlye truly answered to their owne questiō euē so in this place also desiring to haue the tribute money geuen vnto him demāding whose the Image inscription of the penny was he maketh thē of force to absolue the question them selues M. So that he was not ignorante what he demanded but because he had to doe with those which wente about to catche him in his woordes he therfore maketh their owne wordes to catche themselues 21. They said vnto him Cesars Then saide he vnto thē geue therfore vnto Cesar the thinges which are Cesars and vnto God those thinges that are Gods. They sayde vnto hym Cesars Bu. The Emperours of Rome were wonte to titell and writte them selues vpon their coine and money Parthians Asians and Syrians and such like of the Gentiles which they had subdued This penny therfore had the image of Augustus or els of Tiberius Cesar and peraduenture the inscription contayning muche of the Empire of Cesar ouer the Iewes the which was sufficient to confounde them their subtility Geue therfore vnto Cesar C. Our Sauiour Christe here declareth that seing the subiection of the whole nation is plainly published by the money they ought not of their parte to striue as if he shoulde haue saide if it seme an absurde thing vnto you to paye tribut then be ye not subiecte to the Romanes But truely the money which goeth amongest you from man to man doth testifye that Cesar hath the gouernment of you that by youre secrete approbation and likening also the libertie which ye pretend perished and decaye But the aunswere of Christ is not so indifferent but that it containeth a full and sufficient doctrine as concerning the question propounded For there is here put a plaine and euident distinction betwene spiritual polliticall gouernement to the ende wee might knowe that the external subiectiō doth hinder nothing at all whereby our conscience mighte be at the lesse libertye before god For Christe wente aboute to confute their error whiche thought that they were not the people of God excepte they were frée from all subiection of humane power Euen as in this parte the Apostell Paule diligently endeuoureth himselfe least the Romanes should thinke that they serued the onelye God the lesse if they obeyed humane lawes if they payed tribute and were subiecte to other burthens To be shorte he pronounceth that the law of God is not violated and that his worship is not hurte if the Iewes in respecte of externall pollicy and pollitike gouernmēt obeyed the Romanes Bu. And he also sheweth that they are made subiecte to the Romanes by the wyll of God when he commaundeth thē to geue vnto Cesar those things that belonge vnto Cesar As if he should saye Cesar is your Kinge paye therefore vnto youre Kinge the rightes that belonge vnto a Kynge C. Moreouer he semeth to touche their hypocrisye because they carelesly suffered the worship of God in many thynges to bee violated yea because they did wickedly defraude God of his power onelye bearing a shewe of greate zeale in a matter of no wayght as if he had sayd You take greate care of tribute to be payed to the Romanes leaste that God should loose any parte of his honor But truely ye ought rather to séeke that ye geue the honor and worship vnto God which he requireth of you and in the meane season geue ye that vnto men which belongeth vnto men and vnto God the thinges that belonge vnto God. M. Here also wee do see howe farre wee oughte to obeye magistrates and howe wee muste make a difference betwene God and Cesar For although he be the minister of GOD yet notwithstandinge it is one maner of thinge that belongeth vnto God and an other maner of thinge that belongeth vnto him C. This partition truelye doth not seme to agree because in speakinge properly when we do
the iudge of the whole worlde and that humane things were gouerned by his power but seinge they did restraine as well the rewarde of the godlye as the condigne punishmentes dewe to the wicked althoughe they had sayde trueth that euerye man nowe in this life is delte with all accordinge to vs desert yet notwithstanding this was to preposterouse and out of order to include the promises of God into so straight boundes Nowe experience dothe declare euidentlye that there dulnes and incensiblenes was to grosse seing that it is manifest that the reward which is layed vp in store for the godly is suspended vntil the life to come that the wicked haue not their punishmeÌ„t in this life To coÌ„clude there is nothing to be imagined more absurde than this error the men being created after the Image likenes of God should be extinguished cleane put out by death eueÌ„ as the brute beastes But how filthye monstrouse was this opinioÌ„ wheÌ„ as ther was no nacion whether they were heathenish or prophane Idolaters or wrapped in blind ignoraÌ„ce which had not some hope of the life to come whereas this séede of godlines was quight abolished among the Iewes being the peculiar people of god But first of al this there reward was iust whiche diuided the Churche of God into sectes Moreouer by this meanes God was reuenged of the wicked contempte of his doctrine 24. Maister Moses said that if a maÌ„ die hauinge no child his brother shoulde mary his wife and raise vp seede vnto his brother Master Moses sayde A. By the same subtility deceite they cal Christ master which the Disciples of the Phariseis Herodians vsed before All these made a ieste and mocke at the doctrine of Christ yet notwithstaÌ„ding they fayned them selues to be very desyrouse to learne C. The Saduces do here propounde a question vnto Christe that by the shew of absurdity they might coÌ„deÌ„ne the doctrine of the resurrection That yf a man dye hauing no children C. Seing that it was sufficient to propound the matter without any circoÌ„stance why do they begin after this maner Surely thei do craftly alleage for theÌ„selues the name of Moses to the ende they mighte â—…roue those mariages to be lawful which were contracted not by the will and pleasure of men but by the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t and ordinaunce of GOD himselfe For it was necessary that he should agrée with hymselfe Therefore the snare whiche they layed for hym was suche if God shall gather in tyme to come the faythfull into his Kyngdome he will also restore vnto them that which he gaue vnto them in the worlde What shall then become of the woman whiche God gaue vnto seuen men After this maner al wicked ones and heretiques do calumniate and quarell to the ende they might depraue the true doctrine of Godlines and make the seruauntes of Christ ashamed yea the Papistes are let by no shame openlye to ieste at God and his worde when they go about to intangle vs. Therfore the Apostell Paule not without cause woulde haue the teacher sufficiently appointed with weapons by the which he may repel and put to flight the aduersaris of the trueth As touchinge the lawe by the which God commanded that the kinsmen should succede the deade in matrimony whiche were nexte of bloud if the firste departed without children this was the reason that the womaÌ„ which maried into any stocke or kinred shoulde thereby receyue sede But and if children were brought forth in the firste state of wedlocke it was incestiouse wedlocke whiche was betwene the degrées forbidden by the law His brother shoulde mary his vvise M. In the name of brother other degrees also more nere are contayned as the cosyne germanes and suche lyke of the same kynred And rayse vp sede vnto his brother B. This law was made as all other pollitique lawes were for publique tranquillitys sake the which was not a littel established if the inheritaÌ„ces abode with oute mixture and euery stocke kinred possessed his owne inheritance Wherefore the Lorde did diligently prouide as well by other lawes as by this whiche the Saduces obiected for the coÌ„tinuaÌ„ce and perpetuity of stockes and kinredes and for the lawfull succession of inheritaÌ„ces th t one brother being dead without sede the other brother by maryinge his wife should go about to stirre vp his posterity and should make the firste begotten sonne of his brothers wife to possesse the name and inheritance euen as thoughe he were adopted to the deade brother 25. There were with vs seuen brethren and the firste maried a wyfe and disceassed withoute issue and lefte his 26. wyfe to hir brother Lykewise the second and the third vnto the se 27. uenth Last of all the woman dyed also A. This example they bring in to make their minde and meaninge more playne and euidente being agreable to the law 28. Therfore in the resurrection whose wyfe shall she be of the seuen For they all had her Therfore in the resurrection M. That is to saye in the euerlastinge lyfe to come whiche we shall enioye after the resurrection froÌ„ death They thoughte if there were any resurrection to come that the state of that worlde wherunto they rose shoulde be lyke vnto this which is now but hereof there came an infinite sorte of absurdities and thinges incredible 29. Iesus answered and said vnto them ye do erre not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God. ye do erre M. He sayth that they erre generally because they denyed the resurrection Not knovving the scriptures C. Although our Sauiour Christ doth onely touche the Saduces yet notwithstaÌ„ding this repreheÌ„cion doth beloÌ„g generally to al the inuentors of false opinioÌ„s For seing that God dothe brightly shine vnto vs in the scriptures it must nedes be that the ignorance of them is the welspring and cause of all error M. As more plainly appereth by the wordes of Marke where it is thus written Do ye not therefore erre because ye know not the scriptures neither the power of God They erred therfore because they knew not the scripture wresting the sence therof amis C. But this is no smal consolation to the godly in that they shal be safe froÌ„ the danger of erringe so long as by humble and modest docillity they do seke search for that which is right true out of the Scriptures For the worde of God is a lighte vnto oure feete and a lanterne to oure pathes and it shyneth in this worlde as a candell in the darkenes Wherevpon the Apostel Paule sayth Al Scripture geuen by diuine inspiracion is profitable to teache to improue to correcte and to amende that the man of God maye be perfecte and geuen to all good workes Neyther the povver of God. C. Whereas Christ ioyneth the power of God to the worde it is referred to the circomstance of the present cause For because the resurrection dothe farre excéede the capacitye of humane sence
16. The rudenes of Christes disciples wheÌ„ they were called Wisedom commeth not by our owne industry 1. Cor. 1. Actes 4. The ignoraÌ„ce of the Apostels is not an exaÌ„ple for blind guides in these daies 1. Timo. 3. Tit. 1. Why Chryste chose suche as were ignoraÌ„t Actes 22. Osee 11. Iere. 3. The outâ—… calling is 〈◊〉 thinge wâ—…out the inâ—…uall The diligâ—… that ought be in ministers â—…ynagogge â—…at it is â—…tes 15 â—…e office of â—…icars of â—…yste â—…p 1. 〈◊〉 gospel of â—…ingdom The fame of Christe The two speciall thinges that Chryste dyd We all seeke more for the healthe of our bodies than of our soules DissimulatioÌ„ The cloake of hipocrites Chap. 6. Luke 4 â–ª Math. 2â—… Iohn 8. The byâ—… chayre 〈◊〉 felicitie â—…e world â—â—acieÌ„t perâ—… can not â—…e the 〈◊〉 â—…medy to â—…age the â—…ernes of â—…rosse Blessednesse parteyneth to the pacient Aunswere Poore in spyrite The moorning estate is happy Roma 5. Godly sorowe 2. Cor. 7. Chap. 16. Chap. 6. Actes 12 1. Cor. 5. Roma 12 Math. 9. Iohn 16. Esay 6. Iohn 16. Actes 5. 2 Cor. 1. Luke 1â—… â—…oc 21. â—…o are meke â—…ma 12. â—…iection â—…e nature of 〈◊〉 wicked â—…rouerbe â—…unswere The impacyence of the wicked Christe our onely stay in trouble Cruel perseÌ„â—… are a feare to them selues The inherytance of the godly The ioye of vngodly Psalm 37. Aunswere Luke 12. Psalm 37. What mercâ—… is Math. 12 Math. 9. Luke 10 The goâ—… their pâ—â— shall notâ—… vnrewaâ—… at the hâ—… of God. â—…e office of â—…ue christiaÌ„ â—…enes of â—…e is the â—…her of all â—…ues â—…m 15. â—…m 24 â—…m 17. â—…e 8 â—…ner 20 â—…m 51. â—…es 15. Iohn 1. The iust shall see God. Peacemakers Psal. 34. Gene. 12. Roma 9. Math. 19. The magistrates office 1. Cor. 1â—… Roman â—… Persecuâ—… The poâ—… of Sathâ—… 1. Petr. â—… The zeaâ—… the righâ—… â—…t perseâ—…n is 〈◊〉 they be suffer for â—…eousnes â—…r 4. â—…mo 3. â—…p 1. Luke 6. The Popes excommunication is not to be feared The excuse of the wicked Luke 13. Acte 6. Tertullian We are not persecuted when we are iustly punished 1 Petâ—… 1 Our wâ—… deserue â—…warde Philip â—… Examplâ—… â—…n can not â—…rue so â—…he as a â—…e at the â—…des of god â—…e 15. â—…m 31. â—…m 127 â—…is ment 〈◊〉 woord â—…rde Why the rewarde is promised 2. Cor. 4. The afflictioÌ„ of the apostels pertaineth to the ministers in these dayes The nature of man is vnsauery vntill it be salted with Gods worde The Gâ—â— is compaâ—… to salte The Goâ—… is hated â—…cause it 〈◊〉 sharpe The queâ—… of the Goâ—… A simile A considâ—…tion to 〈◊〉 of the prâ—…cher â—â—le â—â—le He that wanteth the salt of Gods worde is corrupted Impudency of Papistes The punishement of vnsauery salters Malachi 2. Osee 4. Psalm 119 The ministers of Gods worde are the lighte of the worlde Iohn 3. Iohn 3. The effâ—â— the Eoâ—… Iohn 1 Iohn 8. Aunsâ—… Iohn 1â—… Iohn 5. Philip. â—… Thes 5 The dâ—… and life 〈◊〉 teacher â—…aulte is â—…ught more â—…mous in a â—…tuous maÌ„ 〈◊〉 in a wicâ—… persone â—…ke 4 â—…ke 8. 2. Cor. 8. Good works becom a Christian for examples sake Good works may not be done for vayn glory 1. Petr. 2. Against free wyll Good works are sayde to be our works because God imputeth theÌ„ vnto vs. Two causes moued Christ to declare the agremeÌ„t that was betwene the Lawe and the Gospell Actes â—… The Gospell is subiecte to sclaunders â—… Timo. 3. â—…hat is ment 〈◊〉 the Lawe 〈◊〉 this place Iohn 7. Ierem. 31. How Christe fulfilled the Lawe Roma 10. Roman 3. 2. Cor. 1. Luke 16. 1. Cor. 13. The firme strengthe of the Lawe Iere. 33. Gods promises are immutable Aunswere Psalm 12. 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 â—…east coÌ„â—…dement â—…at Luke 7. Aunswere The external vse of ceremonies is done away Indulgences 1. Cor. 9. 1. epist. 4 Titus 2. 1. Petr. 5. Chap. â—… â—…cope of â—â—e â—…a 8. â—… 10. â—…ti 18. Math. 19. The abuse of the lawe He that hateth his brother in his hart committeth murther Iohn 8. Iudgement Exod. 21. Truthe be prefâ—… before 〈◊〉 The fiâ—… to 〈◊〉 Iam. 1. 1. Iohn Ire is â—…rote of â—…ther Gene. â—… â—…ne 27. â—…am 18. â—â—m 25. â—…a 5. 〈◊〉 3. â—…sost in â—… ho. 16. â—…r rayâ—…uen in â—â—ct â—…d 132. The seconde step vnto murther The tokens of anger The thirde step to murther This hel fyer is called in the latten tongue Gehenna â—…guis 4. King. 23. 2. Cor. 28. Ier. 7 19 Heathen abhominations Esay 30. Math. 8. Esay 66. Mark. 9 Loue is fulfillinâ—… the lawâ—… â—…lip 4. Cor. 13. Aunswere The byshop of Romes doctrine ReconciliatioÌ„ Osee 6. Math. 23. 1. Iohn 3. The cause of Iniuries A remedy against conteÌ„tion Luke 1â—… The coâ—…tiouse 〈◊〉 shall feleâ—…treme iuâ—…ment â—…e peny purâ—…ory of the â—…pistes is â—…e builded Verse 17. Adultery 1. Cor. 7. ConcupiseÌ„ce The Papists deny concupisence to be sin Exod 20. The adulterer in wyll and minde â—…unswere â—â—e eies and â—â—des are â—…yded by the â—…rte The wicked inclination of mans nature Diuorcementes The holy estate of wedlocke The maner of the bill of dyuorcement of the Iewes Math. 19 Vsury â—…es â—…pinion 〈◊〉 Anaâ—…stes Of othes Deut. 6.10 Hebr. 6. We must not sweare but when iust occasion vrgeth He that sweareth by any parte of the worlde sweareth by God Aunswere Hebr 6 In matters of importauÌ„ce we muste sweare by God only Esay 66. Math. â—… Luke â—… God iâ—… where Psal. â—â— Psalm â—… Daniel Math. â—… Math. â—… â—…he in â—…ning is â—…ed â—…ause of â—…ing 2. Cor. 1. Math. 13. Exod. 21. Leuit. 24 Deut. 19. Leuit 19. Sufferance Roma 12. Reuenâ—â— Auguâ—… epestoâ—… â—…odly â—…acience â—…g 22. â—… 18. â—… 23 〈◊〉 2. Losse of goodes and al thinges els must be borne for Christes sake Iniury must be borne Luke 6. Liberalitie Prodigalitie 2. Cor. 8. Gala. Worâ—â— loue foâ—… Perfeâ—…â—…ritie The 〈◊〉 propeâ—… a Châ—â—â—â— â—…t 19. 〈◊〉 of our â—…bour 〈◊〉 10. â—…d must â—…yded Luke 23. Vengeaunce ought not to be in the faithfull Roma 12. The popishe monkes haue preached libertie Our enemies do not deserue our loue Loue was more higely estemed of the heathen Phylosophers thaÌ„ of vs Christians Loue is a token of adoption Luke â—… There 〈◊〉 promiâ—… the scrâ—… pertayâ—… the freâ—…cies of 〈◊〉 not to â—…sertes Tempâ—… benefitâ—… God is â—…rall to 〈◊〉 â—…mon â—…be 〈◊〉 6. 〈◊〉 Publiâ—… were 〈◊〉 3. Christians worse then Publicans The Anabaptistes vse to kisse in token of loue ChrisostoÌ„ The fulfilling of the lawe Luke 6. Ambition Almesâ—… Math. â—… Vayne in geueâ—…â—…mes mâ—… auoydeâ—… Hypâ—… geuâ—… â—…e descripâ—… of an hyâ—…ite â—…ocrites of â—…es kindes 〈◊〉 a Syâ—…geis â—â—che hyâ—…sle Aunswere True and perfect almes Almes 〈◊〉 be geuen foremen 〈◊〉 that it be â—… without â—…tation 1. Sam. 1â—… 1. king â—… Ierem. 7 Psalm 7 Luke 14 Luke 16. 〈…〉 â—…abuse of 〈◊〉 â—…crisie is â—…ouse Popishe praier contuted The true vse of prayer Publike
in an vnknowen tonge Matth. 5. Ephe. 4. Ephe. 5. Baptisme is a pledge before God and a signe before men Math. 3 Iohn 4 Aunswere Gene. 17 Rom. 10. Rom. 10. Marke 16. Iohn 3. 1. thess. 4. 1 Peter 4. Actes 20. Luke 24 Actes 1. Actes 1. Actes 10. Actes 1. Num. 6. Gene. 14 Heb 7. Nvm. 6. Psal. 118. Heb. 7. Ephe. 1. Luke 24. Actes 1. Rom. 8. Heb. 7. Ephe. 1. Luke 24. Actes 1. Ephe. 4. Act. 3. Act. 1. Iohn 16. Actes 1. Luke 24. Marke 16. A TABLE IN THE ORDER of an Alphabete contayninge all the speciall notes for the moste parte in the Exposition goinge before A. ABraham sawe Christe by fayth Folio 284. Abhomination of the heathen Folio 96. Absolution 407. Accomptes must be made for oure talentes 600. Adoption hath made vs sonnes 344. Adulterye 99. 417. 421 Affections are not naturallye in God. 140. Affections of mans minde are sinfull 654. Affinitye betweene God and man by Christe 17. Affliction perrtayneth to the mynisters of Gods word 84. Affliction maketh vs to come vnto Christe 186. Affliction is the badge of a Christian man 215. 244. Affliction is a stombling blocke to some 287. Affliction brideleth ambitiō 447. Almes muste be geuen to the pore 607. Almes a true sacrifyce 623. Almes deedes 112. 114. Ambition is restrayned by the spirite of God 440. Ambition keepeth vs from Gods kingdome 395. Ambition is a deadly disease 528. Anabaptistes deny pollitique gouernment 506. Anabaptistes 103. 450. Anabaptistes kisse in tokē of loue 111. Angels know not all things 583. Angels make no reuelations contrary to the saluation of mē 583. Angels 742. Angels haue no power to saue 50. Angels are Gods mynisters to keepe vs 63. 373. 580 Angels needed not a reconciler 380. Angels are the kepers of the faith full 400. Antechristes 571. Antechrist of Rome craftely stayeth vp his kingdome 352. Antechrist of Rome taketh awaye the foundacion of the Church 365 Anger may be founde in the electe 95. Anger of two kindes 34. Anger must be without sinne 252. Anger maye be perceiued by certaine signes 95. Apostleship is not an ydle offyce 752. Auriculer confession 44. 153. Arrian heritique 584. B. Baptizme 50. Baptizme generall speciall 53. Baptizme was the beginninge of the Gospell 55. Baptizme oughte not to be denied to infantes 426 Baptizme is a pledge before God and a signe before men 752. Baptizme oughte not to be mynistered by women 745. Backebytinge 180. Benefites temporall 110. Blasphemy 217. Blasphemy is to dye withoute repentance 264. Blasphemy against the spirit 264. Blasphemy that procedeth of ignoraunce is remissible 265. Blessednes pertayneth to the pacient 75. Blindnes is the cause of destruction 337. Blindnes commeth of false perswasion 446. Bindinge pertayneth to the Gospell 363. Bouldnes ought to be in a Preacher 308. Bread is but the ordinary meane to preserue life 61. Brotherly loue 172. Buriall is to be reuerenced 313. Buriall pertayneth to saints 313. C. Cause why the virgin Marye did marrye 13. Cause of naturall diseases 13. Callinge external internall 72. Callinge of three sortes 500. Caiphas a corrupted priest 618. Care excessiue 134. 205. 213 Care distrustfull 135. Cares of this life are a hinderance to the faithfull 593. Carelesse seruauntes 600. Carnall Gospellers 161. 286 Ceremonies oughte not to be preferred before Gods word 251. Ceremonies are put awaye 91. Chanonistes geeue the temporall sword to the Pope 665. Charitye must be preferred before pollitique lawes 419. Charity 108. Chastity in Popery is mere bauderye 423. Chastity of thre sortes 423. Chastity is no vertue 424. Christ hath made vs the sonnes of God 118. Christ is true sauiour both of body and soule 151. Christ is our Phisition 152. 180 Christ is mercifull 161. Christe became pore for our sakes 163. Christes comminge bringeth tormente to the wicked 169. Christ dothe not reiecte vs for all our infirmitye 187. Christ beinge in heauen careth for his Churche 198. Christ is a sworde to the wicked 224. Christe is a stomblinge blocke to the wicked 231. Christ is the Image of the father 244. Christ alone is our helpe in trouble 245. Christ was made a seruaunte for vs. 255. Christes Church is defiled with many hypocrites 290. Christ God and man 320. Christ the sonne of man 355. Christ suffered because he would 375. Christ a mediatour 380. Christe the Iudge of the whole worlde 407. Christ a spirituall kinge 460. Christ commeth to vs not wee to him Christ is the sonne of Dauid and the sonne of God 516. Christ hath two natures 518. Christ the heade of the Churche 545. Christ is the stone of offence 561. Christes buriall a sauoure of life 624. Christ what it signifyeth 143. Christ is not our sauiour without we beleeue 14. Christ a lawfull mediator 17. Christ cannot be destroyed by the wicked 32. Christ was exercised with the crosse from his infancy 37. Christ the bright sonne of righteousnes 39. Christ wente into the wildernes 57. Christ suffered willingly 57. Christ our Conquerer 61. Christ is our lighte 69. Christ is our onely stay in trouble 77. Christ fulfilled the lawe Christians worse than Publicās 111. Contemners of the Gospell 139. Contempt of the Gospell 208. 209. 568. Concupiscence 100. Confession of Christe is required of all men 222. Confession of Christ is the effect of faith 467. Confessiō of sinnes is a true signe of repentance 44. Confidence in God 467. Constancye in Iohn the Baptiste 46. Consciēces that are gilty euer accuse themselues 307. Continencye is the gifte of God 422. Couetousnes 126. Couetous men forsake the seruice of God 130. Couetousnes crept into the Temple of Hierusalem 469. Couetous men possesse not money but are possessed of money 601. Couetousnes a monsterous beast 621. Courtears for the most parte despise the graces of God 699. Corruption of nature is cause of debate 225. Corruption in mans harte Corban the boxe of the Temple 332. Correction of thre sortes 402. Crosse 226. Creatures made by God are pure 334. Cruell men shal be cruellye handeled 412. 413. 414. Cruel men are a feare to themselues 77. Curiositye 183. Curious searching of Godes secretes may not be 583. Custome oughte not to be preferred before the Gospell 419. D. Daunsinge is not commendable 310. Day of Iudgemente 147. Death is compared to sleape 191. Death is a perpetuall destruction to the wicked 227. Death after our resurrection hath no more power ouer vs 509. Demoniakes 161. Denyars of Christ 223. Defence of oure selues muste be without anger 665. Deliuerance commeth to the godly in time of neede 493. Destroyers are oftentimes called builders Desperate men are the worse for punishment 424 Deuils obey Christ 387. Dilligence oughte to be in mynisters of the worde 72. Dilligence in hearing gods word 302. Disciples of Christe were rude when they were called at the first 71. Discipline oughte to be in the Church 604. Discipline of the spirite putteth away euill 608. Dysdaine commeth of pride 696. Distrust bringeth into perill 324.
Dissention is a deadly thinge 260. Dissemulation 73. Diuorcementes are forbidden 417. Diuorcementes 101. Doctrine without authority is of small force 200. Doubtinge putteth awaye faythe 467. Dreames supernaturall and naturall 13. E. Error that commeth ignorantlye is sone put away 53. Error increaseth godlynes beinge awaye 307. Error being grounded truth is abolished 351 Error of the Rabbines 383. Error of the Scribes 383. Error of the Anabaptistes 392. Error in interpreters 421. Error in Hierome 422. Encrease commeth by Gods blessinge 347. Equitye 141. Esseyes 45. Externall profession is nothinge 147. Externall repenâ—â—nce must be auoyded 239. Excommunication 406. Eradication of the wicked 336. Eternall life cannot be boughte 299 Eternall dampnation 414. F. Faith doubteth no peril in the coÌ„minge of Christ 193. Fayth muste be confessed with the mouth 222. Faith is not gotten by mans wisedome 241. Faythfull men are the brethren of Christ 275. Fayth commeth by hearinge 340. Fayth cannot be beaten downe 342. Fayth in the woman of Chanaan 343. Fayth obtayneth all thinges 345. Fayth is the gift of God 359. Fayth of three sortes 387. Fayth is of more power than fastinge and prayer 388. Fayth 188. 536. Faythfull meÌ„ haue the Lord their watchman 140. Fayth hath his effect 159. 160. Fayth beinge awaye our prayers are not hearde 159. Fayth bringeth all things to passe 172. 190. Faith in the Parents profiteth infantes 173. Fayth and grace are ioyned together in the woorke of saluation 189. Fayth only obtayneth remission of sinnes 189. Fayth turneth the curse into a blessinge 608. Fayth is holpen by Sacramentes 643. False Religion 8. False teachers 143. False Prophetes shal be punished 146. 557. False Christes 571. False teachers teache in â—…n vnknowen tongue 574. False witnes 674. Fame of Christ 73. Familiar thinges are not esteemed Fast in Lent 59. Fast of Papistes 59. 126. Fast of Christe most myraculous 59. Fastinge must be voluntarye not constrayned 184. Fastinge helpeth prayer 389. Fayned worship of God is abhominable 334. Feare in the Apostles 166. Feare in generall is not euill 166. Feare is contrary to fayth 188. Feare alwayes remayneth in the wicked 309. Feare taketh awaye oftentimes the sences of man 322. Feare putteth away trust 323. Feare vaine glory are alwayes ioyned with impiety 479. Feare of hell is euen in the electe 608. Feare pertayneth to the electe and reprobate 743. Felicity consisteth not in meate drincke 61. Feastinge is not withoute manye euils 310. Forewarning of dangers is profitable 210. Fortitude of the faithfull 445. Fortune is condemned 221 Flattery begileth simplicity 267. Flatterers 452. Flattery in frendship 662. G. God neuer fayleth those that are his 29. Godly deedes peruerted by the wicâ—…ed 30. Gods spirite cannot be seene 54. Gods spirite is of great force 57. Gods woorde is oure weapon to beate downe Sathan 61. Gods prouidence 62. 63 132. 171. 220. God alone muste be worshipped 66. Gods promises are immutable 90. God is euerye where 104. God is liberall to all men 110. God is our father 118. Gods kingdome 120. Gods will 120. Gods blessing encreaseth all thinges 122. God muste be serued with al oure harte 130. God is readye to graunte our requestes 139. Gods countenaunce is terreble to the wicked 171 Gods giftes ought not to be sould 204. Gods Iustice 239. God hath no respect of personnes God is Lorde of the whole earth 241. Gods purpose cannot â—…ltered 243. Gods election 272. God is not the author of euil 398. God turneth all things to the best 415. God the author of all goodnes 428. God a prseent helpe in trouble 439. Gods grace is swete to those that enioye it 439. God needeth not mans helpe 483. God is a God of the lyuinge 511. Gospell is a generall calling 498. Gospell is a reconcilliation betwene God and man 364. Gospell is the keye of life 362. Gospell came from God 234. Gospell consisteth of two partes 40. Gospell is a fan 51. Gospell is hated because it is sharpe salte 84. Gospell is subiect to slauÌ„ders 89. Gospel is a precious pearle 139. Good works ought to be in Christians 87. Good workes may not be done for vaine glory 87. Good woorkes are saide to be oures by imputacion 87. Good workes are not the cause of saluation 373. Good woorkes are a seale of oure fayth 374. Generall Iudgement 499. Generall counselles 409. Generall day of Iudgement 409. Glory prepared for the righteous 297. Grace made the Gentiles the sonnes of God 343. H. Hatred must be auoyded 109. Harlots enuye those that reproue them 311. Helpe commeth from the Lord in time of neede 213. Hell fyer 608 Hell gates shall not preuaile against fayth 361. Herode feared to put Iohn to death 309. Herodes blindnes 23. Hermits 40. Hell fyer 96. Health of the bodye is more set by than soules health 73. Hierusalem the sanctuary of God. 16. Hope bringeth consolation 190. Hope hath her frute 52. Honour due vnto Parents 331 Holines without brotherly loue is hypocrisye Holines consisteth not in outward shewes 183. Hypocrisy pretendeth religioÌ„ 348. Hypocrisy most abhominable 469. Hypocrits turne the truth of God into a lye 470. Hypocrites are hardly brought to repentaunce 481. Hypocrites haue a pretence 27. Hypocrisy 27. 150. Hypocrits feare to be detected 45. Hypocrites are secure 48. Hypocrites haue a cloake 73. Hypocrisy in geuinge almes 112. Hypocrits of diuers kinds 113 Hypocrisye is ambitious 115. Hyerlinges 146. Humillity 156. Humillity in Christ hid his glory from the reprobate 38. Humillity and the reward thereof 395. Humillitye pertayneth to all estates 451. Humâ—…llity is ioyned with the prayers of the godly 652. I. Idolatry 66. Idle wordes 268. Idle prelates are not sente 442 Impaciente persons cannot beare the yoake 75. Images oughte not to be in the Churche 379. Immoderate care 131. Impudencye in Papistes 85. InconstaÌ„cy 232. Ignorance in the Apostles is not an example for blinde guides to followe 71. Ignoraunce is the originall of excessiue care 134. Ignoraunce peruerteth all good workes 196. Ignoraunce oughte not to be in a teacher 301. Ignoraunce is the cause of error 58. Ignoraunce is not the mother of deuotion 242. 334. Inheritance of the godly 77. Indifferent thinges ought not to be tyed to necessity 328. Indulgences 91. Iniurye 98. Iniury must be borne 108. Infidels haue no profite by gods benefites 457. Infidels are alwayes vnprepared for the Lords comminge 593. Ingratitude in the Gaderenites 171. Ingratitude maketh vs to forget God 323. Ingratitude is the cause that wee are ouercome in temptacioÌ„ 353. Ingratitude punished 496. Inuocation 595. Infantes receiued of Christ 425. Infantes are made partakers of the grace in Christ 426. Iosephes zeale 12. Iohn the Baptiste 39. Iohn the forerunner of Christ 41. Iohn Baptist led an Austere life 43. Iohns constancy 46. Iohn Baptistes modesty 53. Iohn the Baptist is called Helias 383. Iudgemente 94. 136. 536. Iudgement doth not ouerthrowe remission of sinnes 268. Iudgement of hypocrites 499. Iudas a patterne of Popishe repentaunce 686. Iust
pretence defraude the poore shepe of the holy foode of Gods worde and in stede of the same brought into the world certaine stinking and vayne traditions whiche they had drawen out of the filthy puddel of carnall reason and would haue them accompted suche was their arrogancy for deuine oracles Moreouer men were growen to suche madnes vnfaithful dealing that whatsoeuer pleased them the same also they did perswade the kynges rulers of the worlde whose duty it was to watche for the safetie of all the people and before all thnges to take hede that they did not degenerate from the true worship of god But in this horrible waste and confusion of thinges the celestiall father vouched safe to preserue his Churche by a certayne miraculous working not to be attained by our vnderstanding for he daily calleth backe his electe out of the bottomles pitte of ignoraunce and transposeth them into the kingdome of his welbeloued sonne that being partakers of the light of the Gospell or rather being made light it selfe in the Lorde they might walke as children of the light submitte them selues wholy vnder his obedience whiche called them out of darkenes into a wonderfull cleare light Whiche worthy and incomparable benefite is daily offered not onely to priuate men here and there dispersed but also vnto kinges rulers so often as God doth styrre vp in their Costes faithfull Pastors though neuer so cruell persecutions storme euery where Sathan with his ministers raginge do bende all the force of their strengthe to hinder the course of the Gospel either by mans authoritie or els to breake it of by the feare intollerable wayght of afflictions Therefore seing through the grace of God we haue here free libertie vnder right Christian princes to enioye the light of the Gospell wheÌ„ as many other nations of the worlde are as yet buried in the depe dungeon of ignoraunce and seing it hath pleased God of his free mercy certayne yeares paste to snatche vs out of the iawes of Antechrist that we might heare the swete voyce of Christe continually sounding in the Churche wee should bee twyse ingratefull if we should not wyshe with ardent petitions that oure brethren might obtâ—â—â—e the like grace and fauour or if we shoulde not reatche out our hande to helpe them whiche make haste to gette the same libertie But there can no waye be founde out more commodious to further their saluation then if beside our daily prayers in whiche we commende them to the Lorde we reatche as it were into their handes some thing whereby they might well fortefie them selues against their enemies and be able to reproue and conuince suche as resiste the truthe Neither do we nede any great consultation to determine what this thing should be wheÌ„ as nothing can be more profitable vnto them than the sounde syncere playne exposition of the holy Scriptures which heretofore was so obscured by the fonde commentaries preposterous interpretations of those that knewe not truely the very elementes of Christian religion so that the worde of God gaue place to prophane wryters so farre was it from retaining the force and authoritie which of right she ought to haue among men For who knoweth not that those who neglecting the authoritie of the worde of God did cite Plato Aristotel Cicero and other prophane wryters of that sorte in their pulpettes were had in great estimation and counted for chiefe deuines in comparison of those that propounded the worde of God simply and sincerety I therefore wyshing to satisfie their desier whiche long earnestly for the sounde and playne exposition of the Scriptures lefte vnto vs by the Prophetes and Apostles applied â—…y mynde before these fewe yeares to collecte and gather out of the doctours suche as might be gotten bothe olde and newe whatsoeuer semed to helpe to the exacte knowledge of the newe testament hoping hereafter if the Lorde graunt me strengthe to bestowe the like diligence in the olde testament to the ende that as the whole body of the Scripture is set forth vnto vs by diuers organes of the holy Ghoste so beinge beutified with a plaine and perfecte exposition collected out of sondry interpretours it might be redde of all the godly to the glory of God and saluation of men Neither yet do we thinke that this our labour shal be improued by any saue onely by suche as mislike all godly and deuine thinges For seing many with earnest affection desier to knowe the opinioÌ„s of suche as interprete the holy Scriptures and oftentimes it chaunceth that what by one is pretermitted that is spoken by an other and contrariwyse yea but fewe haue the multitude and varietie of bookes many also cannot enioye them without perill Who I beseche you can condemne these oure painefull studies and good intent but that also he shall seme to improue their indeuour which would profite willingly by reading or hearing sondry interpretours of the Scriptures Moreouer if their diligence be commended and not vndeseruedly whiche out of the lectures and Sermons of the preachers of Gods worde note and gather what they can and geue it to be printed to the ende the whole Churche might reape a commoditie of that whiche was spoken out of a Pulpet to a fewe in nomber why should it not be laweful to collecte and chuse whatsoeuer semeth to pertaine to the explictation of the sacred Scriptures out of their commentaries whome God hathe made ouerseers of his flocke to feede and teache them and hath enriched them with many giftes to the common edifying of his Churche And as for suche as thinke them selues so spiritual that being contente with the volume of the Bible onely do carelesly and frowardly reiecte all commentaries those men I iudge not worthy any confutation For that whiche they vaynely babble tendeth to no other ende except perhappes they knowe not them selues but vtterly to abholishe the ministery of the worde that it might be lawfull for euery one to dreame or vtter vnaduisedly what he liste of Gods high misteries when neuertheles the Lord him selfe commendeth prophecie before other thinges in so muche that the Apostell Paule doth not doubte to preferre the same before certayne other giftes of the holy Ghoste otherwyse moste excellent And in an other place he sayth Despise not prophecies trie all thinges kepe that whiche is good Solomon also doth witnes in playne wordes that where prophecying doth fayle the people must nedes bee scattered abroade Let them therefore either bring to passe that all men may speake Hebrewe and Greeke and that euery meÌ„ber may be replenished with the fulnes of the spirite whiche thing is peculiar to ChristiaÌ„s or els let them suffer the Churche to enioye the communion participation of giftes whiche Christe distributeth to eche man as semeth good vnto him selfe As touching the tittle of the booke we thought it good to call it an Ecclesiasticall exposition for a double respect first because it is gathered
out of those wrytinges whiche were employed and consecrate to the Churche it selfe by holy men whiche bestowed all their labour and study to enlarge the true faith and for that cause they may well be termed Ecclesiasticall wryters Secondly because it appertayneth of dutie to the Churche to knowe the familiar voyce of their spouse who speaketh vnto her sitting in the heauens and that by the helpe of his seruauntes to wytte faithfull ministers who for that same cause are called in the Scriptures the interpretours of Gods wyll and the messengers whiche bryng fidinges of the reconciliation betwene God and man. But we call it Catholike that is vniuersall because it is gathered vniuersally out of all the most appro◅ed deuines And for because welbeloued brethren in Christe you whiche yet grone vnder the yoake o◅◅ntechriste dispersed here and there you desier with ardent affectiōs to knowe those things whiche may guyde you to the perfect vnitie and certaintie of faythe I moste earnestly request you that as the Churches restored to their integritie enioye the sacred sermons lectures communication and publique conference of the selfe same men whiche haue enriched this woorke with their labours so you also vse gladly and cherefully this exposition of the newe Testament that your fayth may haue the better successe and Christes spirite by the reading of the Scriptures may in suche wyse mortefie whatsoeuer concupiscence of the fleshe is remayning in you that we may all speake thinke and vnderstande one thyng being one whole body Flie therefore all peregrine straunge doctrines and geue attentiue eare to the moste swete voyce of that great shepehearde of the shepe Christe Iesus who by his Apostels and Euangelistes teacheth you moste playnly the way to saluation Despise with a stoute courage the forged tales and traditiōs of men by whiche your consciences are snared and imbrace the libertie achieued by Christe and worthely set forth in this newe Testament whereof you haue here an exposition no lesse sounde than playne and euident Not that this interpretation is so perfect absolute in euery point that nothinge may be added thereto pertayning to doctrine and edification for who can examine or interprete any one place of Scripture so happely and dilligently that no man shal be able to expresse the same more playnely or obserue in it somewhat more helping either to teache exhorte or reconcile other places Neither was it my intente to vrge the studentes in holy Scriptures to kepe silence but rather not onely to exhorte all the Godly but also to desier them for Gods sake that if they haue attayned anye thing either by reuelation of the spirite or by the commentaries of other whome we haue not sene to brynge it and make it commen so that it be briefe and fitte to edefie whiche howe necessary it is in serious matters there is none but wyll confesse For ouer and besides the newe bookes whiche come forth dayly whereby this worke might bee enlarged I am fully perswaded that the authours them selues out of whose wrytinges I haue taken this exposition are so farre from ambition and emulation that they desier nothing more than that they to whome the gifte of prophecie is graunted shoulde not defraude the Churche thereof for whose sake they haue receiued that whiche they haue I sought therefore to profite them onely whiche with vpright conscience seke the symple and peculiar sence of the Scriptures leauing vnto the Church whom God endeweth euery day with marueilous giftes libertie to adde according to tyme and place what semeth to belonge to the common edifyinge of the godly as is wont to be done in the holy assembles and metinge where the Godly communing of diuine matters haue libertie to bringe forth or alleage in the middest of the company that whiche they haue receiued of the father of lightes so that if it be reuealed to an other sitting by the firste doth willingly kepe silence as the Apostell commaundeth Nowe as concerning the authours out of whose commentaries or annotation vppon the Gospell after Mathewe this exposition is collected we haue declared their names in the next leafe following And leaste the often repetition of their whole names should trouble the readers we haue signified thē by their first letters although that thing semed once vnto me not greatly necessary if this one admonition of my frēdes had not prouoked me thereto who tolde me that it would fall out that some would reproue me of a lye for because this woorke being intituled a Catholyke exposition collected out of sondrye interpretours should neuertheles appeare to be one discourse neither would they beleue any other except we did note by letters euery particuler mans woordes But where I my selfe did incline to that parte not to discrie the authours names by letters I was led hereby because I feared the disposition of some who being addicted to men do for the moste part measure approue and reiect the interpretations according to the authoritie and estimation of the man rather considering the men than what the holy Ghoste pronounced by them to the common erudition of the Churche Moreouer the readers peraduenture will marueyle that I note so fewe woordes out of some authours but let them vnderstande this that when I finde one that sayth the same that almoste all the reste do whether it be in fewe woordes or many so it be in more playne woordes his woordes I haue chosen yet as it were weauing to or vniting out of other that whiche he had either omitted or lefte vnspoken for one man can not speake of all thinges for want of memory neither is occasion offered If at any tyme a diuers or contrary exposition happen to be founde among the authours I haue so described the same that I haue noted what the reader should followe Neither shall there be founde in this booke a hotche potche of opinions if wee maye so terme it whereby the Reader myght bee troubled not edefied but sounde and true doctrine and the same throughout the whole booke guyding vs to the father and Iesus Christe his sonne Therefore good brethren accepte and according to goodnes and equitie allowe his dilligence whiche together with you wysheth before all thinges the increase of Christes kyngdome and the destruction of Antechriste Do you also your endeuour with earnest ardent zeale to professe Christes Gospell neither as some falsely termed Christians do be you ashamed of it by constant confession whereof the glorious sentence of Christe is onely to be hoped for who shall approue the same before his heauenly father and electe Angels And verely no man is able worthely to commende the excellency and frute of the eternall wysdome of God whiche is opened in the Gospell For the Gospell is The light vvhiche the people that vvalked in darkenes did see and vvhiche sprang vp to them vvhich sate in the region of the shadovve of death It is the kyngdome of God vvhich approched to vs vvhich
to followe him As if he shold say there is no cause why thou shouldest looke for any earthly power commoditie or gayne And if thou therfore followe mée thou art much deceiued For I haue so lyttell of those thynges in this worlde whiche thou sekest that the foxes and foules of the aire are rycher then I for they haue where to rest and dwell and so haue not I. They haue sure abiding places in this earthe but I haue not where to lay my head C. By these woordes the sonne of man declareth what the state and condition of his lyfe was when he was in the earth but he prescrybeth to all his disciples to what order of lyfe they oughte to frame them selues Notwithstāding it is marueile that Christ woulde denie him self to haue any one foote parte or portion of the earthe where to lay his heade when as he had many godly and louinge men whiche at all tymes woulde gentlely receiue and enterteine him but we muste note that this was spokē for admonyshions sake least that the scrybe should loke as from a ryche master for a riche and plentifull rewarde when as the lord him selfe as a guest or in the way of intreatie dydde leade his life in other mennes houses Neastes E. The Greeke woord rather signifieth shadowe places S. Austine in his .22 booke againste Faustus in the .48 chapter calleth this woorde neastes lodginges Euen so Ciprian calleth them in his third booke to Quirinus for the birdes beside their neastes haue holes to saue and couer them in the tyme of tempest as in hollowe trees in stone walles and in the eaues of houses The sonne of man. B. Christe here in this place in other places calleth hym selfe the sonne of Adam or the sonne of man to abase him selfe to the loweste state of men and to shewe his humyllitie It is whollye agreable to that whiche Paule saeth He made him selfe of no reputation taking on hym the shape of a seruāt and was found in his apparell as a man This kinde of speakinge therefore dothe very wel expresse the misery of mannes nature with the whiche Christe beinge indewed it must nedes be that he is partaker with vs of al our infirmities sinne onely excepted 21 And an other of the nomber of his disciples saide vnto him master suffer me first to go and bury my father And an other of the nomber A. Here is now another propoūded before our eies which askinge leaue for a time is more slowe and lesse ready to followe Christe whom notwitstanding he restrained and suffered not to go C. The Scrybe was dryuen from the fellowshippe of Christ because he immagininge that he shoulde leade a pleasant lyfe rashely offered him selfe But this man trewly whō Christ kepte backe was infected with the contrary salte For when as he should haue obeyed the callinge of Christ out of hāde he was let by the infirmitie of the fleshe thinking it a harde matter to forsake his father it is lykely that his father was a very olde man when he saide Suffer me fyrst to go and bury For this saying doth declare that he had not muche tyme behinde as if he shoulde haue said suffer me to tary with my father and to serue hym in this his olde age tyll he dye He preferred the duety which he ought vnto his father before Christ Luke sayth that he was commanded of Christ to followe him For the which Mathew saith that he was one of his disciples But to be shorte he refused not his callinge but desire the lybertie to be geuen hym for a time vntill he had discharged his duety towards his father His scuse is as much in effecte as if he should haue denied him self to be free vntil his father were dead 22 But Iesus said vnto him follow me and suffer the dead to bury their dead Follovve me B. Here this woord follow is not onely taken to cleaue vnto Chryst by fayth and to imbrace his doctrine but also to leaue all impedimentes whiche might let and drawe him backe from being a minister of the gospel which more plainely appereth by the wordes of Luke when he saith that our sauiour Chryste saide Go thou and preache the kingdom of god C By this answere of Christe therefore we vnderstand that chyldren ought so to reuerence obey and cleaue to their fathers that they leaue the same without respecte so often as God calleth thē to another matter of greater waight and importance I say all dueties apperteyning to men muste ceasse when God commaundeth vs to wayte on hym to obey him and to follow him And to this effecte perteyneth the saying of Chryste in an other place If any man come vnto me and hate not his father and mother his wyfe and children his bretherne and sisters yea and his owne life also he can not be my disciple C. Now al men must way and consider what God requirethe of theim and what the vocation wherevnto they are called requireth also least that earthly fathers hynder them withdraw them from the seruice of their omnypotent and heauenly father to whom all duetie specially parteyneth And suffer the dead to bury C. By these wordes Christ condemneth not the buriall of the deade for it were a filthy and beastly thinge to caste out the carcases of the deade and not to bury them And we knowe that the ryte and ceremony of buryinge was geuen frō aboue vnto men and receyued and vsed of the saynctes to confirme the hope of the resurrection Onely the meaning of Christ in this place was to teach vs that what so euer doth call vs from the ryght race or doth stay vs in the same doth sauoure and taste of nothing but deathe as if he should haue said They onely lyue rightly which apply their studies and al partes of theyr life to the wil and commandement of god And those whiche bowe and bend to the world and which neglect and disobey God to shew them selues obedient to men are lyke vnto the deade whiche in vaine and to no purpose occupie them selues in hauynge a care of the deade M. And so in the former place he calleth them deade which are alienate from the true lyfe that is which beleue not in him beinge depriued of the grace of god whiche haue a greatter care for worldly matters then for those thinges which parteine vnto God which neglecting God geue them selues to the world wholly as saith S. Paule speakinge of the widdow She that lyueth in pleasure is deade beinge yet alyue In the later place he calleth those dead which by tēporal death haue ended their liues suffer saith he infidelles to be with infidelles and one infidell to dwel with an other one of them to dye with an other suffer it I say rather then that shoulde be a set vnto thee to serue mée C. This man therefore was called of Christ as Luke more plainly declareth to be a minister